Bourne Town flag enjoys global World Cup audience

A Bourne Town fan has told of his surprise at the response to his giant flag being beamed around the world during England's opening World Cup match.

Jack Bottreill was in Dallas for the match against Croatia on Wednesday when he unfurled the flag behind one of the goals.

The 33-year-old electrician said he started to get text messages from friends saying "it's all over the place now".

Bottreill, who used to play for the south Lincolnshire club, said: "I watched the highlights back today and in nearly every camera view you can see it."

He was given the flag by a friend in the Burghley Arms, a pub in Bourne town centre.

"I didn't actually see the flag until I got to the first pub here on Monday. I got it out of the bag and I realised how big it was," said Bottreill.

"So, yeah, it made a bit of a statement compared with all the others."

Bourne Town posted a picture of the flag on social media and referenced the football chant "Everywhere we go".

Anthony Heppell, media manager at the Northern Premier League Division One side, told BBC Radio Lincolnshire: "As soon as it kicked off, my phone went a bit crazy and I think everyone's phone at the football club went crazy.

"Everyone spotted it. I had friends in Middlesbrough asking me, 'Did you see the flag?'

"You can't get bigger, can you? It takes up half the stadium."

There was something of a Lincolnshire theme to proceedings, too, with a Grimsby Town flag also prominently in shot.

Bottreill, who has followed England overseas for the past 12 years, said the Texas match would be his only game of this year's tournament.

"I'm out of money. It's so expensive," he said.

"I think a beer in the ground was $16. I'm not going to check my bank account until I'm back home."

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