The Football Match That Inspired Wham!'s Last Christmas
The classic Christmas song "Last Christmas" by Wham! was inspired by a live football match between Luton and Manchester United in Division One, which took place on Sunday 12 February 1984 at 2:35 pm and was broadcast live on ITV—the only live Sunday game that February. During this game, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley were watching and writing, with Ridgeley noting that Michael first heard the melody while watching the match and recording it in his bedroom on a four-track recorder. Michael wrote the song in February 1984.
Despite its enduring popularity, "Last Christmas" did not top the Christmas charts in 1984, overshadowed by Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Instead, it only reached Christmas number one decades later, in 2023.
In the Luton–Manchester United match, notable players such as Robson, Whiteside, and Stapleton scored in Manchester United's 5-0 victory. This match has been highlighted as the significant live fixture of February 1984 that inspired the iconic song.
Beyond the match's musical connection, the article notes historical football trivia, including that of 70 European Cup and Champions League winners since 1955-56, 30 were leading their domestic league at Christmas—examples being Manchester United in 1967-68 and Liverpool in 1980-81, 1983-84, and 2018-19. However, being top at Christmas did not guarantee continental success, as seen with Aston Villa in 1980-81 and Manchester City in 2018-19.
Regarding Christmas Day football traditions, Scotland's last full set of Christmas Day fixtures was in 1971, with some exceptions in 1976, while England last held top-flight Christmas Day fixtures in 1959.
An anecdote related to football Christmas traditions includes Newcastle players' Christmas gifts from 1998, as reported by the Sunday Times in 1999: Pistone received a sheep's heart; Ketsbaia a hairbrush; and Duncan Ferguson a prison shirt.
