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The Good Old Days!

mark merriman

Tuesday, November 18th, 2014

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Spiky, feisty derby in prospect
as previously unbeaten City
sauntered in to SN1.
Best of season gate
descended on the County Ground:
once a season wonders from
places like Devizes, Calne
and Chippenham there to
support their team along
with usual season ticket holders
and 3,000 Bristolians.
Local bragging rights at stake.
Mayhem minutes in:
Elliot sent off for City;
Town’s Stephens lying
prostrate on the pitch;
home fans baying for blood.
Then smoke bombs chucked
into the penalty box –
misty for a few minutes.
No way through City’s
stubborn rearguard in first half
as purple wall held firm.
More intricate Swindon passing
in the second half as the
crowd held its collective breath:
Toffolo’s cross deflected wide
by outstretched, flailing
foot of former favourite Flint.
Bryne’s shot crashing
back off the bar.
The winner, when it came, sublime:
Smith shuffled into the box,
slaloming his way past
baffled defenders and
firing a strike past Fielding
and into the back of the net.
More mayhem as the crowd
lost the plot, jumping for joy,
jigging and jiving in the aisles
to the tune of the Dave Clark 5.
And it really was……..
……just like the good old days.

© mark merriman september 2004

Notes

This is precisely why we go to the footie every Saturday. Best game for ages.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/the-good-old-days/