I was at Wembley to witness Southgate's darkest hour in 1996 but after a litany of duds, Gareth is our folk hero, writes DAVID JONES

The cynics had doubtless already created their mocking memes in the expectation that England’s deathly Euro 2024 campaign would be euthanised by Switzerland.

Gareth Southgate’s aquiline features were probably superimposed on a slab of Swiss cheese (riddled with defensive holes, haha!) or a cuckoo clock that had lost its spring.

For cruel humiliation has been the fate of England’s football managers ever since a tabloid photomontage recreated Graham Taylor as a turnip after England were mashed by the lowly Swedes 32 years ago.

But I am one of those who admire Southgate, and my respect for him wouldn’t have been diminished even had we lost to Switzerland.

Yesterday’s thrilling win on penalties was his 100th game in charge. England have now progressed past the quarter-finals in three tournaments under Southgate – a heartwarming triumph.

Think back to 2016 and remember the dire state of our national game when, after making a series of disastrous appointments, the FA turned to the sensible Southgate.

Among the long list of duds who had gone before him were Steve McClaren, dubbed the ‘wally with the brolly’ for gazing impotently from beneath an umbrella as England’s dreams faded in 2007; Glenn Hoddle, who seemed to think a faith healer could bring football home; and Roy Hodgson, whose side slithered to defeat against Iceland – perhaps the most embarrassing result in our footballing history.

Southgate’s immediate predecessor, Sam Allardyce, was obliged to resign after just one match, having being exposed for consorting with shady businessmen.

Our national team had become toxic. Players would feign injury rather than answer the call to international duty and risk being jeered by their own fans.

Indeed, when Southgate stepped into the breach, BBC pundit Alan Shearer had denounced the England team as the ‘laughing stock of world football’.

I’d be lying if I said I thought then that he would be any better than the others.

And having been at Wembley to witness his powder-puff penalty in the 1996 Euro semi-final against Germany, I had him marked down as one of life’s losers.

Yet from the moment he took charge, it was clear that we were seeing a refreshingly different kind of England manager.

A deep-thinking, empathetic, un-egoistical man who knew from personal experience how easily a player’s confidence could be devoured by the Three Lions on those white shirts, and what it would take to change their mentality.

When England reached the World Cup semi-finals in Russia in 2018 – overcoming the hoodoo of a penalty shoot-out – Southgate had emerged as an unlikely cult hero.

Supporting England became cool, with young fans attending matches wearing natty waistcoats just like the ones Southgate sported, and they adapted Whole Again, a song by Atomic Kitten, as his personal anthem.

Southgate was adored by his players, too. They loved him for his avuncular approach, his loyalty in standing by them even when their club form dipped, and the way he brought the fun back into representing England. The effect of his considered, cerebral management style was to create a team who were truly united for the first time in decades.

Yes, Southgate’s tactical limitations have sometimes been exposed. Also, some of his decisions have dumbfounded us.

The fact remains, however, that of the 15 permanent managers in England’s history, his results record is second only to that of World Cup winner Sir Alf Ramsey.

And if England are crowned champions of Europe next Sunday – a prospect that looks decidedly possible after the way they rolled over the Swiss – the trolls will be begging him to stay.