Football Poets

dear mister a and mister k
excuse the lower case
allow me to present myself
until we’re face to face
when all around are turning down
the vacant job in hand
I offer my credentials here
and boldly make my […]

if you can always keep command
and deal with each bizarre demand
if you can drink the poisoned chalice
be humble but live in a palace

if you can look intense – sardonic
enraged – impassioned but iconic
if you can […]

cancelled planes and midnight striving
relocation relocation
fill the airwaves hype the country
move the goalposts thrill the nation

cold war dramas Moscow calling
drained emotions charged and battered
edging […]

we come in peace and football
we drive we walk we fly
and even though it’s cost a grand
we keep our spirits high

you look to your Ronaldo
we cannot face defeat
and trust that Drogba’s hungry
and stays upon his […]

days when the nation used to come together
days that are gone now forever and ever
days when you woke with a gleam in your eye
days when we didn’t have the money or Sky
the only game live on the tele back […]

one more sunday one more weekend
some went swimming in the deep end
last day judgements here we go
one more pot luck one more throw
some went up and some went down
some just froze inside that ground
some were […]

a final thought for all my friends
before this summer break
and one last look within the book
before we wipe the slate
at all of those predictions made
for your beloved teams
at all your hopes that swirled like […]

hidden in between all the struggles running round
the highs and the lows going up going down
buried in the small print look what I found
the game of their lives at the old City Ground

far from the fury where […]

it should be all over by now
the good the bad or the lovely –
so why does it always
come down to this
season on season
for fans ?

some managers call it
‘squeaky bum time’
some players call it
‘the business end […]

I wish I had a Euro I wish I had a pound
for ev”ry pundit banging on about that ‘magic ground’
I wish I had a chocolate bar – a gateaux or a latté
for ev’ry player telling us it’s ‘one big Anfield party’

If i […]

they’re all assembled in their shirts
and everybody’s here
down at the Oak the fags have gone
the room just smells of beer

there’s nothing here to lift the gloom
they’re all on best behaviour
no Stevie , Sven or […]

Mike Bushell Mike Bushell
the name of the man is Mike Bushell
 
he’s got all the stars
he’s got all the views
he’s always on hand
with all of the news
 
he’s never afraid
to put on his shorts
he’s always p […]

what’s in a name?
the FA Cup
the oldest football tournament in the world

it was way way back
in nineteen twelve
when our football world like Charlie Chaplin
was still black and white

long before
Arthur […]

We taught them how to play the game
from Africa to Asia
But we’re not in the Euros now
we blew it v Croatia

The Yankees took our Becks away
It wasn’t for the money
I hope Tom Cruise can keep him fit
at least […]

corrugated stand where the blue paint peels
tuck shop with fizzy pop but no Wagon Wheels
sign on the stand saying SILENCE PLEASE ?
football at Colchester to me

siitting on a train as the fields race past […]

winter in the city
people scurry from the station..taxis come and go
every gloved hand has a mobile or a cappucino
and me writing haikus in the Midland Hotel
watching England on the box
as snow was […]

who was it showed me this ocean
when did I dive in this sea
what did it cost me and what have I lost
and what is this football to me?

was it ok for Shankley to one day announce
it was bigger than life and […]

this was the week when a side of the game
once again raised up its head
and this was the week when emotions run high
and many a word will be said

for season on season when tackles fly in
whatever their class or […]

you can leave me alone on the subs bench
I don’t care i’ll just do what I’m told
If it’s what I deserve
I’ll just play in reserves
but please don’t stick me in goal

it’s a job for a fearless performer
and […]

I don’t know why I love you
you’re driving me insane
I lie awake I cry and pray
time and time again

but thoughts are sometimes meaningless
you are something more
I think about I dream about
what you have in […]