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For England football fans of a certain age, Euro 96 remains the pinnacle, when, for a summer at least, the Three Lions seemed invincible. Twenty years on and with Euro 2016 kick-off 10 days away, we spoke to four members of Terry Venables Euro 96 squad - Darren Anderton, Stuart Pearce, Jamie Redknapp and Steve Howey - to get their memories from one of Englands finest tournament performances.Euro 96 brought a major championship to English stadia for the first time since 1966, and with it the pressure to live up to past glory, but a pre-tournament trip to the Far East got preparations off to a rocky start. Jamie Redknapp recalls his experience of playing for England against Scotland Euro 2016: Ultimate Guide Your guide to all 24 teams at Euro 2016 this summer Paul Gascoignes 29th birthday celebrations went on well into the Hong Kong night as Redknapp, then aged 22, remembers: Our issues before the football started with the Dentists Chair and all that - it was a night that got out of hand.The papers predictably had a field day and the headlines in the build-up to their opening group game against Switzerland were brutal. Englands starting XI to face Germany in their Euro 96 semi-final A bunch of has-beens show up a bunch of wannabes was the Daily Mails verdict after Venables side scraped a 1-0 friendly win over a Hong Kong XI. Sporting morons was another slightly more succinct put-down.We got quite a bit of criticism because of that Hong Kong trip, but the connection between the lads was excellent, Howey, a substitute in all five tournament matches, told Sky Sports. Alan Shearer wheels away to celebrate his goal against Switzerland A 1-1 draw at Wembley against the Swiss, led by former PSG and Porto boss Artur Jorge, opened the door to further cynicism.There was so much optimism as the host nation, and it did seem to change after that first game, Anderton added.We didnt get off to a fantastic start but we knew we had fantastic players. We had tough games to come against Holland and Scotland, but we thought one good performance could send us on our way.A meeting with Craig Browns Scotland was always likely to be a nervy affair, and the game ultimately turned on the introduction of Redknapp with the score goalless. Gascoigne celebrates his stunning goal against Scotland The Sky Sports pundit recalls: We werent great and Terry made a superb tactical substitution at the break! We started to play a little bit - Scotland were a very good side - but we just had the edge, Gazza was immense and his goal was so good.Gascoignes flick over Colin Hendry and volley past Andy Goram remains one of the defining moments of the tournament, but while England showed signs of quality in the 2-0 victory over Scotland, it was not until the 4-1 thrashing of Holland in their final Group A match that the whole nation seemed to unite behind them. Shearer scores during Englands 4-1 victory over Holland Twenty years ago last week, Baddiel and Skinners Three Lions (Footballs Coming Home) stormed to No 1, and roared on by that unofficial national anthem, England fever spread ahead of a quarter-final date with Spain.As we progressed, there were more and more people on the route to Wembley, Anderton remembers. Heading to games down the M40, you started noticing flags everywhere. It was surreal, and like nothing I have experienced before or since. Stuart Pearce celebrates his successful penalty against Spain It would come down to a penalty shoot-out, now most often remembered for Pearces celebration after his successful take. Having failed from the spot against Germany in the World Cup semi-final at Italia 90, was it relief or elation?I knew that it was going to be my last tournament, Pearce told Sky Sports. I planned to retire so I knew whichever match was our last was going to be my last one too. David Seaman made a crucial penalty save from Gary McAllister during Englands win over Scotland England rode their luck against the Spaniards, who were denied by the assistant referees flag and an inspired performance from keeper David Seaman. The Arsenal stopper was the eventual hero, keeping out a spot-kick by Miguel Nadal - Rafas uncle - to seal progress on penalties after a tense 0-0 draw.We didnt play particularly well, Pearce admitted. Spain were better than us but as luck happens, we had a goalkeeper who was probably the best in the world at the time.Now only Germany stood between England and their first major final since 1966.The drive to Wembley was frightening, Anderton recalls. As we got nearer the stadium, Alan Shearer put on Footballs Coming Home to get the boys pumped up and ready.Once we got to the stadium, it felt like there was already 100,000 people there. I remember staying out for the warm-up probably longer than we should have done, with Baddiel and Skinner on repeat. It really did get us going. Darren Anderton recalls his experience of playing for England against Germany in the semi-finals A national TV audience of 24 million was celebrating inside three minutes, Shearer nodding in his fifth and final Euro 96 goal to put England in dreamland, but Germany swiftly struck back through Stefan Kuntz.The game ebbed and flowed but the hosts looked the more likely to grab the winner in extra time, Gascoigne a shaved stud away from a Golden Goal and Anderton denied by the width of the post.I try and forget about that even now, Anderton said, reliving his near miss. Steve McManaman crossed and it was one of those that was just a fraction behind me.I got my foot on it as I was falling backwards and when I hit it, I thought it