Football Poets

Oh Georgie

¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Oh no. Not another one
And then there were two
George Cohen
Slips peacefully and modestly
From our radar
Into the football heaven
Where the rest of the 66
World Cup brotherhood
Have now been laid to rest
Into the comforting sanctuary
Where dreams were once born
56 years ago when heartache
And cynicism were but distant
Bedfellows of today’s generation
George Cohen
Reliability personified
As dependable as the postman
Never the pretentious creature
Of the night who posed and postured
For the cameras
Always solid as a rock
Punctual for a wedding
But since when did time mean
Anything to Georgie
Since George Cohen had
The timing of his living room clock
On the hour by the hour
The embodiment of tidiness and efficiency
Never ever drunk in possession of a car
A gentleman to his fingertips
Scratching his name indelibly
In the now yellowing history books
Where once Sir Geoff, Nobby, Charltons
Bobby and Jack, Mooro
Emperor supreme
Transformed a late July afternoon
In 1966, into a golden palace
Of beautifully fulfilled aspirations
Oh what a day that must have been
But George Cohen who rested his hat
In the quaint cottage
Of Fulham was
Quietly spoken
Never disturbed the library
Of knowledge in his
Footballing head
The ultimate personification
The smartness of the tuxedo
With a nod of elegance
Personable and likeable
As the country doctor
Who always cares for his patients
On his daily rounds
Not for George the church confessional
Where Nobby sought soothing solace
He privately knew England
Would win the World Cup
No rosary beads needed here
Nor did George join his doting
Colleagues on window shopping trips
To Golders Green, London’s
Suburban finest
Instead he remained within
The protective confines
Of Hendon Hall Hotel
Perusing print and literature
Red top tabloids
Gossip, certainly not today
That sung his praises
George was loyalty incarnate
To both Fulham and England
An immovable object
At the back, unflustered
By Vietnam and the latest
Outlandish costumes
In Carnaby Street
Corrie with Elsie Tanner,
Len Fairclough, Annie and
Jack at the Rovers Return
George simply settled for
The stability of being in
The here and now
The Sixties acoustics
and riotous kaleidoscopes
Of our daily lives
Egg and chips
But never narcotics
George Cohen
Shunned the dazzling lights
Of Piccadilly,
Never flashing neons
Just a pint of your best
For George
Just a quiet libation
With family he cherished
No alcohol, no excess
Simply a 66 World Cup unsung hero
Genuine, no airs or graces
Authenticity for us all
Frills and fancies
You’re not in his team
Surplus and unnecessary
Rest in Peace
George Cohen
You were one of the best

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