Exactly 50 years ago, Bobby Moore lifted the Jules Rimet trophy and Wembley hailed England’s world champions. Today, disaffection with the national team has never been greater – English football looks broken. So, how did it happen? Jonathan Liew travels the nation in search of answers.

Liverpool: The disconnect

During the 1950s and 1960s, in a spirit of zany optimism that defined the age, Liverpool’s town planners became fixated with the idea of replacing the city’s buses with helicopters. Ambitious sketches were drawn up for a network of helipads that would transform the Liverpool skyline and carry thousands of passengers a day.

The scheme foundered for two reasons. Firstly, nobody wanted to live, work or generally exist anywhere near the ferocious din of a landing helicopter.

Secondly, nobody wanted to get inside them, either. But then, this is the splendour of Liverpool. It is a city of dreams and visions and golden plans; a place where somebody is always promising something new and wonderful.