A FEW weeks ago, my Saints related World Cup excitement had reached fever pitch.

It’s abated somewhat as the number of players we have lining up in Brazil has diminished, but come next Thursday when the feast of football, gets under way, I’ll be as keen as anyone to watch the beautiful game every hour of the day – and night.

For now, I’m trying to build the excitement with a few songs for the World Cup. But Gary Barlow’s official England 2014 song, a reworking of Greatest Day endorsed by the FA and produced with a team of celebrities, seems to have been quietly dropped even before the start of the tournament.

Admittedly it was awful, but I wonder if the Take That frontman’s recent foray with the Inland Revenue has anything to do with it.

It seems Roy Chubby Brown, who I discussed the subject with recently, has got his way and managed to see off Barlow, but I still can’t see his effort with Journey South, Swords of a Thousand Men, topping the charts.

There are plenty of painful attempts at musical cash ins out there, but I’m not sure any of them are quite good enough to represent England.

I suppose there is form for some shockers in footie history, think World Cup Willie, Back Home, Vindaloo and We’ve Got The Whole World At Our Feet.

Nothing could beat the 1990 delight that was New Order’s World in Motion, featuring the John Barnes rap, although Lightning Seeds gave it a good go with Baddiel and Skinner on Three Lions for the Euros in 1996, but my pick of this year’s various unofficial songs is Lily Allen’s Bass Like Home.

Apart from one mention of Gazza, it’s got nothing to do with football, but it’s got a great Brits on the lash nostalgia to it.

The big hit will no doubt be whatever the BBC decide to make their title music though a la Nessun Dorma.

Mainly because everyone will watch their coverage, as no-one can bear to spend a month in the company of Andy Townsend.

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