Unwanted Guests

This is my poem as to why Qatar should never have been allowed to host the World Cup . I’ve titled it Unwanted Guests and it’s dedicated to the global LGBT football community I hope you enjoy it.

Unwanted Guests

You must not ever be yourself
you have to understand
when the ball hits the net 
we are told loud and clear
displays of affection are banned
in a desert of fear
some have wealth beyond measure
yet no-one can celebrate pride
in the land of no rainbows
they have plenty of closets
and equality is always offside

there is talk of traditions
but red card decisions
will be given
to  those who transgress
in a country where women like me disappear
for daring to wear a new dress
we are objects of shame
and always to blame
for all the world’s sins and its tears
in a land of no rainbows
we are unwanted guests
outcasts in a desert of fear.

© Gayle Smith 2022

The Orkney Postie (For David Harvey)

I was reading the story of former Scotland goalkeeper David Harvey who played for us in the 1974 World Cup and this poem gives an insight in to a cracking keeper with an interesting story to tell. On reading that story that the man I’ve always considered the best Scotland goalkeeper in my lifetime is like myself a diehard Celtic supporter I’ve titled it The Orkney Postie at the suggestion of my friend and fellow hoops fan Paddy Callaghan I hope you enjoy the read

The Orkney Postie

A reluctant hero
this Yorkshire born Scot
achieved something no other Scotland goalie ever had or ever will
he was voted the best keeper in the world
in the world cup in 74
spectacular saves against Yugoslavia, Zaire, and Brazil
showcased the skills of the man
no attacker could ignore
in the summer when Hampden roared on the Rhine
in the run up to West Germany he had won the league
in a team which played sublime football
as Revie’s army was staffed with more tartan hearts
than you’d have seen at a Bay City Rollers concert
a hero in Scotland’s colours
and those of Leeds
his heart bled green and white
and has always lay
in a place that we call paradise
on retirement the quiet man
became an Orkney postie
a far cry from the days
when he played for club and country
he was never a glory seeker
now the safe hands of a great keeper
reliability delivered the mail
in the island he called home
he no longer has any momentos of his football days
he gave them all to charity
his medals, caps, and jerseys
are now the property of fans and collectors
and a man who knows the meaning
of the postage stamp corner
is one of our own
Brother Walfred would have been proud
of the goalie who never wore our gloves
but always cheered us on
win lose or draw
it would take a good shot
to beat David Harvey
the Celt who never was
always did have a safe pair of hands

© Gayle Smith 2021

Mexican Sunday (In Memory Of Diego Armando Maradonna 30-10-1960-25-11-2020)

It was with sadness that I learned last night of the death of the greatest footballer of his generation and one of the best of all time as Argentina said farewell to the genius that is Deigo Armando Maradonna. Indeed such was the outpouring of grief on the news of the death of little magician that the country has declared three days of national mourning for fans to pay their respects to a man who was so much more than a just a footballer. The fact his body lies in the presidential place shows the esteem in which this global superstar was held in his native land. He was to his devoted fans a national icon who was the embodiment of his nation. In this poem I reflect on the life of a troubled genius who scored his first goal for his country against Scotland at Hampden as an 18 year old in the summer of 1979. I’ve given it the title Mexican Sunday I hope you enjoy the read.

Mexican Sunday

A boy genius he became one of greats of the game
his silky skills the passport to fame
which would prove to be a blessing
and a curse
at 18 he displayed his skills
at Hampden
just weeks after Scotland
was yoked to the chains of Thatcherism.

When the world champions brought their stars
to our national stadium
we witnessed a teenage sensation
destroying our defence
older heads told us we’ve not got
a player like him in our team
like we hadn’t noticed
and they blamed the PE teachers
for this
rather than acknowledging the fact
this boy had something special
that extra touch of class
that separates the brilliant from the ordinary.

Growing up in poverty he perfected the skills
which would mark him the best of his generation
he would play on the world’s biggest stages
Mexico 86 was his finest hour
leading his country to world cup glory
his was the story of angels and demons

As a Glasweigan I recognised
both had kissed his boots
in Napoli and Barcelona
he showed both majesty and madness
which would follow him like stalkers
hunting their prey

As the fame began to fade
his face showed signs of the troubles to come
drink and drugs the ruin of so many heroes
added him to their causality list
with Garrincha Greaves and Best
already there
at least he was in good company
when a heart attack brought to an end
a life cut short

Adios Diego Armando Maradonna
the stars will guide your ascension to heaven
as a thank you for the memories
and songs that were sung in your name
by the army you entertained in 79
who later wore your colours as a mark of respect
for the events of a Mexican Sunday

© Gayle Smith 2020

That Goal That Tackle (In Memory Of Tam Forsyth)

Like any football fan who can remember him as a player I was saddend to hear of the death of Rangers and Scotland star Tam Forsyth last night. I met Tam on a few occasions during my high school years and though he may have been a hard man on the park he was a gentleman off it. I don’t often write poems for those who have worn the colours of my club’s fiercest rivals but on this occasion I have made a worthy exception and written this in memory of the man who provided two of the most iconic moments in Scottish football history and titled it That Goal That Tackle. I think you’ll enjoy it.

