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Clawing Our Way Back

Crispin Thomas

Sunday, November 17th, 2024

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 it’s still a long road up ahead
we’ve only just begun
we’re right back where we started
among the fallen ones
the mountains that we’re facing
draw strength to just keep on
as our belief grows strong again
when hope had all but gone
you feel like you’ve lost your way
your passion starts to crack
but in a flash a light appears
we’re clawing our way back

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 two relegations in a row
can drain you if you let it
the constant losing on your watch
that won’t let you forget it
we climbed so high we touched it all
we faced the biggest teams
who brough twelve hundred to our home
the little village team
we watched them with euphoria
we thought we’d touched the sun
but we got burnt like Icarus
before it had begun
the little club upon the hill
who dipped and veered off-track
the journey starts again from scratch
we’re clawing our way back

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 when I first watched the Rovers
no-one knew our name
til Dale* arrived to save us
and nothing stayed the same
now ev’rybody knows us
from USA to Spain
they follow all our eco moves
and how we change the game
in learning to sustain ourselves
it’s courage we don’t lack
and daring to be different
we’re clawing our way back

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 this rural outpost in the West
where Rugby rules the hills
where Farmers Markets pull the crowds
and ev’rybody chills
our crowds are not the greatest
we have no burger van
among the non-league battlers
we’re back where we began
they taunt us for our oat milk
our Quorn Pies make them sneer
our pledge to save the planet
can fall upon deaf ears
but all who venture up here
care not for what we lack
it’s green and clear in black and white
we’re clawing our way back

Notes

FGR 2-0 York City .New Lawn Forest Green .Vanarama National League
16.11.24

After seven wild seasons in the EFL Footbal League, Forest Green are back where they languished for so long in the Vanarama (and before that Blue Star) National League Conference .

With the help of eco-warrior owner Dale* Vince and after 128 years, Forest Green Rovers finally found their way into the Football League in 2017. Becoming champions of League Two in 2022, they miraculously climbed their way up to League 1. However, they swiftly came back down to Earth with a ‘ Whole Of The Moon : “too high , too far, too soon” bump, enduring two relegations in a row in 2023 and 2024

It’s way too soon to get excited (but we are anyway) and with Steve Cotterill at the helm, the club are newly invigorated and quietly going about their business. They currently sit top , battling it out with the likes of once long -time League sides York, Barnet, Gateshead, Oldham, Southend and Dagenham . More please.

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Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/clawing-your-way-back/