Why England’s World Cup elimination will help save the union with Scotland

So England are out the World Cup; the Three Lions rolled over – and we can expect plenty more gloomy Anglo introspection about failings over the coming days. But Alex Salmond must be even more gutted than anyone south of the Border. Over at SNP HQ, they would have been cheering England’s boys on like crazy – because if ever there were something more certain to elicit anti-English sentiment among the Scots in the run up to a referendum, it would be a successful World Cup run.

As an Englishman who has lived in Scotland, I’m afraid I know how unbearable it can all seem when England is doing well in a tournament.  And just think of all the lager-fuelled, synthetic passion, and off-putting chauvinism —  had we beaten Uruguay and Italy. And if by some miracle — and it really would have taken a miracle — we had somehow lifted the trophy, the Union would surely have been sunk.