Please send in your Alan Ball story's, pictures and poems to

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

A FOOTBALL GOD DIES
Sung to the tune of Don McLean's American Pie
 
A long long time ago
I can still remember
when football used to make me smile,
It was on a trip to Goodison
A ginger-haired young ruffian
would make the people happy for a while
 
If you were red he made you shiver,
with every cross that he'd deliver,
Bad news for defenders;
Beauty to Street Enders.....
 
I can remember that I cried
when in 71 he left our side
something touched me deep inside
The day my football died
 
So bye-bye Alan, tears in my eye
This just can't be happening
A god doesn't die,You took us to the summit
when we ooked out on high
singing "Bally greatest Everton guy"..
Bally, greatest Everton guy...
 
Did you score on your debut
And don't you look great in royal blue
Everybody tells me so,
I remember you just playing great
A constant blur in a number 8
making opposition look real slow,
 
Well you knew that we would follow you
when you danced around their number 2
You'd always give your all
and sometimes sit on the ball!!!
 
You were the icon of a royal blue age
with a world class touch and just a hint of rage
and now you're gone you still fill the page
The day my football died.
 
I started singing.....(chorus)
 
Well for 5 years you were on your own
the greatest player in your royal blue home
and that's just what we came to see.
A golden player in a golden team,
the catalyst inside a dream machine,
Amongst cheering that came from you and me.
 
But then while the Cat was feeling down,
He sent you off to London Town
The glory was adjourned;
Not for ages  to return,
And while many tried to take your place
None possessed either your class or grace,
And we lamented our lost ace
The day my football died.

We started singing... (chorus) 
 
I met a girl who cheered the blues
and I asked her for some happy news
but she just cried and turned away,
I went down to the football ground
and I listened for that tannoy sound,
But the man there said that Bally wouldn't play.
 
And in the strees the children screemed,
supporters cried and the players dreamed
but not a word was spoken;
St. Luke's bells must have been broken.
And everyone who'd seen him play
came back together one last day,
They cheered for Alan and they'd pray
The day my football died.
 
And we were singing 
Byebye Alan tears in my eye
This just can't be happening
A god doesn't die,
you took us to the summit
where we looked out on high
singing Bally, greatest Everton guy
 
repeat.

 

EVERYDAY HERO                                                      ( For Alan Ball ) I still can’t believe the news The man who was perpetual motion has stopped The man who never said die has My first favourite player The one who caused me to choose the blue of Goodison The royal blue, his royal blue I cannot think of football without thinking of you Central to the glory that was sixty six One of Everton’s holy trinity Your distinctive white boots The one whose boots I wanted The one who I wanted to be Of course I loved the power of Charlton Revered the skills of Best But also knew my limits Instead, I aligned myself more with you Making the most of what I had And compensating the rest with effort, will and the desire to win I never knew you, but like all our heroes on the field of dreams We feel like we know you all The men who lived out and did what we all wanted to You have always been there And no, I never knew you But did meet you just the once And you did not disappoint A laugh, a joke and a photograph No airs, no graces, down to earth, approachable A star but no star attitude Everything I wanted you to be I still can’t believe the news Impossible to think that you are gone But what you left us, what you gave us Will last a lifetime, outlive our lifetimes You were one of the greats You are one of the greats Always will be, now and forever Everyone will remember Alan Ball and smile PAUL COOKSON

Everton's Corner Of Heaven.

Why do we live?

What makes us feel ten feet tall?

The answer I give,

I have watched the great Alan Ball.

As he played football

Like blood and guts were in fashion.

The flame haired Alan Ball

Played with a fiery passion.

For Everton and England

Alan gave all.

Now he is gone

God bless Alan Ball.

In Everton blue

Or England red.

We will remember you

Blue was the blood you bled.

When I heard of your death

I remembered you in Mexico on the telly

Mentioned,rightly so, in the same breath

As your great opponent, Pele.

You were the Blue Boys hero, Alan Ball

We loved you like a best friend

Thanks for the memories from us all

On the Gwladys Street End.

If Ramsey or Catt is the Heavenly manager,

You will make the first eleven.

Say hello to Labby for us

In Everton's corner of Heaven.

Antony Haselton

Jimmy Ball Read Out This Poem At His Fathers Funeral  

“If”

RUDYARD KIPLING

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Please send in your Alan Ball story's, pictures and poems to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Buy An Exclusive Glassware Memory Of Bally, 6 To Choose From

Crystal Images