South-South Divide (A Tale of Two Districts)
everybody’s talkin’ bout the South-South divide everybody’s waitin’ for the turnin’ of the tide everybody’s known for years – way down deep inside for Manchester and Liverpool it’s time to step aside from Elland Road to Tyneside the end is drawing near the wind that filled the Northern sails is losing strength I fear the […]
WSC and Sectarianism and Roy of the Rovers
To be honest, I normally speed read When Saturday Comes and rarely remember anything I’ve read. I recommend this month’s issue wholeheartedly, however. An interesting feature on sectarianism, bigotry and racism in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, coupled with a feature for Crispin who is crafting a poem on Roy of the Rovers. Also, new […]
John Charles tribute by John Toshack
Football fans were very saddened at the death of John Charles this week. There were many touching tributes to him, including a poem that John Toshack wrote and read at the funeral. We reproduce it here : ‘The Gentle Giant’ by John Toshack It really was an awesome sight, to see him moving in full […]
Note from the Editors
From the Editors : we’ll listen to any objections anyone may have with any of the poems on the site, but please, do have the curtesy to provide a valid e-mail address if you wish for a reply or any further action. It might take time, but we do fully intend to have some form […]
Times Educational Supplement
Just to say that we featured in this week’s T.E.S. in an article about a history teacher in the west midlands who uses footie as a way of engaging kids in social history etc.. The article mentions one of our haikus and some supportive context – about Bert Trautmann; put that name in the search […]
Going to the Match
Ralph Hancock’s “Going to the Match” ISBN 0953429660 well worth buying and reading. It was commissioned by the PFA to mark the 50th anniversary of LS Lowry’s famous painting and the Arts Council supported publication: “A lugubrious Lowry day for going to the match, entering stage left and right between a coal black occlusion and […]
Holocaust Day
Holocaust Day I was there in Auschwitz 50 years on, but I was there I smelled fresh cut grass But it was my senses, scythed I felt the screams I saw the ghosts I touched the terror I tasted the hate …. I heard the silence My emotions were in turmoil Yet they were as […]
1 World 1 Nation 1 Country + End In Tiers + Minnows Dream + T 4 The Tinkerman
1 OneWorld One Nation Once Country..Senegal! 2.Are U Going To Scarboro’ Yeah? (It’ll End In Tiers- Part 1) 3.Where Minnows Dream….(Part 2) 4 Tea For The Tinkerman (Ranieri Stuff) 1.ONE WORLD.. ONE NATION.. ONE COUNTRY …SENEGAL!! (Ode To the African Nations Cup.2004) in Africa…wise men say – it is un-wise to choose between the might […]
Holocaust Poems with Football links
COME ON RWANDA George Orwell thought that sports like football Were just the continuation of war by other means, And how can we forget, on Holocaust Day, The Nazi idealisation of the cult of the body, The militarisation of the masculine frame, The fetishisation of the nation-state and race: There is a direct link between […]
Ireland to host Brazil
To celebrate Ireland playing hosts to Brazil in a friendly fixture on wednesday February 18th, here are 2 related poems for the price of one. Now, if only I could get even one ticket! Samba soccer by the Liffey The tall young lad, in eye catching top Stepped onto the busy train, on a dull […]
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
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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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