Nick Szczepanik, Russell Kempson
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Harry Redknapp wants the FA Cup Final between Portsmouth and Cardiff City today to be remembered as the day when respect returned to football.
Redknapp hopes that supporters at this afternoon's final can return to the tradition of staying for the trophy presentation - win or lose. However, the Portsmouth manager's nostalgic call comes amid concerns that Cardiff supporters could boo the National Anthem in front of a television audience of 500 million in 169 countries.
“I just hope the fans, at the end of the game, stay and watch the winning team get the FA Cup, whether it is Cardiff or Portsmouth,” he said.
Redknapp was dismayed after watching Chelsea beat Manchester United last year. “I couldn't believe it,” he said. “Suddenly half the supporters had left. They couldn't bear to see the other team lift the cup.
“I'm hoping that this time all the supporters will stay there and think, 'It's been a fantastic run, a great day,' give both teams a good ovation and stay and watch the cup be presented.
“It's society, isn't it. But as a football person, a football fan, I find it strange to understand.”
Calls for harmony were endorsed by the Cardiff director, Steve Borley, as Katherine Jenkins prepared last night to become the first person to sing the Welsh National Anthem, Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, at an FA Cup Final. “The English FA has paid us an enormous amount of respect by permitting us to play and sing our anthem at the home of English football,” Borley said.
He urged the 25,000 travelling Cardiff supporters: “Please soak up the atmosphere, take an active part in the traditional ceremony before the game and savour the day. After the whistle blows, let's show the world that we can make some noise, support the boys and take part in the normal banter in a day to remember in the life of a City fan.”
The issue is being debated among Cardiff fans on the internet. One chat room fan said: “I know the majority of us have a hatred of God Save the Queen and I am no exception, but all of us lucky enough to be going to Wembley should 'respect' their anthem. If we must show our feelings, simply turn our backs and greet it with silence, that's what I will do.
“To shout it down will paint us in a bad light in front of millions of people, many of which do not know Wales is a country, let alone that there is a Cardiff City.”
Approximately 1,200 police officers will be on duty in and around Wembley for a match that Redknapp insists will not be his last in charge of Portsmouth, despite speculation that he could announce his retirement.
A win today would allow him to plan for a Uefa Cup campaign and the money brought in by the Cup run should ensure that he will not be forced to sell before he can strengthen the team this summer. In January he had to finance the capture of Jermain Defoe from Tottenham Hotspur with the sale of Benjani Mwaruwari to Manchester City.
For Cardiff, too, the final will bring some respite from serious financial pressures. The semi-final victory over Barnsley took the Coca-Cola Championship club's total of FA prize-money so far to £900,000 and a win today would lift that figure to £1 million. A further £1 million is expected from broadcast and gate revenues.
CommsDirect, Cardiff's shirt sponsor, has also turned down an offer of £500,000 from an Asian-based online gambling firm to give up its advertising rights for the final.
Peter Ridsdale, the Cardiff chairman, believes that a deal is close to being struck with Sam Hammam, the former owner, who claims that he is owed £24 million. “I am in dialogue with Hammam,” Ridsdale said. “We are pretty close to deciding how it will be resolved.”
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I expected Portsmouth would win and it did.Ever since the Big
Four were kicked out of F.A.cup,I thought I would have not focus on the cup.But Portsmouth gave me the hope for it.I turned around to it after Harry Redknapp leading his players to the final game.They make it right now.
cristiano, Wuhan, China
May the farce be with you British!
Jon Kasagi, Sydney,
I am delighted for Portsmouth, but how dull! Backpassing and lacking pace towards the goal (isn't that the point?) have they forgotten that they are in the entertainment business?.
Is it about time we scrapped the offside rule and brought some more goals into the game instead of these 1-0 durges?
Steve Harradon, Southampton, UK
What a load of crap. I use to rate Harry as a manager,but to have just Kanu up front against Cardiff has to be a joke. Especially when the worst player they had was the Goalkeeper.
He played like a vampire:averse to crosses. The technique that was on display was appalling.
A Walton, Leicester, England
Katie Carr in Bahrein, Wales is not , nor ever has been a country .. it is a principality.
It's individual parading on the world sporting scene is because the British invented most modern sports and before they took off internationally we had to play amongst ourselves !
andy James, Lyon, France
this match was the most boring match and for a Cup final it should have been better how much did it cost for a seat?
Dennis, Worcester, Uk
Lets not detratct away from the football, Its a shame politics gets involved in football, lets just appreciate the efforts put in by the players.
Paul, Perth, Australia
I'm Welsh. I love Cardiff have doing what they HAVE done this season - its totally great. I cry when they sing the Welsh anthem at Wales Rugby internationals,BUT I hope that all Cardiff fans sang not only the Land of my Fathers today, but also the British anthem. I know us competing is complicated
Mark, Cardiff,
The FA Cup Final is not what it used to be; the top Premiership clubs have 'bigger fish to fry'. 50 years ago Stanley Matthews, Jackie Milburn and Nat Lofthouse used to make it the football event of the year but times have changed unfortunately and the game is ruled by money.
john, milton keynes,
Britain is NOT a free country - Britain isn't a country at all.
England, Scotland and Wales are all countries and part of Great Britain, and in case James Mc would like to know, they 're all part of the UK - which is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; FOUR free countries!
