A December Welcome
In December 2006, we welcomed the following new contributors to this site :
John Oliver
Nick Fogg
Alan Valentine
Chad J. Vanderstelt
Dienim (from Indonesia)
L D R
And from Cherry Lane Primary School :
Chelsea
And some of their contributions :
On the straw behind the goal.
I watched the match
when i was a lad lying on straw behind the goal
Envied the people in the stands
But i did not mind the cold.
All those winter Saturday mornings
When North East winds would blow
I would turn up at St James’s Park
And help to shift the snow.
Now i sit high up in the Gallowgate end
A glass roof above my head
In our ultra modern stadium, but I feel it must be said
That i saw, Milburn, Mitchell, Robledo
Names etched upon my soul
Watching the match when I was a lad
Lying on the straw behind the goal.
© John Oliver
This poem takes me back to my happiest days watching Newcastle Utd who i have supported for well over half a century.
A United girl of the Manchester kind
I’m a United girl
Of the Manchester kind
With Solskjaer on my back,
A Red of the purest kind.
They say, “You watch the players
And rarely watch the game.”
I just laugh it off
And infrequently complain.
Though, in all honestly,
It’s very hard to ignore
Cristiano’s thighs in close-up
When he’s cut down to the floor.
Are you telling me
That, if this was a girls game,
You wouldn’t ogle at their legs
All the same?
I know the rules
And I adore the game,
I share the religion
And the passion, all the same.
I’m not actually that fussed,
It’s just a little gripe.
I’ll ogle Ronnie’s thighs
Just to cement the stereotype.
© LDR 23/12/2006
Derby County
‘Your team shall be my team.’ The Book of Ruth
Said that – or something on those lines at least.
When you met me I was just as uncouth
As the other supporters. A real beast,
Whenever I went to the Baseball Ground:
A third generation Rams supporter.
Then you came along and I was lost and found.
you told me to behave like I oughta.
Docker’s daughter without the accent
That you lost at the Gravesend Grammar School.
That you support my team is heaven-sent.
It makes you my love, my pride, my jewel.
I don’t care you know nothing of the game.
And cannot say a single player’s name.
© Nick Fogg 06
Bolton v Swindon LC Quarter Final 1995
Two down to Swindon Town
With an hour on the clock
The Wembley dream failing fast
As Jan Aga Fjortoft struck,
His whirling celebration flight
A blitzkreig on our hopes.
Failures, near and distant,
Come back to mind, of chances missed,
And nothing now but the long drive home
Through rain, with eyes of mist.
The Europeans rise from their safe quarters
To the battlefield.
Two minutes on, a hold and pass
From the fair Finn,
Saw Thompson’s run, cross shot smack post
And Jason charging in.
Rebound fired home, one more for extra-time.
Then Paataleinen skips floored Sneekers
Two steps left and a thundering shot
To top left corner.
Keeper flailing, striped net straining,
Crowd roaring, leaping. Alive!
Now, white tide crashing to The Lever End.
Tension tight as wired pulled taunt,
Then snapped by Thompson’s shot
Drilled low. A defenders slip, loose ball
And McGinley’s all alone, six yards out,
One touch and smashed to keepers left.
GOAL!
Two minutes now of pounding hearts
And punching fist,
Of screaming voice
And roaring noise,
Until the sweetest sound, the final blow
And cries of “We’ve done it”
© Alan Valentine
My one and only poem written a few hours after the final whistle. The poem was rediscovered whilst cleaning out an old cupboard in the last few weeks.
Football is…
Football is a sport
it requires a pair of teams
the boys are so caught up with it
even in their dreams
Football needs advertisement
and it should keep you fit
the footballers get paid a lot
with that they buy a new kit
Football needs some players
it also needs some fans
a ball to kick around the pitch
and a bit of green land
© Chelsea from Cherry Lane Primary School
My Game…My Life
Football is not a game;
A way of life it is;
anyone so blessed with skill
will find this life a thrill
I played this game for USA
For Coventry and Chelsea;
Improving every day I did
Coach Bora really helped me;
I’ve lived this life for so long now
I have no idea how
I’d live my life another way
Thank God I’m made to play.
Injury has ended my run
Though too early I had fun;
I’ll coach someday
I can’t stay away
my life has just begun.
© Chad J. Vanderstelt
This poem represents my very promising, yet early ending, soccer career
Bobotoh of PERSIB BANDUNG
I’m just ordinary fans
Who amazed with their action
Adjat Sudradjat was in memory
At the moment when he scored a goal
I’ve a lot of dreams
That can making me as part of them
But i just an ordinary fans
who called as “BOBOTOH”
Yeah…
I’m is bobotoh of Blue Prince
PERSIB BANDUNG
Best of the best
of Indonesian football team
I’m red
I’m white
I’m “MAUNG BANDUNG”
I still become bobotoh
Now and forever
Until Zaenal Arief and Barkawi
become goal machine
because PERSIB, our
body and soul
© dienim-bobotoh
PERSIB BANDUNG is one of best team in Indonesia. Their supporter is recognized with term bobotoh.
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
John Gilbert Ellis
28th November 2024
joe morris
26th November 2024
Denys E. W. Jones
26th November 2024
Gacina Bozidar
26th November 2024
Wynn Wheldon
26th November 2024
joe morris
17th November 2024
Crispin Thomas
17th November 2024
kevin halls
10th November 2024
joe morris
10th November 2024
Clik The Mouse
10th November 2024
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
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
See in context
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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10th July 2024 at 6:07 pm
Hi Crispin,
I don’t know if you’ve see the picture in social media today…
a picture of a teenage Lionel Messi cradling a baby in Africa as part of a photoshoot…. the family had won a lottery to have their baby pictured with him….
the photographer has just revealed that the baby is actually in fact Lamine Yamal!!!!
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26th May 2024 at 2:30 pm
Hi Denys…
Re Man City:
OK it was 20 years ago but Criag Wilson did write this and a few others on them back in 04/05.
BTW I’m more Forest Green Rover since 2014 (and Chelsea) these days . I drum and am a standing season ticket holder .
Best
Crispin
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29th April 2024 at 2:47 pm
Hi Denys,
Yes Richard Williams you’re a brilliant wordsmith, my friend. When I first saw your football poetry I thought it was the superb Guardian sports and music writer. I once had the honour of sitting next to Richard Williams while at the Independent on the sports desk. He writes about music and sport with immense knowledge and authority. I’ve read a couple of Richard’s books recently. Great writer rather like you Richard Williams the Pompey fan. Congratulations on promotion.
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28th April 2024 at 5:59 pm
Thanks Denys. Yes your replay poem was superb.
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26th April 2024 at 4:46 pm
Nice work, Joe. You were quick off the mark with that! Good one from Richard Williams too I see.
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25th April 2024 at 7:33 pm
Hi Denys,
Thanks mate. I’ll do it now.
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