English FA intervene after anti-IRA chants in Scotland game
Sport

English FA intervene after anti-IRA chants in Scotland game

THE English FA intervened during half-time of England’s friendly against Scotland after visiting supporters sang anti-IRA chants.

In the first-half of England’s 3-1 win at Celtic Park, the England Supporters Band played one of their regular songs, Follow England Away, and some among the 5,000 travelling fans used the song as a platform to chant "f*** the IRA."

Manager Roy Hodgson said: "I didn't have a clue what they were chanting.

"If anyone was offended, I'm sure the FA would like to apologise to them."

An FA official contacted members of the band during the interval and requested that the song was not played because it was inadvertently providing the music for the offensive singing.

The request was complied with and the incident was not repeated in the second-half.

"I don't condone it. Hopefully they will behave themselves and not get themselves into a situation where their chanting is being criticised,” Hodgson added.

Police Scotland reported that they had not received reports of offensive chanting following the match, and that there had been no football-related disorder.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored first for England, with Wayne Rooney netting the ball either side of Andrew Robertson's goal for Scotland.