Poems tagged ‘Barnet’
He’s got a Pineapple on his Head
In the Forties and Fifties footballers
looked like the thousands who watched
from the terraces. Short back and sides;
and Billy had a quiff.
In the Sixties and Seventies styles changed,
players set trends and the crowd followed,
to the barbers for the latest trim;
and something for the weekend.
Georgie had a Beatle cut,
Bobbie had a comb-over,
Kevin had a perm.
Everyone’s hair grew longer.
In the Eighties Chris sported that mullet,
the Nineties saw the Mohican, World Cup
Romanians went peroxide, and Jason
had a pineapple on his head.
Since the Noughties football wages
have soared. Premier League millionaires
enjoy lifestyles far distant from fans,
boast hairdos to match.
Colours, styles, shapes and lines
that even those sat in corporate boxes
struggle to copy because of maintenance
costs or dress codes.
Now Gareth has a man bun,
Sadio has dyed lines,
Ayoze has a pompadour.
But anyone can taper, fade.
Here For The Salad?
this is when you pinch yourself
dust that scarf from off the shelf
we ain’t scared of no-one else
we are FGR
brand new season brand new era
can you feel it drawing nearer
see our vision growing clearer
raise that concept bar
seats of green lie silent waiting
local hearts anticipating
eco-friendly no debating
living out the dream
days like this will linger longer
time to rise up and be stronger
and confirm that we belong here
up at Forest Green
Forest Green ? But where I hear?
in the middle of nowhere?
Did the salad bring you here?
here to FGR
Wembley mem’ries back in May
blow those cobwebs all away
now it’s here so come the day
come from near and far
perched up on our hillside home
clock our fan-base how it’s grown
see our pitch by solar mown
up at the New Lawn
come and taunt us if you dare
world is changing we don’t care
we’re just grateful to be here
swapping meat for Quorn
we’re prepared for mocking chants
we reply ‘Give Peas A Chance’
come up here and take a glance
this is who we are
call us upstarts when we score
tell us that our menu’s poor
our agenda’s something more
this is FGR
close to Stroud but could be Mars
vegan food electric cars
beer’s organic in our bars
in our bright green home
here where grazing sheep will greet us
we boast Q-Pie and fajitas
green agendas? you can’t beat us
we are on own own
catch the wind that turns the mill
by our home upon the hill?
call us anything you will
“hippies -blah blah blah”
‘fairy tale’ tags out of date
laced with jealousy and hate
we don’t punch above our weight
we are FGR
all those seasons we have known
changing football’s face alone
in a league that’s all our own
we are FGR
are you open can you take it?
are you ready to embrace it?
can you feel it can you taste it ?
up at FGR
this is when you pinch yourself
dust that scarf from off the shelf
we ain’t scared of no-one else
we are FGR
brand new season brand new era
can you feel it drawing nearer
see our vision growing clearer
raise that concept bar
seats of green lie silent waiting
local hearts anticipating
eco-friendly no debating
living out the dream
days like this will linger longer
time to rise up and be stronger
and confirm that we belong here
up at Forest Green
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
joe morris
10th July 2025
Crispin Thomas
10th July 2025
Mike Bartram
8th July 2025
joe morris
6th July 2025
Crispin Thomas
6th July 2025
Mike Bartram
4th July 2025
Denys E. W. Jones
29th June 2025
joe morris
29th June 2025
Crispin Thomas
26th June 2025
joe morris
23rd June 2025
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
7th June 2025 at 5:57 pm
Very well put! My recent favourite came when visiting Chesterfield. They have the ‘LMD Vacuum Excavation Stand’.
May be if you’re in the vacuum excavation business, it’s a beautiful sounding name.
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24th May 2025 at 7:19 am
Hi Steve
I’ve come across you before on the live poetry circuit…something I’ve also been involved in since the late 90s at slams, gigs and festivals. Did you ever get to Glasto?
I was also at Swindon when José subbed and berated Kevin in a League Cup game for Chelsea….
Salah as you point out went the same way…
Be interesting to see Kev’s next move?
Best
Crispin
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24th April 2025 at 1:05 pm
Hey Denys..love this
“You may be a miner working down a pit.
You may be a rock star playing sold out gigs.
You may be a fireman putting out a blaze.
You may be an inmate chalking off the days. ”
Not just Dylan but maybe an unintentional nod to and shades of Ian Dury’s enigmatic ‘What A Waste’ rhythmic scanning..eg:
I could be the driver in an articulated lorry
I could be a poet I wouldn’t need to worry
I could be a teacher in a classroom full of scholars
I could be the sergeant in a squadron full of wallahs
What a waste
What a waste
Was lucky enough to meet and interview him twice.
Best wishes from Forest Green to Genoa C
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8th March 2025 at 2:34 pm
Thanks Crispin
I’ve been to FGR a couple of times in the past – great food! Barnet look like they have the NL sewn up for this season, but I wish you well for promotion next season.
Regards, Beth
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11th January 2025 at 8:13 am
TO ADD THIS TO THIS POEM’S COMMENT:WELCOME BACK DAVID MOYES!!!
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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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