February 6th - Day 294

I don't know why, but I just didn't trust that the market jazz at Merton Abbey Mills would be there, and if it wasn't I wouldn't have had much time to find something else. I headed up to London Bridge instead and on the way realised that there would be several hundred football supporters travelling in the opposite direction to the Millwall/Norwich game. And football supporters sing on the way to matches don't they? Or have they been banned from doing that?

I don't think singing has been banned, but I reckon the throng of testosterone piling onto the train on platform 15 was more concerned with getting to the ground on time. There was one cry of "Went to Mow a Meadow", which I assumed was Norwich, but according to google is Chelsea. I followed the hoard to the ground and the song was also being sung there, though I don't know by whom. Norwich scored early and their supporters broke into a rendition of "Going Up-up-up!!" to the tune of "Feeling hot-hot-hot!!".

According to Wikipedia, the oldest football song still in use today is a Norwich City song. It's called "On The Ball, City" and the chorus goes, "Kick it off, throw it in, have a little scrimmage, Keep it low, a splendid rush, bravo, win or die; On the ball, City, never mind the danger, Steady on, now’s your chance, Hurrah! We’ve scored a goal." Sadly I didn't hear them sing this after their goal today. And they missed their only chance, because they lost 2-1.