[Albion] A result of us doing so well...

[Pavilionaire]

Fair point, well it's a sliding scale isn't it? My point is your average player at, say, Everton, is going to be of a higher basic technical ability than the equivalent player 30 years ago - probably in large part due to the influx of foreigners back in the 90s. It's also that players are physical athletes now, and I read some stats regarding average ground covered nowadays vs 1985 and there was a stark contrast.

Your list there has made me realise how old I'm getting as well, scary.

30 years ago that was arguably the best Everton side of all-time: Southall, Stevens, Van den Hauwe, Ratcliffe, Mountfield, Reid, Steven, Sheedy, Bracewell, Gray, Sharp. I fancy after 6 weeks of pre-season they'd comfortably beat the 2015 vintage.

 

[JC Footy Genius]

On a slightly different point.

I'm half and half, obsessing about the minutia of the Championship promotion scene while also trying not to invest too much hope/belief, emotional energy as a sudden downturn in our fortunes would be horrendous. Split personality disorder is on the cards.

 

[Mellotron]

30 years ago that was arguably the best Everton side of all-time: Southall, Stevens, Van den Hauwe, Ratcliffe, Mountfield, Reid, Steven, Sheedy, Bracewell, Gray, Sharp. I fancy after 6 weeks of pre-season they'd comfortably beat the 2015 vintage.

I said equivalent, meaning a team then that were of same standard to Everton now - midtable.

And I'm not certain they would. It's a shame that we'll never know.

I am probably talking more about footy further back - watch the 1966 final. It GENUINELY looks like League Two/Vanarama Prem standard. Some of the first touches...

 

[Simster]

I think Martial's got a while to go to prove he deserves to be in that company. Zaha goes without saying, he's alongside Bebe, Jordi Cruyff and Eric Djemba-Djemba in the true greats of United's past.

You appear to be kidding yourself that Zaha is one of the worst signings United have ever made and that the reason he returned to South Norwood and that dreadful slum of a "stadium" with his tail between his legs is because he actually wasn't all that and was certainly far better than Europa League finalist, Bobby Zamora.

I'm fairly sure SMUGGY or one of our other sad gimpy Nigel regulars made it absolutely clear to us that he was, in fact, bordering world class and that is why Man Utd were forced to spend £13m on him. So please do keep up.

 

[Mellotron]

You appear to be kidding yourself that Zaha is one of the worst signings United have ever made and that the reason he returned to South Norwood and that dreadful slum of a "stadium" with his tail between his legs is because he actually wasn't all that and was certainly far better than Europa League finalist, Bobby Zamora.

I'm fairly sure SMUGGY or one of our other sad gimpy Nigel regulars made it absolutely clear to us that he was, in fact, bordering world class and that is why Man Utd were forced to spend £13m on him. So please do keep up.

It was genuinely a PHENOMENAL PR stunt that Palace talked him up so much (whilst Bolasie was quite clearly the better all-round player) than United paid so much for him. Zaha is a decent Championship winger. No more, no less.

 

[Giraffe]

I think I about the same other than the fact I show more interest in the Premiership than I used to and because Sky are showing more Championship games I dip into them now and again.

 

[Ernest]

I always have taken interest as I like a punt especially on Leagues 1/2 and so follow a few clubs now for betting purposes.

 

[Big_Unit]

Am I alone in this?

Nope - same for me. I had thought my enthusiasm for football was waning generally - but I'm all over it this season!

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm the complete opposite. Despite our success this season, football is still very much down the pecking order in terms of sports that I follow.
I have no idea who is doing what in the Premier League (apart from Chelsea are doing badly, & Leicester doing well) & I have no idea where anyone else is in our division except the couple around the Albion. I never watch MOTD or The FL Show, & I very rarely watch any football games on TV either...

This for me, although I do enjoy football podcasts.
So even though I don't watch any non Albion football, I follow what's going on through The Guardian Football podcast, The Tuesday Club, and Ramble.

 

[Mellotron]

This for me, although I do enjoy football podcasts.
So even though I don't watch any non Albion football, I follow what's going on through The Guardian Football podcast, The Tuesday Club, and Ramble.

The 3 best footy podcasts. Can't stand Gabriele Marcotti on The Times podcast.

 

[brightn'ove]

agreed, last season I wasn't too interested in football as a whole (thanks SAMI), this year i bloody love it.

funny that.

 

[Surf's Up]

I'm pissed off because I never get a haircut until we lose. I look like a godarned hippy.

I'm doing the same except with my chest hair.....suffice to say my chest now looks like an animated hearth rug!!

 

[Coldeanseagull]

I'm pissed off because I never get a haircut until we lose. I look like a godarned hippy.

You must've looked like a bowling ball last year, Rapunzel

 

[Pavilionaire]

I said equivalent, meaning a team then that were of same standard to Everton now - midtable.

And I'm not certain they would. It's a shame that we'll never know.

I am probably talking more about footy further back - watch the 1966 final. It GENUINELY looks like League Two/Vanarama Prem standard. Some of the first touches...

I agree that when you watch the World Cup Final of 1966 it looks a bit Sunday League, although that said the Brazil side of 1970 look pretty awesome even by today's standards.

I think the older generations of footballers get some bad press. I don't think they were any less skilful than today's players, in fact the opposite might be true. It really comes down to fitness and conditioning.

I'd genuinely like to see the modern Prem footballers play on the old pitches, wearing the old boots and kits and using the old leather footballs with laces. Oh, and throw in referees that only give a yellow card when someone has been murdered. The likes of Raheem Sterling, Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott wouldn't last 5 minutes.

 

[TSB]

I'm contemplating watching Birmingham v Cardiff tonight.
That should tell you all you need know.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I don't watch the Premier League at all but have caught a few Champions League first halves with my son, every minute of the England games, as many of the Championship games as I can get away with and watched Whitehawk v Dagenham the other night.

My nine year old son has taken it to extreme limits though. I came back from an early morning run the other day to find him watching telly. Scooby Doo? No. CBBC? No. It was some German match highlights on BT Sport 2. He also watched the Premier League preview on Saturdays and yells "shut up you idiot" whenever Pardew appears.

Astonishingly I'm not even getting divorced.