why are we so rubbsh at these olympics??

[QPR Richard]

You didn't answer the question. There is no English army, only a British one. Which makes what you say bizarre, I've met many Scots, Welsh and Irish troops who are proud to serve their country. Why shouldn't we get behind team GB?

You said, some of us have served Q and C. So did you yourself serve?

I did yes. I've met scots and welsh troops. Ever seen their tanks? Carry their national flags on them. Ever seen some of their berets. Got tartan on some of them. Ever heard of the Welsh Fusiliers or the Royal regiment of Scotland? How very British......not.

[DeepcutHoop]

We've won two medals. Germany has not won any.

Don't start with the we in this thread......

Patriotism not allowed.

[vanhoop]

Well said Dave,I've littluns at school and sportsdays a joke.what are they doing for the sporty lad that's pony at maths

[QPR Richard]

QPR Richard,if he's Welsh how come he played for England.tut tut

Er, born in Cardiff to Welsh parents:

Born as Ryan Joseph Wilson[14] (he later adopted his mother's maiden name as his professional surname) at St David's Hospital in Canton, Cardiff, to Danny Wilson, at the time a rugby union player for Cardiff RFC who would go on to become a Wales international representative in rugby league, and Lynne Giggs (now Lynne Johnson). As a child Giggs grew up in Ely, a suburb of western Cardiff. His younger brother, Rhodri, is a former manager of non-league Salford City.
He spent much time with his mother's parents and playing football on the roads outside their house in Pentrebane. In 1980, when Giggs was six years old, his father switched rugby codes and signed for Swinton RLFC, forcing the whole family to move north to Swinton, a town in Salford, Greater Manchester. The move was a traumatic one, as Giggs was very close to his grandparents in Cardiff, but he would often return there with his family at weekends or on school holidays. Giggs is mixed race – his paternal grandfather is from Sierra Leone – and has spoken of the racism he faced as a child.[15]
After moving to Salford, Giggs appeared for the local team, Deans FC, who were coached by Manchester City scout Dennis Schofield. Schofield recommended Giggs to Manchester City, and he was signed up to their School of Excellence. Meanwhile, Giggs continued to play for Salford Boys, who went on to reach the final of the Granada Schools Cup competition at Anfield in 1987. Giggs captained the Salford team to victory over their Blackburn counterparts, and the trophy was presented to him by Liverpool chief scout Ron Yeats.
While playing for Deans, Giggs was observed regularly by local newsagent and Old Trafford steward Harold Wood. Wood spoke personally to Alex Ferguson who sent a scout, and Giggs was eventually offered a trial over the 1986 Christmas period. Giggs played in a match for Salford Boys against a United Under-15s side at The Cliff and scored a hat trick, with Ferguson watching from his office window. On 29 November 1987 (his 14th birthday), Ferguson turned up at Giggs's house with United scout Joe Brown and offered him two years on associate schoolboy forms. They offered to waive YTS forms, and persuaded Giggs to sign by offering the opportunity to turn professional in three years. Using the name Ryan Wilson, Giggs captained England at schoolboy level, playing at Wembley Stadium against Germany in 1989.[16] He changed his surname at the age of 16, when his mother remarried. His parents had separated two years earlier.[17]

[DeepcutHoop]

I did yes. I've met scots and welsh troops. Ever seen their tanks? Carry their national flags on them. Ever seen some of their berets. Got tartan on some of them. Ever heard of the Welsh Fusiliers or the Royal regiment of Scotland? How very British......not.

Different regiments have different emblems and symbols, and as I've seen at The Armed Forces Days at the RLC barracks here, the competitiveness between them is fierce, but when push comes to shove they all come together on the same side, and they risk their own lives for each other, under the banner of the Armed Forces.

Just because the different countries have their own identities, and hold these very dear, we are all part of Britain, and we should be able to come together when we have a unified team.

The vast majority of the public seems to be embracing it, and it seems churlish to not support these athletes who've trained long and hard for the right to be a part of the GB team, and are proud to do so.

To do it to because of this 'English not British' mentality seems counter-productive.

By all means, it's your call, but do try to keep it down while the rest of the world has enormous fun this next couple of weeks.

Ta.

[Ginger Ninja]

Different regiments have different emblems and symbols, and as I've seen at The Armed Forces Days at the RLC barracks here, the competitiveness between them is fierce, but when push comes to shove they all come together on the same side, and they risk their own lives for each other, under the banner of the Armed Forces.

Just because the different countries have their own identities, and hold these very dear, we are all part of Britain, and we should be able to come together when we have a unified team.

