From rodeos to Oasis: England fans embrace Texas and American culture

The sights, sounds and smells of a rodeo in Dallas were exactly as advertised: a man with a southern accent, cows stamping on dirt, country music blaring, cowboy hats and cheap American beer. For a few odd minutes, though, England fans made it theirs — the twang paused and Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline played, prompting an awkward, familiar chorus before the event returned to its usual rhythm.

Howard Taylor has leaned into that collision of cultures. He hired a big Dodge Ram, drove around Texas and said it felt “really, really American.” His trip began on the 21st of May and he does not plan to leave until England lose, with a provisional flight out of New York booked after the final.

His route has included Orlando, Key Largo, Key West, Miami, Galveston and Dallas, plus a brief hop to Leipzig to watch Crystal Palace lift the UEFA Conference League — an excursion that left American immigration officers baffled until an Atlético Madrid fan recognised his Crystal Palace top.

United States, Dallas, Texas

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