• The forum upgrades are now largely complete.
    Please read this thread for more details.
    New user registrations are currently disabled.

Swing Low Sweet Chariot - Euro 96

Baloo

Baloo

Striker
Contributor
Watched the England v Holland 4 1 (or 3 2 as Jack Charlton thought) and noticed the crowd singing Swing Low. Also sang during the Scotland game.

Was this a regular England football in the 90s? 98 is the first tournament I can properly remember and can't I can recall it at any games I've watched since then.
 

I’m guessing there were loads of plastic fans attending euro 96 for novelty and so they wound up singing rugby songs as that’s all they knew the words to.

Pretty sure the genesis of England fans singing that at Twickenham was because of a player Martin (Chariots) Offiah
 
Butcher's Coat said:
"Swing low, sweet chariot" was sung at the rugby long before the late 80's.
A staple "clubhouse" song.
Click to expand...
At England games?

I go to Twickenham a couple of times a year and I’m yet to hear Aloutte be belted out!
Lucky1985 said:
Pretty sure the genesis of England fans singing that at Twickenham was because of a player Martin (Chariots) Offiah
Click to expand...
That’s when I thought it was first sang at Twickenham.
 
Last edited:
Baloo said:
Probably worth getting in touch with the researchers at the World Rugby Museum. They reckon it was 88 at an England game.

You must be logged on to see external links
Click to expand...
I remember back around 1980 Five Nations when we beat the Jocks in the Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield - England were winning and the T.V. cameras zoomed in on the England fans who were singing "Swing Low" - along with all the actions :lol: . Bill McLaren the commentator mentioned the song and the actions.:cool:
 
I remember rugby mates singing this way before 88. It was one of those “rugger” drinking songs with actions to match the words ( eg guess what the “coming” action was, those boys !!! 😂)
 
Butcher's Coat said:
I remember back around 1980 Five Nations when we beat the Jocks in the Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield - England were winning and the T.V. cameras zoomed in on the England fans who were singing "Swing Low" - along with all the actions :lol: . Bill McLaren the commentator mentioned the song and the actions.:cool:
Click to expand...
Fair enough. The general consensus when the RFU did their review into the use of the song a couple of years ago was that it wasn’t sang at an England game at Twickenham until 88 though.

You must be logged on to see external links

Might dig out the 83 All Blacks tour later and give that a watch. If I watch the full match And only hear hymns I’ll not be happy!
 
Baloo said:
Fair enough. The general consensus when the RFU did their review into the use of the song a couple of years ago was that it wasn’t sang at an England game at Twickenham until 88 though.

You must be logged on to see external links

Might dig out the 83 All Blacks tour later and give that a watch. If I watch the full match And only hear hymns I’ll not be happy!
Click to expand...
I think this modern journalistic train of thought of "Swing Low" being attributed to slavery is way off the mark - therefore the black players being included in this train of thought is totally wrong in my opinion.
As mentioned in the article, the song was indeed started, and was very popular in the club rugby years and years before.
 
niall diamond's suite caroline is a much less problematic song for amateur fans to sing imo. these days. in these times. there mate
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top