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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Andy Lines, in Munich & Katie Weston & Matthew Dresch

England fans in good spirits after Germany draw with small number arrested before game

Thousands of England fans descended on Munich in good spirits for England's Nations League clash with Germany tonight, as the two nations drew 1-1.

A late Harry Kane penalty salvaged the game as he became only the second man to score 50 goals for his country.

And the vast majority of the 6,000 England fans who have made the trip to cheer on the Three Lions against their historic footballing rivals behaved respectfully over the course of the evening, marshalled by a huge legion of 700 German riot police.

Ian Davies, a 31-year-old Portsmouth local, said: “That was brilliant at the end from Harry Kane.

“It made it all worthwhile.”

Newcastle fan Chris Kenworthy, 57, from Darlington said it had been a "brilliant day" with "friendly hospitality" from the Germans.

“And that late goal rounded it off. I thought our supported behaved very well too," he added.

England fans from Scarborough and Newcastle revel outside bars in central Munich (Tim Merry)

Jubilant England fans streamed out of the stadium upon the game's conclusion, ecstatic with the dramatic late goal as they headed down to the metro to take them back to Munich city centre.

Downbeat German fans shared the carriages but again there was no hint of trouble.

However, the well-behaved supporters had earlier been let down by a noisy minority who ignored England boss Gareth Southgate’s plea for them to respect German police and fans. Seven Brits have been arrested, including two people who allegedly made Nazi salutes.

A small number travelling fans were also earlier heard singing war tunes in the city.

Hundreds of England supporters took up seats in the German end of the stadium, with the vast majority of Three Lions fans in the German end not wearing colours.

Brits have flocked to Germany to support England in the match (Tim Merry)

Plasterer Robbie Watson, 22, a Barnsley fan, and his friend Liverpool fan gas engineer Tom Sturrock, 22, both from Barnsley, had got tickets in the Bayern end.

Robbie told the Mirror: “There’s been no trouble all day.

“There are a lot of England fans in the Bayern end.”

One group of Brits said they bought their tickets online weeks ago, although one fan said he purchased his for €50 in a bar this morning.

Some bars in the city closed early on Monday after becoming overwhelmed by the number of customers as large groups of fans wearing England replica shirts and carrying flags sang in the warm German sunshine.

England fans Lewis Kenyon (left), 22, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, and Adam Carr, 21, from Liverpool in Marienplatz in Munich (PA)

Other pubs did not open at all on Tuesday after reports of incidents getting out of hand among some supporters.

Supporters who arrived early in Munich ahead of Tuesday's match said the overwhelming majority of England supporters wanted to "fix" their "pretty poor reputation" internationally.

This was particularly important, they said, in light of the unsavoury scenes at Wembley during the Euro 2020 final.

And they said England fans have been turning on troublemakers in an effort to clean up their image at international football matches, including condemning offensive chanting.

Adam Carr, a 21-year-old England fan who supports his hometown team Liverpool, said: "I noticed people were chanting the songs we're not supposed to chant about Germany, and instantly they were told by other England fans to shut up.

"It feels like everyone knows the spotlight's on us, especially after the Euros. Everyone's just trying extra hard.

"In the past with England away days there was a lot of trouble.

"For the younger generation we want to be able to go to cities and go into places and people greet us with a friendly face rather than being 'Oh god, it's the English'.

England football fans erect flags in Frauenplatz square in Munich on May 6 (PA)

"That's what we don't want any more."

His friend, 22-year-old Lewis Kenyon, a Manchester United fan from Rochdale, said: "(There were) a couple of chants but it got silenced pretty quick.

"Most people were on their best behaviour.

"We've got a pretty poor reputation so we need to try and fix it a little bit.

England fans have insisted most Brits watching the game in Munich are on their best behaviour (Tim Merry)

"It's trying not to act like idiots."

Jordan Hodgson, 25, a West Ham supporter from Carlisle in Cumbria, was among those in Munich's Marienplatz main square wearing England colours. He said he felt younger fans are particularly keen to improve how they are perceived.

He said: "I think we've just got a reputation from the '80s and '90s.

"Obviously I am young, so I have not experienced any of that.

