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Leaving Early?

mark merriman

Saturday, September 8th, 2007

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 True football fans ask themselves why
so many head for the exits with
nearly ten minutes of the match left.
Heads bowed, hands in pockets,
they hurry to beat the crush,
thus missing the fun at the end.
They do it at the bigger grounds:
Old Trafford, The Emirates and
now new Wembley, but I’ve also
witnessed it at the County Ground,
current home of Swindon Town.
With tense game locked at
one goal each they glance
anxiously at timepiece and
start to sneak out of their seats.
Plaintively I call out to them,
but they are in a world of their own,
imagining themselves at home,
slippers on, sipping tea, in the
bosom of their family.
So called ‘Stat Packs’ in the
matchday magazines reveal
how many goals are missed
by fans leaving games prematurely.
Yet this misses the point entirely:
Last minute winner is received wildly,
but surely you should stay behind
to applaud the team, to clap politely,
to embrace your mates, enjoy
the camaraderie.
So read this early leavers,
leave your watches at home,
stay ’til the final whistle has blown.

© mark merriman sept 2004

Notes

I can (sort of) understand why some fans leave early if the final result is already cut & dried, but how can you vacate your seat when you have witnessed an absolute thriller, it’s 2-2 & there’s still five minutes (plus injury time) to go?

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/leaving-early-2/