NOT everyone in York on Sunday afternoon was a football fan.

In fact, across much of the city centre, you'd have been forgiven for wondering whether there was even a football game going on.

Tables in Parliament Street were buzzing, Shambles was heaving with camera-toting tourists - and on a patch of grass in front of St Crux Church Hall on Pavement, three young people were very conspicuously not following the game.

Student Madeline Jones and her friends Alex O'Brien and Jake Shaw admitted to finding the whole football thing a bit of a mysetry.

"The obsession people have with it just seems a bit weird," Jake said.

"I don't mind football," Alex admitted reluctantly. In fact, he went to the odd Leeds came, he said. But England? "I dont care about the England football team," he said. "I don't feel patriotic!"

So they wouldn't be even a teeny bit pleased if England won?

Well, just a teeny bit, Madeline admitted. "But I wouldn't look forward to the celebrations in York!" said Alex.

At a table in Parliament Street, four friends from Blackpool - Philip Furner, his wife Ann, and their friends Rick and Louise Wood - were enjoying a couple of days break in York to celebrate Ann's 50th birthday.

York Press:

Football free (almost): Philip Furner, Rick Wood, Louise Wood and Ann Furner. 

At first they seemed oblivious to the fact a football game was even going on - until Rick admitted he'd been sneaking occasional glances at his mobile phone, just to see how the national team was doing.

"I'm very interested - I'm just not allowed to watch!" he said.

That prompted outraged protest from Louise. "I'd be watching if we were at home!" she retorted.

But a day out in York clearly beats a football match any time...