England fans and the Union Jack

atypical_boro

atypical_boro

Well-known member
At some point during the gap between Euro ‘92 and Euro ‘96, England fans almost exclusively adopted the cross of St George for their flags and abandoned the Union Jack. It would be interesting to know if that would have happened had we been at USA ‘94.

When and why exactly did the change happen? And is it related to the point at which the term “UK” became more popular than “Great Britain”? And yes I know that UK/GB don’t mean exactly the same thing.

Did England stop seeing itself as the main shareholder of GB and more of a nation of its own that partially formed the UK perhaps? Could it be related to the Maastricht Treaty even or the NI issue?
 
atypical_boro said:
At some point during the gap between Euro ‘92 and Euro ‘96, England fans almost exclusively adopted the cross of St George for their flags and abandoned the Union Jack. It would be interesting to know if that would have happened had we been at USA ‘94.

When and why exactly did the change happen? And is it related to the point at which the term “UK” became more popular than “Great Britain”? And yes I know that UK/GB don’t mean exactly the same thing.

Did England stop seeing itself as the main shareholder of GB and more of a nation of its own that partially formed the UK perhaps? Could it be related to the Maastricht Treaty even or the NI issue?
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Britpop stole the Union Jack.

Plus 15 February 1995.. Ireland vs England
 
Was it the Euros in 96 where English fans wanted to claim them as their own without sharing them with any other home country, + all the cool songs around England for a few years kept highlighting the flag of St George and add to that the sesmic shift in type of match going supporters who wanted a less combative but cool image, The Union Jack was a tarnished symbol for a lot of new fans by then. However much you hate Sky it's introduction did change things around 92/3.
 
It was Euro 96 I'd expect and particularly the game against Scotland, that was a rivalry and the George Cross was the more appropriate flag for that game. It just sort of stuck after that.
 
England rugby Union fans adopted the St George’s flag much earlier. I remember watching a Wales v England game in Cardiff in the 80s and the English carrying St George’s flags.

Another question. Why do the English have GSTK as their anthem and the other union countries have their own identity with their local anthems? Surely if should be different?
 
Cardiffdaffs said:
England rugby Union fans adopted the St George’s flag much earlier. I remember watching a Wales v England game in Cardiff in the 80s and the English carrying St George’s flags.

Another question. Why do the English have GSTK as their anthem and the other union countries have their own identity with their local anthems? Surely if should be different?
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Probably hi the nail on the head there - because the England establishment perceive they are ‘different’, in a superior king of way of course.
 
Cardiffdaffs said:
England rugby Union fans adopted the St George’s flag much earlier. I remember watching a Wales v England game in Cardiff in the 80s and the English carrying St George’s flags.

Another question. Why do the English have GSTK as their anthem and the other union countries have their own identity with their local anthems? Surely if should be different?
Click to expand...

The Welsh and Scottish used to play GTSQ too, but it was constantly getting booed at matches, so they changed it.

Northern Ireland still use it.

I really want England to change from GSTK though, it's high time it was done.
 
I think the St George flag started to appear in the early 90s. I was actually surprised to see so many Union Jack's in the Italia '90 footage on Channel 4 - as I thought St George was more prevalent by then. As is said by Euro '96 St George was clearly taking over. As OP says it would have been interesting to see what happened if we qualified for USA '94. I'd guess the St George flag would certainly have been becoming more prevalent as English fans used the England flag rather than the UK one
 
atypical_boro said:
When and why exactly did the change happen? And is it related to the point at which the term “UK” became more popular than “Great Britain”? And yes I know that UK/GB don’t mean exactly the same thing.

Did England stop seeing itself as the main shareholder of GB and more of a nation of its own that partially formed the UK perhaps? Could it be related to the Maastricht Treaty even or the NI issue?
Click to expand...
I remember talk in 1972 about Great Britain's only gold medalist in athletics not being from Great Britain but from Northern Ireland.
 
TeaCider said:
The Welsh and Scottish used to play GTSQ too, but it was constantly getting booed at matches, so they changed it.

Northern Ireland still use it.

I really want England to change from GSTK though, it's high time it was done.
Click to expand...
Do NI def still use it? That surprises me a little. That’s not going to do much to attract Catholics to follow the national side is it, they could easily have something neutral.
 
atypical_boro said:
Do NI def still use it? That surprises me a little. That’s not going to do much to attract Catholics to follow the national side is it, they could easily have something neutral.
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It may change now that catholics have edged into a majority.
I wonder what they would play instead?
 
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