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My First Time (ish!)

mark merriman

Tuesday, January 30th, 2007

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 The first time I remember
in January ’75:
cup replay v the Hammers,
made you glad to be alive.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 West Ham boasting ‘B’ men:
Bonds and Best and Brooking;
third division Swindon Town
would hardly get a look in.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Striker Peter Eastoe had
earned the Town a draw
and a County Ground full house
turned up expecting more.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Locals turned out in their droves
to see the Irons defeated.
Full strength sides in those days,
neither weakened nor depleted.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 Of the match itself,
I remember very little,
though I do recall West Ham’s defence
looked shaky, rather brittle.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 Skinny Trevor Anderson
put the Town ahead,
though two goals from the Hammers
put the tie to bed.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 I remember different smells,
noise rising to crescendo;
ball skills, mud and Town fans
chanting Eastoe! Eastoe! Eastoe!

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 I remember the excitement,
the sheer adrenaline rush.
Now thirty two years later
and the same familiar buzz.

© mark merriman sept 2004

Notes

Probably not my very first game at the CG, but the first match I can recall with some clarity.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/my-first-time-ish/