An April Welcome
In April 2007, we welcomed the following new contributors to this site :
non humphries
Richard Brooks
jessie
Michael Bibby
Rosie Jones
Paul Johnson
From Mitchell Intermediate, Texas , we welcome :
From McCullough Jr. High, Texas , we welcome :
Clair Spaulding (a very clever ten to one poem)
A blast from the past – a welcome return to
For a wonderful review of a Football Poetry book, click here :
Gareth Southgates’s Proverb
The review is written by one of our esteemed contributors : Eddie Gibbons
Click on the names above to see that person’s poem(s), or browse some selected first efforts below :
Burnley Fc
“Just like watching Brazil More like watching The Bill”
Like Thomas Gradgrind Hard Times fall
Yet Turf Moor faithful they recall
This grand auld club played side by side
Old Trafford, Anfield and the like
The ‘Duck and Boot’ the locals den
Whilst in ‘The Turf’ they’ll tell you when
The FA Cup was held up proud
In Claret ribbons streaming out.
© Michael Bibby
Foul? No Way!
I push past a player, maybe a little too hard
She falls to the ground, hand clutching her knee
The ref holds up a bright yellow card
My team starts to argue with him
“Foul? No way!” I shout angrily
I roll my eyes
Ref’s these days
Never agreeable
Foul
© Clare Spaulding
It’s a ten to one poem…
Football
I love the feeling of the game,
But don’t want to loose and be put to shame.
I cheer them on hoping to win,
And when they do I have a big grin.
I love how they dribble with all that pace,
And I see how fast they run as if they were having a race.
Football is the way of life,
Like a bread being cut by a knife.
It is the game where legends are born,
When football can make many things form.
The one and only football.
© Donovan McNair
Our Dad
Our Dad he played just like a King
Upon the pitch was sound
Jumpers goalposts we would fling
And left ’em on the ground
Our Dad he raced and leaped up high
With goals he wore the crown
Til skills like dreams all went to seed
And scattered on the ground
Our Dad he never made the grade
But Saturday’s we were proud
With bursting hearts and bloodied knees
We cheered him in the ground.
© Rosie
The Post and Destiny
I stand in my destiny,
between jubilation and disaster.
The appocalypse approaches,
my heart beats ever faster.
My hands itch in anticipation.
she takes a shot with a question to answer.
Success the vocation,
of a skillful dancer.
It cannot be allowed,
though their movement is refined,
the ball’s in my hands,
the horror has declined.
© non humphries
I know this is an extremely self -flattering summary of an inter-school game, but as an aspirant keeper i am proud of this moment. i would also like to point out that i owe that success and indeed any other future successes to my lucky gloves. seriouly, without
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
Crispin Thomas
25th January 2023
joe morris
23rd January 2023
Denys E. W. Jones
23rd January 2023
joe morris
14th January 2023
joe morris
8th January 2023
kevin raymond
7th January 2023
joe morris
6th January 2023
Crispin Thomas
6th January 2023
kevin raymond
5th January 2023
kevin raymond
4th January 2023
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
5th December 2022 at 8:11 pm
Stuart, you are not alone, in your dichotomy of doubt
but without dissention
you stand alone
in hogging our attention!
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16th November 2022 at 11:04 am
[Football on soiled turf]
This is a wonderful phrase which I shall be using from now on!
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15th November 2022 at 3:54 pm
Well said Crispin. One of the reasons for The Ball 2022/23 is exactly this – that FIFA need to know. The Ball is essentially a petition to FIFA to honour their commitments to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework. They signed up; they should act. The Qatar tournament takes the World Cup in the opposite direction to that commitment. And 2026 looks like it’ll be even worse.
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8th November 2022 at 2:06 pm
Hi Guys
Re ‘Lets Boycott Qatar ‘ poem
You probably hate me banging on..and problably know (like me) that my/your not watching the World Cup in Qatar will make no difference.
Of course it won’t. That’s not the point.
OK someone might possibly eventually publish a minimal drop in terrestrial TV viewer numbers, but I fear that is unlikely.
But please above all, do go on writing poems about the World Cup, as/you we have always done. I hate to think a poem or two of mine might l make you feel bad about comenting on a game or country …or that I’ve put you all off about wanting to contribute.
So we’d love to hear from you and read your thoughts and observations, as ever on what’s going on.
Some of us have been here since Football Poets website birth/inception for the Euros 2000 ….
All my best wishes
Crispin
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18th October 2022 at 10:06 am
Shoot! (Something we’ve also been screaming in vain at our team all season !)
Great memories Joe . Before Shoot, it was Roy of the Rovers comic too, dropping through my letterbox.
Anxiously waiting each week to see if they survived in the mexcian jungle after an ambush..or a pre-season earthquake!
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3rd October 2022 at 8:32 pm
Thanks for the kind words Sharon. Yes, it was a shame with Billy Shako, but with five subs now being allowed, he might yet make it off the bench. Even if it’s just a cameo to close out a poem.
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2nd October 2022 at 1:49 pm
John, your new book is an absolute delight and more please. It’s a shame ‘Swapping Shirts With Shakespeare’ never made it off the bench, but quality football poets light up the writing fields like Roman candles. Go well.
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4th September 2022 at 12:42 pm
Great memories Greg. Took me right back.
Today I stand on a small terrace in the hills where I live watching Forest Green Rovers in L1, and keep up with Chelsea on highlights. It’s a far cry and a world away from those times when I lived as a child within walking distance of ‘The Bridge’ – just off the Ifield Road, which led to Fulham Road. The Blues were rubbish for so long, but we loved them and somehow we stayed in the old First Division for so many seasons. And of course we got to see Greavesie at his impudent best, scoring goals for fun. Mad unpredictable games where we’d score 4 and let in five.
The looming floodlights in the dark and mist on magic night games. The big games when the ground heaved.
I don’t think we ever realized how magical and incredible it was back then. The atmosphere and arriving there so early – like you said.. just to make sure you got in. Back when Bovril, tea and cake and roasted peanuts for sixpence a back were just about all on offer.
Good times.
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4th September 2022 at 12:37 pm
see above
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18th August 2022 at 10:20 am
To put it politely!
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