Poems by John J O'Connor
- Letter from Gareth (Pass it on)
- Undisclosed
- John (Stonewall) Jackson. King of the Palace. R.I.P.
- Forest not Greener for Rob
- Football Questions without an Answer
- Ref Botherers
- Crystal Palace Spell Check
- Missing in London Town
- Danes slaughter Wales – haiku
- The Pessimistic Predictor
- Divide Luxembourg
- Heaven Struck By Thunderbolt (R.I.P Peter Lorimer)
- Bobby Kellard (he was Well ‘ard)
- R.I.P. Diego
- “Don’t Get Me Wrong.” (R.I.P. Ray Clemence)
- They’re wearing Cricket Pads up in Heaven
- BOB — The Man From the V.A.R.
- Harry’s greatest saves
- The Night My Mum Killed Bobby Charlton
- Eliminate The Hyphenate
- The Story of Mrs. Minchella (the peanut seller)
- Archie
- Cramp is soooo 60’s
- Only One Banksy( R.I.P. Gordon)
- They Stole Our Rice
- Where have all the Great Captains Gone?
- In Year 16
- WunderVAR
- Six of the best for Panama
- The Old Man And His Grandson
- Nice Two Son
- Do What– Do Watt–Do Wot
- “You’re Fired”
- Tactical Error
- Now That George Best Fella Is A Great Fella (RIP Dad)
- Young Bertie Hislop (no man’s land hero)
- West Germany and Montezuma’s Revenge
- Ryan Giggs is 40 ( no kidding)
- The Proud Preston Plumber
- Young Bertie Hislop (No Man’s Land Hero)
- Football Victim
- A Litttle pub in Scotland.
- The Camberwell Carrot
- Russia nil Aston Villa nil
- Hamburg 0-1 West Green United
- Thank You, Now Good Riddance
- You can smoke now up in heaven.
- Hy Money: First Lady of The Palace
- Give Tuesday A Break
- John (Stonewall) Jackson king of the Palace
- Big Pat From The County Down
- An old ex-pro’s lament
- SPIT, SOB and SLIP on a rainy night in Moscow
- Cliff Jackson – Crystal Palace Gladiator
- Dead Irish Grannie’s
- When the wife’s away BECK’S will play.
- Having A. BALL in Heaven.
- “WE WANT WHITTLE”
- DIRTY TRICKS and CELERY STICKS.
- ” MR CHAIRMAN — YOUR’E ‘ AVING A LAUGH.
- Crystal Palace v Liverpool ( F.A. CUP Semi -final, Villa Park 1990 )
- THE PROUD PRESTON PLUMBER.
- Young Bertie Hislop (No Man’s Land hero)
- THE TRAGEDY OF PADDY JOE.
- Say it ain’t so Iain. Say it ain’t so.
- A Dream of two halves.
- Arise Sir Steve.
- Kings Road King
- The taming of Wayne ( he’s only 19 ) Rooney
- JOHN HENTY — the Voice of Crystal Palace
- TO HELL OR TO ORIENT
- JOHN ( the shovel ) SEWELL. an awfully civilised defender.
- WE’LL BE THERE GEOFF ( HAIKUS)
- WHO AM I ???
- Football Quiz Nite Down The Pub.
- The Boot Room up in Heaven
- THE NOUVEAU FOOTBALL FAN.
- BRITISH CAPPED SQUAD WITH FOREIGN SOUNDING NAMES.
- THE GREATEST KEEPER OF THEM ALL
- MOVE OVER GOD YOU’RE IN MY SEAT.
- A PALACE SEASON TO REMEMBER ( 1968-69 )
- PREMIERSHIP MANAGERS RACE RESULTS. 2003-04
- HOW SOONETH THEY FORGET.
- WEST GERMANY’S AND MONTEZUMA’S REVENGE..
- ALFA RAMSEY AND THE GAME OF 66
- CRYSTAL PALACE v LIVERPOOL. (F.A. CUP Semi – final, Villa Park 1990)
- THISTLE PALACE
- TACTICAL ERROR
- THE GHOST OF SELHURST PARK.
- GOODBYE TO THE TERRACE.
- A VANISHED BREED. (The Scottish winger)
- PLAYER’S PROFILES, PAST & PRESENT.
