Family ties split for England versus Scotland game

Richard and Mary Simkin have been happily married for more than 45 years but will be cheering on different teams in the Euro 2020 fixture.

Mr Simkin, aged 70, will be supporting England while Mrs Simkin, 68, will be backing Scotland.

The couple, from Essington in South Staffordshire, were both born in England but Mrs Simkin has strong Scottish roots.

Mr Simkin said: "All of her family are Scottish so she has got a long Scottish ancestry.

"We will be cheering on different teams. She always supports Scotland and I am happy to support Scotland until they play England.

"I feel duty bound to support England, having been born and bred an Englishman."

But while Mr Simkin wants a Three Lions win, he was reluctant to predict a score, saying the game could go either way.

"I am hoping for an England win and Mary a Scottish one, that is pretty much the long and short of it," he said.

"Only a fool predicts football scores.

"You are hiding to nothing with any sport because there is no foregone conclusion ever - anything could happen.

"We could be looking from a substantial win to a draw or either side could win.

"That is what's makes it interesting, the unpredictability of it. If you could predict it, there would be no interest in sport."

He said the couple were fans of sport in general, saying: "We are definitely in the Wolves area but we are not football fanatics by any stretch of the imagination.

"But when there are big games on, whether it be football or rugby, you find yourself drawn to one side or another."

The couple run Essington Fruit Farm located north of Wolverhampton.