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A Premonition of John Madejski’s Life after Auto Trader: Pt 1

Alex Saynor

Saturday, November 17th, 2018

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Madejski of the methane vents, hero
of South Reading hinterland wastes
made shiny and blue for out-of-town games

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 at Junction 11: Madejski of the 1970’s
where the marlin fishing never ends
from South Florida to the Thames Valley Trader.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Keep my taxes low and my name up high
on buildings, hotels and conference centres.
Charities and Rollers, a Stradivarius

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 for a John Madejski Academy student
so music won’t be scratched on crap violins
while I read your begging letters with great fatigue

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 overlooking a West Berkshire panorama
of mid-green and every autumn shade of leaf.
The Madjeski Centre for Reputation Management

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 says ‘Governance is key. Reputation is everything.
No PR department needs to spin me.
I am who I am:

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 John Madejski. Keep my taxes low
as the earth under Loddon tributaries,
a blue flag flying and my name up high

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 with a trickle down for the people
of the town below.’

Notes

For some reason I found myself reflecting on John Madejski & the institutions founded by him and named in his honour: he’s the brains behind Auto Trader and a high-water mark for Reading FC. A great chairman in many ways…

I think, like others, he also has some philanthropic side projects, but mention of ‘charity fatigue’ in an interview – while potentially understandable – made me wonder if an economic success story should really entitle someone to plaster their name all over the local landscape…

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/a-premonition-of-john-madejskis-life-after-auto-trader-pt-1/