In 1994, a group of backpackers joined a small group of cricket fans who watched England lose the Ashes – but carried on singing, drinking and supporting their defeated team. They printed a few t-shirts – and the Barmy Army was born.
A quarter of a century on and the Barmy Army has 33,000 members, 250,000 social media followers, brings millions of pounds to every foreign venue they visit and are welcomed everywhere but Lord's.
They are intent on keeping Test cricket alive and want to be taken seriously as a force in a game that refuses to die.
Joe Root is friends with Chris Millard (right), the Barmy Army's Managing Director
The Barmy Army have followed England for almost 25 years and grown massively
They still sing continuously throughout every match (much to the annoyance of old school committee men), drink plenty of beer and have a laugh but the players – from England captain Joe Root on – are firm supporters of their own boisterous fans.
And now they are starting a new era attempting to build an even stronger fan organisation within the game – led by Managing Director Chris Millard, who spent his teens growing up with skipper Joe Root and his brother Billy in Sheffield.
As the Barmy Army prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary and England prepares for the biggest cricket summer in its history – with the One-Day World Cup and an Ashes series – Chris claimed: 'As long as the Barmy Army is around, Test cricket will be around.
'People think cricket is dying, but it is booming, and the culture of Test cricket won't ever die while we are here.'
England captain Joe Root said: 'The Barmy Army are a special organisation who really do follow the team through thick and thin all over the world. The growth of the Barmy Army over the years is fantastic and seems to go from strength to strength on every tour we go on.
'In what will be a huge year for cricket, we will be looking to the Barmy Army as our ever-present twelfth man.'
Root and Millard have known each other since growing up in Sheffield together
The Barmy Army are preparing to follow their side in the World Cup and then the Ashes
It's support that scares the old enemy in Australia with current coach Justin Langer warning his team not to mess with the Barmy Army.
They mocked Langer's height in 2002 after he criticised them for taunting team-mate Brett Lee.
'It's the biggest lesson of my sporting career. Don't mess with the Barmy Army, their songs are humiliating,' he said.
Chris, 24,
