England were pelted with paper planes by their own irate supporters on Thursday night despite Harry Kane booking their place at next summer’s World Cup.
Gareth Southgate challenged England’s ‘suffering’ players to stand up to the Wembley boo boys after his side scraped past Slovenia to limb to Russia 2018.
What should have been a euphoric night turned into a farce as supporters made their ill-feeling towards England’s lacklustre display crystal clear.
England supporters threw paper planes on the pitch at Wembley on Thursday night
Supporters chose to throw planes on to the pitch as a way of amusing themselves
Two members of Wembley’s cleaning staff pick up the paper planes after the game
The team were booed at regular intervals, while supporters launched into an ironic cheers after goalkeeper Joe Hart was announced as man of the match over the PA system.
Bored fans even took to throwing paper planes on to the pitch which drew some of the biggest cheers of the night.
Thousands of fans left Wembley well before the final whistle which meant England players were left to celebrate their qualification in front of a largely empty stadium.
Harry Kane marked his first game as England captain with a stoppage-time winner to send them through to the World Cup
Southgate admits his side were well aware of the hostility towards his team, but urged them to merge stronger from the experience.
‘We were very aware of it (the crowd). But, in this job and in terms of playing for England, you’ve got to be resilient.
‘Stick to your beliefs and together as a group. We’re in the business of winning, and we have to keep winning. We’d love everyone to be fully supportive and right behind us. There’s nothing better than feeling that. But we have to give the performances that allow that to happen, give people that hope and encouragement.
The Tottenham striker grabs the badge on his chest after popping up with the winner for England against Slovenia
‘They’re suffering the consequences of 25 years, 30 years, 40 years whatever, but that isn’t their fault. We have to give them the backing to go and believe.’
England’s flat display came on a day when Football Association chief executive Martin Glenn branded the players as ‘brittle’.
‘We know that we have not been leading edge in terms of psychological support for that senior team,’ said Glenn.
‘England players do not travel well. They do not tend to play abroad, their familiarity with international camps is not that great.
England manager Gareth Southgate gestures during England’s victory over Slovenia
‘And so we know there is a brittleness in unfamiliar circumstances which we have to deal with.
‘Sam (Allardyce), in fairness, took that mantle on and Gareth (Southgate) has taken it on too. That is not something that you wish for overnight. You have to work at it.’
The FA also confirmed on Thursday night that two showpiece Wembley friendlies against Germany and Brazil next month.