Culture signs up George

Roger McGough, Adrian Henri, Brian Patten, Dave Bateman, Levi Tafari. The list of dead good poets around here is endless.

Do we need another one? Yes! We need George Davies.

“What? The founder of retail giant Next, Asda's clothing range and Per Una?” we hear you all chorus in disbelief.

Absolutely. And today the Crosby-born man of cloth abandons pattern cutting to weave an 11-line verse about the city.

His creative juices apparently started flowing when he was filling in his application form to be an 08 cultural ambassador for the city. Honest.

But instead of the usual expression of support, which other less imaginative celebs like Yoko Ono, Stevie Gerrard, Ken Dodd, Cherie Booth, Chris De Burgh and John Conteh, penned on their application forms to be 08 ambassadors, George's love for Liverpool spilled forth in the form of this: 'Liverpool First'.

Liverpool First
by George W. Davies
L Love, Liver Birds, Littlewoods, Liverpool Echo
I International, Initiative, Inventive
V Value of Music, Variety, Victory
E Entertainers (Beatles, Gerry, Cilla), Education (Bootle Grammar School)
R Roots, River Mersey, Religion, Liverpool Ramblers, Royal Insurance
P Passion, Pride, People
O On top, Outgoing
O Open minded, Outrageous!
L Ladies! Lust for Life
First Fashion, Football, Family, Friendship, Fighting Spirit, Funny, Ferry
''YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE''

From the heart, George. But if this is your audition for the post of Liverpool Laureate, there is only one thing to say: “Next.”