ENGLAND’S FOOTBALLERS INTEND to wear poppies for their World Cup qualifier against Scotland on Remembrance Day, insists the FA chairman.
Greg Clarke says there are plans in place for the players to mark 11 November despite a Fifa ruling that prohibits the display of symbols on international jerseys which could be interpreted as a political, religious or commercial statement.
“We’ll be wearing poppies at Wembley” Clarke told ITV News. ”I mean, we’d rather come to an agreement with Fifa, so that they’re happy with that, but you know, it’s inconceivable that the FA won’t be sanctioning the wearing of poppies at Wembley.
My personal opinion, and actually the same opinion I hold as the chair of the FA, is that of course we should wear poppies. We’re commemorating millions of people who gave their lives in wars over the last 100 years and they deserve that, and the people who lost relatives deserve that, and that’s our plan.
“We’re balancing respect for the fallen and their families. We’re negotiating in good faith with Fifa to try and find a solution.”
Talks to resolve the matter have yet to produce a compromise and Fifa Secretary General Fatma Samoura said this evening that “the rules will not be changed” after holding discussions with Clarke in London.
The English and Scottish Football Associations had previously applied for a rule exemption for their encounter in Wembley Stadium next Friday. But the Scottish FA chief executive Stewart Regan said yesterday that Fifa are ‘sticking to the letter of the law.’
Failure to comply with the ruling could result in a reduction of points.
The refusal to allow players wear the poppies has provoked outrage among those who support the cause in memory of the war dead, and speaking earlier today, Prime Minister Theresa May said:
“I think the stance that has been taken by Fifa is utterly outrageous. Our football players want to recognise and respect those who have given their lives for our safety and security. I think it is absolutely right that they should be able to do so.”
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It’s scary to think how war mongering the UK is. For every war in the world the USA and UK always get involved like it’s some sort of videos game. Also the war crimes done in Ireland, Iraq, number of country’s in Africa and Asia by the British Army is something not to be proud off.
Totally agree.
Stick to the football lads. It’s in need of your full attention.
Of course they’re planning to, there’s still plenty of empire nostalgia in England as reflected in recent Brexit vote
@An_Beal_Bocht: Whats commemorating the lives of those who died fighting in WWI & WWII have anything to do with the British empire? Its showing respect for those who gave their lives in an awful conflict.
It’s not just ww1 and ww2. It’s every war and conflict they have ever been in, including Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan, India etc etc etc etc etc.
A leopard never changes its spots. They just can’t help been themselves. They tried their best bless the murdering, Racist B@@@@@@!!!!
So they’re commemorating the inhabitants of Nagasaki and Nazi soldiers as well?!
Way to stick it to the man.
They’re dead right. To hell with fifa.
But we all know there is more to this poppy wearing for the Brits than commemoration of their fallen heroes.
100yrs on its more about nationalism.
I’m also sure there are families of innocents in places like Iraq, Syria and perhaps even Belfast who don’t take so kindly to the liberators tag that the British army like to align with.
I’m also sure there are a few Germans in FIFA who just joy in rubbing it in the noses of the brexiteers
The Scots are also planning on having poppys on their kit that day, why is this being ignored??
And James McLean to get the usually abuse from the stands and online by the brave knuckle daggers.
Its plain to see very few commenters on here haven’t a scooby what the Poppy represents.
The real question is if Fifa prohinits display of symbols on international jerseys which could be interpreted as a political, religious or commercial why was nothing said about the 1916 commemoration on the Ireland jerseys earlier this year?
let them wear the poppy. there’s no harm in it. it’s symbols that blatantly want to stir up trouble fifa should be more concerned with rather than symbols of remembrance and honour.
So what does it represent? I think maybe you are the one who doesn’t have the Scrooby doo.
What it was originally intended to represent, what it has come to represent and what it actually stands for are all different things.
The media poppy pressure in the U.K. is relentless. It’s become a massive propaganda tool for the British Army.
Oh , you mean the one we wore to celebrate 100 years? These fools wear that bloody poppy every year. The pro Britannia vibe is cringe to the point that it makes me want to vomit
If very FEW haven’t a scooby then the vast majority completely understand the stupidity of footballers wearing the poppy. Nice double negative you ignoramus!
The 1916 commemoration was for a friendly game, which is not against FIFA rules.
And to be even more pedantic about it, it did not contain the Lily but merely ‘Éire 1916-2016′. In my opinion it was subtle and classy. There is nothibg subtle about the poppy and its appearance on our screens en masse for the month of November.
Is the FA chairman not Greg Dyke instead of Greg Clarke??
Hi Sean, No it was Greg Dyke but he has since been succeeded by Greg Clarke. Greg Dyke stepped down during the summer.
Hi Sean. No Greg Clarke replaced Greg Dyke earlier this summer.
No
@sean mcgoey: Hi Sean, just getting back to this comment now. Greg Clarke succeeded Greg Dyke as FA Chairman in July of this year.
And we care….Nooooo
Surely the British parliament has more pressing concerns than worrying whether or not their football teams wear a poppy on their shirt. Always happens at this time of year and I find it funny how far they go with it