Poems tagged ‘The Final Third’
The Final Third Eye
Now cast your mind back when a kid – playing footy in the park,
we played each night with coats for posts – until it got quite dark.
And 14:12 might be the score – or the first ones up to 10.
A game so free, we’d score for fun – and without the skills of men.
Yet, now we watch the greatest league – and marvel when the grand,
run fifty yards and beat three men – then punt it in the stand.
And wingers in that final third – you’d think they’d find the target,
instead they cross it long and wide – or fire it off to Margate.
Now, to all you football lovers – I’ve got news you’ll want to hear,
I’ve discovered something special – and you all owe me a beer.
As while working on a poem – that explored the modern game,
found I struggled with directives – that just wouldn’t fit the frame!
The more I tried the worse it got – and the further that I fell,
and t’was then at last it hit me – I’d encountered with a spell.
As both consist of rhyming lines – was why I found a hitch,
thus confirming my conclusion – The involvements of a Witch!
Now Witches, they are useful folk – but history’s made them tough,
and being used to spoil our game – is really quite enough.
Seems off they went and cast their spells – to halt the coach’s words,
For unless in rhyme, they can’t converse – about “The Final Thirds.”
Now cast your mind back not too far – at Rooney’s sudden fall,
and when Torres moved to Chelsea – and his skills went up the wall.
It so makes sense that they were cursed – explaining why they failed,
and I’m so pleased I sussed the cause – the reason finally nailed.
So now a passing game is all we have – the stats have now detected,
as it’s only in the first two thirds – that play’s not been affected.
It robs them of the nerve they need – to cross that last third line,
and hence they pass from side to side – and backwards all the time.
And this keepers urge to dribble – to show forwards what to do,
thus displaying why they’re keepers – and not playing number two.
Then finally a break is on – a clearance finds a hole.
It’s missed, it’s muffed and always fluffed – my Nan could hit the goal.
So that’s why players “cross” themselves – in case their spell gets cast.
And crowd songs are called “chanting” – with effects that can be vast.
And why footballers will tell you – they don’t listen to the crowd,
that’s unless their name is mentioned – as their spell is spun out loud.
Then there’s spells to stop us questioning – about, if a spells been set,
linked with others cast to steer us off – the closer that we get.
And with all this, there hides a key – that locks them till their time,
or the loop hole thus encountered – when this poet wrote his rhyme.
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
Denys E. W. Jones
31st May 2025
joe morris
31st May 2025
Clik The Mouse
30th May 2025
Clik The Mouse
28th May 2025
Emdad Rahman
28th May 2025
Mike Bartram
27th May 2025
joe morris
26th May 2025
steve mingle
23rd May 2025
Mike Bartram
22nd May 2025
joe morris
22nd May 2025
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
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
See in context
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
See in context
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
See in context
11th January 2025 at 8:13 am
TO ADD THIS TO THIS POEM’S COMMENT:WELCOME BACK DAVID MOYES!!!
See in context
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
See in context
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.
See in context
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
See in context
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.
See in context
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!!!!
See in context