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Down By The Riverside – Boro v City Remix

Crispin Thomas

Thursday, February 15th, 2007

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 how cool to be a neutral fan
on such a magic night
I’ve come five hundred miles today
I’m staggered by the sight
of endless kids with youthful screams
that bellow in our ears
at ticket prices that defy
and echo down the years
of jumpered goalpost turnstile days
when we could barely see
but now each seat a perfect view
and full within this sea

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 and you and I within this ground
down by the Riverside
they even offer veggie pies
for healthy folk inside
it’s like some massive gala
a youth club swimming fest
where girls and boys of every age
all yell and give their best

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 the game itself a wondrous blur
defying leagues and places
as City grab an early lead
and summon worried faces
for City fans it’s quite a night
that endless journey home
that doesn’t seem so bleak at last
if they could keep it going
but Boro grab their vital goal
and extra time is here
for some it’s way past bedtime
but there is worse to fear

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Yokubu never misses
that’s what you said to me
but somehow he would miss a pair
to pay the penalty
and to the wire of extra time
as children run to stand
behind the goal for penalties
all praying to a man
until the game is over
and Boro battle on
for City it’s a mighty night
though cup dreams now are gone

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 how great to be a child again
on Cup tie nights like these
where mellow staff let youngsters run
and wander as they please
we left around eleven
another two hour drive
but down here by the Riverside
I’m glad to be alive

© CT07

Notes

My first time at The Riverside and what a fantastic advert for the long blasted FA Cup. Whilst running some football poetry workshops in a school in Morperth, not so far from the Scottish border,.and tempted by the ticket prices of £5 for kids £10 for adults (how cool is that?) we joined 28000 other boys, girls ,women and men for a brilliant night. played in a brilliant spirit. We even had a ref who got cramp and fell over and a streaker in what looked like a nappy.Well done Boro for getting there in the end, after some scare, and well done City for giving them the fright of their lives.Also a massive big up for all those brave City fans. We worked out they probably got home around 6am or 7am …as it took us two hours just to get out and back to Morperth..

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/down-by-the-riverside-boro-v-city-remix/