was in, but it hit the post - and not only that, it bounced right back into the goalkeepers arms.Thats when you start thinking, maybe this is not meant to be. Gascoigne was inches away from scoring a Golden Goal against Germany Two hours of high-energy football came and went in a flash, but curiously Venables didnt make a single substitution.The adrenaline was pumping so much, it felt like you could play for another 120 minutes, Anderton, who played the full game, added.It was that sort of night. When youre playing well as an individual and a team, you can run forever, and thats how it felt.For the second match running, England would face a shoot-out. Spot-kicks now leave all but the most optimistic England fan resigned to defeat, and victory over Spain remains the nations only major tournament success in seven attempts, a shoot-out win ratio of just 17 per cent.But it started positively on that warm Wembley night as England dispatched five in a row, matched every step of the way by Germany.Everyone knew Shearer would have one, because he was our taker, Pearce added. From then, there was no real defined order. I volunteered just leading into the shoot-out to take mine. Gareth Southgates penalty miss against the Germans ended Englands tournament You know the story from here. Shearer, Platt, Pearce, Gascoigne and Sheringham all beat Andreas Kopke, but when Gareth Southgate failed, German captain Andreas Moller sent England crashing out.It was a surreal moment, just heartbreaking, Anderton said. Germany celebrate victory over England at Wembley The atmosphere after the game was almost disbelief. It was a very quiet dressing room and a quiet coach. We had a few beers in the bar back at the hotel and the realisation set in.A thrilling friendly victory in Berlin over Germanys 2016 vintage has raised expectations for this years squad, but many feel a quarter-final place would qualify as success for England in France.Two decades on and no tournament since has captured the spirit of Euro 96, but Roy Hodgson takes an exciting young team to Chantilly, and if they can go one better, it could yet be a summer to remember. Shearer celebrates in front of the England fans at Wembley Going to the games and coming back after, especially when we won, the streets were lined with fans, Howey remembers.It was a beautiful summer as well. The atmosphere, the song, it just brought it all back that this was where football started. The fans played an unbelievable part in that.Pearce agreed, adding: Its the best tournament I was ever involved in, and the general atmosphere was by far the best I have ever experienced wearing an England shirt, theres no doubt about that.It just brought the whole country together. Also See: Euro 2016: Ultimate Guide Englands Toulon starlets Englands route to the final Rank the Euro 2016 kits Cheap NBA Jerseys . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. Wholesale Grizzlies Jerseys . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. http://www.cheapgrizzliesjerseys.com/ . Numbers Game looks into the Canadiens securing the services of Thomas Vanek in a trade with the New York Islanders. The Canadiens Get: LW Thomas Vanek and a conditional fifth-round pick. Cheap Jevon Carter Jersey . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. Cheap Grizzlies Jerseys Authentic . LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end. With all due respect to Ronald Reagans George Gipp on his deathbed, Denzel Washingtons Herman Boone at Gettysburg or even Robert Loggias halftime talk with the Texas State Armadillos, Hollywoods greatest football speech was Al Pacinos in Any Given Sunday.You find out lifes this game of inches. So is football. Because in either game -- life or football -- the margin for error is so small. I mean, one half a step too late or too early and you dont quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast, and you dont quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. Theyre in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch.On Sunday afternoon, the College Football Playoff selection committee announced the four teams that will compete for the national championship: Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Washington. The season started with the 128 FBS squads, all hoping to make that final four. Those teams played a total of 837 games. Those contests produced more than 640,000 yards of offense. That translates to roughly 360 miles, almost precisely the distance between Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Clemsons Death Valley.Yet somehow, the entire season came down to only a handful of key plays, the outcome of each determined by merely a few yards here and, yes, Mr. Pacino, a few inches there. Yet the sum of their tiny parts shaped the most unpredictable season of the still-young playoff era.Week 1: Two inches Thats what LSU running back Leonard Fournette needed to be added to his vertical leap. With two minutes remaining, down 16-14 to Wisconsin, the Tigers offense was finally waking up. Having just crossed midfield, they handed off to the preseason Heisman favorite, who busted off a run deep into Badgers territory, but when he tried to leapfrog a defender, he caught a helmet to his right leg just below the knee. He limped off the field and never returned. It was the first of a series of nagging hurts that would dog Fournette all season. LSU lost, and head coach Les Miles was walking the plank. Meanwhile, Wisconsin had a big cross-conference win that it -- and the entire Big Ten -- could, and would, hang their hats on all season.Week 4: Ten fingers The two hands of