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The Ghost of Stanley Matthews

Crispin Thomas

Saturday, December 9th, 2000

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 late in the game when the fog swirls in
and you long for a rub of the dice
you pray that some figure will dance through the mud
and cause havoc out under the lights
for legends and myths are like rivers
but there’s one that will last for all time
and i swear that i’ve seen him appear through the mist
drifitng like smoke down the line

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 and some here among you will nod and agree
and to some it is nowt but a name
but the ghost of the great Stanley Matthews
still hovers around this old game

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 yes I’ve seen him at Wembley, at Stoke and at Ayr
on muddied old parks coming out of thin air
just ghosting past players as if they’re not there
for he had a class so refined-in his time

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 and he probably went home with tuppence a week
for all that he did for the game
but he stood for a time and a working man’s sport
that is sadly no longer the same
and when I look out on a cold cold day
in a fifties and throwback and sad kinda way
i can still see that swerve – i can still see that sway
for Stan was an idol of mine-and so fine

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 but his ghost lingers on in the good things
whatever-wherever they are
and i dare you to try to compare him
for Stan was a true soccer star
and maybe his shorts did come down to his knees
and maybe his hair was all brylcreemed in grease
but there ain’t a crowd that our Stan didn’t please
but he’s left us and gone now-long gone

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 and some here among you will nod and agree
and to some it is nowt but a name
but the ghost of the sweet Stanley Matthews
still hovers around this great game

© Crispin Thomas – Oct 2000

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/the-ghost-of-stanley-matthews/