When England qualify for a major tournament the question on everyone's mind is not who the current manager will pick, or how we will do, but what the record will sound like. The dreaded England football song started in 1970, with the legendary Cliff Portwood encouraging members of the '66 squad to join him for "Up There England" and "You'll Never Walk Alone". From the previous tournament that culminated in victory for England comes a real gem that was actually not a tribute to Hurst, Peters or any other member of the team, but Lonnie Donegan's homage to the official mascot "World Cup Willie"!

1970 was also the time when the football record came of age. The West Ham boys Hurst, Moore and Peters released the single "Oh Sweet England" and "Back Home" deservedly reached No.1 in the charts. The outstanding vocal performance on the accompanying album belonged to Jeff Astle, in a foretaste of his future singing career. A footballer who can really sing is as rare as a goal feast at Wembley.

Alongside the footballers, you the listener can also enjoy the fans and musicians making their contribution to the national cause. From "Can We Kick It" (the unofficial England anthem for World Cup '94 featuring the unforgettable Graham Taylor line "Do I not like that") to the contrasting styles of the hard-hitting The Business and the easy listening Hector Cortez, everyone is playing their part. But the most heartfelt moment comes from Heaven 17's Martin Ware whose "Euromania" is "a prayer for a successful Euro '96 campaign for the England team".

This is an album for the real fan with its charting of the ups and downs of the last 30 footballing years. It just leaves me to say "Engerland, Engerland, Engerland, Engerland, Engerland, Engerland.........EN-GER-LAND"

Back Home / Red Shirt Explained / Up There England / Was It Over The Line / You'll Never Walk Alone / Who Pinched The Ball / World Cup Willie / Sugar sugar / Here We Are / Viva England / Ballad of Bulldog Bobby / England / This time We'll Get It Right / England we'll fly the flag / Land Of Hope And Glory / We Are The Champions / Oh Sweet England / Red White And Blue / Viva Bobby Moore / Fog On The Tyne / Can we kick it (no we can't) / Euromania / World In Motion / Home Of Football / England (We Shall Not Be Moved) / England's Glory