30 Years Of The Premier League

[Stevie Nicks Bootleg]

Personally I see the 80's as the last of the times were anyone could be successful. You had Villa winning in europe, Coventry and Wimbledon winning cups, our success at home and abroad. Even Watford had a chance. Look at the recent cup final Watford got to. They lost 9-0 in a spectacle that would have left them with more dignity had they simply forfeited the day before. I jest of course, but my point still stands.

All that changed, and it became a closed shop. Aided and abetted by sky and their greedy pursuit of subscribers and clicks

I'm referring to football's popularity at the time, as a whole, attendances in general were poor by around 1986 and the worst since the war (mostly to do with socio-economic factors, of course) and football was badly in need of a lift, families weren't really going as much any more, so that had to change. Of course, it changed too much and younger kids were priced out of it soon and the average age of the fan seemed to change from about 15 to about 35 within 10 years (obviously that's a bit of an exaggeration but the average spectator seems a lot older these days due to its cost- and has been for many years now)...and the endless adverts and saturation of live games, at odd times, etc,

But the point i was mostly making is that's it's always better when you're young and Everton are good (if you can be lucky to have both, like I did in the 1980s, then great) and the same with all the generations before "football was much better when I was a kid" says a pensioner in the 1960s, etc) and that's why you heard my grandad back in the day saying Duncan Edwards was more skilful than Maradona, etc (and it was only after i saw some footage for myself years later, that i could say "nah, not sure about that grandad, personally").

Also, Wigan and Swansea have won cups in the past 10 years and Leicester have had some success, so it can always happen- and may do again (hopefully, although the Wigan/Swansea wins are nearly 10 years ago, which isn't good, and worrying).

 

[The Legend of Southall]

I'm referring to football's popularity at the time, as a whole, attendances in general were poor by around 1986 and the worst since the war (mostly to do with socio-economic factors, of course) and football was badly in need of a lift, families weren't really going as much any more, so that had to change. Of course, it changed too much and younger kids were priced out of it soon and the average age of the fan seemed to change from about 15 to about 35 within 10 years (obviously that's a bit of an exaggeration but the average spectator seems a lot older these days due to its cost- and has been for many years now)...and the endless adverts and saturation of live games, at odd times, etc,

But the point i was mostly making is that's it's always better when you're young and Everton are good (if you can be lucky to have both, like I did in the 1980s, then great) and the same with all the generations before "football was much better when I was a kid" says a pensioner in the 1960s, etc) and that's why you heard my grandad back in the day saying Duncan Edwards was more skilful than Maradona, etc (and it was only after i saw some footage for myself years later, that i could say "nah, not sure about that grandad, personally").

Also, Wigan and Swansea have won cups in the past 10 years and Leicester have had some success, so it can always happen- and may do again (hopefully, although the Wigan/Swansea wins are nearly 10 years ago, which isn't good, and worrying).

Wigan, Swansea and Leicester are the exception, not the norm. Where as pre-prem, Liverpool's dominance was the exception, not the norm.

Everyone always thinks everything was better when they were younger. Life when you're a kid is simple and easier, so of course they see those times favourably. I was born in the mid-eighties, so I never really witnessed any of it. My halcyon childhood football day's were the 90's and early 00's. However I don't look favourably on those times. History shows that, before the formation of the Premier League, winning something was a lot more achievable to a higher amount of clubs, and the talent pool was a lot more evenly distributed. That has changed since 1992, and Sky have to shoulder their part of the blame.

 

[stony]

I'm referring to football's popularity at the time, as a whole, attendances in general were poor by around 1986 and the worst since the war (mostly to do with socio-economic factors, of course) and football was badly in need of a lift, families weren't really going as much any more, so that had to change. Of course, it changed too much and younger kids were priced out of it soon and the average age of the fan seemed to change from about 15 to about 35 within 10 years (obviously that's a bit of an exaggeration but the average spectator seems a lot older these days due to its cost- and has been for many years now)...and the endless adverts and saturation of live games, at odd times, etc,

But the point i was mostly making is that's it's always better when you're young and Everton are good (if you can be lucky to have both, like I did in the 1980s, then great) and the same with all the generations before "football was much better when I was a kid" says a pensioner in the 1960s, etc) and that's why you heard my grandad back in the day saying Duncan Edwards was more skilful than Maradona, etc (and it was only after i saw some footage for myself years later, that i could say "nah, not sure about that grandad, personally").

Also, Wigan and Swansea have won cups in the past 10 years and Leicester have had some success, so it can always happen- and may do again (hopefully, although the Wigan/Swansea wins are nearly 10 years ago, which isn't good, and worrying).

