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Poems tagged ‘Women in Sport’

Winter Dreams in Sydney ~ WWC ’23

Crispin Thomas

Friday, July 21st, 2023

so this is it – morning in July here
Winter in Sydney now… nine hours ahead
a celebration of the Women’s Game
a record crowd all wrapped in scarves
a waiting stadium excited for the night
what’s not to love?

I remember as a child in London in mid-Summer
just like today I’d be out in the garden with a trowel
five or six years old maybe
convinced by my grandmother sat on the wooden bench
that I could a dig a hole to Australia..
and I tried and tried until a friend told me it was impossible
early dreams dashed

I wonder what those brave women thought
playing football together in breaks at munitions factories
during and just after World War One
dreaming of a future in the game
Lily Parr was one of them – feisty and fiery – a fag on her lip
turning out in front of massive curious crowds
for Dick Kerr’s Ladies while the blokes were at the front

their hopes and dreams just like mine
suddenly wiped out
the women’s game banned for fifty years in’21
by a sexist dumb FA who ‘claimed it’ un-safe
and a ‘potential’ danger to childbirth
the mind boggles

but here we are a century on
as the Matildas take on Ireland
different dreams for us and them
who will emerge victorious?
how far have we come?
it’s been a battle a long long journey
and still so much to do

but this is it – morning in July here
Winter in Sydney now… nine hours ahead
a celebration of the Women’s Game
a record crowd all wrapped in scarves
a waiting stadium excited for the night
what’s not to love?

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Within The Women’s Game

Crispin Thomas

Saturday, July 15th, 2023

we used to be invisible
to some perhaps a joke
reserved for those whose daughters played
the rebels and the woke

banished for a hundred years
our game at last expands
but struggles on for backing
in many different lands
still seeking recognition
as fans and numbers soar
still needing better pitches
facilities and more
but now at last the penny drops
it’s time thast we provide
the opportunity for all
at home and far and wide

no longer now invisible
no longer classed as lame
the quality is there to see
within the Women’s Game

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Come So Far – Women’s World Cup 2023

Crispin Thomas

Wednesday, June 7th, 2023

come so far and its nearly here :
The Women’s World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand
so much to admire and enjoy
and guess what
this time we’re one of the favourites-
Early mornings late nights ahoy!
I’m excited are you?

but first… back-track:
I remember the first time I watched doubles at tennis
it was too fast…points over too quick and low on rallies and drama
but i got into it and stuck with it and now I love it

it was like that with my first real women’s live game
there on the screen in the early days
a Women’s FA Cup Final : Arsenal v Chelsea
Peterborough or somewhere in front of maybe 5000
mainly mums and little girls -the levels weren’t there yet
the atmosphere like a school swimming gala
and shock horror a girl commentating!
but I watched it
and I’m not proud to admit it I watched it
not just because it was on the BBC
and not just because I loathe Sky BT et al
but because it was on and because it was free
but it got me into it
and yes I was hooked
and I realized back then
that aside from some grainy black and white WW1 footage
and two great books on Lily Parr and the wonderful Dick Kerr Ladies
(before those in charge took it on themselves
to ban the Women’s game from 1921 -1970 )
I’d never really bothered to take a look more closely
why….concepts?. maybe ..more fool me.

suddenly the proverbial penny dropped
this game we love
so macho and male dominated for so long
was for everyone and always has been
but for whatever reason
neglected un-supported and not taken seriously
un-encouraged for decades by the so-called ‘powers that be’
no doubt compounded
by that archaic and totally un-PC suggestion
from the unbearably creepy Sepp Blatter
“‘Let women play in tighter shorts’” ***
god forbid!

fortunately times have moved on
money and funding worldwide has improved..slowly
and yes Women’s football
still has a long way to catch up
but I sat there enthralled
watching the Women’s World Cup in France 2019

the skills the endeavour
the celebratory atmosphere
the colour and noise from travelling fans in their droves
from the UK Canada Australia Nigeria Japan USA and beyond
but above all
the new levels of sophisticated and stunning football
from incredible goalkeeping and sturdy defending
to sweet moves and fearless strikers
is something else and a joy to behold

ok so we lost to USA in the semi-final but a huge spark had been lit…
and since then record -breaking attendances
with the Lionesses winning the 2022 Euros
has seen a huge advancement and excitement across the country
and indeed the world

check it out…you’ll be amazed
it might just grab you
and have you saying to yourself too …as I began

come so far and its nearly here :
The Women’s World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand
so much to admire and enjoy
and guess what
this time we’re one of the favourites-
Early mornings late nights ahoy!
I’m excited are you?

