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Star Soccer

Andy Lockett

Tuesday, January 31st, 2006

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Sunday lunch cleared, curtains drawn;
Crocks are washed and put away.
Time to settle down for that weekly hour
Of the Midlands’ football cream.
ATV swings into gear, the music blares –
It’s 2.15 and ‘Star Soccer’ begins…

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 The bumbling Billy Wright speaks
To camera – it’s a mouthwatering clash;
Derby – Wolves at the Baseball Ground.
Line-ups appear on screen to Hugh Johns’
Dulcet tones – captains shake hands,
In glorious black and white, it’s game on.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Early midfield skirmishes, frantic stuff –
Both teams in light shirts, dark shorts;
Not easy for the monochrome viewer.
Half-time, no goals. Advert time…
Beer at home means Davenports,
Double Diamond works wonders.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 So it’s back to the seventies;
Long hair, long shirts outside shorts.
Crunching tackles, no quarter given.
Winger crosses, striker hits stopper
In mid-air thud – muddied ball
Runs loose, full-back punts clear…

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 Fans footstamp wooden boards,
And pull bar scarves ever tighter
As sleet slants into their faces.
A tight offside, a disallowed goal;
Tension-filled, but deadlock stays,
Ref blows for time – all square it ends.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 Recorded highlights – not quite real
Enough to set the pulses racing,
When you already know the result.
But just to see your team playing
On TV was a treat to savour
In those bygone pre-SKY days.

© Andy Lockett 2006

Source: https://footballpoets.org/poems/star-soccer/