Football, for the best part of 150 years, the beautiful game.
Beautiful in its simplicity, the same game whether played in front of 120,000 or 12.
A bit of grass (minus dog excrement), goals be it a goal frame with full nets or a just couple of jumpers for goalposts… That’s all you needed, plus a ball with all of its leather optional.
The same rush of scoring a goal, making a tackle, making a save the same when you were a four-year-old right through to senior football keeping men and women fit and healthy in retirement, the game was for all, the fun, the passion, the pride.
Football clubs at the heart of their community, be it a focal point for people to just come together to share a common interest or working with schools, youth groups and charities, football clubs are special. Just being part of something whether you are a football club chairman, boardroom member, office worker, steward, player, backroom team member or what all of this is built on, a supporter. Everyone can feel a part of something.
In Britain, cities, towns and villages across the Scottish highlands to the Cornish Riveria, from the Welsh valleys to coastal docks and cities. Hundreds of clubs born for the love of the game by the people of those communities. Each one special, each one unique. From the very lowest tier of the non-league pyramid, through to the English Football League and then the Premier League. Every club knows that only the limits of their imagination hold back each club’s particular dreams and aspirations.
From the FA Cup through to the English footballing pyramid, there are no boundaries to what can be achieved through sporting success and merit, local success, national success, international success with competition across Europe and the World…
Until now.
12 owners of 12 football clubs across Europe have decided amongst themselves that they and them alone are more important than all of that.
6 of those 12 come from England’s own footballing pyramid.
Happy to swallow up the whole game, happy to try and line their own pockets at the expense of everyone else.
The entire game from top to bottom is at threat.
Those supporters of the clubs involved now find themselves homeless, their football club for their community and everything it has represented for over a hundred years, gone. They are a tribe without a home, only they are part of something much bigger and football supporters across the country and Europe will stand next to them shoulder to shoulder.
Old rivalries and passions must be put on hold, there is now just one enemy an enemy that is threatening the entire game and that is the owners of these 12 clubs.
We talked about the #SuperLeague on the show tonight. pic.twitter.com/6n40FlkNsA
— James Corden (@JKCorden) April 20, 2021
If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that football is nothing without its fans.
These owners are only the temporary custodians of their clubs; they forget fans at their peril. pic.twitter.com/W82mhFtrDu
— Oliver Dowden (@OliverDowden) April 19, 2021
The clubs involved must answer to their fans and the wider footballing community before taking any further steps. (2/2)
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) April 18, 2021
Now, more than ever, we must protect the entire football community – from the top level to the grassroots – and the values of competition and fairness at its core.
I share the concerns of fans about the proposed Super League and the damage it risks causing to the game we love. W
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) April 19, 2021
At Sky Sports yesterday I felt resigned to #SuperLeague happening, but during #MNF after hearing managers, players & fans from @LUFC @LFC I’m convinced if we all get together & forget our tribalism we can stop this. Keep banging the drum @SkySports @btsportfootball @BBCMOTD
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) April 20, 2021
This is football…
"Football for me is all about dreaming … you have to have that for football to be the wonderful thing that it is."
Eddie Howe on the recently proposed Super League 💬 pic.twitter.com/899xNCzFj4
— DAZN Canada (@DAZN_CA) April 19, 2021
He made the impossible, possible ❤️🖤#ThankYouEddie // #afcb 🍒 pic.twitter.com/Di7i3oRF2X
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) August 2, 2020
…don’t kill it.
Your say…
Sandman2 wrote…
The fans of the English ‘big six’ don’t appear to be impressed with this at all. If they can join together and make a stand by refusing to attend any matches (if and when we are allowed) that would be a massive statement. Maybe even more so…what if the players of these clubs finally grew a pair and refused to play in this new league? It would only be effective if it was backed by every player but it would bring this whole idea to a grinding halt within minutes.
If this new league doesn’t happen it will be interesting to see how much damage has been done to the relationship with the other 14 PL teams. I agree with some of the posts above that this could actually end up being a chance to reset English football where it finally dawns on the authorities that football is absolutely nothing without the fans. The last 12 months have shown that to be true for every game in all 4 divisions. – Join the conversation, click here.
