England fans boo players taking the knee at the Riverside Stadium

England and Austria players were met with a mixture of loud boos and applause as they took the knee before Wednesday’s European Championship warm-up friendly at the Riverside Stadium.

Gareth Southgate’s England hosted Austria in the first of two warm-up games in Middlesbrough ahead of this summer’s Euros, with the Three Lions also set to face Romania at the Riverside on Sunday.

After renditions of ‘Football’s Coming Home’ and the national anthems, there were audible jeers as the players took the knee before kick-off - the first time an England side have made the anti-racism gesture in front of a home crowd.

It was soon drowned out by cheers, but Southgate and his players will hope the immediate reaction does not follow the team throughout the finals, with the majority of England’s game set to be held at Wembley Stadium

More to follow.

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