Former England manager Gareth Southgate reveals the agony and ecstasy of his football career - amid life in Crawley

The 54-year-old spoke out about the support of his parents – and his anguish while playing as a teenager for Southampton – on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4 yesterday (Sunday December 22).

He also spoke of his pride at playing for England: “It’s been the honour of my life and I’ve given it my all.”

Gareth, who is tipped to receive a knighthood in the New Years Honours, chose ‘The Way It Is’ by Bruce Hornsby as his first disc, telling Lauren Laverne that listening to it reminded him of growing up in the early 80s, listening to the football final scores with the music playing in the background. “It was synonymous with five o’clock on Saturday hearing the results come in.”

Gareth, who was a pupil at Hazelwick School in Crawley, also spoke of how supportive his parents – Clive and Barbara – were to him. “They were always a bit of a supporting background at home. They were supportive without being pushy.”

Another of his favourite discs – The Carpenters ‘Rainy Days and Mondays’ – also, he said, “reminds me of being home and feeling safe.”

He also revealed his anguish when at the age of 13 or 14 he was released by Southampton. “I wasn’t good enough for them. I wouldn’t say I was bitter about that but I still have the letter at home somewhere.”

His parents, he said, again offered him support pointing out how “few kids make it.” But Gareth used the experience to inspire him to move forward. And it was soon onwards and upwards with his first paid job – “£27.50 a week” – as an apprentice for Cyrstal Palace and later becoming team captain at the age of 23.

He also spoke of his agony after missing a penalty in England’s Euro 1996 final against Germany. “I wasn’t able to execute the skill under pressure,” he said. Back home after the tournament, he said, he didn’t want to go out. But the experience gave him insight, when later as England manager, into how other players felt and his instinct was to protect them.

Asked about his famed ‘Dear England’ letter, father-of-two Gareth said it was the result of an interview in which he was asked about his feelings for England. "Every time you walk out as an England manager you know all that history is there. Also the pride of representing your country and what that means. It is an absolute privilege to be in that position.”

As for the future, he said that he had taken advice from other famous people who held prominent positions on what they did on leaving. “All of them have said don’t rush. I’ve spent 37 years as player and coach. I’m not against doing something completely different.”