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"Football's a funny old game....." Some of you may know that my team (supported since 1959!!!) are in the Premier league....er, the Blue Square Premier League that is!! Incredibly they are now potentially just 3 games away from returning to the Football League (Division 2) proper. Now, what - I hear you ask has this to do with "Apache"? Well....I have been to a few matches this season and just recently I went along to watch Mansfield Town play Hayes & Yeading FC. Slight problem initially...I discovered that H & Y don't actually have a football ground and play their games at Woking FC. Towards the end of the game & after the usual raucous, ribald, tuneless gamut of chants....I became aware that (wordless of course - Mansfield Town FC fans definitely haven't heard of Sonny James) "Apache" was being chanted. It was reprised several times!! I have no idea where this came from (as it didn't happen at a game I'd watched only 4 weeks previously). I did notice a very brief snatch of "Apache" as part of the music for a betting advert (not Paddy Power or Bet 365) on Sky Sports - maybe it came from there?? Who knows. Anyway - I shall now be listening out for it on Match Of the Day. Hayes & Yeading were relegated from the BSP as they had to win the game, but were losing 3 - 0 well before the end. I was disappointed (as happened to MTFC when they were relegated into the BSP 4 years ago whilst losing at Dagenham & Redbridge - along with Wrexham) that the Mansfield contigent did not chant (to the, aherm, 'melody' of "Guantanamera") - "Down with Darlo (Darlington FC), you're going down with Darlo, Down with Da - a - a - r - lo, you're goig down with Da - rlo.." (etc). Never mind..."Apache" was consolation enough!!

Rob

My own team (no names!!) have had a totallly crap season once again I believe the club have adopted Apache
as the clubs anthem.
It goes Dud Dud Dud Dud Dud Dud Dud Dud Dud Dud Dud Dud as are most of the current squad!!!
For those that are curious the club manager they have at present is the one who last took Scotland
to the World Cup Finals last century!!!!

Mike

I may well be waving to you at Wembley then Rob

Hubby's on the board at Wrexham FC so play off fever is high at the moment in our household, though I'm still grinning about Monday's result. I love the chants in the BSP, so much more fun than the Premiership

Jayne

When I go and see the the Stags play the song that always comes to mind is Let the Heartaches Begin by Long John Baldry . Especially the way they played at Wembley last year

Hello Jayne! Well....neither of us are at Wembley yet of course. Mansfield have to overcome York City and Wrexham have to put paid to Luton. But....who knows?? May 20th at Wembley is a possibility. Then....a one - off, anything could happen! I won't mention Alan Marriott!!! (LOL).

Bests....Rob

Oh Maurice, if only you would, then I would venture down to the Racecourse on a school night just for you! It's just a shame that all three teams can't go up, and a shame that Fleetwood got soooooo many penalties all season long

Rob, I may just have to settle for waving to you from table 48 in September, the next week will tell...

Good luck gentlemen, though for obvious reasons I hope it's Wrexham's lucky season, and Man City's too

Jayne

Hi Rob,

Our late Son Simon's football team - Aldershot Town F C have been using "Apache" as their chant for many a year.

At Simon's funeral in Aldershot last November we selected "Apache" by The Shadows for the Recessional Music in recognition for his local football team that he loved.


Bob & Charlotte Withrington

So very sorry to hear about your son Bob. As he was a long term 'Shots' supporter & you mention that "Apache" has been chanted there for several years.....do you have any idea as to the origins of its 'adoption' (most unusual) as a football chant??

Bests....Rob

Hi Rob,

Sometime around 2005 some "Shots" fans were apparently returning from an away match when they heard a busker playing "Apache" and they began started to chant along to the melody. It has stuck ever since. I well remember attending my first match at the "Shots" and Simon saying to me "listen up Dad when the Team run out". I was so surprised & pleased when I heard The Shadows playing "Apache" blasting out over the club's PA system and the fans chanting along.
Great memories of our much loved Son.

Bob & Charlotte