ianthe exall
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Ianthe Exall published a poem on the site Football Poets 6 years ago
Messi Magic
Mesmerizing, masterful, magnificent,
The plaudits just go on and on,
Lionel Messi has charmed us from a very young age
A magical player
On the world football stage.
Leaving Argentina for […] -
Ianthe Exall published a poem on the site Football Poets 7 years ago
The Wolves emerged from the undergrowth
And stood on the lush green field.
The pack was so focussed on what lay ahead,
In their minds it was done, signed and sealed.
Further down through the woodlands, the […] -
Ianthe Exall published a poem on the site Football Poets 7 years ago
The curtain rose up in Russia
In a number of different ways,
And the actors from many countries
Lined up on the world-wide stage.
One month to perform
Watched from near and afar,
A constellation of […] -
Ianthe Exall published a poem on the site Football Poets 8 years ago
Look Chris Kamara
There’s a pigeon on the pitch
Unbelievable!Ianthe Exall January 2018
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Ianthe Exall published a poem on the site Football Poets 8 years ago
THE UNITED TRINITY
The oppressive greyness of the sullen sky
Could not engulf me as I stood enthralled
By the revered statue of The United Trinity,
Always loved and respected
From here to infinity.
More […] -
Ianthe Exall published a poem on the site Football Poets 8 years ago
THE KIDS WITH THE COVERED CARTS
The neglected pitch is dry and rough
The goalposts taken down
An abandoned ball all scuffed and grubby
And the side-paths overgrown.
Bleak, unloved and empty
The ground no […] -
Ianthe Exall published a poem on the site Football Poets 8 years ago
Watching the gulls all swooping around
Brought back the memories of some very strange words
That made us all think
Trying to find the real meaning
And connecting the link
To the sardines and […] -
Ianthe Exall published a poem on the site Football Poets 8 years ago
COUNTING DOWN
From Arsenal to West Ham they’re all on the list,
I’ve checked them all twice in case one has been missed.
But no, they’re all there in the Premier League,
Bringing much speculation and a littl […] -
Ianthe Exall commented on a poem on Football Poets 8 years ago
Wonderful, touching poem. You have done them proud expressing your feelings about their achievement.
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Ianthe Exall published a poem on the site Football Poets 8 years ago
Harry Kane did it again,
And again and again and again.
Too many teams have been drawing,
Losing the fine art of scoring,
Many games have been just downright boring,
But Kane soon got the crowd […] -
Ianthe Exall published a poem on the site Football Poets 8 years ago
If you walk down the Alli
When there’s no-one around,
Just use the Southgate
To get into the ground.
No Martial arts on the programme,
It’s all football today,
The supporters are Keane,
They’ve been waiti […] -
Ianthe Exall commented on a poem on Football Poets 8 years ago
As touching and descriptive as I thought it would be Graham. So good to see that a sorry defeat for your team can bring out real emotion expressed so vividly in your poem. I hope you don’t mind if I print it […]
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Ianthe Exall commented on a poem on Football Poets 8 years ago
Classic Crispin. As you are, I am appalled by the treatment dished out to Claudio Ranieri, he is a gentleman through and through. As the Bard said; ‘O, how full of briers is this working-day world.’ As You Like It iii
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Ianthe Exall commented on a poem on Football Poets 8 years ago
Thanks Crispin. Always interesting to see the clubs that are not in the news week after week and they just get on and play good, entertaining football. The Pieman has added a different flavour though! I think he […]
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Ianthe Exall published a poem on the site Football Poets 8 years ago
It’s no Pie in the Sky
When the feathers all fly,
When the big man went off
And returned with a pie.
He stood on the side-line
Enjoying each bite,
But it didn’t go down well
As he picked the wrong nig […] -
Ianthe Exall published a poem on the site Football Poets 8 years ago
FOREVER FOOTBALL
Frustration, elation,
With thousands just waiting
For one of their players to score.
And then it just happened,
The breakaway came
And the goalie laid stretched on the floor.
His gloved […] -
ianthe exall changed their profile picture 8 years ago
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Ianthe Exall commented on a poem on Football Poets 8 years ago
Nice one! How many coats does he have or is it just one coat of many colours?
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Ianthe Exall published a poem on the site Football Poets 8 years ago
He ran down the pitch with perfect control,
Lifted his head and scored a fine goal.
The crowd starting roaring
To see their man scoring
And his team mates acknowledged that goal.
