Semi-final stories - Darren Anderton

England have reached the semi-finals of the European Championship for the third time – and on all three occasions, Spurs players have been to the fore. As captain Harry Kane prepares to lead the Three Lions into battle against Denmark at Wembley this evening, we’ve spoken to Alan Mullery and Darren Anderton, key figures in previous Euro semi-finals in 1968 and 1996.

Next up, Darren, who started every game of England’s run to the semi-finals of Euro 96 and came within inches of re-writing a script that continued at major tournaments until Gareth Southgate’s squad made it to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, and now one step away from a Wembley final...

'If they get to the final, they’ll be remembered forever'

It’s about the minor details at the top level, we’re always told. Darren Anderton knows better than most about that theory. Those minor details - a touch of the fingertip, a matter of inches - may well have changed the course of English footballing history at about 9.10pm on 26 June 1996.

That’s when Darren made a dart into the box to meet Steve McManaman’s cut back three minutes into the first half of ‘golden goal’ extra time in the semi-final against Germany at Wembley. McManaman’s cross was slightly behind Darren, German goalkeeper Andreas Kopke also got a touch and reaching for it, Darren turned the ball onto the post. That would have been it - the golden goal would have taken England through. Six minutes later, those inches counted again as Paul Gascoigne agonisingly failed to reach Alan Shearer’s cross in front of an empty net. Germany also had a goal disallowed; England went out on penalties.

“It’s incredible how unlucky we were,” reflected Darren, who went on to earn 30 caps and score in the 1998 World Cup. “The ball was behind me, but I got a good connection, I ended up on the floor so I didn’t even see it hit the post, but I looked up and saw the ball bounce into the goalkeeper’s hands. Gazza then had his opportunity. It’s such a pity, we were brilliant that night. We were a proper team and there was real belief we’d win that game.

“But the way I look at it is this... we played so well against the Dutch (won 4-1), and everything that could have gone right went right. Every time we shot, we scored. Against Germany, the performance was on a par with that, without the goals. I just wish we could have only scored a couple against Holland and maybe carried a couple of over for Germany!

“Whenever anyone mentions Euro 96, I can’t do anything else but smile. People will always smile when it comes up because it was such a brilliant summer. But the overriding feeling now is we’re talking about a semi-final, and that’s where it all ended for us. That is the biggest disappointment of my career, not winning, and yet people talk about that team so fondly. Imagine if we’d won? These boys have an unbelievable chance to win it. Even to get to a final. One game at a time. If they get to the final, they’ll be remembered forever. The final will be different, the biggest test by far, but they are more than capable.”

Darren was one of four of our players in the England squad for Euro 96 alongside Teddy Sheringham, Sol Campbell and Ian Walker, while ex-Spur Gazaa (then at Rangers) and future Spurs Jamie Redknapp (then at Liverpool) and Les Ferdinand (then at Newcastle) were also part of the 22 selected by Terry Venables, our former player and FA Cup-winning manager.

Now 49, Darren knows better than most how Gareth Southgate’s squad, including skipper Harry Kane, will be feeling just hours away from their semi-final against Denmark - a team including, of course, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

“It’s the best feeling,” he said. “It will be the most exciting drive they’ve had to a stadium with the nerves and everything that comes into it, but there is so much experience in the squad in terms of playing in big games, even though they’re all still young.

“But this is different, playing at home, I’m sure they’re feeling the whole ‘football’s coming home’ factor, watching the videos from all over the country of the fans going crazy. Let’s hope it will happen again for them, that this is their moment, to do it in a semi-final in England, what an opportunity.

“You have to stay calm in the moment but at the same time embrace it, enjoy it, and they’ll have real belief. They will know they are difficult to play against, five clean sheets, as players there is no better feeling than knowing that if you get a goal, you’ll probably win the game. So, it won’t be easy, but, a semi-final at Wembley against Denmark, you couldn’t ask for more...”

Darren played 358 times for us between 1992-2004, winning the League Cup in 1999. He remains our record appearance maker in the Premier League on 299 - although Hugo Lloris is now one behind his total on 298!