IT'S a football chant with a difference.

A song written by pupils and staff at a Hampshire school is designed to unite fans at today's crunch derby match between Southampton and Portsmouth football clubs.

The children from Hook-with-Warsash Primary School in Warsash - situated midway between the two cities - have split loyalties between the two local rivals.

They are hoping there won't be a repeat of the violent scenes witnessed when sets of supporters clashed earlier this year.

Trouble erupted at the league match between the two teams in March.

More than 300 people were believed to have been involved in the violence,

which saw police being pelted with missiles, shops looted and cars attacked.

Year 6 teacher and Saints supporter Mark Baxter, who helped write Blue and Red, said the match provided a perfect opportunity to use the children's musical talent and put a serious message across.

Mr Baxter said: "A couple of years ago we wrote a song about Saints and this time we decided to do something for both sets of fans. My colleague is a Pompey fan and the children see us getting along. It's a great message to put across. Football is one of those things you either follow or you don't but quite a high percentage of our pupils do follow one of the two teams.

"The song is all about reconciliation and I think that's very important."

BLUE AND RED

Whether you're Saints,

Whether you're Pompey,

One game we'll both see

Unites us all.

Different kits,

Different colours,

Draw, win or lose,

We're still walking tall.

Chorus:

Blue and red can live together,

We can be like this forever,

Easy, it's so easy.

Blue and red can live together,

We can be like this forever,

Easy, it's so easy.

SAINTS V POMPEY: THE GAME OF THE SEASON. For full coverage and background go to the Saints pages under the Sport section of 'This is Southampton'.