No, it was a top 4 because that was what qualified for the champions league. Then Man Utd and the sh1te dropped out of the top 4 for a couple of seasons so they had to rename it top 6 to keep them in the headlines
Yep, pretty much. 2014 when Man Utd dropped down to 7th ironically and Scudamore came out saying Man utd doing badly effects the Premier League brand. And then bang. "Top 6"
All it is, is a marketing ploy that took off.
The 'Top 6' started to get talked about as soon as Man City started to get in to it and Tottenham were making up the numbers. It's been at least 10 years that Sky have been calling it the Top 6/Big 6.
I'm not sure why Everton fans get so upset about it. We haven't been finishing in the top 6 on a regular basis for a long time so there is no chance we're ever going to be in the conversation of a top 6. I'd imagine Leicester fans will be just as upset because they've won the league and had other top 6 finishes in recent years but still don't get in the conversation. The target is to oust one the Top 6 and take their place on a regular basis but it'll take a minium 3 consecutive years of finishing in the top 6 before the media redefine who those Top 6 teams are.
Mate, 10 years ago, Man City finished in the top 6 for the first time in 20 years. Back then Everton were regularly challenging in the top 6, but it was known as the top 4. (Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd). I even remember Jagielka making a joke when the produced a fixture list of the top 4, but Everton were not included in it, despite us being 4th at the time. It was more to do with Man Utd dropping down the league.
I don't get upset at the term. I understand football fans and critics alike are like sheep and football moves fast also. Sayings change a long with it.