The Beautiful Game

Local butchers and bakers once were your chairmen
With loyal players like Finney more clubs could compete
Defenders they launched it and smoked in the showers
And the big centre forward still lived down your street.

Remember the heroes but also the violence
Tackles at knee high, a game just for men
Racist screams and bananas but the studio ‘wisdom’
Grow up, it’s just banter, o don’t take offence

The beautiful game
In stadium or street
Aiming for glory
Win or defeat
The beautiful game
The wonderful game
Moments sublime
Moments of shame

Teenagers with millions on bowling green pitches
Exquisite first touches, defenders who play
We watch the skills, but new owners see product
Maybe more to be made moving home games away.

Hedge funds, emirs, dictators
TV and betting empires
Circling round the golden goose
FIFA and UEFA
Back door, back slap, backhander.
And then of course they introduce…..
The new FIFA peace prize……/ (OMG)

The beautiful game
Oh the beautiful game
Sometimes it was ugly.
This beautiful game
Now fans relegated
It’s drowning in money
They’re taking away
This beautiful game.