England manager Gareth Southgate has signed a new four-year contract which will keep him in charge of the Three Lions until the 2022 World Cup.
Here, Press Association Sport takes a look back at some of the highs and lows of the 48-year-old’s football career.
Life at the Palace
Southgate started his career at Crystal Palace and eventually captained the team under Alan Smith, helping the Eagles win the Division One title in 1993–94 to secure promotion to the Premier League.
Up the Villa
Following Palace’s relegation at the end of the campaign, Southgate joined Aston Villa for £2.5million and switched to centre-back alongside Ugo Ehiogu. Villa went on to win the 1996 League Cup final and also reach the 2000 FA Cup final, which they lost to Chelsea.
Penalty shoot-out heartbreak
Reliable defender Southgate stepped up to take a sudden-death penalty in the Euro 96 semi-final shoot-out against Germany at Wembley. However, his spot-kick was saved as the hosts exited the tournament – a moment which Southgate was later able to make light of by appearing in a Pizza Hut advert alongside Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle, whose own penalty nightmare came at the 1990 World Cup.
Boro up for the cup
In July 2001, Southgate left Villa to join Middlesbrough under Steve McClaren and would later be appointed captain – lifting the 2004 League Cup in Cardiff. Boro also reached the 2006 UEFA Cup final, which they lost 4-0 to Sevilla.
Stepping into the dugout
A first managerial role came at the age of 35 with Boro after McClaren took over as England boss in 2006. The Teessiders, though, were relegated in 2009 and Southgate was sacked shortly into the next season.
Young Lions roar
In August 2013, Southgate – who had been the Football Association’s head of elite development – was appointed England Under-21 boss. He masterminded a near-perfect qualification campaign for the 2015 European Championship, but England then failed to make it out of the group stages. Southgate also guided the Young Lions to victory in the Toulon Tournament in the summer – the first time in 22 years England had won the competition.
England come back from Russia with love
Seen as a safe pair of hands, Southgate was plunged into the England hotseat after Sam Allardyce left following the Daily Telegraph’s investigation into alleged corruption in football. Initially handed the reins for four games, Southgate would go on to become the permanent manager – and led England into a first World Cup semi-final appearance in 28 years, capturing the imagination of the country back home.
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