More than four decades ago this month, a song about a Salford hero got to number one in the charts.
Mick Coleman, who wrote Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs as a tribute to L.S. Lowry, has now written a new version of the hit single to celebrate his heroes of today.
Mick, now 74, changed his familiar chorus to honour the work of doctors and nurses on the front line.
The chorus of the new version is: "Give three cheers to the good old NHS, they're working hard to get us all out of this mess, let's help them win the fight, cos' they're working day and night."
The idea for the new version of the track, which was more recently used during an episode of I'm Alan Partridge, came during the 42nd anniversary of its reign at the top of the singles chart.
The song, released by the group Brian and Michael, which featured Mick and Kevin Parrott, spent three weeks at number one in April 1978.
Mick, of Hyde, told the M.E.N. "I started getting a lot of nice messages from people saying they still play the song, and that they remember it.
"So I was playing the song and I thought I'll change the lyrics.
"It was my tribute to L.S. Lowry, who was my hero.
"He depicted the areas where I was brought up as a kid.
"I always had this affinity to him even before I was famous."
Mick, who was regularly playing gigs before the lockdown, said it took him half an hour to write the song, just like the original.
He says that his respect for medical workers comes from first hand experience, after his wife underwent a transplant nearly 20 years ago.
He said: "When I look at the heroes around today, for me it is the nurses and carers, and everybody who is on the front line.
"It is a tribute to all the people out there grafting.
"I have got a lot of respect for them.
"They are all out on the front line. At least I am locked up, and locked up here with my guitar."
Mick said his admiration also came from performing regular gigs at a community centre in Levenshulme, working with carers who support those with dementia.
