Exclusives

AN ENGLAND megafan took to the skies to scrawl the iconic message “It’s Coming Home” on flight radar ahead of the historic Euro 2020 final on Sunday.Pilot Ben Davis, 41, plugged in the coordinates on his GPS after the Three Lions 2-1 semi-final victory over Denmark on Wednesday.
Ben flew his plane to write It’s Coming Home on the flight tracker
Ben Davis said the flight was his unique way of paying tribute to EnglandCredit: Hyde News & Pictures
He created the masterpiece which shows up on FlightRadar24 in an hour-and-a-half after taking off from Finmere airfield in Oxfordshire on Thursday evening.
Ben said: “It was just to express my support for the country. I thought rather than watching the telly, I said to the wife I had an idea and I was off out.
“I put all the points in my GPS and then headed off. My son was watching online and texted me about halfway around to say it was going well.
“Really it is just a little thing for nerds like me.
“It is best done in the early morning or the evening so the air is calmer, otherwise you end up drifting and it looks like you are drunk.
“It can be quite difficult as some of the turns are really tight to get around, I was worried it might all go wrong and I would have to start again.”

The aviator who lives in Buckingham hit the headlines in 2016 for welcoming in the New Year with a “Happy NY” message in the skies above Buckinghamshire.
He said of his love of flying: “It is a privilege to be able to get away from it all and head to the seaside or the Welsh mountains.
Harry Kane scored to sent England into the Euro 2020 finalCredit: Getty
Boris Johnson decks out No10 with England flags for Euro 2020 final – as Brits push for Bank Holiday if we win More

AN ENGLAND fan has had the iconic image of Gareth Southgate celebrating after reaching the Euro 2020 final tattooed on his body in tribute to our Three Lions heroes.Teddy Allen, 33, splashed out £500 on an inking of the boss on his calf in tribute to the manager’s heroics.
Teddy Allen paid £500 to get a tattoo of Gareth SouthgateCredit: Matthew Pover
And the 33-year-old joked he has plenty of space left should any of England’s star players score the winner in the final against Italy on Sunday.
Stoke City fan Teddy said: “The team have been fantastic the whole tournament. They were a bit off against Scotland but they have been on a different level since then.
“The tactics from Southgate have been unbelievable.
“I just want the team to keep on going and bring it home for us.
“There are so many young players in the team.
Teddy went too early and predicted Harry Kane would win England the 2018 World CupCredit: Matthew Pover
Teddy, of Biddulph, Staffs, booked in the £500 inking two weeks with the tattoo artist pal who previously designed another England-related tattoo in 2018.
The dad of two previously had an image of Harry Kane and “World Cup winners 2018” tattooed on his thigh prior to England’s semi-final loss against Croatia.
He said: “He said he could fit me on either Monday or Thursday this week so I thought I’d wait for the game.
“I loved seeing Southgate so passionate on the pitch afterwards. It was brilliant to see and really iconic. The passion really came through at the end – he couldn’t hold it back.”
Teddy said he had no regrets over his Kane tattoo given England’s improved performances under Southgate.
He said: “I don’t regret having it down. It’s given my mates and the lads at work a good laugh over the years and it still gets talked about now.
“I’ve not had anything done to alter it and I think this team are so good I might get some more use out of it in 2022 for the next World Cup.”
Teddy says he has left space for England’s scorer in the Euro 2020 finalCredit: Matthew Pover

Teddy, who works for Bentley Motors, added that he still thinks Kane is England’s main man, but said Raheem Sterling was running him close as the Three Lions’ star man.
He joked: “It was a toss up between Southgate and Sterling, but there’s plenty of room left if Sterling pops up with the winner in the final.”
Harry Redknapp makes his EastEnders’ cameo in Albert Square More

THE Sun’s lion mascot Harry Mane roared into Rome and defeated a gladiator in battle ahead of the Euro final.He showed England’s Italian rivals just what they will be up against in Sunday night’s Wembley showdown.
⚽ Follow ALL of the latest news and updates from Euro 2020 with our live blog
Sun Mascot Harry Mane took on a Roman gladiator ahead of the Euro 2020 finalCredit: Dan Charity / The Sun
Harry Mane was victorious in a positive omen for EnglandCredit: Dan Charity / The Sun
Harry marked his victory by placing his foot on the vanquished foe as another Roman was shown looking on in horror.
And in another bad omen for the Italians, their training camp was disrupted by a Covid outbreak yesterday.
As the gods appeared to be smiling on England, Harry posed behind enemy lines at some of the capital’s iconic landmarks including the Colosseum.
Despite the warning of their looming conquest by Three Lions captain Harry Kane and his warriors, our mascot was mobbed by cheerful Italians who loved the mascot.
But a showdown dating back centuries kicked off during a visit to the Rome Gladiator School.
After emerging triumphant from the sword duel, our lion said: “It was a great victory and shows we can go all the way.
“It’s definitely coming home! This is a terrific sign we’re going to win. We have the passion, fight and desire and I can see us going all the way.
“Beating a gladiator is a great start.”
Defeated gladiator Asticus said: “I was no match for Harry Mane. He was too good. It was good fun though.
“I’m not sure about the final now. I’m very worried. I think we’re in trouble!”
Italy were hit by the last minute Covid scare when three of the media pack following hardman skipper Giorgio Chiellini and co tested positive.
Italy were rocked with a Covid scare ahead of Sunday’s finalCredit: AFP
Officials immediately strengthened the bubble around the team and carried out tests to make sure none of the players or immediate staff were affected.
Their training camp on the outskirts of Florence was immediately shut and a specialist cleaning team was brought in.
An Italian FA source said: “It’s not the ideal preparation for the team and we are making sure that none of them are infected but we are taking no chances and tests are being carried out.
“The chance of infection with any of the team is small but we want to be sure — it means that training sessions with the media in attendance have all been cancelled and we are having to make other arrangements.”
Sources also said coach Roberto Mancini and the entire squad had all had their vaccinations.
Journalist Alberto Remedio and two technicians, all from state TV firm RAI, tested positive.
Two, including Remedio, are thought to have picked up the bug in London during their trip to cover their team’s semi-final.
Remedio described last week how 60,000 fans would be gathering in the stadium with little prospect of social distancing.
Boris Johnson stood firm and kept the final at WembleyCredit: Reuters
The episode rekindled the debate on Uefa’s controversial decision to hold the game in London, despite the increase in infections in the UK.
Last month, Italian prime minister Mario Draghi said he wanted to bring the final to Rome and clashed with Boris Johnson.
BoJo was not going to let anyone stand in the way of football coming home and has now even had 10 Downing Street decorated with England flags outside.

