It has been described as the ultimate feel-good story, an anthem sung by a choir made up entirely of the wives of Britain's heroic footballers. Many are tipping them to be the Christmas Number One and the story could even make an unlikely star of lead singer Abby Clancy, girlfriend of Stoke City's Peter Crouch, who has hitherto led a quiet life of shopping, being photographed in a flimsy bra and shopping.
More remarkable still, the lyrics were put together entirely from messages texted by the WAGs to their footballers and set to music by choirmaster extraordinarie Gareth Malone. '(You'd Better Not Be Shagging Some Skank) When You're Away From Me' has touched the heart of the nation, making people aware of the sacricices made by the women who are facing Boxing Day alone because their loved ones are away to West Bromwich Albion.
Malone himself has brushed off criticism about tokenism in leaving the slightly oveweight 32-year-old wife of the Hereford United reserve goalkeeper in the background. He added that he was hugely privileged to work with these ladies. Who, he asked rhetorically, could fail to be moved by lyrics like
Missin u loads babes
Hope u score but not like dat!!!
Or
Get onto ur agent NOW
I cant live off of 20k a week
'Rightly, the papers have focused on the courageous men serving at the front of the Arsenal line on cold Wednesday nights in Sunderland,' said Clancy. 'But they shouldn't forget the women stuck on their own back here with nothing but 75 pairs of gold shoes for company. It's us who keep things going by switching off the pool room lights and getting in someone to clean out the jacuzzi.'
But will the Footballers' Wives actually make the coveted Christmas Number One in the face of tough competition from Little Mix, Cliff Richard and Jive Bunny's remix of the Dead Kennedys classic 'Too Drunk to Fuck'? Clancy admits it will be touch and go. 'It would've been nailed on if we could have got Victoria Beckham involved,' she said, 'but we have to respect the fact that she has a phobia about being hard singing in public.'