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Lily Parr & The Dick Kerr Ladies Revisited

Crispin Thomas

Sunday, December 5th, 2021

if Lily Parr could be here now
you wonder what she’d say
as Chelsea took on Arsenal
on Wembley’s pitch today
and did our Lily realise
the breakthrough women made
their influence upon the game
with ev’ry match they played?
but looking back a hundred years
what did they feel that day
the FA banned the women’s game
and took their world away ?

but at that time young Lily Parr
was known across the land
and as the War raged on and on
the fans still crammed the stand
and crowds of fifty thousand
were more than common-place
they came in curiosity
but not to see her face
they flocked in awe to wonder at
young women in the war
and cries of “get ’em off love”
rang loud when they did score

for back in nineteen seventeen
they’d come from near and far
to see the Dick Kerr Ladies team
led by young Lily Parr
no softy touch or ‘bit of stuff’
a Woodbine on her lips
exceptional left footed skill
deceptive swerving hips
nine hundred goals in all she scored
for England and the girls
St Helen’s born she learned her trade
and stunned the football world

those Sundays when the pubs turned out
on streets and fields of stone
against those sturdy drunken lads
our Lily held her own
and in munitions factories
with pride they’d speak her name
an England captain well deserved
and icon for the game
and fans recall a moment when
they waited patiently
a cow-pat by the corner flag
caused much hilarity
but Lily took it in her stride
and in her face that day
of all who filled that Dick Kerr side
young Lily led the way

they flocked in awe to wonder then
so many years ago
to keep alive the game they loved
whilst war was raging so
for back in nineteen seventeen
they’d come from near and far
to see the Dick Kerr Ladies team
led by young Lily Parr

and if young Parr could be here now
you wonder what she’d say
as Chelsea took on Arsenal
on Wembley’s pitch today
and did she ever realise
The breakthrough women made
their influence upon the game
with ev’ry match they played?
but looking back a hundred years
what did they feel that day
the FA banned the women’s game
and took their world away ?

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Business Model. (For Marina)

kevin raymond

Monday, February 1st, 2021

Re-hired, then fired, The Special One
Told, Frankie Lampard, “Sorry son
Come in, collect ya cards, be on yer way”,
A brooding bawling Conte met his match
Packed off home, tin-tacked, dispatched
To do his highly coiffured nut in Serie A.

Us fans don’t like some deals she done
Till the heady elixir of…having won
Washes any trace of divided doubt away
After all, to win is not the only thing
To win is…the bleating everything
Ask any fan, post-match, on any Saturday?

Could have hired practically anyone
But, winning here and now, ain’t how it’s done?
New gaffer needs some time to find his feet?
Our business model scoffs aloud at this
Success, winnings become a mega business
I’ve yet to see a losing fan-dance down the street?

Franks loyal old muckers, to a man
Talk: being given time, the bigger plan
Utter balderdash is what you’re spouting chaps
Our man’s plans clearly all at sea
On telly for die-hard Blues to grimace at, and see
No more so, than in the recent Leicester match.

Marina purred, “Enough, enough
Can’t sit here, and watch such dire stuff
That time has come again, when I must act
Our Frankie clearly hasn’t got a clue
How to change things round or what to do
If his game plan should body-swerve off track?”.

Nicked four points, in our last two games
Revitalized a few old angsty frames
To pulling on the shirt, the slate wiped clean
Training grounds awash in smiles
There’s cheering fills the empty aisles
From our subs, not out there toiling on the green.

Yes! Marina comes up trumps again
Finding a name to compete and play the game
Of winning matches, when right now there’s little else,
Who cares whom got the old tin-tack?
We’re off the sofa, soaring, scoring, back on track?
Thank You Marina, for taking Thomy* Tuchel to Chels!

Peace.

Stay sage. Bode well.

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Source: http://footballpoets.org/news/poem-tags/women-in-sport/