"Give Us a Goal" is a single

Single (music)

In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...

 from English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 rock band Slade

Slade

Slade are an English rock band from Wolverhampton, who rose to prominence during the glam rock era of the early 1970s. With 17 consecutive Top 20 hits and six number ones, the British Hit Singles & Albums names them as the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles...

. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder

Noddy Holder

Neville John "Noddy" Holder MBE is an English musician and actor. He was the lead vocalist and guitarist with the rock band Slade....

 and bassist Jim Lea

Jim Lea

Jim Lea , is an English musician, most notable for playing bass guitar, keyboards, violin, guitar, and singing backing vocals in Slade.-Career:...

. The single was released in 1978 and failed to chart in the UK. The single was based on football.

At the time Slade were still unpopular and were not having any commercial success. Holder suggested that the band write and release a football track to try and get some commercial success.

One popular advertisement for the single at the time was a cartoon drawing of the band scoring a goal against bassist Jim Lea who appeared as the goalkeeper.

The single was also promoted through UK TV, Slade appearing on shows such as Cheggers Plays Pop.

The track was used in the TV ad for the popular football video game Fifa 09

FIFA 09

FIFA 09 is the 2008 installment of Electronic Arts' FIFA series of football video games. Developed by EA Canada, it is published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label. It was released in October 2008 for Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii,...

. The track has since become increasingly popular, gathering approx 85,000 views on youtube.

English writer Chris Ingham described the track as "a fair effort at a rock 'n' roll football anthem although the b-side Daddio was a better bet all around.

The single was released on 12" vinyl in Italy during 1978, being Slade's only 12" single at that time.

Promotional video

The promo video for the single features the band playing football at Goldstone Ground

Goldstone Ground

The Goldstone Ground was a football stadium and home ground of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. between 1902 and 1997. The club currently plays at American Express Community Stadium, a stadium on the outskirts of the city, following the move from their temporary stadium in the Brighton suburb of...

 in Hove

Hove

Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...

 with the football team of Brighton

Brighton

Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...

. On the day of filming, it was so cold that guitarist Dave Hill

Dave Hill

Dave Hill is an English musician, who is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the English glam rock group, Slade. The music journalist, Stuart Maconie, commented "he usually wore a jumpsuit made of the foil that you baste your turkeys in and platforms of oil-rig-derrick height...

had to wear a hat - the band could hardly play football in the weather either. The film crew had to keep filming the band until one of the members scored a goal against Brighton's goalkeeper. Eventually drummer Don Powell succeeded.

The song's video was voted #1 of the top three Slade music videos in the Slade Fan Club Poll of 1979.

Critical reception

Record Mirror reviewed the single upon release, "I'd like to see the oldies make it again, I really would. I always loved their gigs, just for the atmosphere. I think that's what they must have been thinking about when they wrote this song, because it recaptures the football fervour they used to build up. That's why it's a bit sad, because I don't think it's worked. I think they're groping in the dark (not a pleasant occupation when it's just for ideas), looking backwards for their future. The song's got plenty of guts, the typical rasping vocals, all that stuff, but it's missed the goal."

Personnel

• Noddy Holder: Lead vocals and guitar
• Jim Lea: Bass guitar and backing vocals
• Dave Hill: Lead guitar and backing vocals
• Don Powell: Drums