Latest news with #EnglandFans
The Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Sun
England supporters pay touching tribute to 26-year-old Chelsea fan killed in M1 crash in 26th minute vs Senegal
ENGLAND fans held a minute's applause following the tragic death of 26-year-old Harrison Turner. Turner's beloved Three Lions hosted Senegal at the City Ground, with his cousins in the crowd. 2 Harrison was tragically killed after being struck while working on a motorway hard shoulder on May 30. He suffered serious injuries and died at the scene of the crash close to the southbound slip road at junction 8 of the M1. Harrison's loving family organised for the minute's applause to take place in the 26th minute in his honour. Thomas Tuchel 's side were leading 1-0 after Harry Kane slotted in his 73rd international goal in the seventh minute. According to his family, the youngster was a huge England fan that went home and away. He was also a big Chelsea supporter, regularly attending Stamford Bridge to cheer on the Blues. A man, 58, from Luton, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, driving while unfit through drink or drugs and failing to stop at the scene of a collision. Det Sgt Ben Heath, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: "Our thoughts are with the man's loved ones at this difficult time. "Our inquiries are continuing, and I am appealing for anyone with information to please come forward. "Did you see what happened, or witness anything before the collision? "I would like to take this opportunity to thank the public for their patience whilst we put road closures in place." Anyone who saw the crash, has information or dash cam footage has been urged to contact the police.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Why England football fans have turned on Keir Starmer
When Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister during last summer's European Championship, hardcore England fans summed up the expectations of much of the country. 'Not long after Labour won in 1997 England won Le Tournoi. It's coming home,' one member of the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) wrote on its official Facebook group. That the post attracted dozens of laughter emojis and comments such as 'every cloud I suppose' suggested hopes were not high the party's landslide general election victory would usher in a new golden age for the UK. At the same time, there was no sign of any open hostility from England 's most loyal fans towards Labour or its leader. That all changed dramatically on Saturday when many of the 7,000 of them who attended the country's 1-0 World Cup qualifying win against Andorra loudly and repeatedly branded Starmer a 'c---' and 'w----r'. Never before had a Prime Minister been singled out for that scale of abuse at a football match. Not Margaret Thatcher after the Poll Tax, Tony Blair after the Iraq War, Boris Johnson after 'Partygate' or Liz Truss after she 'crashed the economy'. Exactly why Starmer was targeted on Saturday is known only to those who took part in the chanting, but the game was played weeks after he lost his first by-election since becoming Prime Minister – as well as scores of seats in local government – to Nigel Farage's Reform UK. It also took place days after the Prime Minister signed a deal with the European Union that political opponents called a 'betrayal' of Brexit and the crossing of the channel by 1,200 migrants in small boats across a single day. 'Reform have got themselves elected on immigration' Among those at Saturday's match was Simon Harris, a veteran member of the ESTC who was also, until recently, a Conservative member of Shropshire Council. Harris, who has followed England home and away for more than a quarter of a century, told Telegraph Sport he did not hear the abuse of Starmer and had not spoken to anyone involved. But the 67-year-old, a 'one-nation' Tory who voted Remain in the EU referendum, said that much of the England fanbase was pro-Brexit. He also acknowledged Starmer's ongoing failure to 'Smash the gangs' responsible for small-boat crossings would not have gone unnoticed by those who had put up 'Stop the Boats' stickers in Germany during Euro 2024. 'When the tide goes out, the immigration thing, it's what Reform have got themselves basically elected on,' Harris added. Watching Saturday's match on television was Richard Caborn, the Labour sports minister for six years in the Blair government. He speculated the reason behind the chanting may have been either the 'rise of Reform or right-wing nationalism coming back into play', adding: 'We've had the National Front and all them who've tried to infiltrate football.' Indeed, footage was posted to social media before Saturday's game purporting to show England fans in a bar in Spain serenading far-right firebrand Tommy Robinson. Downing Street did not respond to requests for comment on why it thought Starmer had been targeted, while Farage told Telegraph Sport simply: 'I have never known a Prime Minister viewed with such contempt by working people.' Unrest over Starmer's EU deal and small-boat crossings are not the only possible reasons for Saturday's chanting about a Prime Minister who took office four days after Jude Bellingham's dramatic overhead kick rescued England from one of their worst ever defeats. Their Euro 2024 last-16 victory against Slovakia ensured a dream start to the job for arguably the most committed football supporter ever to become Prime Minister. Diehard Arsenal supporter Starmer had made his fandom a key plank of his election campaign and he continued to exploit it during England's march to the tournament's final. After their quarter-final penalty shoot-out win over Switzerland, he joked they had 'not missed a penalty under a Labour Government in 2024'. He was photographed watching their last-gasp semi-final win over the Netherlands during a Nato summit in Washington. And he attended the final against Spain, raising hopes of a Bank Holiday if England ended their near 60-year wait for a major trophy – which they did not. A Euro 2024 triumph was always unlikely to buy Starmer an extended honeymoon given the Southport stabbings that followed days later and the riots that ensued. This violence led to him being branded 'two-tier Keir' by Elon Musk over allegations white protestors were being treated more harshly than minorities by the police. #TwoTierKeir — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 6, 2024 The summer had not yet finished when news first