Football Poets

An April Welcome

In April we welcomed the following new contributors :

John Barlow
Bob White
Karen Griffiths
Brett Price
Khadim Hussein
Sunday Joseph
Owen Harris
Gemma Nicol
Simon Murphy
Kevin Blanking

And a welcome back to Alan Summers, 4 years after last submitting!

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The True King…

This game has cloned lots of you…
Some English,
Some Brazillian,
Some Italian,
Some French,
Some Argentine,
Some African.

None posses the kind of soccer artistry
and wit that you display.
You are the king of the game,
The midfield belongs to you,
You are the delight of any pitch,
You are the delight of any fan,
Anywhere in the world.

You play like JAY JAY,
Loved by Pele,
Score like Beckham,
And great names in the game play like you.

Colour and choice of team,
Denied you your true ovation and glory.
But your artistry carved a name for you
Like…
PELE,
Henry,
Maradona,
And Platini.

Soccer is incomplete without you,
You are the most talanted player without a crown.

© Sunday Joseph 3rd April 2006
this poem is written to honour JAY JAY OKOCHA.
I am a university graduate.

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Last Gasp Equalizer Haiku
last-gasp equalizer
the chanting
switches ends

© John Barlow

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Bristol City vs Hartlepool

City versus Hartlepool, Semi-final, second leg,
We need to win to get to the final, just one goal, I pray and beg.
But things like that don’t happen to us, they happen to teams like QPR,
Just one point off automatic, just one point over par.

It’s late at the Gate but I’m watching at the pub.
Goodfellow comes on as a last ditch sub.
This ones done, our season is over,
I hear the odd jibe from a smug Bristol Rover.

At least there’s next season, if all else fails.
But we won’t be going to the final in Wales.
Then Goodfellow scores a goal with his head,
My hopes of crossing the bridge are no longer dead.

Then it happens, Roberts scores.
The pub, The Gate, the whole world roars.
For those last few moments everything seemed to gel.
We are going to the final and we’ll win there as well.

We lost in the final, but its not that I remember.
We sacked after the gaffer and are bottom by December.
It is in League One is where we still frolic.
Roberts went to Swindon and became an alcoholic.

But it’s that one Roberts goal that will always stay.
No matter what happens, it won’t go away.
To be a City fan, you need a sense of humour.
But we’ll do well next season, cause we are now sponsored by Puma.

© Owen Harris

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50p head

Now i have had some games in my short career
Leagues and cups and finals
Let me make this clear

But of all my adventures
Theres one that springs to mind
Of a young right back
Who plays in my local side

He stands a towering 5 foot tall
Commanding you’d agree
Though his most vital feature
Is a head like a 50p

no matter what the challenge
He jumps with a loud call
If he wins the header
well watch out for the ball !

Right or left,forward or back
Theres no way to tell
Although he’ll claim he meant it
I’m sorry that don’t sell

People have come from far and wide
To see this great skill
All have marvelled at the sight
The 50p head phil

One question always asked
The secret of this feat
Phil will turn and say to you
5 pints of lager and 3 vodkas neat !!

© bob white 25 april 2006
The poem is all about a local legend in the lumphanan f.c summer league side and his amazing heading ability.The direction the ball leaves his head sometimes defies belief.

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Digger Dagger Mum

I am a Digger Dagger Mum
The talented young leftback is my son
I watch him play from the middle of the stand
surrounded by emotional loyal fans

I don’t tell the fans that my son is playing
as I like hearing what the fans are saying
Of course I am biased I have that right
watching him play is such a delight

Digger Dagger Digger Dagger oi oi oi
A perfect cross from our Scottie boy
I join in the singing as proud as could be
Scott Griffiths, my son just scored for me

I am a Digger Dagger mum
my heart beats to the tune of the digger dagger drum
winning or loosing the fans still cheer
giving loyal support year after year

If my son ever transferred to another team
I will stand by him and share his dream,
but I will be sad when its time to depart
and The Daggers will always have a place in my heart

