Football Poets

It could be a trio in Europe.

It could be the perfect jazz trio
A clean sweep of European perfection,
English football at its zenith
Arsenal, European champions tomorrow
Against the might of PSG?
Villa and Crystal Palace
In carnival moods and mannerisms
Palatial Palace
Perched on the purple patches
Of that elusive European trophy
Pinching themselves
Have they really done it?
Yes indeed of course
They have
Undoubtedly so
And then holding aloft
The Euro Conference trophy
Now the Palace butlers
And flunkeys will be
Polishing the silverware
And celebrating deep
Into the summertime solstice
Right up to
The longest day in mid June
When the Stonehenge pilgrims
Greet the setting sun
With wondrous warmth
And captivating cordiality
South London will be
Telling their grandchildren
About those preening peacocks
Of Palace pride and poise
No longer the Palace of old
When the thrones of royalty
Yielded no more than
Second and Third Division championships
And Big Mal, Malcolm Allison
Could only puff on ancient Havanas
And flaunt fedoras
That were cheap imitations
From John Collier shop windows
Then Terry Venables stooped to conquer
With the team of the Eighties
And then discovered only Vince Hillaire,
Jerry Murphy, Mick Flanagan, Peter Taylor
And Dave Swindlehurst
Were simply flattering to deceive
But now Palace are in European
Fantasy land, Palace write
Their names in historic feats
Of European magnificence
Villa clutch their Europa League
Shining silverware
And aesthetically pleasing they were
Almost a throwback
To that stupendous night
Against the giants of Bayern Munich
When Peter Withe almost casually
Headed the home winner
And Aston Villa ruled Europe
Rather than Liverpool
Who thought they had a monopoly
On European Cup nights of
Gold medals and David Fairclough
Thought he was the supersub
From Merseyside’s masterclasses
But well done English football
We wish Arsenal the best tomorrow
An idyllic season
For the Premier League
And that can never be denied.

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