Football Poets

JACK’S ARMY 94

¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 June of 1994 and Ireland’s going barmy,
as thousands head for the U.S.A. as part of ‘Big Jacks’ army.

¶ 2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 From as far north as Donegal,and as south as the county Cork,
they’re heading for the first game in the city of New York.

¶ 3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 It is the biggest airlift the world has ever seen,
forty thousand Irishmen all wearing of the green.

¶ 4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Money it is borrowed, from friend or credit union,
even from a child who’s just done their first communion.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 Game one’s against the Italians, and the money’s on the “Azzurri,”
but Ireland, hustled, harried and attacked them with a fury.

¶ 6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 And as he did in Stuttgart in 1988,
it was little Razor Houghton who sealed the favorites fate.

¶ 7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 Fifty thousand Irish voices, all rose up as one,
to chant the name of Charlton, Irelands adopted son.

¶ 8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 And as they gallantly repelled Italia’s last attack,
the chant rang out around the ground that ‘WE WANT JACK.’

¶ 9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 That night they sang of Houghton, of Babb and McAteer,
of Paul McGrath and Sheridan as they guzzled New York beer.

¶ 10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 “If you’re all goin to Florida?” and thousands clapped their hands,
in the nightclubs of New York town, which all hired Irish bands.

¶ 11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 So Orlando the city of Disney world fame,
was to host the occasion of Irelands next game.

¶ 12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 The Florida sun from the blue sky it seared,
even the mad dogs had all disappeared.

¶ 13 Leave a comment on verse 13 0 Irish fans were collapsing, from being overheated,
and burning celt skin, with cream was being treated.

¶ 14 Leave a comment on verse 14 0 Another full house, split down the middle,
some playing mariarchi, some playing the fiddle.

¶ 15 Leave a comment on verse 15 0 Meh—-ico,——-Meh———ico, ra ra ra,
is counteracted by “oooh ah McGrath”

¶ 16 Leave a comment on verse 16 0 Irish players drained, by the cruel scorching sun,
some of them even unable to run.

¶ 17 Leave a comment on verse 17 0 But the sun for the Mexicans doesn’t hold fear,
and they grab two goals through Luis Garcia.

¶ 18 Leave a comment on verse 18 0 A late one from Aldridge, more precious than it looked,
now a draw in the next game and the second round is booked.

¶ 19 Leave a comment on verse 19 0 It was back to Giants Stadium, to face the bold Norwegians,
and again the Irish supporters showed up in their legions.

¶ 20 Leave a comment on verse 20 0 The Norwegians didn’t come to play, they only came to bore,
and when the final whistle blew it was a scoreless draw.

¶ 21 Leave a comment on verse 21 0 A nil nil draw was just enough to enter the next round,
and again the cry for Charlton echoed around the ground.

¶ 22 Leave a comment on verse 22 0 So back down to North Florida, to face the mighty Dutch,
a team of individual flair and delicacy of touch.

¶ 23 Leave a comment on verse 23 0 All of them are brilliant, all are superstars,
De Goey, Bergkamp, Frank De Boer and the flying Overmars.

¶ 24 Leave a comment on verse 24 0 And when Holland netted to make the score one nil,
from then on for Ireland the game was all uphill.

¶ 25 Leave a comment on verse 25 0 They scored a second soft one, Bonner took the blame,
but unlike the mad Colombians, we knew it was just a game.

¶ 26 Leave a comment on verse 26 0 The midfield was bad, Roy Keane did not get going,
and the age of Andy Townsend unfortunately was showing.

¶ 27 Leave a comment on verse 27 0 The fat lady hadn’t sung, but she was definitely tuning up,
and it looked as if Ireland were out of the world cup.

¶ 28 Leave a comment on verse 28 0 Despite a gallant effort they couldn’t score a goal,
so it was good-bye to America and the citrus bowl.

¶ 29 Leave a comment on verse 29 0 When the game was over, some fans began to cry,
but most went down to Church Street and drank the taverns dry.

¶ 30 Leave a comment on verse 30 0 The Dutch went on to Dallas, to take on the great Brazil,
but if it had been the Irish the party would be going on still.

¶ 31 Leave a comment on verse 31 0 They’d all have survived somehow, on guinness and on cigs,
and they’d all be doing the samba and teaching the Brazilians jigs.

¶ 32 Leave a comment on verse 32 0 So that was end of the ” OLE OLE’S’ and ” COME ON YOU BOYS IN GREEN,’
and the end of the biggest airlift, the world has ever seen.