A FAMOUS fan has written a musical tribute to Middlesbrough footballer Mark Viduka to persuade the Aussie striker to stay in the North-East.

Alistair Griffin, the runner-up of BBC talent search Fame Academy, changed the lyrics of Leonard Cohen's ballad Hallelujah for a charity event at the Riverside last week.

Mr Griffin said: "It only started as a bit of a laugh in rehearsal.

"We play Hallelujah all the time, so we just thought that we would spice things up a bit.

"The response was surprising."

Among the crowd that night was Boro boss Gareth Southgate, who asked for a copy for the dressing room.

The song was played on the Riverside public address system before the match against Reading on Saturday.

Boro went on to win 2-1, with Viduka scoring the first and setting Yakubu up for the second.

Mr Griffin said: "I'd like to take some credit for that but I won't.

"I hope people will sing it from the stands and inspire us to score a few more goals."

There has been fierce speculation over the past few months about Viduka's future at the club following sluggish contract talks.

But Southgate said he hoped the song would help persuade the popular striker to stay in the North-East.

In a press conference on Saturday, Southgate said: "We managed to get a copy of it in the dressing room, and Colin Cooper and myself were belting it out in the hope that Mark will put pen to paper. We have no shame here."

Mr Griffin, from Castleton, between Whitby and Middlesbrough, plans to release the tune to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support after 23,719 people went on his website to listen to the track.

He said: "I realise there's more to football than a song, but if it raises some cash for charity, I would be delighted."

The song will be available to buy on www.amazingtunes.com

To listen, visit www.myspace. com/alistairgriffinonline

Lyrics to Hallelujah

I heard there was a secret ball,

Southgate dreamed it would beat them all,

But you don't really play the long ball do you?

It goes like this, the full pitch width,

Downing's cross and Boateng's flick.

The baffled keeper can't stop Mark Viduka,

Mark Viduka, Mark Viduka.