Elgar's tribute to Wolves star

He may be best known as one of England's greatest composers but underneath, it appears Sir Edward Elgar was just your average bloke who enjoyed Saturday afternoons at Molineux.

Now a brief ditty written by the Edwardian musician in honour of Wolves' legendary striker Billy Malpass is to get its first public airing. It will be at a major fundraising concert at St Peter's Collegiate Church in Wolverhampton on September 25, marking the launch of a £300,000 appeal to restore the church organ.

Elgar became a Wolves fan after striking up a family friendship with Dora Penny, the daughter of the Rector of Wolverhampton.

He regularly cycled to matches from his home in Great Malvern, Worcestershire, and wrote what is believed to be the world's first football anthem, He Banged The Leather For Goal.

Dora's account of Elgar's interest in Wolves is given in her book Memories Of A Variation, in which she recalls sending the composer a press report of a Wolves match in February 1898.

The write-up said of Malpass that "he banged the leather for goal", a phrase that caught Elgar's fancy.

St Peter's director of music, Peter Morris, said of the anthem: "We haven't decided yet whether we'll get the choristers to punch the air when they sing, I can't imagine they'll just stand there."

The concert starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are £9/£7 concessions and available from the church on 01902 423388 or email: admin@ wulfruna.org.uk

By Marion Brennan