Garford Beck caught the bug 54 years ago and is now an England superfan. Beck, 63, made his first appearance in an England game in 1972, aged nine, when his under-23s played Scotland at his beloved Derby County.
The matchday program is still part of a treasured collection of memorabilia from his travels, and to date he has played in nine World Cups and hundreds of England matches, making him one of the England Supporters Travel Club’s ‘Top Cappers’.
Beck is one of the lucky players this summer. That’s because he has enough games to qualify for the discounted £45 Supporter Entry ticket. He hopes it will help them advance from the group games to the finals.
It remains a tough task for fans to follow their country in major tournaments, but Beck believes manager Thomas Tuchel will make this summer an unforgettable experience for England fans.
“I think they’ll go deep into the competition, but the conditions won’t help,” Beck said.
“Many of our players won’t be able to rest. We’re worried about that because there are a lot of games and all the players are playing high-pressure games in the Premier League and Champions League. But we definitely have a chance to go a long way.”
Beck has budgeted at least £12,000 – before FIFA announced a reduction in ticket prices for some fans – but has saved money by sharing a minivan, spending odd nights in the US with his niece and staying in budget hotels.
England superfan Garford Beck (pictured in Qatar 2022) is set to embark on his 10th World Cup trip this summer (Image: John Cross)
Thomas Tuchel will lead England at the 2026 World Cup (Image: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
World Cup ticket price debate
There has been much controversy over ticket prices, with the cheapest price for a standard ticket for the final initially being £3,000, but it is always the fans who set the tone and set the tone at the World Cup.
It would be a big mistake to ignore your most loyal fans. Because without the color and vibrancy they bring, the game would be nothing. Beck is actually more frustrated that the Football Association hasn’t said more or organized ticket allocation better.
“I’m qualified to be there, but not enough of them. I’ve spent sleepless nights worrying and reeling from getting there,” Beck said.
“There’s a lot of anxiety about this World Cup, and it’s really about the tickets.
“I’m very disappointed because I always think the best World Cup is the one with the best atmosphere. At the last Euros last year (2024), the England fans created a great atmosphere, but many of them won’t be coming to America.”
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Beck’s previous trips to England
Beck’s path to becoming a “top capper” has been extensive. His first World Cup was in Spain in 1982, and although he missed Mexico in 1986 because it was too far away, he has played in every tournament England has qualified for since then.
But he still remembers the 1970 tournament like it was yesterday, and perhaps it set the tone for a lifetime of heartbreak and disappointment.
“I’ve cried a few times after football games,” he admits. “In 1966 I was only four years old and in 1970 I was eight. I had that one ‘Back Home’ and a collection of World Cup coins…I just thought England were going to win the World Cup.
“I remember sitting in my grandmother’s house that Sunday in June, watching the quarter-final against West Germany, and we led 2-0 and went that far, and that was it (England lost 3-2 in extra time).
“When they lost, I just started crying. I didn’t cry again until Derby lost to Manchester United in the 1976 FA Cup semi-final.”
His first game against England was for the under-23s – England drew 2-2 with a star-studded Scotland team including Kenny Dalglish – and he has followed as many age groups, levels and seniors as possible. He claims he cannot give an exact figure on how many senior games he has played so far, but believes the number must be in the hundreds, as the England international only played his 1,000th international in 2019.
Garford Beck is one of England Supporters Travel Club’s ‘top cappers’ (Image: John Cross)
Beck wants England to reach the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey
Beck, who works for Border Force, missed the match due to the coronavirus but was able to purchase an executive box with other colleagues to use within the lockdown rules. He also believes England’s two warm-up matches in Florida are in some ways more important than the tournament itself.
“You have to go to friendlies to keep your top cap,” he said. “Tournament matches don’t count. Friendly matches are not empty. They just have to go.”
Best England World Cup Visit
Beck also runs the England Supporters Team. They play games against their respective opponents and have done some great things, like last year holding a game in memory of famous journalist Patrick Barkley.
He loves games, traveling, and friendships. “The days when football results dictated your mood are long gone,” he said.
“But for England, it’s about the fans, the travel and the games. I want to support the team and watch and sing the national anthem.”
One of his favorite World Cups might surprise you. “I liked Qatar because it was a World Cup held in one city. The atmosphere was great and it was a great tournament.
“One of the things I don’t like about tournaments is that when all the fans leave, it gets quiet, but it was good in Qatar. It was easy to get around, we had a big villa, and it was lively until the end.
“The trip to Russia was really fun. They took the free supporter train. We drove an 18-hour train each way from Moscow to the quarter-finals.
“What a wonderful time we had. Not only that, we saw a lot of countryside and made long stops at various places along the way.”
England fans Ian Dundee (left), Garford Beck (centre) and Mark Trigg (right) at the Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar (Image: Andy Stenning – Daily Mirror)
However, his dedication to the cause caused some heartbreaks along the way. “Well, relationships are probably the biggest thing.
“There are a lot of girls who follow England and it would have been really ideal for one of them to be my girlfriend. Find a girl who loves soccer and goes to the games.”
“Especially when I get to decorate my room with some trophies, bowls, pennants, things like that.
“I actually had a girlfriend who said the classic line, ‘You love England more than you love me, don’t you?’ Now, how do I respond? ‘I love Scotland more than you!’ Anyway, that was when I was reaching into my pocket for a red card!” ”
WATCH: Check out episode 1 of our World Cup podcast ‘Make Football Great Again’
Tips to save money for your 2026 World Cup trip
Garford’s tips for traveling to North America on a budget
Plan – Get a map: “Research your options, find out how to get there and plan your internal options as well.” Make friends: “Make friends with other people. It’s much cheaper to rent an Airbnb with others. In Qatar, we got a few villas and they filled up without any problems.” Football Supporters Association: “They publish guides all the time and they’re really, really helpful. They have the best interests of England supporters in mind. You can find free travel. “As soon as everything is announced, whether it’s a friendly or a tournament, flights, hotels and travel can become available. But eventually it starts to drop.”
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England highlights and low points
the best person I’ve met
“I met Archbishop Desmond Tutu by chance, true. We had planned to visit a local school in Cape Town on the day of the Algeria war in South Africa. We had arranged to meet outside the governor’s residence and the cathedral was next door.
“I needed to go to the toilet, and the owner of the cafe took me to the cathedral. Then I saw this guy and when he came up to me…I recognized him. I took pictures and got autographs. It was very special. My memories are of meeting people, making friends, and playing matches.”
“I was lucky to meet Pele too. I was at work when he came via Heathrow. I was stunned for a moment, then realized it was Pele and was devastated. I kissed his hand and he was really sweet. It was cloudy the whole day.”
biggest disappointment
“Unfortunate for Brazil. We were eliminated after two games. It takes a certain amount of determination to go completely eliminated after two games. But Roy Hodgson achieved that. But guess what? Roy was a gentleman.”
manager
“I liked Gareth Southgate because he reunited me with the fans. I really liked Terry Venables and Bobby Robson was good too. But when Gareth said it wasn’t just the football that was going to Qatar…someone rightly said it was just the football.”