- CRYSTAL PALACE MEMORIES. ( 1969 – 1979 )
- FOOTBALL OCCUPATIONS.
- MIXING FOOTBALL AND RELIGION
- THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN.
- GEOGRAPHICAL FOOTBALL
- HISTORICAL FOOTBALL
- FOOTBALL FINANCES
- FOOTBALL RENOVATION.
- Load more
About This Site
Welcome to Football Poets -- a club for all football poets, lovers of football and lovers of (alternative) poetry. Discover poets in every league from respected internationals at the top of their game to young hopefuls in the school playground.
Publish your football poems here and then discuss them with your team mates and fans. We're archived by The British Library, so your masterpieces are in the safe hands of a world-class keeper. What a result!
My Account
Latest Poems
John Gilbert Ellis
28th November 2024
joe morris
26th November 2024
Denys E. W. Jones
26th November 2024
Gacina Bozidar
26th November 2024
Wynn Wheldon
26th November 2024
joe morris
17th November 2024
Crispin Thomas
17th November 2024
kevin halls
10th November 2024
joe morris
10th November 2024
Clik The Mouse
10th November 2024
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
27th November 2024 at 5:55 am
‘You’re Supposed To Be At Home’ is an excellent and moving poem Denys.
You start off thinking it’s just about another oft-sung chant, one we personally heard a lot last season throughout our second relegation in a row here at Forest Green(FGR) ! I always love poems where you think they are saying one thing and then they suddenly pull you deeper to somewhere or something else else.
I’m currently helping in a local school for FGR in a voluntary capacity using football to help young students with reading. At an upcoming session we will tackle racism, just like we did in workshops at football schools and grounds when we first started this site 24 years ago. I’m gonna try and weave your poem into a session.
We’ve added it to the Anti- Racism/Kick It Out section under Crispin’s Corner.
Best C
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26th November 2024 at 1:59 pm
Great poem and great to see you back Wyn.
Don’t leave it so long next time my friend!
More please.
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13th September 2024 at 6:14 pm
Welcome to Football Poets Beth
Great evocative poem Beth….
More please !
Haiku always welcome.
Hope we (FGR) get to play you again soon
Best
Crispin
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26th July 2024 at 6:25 pm
Great poem Mike Bartram. Eddie was a legend, affectionately known in Liverpool as, “the first hooligan.” Even the hoolies were well dressed in those days. The amazing thing was he was only 26 when that picture was taken. He’d played for Everton youth team and was well known to the players. He never got arrested. They threw him out and he climbed back in, just in time for Derek Temples winner.
I used the picture of him being tackled to the ground on the front cover of my book, “Once Upon a rhyme in Football.” It’s worth looking on youtube and finding the re-enactment of the Wembley scene. Frank Skinner and Baddiel went around to Eddies home in the 1990’s and acted it out on the green outside. It’s hilarious, especially all the effort they put in to get Eddie sober enough to shoot the scene.
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10th July 2024 at 6:07 pm
Hi Crispin,
I don’t know if you’ve see the picture in social media today…
a picture of a teenage Lionel Messi cradling a baby in Africa as part of a photoshoot…. the family had won a lottery to have their baby pictured with him….
the photographer has just revealed that the baby is actually in fact Lamine Yamal!!!!
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26th May 2024 at 2:30 pm
Hi Denys…
Re Man City:
OK it was 20 years ago but Criag Wilson did write this and a few others on them back in 04/05.
BTW I’m more Forest Green Rover since 2014 (and Chelsea) these days . I drum and am a standing season ticket holder .
Best
Crispin
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29th April 2024 at 2:47 pm
Hi Denys,
Yes Richard Williams you’re a brilliant wordsmith, my friend. When I first saw your football poetry I thought it was the superb Guardian sports and music writer. I once had the honour of sitting next to Richard Williams while at the Independent on the sports desk. He writes about music and sport with immense knowledge and authority. I’ve read a couple of Richard’s books recently. Great writer rather like you Richard Williams the Pompey fan. Congratulations on promotion.
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28th April 2024 at 5:59 pm
Thanks Denys. Yes your replay poem was superb.
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26th April 2024 at 4:46 pm
Nice work, Joe. You were quick off the mark with that! Good one from Richard Williams too I see.
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25th April 2024 at 7:33 pm
Hi Denys,
Thanks mate. I’ll do it now.
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