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Deaf man's bid for a
World Cup song

by Katie Alston

A retired football coach who can't
hear music is hoping his World Cup song will be sung out across the
terraces and spur England onto victory.

Deaf Tom Cunningham, 76, wants to
be inspire both players and fans when all eyes fall on South Africa
in June for the global football tournament.

Mr Cunningham, who moved to Central
Parade, Herne Bay six years ago, once counted the likes of World
Cup winning England captain Bobby Moore, ex-England manager Ron
Greenwood and the former Coventry City manager Dave Sexton as
friends.

"They were great people, who would
move the earth to do something for charity and they have helped
inspire me to write the song," he said.

"I like singing and I love
football, I used to run a boys club and gave many of boys a chance
to become professionals today.

"A good World Cup song can do magic
for the players, and when the crowd is singing it, it can make the
hair on the back of their necks stand on end. It makes them want
pass and want to win and that is what it's all about.

"It is like a love song between the
person singing it and the players."

Mr Cunningham, who has never
written a football song before, is keeping his lyrics under lock
and key until the winner of the KM Group's, Song for England
competition is announced.

The contest to write likeable
lyrics and make the three lions roar is helping to raise cash
Demelza House.

"It is a brilliant charity and I
would do anything to help them," added Mr Cunningham.

"I don't have any World Cup
predictions. I think England have got a good chance but they need
my song and crowd singing it to go on and win.

"I can't hear music and need to
have hearing aids, but I keep on trying.

"When you love something like
football or sport it is very hard to ignore it, and like the famous
saying goes 'football is the greatest game on earth'."