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07:38 GMT, Saturday, 12 April 2008 08:38 UK

Welsh anthem urged for cup final

Cardiff City fans during the FA Cup semi-final match at Wembley

The Welsh sports minister has called for the Welsh national anthem to be played before Cardiff City play in the FA Cup final.

Rhodri Glyn Thomas wants "common sense" to prevail and hopes the FA will allow Land of My Fathers to be played alongside God Save The Queen.

The Bluebirds meet Premier League side Portsmouth at Wembley on 17 May in their first final for 81 years.

The FA said the matter was currently "under consideration".

"I hope the FA is going to be sensible about things because there will be great disappointment in Wales if we're not allowed to sing the national anthem," Mr Thomas said.

"It's not Wales v England, it's two teams in the English FA Cup final"
Gwyn Davies, Valley Rams supporters' club

In 2003, a similar anthem row erupted before a play-off final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff between the Bluebirds and Queens Park Rangers.

Eventually neither God Save the Queen nor Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau were played and the clubs could choose their own song.

Cardiff opted for Men of Harlech, while QPR went for Pigbag's 1981 hit Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag, a fans' favourite.

But Gwyn Davies from the Valley Rams supporters club said he did not think Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau should be played.

"I don't think we should distract from what's going on - on the pitch," he said.

"There's no prouder Welshman than me but this is not the time and the place.

"It's not Wales v England, it's two teams in the English FA Cup final".

Cardiff meanwhile will be wearing their "lucky" black and yellow kit for the final for their first final since 1927.

The team wore their change kit for the quarter final win at Middlesbrough, as well as last weekend's semi-final victory over Barnsley.

Portsmouth will be wearing in their traditional blue after a toss of a coin.

Both clubs will receive 25,000 tickets and Cardiff City said it would implement a distribution policy which would be as "fair as possible".




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Related to this story:
Anthem ban for final considered (16 Mar 05 |  Wales )

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