"I've done a lot of away trips, I think we're well-behaved.

England fan Jordan Hodgson, 25, from Carlisle (PA)

"There's always one person who ruins that for us, and the press pick up on that all the time.

"But I think we are well-behaved in general. I'm going to be well-behaved - I will have a few pints tonight but I will behave myself."

Birmingham City fans Jack Gilligan, 22, from Solihull in the West Midlands, and 21-year-old Robbie Lavin, from Kings Heath in Birmingham, said they received a warm welcome from Germany supporters.

Mr Gilligan said: "The German people were inviting us to come round to the pubs, laughing and joking. They're just happy to have football back, I think.

England fans Jack Gilligan (left), 22, from Solihull, West Midlands, and Robbie Lavin, 21, from Kings Heath, Birmingham (PA)

"We've found quite a few England fans (with tickets) in the Germany end, we spoke to some German fans and they said it's quite normal."

Mr Lavin said: "We got here yesterday and went straight to the pub - everyone seems up for it.

"We've seen no trouble."

It comes five years on from England supporters singing 'Ten German bombers' and other World War II chants during the side's last match in Germany.

England fan Ryan Canney (orange) from Luton represents his country in central Munich (Tim Merry)

Seven Brits were arrested in the city ahead of the match, including two people who allegedly made Nazi salutes.

Police said another fan caused an estimated €2,000 (£1,700) worth of damage after he let off a flare inside his hotel room. Four others were arrested for incidents including insulting police officers and urinating in the street.

Many of the troublemakers were dealt with by being ordered to pay a security deposit of around £170 - the local equivalent of an on-the-spot fine - while two who were unable to pay the money were brought before a district judge.

One England fan, Kevin Bromley, from Ludlow in Shropshire, said the match had been policed 'very well'.

England fans are seen at bars in central Munich last night (Tim Merry)

Local police spokesman Benjamin Castro Tellez told the Mirror: “Three people, two Britons and a Dutchman, have been arrested for doing a Hitler salute which is against the law in Germany and which we don’t tolerate.

“We are not giving out their names but the two British nationals were kitted out in English football shirts. It is now up to the public prosecution as to whether charges will be pressed and whether this will result in a fine.

"Meanwhile the English fan who let off the firework in the hotel has also been arrested.”

Hundreds taunted bemused German shoppers and visiting school parties by bellowing tunes about the war.

England fans at bars in central Munich last night (Tim Merry)

“Have you ever seen a German win a war,” “Ten German bombers”, “Two World Wars and One World Cup” and “No Surrender to the IRA” were among the songs sung in the bars and restaurants around the famous Marienplatz.

Many of the England fans were dealt with by being ordered to pay a security deposit of around €200 (£170) - the local equivalent of an on-the-spot fine - while two who were unable to pay the money were brought before a district judge.

Police were also called to one "brawl" on Monday, reported to have involved 30 to 50 England fans, but said it had dispersed by the time armed officers arrived on the scene.

There are fears of further clashes later on Tuesday after some England fans bought tickets in the German-supporting section of the Allianz Arena.

Some ignored England boss Gareth Southgate’s plea to behave themselves (Michael Zemanek/REX/Shutterstock)

A Munich police spokesman said that police would only be able to stop England fans going in the "home" end if there was an expectation they may cause trouble.

He added that 700 police officers had been deployed to deal with the influx of England fans to the city since Saturday, considerably more than would be working for a Bayern Munich football match.

It comes after a plea from Southgate to respect the German police and locals.

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He said: “I think we know because of the landscape at the moment, that the spotlight is going to be on. So we all want to be coming away talking about a brilliant night, good football and a stunning atmosphere.

"We can only ask that's what our supporters deliver. It definitely has an impact (on the players). Staff are working on things detracting from the main part of their job, you are embarrassed when you hear about it, because you know it's a representation of your country.

“I think we can only give the correct messages, it's then you've got to rely on people behaving themselves. I think we have supporters from all parts of the country who travel brilliantly, and leave foreign countries with a great feeling about England and English supporters.

"We also know that there's always been others that do it a different way, and that's been the same for 40-odd years.”

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