Come On England !
Here we go again. Another stab at chasing the dream ever elusive since 1966 when England last won the World Cup. This time the dream is being played out in Russia awarded (with Qatar) back to back competitions under the corrupted oversight of FIFA and a global footballing fiefdom managed by Sepp Blatter and varied cronies.
Whether or not the English national team has a realistic chance of getting even close to the competition finals in Russia - at least the home nation (England) is sprouting its colours and emblems up and down the country with yet another quadrennial burst of commercialised fervour.
Under previous management, Blackpool Transport Services. Ltd. took on itself to add its own messages of support to the national (England) team by adorning several of its double deck trams (but not its bus fleet) with external endorsements. Balloon cars not otherwise disfigured with all over advertising and still held in pristine all white 'strip' were rushed through the Paint Shop at Rigby Road to reappear with simple but stylish banners - Come On England !
Blackpool Transport Supporting the National Team (on a tram or two).
Whether or not any of the depressingly tired 'Flexity' trams emerge with expressions of transport company sporting endorsement - seems highly unlikely. More visually striking would in fact be one or more of the double deck buses given over to a rousing promotion supportive of England's efforts in far off (and alien) sporting venues over the coming weeks. Whilst BTS seemingly have a entire design studio hard at work churning out this and that promotional material on the latest ticketing wheeze (another 10p for your journey please) or in-house pat on the back salutations, appropriately on the back of buses - it seems churlish for just a smidgeon of their time to be expended on what is shortly to become a national obsession (in England) overtaking by leaps and bounds the incessant whinging and backbiting which is Brexit. Given time the entire cause of Britain's withdrawal from the EU make become moot with the fast growing discord with this European contrivance now in evidence in Rome, Warsaw, Budapest amongst other of the continent's capitals. Italy may well propel the EU lock stock and barrel down the cul de sac of 'good intentions' thus saving Britain need for further agonising over any 'future relationship' it might have with a Brussels unelected heirarchy .
Balloon 715 in patriotic guise at a familiar spot opposite North Pier. John Woodman
But that's for another blog after this latest round of footballing corporate sponsorship and sustained media blitz has finally passed over us this summer. In the meantime a look back at what Blackpool Transport Services Ltd. with its then 'Metro Coastlines' brand created in support of an earlier World Cup attempt by England.
