England soccer team to visit Dublin for friendly clash

Aviva Stadium to host match on June 7th ahead of home qualifier against Scotland

Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

The Republic of Ireland will play England in a friendly at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday, June 7th, 2015, the FAI and the English Football Association have announced.

The game comes ahead of the home European qualifier against Scotland in Dublin on Saturday June 16th, while England are playing Slovenia in the week following their trip to Dublin.

It will be the first time that England have played in Dublin since crowd trouble caused the referee to abandon a friendly between the two sides in 1995 after 27 minutes.

The Lansdowne Road riot was one of the darkest episodes in the history of English football.

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Right-wing extremists among the England supporters in the ground’s upper west stand threw objects onto the pitch when David Kelly had given the Irish the lead.

The referee took the players off the pitch moments later and they never returned.

Bridges were rebuilt last May when the Republic of Ireland came to Wembley to play a friendly which they drew 1-1. The match passed off without any crowd trouble.

The game against England will be initially sold under a season ticket approach by the FAI, which includes six internationals and the FAI Cup Final.

The European qualifiers against Gibraltar, Poland and the Scots are included, as is the game against England and two friendlies still to be confirmed.

The FAI believe that demand for the season ticket is likely to mean that tickets for the England game are unlikely to go on general sale.

INTERNATIONAL FIXTURES INCLUDED IN FAI SEASON TICKET
Saturday, October 11th, 2014:
Euro 2016 Qualifier v Gibraltar
Sunday, March, 29th, 2015:
Euro 2016 Qualifier v Poland
Sunday, June 7th, 2015:
Friendly v England
Saturday, June 13th, 2015:
Euro 2016 Qualifier v Scotland
2 friendly matches to be confirmed.
Prices (inc booking fee) –Child U16:
€54. Student: €102. Cat C: €138. Cat B: €186. Cat A: €240. Family: €318