where now..the Wembley dream is over
where now the dream is long over and gone
and your tunnel stands empty while echoes ring on?
when you ask me a place where-in legends were made
i willl show you where none but the greatest have played
from the back streets of Bolton to old London town
the joys and the sorrows the ups and the downs –
you may scour this world over but find none like this
for the ground that we dreamed on no longer exists
the end of an era that meant much to me
and so much to so many now so long Wembley
from the very first final that opening day
they would flock in their thousands along Wembley Way
in cloth caps and bowlers they came in their scores
contained by a ‘copper’ and Billie the horse
from crowds on a touchline in Spring twenty-three
to Nelson Mandela the day he walked free
this temple and stage had its own chemistry
and the turf it was sacred at old Wembley
from the year of my birth back in March forty-eight
from those mighty Olympics and games that have played
to Matthews and Puskas in late fifty-three
and the moment those floodlights first blazed on the scene
how they shone done in Europe those times Charlton scored
and lit up the sky on that ancient scoreboard
on down through the World Cup and long-argued goals
to Cup-Final dramas this stadium had soul
each blade of her green grass held some memory
when you ponder on glory you think on Wembley
like nights when the twin-towers first heard rock n’roll
and Haley and Jerry Lee put on that show
those eco-laced eighties Mandela Live-Aid
when Springsteen Madonna and Jackson all played
from penalty misses to anthems and hits
we chanted with pride in Euro Ninety-Six
the day when they carried Paul Gascoigne off crying
to the fastest of goals that will stand for all time
to all of the moments that won’t come no more
the scarves and the banners that old Wembley roar
but of all of the memories that live on and on
the saddest of all is that Wembley is gone…
Oct 1 2001 Pefkos.Rhodes,Greece.
About This Site
Welcome to Football Poets -- a club for all football poets, lovers of football and lovers of (alternative) poetry. Discover poets in every league from respected internationals at the top of their game to young hopefuls in the school playground.
Publish your football poems here and then discuss them with your team mates and fans. We're archived by The British Library, so your masterpieces are in the safe hands of a world-class keeper. What a result!
My Account
Latest Poems
joe morris
4th May 2024
Crispin Thomas
2nd May 2024
joe morris
2nd May 2024
joe morris
28th April 2024
Richard Williams
26th April 2024
joe morris
25th April 2024
Denys E. W. Jones
25th April 2024
kevin halls
23rd April 2024
Alex Saynor
23rd April 2024
Crispin Thomas
22nd April 2024
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
29th April 2024 at 2:47 pm
Hi Denys,
Yes Richard Williams you’re a brilliant wordsmith, my friend. When I first saw your football poetry I thought it was the superb Guardian sports and music writer. I once had the honour of sitting next to Richard Williams while at the Independent on the sports desk. He writes about music and sport with immense knowledge and authority. I’ve read a couple of Richard’s books recently. Great writer rather like you Richard Williams the Pompey fan. Congratulations on promotion.
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28th April 2024 at 5:59 pm
Thanks Denys. Yes your replay poem was superb.
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26th April 2024 at 4:46 pm
Nice work, Joe. You were quick off the mark with that! Good one from Richard Williams too I see.
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25th April 2024 at 7:33 pm
Hi Denys,
Thanks mate. I’ll do it now.
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25th April 2024 at 1:56 pm
Thanks Joe,
you might like to write a poem yourself on the same subject…
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23rd April 2024 at 4:03 pm
Hi Denys
With you all the way on the abolition of FA Cup replays. What are they doing to the game?
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23rd April 2024 at 3:59 pm
Hi Crispin,
Yes sorry mate. Villa are still in Europe. Mistake rectified.
Cheers
Joe
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20th April 2024 at 12:04 pm
Hi Joe
Shouldn’t your title read your poem Farewell Europe England to everyone exccept Aston Villa ?
I know you mention them in your poem , but I do feel sorry for Villa re the national press .
Largely ignored. the hype was was all about Man City & Arsenal with a bit of a nod to the Hammers..but hardly a mention of Villa..
So well done to them
C
.
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19th March 2024 at 8:00 am
Hi Crispin. Chris Sutton on the radio has gone for a Chelsea v Coventry final. As we know anything can happen in the Cup, and I reckon we can go to the final.
We’re still in with a chance of the play offs too, so lots to go for.
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19th March 2024 at 7:41 am
Hey Kev
Let the masses drool over their odds on City v Unted Final, but who knows how pressure can hit.
Cov and Chels will be rightly labelled as having no chance..but hey …stranger things have happened..
so Chelsea v Coventry…that’s the Final for us!
Best
C
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