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Martin P's on an Xmas tour – from Big Dunc to McVeigh via Huckerby, Ward and the Manics

21st December 2016 By Martin Penney 32 Comments

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You cannot go into a shop or a bar without Slade, Wizzard or even that dreadful Paul McCartney song in the background.

If you hit the wrong button on the TV remote (as I often do) there is Jonah Somebody asking everybody not to Stop the Cavalry. Okay, Fairytale of New York (my all-time Crimbo fave) pops up too, as does In Dulce Jubilo, with Mike Oldfield playing slide guitar like he was trying to impersonate Ronnie Wood.

The John Lennon one still brings tears to my eyes. It’s just me, I’ll get over it. Eventually.

Shakin’ Stevens, Mud and even Boney M are also there to remind older folks like me of Christmas past.

And for our slightly younger readers, I thought the Wham! video for Last Christmas was quite original at the time. Then Manic Street Preachers covered it. I much preferred the Welsh lads’ version. James Dean Bradfield and his mates Sean and Nicky are the best – they did the official Wales anthem for the Euros too. Check it out. And their album The Holy Bible, if you’re brave enough.

Which brings me to the football-based songs I have enjoyed hearing at Carrow Road and the point of this largely spurious article.

“Six foot two, eyes of blue, Duncan Forbes is after you…” Totally inaccurate descriptively, but the first I can remember. A theft from Arsenal, who used to sing in the same way about… yes, you’ve guessed it… Willy Young.

“My old man said be an Ipswich fan…” A total rob from Tottenham and the lyrics are too filthy to repeat on a decent, first class website such as this, but I would imagine you all know what I’m referring to.

“There is a circus in the town – where George Burley is the clown”. Again, far too rude to detail, but I used to sing it with gusto. A true NCFC original and I absolutely loved joining in with it.

The famous Paul McVeigh tribute: “We love you Paul McVeigh despite your lack of height…”.

One night (it could have been the famous Let’s be avin’ you one but I am not sure) the Man City picked up on it and sang back: “We hate you Paul McVeigh and if it’s quite all right… you do f— all and you’re a load of sh-te. Cross the ball and you’ll miss”

“You’ll never beat Mark Bowen“. Oh how true and happy memories come back. I can still hear it now in my head.

“Ashley Ward, Ashley Ward, he’s Ashley Ashley Ward. He gets the ball, he scores a goal, he’s Ashley Ashley Ward.”

The ultimate: “O Huckerby, Hucker, Hucker-bee…” Nothing else to add.

And, to end with, one I doubt we’ll ever hear again: “Say ooh aah Delia, say ooh aah Delia”. Great in its day, but totally unlikely to be resurrected.

Any more songs that any of our readers remember? I’d love to hear of them.


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Filed Under: Column, Martin Penney

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Comments

  1. Stewart Lewis says

    21st December 2016 at 3:38 pm

    One from the Duncan Forbes era (no idea why it sticks in my mind):

    nah-nah-NAH-nah
    nah-nah-NAH-nah
    hey, hey, hey
    Ken-ny Fog-go

    At my first games they used to sing about Keelan being better than Yashin and Bryceland better than Eusebio. Since then we’ve been the Green-n-Yellow Army of more managers than I care to remember.

    It all brings a smile to the face – which can’t be a bad thing at the moment. Cheers, Martin.

    Reply
  2. Gary Gowers says

    21st December 2016 at 3:56 pm

    Can recall one particularly distasteful (but amusing) ode sung by the Barclay to a prostrate and clearly in pain Trevor Whymark in a mid-70s derby. Has stayed with me forever, not least because my dad was at pains to stress it was *not* a nice thing to be singing 🙂

    More recently the ‘Morocco all over the world’ homage to Youssef Safri was inspired, as was the ‘We’ve come for our scarves’ refrain at Old Trafford in the midst of the ‘Glazers Out’ protests.

    Reply
  3. KP says

    21st December 2016 at 4:36 pm

    More like.. We’ve got Kenny Kenny Kenny Kenny Foggo on the wing, on the wing…KENNY KENNY FOGGO Kenny Foggo on the wing – KENNY KENNY FOGGO Kenny Foggo on the wing….

    Many more Ipswich songs available during their Glory Days but much too offensive for this website Gary!

    Reply
  4. Stewart Lewis says

    21st December 2016 at 4:38 pm

    Good ones, Gary.

    Are you thinking of “Mariner’s next”? To my shame, I believe I was singing it.

    Reply
    • Gary Gowers says

      21st December 2016 at 4:43 pm

      Quite possibly Stew. Was a mere nipper at the time and was aghast at the Barclay’s initial version without daring to delve too deeply into the ‘follow up’. The original alluded to Whymark being… not alive.

