premier league
Everything you need to know about the English professional league; who's on top, who's been traded, and what teams are dropping the ball.
All-Time Premier League: Chelsea
Our next stop is in the West End of London, where in 1904 Gus Mears purchased the Stamford Bridge Athletics Ground, with the intention of adding soccer to the programme. Having tried and failed to agree terms with Fulham, he decided to form a first-class club of his own – and he wanted to attain first-class status immediately. At the time, promotion to the Football League was won not automatically on the pitch but in an end-of-season election in which the worst teams in the League were pitted against promising non-League clubs. Such a system was obviously open to abuse, with little to stop the clubs forming a cartel, but Mears managed to circumvent that obstacle. He secured the signatures of several famous players, promising them that their registration would not be retained if he failed to win them election to the League. The League, whether impartially impressed or enticed by the gate money such stars would bring in, endorsed his club’s candidature. Thus, without a single season of play behind them, the “Pensioners” were in the big-time.
Robert GregoryPublished 3 years ago in CleatsEmpathy Helps Drive Football Fan Engagement
Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, sports teams around the world have had to play their games in empty stadiums. This means that fans will have had to watch games and events from home and interact with them on social media.
Ashish PrabhuPublished 3 years ago in CleatsAll-Time Premier League: Burnley
Our tour of Lancastrian mill towns beginning with B concludes with the “Clarets” of Burnley – a club which qualifies for this competition by a quirk of the game’s history, but which has plenty of history of its own on which to draw.
Robert GregoryPublished 3 years ago in CleatsThe Special One
For those of you unfamiliar with European football, Jose Mourhino is the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur, one of the English soccer's most historic clubs.
Christopher DonovanPublished 3 years ago in CleatsAll-Time Premier League: Blackburn Rovers
After Arsenal and Aston Villa had taken approximately eight thousand words out of me, I hope it’s not an insult to the club if I say that the next team on my list was a welcome relief. After sorting, selecting and strategically synthesizing the stars and heroes of those heavy histories, something a little lighter was what I looked forward to.
Robert GregoryPublished 4 years ago in CleatsAll-Time Premier League: Aston Villa
My last post was much longer than I expected, and if that’s any guide then this one won’t be much shorter. Aston Villa’s recent history is not as successful as Arsenal’s, but there was a time when they stood at the top of the honours list, and as recently as the early nineties the two would have had almost identical tallies. They don’t boast as long a run of First Division seasons, but they are now in their 107th. Only Everton, fellow founder members of the Football League, have had more. The players who have won them their twenty-five major honours have been not only some of the greatest footballers, but some of the most colourful characters in the game’s history, and doing them justice will take some time.
Robert GregoryPublished 4 years ago in CleatsAll-Time Premier League: Arsenal
Ordering the teams alphabetically, I begin with a club whose inclusion in this league should surprise nobody. In the hundred and one years since Henry Norris talked his team into the top flight, the Arsenal have never been relegated. With a history encompassing thirteen League Championships and a record fourteen FA Cups, they provide us with as rich a selection of players as any team in the league. “Arsenal,” wrote Percy Young (1960), “is the footballer’s pantheon: having achieved distinction in some other place he is transferred there, and to list the great men is but to inscribe the names of practically all footballers of the greatest reputation within the last thirty years.” In the subsequent six decades, although they have not recaptured the undisputed dominance they enjoyed in the thirties, their status among the aristocracy of English soccer has never been in doubt, and that list has only grown longer and longer.
