A RECORD number of people watched the television on Wednesday night.

They obviously all heard that Harry Redknapp was about to go on to EastEnders, and then they kept it on because a football match came on!

Now that England have qualified for the Euro 2020 final, the ’66 World Cup obviously crops up because certainly if you’re of an age, it was the best day in England’s football history.

It’s amazing to think it’s 55 years since then and in that period England have never got further than a semi-final. The semi-final back in ‘66 took place on my birthday. That’s coming up again soon, so hopefully it is a good sign.

I haven’t been watching every game but I did watch the final stages, extra time and penalties, when Italy beat Spain in the semi-finals this week. I must admit, I was very impressed with both sides.

Once the excitement dies down, I think all our supporters will realise this final will not be an easy one. Full marks to the players, but particularly from my point of view, the manager.

Gareth showed his unique style, by doing something I don’t think many people will have seen before. When he put on the sub Jack Grealish, who is well admired in football, he surprisingly took him off after just over half an hour.

This wasn’t because of injury or the fact he was having a bad game. He decided to obviously change his tactical formation and who can argue with any decisions he made?

It was noticeable he had his arm around Grealish at the end and he would be explaining to him not to worry, it wasn’t anything wrong with him.

This shows, of course, the good management style that has got us to this stage. The team spirit in the build-up was fantastic, but I don’t think anyone could imagine the impression it had on, not just the crowds in Wembley, but throughout the country and obviously around the world, as this game was televised worldwide.

I think that a day or so will be needed for everyone to calm down and concentrate on Sunday. The players will be aware that getting to the final isn’t enough. The whole point is to win it. That will put them in the history books forever. It’s amazing to think that it is 55 years since we got this far in a major tournament.

It will also be having a similar effect on the Italian crew and their support. Having mentioned support, I think the 60,000 allowed in to Wembley really helped Gareth. Apparently 55,000 of those were English supporters – amazing how that number keeps cropping up!

Hopefully Boris, who like a lot people in the public eye have been cashing in on the success of the team, will let even more supporters in and this will help get to where we want to be.

I don’t know whether Neil Diamond will be appearing, but he will certainly be happy the fact one of his songs written many, many years ago, Sweet Caroline, has been sung by so many people watching around the world. The crowd loved it and it was terrific. It was good to listen to as well.

Getting back to the team, the goal by Denmark was what I would call a Ward-Prowse free-kick by Mikkel Damsgaard. So full marks to him. But the fightback from England showed the team is together and that goal was the first one we had let in during the tournament.

Daily Echo:

Talking of figures, it should also be noted that Italy have gone 33 games without losing, which is a good reminder how good they are.

But in these difficult times, the team have helped to make such a difference, for instance restaurants, pubs, shops, everyone has benefited by the enormous gatherings, not just around Wembley, but around the whole country.

Win, lose or draw, I can see Gareth having his name in the New Year’s honours list and full marks to Harry Kane for, not just getting his name on the scoring list again, but acting like a true captain, keeping the team together and I think you could pick out any player in the team.

But starting with the goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, he’s had a fantastic tournament. And the lad Maguire I would point out, even though all around him have been just as good. But bearing in mind it was not that long ago he was in the headlines for the wrong reasons away from football after an altercation during a holiday abroad, it was generally felt that could be the end of his England career. But he has put all that behind him now obviously and has been outstanding.

And obviously Sterling, who last week I compared to Bobby Stokes. But I was not trying to say he wasn’t a good player, but he was certainly not the one in the headlines so much as Harry Kane before the tournament, but he has won headlines all around with his fantastic attitude and hunger for goals.

Let’s hope both him and Harry can complete the efforts of the whole team, which of course it is. Look at Luke Shaw, who I like to tell everyone started here at Saints. The work he has put in and the supplies to Kane and others. It has been a real team effort from Gareth, his assistant Steve Holland, and all the other staff who have been together obviously for quite a while now.

No matter what happens on Sunday, they deserve a huge thank you and a well done. But if we get the result we all hope for, he will find it pretty hard to walk down any street in future without being recognised!

So good luck, we are all behind you.

I won’t be getting as dressed up as some of you, but having lots of our family together, there will certainly be a bit of dancing going around every time we hit the back of the net.