Eng-er-land
When home fires start to stutter
And buttered toast grows stale,
Whenever there’s a sudden dearth
Of thick and bitter ale,
Whenever there’s a run on Cheddar
And the dead are out of soul,
You’ll hear them whisper late night
But Rooney got a goal.
It was a famous victory,
A conquest unforeseen,
And when the boys return, the noise
Will lead them to The Queen,
For how to raise the bar is
What the lads are for
As no-one cares for Suarez,
Or for that nil-all draw.
But Rooney got a goal
You’ll hear when England has a
Spasm of nostalgia
The way they did with Gazza
And old folk sitting round a screen
With dentures in a glass
Will all recall The Year Fourteen
(And what didn’t come to pass).
The squad is at the airport,
Their faces cheery-pink,
And each great lad has thought of home
Or been too proud to think –
But Rooney got a goal
It’s wonderful, a thrill –
And anyway what do they know
Of football in Brazil?
Click here for a Telegraph story
Click here to buy Bill’s poetry collection Ringers
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