From the moment Eric Dier celebrated his winning penalty against Colombia by whipping his shirt off quicker than Aidan "Poldark" Turner at a Cornish hen night, you had this feeling that Gareth Southgate really was on to something and that maybe football was, indeed, "coming home" (although hopefully not by national rail or we could be waiting another 20 years for it to get here).

Pedestrian Sweden had no answer to the vibrant mix of enterprise and energy of Southgate's blossoming team – and for the first half of Wednesday's gripping semi-final with Croatia, England were composed, confident and looking the part against a quality team that couldn't work them out.

All credit to the Croats that the picture changed so dramatically but pride in our national game has been restored and hopefully this is just the start.

As for the manager – his success in leading England beyond initial expectations proves, as with gentleman genius Roger Federer, who again entertained us so majestically until his shock Wimbledon exit, nice guys can be winners.

I can just imagine an England v Switzerland match with players leaving their shoes outside hotel rooms to be cleaned – and Gareth and Roger polishing away all night to make sure they were spick and span in time for breakfast.

Sharing the country's crushing Moscow disappointment, of course, will be the lead commentators for BBC and ITV, Guy Mowbray and Clive Tyldesley, who've been denied what might have been a career-defining moment of England triumph on Sunday – the very one Kenneth Wolstenholme had enjoyed and will be forever remembered for from 1966.

Actually, it's quite possible I am the only man still alive to have commentated for TV on England's World Cup glory of 52 years ago. But before any smart alecks out there agree I do look old enough, I should explain that my version was only recorded a few years ago.

The short-lived ITV Sport Channel had me re-commentating over grainy black and white pictures of the final, with my voice tweaked to give it a more authentic, old-fashioned sixties feel.

But I have also broadcast live on a World Cup Final – West Germany's 1990 win over Argentina for Eurosport. It was with such delight, too, that I discovered Kenneth Wolstenholme himself had voted me his favourite TV commentator for the tournament.

(editor's note - but wasn't Kenneth, in fact, EMPLOYED by Eurosport as a guest on Italia 90?

Peter- you always have to spoil it for me, don't you)

But what a World Cup this one has been with England's uplifting exploits even catching the eye of beleaguered Theresa May. Indeed, the PM used the drama of the Colombia game as a diversion from endless EU negotiations.

"I just can't take any more of this!" she exclaimed, and, whether she was talking about the penalty shootout or Brexit, she was certainly speaking for the nation either way (I went to Brussels for Euro 2000 and can find it on the map, but I don't keep banging on about it day after day).

Former premier Tony Blair, of course, is a proper football fan – as he once confirmed, you might recall, during an appearance on Football Focus in the noughties.

Mind you, I think that might also have been the interview when he insisted the Isle of Wight had weapons of mass destruction – so I wouldn't read too much into it.

Anyway, it's been fun. Onwards and upwards, and with football not quite coming home just yet, at least now hopefully I can get that ruddy tune out of my head!