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Football Family (In Praise of Little Clubs)

Crispin Thomas

Friday, March 6th, 2020

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 there are places where a coat of paint would do right
you need thermals even in the August games
the raffle can quite often be the highlight
but something draws you back each time again
the crowd is often sparse inside the main stand
the faces and expressions are the same
they laugh or sympathise with the away fans
all standing without shelter in the rain
for in the end we may be quaint and funny
and though we know we’ll prob’ly always be
a million miles away from all the money
I wouldn’t swop it for the Premier League

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 a Premier League that dominates back pages
the phone ins with their endless banging on
the clichés that belong in some dark ages
ignoring all the stuff that’s still so wrong
the betting world that shines like rings on fingers
and ev’ry other billboard flag and shirt
the racism and sexism that lingers
the language and the toxic words that hurt
so keep your money world the dream has perished
your match-day mascots for a weekly wage
forget the long lost Peoples Game we cherished
that still exists on some old faded page

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 so leave me with my terraces for standing
the freedom with my mates to move around
my rained off games without your cor’prate branding
at this my antiquated old school ground
and you can call us tin pot if you want to
and ramble on about your history
but down here in the lower leagues you’ll find me
content within this football family
in praise of all the little clubs preserving
connections with their own community
a million miles away but never swerving
no I wouldn’t swop it for the Premier League

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/football-family-in-praise-of-little-clubs/?shared=email&msg=fail