There were positive vibes in the air from the start at the Paddy Power fan park on Newcastle’s glorious Quayside.
With attendances slashed for Euro 2020 and tickets hard to get to begin with, the fan park experience felt like the next best thing for these supporters.
The venue - at The Riverside - was sold out with 300 fans taking their seats and ordering drinks in the sunshine on Sunday afternoon.
Already, Friday’s clash with Scotland will be full again as England look to all but guarantee a place in the knockout stages.
And Saturday’s huge clash between Germany and Portugal is sold out.
Tickets for all other games apart from England clashes are free.
The England tickets are £25 per person but include a free drink while various offers and free t-shirts were handed to fans on Sunday.
Yet the tournament started in earnest with former Newcastle United star John Beresford warming up the crowd alongside Sky Sports’ Keith Downie.
Beresford asked what it was like to play in front of the Geordie public and simply replied: “There’s nowhere better to play your football.”
Beresford, who was called up for England during the Entertainers era, was part of the crowd that roared the Three Lions to victory against Croatia.
Before the game he grabbed the microphone and started a chant of the famous anthem “football’s coming home” and the crowd loved it.
Some fans even packed out the Swing Bridge overlooking the big screen to get a peek of England’s superb win.
Soccer fan Rob Taylor of the Whitley Bay area said: “I think the fan park is a great idea.
“We’ve all been in lockdown so long now and this is a chance to catch up with mates and take in the Euros at the same time.
“I think this is a great start to the tournament and long may it continue.”
For more information go to https://paddyparkfanzones.com/
