Football Poets

Education Through Football Poems – Chelsea Jan & Feb

Crispin’s involvement in the innovative Chelsea FC “Education Through Football” Programme kicked off the year in style with a week at Stamford Bridge from Monday January 16th – 20th 2006.
The poems and fun continued in a great afternoon session at Servite School on Wed Feb 22nd with nearly sixty children to tie in with the Chelsea Barcelona clash that night. We had a fantastic time and a qucik quiz on the two great cities and teams as we compared,thought about and talked about the differences and similarities between Barcelona and Chelsea , on and off the field.The next day the children writing their own football poems for a special Chelsea FC Poetry competition.As a taster , here’s a fun fast spontaneous poem we wrote together..

“Football Is Big In The World Because…”

…there’s action, jumping, twisting and skills,
Football is really big because of passion for a team,
because everyone likes it..because of teamwork…and it’s competitive.

Football is big because of the fans,and because of winning.
Football is huge because it’s played all around the world…
…with a ball!

Football is big because of emotion and trophies to play for,
and…celebration.

Football is big because everyone loves it……and everyone can take part.

But more important than all, football is fun and simple to play.

You just have to see it to understand it.

Servite RC Primary School
Year 4 with Sam Elliot O’Dea &
Year 6 with Claude Gauci

In January, Crispin & Roy Bentley,( legendary Championship winning ‘ captain of ’55), worked with Year 5 & 6 children from schools within the Westminster and Chelsea area at Stamford Bridge. During the week they worked in 4 classes a day and had the club a-buzz with energy and ideas, both young and old! Together the children created in all 35 spontaneous 10-15 minute group poems about Roy..what football was like in the old days… and how it is now. We looked at and talked about many of the fascinating football artefacts which Peter Daniel of Wesminster Archives had collected and brought along.These included an old leather football and boots, cigarette cards, shirts, rattle, rosette and even an old ‘blow football’ game . Children also got to work with the wonderful illustrator and author Michael Foreman (War Game,Billy The Kid etc), the Chelsea Pensioners and take part in a quiz. Big thanks to all the kids and staff, Roy Bentley, Suzi Raymond of Chelsea FC , Wendy, Peter, Ted and Michael .

Do take time to read some of the childrens’ often poignant words…
.especially as it’s taken me half a day to type them out!
“Some Of The Poem Titles and One-Liners Are totally classic –
like brillant back page headlines!! ” Crispin

A Congratulations! …………………………. Elaine Fearn/Teacher
1…The Great Roy Bentley………………..Wilberforce Yr 5
2…Roy Roy The Wonder Boy……………Wilberforce Yr 5
3…Football Football…………………………St Peter’s Yr 5
4…Not Just For Money……………………St Peter’s Yr 5
5.. Relief From The Grief…………………St Peter’s Yr 6 & Langford.
6…Football Today…………………………..St Peter’s Yr 6 & Langford
7..Walking Adverts Playing A Game..Millbank Yr 5
8..A Rough Excuse For A Sport………Millbannk Yr 5
9…Football Is Big…………………………..Larmenier + Sacred Heart Yr 6
10..A Continuous Lotterey Ticket That Couldn’t Stop Winning………..
………………………………………………….St Mary of The Angels.Yr 6
11. Exquisite Amazing- A Star That’s Blazing…………………………….
………………………………………………….St Mary of The Angels.Yr 6
12 Still A Hero…………………………….St Mary of The Angels.Yr 6
13. A Legend On The Pitch……………Queen’s Park Yr 6.
14. The Unbeatable Champion……….Queen’s Park Yr 6.
15 A Game That Helped Men Get Out Of Chores!…………………….
………………………………………………….Burdett Coutts Yr 6
16 Like Time-.Football Never Stops..Burdett Coutts Yr 6
17..Ballet With A Ball…………………….St Matthew’s Yr 5
18..Football -Cheaper Than Chips…..St Matthew’s Yr 6
19..Football Is Bright……………………..St Matthew’s Yr 6
20 Roy-Wonder…………………………..St James & St Micheal’s Yr 6
21 Still The Man…………………………..St James & St Micheal’s Yr 6
22 The Man Who Will Never Be Forgotten….St Augustine’s
23 Still A Fan……………………………..St Augustine’s
24 The Boy Who Loves Football…..Edward Wilson
25..Back Then…………………………….Penwortham Yr 6
26..Football’s Better Than Sweets..Penwortham Yr 6
27..Roy is The One…………………….Avonmore Yr 6
28..Cool And Famous………………….Essendine
29..Roy Bentley Is Hot…………………Essendine
30..Footbal Was Better Than School..St Vincent de Paul Yr 6
31..Football Is Just Big Money………St Vincent de Paul Yr 6
32. Tough Times…………………………Paddington Green Yr 6
33. Genteman Roy……………………..Paddington Green Yr 6
34..Master of The Game……………..Barrow Hill
35. A Legendary Bloke……………….Barrow Hill

A CONGRATULATIONS…..

