He was always going to walk away - win, lose or draw

TIME WAS UP FOR GARETH

- John Cross

ALBEIT briefly, there was a theory that Gareth Southgate might stay on after all.

Let us not forget, this was the manager who had led England to their first major final on foreign soil and the FA were desperate for him to remain in charge.

And then came the fall-out. The anger, bile and disappointment in the wake of England's defeat in the Euros final.

There was no way back. Southgate had insisted he was going to talk things through with his family on Monday night as he was in no mood to make a snap decision. By on Tuesday, statements 11am farewell issued.

Never mind the were that Southgate, in his eight years in charge, had got to the latter stages of more tournaments than Sir Bobby Robson, Terry Venables and Glenn Hoddle combined.