WHEN 3,500 Italians arrive in Manchester this week ahead of the return leg of Roma's Champions League quarter-final at Old Trafford, they will have to be on their guard for retaliatory attacks.

But, unlike the United fans who were hospitalised after having to deal with charges from baton-wielding riot officers from the Rome police, the travelling contingent following the Serie A outfit will not be under threat from Greater Manchester's boys in blue.

There will undoubtedly be a heavy core of furious Manchester supporters that will be looking for revenge on the streets of Manchester.

The police over here, however, will not be taking anyone's side.

Hooliganism in football has always been regarded as the 'English disease'. On the continent it is still regarded as such and is the primary reason why the United fans were subjected to such atrocious behaviour last week.

And, while Darlington's League Two fixture with Hartlepool recently highlighted that trouble is still around outside the ground and remains a poison worth finding a cure for, it is worth applauding the fact that the sort of disgraceful scenes witnessed inside the Stadio Olimpico rarely occur domestically.

What has become increasingly clear is that the Football Association and English football in general have learnt harsh lessons from what had become an internal problem during the eighties.

Now UEFA must act quickly, listen to what those at Soho Square have been through and take decisive action to counter the ever-growing hooligan problem on European soil quickly.

Forget the goings on in Sevilla, where Tottenham supporters clashed with Spain's heavy-handed cops, for now. Procedures in Rome would be the perfect place to start. If they could sort that out then UEFA could do anything.

It is no coincidence that the Stadio Olimpico was the scene where 18 United fans ended up in hospital after being victimised. Just ask Middlesbrough fans.

Thirteen months ago, I was in the Eternal City ahead of Boro's UEFA Cup clash with Roma when equally appalling acts were committed on around 200 supporters from Teesside.

A little under half a mile separated the small Italian restaurant where myself and a few colleagues dined and the Campo de Fiori, a small market square towards the south of the city.

Eighty of Roma's fanatical and extremist 'Ultra' group charged the Middlesbrough fans with smoke bombs and fireworks while many others wielded axes. The incident left three Boro fans in hospital with stab wounds, ten others were hurt.

On the night of the game, we were coached into the primitive stadium along a Parkway, whereby more 'Ultras' hovered around with scarves covering their faces ready to ambush anything to do with Boro.

On return to England, an FA delegate at the game dispatched a report to UEFA but no action was forthcoming.

Fans claimed that there had been collusion between taxi drivers, policemen and the Ultras on that shameful night. There has, though, still not been any acknowledgement of wrongdoing from the Italian authorities.

It was clear on that warm March evening improvements needed to be made - and the stadium was only half full. With almost a full house last week, it was evidently clear some form of trouble was going to develop.

United's fans must shoulder some of the blame for reacting as they did, but given Roma fans' history then surely the Roman police should from now on be stationed on the Italians' side of the fence, rather than that of the visiting support.

It is extremely sad to hear that Rome's head of public security, Achille Serra, has warned Roma fans not to 'walk round in groups and don't wave Roma scarves,' in fear of being spotted by United's hardline followers.

But, given it was in Italy this year where a policeman was killed in exchanges with fans on the isle of Sicily, perhaps Serra should be looking to put his own house in order first.

Hooliganism will never go away, but it can be scaled down. What it doesn't require is riot police becoming the chief culprit and innocent fans becoming the victim.