Just days before Remembrance Day, Fifa has given a disgusting slap in the face to all the fallen heroes of this nation who fought for freedom.

The FA’s request for the England team to be allowed to wear poppies on their shirts during Saturday’s encounter with Spain was an entirely reasonable one.

It is as far away as thrusting some unacceptable and arrogant national symbol down the throats of other countries as it could be. The poppy is a discreet and traditional mark of respect to honour the sacrifices of those without whom some of the footballing nations of the world today would be playing with swastikas on their shirts.

The poppy is a badge to be worn with pride for a one-off occasion.

Yet Fifa has banned it on the grounds that shirts should not carry “political, religious, or commercial messages”.

The poppy is none of these things.

They are more on a par with black armbands worn at times of tragedy and mourning. Bizarrely, it seems likely that England players will be wearing these armbands during the match in lieu of the banned poppies.

Faced with a diktat from football’s ruling body, England now has what looks on the surface like a difficult decision, but which is not really difficult at all when you consider what the poppy really stands for – selfless sacrifices in the cause of freedom.

Listen to the voices of the fallen. They did not bend the knee. Nor should England on Saturday. And if Fifa calls the game off, as it has threatened to, so be it – England will have honoured the memories of those who died fighting the monstrously unreasonable.

England v Spain on Saturday. Wear the poppy. With pride.

Patients tell true story:

There are two versions of the National Health Service.

There is the NHS of waiting times, performance tables, leagues, and politically motivated use of statistics to prove this or that point.

And then there are the anecdotes of ordinary people who spend time in hospital.

Today’s dossier from the Patients Association detailing shameful stories about the care elderly patients receive in England NHS hospitals is a real aid to understanding.

Statistics can disguise almost anything. Except the story of an old man left to sit in his own faeces, or the cancer patient dying in agony because staff were slow to administer pain relief.

There have been cases in which families have been so unhappy about the level of care that they have brought their loved ones out of hospital.

It should be acknowledged that there will be many patients who experience excellent care.

The association’s dossier has led to the standard smooth assurances that the NHS is working to improve matters.

Maybe there will be statistics soon to back that up.

But the best indication of improvement will be when the only stories coming from patients are positive stories.