Football Poets

(Nearly) 30 years of Hurt

¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 I have followed the County for nearly thirty years
There’s been lots of laughter, and there have been lots of tears
We’ve had good results along the way
We could beat anybody when it’s been our day
Sunderland, West Ham, QPR, Ipswich Town
The press built them up, and we knocked them down
On days when we’ve been on the end of the shocks
Non-league teams have made us laughing stocks
Blyth Spartans, Telford, Caernarfon Town too
They’ve all given beatings to our boys in blue

¶ 2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 In 78 we got United in the Cup draw
The game switched to Old Trafford, so we could earn more
The early pattern was set, when Joe Jordan scored
But goals from Thompson and Park had the famous ‘reds’ floored
After 90 minutes, with the ‘reds’ fans all leaving
That awful ref Willis had County fans seething
Two bad decisions, both to our cost
Two goals in a minute, the big chance was lost
All plans of celebration had just slipped away
Generations of County fans hate United to this day

¶ 3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Me, I hate Peter Willis, for it’s he who’s to blame
For losing his bottle, and us the big game
I’m sure it was he, or one of his kin
That decided the effort of Charlery’s was in
The one on that sunny Wembley ‘play-off’ day
When County waited ‘til the eighty fifth minute to play
Even when, just after big Kev scored
‘Sit back and defend’ the County fans roared
We just lost the ball, then stood back and watched
Charlery score his second, another chance botched
It wouldn’t have been so bad, or seemed so bleak
If we hadn’t already lost at Wembley that week

¶ 4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Yes Stockport County at Wembley, not once but twice
But no luck on the horizon, not even a slice
Twice in a week, and both big games lost
We would be back twice more, as we’d find to our cost
In the Autoglass Final, big Kev scored again
But two goals won the cup for John Rudge’s men
In the ‘play-off’ for promotion from Division Two
The ref on that day was wearing claret and blue
For the first time at Wembley, County are in front
But two sendings off, put us out of the hunt
The brave nine men tried, again and again
But they just couldn’t beat Burnley’s twelve men

¶ 5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 That brought us to the end of King Danny’s reign
Now I can’t ever see us gracing Wembley again
But thinking back to Go Go County football
I never believed that we’d get there at all
Thinking back to those days, it’s time to relate
That we were the club, with the first ‘ten bob’ gate
We had Georgie Best, and Mike Yarwood too
Bar takings doubled, right out of the blue
Those music hall jokes, shouted out loud
That the two teams playing outnumbered the crowd

¶ 6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 There was Friday night football, and the Cheshire Bowl
There was Friday night fighting, and the occasional goal
Away days at Southport and Workington Town
Watney’s Red Barrel and Newcastle Brown
There was re-election, almost every year
Doc Marten boots, and seventies ‘gear’
Those crap ‘feather’ haircuts that everyone had
Just look at the photo’s you’ll agree they were sad
Those sheepskin coats, that cost you a packet
Or, for the working class, an old ‘donkey’ jacket
During this time, people asked us to explain
Just why you are going to Edgeley Park again
One day our time will come, we all thought inside
“We wouldn’t enjoy being successful” we lied

¶ 7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 It never concerned us whether County were good
Your team is for life, your teams in your blood
Barrow, Halifax Town and Newport too
All joined County in the basement crew
Wimbledon, Cambridge, Wigan all passed us by
While we never even gave promotion a try
We won at Bradford, lost at Huddersfield Town
We drew four all at Barnsley, when we were four one down
We won at Newport, lost at Wrexham in the cup
We drew at Swansea City, when we were four one up
We lost games in the last minute, time and time again
We won a game at Bury, that we started with nine men

¶ 8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 Then came the mid-eighties, no improvement in sight
We employed Jimmy melia, to ensure we’d be shite
Relegation to the Conference, surely on it’s way
That nice Colin Murphy came to save the day
Brought back from the brink by the ‘Esperanto’ talker
He disappeared to Lincoln, in his famous ‘deerstalker’
I have to admit, in this period I faltered
With a marriage and kids, my allegiance had altered
With a mortgage to pay for, it was just common sense
The worst County teams ever, just coincidence

¶ 9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 I still came to Edgeley, every chance to show my face
A new board in position, change was taking place
Mr. Elwood sacked Asa, we all wondered why?
He replaced him with Danny Bergara, from Uruguay
It didn’t take him long to show us the reason
We made the ‘play-offs’ in his first full season
Although these were the best times in years
Chesterfield made sure it all ended in tears
With big Brett sold, I wasn’t on my own
In thinking that this was our one big chance blown

¶ 10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 Whether or not we all fancied his chances
We saw the emergence of big Kevin Francis
Although he didn’t make the greatest of starts
He gave 100% and went straight to our hearts
With all guns blazing, the wheels were in motion
With the thrashing of Scunthorpe, we gained promotion
The following seasons brought more ups than downs
Like Preecey’s screamer, when QPR came to town
Seen by millions on ‘match of the day’
We sent Ferdinand and Co. well on their way
We drew with the cup holders, Joe Royles men
Only to lose the replay, last minute, again
We’ve been to Wembley four times, lost the lot
But you can’t take away the memories I’ve got

¶ 11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 These have been memories from across the years
There have been many groans, there have been many cheers
There have been many ups, there have been many downs
There have been many heroes, there have been many clowns
I’ve made many friends along the way
Many of whom, still follow County today
I’m sure they’ve all joined me in shedding some tears
Let’s hope we’re all here for the next thirty years
One day the ‘Premiership’, we can all dream
Stockport County, you are our number one team

32