Trying to Follow Soccer in America
For me it began as a great admiration for international futbol; the World Cup of 94 and 98. This eventually expanded into an appreciation of professional futbol. However being born and raised in America my whole life, I knew nothing about professional soccer. Instead I knew far more about the NFL, MLB, or NBA. It wasn't until 1993, that the MLS was formed and it's to this day the biggest joke in soccer (in my opinion!). So being a keen admirer of the game of futbol, I eventually turned my attention to Europe where the game of futbol reigns over everything. However I still find myself, ill-informed on the overall structure of the leagues...
I must confess that it's not very easy to follow European Soccer leagues here in the states. It's rarely covered in the mainstream media, and hardly ever brought up in a social environment. Instead it is almost always covered up by news of the NFL playoffs, College drafts, Nascar Races, MLB trades, NBA controversies, and so forth. It seems the only time our country really pays attention to soccer whatsoever is for the World Cup, which only comes once every four years... And that's just not enough for me!
So I intend to write this blog, to help me better understand and look into the structure of European Professional Futbol. The only real glimpse of it I get is when playing Fifa Soccer... However this is hardly enough to follow and understand the league on a day-to-day basis. Some of my favorite leagues are the Spanish Liga, the German Bundesliga, and the Italian Serie A; however I have chosen to focus on the English Football League for this entry. It may be perhaps, because I am most familiar with it, however after watching the film, "The Damned United" I recently realized how little I actually know.
A Brief History of English Football
It was first founded in 1888 as the Football League with 12 original clubs. Preston North End won the first two titles against Aston Villa in 1888 and Everton in 1889. The league managed their own season, while still participating in the annual FA Cup, that was started in 1871.
By 1892, the league expanded with a Second Division from the Football alliance. Sunderland became the first champions of this new expansion. While Aston Villa followed with several years of dominance and five championships before 1900.
By 1905 both divisions had 20 clubs a piece, and new champions arose such as Liverpool, The Wednesday, Manchester United, and Newcastle United. The league was suspended for four years during World War I (1915-1919)
By 1920, a Third Division was formed from both the South and the North. This began a new system of club promotions and demotions through the three divisions. Teams such as Arsenal, Huddersfield Town, and Everton found great success in these years leading up to WWII... The league was once again suspended during World War II (1939-1946)
By 1950, the Third Division had expanded to 24 teams a piece, bringing a total of 92 clubs in the Football League. During this time Portsmouth, Tottenham Hotspur, and the Wolverhampton Wanders were the power clubs. By 1958 the league was restructured, and a Fourth Division was added. Both North and South Divisions merged into one Third Division. The league was now nation-wide. In 1960 the Football League Cup was created to welcome clubs from all divisions into a large tournament. Aston Villa became the first champions of the cup. However this Cup has been deemed the "Worthless Cup", under the legacy of the FA Cup.
Throughout the 1960s, clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool, and Everton began to dominate the league. By the 1970s it was Leeds United, Derby County, and once again Liverpool who had great success and multiple titles.
By 1980 the Football League had grown substantial in size, and had turned into a booming profitable business. Owners began to invest big money in their clubs, through player transfers, better managers, and better facilities. It was only a matter of time, before the smaller clubs would fade away, unable to compete financially.
By 1992, the First Division resigned from the Football League, and created their own Premier League. They would now operate as their own single division, while the Football league operated with three divisions. However promotions and demotions through each division still remain on the same terms, for all divisions.
The Barclay Premier League
Over the past few years, the Premier League has grown to international prominence, with status that rivals other major super leagues such as the NFL, MLB, or NBA. With such recognition, the Premier League has become a super-entity, a booming business sector. It has become more of a "Business-League" than an actual "Football League". For starters look at the title of the league itself, the Barclay Premier League. It is sponsored by the largest bank in the United Kingdom. Each team within the league are sponsored by other corporations, that are printed all over their stadium, the jerseys, and the merchandise. It has sadly become one giant business, quite similiar to NASCAR...
With its system of promotions and relegation, the premiere league changes every season depending on the club's previous performance. There are only 20 clubs allowed into the Premiere League. There have been a total of 44 teams in the league since it's establishment in 1992, and only 7 of those clubs have remained each year for 19 seasons. (Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur). I have never understood this process until now, and have come to really admire English futbol for this setup. It's gives practically any team the chance to rise up the ranks.
