In London, the HLM city of Kirby Estate, its 700 English flags and the immense hope of a victory

If hope were measured by the number of flags displayed in support of their team, Chris Dowse and Alan Patman would fall into the category of quasi-religious faith. Since 2012, at each major football tournament, the two residents of the Kirby Estate have covered this low-cost housing estate in south-east London with English flags. Everywhere, crosses of Saint George – red on a white background – are hung from balconies and gutters, suspended from one side of the building to the other.

Chris and Alan estimate that there are about four hundred. A troop of young scouts recently arrived on the spot proved them wrong: there are seven hundred of them, counting the slightest flag. The British press talks about “The most patriotic street” from England. Chris, sunbathing on his chair in his tiny garden, and Alan, wearing an England team jersey, do not hide their pride.

England meets Ukraine in Rome in the quarter-finals of Euro 2021 this Saturday, July 3, after a clear victory (2-0) against Germany in the previous round. The hereditary enemy, the one who has won so many victories which still traumatize the English supporters, has finally been beaten. Suddenly, all hopes are allowed.

“Portugal, Germany, France are eliminated, recalls Chris. In our part of the table, we have Ukraine, Denmark… We have a real chance to win. Better yet: we have not conceded any goal in this tournament. The last time this happened to us was in 1966. ” The symbolic date, a true English talisman, refers to England’s last – and only – victory in a major international competition, in this case the World Cup.

Four days to decorate everything

Masters of self-mockery, the English made their main rallying cry a song written in the 1990s that was about “Thirty years of pain” since their last triumph. “It is necessary to update at fifty-five years”, laughs Chris, who would rather laugh about it than stir up painful previous defeats: his childhood tears in the penalty shoot-out loss in the 1990 World Cup semi-final against Germany; his cold supportive anger after the humiliating defeat against Iceland (1-2) in a match of the 2016 European Cup in Nice, where he made the trip.

Chris Dowse, former amateur footballer, insists on it: “It’s about showing that we are proud of where we come from, whatever the country”

The history of the Kirby Estate is far from being a nationalist arm of honor to the rest of the world. French, Scottish, Portuguese flags slide between the crosses of Saint George … “If you are in the competition, you can put your flag”, explains Chris. The former amateur footballer, goalkeeper who came close to a professional career and played with Rio Ferdinand when he was young, is keen on: “It’s about showing that we are proud of where we come from, whatever the country. “

The idea to decorate Kirby Estate gradually arose from a few residents, who displayed a few more flags at each tournament, in a friendly competition. In 2012, Chris, Alan and a third neighbor decided to take it seriously. Since then, with each tournament, the presentation is perfected a little more. This year, it took four days to decorate everything.

The initiative brought residents together. In 2018, by plugging in a satellite dish from one, using another’s giant screen and stretching large tarpaulins to avoid glare from the sun, the whole community gathered outside to watch the England-Colombia game at the Global. The two Colombian families of the building danced to Latin tunes with the English in the building’s courtyard despite their loss on penalties. “This is where the true spirit of football lives”, assures Alan.