      KP (3) – go for it Kev; my trigger finger is primed on the asterisk button!

      Reply
  5. KP says

    21st December 2016 at 4:57 pm

    Sorry mate but there would be more asterisks than words in those playful little ditties featuring Eric Gates & Paul Mariner!!

    Reply
  6. martin penney says

    21st December 2016 at 7:47 pm

    # Everyone: keep ’em coming, he he. I remember swearing at Counago in Spanish. My mates kept quiet in the vain hope he could hear me!

    I vaguely remember the Mariner one also.

    Also I think the Kenny Foggo one may have begun as “Willy Whippet” on the wing and been converted.

    One thing I forgot to put in the original article is what was sung to Andy Townsend when he came back here when playing for Chelsea in that dreadful red-and-white chequered kit they wore then. It would be utterly illegal if I had. He took a corner and pretended to fiddle inside his shorts. He actually got a huge round of applause for the big grin on his face and he didn’t really do anything – he was only alluding to the word we were all shouting at him.

    Reply
  7. Andrew Pearmain says

    21st December 2016 at 8:03 pm

    Here’s a couple of favourites from my 50-odd years of fandom –
    1. Leeds fans in the 60s could be surprisingly witty. To the tune of ‘you’re gonna get your f**kin heads kicked in’ the rather subtler ‘there’s gonna be a nasty accident’.
    2. Man city in the 70s used to sing, inexplicably, ‘we s**t in the bath’!

    Reply
  8. colin m says

    21st December 2016 at 8:24 pm

    How about: “There’s only one F in Fleming, there’s only one F in ……….!

    Reply
  9. Jake G says

    21st December 2016 at 8:27 pm

    For obvious reasons it’s been a long time since it’s been heard, but I loved Shake It Up Brady. And the Gary O Neill driving ban song was also a favourite.

    But you just cannot beat the 12 Huckerbys of Christmas. That one ticks all the boxes by capturing a special moment at Norwich so well. That Christmas we really did just want one Darren Huckerby.

    Reply
  10. Adrian Watering says

    21st December 2016 at 10:44 pm

    How about one of the all time favourites Jimmy Bone superstar how many goals have you scored so far – six! Not with us lomg but sang a lot on road to Watford.in 1972 lol

    Reply
  11. Dave H says

    21st December 2016 at 11:16 pm

    I used to love the Marc Libbra song to Viva Las Vegas, particularly the time one bloke to a high pitched finale. Simon Lappin King of Spain was also a brilliant piece of work.

    Reply
  12. Jarrolder says

    22nd December 2016 at 5:38 am

    I remember being part of a capacity crowd of 6987 at the Withdean Stadium (watching Norwich win away!)and hearing Brighton fans, to the tune of Volare,

    When the ball hits the net
    Like a f…..g rocket
    Its Zamora!

    (Had hopes of adapting it for Oliveira-heigh-ho!)

    Reply
  13. martin penney says

    22nd December 2016 at 7:00 am

    #14 Jarrolder: that’s strange! I can vividly remember the West Ham singing:

    When it hits you on the head
    And you’re sitting in Row Z
    And
    That’s Zamora

    (to the tune of That’s Amore).

    #9 colin m: good one! I remember a group of teenagers singing it to him as he came out of what was then – I think – Green’s health club down Barrack Street way. He laughed and signed autographs for them. A good bloke.

    Reply
  14. Gordon says

    22nd December 2016 at 8:11 am

    Sorry to spoil your impression of an NCFC original Martin, but I used to sing “There’s a circus in the town where Matt Busby is a clown” in the 60’s, a long time before George Burley.
    How about “Hockey is a werewolf, Hockey is a werewolf !”

    Reply
  15. Stewart Lewis says

    22nd December 2016 at 8:16 am

    “Who put the ball in the Ipswich net?”

    Reply
  16. Gary Field says

    22nd December 2016 at 8:29 am

    13) Jarrolder. Didnt West Ham fans have their own version?

    “When you’re sitting in row Z”
    “The ball hits you on the head”
    “That’s Zamora!”

    Reply
  17. martin penney says

    22nd December 2016 at 9:03 am

    #17 Gary: Yes, yours is the right one. I think I got my lines the wrong way round:-)

    # 15 Gordon. Fair comment – I wasn’t really around at the time. I remember the Trevor Hockey one too – his beard puts any modern-day hipster to shame!

    # 16 Stewart: I remember singing that on the train to Stratford. We sang “super Bradley Johnson” as the youngers guys sang “half of flippin’ Norwich”.

