Football Poets

Ray Kennedy

¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Twenty eighth of July,1951,
The life of Raymond Kennedy,had only just begun.
Northumberland the birthplace,Seaton Delaval to be exact,
Ups and downs his life certainly wouldn’t lack.
A budding young footballer,the world at his feet,
And one day he’d become part of Europe’s Elite.

¶ 2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Apprenticeship at Port Vale is where it would start,
But then came some words,that would break this boys heart.
The boss at Port Vale,none other than Stanley Matthews,
England’s greatest player would be breaking the news.
“You’re not good enough son for professional football”,
But he wouldn’t give up,this boy would walk tall.

¶ 3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Back home to the North East,playing for his local team,
When an Arsenal talent scout would recover his dream.
He signed as an apprentice in 1968,
He’d go on to become an Arsenal great.
His debut was against Ipswich in October ’69,
But six months later would be the defining time.

¶ 4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 It was an important game and late in the match,
Bertie Mee sent him on to see what he could snatch.
Anderlecht were winning,Arsenal three down,
Anything to help win their first Euro crown.
He wouldn’t disappoint,and scored with his head,
The first leg had ended,the tie wasn’t dead.
The return leg at Higbury,went all to plan,
Three nil to Arsenal,his medal collection began.
His very first season in the professional game,
A Fairs Cup winners medal he did claim.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 The following season,Ray got a lucky break,
Charlie George broke his ankle,a position he’d take.
In sixty three games he scored thirty six goals,
No matter how tight the defence,Ray would find the holes.
The double year of ’71,that year would make history,
What Matthews said to Kennedy,now that was a mystery.
For someone “not good enough to play professional football”,
Apart from the first game,he played in them all.

¶ 6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 The last game of the season Arsenal needed to win,
At White Hart Lane,fifty one thousand packed in.
The ball came into the box from George Armstrong,
Kennedy at this time could do nothing wrong.
He headed the ball,past Jennings in the goal,
The first half of the double was won with a stroll.

¶ 7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 The second part of the double was another big game,
The fact they beat Liverpool was a crying shame.
The final at Wembley,the sun made it hot,
The game was remembered for Charlie George’s shot.
So Ray had won a Double and young player of the year,
I’m sure Stanley Matthews was shedding a tear.

¶ 8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 Ray was a strong striker,not known for his pace,
But he could hold the ball up,and put others in space.
His left foot was a gem,he could score with his head,
When playing up front,he filled defences with dread.
He averaged for Arsenal,more than one goal in three,
And his obvious talents other managers could see.

¶ 9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 Bill Shankly was the losing manager in 1971,
And before he retired,one last deal would be done.
To Liverpool came Ray Kennedy for 180 grand,
The kind of money only the best could command.
So in 1974 there was a new star at Anfield,
But a bigger surprise had yet to be revealed.

¶ 10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 In the first half of the season,Toshack was out hurt,
In stepped Ray Kennedy,to pull on his shirt.
At the Bridge,against Chelsea he scored on his debut,
Then the next game at Anfield,he scored in that too.
But after sixteen games,Toshack returned to the fore,
Ray played nine more games and scored only three more.

¶ 11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 So the next season something had to give in,
And with Toshack and Keegan,where would Ray fit in.
Paisley had a word with Ray’s former teacher,
“In the midfield” he was told he could feature.
The left of midfield would become his new role,
But would never lose his striker’s eye for goal.

¶ 12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 From that day on he made the number five shirt his,
And in the next five seasons,only five league games miss.
In that season he won the League and UEFA Cup,
And his footballing deeds earned him an England call up.
His debut was against Wales,and Kennedy did score,
After another sixteen caps he also scored two more.

¶ 13 Leave a comment on verse 13 0 In ’77 he won his greatest award,
After an earlier game he deserved his reward.
St Etienne at Anfield,Fairclough scored the goal,
But it was Kennedy’s pass that put him in the hole.
So a place in the final in glorious Rome,
Kennedy had helped Liverpool to bring the trophy home.

¶ 14 Leave a comment on verse 14 0 To reach his third European Cup final in ’81,
Bayern Munich in the semi,had to be outdone.
Nil – nil on aggregate,seven minutes to go,
Kennedy dealt the Germans a massive blow.
A David Johnson pass,he met with his right,
The ball in the net,what a beautiful sight.
Rummenigge equalised,but it was very late on,
But Kennedy’s goal ensured the job was well done.
The final in Paris,against Real Madrid from Spain,
And with Razor’s help we won it again.
Kennedy on the scoresheet,but this time it’s not Ray,
His namesake called Alan,the hero today.

¶ 15 Leave a comment on verse 15 0 In 1981,Ronnie Whelan came in,
Ray’s Anfield demise was about to begin.
He threatened Ray’s place,then made it is own,
In ’82 Swansea would become his new home.
Kennedy was a player we’d always revere,
He’s always won trophies,year after year.
384 games at Liverpool and he scored seventy two,
A career at the Vetchfield he’d after pursue.
Toshack the manager,signed his old friend,
But there’s something inside he just couldn’t mend.

¶ 16 Leave a comment on verse 16 0 While playing for Swansea he’s accused of not trying,
But no-one knew the reason that was underlying.
At only thirty he was feeling worn out,
There was something wrong,of that there’s no doubt.
Offloaded to Hartlepool,and retired in ’84,
His majestic midfield play,we wouldn’t see anymore.
A short stint at Sunderland,as an assistant coach,
But a visit to the doctor he’d have to approach.

¶ 17 Leave a comment on verse 17 0 The news from the doctor,he couldn’t appease,
At only thirty five he had Parkinson’s Disease.
Ray had fought the disease for the previous ten years,
And all of a sudden he’d realised his fears.
This disease had cost him his career and his health,
He had to sell all his medals to bolster his wealth.
In 1991 there was a benefit game for Ray,
Almost twenty thousand turned up at Highbury that day.
Arsenal versus Liverpool a fitting tribute,
No better person for “fighter” could the word suit.
Ray is a legend we’ll never forget,
Football owes this man a great debt.
All we ask is just one more game,
To help pay for the medals bearing his name.
The fight against Parkinson’s must go on,
We shouldn’t give in till the battle is won.