Only 6,000 English fans were supposed to be at Royal Bafokeng Stadium for their team's World Cup opener against the United States. Yet by kickoff, it seemed like more than half of the 45,000-strong crowd were dressed in Three Lions gear.

Somehow, they always find their way in.

Even when France played Uruguay and Italy met Paraguay in matches that had no English competitive interest whatsoever, there were red St George's Crosses spanning long stretches of the middle tier of Green Point Stadium.

Considering they support a team that won its first and only World Cup title in 1966, English fans are dog loyal and exceptionally knowledgeable about the game and its history.

And since the excesses of fan violence of the 1980s and 1990s have subsided, they are among the most pleasurable to have around. Which is lucky because they are already converging on Cape Town in their thousands for Friday's game against Algeria.

"Twenty-four hours on a plane? It doesn't matter. On Friday, Cape Town will be England abroad," said Dan Viggers, a 24-year-old Coventry fan drinking with a half dozen other England supporters at the city's fan zone.

London mayor Boris Johnson is even in town, on a visit to promote the 2012 Olympics and England's 2018 World Cup bid.

"I've met many English fans so far, or England fans, and they all seem to be behaving with impeccable courtesy," Johnson said. "It's very important that English football supporters behave with the good manners for which they're famous."

Apart from the multicoloured South African flag, the red St. George's Cross on a white background was highly visible in the streets of Cape Town, a city still so British it has a St. Georges Mall and a Wembley Square.

About 20,000 fans from England are expected for the game and, of course, Cape Town has a British immigrant community numbering in the thousands.

High up over Green Market amid the Art Deco facades, two English flags and a Union Jack were prominent next to South Africa's rainbow flag.

Down below, amid a stall selling African bric-a-brac, nine-year-old Julian Fisher already had his face painted in St. George's colours. The son of a British father and Malawi mother, he has lived his whole life in South Africa but wore his heart on his face Wednesday.

He also had some advice for coach Fabio Capello.

"The goalkeeper is not good," Julian said, reflecting on Robert Green's blunder that led to United States' equaliser in the 1-1 draw with England. "They should have asked David James (to play)."

If Capello acts on his advice, Julian reckons the victory margin will be comfortable - "I think England 10, Algeria 0."

Wisdom comes with age, and the Byskup family of four were all going for a 3-0 or 2-0 win on Friday.

Father Andy moved to the Cape 15 years ago, just after the free elections that ended apartheid. While he blends in fully, his football allegiance has not changed. Nor have his hopes.

Not since the 1966 World Cup at home has England won anything. Even a country like Greece has run away with a major trophy, at the 2004 European Championship.

"It has been a tantalisingly long time," Byskup said.

The wait has turned the English into the most die-hard fans around, with some insisting on the rosiest picture possible when others see nothing but bleakness, as the dour game against the United States showed.

"I promise you! I saw passages," prophesied mayor Johnson, "I saw passages of real greatness in that England team. I thought they were passing it around. Passing! We weren't kicking and running. We were passing it between ourselves with German efficiency."

Other English fans just go for plain old superstition.

"Every time we do well in the World Cup, we draw the opening game," said Steven Shepard, a 29-year-old fan from Brighton. "It is a good omen."

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