A Wycombe fan of sixty years rambles on about football anthems.
As a reader of historical and fantasy novels, I know that every clan must have colours, a symbol and an anthem. Sports clubs have adopted these ancient tribal institutions. At Wycombe Wanderers we have our blue quarters, the swan that evokes grace and loyalty, and…hmmm. Well, what can we call “our song”?
Psychologists say that singing is good for us, and it is especially good when we do it in groups. A football ground should be a great place to belt out a song with fellow fans. I have childhood memories of singing “I love to go a-wandering” at Loakes Park. It had its joyful “foldarees” and “foldarahs” but it’s not really a rousing theme for a competitive football match. I can also remember “Yes, I’m a wanderer, I roam around, around, around.” No, no, no. We don’t want roaming around, we want purpose and direction!
Then there was “I never felt more like singing the blues, ‘cos I never thought that I’d ever lose…” Cut it there! We don’t want sad songs about losing!
At the end of the Lawrie Sanchez era, we got very serious, with the teams coming on to the pitch to the ballet music which signifies the rivalry between two feuding families (the Capulets and Montagues in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, if you’re interested). But who knew? There are no lyrics.
Rock star Gareth Ainsworth brought us “Rocking all over the World”. It’s a wonderfully upbeat song. What a shame that there is no room in the seats for doing the “grease elbow”. But I think that “rocking” bring us back to “wandering” – a lack of purpose.
And what do we have before kick-off now? “Hey Jude” gives us the opportunity to sing “Na na na na na na na, na na na na – Wycombe!” There really are that many “na”s. Eleven. Lennon and McCartney were not at their most poetic when they wrote this. And what about the rest of the lyrics? “Take a sad song and make it better.” “Better” is positive, but hardly rousing.
We aren’t the only ones who can’t seem to hit the right note. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” is supposed to be the greatest football anthem ever because of its theme of loyalty, but do Liverpool fans really want to walk through a storm listening out for a lark every match?
Chelsea has “Blue is the Colour” – purposefully written for football and it mentions the aim of winning, but to a tune that reminds me of nursery rhymes.
As for the new favourite “Freed from desire”, (another load of “na”s), it is hardly appropriate for sport. The lyrics are about a woman praising her man for not having or wanting things.
OK, I like details and I take things literally, so perhaps I am the only fan wondering if there is a great anthem out there for our beloved team. I’ve searched and I haven’t found one. I’m putting this moan-fest out there in the hope that a reader who might agree with it can either suggest one, or perhaps even write one!
First published in the fanzine “The Wanderer” as Beth Rogers, January 2026 (see photo).
