Give Us a Goal!

A family fun-filled holiday,
Seaside football – match of the day,
On the beach – the score nine nine
When the match went into injury time.
We soon forgot our day for sports
When the wasp flew up my brother’s shorts.

Meet sensational scorers, dependable defenders, great goalkeepers and fanatical fans like Great Gran. Find out who always shouts at the ref, what is scary about being in the wall, where the wasp flew and why you shouldn’t put mums in goals. Every aspect of the football season and more are brilliantly brought to life by poet and football fan Paul Cookson.

PAUL COOKSON has been a football fan longer than he has been a poet. Since 2004 he has worked with The National Football Museum as their official Poet in Residence. He has also worked with Liverpool Libraries as Poet For The Everton Collection and his football poems have featured on Match of The Day and various national radio stations. He has held the World Cup and met six of the World Cup Winners from 1966.
As a poet, Paul has over 40 titles to his name and his poems have appeared in over two hundred collections. He spends most of his time visiting schools and festivals, performing his work and leading workshops. He lives in Retford, Nottinghamshire.
DAVID PARKINS used to skive off football by drawing posters for the games teachers, which is why he is now an illustrator and not a famous footballer. He has illustrated many children's picture books for British, American and Canadian publishers, including Egypt Diary by Richard Platt for Walker UK and Candlewick US. He lives in Ontario, Canada.