Two private schools have been accused of fulfilling fixtures this weekend, despite the FA ordering all football to stop out of respect for the Queen.
The FA confirmed no football at any level – including the Premier League – would be played this weekend following the passing of Elizabeth II on Thursday. The Queen died peacefully at her Balmoral estate, with King Charles III succeeding her as the sovereign.
Yet two football matches between Eton and Rossall appears to have taken place on Saturday afternoon. It’s believed the senior boys first and second XIs played after a tweet was published by Rossall, although this has not been confirmed by either school.
Rossall’s tweet, which has now been deleted, showed the footballers paying their respects for the Queen. “Following their visit to Windsor Castle, our senior boys’ teams paid their respects in the same way in their fixtures against Eton,” read Rossall’s tweet.
According to Rossall’s fixture list, two games against Eton were scheduled to take place on Saturday at 2:30pm. Those fixtures were also visible on Eton’s website.
More controversy followed when the ‘Greatest Hits Radio News’ Twitter account posted a photo of Rossall paying their respects to the Queen at Windsor Castle. “The Rossall team are due to play Eton later this afternoon,” read the tweet.
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The tweets have caused outrage on Twitter, with many people asking why the fee-paying institutions were allowed to play football when other grassroots fixtures were cancelled. Amateur clubs were not even allowed to arrange friendlies against each other.
The FA’s statement confirmed: “As a mark of respect, following the passing of Her Majesty the Queen, English football has united to postpone all football fixtures between 9-11 September… matches across grassroots football in England will be postponed.”
Talking Toffees, an Everton fan podcast, is one of the many Twitter accounts to complain about the apparent game. “Whilst kids up and down the country are unable to play football this weekend, it seems the same rules don’t apply for Eton,” they tweeted.
And a Liverpool fan tweeted: “One rule for one… what’s the FA’s ‘For ALL’ slogan for? Absolute joke! What gives Rossall and Eton the right to play when all other games have been cancelled?”
Mirror Football has contacted both Eton and Rossall for comment.
The FA’s decision to postpone this weekend’s football fixtures was criticised, with major events in other sports continuing – such as the Test match between England and South Africa at The Oval. The decision to suspend grassroots football was particularly frowned upon, as thousands of children in the UK play football every weekend.
*This weekend, the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror celebrate the life of Her Majesty the Queen with a commemorative special filled with all the key moments from Britain’s longest reigning monarch. Be sure to pick up your copy of the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror to get both pullouts.
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