Congratulations Chelsea,
on your centenary this year,
and on the great skill of your players,
for a club that they hold so dear.

History through football,
brought us lessons from the past.
An insight into yesterday,
leaving memories that will last.

We spoke to ex player, Roy Bentley,
who told stories from his time,
we met Michael Foreman, the Illustrator,
Crispin Thomas wrote us a rhyme.

Our meeting with Chelsea Pensioners,
and the stories that they told.
Dressed in their smart red uniforms,
with buttons like shiny gold.

We’ve listened to stories of wartime,
of laughter, of fun and of sadness.
Reunions with loved ones,
and the tears of joy and gladness.

Joe’s story was unbelievable,
of his capture in the midst of war.
Of his helping to build a railway,
for an enemy he would soon abhor.

We feel lucky to have been chosen,
to take part in this special scheme.
So to Westminster Archives, Thank you,
and good luck to the Chelsea team.

Elaine Fearn.06.
—————————————–

1. THE GREAT ROY BENTLEY

The toughest captain the world has known
like a machine gun he never stopped
when he kicked a ball it flew like a bullet
he kicked it so hard it nearly popped!

he fed the animals when he was a kid
and he didn’t stop ’til he reached the top
when he broke his ankle he still went dancing
like a zooming ice-berg – but he had to hop!

Wilberforce Yr 5
——————————————————-
2. ROY ROY – THE WONDERBOY

Roy Roy the football boy
He left Chelsea with amazing joy
On the pitch or in the goal
We think he’s the best of all

Come on Roy! Come On Roy !
There’s no else like The Wonderboy!

25 years of kicking the ball
He’s been playing since before the war
Kicking the ball into that goal
He always gave his heart and soul.

Come on Roy !Come On Roy !
There’s no else like The Wonderboy!

Wilberforce Yr 5
——————————————————-
3. FOOTBALL FOOTBALL

football now is just so flash
I really think their uniforms clash
we love football we don’t care
if it brings tension in the air
football here or football there
football football everywhere

football is for everyone
football’s just to have some fun
practise practise practise practise
until you know all the tactics
football football grab your friends
keep on playing til it ends

football football is the game
football never stays the same
football is so satisfying
because it’s so electrifying!

St Peter’s Yr 5
———————————————-
4. FOOTBALL WAS..
NOT JUST FOR YOU

Football was good
It could have been better
In those days
They got much wetter

Football was rough
Dangerous – muddy
Football wasn’t just
Played for money

Football then
Was really great
Not just for you
But for your mate

And football was
So different then
We’re never going
Back again!

St Peter’s Yr 5
———————————————-
5. RELIEF FROM THE GRIEF

football was the best
football was full of atmosphere
and people skipping off school to be there!

football was challenging
amazing
exciting alive
and often played with threat of war
because football was relief from the grief.

football was
like an ant’s sandwich left-overs
full of action
satisfaction and competitive
but football was fun.

football was
the Beautiful Game.

St Peter’s Yr 6 & Langford.
——————————————————-
6. FOOTBALL TODAY

football today is great
and football today is
loud and obsessive
but expensive.

football today is
a world wide sport
a money-making machine
a shared experience
football today is a game of all-sorts…
and a game of two halves..

football today is
in need of control.

football today is
unbelievable
especially when
you get the ball at your feet.

football today is
so good it’s indescribable!

St Peter’s Yr 6 & Langford.
—————————————————

7. WALKING ADVERTS PLAYING A GAME

football today
is full of
teamwork
fair play and skill..
but still full of fouls

football today is..like your home

football today is..
walking adverts playing a game

football today..
is for everyone

Millbank Yr 5
——————————————-
8 A ROUGH EXCUSE FOR A SPORT

football was a very old game
that gave some people a lot of fame –
a rough excuse for a sport and often full of fouls
football was mad in those days

football was something that changed a lot
a way to express your feelings
an energetic occupation or pastime
that everybody loved

it was a chance to see players
from another country
for the very first time

football was exciting…
because football was a kicking load of fun
and more than anything
football was.. basically the best!

