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The Proud Preston Plumber

John J O’Connor

Saturday, February 15th, 2014

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 “ Excuse us Mr Finney,
we know later, you have a game,
but the outside toilet got blocked last night,
and there’s a problem with the drain.”

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 “I’ll make my way right over,”
said the great man from North End,
“I’ll just stop by the supply shop
to buy a copper bend.”

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 See, while our modern players,
are being fed pasta & health drinks,
pre- match for Tommy Finney,
was fixing peoples sinks.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 He’d then jump on the local bus,
he could not afford the rail,
and make the journey with the fans,
to Preston’s ground Deep – dale.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 Tom Finney was born in 22,
a Preston man by birth,
rated by many in the 50’s,
as the best wing man on earth.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 He made his Preston debut,
at the late age of Twenty-Four,
his career being put on hold,
until the end of war.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 The great Bill Shankly said his claim to fame,
was sending Finney his first pass,
“ a right bad un too, “ quipped Finney,
“ it went four feet off the grass.”

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 A natural left footed player,
but who was comfy on both flanks,
“ he could have played brilliant with an overcoat,”
was another quip from Shanks.

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 He’d beat defenders down the wing,
with body dips and weaves,
and his thirty goals for England,
were the most ‘til Jimmy Greaves.

10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 He won no major trophies,
though was acclaimed by all his peers,
and in 54 and 7,
he won player of those years.

11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 He retired in 1960,
to much fanfare and hype,
and returned full time, to what he knew,
bending copper pipe.

12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 He was made a Sir in 98,
and a Stand built in his name,
and when they had the opening,
fans in their thousands came.

13 Leave a comment on verse 13 0 They cheered Sir Tommy Finney,
and sang the name aloud,
of the man who more than anyone,
made the North End Proud.

14 Leave a comment on verse 14 0 So when you see a Premier player,
pull up pre-match in a Hummer,
remember he couldn’t lace the boots,
of the bus riding PRESTON PLUMBER.

© John O’Connor

Notes

R.I.P Mr Finney

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/the-proud-preston-plumber-2/