DON'T say I didn't tell you - the BBC did it again! Never mind Sven, Becks and little Michael Owen, thank God for good old Motty, Trev, Gary Lineker and even Hansen. It's the Beeb wot won it!

The inter-play at the start was superb, the boys had a solid half-time and Motty and Trev dug in when it was backs to the wall stuff near the end.

Okay Motty promoted the forgotten striker Andy Cole to England's left back and seemed obsessed with what we were all doing to our lunch plates back in Blighty but he steered us safely home to the three points.

And the even better news is that they will be showing the crucial game against Nigeria on Wednesday morning when England can secure their place in the last 16 as winners of the Group of Death.

Poor old Des must have been watching on wondering about what might have been. I know ITV showed the match in full last night but will anyone actually have been sober enough to bother with a second screening?

As for anyone trying to do a "Likely Lads" and avoid the score for almost six hours - some hope.

I have a funny feeling an astronaut orbiting the earth would have had a fair idea that England had won as the whole of the country became covered in a sea of red and white.

The scenes in East Lancashire yesterday were something to behold. I have seen pubs look in a better state after a full scale riot than the Pitchers in central Blackburn.

Celebrating fans leapt up and down on broken glass as the bar was closed to allow the workers a brief respite.

Other fans wandered up and down the middle of the High Street and motorists were too happy to be bothered to do anything about it.

I can't even imagine what it would be like if we actually won the World Cup!

It was a triumph that was richly deserved if a little sweatily won. Of course this being England having been World Chumpions after the Sweden game everyone will now think we will be World Champions.

The truth continues to be that we are somewhere in between and capable of a bit of both.

That is why there will be plenty more anxious moments as Sven's men prepare to take on Nigeria on Wednesday.

Can you imagine the sense of anti-climax if Efe Sodje, a second division defender, was to score the goal that sends England home.

But that can't happen, can it?