Up to 100 Wolves fans fought on the streets of Belgium ahead of a friendly pre-season match, before being separated by police on horseback and sprayed by a water cannon.

Trouble flared before the friendly game between Wolves and Charleroi in the Belgian city on Saturday night.

Police said the fighting was pre-arranged with counterparts from the Belgian side before the match, which Wolves won 2-1.

The trouble involved around 100 of the 300 Wolves fans who travelled to Belgium for the game. No arrests were made.

Three flares were also thrown from the end of the ground where the Wolves fans were massed during the second half.

Py Hendricks, the general secretary of Charleroi, confirmed there had been trouble between the two sets of fans before the game.

He said: “There was trouble in the city centre when 100 supporters from Wolves came by train. They arranged to meet fans from Belgium. The fighting was arranged.

“There was a small fight but the police were there immediately and they dispersed them with a water cannon and then they escorted them to the stadium.

“There were no arrests made.”

Sources say trouble had been planned for several days, with rumours circulating at the friendly against Walsall six days ago that known Wolves thugs were preparing to descend on Charleroi. A Wolves fan caught up in the trouble who didn’t want to be named said: “I saw fans fighting but it was all over in seconds.

“As the Wolves fans walked up, the police came running out of the side streets.

“Police horses came in and there was a water cannon which sprayed everyone.”

Belgian fans goaded genuine Wolves supporters before the game when they unfurled their St Georges flags to have their pictures taken by the Express & Star in the city’s main square.

Chants of “Charleroi hooligans, Charleroi hooligans” went up around the square.

There were also unconfirmed reports that fighting continued after Saturday’s game.

Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey said: “We would take a very dim view of any of our fans identified causing trouble.”