This place, nestled amongst houses
First seen through the eyes of a child
Where the red and whites were supported
And the black and whites reviled;
A place of impossible wishes
Of dreams and of bitter despair
But now seen through adult eyes
Still loyal and still standing there;
The tobacco smell I remember
The shuffling feet and the turnstile gate
Climb the steps, and then a glorious view
Of the place where the faithful would wait;
The night air was cold and the wind whistled
Around the shining carpet of green
The swirling rain captured in the lights
In the best place there has ever been;
And then, for each child, one more surprise
An adult sound never heard before
As the throats unleashed their joint bellow
Of the thunderous Roker Roar;
Fathers and sons would trudge homeward
All sad to be leaving that place
But already talking excitedly
Of when their steps could retrace;
The heroes were Montgomery, Hurley and Clough
In my long-lost childhood day
Now the young ones shout out
For Kevin Ball, Russell and Gray;
Now all the talk
Is of a new home for 'the Lads'
A new place to go
For the sons and the dads;
But we should not forget
The pace where it all began
Where cup-ties were won
And determined Sunderland men ran;
If some time in the future
You wish we had not left in haste
Not left the grass to overgrow
Nor the terraces left to waste
Then stop and think carefully
When the winter nights grow dark
Go back as man and boy
To your beloved Roker Park.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem