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1971 / 72

Andy Lockett

Monday, October 29th, 2007

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Remember, remember the 20th November, 1971
And an afternoon when we stood, spellbound on
The Molineux steps. The snow fell, heavier and
Thicker every passing minute in that magically
Beautiful second half when we tore the Gunners
Apart to the tune of 5 – 1. The famous Arsenal,
Double winners months earlier ripped asunder by
Our lads in gold. Dougan, Wagstaffe, Richards,
Bailey, Hibbitt – cutting swathes through the red
Back line to hit the netting five times, incredible
It seems today. And all on ‘Match of the Day’ too.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Couldn’t and wouldn’t happen these days – they’re
One of the big four, one of the G14. Way out of
Our league in every possible sense; but those were
The times when a cat could look at a king – when
Competition wasn’t stifled by overwhelming wealth.
Now we have distortion, no realistic contest on the
Field of play, because everything’s so unequal off it.
We played in Europe that year, and reached a Final –
Beating Juventus along the way…an impossibility
Now, but memories linger of an era when we could
Hold our own with the best – without fearing the worst.

© Andy Lockett 2007

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/1971-72/?shared=email&msg=fail