Robert GregoryPublished 4 years ago in CleatsScottish Football players
Is Scottish players getting over looked in the premier league. There has been 6 Scottish players that have previously won the premier league one currently playing.The amount of talent that has came through Scotland in the 60s,70s and 80s. Andrew Robertson once a celtic youth before getting released, made his break through season at Queens Park before his move to Dundee United. At his first season at Dundee United He received the Scottish young player of the year award. Due to his success Andy got his move to Hull for 2.85 million. Andy done wonders for Hull which help get a dream move to English giant’s Liverpool for 8 million pounds. In Andys first game for the reds he was an instant fans favourite with a man of the match performance against Crystal Palace on his debut. Since then Andy has became a success as he has won a premier league, champions league, UEFA Super cup and also a club World Cup to add to his success. Kieran Tierney is loved by both celtic and arsenal fans as he plays like a warrior. A tough no nonsense left back or centre back who give 100% every game. Tierney came through the youth ranks at celtic as he signed when he was 7. Tierney became a fan favourite as he grew up being a celtic fan. With his time at celtic he became part of the invincible team that went on a 47 unbeaten run of games. He also won 3 back to back young player of the years in the Scottish league and also a celtic goal of the season award for a long range stunner against Kilmarnock. Tierney then signed for Arsenal becoming Scotland’s dearest ever player as well as the Scottish leagues dearest ever signing for 25 million. Tierney has won 10 major trophies already in a short career 2 being with arsenal, the FA Cup and the community shield. Another exciting Scottish player to watch in the premier league is Ryan Fraser. Originally starting the Aberdeen Fraser gained two back to back player of the month awards in the Scottish league. This then got him his move down south to AFC Bournemouth where he was for 7 years. In this time Fraser gained two promotions into the premier league. In the 2018-19 season was his best to date as he ended the campaign with 14 assists and 7 goals which sparked transfer rumours with Arsenal. He also picked up Bournemouth’s supporters player of the year as well as players player of the year. This has now gained him a move to Newcastle in 2020.John McGinn has been an inspiration since joining Aston Villa. However he started his career at St Mirren and in his time there he won the league cup while being the underdogs. John the youngest of 3 footballing brothers have all had a time when playing with St Mirren in their career.He then signed for Hibernian and progressed into one of the main players. He won the Scottish cup with hibs and also the Scottish championship. In his time at Scotland he also won Scottish championship player of the year 2016-17. This got him his move down south to villa where he win promotion to the premier league by winning the play offs with Aston Villa. As well as that he won Aston Villa’s player of the year award in the 2018-19 season. He has also won SFWA international player of the year in 2019-20. This is just a handful of Scottish talent however there is many more such as Billy Gilmour, Stuart Armstrong and John Fleck being vital stars for there team or future stars in the making.
Jhosh DooleyPublished 4 years ago in CleatsFour goals and a beat down
The word “premier” in soccer means very different things in different places. In England, it’s the top flight of soccer. In the US, the word usually gets attached to amateur leagues. And by amateur, I mean both the quality of play and the way they are run. You’d think the English would sue over the damage to their reputation.
Ted PrezelskiPublished 4 years ago in CleatsSt Helens Town AFC Wins Place In 2020/21 FA Cup
St Helens Town AFC have been awarded a place in the FA Cup for the 2020/21 season. The news came after a list of accepted clubs was published on the FA web site.
Ashish PrabhuPublished 4 years ago in CleatsTop 10 Worst Premier League Newcastle United Signings
Top 10 Worst Premier League Newcastle United Signings 10.Emmanuel Riviere from Monaco Fee: £6.3 million Rivière, is what I like to call a Graham Carr Special
Gianluca PignataroPublished 4 years ago in CleatsThe Tragedy of Steve Bruce
Newcastle United have long suffered unter Mike Ashley's ownership, and as a club with a very large and loyal fanbase, this has been quite tragic to behold. However, despite some drawbacks, the latest being quite recent, it looks like fans can be fairly optimistic about a potential massive Saudi takeover that would be bigger than that of Manchester City and possibly turn them into one of the world's richest and most successful sports clubs. But in my typical fashion, I'm going to go against the grain and look at the takeover itself from an angle that I think is quite tragic. Many people and media outlets have also done this by drawing attention to the nature of the takeover as sportswashing, whereby country's like Saudi Arabia invest in football to draw attention away from human rights abuses. That is a different debate, and not what I'm going to talk about, not just because I think most of the people I've seen taking this approach are not football fans, and there is an element of perspective that they can't quite understand. That's not to say there criticisms aren't valid. They are. But, as I say, it is a different debate.
Matty LongPublished 4 years ago in Cleats