Amateur football teams under investigation for playing friendly game on weekend after Queen’s death when football was cancelled

 Wednesday, September 14, 2022 – Two amateur football teams are under investigation for playing a friendly game over the weekend after the Queen’s death despite the cancellation of all football as a mark of respect.

According to Mail Online, local teams Sheffield International FC and Byron House, who both compete in the Sheffield and District Fair Play League, had been due to play a match on Saturday, September 10. But the game along with all other competitive and friendly matches in England was cancelled after the FA ruled no football-related activity should take place out of respect for Her Majesty, who died last Thursday.

But Sheffield International FC tweeted on Friday that they still intended to play a friendly, before later clarifying it would be a ‘training session’.

Now the league has announced it is investigating the ‘despicable’ behaviour of the two clubs and has vowed to deal with them ‘in the strongest possible terms’.

A statement read: ‘It has been brought to our attention that, despite our clearly informing all clubs that football matches this weekend should be cancelled as a mark of respect for the passing of Her Majesty the Queen, two teams within our League have chosen to play a friendly match anyway.

‘This is after we specifically and separately confirmed friendly matches could not be played.

‘The SDFPL Management Team would like to put on record that we absolutely do not condone this disrespectful and despicable behaviour.

‘There will be an investigation into this matter, in conjunction with the Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA, and these two teams will be dealt with in the strongest possible terms.

‘Our league has honesty, integrity, and fair play as cornerstones, and we will not accept such behaviour from within our ranks.

‘We would like to thank our 37 other clubs that followed the instructions and showed their respects with honour.’

Danny Taylor, chairman of the league, added: ‘Queen Elizabeth II ruled, served and led with integrity and humility for more than seven decades.

‘It is a terrible shame that these two teams could not emulate this even for a single Saturday, despite our clear instructions.

‘We may or may not agree with the mass cancellation of football, but this was decided as a mark of respect and should therefore have been adhered to.

‘This sort of behaviour is disrespectful, unacceptable and flies in the face of the core values of our League. It will not be tolerated.’