Ewood Park: Chants (Over 18's Only)

Ewood Park is not as loud as it once was.

Football had to change. That is the reality. Do we want to see a return to the widespread acts of violence sometimes witnessed inside football grounds during the 1970's or the organised violence of the 1980's?

Football has changed. That is also a reality. If football was to attract more women, children, families and older people and never again see a return to the appalling disasters of Bradford 1985, Hysel 1985 and Hillsborough 1988 or any of the other disasters such as those at Bolton 1946 and Glasgow 1971, then the culture of football need to transform.

It is easy to hark back to the days of terracing, chanting, taunting and drinking. I remember the Blackburn End of the late 1980's with fondness but by my early 20's in the early 1990's, I had largely outgrown it anyway. It had been a way to let off a bit of steam, forge tribal identity and seek acceptance and comaradery with other young men.

Some were 'too cool to chant', thinking it immature; I loved it.

I feel sorry for youngsters today that will never experience the English football of the 1970's and 1980's and the stadiums and atmosphere that went with it.

However, it was those stadiums and that atmosphere that led to 39 deaths at Hysel and 97 deaths at Hillsborough. Of course, we must never forget the role of the police, the consequent cover up's or the rank class snobbery of the gutter media. I also have to add that some of the policing I witnessed at Ewood Park during the 1980's was nothing short of cowardly and vindictive.

I myself fee that the approach of the Brazillian, Portuguese, Dutch and Irish fans is the way forward. Carnival atmosphere's; bands, drums, trumpets, huge flags, fancy dress and colour - lots of it.

"Flag Days" at stadium's should also be promoted.

Reduced ticket prices for pensioners at one end of the age range and school kids at the other. Concessions for the unemployed and those young forced to work for less than the rest of society. After all, there are three minimum wages; 16-18 year old's; 18-21 year old's and the over 21's.

I'm not talking about santising football, that leads to synthetic supporters and polyester passion.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with average crowds of 12,000 and 9,000 respectively, more noise was made than the 25,000 at Ewood Park today.

Today, people mingle on the concourse drinking and eating and then take up their seats with only minutes to go before the game starts. Maybe the bars could close 30 minutes before kick off with people encouraged to their seats. The ground and bars could open 2 hours before kick off allowing people time to buy a pie and a pint.

The Blackburn End being demolished as well as over zealous stewarding and police intimidation has also contributed to Ewood Park has losing much of its 'old' atmosphere.

Indeed, it is often felt by Rovers fans that the club takes greater care of Away supporters than they do their own.

Another development of the 1990's was that older middle aged male fans who deserted the club in their youth during the 1960s and who then returned in the 1990s claiming they were lifelong supporters would also sometimes snarl disapprovingly at younger fans excitedly standing up or chanting during the game.

Before Ewood Park was rebuilt, as today, the main end for the chanting and singing was The Blackburn End. It would sometimes be full up to 30 min's before kickoff, The Blackburn End already breaking into chorus up to 30-45 min's before the game started, being heard by approaching fans walking down Bolton Road or Livesey Branch Road contributing towards the gladiatorial atmosphere.

Below is a selection of chants from the 1970s and 1980s, most were regularly chanted in the 1980s.

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This chant is from the 1970's and refers to the missed chances of Ken Beamish who played for Rovers between 1974 - 1976 making 86 appearances and scoring 19 goals. He is currently working as Blackburn Rovers commercial manager, after being installed in the post in 1986. The chant caught on throughout English football in the 1970's.

BEAMO! BEAMO! BEAMO!

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One from the 1970's.

WE HAD JOY

WE HAD FUN

WE HAD BURNLEY ON THE RUN!

BUT THE JOY DID NOT LAST

COZ THE BASTARDS RANT TOO FAST!

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These two chants were sang in reference to Burnley being relegated to Division 4 in 1984-1985 and were sang for many years, even after Burnley were promoted from Division 4.

The first is an adaptation of The Wild Rover. The Wild Rover is a popular folk song whose origins are contested. It is often considered to be a drinking song rather than a Temperance song, which is what it is. The song is a staple for artists performing live music in Irish pubs.

The chorus is sung by football fans of Blackburn Rovers, usually with the words adapted to suit Burnley.

1) THERE'S A PUB DOWN IN BURNLEY I USED FREQUENT, WHERE I MET [INSERT CURRENT BURNLEY MANAGERS NAME] HIS MONEY WAS SPENT!

HE ASKED ME TO PLAY.

I ANSWERED HIM "NAY!"

COZ I HATE BURNLEY BASTARDS 'TILL MY DIEING DAY!

AND NO NAY NEVER! NO NAY NEVER NO MORE!

TILL WE PLAY THE BURNLEY BASTARDS!

NO NEVER NO MORE!

2) THERE'S A CURCUS COME TO TOWN, COME TO TOWN!