He raised his right […] -
Ianthe Exall published a poem on the site Football Poets 9 years ago
PLAYING WITH STYLE
The boots have arrived
All the way from Milan,
The games will be stylish,
That’s the manager’s plan.
The kit is brand new
All purple and blue,
The shirts are the purple,
The sho […] - Load More
About This Site
Welcome to Football Poets -- a club for all football poets, lovers of football and lovers of (alternative) poetry. Discover poets in every league from respected internationals at the top of their game to young hopefuls in the school playground.
Publish your football poems here and then discuss them with your team mates and fans. We're archived by The British Library, so your masterpieces are in the safe hands of a world-class keeper. What a result!
My Account
Latest Poems
joe morris
10th July 2025
Crispin Thomas
10th July 2025
Mike Bartram
8th July 2025
joe morris
6th July 2025
Crispin Thomas
6th July 2025
Mike Bartram
4th July 2025
Denys E. W. Jones
29th June 2025
joe morris
29th June 2025
Crispin Thomas
26th June 2025
joe morris
23rd June 2025
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
7th June 2025 at 5:57 pm
Very well put! My recent favourite came when visiting Chesterfield. They have the ‘LMD Vacuum Excavation Stand’.
May be if you’re in the vacuum excavation business, it’s a beautiful sounding name.
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24th May 2025 at 7:19 am
Hi Steve
I’ve come across you before on the live poetry circuit…something I’ve also been involved in since the late 90s at slams, gigs and festivals. Did you ever get to Glasto?
I was also at Swindon when José subbed and berated Kevin in a League Cup game for Chelsea….
Salah as you point out went the same way…
Be interesting to see Kev’s next move?
Best
Crispin
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24th April 2025 at 1:05 pm
Hey Denys..love this
“You may be a miner working down a pit.
You may be a rock star playing sold out gigs.
You may be a fireman putting out a blaze.
You may be an inmate chalking off the days. ”
Not just Dylan but maybe an unintentional nod to and shades of Ian Dury’s enigmatic ‘What A Waste’ rhythmic scanning..eg:
I could be the driver in an articulated lorry
I could be a poet I wouldn’t need to worry
I could be a teacher in a classroom full of scholars
I could be the sergeant in a squadron full of wallahs
What a waste
What a waste
Was lucky enough to meet and interview him twice.
Best wishes from Forest Green to Genoa C
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8th March 2025 at 2:34 pm
Thanks Crispin
I’ve been to FGR a couple of times in the past – great food! Barnet look like they have the NL sewn up for this season, but I wish you well for promotion next season.
Regards, Beth
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11th January 2025 at 8:13 am
TO ADD THIS TO THIS POEM’S COMMENT:WELCOME BACK DAVID MOYES!!!
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27th November 2024 at 5:55 am
‘You’re Supposed To Be At Home’ is an excellent and moving poem Denys.
You start off thinking it’s just about another oft-sung chant, one we personally heard a lot last season throughout our second relegation in a row here at Forest Green(FGR) ! I always love poems where you think they are saying one thing and then they suddenly pull you deeper to somewhere or something else else.
I’m currently helping in a local school for FGR in a voluntary capacity using football to help young students with reading. At an upcoming session we will tackle racism, just like we did in workshops at football schools and grounds when we first started this site 24 years ago. I’m gonna try and weave your poem into a session.
We’ve added it to the Anti- Racism/Kick It Out section under Crispin’s Corner.
Best C
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26th November 2024 at 1:59 pm
Great poem and great to see you back Wyn.
Don’t leave it so long next time my friend!
More please.
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13th September 2024 at 6:14 pm
Welcome to Football Poets Beth
Great evocative poem Beth….
More please !
Haiku always welcome.
Hope we (FGR) get to play you again soon
Best
Crispin
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26th July 2024 at 6:25 pm
Great poem Mike Bartram. Eddie was a legend, affectionately known in Liverpool as, “the first hooligan.” Even the hoolies were well dressed in those days. The amazing thing was he was only 26 when that picture was taken. He’d played for Everton youth team and was well known to the players. He never got arrested. They threw him out and he climbed back in, just in time for Derek Temples winner.
I used the picture of him being tackled to the ground on the front cover of my book, “Once Upon a rhyme in Football.” It’s worth looking on youtube and finding the re-enactment of the Wembley scene. Frank Skinner and Baddiel went around to Eddies home in the 1990’s and acted it out on the green outside. It’s hilarious, especially all the effort they put in to get Eddie sober enough to shoot the scene.
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