RIP Football you will be missed

1937 - The first televised football match on the BBC
Blame - Arsenal for being so massive everyone wanted to watch a game between their first XI and reserves.
Why - TV allowed fans to support teams from their sofa, and clubs no longer were the social hub of the community.


1961 - abolishment of the maximum wage
Blame - Jimmy "the chin" Hill
Why - Made money the main focal point of a players career.

1979 - First £1m signing
Blame - Brian Clough and Trevor Francis
Why - Broke through the glass ceiling and made big spending rather than player development the main focus of clubs.

Hi me in ten year's time reading this, if this site is still going. Anyway, my point is remember when you thought THIS was bad?

I blame Rashford.

All seater stadia
Blame English football fans
Why - who pefers Sitting to a big sway?

Football wasn’t exactly thriving pre 1992. Half empty decaying stadiums, hooligans, racism, disasters (Hillsborough, Heysel, Bradford)…need I go on? I can’t disagree with the OP, a course correction is needed.

Unfair to include Bosman in this. It was football's greed that proliferated the slavery of players. Really good ol' days romantic to go to your work only to be told your work is now 500 miles away, no arguments.

comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 1 hour, 37 minutes ago
All seater stadia
Blame English football fans
Why - who pefers Sitting to a big sway?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
But who really sits during the game? Me at 1/2 time

1964 Littlewoods pumping Pools money in to Liverpool FC. That is the start of money buying football.

Good well thought out article
I don't blame Bosman, it's not right to keep wages at an artificial low point.

You missed Ted Boeley and his 8 year contracts, his £1bn spend and his 'friendship' with Trump.

comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 1 hour, 9 minutes ago
You missed Ted Boeley and his 8 year contracts, his £1bn spend and his 'friendship' with Trump.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Todd Boehly

My brother keeps making that mistake, confusing Chelsea owner with serial killer Ted Bundy

comment by Tony Le Mesmer (U1449)
posted 1 hour, 13 minutes ago
comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 1 hour, 9 minutes ago
You missed Ted Boeley and his 8 year contracts, his £1bn spend and his 'friendship' with Trump.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Todd Boehly

My brother keeps making that mistake, confusing Chelsea owner with serial killer Ted Bundy
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well if Todd kills another sport then he will also be a serial killer

I confuse them both with Al Bundy.

Serie A started it.

Copilot gave me the following. Do you agree?

The decline of football (soccer) since 1992 is a complex and debated topic, and it largely depends on how one defines "decline"—whether in terms of sporting quality, fan engagement, financial sustainability, or cultural integrity. Here are some key factors that are often cited as contributing to perceived declines in various aspects of the game:

1. Commercialization and Over-Monetization
Premier League formation (1992): Marked a shift toward profit-driven models.
TV rights inflation: Massive broadcasting deals led to prioritizing revenue over fans.
Ticket price increases: Made attending games less accessible to working-class fans.
Club ownership models: Wealthy owners and state-backed clubs have skewed competition.
2. Financial Inequality
Wealth gap between clubs: Rich clubs dominate leagues and European competitions.
Financial Fair Play (FFP): Criticized for entrenching elite clubs rather than leveling the playing field.
Player wages and transfer fees: Skyrocketing costs have distorted the market.
3. Loss of Local Identity
Global branding: Clubs now cater to international markets, often at the expense of local traditions.
Franchise-like behavior: Clubs rebranding, changing crests, or relocating training grounds for commercial reasons.
4. Fixture Congestion and Player Burnout
Expanded competitions: More games in domestic leagues, Champions League, and international tournaments.
Shorter off-seasons: Less recovery time for players, leading to injuries and reduced quality.
5. VAR and Over-Regulation
Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Introduced to improve fairness but has led to controversy, delays, and fan frustration.
Rule changes: Frequent tweaks to handball, offside, and other laws have confused fans and players alike.
6. Fan Disillusionment
Super League attempt (2021): Widely seen as a betrayal of football’s competitive spirit.
Disconnect between clubs and fans: Fans feel ignored in major decisions.
Atmosphere decline: Sanitized stadiums and corporate hospitality have diluted traditional matchday culture.
7. Youth Development and Grassroots Neglect
Focus on elite academies: Smaller clubs and grassroots programs often underfunded.
Global scouting: Local talent pathways sometimes overlooked in favor of international prospects.
8. Corruption and Governance Issues
FIFA and UEFA scandals: Corruption cases have damaged the sport’s credibility.
Opaque decision-making: Lack of transparency in governing bodies and club operations.

