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    Extra Bank Holiday for England’s Euro 2020 success RULED OUT after crushing defeat to Italy

    AN extra Bank Holiday for England’s Euro 2020 success has been ruled out after the crushing defeat to Italy.The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Downing St was looking “to identify a suitable way for the PM to thank the players and coaching staff for their efforts, but a bank holiday isn’t something that’s being considered”.
    England manager Gareth Southgate after last night’s lossCredit: Reuters
    Boris Johnson was last week considering creating a footie Bank Holiday in August if England stormed to victory in the Euros.
    The Sun learned officials were already drawing up proposals for a national day off so fans could celebrate a potential Three Lions triumph free from hated Covid restrictions.
    However, that has now been ruled out.
    Any parade had also been expected to be delayed until after Freedom Day on July 19 so supporters could join their heroes free from curbs on crowds.
    It came after a whopping 300,000 footie-mad Brits signed a petition calling for a bank holiday if England beat Italy.
    Heartbroken Brits are now calling for a Bank Holiday to mourn England’s defeat in the final.
    The petition for the Prime Minister to give the UK a national day off passed 360,000 signatures after being launched just days ago.
    Three Lions fans want a day of mourning after being left distraught when the curse of the penalty shootout struck again.
    ⚽ Follow ALL of the latest news and updates from Euro 2020 with our live blog
    The devastating defeat set social media alive with questions about the fate of the day of rest.
    “Yeah, about that bank holiday…,” one fan wrote.

    Another tweeted: “We still get our bank holiday though, right?”
    One anguished supporter added: “We need a bank holiday to mourn.”
    The petition for a Bank Holiday was organised by Lee Jones, who argued it was “beneficial and sensible” to give the country the day off, before it gained nationwide support.
    Gareth Southgate confirms he wants to lead England into 2022 World Cup but says ‘I never want to outstay my welcome’ More

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    What will happen if England win Euro 2020? Could the players be knighted, will there be a bank holiday?

    ENGLAND are on the verge of their most historic achievement in football since the 1966 World Cup as they take on Italy in the final of Euro 2020 today. The Three Lions have been brilliant all tournament, as have the Italians, with the game set to take place at Wembley Stadium TONIGHT.
    England take on Italy in the final of Euro 2020 tonightCredit: Getty
    The nation have been cheering Gareth Southgate’s team on for the past month and have seen big wins against the likes of Germany, Ukraine and Denmark.
    And now England get to play in their first final since 1966.
    So what will actually happen if they do it? Knighthoods? Bank holiday? Victory parade? We’ve got you covered.
    Will Gareth Southgate and the players be knighted if England beat Italy?
    Reports suggest that manager Southgate, who took over at the end of 2016, WILL be knighted for his achievements, if England win Euro 2020.
    It would be the biggest win in England’s history since 1966, when they beat Germany in the World Cup final.
    Southgate has also managed to steer England to three tournament semi-finals since taking over, including the 2018 World Cup and the Nations League.
    Gareth Southgate has led England to their first tournament final since 1966Credit: Reuters

    As for the players, knighthoods are also possible… perhaps not for the whole squad, but definitely for the key players.
    Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling would be the two that jump to mind, and could follow in the footsteps of other British sportsmen such as Andy Murray and Mo Farah who have received the honour.
    Will there be a victory parade if England beat Italy?
    It’s customary in this country for there to be victory parades for our national teams if they achieve the ultimate prize in their sport.
    The England cricket players were given a parade when they beat Australia in the Ashes back in 2005.
    And the same can be said for the England Rugby team when they beat Australia in 2003.
    Harry Kane is England’s top scorer with four goals so far this Euros
    Football clubs such as Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd also had victory parades when they won Champions League titles.
    There could be one for England if they win Euro 2020, but it’d have to be after July 19, when the country is expected to full relax from any coronavirus restrictions.
    And even then, it’s been reported any parade might not take place until September.
    Will there be an emergency bank holiday if England win the Euros?
    It’s very possible, but a bit of a complicated one for Monday, July 12, and more likely to take place later in the year.
    Prime Minister Boris Johnson does have the power to enforce an emergency bank holiday, but doing so late in the day isn’t an ideal situation for employers.
    Johnson said earlier this week that it would be ‘tempting fate’ to discuss it, but Labour leader Keir Starmer is all on board with the idea.
    Boris Johnson could announce an emergency bank holiday later tonight if England beat ItalyCredit: The Mega Agency

    “The whole country is incredibly proud of what Gareth Southgate and our England heroes have achieved already. History has been made,” he told the Mirror.
    “If we win on Sunday, the country should get the chance to celebrate it properly with an extra bank holiday, granted in the name of the England team.”
    It’s been reported that government officials have discussed the possibility of calling an emergency bank holiday, but only tonight will we all find out what they have planned. More

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    Brits could bag FOUR day Bank Holiday weekend in August if England wins Euro 2020 as petition passes 350,000 signatures

    BRITS could net a four-day bank holiday in August if England wins the European Championship tomorrow evening. Friday, August 27 is reportedly the most likely option because it would already coincides with the last summer bank holiday on the following Monday.
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
    England captain Harry Kane has promised fans ‘a good night of good memories’ as he aims for Euros glory in the final against Italy at 8pmCredit: Getty
    A petition calling for a bank holiday if England wins the Euros on Sunday has passed a whopping 357,000 signatures in barely 36 hours.
    The man behind the call, Lee Jones, organised the petition at the end of this week, arguing it was “beneficial and sensible” to give the country the day off.
    Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have added their names — and Boris Johnson refused to rule out a day off for millions of hungover workers.
    The Sun previously revealed August is being considered for an extra day off as excitement for a potential win builds.
    A day off in July is unlikely because the Queen would need to call at an eleventh-hour meeting of the Privy Council from Windsor Castle in order to approve the plans. 
    Instead, the Telegraph reports two sources saying Cabinet ministers and Government sources suggested a preferred option was Friday, August 27 with the summer bank holiday on the following Monday.
    About eight million lionhearts have booked the day off to recover from monster hangovers after Sunday night’s do-or-die decider against Italy.

