Inside Gareth Southgate’s love story with spouse Alison as he resigns

He may have fallen in and out of favour with England fans over the past eight years – but Gareth Southgate has always been able to rely on the unwavering support of his wife Alison.

This morning, the 53-year-old resigned from the position as England manager  – less than 48 hours after England’s devastating defeat in the Euros 2024 final.

After taking on the role in November 2016, the father-of-two guided the Three Lions through four major tournaments, twice leading his side to the European Championship final in 2020 and 2024. 

In an emotional statement, Gareth said the job had been the ‘honour of [his] life’ and paid tribute to the ‘brilliant people’ who had supported through the highs and lows. 

The former England manager first met his wife when he was Crystal Palace trainee and Alison – who had a boyfriend at the time – was working in a shop in Croydon.

The pair have now been married for almost 30 years and share children Mia, 24, and Flynn, 20, who regularly attend England matches with Alison.

Here FEMAIL delves into Gareth and Alison’s love story – from their unlikely beginning to their relationship-defining ultimatum. 

Love blossomed in Tesco car park 

Gareth first laid eyes on Alison in the early 1990s when she was working in a clothes shop in Croydon near the Crystal Palace training ground. 

Speaking to The Guardian in 2020, Gareth explained how he struggled with his confidence around this time – detailing how he turned up to his first day as a trainee in smart clothes while his peers were in jeans. 

He said: ‘It felt like a disaster before I’d even started. All my peers seemed so much more streetwise and I was just this kid from the suburbs with goofy teeth. Nothing about me was cool and I felt like I’d never fit in.’

In his 2003 book Woody & Nord: A Football Friendship, Gareth detailed how he would pretend to browse the clothing boutique Alison worked in before plucking up the confidence to approach Alison.

He also said he was helped by the owner of an Italian restaurant in Croydon, which he and Alison frequented, who acted as a go-between. 

Having been teased for his prominent nose, he was so unconfident of his looks that it took him about two years to ask her out. But when he finally did, she told him she was living with a boyfriend. 

However, after hearing that Alison had split up with her boyfriend, Gareth gave her his number – prompting his future wife to call him that evening. 

When they first became an item, the couple would reportedly meet in their local Tesco car park for dates in an effort to keep their relationship a secret from Alison’s ex-boyfriend.

Alison’s relationship ultimatum  

From 1988-1995, Gareth Southgate played for Crystal Palace – but his career at the club came to an end when he transferred to Aston Villa.

At this point, Alison issued Gareth with an ultimatum as she didn’t want to have a long-distance relationship.

Either she moved to Birmingham with him or they had to break up.

After Gareth decided to take the plunge, he admitted that his parents Clive and Barbara were ‘a little taken aback’ as they had only met Alison once.

The former football player said: ‘[They] found it hard to believe that a son who had been so methodical, logical and weighed up everything’ would behave so capriciously.

However, Alison proved to be a source of unwavering support when Gareth missed a penalty in the 1996 Euros final.

That summer, the couple went on holiday to Bali – but still couldn’t escape the reminder of England’s loss.

Speaking to The Guardian in 2008, Gareth said: ‘One day we found ourselves in an isolated Buddhist temple with lakes and volcanoes nearby.

‘It was magical but unfortunately I was spotted by a monk who came over and said: “You Gareth Southgate, you England penalty drama.” I reckon he was one of those long-distance Manchester United fans.’

Small English wedding and children’s Yorkshire upbringing

Alison and Gareth married in June 1997 in a low-key ceremony at his parents’ local church in Crawley, West Sussex. 

The ceremony was carefully planned between the World Cup and European Championship campaigns. 

The Southgate family home is Swinsty Hall, a magnificent Grade I-listed Elizabethan manor nestled in the wilds of North Yorkshire, that he bought for £3.75 million when he moved to Middlesbrough.

What’s more, neighbours have previously remarked on the family’s down-to-earth nature and generosity of spirit.

Describing them as ‘lovely people’, one local resident this week recalled how they reacted when carol singers warbled hopefully outside the gates of their mansion at Christmas.

‘They came down to meet us with a torch and invited us up to the house. The Southgates were all there with the kids and another family. They had lit two roaring fires and showed us into their Elizabethan dining room where we all had mulled wine and sang carols together.’

Alison and children’s support during manager years

Despite being a WAG, Alison isn’t a huge football fan, which Gareth has always appreciated.

Her father-in-law Clive previously told the Mail: ‘Actually, I don’t think Alison likes football very much.

‘Obviously she has to take an interest because it’s Gareth’s job, and she is always very supportive. She will sometimes go to Wembley for an international game – but not during the school term because she always puts the children first.’

Describing in his 2003 autobiography how family life helps him overcome football disappointments, he comments: ‘On Saturday evening, our children are not too bothered whether Dad’s team have won or lost.

‘Neither does Alison fret too much about football, and this is how I like it. Regardless of the result, it is up to me to ensure that no one’s evening is ruined because of things that happened on a football field.

‘The agonising waits until Alison and the kids are asleep.’

The ex-England manager has spoken frequently about how his wife and children help him to stay sane away from the pitch.

In 2017, he described how he was unwinding with his family ahead of preparing the England team for the World Cup.

‘Over the last couple of weeks I’ve just had a nice time spending it with the family though, and for me that’s important because my kids are 18 and 14, and their development is as important for me as anything else in my life,’ he told the Evening Standard.

‘You do have to try to find a balance because my focus inevitably gets drawn towards making this team as successful as we can and driving them to be the best team in the world, but I’m also a dad and a husband.’

In 2018 Jamie Vardy’s wife Rebekah confirmed that Southgate’s tactic is to allow players time with their loved ones, unlike in previous major tournaments.

‘He’s got the right idea of the team mentality,’ she told The Sun at the time. ‘He’s really relaxed with the players and he makes an effort with all of the families.

‘He really encourages family days after games which relaxes the players, it brings a bit of normality in.’

Although Gareth hasn’t spoken publicly about his wife much in recent years, he did tell GQ in May that Alison had urged him not to cut his hair any shorter. 

He said: ‘I’ll have one more hair cut before we go [to Germany for the Euros], I think, because my hair gets a little bit curly, which I don’t like.

‘Plus my wife says I haven’t got the features to have it really short.’