[INSERT CURRENT BURNLEY MANAGERS NAME] IS THE CLOWN, IS THE CLOWN!

BURNLEY BASTARDS TO DIVISION 4 AND WE WON'T SEE YOU ANYMORE, ANYMORE!

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The chant below is in reference to the Boxing Day games Rovers played against Burnley and in particular, the legendary Boxing Day game of 1977 which saw 15,000 Rovers fans take all four sides of Burnley's ground, Turf Moor.

HARK NOW HEY!

THE ROVERS SING!

THE BURNLEY RAN AWAY!

AND WE WILL FIGHT FOR EVER MORE BECAUSE OF BOXING DAY!

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Another chant directed at Burnley.

IF I HAD THE WINGS OF AN ANGEL

THE DIRTY BLACK ARSE OF A CROW

I'D FLY OVER BURNLEY TOWMORROW AND SHIT ON THE BASTARDS BELOW...

SHIT ON! SHIT ON!

SHIT ON THE BASTARDS BELOW, BELOW!

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This chant was very popular and the running joke was to add as many expletives to the end of the chant below to see how long it could be kept going.

THERE WAS A TEAM CALLED BURNLEY THAT WENT TO ROME TO SEE THE POPE!

AND THIS IS WHAT HE SAID, "FUCK OFF BURNLEY BASTARDS TWATS CUNTS AND SHITS..........!"

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Below is an adopted Elvis song.

WISE MEN SING,

ONLY FOOLS RUSH IN,

BUT I CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU!

WISE MEN SING,

ONLY FOOLS RUSH IN,

BUT I CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU!

THE ROVERS! THE ROVERS! THE ROVERS!

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Below is a chant I always found amusing.

WE WILL FOLLOW THE ROVERS OVER LAND AND SEA

AND PRESTON!

WE WILL FOLLOW THE ROVERS ONTO VICTORY!

ALL TOGETHER NOW....

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Below is the adaptation of The Wild Rover. The Wild Rover is a popular folk song whose origins are contested. It is often considered to be a drinking song rather than a Temperance song, which is what it is. The song is a staple for artists performing live music in Irish pubs. The chorus is sung by football fans of Blackburn Rovers, usually with the words adapted to suit Burnley.

NO NAY NEVER

NO NAY NEVER NO MORE
WILL WE PLAY
THE BURNLEY BASTARDS
NO NEVER NO MORE!

Lyrics for WILD ROVER
I've been a wild rover for many's the year,
and I spent all me money on whisky and beer.
And now I'm returning with gold in great store,
and I never will play the wild rover no more.

(Chorus):
And it's no, nay, never! No, nay, never, no more,
will I play the wild rover. No (nay) never no more!

I went to an alehouse I used to frequent,
and I told the landlady me money was spent.
I asked her for credit, she answered me "nay,
such a custom as yours I could have any day".

(Chorus)

I pulled from me pocket a handful of gold,
and on the round table it glittered and rolled.
She said "I have whiskeys and wines of the best,
and the words that I told you were only in jest".

(Chorus)

I'll have none of your whiskeys nor fine Spanish wines,
For your words show you clearly as no friend of mine.
There's others most willing to open a door,
To a man coming home from a far distant shore.

(Chorus)

I'll go home to me parents, confess what I've done,
and I'll ask them to pardon their prodigal son.
And if they forgive me as oft times before,
I never will play the wild rover no more.

(Chorus)

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Below is a chant that was sang to Colin Hendry for many seasons. Colin was much loved by the Rovers fans for his braveheart performances along with his down-to-Earth working class demeanor making us feel he was one of us - a trait of many Scottish players. He will also always be fondly remembered for his winning goal in the 1987 Full Members Cup final.

In response to the chant Colin would drop is shorts and ''mooney'' the Blackburn End. I have no idea why this started but I know why it stopped - during the presentation of Rovers Premier League trophy at Ewood Park in May 1995, the team were doing a lap of honour, as they passed The Blackburn End, The Blackburn End began to chant:

COLIN! COLIN! SHOW US YOUR ARSE!

COLIN! SHOW US YOUR ARSE!

To which Colin Hendry duly obliged.

A middle aged middle class women complained, and that was the end of it - another example of female hypoagency - women taking over male spaces and then 'policing' them - one could have continued - but at great risk of being brutally arrested or pounced on by stewards.

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YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE!

MY ONLY SUNSHINE!

YOU MAKWE ME HAPPY!

WHEN SKIES ARE GREY....

....YOU'LL NEVER NOTICE

HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU!

DON'T EVER TAKE

MY ROVERS

AWAY!

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The following is a chant that gained notoriety in the 2000's and is still very popular to today.

YOUR MUM'S YOUR DAD!

YOUR DAD'S YOUR MUM!

YOU'RE INTERBRED!

YOU BURNLEY SCUM!

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