Poems tagged ‘Football Programmes’
In Praise of The Football Programme
there are loyal collectors of programmes
whose attics and boxes contain
all expertly wrapped and religiously mapped
a record of many a game
but they’re calling for clubs to think over
just what is the point of it all
it’s the digital age v the old printed page
but they’re still such a part of football
At the end of the late eighteen hundreds
wherever our teams would compete
the programme was born it is earliest form
and often a mere single sheet
they were simple and basic to start with
reflecting the print of the times
there’d be strange sounding names maybe upcoming games
with barely a thought for design
but they grew and they found our affection
they could bring back some lost memory
of a moment of class or a match from the past
when you stood there so young and so free
when sometimes the nerves or excitement
meant they lay in your pocket unseen
til later at home by the fireside alone
you would pore over news on your team
there’d by words from the captain and team mates
of things that they did in spare time
there’d be letters and more and a space for the scores
that popped up on boards at half time
and the team pics would follow a format
that continues along to this day
where they stand there in time with arms folded behind
those sat on some bench in that way
those magical black and white photos
of away games at strange misty grounds
with their classic shaped stands from those far away lands
that conjured up visions and sounds
in the days when we only had papers
they contained all the figures and facts
in striking bold colour all there on the cover
to line ups in middle or back
it was long before TV took over
en masse as they do now today
the Final maybe if you owned a TV
til the world changed with Match of The Day
and they probably lose the clubs money
in a time when your ticket can be
a print-off at home or a code on your phone
but they still feel important to me
And to all of you loyal collectors
whose attics and boxes contain
religiously mapped and expertly wrapped
in the memories there that remain
they can call for the clubs to remove them
and some out there might feel the same
but throughout history they evoke memory
and they still have a place in the game.
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
28th April 2024
Richard Williams
26th April 2024
joe morris
25th April 2024
Denys E. W. Jones
25th April 2024
kevin halls
23rd April 2024
Alex Saynor
23rd April 2024
joe morris
23rd April 2024
Crispin Thomas
22nd April 2024
Denys E. W. Jones
21st April 2024
joe morris
20th April 2024
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
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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25th April 2024 at 1:56 pm
Thanks Joe,
you might like to write a poem yourself on the same subject…
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23rd April 2024 at 4:03 pm
Hi Denys
With you all the way on the abolition of FA Cup replays. What are they doing to the game?
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23rd April 2024 at 3:59 pm
Hi Crispin,
Yes sorry mate. Villa are still in Europe. Mistake rectified.
Cheers
Joe
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20th April 2024 at 12:04 pm
Hi Joe
Shouldn’t your title read your poem Farewell Europe England to everyone exccept Aston Villa ?
I know you mention them in your poem , but I do feel sorry for Villa re the national press .
Largely ignored. the hype was was all about Man City & Arsenal with a bit of a nod to the Hammers..but hardly a mention of Villa..
So well done to them
C
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19th March 2024 at 8:00 am
Hi Crispin. Chris Sutton on the radio has gone for a Chelsea v Coventry final. As we know anything can happen in the Cup, and I reckon we can go to the final.
We’re still in with a chance of the play offs too, so lots to go for.
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19th March 2024 at 7:41 am
Hey Kev
Let the masses drool over their odds on City v Unted Final, but who knows how pressure can hit.
Cov and Chels will be rightly labelled as having no chance..but hey …stranger things have happened..
so Chelsea v Coventry…that’s the Final for us!
Best
C
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