As an individual who saw his first match at Vicarage Road in 1954 (the Jimmy Bowie, Frank Mitchell, Tommy Brown, Jimmy Meadows et al era) I feel more than qualified to comment on the Z Cars entry music issue.
I am glad that the Hornets have at last stopped playing this theme as the team enters the field of play. What link does a team based in a Hertfordshire market town have with a tune based on a Liverpool folk song?
This music rightly belongs to Merseyside. For years I have been embarrassed by the justified chiding of visiting Evertonians (who have first dibs on the Z Cars theme) as they invite us to “sing our own songs”.
What songs we have too! Our hometown life president and former chairman is one of the world’s greatest popular musicians of the last half century. We do not need a piece of music imported from another cultural region.
“I’m Still Standing” is perfect as an anthem. Watford Football Club, season after season, punches above its weight amongst some of the mightiest teams in Europe. During this campaign they are “doing better than they ever did.” The song reflects the bubbly optimistic nature of our team and its fans.
Finally casting my thoughts to events on May 18 there is one Sir Elton song I don’t want to hear on Cup Final Match of the Day, as I did on the closing credits of the 1984 edition: Sir Elton’s Sad Songs.
Paul Harrison
By email
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