Poems tagged ‘Gian-Luca Vialli. Chelsea Football Club. Short story.’
A Fine Bromance.
Picture The Scene. Sloane Street. London. 10-52…
An empty sherbet, flagged down by a bald good-looking bloke,
Says, clearly desperate to get his derriere up and on the go,
“Driver, please take me to The Chelsea Arts Club a.s.a.p.
and could you do so on the hurry-up, before closing, please?”,
This is very much mission-far-from impossible in the cabby’s eyes
The Arts Club being no more than half a mile as the pigeon flies’
Said cabby instantly recognises Luca Vialli, as his fare sat in the back
Chelsea footballer, South West London icon, amore o’ the chaps.
For the first time in 33 years of driving around London streets
The cabby finds himself a gibbering star-struck eejit telling Mr V
How much he loves him, as his sherbet’s haring down the road
Reminiscing on the previous season’s, stunning Old Trafford goal.
Pulling up outside The Arts Club, B.A jumps out of his seat
Opens the passenger door for Luca, a rare if ever cabby feat
Refusing the jacks showing on the clock, is this a joke or what?
“Overcome by the emotion of the moment son?”, B.A later scoffs.
Despite closing time approaching, without taking time to blink
Vialli Thanks and hugs B.A, then disappears to grab a tiddly wink
Leaving B.A star-stuck on the pavement, loving his amore even more
Leaning shell-shocked against his sherbet, jaw down on the floor.
All of which beyond all doubt shows the class and quality of The Man
Fun loving, living life to the full, but taking time out to leave a fan
Especially working people, and this mate o’ mine, feeling like a King
What a mensch, what a life, and what a blinding strike struck in.
Driving starry-eyed, along the Fulham Road, en route to South Ken
A poignant Old Trafford memory, as if on cue comes purring back again…
“When that ball hit the deck, in the back o’ The Old Trafford net
On a night, none of us Blues will ever forget…That’s Vialli”.
Pace.
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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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Latest Poems
Denys E. W. Jones
29th June 2025
joe morris
29th June 2025
Crispin Thomas
26th June 2025
joe morris
23rd June 2025
Crispin Thomas
16th June 2025
Gacina Bozidar
15th June 2025
joe morris
15th June 2025
Stuart Butler
13th June 2025
Alex Saynor
13th June 2025
John Gilbert Ellis
7th 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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