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Within The Women’s Game ~ WWC 2019

Crispin Thomas

Sunday, June 23rd, 2019

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 I remember the first time I watched doubles at tennis
it was too fast
points over too quick and low on rallies and drama
but i got into it and stuck with it and now I love it
just like all those enforced Queen’s newbies this week
when Andy Murray marked his return in doubles
in front of suddenly packed houses late in the day
what’s in a name indeed?

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 it was like that with my first real women’s live game
there on the screen in the early days
a Women’s FA Cup Final : Arsenal v Chelsea
but at Peterborough or somewhere in front of maybe 5000
mainly mums and little girls
the levels weren’t there yet
the atmosphere like a school swimming gala
and shock horror a girl commentating!

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 but I watched it
and I’m not proud to admit
I watched it
not just because it was on the BBC
and not just because I loathe Sky BT et al
but because it was on and because it was free

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 but it got me into it
and yes it took a while but after a bit I was hooked
and I realized and remembered there and then
that aside from some grainy black and white WW1 footage
and two great books on Lily Parr and the wonderful Dick Kerr Ladies
(before those in charge took it on themselves
to ban the Women’s game from 1921 -1970 )
I’d never really bothered to take a look more closely
why….concepts concepts concepts maybe?

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 and then the proverbial penny dropped
this game we love
so macho and male dominated for so long
was for everyone and always has been
but for whatever reason
neglected un-supported and not taken seriously
un-encouraged for decades by the so-called ‘powers that be’
no doubt compounded
by that archaic and totally un-pc suggestion
from the unbeareably creepy Sepp Blatter
“‘Let women play in tighter shorts'” ***
god forbid!

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 fortunately times have moved on
money and funding worldwide has begun
and yes Women’s fooball
still has a long way to catch up
but sitting here entralled
watching this Summer’s World Cup in France
free on terrestrial TV to boot
the skills the endeavour
the celebratory atmosphere
the colour and noise from travelling fans in their droves
from here Canada Australia Nigeria Japan USA and beyond
but above all
the new levels of sophisticated and stunning football
from incredible goalkeeping and sturdy defending
to sweet moves and fearless strikers
is something else and a joy to behold

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 if you haven’t done so already check it out now
you won’t be disappointed
it might just grab you
and have you saying to yourself too …
there is so much to admire and enjoy
within the Women’s Games

Notes

***Blatter’s suggestion for increasing the popularity of women’s football, January 2004.

‘Let women play in tighter shorts’

“Let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball. They could, for example, have tighter shorts.

“Female players are pretty, if you excuse me for saying so, and they already have some different rules to men – such as playing with a lighter ball.

“That decision was taken to create a more female aesthetic, so why not do it in fashion?”

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Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/within-the-womens-game-wwc-2109/