Anger at England stars’ snub to Somme heroes

FaMILIES of the nation’s war dead reacted with anger yesterday after England players were banned from a trip to the battlegrounds of the Somme.

the Euro 2016 squad was planning a three-hour excursion to pay homage to those who fell in the bloody Great War clash of 1916.

But the Football association has scuppered the outing because medics said it could have been ‘too draining’.

Coach Roy hodgson made plans two months ago for his team to visit the thiepval memorial where 37 footballers are among the names of 72,195 lost soldiers.

Richard anderson, 55, whose great grandfather, Private harold Walter allen, was killed on the Somme aged 24, condemned the Fa’s decision.

‘It is absolutely obscene that professional athletes can’t take a few hours out to recognise the sacrifice of thousands of men for Britain,’ he said.

Mr anderson, who is taking part in a Soldiers’ Charity walk through the battlefields for the 100-year anniversary, added: ‘Can it really be that draining?

‘It is an absolute joke that they haven’t been able to pay their respects. It is 100 years since the Somme, it is the British army’s bloodiest battle and they can’t give up three hours.’

Jim Cousins, a branch secretary of the Royal British Legion, who is trying to find relatives of those who died in the Somme, said: ‘I could understand if it was for security reasons because there was a terror threat but not because it would be too draining. It would be a good gesture for them to do it.’

the visit would have been a 140mile round trip from England’s training base at Chantilly.

Fa sources told the daily Mail the proposed trip would have been undertaken by the players yesterday – four days before they play their first match against Russia on Saturday.

But dave Reddin, who is the Fa’s head of performance services, advised against this for ‘logistical and training reasons’, a decision which is understood to have angered some players.

‘We have a long-standing commitment to First World War remembrance within the Fa,’ said one team source yesterday.

Liverpool striker daniel Sturridge said the decision had been taken out of his team-mates’ hands. Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of British forces in afghanistan, said last night: ‘If it is supposedly draining for them they might like to think about how draining it was for those who fought at the Somme.’

the daily Mail understands the Fa plans to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme on July 1, which cost 19, 240 British lives on the first day.