Thank you to our friends at Telegraph Sport for the following post.
England's sponsors Pukka Pies are to make an official protest to Uefa after the musicians were refused entry into the Donbass Arena in Ukraine.
Monday night was the first time they have been refused entry to a game and no reason was given for the decision. Their instruments were returned after the final whistle. The band have been a feature of England matches since 1996 and, having secured assurances from both the FA and Uefa, were expecting to be in their usual positions at Monday night's Group D opener with France in Donetsk.
After an initial problem, the 10 members did get to their seats, only for local security staff to step in and tell them their instruments broke ground regulations and were being confiscated for the duration of the game.
Although they were returned immediately after the final whistle and protests have been made, it is not known whether the rules will be relaxed for Friday's encounter with Sweden in Kiev, or when they return to Donetsk next Tuesday for a potential qualification decider with hosts Ukraine.
Monday night's events were even more galling because, sponsored by Pukka Pies, the band had driven to Donetsk from the UK, a journey of approximately 2,800 miles.
Not every England fan, however, wants the band back, with #bantheband trending on Twitter. What do you think, though? Should the England band, who have been a feature of Three Lions games for the past two decades and estimate they have been present for over 300 consecutive matches, be allowed back?
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