Hooliganism played a huge part in the poor attendances of the 80s.

 

[Stevie Nicks Bootleg]

Hooliganism played a huge part in the poor attendances of the 80s.

Oh definitely.

 

[Stevie Nicks Bootleg]

Wigan, Swansea and Leicester are the exception, not the norm. Where as pre-prem, Liverpool's dominance was the exception, not the norm.

Everyone always thinks everything was better when they were younger. Life when you're a kid is simple and easier, so of course they see those times favourably. I was born in the mid-eighties, so I never really witnessed any of it. My halcyon childhood football day's were the 90's and early 00's. However I don't look favourably on those times. History shows that, before the formation of the Premier League, winning something was a lot more achievable to a higher amount of clubs, and the talent pool was a lot more evenly distributed. That has changed since 1992, and Sky have to shoulder their part of the blame.

Coventry and Wimbledon wasn't the nom either... the other teams who won the cup in 1980s were four of the then big 5 (and West Ham). In those 3 upset finals, all three teams beat a Big 5 team.

 

[Billy Dean]

Whilst it might not just be Liverpool, they've definitely found a way to make it give them an edge over everyone else. They have a way of turning even average players into great ones. And the players always burn out and go on a downward trajectory when they leave. It's more than a coincidence now.

You could say similar about a lot of Klopp's ex-Dortmund players. Sahin, Goetze, Kagawa for example

 

[The Legend of Southall]

Coventry and Wimbledon wasn't the nom either... the other teams who won the cup in 1980s were four of the then big 5 (and West Ham). In those 3 upset finals, all three teams beat a Big 5 team.

That wasn't quite what I meant. I was talking about more than just the 80's

 

[The Legend of Southall]

You could say similar about a lot of Klopp's ex-Dortmund players. Sahin, Goetze, Kagawa for example

Something definitely doesn't smell right over any of it to me. Doubt we'll ever know the truth either

 

[Stevie Nicks Bootleg]

That wasn't quite what I meant. I was talking about more than just the 80's

I know, you seem to be going further and further back in time....i think season 1888-89 would be your perfect time to be a fan.

 

[The Legend of Southall]

I know, you seem to be going further and further back in time....i think season 1888-89 would be your perfect time to be a fan.

Well I think it might be the best to draw a line under all this.

We'll both just have to agree to disagree

 

[Cork Evertonian]

True, but you're taking about over 40 years ago now....and any decline is only a personal view- it certainly isn't in decline in term of bums on seats and the qualiity of players on view.

I'd argue that football has declined in terms of competitiveness. Sure back in the old days you had the big five which Everton were a part of.

In the modern era we have the big six, which consists of clubs with a significant financial advantage over the rest of the field.

We didn't have financial fair play back in the old days either. So from that point view, there most definitely has been a decline imo.

 

[Cork Evertonian]

In terms of best players in the premier league era Thierry Henry and Roy Keane would be my top two.

I think i'd have Henry ahead of Keane though. In terms of Everton players, then Andrei Kanchelskis was our best player in the premier league era imo.

We won the FA Cup in 1995, and the following season we had Kanchelskis tearing opposition defences to shreds. That was as good as it got for Everton in the prem era.

It's just a shame we only had him for a season and a bit imo. I'd argue he was the last player (apart from a young Wayne Rooney) we had that teams truly feared.

 

[degsy]

I have to wonder how much of that was driven by a media narrative at the time. We didn't exactly dominate in the 60's, did we. So the money never really gave us an unfair competitive edge. Especially compared today's wealthy clubs

Nobody  Dominated that was the whole point, but with the exception of Burnley (basically the last team Pre abolition of the maximum  wage) the Title went broadly with the Towns, Areas and teams with the largest populations and thus gate money ...and it has to be said - decent managers.
And remember Moore's didnt  Pay for it all - he just stood as guarantor.
But more importantly he got the place efficiently...for back then...orginised

 

[The Legend of Southall]

Nobody  Dominated that was the whole point, but with the exception of Burnley (basically the last team Pre abolition of the maximum  wage) the Title went broadly with the Towns, Areas and teams with the largest populations and thus gate money ...and it has to be said - decent managers.
And remember Moore's didnt  Pay for it all - he just stood as guarantor.
But more importantly he got the place efficiently...for back then...orginised

Read my post again. We're making the same point

 

[twoblue]

Here's our first Premier League win, when we smashed what was soon going to be, an all conquering Manchester United team at Old Trafford.

Bob the pole massively underrated