Jeremy Clarkson gave two lucky England fans the chance to watch tonight’s clash with Ghana for free – after the presenter decided he didn’t fancy braving the Boston rain.
Clarkson, 66, who is in remission from prostate cancer, took to X on Tuesday to get rid of the tickets after upgrading to hospitality.
The Clarkson’s Farm star had bought seats in the front row at the Gillette Stadium after jetting Stateside for the tournament, but preferred to sit inside as torrential rain battered the east coast.
His social media post, which racked up more than 12,000 likes, read: ‘I have two tickets for the England game in Boston this afternoon. Anyone want them?’
And less than an hour later, Clarkson posted again: ‘I’m in Boston and I’ve got these two spare tickets. To get them, you need to be in Boston too.’
Clarkson eventually met up with 32-year-old engineer Derry Thomas and Gary Collier, 31, to gift them the highly sought after seats just hours ahead of kick-off.
Jeremy Clarkson gifted England fans Derry Thomas (left) and Gary Collier (right) with two free tickets ahead of this evening’s clash with Ghana
After deciding he didn’t want to sit in the rain, the television star took to X to see who wanted the seats
In a video posted on social media, the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire star explained: ‘Right, here I am in Boston for the match.
‘I had two tickets and then it’s raining, so I thought, I don’t want to go outside so I’ll give them away and go in a posh box.
‘And I found these chaps [turning the camera to the duo], this is Derry and Gary. They didn’t have any tickets for the game and now…’
Derry replied: ‘We’ve got one! Very appreciated.’
The duo are two of thousands of England supporters to have made the trip to Boston ahead of the Three Lions’ second World Cup fixture.
Thomas Tuchel’s men opened their campaign with an emphatic 4-2 victory over Croatia in Dallas, fueling wild celebrations amongst the English faithful.
But last night at a pub in Downtown Boston, the party was reported to have tipped into chaos, with staff closing early after supporters were seen standing on furniture and knocking chandeliers.
One staff member said around 200 fans had filled the bar on Monday night and warned of a ‘crazy’ atmosphere after the match, predicting earlier closures for nearby venues.
Members of the UK’s football policing unit were seen coordinating with Boston Police Department (BPD) officers on Union Street, where around 20 officers lined up outside as fans spilled onto the street.
Thousands of England fans have flocked to Boston to continue the World Cup party this week
And Boston residents were quick to react online, with one person writing on X: ‘Just met my first group of England fans in Boston. Some of the worst vibes I’ve ever encountered. Please do what you did in 1776 and evacuate xx’.
Another responded to a video of England fans chanting anti-Scotland songs: ‘Bad energy out of these absolute numpties. I think Scotland is akin to Boston and England is akin to New York. The arrogance. The looking down on. Zero class. Negative energy. While Scots are the opposite.’
A third added: ‘I went to Boston for Scotland v Haiti and it was fantastic. God love the England supporters, but this ain’t the way to win the hearts and minds.’
England supporters have indeed been making themselves heard across the city. Hundreds gathered at venues including The Greatest Bar, where a sea of red-and-white shirts sang, danced and played with inflatable props despite heavy rain. Former England winger David Bentley even led fans in a rendition of Wonderwall.
Elsewhere, comic character and Sunday league football manager Steve Bracknall (real name Chris McClure) rallied supporters with chants of ‘we’re on our way’, reflecting belief in a deep tournament run.
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