Biggest memory of that tournament for me was being stuck at a large forest fire all day and most of the night and just as I was leaving somebody told me England had beaten Holland 4-1, needless to say I thought he was telling a great big fib.
Ha, I was at that game... bloody marvelous with the Dutch bloke behind me telling me to shut up as I cheered the 4th goal saying "don't you think you've scored enough already"!
I was working as an FA volunteer and was in a crew that took the England kit to Wembley and put it in the dressing room for the match against Switzerland.
All the kit bags were the same but each had a post-it note stuck on with the players name
Went to Netherlands v Switzerland at Villa Park. Tiny pub beforehand near the ground had the lager tap on constant. Smallest round seemed to be about 10 pints. Loads of Dutch fans in orange boiler suits and loads of Swiss fans with their cow-bells. Brilliant occasion. 2-0 to Netherlands....Marc Hottiger missed a big chance at 0-0 and then Nethrlands did the business.
I remember going to the Eng V Spain quarter final when Gascoigne ( I think ) brought down one of theirs in the box and should have been a pen. Won on pens and Pearce gave it the big one. Rafa Nadals dad, the beast of Barcelona, was playing for Spain.
We are probably the only major footballing nation celebrating a tournament where we failed but were a bit less crap than we are every other tournament.
We are probably the only major footballing nation celebrating a tournament where we failed but were a bit less crap than we are every other tournament.
And if we admit it, a lot of the other teams were poor that year too.
2016 is also the 20th anniversary of the Dunblane massacre. What links this with Euro 96? Tennis.
Andy Murray was a survivor of the horrific events at Dunblane Primary School. He went on to become Britain's greatest ever tennis professional. Rafa Nadal is also in the world'should top five. His uncle played against England, for Spain in Europe 96.
We are probably the only major footballing nation celebrating a tournament where we failed but were a bit less crap than we are every other tournament.
Who's celebrating? It's a documentary about a tournament when football came home.. ie played in England.
I, for one, shall look forward to it, and shall treat it as a great trip down memory lane. It was a great few weeks living here, a moment, a memory and one that sticks out in my mind during some good years of my younger life.
We are probably the only major footballing nation celebrating a tournament where we failed but were a bit less crap than we are every other tournament.
I was at every England game along with the missus. My Charlton supporting boss let me go after lunch for any midweek games, so had plenty of time on the sauce at The Hamilton Halls before the matches. The singing with the Scots in the pub before the game, lurching up Wembley way with three of them ten minutes before KO. Apart from the Switzerland game, when we deliberately arrived early, we got the timing off to a T. Always wandering up a deserted Wembley Way and then into out seats just in time for the start. Then off as soon as the final whistle blew, and down to Wembley Stadium station and on the first train back into town, no fucking about in the crowds.
The demolition of the Netherlands, the resigned nod from the Dutch bloke with the giant inflatable clog on his head half a dozen rows behind as he caught my eye on the way out.
Turning to the wife and saying "Goal" as Gazza lifted the ball over Hendry. The missed pen. seeing the Spaniards having a perfectly good goal disallowed, then becoming one of the rare breed to see England win a penalty shoot out. Looking straight down into Pearce's face as he let out that bellow of triumph.
The sheer volume of 3 Lions and the national anthem, watching Baddiel and Skinners faces in the crowd as everyone sang along.
Absolute fucking magic! Brilliant memories - the best summer of my life.
Euro 96 and THAT penalty!!! I spent a few hours in the company of Stuart Pearce earlier this year. I couldn't help but love the guy. I'm amazed he hasn't done better in management.
We are probably the only major footballing nation celebrating a tournament where we failed but were a bit less crap than we are every other tournament.
And if we admit it, a lot of the other teams were poor that year too.
We should have won really.
Other teams are always shit when we do well, it's a well known fact - look at this years six nations.