broke of what became known as the Labour freebies scandal. It was later reported that Starmer had accepted more than £107,145 worth of gifts, benefits and hospitality since the previous General Election in 2019 – including tickets to Arsenal matches and concerts by Taylor Swift and Coldplay. That is two-and-a-half times more than any other MP during the same period. His use of the directors' box at the Emirates Stadium after becoming Prime Minister caused particular controversy, a move he defended by arguing it would cost the taxpayer more in security for him to sit in his normal seat. With many seeing Labour's landslide election win as less of an endorsement of Labour and more an indictment of Tory sleaze, the freebies scandal could hardly have been a worse start to life in Number 10 for Starmer. It has been followed by the likes of further rows and protests over two-tier policing and sentencing, an inheritance tax raid on farmers and the removal of winter fuel payments to pensioners. Even moves by Starmer to prevent a repeat of the European Super League debacle that caused one of the biggest ever revolts by English football fans has become mired in controversy. An investigation has been launched into accusations of cronyism against Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's proposed choice to lead the game's new independent regulator. All this and more could be among the reasons England supporters engaged in anti-Starmer chanting less than a year since he took office. 'He needs to convince them he's doing a good job' How much the Prime Minister needs to worry about that with another four years to go until the next general election – after England co-host the next Euros in 2028 – is even more open to debate. These are the same group of fans, after all, who continue to sing 'No Surrender' in the national anthem more than a quarter of a century after the Good Friday Agreement and chant 'Ten German Bombers' following Thomas Tuchel's appointment as England manager. They also unveiled a new song during Saturday's match about Germany having 'never won a war' and, by the end of what was a dull game, were chanting 'Ian, Ian, Ian' at Andorra defender Ian Olivera. Harris said Starmer should be most concerned about the views of those members of the fanbase who had not abused him on Saturday, particularly those who would have once been seen as traditional Labour or working-class Tory voters. 'I think he needs to win them,' he said. 'The centre, which is Keir Starmer, needs to win and convince those people that he's doing a good job. I don't think that is happening.' He added: 'I think he does have a problem. I think all centrist politicians have a problem at the moment. And I think what you may be seeing is a sort of reaction to that and that sense of disengagement which people have got.' Caborn warned it would be wrong to overplay how much those involved on Saturday represented the wider football fanbase, never mind the country at large, but he did say that Starmer should have concerns about his standing among England supporters. 'A Prime Minister that didn't would not be serious,' he said. 'You always take these things seriously and you want to find what the root causes are.' Stressing why football was so important to governments, he added: 'They see that is where their constituency is. It's as simple as that, in my view. What is it Bill Shankly said? Life, death and football.' Asked if Starmer would have a real cause to worry if Saturday's chanting spread to the wider fanbase during England's friendly against Senegal at Nottingham Forest's City Ground on Tuesday night, Caborn replied: 'Absolutely, yeah.'
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
‘Ten German Bombers' video posted on FA-run England fans page
A video showing England fans singing 'Ten German Bombers' in front of a young boy has been posted to a Facebook group run by the Football Association. The 22-second clip was uploaded to the official page of the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) a little under two hours before Thomas Tuchel's first away game as national team manager. The footage shows a number of fans singing the illicit chant in a bar, including a man carrying on his shoulders a young boy wearing a red England top with Harry Kane's name on the back. The video is captioned: 'If I ever wanted to be a Dad! Parenting correctly. Memories made.' It remained available to watch on the ESTC Facebook group on Monday, despite that group being run by the FA itself and despite attracting a comment which read, 'FA staff currently scanning the video to issue bans', along with crying-with-laughter emoji. The footage appears to have been filmed in Barcelona, where England's 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Andorra took place on Saturday. Another comment on the video read: 'Superb. Was the lads [sic] second away game (after Ireland last Sept) and they're heading to Salou now. What a dad.' An FA spokesperson said: 'We have been made aware of this video, and it has been deleted. It is inappropriate and disrespectful. We always ask fans to follow us in the right way – showing support for the team and respecting others, as so many did in great number in Barcelona. We are working with our security team and the England Supporters Travel Club membership team on the appropriate next steps.' The video was posted shortly before England fans were heard singing about Sir Keir Starmer at Saturday's match, calling the Prime Minister a 'c---' and 'w-----'. Tuchel said afterwards he had not heard any offensive chanting but added: 'If it happened, it's not acceptable.' Telegraph Sport has been told that supporters were singing what appears to be a new song about Germany having 'never won a war' during the match. A clip was uploaded to X the previous evening purporting to show fans in what appears to be a bar in Spain performing the same chant. On top of this, footage appeared on Saturday night claiming to show fans serenading far-right firebrand Tommy Robinson. The respective videos have been viewed more than one million and more than two million times. The FA had no direct control over the dissemination of the material on X, unlike that posted to the ESTC Facebook group, which is private and accessible only to paid-up members of England's most loyal fans. The group, which has more than 10,000 members, has strict rules governing what can be uploaded, the number one being that users must 'Represent England the right way'. It adds: 'Members