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TOP XI – The Greatest Team Ever Told..On Paper (apart from Melchester Rovers)

Crispin Thomas

3rd December 2002

eleven men inside my head and each one true and bold
make up our team on paper the greatest ever told –
whose keeper sat and sometimes stood as steadfast as a mast
between the posts young BUDDHA smiled as ev’ry ball flew past
and celebrated ev’ry goal as if it were a party
and hugged his faithful full-backs the mighty LAUREL & HARDY
and with his socks off in bare feet on any Saturday
reliable ST FRANCIS gave evrything away
brought harmony to any team and to opponents too
for every time he won the ball he’d give it back to you
or nod it to Lord KRISHNA who chanting with the fans
would dance up to the half-way line a flute within his hands

at centre half and number five no thought for recompence
bold SOCRATES who taught us all to know thy own defence
and up-front JESUS juggling alongside JIMMY GREAVES
the fisherman and poacher delighting crowds with ease
with ZOLA streaming down the wing like Pegasus he’d fly
then flip the most exquisite chip to make a grown fish cry

and MOSES parting players like Brylcreem parting hair
igniting crowds like bushes strewn tablets evrywhere
while ever-faithful in midfield MOHAMMED he would bring
a solidness so needed at the heart of everything

and on those days when goals dried up and nothing led to much
there in reserve brave SOOTY** would add that magic touch
or maybe bring on MATTHEWS** EUSEBIO** or BECKS**
or PELE** in his heyday that symphony on legs
but no sub-bench would be complete without VASCO DA GAMA**
a captain when the clock ticked by – a stalwart in a drama

so many sparkling football stars that light our planet’s past
long may their names still fill our heads long may their glory last
long may this game we love and loathe be echoed down in rhyme
those players and those moments all gently etched in time

and long may we continue to utter endlessly
both near and far though quite bizarre this football poetry

Notes:
*(apart from Melchester Rovers)
**6 subtitutes-and why not..i mean how could you leave Sooty out..the bloke’s a living legend- over 50 and still playing today.(.well pantommes and TV at least!)

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Source: https://footballpoets.org/news/2002/12/03/top-xi-the-greatest-team-ever-told-on-paper-apart-from-melchester-rovers/