‘A Century Apart’ Wharton & Elliott in verse -Review
‘A Century Apart’ written by Peter Daniel
Illustrations by Ted Smith Orr.
Creative Energy Publications
It’s always good to come across football poetry publications that involve fellow working poets and contributors to this site whilst
also embracing subjects close to our hearts . So with a moving forward by Phil Vasili, this latest ‘soft back’ from ‘Creative Energy’ (‘Football Pure Poetry 1 & 2’ etc; ) is a worthy and commendable offering .
In poetry form, this book covers and compares the lives of both Arthur Wharton, England’s first black professional footballer in 1886 and Paul Elliott MBE (Charlton, Chelsea etc;) almost a hundred years later in 1981. Set in verse by Daniel and accompanied by trade-make Smith-Orr illustrations, ‘A Century Apart’ offers the reader an insight into the black contribution to football and over a hunded years of black people’s experience of living in Britain.
“When the goals flew past him the insults would begin
His talent couldn’t shield him from the taunts about his skin” P.Daniel.
Peter Daniel of Westminster Archives, was virtually single-handedly responsible for externally launching the Education Through Football programme , now a regular part of life at Stamford Bridge. He championed Chelsea’s first ever black player – Paul Canonville’s story of racist abuse from fans and much more through the delivery of poetry and art workshops to children iin schools and libraries involving myself, Ted S-O top Zimbabwean poet Albert Nyathi , Michael Foreman and the Chelsea pensioners.
As a result, and now with it’s own Hub Study Support Centre, Canonville has been re-discovered and taken back into the Chelsea fold undertaking Anti-Racism workshops regularly for the club . Paul Elliot continues to represent Kick It Out internationally .
Hot on the heels of the harrowing award-winning ‘Black & Blue’
from Canonville, (Headline) this book is another timely reminder of our oft-forgotten and sinister British past, in which Arthur remains a sad but remarkable symbol of stuggle against oppression .
In Vasili’s own introductory words Wharton was ” a metaphor for both excellence and weakness”.’
The Editor – Crispin Thomas
Copies are available at £6.00 each (incl of Postage & Packing)
from:
Creative Energy Publications, 365 Homesdale Road,
London SE25 4PN
For further enquiries and information contact :
tsopoetryshow@hotmail.co.uk
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
Crispin Thomas
25th January 2023
joe morris
23rd January 2023
Denys E. W. Jones
23rd January 2023
joe morris
14th January 2023
joe morris
8th January 2023
kevin raymond
7th January 2023
joe morris
6th January 2023
Crispin Thomas
6th January 2023
kevin raymond
5th January 2023
kevin raymond
4th January 2023
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
5th December 2022 at 8:11 pm
Stuart, you are not alone, in your dichotomy of doubt
but without dissention
you stand alone
in hogging our attention!
See in context
16th November 2022 at 11:04 am
[Football on soiled turf]
This is a wonderful phrase which I shall be using from now on!
See in context
15th November 2022 at 3:54 pm
Well said Crispin. One of the reasons for The Ball 2022/23 is exactly this – that FIFA need to know. The Ball is essentially a petition to FIFA to honour their commitments to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework. They signed up; they should act. The Qatar tournament takes the World Cup in the opposite direction to that commitment. And 2026 looks like it’ll be even worse.
See in context
8th November 2022 at 2:06 pm
Hi Guys
Re ‘Lets Boycott Qatar ‘ poem
You probably hate me banging on..and problably know (like me) that my/your not watching the World Cup in Qatar will make no difference.
Of course it won’t. That’s not the point.
OK someone might possibly eventually publish a minimal drop in terrestrial TV viewer numbers, but I fear that is unlikely.
But please above all, do go on writing poems about the World Cup, as/you we have always done. I hate to think a poem or two of mine might l make you feel bad about comenting on a game or country …or that I’ve put you all off about wanting to contribute.
So we’d love to hear from you and read your thoughts and observations, as ever on what’s going on.
Some of us have been here since Football Poets website birth/inception for the Euros 2000 ….
All my best wishes
Crispin
See in context
18th October 2022 at 10:06 am
Shoot! (Something we’ve also been screaming in vain at our team all season !)
Great memories Joe . Before Shoot, it was Roy of the Rovers comic too, dropping through my letterbox.
Anxiously waiting each week to see if they survived in the mexcian jungle after an ambush..or a pre-season earthquake!
See in context
3rd October 2022 at 8:32 pm
Thanks for the kind words Sharon. Yes, it was a shame with Billy Shako, but with five subs now being allowed, he might yet make it off the bench. Even if it’s just a cameo to close out a poem.
See in context
2nd October 2022 at 1:49 pm
John, your new book is an absolute delight and more please. It’s a shame ‘Swapping Shirts With Shakespeare’ never made it off the bench, but quality football poets light up the writing fields like Roman candles. Go well.
See in context
4th September 2022 at 12:42 pm
Great memories Greg. Took me right back.
Today I stand on a small terrace in the hills where I live watching Forest Green Rovers in L1, and keep up with Chelsea on highlights. It’s a far cry and a world away from those times when I lived as a child within walking distance of ‘The Bridge’ – just off the Ifield Road, which led to Fulham Road. The Blues were rubbish for so long, but we loved them and somehow we stayed in the old First Division for so many seasons. And of course we got to see Greavesie at his impudent best, scoring goals for fun. Mad unpredictable games where we’d score 4 and let in five.
The looming floodlights in the dark and mist on magic night games. The big games when the ground heaved.
I don’t think we ever realized how magical and incredible it was back then. The atmosphere and arriving there so early – like you said.. just to make sure you got in. Back when Bovril, tea and cake and roasted peanuts for sixpence a back were just about all on offer.
Good times.
See in context
4th September 2022 at 12:37 pm
see above
See in context
18th August 2022 at 10:20 am
To put it politely!
See in context