THE Tartan Army's startling ability to consume vast quantities of alcohol while still managing to remain not only standing, but also on the right side of the law, has been confirmed by a year-long international investigation into football violence.

Copies of the confidential report, seen by The Herald and presented to Home Secretary Jack Straw and senior EU Ministers yesterday, also confirm that English football fans are often unable to hold their drink, and are in general a pretty unsavoury lot.

Investigators preparing to police the World Cup were clearly impressed by the boozing abilities of the cheerful travelling Scots. Their consistent good behaviour is exemplary, the document states.

''In seven matches involving Scottish teams at international or club level, there were no arrests. No difficulties were encountered with drug abuse, but a significant intake of alcohol was a feature of their support.

''Despite this, the level of hooliganism was minimal and rarely resulted in any trouble or pro-active hooligan activity.''

The picture was, however, very different south of the Border. There the authorities found that many English supporters ''display extreme nationalistic tendencies'' when they travel across the Channel to support the national side.

The findings of the investigation into 314 international matches at national and club level amounts to the first such official survey into football and violence commissioned by the EU.

It was carried out by authorities in Britain, the Netherlands, and Germany and as such could ensure the reception Scots fans are likely to get from the police in France is much warmer than that received by fans from some other countries.

If English supporters are given a less than enthusiastic reception they need look no further than the contents of the report for an explanation.

It specifically warns that heavy drinking by English football hooligans can normally lead to disorder and to clashes between them and like-minded continental supporters.

''There is also the passing of counterfeit currencies and credit card fraud whenever English and Welsh supporters travel abroad,'' the report notes.

French authorities, who have already announced they will clamp down hard on any misbehaviour by fans during the World Cup, will not only be keeping a close eye on English supporters - the year-long investigation also uncovered deliberate attempts by groups of German fans to provoke the police.

The report warns that German soccer hooligans try to set a trap by encouraging the police to chase them. ''In such cases, a pursuit ensues, developing a momentum of its own and often resulting in brawls. These can also be the occasion for shoplifters who take advantage of such confusing situations by attacking shops selling alcohol, clothes, and even souvenirs without any value.''

A careful analysis of 80 matches involving friendly and competitive games between national teams and of 234 between clubs in the three European competitions revealed that 278 arrests and 523 preventive custodies were made during the games.

In addition, a total of 2111 stadium exclusion bans were applied preventing supporters from watching matches in the countries surveyed.

As part of their efforts to clamp down on football hooliganism, Mr Straw and his EU colleagues agreed yesterday to a regular exchange of information on the movement of sizeable groups which could pose a threat to law and order.

Mr Straw said yesterday that a crackdown on suspected Islamic terrorists means the World Cup is now more likely to pass off safely.

In Britain, consumer watchdogs confirmed they were investigating a series of ticket agencies over claims that they were touting World Cup tickets obtained from foreign football associations, including that in Cameroon.