Poetry Archives
This archive contains every poem that has been published on Football Poets. They are listed ten-per-page in reverse chronological order so the most recent poems appear first. Click or tap the arrows in the corners of the page to navigate between pages. It's easier to use the search form below to find a specific poem.
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Champions win record ends
Liverpool 1-1 Burnley
So ends the run of successive wins
24 for Klopp’s mean machine
Against the Clarets the Reds fall short
Since January twenty nineteen
Robertson opens with a header
Nick Pope in excellent form
Rodriguez swivels and fires home
Gudmundsson almost causing a storm
Klopp confronts Ref Coote at the end
With plenty brimstone and fire
Despite being a meaningless game
It’s a mark of the champions desire
11 07 20
number7
© emdad rahman
Big Jack Charlton – 1935-2020
Hard nosed and rock solid stopper
Ashington lad who never give up
A rock beside Bobby Moore
When England won the World Cup
With the greatest Eire team of all
Euro 88, Italia 90
USA 94, Jack, the folk hero
Both sides of the Irish sea
With Leeds a one club man
League, FA Cup, a good craic
An entire career at Elland Road
Goodbye, farewell big Jack
11 07 20
number7
© emdad rahman
Big Jack’s Gone – Jack Charlton RIP
football through and through
‘Big Jack’ towered over all
hard man leader boss
Seagulls host thirtieth win
Brighton 1-3 Liverpool
Risky when you don’t change
When Liverpool press high
Ball lost on the edge of the box
Watch Mo Salah apply
He’ll stick to his principles
Graham Potter won’t quit
Sweet right foot rocket
Hendo in the eight minute
For Trossard’s neat finish
No one could complain
Salah’s near post header
Stamps thirty wins this campaign
08 07 20
number7
© emdad rahman
Dagenham & Redbridge FC Food Hub
Sir Geoff Hurst once told me
When I was not much younger
Football can more than do it’s bit
To help beat widespread hunger
At Dagenham & Redbridge FC
They serve all colours and ages
Hedgecock put the needy first
While a global pandemic rages
Football serves covid kindness
With Chris, Ben, Bel and Steffy
Humdum* busy sharing comfort
Mental elf, homeless, the elderly
07 07 20
number7
© emdad rahman
#coronachronicles #thewanderinglondoner
Reds see off gutsy Villa
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
Jurgen’s not interested in records
But at Anfield he’s still a killer
17 wins, 17 home games
His Reds sweep past the Villa
Alisson parries El Ghazi’s shot
Villa graft to beat a loss
Looked good too for a precious point
Until Mane lashed in Keita’s cross
Toe to toe with the champions
Smith’s men played with soul
Until Curtis Jones with a new deal
Volleyed his first top flight goal
05 07 20
number7
© emdad rahman
“Liverpool will have a lot of fun with Jones” – Klopp
At last
As a saggy baggy auld arse
I get the chance for headline dreams
My name in lights on a Liverpool shirt
After all these years
From the wastelands of playgrounds
The silent parks that held my winning goals
Before time scythed me with tackles
Disguised as love
But always Liverpool Fc walking me on
Putting smiles in my heart
Even tho my bones groan
This Jones is proud, a youth again.
Strangers Behind A Mask
here in these times with the sadness we’ve seen
just like we’re watching a film on a screen
science or fiction it’s tricky to say
feel like a child who can’t go out to play
you say it’s easing and lockdown will end
promising we’ll be together again
football is back but it’s not like back before
and we can still watch but it’s diff’rent for sure
we will be patient and stick to the task
but we are still strangers behind a mask
~
look at the news and there’s nothing to say
I feel embarrassed enjoying the day
me I’m conditioned to keeping my space
a thief or a robber whose hiding his face
I see you coming and you see me too
but as you draw closer do I move or you?
