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With God on Their Side

Denys E. W. Jones

Monday, June 10th, 2019

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 On the banks of the Mersey there is a divide,
Two teams with long histories for primacy vie.
The one that I root for plays in blue and white,
While the other in red has God on its side.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 There’s a big-handled Trophy, they’ve won it six times,
Then in open-top bus round the city they ride.
Their anthem they sing, and their chests swell with pride,
How could they achieve that sans God on their side?

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Rome Seventy Seven, Olimpico packed,
When Tommy Smith struck, ’twas the end of ‘Gladbach.
The Koppites did laugh, while Borussia cried:
“Those red-shirted Scousers have God on their side!”

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Year later at Wembley the margin was tight,
One strike from King Kenny enough on the night.
Though Bruges battled bravely, they won not that fight,
When ever did Belgians have God on their side?

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 Next up Eighty One when they went to Paree,
Their task was quite daunting – they faced Real Madrid.
Yet the English in red beat the Spanish in white,
And with God on their side, just the one goal sufficed.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 Another three years and they went back to Rome,
Opponents were Roma, yes, playing at home!
All thought they stood no chance of stemming the tide,
But not for the first time, they’d God on their side.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 Score level at one-one when ref blew full time,
A penalty shoot-out was what was required.
Bruce Grobbelaar danced as he stood on his line,
And the Reds missed just once, while the Romans fluffed twice.

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 Three down against Milan in Two Thousand Five,
Yet they flew back to Anfield with Cup at their side.
Though Paolo Maldini God did not dislike,
That bloke Berlusconi He could not abide.

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 And finally this year they took on the Spurs,
The Londoners played well, but still came off worse.
Had loads of possession, but net could not find,
No prizes for guessing who’d God on their side.

10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 Now we poor Bluenoses have nowhere to hide,
Like Old Mother Hubbard our cupboard is vide.
The truth is the truth, and it can’t be denied,
We’ll just have to face it, God’s not on our side!

11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 10/6/19
Denys E. W. Jones

Notes

Bob Dylan’s song With God on Our Side was the inspiration for this Evertonian reaction to Liverpool FC’s sixth European Cup win.

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Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/with-god-on-their-side/