If football does come home, it will do so to a cadre of well-tailored fans if Marks and Spencer's are to be believed. The retailer - who do sponsor Ingerland - reported that sales of waistcoats had risen by 35% in the last week and attributed the boom to the 'Gareth Southgate effect'. While it may seem strange to dress like the inherently corporate Southgate, it is the more acceptable get-up of the Full Kit Wanker. And how nice that England fans can get behind a manager who has such an aversion to wearing his heart on his sleeve that he elects not to wear sleeves at all.
It turns out that this craze may not be singular to England, judging by Keith Andrews' appearance on RTE's coverage of England/Sweden this afternoon. Andrews sat between Brady and Darragh rocking a waistcoat, which Eamon Dunphy joked on air was a tribute to Southgate.
Eamo did this just before coverage cut to coverage from Samara: viewers reached that conclusion much earlier.
Fair play to Keith Andrews wearing his waistcoat in support of Gareth Southgate
— Phil Egan (@philegansport) July 7, 2018
@RTEsoccer @RTEsport has Keith Andrews started a Gareth Southgate appreciation club? What has happened to unbiased panelists? 🤔😂 pic.twitter.com/5aPfznIMmD
— Peter Coleman (@padjer88) July 7, 2018
Keith Andrews channeling his inner Gareth Southgate with the blue shirt/waistcoat combo!
— Rob Letters (@RobLetters) July 7, 2018
Love that Keith Andrews has dressed as Gareth Southgate for the big occasion #rtesoccer #WorldCup #ENGSWE #ENG
— Ronan Calvert (@RonanCalvert) July 7, 2018
You know the England furore has gone too far when Keith Andrews is wearing a waistcoat. This has to stop. #WorldCup
— Ronzo Teilifís Eireann (@ronronzo) July 7, 2018
Nice touch by Keith Andrews to dress up as Gareth Southgate for the game today. Respect. @RTEsport @RTEsoccer #SWEENG #EnglandvsSweden
— David Donohoe (@dvddnh) July 7, 2018
gareth would approve of Keith Andrews waistcoat. !!!#WorldCup#eng#GarethSouthgateWould pic.twitter.com/JYvihgR6iu
— LexiDoyle (@LexiDoyle7) July 7, 2018
In fairness to Andrews, he has been one of the best parts of RTE's coverage of the tournament thus far.
Liam Brady joked that he too would wear a waistcoat if England were to make the semi-finals.
See Also: Brazilian Media Start To Turn On Neymar After World Cup Exit