That Goal And That Tackle (In Memory Of Tam Forsyth)

That goal haunted me
as a 11 year old in May of 73
he never even connected with the ball
for his moment of glory
the defender who had gone forward
for a corner kick and wrote his name in their story
ending up Rangers cup winning hero
I met him a few times over the years
informing him of the tears he caused
on that Hampden afternoon
when John Greig made the save of the season
and we scored from the penelty we got to level the game at 2-2
yet his captain wasn’t sent off
in fairness to the man they called jaws
he admitted we were on top at that time
saying if he’d hit his shot right
he would have missed
we would have won the cup
and the ball would have landed on the moon
we even beat you to that I said
Dixie got there first
I remember the Daily Record cartoon
the morning after
he missed that penelty against Inter Millan
he smiled at my joke saying we should have never needed penelties
with the chances we had on the night
we should have faced the might
of Cruyff’s Ajax in the final that year
but sometimes luck goes against you
honest words from an honest man
who played for the club he loved
giving his all for them
every time he wore the jersey

I told him I’d forgiven him his sin.
of scoring that winner and breaking my heart
on the day he made that tackle
he smiled knowing the one I meant
was made in the dark blue of his country
not the lighter shade of his club
we were to 2-1 up against England
then with only minutes to go
Mick Channon a cracking centre forward raced in on goal
with only Roughie to beat he looked certain to score an undeserved equaliser
and deprive us of our victory
till Tam came sliding in to win the ball, the game, and home nations title
with a tackle timed to perfection
if that had gone wrong it was a certain penelty
but in that moment he laid claim
to the best tackle ever made in a Scotland jersey
and a man who won two trebles with his club
then went to the World Cup in Argentina
had his career defined by two moments in the same stadium
three years apart
the first broke my heart
whilst the second made it soar to the celestial skies
at the end of our days
we are all cut down to bitesized memories
but that goal and that tackle
are legacies which live on
in the story of our game
ensuring that a player who always gave his all
the man his own support called jaws
gets his name remembered in history
and the accolades he never sought in life will be his as he rests in peace

© Gayle Smith 2020

World Cup Lament

On the opening day of the 2018 World Cup I and many others lament the fact that Scotland will yet again miss out on the biggest event in world football, I look back on the events of 40 years ago and show how the events of Argentina 78 changed the way we viewed our national football team and the expectations that went with it. I’ve given it the title World Cup Lament I hope you enjoy the read.

World Cup Lament

You can worship Brazil for their breathtaking skill

admire both the Germans and Dutch

you can mention the English if you really must

just as long as you don’t do it much

you can cheer on the Danes , Argentina, or Spain

the Irish and Uruguay too

you can sing Poland’s praise till the end of your days

just as long as you don’t mention Peru

For that name caused me grief

which defies all belief

they inflicted great pain on our nation

when they gubbed us 3-1 in the Cordoba sun

and caused what we called a sensation

now there are some who claim that in our hall of shame

that defeat was the hardest to take

as it proved beyond doubt that the verdict was out

and our country consigned to our fate

Well, from that moment on dreams of glory were gone

we would never be world cup winners

those Amazon warriors played with our pride

and they proved we were only beginners

we weren’t the stars of the great global stage

though we thought we deserved leading parts

but reality dawned at the end of the night

and the sunset had broken our hearts

Now, we’ll drool over Italy’s style and ability

watch Portugal play with panache

you can see Sweden show all their talents and skills

you can even watch Australia advance

you can say that the French flavour football with flair

and marvel at Mexico too

you can talk of the African lions of Zaire

just as long as you don’t mention Peru

© Gayle Smith 2018

Picture Peru Double goalscorer Teofillo Cubilas

The Hope That Kills You

As Scotland fail to qualify for next year’s World Cup in Russia I’ve written a poem to sum up how it feels to be a Scotland fan as we miss out on a major football tournament I’ve given the title The Hope That Kills You I hope you enjoy the read 
The Hope That Kills You 

It’s the hope that kills you 

we always take it to the wire 

we’re always 90 minutes from glory 

but  happy endings have been absent from our story 

for too many years 

still we’ll cheer them on

it’s just the way we are 

we’ve had tragic stories of open goals missed

the shots that hit the bar with keepers rooted to the spot 

if only it had been an inch or two lower 

or we hadn’t been ball watching 

when they scored that last minute goal

we controlled the game but never put them away

god knows we had the chances

now as we look back on the campaign

we know we should have tasted success 

but yet again it’s the same old story 

when your 90 minutes from glory 

it really is the hope that kills you. 

  © Gayle Smith 2017