October 12 - England Book Their Place in Germany

REMEMBER the good ol’ days when England used to qualify for international tournaments? Thanks to Schteve McClaren, the joy of qualification isn’t something any England fans have felt since today in 2005, when the national side beat Poland to top their Group 6 and qualify for the next summers’ World Cup.

Following the penalty shoot-out loss to Portugal in the 2004 European Championships England were given a kind World Cup qualifying draw, being pitted against Poland, Austria, Azerbaijan along with a pair of derbies against Wales and Northern Ireland.

Nothing though, is ever easy with England and we had to put up with the usual highs and lows over the 13-month qualifying campaign. The main blip this time was a 1-0 loss to Northern Ireland, thanks to a David Healy strike in September 2005.

With only the winner of the group certain to go through, England went into the final match against the Poles needing to win all three points, after Poland had won all but one of their nine group games.

The match was played on a chilly Wednesday night at Old Trafford, as England’s hobo-like existence in the absence of Wembley Stadium continued. A nervy first half came to life in the final minutes as Michael Owen turned in a poacher’s goal, but Poland’s Tomasz Frankowski equalised just before the interval.

England toiled for much of the second half, and thoughts turned to a possible play-off. Then, with ten minutes left, Frank Lampard smashed home a superb volley and England could think about sauerkrauts and lederhosen next summer.

The tournament in Germany brought about the usual fun and games for England: a penalty shoot-out loss, metatarsal madness and the controversial selection of a 16-year-old named Theo Walcott. Whatever happened to him?

See highlights from England’s hi-jinks in Germany that summer belowe and find out what else happened today here.