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Hats off To Luton

Crispin Thomas

Monday, January 7th, 2008

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 back in the fifties
Kenilworth Road was considered
something of a fortress
‘a tricky one’ as pundits love to say
a humble brick-front
of belt and braces and working class facade
but inside men of iron steadfast reliable
nothing too flash
just Luton

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Luton Town v Notts Forest
was the first Final I remember
we had just got a telly
what a day that was

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 picture then a few months later
an early season away day
me at ten fresh off the train
and somehow
losing my elder mates in the rush

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 but away and home fans stood together then
and being young – you’d get lifted up
so fingers crossed
Vince would be there after the game
waiting at the station with my ticket back
well hopefully
otherwise I’m in major trouble
with me Mum – who thinks I’m round me mates!

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 un-daunted off I set
no problem finding the ground
following and edged on
by rosetted rattling peanut crunching crowds
through row on row
of red brick houses in compact streets
to equally packed terraces
and a sea of straw boaters
turning football fans like wine
into some pier-head seaside revue at Blackpool
yes – in those days
Luton were your archetypal
but formidable stalwarts
and “come on you Hatters!” was the cry

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 most sides turned up in trepidation
but them days was them days
and this is now
money money money
and you know the rest

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 illustrious names and plastic pitches come and go
not to mention an oft empty “stand” for the corporates
that looks more like a visitor shark tank at Sea World
or a half deserted DIY shopfront
no boaters now
for just like Newcastle
and others have found to their cost
the World cares not a jot
for passion fan base history or love
not here
millions in debt no pay for weeks
and a 5pm closure
like the sword of Damacles dangling

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 but what’s this?
good old Luton
paraded on TV in the rain
like some last ditch charity appeal
and then blow me
they only go and hold Liverpool
to ensure a 500,000 pay day replay
and suddenly it’s –
“Big fright for Big Four’s Big Rafa’s!”
ok – still another few million short
but it all helps I guess…

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 Eric Morecambe
Nick Owen
John Hegley
your boys dished out one hell of an upset..
well nearly
and while for many
the Cup is dead
long live the Cup
no longer a priority for many
but for Luotn
and more importantly their survival
hope lingers on
“come on you Hatters!”

© CT08

Notes

who’s next?

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/hats-off-to-luton/