Fan choir singing 'Abide With Me' to open FA Cup Final this year

The FA is looking for 64 fans from teams in the third round of the competition

Jon Stone
Saturday 17 January 2015 08:06 EST
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The Royal Hospital School Choir sing in the Drumhead Service during day 1 of the Invictus Games, presented by Jaguar Land Rover at Lee Valley Athletics Centre in London
The Royal Hospital School Choir sing in the Drumhead Service during day 1 of the Invictus Games, presented by Jaguar Land Rover at Lee Valley Athletics Centre in London

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This year’s FA Cup Final will be opened to the sound of a choir singling the hymn “Abide With Me”, the Football Association has announced.

Fans of the game are being invited by the sport’s governing body to join the choir, which will be made up of football fans.

The BBC’s Songs of Praise programme is assembling the choir to include one member of each of the 64 football teams who have made it to the third round of the annual knock-out competition.

The choir will be accompanied by a military band.

David Taviner, Songs of Praise executive producer said: “The chance to sing at Wembley is a dream come true for any football fan and I’m delighted that Songs of Praise are teaming up with The FA to offer this opportunity.

"The performance of Abide with Me is such an iconic moment in FA Cup final day and to be a part of that, at Wembley, in front of 90,000 people, live on BBC One would be something very special indeed.”

Abide with me is a Christian hymn and is often sung at funerals.

Fans will be invited to submit stories and personal memories about the FA Cup in order to be selected.

The competition to be part of the choir is now open and closes on 7 March 2015.

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