Union flag at England sporting events.

[Brandane]

Could someone please explain to the England fan waving the Union flag behind the posts of the French goal at the France v England six nations game, that the Union flag is not the England flag.
That is all.

 

[classic33]

Could someone please explain to the England fan waving the Union flag behind the posts of the French goal at the France v England six nations game, that the Union flag is not the England flag.
That is all.

Go on then!

 

[MontyVeda]

because if he waved the England flag people might think he's a member of the BNP or worse.. UKIP

 

[GrumpyGregry]

The problem of the flag of St George for the non-fascist...

We know a song about that don't we children?

 

[colly]

Why do we need a flag at all?

I don't think anyone actually 'needs' a flag. Some like a flag to affiliate to. It's a tribal thing I guess.

Handy in a battle if you don't want your mate to lop your head off.

 

[Over The Hill]

If he is old enough he probably got his cue from the '66 world cup where both the official logo and official mascot both had the union flag.

 

[Brandane]

If he is old enough he probably got his cue from the '66 world cup where both the official logo and official mascot both had the union flag.

Unbelievable ! Just as well I was only 4 years old then, so I have no recollection of that terrible event. Although, it has been mentioned once or twice in the media since then .

 

[Accy cyclist]

So let's see. Out of what 10,000 England fans there was one who waved a Union flag! Perhaps he/she has Scottish.Welsh or Northern Irish ties? Perhaps they thought that the Union flag was a more world wide recognised symbol than the England flag? Or perhaps they thought it'd stand out more and they'd be recognised? If it was the latter it seems to have worked!

 

[Dangermouse]

Does it matter.....................really does it matter, is it an insult to show the world the Union flag in the UK

 

[AndyRM]

Does it matter.....................really does it matter, is it an insult to show the world the Union flag in the UK

Nope. (But they were playing in France.)

Waving a Union flag in Britain can be a sensitive subject. Particularly if Celtic or Sevco get involved...

 

[Brandane]

Does it matter.....................really does it matter, is it an insult to show the world the Union flag in the UK

Of course it matters! If you're at a sporting event to support England, then show the English flag. Not one which represents other nations competing in the same tournament in this case.
Is the same supporter going to fly the Union flag when England play Scotland? That could be very confusing, except for the fact that we all know that no Scotland supporter would ever fly the Union flag to represent Scotland.
If the event involves Team GB, then of course that is the time to fly the Union flag.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

We could be charitable, I suppose, and speculate that they couldn't find an English flag in the local shops. But it's more likely that it's partly a throwback to, say, 20 years ago, when the flags were less differentiated - that World Cup use of the Union Jack as the English flag was pretty widespread. I think there are probably a lot of English people who would see themselves as English but who also identify with the Union Jack as their flag - after all, it is far more common than the English flag; it is the flag for the place where they live. The Onion Jack has more than one layer

Still, you'd think that whoever was waving the Union Jack would have twigged that it wasn't the 4 nations cup...

 

[Brandane]

I think there are probably a lot of English people who would see themselves as English but who also identify with the Union Jack as their flag

This is exactly the problem, and the reason why it annoys those of us from the remaining nations which form the union. Some folks seem unable to differentiate between England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom.

 

[Bobby Mhor]

If he is old enough he probably got his cue from the '66 world cup where both the official logo and official mascot both had the union flag.

Please tell me more about this..
the year 1966 has been eradicated from all history books and minds here in Scotland, did something important happen ?

On the flag issue, I reckon a plant to encourage us Scots to feel aggrieved about it and vote for independence....just like those John 3:16 banners which were a plant in most Yankee sporting events.

 

[Dayvo]

This is exactly the problem, and the reason why it annoys those of us from the remaining nations which form the union. Some folks seem unable to differentiate between England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom.

Don't worry, the People's Free Democratic Republic of Scotland, with Kaiser Salmond, is awaiting its launch!