With that pain still raw, it might not be the best time to talk about football music. But we’re going to. The domestic season is up and running. And with a Christmas World Cup next year, there will be plenty of reason to give such tunes a spin at ‘footy nights’ up and down the UK.

I’ll start off by saying we’re not doing England songs. We know all about ‘Three Lions ’98’ (sorry, but it is the definitive version – fight me), ‘World in Motion’ and ‘Vindaloo’ et al, so there’s no need to go over them. I want to try and make this piece inclusive to not only all nations but all occasions too. In other words, football songs that are about – or at least reminiscent of – the beautiful game in all its forms.

It’s worth asking yourself what makes a footy anthem? If you look at most of the lazy compilations that come out as often as Liverpool get a VAR decision their way, in Record Label Land a footy anthem seems to be any punk/rock hit from the 70s and 80s. It really isn’t. It also doesn’t have to be about or even mention football. They can come from anywhere, be it something purpose-written, from the terraces themselves, or as part of a TV highlights package. (Whilst I’m on that subject, can ITV please give it a rest with ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ on the England games? It’s as tiresome as Wycombe Wanderers’ match tactics. You got rid of Clive Tyldesley, so you can show The Verve the red card too, can’t you?)

There’s also music that simply reminds us of football, although these can be rather personal or club specific. For example, my team Oxford United have run out to music as diverse as Oasis ‘Acquiesce’, Judas Priest ‘United’, the theme from The Banana Splits, Coldplay ‘Yellow’, Sam Feldt’s cover of ‘Show Me Love’, and even Jim’ll Fix-It (believe it or not!). I can’t imagine I’d choose any of those unless I was playing a party in my own hometown. And I’d probably give that last one a miss.

What we’re looking for then are songs that have that stadium feel about them, or remind us of pre-match preparation and drinks, or maybe just scream “football”. Tracks that can be enjoyed universally.
So, lace up your Predators, slide in your shin pads and join me out on the hallowed turf as we kick some lesser-known ball-shaped tunes around. These are tunes you might not normally reach for. But they do create a certain vibe and – at the very least – will give you something to play in between all those requests for ‘Three Lions’.

E-Type –
Campione 2000

Quite why this wasn’t a hit at the time or why it isn’t more widely played, I’ve no idea. Originally produced as the official anthem of Euro 2000, this barn-storming Euro romp has all the hallmarks of a great football anthem. Huge choral outbursts, thundering drums, airhorns, whooshes, “here we go” chants – it’s all here. Swedish Mr. Type’s ragga-style verses – which may be an acquired taste for some – are merely an hors d'oeuvre to the main feast: the “Campione, Campione, oh oh oh oh” chorus that’s sung on terraces all around the world when anyone even looks like being champions of something. Which is why I’m baffled by its lack of notoriety.

Dario G –
Ring of Fire

Achieving official bona fide football anthem status is a tricky thing, but Paul Spencer – aka Dario G – can rightly claim to hold such an honour after ‘Carnaval De Paris’ hit the Top 5 in 1998 and has emanated from sporting venues ever since. Come 2006 I imagined the now singular act would add a second string to his bow with this triumphant version. I was wrong and it stalled at number 59. I’ve always played the extended mix, as I had a promo CD at the time, but that seems to be as easy to find as a parking space around Anfield. So, unless you fancy a purchase from Discogs or eBay, you’ll be heading for the ‘Stadium Edit’.

It begins in a sombre fashion, with a softer take on the fanfare. No fear, though; 30 seconds in, the drums and horns build into a thumping and raucous take on the Johnny Cash favourite. There are no vocals, as the main feature is the brass melody from the original. I’ve also heard a 20-second snatch played at matches around the country when a goal is scored, but music after a goal is something that I would actively discourage in the strongest possible way. Stick to playing the whole track before or after a match please.

Eiffel 65 –
One Goal

If you’re English and have forgiven the Italians for the final this summer, then these three Italian lads have a football hymn in their catalogue. Later works of theirs moved away (slightly) from the ‘Blue (Da Ba Dee)’ formula, but this release from 2000 is very much in the same vein. If I’m being honest, there’s not much musically that screams ‘soccer’ – only the odd canned crowd sample thrown in near the start. The chorus, however, is quite catchy and the lyric isn’t bad, although I’m sure most people will just think you’re playing ‘Blue (Da Ba Dee)’ anyway, which is a shame (especially if you’re in a pub that hates Chelsea).

