Same Old Same Old

Didn't qualify*

And I would have agreed with you 6 years ago but this new tv deal has levelled the playing field

Fair point, but I think six years is pushing it a bit, it's closer this past couple of seasons. I don't think the overall quality is any better than it was before.
I could be wrong, but I think pre premier league it was a lot more open.
I enjoyed football of the late 70's onwards. I'm not condoning the hooliganism that came with it, that's one thing I'm glad to see the back of.

When I say six years think back when all you heard was the big four (skum Liverpool Chelsea arsenal)

That's long gone now.

I agree that it was more open years ago and a lot more different teams were winning it

But it is coming back to that

And agree about the 70s and early 80s, there was characters and great players with skill

But middle onwards, it was dark days and football was dying

Only good thing about hillbrough, was it was a turning point in regards stadiums and policing

Agree there was some garbage football late 80s and it had to change.
For me the atmosphere is gone at most grounds, sky try to kid the audiences with targeted microphones, when it's probably just a small group with few beers inside em, usually the away fans too!

As for the openness of the premier league, I'll let you know when we get there....

comment by LIW - Monk a dead man walking (U8453)
posted 16 minutes ago


Only good thing about hillbrough, was it was a turning point in regards stadiums and policing
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You gotta be joking. Hillsborough led to all seater stadiums, lower attendances, higher ticket prices and Im sure lots of other things.

Im not saying going to football was better before then though as there was one good thing it led to which was hooliganism became far less acceptable after that and Heysel.

I only ever went to standing terraces a couple of times as a young kid, but the atmosphere was different with men packed in and standing up (which makes singing and shouting easier). It was a genuine working class past time going to the football as well.

Now with the comfy seats and two or three times the space for each person the prices have gone up to make up for less paying customers, there is less singing, etc and the atmosphere has suffered. its also becoming more exclusive with a lot of people I know not being able to afford to go to PL matches. Hence less atmosphere at games.

comment by Batty (U4664)
posted 6 hours, 14 minutes ago
These aren't inferior teams as far as we're concerned.
We're at their level and have been for years. It's the
Prem that has people smoke-screened to think the Prem
is good because of English players. It's not. It's the
technically brilliant foreign players that make the Prem.
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Surely using this logic the England team and Sam have done well to get an away win and dominate the game against equal opposition?

Many good points here.

Read Soccernomics to understand why England, as currently constituted is unlikely to ever win anything again.

PS does not include goal line technology which might have cost it 1966.

I am a goner

Crowds are way up and grounds miles bigger than 80s