Bloody brilliant, we've beaten the mighty Slovenia 1-0.

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over.

I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us.

Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands.

But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science.

Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, "This was their finest hour."

[finnster01]

Mr CorkedHat and Mr Syd,
You are not the only ones flying the flag of St George but I guess we are few and far between...
And on that note I have to include what should be our national anthem:

When Britain first, at heaven's command,
Aro-o-o-ose from out the a-a-a-zure main,
Arose, arose, arose from out the a-azure main,
This was the charter, the charter of the land,
And guardian A-a-angels sang this strain:

Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves. Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.

Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.

The nations, no-o-o-o-ot so blest as thee,
Must i-i-i-i-in their turn, to ty-y--yrants fall,
Must in ,must in, must in their turn, to ty-y-rants fall,
While thou shalt flourish, shalt flourish great and free,
The dread and e-e-e-e-nvy of them all.

Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.

Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Brittons never, never, never shall be slaves.

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

Love it :59:

[Airfix]

A-tennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn... SHUN!

I give you a toast Ladies and gentlemen,
I give you a toast Ladies and gentlemen
May this fair land we love so well,
In Dignity and freedom dwell.
while worlds may change and go awry,
Whilst there is still one voice to cry!---

There'll always be an England,
While there's a country lane.
Wherever there's a cottage small
Beside a field of grain

There'll always be an England
While there's a busy street.
Wherever there's a turning wheel
A million marching feet.

Red, white and blue
What does it mean to you?
Surely you're proud
Shout it loud
Britons awake!
The Empire too
We can depend on you.
Freedom remains
These are the chains
Nothing can break.

There'll always be an England
And England shall be free
If England means as much to you
As England means to me!

[Vinnieffc]

This is sad, really, really sad. Perhaps it is just as well I left the place when I did.
Thank God for the Last Night of the Proms  :015:

Or should that be 'last Night of the Poms' ?

[finnster01]

This is sad, really, really sad. Perhaps it is just as well I left the place when I did.
Thank God for the Last Night of the Proms  :015:

Or should that be 'last Night of the Poms' ?

If this does not move you, you are either dead or French (or both)
Rule Britannia - Last Night of the Proms 2009

[Lighthouse]

WHAT UTTER TOSH ABOUT PRIDE IN AN OLD DECAYING COUNTRY. HOWEVER I HAVE TWO LITTLE VERSES THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH COUNTRY, PRIDE OR FOOTBALL.


Miss Twye was soaping her breasts in the bath
When she heard behind her a meaning laugh
And to her amazement she discovered
A wicked man in the bathroom cupboard

Gavin Ewart


When you're away, I'm restless, lonely
Wretched, bored, dejected only
Here's the rub, my darling dear
I feel the same when you are here

Mr Hoffenstein

[WhiteJC]

This is sad, really, really sad. Perhaps it is just as well I left the place when I did.
Thank God for the Last Night of the Proms  :015:

I think one of the problems is that our national flag is often seen/portrayed as a symbol of the "far right". I think it should be included into the football shirt if only to give it back to the majority...

[Lighthouse]

England was once a place of pride and honour and beauty. So I can well imagine people who no longer have to live here, thinking it still is. But we are simply not that Country anymore. We may well be again. But the answer to why we once felt proud of out Football Team and no longer do is simple. Go through the names of of the players who played for us say 66 or even 70.

Then go through the players in our squad now. Why should I feel proud of this England?

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

England was once a place of pride and honour and beauty. So I can well imagine people who no longer have to live here, thinking it still is. But we are simply not that Country anymore. We may well be again. But the answer to why we once felt proud of out Football Team and no longer do is simple. Go through the names of of the players who played for us say 66 or even 70.

Then go through the players in our squad now. Why should I feel proud of this England?

Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong
no England isn't what it once was it's better,the first country to abolish slavery,the first country people look too when they are in are trouble,the country that pulled out of it's Empire with some sort of honour(if you think I'm wrong look at France)The country that tried to stop Poland being invaded and tried to stop the nazi's,the country that tries it's best to stamp out racism, the country that did a fair bit to support freedom in South Africa,the first country to stand with the USA after 911,great music,great art,great theater,great film,great sport ect ect

I'm not going to say that we are perfect,I'm not going to say we have not got things wrong and made many mistakes because we have,and i'm not going to say everything is rosie and we all sit round the old joanna singing roll out the barrel, we don't and I'm not sure we ever did.

This is a small island in the north sea that has punched above it weight for 1000 years,we are moving forward and are doing good things,you ask any American and ask them who they look at as friends,you go to Germany and ask who they feel closest to in Europe-I have and I know the answer, it's us,yes we should look at the past and be proud but we should look at the present and look to the future as well,the story isn't over yet for our little island ,not by a long chalk.................... :59:

[RidgeRider]

Interesting thread. Much of what has been discussed is symptomatic of this country as well but I think what Syd says is true. From an outsiders point of view there is no nation on the planet who we feel a closer relationship to than England. It surpasses even Canada, our neighbor. As such, much of our popular and classic music, art, literature and laws come from England. In grade school I remember much of our historical focus was about England and it's influence in the world, almost like it was our history too (of course here in California we studied Spanish history as well but only as it pertains to the US).

England's influence on the world has been immense, even if you don't like some aspects of it, but it's influence continues via it's own direct impact, but also through what it has left behind in each of the countries it has touched. You chaps should be proud of your forefathers and their accomplishments, for such a small place to have made such a large change in the world....most important of which is freedom.

[Airfix]

Isn't Canada regarded as America's hat?

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

That is funny :59:

[Lighthouse]

I don't disagree with anything that Syd  has said. All of which is true. But my pride for our History is tempered by the recent history of this Country.

[FatFreddysCat]

This is sad, really, really sad. Perhaps it is just as well I left the place when I did.
Thank God for the Last Night of the Proms  :015:

Don'y worry Mr Hat,there are still proud English,we just don't shout about it :dft012: :clap_hands:

Good on you Mr S. But don't let the bastards wear you down - shout it from the rooftops otherwise you'll end up like them.
People ought to remember the influence a tiny Island up there in the North Sea has had on the world, not only in the past but right now in the world of music, literature, arts, medicine and science.
If this lot had been representative of the populace during the War we would have been speaking German, eating sauerkraut and drinking that cat's piss, Lowenbrau.
I was beginning to think that I was on my own, so it is good to hear from like minded people, Mr S.

Hmmm, Someone in OZ calling German beer cat's p1ss ??????? Having done two trips to Germany in the Euro tour i can safely say that German beer is by far the best i've tasted if it's not in a tourist pub. Fosters and Castlemaine  :020: :020:  :020: