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Going Up, Going Down

Andy Lockett

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Money, money, money – millions of it descend
From on high as the Premiership doors open wide
To welcome you suckers. You’ll think you’re in
Heaven, all this cash to spend at will on players
Who might keep you up (but probably won’t).
Good luck, one might say…spend it wisely, spend
It well, Mister Manager.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Or else the axe will fall, sure as day after night.
So cram them in, those inflated, overpriced bids;
The cast-offs, the has-beens, the never-wases, the
Opportunist who gets his contract every year –
Just how, nobody knows.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 It’s a gigantic gamble, like buying thousands
Of lottery tickets that still don’t guarantee the
Jackpot of Survival.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 And survival is all that it is; seventeenth place
As good as top, and the height of your ambition,
Sad, deluded Championship club.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 You can join the party for nine long months,
An invitation to hand back come May time next
Year. And your players will scatter, no loyalty
There, and why should you expect it – you’re no
Longer the highest bidder…that’s all they’re
Interested in. Another chance in another hopeful
Town.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 Where the fans glow with replica shirt optimism,
Shelling out to suffer defeat on defeat, and the odd
Grubby draw. Never will another Forest storm
Straight to the title from promotion.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 Uncertainty would upset the big boys, they can’t
Have revenue streams disturbed – so stick your
Money in the bank, new boys. You’ll get even more
When the parachute opens.

© Andy Lockett 2008

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/going-up-going-down/