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Leeds: Bard of Barnsley backs city's World Cup bid
Yorkshire poet Ian McMillan is backing Leeds's efforts to become a host city for the UK's 2018 World Cup bid.
Organisers of Back the Bid Leeds have commissioned the bard, broadcaster and commentator, to write a poem to champion the Leeds City Region bid.
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And they hope his flag-waving poem, World Cup Leeds, will spur ordinary people from the region to give their support.
In his 18 line verse, the well-loved and popular poet stakes the region's claim as the "proper" place to stage the opening rounds of the global football tournament and can't resist making a reference to the area's liking for Yorkshire Pudding as well as its passion for football.
Among his many hats Ian is poet-in-residence for Barnsley FC and Humberside Police's Beat Poet. He will be unveiling the poem at Springvale School, Barnsley, today.
Ian said: "Even though I'm a Barnsley fan I reckon the bid is good for Yorkshire as a whole and I hope it'll be my chant that sways the bid, and of course I hope the final will be played at Oakwell anyway."
With only a month to go before the Football Association (FA) announces the winning cities for their World Cup bid, the need for public support is bigger than ever.
The Leeds City Region – which stretches from parts of North Yorkshire, through West Yorkshire and down to Ian's home town of Barnsley – is bidding to host matches should the FA be successful in winning the right to hold the 2018 tournament.
Evidence of public support will be a key part of the Leeds bid document to be presented later this month to England 2018, established by the FA to lead its World Cup bid.
* To register support, visit: www.backthebidleeds.com or text 'Leeds' to 62018.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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