Football Poets

The Man City Blues.

¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 I was suppin’ at an ale house, in Eccles
down by the Bridgewater Canal
murky, polluted and stinking
and the canal was awful as well.

¶ 2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 You’d never find that pub again
I wouldn’t know it to save mi life
for if inside it were dingy, outside
you could cut the fog, wi’ yer knife.

¶ 3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 It was the kind of boozer that were drippin’
with ‘istory as well as with slime
on the damp walls hung faded photos
from an era, of a long gone time.

¶ 4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Some were of old dead pop stars
I guess that once, were all of a fad
the sort your mam would have screamed at
before she met, and screamed at your dad.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 There were photos of stars from the telly
Elsie, Ena and Albert
in days when soap stars were celebrities
in flat cap, muffler and hair net.

¶ 6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 But the photos I found most amazing
were footballers from olden days
this pub was a shrine to their team
though you wouldn’t recognise ‘em today.

¶ 7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 For they all had shirts on, with no adverts
shorts that were tight round the groin
and curly perm haircuts, from a nightmare
Man City, I believe, was their name.

¶ 8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 Now, all this is ancient history
when Manchester boasted two teams
the world famous Man United;
of Old Trafford, the Theatre of Dreams.

¶ 9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 But at the other side of Rusholme
at the end of an old terrace row
by an alley where they put the bins out
was a stadium called, Maine Road.

¶ 10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 This is where the City fans, would gather
to watch their team in blue
underachieve, I believe, is the expression,
every year, is what they would do.

¶ 11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 Well, enough of memories, I was thinkin’
and I ordered me another drink
half a dark mild of Holts, and a Snowball
them old days don’t half make you think.

¶ 12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 I carried on suppin’, mindin’ mi business
when a chap come in – just another
though it were only when he came and sat by me
I realised that it were mi brother.

¶ 13 Leave a comment on verse 13 0 Says I, “Alreet, our kid, ow ar thee?”
or some such, gobbledygook
“Eyeup, grand, and ow do young un?” he replied
“got summat for you, tek a look.”

¶ 14 Leave a comment on verse 14 0 From the very top pocket of his overalls
he took an envelope and give it to me
“I know ow yer likes yer footy,” he said
“so here’s a ticket for free.”

¶ 15 Leave a comment on verse 15 0 It was for the next home game int’ Premiership
but; oh no! was this some sick joke?
Man City versus Liverpool
it was enough to make me choke.

¶ 16 Leave a comment on verse 16 0 “’As tha not got tickets for Reds?
I mean, Man U, they’re my team,
and well, I ask you, Man City, and Liverpool
brother, you are way off beam!”

¶ 17 Leave a comment on verse 17 0 “I’m sorry, lad,” he replied, wi a snigger
“I won it in Wheeltapper’s sweepstake
it were booby prize, bit embarrassing
I couldn’t give it to one of me mates.

¶ 18 Leave a comment on verse 18 0 See, they all like their footy too much
they’d never go to that game
but then I remembered you, like
and I thought, you’re a bloke wi no shame.

¶ 19 Leave a comment on verse 19 0 So why not go, it’s not like the old days?
they moved from Maine Road years ago
they’ve a spanking new ground at Eastlands
but wherever that is, I dunno.

¶ 20 Leave a comment on verse 20 0 And they say someone’s give ‘em some money
they now has a few bob to spend
on players who need fat big wages
that the fans will pay for, in the end.”

¶ 21 Leave a comment on verse 21 0 “No ta,” I said to my brother,
“I’d rather watch the old Salford Lads
playing Eccles FC down the meadows,
in fact, them games aren’t so bad.”

¶ 22 Leave a comment on verse 22 0 At the bar I ordered a chip butty
(or baguette as they call ‘em today)
I wouldn’t cross road to see City, I thought
guess I’m stuck in an old fashioned way.

¶ 23 Leave a comment on verse 23 0 I looked at those old photos curling
men staring out from their past
whether it’s the price of bar food or football
today everything changes so fast.

¶ 24 Leave a comment on verse 24 0 City might have bought a few faces
they might think they can challenge for league
but Champions play in RED, in my city
for me, there’s only one team.