Football Poets

Emlyn Hughes OBE RIP – Football Poets Tributes

A tributes page in memory of EMLYN HUGHES, who sadly passed away today.

Our deepest sympathies go out to wife Barbara, children Emma and Emlyn junior, and the rest of the family at this sad time.

Emlyn Hughes, born 28th August 1947. Died 9th November 2004.

Emlyn started his career at Blackpool, but his most successful spell was at Liverpool.

He joined them in 1967 and made 665 appearances, scoring 48 goals. He won :

2 European Cups
2 Uefa Cups
4 League Championships
1 FA Cup
1 European Super Cup

He replaced Tommy Smith as captain in 1973.

Capped 62 times for England over 10 years. 23 caps as captain.

Joined Wolves in 1979. Captained them when they won the League Cup in 1980, the only domestic trophy Emlyn failed to win at Liverpool.

Emlyn also played for Hull, Mansfield and Swansea.
He had a spell as player manager of Rotherham United.

Awarded an OBE in 1980 for his services to football.

He is also fondly remembered for his time on television as a captain on the BBC’s A Question of Sport quiz show.

Where he famously breached royal protocol, hugging and teasing a delighted Princess Anne.

He also just as famously mistook her for a man when trying to identify a quiz picture.

A bubbly character both on and off the pitch, who will be sadly missed by the world of sport in general.

Tributes from the Football Poets :

Giggles in Heaven

There’ll be giggles in Heaven now,
With Emlyn there.
He’ll soon get them chuckling.
He leaves us with a mixture
Of tears and laughter.
Fond memories of a grand lad.

© Alan McKean, 9th November 2004

Cheers Emlyn,
and thanks for the smiles.

Red shirt, Number Six

Listening to the radio in a cold kitchen, alone
Hundreds of miles away you were playing in Rome
You had your European cup with champagne
I had my Babycham and lemon bon bons
We were both happy
I watched the cup presentation on the news
Flashlights pinging like shooting stars
Magic moment for the hero you are
After football you still entertained
A captain – what else – on Question of Sport
You made us laugh till we cried
Then we heard you’d died
And we cried till we laughed
Can’t think of you for long without smiling – Happy Times

© S B Ingle

Emlyn Hughes – my favourite player in my favourite team of teenage years. They don’t make them like you any more.
Rest in peace Em.

Just the man

Shanks was in the bootroom
Somewhere up in heaven
Mulling over his tactics
And picking his best eleven

Elisha Scott between the sticks
Eph and Alex at the back …
Liddell to raid down the wing
And Albert Stubbins in attack

Emlyn enters the pearly gates
Shanks opens his arms wide
“Thank Christ you’re here, son
Just the man to lead my side”

© Mark Thomas

Thanks for the memories, Emlyn. Rest in Peace.

One of Shankly’s best

When we are young, fifty-seven sounds a lot
Fifty-seven pounds, fifty-seven hours, fifty-seven years
But yesterday when I heard a man had died at fifty-seven
I was pretty close to tears

Emlyn Hughes, one of the greats,
Never failed when put to the test
If there be a Heaven he’s now with his mates
He was one of Shankly’s best

© Joe Reid

“Yosser”

So long Yosser
Walk on with Shanks, and Bob and Joe
96 Reds will show you round Heaven son
Make yourself at home
Whilst we remember your passion for the ‘Pool
The Cups you lifted up to the Liver Birds
The Pride when you did the Blues
And the smile from ear to ear
That shone bright as diamonds
Shankly’s diamond.

© P Maguire

Emlyn Hughes YNWA RIP

a part of my childhood died today….

‘Pool of Tears

Men gathering at the Shankly Gates
To pay respects to Emlyn Hughes
Carrying flowers for the first time in their lives
They don’t do that for their wives
But then, they loved Emlyn first

© S B Ingle 15.11.2004

Emlyn Hughes

Crazy Horse
Grand Captain son
Think ’77
When those old red devils
Snatched the winning goal
Tommy smiled but Bob had the last laugh
I watched your tears fall to the silence of
The Wembley turf, there was no comfort to be found
As our scarves wiped our eyes dry
Still, we sang our songs
All the way home to Liverpool
And then like the Christ who rose
After 3 days
We rose after 4
And your smile returned
As wide and bright as the European Cup
You held up in the Roman night
Where immortality came to rest once more
Upon the red of Liverpool.

© P Maguire, 9th November 2004

Farewell “Crazy Horse”, back home with Shanks now,
YNWA God Bless.

Emlyn Hughes RIP

Emlyn Hughes, Crazy Horse

Crazy Hoss –
The boybland of the time
Sang of you in the plural
But it speaks nothing of, our sadness at your loss

Yet it suited you so well
For you ran unfettered and free
Across the tracts of land, we know as pitches
But to you, they were fields of fulfilled dreams

Where no opponent could tame you
No referee could calm you down
And none of your grateful managers
Would ever dare reign you back

Your many fans
Will miss your zest for the game
But we look forward to your cheery charges
Lighting up the night time sky

© Clik the mouse, 9th November 2004

God claims another one of our stars as his own.

Emlyn Hughes, affectionately known as ‘Crazy Horse’
1947 – 2004

May he Rest In Peace

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