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Why the Nationwide beats the Premiership

Last updated : 10 March 2004 By Simon Turner
In the late 1980s, representatives from the countries top football clubs: Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Everton amongst others met with counterparts from the Football Association, The Football League and BSkyB. They began negotiations to form a new top flight in English football, a super league that was, in theory, capable of anything. It was designed to let the big clubs get a bigger proportion of revenue.

Now, in 2003, we have had the product of this meeting between the most influential people in 1980s football for eleven years. The Premier League is a paradise for every club. It gives them a unique financial footing and a chance to raise the global profile of the club. To play at famous stadiums every week and also to sample world-class players.

However, greed and money has long been the number one target for all parties involved in the running of Premiership clubs and the powers who have authority over it.

Roman Abramovic has used Chelsea as a hobby, and has taken all competitiveness out of the Premiership
There is no better example than at Chelsea. Since Roman Abromovich took over, he has cleared their huge debts, spent over £100m on players who obviously have class and attracted Peter Kenyon, the head of one of Europe's biggest business empires: United. His sole reason: to have some fun with his obvious wealth.

Abromovich has treated a real club, with real fans like a side on Championship Manager. What he is doing is wrong. He is worth a reported £4billion, and has spent a fraction of his wealth on his new 'hobby'. Football is a sport, not something to be used as a toy. Why has he been allowed to do this?

He has taken everything out of the sport as far as I am concerned. What sportsmanship is there in taking all competitiveness out of the league? Wages has become the biggest factor in all transfers for years. Makalele, Mutu and Crespo have only gone to Chelsea because of their massive wages.

The attitudes of players such as William Gallas and Eidur Gudjohnsen are sickening. They rejected new contracts in April this year saying they wanted to 'further their careers'. However, when Abromovic started his new hobby, they were at hand to change their minds after he offered them silly wages.

The Premiership is a predictable, boring farce as far as I am concerned. I guarantee that the top five will be Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle.

That is why following Crewe Alexandra in the Nationwide is so enjoyable. The club refuse to pay silly wages, and to give youth a chance. Our club have shown loyalty to the manager and to players such as Shaun Smith and Steve Macauley. That is what sport is all about.

The Nationwide League Division One has possibly eight or nine different realistic possible winners this year. Any three out of ten sides could be relegated. Its a league where working class and local roots are still there. It is a place where truly anything is possible. It is anything but predictable.

The Premiership offers NOTHING to the people who matter the most: the fans. They see the same thing happening every year, whether it be Leicester fighting relegation, Liverpool embracing yet another false dawn or Manchester United/Arsenal winning everything in sight. It's boring.

Premiership the best league in the world? Give me the Nationwide any day.