Category: Sport
Date: 31.03.2006
Printable version
The 91Èȱ¬ Nations are backing England to triumph in the World Cup according to new 91Èȱ¬ Sport research which has examined issues of national identity in UK sport.
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Among questions posed in an ICM poll to those in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales were who they would support if England played in the World Cup Final and of their preference for a united Great Britain team at the 2012 Olympics.
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Those in England were also asked their opinion on the national anthem and the singing of theme tunes to Second World War films.
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The results, broadcast this morning on 91Èȱ¬ ONE Breakfast, threw up some surprises.
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Despite an assumed hostility by Scots towards the English national football side, 67 per cent of the people polled in Scotland say that they want Sven-Goran Eriksson's side to do well in Germany.
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The figure rises significantly in Northern Ireland (76%) and Wales (83%).
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Notably however one in four Scots polled - 25% - said they wanted England to perform badly.
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There is also widespread support for England from the 91Èȱ¬ Nations should England reach the final.
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Asked if they would support England over Germany in the final, 85 per cent of those in Wales said they would, along with 81% of those in Northern Ireland and 69% of Scots.
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Support decreased marginally however when Brazil was mentioned as potential finalists against Eriksson's side with 80 per cent in Wales, 74% in Northern Ireland and 65% in Scotland saying that they would back England.
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But, while the survey suggests support from the 91Èȱ¬ Nations about England and the World Cup it also suggests there is division across the country as to whether they want to be part of united Team GB (Great Britain) for the 2012 London Olympics.
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Over two-fifths (43%) of Scots polled oppose entering the Olympics as part of Team GB, while there was also significant opposition in Northern Ireland (31%) and Wales (30%).
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But support for a united team is welcomed by 74% UK-wide and especially so across England.
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Regionally the parts of the country most in favour were the North-East (82%), North-West (81%), East (80%) and the South-West (80%).
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Regionally there is also strong support in the survey for London being awarded the 2012 Olympics.
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Overall in the UK over three-quarters (77%) were pleased that the games are coming to London, but support was ironically greatest beyond the capital.
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The East Midlands (92%), South East (87%), Northern Ireland (82%), North-West (80%), East (80%), Wales (79%), Yorkshire & Humberside (75%) and Scotland (75%) were all more supportive of the 2012 Olympics than those who lived in London (71%) [see Notes to Editors].
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Nearly a quarter of Londoners (24%) surveyed were not pleased that the capital had been awarded the 2012 Olympics - only the North-East (32%) and the West Midlands (29%) were less pleased.
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Opinion about the Olympics also differed markedly by age group.
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Most pleased about London 2012 were those aged 18-24 (86%) while those that were most displeased were those aged 65+ (27%).
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This reflected a general difference of opinion generally amongst young and old surveyed in their attitudes towards UK sport.
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They were also divided over the national anthem and whether the singing of theme tunes to war films is offensive.
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When asked whether they believed it was offensive if England fans going to the World Cup in Germany sang either the Dambusters or Great Escape theme tunes, nearly four out five of those aged 55 to 64 (79%) believed singing such tunes was offensive while over a third (35%) of 18 to 24-year-olds disagreed.
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Attitudes between young and old in England differed again on their preferred national anthem, God Save the Queen or Land of Hope and Glory.
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Only one age group chose the existing national anthem, and that was the 18 to 24 age group.
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Generally the older the age group the more they preferred Land of Hope and Glory with the age group most in favour being those aged 65+ - 55% of them preferring that to God Save the Queen (39%).
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Across England support was greatest for God Save the Queen in the South East (55%), East (52%) and the East Midlands (51%) while those that most preferred Land of Hope and Glory were Yorkshire and Humberside (67%), West Midlands (58%) and London (57%).
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The poll was reported in Breakfast from 6.00am on 91Èȱ¬ ONE, with all the data available at bbc.co.uk/sport.
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Notes to Editors
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Research by The Londoner in May 2005 found that 79 per cent of Londoners supported the bid for 2012.
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ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 2,367 adults aged 18+ by telephone from 24 to 28 March 2006.
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Interviews were conducted around the UK, with boosters to 500 in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Data has been weighted to the profile of all UK adults.
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ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
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