The Current Premiere Clubs
However politics aside, I cannot deny that this is without question the most enjoyable leagues to follow, with some of the greatest teams, players, and most devoted fans the world has ever known. The league has become extremely integrated over the years, with foreign players from every corner of the world. It has become an English stirring-pot of international superstars, great rivalries, and exciting futbol. It is no wonder the Premiere League has become known as "The Greatest Show on Earth". It is the most watched sporting league in the world, and with such a global appeal, it's no wonder why. I suppose the business aspect is merely inevitable, and I must overlook that fact. Especially when the business provides some of the best teams and players in the world, all playing the beautiful game at it's fullest potential. So here's to England, for creating one of the first, and now one of the best professional leagues in the world!
For me it began as a great admiration for international futbol; the World Cup of 94 and 98. This eventually expanded into an appreciation of professional futbol. However being born and raised in America my whole life, I knew nothing about professional soccer. Instead I knew far more about the NFL, MLB, or NBA. It wasn't until 1993, that the MLS was formed and it's to this day the biggest joke in soccer (in my opinion!). So being a keen admirer of the game of futbol, I eventually turned my attention to Europe where the game of futbol reigns over everything. However I still find myself, ill-informed on the overall structure of the leagues...
I must confess that it's not very easy to follow European Soccer leagues here in the states. It's rarely covered in the mainstream media, and hardly ever brought up in a social environment. Instead it is almost always covered up by news of the NFL playoffs, College drafts, Nascar Races, MLB trades, NBA controversies, and so forth. It seems the only time our country really pays attention to soccer whatsoever is for the World Cup, which only comes once every four years... And that's just not enough for me!So I intend to write this blog, to help me better understand and look into the structure of European Professional Futbol. The only real glimpse of it I get is when playing Fifa Soccer... However this is hardly enough to follow and understand the league on a day-to-day basis. Some of my favorite leagues are the Spanish Liga, the German Bundesliga, and the Italian Serie A; however I have chosen to focus on the English Football League for this entry. It may be perhaps, because I am most familiar with it, however after watching the film, "The Damned United" I recently realized how little I actually know.
A Brief History of English Football
It was first founded in 1888 as the Football League with 12 original clubs. Preston North End won the first two titles against Aston Villa in 1888 and Everton in 1889. The league managed their own season, while still participating in the annual FA Cup, that was started in 1871.
By 1892, the league expanded with a Second Division from the Football alliance. Sunderland became the first champions of this new expansion. While Aston Villa followed with several years of dominance and five championships before 1900.
By 1905 both divisions had 20 clubs a piece, and new champions arose such as Liverpool, The Wednesday, Manchester United, and Newcastle United. The league was suspended for four years during World War I (1915-1919)By 1920, a Third Division was formed from both the South and the North. This began a new system of club promotions and demotions through the three divisions. Teams such as Arsenal, Huddersfield Town, and Everton found great success in these years leading up to WWII... The league was once again suspended during World War II (1939-1946)
By 1950, the Third Division had expanded to 24 teams a piece, bringing a total of 92 clubs in the Football League. During this time Portsmouth, Tottenham Hotspur, and the Wolverhampton Wanders were the power clubs. By 1958 the league was restructured, and a Fourth Division was added. Both North and South Divisions merged into one Third Division. The league was now nation-wide. In 1960 the Football League Cup was created to welcome clubs from all divisions into a large tournament. Aston Villa became the first champions of the cup. However this Cup has been deemed the "Worthless Cup", under the legacy of the FA Cup.
Throughout the 1960s, clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool, and Everton began to dominate the league. By the 1970s it was Leeds United, Derby County, and once again Liverpool who had great success and multiple titles.By 1980 the Football League had grown substantial in size, and had turned into a booming profitable business. Owners began to invest big money in their clubs, through player transfers, better managers, and better facilities. It was only a matter of time, before the smaller clubs would fade away, unable to compete financially.
