Newcastle United's newly released version of the Tyneside anthem Blaydon Races is set to become a central part of the pre-match experience at St James' Park.
Created in collaboration with local musicians, supporters, and music organisations, the updated recording aims to honour the song's heritage while giving it a sound more suited to a 21st-century stadium setting.
A Victorian Music-Hall Classic
The famous song, with its rousing verses and chorus, immortalises an eventful coach journey from Newcastle to the annual - now long-vanished - horse race on the far side of the River Tyne.
Written by the Victorian-era, Gateshead-born music-hall performer Geordie Ridley, it was first performed by its creator at Balmbra's music hall in Newcastle's Cloth Market on June 5, 1862.
Blaydon Races has a long and emotional connection with Newcastle United and, through thick and thin, generations of supporters have continued to belt out its words while watching their beloved team.
Decades of Terrace Anthems
Pinning down exactly when it was first sung on the terraces is difficult, but it was certainly heard on multiple occasions during the two mid-70s Wembley cup runs.
Earlier, in May 1969, after the Magpies trounced Ujpest Dozsa of Hungary 3-0 at St James' Park in the first leg of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final, one newspaper report noted: "Newcastle had an extra attacker tonight - 60,000 voices bellowing Blaydon Races at full blast."
The song also provided much of the soundtrack to United's three 1950s FA Cup final triumphs at Wembley. During the 2-0 win over Blackpool in 1951, it was reported: "Blaydon Races echoed throughout the stadium." A year later, as United eased to a 1-0 victory over Arsenal, "Newcastle enthusiasts roared their Blaydon Races".
And in May 1955, as the Magpies' 3-1 win secured the cup again, the Sunday Sun observed: "Blaydon Races from 50,000 Geordie throats time and again drowned the counter-cheers of the Manchester City contingents."
Early Community Singing at St James' Park
Although the years between the two world wars have effectively slipped from living memory, there are many reports of the song being sung at football. After United's 2-1 FA Cup final win over Arsenal at Wembley in 1932, the Sunday Sun noted: "Harrow Road echoed with the strains of the Tynesiders' anthem Blaydon Races."
The earliest references to the song at St James' Park can be traced to around a century ago. Under a headline of 'Community Singing', it was reported in February 1927 how "the experiment of getting a football crowd to sing together is a new one".
Conducted by a singer with a megaphone and accompanied by the Marsden Colliery Band, the Newcastle United crowd, lyric sheets in hand, sang rousing renditions of Blaydon Races, It's a Long Way to Tipperary, Do Ye Ken John Peel and God Save the King before a match against Bolton Wanderers.
The following month, as United closed in on their fourth - and, to date, last - league title, Sunderland were the visitors at St James' Park. In scenes unimaginable today, fans of both clubs joined together for more enthusiastic "community singing".
Again accompanied by the Marsden Colliery Band, the "mammoth choir," it was reported, put their heart and soul into popular contemporary songs such as Clementine, The Froth-Blower's Anthem, Pack Up Your Troubles and, of course, Blaydon Races.
Sunderland Fans' Surprising Connection
Much later, the song would be adapted by rival fanbases - sung as "Matt Busby's aces" by Manchester United supporters, and as "Gannin' Along the Roker Road" by fans of Sunderland.
But one surprising discovery from those distant inter-war footballing days is that the original Blaydon Races was also sung by Sunderland fans in support of their own team, suggesting the song had become a favourite across the wider region, not just on Tyneside.
There are numerous reported examples. In March 1938, for instance, after the Black Cats beat Spurs 1-0 in the FA Cup quarter-final at White Hart Lane, one Sunderland player told the Sunday Sun: "More impressive and exhilarating was the scene after we scored our goal. The Sunderland crowd in the stand stood up and started singing Blaydon Races. It sounded marvellous from the field!"
