Crossword Genius

You once include Mike in subject (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

theme

'subject' is the definition.
(theme can mean a topic or subject)

'you once include mike' is the wordplay.
'you once' becomes 'thee' (historical second person pronoun).
'include' is an insertion indicator.
'mike' becomes 'M' (phonetic alphabet: alpha, bravo, charlie etc.).
'thee' enclosing 'm' is 'THEME'.

'in' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for theme that I've seen before include "basis for variations" , "Subject; recurring idea" , "Recurrent unifying idea" , "Main idea or topic" , "Burden" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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