It appears to be the case that one of the last places where red-bloodied English patriotism can be displayed without the ‘progressive’ left pouring shame on it is at sporting events. It is on football terraces where we see the purest form of national pride. England’s fans belt out the national anthem, proudly wave their St George flags and become delirious when England score. They are made up of people of many backgrounds who wish to support their country and are united around their shared nationhood.
However, now that England is in Labour’s fanatical grip, I am sure that Starmer and Co will legislate against patriotic displays by English fans because it triggers those for whom innocent national pride is synonymous with racism, colonialism and patriarchal oppression. No doubt such a prohibition will be followed by legislation to compel English fans to cheer for the other side so as to avoid giving the impression that they are chauvinistic and xenophobic. Another possibility is the order to cheer for both sides so as to demonstrate an inclusive attitude. Police cameras with facial recognition software will pan the crowds to identify those who refuse to comply. The miscreants will then be arrested in dawn raids by officers from Starmer’s suddenly amply staffed ‘standing army’ and fast-tracked through a back-logged justice system into cells from which some very serious criminals have been prematurely released. We have been truly warned.
Having written the above, I must be honest with you and declare that though I am as patriotic as the next England fan, I have no problem after some reflection with the decision by Lee Carsley, the interim manager of England’s football team, not to sing the national anthem. When I first read of this in The Spectator, I suspected Carsley to be a republican who objects to the lyrics which are essentially a prayer for the monarch’s flourishing. When I discovered he had played as an international for Ireland, the reason seemed obvious: Carsley is not English but Irish and so does not feel comfortable singing a foreign national anthem. But Carsley was born in Birmingham and only qualified to play for Ireland through his grandmother who was a native of Cork. When Carsley played for Ireland, he did not sing the Irish national anthem either. So why does he not sing along with the rest?
Carsley argues that he avoids singing the national anthem because he needs to maintain his focus on the game. To sing ‘God save the King’, he fears, will cause his mind to wander away from the task at hand, which is to ensure that his side wins.
For some, this might seem a weak justification. Singing a couple of verses does not take long and so Carsley can soon refocus his mind. Singing a national anthem creates a sense of unity and determination in players and coach. It sets up a connection with the fans; it raises the players’ morale.
Nevertheless, Carsley makes a reasonable point. Singing is a convivial activity that raises a person’s mood. It may release the so-called ‘happy hormones’ such as dopamine and endorphins. Being in a good mood, however, is not compatible with the ruthless, objective and critical attitude that a team manager or coach needs to have to ensure his or her side’s victory. Carsley knows the effect that singing has on him and that whilst Stuart Southgate, for instance, could heartily sing the national anthem and stay focused, Carsley, who knows his mind better than anyone else, has concluded he cannot. His patriotic support for England therefore takes the form of not singing the national tune.
I should like to hypothesise another explanation. Some people, when faced with a stressful task, and managing England’s national men’s side is as stressful as it gets, will make a lot of noise and give vent to their feelings. Others, and Carsley seems to be one, go silent. It is as if they are preserving their energy for the fight or flight action they will need to take.
Permit an example from my life. I played rugby for my school from the age of eleven until I was just short of my eighteenth birthday. We were coached by a teacher who played at county level and who went on to play in the Varsity Match for Cambridge whilst studying for a master’s degree there. Over the years he turned us into a side that was efficient at dispatching all or most of our opponents with the irritating exception of one school. Playing them was our Derby game, because they were in the town adjacent to ours. From my first year until my lower sixth (year seven to year twelve for you younger folk), we lost every game against them. In our final year together as a team, we made a solemn agreement at a get-together in the local recreation ground the Friday night before the match that we were not going to be beaten again.
Normally, we were very noisy on the coach if we played an away game. Music would be blaring and there would be a lot of excited chatter. On this occasion, as we climbed into the coach, we were gravely silent and were so for the journey’s duration. When we arrived, we were meant to sing our school song, but we refused and headed straight for the changing room. This earned us a stern rebuke from our headmaster Monday morning, but we needed to concentrate and were in no mood to be the gallant, grateful losers again.
Did we lose? I am pleased to day we did not. Did we win? Unfortunately not. We clung on for a 7-7 draw on a ferociously cold, windy Saturday morning. I can assure you, the return coach journey was anything but silent.
Perhaps this is how Carsley does things too. And in the light of two convincing victories over Ireland and Finland, anthem-gate as it has come to be known seems a tad trivial to me.
Peter Harris is the author of two books, The Rage Against the Light: Why Christopher Hitchens Was Wrong (2019) and Do You Believe It? A Guide to a Reasonable Christian Faith (2020).
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Can’t honestly say I blame Carsley. The UK national anthem is a dreary dirge which only celebrates the life of someone who happened to be sprung from the right womb. We should have an anthem that celebrates the British and Britishness as does La Marseillaise or the Star Spangled banner which celebrates their populations, not some idiot that happened to be pupped in a royal bed.
Nor can I. I agree with Mr Bolton, if perhaps less bluntly articulated. The UK anthem is a dreary piece in both words and tune and too focussed on the remnants of an autocratic feudal societal system. There are many other countries (Norway is another example) that have uplifting tuneful anthems that reflect the wider positive qualities of their lands and peoples.
“Another possibility is the order to cheer for both sides so as to demonstrate an inclusive attitude”: Actually a good idea within reason. One of the less savoury aspects of jingoistic football ‘patriotism’ is the excessive obsession with winning (at all costs) – an attitude more characteristic of a battle, not a game. To take part (and win as well, but in generous spirit) was always the more noble aim.
‘Carsley knows the effect that singing has on him and that whilst Stuart Southgate, for instance, could heartily sing the national anthem and stay focused’
Perhaps England may have had more success if Gareth Southgate sang rather than his twin Stuart?
I couldn’t care less about football, but at a time when this lousy government is doing its level best to knock every last smidgeon of Englishness or national pride out of everybody – we are apparently all racist, and patriotism is the new ‘xenophobia’; we are to blame for all the ills of the world, both past and present – the optics of seeing an England manager, (who identifies as Irish but makes some feeble excuse about ‘focus’ to avoid the anthem), not being able to multitask and at least open and close his mouth for what, about 3 minutes, does not sit well. IMO. The fact that the anthem is a bit of a dirge is irrelevant, it’s the act of singing, the cheering afterwards and coming together in support of your team that’s important. Still, an Englishman (however Irish he wants to be), who stands with a face like a slapped backside and refuses to sing the anthem, should suit Starmenfuhrer down to the ground. I wonder are they all still taking the knee? I suppose that’s acceptable, or maybe even compulsory.
The tune has been good enough for Brahms, Beethoven, Haydn and others, so it’s good enough for me. If it’s not good enough for the half dozen or so people who comment here (now one less), then too bad.