A March welcome ……
A warm welcome to all the new poets posting in the month of March.
They are, in chronological order ….
Harry Horsman
Robert Jenkins
Dan Hockaday
Campbell
Dean Learner
Noel McGrath
Jimmy Marklove
Hayley Bowman
David Foy
Kevin Raymond
Ron Fairweather
Plus the following, who are all part of the Celtic Writers group :
Lucian Burlingame
Karen McCafferty
Joanne Russell
Ryan JP McGuckin
Val McCafferty
Edwina Docherty
Michael O’Leary
Tracey Nisbett
Joseph Currie
Margaret Porter
The first two features this month are not newcomers, but their talent knocks me out :
Firstly, and I’ve said this before, I’m a sucker for a Dad / Mum slanted poem.
Here’s one from one of the very first poets on this site, Rosemary Dun, making a very welcome return.
Saturday League Football on Durdham Downs
We crunch through toasty autumn leaves.
My Mum and me.
I hold her hand, and we stamp our feet.
She laughs, pulls off my woolly gloves then rubs
my frozen ice-lolly cold fingers.
‘Here comes your Dad,’ she says.
And, with a clatter of studs across tarmac’d path
he’s on the grass;
runs a few steps backwards, waves
And I’m amazed he doesn’t fall over,
especially when Taff slaps him on the back.
‘C’mon Chas.’
Then he’s gone – running down the pitch,
leaving Mum and me to stand on the touchline.
The wind whips my legs red raw in their
long regulation grey socks.
And when I look up into Mum’s smile,
warm as Heinz tomato soup on a tray
with crusty bread roll,
I could forgive her anything.
© Rosemary Dun 2005
Not a new face on the site I know, but time to acknowledge Llew Beaton, who usually posts under the pseudonym ‘Hugh Morris’. Llew is possibly our furthest flung poet. He lives in Cairns in Australia – yet was born in South Africa of Scottish descent.
Weeks later and I’m still giggling away at his following poem – and I thought I was all grown up now!
Wunderbarber
At ze German Football Quiz
In Stuttgart City Hall,
Heinrich B. von Schmellingfaart
Vas cleverest of all..ja!
He vas ze only vun to know
(Being ein University Professor)
Zat Beckenbauer’s barber’s name
Vas of course.. Herr Dresser…
© Llew Beaton 14 March 2005
For your delight and delectation, I’m also highlighting four newcomers.
And also, to counter charges of pro-celtic bias, first up, I’m featuring a Glasgow Rangers fan :
Our Country, Our People
Out come our country
onto the national turf
set to play our biggest rivalry
we’re confident, although it will be tough
I sat next to a guy
who supported an opposing club side
but that night we were friends
because of national pride
Next week our teams meet
and we will be singing different songs
On that day we will not be friends, he’s on the other side
And those are the days, when we forget about national pride.
© Campbell
Well, having won the Carling Cup, as a Chelsea fan myself, I have to include the following short but sweet effort :
Carling Cup
1-NIL DOWN
2-3 UP
WE’VE JUST WON, THE CARLING CUP
© Hayley Bowman
Kevin Raymond, is a printer / writer who covers various topics, and who also occasionally contributes to the Chelsea official magazine – a man after me own heart! Of course, he buttered us up well, by adding about the Football Poets, that “It would be my pleasure to contribute to what is really a cracking site.”
Flattery will get you anywhere!
When Law Back-heeled It In
A deathly silence descended
You could have heard a pin
Drop there on the terraces
When Law back-heeled it in
His career had
Had its up and downs
From Scotland to Turin
All that was yesterdays fish’n’chips
When Law back-heeled it in
In a city so divided
It was City’s turn to win
The Reds were doomed to division two
When Law back-heeled it in
Law looked almost embarrased
He usually had a grin
This time he looked like a man condemned
When he back-heeled it in
He walked back to the centre circle
His heart bled deep within
Here was a man with divided loyalties
When he backed-heeled it in
The game came to its finish
The Reds were down so quickly
Blue Moon was rampant everywhere
In a divided Northern city
A blonde haired man of integrity
Stood silent, then bent down
Tears were held back with an iron will
For ex teams mates across town
He’d never be the same again
One arm aloft and a grin
This was a goal he didn’t want to achieve
When he back-heeled it in
© kjp raymond 2005
I’ve done my best to describe one of the most poignant scenes I’ve ever seen on a football pitch.
Denis Law was at the tail end of his fantastic career and Man Yoo let him join City, he came back to haunt them with a vengeance, one back heel and down they went to the old Division Two!
You couldn’t make it up if you tried!!
peace.
kev.
I also enjoyed this one from Ron Fairweather :
Half time snacks?
Bovril and pies
Pizza and chips
Coffee and tea
Mars bars and crisps
Hotdogs with onions
Burgers with cheese
Fanta and coke
My stomach says PLEASE!!!
Do they really think we want to eat all this stuff ?
Full of sugar, full of fat, full of salt,
That’s Enough!!!!!
So bring your own sannies and bring your own drinks
And that way you’ll be sure, it’s just the football that stinks.
© Ron Fairweather
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
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
joe morris
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.
See in context
28th April 2024 at 5:59 pm
Thanks Denys. Yes your replay poem was superb.
See in context
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.
See in context
25th April 2024 at 7:33 pm
Hi Denys,
Thanks mate. I’ll do it now.
See in context
25th April 2024 at 1:56 pm
Thanks Joe,
you might like to write a poem yourself on the same subject…
See in context
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?
See in context
23rd April 2024 at 3:59 pm
Hi Crispin,
Yes sorry mate. Villa are still in Europe. Mistake rectified.
Cheers
Joe
See in context
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
.
See in context
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.
See in context
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
See in context