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“A Den Haag Return”

Dulwich Poet

Sunday, March 11th, 2018

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 A pilgrimage I’ve been putting off
A return to the other DHFC…
For the ones called Den Haag
Are the cloggie team for me.
They’re not known as the Dutch Millwall for nothing
Their hard core hooligans are mad
But for me it was simply the initials
I know that makes me sad.
I’m not adverse to naughtiness
I got nicked here in Ninety-Two
I was stopping off on my way to Sweden
Bumping into a Den Haag crew.
I had to join in fighting the local Old Bill
When it kicked off at the station
Getting nicked with a hefty fine
As well as deportation.
So I missed the European Championships
Bang went my spare dosh
You could say in more ways than one
They had me under the cosh.
I’ve not been back to see them
Though I keep an eye on the table
In truth I’m not a real Den Haag fan
But I’m happy to wear that label.
The new ground’s an out-of-towner
The passion is still there
But for soul and character
In truth it’s rather bare.
Not that I’m too bothered
It’s just nice to return
The ten euro ticket was a gift from a friend
Handy without money to burn.
Talking of burning
What’s that smell in the air?
Seems like I’m in the spliffing stand
Almost floating on air.
Nearly as high as the famous satellites
Telstar up above
The one the away team are named after
What’s there not to love?
Certainly not the football
It’s not the greatest game tonight
Untold foreign insults and catcalls
Pepper the air as is a supporter’s right.
But in cup football a win’s what matters
No matter how it’s done
There’s really no law of the game
That says football must be fun.
The home crowd have a reputation
And they moan like Millwall too
I can’t understand what they’re saying
It’s like being in a zoo.
I’m happy for a win
I’d have settled for that before the game
Gotta say through my ‘hoolie-tinted’ glasses
Compared to the old ground it’s not the same.
There goes the final whistle
It’s getting cold where I’m sat
Only one thing left for me to do
Going to the club shop for a woolly hat.

Notes

(Den Haag are my favourite team in the Netherlands. On 25th October 2016 I visited their new ground for the first time. It is well over twenty years since I saw them play…)

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/a-den-haag-return/