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The French National Anthem Will be Played At St Mary's Despite Fans' Reservations

The Premier League has confirmed that the French National Anthem will be played at St Mary's and indeed all premier League grounds ahead of this weekend's game.

In some respects you can understand why the premier league has made this decision, after all there are 72 French players at English top flight clubs, more than any other nationality other than English itself.

However judging by reactions of Saints message boards and social media the premier League have misjudged the mood of the fans who by comments made remain against the anthem being played.

Although virtually all of the comments were in favour of some tribute being made in the form of a minutes silence, it was also virtually unanimous that the French anthem should not be played.

Now the Premier league could be left with egg on their faces should the mood in grounds not be in line with their own thinking, it is hard to imagine English football fans belting out La Marseillaise, at best it will be met with stony silence, but the worry is that there will be some who will not be pleased at this gesture, pointing out that it is unprecedented and that we have not bestowed this honour to other nations who have suffered from terrorist actions more than the French.

"Given how close we are as well as the long-standing relationship that exists between the Premier League and France, playing La Marseillaise as an act of solidarity and remembrance is the right thing to do," said Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore.

"We were all saddened and deeply shocked by the events in Paris last Friday, and the fact it was an attack on people enjoying their everyday freedoms like going to a bar, a concert or a football match resonates with football fans and the general public throughout the UK."

Scudamore is right, we are all saddened, shocked and sickened by what happened in Paris, but in England we honour the fallen not in jingoistic fashion, but by silent sombre remembrance.

The Premier League has now set a precedent, should England suffer another catastrophic terrorist attack as it did a decade ago, the Premier League will be under pressure to sanction the playing of the English National Anthem, given the delicate situation at the moment, should we be encouraging shows of nationalistic behaviour that inflames situations, or should we be looking to mourn the dead.

I am as patriotic as the next man and do not believe in backing down to terrorists, however I want to see a nation united not divided.

In any case La Marseillaise was a revolutionary song, an anthem to freedom, a patriotic call to mobilize all the citizens and an exhortation to fight against tyranny and foreign invasion, is this a fitting song to honour the dead or is it a call to arms.

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