Manchester United midfielder Mason Mount has revealed how John Denver's 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' gets him ready for a game at Old Trafford.
The song is the basis of one of our fans' favourite chants, with the adapted lyrics: “Take me home, United Road, to the place, I belong. To Old Trafford, to see United, take me home, United Road!”
Last season, captain Bruno Fernandes and other leaders in the dressing room requested that the song was played shortly before kick-off, to strengthen the connection between the players and supporters even further.
In Mason Mount's view, it's working a treat.
“Yeah, I love it!”
our no.7 told club media in a recent interview about music.
“Everyone together, just before the game, that [song] comes on.
”Even when I'm on the pitch, I find myself kind of singing the song and it's in my head.“
The midfielder believes it plays a key role in getting him ready to perform at the Theatre of Dreams.
“As soon as you here it come on, you're like, 'Yeah, it's game time',”
he continued.
“Bruno [Fernandes] and a few of the leadership group, H [Harry Maguire], I think Heats [Tom Heaton] was involved, they chose the song.
”So yeah, I think it's gone down really well.“
It will hopefully prove as effective in our next home game, when we welcome our rivals from Yorkshire, Leeds United, to M16 in the Premier League on Monday 13 April.
The 20:00 BST kick-off brings to a close our extended 24-day break from our last outing against Bournemouth, with the March international break and this weekend's Emirates FA Cup fixtures coming in between.
That kicks off our final seven games of the top-flight season, as we continue to battle for UEFA Champions League football next season.
Our remaining home games see us face Daniel Farke's side plus Brentford, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
As Mason revealed, 'Country Roads' should help get us off on the right foot in each of those four crucial matches.