POLICE last night warned Middlesbrough fans planning to travel without tickets to the club's first European away trip that they could not guarantee their safety.

Officials are expecting huge demand for tickets, with just 900 being made available for the second leg of the Uefa Cup first round tie, away to Czech side Banik Ostrava.

Fans attending the match have been urged not to ruin the club's big day and to act "responsibly and soberly".

Superintendent Steve Ashman, Boro's match commander, speaking at a Press conference at the Riverside Stadium, yesterday, said: "We recognise that there will be thousands of people across Middlesbrough and Teesside who will very much want to go to this match.

"Our advice is very clear: if you do not have a ticket, do not travel, as the safety of any fans over and above the 900 cannot be guaranteed.

"Even if people do get into the ground, they will either be ejected or possibly placed among the home fans."

Supt Ashman dismissed any fears that a number of hooligans may travel to the match and said there was no significant intelligence to suggest this.

Ostrava is a small industrial town about 200 miles east of the Czech capital Prague, and the club's 16,000-seater stadium on the outskirts.

Boro officials say they are anxious to get over to fans, particularly those not travelling on official travel packages, some of the difficulties they may encounter on the trip.

Operations manager Terry Tasker said the remote location may pose travel problems and said that general facilities and hotel accommodation was also limited.

He said: "We would urge all our fans going out there to show tolerance with Banik Ostrava officials and the Czech police, and to act responsibly and soberly.

"We like to think that our fans have got a good reputation, following our Cardiff cup success, and we would like that to become a template for future trips."

Applications for tickets, priced at £25, are by post only and must be received by the close of the day next Wednesday.

The club's longest serving season ticket holders will be given priority, although no guarantees can be made.

* The match, on Thursday, September 30, is being shown live on ITV2