A poem for your club

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

This initiative highlighted by Luton Town has just been brought to my attention:

Luton Town FC Community Trust on Instagram: "📢 Exciting news! Luton Town FC Community Trust is proud to be part of A Poem for Your Club – a brand-new national project launched by @literacy_trust and @aceagrams 🎉 We’re working with local poet Naz Kn

40 likes, 0 comments - ltfc_community on March 12, 2025: "📢 Exciting news! Luton Town FC Community Trust is proud to be part of A Poem for Your Club – a brand-new national project launched by @literacy_trust and @aceagrams 🎉 We’re working with local poet Naz Knight to bring Hatters fans...

www.instagram.com

Now, I'm a little too embroiled in the 'Roots & All' thing at the moment, but wondered if folk here might want to take up the challenge.

What about a current squad poem? Keep it nice and maybe Kev can read it out at HT to keep performance levels up for the second half.

I'll kick things off:

'My name is Andeng-ndi
Nothing rhymes with me
Now it may sound perverse
But to benefit from verse
I moved to Southend-on-Sea'

I'm sure you can all do better. Be good to have a verse for each team member. Last one to take part gets Appiah-Forson.

 

[basilrobbie]

"I really am decidedly keen
On a famous team in tangerine.
I learned in '68
The true meaning of great
Is a young lad they call Tony Green".

 

[CanveyCastle]

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Our strikers can't score
they leave it to our number 2.

 

[Leeboy]

Kev is a legend that much is true,
but he’s struggling to get us out of this league which is poo,
strikers can’t score,
noor has been poor,
and for some fans that simply won’t do

 

[Supershrimper]

In Southend's fields where footballers tread,
Kevin Maher leads, with plans well-spread.
His tactics known, the fans all say,
Are sideways, backwards, crab-like play.

With passes short and movements tight,
They weave and turn, avoiding fight.
A dance of patience, slow and sure,
Seeking gaps, a chance to lure.

Though some may groan and wish for speed,
Maher's method plants the seed.
For in the game of skill and grace,
It's not just pace that wins the race.

So cheer them on, through thick and thin,
For Southend's heart, they strive to win.
With crab-like moves and sideways glance,
They'll find their way, and take their chance

 

[Strykr]

In Southend's fields where footballers tread,
Kevin Maher leads, with plans well-spread.
His tactics known, the fans all say,
Are sideways, backwards, crab-like play.

With passes short and movements tight,
They weave and turn, avoiding fight.
A dance of patience, slow and sure,
Seeking gaps, a chance to lure.

Though some may groan and wish for speed,
Maher's method plants the seed.
For in the game of skill and grace,
It's not just pace that wins the race.

So cheer them on, through thick and thin,
For Southend's heart, they strive to win.
With crab-like moves and sideways glance,
They'll find their way, and take their chance

Very good

 

[McShrimper]

We once knew a villain from Benfleet
At Roots Hall he wasn’t welcome in his seat
A hero emerged from Down Under
Nothing at our club left to plunder
With COSU help we’ll get back onto our feet

On the pitch we’re so Jekyll and Hyde
King Kev likes passing that goes side to side
Need a good run of form
Then take the playoffs by storm
Like a Phoenix we’ll rise and restore pride

Grew so sick of our transfer embargo
Court away days became such a low
Hope it’s all in the past
And we’re now ready to blast
Up the leagues, sing EIEIEIO

I’ll finish up as I’m starting to drag on
Future’s brighter without a bobsleighing con
Best support from great fans
Tom L’s sharing grand plans
Time to cheer on the boys…yes even Bonne

 

[* ORM *]

Some say our play is drab
Some say like Kev the crab
Some say give him the sack
None say Martin back

 

[Napster]

Upon the Thames' fair silver crest,
Where seagulls wheel and winds protest,
There lies a ground, a hallowed site,
Where blue-clad warriors take their fight.
Oh, Southend! ‘Neath thy sky so wide,
The faithful stand, with hearts allied.

Through tempests fierce and tempests mild,
Thy banner waved, undaunted, wild—
A beacon bright in fortune’s storm,
Where dreams take shape and hope takes form.
Though leagues may shift and tables turn,
Thy flame, undimmed, shall ever burn.

The echoed chants, the roaring throng,
A rhapsody both fierce and strong!
Where every pass and every stride
Becomes a sonnet dignified.
And though the fates may yet betray,
Thy name shall never drift away.

Oh, Southend! From thy briny shore,
The tide of glory swells once more!
No shadow long, nor fleeting fame
Can dim the honour of thy name.
For love endures where time may wane—
And Southend shall forever reign!

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

Upon the Thames' fair silver crest,
Where seagulls wheel and winds protest,
There lies a ground, a hallowed site,
Where blue-clad warriors take their fight.
Oh, Southend! ‘Neath thy sky so wide,
The faithful stand, with hearts allied.

