Newcastle United will now walk out to a different song on matchdays, after a request from Eddie Howe's squad
Newcastle's players celebrate in front of the St James' Park crowd
Newcastle's players celebrate in front of the St James' Park crowd
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Newcastle United will walk out to a different song on matchdays from now on, after the squad made a request that could change the stadium atmosphere significantly - and some fans in the Chronicle Live comments section are sad to see a famous "Toon tune" knocked down the running order.
Mark Knopfler's "Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero" will still feature on matchdays during the build-up to kick-off, but it won't be the walkout song any more. The song has welcomed the Magpies onto the pitch since the early 90s, with Knopfler's connection being his Geordie mother and a childhood spent in Blyth.
Players requested that the song be changed to another staple United tune, The Blaydon Races, wanting to hear the fans singing as they step out onto the pitch.
Wor Flags addressed the change in a statement before Athletic Bilbao's visit on Wednesday, saying: "The club have told us the decision to swap Local Hero with the Blaydon Races before kick-off was done primarily at the request of the players and coaching staff, who want to hear the fans singing right at kick-off, which is not possible with Local Hero but is with The Blaydon Races!
"So whilst honouring the tradition of those two songs, the club have swapped them round so that Local Hero plays before the team emerge and The Blaydon Races before kick-off.
"It’s up to us to live up to that request and belt out the Blaydon Races and also carry it into the game. Massive game tomorrow night. Bring your scarf, get it twirling, get behind the lads. Howay Newcastle!"
Some are happy with the change, with reader Snowbear1 saying: "Long before piped music came into St James’, The Blaydon Races rang out loud and clear at most every home match, and was quite audible at away matches. Both songs are iconic to the North East.
"In my opinion if I had a choice of tunes to walk out onto the pitch, then it would have to be The Blaydon Races. 52,000-plus Geordies belting our our local national anthem, the way it was intended to be sang, will be spine-tingling."
Commenter Magman55 writes: "Through the generations and the history of our club, Blaydon Races has always been our battle hymn."
Johnctt says: "If it gets the fans involved and the players want it, great. Forest fans always get animated with a pop song for whatever reason but it does create an atmosphere."
Others bemoan a Geordie classic's place in the matchday experience being changed. Axepete writes: "Breaks my heart this one. Me Fatha (R.I.P) LOVED this walk-on music. We were up there loads of times with him and me two brothers. When me Dad passed away 10 years ago, we carried him into and out of the church to Local Hero. 'It fetches the hairs up on the back of me neck every time', was what he used to say."
On our Facebook page, Ann Stainthorpe says: "It's our tune, it's THE TOON TUNE, please don't replace it."
Darren Harris writes: "They should keep Local Hero as the walk out song. It wouldn't be the same. It's like telling Liverpool to change their walk out song, You'll Never Walk Alone."
John Shelley adds: "I much prefer Local Hero... never fails to bring a tear to my old eyes. But if the team want Blaydon Races, so be it."
Have your say! Will this improve the atmosphere on matchdays? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.