Brown wants British football team at 2012 Olympics

PRIME Minister Gordon Brown today spoke of his hope that a Team UK football team could compete in the 2012 Olympics.

Britain has not entered a soccer side in the Olympics since 1960, partly because of fears it could jeopardise the future of the individual England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Irish national sides.

But speaking from Beijing, Mr Brown, a keen football fan, said he would be "surprised" if a team from the UK would not compete on home soil in 2012.

He told Sky News: "I hope there will be a team by 2012. It will be Team UK. I hope we can get an agreement on that.

"I think when people are looking at the Olympics in 2012 – Britain, home of football, where football was invented, which we gave to the world – I think people would be very surprised if there is an Olympic tournament in football and we are not part of it."

Mr Brown said he had talked with Sepp Blatter, president of world football's governing body FIFA to discuss the situation..

"I am determined to work with the football associations and the Olympic Committee to ensure that when we come to 2012 we have a men's football team and we have a women's football team playing," Mr Brown said.

The SNP's sport spokesman in Westminster Pete Wishart said: "This is a spectacular own goal for Brown.

"He is out of touch with the overwhelming views of football supporters throughout the UK.

"All the national supporters groups oppose this move and see it as a threat to the status of their nations to field independent football squads.

"Not only do all the national supporters associations oppose such a move but the majority of football associations in the UK have said they do not want to take part in a single UK team as it could threaten their existence within FIFA.

"Instead of trying to brow beat the SFA, the IFA and the Football Association of Wales into a single team Gordon Brown should abandon his campaign which threatens the identity of each of the home associations and their national squads."

England footballer David Beckham said he believed football deserved its place in the Olympics despite the controversy over whether clubs should be forced to release players for the tournament.

He added: "For me, football is the best sport in the world so for me it should be top of the list.

"There are so many other great sports and so many other athletes who have worked so hard to get here, but it's still important.

"There are great players and great teams over here so it's still my number one sport, whether or not it is looked at as different."

He also left the door open to possibly playing for Great Britain in the 2012 Olympic football tournament.

He said: "I will be 37 so I'm not sure I will still be playing. But you never know, at the end of day I'm just going to be happy to be involved.

"I will definitely be there, but whether it's playing or not I'm not so sure about that one."