Hoddle, Hoddle

Hoddle, Hoddle*

There's a lot that call you Glenda,
Say that you can't tackle.
But 'who can pass with both feet
Like you in English football?'
(To quote St John).

An artist amongst frenzy,
Here now in QPR's lounge,
Here in the flesh before me.
I'm looking at your broad back,
You're big for a midfield player,
And you've learnt how to put your
Foot in like Martin Peters.
You smile and sign, another
Autograph, another well wisher.
How can you tell that I'm a true lover?
Not just another back slapper.
Man of the match winner -
You've scored a goal worthy of Pel?,
And completely run the show.

'I come from Harlow, you know'
As I push my City Final replay ticket
Towards our town's greatest cultural artefact.
'Oh yeah, which part?'
'Westfield' 'I know it'
He signed it.
'I've always thought you were great.'
An embarrassed smile, the attention's gone.

I keep standing close,
As the show goes on.
Picking up pieces
Of your conversation
With John Motson.
As a sub for the local news man,
I should be sniffing out stories
About the 'R's'.
But my brain has turned to peanut butter,
Like Brando I can only mutter
'Hoddle, Hoddle, Hoddle .....'

I've compared your shots to Bobby Charlton's,
When football's name was mud to some,
And your skills were being rubbished
In the general condemnation.

Finally, the executive lagers consumed,
It's time for you to go.
I just have to touch you -
One last half-grasped
Handshake, 'Good luck in Mexico'.

Now that's over too ...
As all must be - I recall that happy
Morning after we beat Paraguay.
Brilliant sunshine, the traffic singing
'Hoddle, Hoddle'. The birds singing
'Hoddle, Hoddle' then Maradona's hand.

We were robbed it's true, off the field
By politics, hooligans and injuries
As well as on the field by referees.
You don't seem to score the goals you used to,
Perhaps the trouble with your back and knees?
I still love you, but it's more mature,
Recognising our respective boundaries.
Football will never seem the same again;
If only we had bloody won....

Date mostly written: 1986