MORE than a century of games in charge, two finals at major tournaments, plus a semi-final and a quarter final.

It’s a record which no other England manager can compare with, aside from of course 1966 World Cup winner Sir Alf Ramsey.

The news of Gareth Southgate’s resignation this morning didn’t come as a huge surprise, with it in the aftermath of England’s late heartbreak against Spain on Sunday night.

This summer’s Euros saw Southgate and the Three Lions side face heavy criticism for their style of play, but once again, he proved the critics wrong by guiding England to the final.

It’s not just the defeat to Spain which will have hurt Southgate though, but the manner of it too, and the loss to Italy three years ago.

Mentally, it must be difficult to come back from those experiences, and that will surely have played a part in Southgate’s decision.

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Despite the criticism, Southgate brought together the England team in a way so many others have failed so miserably.

He got rid of the club rivalries that blighted previous ‘Golden Generations’, instilled a pride in the Three Lions shirt, and most importantly, made England a force again at major tournaments.

This summer alone, Jude Bellingham’s magical overhead kick deep in stoppage time against Slovakia, the perfect penalty shoot-out victory against Switzerland, and Ollie Watkins’ late winner against the Netherlands, are all moments which will be looked back on fondly.

The biggest criticism aimed at Southgate was always the style of football. His safety first approach didn’t necessarily get the best out of an unbelievably talented set of attacking players.

Fitting all of Bellingham, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane into one starting XI is no easy feat, especially when the supporting cast boasts Eberechi Eze, Anthony Gordon, Ivan Toney and Watkins.

Oh, and by the way, players such as Jack Grealish, James Maddison, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho didn’t even travel to Germany this summer, such is the strength in depth England have in the attacking third of the pitch.

The hope will be that whoever is chosen to replace Southgate is that little bit more aggressive in setting the team up, while also maintaining the club mentality and togetherness that’s been created and preserved over the last eight years.

When the dust settles, let’s hope the Southgate era is remembered with the credit it thoroughly deserves.

After all, as FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said in his statement this morning, in the 25 tournaments post-1966 before Southgate took charge, England won seven knockout games.

In the four tournaments under Southgate, England won nine.

If indeed football does come home in the next few years, it will have been built on the foundations that Southgate laid down.