England expects!

Streets will be deserted and millions of people will be glued to their televisions as the match kicks off in St Etienne at 8pm.

More than 28 million people are expected to tune in to watch the second round match and cheer on the England side that beat Columbia 2-0 last Friday.

Bookmakers were having another busy day with patriotic punters more than willing to part with their money.

Although William Hill still had Argentina as favourites to win the match at 5-4, spokesman Graham Sharpe said the more passionate fans were still putting their money on England.

Odds are 2-1 for Hoddle's side to secure victory in 90 minutes and 9-1 to win in a penalty shoot-out.

Around £5 million was expected to be bet on tonight's game industry-wide, he added.

A customer at the William Hill shop in High Ousegate has placed £500 on England to win 1-0, at odds of 6:1, and another £500 on them winning 2-1, at odds of 10:1.

Staff at the bookies said the unknown man, who could win up to £5,500, has been placing £500 bets on every England match so far - and has already scooped £3,750 after correctly predicting England's 2-0 defeat of Tunisia.

Bookie Chris Barber, of Ebor Racing in Tang Hall, said he was expecting more bets today than any day since the last World Cup. "The Colombia match on Friday beat my previous records and today will be even bigger," he said.

And Acomb bookmaker Peter Cox is risking it all - by wearing an Argentina shirt all day. "I've followed them for years, though I'm not very popular today," he confessed.

A 2-1 victory to England was the prediction today of the city's great and good.

And the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, is hoping the foot of an English footballer - rather than an Argentinian "Hand of God" - will clinch a fairly-fought tie.

York's MP Hugh Bayley, the Dean, the Very Reverend Raymond Furnell, and the Lord Mayor, Councillor Derek Smallwood, were unanimous in predicting a 2-1 victory to England.

Coun Smallwood planned to get back as quickly as possible from a Mayoral engagement to watch the game in the Mayor's Parlour. He said he expected the reverse of 1986, when the Argentinians won thanks to a goal punched in by Maradona, who claimed afterwards it was the "Hand of God."

Mr Bayley will be watching in his Commons office. "Nothing is more important than this match! I am predicting a 2-1 victory for England."

But his Ryedale counterpart, John Greenway, president of York City FC, was resigning himself to the agony of missing England's most important game for years, and he also came up with a different prediction.

"I will be in the Commons for the report stage of a Finance Bill," he lamented.

He thought the game would go into extra time, perhaps to be decided by a golden goal. "I wouldn't rule out a penalty shoot-out."

The Dean said he would be watching at the Deanery and thought England might win 2-1.

A spokesman for the Archbishop said he would miss seeing the game because he had a private engagement tonight.

"But he will be keeping a close eye on the match and will be rooting for England. Dr Hope hopes there will be fair play and it will be the foot of an English footballer rather than the Hand of God that will make the difference."

Lynn Bell, managing director of Minster FM, said: "The team at the station is going for 2-1 to England, although the other side will score first. We also believe England are far sexier than the Argentinians - that's important too!"

York City chairman Douglas Craig declined to offer a score-cast but believed the game would be tight and would not be settled in the 90 minutes.

"I would not be surprised if it goes to golden goals, which I definitely do not approve of. I'm a penalty shoot-out man, myself."

Spare seats were expected at tonight's opening of Peter Grimes at the Theatre Royal, York, where staff have been fielding calls from people trying to change seat bookings to another date.

Spokeswoman Pippa McPherson said: "I have also heard a rumour that some members of the cast are a little disappointed. But it will be a great way to avoid football."

At the Odeon cinema in York, general manager Barbara Gledhill said: "We did not know what to expect but I think people have been coming to get away from the football."

Alan May, of the Warner Brothers multiplex at Clifton Moor, said numbers had been down on England nights but, thanks to special offers, non-football fans had been drawn in. "We are showing several films that appeal to ladies and children, and it is working," he said.

The Blue Bicycle restaurant in Fossgate, York, which is offering diners their money back on meals bought during the World Cup - provided England win the tournament - said it was expecting a late rush for tables at the end of tonight's game.

England fans arrived in St Etienne today by plane, train and car. The day of reckoning began with a friendly atmosphere in the southern French town, with fans of both countries mingling happily together.

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