Never to the dark side Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grandad-What-Football-Like-1970s/dp/1785312634 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downendcity Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 See that thread about Premier League spending to see what football was not like in the 70s'. Back then we had: Players playing for their home town club. Teams full of British players and many with just English players. British managers at the majority of clubs, including the top clubs. Players able to play on any surface and in any conditions and able to make a ball move in the air and not just because they are kicking a beachball. Fans feeling a proper connection with the team One club players. Clubs owned by local businessmen made good - luckily some clubs still enjoy this! Players negotiating contracts themselves Players able to relate to the fans and visa versa The ability to get the bus to the game, buy your ticket, get fish and chips on the way home and still have change from half a crown. Preseason spent entirely in the UK No social media/internet Proper and informed coverage in the local press You didn't need a calculator to work out players' wages Dubbin Terraces Proper tackling Tackles that were not booking offences MOTD featuring games outside the top flight Of course we had other things as well: Toilets that should have been condemned as a health hazzard Hooliganism No Sky No foreign owners No Asian markets This is not an exhaustive list so feel free to add your own thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 I bought the book "got, not got"....that was a good read: http://amzn.eu/aL4nIjS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowshed Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 50 minutes ago, downendcity said: Back then we had: Players able to play on any surface and in any conditions and able to make a ball move in the air and not just because they are kicking a beachball. Nodded at your list but I thought the point regarding the ball was interesting. Modern balls are not lighter. The weight of the ball is the same due to regulation. Modern footballs do not necessarily move more. The foreign hexagonal design moves more than a panel (English) design if it has more panels. More panels normally means more aerodynamic stability. Each season brings new balls and differing designs and some do more than others do. Improving techniques has led to entirely new skill - The knuckleball where the ball is struck entirely differently to prevent the ball rotating leading to swing in the air. As somebody who is old enough to remember sodden balls with laces who now coaches modern footballs are infinitely superior, and above all more fun to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Popodopolous Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 Seems pretty interesting. A book I will get I think. I wasn't around in 70s but football then did seem fun from what I've read, heard, seen of it on old TV shows. Such as old MOTD and Big Match Revisited. Agree with a fair few of the pros, would be interesting though to see how players then who were not exactly averse to booze, pies, smoking and so on would do in today's quick yet ultra tactical game on pristine pitches... However at the same time, how many of today's players with these in-built advantages- would prosper on those boggy pitches, with more robust challenges allowed? Two totally different games... Local press? That's a wider decline and quite incidental, though the Post has gone downhill especially. But what with social media and the like, the whole press is facing huge challenges, especially at local level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBCFC Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 2 hours ago, downendcity said: See that thread about Premier League spending to see what football was not like in the 70s'. Back then we had: Players playing for their home town club. Teams full of British players and many with just English players. British managers at the majority of clubs, including the top clubs. Players able to play on any surface and in any conditions and able to make a ball move in the air and not just because they are kicking a beachball. Fans feeling a proper connection with the team One club players. Clubs owned by local businessmen made good - luckily some clubs still enjoy this! Players negotiating contracts themselves Players able to relate to the fans and visa versa The ability to get the bus to the game, buy your ticket, get fish and chips on the way home and still have change from half a crown. Preseason spent entirely in the UK No social media/internet Proper and informed coverage in the local press You didn't need a calculator to work out players' wages Dubbin Terraces Proper tackling Tackles that were not booking offences MOTD featuring games outside the top flight Of course we had other things as well: Toilets that should have been condemned as a health hazzard Hooliganism No Sky No foreign owners No Asian markets This is not an exhaustive list so feel free to add your own thoughts. "No SKY" should really be listed under the positive things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidered abroad Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 As Downend City said above and I'd add that special training for FA Cup ties was a visit to Weston-Super-Mud for a run along the beach followed by brine baths, cleaned up sea water, in the Knightstone Baths. They may not have even taken a football with them. And a City goalkeeper who disappeared into the dressing toilet, ten minutes before kick-off for a pre match Woodbine. Nostalgia is great but this is today and I'm still feeling a buzz about our first home game and the start of a new season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbored Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 Personally I find it difficult to compare the two era's. Back in the 70s everything was sooo archaic and we were all much younger then and saw things differently. It never occurred to me that standing in pools of other people's piss was unacceptable or that brawling with opposition fans was anything but normal. It's hard to remember what the standard was like either. Id say the whole matchday experience is better now and that's largely because I'm older and the things I enjoyed when in my 20s no longer apply. That said, I get as much enjoyment these days as I did back in the 70s but it's a different kind of enjoyment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
22A Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 Watching games from the 70's as currently shown on BT Sports 2, I notice the pitches were rougher and tackles tougher, but players coped with both. Shirts had a far more pleasing appearance with ONLY the club badge on them. No need (usually) to book seats in advance , so if a friend decided on the day to come with you, there'd be no problem sitting or standing together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBCFC Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 1 hour ago, cidered abroad said: As Downend City said above and I'd add that special training for FA Cup ties was a visit to Weston-Super-Mud for a run along the beach followed by brine baths, cleaned up sea water, in the Knightstone Baths. They may not have even taken a football with them. And a City goalkeeper who disappeared into the dressing toilet, ten minutes before kick-off for a pre match Woodbine. Nostalgia is great but this is today and I'm still feeling a buzz about our first home game and the start of a new season. Nostalgia... It isn't what it used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Dicks Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 442.. wingers... Full backs... loyal players...proper tackles... atmosphere.... terraces... proper grounds... better chants ... no plastic foreign owners.... loyalty... more respect.... And no poxy pc brigade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East End Old Boy Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 6 hours ago, Robbored said: Personally I find it difficult to compare the two era's. Back in the 70s everything was sooo archaic and we were all much younger then and saw things differently. It never occurred to me that standing in pools of other people's piss was unacceptable or that brawling with opposition fans was anything but normal. It's hard to remember what the standard was like either. Id say the whole matchday experience is better now and that's largely because I'm older and the things I enjoyed when in my 20s no longer apply. That said, I get as much enjoyment these days as I did back in the 70s but it's a different kind of enjoyment. That is so true. One major difference then was the ball, it was heavier and moved much slower. Although, the pitches certainly didn't help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miah Dennehy Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 8 hours ago, downendcity said: See that thread about Premier League spending to see what football was not like in the 70s'. Back then we had: Players playing for their home town club. Teams full of British players and many with just English players. British managers at the majority of clubs, including the top clubs. Players able to play on any surface and in any conditions and able to make a ball move in the air and not just because they are kicking a beachball. Fans feeling a proper connection with the team One club players. Clubs owned by local businessmen made good - luckily some clubs still enjoy this! Players negotiating contracts themselves Players able to relate to the fans and visa versa The ability to get the bus to the game, buy your ticket, get fish and chips on the way home and still have change from half a crown. Preseason spent entirely in the UK No social media/internet Proper and informed coverage in the local press You didn't need a calculator to work out players' wages Dubbin Terraces Proper tackling Tackles that were not booking offences MOTD featuring games outside the top flight Of course we had other things as well: Toilets that should have been condemned as a health hazzard Hooliganism No Sky No foreign owners No Asian markets This is not an exhaustive list so feel free to add your own thoughts. There was actually a ban on foreign players during the 70s. I cant quite remember when it came in - the only foreign player I remember was Carlo Sartori at Manchester United, but I think even he was raised in England- but it must have been lifted in 78 when Ardiles and Villa came over- and Alberto Tarantini at the same time I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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