sorry - another question - saddo alert

[andyinsh]

anyone know where our tractor song originates? I know other clubs sing it but is it based on a pop song from the past or similar? not the wurzels is it? cheers

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Interesting question. I heard once it transferred from The Summer Game where Gloucestershire rather than Cheltenhamshire was the refrain being chorused in Nevil Road and the College Ground.

[everyman]

Interesting question. I heard once it transferred from The Summer Game where Gloucestershire rather than Cheltenhamshire was the refrain being chorused in Nevil Road and the College Ground.

It started here as glos`shire till someone choked on that word and changed it to" CHELTENHAMSHIRE".
i believe Ipswich have sung it for years.

[asl]

I was always told it was adopted at CTFC following the Gillette Trophy win for Gloucestershire at Lords in 77 ish (before my time in Glos.) I've also been told Ipswich Town have sung a variation of it for many years before that. No idea if either is gospel, though.

[Fuller]

I thought it was an Ipswich song too, I first heard it at Whaddon Rd back in the '80s if I recall when the singers were in the Paddock.

Anyway I recall an amusing alternative version that a few lads from somewhere like Woking or Farnborough or Kingstonian once sang at ours, it went like this :-

"You can't read, you can't write,
You're a bunch of losers,
We all come from (name of town)
We work on computers "

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

This suggests Colchester sung it about/to Ipswich in derogatory fashion: http://fanchants.co.uk/football-songs/c ... nt-read-2/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I like to think the Lords '73 origin is the correct one - and in fact, I would suspect that may be Proctershire was sang instead of Gloucestershire.

“I loved my time in England, loved every minute of it,” says Mike Procter, whose exploits with Gloucestershire in the 1970s had fans campaigning that the county change their name to Proctershire."

[andyinsh]

cheers for replies. I think the original tune it is based on is "Dixie" -the old confederate song? music not my strong subject tho - anyone confirm? cheers

[Shade]

It definitely has been an Ipswich song for a long time before we used it, a mate of mine that supports them confirmed this to me many years ago.

[ian]

Found this version of the song

http://youtu.be/o5Uhi8cpgjs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not as good as the CTFC fans however

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

It definitely has been an Ipswich song for a long time before we used it, a mate of mine that supports them confirmed this to me many years ago.

Before Glos Cricket in 73?

[Shade]

That's what I was told. But it might have been him just saying any old s#!t, one can never be certain unless it's written in a factual book, I find...

[Shade]

Found this version of the song

http://youtu.be/o5Uhi8cpgjs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not as good as the CTFC fans however

You're right. It sounds pretty awful.

[Shade]

http://fanchants.co.uk/football-songs/c ... cant-read/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://fanchants.co.uk/football-team/cheltenham_town/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Loads of other recorded CTFC chants there that some fan must have taken a bit of time to record and upload, including a couple of rare ones and some old, forgotten favourites. Unfortunately some don't have recordings. My favourite is probably the Goal Kick one, but when we used to drag then 'AAAHHHHHH' on for about a minute after the kick'.

From a little bit of research, apparently Brechin City also use the Tractor Song, and according to one website Norwich do as well but I find it very hard to believe they would given Ipswich's use of it. One site also says Bristol Rovers use it?! However, if you type 'We can't read and we can't write' into Google, it's all Cheltenham.

[Si Robin]

I always remember the Kettering fans when we played them in the FA Cup in 01/02:

"We can't read and we can't write,
That don't really matter
We all come from Cheltenhamshire
And we are f*****g W******"

Made me laugh at the time

[Alf]

I always thought that the words, if not the tune, we're written by a CTFC supporter in late 80's or early 90's. Someone must be able to confirm this?

[everyman]

I thought it was an Ipswich song too, I first heard it at Whaddon Rd back in the '80s if I recall when the singers were in the Paddock.

Anyway I recall an amusing alternative version that a few lads from somewhere like Woking or Farnborough or Kingstonian once sang at ours, it went like this :-

"You can't read, you can't write,
You're a bunch of losers,
We all come from (name of town)
We work on computers "

Dave Midwinter "Middy"was the conductor of the singing,also introduced many humorous chants etc.I recall the "dambusters" tune as swans flew over the pitch at Windsor -priceless !