In my virtual programme I read Arsene’s words: “We’re expecting a very tough fixture this afternoon, so we’ll need all the support we can get from the crowd. Give the boys your full backing today, it means a lot.”

Then on the Captain’s page, Paddy tells us how much he loves us: “I would just like to say thanks to everyone for the great support you gave me and of course all of the players.”

Who can blame him? We all love singing our Vieira song, because it’s unique, it’s fun and it tells the whole story to the world – forget it you Real Madrids and ManUres – he plays for Arsenal!

As I said, I wasn’t there on Saturday. But I’m fairly sure that if I had been, I wouldn’t have heard singing for every second of the game. Yes, there would have been some, but most games include big chunks of quiet from us. Even when the away fans are going mad. Yes, there’s exceptions - several FA Cup finals spring to mind, or games against our improving North London neighbours or else ManUre, when we sing our little hearts out.

But not against Bolton. Would it have made a difference?

We know that the players like it when we sing – especially one of our highly inventive songs: “Thierry Henry, Thierry Henry, Thierry Henry, Thierry Henry.” I wonder who came up with that one?

But should we care about the silence? Well, someone cares enough to have produced, with the cooperation of Arsenal, a songsheet, which you can find on Arsenal.com

And here’s the punchline - this songsheet includes a “new” Arsenal anthem in addition to some “old” ones, one that “all Gooners could identify with”.

Now don’t get me wrong. I really like the idea of new songs. I like the idea of 30,000 fans singing support or winding up the opposition. And distributing a songsheet (which I believe they did on Fan’s Day against Middlesborough) is a great idea. There’s just one problem. This songsheet just doesn’t work.

It was clearly put together with the greatest of intentions and I applaud that and the general aims of REDaction, even if it is North Bank biased (I used to stand there after all). But just have a closer look – go on. There are 2 songsheets of “old” and “new” anthems.

The old anthems include “We all follow the Arsenal” and songs to players including Oooh Ah Ray Parlour (he was playing that day, just not in Arsenal colours) and There’s Only One Keown (who was probably in Leicester that day), but I guess no fans knew that they’d be on their way before they were on their way.

But what about “My old Man” or “Ooh to, ooh to be…” or, famously, “One-nil to the Arsenal”? Nothing. Nada. And the Magic Hat song says that Arsene Wenger saw the FA Cup. Doesn’t mention anything about the Double and him having that. Either of them. And, sacrilege, what the hell has happened to “Good Old Arsenal”? It’s not there! What (and why?) could it be replaced by do you think? Funnily enough, the songsheets provide an answer.

Here is the “New Arsenal Anthem” reproduced in full:

The Arsenal Anthem (to the tune of “Jerusalem”)
And did these boots of Arsenal’s team
Walk upon Highbury’s turf so green?
And did they play with great esteem
The best football we’ve ever seen?

And with a cannon on our chest
We play with heart, and mind and zest
And we are proud to be Arsenal
In Victory through Harmony

Now, even I recognised the English translation of our motto at the end. But it doesn’t rhyme with the line before, when everything else does. And that’s the least of its problems.

It is pompous tosh that seems to have been written by a public schoolboy who went to the Last Night of the Proms. It imagines a time, a dim and distant time where mighty stags gambolled across England’s green and pleasant lands, as knights jousted for their ladies’ pleasure and Good King Richard was away at the Crusades (and getting up to a bit of paedophilia whilst there apparently). Kind of psuedo-patriotic drivel. Yes, we like Arsenal. We really like Arsenal. But not in this kind of way.

I’m sorry, but I just don’t see many fans singing it. I don’t see me singing it either. It’ll take too bloody long for starters. When do would we sing it exactly? Before kickoff? At halftime? The whole point of songs like “Good Old Arsenal” is that they can be sung at any time, before, during or after and it really does sound good. It’s ours in a way that some rewriting of Jerusalem could never be.

Now can we have our real anthem back?

Richard adds...
Thanks to Paul Lawrence who has pointed out that the songsheet was produced over 8 months ago for the Man City game last year, which was Fans' Day (Middlesborough wasn't). So the Parlour and Keown songs would have been current. Makes you wonder why Arsenal didn't update the songsheet before advertising it on their website in August though...