>>And now here folks have we an amazing view of the Britlanders and one of their true raisons d'etre: pints and bookies. This translates into a little over $US 7.5 billion (if an American Billion is the same as the Britlander Billion, or is the Britlander Billion really only an American Million ?) riding on the fate of a bunch of men running around in their (albeit stylised [Frederick's?]) skivvies (Note: the Britlanders may use this term to denote a 'female domestic servant', not to be confused with the American [proper] definition [men's delicates]) hither and yon chasing an egg [ball] with hopes of hiding it in their opponents' nest [goal]. So many relatively important things going on while the fanatical become consumed with some archaic [if not anachronistic] fertility ritual. Oh, remember the European 'Union'. A<>E<>R << >From http://www.lineone.net/express/00/06/17/news/n0620-d.html }}>Begin 17 June, 2000 back to news previous article next article The �5bn that says we can't afford to lose again BY MARK TOWNSEND CONSUMER AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT AN England defeat by arch rivals Germany tonight will cost the economy more than �5 billion, financial experts claim. In the event of the unthinkable, the value of a number of leading British companies on the stockmarket - the FTSE 100 - will plunge by 50 points, with each point worth �100 million. Defeat will knock England out of Euro 2000, triggering a Monday morning shares crash as the nation starts its working week with dreams of glory shattered once again by the Germans. City experts said that the fall in share value would be felt most acutely by the major supermarkets and large pub chains as consumers stop their alcohol- based spending sprees . They also say that the sudden loss of a feel-good factor can often have an impact on other areas of the stock market. The predictions, by economists for magazine Investor's Week, also warn that defeat will cost bookies �50 million as punters abstain from having a flutter on England's final game against Romania. But if the national team progresses into the quarter-finals England's gambling industry will take more than �100 million - �35 million more than during Euro 96. Ladbrokes would be the biggest loser, with its new online betting service currently attracting a record 1,500 new players a day. William Hill expect tonight's showdown to be one of the biggest gambling events of all time. By yesterday lunchtime they already received hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of bets. Spokesman Graham Sharpe said: "Bets are flowing in on the game with ninety per cent of them for an England triumph - 4-2 at 66/1 is proving a popular scoreline. "We've just taken one bet of �10,000 for England to win from a client in Blackburn." An early return home for the England squad will also prove disastrous for supermarkets, pubs and clubs. Asda yesterday reported a staggering six fold increase in sales of Carling and Stone bitters since the tournament kicked off while Sainsbury's recorded an 120 per cent increase in beer sales before England's Portugal game. A Sainsbury's spokesman said that if England win tonight in Charleroi their alcohol sales - already 150 per cent higher than during the 1998 World Cup - would start "going through the roof." Last night sales of beer and snacks at Britain's biggest supermarkets had soared past the �500 million mark since Euro 2000 began a week ago. Landlords are also nervously bracing themselves for an England defeat, with research showing that tonight alone five million will watch England's game in their local, each consuming an average of 5.3 pints. Brewery chain Pubmaster says the difference between England reaching the quarter final and final could be �104 million to them. Defeat could also cause big trouble among visiting fans - a possibility not lost on Francine Biot head of Charleroi police. In Brussels yesterday Belgian and British police held 30 fans on the platform as they left a Eurostar train. Most were sent back to Britain. If England lose, many fans will simply take Monday off work to console themselves, triggering further massive losses to industry through the loss of millions of man-hours. A premature England exit and their will be further obvious heartbreak, too, for Sainsbury's and Nationwide Building Society, sponsors of the England team. Overall, economists say that Euro 2000 is on course to become the largest sporting event in monetary terms, far bigger than this year's upcoming Olympics in Sydney. In the UK alone around 26 million people will watch the England- Germany game with the tournament still in its group stages . The Euro 200 organising committee expect a total of 10 billion viewer "hits" during the entire tournament. Tonight's match is so important that the National Lottery draw gets a late kick-off tonight because of the football. Lawrence Gosling, editor of Investors' Week, said: "We don't want to add any more pressure to the England team, but defeat could cost the economy billions of pounds. The longer England stays in the tournament the better it is for the economy. He added: "Shearer, Beckham, Owen and co could score one of the most valuable winning goals in football history." lEngland's soccer widows were united on the eve of the big match - thanks to a website dedicated to women sick of being sidelined. Hundreds of fed-up wives and girlfriends have logged on to the site in the few days since it was launched by footballphobe Caroline Copeman, 33. A chat room enables them to compare moans, and offer tips on how to get revenge on their couch-potato husbands. Several of the messages suggest that the men will lose out whatever the ouctome of the tournamant - because their wives already see it as an excuse to play away. One caller of the callers revealed on www.footballwidows.co.uk: "Since my useless blob of a hubby has taken to staring at the screen all day, I've started making use of my free time. In fact, one of the guys whose hair I cut told me I looked radiant the other day. I'm really starting to like him, and really look forward to going to work. I hope Neil b*****s off to watch a game so I can invite my new love interest around to dinner." Caroline, of Worcester, whose husband Tony, 32, is a Chelsea supporter, says her whole life has been overshadowed by the game of two halves. "It's just my luck that I married another football nut. I heaved a huge sigh of relief when the season ended. Then Euro 2000 started..." SPORT: BACK PAGE Keegan aims to follow in Wellington's bootsteps KEVIN Keegan will lead his men from the site of the Duke of Wellington's greatest victory today into a contest his team cannot afford to lose. Last night, in the historic surroundings of Waterloo, the squad that carries a nation's hopes were counting down to the crunch match with Germany. It is 185 years to the day since Wellington's army saw off Napoleon's troops in one of the most decisive battles in the history of Europe. And now the England team have been dubbed "Keegan's Marmite soldiers" after they requested a delivery of the savoury spread at Waterloo's Grand Hotel where they are staying. German coach Erich Ribbeck said: "It's important for all of us to realise that it's a game and not war." Yesterday that spirit was in evidence as German and English fans turned out for a friendly match. Kevin Miles of the Football Supporters Association joked: "We arrived early to make sure our towels were in the dressing room before theirs." Last night thousands of England supporters poured into the Belgian capital Brussels. Some 30,000 are expected in Charleroi before the kick-off. Only 5,000 will have obtained their tickets through legitimate channels. Three members of fascist group Combat 18 were sent back to Heathrow as soon as they arrived in Brussels yesterday. Six fans arrested on a Eurostar train were also due to be sent home. An FA source said there would be alterations to the pitch's tunnel to protect players from being targeted by extremists, as David Beckham was after England's opening game. Police have promised thugs there will be zero-tolerance. One official said: "The fans can sing, they can dance and they can have a party, but if they cause trouble we will be hard on them." � Express Newspapers, 2000 End<{{ A<>E<>R ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Integrity has no need of rules. -Albert Camus (1913-1960) + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. -Marcel Proust + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your common sense." --Buddha + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly. -Bertrand Russell + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + "Everyone has the right...to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." 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