Where do I begin? Half and half scarves.

Following a player just for their win. Or Jack Grealish’s calves.

When had it all changed? Facebook, Twitter, X or whatever.

A platform to say anything, deranged. Modern supporters whatever the weather.

Except no. Not the rain. Not even what they call a small game.

Being begged for final tickets, which makes me insane. Fulham, Madrid, Stalybridge Celtic treat all the same.

King of the Kippax, not anymore. Game pin badges rare as rocking-horse dung.

Paper programmes up-priced to four. Your team wins, “It must be a bung.”

Image right charges, sponsors inflated. The big four, five, six, twenty.

Listen for facts, stop being deflated. No Cup replays, goodbye to plenty.

Entitlement and bitter disappointment. Park football understanding sacrifice.

The faded smells of changing room ointment. Out with the old, no room for advice.

Fields and pitches become housing estates. Bitter chants about empty seats.

Number 47 after traditional 8s. There is no room for crisis, cost of living: no eats.

The modern game for the working class. Prices go up and up and up and up.

Saturday? No. Sunday afternoon? No. Monday night? Pass. Dare you to question what is up?!

Toe the line, stand in line, pay the fine. Point deductions bring into disrepute.

Games from July to June, from Plymouth to Tyne. From five to nine, another substitute.

Automatically offside by the skin of a toe. Away, third and fourth kits in all varieties.

Again, VAR is stealing the show. Dates chugging along as corrections in diaries.

Loyalty bonus? Leaves in a year. Win, lose or draw, never gifted a process freeze.

Question their passion? Falls on deaf ear. Captive audience prices that cause you to wheeze.

Football reformation and regulation without invitation. Bills for teams, fans, agents, and players.

Time to question the rule makers’ instigation. What game will be left for the naysayers?

The beautiful game? The beautiful game. Our beautiful game? Our beautiful game.

Your beautiful game? Your beautiful game. My beautiful game? My beautiful game.