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young woody 12:34 Wed Mar 20
Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

Having watched the Harry thing over the last few days made me think is football actually more enjoyable now.

All the players are mega fit and in my option the standard is better than if ever was.

However is it more enjoyable to watch now than it was before pre Premier league? (I’m not talking about standing up and all that) I mean is that standard actually better?

Unfortunately i was to young to watch football before the prem but I’m not one of these people who think football didn’t exist pre 92.

lincslink 12:12 Fri Mar 22
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

For me not better or worse, back in the late 60’s it was exciting to go get your bag of monkey nuts and be passed down the front to watch, wouldn’t see your Dad until the final whistle. Saw some great players of the era. Now I still enjoy the match day experience of meeting mates for brekkie and beers just as much as back in the day.

Capitol Man 7:29 Fri Mar 22
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

People in every era have asked the same question and come up with the same answer.

Of course it was. We trend to forget the dross and remember the good stuff with a rose-tinted glow.

Chip Shop Charlie 5:21 Fri Mar 22
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

Oh dear 4:56 Thu Mar 21

Personality Referees

Just this phrase makes me want to puke

gph 2:51 Fri Mar 22
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

"West Ham didn’t lie back and finished the job they had started."

We don't do this any more.

Except to the likes of Macclesfield.

martinbritt_63 12:22 Fri Mar 22
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

It certainly was when a member of a top opposition side remembers the contest like this:

"Although we (Leeds Utd) were a good side, like most we had our share of major disappointments and season 1966-67 brought one or two of those our way, not to mention one result that was a total shock to our systems.

For us it was a disappointing season on the whole. We had to settle for fourth place in the Championship behind Manchester Utd, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham, we lost in the final of the Inter Cities Fairs Cup and lost an FA Cup semi-final to Chelsea in controversial circumstances. But it was a result in the fourth round of the League Cup that really rocked us to our core.

Having beaten Newcastle and Preston in previous rounds, we went down 7-0 to West Ham at Upton Park, which was a real embarrassment. At that point Leeds weren’t used to losing, let alone being thumped like that.

Two days before the West Ham tie we had beaten Arsenal 1-0 in a league game at Higbury, with a fluke goal from Jack Charlton. The gaffer (Don Revie) had changed out system for that game – Willie Bell, who normally played left-back picked up George Graham in midfield and I was pushed to left-back. The win wasn’t convincing by any means. We then stayed down in the capital for our League Cup match with West Ham. I roomed with Johnny Giles and we both spoke the night before and hoped the gaffer would not play the same system for the cup game. Unfortunately he did. He kept me at left-back and told Bell to do a man-marking job on Geoff Hurst.

On the night I was up against Peter Brabrook – a flying machine – and he just absolutely tormented the life out of me. Every time he simply flew past me almost at will. Johnny Sissons scored in the first minute and had completed his hat-trick in thirty five minutes – it was without doubt the finest hat-trick I have ever seen – and John ‘Budgie’ Byrne destroyed Jack. He was getting past him just as easy as Brabrook was getting past me.

Each time we attempted an attack Moore would clean up time and time again. Then he would simply lay the ball off to the flair players. He was like a music conductor. Eventually we came off at half-time four down. But the daft thing was that although we had been battered, we actually felt that we still had a chance of winning. This was down to our spirit and the confidence the gaffer instilled in us. That was why we was so successful. We never knew when we were beaten.

The gaffer swapped things round, putting me back to my usual central defensive position and Willie Bell back to left-back. And although we felt more comfortable the damage was done and we were in disarray. West Ham didn’t lie back and finished the job they had started. At the end, Geoff Hurst had scored three and Martin Peters got one to complete the rout. Young David Harvey had come in as goalkeeper but the poor lad never stood a chance. He was like a lamb to the slaughter.

People reading the results pages the following day probably thought at first it was a misprint. It was Leeds United’s heaviest defeat since losing 8-1 to Stoke in 1934.
I remember thinking afterwards there was very little we could have done about it. Even if we had have started in our usual positions nothing would have changed. West Ham were on fire that night. Simply unstoppable and unplayable. They were magnificent and I'll never forget that night. Unfortunately."

That was Norman Hunter's recollection of Leeds 7-0 thrashing at Upton Park in a league-cup tie. I clearly remember that week, on the previous Saturday we beat Fulham 6-1 at UP in the league, then this cup tie, an then on Saturday we went to WHL and beat Spurs 4-3 in what is still one of the best league games I've ever witnessed. 7 days, 3 games won, 17 goals for - 4 against. Happy Days !

