Football Poets

A PALACE SEASON TO REMEMBER ( 1968-69 )

¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 68-69 a season to remember,
as Palace landed in the First,
led by Jackson, Sewell and kember.

¶ 2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 An able manager in Bert Head,
a West Country man by birth,
he instilled in the players confidence,
passion and self worth.

¶ 3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 A good Third Division South side,
we were known as in the past,
but this was a new look Palace,
with an entertaining cast.

¶ 4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 John McCormick in the rearguard,
Mark Lazarus on the right,
Bobby Woodruff with his Terry Long throw,
what an awesome sight.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 We had two Taylor’s and two Jackson’s,
Cliff scoring — Jacko stopping,
and Colin and Tony Taylor had many a full back hopping.

¶ 6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 John Loughlan down from Scotland,
David Payne a local boy,
and ” He’s here, he’s there — He’s everywhere,”
the brilliant Roger Hoy.

¶ 7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 So with this cast of characters,
the season did begin,
and we went to Cardiff City,
and produced a four nil win.

¶ 8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 Three wins to start the season,
and our hopes became sky high,
but then a string of poor results,
and our dreams began to die.

¶ 9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 But another run of victories,
including Millwall at the Den,
goals by Woodruff and Lazurus,
and Jacko saved a pen.

¶ 10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 We knocked Leeds out of the League Cup,
but lost the next round at Turf Moor,
and Charlton disposed of us in the F.A. Cup,
by a two nil score.

¶ 11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 Mid January the cold kicked in,
there was snowfalls, ice and frost,
and when we resumed in February,
no more games were lost.

¶ 12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 We went to Cloughie’s Derby,
who were cruising to the title,
and a lone goal by Bobby Woodruff,
proved to be so vital.

¶ 13 Leave a comment on verse 13 0 Another win v Millwall,
four — two the final score,
goals by Woodruff and Taylor,
and McCormick making sure.

¶ 14 Leave a comment on verse 14 0 The fans spoke of promotion,
something Bert Head dared not discuss,
until we played Good Friday,
before forty thousand plus.

¶ 15 Leave a comment on verse 15 0 ” If we get through the Easter program,
without suffering a defeat,
I think,” said Bert, “we’ve got a chance,
of joining the elite.”

¶ 16 Leave a comment on verse 16 0 Despite a spate of scoreless draws,
other results they went our way,
and our last home match was Fulham,
on a sunny April day.

¶ 17 Leave a comment on verse 17 0 A win would mean promotion,
a loss and we could get pipped,
and rock bottom Fulham scored two first half goals,
when their players forgot the script.

¶ 18 Leave a comment on verse 18 0 Lazurus pulled a goal back,
just after the break,
then Cliff Jackson scored another,
the score two — two to make.

¶ 19 Leave a comment on verse 19 0 The Selhurst faithful roared on the players,
urging them to win,
until Croydon boy Steve Kember,
forced the winner in.

¶ 20 Leave a comment on verse 20 0 After what seemed an eternity,
the final whistle blew,
hello the First Division,
good bye Division Two.

¶ 21 Leave a comment on verse 21 0 Thousands poured , onto the pitch,
their heroes names to sing,
they sang of ‘Shovel’ Sewell,
and Taylor on the wing.

¶ 22 Leave a comment on verse 22 0 The players appeared in the Directors box,
to join in with the fun,
as the fans sang ” E — I –adio,
we’re in Division One.”

¶ 23 Leave a comment on verse 23 0 They hurled their shirts into the crowd,
and swigged from chilled champagne,
as the atmosphere around them,
had joyously gone insane.

¶ 24 Leave a comment on verse 24 0 The celebrations continued on,
into a night of song and booze,
as the fans dreamt of next season,
against the Liverpool’s and Man U’s.

¶ 25 Leave a comment on verse 25 0 So of that day in 69,
in a season history was made,
the memories for true Palace fans,
will never ever fade.