"Done and Dusted!"

Wow! It really happened
The best weekend of my life
We finally got to Altona
After so much worry & strife.
It wasn't about the football
No matter what the score
Taking on the sheer magnitude
Of a 125th anniversary tour.
Two games in one weekend
Both of them won
In truth the scores were secondary
When all is said and done.
I hope the players enjoyed it
And helped our pre-season plan
But it will be cherished a million times more
By every single Hamlet fan.
Such a unique bond
Hard to say our goodbyes
Untold people from both clubs
Wiping tears from their eyes.
Proud to have played my part
But too much credit humbled me
It was all the others who helped
That really was the key.
Will it happen again?
I'm sure it will some date
But I've done my duty
Someone will step up to the plate.
When I can just rock up
Simply travelling as a fan
Without having to fret about all the details
In a way that only I can.
Been hampered by my dodgy foot
Sunburnt as well to boot
There can't be any denying
It was still a hoot!
Even those who don't like me
Have patted me on the back
Despite not seeing eye to eye 
For keeping everything on track.
The weather's been scorching
And I've set my foot back for ages
Not even had time to jot down poetry
On my empty notebook pages.
Would I change this for anything?
Not in a million years
Haven even been wistful of others
Knocking back their German beers.
Having stepped down from the Committee
My duties are complete
Reverting back to a fan like any other
Relax and take a back seat.
I don't care what they remember me for
I'm not one to shout or boast
But a little bit deep inside of me
Wants it to be for the Altona friendship most.

Dulwich Poet 24th July 2018

(Dulwich Hamlet have just played two matches in Hamburg, including a special 125th anniversary match against our close friends from Altona 93. I was one of the fans involved in over three years of fundraising to over the costs of the trip for the First Team squad)

"Altona Haiku"

Football's Coming home
But not as you all know it
Eighteen Ninety Three

Universal game
Altona Dulwich Hamlet
Special bond of love

Chance meeting in snow
Hearts melt all over Europe
Magical weekend

Zines and groundhopping
Uniting our football fans
Jager und Kail-JA!

Can't draw for toffee
Poetry is from the heart
Altona engraved

Wearing a false crown
Mask modestly hides hard work
Football's chalk and cheese.

Dulwich Poet 18th July 2018

(Dulwich Hamlet Football Club have had a special pre-season tour to Hamburg, culminating in a special game against our good friends from Altona 93. One of their supporters produced a fanzine, with half a blank cover, for the occasion. The idea being that you copy it and send him your entry for an artistic competition. I can't draw, my 'art' is through my poems, so I thought I'd write some 'haiku' to scribble on the cover of mine to send him...)