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John (Stonewall) Jackson. King of the Palace. R.I.P.

John J O’Connor

Saturday, December 31st, 2022

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 A mighty man of six feet three
And weighing fourteen stone
When Palace struggled in the First
John Jackson stood alone.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 John (Stonewall) Jackson
Kept Palace up for years
How he never got an England cap
Is a question for his peers.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 He starred in our promotion
In nineteen-sixty-nine
The country’s finest keeper
On or off his line.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Forget about Yashin – Banksy
Shilton, Stepney, Sprake
None of them could ever match
The saves Big John could make.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 For years he was the KIng
To the fans who filled Sel-hurst
As he defied the forwards of the day
Like Chivers, Greaves and Hurst.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 Even now at Palace
They still talk of him in awe
As they tell of saves he used to make
From Astle, Best and Law.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 Of his tip over from Osgood
Or his dive at Bremer’s feet
There was no doubt about it
John Jackson was elite.

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 With his large green padded jersey
Usually plastered up with mud
He’d dive around his goal mouth
Often landing with a thud.

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 Even with the noisy crowds
You’d always hear his call
As he jumped above the forwards
screaming, “KEEPERS BALL.”

10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 “You’ll never beat John Jackson”
“Jacko is the King,”
and “Jackson for England”
Around the ground would ring.

11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 But Ramsey never listened
To the pleas to cap Stone-Wall
So England’s finest keeper
Never got the England call.

12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 Then came a new Palace manager
Who wanted all the fame
Malcolm Allison with his Cuban cigars
And his glasses of Champagne

13 Leave a comment on verse 13 0 Within a month he’d succeeded
In getting us relegated
And our hero Johnny Jackson
He publically berated.

14 Leave a comment on verse 14 0 So Stonewall went to Orient
And to a new team did adapt
And was still the finest net minder
Who was never capped.

15 Leave a comment on verse 15 0 So thanks for all the memories John
May the Good Lord rest your soul
And the first name on God’s team sheet
Will be you playing in the goal.

Notes

Sadly the great John (Stonewall) Jackson has passed away. Without a doubt the finest un-capped goalkeeper of his generation. Fans of both Crystal Palace and Orient have voted him their best goalkeeper of all time. Has been credited with almost single handedly keeping Palace in the top flight for four season from 1969- 1973

R.I.P Jacko.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/john-stonewall-jackson-king-of-the-palace-r-i-p/