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Jimmy Johnstone

Peter Goulding

Wednesday, November 19th, 2003

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 The Shelbourne oul’ lads tell this tale,
And swear it is the truth.
I heard it first when but a pale
And unattractive youth.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Jimmy Johnstone, Super Celt,
A jewel so brightly lustred,
Had left Parkhead, though it was felt
He still could cut the mustard.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Campanologist supreme
[Extremely fond of Bell’s],
He was the Reds’ accountant’s dream
The day he signed for Shels.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 His thirst for knowledge knew no bounds,
He’d limitless voracity.
But when he turned out, football grounds
Were bursting to capacity.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 But there was one bizarre match, which
Was played on New Year’s Day,
And Jimmy walked on to the pitch
Quite “gingerly,” let’s say.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 He never once called for the ball,
Just stood there on the flanks,
Not showing any urge at all
To join the serried ranks.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 Then someone played the ball out wide,
Towards where Jim was standing.
He lifted his red head and eyed
The full back so commanding.

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 And ‘ere said full back got to him
And his pale, death-like pallor,
To many raucous laughs, chose Jim
Discretion over valour.

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 Collapsing quickly on the ground
Before he could be booted,
The cheers were heard for miles around,
When he was substituted.

10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 There’s madness rife around us all,
But surely it’s the worst
To make a Scotsman play football
On January the First?

© Peter Goulding 19th November 2003

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/jimmy-johnstone/