Salford City’s League Two fixture against Oldham Athletic was delayed after two pitch invaders attempted to plant a St George’s flag inside the centre circle at the Peninsula Stadium.
The two men entered the field during the first half, in protest to Salford co-owner Gary Neville, before being removed by stewards and then police.
Bearing white hoodies displaying the message “Gary Neville is a traitor”, they are not thought to be supporters of either Salford or Oldham.
Far-right group Britain First have claimed responsibility for the incident saying they “teamed up with local Salford patriots” to protest against the “treachery of Gary Neville”.
Greater Manchester Police said they have arrested three men on suspicion of entering the field of play, with the alleged offence coming under the Football Offences Act.
In the wake of the attack at Crumpsall synagogue in which two men were killed, and is being treated by police as a terror incident, Neville posted a video on social media accusing “angry, middle-aged white men” of dividing the country by “using the Union Jack in a negative fashion”.
In recent months, people in some communities across the country have hung Union and St George’s cross flags from lampposts, motorway bridges and painted colours on roundabouts.
The former Manchester United and England defender, who along with David Beckham completed a full takeover of Salford in May, also posted on LinkedIn how he had removed a Union flag from one of his building sites.
“I love my country, I love Manchester, I love England,” Neville said. “But I’ve been building in this city for 15-20 years and nobody has put a Union Jack flag up, so why do you need to put one up now?
“Quite clearly, it’s sending a message to everybody that there’s something you don’t like.”
