I have always to this day
‘Not liked United’
Not hatred understand
Not animosity
It’s the banter of local rivalry
It’s David and Goliath
The giant and the little shepherd boy
I remember coaches
Parked in Elliot Street
Heading for Old Trafford
In the smoke
While we went down to Burnden
Round the corner
They thought us poor relations
And a joke
But Bolton is human sized
And homely
Our ground beside the railway line
So near
The Embankment roar
On Sat’day afternoons
The sight of Nat and Franny
Ever dear
And Tyldesley my home town
A cosy village feel
Coal mines and cotton mills around
And flat caps by the dozen
And whippets on a lead
A lovely place to live
We call Home Ground
You don’t have to raise your voice
In Tyldesley
Heard you first time
Thought I’d just ignore
The screams and shouts
The Stretford End
The monster Manchester
Follow Wanderers
Follow evermore
Brian Fahy
25 October 2021
Erris Poetry 