Putting the smile on football’s face

YOU might have noticed that a pop star of yesteryear died the other day.

Here’s how one source reported the news: “Mike Smith, the lead singer and keyboardist of the Dave Clark Five sadly passed away on Thursday of pneumonia at the age of 64. ‘Glad All Over’, a number one for the Dave Clark Five from 1963, has become world famous as the theme tune of Crystal Palace Football Club and the fans sing along as the team take the field at all home games.”

No prizes for guessing that the source was Crystal Palace’s very own website — where else could keep a straight, not to say solemn, face while claiming that one of the best known hits of the 60’s only managed to become “world famous” when it became the anthem of a football club which, let’s put this as charitably as we can, has never quite threatened to eclipse Real Madrid, Manchester United or Santos in the global recognition stakes.