Killie Roll Call

Article Appeared in Killie Hippo 82 (out 17th October 2008)

Almost a month ago one of the greatest stadiums in sport was bid farewell. Its team hasn’t had the greatest of seasons so no playoffs this year meaning the final game fell in September and not as a fairytale ending in the Fall Classic, The World Series which is at the end of October. The team? The New York Yankees, the stadium, the world renowned Yankee Stadium.

Anyone who knows me knows I have a acute love of baseball and take great umbrage to any derisory call such as it just a big game of rounder’s. But this isn’t about baseball, well it is but its not at the same time. You’ll see. No, I defy anyone, football fan or not to deny any knowledge of the Yankees or Yankee stadium, it’s a sporting institution and the stadium will be sadly missed.
The final game was shown on channel fives excellent coverage and the build up was great and the atmosphere seemed immense. The game started around half an hour to an hour late due to many videos being shown and people being interviewed so on and so on. When the game started there was guests from yesteryear in the commentary box to call the game, discussing their own personal memories of the place and basically reminiscing. All well and good but this is a Killie fanzine, what’s my point?

When I watch these things I automatically think about what elements we can nick for our own team and something that stood out, something the ESPN coverage centred on, was the last ever Yankee roll call at the old Yankee Stadium. The roll call consists of fans chanting the on field teams names individually and it reverberates around the stadium. Starting with the left fielder and going through the positions in turn the chant each players name repeatedly till he acknowledges the fans somehow, then they move on. Johnneee day-mon ad nauseum for centre fielder Johnny Damon, De-rek Jeeetur over and over again for Derek Jeter. I think we should adopt something like this.

I really do, and it could be done at all matches home and away, and whats more it can be completely adopted by band of young fans in the bottom right hand side of the east stand. A good bunch of boys I think, they have taken a bit of a snash, one time in particular Killie kickback users may recall when one user accused them of a whole manner of things (drug use?) but personally I think they are great. I use the Airdrie cup game as case in point as their singing non stop all game was superb. So I am offering this to them to take on and make their own. I think it could really work and in a area where copying is a gimme and actually quite annoying (fans copying each other by singing Flower of Scotland at Rangers games? BORING! all the Hibbees are gay, EH? the ring of fire? ALSO BORING! and other things that are basically lifted straight from our peers) obviously innovative new chants would be the biz, but I say if your going to copy, don’t make it obvious, and I think this fit’s the bill.

Oh Alan Combe, Allan Allan Allan Combe, and on and on and on and on. Combe gives a wave. We cheer and move on. One James Fowler, theres only one James Fowler! Jamie (remember he used to be Jamie Fowler?) claps the fans as it rolls out for a shy. And so on, Manu Manuel, Manu Manuel, Manu Manuel, Manuel Pascali! The godlike genius stops and bows for the fans (he probably wouldn’t but you get my jist) Sa-mon Sa-mon, Sa-mon Sa-mon, Sa-mon Sa-mon Sa-mon, I say! You get the idea.

Its easy to join in with as long as one group starts it, you don’t need to learn any difficult lyrics and it can be taken all over Scotland. Young kids can get involved as they don’t have to take off their shoes, and the as long as they recognise the players and know their names then its easy followed. And if the players don’t respond then we will still have a wall of sound till half time. I think this could really take off at Rugby Park where we are often accused, even in arguments amongst ourselves, that the atmosphere sucks. People often go on about it being better when at away game (drink plays a big part in this I am sure) but I think this could kick something off. Lets face it, playing music over the tannoy when we get a corner is absolute baws and offers nothing to the atmosphere. That idea is stolen wholesale from the states but unlike the roll call its not the fans who call that shots, lets face it, the only thing that creates atmosphere it is a good old fashioned sing song. I haven’t noticed any team in Scotland doing this so we could be the first.
If your interested or cany make any sense of what I am saying type yankee roll call into youtube and have a look at the fans videos of their time as a “bleacher creature” at Yankee stadium. It’ll put the hair on the back of your neck on end, imagine that feeling at a game against the old firm? The whole Killie crowd chanting constantly as we cheer our team, it would make us all feel tremendous and I think the players would get a kick out of it too.



Ruud Kerouac
Killie Beat Writer