The vast majority of the public seems to be embracing it, and it seems churlish to not support these athletes who've trained long and hard for the right to be a part of the GB team, and are proud to do so.

To do it to because of this 'English not British' mentality seems counter-productive.

By all means, it's your call, but do try to keep it down while the rest of the world has enormous fun this next couple of weeks.

Ta.

Well said.

[vanhoop]

Well **** me dicky,you two must be best mates.he's no better than Andy townsend

[Will M]

I did yes. I've met scots and welsh troops. Ever seen their tanks? Carry their national flags on them. Ever seen some of their berets. Got tartan on some of them. Ever heard of the Welsh Fusiliers or the Royal regiment of Scotland? How very British......not.

Yes, some berets have tartan in them because of the insignia of the regiment, like Black Watch for example.

I'm not exactly sure why you're so down on Britain, but it seems you have a lot of folk jumping on you. So I will back off for now. Just get a bit infuriated when people knock Britain, I have family from all over and am proud as punch of them.

[QPR Richard]

Different regiments have different emblems and symbols, and as I've seen at The Armed Forces Days at the RLC barracks here, the competitiveness between them is fierce, but when push comes to shove they all come together on the same side, and they risk their own lives for each other, under the banner of the Armed Forces.

Just because the different countries have their own identities, and hold these very dear, we are all part of Britain, and we should be able to come together when we have a unified team.

The vast majority of the public seems to be embracing it, and it seems churlish to not support these athletes who've trained long and hard for the right to be a part of the GB team, and are proud to do so.

To do it to because of this 'English not British' mentality seems counter-productive.

By all means, it's your call, but do try to keep it down while the rest of the world has enormous fun this next couple of weeks.

Ta.

I'm enjoying the Olympics, but please don't force Britishness on me. I don't see myself as British and I don't appreciate having it imposed on me.

I'm cheering on English athletes, like Becky and Lizzie, was really pleased they won medals. If you think I'm going to cheer Andy Murray because he's playing for Team GB then think again.

Your reference to the armed forces, the lads from Wales and Scotland I've met have been good soldiers, but you will find soldiers have much more loyalty to their regiment than their country. Ask a few squaddies and they'll tell you the same.

[PeterG]

If you were born in the british isles, anywhere in the british isles including London then you are British, that is an undisputable fact. you may very well be english but by being so you are also british, you cant escape that fact, you can choose to ignore it but you cant deny it

as for British Army regiments the welsh and scottish regiments they are regional in much the same way many english regiments are regional Lancashire,Devonshire, Northumberland etc etc

[Ginger Ninja]

Well **** me dicky,you two must be best mates.he's no better than Andy townsend

Who's no better than Andy Townsend?

[QPR Richard]

Yes, some berets have tartan in them because of the insignia of the regiment, like Black Watch for example.

I'm not exactly sure why you're so down on Britain, but it seems you have a lot of folk jumping on you. So I will back off for now. Just get a bit infuriated when people knock Britain, I have family from all over and am proud as punch of them.

Down on Britain. Yep, I am. Why? Have a look at things like the Barnett Formula, no English parliament, prescription charges, tuition fees, mass immigration, membership of the EU, all a result of our wonderful British state.

But anyway, this is a football forum. I will end my bit by saying, while some of you choose a British identity, I'm happy seeing myself as a Londoner and English, and very proud of both. I'm neither British nor European.

[QPR Richard]

If you were born in the british isles, anywhere in the british isles including London then you are British, that is an undisputable fact. you may very well be english but by being so you are also british, you cant escape that fact, you can choose to ignore it but you cant deny it

as for British Army regiments the welsh and scottish regiments they are regional in much the same way many english regiments are regional Lancashire,Devonshire, Northumberland etc etc

I'd be interested to see how you'd get on in Glasgow by telling some communites there that they are British whether they like it or not. The Republic of Ireland is also part of the British Isles. The people there are British too? I'd also like to see you make that statement in Ireland.

[jmelanie]

If you are born in Great Britain and Northern Ireland you are British. If you are born in the British Isles you are either British or Irish since the British Isles is two main islands plus the small islands. If you are born in Great Britain you are English, Welsh or Scottish since Great Britain is just the main island.

[The Godfather]

If you were born in England, Wales or Scotland you're a British citizen and are therefore represented by the British Olympic team (whether you choose to support them or not). Even if you identify yourself as 'English' rather than 'British' you're still a 'British citizen'. The Northern Irish are also represented by the team, as the official name of the team is 'Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. So essentially we're talking about the 'United Kingdom', which is a country (unlike the European Union which you alluded to earlier). As for 'certain communities in Glasgow' - well, yes, they are British citizens, whether they like it or not.