Meanwhile, ministers here have grounded planes from Italy to stop Covid regulations being breached by a Roman invasion.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has ordered airlines to cancel flights to stop thousands of ticketless Italians turning up.
But around 1,000 fans from Italy will be allowed to skip isolation rules under an agreement with Uefa. Italy’s epic Wembley semi-final clash with Spain was packed with their fans – but only those who live in the UK.
England captain Harry Kane has hit form with four goals in the knockout roundsCredit: Getty
England defender John Stones tells Three Lions’ fans ‘to make a lot of noise for us’ ahead of Euro 2020 final with Italy More

ENGLAND stars will celebrate in style if they win tomorrow’s Euro 2020 Final — with a Wild West trip to Las Vegas.Party animal Jack Grealish and goalie Jordan Pickford plan to lead a posse of players to the glitzy gambling mecca.
⚽ Follow ALL of the latest news and updates from Euro 2020 with our live blog
Party animal Jack Grealish will be heading to Las Vegas with the Three Lions if they win the Euro 2020 final
Pals set to join in the knees-up include Three Lions teammates Mason Mount, Declan Rice and Ben Chilwell.
Jack’s close pal, Leicester City’s James Maddison, is also likely to join in after whooping it up in Dubai with him and Chilwell earlier this year.
Asked how he would celebrate England’s first final victory since 1966, Aston Villa star Jack, 25, said: “Go to Las Vegas for ten days. I’d be straight on a plane to Vegas and wouldn’t be coming back — completed it!”
Everton keeper Jordan, 27, added: “Three weeks in Vegas with Jack . . . it would be a great experience and I’d be definitely getting the rave on for a good spell!”
Three Lions stars have bonded by skylarking in their swimming pool, playing practical jokes on each other and watching Love Island at their St George’s Park base camp.
Gareth Southgate has encouraged close friendships as his young lions fine-tune their push for glory in front of a 60,000-strong crowd at Wembley.
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is set to join the knees-up in the glitzy gambling meccaCredit: The Mega Agency
England are pushing for glory at the Euro 2020 final in front of a 60,000-strong crowd at WembleyCredit: Getty
Las Vegas will be a well deserved trip for the Three LionsCredit: Alamy

Bookies Ladbrokes cut odds to 4/5 that the final will be the UK’s most watched TV event ever — with 33million set to tune in.
The biggest audiences were for the 1966 World Cup Final (32.3m) and Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997 (32.1m).
Alex Apati, of Ladbrokes, said: “Football is coming home — and so is a record TV audience.”
England train ahead of their massive Euro 2020 final game against Italy More

ENGLAND’S victories have ended 25 years of hurt for Gareth Southgate — and for his parents, his old pal Tony Adams has revealed.And now Tony, England’s Euro 1996 skipper, believes his former lieutenant is going to lead the team to glory as manager, declaring: “It is time for us to tell the world: ‘It’s our time’.”
⚽ Follow ALL of the latest news and updates from Euro 2020 with our live blog
Gareth Southgate, centre, after missing a penalty in the semi-final of Euro 1996Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd
Tony, 54, was set to take England’s next penalty against Germany a quarter of a century ago until Gareth stepped forward for the nerve-shredding task.
Gareth missed the spot kick to send his team crashing out and has felt guilty ever since.
By beating the Germans on the way to reaching this year’s final, Tony feels his mate has “laid to rest demons of the penalty miss”.
When he sent his congratulations in a text, Gareth replied: “Thank god my mum and dad don’t have to put up with all that pain anymore.”
Tony Adams, 54, says England’s recent victories have ended a 25-year hurt for his old palCredit: The Sun
Last night, Tony told The Sun: “I felt compelled to say it’s over and it’s just like Gareth to say, ‘I’m more pleased for my parents’.”
He revealed that his old mate always had the mental strength to cope with the trauma of being blamed for England’s defeat.
Tony says: “I have 25 years of therapy under my belt, but he seems to be able to process it.”
Both players have now found redemption since that loss.
Tony Adams and Gareth Southgate during an England match against GermanyCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Having suffered from alcoholism, Tony quit booze and went on to set up a charity to help football players with their mental health.
Meanwhile, Gareth, 50, is using the pain of 1996 to drive the national side on to success.
Tony says: “He was meant to be where he is today. Gareth has a purpose. He is very driven to making amends. Gareth is writing a story of redemption.”
What Gareth soaked up about group dynamics 25 years ago is paying dividends now.

But win or lose on Sunday, Tony and his charity Sporting Chance will be there if any of the team needs some mental health support.
He concluded: “It won’t hit this squad when they leave the camp.
“It will take a lot of emotional and mental support whether they win or not to make sure they are not affected like me and Gareth Southgate were.”
Alan Shearer says everything England manager Gareth Southgate has done is perfect More