the shirt following a deep cut to his head. The game ended goalless and England had qualified. He was selected in the England squad for the finals in France. England got through the group but succumbed in the second round to Argentina, again after a penalty shoot-out. This time Ince did take a penalty but saw it saved. Ince was sent off in a 2–1 loss against Sweden in England's first qualifying match for Euro 2000 on 5 September 1998. In his absence, manager Kevin Keegan chose David Batty in central midfield. When Batty himself was sent off against Poland, Ince returned for the playoff against Scotland. In a warm up match for Euro 2000 against Malta, Ince came on as a substitute and won his 50th cap, and was subsequently named in the 22-man squad for the tournament. He duly played in all three of England's group games of the tournament – winning a penalty against Romania in the last game – but England lost two of three matches and were eliminated. He publicly said that he would not follow Alan Shearer into international retirement, given that he did not want to end his England career on a low note. Style of play A tenacious, athletic, and hard-working player, Ince was known for his tireless running and ability to provide defensive support to his team in midfield. Managerial career Swindon Town (player-coach) Ince signed a one-year contract with Swindon Town as a player/coach on 31 August 2006. Swindon beat the likes of Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion for his signature. A key factor in the transfer was Ince's long standing friendship with Town manager Dennis Wise, who had played alongside him in the England team during the 1990s. He made his first start for Swindon in his second game, the 2–1 victory over MK Dons on 12 September, winning a penalty. Having played one more game, he ended his contract by mutual consent on 6 October, citing long travel times from his home in Chester. He said he would remain for his coaching badges. Macclesfield Town On 23 October 2006, Ince was confirmed as the new player-manager of Macclesfield Town in succession to Brian Horton. However, he was ineligible to play for the Silkmen until January when the transfer window opened, as Swindon Town still held his registration. He joined Macclesfield with the club bottom of League Two,