Albion

Perfidious Albion!

If this youth from Albion does not appear soon, I shall set sail without him, prince though he be, and leave him to try his hand at swimming to the Cassiterides.

Despite failing to win last night, Brighton and Hove Albion are second in the table.

I count not riches as doth the common sort, / nor do I prize the English tongue above all. / For though the isle of Albion vaunt her speech, / and Nippon dreameth of wedlock with the West, / I hold my treasure in a wider store. / The songs of Spain, of France, of Portugal, / of Catalan, Italia, Chabacano, / with Esperanto and Lojban twain, / do weave a garland fair of southern fire. / Yet turn I also eastward, where the dawn / in Orient tongues doth clothe the soul with light— / Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai, / and Vietnam's sweet flowing words of jade. / But richest still the tongues that earth forgot, / the songs of elder tribes, Aboriginal, / Amerindian, whose breath is spirit's root, / more precious far than gold of any crown. / Thus is my wealth not coin nor empty fame, / but in the rainbow'd speech of humankind, / where East and West together find their peace, / and every voice is kin unto mine own.

I count not riches as doth the common sort, / nor do I prize the English tongue above all. / For though the isle of Albion vaunt her speech, / and Nippon dreameth of wedlock with the West, / I hold my treasure in a wider store. / The songs of Spain, of France, of Portugal, / of Catalan, Italia, Chabacano, / with Esperanto and Lojban twain, / do weave a garland fair of southern fire. / Yet turn I also eastward, where the dawn / in Orient tongues doth clothe the soul with light— / Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Cantonese, Thai, / and Vietnam's sweet flowing words of jade. / But richest still the tongues that earth forgot, / the songs of elder tribes, Aboriginal, / Amerindian, whose breath is spirit's root, / more precious far than gold of any crown. / Thus is my wealth not coin nor empty fame, / but in the rainbow'd speech of humankind, / where East and West together find their peace, / and every voice is kin unto mine own.

[M]ightie Albion, father of the bold / And warlike people which the Britaine Iſlands hold. / For Albion the ſonne of Neptune was, / Who for the proofe of his great puiſſance, / Out of his Albion did on dry-foot pas / Into old Gall, that now is cleeped France, / To fight with Hercules, that did auance / To vanquiſh all the world with his matchleſſe might, […]

The Reds laid siege to the Albion goal throughout, with Jordan Henderson striking the underside of the bar and Dirk Kuyt the inside of the post.