'Don't take me home' - Wales fans head to Georgia dreaming of 2018 World Cup spot

On course: Wales will likely reach the play-offs with two wins
Getty Images
Tom Dutton6 October 2017

Wales fans introduced chants of "don't take me home" to a European audience at Euro 2016 and will likely blare out the terrace anthem in Georgia on Friday if things go to plan.

Chris Coleman will be without star man Gareth Bale, who has a calf strain, for crucial fixtures against Georgia and the Republic of Ireland in the coming days.

Two victories will almost certainly bank Wales a play-off spot at the very least, though they will still stand a slim chance of reaching Russia if they only claim three points from the two fixtures.

If Coleman can steer Wales to a second straight major tournament - and a first World Cup since 1958 - they will likely be backed by the same vocal tribe of fans who won plaudits for their support in France 18 months ago.

Indeed, "don't take me home" rapidly became the backing track to Wales's march to the semi-final in France, a chorus first sung by Newcastle fans and made popular by Wales's supporters.

Set to the tune of Billy Ray Cyrus's Achy Breaky Heart, the terrace anthem was adopted by England, Wales, Republic of Ireland and even Sweden supporters at the European Championships.

Words

Don't take me home, please don't take me home

I just don't want to go home

I wanna stay here, drink all your beer

Please don't, please don't take me home

Getty Images

At this stage, Wales's best chance of progressing to Russia is via the play-offs which conclude in November. Three points in Tbilisi would represent a giant stride towards that goal.

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