Immortality Awaits
64 comments October 24th, 2004
As Arsenal stand on the threshold of 50 glorious games unbeaten, far be it from me to suggest that Arsene makes any change to his traditional pre-match speech. However…
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or block the goal up with Arsenal dead,
In training there’s nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility;
But when the blast of the referees whistle blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour’d rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let it pry through the portage of the head
Like the cannon on our crest; let the bow o’erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth the East Stand
O’erhang and jutty his confounded enemy,
Swill’d with the wild and raucous crowd.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English/French,
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Adams’,
Have in these parts from morn till even played
And put away their footballs for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your agents; now attest
That those whom you call’d fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of Tottenham blood,
And teach them how to play, And you, good players,
Whose kits were made in England(…probably), show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your transfer fee; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in the eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game’s afoot:
Follow your spirit and upon this charge
Cry Goal for Arsene, Arsenal, and Charlie George!
Game on.
