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Poems tagged ‘Women's World Cup’

England France & Jamaica Triumph – WWC ’23

Crispin Thomas

Saturday, July 29th, 2023

~ England 1-0 Denmark ~

stunning strike from James

sees the Lionesses home

China lie in wait ~

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~ France 2-1 Brazil ~

Renard nod for France

steers them past a slick Brazil

in this mighty clash

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~ Panama 0-1 Jamaica ~

Reggae Girlz arrive

Swaby header brings first win

Panama hopes end

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Lionesses Underwhelm haiku~WWC’23

Crispin Thomas

Monday, July 24th, 2023

rusty or off form?

Lionesses underwhelm

Haiti look the biz ~

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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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New Zealand 1-0 Norway WWC Haiku

Crispin Thomas

Thursday, July 20th, 2023

after tragedy

Wilkinson fires home to thrill

this great record crowd ~

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WWC I

World Cup Winnie

Thursday, July 20th, 2023

Come together….
Every man, woman and child
And watch our spirits run free
As we turn football wild!

Let’s take all the shackles off
From playing with precision
And let the hearts dictate the play
Overriding coaching inquisition

So pony-tails or no
Let’s applaud tenacity and skill
Be gender disengaged
And revel in the thrill !

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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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WWC 2019 Semi-Final: Lyonesses

World Cup Winnie

Tuesday, July 2nd, 2019

we watched
and we willed;
a whole Nation –
that wanted to be thrilled

display wise, we were
of that, there is no doubt
but all that was missing
was a winning shout

VAR worked against us
but then went our way
only poor Steph Houghton (mighty captain)
couldn’t put the penalty away

valiant losers:
an all too familiar theme
but this Nation salutes
this laudable Ladies team

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Lionesses versus Nippon nippers

World Cup Winnie A Bidewithme

Friday, July 3rd, 2015

We waited and we waited
Until the midnight hour struck
We cheered and we cheered
But then ran out of luck

But wait, what’s this?
A bounceback of sorts
Steph wins a penalty
For the sisters in shorts

But then calamity –
In the last minute of the game
The lucked out Laura Bassett
Ensures we’ll always remember her name

They sure gave it their all
Now tears tumble as their fate is sealed
Yet pride for the Lionesses
For they left everything on the field

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2015 Last 16

World Cup Winnie A Bidewithme

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2015

Edvard – Munch on that!
And just listen to the screams – of delight
As we put our nightmares behind us
And go dancing through the night

Onwards to the quarters
Our odyssey just beginning
Into unchartered waters
Across the oceans we’re winning!

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Source: http://footballpoets.org/news/poem-tags/womens-world-cup/page/2/