CAN YOU HEAR THE DRUNKS FERNANDO?; Fan chaos on Gers star's jet.

Byline: SIMON HOUSTON and KEITH JACKSON EXCLUSIVE

RANGERS star Fernando Ricksen looked on in disgust as police intercepted drunken Ibrox fans trying to board a flight to Holland last night.

The Dutch defender - suspended for Thursday's UEFA Cup tie against Feyenoord - was waiting to board an easyjet flight to Amsterdam with his wife Graciela when trouble broke out.

Fans heading to Holland for the tie spent a boozy afternoon in bars at Glasgow Airport after the discount flight was delayed due to stormy weather in Holland.

And when the aircraft was ready to board, frustrated supporters rushed forward in an attempt to shove their way on.

Amid the melee, Ricksen, Graciela and a female friend were hurriedly seated at the very front of the plane.

A stewardess then told passengers: "There will be a further delay of up to an hour because some fans have had too much to drink and the police have been called to take them away."

Officers boarded the plane at the request of the crew to make sure the remaining passengers were fit to travel.

Angry fans claimed the chaos broke out because of easyjet's policy of not issuing seat numbers to passengers.

Supporters desperate to sit close to their hero rushed forward as cabin crew tried in vain to restore calm.

During the one hour 10 minute flight, fans were repeatedly warned to stop chanting because it was frightening children.

One traveller said: "It was quite intimidating in the departure lounge. Football supporters were pouring wine into cans in an attempt to smuggle it on to the plane.

"Fortunately the police managed to sort things out.

"It is a bit surprising to see a top-earning football star flying by with a discount airline like easyjet."

Last night, Dutch police warned that gangs of Holland's most notorious hooligans will be roaming Rotterdam attempting to ambush Rangers fans.

The worried cops are monitoring claims that organised battles may have already been pre- planned by rival thugs.

Around 4500 Rangers supporters are expected to flood into Holland over the next 24 hours ahead of tomorrow night's UEFA Cup tie with Feyenoord - and only 2500 of them have applied officially for tickets.

The Dutch authorities and Rangers are urging fans without tickets to stay away from Rotterdam on match day, in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the violence which marred last week's first leg at Ibrox.

Dutch police spokesman Hans Stoop said: "There are people who call themselves Feyenoord fans but really they just want to cause trouble.

"These are the guys who bring shame on the club and they try, at every opportunity, to create trouble.

"But we know them by face and by name and as soon as they are on the streets we will be there also.

"We know that organised battles can happen so we are prepared for that.

"But if the Rangers supporters just behave normally and have fun there should be no problem. We will be there to help them."

Ibrox security chief Laurence McIntyre said: "I don't consider it safe for Rangers fans to be loitering about Rotterdam in the hope of securing tickets."