Tin Tin Out –
Strings for Yasmin

Football tunes don’t just have to be about a beer in one hand, kebab in the other and a shouty, bounce-along chorus. Sometimes you want to set the scene for a night of football, create some atmosphere. Once an obsession of SKY Sports, this late 90s club smash – and low-end pop chart entry – could, unlike a lot of music, deservedly be called epic. With its beautifully poignant strings and operatic vocal, ‘Strings for Yasmin’ does a rather good job of ramping the tension without going over the top. Personally, I’d go for the full Original Mix. Yes, it clocks in at over 8 minutes and it seems to be a sin to play anything longer than a quarter of that these days, but this extended version starts with the full, orchestral movement, and as I say, the purpose of this one is to build the atmosphere, so it’d be silly to cut most of the drama out.

The Lightning Seeds –
Life of Riley

You’ll be showing your age if you know why this one is included. If you’re of a generation that remembers Tab Clear, BT Phonecards and Oldham Athletic not being a laughing stock, then you’ll find it impossible to hear that cheery accordion without getting a bit dewy-eyed and picturing Bob Wilson. If you’re a younger jock and the track means nothing to you, then trust me, it’s worth including in any soccer sets, as my peers and I will lap it up. Check your crowd and if the head count is high but the hair count is low, stick it on. Thinking about it, the Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie has himself two certified football anthems – have that Dario G…

Rob Dougan –
Clubbed to Death

‘Played To Death’ isn’t one of the most original pieces of music to put on perhaps, but it does the job of building the atmosphere close to kick-off at a big game. There’s nothing to sing or dance to, but as Russ Abbott would agree, it’s all about the atmosphere.

Sash! –
Go West

Hardly anyone had heard of ‘Go West’ until Pet Shop Boys’ 1993 reinvention was denied a number 1 spot thanks to Will Smith and his mate (it still irks me as much as Lampard’s disallowed goal at World Cup 2010). It certainly hadn’t been heard on the terraces either but it soon became heard in the stands at Highbury – although, a mouse nibbling a discarded Kit-Kat wrapper could be heard in the stands at Highbury. “1-0, to the Ars-en-al” soon mutated into various versions including my favourite, “1-0, and you f**ked it up.” Thing is, despite the popularity of its melody and as great as it is, Pet Shop Boys’ reading doesn’t quite fit the bill.

Step forward someone responsible for more number 2s than my corgi puppy after eating a hot dog – German producer Sash!. Recorded for ‘Allez! Ola! Olé!’ – the official World Cup LP in France 1998, this is classic Sash!. With its quavering synths and pounding beat, it’s a little reminiscent of ‘La Primavera’ – should you require confirmation of which of his hits this particular track sounds most like. Again, like ‘Ring of Fire’, the words are absent, with the main purpose being to provide a clean instrumental base for fans to sing whatever lyrics they like to that oh so familiar tune.

The White Stripes –
Seven Nation Army

One of the most popular melodies from current times, it’s hard to play this track without hearing the accompanying and somewhat boorish ‘duuuuh, duh duh duh duh duuuh duuuh’ in your brain. The original is probably already in your sets, but if you want to mix things up, you could try a dancier version. At the end of the day, as long as that riff is present, nobody’s that fussed. There are two dance covers that come to mind – a plodding tropical-house vibe courtesy of Danny Dove & WestFunk, and a punchier and mixable affair from those 20-releases-a-week scamps Block & Crown.

Flip & Fill featuring Karen Parry – Discoland

A slightly unusual one here, but Karen Parry’s “heeeey, ho-ohhhhh, hey-eeeeey, oh oh oh” – or however you want to spell it – has translated into a terrace shout, particularly in Northern Ireland. Although, I have heard it once or twice up here at Minchery Farm too, come to think of it. A jolly old upbeat slice of trancepop can’t hurt anyway, and in the right place, it should ignite a good-natured bellow-a-long.

Eurostars –
Olé Olé Olé Olé Olé (Anderlecht Champion)

Another gem that appeared for Euro 2000, this big beat-y, Fatboy Slim-esque affair takes that well-worn refrain of “Olé, Olé… Olé Olé” – insert team name with two syllables here – and gives it a proper purpose. With its brash and brassy opening and stadium-house atmosphere, this track sounds equally great blaring out at a stadium or from your speakers. Everyone knows that chant, so you’ll always get punters joining in.

As I look to my left, I can see the fourth official holding up the board, telling me how much time I have left – there’s not much. Just enough time for Wycombe Wanderers to be given a debatable penalty, and for me to say, I hope next time you’re playing out for a local derby, a European final or the World Cup, don’t be afraid to experiment. Not quite as much as Graham Taylor liked to experiment, else you’ll end up with the nickname DJ Turnip.

But I certainly recommended that as well as playing your best 11, you try making some substitutions – maybe a couple of younger players or a few obscure European names.