YORK’S Viking legend Eric Bloodaxe says football fans can expect a battle at Wembley tonight, as old Saxon/Viking rivalries are revived when England play Denmark in the Euro 2020 semi-final.

“This is set to be the biggest Viking/ Anglo Saxon clash since the Battle of Stamford Bridge,” said the archetypal warrior, who now resides at the city’s Jorvik Viking Centre.

“Viking raids against Britain are nothing new, they have been happening since the 8th century,” he said.

“It’s down to the Anglo Saxons to maintain their position in the face of opposition from the Danes.”

And he had a word of encouragement for manager Gareth Southgate and his team as they seek to reach the final of a major international tournament for the first time since 1966: “Remember the element of surprise, which King Harold of England used to his success when he decimated the Vikings at Stamford Bridge in 1066.”

Meanwhile, North Yorkshire racehorse trainer Tim Fitzgerald has been lucky enough to get tickets for the match at Wembley tonight ...but there’s just one complication - he’ll be sitting with the Danish fans, including his wife Maja and daughters Anna and Nina.

Tim, of Norton, near Malton, said they managed to buy tickets for the Danish fans’ area at the suggestion of Maja’s brother, who to his frustration wasn’t able to go because he lives in Denmark and can’t travel to the UK due to Covid restrictions.

Tim said he hadn’t yet decided whether to sing God Save The Queen during the national anthems or quite how to react if England score. “It’s just a fantastic occasion,” he said.

Tim and his family will be part of a crowd of 60,000 fans able to watch the match at Wembley, following a loosening of Covid restrictions.

l The match starts at 8pm and can be seen on ITV.