The announcement from the FA that the England management “want to be fully focused on the football” and will be foregoing an official song has only served to increase demand for the traditional patriotic anthem.

Enter Messers Brand and Williams, both huge football fans (supporting West Ham and Port Vale fans respectively), to serve up a remake of the 1996 classic Three Lions. It is understood that it was Ian Brodie, of Lightening Seeds fame, who approached the pair.

As a consequence it like Capello won’t get his way for a music-free world cup.  But far from being a distraction, in 1996 Three Lions added hugely to the passion of the European Championship – and we didn’t do too badly as I remember.  Peter Hook, bassist on New Order’s World in Motion, was no doubt right when he told the BBC “I don’t think it took people’s minds off things…..If anything, I think it focused you more.”

Here’s the ’98 version which also featured a bit of Robbie:

Picture courtesy of Lightningfields