November 11th, Remembrance Day, marks the end of the First World War’s hostilities, commemorated as "the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" in 1918.
Personally, I have taken part in over ten Remembrance services at football matches, both home and away. And each year, the scene is unforgettable. Many fans might brush it off, but for me, those surreal moments stand out - when tens of thousands of people, in a stadium usually buzzing with noise and energy, fall completely silent together for just a few minutes. It is a remarkable pause, a rare unity shared between two completely opposing teams, who will likely push, shove and tackle each other for the next two halves. But for those first few minutes, that silence serves as a powerful reminder that some things are far greater than the sport itself. It’s a lingering moment I always find myself reflecting on.
But as well as the silence, clubs commemorate the special day in many ways. Prior to kick-off there is a laying of wreaths by military personnel to honour either individuals or groups.
Before the moment of silence, the ‘Last Post’ plays on a bugle and is heard around the stadium. This tune, originally a British Army bugle call, was used to mark the final roll call of soldiers in the night during war and marked the end of the conflict. It is an emotional moment. Most people would recognise this sound from services they have attended, history lessons or watching the television. However - there is something so incredible about hearing the last post surrounded by so many people. Some of whom will have ancestors who were involved in the conflict or have family who are currently deployed.
Players also commemorate the occasion by wearing the poppy-branded shirts, which are often then signed and auctioned off for the Royal British Legion. Poppies are also worn by pundits throughout televised games, and football shows. From 2012 to 2023, four million pounds has been raised through a partnership with the Premier League and the Royal British Legion, with club-branded pin badges available to purchase.
I wanted to pay respect to my own club, Wolverhampton Wanderers, in this article. Over ten members of the Wolves squad in World War One served, with three casualties. At just 19 years old, Walter Blunt was killed in action, and is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial. Having finished his footballing career in 1907, Harry Robotham was enlisted in the 23rd regiment at age 37. Robotham landed in France in 1915, before moving south to take part in the Battle of the Somme. However, in September 1916, Robotham fell during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette and his body was sadly never recovered. In addition, J. Shelton was killed two months before the end of the war and is buried at Epehy Wood Farm Cemetery in France.
Wolverhampton Wanderers did take part in the 1940/1 season. However, club football returned the following year, during the war. Their manager at the time, Frank Buckley, was denied from the armed forces but encouraged his players to sign up. Major Buckley answered concerns about the club playing football. He remarked ‘we do not feel competitive football should be played during a world crisis…We have been told very plainly, perhaps not in so many words, that unless we compete in league football, we may not be able to retain our young players. We have more young amateurs than any other team in the country. The future of the club lies with them.’ In total, 91 men joined the war effort from Wolves, one of the highest numbers out of any English football team.
Wolves won the League War Cup in 1942, which included player Eric Robinson who was then unfortunately killed during a training exercise soon after. Joe Rooney, another Wolves star, was killed in an air raid in Belfast in 1941.
If you asked any Wolves fan they would recognise the name Stan Cullis. Cullis managed Wolves during the most successful period in their history, becoming manager at just age 31 in 1948. But Cullis also was a player for Wolves, and served as a PT during the war. An interesting moment of Cullis’ career was when he was playing for England in 1938. In a match against Germany, the England players were instructed to do a Nazi salute. Cullis refused and was subsequently benched following his brave move.
The majority of football clubs had players who would have fought in those wars. Remembrance Day serves as a unifying moment across the sport, bringing together players, clubs, and fans to honour the ultimate sacrifices made by military personnel in both World Wars and other conflicts.