Through tempests fierce and tempests mild,
Thy banner waved, undaunted, wild—
A beacon bright in fortune’s storm,
Where dreams take shape and hope takes form.
Though leagues may shift and tables turn,
Thy flame, undimmed, shall ever burn.

The echoed chants, the roaring throng,
A rhapsody both fierce and strong!
Where every pass and every stride
Becomes a sonnet dignified.
And though the fates may yet betray,
Thy name shall never drift away.

Oh, Southend! From thy briny shore,
The tide of glory swells once more!
No shadow long, nor fleeting fame
Can dim the honour of thy name.
For love endures where time may wane—
And Southend shall forever reign!

Beautiful. You are booked to read it on the pitch at HT on Saturday.

 

[Southminster Shrimper]

Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode not our team because we were too defensive

 

[Swiss Tony]

Upon the Thames' fair silver crest,
Where seagulls wheel and winds protest,
There lies a ground, a hallowed site,
Where blue-clad warriors take their fight.
Oh, Southend! ‘Neath thy sky so wide,
The faithful stand, with hearts allied.

Through tempests fierce and tempests mild,
Thy banner waved, undaunted, wild—
A beacon bright in fortune’s storm,
Where dreams take shape and hope takes form.
Though leagues may shift and tables turn,
Thy flame, undimmed, shall ever burn.

The echoed chants, the roaring throng,
A rhapsody both fierce and strong!
Where every pass and every stride
Becomes a sonnet dignified.
And though the fates may yet betray,
Thy name shall never drift away.

Oh, Southend! From thy briny shore,
The tide of glory swells once more!
No shadow long, nor fleeting fame
Can dim the honour of thy name.
For love endures where time may wane—
And Southend shall forever reign!

Your a poet and didn’t know it.

 

[Leeboy]

Upon the Thames' fair silver crest,
Where seagulls wheel and winds protest,
There lies a ground, a hallowed site,
Where blue-clad warriors take their fight.
Oh, Southend! ‘Neath thy sky so wide,
The faithful stand, with hearts allied.

Through tempests fierce and tempests mild,
Thy banner waved, undaunted, wild—
A beacon bright in fortune’s storm,
Where dreams take shape and hope takes form.
Though leagues may shift and tables turn,
Thy flame, undimmed, shall ever burn.

The echoed chants, the roaring throng,
A rhapsody both fierce and strong!
Where every pass and every stride
Becomes a sonnet dignified.
And though the fates may yet betray,
Thy name shall never drift away.

Oh, Southend! From thy briny shore,
The tide of glory swells once more!
No shadow long, nor fleeting fame
Can dim the honour of thy name.
For love endures where time may wane—
And Southend shall forever reign!

AI Naps?

 

[Richard Hearn]

Beautiful. You are booked to read it on the pitch at HT on Saturday.

Repeat

"For love endures where time may wane—
And Southend shall forever reign!"

at the end of each verse, and it can be sung to the tune of "Oh! Tannenbaum/The Red Flag".

There you go. A unique team anthem.

 

[Streaky]

At Roots Hall where the Shrimpers play,
Miley drives through, leading the way.
Bridge flies forward, swift and bright,
Cutting past defenders tight.


Bonne up front, his eyes on goal,
Striking fierce to lift the soul.
Through thick and thin, in blue they fight,
Southend United, pure delight!

 

[Richard Hearn]

Bonne up front, his eyes on goal,
Striking fierce to lift the soul.
Through thick and thin, in blue they fight,
Southend United, pure delight!

I think you may be contravening the Trade Descriptions Act (1968) there.

 

[The Original Tribal Chief]

A haiku:

Sideways, back, sideways
One or two shots on target
Always frustrating

 

[Richard Hearn]

A haiku:

Sideways, back, sideways
One or two shots on target
Always frustrating

I was thinking of a haiku.

I won't bother now.

 

[thenobster]

I was thinking of a haiku.

I won't bother now.

Why not? The all blacks do it every time…

 

[South Bank Hank]

If you can keep your faith while others waver,
As panic rises, doubts begins to grow,
If you can see the steps of those who labour,
As COSU’s plan begins to take a hold;

If you can trust the course, though roads seem longer,
And know investment builds, not overnight,
If you can see this squad grow ever stronger,
Each game a lesson, each fight worth the fight;

If you can watch as Keenan drives us forward,
And Leon lifts the team with fearless play,
If you can sense a new belief restored,
A sharper, braver Shrimpers on display;

If you can cheer, though gaps still need cementing,
And know that patience feeds the growth ahead,
If you can stand through losses, unrelenting,
Not drowning hope, but lifting it instead;

If you can see beyond the league we suffer,
And back the side through struggles yet to come,
If you can trust in those who’ll make us tougher—
The club, the plan, the brighter days to run;

Then Southend shall return where they belong,
And you, my friend, shall stand and sing their song.

(Edit: chatgpt in approx 4 seconds)