The finest stadium I’ve ever seen Is the Estadio Benito Villamarín. It belongs to Betis, in the south of Spain, Last week I boarded an Easyjet plane And visited the orange trees in the town of Seville If I close my eyes I’m wandering there still Where the doves that flutter in the clear blue […]

Tom Immortalised Navigating Stamford Bridge Through water – “The splash” Tom the elusive Blackburn’s Leyland on the deck The goal now beckons Tom the reliable Bert Trautmann dives to his right The ball is past him Tom the departing Twenty two sing Auld Lang Syne A wave and goodbye.

Of all the vertical things in my life Saint James’ Park stands proud. On the cover of an old programme A magpie preened, enjoying a birds’ eye view Of the soaring pylons at the Gallowgate end. Along one side was a long barrel stand With a curved gable, like a paddle-steamer And windows in the […]

Was it Coco the clown who invaded the pitch In the Wembley Cup Final of nineteen sixty six? The Evertonian frolicked and leapt, With a tug on his braces (they scarcely kept His great trousers up), then he scampered away From the laughing policeman, as if to say “The people’s day is here at last […]

Oh Philip Larkin, we need you at this hour As Hull’s famous poet, you could silence that shower Who want to change Hull City’s name Into Tigers – it’s basically greed that’s to blame Are they cuddly little animals in a gold and black jacket Like Tony the Tiger from the cereal packet? “Fans Unite” […]