Emdad Rahman MBE came to visit Salma's Year 6 Literacy Group as part of our World Book Day celebrations. Emdad grew up a 'stone's throw' from Blue Gate Fields Junior School, and he talked about his life and achievements. His passion is writing poetry, and he loves football, so that is what he writes about. Emdad told us that he is always having creative ideas, keeps notes on his 'phone, and keeps a scrapbook of his life. He explained that it is very useful to look back on, as it's so easy to forget all the things we've done as we get older! Currently he is campaigning and raising money for a Dementia charity, and also for projects in Bangladesh and Ghana. He read us one of his poems, which is shown below, about a footballer from North Africa, who was famous in his day, but has been forgotten. Emdad's poems have been archived by the Briish Library, and can be accessed online via football.org
Larbi Ben Mbarek: The forgotten genius
EMDAD RAHMAN
Tuesday, April 18th, 2017
The first to strike gold in Europe
Was that famous Black Pearl
Fondly known as Benbarek
To others the Moroccan Earl
El Ouatane aged fourteen
Honed the Black Pearl’s stealth
Two Spanish titles for El Prodigio
Order of Merit after his death
Forty three goals for Stade Français
As Larbi walked the walk
Fifty six as Spain’s Perla Negra
La perle noir du Maroc
From twenty Francs a day
An Iberian prince at Marseille
The first ever “black pearl”
Very high praise from Pele
Eight goals against Southend
A first French cap against Italy
War loomed and Larbi went home
With the arrival of the Nazi
French journalists raged in despair
When Atletico signed a cheque
One wrote; ‘Sell the Eiffel Tower,
But not Ben Barek’
Idéal Club Casablanca and US Marocaine
Stade Français adding spice
Atlético Madrid Los Rojiblancos
Where Larbi won La Liga twice
Nineteen caps for Les Bleus no myth
Danced on dictator Franco’s deck
Bel-Abbès and a stadium named
For Haj Abdelkader Larbi Ben M’barek
© emdad rahman
It seems Haj Abdelkader Larbi Ben M’barek has been airbrushed from football history.
What a player and what history!
Larbi Ben Mbarek: The forgotten genius
EMDAD RAHMAN
Tuesday, April 18th, 2017
The first to strike gold in Europe
Was that famous Black Pearl
Fondly known as Benbarek
To others the Moroccan Earl
El Ouatane aged fourteen
Honed the Black Pearl’s stealth
Two Spanish titles for El Prodigio
Order of Merit after his death
Forty three goals for Stade Français
As Larbi walked the walk
Fifty six as Spain’s Perla Negra
La perle noir du Maroc
From twenty Francs a day
An Iberian prince at Marseille
The first ever “black pearl”
Very high praise from Pele
Eight goals against Southend
A first French cap against Italy
War loomed and Larbi went home
With the arrival of the Nazi
French journalists raged in despair
When Atletico signed a cheque
One wrote; ‘Sell the Eiffel Tower,
But not Ben Barek’
Idéal Club Casablanca and US Marocaine
Stade Français adding spice
Atlético Madrid Los Rojiblancos
Where Larbi won La Liga twice
Nineteen caps for Les Bleus no myth
Danced on dictator Franco’s deck
Bel-Abbès and a stadium named
For Haj Abdelkader Larbi Ben M’barek
© emdad rahman
It seems Haj Abdelkader Larbi Ben M’barek has been airbrushed from football history.
What a player and what history!