THIS SITE HAS BEEN ARCHIVED AND CLOSED.

The Verve’s Richard Ashcroft has ridiculed the idea that his band might not headline Glastonbury next summer.

When the question of the slot was put to him by XFM, Ashcroft replied simply: “I think it would be a travesty if we didn’t”.

The rumour has been given weight by the appearance of Emily Eavis, the festival’s co-organiser, at one of the band’s reunion shows at the Camden Roundhouse last week.

“We’re one of the few bands that can jam without sounding like Lynyrd Skynyrd on a bad night,” Ashcroft helpfully explained before indulging that laddish whim for platitude: “so we can actually take people on a proper journey, rock n roll wise.”

Michael Eavis, the boss of the festival, recently revealed that the three Pyramid Stage headliners would be drawn from a pool of seven.

The frontman clearly hopes his band is one of those contenders; placing himself alongside the likes of Muse, Bruce Springsteen, Radiohead, REM, Led Zeppelin and Kylie Minogue on the gossip pages.