25 years of the Premier League

This season is the 25th of the Premier League era. For those of you born after its introduction or young enough not to really remember what went before, apologies, but I thought it would be interesting to see what people think of it.

Now we have ££££, huge TV coverage, better stadia (one exception), some of the world's best players etc etc plus a closed shop at the top of the game, huge wealth inequality, expensive tickets, distance between fans and clubs etc etc.

 

The PL has benefitted from the increased funding, increased awareness in the league and no doubt, the players have also benefited from the $.

One may argue the fans have also won out from the quality of football, however, probably fair to say the fans have also lost out.

Increased costs of supporting your favourite team.
Just a handful of clubs competing for the top prize while the less fortunate clubs struggle to compete.
People tend to favour all teams competing, not just a few.
The current costs paid out for players are not substainable ( Neymar)
Anyway, just a few things to consider.

 

Initially, the PL was not much different to what went before, and it wasn't difficult for smaller teams to be competetive with the big guns, hence Blackburn were able to muscle in on Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal. Gradually though, as more money was poured into the league the smaller teams were cast aside, ourselves included.

I continued to enjoy watching the PL whilst we were shuffling about the lower tiers of the league, in admiration of the quality of football played and dream of us punching above our weight and finally making it back to the big time.

After our disastorous dalliance with the big boys, and the cynicism of both players, managers and pundits against the smaller teams, and how it's almost expected of them to get hammered and have every decision go against them (Shaun Derry and Ashley Young a prime example) I have definately fallen out of love with the top division. Unfortunately, these charachter traits are now also integrating themselves in the lower divisions as the prize is so great that it's win at all costs. I miss honest, hard-working professionals (or amateurs) who play for the love of the game and the team badge, rather than a huge wedge at the end of each week, which is why I go and watch local football (yeah, it's Scotland, the quality is ****e, it's always cold, but it's passionate).

 

On the topic of playing for the badge, one of my favourite Stan Bowles stories is the one where Don Revie has just taken over as England manager and he announces to the squad that he has managed to get their appearance money increased from £200 to £400. Emlyn Hughes, who was captain at the time, is appalled and tells Revie that every England player should be prepared to play for nothing. 'Look, if you don't want yours, I'll have it', chirps Bowles.

 

Love looking at some of the stats...

Fewest league wins in a season: Derby (07-08) with just one (against Newcastle)
Six teams have gone through a whole season without a single away win - Derby, Leeds, Coventry, Wolves, Hull and Norwich.
We hold the record for the longest wait for a first win, lasting 16 games before our first victory in 12-13 season
Only Arsenal have gone an entire season unbeaten, in 03-04
Man City, Sheffield Utd and Southampton (with 18) share the record for most draws in a season

Derby scored the fewest goals in a season, with just 20 in their disaster 07-08 season
Swindon are the only club to concede 100 goals in a season, in 93-94
In 01-02 season, Arsenal scored at least once in every single game

No team has come back from more than three goals down to win a game (Leeds, Wimbledon, Man Utd and Wolves have managed that feat) although Newcastle came back from 4-0 down to draw with Arsenal.

John Burridge is the oldest player to turn out, aged 43 yrs 162 days, for Man City against us in 1995
Brad Friedel holds the record for consecutive appearances (310)

First goalscorer? Brian Deane for Sheffield Utd against Man Utd

One other goalscoring record I remember is that the scorer of the 10,000th Premier League goal is our own Sir Les....

 

I've only known it as the Premier League but without a doubt we are poorer (literally in the case of fans) for its existence.

 

Remember going city away first Monday night game 1-1 think sinton scored!!

 

I thought that had been broken by another club, perhaps last season? Sunderland??

 

Im lucky enough to have watched the old 1st division, 68/69 season gave me some of my fondest memories,1st trip to old trafford (we lost 8-1). The sky money has made the rich clubs richer and players becoming millionaires, different game now

 

They beat Bournemouth 2-1 away in the eleventh game of the season...

 

Crushing lead for PL bad at the moment.

I wonder if the opinions would be the same if we were in it, and near the top bit. I hope and rather think that we would still see through it.

 

For me, the thing is that, whilst the quality of the football is largely better than the old Football League days, the stadia better, the TV coverage extensive to the point of over-saturation and the opportunity to see some of the world's best players week in, week out, I think we're a little poorer for having lost a large amount of the connection between the players and the fans. There are very few so-called home grown players that many fans can identify with in the way we could in the past. The massive media coverage has eroded some of the mystery. And, of course, the focus of dosh into the PL has meant clubs in the lower leagues are less likely to climb out the morass or retain decent players, the latter seemingly more prepared to earn a decent wedge as third-string squad members of the elite clubs than build a reputation coming up through the ranks. Lower league clubs now, of course, have the benefit of blooding the elite club youngsters through loan deals and, if they're any good, they're swiftly whisked away again.

 

Totally agree with you both.

The weird thing is though, despite the near universal dislike for it, we all keep coming back for more. Isn't that the definition of addiction - you know it's bad for you, and actually hate it, getting minimal kicks, but just can't stop.

PL now open to bids from online broadcasters like Amazon and Netflix for the next round of TV contracts. 'No ceiling in sight' for the amount of money that could be spent, according to the PL CEO. Just super, isn't it?

 

I'm a little torn on this. Whilst I completely agree that money is ruining the game and surely the balloon will burst at some point, I love watching some of the best players in the world on the TV and enjoyed it even more when me and my lads could watch them live for a couple of seasons.

 

That's the one upside as far as I can see, the chance to see some of these great players in the flesh. Stand outs for me in those 3 short seasons were Rooney absolutely bossing one game, and Özil ghosting round another, running it invisibly.

 

Also, Gerrard, Suarez, Aguero, among others.

 

I have been trying to suppress the memory of that 3-0 Christmas drubbing by Liverpool, accompanied by hellish traffic on the A40. Though Suarez was sublime.

 

As steeler said earlier initially there was no difference from the old first division except that sky showed the games and if memory serves me right they stopped showing highlights on terrestrial tv, games were moved from 3pm Saturday to Sunday and Monday, but all teams thought they had a chance of winning the league.
Then 42 games became 38 Dennis bergkamp was signed by arsenal to light up the division, smaller sides were eventually relegated, English players became the minority as scouts looked to countries that had previously never exported a player worth mentioning until we arrived where we're at now with ridiculous sums of money being spent on average players, clubs owned by countries, some 3rd world debt being dwarfed by the purchase of 4 full backs, sky hyperbol on anything, a closed shop top 6 and Gary bloody lineker.....
Meh....

 

Sky hyperbole...