England's army of 10,000 Three Lions fans is heading to Dallas ahead of their World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday. The players' wives, girlfriends, children, mums, and dads will be there, having purchased 1,000 tickets for each group match. Barcelona striker Anthony Gordon, 25, and Arsenal captain Declan Rice, 27, expressed their anticipation for the action.
Players Share Excitement
Gordon, at his first World Cup, is most looking forward to hearing the national anthem as the teams line up. "I can't wait for that," he told the FA's 'Lions' Den' podcast. "We have had nine or 10 days in Miami and there is that real expectation. Now it is about cherishing the memories and trying to make it special."
Rice, England's vice captain, added: "The first game is the most exciting because you have been waiting for a long time. You will look back at some point and think, 'Wow, I was at that tournament'. You have to enjoy it."
Fan Presence
The England Supporters Travel Club sold tickets to around 3,315 members, while another 7,618 die-hard supporters secured seats via the FIFA website. Thousands of ex-pats will boost the number of fans in the impressive Dallas stadium, where capacity has been reduced from 80,000 to 70,649 for the tournament.
Two of England's most loyal supporters featured on ITV's coverage, with former England player and coach Gary Neville paying tribute to their loyalty. Superfan Robert Didd has attended every England home game since 1986, setting a record of 222 consecutive games from 1987 to 2007. He has spent about £500,000 following his country but does not regret a penny.
"My first game was in October 1986 and I have been to every single home game in 40 years," he said. "In the '90s I calculated that I had spent around £100,000 following England but it must be about £500,000 now. I would have a bigger house and a few extra bedrooms. But I have been to 76 countries. It is like being an explorer travelling the world you see on TV or read about in a book."
Civil servant Garford, 64, of London, is at his 10th World Cup, spending around £12,000 on the trip. He is heading to Dallas and will take a Greyhound bus to Boston, a 40-hour journey. "It is £135 with three changes, but it will be a real experience and give me time to think and see parts of America that I would never have seen otherwise. You leave at 3.15am which may not be very comfortable, but I am going to Nashville and New York before Boston, and through Memphis, Jackson, Knoxville, and Charlottesville. That is what you will remember, the places and the people."
Travel Stories
Thomas Concannon, of the England Supporters' Association, leads the Fans' Embassy service in the US and did a four-day road trip from Florida to Dallas via Tallahassee, Florida, Mobile, Alabama, and Natchez, Mississippi. A Newcastle United fan, he told of a 'church every half mile' in Louisiana and rolling countryside reminiscent of his native Northumberland.
"The country roads were like the A1 when it goes into single file in North Northumberland," joked Tom, 34 of Blyth. "It was old school America. The only thing missing was the Johnny Cash soundtrack. It is worth it when you get here as the Dallas stadium is absolutely magnificent. I think the number of England supporters here when you consider the financial challenges is just incredible and a real credit to them."
He stressed the need to carry water because of the extreme heat forecast for the 3pm kick off time, with temperatures expected to reach 32-33C, around 90F. The match is set to be played under the roof at the stadium to make it cooler for players and fans.
Chris Thomas, 40, originally from Leeds, is leaving at 3am on Wednesday from Kansas City to get to the game in time for kick off. Chris, who sells traditional British pies with a street food firm called 'Brit Boy', now living in Kansas City, is with best friend Sam Bannister, also from Leeds, and Kye Martey, another ex-pat, and his American wife Sandi.
"The stadium is about 45 minutes outside the city so we will be driving and using taxis and public transport when we get there. Otherwise the costs can be horrific," he said. "It is a mixture of excitement and trepidation now. I just hope England give it a good go."
Exeter City fan George Smith, a finance worker who now lives in San Diego, California, is travelling to the England group games with Three Lions supporters based in Spain, Scandinavia and Australia. George, 42, is taking his son Charlie, 11, to the England games with him. He also plans to take his Mexican-born wife, Monica, to the famous Azteca stadium if England face her native country in the Round of 16. In total George has spent around $7,000 dollars (£5,178) on tickets for himself and his family. But the bill may rise to £12,000 depending on how far England progress.
