This was not how it was supposed to be as England touched down on their return from the World Cup.

There was no David Beckham holding aloft that famous golden trophy, no Sven with a broad "I told you so" smile and no massed ranks of patriotic fans waving the flag of St George in celebration of finally bringing an end to a 40-year quest for the beautiful game's ultimate prize.

Instead, only around 150 die-hard supporters were on hand at Stansted's Business Aviation terminal on Sunday afternoon to wait patiently in the sweltering heat, peering through the perimeter fences for what turned out to be a mere fleeting glimpse of Eriksson's men, who landed via private British Airways jet on the far side of the tarmac, around a quarter of a mile away.

Only the southern-based players - and the departing manager - disembarked, along with out-going captain David Beckham, before being whisked away by the awaiting transport and off to reflect on what might have been.

The only 'fans' lucky enough to get a memento of the occasion were the waiting ground staff, a few of whom picked up autographs and the odd cheeky snap of a Premiership star on a mobile phone.

The plane would, though, eventually close its doors as Wayne Rooney and Company departed for Manchester, leaving the waiting supporters, many of them children, little chance to even say as much as a "never mind boys, there is always next time" - even after dashing across the road to try to head off their heroes at the exit.

But would that have been too much to ask - for the Football Association to organise a PR exercise of goodwill to those who help pay the wages of the men who once again failed to deliver on football's greatest stage?

After all, the squad were more than happy to pose for the cameras as they jetted off to Germany just a few weeks ago - all so full of hope and dreams, which have since been drowned in a sea of tears and disappointment.

Of course, a more triumphant return had been planned for, and dare say an open-top bus parade around the streets of the capital which would have made last summer's Ashes celebrations and the dancing in the fountains at Trafalgar Square in the wake of the Rugby World Cup victory of 2003 look like a housewives' tea-party.

In the end, though, I guess it just was not mean to be.... again.

Part of football is learning how to take defeat and failure with dignity, no matter how bitter a pill it may be to swallow. Argentina clearly have a bit to learn.

Beckham - as he tearfully announced he was standing down as England captain - maintained last night" penalty shoot-out heartbreak against Portugal hurt each and everyone of the players "more than you can ever know".

Today, however, also sees a nation in mourning their collective grief.

"There are not many of us here, but they should have come off the plane and signed autographs and posed for photos," said Matt Ogilvie, a 17-year-old from Bishop Stortford who is in the England Supporters club.

"We are all as disappointed as they are.

"They are sad - well the whole country is sad, people have been crying too and the players should have come back here to talk to everybody.

"We had thousands of fans out in Germany, and we all thought this was going to be the year as well."

With time on his side, the young Chelsea fan will no doubt see many more oh-so-nears which have now become part and parcel of the roller-coaster ride in following England since that balmy day at Wembley almost half-a-century ago.

That, though, will not ease the pain which millions like him are feeling up and down the country right now - and probably will do for a long while to come.

(re-opens) The flight headed from Stansted to Manchester - the final leg of the journey home for England's northern based players - and their mood would not have been helped when stormy weather conditions at Manchester meant the flight had to be diverted to Liverpool.

Arrangements that had been made for the players to be picked up had to be hurriedly changed.