By 1992, the First Division resigned from the Football League, and created their own Premier League. They would now operate as their own single division, while the Football league operated with three divisions. However promotions and demotions through each division still remain on the same terms, for all divisions.The Barclay Premier League
Over the past few years, the Premier League has grown to international prominence, with status that rivals other major super leagues such as the NFL, MLB, or NBA. With such recognition, the Premier League has become a super-entity, a booming business sector. It has become more of a "Business-League" than an actual "Football League". For starters look at the title of the league itself, the Barclay Premier League. It is sponsored by the largest bank in the United Kingdom. Each team within the league are sponsored by other corporations, that are printed all over their stadium, the jerseys, and the merchandise. It has sadly become one giant business, quite similiar to NASCAR...
With its system of promotions and relegation, the premiere league changes every season depending on the club's previous performance. There are only 20 clubs allowed into the Premiere League. There have been a total of 44 teams in the league since it's establishment in 1992, and only 7 of those clubs have remained each year for 19 seasons. (Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur). I have never understood this process until now, and have come to really admire English futbol for this setup. It's gives practically any team the chance to rise up the ranks.
The Current Premiere Clubs
- Manchester United (18 Division titles, 11 FA Cups) (19 seasons)
- Liverpool (18 Division titles, 7 FA Cups) (19 seasons)
- Arsenal (13 Division Titles, 10 FA Cups) (19 seasons)
- Everton (9 Division Titles, 9 FA Cups) (19 seasons)
- Aston Villa (7 Division Titles, 7 FA Cups) (19 seasons)
- Sunderland (6 Division Titles, 2 FA Cups) (10 seasons)
- Chelsea (4 Division Titles, 6 FA Cups (19 seasons)
- Newcastle United (4 Division Titles, 6 FA Cups) (17 seasons)
- Blackburn Rovers (3 Division Titles, 6 FA Cups) (17 seasons)
- Wolverhampton Wanderers (3 Division Titles, 4 FA Cups) (3 seasons)
- Tottenham Hotspur (2 Division Titles, 8 FA Cups) (19 seasons)
- Birmingham City (7 seasons)
- Blackpool (1 FA Cup) (1 season)
- Bolton Wanderers (4 FA Cups) (12 seasons)
- Fulham (10 seasons)
- Manchester City (2 Division Titles, 4 FA Cups) (14 seasons)
- Stoke City (3 seasons)
- West Bromwich Albion (1 Division Title, 5 FA Cups) (5 seasons)
- West Ham United (3 FA Cups) (16 seasons)
- Wigan Athletic (6 seasons)
- Barnsley (1 season) (1 FA Cup)
- Bradford City (2 seasons) (1 FA Cup)
- Burnley (1 season) (2 Division Titles, 1 Fa Cup)
- Charlton Athletic (8 seasons) (1 FA Cup)
- Coventry City (9 seasons) (1 FA Cup)
- Crystal Place (4 seasons)
- Derby County (7 seasons) (2 Division Titles, 1 FA Cup)
- Hull City (2 seasons)
- Ipswich Town (5 seasons) (1 Division Title, 1 FA Cup)
- Leeds United (12 seasons) (3 Division Titles, 1 FA Cup)
- Leicester City (8 seasons)
- Middlesbrough (14 seasons)
- Norwich City (4 seasons)
- Nottingham Forrest (5 seasons) (1 Division Title, 2 FA Cups)
- Oldham Athletic (2 seasons)
- Portsmouth (7 seasons) (2 Division Titles, 2 FA Cups)
- Queens Park Rangers (4 seasons)
- Reading (2 seasons)
- Sheffield United (3 seasons) (1 Division Title, 4 FA Cups)
- Southampton (13 seasons) (1 FA Cup)
- Swindon Town (1 season)
- Watford (2 seasons)
- Wimbeldon (8 seasons) (1 FA Cup)
However politics aside, I cannot deny that this is without question the most enjoyable leagues to follow, with some of the greatest teams, players, and most devoted fans the world has ever known. The league has become extremely integrated over the years, with foreign players from every corner of the world. It has become an English stirring-pot of international superstars, great rivalries, and exciting futbol. It is no wonder the Premiere League has become known as "The Greatest Show on Earth". It is the most watched sporting league in the world, and with such a global appeal, it's no wonder why. I suppose the business aspect is merely inevitable, and I must overlook that fact. Especially when the business provides some of the best teams and players in the world, all playing the beautiful game at it's fullest potential. So here's to England, for creating one of the first, and now one of the best professional leagues in the world!
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