When was football’s true golden age?

[forestfan]

So, I think all of us old farts on FISO probably agree the “game’s gone”, with ESL, VAR, and any other TLA’s you care to mention. But which era would we really want to go back to?

‘70s - mudbath pitches, on-field thuggery, heading a brick
‘80s - hooliganism, stadium disasters, Europe ban
‘90s - selling out to Sky, bandwagon jumpers, rising prices
‘00s - Champions League sprawl, Abramovich and Mansour distort competition further (even if perhaps preventing United establishing a Bayern-style monopoly)

So, when was this mythical golden age? Probably, for each of us, it was when our team actually won something when we were aged between about 7 and 18

[S_sutton87]

90's for me as I was born in 87 lol

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[blahblah]

1961-62

[theo29]

what is a TLA ?

[blahblah]

what is a TLA ?

Three Letter Abbreviation

[bspittles]

what is a TLA ?

Three letter acronym.

[bspittles]

80s for me. There were no hoolies at Leek Town and very few at Oxford United. There was a lot of difference in the quality of the pitches, which just added another level to tactical know-how.

The only thing I hated was the fences in front of the London Road End at The Manor.

[johnF]

So, I think all of us old farts on FISO probably agree the “game’s gone”, with ESL, VAR, and any other TLA’s you care to mention. But which era would we really want to go back to?

‘70s - mudbath pitches, on-field thuggery, heading a brick
‘80s - hooliganism, stadium disasters, Europe ban
‘90s - selling out to Sky, bandwagon jumpers, rising prices
‘00s - Champions League sprawl, Abramovich and Mansour distort competition further (even if perhaps preventing United establishing a Bayern-style monopoly)

So, when was this mythical golden age? Probably, for each of us, it was when our team actually won something when we were aged between about 7 and 18

I remember the 80's most fondly, but probably as you say that was the decade that I was aged 7-18 and the last time my team (Villa) won anything major. There were also 2 of the best World Cups in 82 and 86. But in hindsight the decade was marred by hooliganism and stadium disasters.

So all things considered I would probably go for 90's to early 00's. Kicked off with a memorable Italia 90 World Cup. Hillsborough disaster meant that clubs were forced to improve stadiums for fans. Premier league and influx of quality foreign players like Cantona, Klinsmann and Henry brought excitement and glamour to the English game. Good rivalry at the top of PL between Arsenal and Man Utd. Euro 96 and France 98 were memorable international competitions too.

In fact the 90's was a pretty good decade in general IMO and felt a lot happier and more optimistic than maybe now.

(Edit: almost forgot to say, the 90's was also the decade that fantasy football first became popular!! )

[murf]

what is a TLA ?

Three Letter Abbreviation

what is a TLA ?

Three letter acronym.

It is usually wrongly called a Three Letter Acronym but they are actually Abbreviations.

PS Footie was obviously better in the 70s and early 80s which is they the money wanted in (and had to get rid of the negative crap too/first).

[forestfan]

But getting rid of the negative crap required big investment, which brought with it all the problems that have followed...

[Tony Towners Tache]

Early eighties for me for club football on the pitch albeit the hooliganism was rife off the pitch. Early to to mid-nineties for the international games.

[Spinynorman]

Sixties for me and The World Cup.

[murf]

Sixties for me and The World Cup.

It was 'golden' if it was in black and white

[Spinynorman]

Sixties for me and The World Cup.

It was 'golden' if it was in black and white

Not to mention the rolling screen, wiggly lines and a telly the size of a bread making machine.

[SamD]

The exciting, unpredictable sixties! Between 1960 and '69, eight clubs won the First Division title, more than any other decade before or since.

League fixtures weren't televised live, with Match of the Day highlights only emerging in 1964. If you didn't go to a ground on Saturday, Network Three (now BBC Radio 3) was the only way to follow news of a single game, and even that was restricted to a second half commentary.

Most of us only learned the results at 5pm via Sports Report (still going strong) or by buying a Saturday Pink/Green local newspaper (now extinct). Times have changed.

[forestfan]

It would be crap to have nothing on TV (or radio, for that matter...) but the saturation coverage these days is just too much, particularly this season with the wall-to-wall kick-off times in the absence of crowds.

I much prefer the vast majority of even top flight matches at 3pm on Saturday, and following all the twists and turns, with live matches as event TV, and a decent MotD with lots of games to cover.

[blahblah]

When did Hooliganism become a thing?

I remember it being prominent when MU got relegated technically not by City in that postponed match and Leeds getting banned from Europe in 73/4 ish and was on the way out with Heysel and Hillsborough?

[thebillfella]

90s for me - the Premier League inception, increased foreign imports, Three Lions gripping the nation in 96 and the treble in 99