Football Poets

FIrst Match (Trilogy)

¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Part I (The Build Up)

¶ 2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 A week before Christmas, no snow in the sky;
A cold and grey day, but I felt on a high.
The day following my birthday, the year sixty six,
My first football match, instead of the flicks.

¶ 3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 I’d stayed over at Steve’s house, my very best mate;
As a rare birthday treat, we’d stayed up quite late.
We’d been friends since the infants, way back in time;
His dad had to take us, as we were just nine.

¶ 4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 A chip butty for lunch, then we left about one;
A few bob in my pocket and a bun from Steve’s mum.
Steve’s dad was a hammer fan, East End true,
A scarf round his neck, it was claret and blue.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 By train and then bus, across London we went,
Past grey high-rise blocks, no red bricks and cement;
The “Bridge” was the venue, so not really a trek;
Anticipation ran through me, what should I expect?

¶ 6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 It was a derby at Chelsea, an all London affair;
When approaching the ground, a buzz in the air.
Never seen so many vendors, on stalls and in vans,
Selling scarves, pendant badges, hot dogs and cans.

¶ 7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 Reaching the turnstile, at the edge of the ground,
I felt slightly uneasy, seemed like millions around;
After tickets exchanged we squeezed through the gate,
Though not in control, I still felt quite safe.

¶ 8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 Smelt burgers and onions sizzling away on a hob;
Steve’s dad bought three programmes for under two bob;
We had seats high in the stand, to the West of the ground,
Climbed six flights of steps, but then easily found.

¶ 9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 Part II (The Match)

¶ 10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 The teams came out to rapturous applause;
To me it was deafening, not even a pause.
It kicked off at three to loud manly cheers;
Steve’s dad waved his scarf, some Chelsea fans jeered.

¶ 11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 Looking down and around I was transfixed by the crowd,
So many thousands and ever so loud;
Narrow terrace walkways stood out like a groove,
Apart from some sways it seemed no one could move.

¶ 12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 It was hard to believe seeing three World Cup greats;
Right there, so close, I’d have envious mates.
The game ebbed this way then that, never slow;
I watched in awe of the skills on show.

¶ 13 Leave a comment on verse 13 0 Goal after goal, there were five in each half;
The game was hypnotic, I was hooked from the start;
As the final whistle blew it was hard to believe,
My first match had ended and we had to leave.

¶ 14 Leave a comment on verse 14 0 And so it had finished, a score draw, five all;
Hurst scored a hat-trick and was given the ball;
I guessed both teams were happy as no one had lost,
I knew nothing of points and what it might cost.

¶ 15 Leave a comment on verse 15 0 Part III (Post Match)

¶ 16 Leave a comment on verse 16 0 We left the ground in a hurry, everyone was rushing;
Then we ran to the bus stop to avoid any crushing.
Went back to Steve’s house for tea and ice cream,
My mind was still racing, it seemed like a dream.

¶ 17 Leave a comment on verse 17 0 I walked home at seven and felt like a man,
But more than that now, a real football fan.
But I needed to prove it, just to myself,
So decided to raid my big brother’s shelf.

¶ 18 Leave a comment on verse 18 0 I wanted my heroes all over my wall,
Hurst, Peters, Moore all standing tall;
Four West Ham pics I’d eventually loot,
Nabbed from my brother’s magazine “Shoot!”

¶ 19 Leave a comment on verse 19 0 Still very excited, I went off to bed,
With my new pin-up heroes above my head.
I dropped off thinking about the next game,
And if taken again, would it be just the same?

¶ 20 Leave a comment on verse 20 0 So that was back then, my very first game;
But Football has changed, it’s now not the same;
Whilst not a West Ham fan now, the memories not gone,
And I still have the programme, more than forty years on!