- Latest news before the Sunday’s final at Wembley
- England expects: keep calm and glory is close for a side built on certainty
- Get in touch! Email Paul, tweet @Paul_Doyle or comment BTL
Here is a comment from FionnTSmith below the line. I don’t know whether it’s genuine. “I’m outside the Crooked Billet pub in E5, got here at 7:45 and am second in the queue to a group that arrived at 6:30am – the pub doesn’t open til midday! Come on England!!!” That prompts a question: what is the longest you have ever queued to get into something for leisure (as opposed to for some bureaucratic obligation). Was it worth it?
“Usually at this point in a tournament I’m still wearing my replica 70s Italy top,” reveals Craig Cheetham. “ My grandma was born there and came to Wigan as a nineteen year old. So my second team are usually giving me sommat to still cheer for. This year? Put it in the wash after the semis.”
“My sister sent me a picture of my grandma and her family taken probably in the late thirties/early forties the other day. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen my Italian great grandma and grandad. Him with his resplendent tash and pipe, her with a crocheted, up to the neck dress, hands crossed on her knees. And my absolute double, great uncle Mario in his Sunday best and pencil moustache. My grandma, the Hollywood Italian beauty.
I’ve been looking at the picture for days. These are my people, from back in time. Someone said to me the other day ‘you can’t lose on Sunday’. I replied ‘I can’t win either’. Course I’ll be supporting England but I’ll be thinking of my ancestors and that side of my family. I suppose some of them will be thinking of us.”
