The Football Association is increasingly resigned to the prospect of England’s supporters marring the team’s first return to Dublin since the 1995 riot by persisting with anti-IRA songs.
England’s 1-1 draw against Italy in Turin on Monday was notable again for the backdrop of chants that led the FA to issue an official apology after the game against Scotland at Celtic Park in November.
Roy Hodgson appealed after that game for England’s supporters to abandon songs such as “no surrender” and “fuck the IRA” and recognise the sensitivity of the friendly against Republic of Ireland on 7 June. However, it has become clear the request has been ignored and England’s manager now says he is at a loss about what he and the FA can do.
“I’m a football coach and I’m very keen that we get the support that we get,” Hodgson said. “I love the fact that our fans come to watch us but there’s no way I can justify or be glad about any political chants of that nature. We can only hope that in some way we can put that right before we go to Ireland because the last thing we want in Ireland is anything other than a very good football match.”
England’s last game in Dublin 20 years ago was abandoned after 27 minutes and the FA is acutely aware the end-of-season trip will be judged to a considerable degree by the behaviour of the supporters. To that effect, the anti-IRA chants are threatening to become a serious embarrassment.
Officials from the FA contacted England’s official band during the Scotland game to ask them to desist from playing to the tune of some of the more controversial songs.
After that game, the FA released a statement apologising for what had been heard and asking England’s followers to “show respect and not chant songs that could be regarded as insulting to others, particularly from a religious and political perspective”. The problem for the FA now is that it is clear the message is not getting through. “We have tried,” an FA spokesman said.
