hmmm...the last time i walked down carnaby street all i could see were crappy shops like soccer world and london gifts. oh, and a big japanese store full of cardboard and grey clothes. to be honest it was only ever a shortcut to the back streets of west soho but even that lost its appeal when morgans winebar closed down. still, i expect all those 'soccer' fans still enjoy a stroll down an 'authentic' london street.

who, exactly, is Maryann Faithfull? sounds like a corn princess. Marianne Faithfull, on the other hand...

You're all showing your age.

People under 50 have no knowledge of history, except what they get from those TV programmes where the world before 1995 was a sea of homophobic racists watching 2 channels of b/w TV, you couldn't get flavoured coffee and mobile phones were bigger than books (though since they never read any, it's not clear how they know). So the fact that Carnaby St was once described as "trendy" is totally irrelevant.

Result is that Carnaby St, and its immmediate surroundings, being central, cheap and full of small shops, becomes a magnet for clusters of independent, original and London Yoof-oriented fashion stores every five years or so. The kids pour in and buy the stuff, the indies either expand elsewhere or go bust and then the tat shops move in again till the next turn of the wheel.

Last peak was in early 2008, just before the recession hit:
http://www.drapersonline.com/news/in...293129.article

Portuense, I'm usually in Italy during the World Cup and it works well for me - DH can go and watch some in a bar if feeling deprived but I can avoid the whole thing. Last time I did unbend so far as to sit with him one or twice after dinner, outside a bar in Ischia with a TV outside, but I took my book :-) And the Italian fans aren't loud and obnoxious like British ones.

And the Italian fans aren't loud and obnoxious like British ones.>>>

That's cos they have to get home to their mums.

But they did WIN the World Cup last time in 2006!

Yes they did - by boring the arse off the entire world (apart from America).

Italian football is simply unwatchable.

Quiet Italian fans? Maybe sometimes their singing can't be heard because of the infernal honking of their cars but otherwise ...

"Yes they did - by boring the arse off the entire world (apart from America).

Italian football is simply unwatchable."

So you got yourself an Italian coach out of protest?

No one said it didn't work....

"And the Italian fans aren't loud and obnoxious like British ones." You've been to an Italian football match?

In all seriousness, fans at the several Italian games I have been to have done things which would result in lifetime bans in the UK. Examples include a steward thrown down a flight of steps by a group of obviously drunken Ultras, plastic glasses of "recycled beer" being thrown at the opposition goalkeeper and the police being bombarded by coins.

"Quiet Italian fans?" - actually, yes - the need a tannoy system to get them going - wimps !

Enjoying the banter everyone!

In 2006 we were in Hungary and Croatia during the World Cup and loved the excitement of the matches. It added greatly to our trip. We decided to plan next years summer trip around the world cup since my husband lives and breathes European Soccer. He probably knows of every player in England, and watches all the matches he can on TV here in the U.S. We have no interest in U.S. soccer because the U.S. isn't really into professional soccer. We've visited several soccer stadiums, in Spain, France and the Netherlands. This will be our first Big trip to England, although we've been to London a couple of times and a few points south.

Yes, we want to go to pubs or public squares to watch the matches.

York
Hexham area
Edinburgh, staying near Dalkeith Road area
Keswick
Stow on the Wold
Manchester area


Then we'll be a week in Southern England, not sure where yet. We've already been to Bath. I'm looking for suggestions, either the western, or eastern side???

We'd like this to be fun, but not crazy. Is this possible in England? Thanks for the suggestions you've given us so far.

<i>boring the arse off the entire world (apart from America).</i>

Hard to be bored by something you didn't bother to watch in the first place...

and you don't watch it in the first place because it is, ah, so boring?

In the big games it seems the first team to score then turtles and the score is 1 - 0.

As for places you will visit:
Yor - has been answered
Hexham - small place, find a pub
Edinburgh - pub or sports bar; no public screening because Scotland isn't involved
Keswick - same as Hexham
Stow - ditto
Manchester - there is a permanent outdoor screen on Exchange Square. They normally have a few more temporary outdoor screenings, but since the debacle of last year's UEFA Cup Final (where there was rioting by Glasgow Rangers fans when the screen was switched off), they may decide not to have any. Lots of pubs and sports bars to watch, but will be very crowded and rowdy in places.

<i>In the big games it seems the first team to score then turtles and the score is 1 - 0.</i>

You have to remember that, in the early rounds, the World Cup setup encourages teams to play to 'not lose', rather than to win. Takes most of the fun out of it, for me. Much prefer the intensity of single-elimination tournaments.

In the big games it seems the first team to score then turtles and the score is 1 - 0.

only, as a rule, if italy are involved. wouldn't happen with england. defence too leaky

The small countries don't play to win, but the nations which expect to advance do. A victory is three points, a draw just one, so you can draw all three games and still not advance beyond group phase. And winning the group is a real advantage to coming second.

As for boring, watching your team lead 1-0 and the opponent getting close to the goal is anything but boring. Even if your team clearly better, a single mistake by anyone in the defense can mean the equalizer. 3-0 is boring.

9-1 isn't boring. Trust me on this.

okay, boring is the wrong word. But there's no tension. Just joy and a few beers too many.