Why football fans should overlook their prejudices towards the lower end of English football
Nothing is as irritating in football than ignorance and it comes from all angles relentlessly. If you consider the FA Cup as a prime example; fans, pundits, experts and bookmakers alike always write off the chances of the teams from the lower leagues and yet they are proven wrong time after time.
The most recent example of a lower league side upsetting the form guide has to be, at the time, League Two, Bradford City making it to the 2013 League Cup final against Swansea City. The Bantams saw off three Premier League sides on the way to the final (Wigan, Arsenal and Aston Villa) to provide some of the biggest shocks in football history but the prejudice continues still.
In a stunning turn of events, BT Sport have decided to broadcast their own version of fan favourite show, Soccer Saturday, in a bid to take viewers away from rivals SkySports but failed to broadcast a programme on the first day of the English Football League. The show was broadcast for the first time a week later on the opening day of the Premier League instead – something Hartlepool fan Jeff Stelling was quick to scofkf at.
Thankfully, the bookmakers still believe in the English Football League and offer some great odds and sign up offers on the Championship, League One and League Two. For an example, new customers can benefit from weekly specials at Paddy Power. Rightly so that they do! You only need to watch the Football League Show to understand the quality on show!
Some of the best goals anyone will ever see come from the Football Loeague but they are ignored thanks to broadcasters such as BT Sport and pundits such as Alan Hansen who firmly believes the Premier League is the only competition worth watching – these people are supposed to be experts and yet they can’t see past the top tier of the game?
If more evidence was needed that lower league football is considered to be of vastly lower quality than the Premier League; invest some time in a fantastic radio debate between former professional Robbie Savage and BBC Radio Derby’s Leighton James after Derby’s loss to Doncaster Rovers in 2008. In brief, it was Derby’s first Championship fixture since their woeful relegation from the Premier League and Rovers first match back in the Championship from League One and BBC Radio Derby lambasted Rovers for winning – inspiring stuff from Savage.
In case you hadn’t been watching, League Two is hotting up at present with Plymouth Argyle, Carlisle United and Doncaster Rovers all romping away from the competition – Rovers are the only team to have scored in EVERY game they have played this season!
League One is also looking like a competition to invest in as Scunthorpe are pulling away from nearest challengers and former Premier League sides Sheffield United and Bolton Wanderers. If you needed more incentive to watch League One; look up Billy Sharp’s goals and assists on Youtube and then research his heartbreaking story – you won’t regret it.
Finally, the Championship that now features Premier League fan favourite Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle United at the top from Brighton and Reading. Dwight Gayle is making waves in the league along with Chelsea loanee Tammy Abraham who is proving to be utterly unstoppable – remember the name.
As a parting shot; the number of foreign managers who come to England with no understanding of the lower leagues is astounding and a direct product of this senseless prejudice. Former Man Utd manager Louis Van Gaal fell afoul of this thanks to, then League One, MK Dons ripping his weakened side to pieces in a game Jonny Evans will blame for his transfer away from Old Trafford – seriously, the lower leagues are only lower in terms of place not quality.
