As Euro 2004 fever grows, STEPHEN LEWIS goes in search of a good deal on England strips.

WHO says the English aren't optimists?

Despite the lacklustre display against Japan this week, football fans are set to spend nearly £1 billion supporting England as Euro 2004 fever grips the nation.

Die-hard fans travelling to watch the tournament live will be forking out an average of £1,594 each on flights, accommodation, tickets, food and drink while they are away, according to credit card firm Capital One.

And even those of us who stay here to watch Owen, Becks and co on the box will spend an average of £68 each on team merchandise, plus food and drink for match parties during the tournament.

So if you've got a houseful of men (large or small) who are desperate to emulate their heroes by dressing up in the full England get-up, where can you get it locally?

A quick telephone survey by the Evening Press revealed that there are plenty of sports outlets in York offering the replica England strip.

And if you can't afford the real thing (or the real replica, at least), you can always buy a T-shirt with ENGLAND on the back for little more than a song at your local Asda or Tesco.

At JJB Sports in Davygate you can buy the complete England strip - shirt, shorts and socks, both Home and Away colours - in a mainly polyester mix for £49.50 (shirt £25, shorts £17, socks £7.40) for adults and £41.50 (shirt £20, shorts £15, socks £6.50) for juniors. There is also a 'minikit' set for young children, where you get a shirt, shorts and socks set for £25 (infant) and £22 (baby).

For an extra £10, you can also get your shirt customised, with the name and number of your choice printed on the back.

The shirts are, not surprisingly, proving "very popular" - with Owen 10 just edging out Beckham 7 in the popularity stakes at the moment, says the store's assistant manager, Emma Ogiela. JJB, the official England sports retailer, Emma says, also offers a range of other Euro 2004 merchandise - everything from cups, bags and footballs, all sporting the England logo, for prices from £1.50 upwards.

Authentic England replica strips are also available at other York sports stores. At Allsports in Coney Street the complete Away strip costs £54 (£25 shirt, £20 shorts, £9 socks) for adults, £45 (£20 shirt, £17 shorts, £8 socks) for juniors. The reversible Home strip is more expensive, at £64 and £55 respectively. Here, shirts can also be customised, for £1 a letter and £4 a number.

Rawcliffes, in Colliergate has Home and Away shirts at £26.99 (adult) and £21.99 (junior), plus Away shorts and socks at £19.99 (adult shorts), £8.99 (adult socks), £16.99 (junior shorts) and £7.99 (junior socks). Shirts can be customised for 50p a letter and £2.50 a number, but have to be sent away, so could take a week to be ready.

JD Sport in Coney Street, meanwhile, offers red away strip combos of shirt and shorts at £44.98 (adult) and £36.98 (junior). Socks are not available.

Finally, if you want to get in the spirit but are feeling a bit strapped for cash (or else would rather spend your hard-earned money on beer to be drunk while watching our boys on the box), you could do worse than head for your nearest Asda or Tesco.

Tesco at Clifton Moor offer a T-shirt (all colours) with England on the back for £12, while Asda at Monks Cross do 'England' T-shirts starting from just £4, depending on the style you want.

They may not be the real thing; but at least there will be plenty of cash left over to drown your sorrows with when Beckham's Boys crash out of the tournament in the first round.

Updated: 08:48 Thursday, June 03, 2004