Sunderland's pride in Jordan Pickford and Jordan Henderson

Even if things are about to go horribly wrong at the World Cup, this is football after all, they have already done well for England in three successive major tournaments.

England don’t always do well in major tournaments. In fact they don’t always qualify. So well done to the lads and ditto Jill Scott.

Of course, when anyone has indisputably done well, a vocal minority of sniping dullards will have a stab at undermining their achievements.

In the cases of Pickford, Henderson and Scott, they contend that Sunderland should take no particular pleasure in their global fame and success because they don’t live here any more.

Pity they don’t still play for Sunderland, but a grasp of reality is required. Many people have to move away for their own furtherance, but they usually avoid opprobrium for this. This “thinking” only seems to apply to football.

Kate Adie, Dave Stewart, James Herriott, Joseph Swan etc. are proudly proclaimed as sons and daughters of the city.

They all moved away, without criticism. The fame of Pickford and Henderson at least matches theirs, but some oddballs just aren’t having it.

Both Jordans ply their trade on Merseyside: Pickford at Everton, Henderson at Liverpool where he has won virtually everything. Odd in a way that they should be in that particular city.

Visitors to Liverpool seldom leave before noticing some or other reference to its most famous sons, The Beatles.

Merseyside quite rightly makes hay with Beatles tours, themed pubs, statues, street names, souvenir shops, John Lennon Airport…

Go on Liverpool I say. Anyone contacting the Merseyside tourist board, asking them to desist on the grounds that all four Beatles left Liverpool as young men and never returned, would be rightly dismissed and laughed at.

So well done to the Jordans; Sunderland lads. Let’s hope you’re about to inspire still more local pride. If anything we should make even more of their celebrity – as in the true definition, “worthy of celebration”.