I've been saying it for years but it will only fully be recognised in the UK when PL clubs aren't the ones benefitting from the money and corruption and start losing out. By then it will be too late and the English game will deserve everything that comes to it.

comment by Darren The King Fletcher (U10026)
posted 3 hours, 48 minutes ago
Serie A started it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
STARTIED WHUT?

comment by 4zA (U22472)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Darren The King Fletcher (U10026)
posted 3 hours, 48 minutes ago
Serie A started it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
STARTIED WHUT?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The death of football.

Silvio Berlusconi says ciao.

comment by Darren The King Fletcher (U10026)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by 4zA (U22472)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Darren The King Fletcher (U10026)
posted 3 hours, 48 minutes ago
Serie A started it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
STARTIED WHUT?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The death of football.

Silvio Berlusconi says ciao.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
oh

letz ask Paulie Walnuts whut he tinks aboot it all:

Ohh! So lemme get this straight. You wanna know what happened to European soccer since the ’90s? Sit down, lemme break it down for ya. This thing used to be beautiful. Passion, pride, guys kickin’ the ball around like their life depended on it. Now? Fuhgeddaboudit.

⸻

Overcommercialization?

You kiddin’ me? Back in the day, soccer was for the people. Now it’s like walkin’ into a freakin’ mall. Every team’s got ten sponsors on the jersey—“Fly Emirates,” “Qatar Airways,” “Crypto this, crypto that”—I dunno what half these companies even do! I’m watchin’ a Champions League match and I feel like I’m in Times Square, not a stadium. All about the dollars, not the game.

⸻

Too Many Games?

It’s like every day there’s another tournament. Premier League, La Liga, Champions League, Nations League, Conference League—I need a chart to keep up. These poor schmucks are playin’ 60, 70 games a season. No wonder their hamstrings are tighter than Chrissy after a bender.

⸻

VAR?

Ugh. Don’t even get me started. “Video Assistant Referee.” Yeah, great—let’s sit around for five freakin’ minutes while some guy in a closet in Zurich decides if a guy’s eyelash was offside. Ya score a goal, ya celebrate… then boom! VAR says, “Sorry, pal, your big toe ruined it.” Kills the whole vibe. You ever see Sil go nuts when AC Milan scored? Try stoppin’ that mid-celebration. He’d whack the VAR booth.

⸻

The Big Clubs Get Everything

Back in the day, a little team could surprise ya. Now? You got like six “superclubs” hoardin’ all the cash and talent. PSG, Man City, Real Madrid—they got more money than Tony had envelopes. Meanwhile, the little guys? Nothin’. It’s like takin’ candy from a baby, over and over again. No competition. No magic.

⸻

Ticket Prices?

Don’t even think about goin’ to a game. You wanna take your nephew to watch Juventus? Hope you got a few G’s stashed in your sock drawer. They priced out the real fans—the guys who bled for this sport. Now it’s tourists takin’ selfies in $200 scarves.

⸻

Too Clean, Too Polished

You go to a match now and it’s like goin’ to the freakin’ opera. Where’s the smoke? The flares? The chants with a little edge to ’em? Now they got stewards throwin’ people out for standin’ up too long. What are we doin’ here? Watchin’ a game or sippin’ cappuccino?

⸻

Bottom Line?

They took somethin’ beautiful and turned it into a product. And lemme tell ya somethin’—not everything’s meant to be sold. Some things? They’re sacred. The game used to be like a Sunday dinner with Ma—messy, loud, full of heart. Now it’s like eatin’ reheated lasagna off a plastic plate.

⸻

So yeah, European soccer? Still looks pretty, but deep down, it’s got no soul left. Like a guy wearin’ an Armani suit—but he’s dead inside. You feel me?

You wanna fix it? You need a little more Gattuso, a little less Zuckerberg.

BA-DA-BING!

the sport is nough PHWOAR! peepull who dont like football

jussed like the mosed suxesful moosic these days is aim at peepull who donet like moosic

Why is the CWC the final nail?

There are still trillions to be milked from the game. It's not as if there's anything more entertaining to replace it ATM. This is gonna be going on for many years yet.

The bubble will eventually burst though, and then maybe we can get our game back...

Excellent article and not at all Barry like…

I don't trust him, he's up to no good.