AGB letter to FA

Mr Albert Gumpstaff-Borne
8 St Augustines Road
Stockport
ENGLAND
SK3 0JN
9 October 2OIO
Mr David Davies OBE
Acting Chief Executive
Football Association
Wembley Stadium
London
HA9 OWS
Dear Mr Davies
You will be aware that in other sporting competition in which the British
nations compete as one United Kingdom, God Save the Queen is used as the
official British national anthem. This follows centuries of custom.
In those same events, and when competing as separate nations, England,
Scotland and Wales all have individual anthems. For the latter two, this
is also true in football.
However England’s national football team continue to borrow the anthem
which should be rightly reserved for British and not English pursuits.
I write to implore you to raise with the FA board the prospect of changing
the anthem which England’s football team sing on the occasion of
international matches.
The suggestion of myself, and some generally feeble minded but nevertheless
well-meaning ne’er do wells on the internet, is that England’s anthem
should be ‘Jerusalem,’ as it was with English competitors in the recent
Commonwealth Games in India.
Many people will wonder if the Commonwealth Games Council can inaugurate
such a change, why it is that the Football Association can not. I invite
your comments upon such a charge.
My understanding from informal acquaintance within Royal circles is that
Her Majesty would privately find the reform a relief. In particular,
because it will prevent the embarrassing anomaly of her Scottish or Welsh
subjects catcalling the anthem when their team plays England.
I’m sure you will agree with me that England’s gross unpopularity the world
over should never reflect on our sovereign. Please do let me know what you
can do to address my concerns.
I remain,
Yours sincerely
Albert Gumpstaff-Borne

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