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When The Dynamo Came By (Revisited)

Crispin Thomas

Tuesday, November 12th, 2013

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 the war was barely over with expectation high
the ground was packed to bursting when the Dynamo came by
a deeper motive ruled they say some cold-war ploy or catch
such mystery and secrecy surrounded this great match
a nation sick of ration books of ruins loss and fear
they flocked in thousands just to see those Moscow men appear

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 that mid-week cold November day this hungry London crowd
for too long starved of football now free to stand so proud
so keen to sample normal things to feel at home once more
and to a man their voices stirred the mighty Chelsea roar
in uniform and raincoats from boats and camps they came
from service for their country to watch this simple game

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 for though they’d offered ev’ry ounce upon those battle fields
an atmosphere of carnival their sadness here concealed
and just to glimpse the action they give their very all
to risk their lives on railway tracks and scale the highest walls
one hefty paratrooper who climbed that stand so steep
fell through the roof and landed in an empty waiting seat!

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 A woman in some nearby flat was met at her front door
by hordes of fans all bursting in and asking what’s the score ?
past long locked gates they swarmed to fill a ground they all adored
in turnstile mayhem on they swept from terraces they poured
they stretched up to the touchline they clung to rooves and signs
to witness such a spectacle and cast away those times
of fear and loss of life and limb the misery and pain
they clamoured in their thousands to sing and cheer again

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 and as the Dynamo appeared a mighty wave did grow
in gasps of awe they feasted on the skills and styles on show
their flowers at their kick-offs their unknown passing style
their ball-control and Russian flair they stunned both man and child
when hot shot Ivan’s penalty sparked off a roar so loud
the ball bounced back but not from post – it flew back off the crowd !

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 at Stamford Bridge they’ll never know how many there were there
a hundred thousand maybe more who came to watch and share
amid such mighty long-gone scenes of one thing it is known
the score three-three did not reflect the football lesson shown
nor never could reflect the mood in photos you can spy
the wonder and excitement when the Dynamos came by

© CT13

Notes

13th Nov 1945. Chelsea 3 Moscow Dynamo 3
Revisited in a week of remembrance and commemorating another anniversary of this moment… the year the 2nd World War ended.
Now fast approaching the 70th anniversary of an emotive day in football history.

Long-gone lessons from this great Russian side of its day. Later the Hungarians were to teach us further lessons.

Barely months after the war had ended this extraordinary game aroused the nation. An official attendance of 82,000 was recorded, but that was before gates and walls were breached. When Roy Bentley, then in the Navy, accompanied by two well inebriated matelots, there were close on 25,000 locked outside. Final numbers are impossible to guess, as Roy and many others found various dangereous routes into the stadium. In Roy’s case across a live track and up the back of the stand !

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/when-the-dynamo-came-by-revisited/