SO we went out. There are many theories (aside from the fact that we lost to Brazil) as to why England did not win the World Cup. Bar Talk blames it on the hairstyles. We were follicly inept.

We spent too much energy channelling Beckham's hair through the middle, while leaving David Seaman very dodgy at the back: that ponytail, heavy with sweat in the Japanese heat, clearly weighed him down as he waved the Brazilian free kick into the net.

What was wrong with the old sweeper system, as deployed to such effect by World Cup winner Bobby Charlton's barber?

Anyway, enough recriminations. The fact is our boys did good - for the pub trade in particular.

It was exhausting stuff, though. Yesterday, Georgia Clarey, landlady of the Rose & Crown, Lawrence Street, York, rose at 4am. And she didn't expect to get to bed until 12.30 this morning.

After preparing a load of breakfasts, Georgia threw open the doors for the Brazil match. Then she was serving through the day and into the night, with a live band in the evening.

But she said it was worth it. "You keep going on the adrenaline rush. It's been brilliant."

Although hailing from Australia, Georgia's knowledge of football is quite keen: she worked in her aunt's pub, the White Horse in Bootham, during the last World Cup.

She said opening so early had caused her to do a double take once or twice - "it was eight o'clock in the morning and people were jumping up and down and screaming" - but it had all been good-natured.

"We have had such a great atmosphere. Everybody's been fantastic. We haven't had any trouble. People have started drinking earlier and gone home earlier."

That remained true despite the disappointment of the Brazil result, Georgia said.

Over at the Exhibition, Bootham, bar maid Tanya Whitehall reported similarly good-humoured scenes.

"We've had no problems. Everyone's been really well behaved. It's been fantastic. We had a lot of patriotic people running in and out with St George's flags."

The staff had all entered into the spirit, wearing their England shirts. "It's been a great year with the Jubilee and everything," she said.

Some pubs had avoided the World Cup altogether. One, The Maltings in Tanner's Moat, had been quiet, said TV football pundit and landlord Shaun Collinge.

Instead of boorish football banter, the pub rang to the sound of intellectual debate. Or something like that.

Bar Talk salutes all the York pubs for their efforts over the last few weeks. And here's to ending 40 years of hurt in Germany 2006.

Updated: 08:56 Saturday, June 22, 2002