    Maybe they made it up on the day? Brilliant anyway and such a joyous occasion.

    And let’s never forget: “Top of the League at Portman Road”.

    Reply
  18. Jeff H says

    22nd December 2016 at 9:40 am

    One that fits nicely with the festive season:
    David Cross, David Cross, David Cross, David Cross;
    Born is the king of Carrow Road.

    Reply
  19. Ben K says

    22nd December 2016 at 9:55 am

    The Becchio song (to the tune of Let It Snow) was inspired. On a cold and wintry day, at 0-0 against Southampton with Becchio, who had hardly played since signing, on the bench:

    ‘Oh, the weather outside is frightful,
    And a goal would be delightful,
    When will we all get to know,
    Becchio, Becchio, Becchio!’

    He scored three goals against the scum, Grant Holt, Grant Holt,
    He scored three goals against the scum, Grant Holt, Grant Holt,
    He scored three goals against the scum, and Wesley scored another one,
    Su-per Grant Holt, the Norwich number nine!

    Reply
  20. KP says

    22nd December 2016 at 10:13 am

    One for the old boys!

    Bertie Mee said to Bill Shankley
    Have you heard of the North Bank Highbury
    Shanks said no I don’t think so
    But I’ve heard of the Norwich Barclay.
    Na Na na…

    Reply
  21. Gary Gowers says

    22nd December 2016 at 11:01 am

    Oh, who can forget (like I did)…

    Bryan Gunn, Bryan Gunn,
    Bryan, Bryan Gunn
    He’s got no hair but we don’t care,
    Bryan, Bryan Gunn

    Reply
  22. Gary Gowers says

    22nd December 2016 at 11:01 am

    … great song that. One for us baldies.

    Reply
  23. martin penney says

    22nd December 2016 at 12:18 pm

    #23 Gary: yes indeed. Gunny shaved his head because of the sad circumstances surrounding his daughter.

    I had long blond hair halfway down my back in the Seventies. Then the gaps appeared around 1990 and I’ve had a No.1 cut ever since.

    No room for compromise!

    My favourite memory of Gunny was his well-rehearsed leap at the crossbar before every game. Top man.

    Reply
  24. Ben K says

    22nd December 2016 at 12:37 pm

    Re Gunny, that brings back memories. I always thought that one day he’d actually connect his shiny bonce to that crossbar and give himself a concussion. I was young.

    Reply
  25. Stewart Lewis says

    22nd December 2016 at 12:39 pm

    KP (21): How could I forget? Brings back vivid memories (some better than others) of the culture of that time.

    Martin (18): “Flippin'”? Not quite how I recall it….

    Lots of life memories in this thread. But I’m with Gary: something specially elegant about “We’re Norwich City, we’ve come for our scarves”

    Thanks, everyone, and a very Merry Christmas to you all.

    Reply
  26. Don Harold says

    22nd December 2016 at 1:31 pm

    If I had the wings of an eagle,
    If I had the a*** of a cow,
    I’d fly over Ipswich tomorrow,
    And s*** on the ‘people’ below.

    Then the chorus with too many atsericks, but a happy little ditty.

    Reply
  27. martin penney says

    22nd December 2016 at 1:50 pm

    # Stewart 26: he he! Not how I recall it either. Just tryin’ to be polite:-)

    Reply
  28. martin penney says

    22nd December 2016 at 1:57 pm

    # 20 Ben K: Yes, that was one of my favourites too. And Holty would give the Barclay the thumbs-up when we sang it.

    A bit like: McKenzie, woo-o-o McKenzie woo-o-o.

    He scored against the scum, he scored another one.

    McKenzie woo-o-o, etc.

    As I responded to Stewart, I’m trying to keep it decent!

    Reply
  29. Paul R says

    22nd December 2016 at 9:07 pm

    I’ll fly on the wings of a sparrow
    I’ll fly up the a*** of a crow
    I’ll fly over Ipswich tomorrow and…

    Reply
  30. Nick Fribbens says

    24th December 2016 at 3:33 pm

    Come on without
    come on within you’ll not see nothing like John Manning

    Full song for Bryceland / Keelan
    Aye, aye, aye, aye,
    Keelan is better than Yashin,
    Bryceland better than Eusabio,
    and ******* are in for a thrashin’

    Reply
  31. Kangol says

    27th December 2016 at 3:36 am

    Can’t believe you missed the Safari song!!!

    Here we are and here we are and here we go,
    Youssef is better than Ronaldinho,
    Here we go-oh!
    Morrocan all over the world.

    Reply

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