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Fulham’s Finest

Ianthe Exall

Thursday, August 6th, 2015

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 There is a splendid tribute statue
Standing straight and proud,
For an icon of the Cottage
And a hero of the crowd.
Hands on hips
And a foot on the ball,
Regarded by Fulham
As the best of them all.
Johnny Haynes as a schoolboy,
Signed up for the game
And with Fulham behind him.
He soon made his name.
Described once by Pele
As the best he had seen,
His career really started
When he was just seventeen.
Eighteen years spent playing for Fulham,
Showing his class and his natural skill,
His exceptional passing remembered
And his talent is recognised still.
Fifty-six caps for his country,
Captain for twenty-two games,
Young players today
Could soon make their mark
By emulating the finest,
The great Johnny Haynes.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 17/10/1934 – 18/10/2005

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Ianthe Exall August 2015

Notes

Johnny Haynes was the motivation behind my late husband Francis Exall coming to England in 1961 for a short spell with Fulham. He admired him greatly. Francis did not enjoy the English weather at all and returned to South Africa and played professionally there until he retired from the game in 1972. ianthe

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Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/fulhams-finest/