I actually caused a disturbance in the House of Commons during the England Holland game. The days before proper smart phones. I was a civil servant at the time and was Private Secretary (Bernard in yes minister parlance) to a Government Minister who was delivering a long speech in the House during the passage of a bill. I had a note passed to me in the official's box behind the Speaker's chair with the latest score which I think was 4-0 and, how shall we put it, I made an audible noise. I passed a note to the minister's PPS who made a louder sound and it was soon all round the chamber. And I'm Scottish!
I actually caused a disturbance in the House of Commons during the England Holland game. The days before proper smart phones. I was a civil servant at the time and was Private Secretary (Bernard in yes minister parlance) to a Government Minister who was delivering a long speech in the House during the passage of a bill. I had a note passed to me in the official's box behind the Speaker's chair with the latest score which I think was 4-0 and, how shall we put it, I made an audible noise. I passed a note to the minister's PPS who made a louder sound and it was soon all round the chamber. And I'm Scottish!
We are probably the only major footballing nation celebrating a tournament where we failed but were a bit less crap than we are every other tournament.
And if we admit it, a lot of the other teams were poor that year too.
We should have won really.
Other teams are always shit when we do well, it's a well known fact - look at this years six nations.
True in this case though - I'm not necessarily talking about the teams we played (though I wluld include some), just the usual suspects.
- Italy were poor. - France weren't great and before quite a few of the 1998 team were in there. - Holland were arguing amongst themselves like usual and had lost the big players of 88 (and the youngsters like Kluivert were inexperienced) - they couldn't beat Scotland if I remember rightly. - Germany were a similar team to the ones that failed badly at the 94 and 98 world cups. - Portugal it was before the 'golden generation'.
The Czechs played above themselves and Spain played ok (outplayed us), but as a home tournament with us having a good side and good team spirit, it was there for the taking.
Just remembered a funny story watching this. I moved to Hong Kong in September 96. Met wisey there one night.
They broke the tv screens coming back from their trip in 96 as they tried to put Dennis Wise in the overhead locker. He kicked off. They were all kept back on the plane as they landed. The little man created havoc.
Comments
All the kit bags were the same but each had a post-it note stuck on with the players name
Andreas Moller struts around in my nightmares.
We should have won really.
Andy Murray was a survivor of the horrific events at Dunblane Primary School. He went on to become Britain's greatest ever tennis professional. Rafa Nadal is also in the world'should top five. His uncle played against England, for Spain in Europe 96.
I, for one, shall look forward to it, and shall treat it as a great trip down memory lane. It was a great few weeks living here, a moment, a memory and one that sticks out in my mind during some good years of my younger life.
Would much rather have lived through 66 mind you.
One and only time we've won a penalty shootout as well.
A great time to be 16
The demolition of the Netherlands, the resigned nod from the Dutch bloke with the giant inflatable clog on his head half a dozen rows behind as he caught my eye on the way out.
Turning to the wife and saying "Goal" as Gazza lifted the ball over Hendry. The missed pen. seeing the Spaniards having a perfectly good goal disallowed, then becoming one of the rare breed to see England win a penalty shoot out. Looking straight down into Pearce's face as he let out that bellow of triumph.
The sheer volume of 3 Lions and the national anthem, watching Baddiel and Skinners faces in the crowd as everyone sang along.
Absolute fucking magic! Brilliant memories - the best summer of my life.
- Italy were poor.
- France weren't great and before quite a few of the 1998 team were in there.
- Holland were arguing amongst themselves like usual and had lost the big players of 88 (and the youngsters like Kluivert were inexperienced) - they couldn't beat Scotland if I remember rightly.
- Germany were a similar team to the ones that failed badly at the 94 and 98 world cups.
- Portugal it was before the 'golden generation'.
The Czechs played above themselves and Spain played ok (outplayed us), but as a home tournament with us having a good side and good team spirit, it was there for the taking.
As I say, still hurts!!
Great summer though.
Who does Venables look like?
Met wisey there one night.
They broke the tv screens coming back from their trip in 96 as they tried to put Dennis Wise in the overhead locker. He kicked off. They were all kept back on the plane as they landed. The little man created havoc.
Fact.