By Kevin Halls
When I was a young lad in the 60s I attended a match at Highfield Road, the home ground of my team Coventry City, with my dad to watch them play Huddersfield Town in a Third Division game.
Nothing special about that other than the then-Prime Minister Harold Wilson, who was a Huddersfield supporter, was a special guest of our club.
When he took his seat at the start of the match, he received a warm reception from the crowd, especially from my dad who was a staunch Labour voter.
Back then it was rare to hear of a famous person watching a football match but these days it has become commonplace to see a celebrity in the stands cheering on his or her club, especially from the music scene.
Old rubber lips Mick Jagger has said he’s a Gooner as he follows the Arsenal, while fellow Rolling Stones guitaristBill Wyman gets his Satisfaction by watching his beloved Crystal Palace.
Then there’s Led Zeppelin front man Robert Plant, who is a huge Wolves supporter and is also a director at Molineux, while over at Port Vale, Robbie Williams can be spotted wearing the colours of his team as he’s a long-term fan of his home-town club.
Rod Stewart, who though being an Englishman, supports Celtic and the Scotland national team, and can often be seen at Parkhead and Hampden Park getting behind his chosen teams.
The Gallagher brothers, Liam and Noel, are both mad for it for Manchester City, while across the city Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall can be heard singing along with the Stretford End as he is a big Manchester United fan.
But there are also whole groups who love their football, too, like the Kaiser Chiefs who support Leeds United.
Rockers Kasabian are all massive Leicester fans and you will often see a big Foxes banner on the stage proudly showing their allegiance to their club.
Coventry band, The Enemy, also fly the colours of their club on stage as they like to have a Sky Blues banner or flag on it as they perform to their adoring fans.
But it’s not just musicians who like their football – actors and actresses have got in on the act, too.
Michael ‘you’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off’ Caine is a Fulham supporter as is Hugh Grant and Pointless co-host Richard Osman.
Across London, tough guy actor Ray Winstone cheers on the Hammers as does Russell Brand.
When he was married to singer Katy Perry, she posed sexily in a West Ham shirt much to the delight of the Hammers fans.
Up north, I wouldn’t want to sit near loudmouth actor Brian Blesssed, who is a Newcastle United follower, as you could end up as deaf as a post.
Ant and Dec also support the Magpies and, when not in the Australian outback, can often be seen in their black and white colours.
Monty Python actor and globetrotter Michael Palin can’t make his mind up whether to support Sheffield United or Sheffield Wednesday.
As he’s from the steel city, he follows them both and has worn the blue and red colours in a season, which sounds like a sketch from Monty Python.
Finally, the world of comedy has its football lovers. Peter ‘garlic bread’ Kay watches his home-town club Bolton Wanderers, Phil Jupitus supports West Ham and Bob Mortimer, Vic Reeves’ comic partner, is a fan of Middlesbrough.
Meanwhile, Jo Brand likes to get to Selhurst Park to cheer on the Palace.
So, the next time you’re at a match, look around you as you may spot a famous face in the crowd.
But there’s one infamous person you won’t spot at the Emirates if you’re an Arsenal supporter.
It was reported that the terrorist Osama bin Laden was a fan of the Gunners.
I wonder when he was in hiding in a cave somewhere if he passed the time by scratching the scores up on the walls?
Just a thought!