Chigwell 10:13 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

I haven't read through all the posts but I'm sure that many are like me bored and annoyed by all the diving, play-acting and cheating. And what makes it worse is that refs and commentators can't seem to see through it.

boleynkid 9:29 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

Far too much passing these days, often without going forward, which means less goalmouth action. Dodgy pitches often enhanced the excitement.

one iron 8:19 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

Yes

Fifth Column 7:48 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

The skill and fitness levels in the Premier League are streets ahead of what we saw IN GENERAL 20 or 30 years ago.

I enjoy it less because of a lot of what people have referred to below - getting relegated now can threaten the existence of your club so you get "must win" games in September after a bad start. It's more stressful and less of a laugh.

But as a neutral, it's much better to watch. The only negatives in that front is the pathetic diving and people getting fairly tackled and waving their hands around (Anderson for the first bit of the season and in recent matches as well being the prime example).

Oh dear 4:56 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

I think the modern football fan is worse off, I’m not an advocate of that opinion and wouldn’t offer it without being prompted, but you’ve asked so I’m going to answer.

For me I'm glad I was around in the 70's, 80’s and early 90's.

If you think it is ok now it was better then. Going to West Ham was fun.

No “Save our Season” games in fucking October….

A midweek League Cup 4th round replay fucking well mattered, and mattered a lot….

You knew Lester Shapter was an absolute cunt before he stepped on to the pitch, you didn’t need to listen to the drivel of 606* or Talksport.

Football was easily avoided if you wanted to, no saturation coverage of everything from player’s haircuts to the cars they drive. – ornchurchammer sums this up very nicely.

You felt part of something when at UP, perhaps not the players and certainly not the board, but your peers in the stands. Now we have a lot entitled supporters.

All the things that are part of the modern game add very little for me, all seater stadiums, pristine playing surfaces, KO times, football every day of every week, 3rd kits, personality referees, football is now a non contact sport and cheating players.

Italian hammer 3:38 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

Yes.

tanman 12:34 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

Very good re England's starting 11. I can pretty much name the 1990 & 1996 line ups v Germany off the top of my head. Much easier than this years WC line up.

young woody 12:20 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

Hopefully this works.

https://www.facebook.com/BBCArchive/videos/562655250774176?sfns=mo


West Ham vs Liverpool

ornchurch ammer 11:48 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

Agree with a lot of the comments on here and I personally preferred the football of the 80's over what we see today.

What really gets my goat though is the brainwashing from Sky and the media.

Do we ever see a goal scored or a decent save from the keeper that is not fantastic, outstanding, top drawer or world class? These players are being paid record wages but everything they do is hyped up as being 'unbelievable'. You see just as good pieces of skill on Sunday mornings across the country.

Now that they have rinsed the Premier, and it has been ruined by money dictating the top 4 each year, they are trying to convince us how fantastic the Championship by hyping it as 'the most competitive league in Europe'. It is a second rate division with the players that the top division don't want. It is entertaining and anyone can beat any team but that is because the teams are much of a muchness and generally struggle once promoted. Quality in that division, like Wolves last season, normally win it quite handily.

Chrisel 11:24 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

I used to get far more enjoyment out of watching football. But then it was the best part of the week, out for beers with mates, maybe not getting home until the following day. The result mattered at least as much as anything else that week.
Now it doesn't mean so much or provide so much excitement because I have more important things in my life, like a family.
Nothing to do with the football. Just getting old.

Westham67 11:17 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

Clyde Best

Razzle 11:15 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

Further to that i watched the first part of "out of their skins" last night the rise of black footballers. We very quickly forget what these players had to endure...

Razzle 11:11 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

Dr Moose 11:09 Thu Mar 21

I remember England not being able to string 3 passes together in 80s they were fucking diabolical

Dr Moose 11:09 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

Woody,

Back in the 80's and early 90's there was genuine excitement when it came to watching England, you could name the starting 11 as it rarely changed. I remember paying £8 to watch West Ham from the North Bank, the anglo Italian cups games, getting out of East London in the car then stopping at the kebab shop just before getting home. Now, I forget when England are on, cannot name a regular first England 11; have not been to the Hotpoint (and don't plan to). But then its what you are used to; I'm fortunate to have been supporting and watching West Ham since the late 80's. I don't enjoy it so much now partly due to the cost, for me I wouldn't see change from £150 for a day out watching West Ham.

Chrisel 9:39 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

Everything was better in the old days.
Even Shakespeare and the ancient greeks wrote that so it must be true
Everything has been on a downward spiral for the last 2,500 years,
I don't know why we bother.

cholo 9:25 Thu Mar 21
Re: Was football back in the day more enjoyable than it is now?

It was much more enjoyable pre Premier league. What ruined it was the draconian Taylor report, yes stadiums needed desperately updating, but they could've kept terraces a part of that. Part of the experience for me died with the North and south banks, I haven't been a regular since those days.

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