Arizona quarterback Brandon Dawkins werent able to cleanly catch a fourth-down red zone shotgun snap against Washington at home in overtime. His bobble was just enough to cause a twinge of panic. That milliseconds difference in timing was just enough for the would-be tying TD pass play to break down into an overthrown dying quail pass that sailed over the head of the receiver. Washington survived 35-28 to keep its playoff hopes alive.Week 5: 1? yards In perhaps the best game of the season, Louisvilles Lamar Jackson took Clemsons best shots and repeatedly returned serve. If he does win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday, this will be the game many point to ... but the Cardinals lost. With 13 seconds remaining in a six-point game, Jackson threw a strike to James Quick. It was fourth-and-12 at the Clemson 14-yard line. Quick, confused as to where the first-down marker was, stepped out of bounds at the 3. It was less than 2 yards too short. Clemsons playoff season continued, while Louisvilles season took its first step toward eventually becoming derailed.Week 7: 1 foot plus 5 feet, both to the right Back to Death Valley, South Carolina: As the game clock zeroed out to end regulation, a would-be game-winning 33-yard field goal attempt by NC State kicker Kyle Bambard squirted just wide of the right upright. The Tigers won in OT 24-17. Meanwhile, at damp Camp Randall Stadium, also in OT, Ohio States J.T. Barrett tossed a back-shoulder fade to Noah Brown, a ball that found its way past the outstretched fingers of two Wisconsin defenders and floated into the back-right corner to Brown. The Buckeyes won 30-23.Week 8: Ten fingers, two inches, OK ... pretty much all of the above Second-ranked Ohio States magic ran ouut at Penn State.dddddddddddd The Nittany Lions trailed 21-17 when a drive-stopping interception slipped through their fingers with 4:39 remaining. It turned out to be an accidental blessing. The resulting field goal attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown. Penn State won 24-21. It was the first blemish on OSUs record but also the first spark of the question, Can the Big Ten get more than one school into the playoff?Week 11: 1 yard On fourth-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 35, Clemson ran a sweep with tailback Wayne Gallman. He was grabbed around the ankles by nose tackle Jeremiah Taleni and was dropped 1 yard short of the first down. Pitt took over on downs with 52 seconds remaining and drove 34 yards on six plays to kick the winning field goal as time expired.Week 12: Two steps After a touchdown pulled them to within 17-16 with 4:41 remaining, Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio elected to go for two points in a bid to upset Ohio State, which had crawled back up to second in the rankings. Tyler OConnor saw an open receiver at the goal line, but Jamal Lyles moved one step to his right as two defenders took opposite steps toward the inbounds pass and shared an interception. The game essentially ended there, as did Michigan States chances to brighten an otherwise disappointing season.Week 13: The Game, The Spot, The Inch Hey, its Ohio State again! In the second overtime period, on fourth-and-1, head coach Urban Meyer looked over his teams shaky day on special teams and elected not to attempt a game-tying field goal. Instead, Barrett ran a keeper that carried him to the edge of the white yard line he needed to reach. Did he make it? Did he not? The officials -- with help from the replay booth -- said he did. But the ruling is still being debated on either side of the Ohio-Michigan border. Last week a nuclear physicist at Wayne State told the Detroit Free Press that math and chemistry make it incredibly difficult for anyone to get that call right, humans or video cameras. Then again, hes also a Michigan grad.Week 14: 1 foot forward, 1 arm left On Saturday night, almost simultaneously, two conference championship games were determined by about 12 inches each. In Orlando, Virginia Tech was down a TD and down to a fourth down, at the 23 with 1:11 on the clock and thinking overtime. Quarterback Jerod Evans dropped back to throw. Clemson linebacker Kendall Joseph blitzed. Tech knew it was probably coming, and thats why the Hokies had running back Travon McMillian stay home to block. But he was waiting on the right, not the left. As Joseph streaked by, McMillian threw his arm out and grabbed, but got ahold of nothing. Joseph hit Evans as he threw, the pass fell short of tight end Bucky Hodges (who appeared to be wide-open), and the playoff chaos -- at least any involving the ACC -- was avoided. Meanwhile, in the Big Ten championship, Wisconsin was in a nearly identical situation, trailing Penn State 38-31 and deep in enemy territory. Corey Clement was handed the ball on fourth-and-1 with 1:05 remaining. He was met head-on by DBs Marcus Allen and Grant Haley and stopped 1 foot short at the 24-yard line. Penn State saved its game and title. But 12 hours later, it was the Nittany Lions who came up short.Sunday afternoon I stared at my computer monitor, looking at the just-revealed final College Football Playoff rankings. Then I got out a tape measure and checked the distance on that screen between Ohio State in third and Penn State in fifth.It was exactly an inch.So, no offense to the guy from Wayne State, but when it comes to 2016, it doesnt take a doctorate in physics to realize that one of the oldest clichés in sports isnt a cliché at all. Its a game of inches is a rock-solid fact. Just ask any fan who watched any big game of this college football season.Or Al Pacino. ' ' '