Dozens of fans know their relationship with the England men’s team is a roller coaster ride – the ups and downs drain us of energy, but are all part of the fun of being a fan.
Yet, for once in a very long time, the “it’s coming home” chants suddenly seem believable and Major tournament silverware is at your fingertips.
But for three different generations, there are three different relationships with their worshiped Three Lions.
Helen saw England eliminated from many competitions
For those lucky enough to remember the euphoria of 1966 at Wembley, every tournament since has been a failure to capture the glory of what once was.
Wendy Godwin is part of this cohort and passed on her love of the beautiful game to her daughter, Helen Shaw.
Helen, however, is a member of another generation of England fans – fans for whom only disappointment has been endured.
In front of a West London house adorned with a St. George’s Cross, as is the case with all tournaments, the two men explain their experiences as fans.
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Wendy said: “I always put flags in front of my house, as they are right now, and you always expect the best, but it’s usually the worst with this terrible deflation which is pretty hard to bear.”
She remembers the particular shock of the fateful match of 1996 which Gareth Southgate hope to shake: “It got deathly silent, and you never forget it. Then everyone walked down Wembley Way and no one spoke, it was just silence, it was like it was a burial.”
Helen has been a fan of England her entire life, but has always seen them fall apart during the last obstacles.
She was in the stands in Bologna watching the squad get knocked out in the 1990 World Cup, and then, like her mother, in 1996, she was behind the goal as …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-07-08 19:01:00
