THE WORLD CUP
I did have an idea to celebrate 40 years since 1966. I wanted to get 11 poets to write 11 poems about the team of ’66. However, I couldn’t get a publisher or sponsor interested, so in the end I wrote a series of poems myself. They are everyman recollections that try and capture something of the men, the magnitude, the mood and the memories. You can click on the names on the image to see the poems.
NINETEEN SIXTY SIX
July 30th, Wembley Stadium
Proud in red and white
Alf Ramsay’s wingless wonders
Courageous in the fight.
Hurst the hat trick hero
Banks between the sticks
The glory of the story
Nineteen sixty six
Cohen, strong, unbeatable
Wilson, sharp and in control
Big Jack towers at the back
Moore, the faultless Captain’s role
The English Pele – Charlton
The magic match and mix
The grinning of the winning
Nineteen sixty six
Peters, quiet, studious
Ball runs miles and miles
Hunt the perfect predator
Nobby’s toothless smiles
All for one and one for all
Everything just clicks
Forty years of cheers
Nineteen sixty six
Losing, winning, drawing
A game of highs and lows
The theatre of extra time
The goals, the ebbs and flows
They think that it’s all over
Some fans are on the pitch
Glorious, victorious
Nineteen sixty six
It will never be all over
Everything just fits
History we witnessed
The famous crimson kits
4 – 2 the magic score-line
Putting on the Ritz
Forever we’ll remember
All the twists and kicks
England, Champions of the world
Nineteen sixty six
PAUL COOKSON