Millbank Yr 5
——————————————-

9. FOOTBALL TODAY IS..BIG

Football today is
jolly loud
anti-racist
expensive
wicked
and full of adventure
because football today is big!

Football today is
full of adverts
and football today is
for the one humungous trophy

Football today is
a clean pitch
full of excitement

Larmenier & Sacred Heart Yr 6
—————————————————–

10. LIKE A CONTINUOUS LOTTERY..
…….THAT COULDN’T STOP WINNING!

Magnificent- supersonic
A goal-machine..

Roy was a man
who could shoot for goal
as fast as a speeding bullet
like a continuous lottery ticket
that couldn’t stop winning

Roy Bentley was a hero –
a legend.

St Mary of The Angels.Yr 5
—————————————————
11 EXQUISITE AMAZING….A STAR THAT’S BLAZING

He was the striker who scored all the goals
The crowd were full of cheering souls
Roy is a lion who’s leaving his mark
Scaring all the players out on the park

Exquisite amazing – a star that’s blazing
Exquisite amazing – a star that’s blazing

A broken ankle that saved his life
He went home and danced with his wife
A hero a legend for England for Chelsea
The name of the man is Roy Bentley

Exquisite amazing – a star that’s blazing
Exquisite amazing – a star that’s blazing

St Mary of The Angels.Yr 6
—————————————————
12. STILL… A HERO

still sharing his stories
and still teaching us like a father

still using his knowledge
still graced with a sense of humour
still using his knowledge
of football and life

Roy Bentley
still gentle
still a hero

St Mary of The Angels.Yr 6
—————————————————
13. ROY BENTLEY WAS..A LEGEND

Roy Bentley led Chelsea
Roy Bentley was a superb player
a powerful captain and manager.

Roy Bentley was the best.

Playing for twenty five years
on the pitch
for club and country

Roy Bentley was a legend

Queen’s Park Yr 6.
——————————————–
14 THE UNBEATABLE CHAMPION .

Roy Bentley is still brave
still tough
still determined
and still famous
because of
his passion for the game

Roy Bentley is
still sharing his thoughts
and memories of the past with us

Roy Bentley is a winner
Roy Bentley is still the unbeatable champion!

Queen’s Park Yr 6.
——————————————————————

15 A GAME THAT HELPED MEN GET OUT OF CHORES!

Football was
A crazy kick around
a distraction for men
a waste of time for women
but a game that helped men
get out of chores!

Football was a game that aliens
can never understand or play
and for some football was rubbish
but Football was always
something for everyone.

Burdett Coutts Yr 6

————————————–
16. LIKE TIME..FOOTBALL NEVER STOPS

Today football is..
a baby’s first sport..
Chelsea & Arsenal…
and a place anyone can go to..
because they like to.

Today football is..
for people of all cultures
and colours
a place with no sexism
and much less racism

and although football today is..
a money-making business
like time..
football never stops.

Burdett Coutts Yr 6

————————————

17 BALLET WITH A BALL

football is as fast as a cheetah
as competitive as a fox
and mad as a stampede
but football today
is ruled by business and money

football is about the championship

football’s exciting and breathtaking
like a tidal wave –
as teams sweep forward
towards the goal
but football today
if full of too much tripping up
and falling over!

football is just
ballet with a ball.

St Matthew’s Yr 5
—————————————-

18 FOOTBALL WAS CHEAPER THAN CHIPS

football was
a game you would play
with a ball

football was
a fantasy world
a contest – a battle
and football was passionate
tough and aggressive

football was about victory –
an opportunity to spend time with friends
and back then
football was cheaper than chips!

football was not on TV
because they didn’t have TV –
and even though
football was sometimes a bit violent
above all…
football was fun!

St Matthew’s Yr 6
—————————————————————-

19 FOOTBALL IS BRIGHT

Football .football ..football is bright
It fills the sky with wonderful light
Chelsea, Chelsea they’re the best
They are better than all the rest
Chelsea players are faster than cheetahs
They can run for metres and metres
Football’s bright but it’s also boring
Football football I’ll keep snoring

Chelsea players run the ball into the goal
They all play with heart and soul
As fast as fox as fast a fox
Kicking that ball into the box
Chelsea head it like a kangaroo
They even came before Doctor Who!
Football’s great when the ball goes in
But not when it ends up in the bin
Back in those days well football was a tumble
Now it’s bigger than the Royal rumble!

St Matthew’s Yr 6
—————————————-
20 ROY-WONDER

Bentley was a Chelsea champion
playing with inspired players
but also feeding giraffes!

