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| FA forced to intervene to stop England band playing along with anti-IRA songs | |
| (8 days later) | |
| The Football Association is to consider breaking off its relationship with the England supporters’ band after an evening which saw Wayne Rooney move within three of the national side’s goalscoring record was marred by anti-IRA chants from the visiting fans. | The Football Association is to consider breaking off its relationship with the England supporters’ band after an evening which saw Wayne Rooney move within three of the national side’s goalscoring record was marred by anti-IRA chants from the visiting fans. |
| Large sections of the 5,000 English travelling support chorused “fuck the IRA” during the first half of the team’s 3-1 win over Scotland having latched on to the song – a regular called “Follow England away” – being played by the band in their midst. The chant was persistent thereafter, prompting the FA, who lobby rival associations for the musicians to be allowed to bring their instruments into away games, to contact band members at the interval and request that particular song was not played again. That request was carried out and there was no repeat of the incident in the second half. | Large sections of the 5,000 English travelling support chorused “fuck the IRA” during the first half of the team’s 3-1 win over Scotland having latched on to the song – a regular called “Follow England away” – being played by the band in their midst. The chant was persistent thereafter, prompting the FA, who lobby rival associations for the musicians to be allowed to bring their instruments into away games, to contact band members at the interval and request that particular song was not played again. That request was carried out and there was no repeat of the incident in the second half. |
| The band usually attempt to drown out offensive chants with their performance, though the numbers joining in this particular chant had clearly made that impossible. The FA intends to speak again to the supporters’ group, who first performed at England games in 1996 having initially emerged at Sheffield Wednesday, to discuss how to proceed but will consider its options, including the possibility of breaking off its relationship. | The band usually attempt to drown out offensive chants with their performance, though the numbers joining in this particular chant had clearly made that impossible. The FA intends to speak again to the supporters’ group, who first performed at England games in 1996 having initially emerged at Sheffield Wednesday, to discuss how to proceed but will consider its options, including the possibility of breaking off its relationship. |
| “I don’t condone any chanting, I’ve got to say,” said Roy Hodgson afterwards. “My concentration was on the football match entirely, even if I was aware the crowd were tremendously supportive. But unfortunately chanting and people singing songs which no one in football condones go on. I don’t condone it. | “I don’t condone any chanting, I’ve got to say,” said Roy Hodgson afterwards. “My concentration was on the football match entirely, even if I was aware the crowd were tremendously supportive. But unfortunately chanting and people singing songs which no one in football condones go on. I don’t condone it. |
| “If anyone was offended, I’m sure the FA would apologise to them. All we can do is play our football and hope our fans behave themselves and enjoy our football.” | “If anyone was offended, I’m sure the FA would apologise to them. All we can do is play our football and hope our fans behave themselves and enjoy our football.” |
| There was much for the visitors to enjoy at Celtic Park with Rooney’s brace taking his goal tally for the national side to 46 – two shy of Gary Lineker and three from Sir Bobby Charlton – to secure a sixth successive win since the traumas of the summer’s World Cup finals. Hodgson went as far as to suggest his captain, who celebrated his 100th cap against Slovenia last Saturday, is still improving and relishing the added responsibility brought since his appointment in the summer. | There was much for the visitors to enjoy at Celtic Park with Rooney’s brace taking his goal tally for the national side to 46 – two shy of Gary Lineker and three from Sir Bobby Charlton – to secure a sixth successive win since the traumas of the summer’s World Cup finals. Hodgson went as far as to suggest his captain, who celebrated his 100th cap against Slovenia last Saturday, is still improving and relishing the added responsibility brought since his appointment in the summer. |
| “His game is improving all the time with that responsibility,” said Hodgson, “and there was more to his play today than just the two goals. The records and milestones are important. | “His game is improving all the time with that responsibility,” said Hodgson, “and there was more to his play today than just the two goals. The records and milestones are important. |
| “It must be nice for him to think he’ll see his name at the top of the goalscoring list, and possibly with a record number of caps in his sight too. He must keep his fitness but he won’t be the first one to retire from football. He did terrifically well tonight but many players took responsibility out there.” | “It must be nice for him to think he’ll see his name at the top of the goalscoring list, and possibly with a record number of caps in his sight too. He must keep his fitness but he won’t be the first one to retire from football. He did terrifically well tonight but many players took responsibility out there.” |
| Rooney now has 18 goals from 28 appearances under Hodgson. “I’m enjoying my football,” said the forward. “I’ve always loved playing for England, I’m on a good run of goals and I hope that continues. If that means I break the record, then I’ll be delighted. Scotland started quickly but we showed our ability with the ball and our mental strength. After we scored the first goal I thought we controlled the game. When Scotland got their goal back it could have been a bit edgy, but we responded fantastically and it was very special for me to score two goals for England in Scotland at Celtic Park.” | Rooney now has 18 goals from 28 appearances under Hodgson. “I’m enjoying my football,” said the forward. “I’ve always loved playing for England, I’m on a good run of goals and I hope that continues. If that means I break the record, then I’ll be delighted. Scotland started quickly but we showed our ability with the ball and our mental strength. After we scored the first goal I thought we controlled the game. When Scotland got their goal back it could have been a bit edgy, but we responded fantastically and it was very special for me to score two goals for England in Scotland at Celtic Park.” |
| Gordon Strachan admitted his players had been “spooked” by England’s energetic opening as they slipped to only a second defeat in 11 games to douse some of the optimism generated by Friday’s victory over the Republic of Ireland. “When we met 10 days ago, the point of the exercise was to get three points against the Republic, which we did,” he said. “But the intensity and pace England played at, without the ball in particular, was fantastic and spooked our players a bit. | Gordon Strachan admitted his players had been “spooked” by England’s energetic opening as they slipped to only a second defeat in 11 games to douse some of the optimism generated by Friday’s victory over the Republic of Ireland. “When we met 10 days ago, the point of the exercise was to get three points against the Republic, which we did,” he said. “But the intensity and pace England played at, without the ball in particular, was fantastic and spooked our players a bit. |
| “I think my players were expecting England to sit back and wait, but they didn’t. They’re a team full of Champions League players, and they showed that. Maybe we were mentally fatigued from Friday, too, which we need to look at. But we let ourselves down, to be honest. We haven’t over the 10 days. Just in this game. We know we can play better than that.” | “I think my players were expecting England to sit back and wait, but they didn’t. They’re a team full of Champions League players, and they showed that. Maybe we were mentally fatigued from Friday, too, which we need to look at. But we let ourselves down, to be honest. We haven’t over the 10 days. Just in this game. We know we can play better than that.” |
| • The headline on this article was amended on 26 November 2014 to better reflect the article. |