FA wants Wembley to play loud music to drown out booing when players take a knee

The FA wants music to be played when players take the knee to drown out booing.

The FA has asked Wembley staff to play loud music at kick-off during England’s remaining European Championship matches to drown out the boos from some fans when England players take the knee.

A small minority of England supporters continue to boo the anti-discrimination gesture despite frequent pleas by Southgate and the players for them to support the team. The FA have countered by instructing the resident Wembley DJ to keep playing music until after kick-off.

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This FA request comes in the light of England’s opening match against Croatia in Group D where boos were audibly heard from some fans in the stadiums as a reaction to England players taking the knee. The jeers however were reduced in volume in the subsequent group matches against Scotland and the Czech Republic.

For the upcoming last 16-tie up against Germany, loud music will be played for a few seconds after kick-off. The FA have also warned England fans that being caught singing ‘discriminatory or disrespectful’ songs could result in them getting banned from future matches. The ‘Ten German Bombers’ song, which glorifies the RAF’s defeat of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War has been at the centre of this controversy and the FA will employ spotters in the crowd to identify miscreants.