World Cup 2018: England superfan and Gareth Southgate lookalike fears backlash if Three Lions lose to Colombia
Superfan has been taunted in past but could face worse if England go out of the World Cup on Tuesday night
A GARETH SOUTHGATE lookalike and England superfan who spent £50,000 in 17 years following his beloved team across the world fears being a dead ringer for their manager could put him in danger if England lose tonight.
Neil Rowe has followed the Three Lions across the globe for the best part of two decades and is routinely mistaken for the manager wherever he goes.
The 43-year-old is such a dead ringer that he is known as 'Southgate' among mates and has enjoyed chants from 'several thousand' fans who spotted the resemblance.
The obsessed fan, who has met his doppelganger, even posed as the star to autograph a child's napkin in a restaurant after Southgate's penalty miss in 1996.
However the commercial airline pilot, who has taken full advantage of discounted flights to follow England wherever they go, is boycotting his first World Cup in 20 years.
The football fanatic claims he could not bring himself to attend this year's tournament after the recent behaviour of Putin and Russia and allegations of corruption against Fifa.
But not being at the Three Lions' knockout stage match against Colombia tonight has not soothed any fears for Neil, who worries that his resemblance could put him in the firing line for angry fans.
Neil, from Twickenham, London, said: “It’s good to look like him while the tournament has only just started but if it takes a turn for the worse I could find myself mistaken for public enemy number one.
“I’ve met Southgate in person a few times now at various matches and events – he’s my brother from another mother.
"[I'm] very happy for Southgate.
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"I've been compared to him since his playing days, and even autographed a kid's napkin in McDonald's in 1996 after his penalty miss.
“At Edgbaston in the early 2000s I had several thousand fans singing 'Southgate, give us a song!', so the moniker stuck.
“When I first met him in 2010 our eyes met across a crowded room - bar! - in Joburg. I went over and he said 'I've heard about you'.”
Having followed the Three Lions from Japan to Germany, South Africa to Brazil, this is the first World Cup since Italia 90 that Neil has watched at home.
He added: “It felt weird not to be in (Russia) to support Southgate and the boys. They’ll probably go and win the whole thing now I’m not there.
“I just couldn’t quite stomach it this time around. I adore England with all my heart and have loved following them to every corner of the globe throughout my life but at some point you have to make a stand of your own.
“I’ve seen first-hand how aggressive the Russian fans can be towards the English at the last Euros in France.
“After my experiences in Marseille it was a concern, although I hear the Russian people have been welcoming.”
