Bradford Remembered 25th Anniversary – 11.05.85
The Whole Stand Is On Fire
“the whole stand is on fire” he cried upon my radio
but how it started to this day we still may never know
and who here can imagine the fear the heat the pain
but pray that such a day as this will never dawn again
what should have been a joyous game promotion celebration
claimed lives of fifty six that day and shocked this sorry nation
and in that dark inferno blaze too horrible to dream
the lessons learned will ne’re replace those lives that should have been
as bravery and tragedy unfurled before our eyes
where fans risked life and limb and more to save so many lives
so hard to not let anger grow at things we can avoid
nor find a way to measure the depth of all destroyed
I used to be nostalgic for lovely wooden stands
those ancient crumbling terraces that stretched across these lands
the rusty turnstile mayhem and big crowd anarchy
that bumbled on for years and years the way it used to be
for from that day we realised in sadness and disgrace
while arguments may rage on long they never can replace
nor bring back those who sat and cheered all as that game began
when scarves were waved and sunlight shone on trophy and on fan
no mighty modern structures no chrome nor steel designs
can ‘ere erase or truly face those tragic frightful times
we learned a million lessons we looked to shoulder blame
to those who died and those with scars we hang our heads in shame
and some will say that something came that changed our football homes
but what a price for luxury if only we had known
if only this – if only that for words will always fail
and can’t bring back the ones now gone tis all to no avail
“the whole stand is on fire” he cried upon my radio
and how it started to this day we still may never know
but still we can’t forget those scenes the fear the heat the pain
and pray that such a day as this will never dawn again
© CT Crispin Thomas 05
Football In The Sky
Football in the sky
In perpetuity, I see the flames
Flicker through my mind
In perpetuity, I see the names
Written on the wall
Forever that day is with me
But I do not wish it not
For fifty six reasons in me
It can never be forgot.
When May arrives, year after year
A shiver comes to me
I cannot help but shed a tear
But I know it will always be
Never forget!, Never forget!
I sing out loud and cry
Fifty six reasons in me
Watching football in the sky.
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© KopKred
May 11th 2010 sees the 25th anniversary of the Bradford City fire tradgedy in which 56 Bradford and Lincoln fans lost their lives.
R.I.P.
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Editor’s note:
BBC’s Football Focus show commemorated the tragic occasion this cweekend.
“The whole stand is on fire” were the actual words of the radio commentator that day, 25 years on this week Remembering 11th May 1985.Valley Parade.Bradford.56 died ,over 250 injured and burned.
There have been some incredibly moving and heartbreaking poems on this site over the last five years, from our inception in June 2000, dedicated to those who lost their lives at Hillsborough and Heysel. I found only one other poem about that awful day at Bradford however .Please let us know if there are any other poems here about this awful day that I missed..
I felt it necessary to put down some thoughts. It would be so easy I feel, to pick fault with anything we say or write as bystanders, having not actually been at Hillsborough, Heysel or Bradford personally on those days and night. The images however are still as vivid and frightening though to this day. I cannot imagine for a moment what the experience of either of these tragedies must have been like for those thousands there and those who are no longer with us or indeed those among the 250 plus who suffered serious injuries and burns. Anyone who has experienced a real fire in a building will begin to sense how everyone in the ground and those watching on television would have been forever changed by these events. I just wanted to put my feelings down, that’s all, on what was such a sad and terrible year in football and life itself. For more info and commemorative details visit the Bradford City FC official site.
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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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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
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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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