England And Scotland Go Against FIFA Orders

England and Scotland stood shoulder to shoulder in defiance of FIFA on Armistice Day, wearing black armbands bearing a remembrance poppy at Wembley. After a week of confusion over whether wearing the symbol would amount to breaking FIFA's Law Four, the 22 players in white and pink stood for a minute's silence in memory of members of the armed forces who have lost their lives.

The match-day programme featured the poppy on the cover and the flower was shown on the Wembley screens, as FA chairman Greg Clarke and SFA president Alan McRae stood on the touchline alongside senior representatives from the British army, navy and RAF moments before kick-off. After both country's national anthems were respectfully observed, wreaths were placed in the centre-circle by Petty Officer Natalie Bavister, Lance Corporal Blair Patullo and Corporal Cat Beaver. The Last Post trumpet melody echoed around Wembley during the moment's silence and, behind of the Wembley goals, England fans wore red and white t-shirts, bearing the poppy, to form the St George's Cross.

Writing in a special match-day programme, FA chairman Clarke said: “We will of course be marking the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal at tonight's fixture. We welcome those serving soldiers we have invited as part of ongoing support for the Tickets for Troops cause and I would also like to pay tribute to the work of the Commonwealth War Groves Commission, and their Living Memory campaign. At the FA, and on Armistice Day, we feel it entirely appropriate that we join with the nation, our fans in the stadium and those watching on TV to commemorate those made the ultimate sacrifice. We will remember them.”