Welcome to …. Anne & Josh
Conscious of the fact that poems don’t get to stay too long on the home page, because of the increasing popularity of the site, I’m going to use this editorial slot to occasionally showcase some of our new talent.
No favouritism is intended. Just a chance for newcomers to shine a little longer.
This week, a warm welcome to Anne Armstrong and also to Josh Hodkinson.
Barcelona v Celtic
A Spanish sea against a Scottish wall
Which team will win? You’d have to say, the waves
And yet the wall’s composure doesn’t crack
The teenage keeper makes stupendous saves.
Like torrents crashing down a waterfall
The Catalan attackers pound away;
Like rocks the Celts’ defence block each attack
A salmon leaps and twists amid the spray –
The keeper gathers, palms, tips every ball
Defenders check and smother each attempt
(Then give the ball away); we watch the clock
Still the waves come; the Spanish don’t relent.
We’re watching through our fingers; hopes were small
Without a goal, but neither side can score
The final whistle blows, and we’re in shock
Our throats are aching but our hearts can soar.
© Anne Armstrong
The Claret Way of Life
Football is a funny game, especially with the Clarets
Sometimes they play some cracking stuff, sometimes they play like carrots
They leave their fans like nervous wrecks, just like the Orient Game
But time and time and time again, they manage to sustain
The familiar sight of Stan the Man, that comic genius
He marshals our claret warriors, even when they’re tedious
But several painful years ago, when ITV shamed us all
We spat at their dirty dealing, we said, “They won’t destroy football”
We battled on, though hard it was, to get a solid squad
We tried some of our youngsters and Chaplow got the nod
He quickly grew and rightly so, was part of England’s plan
And he grew and grew in stature as he stunned us, as he can
So on and on the story goes, of struggle at Turf Moor
Some fans have gone, leaving just the best, of Ternent’s great support
We know it’s tough, and downright hard, but what’s all that to us?
We battle through, like we always do, and show that we’ve got guts
So the fight goes on, and day by day, we battle to the end
So come what may, on judgement day, for us Clarets always mend
© Josh Hodkinson 24/03/04
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
3rd September 2024
Denys E. W. Jones
3rd September 2024
joe morris
26th August 2024
Crispin Thomas
26th August 2024
joe morris
22nd August 2024
Mike Bartram
20th August 2024
Phil Brennan
20th August 2024
joe morris
17th August 2024
Rowan Waller
17th August 2024
Alex Saynor
12th August 2024
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
26th July 2024 at 6:25 pm
Great poem Mike Bartram. Eddie was a legend, affectionately known in Liverpool as, “the first hooligan.” Even the hoolies were well dressed in those days. The amazing thing was he was only 26 when that picture was taken. He’d played for Everton youth team and was well known to the players. He never got arrested. They threw him out and he climbed back in, just in time for Derek Temples winner.
I used the picture of him being tackled to the ground on the front cover of my book, “Once Upon a rhyme in Football.” It’s worth looking on youtube and finding the re-enactment of the Wembley scene. Frank Skinner and Baddiel went around to Eddies home in the 1990’s and acted it out on the green outside. It’s hilarious, especially all the effort they put in to get Eddie sober enough to shoot the scene.
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10th July 2024 at 6:07 pm
Hi Crispin,
I don’t know if you’ve see the picture in social media today…
a picture of a teenage Lionel Messi cradling a baby in Africa as part of a photoshoot…. the family had won a lottery to have their baby pictured with him….
the photographer has just revealed that the baby is actually in fact Lamine Yamal!!!!
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26th May 2024 at 2:30 pm
Hi Denys…
Re Man City:
OK it was 20 years ago but Criag Wilson did write this and a few others on them back in 04/05.
BTW I’m more Forest Green Rover since 2014 (and Chelsea) these days . I drum and am a standing season ticket holder .
Best
Crispin
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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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