Support to bring back Jon English Parramatta Eels theme song

Now the Eels’ major 1980s sponsor is back on board, it could signal the return of another blast from the past – the club’s iconic theme song recorded by an Aussie music legend and Parramatta great.

Jon English with former Parramatta Eels great Eric Grothe in 2011 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the anthem.

Now the Eels’ major 1980s sponsor James Hardie is back on board, it could signal the return of another blast from the past – the club’s iconic theme song recorded by Aussie music legend Jon English and Parramatta great Eric Grothe.

The late English penned the Parramatta anthem with his son and recorded it with legendary winger and talented guitarist Grothe, aka the Guru, in 1986 to coincide with the opening of Parramatta Stadium.

The track was played with the booming PAR-RA, PAR-RA intro before every first grade match at home games for decades but in recent years has been dumped in favour of Metallica’s Enter Sandman – a choice fans say lacks a Parramatta connection.

“What’s played now … there isn’t a link with Parramatta – there’s nothing special about it,’’ Craig Hawkins, a Parramatta supporter for more than 50 years, said.

“To me we’re coming out to a sound.’’

Eric Grothe and Jon English perform the Eels’ anthem in 2011.

While many supporters believe the club is too stuck in its 1980s’ glory days, Hawkins – who runs the Cumberland Throw online forum – said he believed the anthem had the power to have a “uniting nostalgia”.

“When it came to that song, we’re talking about an iconic Australian entertainer who’s passionate about the game,’’ he said.

“Jon English wasn’t just someone who was a celebrity bandwagon supporter – he lived the life of the supporter.

“He was there in the Eels jersey with his kids at Parramatta watching the games so when he had the talent and the passion to record an Eels theme song, that actually meant something.’’

Eels former player Peter Wynn, James Hardie chief executive Aaron Erter, player Steve Edge and Clint Gutherson have welcomed back. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Grothe helped update the song which English wrote.

“I just thought it was fantastic – they actually had someone of Jon English’s calibre writing a song and remember how important it was to being a Parramatta supporter,’’ he recalled.

“It was massive when I first heard it through the speakers. It was something always there. It had a section of the song, ‘PAR-RA’ and that shook through the stadium. You wonder why they change things.’’

Eric Grothe in action in August 1984. Picture: Anthony Weate

Eels great Peter Wynn fondly recalled the song’s release the last year the club won a premiership.

“It was iconic and we knew Jonny was a superstar, and a mad Parramatta supporter,” he said.

“For him to combine with the Guru – what a combination.”

A cassette of the beloved theme song.

Unlike many clubs that adopted classic tunes into their own theme songs, the Eels had an original track that became the anthem thanks to English, a Cabramatta-raised Blue and Gold diehard.

Comedian and Parramatta supporter Rob Shehadie recalls a classmate playing the theme song on his ghetto blaster in the playground of St Patrick’s Primary School Parramatta in the 1980s.

“That’s a classic. I’ll never forget it,’’ he said.

“It just shows how important music is – it always hits people’s hearts and emotions.

“It always brings back great memories from way back in the day.’’

It’s understood players opted to replace the traditional theme song.