In a way this is what I love about supporting England in all sports. Fuck gigs or whoever, fuck the world they all look to screw us. Fair dos we rarely prevail but when we do by Christ we’ve earned it.

Game over. Was a foul in the build up. Especially in the context of this tournament which is basically non contact

As a superstitious creature I’ve never tried mulled wine to help England. If it works it’ll be a staple in July.

Mulled wine, Xmas tree, works dos with people who haven’t had a sup since this time last year. It’s quarter final time.

But never have won.

In other words punched above their weight. Considering we went in to 1966 as favourites since 1954, England have NEVER caused an upset in a World Cup knockout stage. France would be the first one. That’s what we’re up against. More “recently” since 1986 we’ve lost every game which has been tight on paper or went in as underdogs - West Germany, Argentina x2, Brazil, Portugal, Germany. Then lost to Croatia last time out as the favourites. We’ve been cheated in some games, robbed in others but we have never ever prevailed as underdogs. It’s an embarrassing record really. It’s not even like we’ve knocked out a Brazil or Germany in the last 16/quarters then gone a bridge too far losing to an Italy or Argentina in the semis. Every top side we’ve come up against ever we’ve lost to. 1966 aside. That said never lost to France in a World Cup (I don’t think)

To be fair we’d all have a 50:50 chance of winning the bloody Swedish title.

I get how when rovers put stuff out on social media it’s all fluff pieces. But once just once I’d like to see journalists just go slightly paxman on him. For eg, when he said I’ve not seen a performance before challenge him on the previous fixture. Challenge his style by citing statistics of chances generated/goals conceded by passing out from the back. Challenge him on him mocking the Dutch disease then enacting a poor version of it. I’ve always loved being a small club punching above our weight but in instances like this I’d love the weight of accountability for that of a club to manifest itself into a line of questioning. Not just him but all of the useless managers of the past decade

Although he did say we haven’t seen that performance before. I beg to differ. The very last game you plank.

Ending with 12th is very good for his first season. We go again.

This is true. I said at the time this is far far worse than a humiliating thrashing at the hands of our arch rivals they’ve shown the entire division how to thrash us.

Manager meant to be interviewed next. If he has that shit eating grin on his face I’ll lose my mind.

We can all (most) see the trajectory of where this is heading but for now they’ll desperately cling on to playoffs position.

You’ll need more than wine lad.

FUCKING SHAMBLES. Played them through twice in 60 seconds this half. I’d this Scandinavian plank can’t change get him back to Malmö.

Yeah cocking it off in marbs playing Ajax reserves. Tough life.

Bring back fat Sam. Give me long ball all day long over this shite.

Inevitably. Then as sure as night follows day tonight’s commentary will be Maguire to stones, stones to Maguire, Maguire to shaw, shaw to Maguire, Maguire to Mbappe, goal France. It'll happen to both my sides in 6 hours.

Rovers v nob end. The pre match build up on sky is about Jude Bellingham. Of course it is. Why wouldn’t it be.

Exactly. We don’t need southernising. People in all areas of life need to take personal responsibility for more things. If it’s slightly more slippy than usual so bloody what. I’m sure as a young kid if the car couldn’t get to school then my sister and I were told to get out and complete the journey on foot. No question school was off, lesson in hat and coat and I’m not even that old and from an era where they properly didn’t care

I still picture them all stood around saying: “I thought you said you’d put the under soil heating on…well I thought you said you’d done it…tell them it’s on and we’ll think of something.” Swag will be up livsey branch road as we speak watering the pavements to deflect blame

I think an interesting question would be if Southgate leaves (he won’t do) would any top half premier league team take a punt of him.

They’re looking in to it.

It boils my piss when they ask Rio Ferdinand, Neville, Gerrard, Lampard about their perspective on what the players will feel like. This was a golden generation of players, who should have won it, but subsequently admitted couldn’t give a toss about England and could really put club rivalries aside in the dressing room. “How would they be feeling right now Rio?” “well if they’re anything like me they’d prefer to be sat in Carrington.”

Was going to watch rovers v nob end 12-2, Clitheroe v Widnes 3-5, England v France 7-9. The Clitheroe game almost certainly gone with the snow and with how tin pot rovers are these days with slight weather maybe that too.