|

Chalkie

mark merriman

Monday, January 16th, 2012

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Gap toothed grin his trademark,
like some predatory shark
Steve left defenders
trailing in his wake.
Scoring goals was his thing,
they went in from head and shin,
chest and knee and nose,
backside, thigh, elbows.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Play off final v the Gills
Steve displayed his range of skills
by bagging the first, then
adding another at the death.
Town won the match 2-0
thanks to Chalkie’s brilliant skill,
but the striker showed he was
far from finished yet.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 In Hoddle’s team of ’93
White proved he was the key
scoring goals to take us
to the promised land.
In the play off final, Wembley
with scores level at 3-3
Foxes keeper Poole brought
him down – clear penalty.
Bodin placed it on the spot
(I could hardly bare to watch)
as he stroked it
calmly into the net.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 The mark of any man is
the reception of the fans
and Steve was cheered
when playing for the Bulls.
Naturally he scored
to add to his goal hoard,
a blast from just inside
the six yard box.
A muted celebration, he
barely milked the adulation
of fans who’d once
bellowed out his name.
As the County Ground fell mute
he raised his left arm in salute;
Chalkie, we’ll always
remember the name.

© mark merriman september 2004

Notes

They don’t make players like Steve ‘Chalkie’ White any more. Best free transfer Swindon ever had; now there was a legend if ever there was one.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/chalkie/