Gareth Southgate: Pizza Hut hold conference in same place as announcement of new England manager… bringing back memories of his cheesy 90s advert

GARETH SOUTHGATE was unveiled as England manager this afternoon at St George’s Park – but it was hijacked somewhat by a cheesy blast from his past.

If it was deliberate, then it takes some topping, but Pizza Hut held a conference on the same day and just a few hours before the former interim boss’s unveiling.

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Southgate will have afforded himself a a wry smile as he walked past the signage given his cringe-worthy 1996 advert.

The former England ace was mocked by fellow penalty missers Stuart Peace & Chris Waddle for fluffing the vital spot-kick in the semi-finals of Euro 96 against Germany.

Safe to say that if it was a marketing ploy, it was a stroke of genius - but more likely it is delicious coincidence.

Southgate was interviewed by a five-man panel at St George’s Park last week after an unbeaten run of four games as interim boss earlier this month.

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The panel included FA chairman Greg Clarke, FA chief executive Martin Glenn and FA technical director Dan Ashworth, as well as  Graeme Le Saux and Howard Wilkinson.

And todayhe was confirmed as the permanent boss on a four-year deal worth £6.3million after the FA were persuaded to increase his salary by Southgate’s representatives.

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PA:Press Association

The 46-year-old former Middlesbrough and England U21 boss agreed to a break clause to be activated if England flop at the 2018 World Cup finals, in return for an improvement in his basic wage.