England's charge towards the latter stages of the World Cup evokes special memories for one Norwich man.
Back in 1996 Rick Lennox, now live music manager for Epic Studios in Norwich, had been at Finsbury Park to see a Sex Pistols concert – the day after England had beaten Spain in Euro 96.
Mr Lennox, then an A&R man for support act Skunk Anansie, met Gareth Southgate and Stuart Pearce at the gig.
He said: 'Stuart Pearce is a huge Sex Pistols fan so he dragged Gareth Southgate to the gig.
'It was the following week he missed a penalty (against Germany) and all my mates were saying as he was running up he had a flash back to meeting a punk (Mr Lennox) and put him off.'
Mr Lennox insisted Southgate was a great guy. He said: 'He was everything they say about him – so helpful, so polite, posing for photos, just a real good guy. That's what won me over with him.'
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