Hibs fans proclaim their love for anthem with chart effort

Now Sunshine on Leith could be set to return to the charts thanks to an internet campaign orchestrated by diehard Hibbies.

Organiser Callum Laidlaw, 28, is confident of getting 5,000 fans to download the track in one week – enough to muscle into the UK top 40.

It follows the success of similar campaigns by fans of rock band Rage Against the Machine and Rangers football supporters to turn their favourite anthems into chart hits.

Callum has already won the support of many fans, including Forth One DJ Grant Stott, for his week of action starting on 31 May.

Hibs season ticket holder Callum has planned the bid to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the Hands Off Hibs campaign. The fans' protests against a proposed merger with Hearts are being celebrated with an anniversary concert featuring the Proclaimers at the Usher Hall on 9 June.

"We all saw what Rangers fans did with Simply the Best and with the anniversary coming up I thought there was no better way to celebrate that," said the bank worker, from Rosyth.

"It would be good for Hibs fans to go a little bit out of their way for the Proclaimers, just like they did 20 years ago for Hands Off Hibs.

"Now it's just a case of getting as many people as possible involved. It would be great for the Proclaimers to take to the stage on the night of the gig knowing their song is in the charts."

A Facebook group has also been established, and fans are pledging their support on Hibs online forums.

Callum stressed there was no use in buying the song before 31 May, because those sales wouldn't be counted for that week's chart.

Grant Stott said: "I'm definitely in favour of getting Sunshine on Leith to its rightful place at number one in the charts.

"It's a fantastic novelty idea and I'm sure there will be a lot of support for it.

"Of course every Hibs fan will already have the song on one format or another, but it isn't much to download a song and it's a great thing to be involved in.

"Football is too serious these days and it's good to see the other side of it."

Callum added: "You don't have to be a Hibs fan to get involved, even if you just like the Proclaimers this is worth doing."

Downloading a single through iTunes costs between 59p and 99p depending on the song.

To get to number one in the charts most weeks a haul of around 30,000 sales is needed in the UK.