© Karen Rance-Griffiths 22/04/2006

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you never know ?

i follow a team called united,
i follow them home and away,
i try not to miss one,
it doesn’t matter who they play.

the team i watch are not man u,
i follow the mighty blades,
coaches trains and planes i’ve used
to watch them along the way.

now we’re in the premiership,
i’ll have to watch the cash,
stopping in and watching telly,
eating pie and mash,

old trafford, stamford bridge,
places i’ve dreamed to go,
not ipswich town portman road,
id rather just say no.

maybe we could stop up,
or even win a cup,
you never know we might just do it,
the blades have just gone up.

© brett price 20 apr 06

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birmingham v bolton 4th april 06

I wrapped up warm for a bitter cold night
getting out of the relegation stage in my sight
nothing but a win would do
to take away birmingham’s blues
for some strange reason i always saw
us getting the result we were hoping for
we took our seats in anticipation
and even started having some fun
as jiri jarosik struck the ball
and left the goalie feeling small
towards the end it was a little tense
blues always end the game in suspense
but when the final whistle blew
it meant more to me than i really knew
and that bitter cold night that was to be
was warmed up by my favourite team

© gemma nicol 10 apr 06
blues 1-0 bolton
10 april 2006

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The beautiful game

You have the passion, the belief.
With your back against the wall,
With your chest puffed out and standing tall.
Be it a muddy Sunday on the playing field,
Or giving your all, battling away, at Anfield,
There’s still that age old pride- that passion, that belief.
Who’s your hero, your icon?
Pele, Moore, Liniker?
We are footballers all the same-
Some with power, money, fame.
Others, simply the love for the game,
All have that magic, that spark that sets you alight-
Come the day, come the night.

© Simon Murphy

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Copa del mundo

There they sit in darkened rooms
In sheds, in pubs with lots of
Drink,
While they watch their team
Win, draw, win again, and then loose,
In the quarter finals or the semis.

The final’s here,
It’s Germany v Holland
Who to choose,
In the ultimate needle match,
England fans have to decide,

But it’s a no-brainer,
It’s time to swap
The Dragon Slayer for the Lion,
Warm beer for a cool one.
We know the names,
Well, some of them,
Come on Van Nistelrooij,
Dive, Robben, dive!

© Kevin Blanking

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Greatest Footballer

I am the greatest footballer in the world,
Six foot two and with film star looks,
I am the best footballer,
There will never be another like me.

I am two footed,
I’ve scored hat tricks
With the right and the left,
I am the best footballer,
There will never be another like me.

I’ve done it all
Goals record in the premiership,
F.A., European and the world cup.
I am the best footballer,
There will never be another like me.

I’ve outplayed all the legends
Stanley Mathews, Nobby Stiles, Pele,
Best and Maradona.
I am the best footballer,
There will never be another like me.

Even today I can still outplay
Thierry Henry, Ranoldo, Beckham and Owens
Even though I am hundred and two.
I am the best footballer,
There will never be another like me.

© Khadim Hussain
For all arm chair frustrated footballers

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Plus one from the master : you don’t have to know the teams or players involved – just get caught up in the magic of the words!

Waaaaaterford 0 Shels 1

I suppose we should be grateful
That we finally got a win.
That drawing streak was hateful,
And our aspirations thin.
A long way down the table
With the likes of Bray and Bohs,
But now at least we’re able
To grind vict’ries, I suppose.

I suppose we should be thankful
That a win has come at last.
We should have bagged a tankful,
Not a single Jayo blast.
The manner of our winning
Isn’t cause for much repose,
But at least we’re now beginning
To get lucky, I suppose.

I suppose we should be cheerful
And our happiness exploding.
So why do I feel tearful
With a sense of great foreboding?
My season’s hopes are dented
And my pessimism grows,
But we should be quite contented
Winning one-nil, I suppose.

© Peter Goulding 10th April 2006
Three points, bad performance against bottom club Waterford United

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