Football Poets

It told me that kopite Phil Downey had sadly passed away
And I took some time to take this in, then emotion carried me effortlessly back through memories,
Flying through decades of divorce and death and birth […]

As I write
of Chelsea’s plight
the Beeb I cite
tittle-tattle trite:

It could be Sarri out
Santo in

But what would make me grin
Is a dream team – that could make us Champs:
Holland; Jody; and Lamps

You don’t expect the younger generation
To have their number put up
On God’s electronic board

When the good race is run, yes
But not subbed too early
To join Heaven’s horde

Justin Edinburgh
Mocked early […]

Justin lived life fully
An O’s hero to the ordinary
Driving Orient to the League trophy
Taking 23,000 to Wembley

Whether it’s Southend or Billericay
White Hart Lane or Pompey
Those you knew speak wit […]

Lily strikes a pose
Not the women’s or men’s game
Just football, for all.

Football is the game
The men who play that game are
the football players educated
at Football Academy

But me, an amateur player
never walked alone
I thought there were two clubs
in Liverpool,
Everton […]

Long after the songs have been sung
And the red flares that flooded the sky have slowly dispersed
The billowing flags of poetry and sardonic Scouse wit folded for memories
The football streets of Liverpool […]

Klopp’s name writ home with
Paisley Fagan Benitez
The Fab Four Walk On.

Imagine you’re a terrified child
Fleeing persecution and danger
Betrayed by those you call your own
It’s a given you’d be brimming with anger

They channel their fury on the field
Without doubt a power […]

So where was the value, in last night’s victory?
Ok yes, another trophy
Another cache of millions, in prize-money
A three goal cushion
Bragging rights over North London rivals
And the delight in denying t […]

We see our boys
out on the pitch
giving their all
chasing the oppo
chasing the ball

we see our players
skillful and wilful
at the top of their game
but we see them having a ‘mare
and we mete out the b […]

Glory be the days
When we were young
And fun
Was on the menu

Glory be the days
When boots were grabbed
And anywhere at all
Was the venue

It’s always interesting
A National team appointment, north of the Border
Bringing with it, huge potential for disorder
For there’s always a focus, the ask: Blue or Green?
Or been down South, lately, or sin […]

It could have been so different
It could have gone our way on the night
but still in the hindsight of reflection
a season spent punching above our weight
and a season lived without fear
is something
to […]

Summerbees

I knew of Mick and I knew of Nick,
But I didn’t know of your existence,
Until early one morning on the number 46 bus,
When I was reading a Swindon Town programme.

It was back in 1992,
And y […]

“the whole stand is on fire” he cried upon my radio
but how it started to this day we still may never know
and who here can imagine the fear the heat the pain
but pray that such a day as this will never daw […]

Teresa May, she knew
that Brexit would prove problematic
in the EU

but Brexit
is absolutely NOT happening
in UEFA

Game of Duty:
take your pick, either or both, provided great drama
bettered again just days later
by ‘Pool beating Barca
only unbelievably
the drama ratcheted up even more, the following night
as Spurs […]