I couldn’t help but laugh when, near the end of the game against Aston Villa, the Newcastle United fans were singing: “They’re here, they’re there, they’re every f…ing where, empty seats, empty seats”
I’m old enough to remember a song being sung to the same tune in the Leazes End about centre half John McNamee – ‘Big Mac’.
He played for Newcastle United between 1966 and 1971 and he was a cult figure, the most brutal of stoppers.
He would have been sent off within five minutes had he been playing today.
“He’s here, he’s there, he’s every f…ing where, Mc-Na-mee, Mc-Na-mee”
Into the seventies, Gordon Lee took over from Joe Harvey as manager.
It was a new era, he liked his players to be hard working, sober team players.
So out went mavericks like Terry Hibbitt and Supermac, as Lee based his side on restrained characters such as Geoff Nulty and Alan Gowling.
Also, Micky Burns, who was a wonderfully gifted player.
Although signed by Joe Harvey, Burns was a stalwart of Lee’s team. He was the perfect fit, a sensible man, indeed a qualified teacher.
Now back in those days, it was customary for the Leazes End to chant the names of each player during the pre-match kickabout.
The players in turn would raise an arm in acknowledgement. But not Micky Burns.
You see they’d sing: “He’s here, he’s there, he’s every f…ing where, Micky Burns, Micky Burns.”
But, being sensible, Micky didn’t condone the swearing among the ‘youngsters’ so he ignored the tribute.
Unless I’m mistaken, I don’t think I’ve heard the chant since.
And yet there it was being sung, at Villa, by fans probably not born when the Leazes End was in full cry.
I presume that the handful of Aston Villa fans left in the ground at full time didn’t acknowledge it either, just like Micky Burns all those years ago!