We won the World Cup under a Labour government with Harold Wilson as pm. Could this be the omen for our current lot in Germany if Starmer wins on Thursday?
I don’t recall us winning a tournament 1997-2010… in fact we failed to qualify in 2008 and the best we managed in any were quarter finals. We got battered by the Germans in 2010 but Cameron’s Tories were in by then to be fair!!!
Having watched both tonight's matches, even if we miraculously get past the Swiss, both Holland or Turkey will be far too strong for us. Not winning owt this year.
Now actually wondering about the last PM who genuinely liked football. Pretty sure it would be pre-Thatcher, but my knowledge of them falls off rapidly after that. Might Starmer be the first? In my time Brown probably has the best call with Raith Rovers, but that always seemed pretty weak. Can't remember anybody else coming close to it though. Feels like something @sadbrewer might have some info on?
The only ones I've heard about...Wilson was supposed to be a Huddersfield supporter in his youth....Blair claimed to be a Newcastle fan and Major is seen at Chelsea games. There was a story that Wilson could recite the names of the players of the Herbert Chapman era...if true it suggests he may have a bit of authenticity...the other two I'm not sure but it strikes me as window dressing. Heath liked his yachting, Callaghan was a Tennis buff and I think a few have been Rugby players or rowers from their Varsity days. Edit..having had a poke around, both Wilson and Major seem authentic...Thatcher was the Club President of Grantham Town..but no biographer seems to have mentioned her being stood on the terraces.
Major is at Chelsea a lot but is more into the bacon and eggs brigade watching the cricket at lords. I agree that it’s probably Wilson if we are talking ‘genuine’ fans - Cameron reckons he’s a villa fan but forgot and said West Ham in a speech at one point! Isn’t Starmer an Arsenal fan?
