The Occasional Biscuit: Your travelling army of synthetic supporters & Free Paolo!

Time for the first in an actual, genuine series now on Sport Is A TV Show. Introducing The Occasional Biscuit, wherein we ransack the back catalogue of the mighty Half Man Half Biscuit for songs of theirs with some kind of sporting connection. Though sometimes that connection is tenuous. Very tenuous.

This series could be monthly, fortnightly or weekly: I haven't yet decided. It may not even always be on Fridays. You just never know with me. I'm mavericky like that.

We'll begin, like any course of medication*, with a double dose. First, an obvious one, perhaps, but nonetheless special for that. 'All I Want for Christmas Is a Dukla Prague Away Kit' was originally released on the Trumpton Riots EP in 1986, and is still probably their most famous song. Nigel Blackwell, the main man in the group, once told Champions magazine that he didn't much like it. But then, he's also claimed that 'Shit Arm, Bad Tattoo' isn't really about The Libertines. Pffft.

Here's it is, then, twice over: almost certainly the best song ever written about Subbuteo:



Second, a song which demonstrates how truly flimsy some of these sporting links are going to be. Listen carefully to 'Tour Jacket with Detachable Sleeves', though, and you'll spot it:


With thanks to Webbie — on whose Footballistic & Musical toes I'll try not to tread with this series — for suggesting the idea.

*Disclaimer: I HAVE EXACTLY NO MEDICAL TRAINING.