Poems tagged ‘France. Maroc. Kylian Mbappe. Sofran Amrabat. World Cup.’
Jumped Up, Outta The Chair…
Colourful expletives pierced the air
After witnessing a scene said, geezer write…
Reminded of committed halcyon days
A sly dig in the ribs, a clump, affrays
Agin a whizz-kid, HP boots chalk dusted white.
Not exactly blessed with bags o’ pace
Our Dominic put his-self about the place
Pinching, tugging, pulling hair, that sort of thing
Some whizz-kid haring it down the wing
Might stumble and find our Dom atop o’ him
Making out the whizz-kid clipped him on the shin.
I’ve seen two flying fools sent off
Plus, a stiff upper lipped, fleet footed toff
Promise when the game was done, he’d do Dom in
“Is that right Tarq, ain’t looking quite so smug
Go on, do one, take that early bath, you mug
Now it’s us v ten Tarq, who d’you think will win?”.
Then, there’s the full-on quarter-final in the cup
Where, tis fair to say our London-Irish blood was up
After Dominic lost two teeth in a melee by their goal
Mind you the three other kids, looked ten times worse
They had to go find a dentist, a doctor and his nurse
A scene in which Dominic’s big sister played a role.
All these little vignettes I’ve described
I suppose should be let be, or cast aside
As part and parcel of what’s called competitive sport
Said vignettes sat in the dressing-room of my mind
Clearly undisturbed for quite some time
Truth is…I never gave a single one of them a thought.
Until, this whizz-kids toeing it down the wing
Into acres o’pseudo green, partisans screaming at him
The coveted Golden Chalice gleams within their grasp
The Flying Frenchmen doesn’t quite reach his destination
Cos a Moroccan locomotive without a moment’s hesitation
Brings him crashing down on his derrière, a nation gasps.
Odds on a a bone got cracked?
Or The Flying Frenchman’s ankle snapped?
As a deaf bloke, even I heard something give
A quick burst o’ spray, a glug o’ Perrier
Les Bleus lead their talisman on to the field o’play
Shaking hands with a passing Maroc as he did.
No theatricals, idle threats or slurs get caste
A breathtaking memory from a match played in Qatar
Reminds me how the beautiful game has changed its tack
Today, a committed tackle, is as rare as false teeth on a hen
Which explains why, watching this pair o’ fine young men
Get right stuck in, I jumped up, outta the chair taken aback.
Peace.
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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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Mike Bartram
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Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
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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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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