Because of the lingering shadow of an evening in Lansdowne Road 18 years ago, last night’s England-Republic of Ireland friendly soccer international at Wembley was an occasion, perhaps, for everyone to be on their best behaviour.
The full-throated rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann by thousands of Irish fans – many, if not most of whom had only to travel a few miles from work – was applauded warmly by the English fans.
In their turn the Irish contingent returned the salute, a few clearly for the first time, when it came to God Save The Queen. They applauded demonstrably, seemingly wishing that the gesture be noted.
However, it was not until Shane Long’s 13th-minute headed goal to give Ireland the lead that it became clear how many Irish supporters were sitting among the English fans.
A few hesitated, if only for a micro-second, while they looked back to check the reaction of those sitting behind them; others did the same thing a moment after they stood up, rather to the amusement of those sitting behind.
The opening goal prompted mass celebrations in the Irish quarter proper – where supporters stood for the evening, while the English sat – including the first extended version of the Fields of Athenry.
However, the celebrations were silenced 10 minutes later when Frank Lampard equalised.
The Chelsea player became the first Englishman to score against Ireland since Lee Dixon in 1991 – but given there were only 27 minutes of football between the two countries in the interim, that may not be as grand an achievement as it sounds.
Grealish and Greenhoff
The match programme had remembered much: the Republic's glory days under Jack Charlton and the recent deaths of Irish international Tony Grealish and former Manchester United player Brian Greenhoff.
The events of that one dark night in February 1995 in Dublin when English football hooligans rioted were dealt with obliquely, but lay everywhere in the sub-text.
But the programme did remember a genuine tragedy at the Heysel stadium in Belgium on May 29th, 1985 when 39 Juventus fans were crushed to death before the start of a European Cup final against Liverpool.
The legacy of February 1985 lay at the back of the England manager, Roy Hodgson’s decision to deliver a pre-match pep talk to fans about respect.
During World Cups in South Africa and Germany, English fans had done much, he said, to burnish the country’s reputation for passion, delivering support to the team “that has been nothing short of fantastic”. However, good work “can be undone quickly”, Hodgson warned: “As much as we all want to win, respect for the game and for our opponents is paramount. Tonight is no different.
“I strongly urge everyone in the ground to show each other respect and not to chant songs that could be regarded as insulting to others – particularly from a religious or political perspective,” he declared.
'Rule Britannia'
In truth, there was little of that: a few desultory airings of Rule Britannia, though even they soon petered out for lack of support.
Crowds had begun quietly congregating before 6pm near the statue of England’s 1966 hero, Bobby Moore, memorialised by the English FA in death, even if his friends still feel it did little for him in life.
Inside, children aged between five and 11 gambolled on Wembley’s turf, displaying skills learned during a training programme funded by a major supermarket.
A troupe of 40 brightly-dressed Maguire O’Shea Academy Irish dancers – a 40-year-old institution run in London by Kathleen and Michael Maguire – danced on the pitch’s perimeter, warmly applauded by the early arrivers.
The troupe, which included five men, received another outing at half-time – this time exchanging sequins for green tops , where they delivered a Riverdance-style display.
Meanwhile, over on Twitter, a young woman had made herself the evening’s entertainment after she wondered out loud why Ireland were playing England at all, given they are in the same country.
LOL.
