Previously unseen pictures show the filming of England's most famous football song as the nation prepares itself for Sunday's Euro 2020 final.
In the images, the masterminds behind the iconic song 'Three Lions', comedians Frank Skinner and David Baddiel relax with Lightning Seeds star Ian Broudie inside a cosy pub in the capital.
The trio have been immortalised within football folklore after teaming up to produce 'Three Lions' in 1996 - the soundtrack of that summer's European Championship, which was hosted by England.
These previously unseen shots, taken on a chilly Saturday in April 1996, show our unlikely heroes with World Cup winning striker Sir Geoff Hurst inside The Queen of the Isle pub in London's Docklands.
The venue for the catchy song, once an old-fashioned pub, has largely been erased from history after its demolition in 2004. Today, 571 Manchester Road is home to a Tesco Express.
But the Queen of the Isle will be forever remembered after these pictures re-emerged, while the toe-tapping 'Three Lions' tune surges up the official UK charts before England face off against Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday.
It's Coming Home! The masterminds behind the iconic Three Lions music video, Ian Broudie of the Lightning Seeds (left), British comedians David Baddiel (centre right) and Frank Skinner (far right) pose with a smart looking Sir Geoff Hurst (middle)
Behind the scenes pictures with 1966 World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst, Ian Broudie of the Lightning Seeds and comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner at The Queen of the Isle, London
The pictures were taken by photographer Tim Paton, who had been invited onto the closed set to take the candid shots.
After England's nerve-wracking triumph over Denmark on Wednesday, Tim had a brainwave.
He remembered his long forgotten negatives were hidden away and contacted a local photography agency to get them scanned and released to the public.
Three Lions was released on May 20, 1996 and became England's official anthem during Euro 96.
Over 25 more years of hurt, it has remained the soundtrack to English football’s twin towers - hope and despair.
‘It still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up,’ Alan Shearer has previously said.
But its enduring popularity was seen again at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, when 'Three Lions' became the first song in UK history to have four spells at No 1 with the same line-up.
That's remained the case in 2021, with roaring chants of 'It's Coming Home' and 'Three Lions on a shirt' bellowing out of the Wembley stands at each and every England match so far.
As the national team prepare for their first international final since the World Cup winning side of 1966, the familiar lyrics of Three Lions continue to make appearances in every pub, garden and household in the country.
Since its release 25 years ago, Three Lions has been streamed more than 38million times and the iconic music video has amassed 33.1million views on YouTube.
The song has been the soundtrack to the national side's games since 1996, and clearly continues to do so as Three Lions recently rose to as high as number six in the official UK charts.
Ian Broudie told Sky News: 'People walk past my window late at night singing it, it just makes me smile.
'There’s a certain poetic symmetry, 25 years on, same venue, there is something. You like to feel there’s a
