A NEW version of football song Wild Rover has been recorded by one of the country’s top tenors, sparking a debate over which East Lancashire club used it first.

Martin Toal, who has sung at Wembley Stadium on four occas-ions and performed before the Queen, has released his version to coincide with the derby match between Blackburn and Burnley this Sunday.

Both clubs sing the song with reference to the other, but there is no clear indication of who sang it first.

Ray Simpson, Burnley FC historian, said: “I don’t think it’s that old.

"It probably caught on in the 1970s because I don’t remember it from my formative years in the 1960s.

"It’s very difficult to put a date on it and I expect both sets of fans will claim it as their own.

“I didn’t know that Blackburn sing it too. It will be quite interesting on Sunday to hear their version.”

Barrie Oliver, chairman of the Burnley Football Club Supporters’ Group, said he was also unaware that Blackburn sang the song.

He said: “I can’t remember fans singing it in the early days, but probably from the 1970s. It’s taken off since then.”

Rovers come out onto the pitch to a version of the song.

Simon Leigh, who runs the Blackburn Rovers Disabled Supporters’ Club, said he was similarly unsure when it began as an Ewood terrace anthem.

He said: “It’s always been sung since I’ve been going on Ewood Park and that’s from the mid 1970s, but I couldn’t pinpoint an exact time.”

Mr Toal, a Manchester United fan, said Wild Rover was the track on his new album with the widest popular appeal.

He said: “We are trying to make it into an anthem.

"With the Blackburn versus Burnley match coming up, we thought it could be interesting to get it out there as a preview to the match itself.

“Someone mentioned the song is sung at Blackburn, and then at Burnley too, so I thought I had to check it out.”

Mr Toal, who has also sung before an England international match at Old Trafford, said he was hoping to be asked to sing on the pitch before kick-off, but he wanted to attend the match in any case.

When do you remember hearing the song first? Add your comments below.