After what the FA called “the anti-social behaviour witnessed at the Germany v England match in Dortmund”, ranging from chants about the war and booing the hosts’ anthem, the governing body has appealed for restraint among fans travelling to Hampden Park on Saturday for the pivotal World Cup qualifier against the Auld Enemy.
The misguided, nihilist arm of England’s support needs reminding that it is possible to show respect to arch-rivals, forgetting old sores and scores, without lessening the desire to defeat them. It does not detract from the thrill of victory to resist tasteless taunts. It simply demonstrates a humanity of spirit, and sporting nature, and membership of the civilized world, that some simply, and sadly, cannot grasp.
On England’s most recent visit to Glasgow, the 2014 success at Celtic Park, fans delivered their verdict on the Scottish independence referendum with a chorus of “f*** off, Scotland, we’re all voting yes”. Some Scots did jeer God Save The Queen, England fans heckled Flower of Scotland and then sung “f*** the IRA” through the first half, reaching such a decibel level that an FA official phoned the England band to request they stopped playing the tune accompanying the mantra.
Like the locals in Dortmund, the Scots largely looked on dismissively as the English embarrassed themselves. Despite the good work of the Football Supporters’ Federation and patient, principled individuals at the FA such as Harpreet Robertson, the head of the England Supporters Club, a problem persists. Given recent terrorist assaults on Manchester and London, and the heart-breaking picture of the coffin of 14-year-old Eilidh MacLeod being carried across the beach at Barra, if ever there was a time for England and Scotland supporters to stand shoulder to shoulder, it is now.
Gareth Southgate and his players will show their respect to the fallen and the families afflicted, as will Gordon Strachan and the Scots. How wonderful it would be if England fans followed suit, and showed the world that they are not boorish and xenophobic. The majority are fine, but they harbour a malevolent minority, especially when drinking.
Advertisement
The FA is so sensitive about the trip to Hampden that it has warned fans that Police Scotland will act if witnessing “behaviour which shows support for a terrorist organisation or references atrocities associated with terrorism or war; behaviour which shows hatred or ill-will towards individuals based on their religious background, race, sexual orientation or disability; and any form of violence, threats or disorder”.
Building on a flow of information after Dortmund, the FA has given fans a dedicated email and phone-line “if you witness any xenophobic, racist, sectarian, sexist or anti-social behaviour before or during the match”.
When this fixture was first played 145 years ago, Charles Darwin was publishing his dissection of behavioural tendencies, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals and he would have been able to fill his books analysing the games ever since.
The world’s oldest international should stir pride, not dark sentiments. Across three centuries, opposing dressing rooms have wanted to humiliate the other, but there has always been esteem amid the perceived enmity. Scotland’s celebrated Wembley Wizards of 1928, including Alex James and Hughie Gallacher, were too nimble and swift in destroying Dixie Dean and company 5-1. The Scots smuggled the ball out under the goalkeeper’s jersey, and placed it in the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden.
Frank Haffey may well have wanted to be smuggled away after Jimmy Greaves and Johnny Haynes shredded his net in 1961, England winning 9-3. Photographers were equally busy, ambushing Haffey on platform 9 on alighting from the train in Glasgow, and even catching him walking past a house with door number 93.
Advertisement
So many special games, incredible cameos, characters and storylines define the fixture of fixtures. “Slim” Jim Baxter’s keepy-uppy against the world champions at Wembley in 1967 led to the sombre announcement on Pathé News that “after 19 games without defeat England had the shock of their lives”. Baxter laughed: “I went to the pub — for 14 years.”
On it went, the Scots putting the dram into drama for their fans. After a 2-0 win at Hampden in 1974, the Leeds United contingent shared a car back south, Billy Bremner smiling at Norman Hunter the whole way.
Two years later, Kenny Dalglish famously slipped a shot through Ray Clemence’s legs. “Clemence’s day is now complete — a total disaster,” David Coleman intoned. Behind the goal, two stewards in yellow sou’westers were going crazy with glee. On joining Liverpool the following season, Dalglish was urged by his new team-mates to wind Clemence up about the nutmeg. Dalglish was determined to be respectful. He waited 24 hours. “Keep those legs closed,” he told Clemence.
Dalglish scored what proved to be the winner at Wembley in 1977, and as Mick Mills tried to launch an attack, the referee Karoly Palotai blew for full-time, Ally McLeod ran on to the pitch, buttoning his jacket, to be followed by thousands of tartan-clad fans. Two supporters, resplendent in kilts, ended up in the bath of the Scots’ dressing room and some of the turf ended up in Glasgow and Corby. On the train north, fans asked Gordon McQueen to autograph strips of the pitch.
It is the mother of all meetings. At Euro ’96, England fans went wild when the ball shifted on the spot and Gary McAllister’s kick was saved by David Seaman. Uri Geller, moving up a division from spoon-bending, attempted to claim credit, saying he was in a helicopter above Wembley, placing a force-field around the ball. True magic arrived shortly afterwards, Paul Gascoigne whisking the ball over Colin Hendry and scoring.
Advertisement
Plenty of moralising screeching was heard from the English in 2006 when Andy Murray said he would support “anyone but England, ha-ha” at the World Cup in Germany. Yet the Scot was quite right; it would have been fraudulent for him to say anything else. A look of horror took residence on Sir Alex Ferguson’s face when he was once asked whether he would ever consider managing England, before he said that he would contemplate the indignity “only to get youse relegated”. That rivalry should be cherished at Hampden on Saturday without the poisonous edge that a few England fans can bring.
Powerful warrior whose death can be a lesson to all
It is beyond comprehension that a footballer of the dynamism, stamina and seeming indomitability as Cheick Tioté is no longer with us. Only 30. It is so wrong, so unfair, so tragic that such a powerful warrior of a midfield player, even with a few injury issues, should be felled by a heart problem. First thoughts, of course, are with his grieving family, and then with a shocked sport he served so hungrily, including seven years at Newcastle United.
Taken far too soon, Tioté still leaves the imperishable memory of that left-footed volley to make it 4-4 against Arsenal in 2011. The Ivorian raced away, thrilling in the joy he had created, smiling as he disappeared under jubilant team-mates. One Newcastle fan reworked Dean Martin’s That’s Amore, concluding “when you’re losing 4-3, he says ‘leave it to me’, Cheick Tioté”. As the sport mourns a popular, committed character, and assesses whether players are receiving all the right and rigorous medical tests, Tioté’s sudden passing stands as a reminder to all players to seize the moment and make every training session and every game count.
