Angry United complain to Uefa

SOCCER/Uefa Champions League:Manchester United will recommend that the Stade Felix-Bollaert loses its Champions League licence unless it implements significant safety measures after the crowd problems that marred the 1-0 defeat of Lille on Tuesday.

United will also lodge the strongest possible complaint against the French police, who used tear gas after it became apparent that fans in a dangerously overpopulated stand were being crushed against 12-foot perimeter fences and were beginning to panic.

The club received 75 statements from supporters yesterday. United's security officials have studied mobile-phone video footage and there seems overwhelming evidence of police heavy-handedness and poor security. It is United's firm belief that the police took a dreadful risk by allowing in supporters who had black-market tickets for other areas of the Lens stadium.

It has also emerged that United had written to fans warning of "very basic" facilities and metal fences penning in the away end.

There was only one entrance and, privately, United say they are amazed the stadium was granted a Uefa licence.

Uefa will decide on possible sanctions at its control and disciplinary meeting on March 22nd and United intend to submit a dossier of the fans' claims a tragedy was only narrowly averted.

One fan, Mark Harrison (27) said: "One young woman fell forward and was crushed against the fence. She was crying and tried to climb over the fence. When all the other fans saw this they started to panic and did the same thing.

"People were worried it might be like Hillsborough and so they started climbing the fence and trying to get out. The police started spraying us with pepper spray. My eyes were streaming and I couldn't catch my breath. The police reaction just made things worse."

Another fan, Nick Boazuk (35), said: "I was genuinely scared for my life."

Uefa's initial investigations have uncovered startling evidence about the number of United fans who travelled to Lens. The club had received 3,700 tickets but the Direction Départementale de la Sécurité Publique says that figure swelled to 5,000.

"The English fans sold counterfeit tickets and the stand reserved for them was saturated," said its spokesman.

Nine United fans were taken into custody and the DDSP defended its tactics. "We had to use the tear gas. We had to intervene. We were in opposition with uncontrolled fans."

United will dispute that, but a flare was lit in the away end and they are braced for a Uefa charge.

Lille can expect stronger disciplinary measures after their fans threw missiles onto the pitch, including a flagpole, which hit Gary Neville on the head. Uefa will meet tomorrow to discuss the controversy that erupted when Ryan Giggs scored from a quickly taken free-kick and the Lille players tried to stop the game. Lille's threat to walk off in the aftermath of Giggs's winner seven minutes from time was branded "a disgrace" by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, who felt the gesture turned the atmosphere sour and was responsible for the hail of missiles.

Ferguson called for Uefa to take action following the behaviour of the French side. Uefa spokesman Rob Faulkner said: "Having seen what went on with the security side and in the match itself, it would be standard procedure for the referee to report the incidents and for the control and disciplinary committee to take the appropriate action."

The match was only played at Lens as Lille's Metropole Stadium does not meet Uefa standards, an issue the British sports minister, Richard Caborn, wants addressed. "Now I think it's up to Uefa to make sure they do carry out inspections and those inspections are acted upon if they are sub-standard."

The storm completely overshadowed a United victory that avenged two woeful performances against Lille last term and put United on course for a quarter-final place for the first time in four seasons.