"Sunday Treat"

Sat here at Preston Park
Chitter chatter in the air
Right by some Edgware pensioners
Sunday without a care.
Still in Greater London
Not a hint of traffic noise
This is non-league football at its best
One of life's great joys.
Another new ground ticked off
A genuine pleasure
Sitting in the back row of the stand
Scribbling poetry at leisure.
The sun is out and shining
Two teams giving their all
Their chances of reaching  Wembley
In reality extremely small.
A bit of trying to play the game
Combined with stereotype long-ball hoof
The perfect way to spend a Sunday
If I'm telling the truth.
Here's the half-time whistle
So far there's no score
Despite the lack of goals in the net
It's hardly been a bore.
This is football tranquility
Smatterings of polite applause
Occasionally interspersed with the barking
Of a four-legged fan with paws.
It's autumnal not baking
A slight breeze through the trees
In all honesty I'm in groundhopping heaven
I am that easy to please!
In truth I could stay at home
Bottle up my thoughts and mope
This is how I get my kicks
Clear my head and cope.
These aren't million pound players
A billion miles from 'Match of the Day'
In fact they're probably out of pocket
For turning up to play.
I doubt if either side can afford expenses
Maybe enough for a pint of beer
Their reward is the simple enjoyment
Of playing the game they love so dear.
We're not talking Dulwich Hamlet or Bromley
Where it's a job in all but name
This is down to earth limited footballers
Who play for the love of the game.
So glad I've made the effort
visiting yet another new ground
If there's a greater antidote to down in the dumps
I doubt it's yet been found.
Groudhopping's my little hobby
Something I love to do
Which is why I've got a buzz of contentment
Sat here in the stand taking a pew.
Visting Harefield United
Wooden roof sheltering me from the sun
Going to ground number seven hundred & twenty eight
This is how I get my fun.

Dulwich Poet 16th September 2018

(I wrote this at Broadfields United versus Edgware Town, an FA Vase 2nd qualifying round replay, at Harefield United)