|

WEMBLEY’79

Steve Lenaghan

Thursday, February 21st, 2008

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 A sunny day, in the month of May
Heading towards the motorway.
Once we’re on, we join the throng:
Traffic moving like in song

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Flags on cars furiously flap and sway
Everyone’s off to Wembley way.
Dad and I arrive soon enough,
Although parking proves quite tough

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Up the stairs, into the stand;
It’s so massive, it’s so grand,
The sea before us ‘tis yellow; not red!
Muses Dad scratching his head.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Watching colour drain from his face
I ask, “Are we in the right place?”
“Sorry son; we’re in the wrong end
Quick take off your scarf; try to blend.”

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 Two nil down, it’s not looking great.
My dreams are burst, and deflate.
Ten minutes to go, we decide to leave
Down the stairs, I start to grieve.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 Towards the car, we hear a roar
Could it be a United score?
Another roar, time must be up,
Surely Arsenal will lift the cup?

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 No, no but wait, it can’t be true
The radio’s on, the score’s two, two
Up the stairs, into the stand;
It’s so massive, it’s so grand.

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 Back inside, the Arsenal score:
My broken heart can take no more.
Returning home on the motorway
Flags on cars no longer flap and sway.

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 Back at home, we watch the match
Seeing the goals we didn’t catch,
Tears again are wiped away,
Reassured; they’ll win another day.

10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 In the end the result mattered not-
More just the day
Of being with dad on
Wembley Way!

Notes

This poem was written from my memories as a 12 year old boy going to his first Wembley Cup Final. The last stanza is written from an adult perspective, reflecting on the past.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/wembley79/