One of the handy things about the image of the English fans is that in previous tournaments it's had the effect of ensuring that the Irish and the Scots fans have tended to be on their best behaviour to spite them. Now that is a form of international rivalry to be welcomed. "So you think you're friendly? - right you bastards, we'll show you what friendly really means..."

As for songs, my favourite one was the Irish one when Jackie Chrlton was in chargee, which basically was sayin g wouldn't it be a right laugh if we surprised everyone and won the World Cup.

This year's one by Pete St John, "The Spirit of the Gael" is a wee bit solemn maybe, and lines like "Eternal as the shamrock's soul" are a bit mind-numbing. But they've cunningly put out a stirring version in Japanese which gets round problems like that, and should ensure a fair number of home supporters in Japan backing the Irish, to make up for any shortage of Irish fans who can get that far.