Premiership Priory
Poor Merse
has a curse
an addiction
no valediction
in sight
try as he might
the demons return
money to burn
and time to kill
looking for a buzz, a thrill
it’s not funny
all that money
gambled away
yet he’ll play
to win
Poor Paul McGrath
he’s come so far
from his days in Dalkey
and though he no talky, much
they want him to keep in touch
so that they can keep tabs
for his demon often nabs
friends want him on an even keel
and though his drink problem is real
it’s his deep rooted shyness
that troubles this mercurial Highness
who once graced the fields of green
now he shies away from being seen
Good ole Tone
just pick up the phone
and ring his clinic
there’ll be no cynic
on the end of the line
just, “hope you’re fine”
and a sympathetic ear
to discuss, the over consumption of beer
of spirits, too many or too low
and now the jockeys too, can ride in tow
so, no matter what the game
no matter the excuses lame
no matter how the addiction came
they’ll be treated just the same
no song and dance
just a Sporting Chance
apologies to all concerned if this is too trite, it’s not meant to be.
it was written after watching the inspired work and charity (Sporting Chance)
started by Tony Adams (Tone) in a BBC documentary last night (10.06.2003),
which focussed on the rehabilitation efforts of addicts
Paul Merson (Merse), at time of writing captain of newly promoted Portsmouth and
Paul McGrath, ex-pro, highly regarded as one of the best players ever to come out of Ireland (Dalkey is a suburb of Dublin)
the documentary also showed the PFA becoming involved and they are now backing the clinic financially
the title of the documentary (and of this poem), was taken from
The Priory – a rehabilitation clinic much used by the rich and famous
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!
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joe morris
4th December 2023
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3rd December 2023
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2nd December 2023
Clik The Mouse
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30th November 2023
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26th November 2023
Crispin Thomas
26th November 2023
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Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
19th November 2023 at 1:45 pm
Thanks Gacina, glad you liked it, and I have just posted a new one about our points deduction…
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7th November 2023 at 6:34 pm
Today B.B.C post on F.B was titled:Premier League reduced to 18 clubs? I really think it may be interesting to see if this would be Everton’s nightmare and this poem is well suited for this concern.If there would be more difficult battle to stay if there were 18 teams.Great poem and somehow true.
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6th November 2023 at 4:43 pm
Ashington FC have launched a £50,000 Crowdfunder appeal to meet the increased costs of winning promotion last season, to pay for urgent stadium improvements, travel costs and equipment
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31st October 2023 at 4:26 pm
‘Three Teams Worse Than Us’ from our Toffee friend Denys in Italy, also sums up how FGR fans currently feel. Yes, in our case, with two going down to the Conference, it could be entitled ‘Two Teams Worse Than Us’, but three would make us feel even safer.
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6th October 2023 at 11:49 pm
Enjoy it while you can, although I’m sure Mbappe could well be bound for St James
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2nd October 2023 at 1:52 pm
There still remains a magic about the early rounds of the FA Cup that the premier league / internationals can never match.
Coventry Sphinx v Leicester Nirvana sounds so much more than a tale of two cities etc. etc.
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24th September 2023 at 5:14 pm
Very accurate indeed!
Palace home for me is always a tough journey as well. From the wilds of west London to Selhurst is a random journey into the unknown.
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20th September 2023 at 1:37 pm
Lovely stuff for one of the best.
We love him to death down at the Palace.
I’ll post my Roy poem a bit later. You’ve inspired me to finish it.
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19th September 2023 at 5:06 pm
I’d like to think some of my scarves might get passed down the generations, but can’t see some of the “quality merchandise” I have making much past my son’s generation. They’ll fall apart before he even has kids, I reckon!
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7th September 2023 at 2:43 pm
Very true Crispin. Thanks!
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