When Leyland Band were England’s 12th Man

On the eve of the 2018 football World Cup, it’s time to recall the significant (!) part Leyland Band played in the England team’s 1982 World Cup campaign.

Yes, in 1982, footballers sported long frizzy hair and had a liking for attacking the pop charts. So it was that the official England team album was released, taking its title from the chart single, “This Time” (you remember – This time, more than any other time, this time etc…..).The enitre squad under manager Ron Greenwood, belted out the classic song, which had it been entered for the Eurovision Song Contest, would surely have won on penalties. The production was a real team effort – Keegan, Clemence, Brooking, Watson, Wilkins, Coppell, Francis, Osman, Hoddle, Anderson, Sansom, Corrigan, Foster, Regis, Thompson, Morley and of course the Leyland Vehicles Band!

The band played on the backing track for the single, and also featured on the accompanying album, chipping in with solo efforts, the BBC’s “Match of the Day” and “Grandstand” themes, followed by second half strikes of the “World of Sport” theme (from ITV) and an instrumental version of “This Time“.”