Club or Country?

Sorry to be Anglo-centric for all you Celts but let's get rid of the dirge of a National Anthem before England games. It's fine for state occasions and November remembrance services but compared to the jaunty Italian and South American anthems I'm sure we are starting at a disadvantage.

A state anthem and a fucking stupid anthem that the fans like for the football is the way forward.

Any Irish blokes on here will correct me that don't Ireland, rugby-wise have two anthems, the anthem of the Republic and the anthem of the Irish Rugby Team. Or am I just talking out of my arse.

Let's go with something more upbeat. I suggest a crowd pleasing toe tapping, has no relevant significance to England but would confuse the shit out of the opposition when 80,000 start playing imaginary saxophones.



I'm convinced England would play better if that was national football anthem. It makes me feel better every time I hear it.

(12-02-2011 23:19 )Captain Vimes Wrote:  .................. edited..........................
Any Irish blokes on here will correct me that don't Ireland, rugby-wise have two anthems, the anthem of the Republic and the anthem of the Irish Rugby Team. .

................ edited........................................

I'm not Irish but I do like my rugby. Had some great times watching England in Dublin.
This may help http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland's_Call

PS Please don't lets get onto " Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"

(12-02-2011 23:19 )Captain Vimes Wrote:  Sorry to be Anglo-centric for all you Celts but let's get rid of the dirge of a National Anthem before England games.

Does England have a National Anthem?
Before football and Rugby matches they tend to play 'God Save the Queen'.
And at the Commonwealth Games we have had 'Jerusalem' and 'Land of Hope and Glory'.

I'm confused

(13-02-2011 00:20 )Charlemagne Wrote:  Does England have a National Anthem?
Before football and Rugby matches they tend to play 'God Save the Queen'.
And at the Commonwealth Games we have had 'Jerusalem' and 'Land of Hope and Glory'.

I'm confused

Of course England has a National Anthem for proper sports.

What I'm suggesting is that we have a different one for the football and rugby. Someting more inspiring. Any suggestions? I'm sure the clowns on this forum can come up with better options than Madness.

I think that Land Of Hope And Glory is one of the truly great anthems, together with the Star Spangled Banner, the German and the Russian national anthems, which are all great tunes which surely inspire those who listen to them beforehand. And let's face it, the Americans, Germans and Russians haven't done badly in sports over the years, have they?

I think England should certainly stick with God Save The Queen; it just perhaps needs a bit of jazzing up, like this perhaps:

You're correct Captain Vimes. The Irish rugby team has two anthems which are both played before each international. Amhran na bhFiann translated as "Soldier Song" is our national anthem in the Republic Of Ireland and thats played first. Then there is the adopted anthem of Irelands Call. As Irelands rugby team features both players from the republic and the north a common song/anthem was called for by the guys from the North whose allegiance is to the UK and whose anthem is obviously God Save The Queen. The story goes that they didnt want to acknowledge the Republics anthem as their own as it sympathises with nationalist Ireland. Equally it must be said the guys from the republic didnt want GSTQ to be played before each game either. Irelands Call written by Phil Coultier was the song chosen as the compromise and has remained since. I believe our Irish hockey team use it too.......

Here is all three of the above mentioned anthems played together for the FIRST EVER time in Croke Park Stadium which Ireland temporarily used as it's home when the now redeveloped Landsdowne Road Stadium was under construction. There is an emotional back-story to this which some may know about but which i will not go into on here as it has no place here .........

(13-02-2011 01:35 )Master Yoda Wrote:  Then there is the adopted anthem of Irelands Call. As Irelands rugby team features both players from the republic and the north a common song/anthem was called for by the guys from the North whose allegiance is to the UK and whose anthem is obviously God Save The Queen.

As an Englishmen obviously I'm ambivalent regarding the Irish National Anthem but for some reason I do like Irelands Call. Stirring stuff. But then again I like La Marseillaise.

Perhaps I should follow my advice from earlier in the thread and take myself out and shoot myself. I've obviously got traitorous tendencies.

(13-02-2011 01:35 )Master Yoda Wrote:  There is an emotional back-story to this which some may know about but which i will not go into on here as it has no place here .........

Sorry to clog up this thread and go off topic but didn't the English rugby team get quite enthusiastic clapping when they ran out during their first visit to Croke Park. Or have I got my rose tinted spectacles on. Mind it helped that the Irish spanked us.

(13-02-2011 02:01 )Captain Vimes Wrote:  

(13-02-2011 01:35 )Master Yoda Wrote:  There is an emotional back-story to this which some may know about but which i will not go into on here as it has no place here .........

Sorry to clog up this thread and go off topic but didn't the English rugby team get quite enthusiastic clapping when they ran out during their first visit to Croke Park. Or have I got my rose titnted spectacles on. Mind it helped that the Irish spanked us.

They did indeed. They got an excellent reception and also the English anthem was also observed brilliantly and respectfully by the Irish supporters.

Personally i dont like our national anthem "God save the queen". I mean all the other nations of the world except spain national anthem which has no lyrics, speak about the honour of their land and countrymen. Not about one figure such as the queen, who might i add has no legal power in the country anyway except the potential to dissolve parliament but even that has to go through many barriers first. I mean come on, our anthem deserves better honestly