Boots: A Selection of Football Poetry 1890-2017

Boots is a collection of historical football poems by international contributors, which was first published in New Zealand as a special football issue of the periodical broadsheet: new new zealand poetry to coincide with the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The poems celebrate ‘the beautiful game’ with a range of emotions, critical insights and expressions/images of the much-loved international pastime. Contributors include the well-known and renowned to first-time authors and occasional versifiers: Dannie Abse, Nick Ascroft, James Brown, Albert Craig, PS Cottier, John Dickson, Michael Duffett, John Gallas, C.W. Grace, Jeff Hilson, Tim Jones, Gary Langford, Moshé Liba, David McGill, Michael O’Leary, Mark Pirie, Harry Ricketts, Alan Ross, and Kendrick Smithyman. This new edition includes new material found by the editor in the past three years. 'Mark Pirie’s compilations are always interesting and worthwhile.' – John Symons, Journal of the Cricket Society, Autumn 2014