‘Wonderful’ Green Army nominated for Fair Play award after sing-along
The nation’s football supporters won the hearts of the continent with their magnificent 15-minute rendition of The Fields of Athenry through the closing minutes of Thursday’s 4-0 defeat to Spain in Gdansk. Thousands of Spanish fans joined in and clapped along.
The office of Gdansk mayor, Pawel Adamowicz, is to nominate Ireland’s “wonderful” fans for a fair play award from Euro 2012 organisers Uefa.
Uefa’s match delegate is expected to have rated Ireland fans’ behaviour as an “outstanding gesture of fair play” in his report to bosses.
The Green Army has been credited with turning the tournament around, after racism and riots marred the opening days of the event.
Uefa is keen to recognise positive contributions as part of its Respect Fair Play campaign.
European football’s governing body recognises fair play with occasional awards, such as one made to German referee Markus Merk in 2003.
FIFA will also consider Ireland’s fans’ behaviour for its own annual Fair Play Award — and the Irish fans could become the first recipients to win the award twice. The supporters won it in 1997 for their behaviour at a World Cup qualifying game against Belgium.
Gdansk spokesman Michal Brandt said: “We are all totally thrilled with the wonderful Irish fans. The fans deserve a fair play award and we will be nominating Ireland’s fans for that award from UEFA.
“Everyone saw the fans’ behaviour and Uefa will not be blind to that. We file reports to Uefa every day and today’s report praises the Ireland fans as highly as possible.
“It was 0-4 to Ireland’s team on the pitch but 10-0 to Ireland’s fans off it.
“They drink a lot of beer but there was no trouble and they were just wonderful. The showed us what supporting your team is all about.”
* The Fair Play Award will be presented at the Ballon D’Or ceremony on Jan 7.