Katie Carr, Riffa, Bahrain
who cares whether cardiff fans boo the british anthem - they can't boo an English anthem as we never have one played.
it's more of a shame they can't sing like their rugby compatriots!
jim, burnley, england
I don't see why speculation is put on the Welsh booing the, English anthem. I'm sure some Pompey fans will boo the Welsh. But honestly, I think God Save The Queen should be played.
And people, stop being so narrow minded. Not all us Welsh hate England. It's just some people act like dipsticks.
Tom, Caernarfon, Wales
Oh my goodness! What are we going to do if Cardiff fans boo the national anthem? How will we ever be able to carry on after such an event? The country will crumble under the scorn of such a significant bunch of people!
Andrew , Godalming, UK
I'm a proud Welshman and Unionist. God Save the Queen should be respected (this is an English FA competition)... however, I still see this as an English anthem -this is the anthem played before all English games. When England have their own anthem, so the UK's anthem will really be for all the UK
P Rees, London/Port Talbot,
All of us lucky enough to be going to Wembley should 'respect' their anthem. If we must show our feelings, simply turn our backs and greet it with silence, that's what I will do."
That's 'respect' in Wales, is it???
John Anyan, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Mr Dixon from London. Pompey fans travel up the A3. The M3 is for the unmentionables.
Micky, Carmarthen,
Er...surely the possibility of Portsmouth fans booing the Welsh National Anthem as that will be played before the English one?
terry james , cardiff, cardiff
It is acknowledged that the Cardiff fans spat on the Bobby Moore statue when they were a Wembley for the semi-final. What a shame we don't have the will to get rid of them and have an independent England.
steve, chester, england
I am Welsh and I dont think the Welsh anthem should be played. The only people to blame are the FA. This is only causing animosity. There will always be stresses between the Welsh and English, the national anthem along with the Prince of Wales, who is not Welsh is an extension of colonialism.
Gareth Jenkins, Pwllheli, UK
Perhaps if Cardiff fans hate Britain and its anthem so much they should refuse to enter next year's competition?
Thank you Cardiff fans for making up this neutral's mind with rgard to which team to support today.
Come on Pompey!
J. Wilkes, Gloucester,
god save the queen and england.
ian, london, england
Cardiff are probably taking more English players to the FA Cup Final than the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd over the last few years; and when was the last time two English managers contested the FA Cup Final.
John Davies, Preston, still part of UK
All this nonsense about 'Welsh' and 'English' national anthems! The last time I checked God Save the Queen was the national anthem of the United Kingdom! And, Cardiff is certainly a part of the UK. We don't see anyone booing at the amount of money allocated to Wales from Central Government!
Tony Halliday, Manchester, UK
The few Welsh clubs that play in the FA league were invited to play on it's formation over a hundred years ago. When being British was more important. However I do agree that the Welsh NA should not be played.
English border teams play in the Welsh FA competition.
Jeff P, Newport, Wales
May the best team win. What does it matter that one team comes from down the M4 and the other from down the M3? Both sets of supporters should have a geat day out, enjoy the atmosphere and applaud the winners. I've been to many finals at the old ground & can still remember winning & yes, losing.
R. P. Dixon., London,
I think the decision to play the welsh anthem is disgraceful. This is an English cup final and Cardiff are lucky to play in the English League. GSQ shouldn't be played, it should be Land of Hope and Glory which is the English anthem. Pompey fans will boo the Welsh anthem and its the FA's fault
Paul, Bucks, England
They should take a leaf out of Southend and Doncaster's book. The Southend fans were brilliant, singing and bouncing, though their team were 4-0 down at the time and the Donnie fans were equally good at the end, in the pitch invasion, a sizeable amount went up to the southend end and applauded them!
glyn, telford, shropshire
Would you have respect for your oppressor that tried to erase your culture ? The fruits of colonialism are coming home to roost. Some people are so myopic that they jump on the front carriages of a sort of memory-train whilst the preceding carriages are conveniently forgotten.
DYLAN RIVIS, MONTPELIER , VT, USA
Why cant we all be British and have respect for each other. But If the welsh are that upset with england and its anthem cut off all ties with wales and stop all subsidies made by central government let their workers find work in wales and not in england and so on Live in the real world stop whinging
DB, Bournemouth, UK
God Save the queen, is the British/Commonwealth anthem, not the English one. Scotland and Wales have their own anthem and England should too. God Save the Queen is not an inspiring anthem, like other countries have. Land of Hope and Glory, or Jerusalem, would be a lot more inspirational.
Tony, victoria bc, Canada
I'm sick and tired of hearing the word "respect". Like "passion" it's overused in the world of football by those don't know the true meaning of either.
Brett, Manchester, UK
Who really cares how a bunch of overgrown schoolboys behave watching more overgrown schoolboys kicking a ball around. Football is over rated and occupies far to much TV and newspaper columns.
PJ, Northampton, UK
why not boo it?
Free country innit?
Britain that is. I'm English btw.
James Mc, bournemouth, England
A Welsh team shouldn't even be competing in the English FA Cup Final. Farcical.
Tony Storm, London,
He says:
"I know the majority of us have a hatred of God Save the Queen and I am no exception,"
So why play in an Enlish league?
The scots don't
Bit of hypocrisy there.
Bob, abergavenny, UK