Played for his club
and country…
because
he was a Roy-Wonder on the pitch

St James & St Michael’s Yr 6

———————————————
21 STILL THE MAN!

Telling his stories
about his career
his life
with us –
reflecting on his past.

Still supporting Chelsea
still a football fan.

Roy Bentley
is still …
‘The Man!’

St James & St Michael’s Yr 6
———————————————

22. THE MAN WHO WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN

a footballer for Chelsea
a captain – a legend
and a man who fought for the Navy

a trustworthy man
because even with a broken ankle
he still went dancing!

the leader of his club and England
and the first person to lift the trophy
for the Blues

Roy Bentley..
the man who will never be forgotten.

St Augustine’s
———————————————

23 STILL A FAN

still a fan
still here
still generous
still a hero
still fit
still a part of World War 2 history
still teaching us with his great memories
still a reminder of golden times
Roy Bentley..
still a role model for us all

St Augustine’s
———————————————
24 THE BOY WHO LOVES FOOTBALL

he is the boy who loves football
he is the greatest of them all
the one who kicked the ball all so far
he is a legend a superstar

he is the one who had boots of leather
he is Chelsea’s best striker ever

he is the one who never gave up
and famous for his scoring
on his debut

he is astonishing he is a hero
Roy is the boy who scored more than zero!

Edward Wilson

———————————————————-
25 BACK THEN

back then
football was a very old game
where they kicked a ball around

back then football was
a team game
a chance for everyone
to socialise

back then
it was fun
entertainment
and another way
to settle an argument

back then it was
ALIVE!

Penwortham Yr 6

—————————————————

26 FOOTBALL’S BETTER THAN SWEETS!

Football brings back memories.
It’s a way to make money
It’s expensive
and a way to advertise!

Football is exercise
a way to get famous..
and onto TV.

Football is something that everyone loves
a ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme.
Football is boring!

Football is not about the game..
it’s about the money

Football is the best
like heaven..
because football is beautiful
like sweets!

Penwortham Yr 6

—————————————————
27 ROY IS THE ONE

Roy Bentley can curl the ball
He’s the finest of them all
Roy Bentley is the one
He would score every time they won
Matel friends drinking rum
Falling down on their bum
Climbing walls up and down
Cheering wildly like a clown
Roy is the one who scores the goals
With his heart and with his soul
He shot the ball into the net
We think he’s the greatest yet
Roy Bentley ran around the pitch
But it didn’t make him rich!

Avonmore Yr 6
——————————————
28 COOL AND FAMOUS

cool and famous
surrounded by fans
Roy Bentley was
a lovely man

Roy Bentley was
a wicked player
and
even though
he broke his ankle…
he still went dancing!

Essendine
—————————————-

29 ROY BENTLEY IS.. HOT!

ambassador
legend
and the most popular player
at Chelsea
Roy Bentley
is still
HOT!

Essendine
—————————————-
30 FOOTBALL WAS BETTER THAN SCHOOL!

football was the beautiful game
but football was also
dangerous
cheap
and satisfying –
football was a man’s game

football was entertaining
a battle with a ball
loudly and crowdie
but most of all
football
was better than school

St Vincent de Paul Yr 6
—————————————-
31. FOOTBALL IS JUST BIG MONEY!

today
it’s for
men and women
for celebrities
the famous
and for money-making

football is all about logos
because football is just
Big Money!

St Vincent de Paul Yr 6
—————————————-

32. TOUGH TIMES

Roy was
a fascinating footballer
and known for his shot
like a rocket

Roy played in
rough shirts
rough shorts
and old boots
in tough times

but Roy was a champion
and
even though his boots were heavy
he was fantastic like John Terry!

Paddington Green Yr 6
———————————————-

33. GENTLEMAN ROY

older now
but still tough
still bright
and his spirit
still high

still a legend
still classic like the car
still a football star
still a gentleman

Paddington Green Yr 6
———————————————-
34. MASTER OF THE GAME

a legend of football
the best in the world
and though he played for twenty five years
he only earned eight quid a week!

an enthusiastic player
he was kicking a ball at seven
and was
a fantastic header

Bentley was a master of the game

Barrow Hill
————————————————
35. A LEGENDARY BLOKE

still brave
still the greatest captain
still the man they called “Gently”
still a very nice man

Roy Bentley
is still
a legendary bloke

Barrow Hill
————————————————

© Crispin Thomas – 03 Feb 2006

WWW.FOOTBALLPOETS.ORG, c/o 18 Bisley Road, Stroud, Glos, GL5 1HE, England – email: editors

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