Football Poets

TG Jones

Who was the greatest player that Stanley Matthews ever saw?
Cymru’s TG Jones.

Who was the greatest player that Dixie Dean ever saw?
Everton’s TG Jones.

Who was the greatest player that Tommy Lawton ever saw?
Wrexham’s TG Jones.

Who was the greatest player that Joe Mercer ever saw?
Connah’s Quay’s TG Jones.

He didn’t have a name like Beckenbauer, Watson or Labone,
Yobo, Yerry, Keane, or Keown or Pistone.
Just simply TG (Tommy) Jones.

You know he would have played for AS Rome,
But money regulations kept him at home,
And in 1950 he decamped to Pwllheli’s holiday zone.

As Bangor City’s manager he beat Napoli at home,
After having established his home town’s genome.
Then ‘twas home is the Nomad, from the School of Science home.

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When We Were Losing One-Nil

When we were losing one-nil,
I thought our Cause was lost.
The trapdoor was wide open,
We seemed doomed to the Drop.

When we were trailing one-nil,
I heard a wise man say:
“My son, you know you really ought
To have a little Faith.

The match lasts ninety minutes,
The game ain’t over yet,
There’s loads of time for us to put
That ball into their net.”

The words that wise man spoke were true,
As true as true can be.
But we had gone one goal down,
No use to talk to me.

When we had made it one-one,
(A goal off Richie’s head),
I thought: ”Let’s settle for the point,
Now we’re back from the dead.”

Once more when scores were level,
I heard that wise man say:
“I told you so, perhaps now you
Can see of hope some ray.”

With three and ninety minutes gone,
Up stepped a lad named Gray –
A rocket fired in off the post,
That we’ll recall for aye.

Few seconds left now on the clock,
The wise man sat and beamed.
He looked just like the fabled cat
That gobbled up the cream.

And then the full-time whistle blew,
We headed towards home.
‘Twas raining hard, but we were warmed
By Vict’ry’s afterglow.

I munched my full-time Mars Bar,
And boy, did it taste sweet!
For WE’d been losing one-nil,
But two-one THEY got beat!

9/12/21
Denys E. W.Jones

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Bent on Revenge

We last clashed ten long months ago,
On Liverpool’s own turf.
And on that day, the whole world knows,
We Toffees proved our worth.

Two goals scored by the Boys in Blue,
While from the Reds not one.
So when the final whistle blew,
‘Twas clear to all – we’d won!

A monkey shaken off our backs,
A hoodoo exorcised,
It’s such a shame the pubs were shut,
But we got drunk on pride.

All that’s now ancient history,
We face a challenge new:
Another visit from the Reds,
Who mean to die or do.

That lot aren’t used to losing,
It’s really not their style.
Their Trophy Room is full of pots,
Ahead of us by miles.

That loss at Anfield must have hurt,
Their pride was truly dented.
No greater shame have any felt
Since football was invented.

They want to get their own back,
Of that we’re well aware.
The Reds are hellbent on Revenge,
Beware! Beware! Beware!

28/11/21
Denys E. W. Jones

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The Monkey

We hadn’t won at Anfield
Since nineteen ninety-nine.
And slice it how you like,
That is a very long long time.

But now at last we’ve done it,
The monkey’s off our back.
The hoodoo has been laid to rest,
And Klopp must watch his back.

Richarlison was on the mark
With just three minutes gone.
The Reds were stung, they hogged the ball,
And piled the pressure on.

The second half was agony,
Nerve-racking, very tense.
Shots peppered left, right, centre,
But Pickford was immense.

About ten minutes still to play,
When DCL was floored.
The Ref he pointed to the Spot,
Our Iceman duly scored.

We’ve shook the monkey off our back,
The hoodoo’s put to bed.
Today all Merseyside is Blue,
There’s not a trace of Red.

21/2/21
Denys E. W. Jones

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Gianluca Vialli saving Everton

All Evertonians needed
was more love for Everton
and more Premiership football

But that was pending on
the Chelsea v Bolton game on
Sunday 10 May 1998

What if we were really down?
What if nothing ever came from
Gianluca Vialli?

That is why this name is
unforgettable for an Evertonian,
For me

The developement of that
football drama between Goodison
and Stamford Bridge took the shape in
unthinkable waiting for the goal
of Gianluca Vialli against Bolton

What If Vialli’s Chelsea
had lost to Bolton?

What if Everton had been relegated?

That was something like a
“Thank you Chelsea day”

Thanksgiving goes to Vialli

At Goodison, Barmby missed the penalty
The last thing we needed

Everton almost went down

Almost, just like 4 years before
in 1994

And today in 2021
I still remember
Gianluca Vialli saving Everton
and think of him

That is also what I call
the late 90’s

We could be in the Championship now
But Chelsea with those late goals
saved us in 1998

Wonderful day
Everton failing to beat Coventry at home
needed Chelsea to beat Bolton

Now, we have Ancelotti and
are really not bothering for our future

It is sad that Coventry is so far away
Lfe and football change

And Bolton ? And Today’s Chelsea?

The Show must go on

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