Football Poets

Back in B!

¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 We thought that we’d be playing in A,
But found ourselves in C.
Still we took comfort from the hope
We’d bounce straight back to B.

¶ 2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Tough luck, Life’s not so simple,
Our Season went to pot.
Although we’d led the Pack for months,
Lo Spezia finished top.

¶ 3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 We had to face the play-offs,
(There was no other way).
We travelled to Salerno
On the twenty-eighth of May.

¶ 4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 We let two stupid goals in,
But earned a last-gasp Spot-Kick.
Stellini steeled himself, stepped up,
And coolly home did slot it.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 We met the same opponents
One week later on our Turf.
Marassi was a cauldron,
But our Heroes were all nerves.

¶ 6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 They knew that there’d be Hell to pay
If they should let us down.
They’d need an armed p’lice escort
When they tried to leave the Ground.

¶ 7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 The First Half finished goalless,
We dominated play.
But not one boot could aim true, shoot,
And stick the ball away.

¶ 8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 The Second Half had just kicked off,
Three minutes on the clock.
The vital breakthrough came at last,
Once more Stellini struck!

¶ 9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 The Crowd began to party,
To sing, clap, dance, jump, roar.
Alas, with thirteen minutes left,
Salernitana scored!

¶ 10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 A deathly hush descended,
You could have heard pins drop.
And everyone crammed in that Ground
Glanced anxious at their watch.

¶ 11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 The sands of time were running out,
Our patience wearing thin.
Then Dante Lopez saw his chance,
And nodded the ball in!

¶ 12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 No more shots found the Net that day,
Before the set of sun.
The Referee blew short blasts three,
And praise the Lord, we’d won!

¶ 13 Leave a comment on verse 13 0 But I’ve yet more trials to relate,
This tale goes on and on, Sir.
Just one week after this great feat,
We travelled up to Monza.

¶ 14 Leave a comment on verse 14 0 Once more a barren First Half,
In spite of all our efforts.
We peppered our hosts’ goal with shots,
Yet nobody could net it.

¶ 15 Leave a comment on verse 15 0 But when the Second Half commenced,
We got a slice of luck.
Eleven minutes had elapsed,
Igor Zaniolo struck!

¶ 16 Leave a comment on verse 16 0 The Home Crowd was disgruntled,
Began to hiss and boo.
Twelve minutes more or so went by,
Then Iliev made it two!

¶ 17 Leave a comment on verse 17 0 No further strikes were notched that day,
Before the sun went down.
A brace sufficed to make us Kings
Of that provincial town.

¶ 18 Leave a comment on verse 18 0 We faced the same opponents
One week later on our Pitch.
Marassi was a cauldron,
But Our Lads weren’t fazed one bit.

¶ 19 Leave a comment on verse 19 0 They’d sworn they would not let us down.
They’d vowed they’d play with style.
They’d pledged when this last match was through,
We fans would be all smiles.

¶ 20 Leave a comment on verse 20 0 Another sterile First Half,
We huffed, and puffed, and sweated.
We laid siege to the South End goal,
Again, no-one could net it.

¶ 21 Leave a comment on verse 21 0 One third into the Second Half,
Our guests launched an attack.
Their Supersub named Egbedi
Pounced, shot and pulled one back!

¶ 22 Leave a comment on verse 22 0 The Monza players exulted.
They danced upon our Pitch.
And thirty thousand Genoese
Had one collective fit.

¶ 23 Leave a comment on verse 23 0 The Visitors turned on the heat.
They’d got us on the ropes.
With hearts in mouths we gobsmacked fans
Could but look on and hope.

¶ 24 Leave a comment on verse 24 0 Thank God, we let no more goals in
That sultry afternoon.
The Final Whistle blew at last,
And we were o’er the moon.

¶ 25 Leave a comment on verse 25 0 Not one sick parrot to be found,
Our eyes were wide and starry.
Then everyone inside that Ground
Made straight for De Ferrari.

¶ 26 Leave a comment on verse 26 0 So, if you hadn’t noticed,
(Too engrossed in the World Cup),
I thought you’d like to hear the news:
The Griffon’s going up!!!

¶ 27 Leave a comment on verse 27 0 18/6/06
Denys E. W. Jones