conspiracy theories are raging like wars
but games they continue behind these closed doors
I watch but it’s soulless and not like the past
and I’m still a stranger behind a mask
~
you tell me this virus is moving away
we know it’s still here though whatever you say
feels like it’s moving too swiftly for me
all for the sake of the economy
stadiums empty with cardboard for fans
and when we can come back is just not in the plans
clubs may go under or struggle in darkness
some will survive and just go on regardless
jobs they are going like tea from a flask
and we are still strangers behind a mask
~
waiting and longing for something to change
in the new normal where ev’rything’s strange
I think of the lives that have vanished and gone
taken away as the world stumbles on
when this is over we’ll look back and sigh
we will be grateful and thankful and try
to put into action what we have learned
lessons and trials and pages we’ve turned
voices will rise like a flame from a spark
no longer strangers behind a mask
~
we will be stronger and we will be one
we will rebuild all the damage that’s done
we will return to the life of a fan
stood on our terrace or sat in our stand
we will be back we will sing we will cheer
making creating a new atmosphere
no more the fear in the dark of the night
alive with the courage and hope in the light
back with our mates with no questions to ask
no longer strangers behind a mask
Champions crash down to earth
Manchester City 4-0 Liverpool
A guard of honour it is
Before the Etihad car crash
It was to be expected
After a week on the lash
So a strong start with no goals
Followed by a period of disjoint
That mega leads been reduced
To a paltry twenty points
Sterling forces a penalty
De Bruyne doesn’t miss
Sterling and Foden seal it
From Ox the goodnight kiss
02 07 20
number7
© emdad rahman
The Walk
Inspired by “The Wind” by RLS Robert Louis Stevenson
& by the anthem of Gerry & The Pacemakers
I saw you tear apart each team
To keep alive your burning dream;
And all around I heard such praise
In your quest for more glory days;
You’ll Never Walk “allein” – align
The Kop all together – cloud nine
I saw the different things you did
To keep alive your title bid;
You kept in form, you kept it tight
Attacked and fought with all your might;
You’ll Never Walk “allein” – align
The Kop all together – cloud nine
And so to you the spoils all told
You were too good, you wouldn’t fold;
Joining Jurgen in joyful schnapps
We can but bow and doff our caps!
You’ll Never Walk “allein” – align
The Klopp all together – cloud nine
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
Emdad Rahman
11th July 2020
Emdad Rahman
11th July 2020
Crispin Thomas
11th July 2020
Emdad Rahman
8th July 2020
Emdad Rahman
7th July 2020
Emdad Rahman
6th July 2020
Sharon Jones
5th July 2020
Crispin Thomas
4th July 2020
Emdad Rahman
2nd July 2020
Clik The Mouse
1st July 2020
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
6th July 2020 at 6:14 pm
Wow big time Sharon. Congratulations and how amazing Klopp quoting you in the headline. Although a possibly misconstrued comment towards a loyal female fan… if it was defintely towards you!?lol
Also you beat me, re you name on the back the L’pool shirt, because when that lovable rogue Mickey Thomas played for Chels (who I still also follow ) alongside my number one local team Forest Green +Dulwich Hamlet and Whitehawks, names weren’t yet on ther back of shirts. They came in around 93/94 I think? .
Can’t believe we’ve been running this site ev’ry day for 20 years! Remember Parry’s Post ! Hope all’s good with you through Covid. All the best Sharon
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30th June 2020 at 4:12 pm
Liverpool worthy Champions for 2019 / 2020.
And worth it too, to get another very special poem from Sharon!
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11th May 2020 at 11:11 am
Hi Alex,
what a fabulous poem!
It captures the essence of non-league football, and the travel involved to and from matches.
“Gathering on a Thames island for a sing-song”: possibly Eel Pie Island back in the 60s or 70s, a local venue that I never went to, but watched recently on a documentary.
I’ll count myself as one of these few Met fans!
I played on saturdays (SAL), but pre or post our season, I’d be supporting the Blues / football.
Given my ‘manor’, I’d be at either:
Stamford Bridge, or
Brentford, or
Imber Court, or
the Beveree (for Hampton, as was – now Hampton and Richmond Borough).
Imber Court holds a lot of fond memories for our family – it’s where we went on a regular basis to let off steam. I could cycle there safely with pals any time I wanted.
I watched Wimbledon champions in their early days there (venue for Junior qualifiers);, watched Chelsea train there for one pre-season (and grabbed a left behind sweaty shirt! Still have it – and yes, washed!).
Dad wasn’t much of a fan generally, but he joined me as we watched his friends and colleagues play, so a bonding time for the both of us.
My sister had her wedding reception there, and we had my mother’s funeral reception there earlier this year.
So your poem brought back some very touching personal memories, I thank you profusely for that.
But again, in itself, it is a great poem.
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27th January 2020 at 7:10 pm
The website is actually called Goal Nets and Stanchions.
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13th January 2020 at 4:27 pm
Please insert after line 15 “Where life was hard and occasionally brutal”
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10th January 2020 at 3:19 pm
I meant to write 4th round. Oops !
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23rd December 2019 at 3:07 pm
I loved all Mishi’s poems!
His passion shone through so brightly.
Every club needs a Mishi.
God Rest His Soul.
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21st December 2019 at 10:24 am
Editor Note
Welcome to Football Poets Tony. More please! Keep on.
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10th December 2019 at 11:47 pm
Hi Denys, it’s great to have another Toffee posting on Footy Poets. I haven’t contributed for some time, but if you click my name you’ll find some Everton poems going back several years.
Yes, now we’re all made up about the Chelsea result. And the return of the team spirit. And the two strikers formation.
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21st November 2019 at 10:11 am
Thank you Al and Welcome to Football Poets..
Too often in the shadow and wake of Hillsborough, Bradford and Heysel, your powerful and emotive lines remind us of a tragic day when 66 died and many more were injured at Ibrox .
RIP
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