    Fan fever led to around one in four of the nation’s 32m workers scheduling annual leave on Monday — double the number on normal Mondays in July.
    And plenty of bosses will be lenient with their staff, while some schools say kids can come in late on Monday without punishment.
    HR experts and unions yesterday urged bosses to let staff take Monday off to avoid clashes with workers who will phone in sick if denied leave.
    Id the Lions are victorious tomorrow, the celebrations will be long – and very loudCredit: AFP
    Tens of thousands of people will watch at Wembley – but millions more will be glued to the TVCredit: PA
    And streets will be packed with revellers partying into the nightCredit: AP
    Gareth Southgate urges England fans NOT to boo Italy national anthem before Euro 2020 final as he says ‘respect the opposition’ More

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    US writer sparks fury by claiming Baddiel and Skinner’s Three Lions is about England’s ‘Brexit psychodrama’

    A US writer has sparked fury – and plenty of mocking – after claiming Baddiel and Skinner’s Three Lions is about England’s “Brexit psychodrama”.A New Yorker article by Ryu Spaeth has offered a rather pompous take on why Brits love the beautiful game.
    ⚽ Follow ALL of the latest news and updates from Euro 2020 with our live blog
    David Baddiel has mocked a pompous take-down of his world-famous song Three LionsCredit: Rex
    He called a New Yorker article by Ryu Spaeth ‘b******s’Credit: Twitter
    Instead of focusing on the Lions’ flawless performances on the pitch – and their great manners off of it – Spaeth claims our “tortured psychology” is behind our passion for Euro 2020.
    Even more hilariously, he suggests Three Lions is an anthem to an “undying belief that a postwar legacy of thwarted ambition and diminished stature will be purged in the ecstasy of a footballing triumph”.
    And he claims Brexit is at the heart of it all – as leaving the EU has “seemingly reoriented every issue of importance along its tribal lines”.
    Unsurprisingly, many England supporters have disagreed – and they’ve set about puncturing the author’s pretentious waffle.
    David Baddiel was one of the first to defend his song.
    The comedian bluntly told Spaeth: “It’s about how we mainly lose but still irrationally believe that this time, hope might triumph over experience.
    “It’s about yearning and magical thinking. It’s about the condition of being a football fan.
    And social media users have weighed in with their takes on the ‘out of touch’ reportCredit: Twitter
    Some had fairly strong views on the reportCredit: Twitter
    And others said the author appeared to have little understanding of their subjectCredit: Twitter
    This tweeter called the writer ‘lazy’Credit: Twitter
    “Admittedly people have taken Football’s Coming Home to mean all sorts of b******s.”
    One Twitter user replied: “Some people will read anything into things, won’t they?!
    “It’s a love song about the England team and being a football fan in general.”
    Another said: “It’s the optimism of being a fan of either a club or a nation that never wins b*gger all.
    “You still turn up every week thinking that you’ll win.”
    Journalist Jane Merrick was the first to share the article with Baddiel.
    “The song isn’t about a Brexity, dewy-eyed nostalgia for 50s England!” she tweeted.
    Baddiel and Skinner were in the stands for England’s historic victory over GermanyCredit: PA
    And millions of us without tickets to Wembley will be watching Sunday’s game from pubs or living rooms across the nationCredit: Getty
    There’s huge excitement for the finals this weekend, and it’s believed the PM is planning a new August bank holiday if the Lions winCredit: Reuters
    Tens of thousands will watch the drama from the standsCredit: PA
    A user replied: “It’s about FOOTBALL.
    “Sorry to disappoint people trying to hijack or give a radical theory.
    “It’s about good old football. The working class sport.”
    Others complained directly to Spaeth’s Twitter.
    One said: “You have almost zero grip on understanding English football. I salute you”, while a second blasted: “What a dreadful article. Just so wrong, wrong, wrong.”
    More labelled the writer “cringe-worthy” and said: “Reads like what it is, a story written by someone who doesn’t have the first idea about the subject and has absolutely no intention of finding out.”
    Millions of Brits untortured by our national identity and ready to sing along with the Three Lions will be watching England’s final against Italy on Sunday.
     Gareth Southgate and co will be hoping history doesn’t repeat itself as the country gears up for our biggest game for 55 years.
    England have won just ONE major tournament – the stunning 4-2 victory against West Germany to win the 1966 World Cup.
    ‘CRINGE-WORTHY’ ARTICLE BLASTED
    But now captain Harry Kane has the chance to lead his troops into the record books in front of 60,000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium.
    Hopes are high after England laid the semi-final curse to rest with a fantastic 2-1 victory over Denmark on Wednesday night at Wembley.
    But it’ll be a nail-biting clash – and the Lions have never beaten Italy in a major tournament.
    The last time they faced each other was at the 2014 World Cup, with the Italians winning 2-1.
    Boris Johnson has refused to rule out a day off for millions of hungover workers on Monday if England wins.

    The PM remained tight-lipped when quizzed on any plans yesterday.
    He said: “I think that would be tempting fate – let’s see.”
    But the Sun has learnt officials are already drawing up proposals for a national day off so fans can celebrate a Three Lions triumph free from hated Covid restrictions.
    Baddiel and Skinner enjoy their song in the crowd of Euro 2020 semi-final More