I'm old enough to remember when the season kicked off every supporter could carry some hope of success. This might extend to Christmas. In cups we relished feisty encounters when minnows took on the big boys. Today both sides often stroll through cup ties as though it is an exhibition game.
All that has gone.
If a European Super League meant we lost the "big six" from the PL I would welcome that new league. The result should be that promoted clubs would have a greater chance of survival, a competition that a host of clubs might win or be in with a shout for months.
What we have today has wrecked the domestic game.
I don't even bother looking at the top two in Scotland, I don't think anyone other than Old Firm fans do either.
For all it's derided, you take those two out and our top flight is very competitive. Especially when you've got basket case owners who don't seem to have a clue what they're doing and make mental decisions - Aberdeen, Hibs and Dundee United being notable cases.
The same could be said of any league to be honest when you take the big guns out. But then, what happens when they go? The mid-table teams will eventually take the place of the big clubs in the top leagues and we'll have the same situation in another cycle of football, 20 years or so I reckon.
The way things are, football has a monopoly as the world's most popular (and accessible) sport, and younger fans are used to a diet of top stars. To a certain extent, I can't blame them, that's how things are with the information age, so I reckon it behooves us old schoolers (and I'm only 38 so not exactly one of those) to keep impressing the importance of supporting your local club and also non-league football.
I live close enough to North Shields FC that I can hear them on match day and it'd be a shame to lose that. In a further nostalgia trip, The Football Pink has recently relaunched in the North East. I think there's a print version, but the digital option is cool.
