Can't light a fire without a spark. Gazza's volley, Beckham's free-kick, Stones' header show how moods can turn.
If the England fans have turned irrevocably against Southgate, they will still back the team if there's a sign of a spark.
The late, great Kirsty MacColl wrote a poignant song about going on a date to a pub in Belsize Park, London, to watch England take on Colombia at the World Cup. It was the evening of June 26, 1998, a warm night, the pub busy and the date going well and, up on the TV screen, England were also finally impressing at France 98. Then MacColl was told by her date’s friend, also in the group, that the flirtatious man she was getting on so well with was actually married. MacColl got home in tears and immediately wrote one of her best songs, “England 2 Colombia 0”.
MacColl’s song was beautiful and brutal in equal measure.
“You lied about your status; You lied about your life;
You never mentioned your three children; And the fact you have a wife.
Now it’s England 2 Colombia 0; And I know just how those Colombians feel.”
Defeated, broken, victims of the ruthless. While poor MacColl was feeling her world crashing, Gareth Southgate was on the bench in Lens, feeling England’s world in motion again. Four days earlier, England lost to Romania in Toulouse, questions were being asked of Glenn Hoddle, but then came David Beckham’s free-kick after 29 minutes against Colombia. They were already ahead through Darren Anderton but Beckham’s goal, the hit, the wild celebration, really banished the cloud. Nirvana, and England smelled like team spirit again.
There’s always a spark that ignites a fire, which blazes often only briefly with England but occasionally provides a longer, warming glow. One kick is all it takes. This is what England need now. One moment, one statement action. Southgate saw it happen at Wembley two years earlier. The switch flicked at Euro 96 with Paul Gascoigne’s impudent, inventive, brilliant goal after against Scotland. Forgotten was his drink-fuelled behaviour in Hong Kong triggering “Disgracefool” headlines. One swish over Colin Hendry, one volley past Andy Goram and one iconic celebration and Gazza was the nation’s darling again. England were out of the Dentist’s Chair and smiling.