My Favourite Football Chants

Adam Barr by Correspondent Written on July 17, 2009

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BLOEMFONTEIN, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 20:  A Bafana Bafana supporter sings prior to the FIFA Confederations Cup match between Spain and South Africa at Free State Stadium on June 20, 2009 in Bloemfontein, South Africa.  (Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)
Jasper Juinen/Getty Images

This is a tribute to the masses of football fans around the globe. The creativity of fans to hector and heckle the opposition, fans, and players in displays of mass spontaneity is genuinely something to behold.

Some of these songs are funny, some are definitely offensive, and often they perfectly pin down a devotion to club and country.

Here are my personal favourites, but you all might have different ones. Please comment and tell me the best one you have heard at a football game.

WARNING: Some language in the chants may offend some people.

Poor Old Alan Shearer

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - MAY 24:  Newcastle United manager Alan Shearer (R) and his assistant manager Iain Dowie react during the Barclays Premier League match between Aston Villa and Newcastle United at Villa Park on May 24, 2009 in Birmingham, England. New

(Tune of Daydream Believer)
"Cheer up Alan Shearer, Oh what can it be? To a sad Geordie bastard and his shite football team"

When I first heard it just made me smile!

Not very popular with the Toon Army at all. This song must have been a bitter thing to take having just been relegated, especially for someone as devoted to Newcastle as Alan Shearer.

But this song perfectly emulates a creativity from fans and being a Hull fan I just could resist putting it in.

The Naughty Referee

ATLANTA - JUNE 24:  Referee Terry Vaughn during the international friendly match between Mexico and Venezuela at Georgia Dome on June 24, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia.  (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

"The ref-erees a wanker! The referees a wanker!"

Nothing can better project a fan's utter distaste for the officials of the game better than a short, sharp classic. Not very witty but still very very very funny.

On a more thoughtfull note another, subtler song would be:

"1-0! To the referee, 1-0! to the referee"

Pompey Chimes

PORTSMOUTH, UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 24:  Swansea fans cheer as the teams enter the pitch during the FA Cup sponsored by E.ON 4th Round match between Portsmouth and Swansea City at Fratton Park on January 24, 2009 in Portsmouth, England.  (Photo by Richar

When Portsmouth played Hull at the KC stadium these few words really dominated the afternoon.

"Play up Pompey, Pompey play up!"

Repeated over and over again the Hull fans soon came up with a counter.

"You've only got one song! You've only got one so-ong!"

Whatever it was there was a really special fan atmosphere as the two sets of fans tried to out-do each other.

Whats the Score?

SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - MAY 24:  Sunderland Chairman Niall Quinn salutes the fans at the end of the Barclays Premier League match between Sunderland and Chelsea at The Stadium of Light on May 24, 2009 in Sunderland, England.  (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty I

"_____ Whats the score? _____ _____ Whats the score?"

Nothing can rub a poor result in a manager's face like thousands of fans reminding him of it every few minutes in deafening fashion.

Really it adds insult to injury.

But what best describes a fan's wry humour even in the bleakest situation other than this:

(When losing 3-0 and just scoring)
"We're gunna win 4-3, we're gunna win 4-3, we're gunna win 4-thre-eee"

Local Level

WIGAN, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 22:  A Hull fan makes himself heard during the Barclays Premier League match between Wigan Athletic and Hull City at The JJB Stadium on March 22, 2009 in Wigan, England.  (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

At the end of the day the chants and songs that have the most resonance with clubs are ones that have sprung up locally.

It may be a particular song attached to the club over the years and have a significant meaning to the club or even a song attached to a well-loved player.

These are the ones that truly mean something to the fans.

As a Hull fan, the song that I grew up singing at Boothferry Park and now the KC was "Take my Hand" by Elvis.

But I'm interested, what are the songs that means the most to you as a fan?

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written on July 17, 2009 Rankings/List

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