CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE As the country prepares itself for another invasion of football on our TV screens, it will be hard for most to escape the fervour and excitement of this summer's premier football tournament. But while the country readies itself for Euro 2004, Sven-Goran Eriksson could do well to take a look at events of last weekend, where England put the rest of Europe to the sword in a European Football Championship for people with learning disabilities. The National Gateway football team flew out for the 5 day tournament in Switzerland and captivated the hearts of the locals with some incisive football which would put Sven's highly paid stars to shame. Remarkably, the squad met together for the first time, just two weeks prior to the tournament. Time enough it seems, for the coaches to fashion a team, whose defence would not be breached in any of the 9 games they played during the prestigious tournament. On the opening day a couple of early goals against the Dutch settled the nerves before England ran out comfortable 3-0 winners. But a superb 1-0 defeat of pre-tournament favourites France, in their second game, really set them on their way. After brushing aside teams from Italy, Germany, Spain, Hungary and Switzerland the England team beat Belgium in a pulsating final. After dominating for long periods of the game, only a single goal separated the sides. The final whistle was greeted with jubilant scenes from the coaches, players and a partisan crowd packed with English ex pats. "The manner in which they won was tremendous." Said their emotional manager, Mark Summers. "They worked hard and achieved a result which they should all be proud of."