...but lost to Huddersfield

by John Coopey

Sunday 22nd October 2017 10:13 pm

We praised the God of Yorkshire that October afternoon

It’s not a day we’ll be forgetting sometime very soon;

The scoreboard told the story – it had ended 2 to 1

We sang songs to their glory – the Terriers had won!

They blamed the pitch; they blamed the ref. Oh, how United squealed!

They might have beat Benfica…

…but they lost to Huddersfield!

We set the years of hurt to right; our tears were tears of joy;

Aristocrats from Manchester just knelt to hoi polloi;

To raggy-taggy artisans in shirts of blue and white

Who showed that heart is all you need and spirit for the fight.

They came here full of swagger but we made the braggarts yield

They’d won this year’s Europa League…

…but lost to Huddersfield.

I felt the goosebumps of the past and, honestly, I swore

I saw the ghosts of Worthington and rueful Denis Law;

But now it’s time to trade those years of former pride; instead

It’s to the future now we gaze, to better times ahead.

In twenty season’s time from now their pain will not have healed;

Twenty times the Champions…

… but lost to Huddersfield.

So pass on this new legacy to daughters and to sons

The day Red Devils lost their tails and turned back west to run;

And etch this in your memory – October, 21^st

The best of days for Huddersfield, for Manchester the worst;

They met their match that Saturday; oh, how the Red Rose reeled!

They may be kings beyond those hills…

… but lost to Huddersfield.

Comments

John Coopey

Tue 24th Oct 2017 08:06

Sorry to hear that, Philip. Especially as I always thought it was Man U fans who got a monk on when they lost.

Philip Stevens

Mon 23rd Oct 2017 17:41

I note there is a couple of Tottenham Hotspur fans... in light of recent events and its not that am a sore loser but im taking my ball back... in this instance, my like

John Coopey

Mon 23rd Oct 2017 16:19

Too true, MC.
And in fairness that was the most gracious I have ever seen Mourinho in defeat. So my "they blamed the pitch; they blamed the ref. Oh, how United squealed" is about Man U fans but which was untrue of Jose himself.

M.C. Newberry

Mon 23rd Oct 2017 15:23

A true fan's talented take on an extraordinary result.
"How are the mighty fallen"
are words that seem so sweet,
But the way that men are measured
are by their manners in defeat.

John Coopey

Mon 23rd Oct 2017 13:31

Thanks, fellas.
Just subscribed, Greg.
Ray - Living in Nottingham until my 20's and Yorkshire since, I really only got to see Spurs play away at the likes of Forest, Derby, Leicester, Barnsley, Leeds etc. I was delighted to have been invited on a "corporate" by a Man City fan when Peter Crouch scored late on to give us a win. It got us into the Champions League at their expense.

raypool

Mon 23rd Oct 2017 12:00

I think this is JC at his best; as the poem just rolls on like a ball into touch. Very pleasurable. I used to walk to the Spurs most Saturdays in 1970. I spent more on shoes than on the tickets. All changed today of course - those days of light tan sheepskins and random smoking all gone. In those days it was like going to a ballet to watch the choreography. All the best John!
I'll get my coat.

Ray

Greg Freeman

Mon 23rd Oct 2017 11:43

You might consider posting this rather wonderful poem here as well, John, if you haven't already done so http://footballpoets.org/ They'd love it. Well, most of them would.

John Coopey

Mon 23rd Oct 2017 00:37

Mine was Nottingham Forest v Tottenham. I am from Nottingham but am a Tottenham fan. Thanks for commenting, Philip.

Philip Stevens

Sun 22nd Oct 2017 22:27

The first full match i went to was liverpool v Huddersfield... night match i think...back in the early seventies...the old first division

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...but lost to Huddersfield

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