English hang on Southgate’s coat-tails
LONDON: The mission? To support England’s bid to win a first World Cup since 1966. The method? To wear a waistcoat for tonight’s semi-final match against Croatia.
It might sound a stretch, but some England fans want matchday in Moscow dubbed “Waistcoat Wednesday” in tribute to manager Gareth Southgate, who has taken to wearing a waistcoat on the touch-line along with suit trousers and a dress shirt and tie.
Around a dozen England fans travelling to Moscow yesterday for the match wore dark blue waistcoats over their T-shirts as they passed through Heathrow airport, witnesses said.
Sales of waistcoats have soared in Britain since the start of the tournament last month, according to one retailer.
“Gareth’s sideline style has meant our waistcoats are really scoring with our customers, with sales doubling since the World Cup began,” said a spokeswoman for retailer Marks & Spencer .
Perhaps it’s inevitable that there’s a hashtag and it’s #WaistcoatWednesday. Nothing else would suit. Dozens of English fans began heading for Moscow in a lastminute rush yesterday in an effort to be part of a potentially historic sporting moment as England take on Croatia.
Taking advantage of extra match tickets released by organisers Fifa and additional seats provided on Moscowbound flights from Britain, they converged on Heathrow with hope in their hearts.
“It’s been crazy here in England, really exciting. Now I want to go and see what’s going on in Russia,” said one fan, Michael Roberts, 27, as he waited for his flight.
Another fan, Bradley Goldenberg, 46, was taking his son to share the moment.
“Whether we win or lose, we’re creating history,” he said.
“We’ll be there and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity seeing them in the World Cup.”
Last Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Sweden took Southgate’s team into a World Cup semifinal for the first time in 28 years, raising the prospect of England possibly winning the tournament for the first time in more than 50 years.
England supporters have been notably sparse in Russia so far, deterred by warnings of possible violence and logistical difficulties.
But British Airways, which has seen a 700 percent increase in searches for flights to Russia on its website since England’s penalty shootout win over Colombia in the last 16 last week, has now released hundreds more seats on Moscow flights by using bigger planes.
“I’ve got a funny feeling that the momentum is so good, and, you know, especially now that we’re all going to turn up with special Gareth wais-tcoats, and that can only help can’t it,” said fan Lee Walkup, 50.
Fellow fan Alex Klein, 28, added: “If we win, if we beat Croatia I’ll, I’ll probably cry, because to see England in a World Cup final is, is like a dream, a lifelong dream.” – Reuters