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San Marino FA hits back at jibes from ITV and Gary Lineker on Twitter

San Marino kit
San Marino… Have their pride (Image: Kanchelskis)

The San Marino FA’s Twitter account made for excellent entertainment as their side lost 8-0 to England in Friday’s World Cup qualifier, reacting angrily to perceived slights from ITV’s studio team, Gary Lineker and a whole host of others.

San Marino FA began with consummate sportsmanship, issuing a rallying cry to their own team as well as (somewhat unnecessarily) wishing their opponents luck…

All hail the mighty #SanMarino . #Support #SanMarino

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 20, 2013

@fa Good luck on Friday’s game against us.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 19, 2013

Hope, all #English supporters will enjoy in San Marino and will take nice memories from San Marino.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 19, 2013

Let’s beat #England. #KeepCalmAndSupport #SanMarino

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

After tweeting enthusiastically about previous encounters between the teams – including a reference to Davide Gualtieri’s “milestone” strike after just ten seconds of a 7-1 defeat to England twenty years ago – San Marino FA then took issue with the BBC’s Dan Roan describing the night’s outcome as a “formality”…

The formality of San Marino tonight, but England fans are already looking across the Adriatic towards Montenegro twitter.com/danroan/status…

— Dan Roan (@danroan) March 22, 2013

@danroan That’s a disgrace and sheer ignorance. Shame on you.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

The next target of their ire was twentyfour7 Football for tweeting the following…

A fact about England’s opponents. Our star columnist @themichaelowen has 50 times the amount of followers as San Marino’s entire population.

— twentyfour7 Football (@twentyfour7) March 22, 2013

@twentyfour7 Shame on you too!

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

They were now starting to sense a groundswell of negativity and responded accordingly, with the following appeal for compassion…

Entire World knows what is gonna happen tonight but don’t we have a right to compete in same level with one of the greatest football teams ?

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

…not to mention a commendable instinct for pedantry…

San Marino twitter.com/Footy_Jokes/st…

— Football Jokes (@Footy_Jokes) March 22, 2013

@footy_jokes Well actually it’s 1 victory in 119 matches.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

…but they retained the good grace to field questions from curious foreigners…

What team is the only team San marino have ever beat? Must be terrible

— Harry phillips(@harryefc17) March 22, 2013

@harryefc17 Our great friends @liechtensteinff we beat them 1-0 on 28.04.2004 in Serravalle with @realandyselva ‘s goal.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

Next up to stick the boot in was Gary Lineker, who was promptly accused of jealousy…

Rubbish football cliches; ‘There are no easy games in international football anymore’. San Marino is certainly one.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) March 22, 2013

@garylineker Come on Gary, this is just arrogant and ignorance comment. Stop being jealous because you didn’t play against us.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

…before ITV’s coverage sent things into overdrive…

ITV should think it more wisely while mocking with San Marino. Shame on you ITV, this is just disgraceful.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

@itvfootball Shame on you again!

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

Stop patronising about our team San Marino @itv, that is just sheer ignorance.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

@fa You should do something with this ITV’s arrogant, ignorant and rude comments and coverages about us, San Marino.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

They were then on the receiving end of the following ZING!…

@fa We took the 4th goal but at least we know how to count properly.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

@sanmarinofa @fa I wouldn’t doubt that for a second fellas. You get the practice

— Colin Campbell (@_cpcampbell) March 22, 2013

…which may or may not have fostered feelings of guilt about the quality of their team, who by this point were 5-0 down…

Still, we’re thankful to all proud to be San Marino supporters. We’re terribly sorry.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

There was something to cheer, though…

Our 1st shoot in this game came from Fabio Bollini. Well done Fabio.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

…and then it was back to fielding questions from England fans…

@sanmarinofa how can you enjoy getting beat like this every game?

— John Kilmartin (@johnkilmartin) March 22, 2013

@johnkilmartin It’s a competitive area we know but it’s not all about who won/lost. Would you hear “San Marino”‘s name without football ?

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

@sanmarinofa @itvsport what is the point though? What are you gaining from us hammering you?

— Pinky23 (@Panth_pink4) March 22, 2013

@panth_pink4 @itvsport Football isn’t just about scores or who won/lost. It’s meaning more than that to us.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

@sanmarinofa I get its a honour to play the worlds best, But surly it would help you to play teams as the same standard as you?

— Pinky23 (@Panth_pink4) March 22, 2013

@panth_pink4 It won’t help, at least in this kind of games more people heard or learn something about our country.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

Those ITV jibes still rankled…

@levetsmcfc @jonnyt100 @itvsport They did same things in first match too. We know they’re trying to be funny but, it’s just rude.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 22, 2013

…and we’ll leave it to them to end with an open question…

Why San Marino and other minnows have their own preliminary round ? This thing has both pros/cons.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 24, 2013

You can get some more wins/draws but also games on preliminary rounds followed by less people.

— San Marino FA (@SanMarinoFA) March 24, 2013

What do you think? Have your say in the comments section below…