ENGLAND'S beleaguered footballers arrived in Turkey last night amid unprecedented security as fears continued that fans would ignore warnings to stay away from the crunch Euro 2004 qualifier.

Despite repeated pleas for English supporters not to travel to Istanbul, it emerged that two supporters had already been intercepted - leading to concern that a hard-core of troublemakers may be preparing to gatecrash tomorrow's game.

And a reformed football hooligan added to those fears last night when he told The Northern Echo that he knew of North-East fans who were travelling to Turkey.

The Home Office said last night that two people had been turned back at Istanbul airport.

A spokeswoman said: "They were advised at Manchester by police not to travel but they travelled anyway.

"They have been stopped at the airport in Istanbul and will be returned to England. This reinforces the message that people should not travel."

Passengers heading for Istanbul from British airports were subjected to intense questioning by police as to their reasons for visiting Turkey.

Officers asked if they intended going to the match.

Britons arriving at Istanbul were directed to special passport control lanes dedicated to them, and their passports were checked against lists of known troublemakers.

Last night, a former football hooligan from the North-East told of his fears for the England fans who were travelling to Istanbul.

John Pulling, a member of Middlesbrough FC's notorious gang The Frontliners during the 1970s and 80s, said: "They are taking their lives in their hands by going there.

"I really do fear for the lads who are going over there. It's a very dangerous situation."

Father-of-three Mr Pulling, 45, from Dormanstown, Teesside, added: "Two lads from Middlesbrough I know very well are going out there, but there is no way I would."

Fans' chief Kevin Miles, from Wallsend, North Tyneside, arrived at Istanbul Airport yesterday afternoon and forecast that about 200 England supporters would make the trip.

Mr Miles, the international co-ordinator with the Football Supporters' Federation, will spend the next three days at a hotel in the city providing a telephone helpline for fans in trouble.

Foreign Office Minister Baroness Symons said: "We understand that every possible measure will be taken by the host authorities to prevent English fans from gaining access to the stadium.

"Any English fan who attempts to breach the cordon or who is spotted in the ground will be removed to a secure holding area."

Turkish police have ordered 12,000 men on to the streets for the match - far more than the number who battled troublemakers when England played Turkey at the Stadium of Light, in Sunderland, earlier this year.

The British end of the operation is being overseen by Cleveland's Deputy Chief Constable, Ron Hogg, who is already in Turkey.

Sports Minister Richard Caborn was joined by the Turkish deputy ambassador, Irfan Acar, in London, yesterday to drum home the message that fans should not travel.

As the England players arrived in Turkey, there were calls for unity after a disastrous week for the national game at home.

The crucial game comes after a week of football controversy surrounding the team and the Premiership's highly-paid stars.

The England squad arrived at Istanbul airport at about 8.15pm local time and were met by a heavy police guard who shielded them from waiting autograph-hunters.

A young girl attempting to get David Beckham's autograph was violently pushed back from her hero by Turkish police to the England captain's obvious distress.

English football hopes were dealt another blow yesterday when star striker Michael Owen was ruled out from travelling after failing to recover from a shin injury.

And football's anguish continued back home as Leeds United player Jody Morris was suspended after being questioned by police over an alleged sexual assault.

Morris, 24, was arrested on Tuesday at the team's Thorp Arch training ground and was held overnight by police investigating allegations of a serious sexual assault on a 20-year-old woman in the Leeds area.

* A 27-year-old man arrested in connection with allegations by a 17-year-old girl that she was gang-raped by Premiership footballers at a London hotel has been bailed pending further inquiries.