The FA have defended England for using seven substitutes during the friendly international with Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain on Sunday.Soho Square officials insist they had the backing of FIFA, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation and the match referee to go ahead with such a move.

Normally teams are only permitted to make six changes during a non-competitive international.

But the green light was given for both England and T&T to have the option of bringing an additional player off the bench in a match to mark the host nation's centenary of football.

The FA have also reiterated that all seven substitutes - the seventh of which was Blackburn defender Stephen Warnock - will all receive caps for their appearances in the Caribbean.

But they are also adamant there are no plans for them to adopt a similar policy when it comes to substitutes in future friendly internationals.

An FA spokesman said: "The fact of the matter is the opportunity to use seven substitutes was cleared in advance of the game by FIFA, Trinidad and Tobago representative Jack Warner, the FIFA delegate for the game and the match referee.

"Trinidad had the same option to use seven subs. There is no way we would have gone ahead with using seven subs without the approval that we were given."

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