should act as ambassadors for the England team, and behave in such a way that will continue to enhance the image of English supporters.' The video is the first evidence of ESTC members continuing to chant 'Ten German Bombers' since Tuchel officially started as England's first German manager In January. In November, Telegraph Sport revealed how his appointment had failed to stop fans singing the song after the team's 5-0 thrashing of Republic of Ireland. Audio recorded by this newspaper showed it being performed loudly while supporters were being funnelled into Wembley Park underground station following the Nations League game. That was after some England fans responded to Tuchel's appointment by posting on social media that they hoped it would finally kill off the shameful soundtrack – which mocks German casualties during the Second World War to the tune of She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain. Before last summer's European Championship in Germany, police in Gelsenkirchen told any supporter thinking of singing the song at the tournament: 'Don't be a d---.' But that was immediately ignored ahead of England's opening match against Serbia in the city and it continued to be sung during the country's run to the final. At the previous Euros in 2021, the Fare Network, which operates Uefa's anti-discrimination monitoring system, submitted an official report to European football's governing body about the song being performed during England's opening fixture against Croatia. Piara Powar, the executive director of Fare, told Telegraph Sport at the time: 'We would classify it as an ultra-nationalist song that, sung within certain contexts, would be seen as an insult and discriminatory.' But the incident was not deemed to meet the threshold for sanctions to be imposed upon the FA, which would also have been hampered attempting to identify anyone singing it by coronavirus restrictions that included the wearing of masks at matches. Four years earlier, the song was loudly sung in England's friendly against Germany in Dortmund and accompanied by gestures mimicking aircraft in flight.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
England fans face paying THOUSANDS per World Cup 2026 match as Fifa consider controversial Oasis-style ticketing system
ENGLAND fans heading to next summer's World Cup could be fleeced for THOUSANDS per match under Fifa plans to use a "dynamic pricing" strategy. Average costs of around £305 per match had previously been reported. 3 3 But now world chiefs are looking at the same demand-based pricing arrangements that saw this summer's Oasis reunion concerts plunged into controversy. And that could see ticket prices for the biggest games sky-rocketing with supply not being able to keep up with demand despite stadiums having capacities of 70,000-plus. A similar system being used in the Club World Cup, including Chelsea and Manchester City, saw prices fall to as low as £29 for games in the group stage. But that is unlikely to be the situation at the World Cup, despite the expansion to a 48-team tournament which will see a record 104 games played. The Fifa model will NOT apply to fans supporting the three host countries - the USA, Canada and Mexico. But visiting supporters will be exposed to the system, which could see top price tickets for knockout games going for £5,000 or more. Official fan groups supplied with tickets by their home associations are also likely to pay a lower price, although allocations are unlikely to exceed 6,000 for any matches. The measure, if confirmed, is likely to see Fifa accused of exploiting fans and seeking to maximise their own income. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS Unlike previous World Cups, which have been overseen by a Fifa -delegated local organising committee, 2026 will be run by the Zurich-based body. The greater the revenue from the estimated 6.5m tickets available, the more Fifa will make from the tournament. Fifa confirm 12 stadiums for new-look Club World Cup including TWO £1.2BILLION NFL grounds and 88,500-seat Olympic venue Fifa's argument is that dynamic pricing is a standard practice for major events in the USA - although that is not the case in the other co-host nations. The successful three-country bid, which won the right in 2018 to stage the World Cup, suggested that a projected £1.35bn in ticket sales would be a 'conservative' estimate. That appears to be an understatement, although a Fifa spokesman declined to confirm the plans. The spokesman said: 'Ticket sales for the Fifa World Cup 2026 are expected to begin in Q3 of 2025 via the Fifa website. Further details will follow in due course.' 3
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Booking.com is offering 50% back on Switzerland hotels - but you'll have to be quick
England fans heading to the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 can score a huge deal with - but they'll need to be quick. The holiday platform is offering fans 50 per cent back on bookings of hotel rooms, homes and apartments on stays in Switzerland from July 1 to 28. Football fans will receive 50 per cent of their accommodation costs back as travel credits for future trips. According to research, 79 per cent of fans would love to follow their team to Switzerland for the tournament. However, 77 per cent of fans have never seen their side play at an international tournament with high costs one of the biggest barriers to attendance. Karen Carney, former Lioness and Olympian, is encouraging fans to make the trip for this year's tournament. She said: 'There's nothing like travelling to support the team you love. Not only do you get to experience the magic of the game live, but you get to explore new places and create new memories while you're there! 'The team has inspired a new generation of fans, and I'm proud to be working with to get more people to see the game live this summer.' Ryan Pearson, regional UK manager at adds: 'As the official accommodation partner of UEFA Women's Euro 2025, we are proud to help more people experience the tournament live, many for the first time.' This year's tournament will take place in Basel, Bern, Geneva, Zurich, St. Gallen, Lucerne, Sion and Thun. England's Lionesses are set to play France on July 5 in Zurich, Netherlands on July 9 in Zurich and Wales on July 13 in St. Gallen. The offer is available from May 20 for stays between 1-28 July and fans will need to use the code FOOTY50 when they reserve accommodation in Switzerland. Visit for more info.
