Singing terrace tunes during close games gives players ‘marginal psychological gains’ which can help get them over the line in tournament football knockouts, experts claim
England should not ditch football anthem Three Lions as it could help the nation win the World Cup, boffins reckon.
Singing such terrace tunes during key games helps the players and contributes to the ‘marginal psychological gains’ which can make all the difference in tournament knockout matches, they say.
The Daily Star has launched a campaign to save the classic song after co-writer Frank Skinner revealed the FA wants to bench it.
Frank, who penned it for Euro 96 along with fellow telly comic David Baddiel and The Lightning Seeds’ frontman David Broudie, said he fears it is being ‘cancelled’ because FA chiefs are embarrassed the lyrics hail England the ‘home of football’.
Skinner, 69, said he had been told the ditty – which has topped the charts four times – has triggered ‘some embarrassing prawn-sandwich-fuelled chats’ between Football Association bigwigs and soccer federation execs from rival nations who view it as ‘elitist’.
But brain boffins say it could play a vital role in England’s glory bid.
Dr Mike McGreary, senior lecturer in sport and exercise psychology at Keele University and a chartered psychologist, said: “Of course a football anthem on its own doesn’t win football matches.
“But it can certainly change how a match feels.
“Sometimes we see a shift during games if a crowd starts to sing a song.
“We can see an emotional response and a reaction from the players.
“An anthem contributes to marginal psychological gains.
“In elite sport those small psychological edges matter, especially in knockout tournaments where you get to the stage where if you don’t win you’re out.”
Liam Edwards, 29, from the England Supporters Travel Club, said: “Even as a kid I remember just being enlightened by this song.
“I think it’s kind of embedded in England football history.
“It means community, togetherness and unity over one thing – that we’re desperate to see England win.
“I think it’s a song that follows the journey and wherever the England national team sends us we’ll sing it.
“I’ve been in some weird places – like Kaliningrad in Russia – where all you could hear was ‘it’s coming home’. We also sang it at the Qatar World Cup and at Euro 2020.”
In a 2016 documentary Alan Shearer said Paul Gascoigne used to blast it out to his England team mates every morning.
“Paul Gascoigne used to wake us all up every morning at England’s team hotel by opening his bedroom window and playing it on his CD player at full blast,” said the Match Of The Day host.
England midfielder Adam Wharton said: “When we were at the Euros and the fans were singing it.
“It definitely gets everyone going. It’s almost like an anthem for England.”
Skinner’s co-writer Baddiel, 62, has said: “I’m just gonna own it. It is the best football song.”
The FA has not commented on Skinner’s claim.
But a source said association execs had asked FIFA and UEFA to play the tune as one of the team’s official fan songs inside stadiums at several World Cups and European Championships.