• England

Hodgson will urge England fans to avoid anti-IRA chants

ESPN staff
May 21, 2013
Roy Hodgson will send a personal request to all England fans © PA Photos
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England manager Roy Hodgson will send a personal request to England supporters asking them not to sing anti-IRA songs during their friendly against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley on May 29.

The last meeting between the two countries, also a friendly, was in 1995 when the game was abandoned after just 27 minutes because of crowd trouble at Lansdowne Road.

England fans will be sent an email from Hodgson and will also be handed an open letter asking them not to sing songs of a political or religious nature.

Chanting about such issues is not an offence warranting arrest, but FIFA could sanction a fine of £20,000 on the FA and order the Three Lions to play a game behind closed doors.

Some England supporters were alleged to have made racist chants regarding Rio and Anton Ferdinand during their match against San Marino in March.

But earlier this month FIFA confirmed it will not take disciplinary action against the Football Association due to a lack of evidence.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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