‘How the Premier League is ruinning football and what we can do about it….’
Written by John Nicholson. Published by Head Publishing 2019.
This book has been touted as one of the best published in the past 12 months about football so I devoured it on my recent holiday.
It set the historical creation of the Premier League and delivered on many aspects of how it has, is and will continue to take the game from the fans and football as a whole.
The book delivered everything I expected.
The book is well written and at first it feels like John Nicholson is ranting at you to wake up and get on with some action to regain control of Football. John analyses and explains what has happened and then proposes changes that are set out to achieve a more equitable game for fans, players administrators and all teams. I could say it is a type of socialism for top flight football but that would be wrong, it is a passionate call for some equity in the game and a revolution against the all powerful monolith that the Premier League has become.
The first part of the book is ten chapters of laying bare the Premier Leagues web of marketing myths and truths that have brought us to a belief that they are all conquering and the salvation of the game. Parts two and three talk of a revolution and dreams for the future culminating with the manifesto. Finaly there is a. Manifesto of what John want at achieve which I will leave for you to find out by reading the book.
Since reading the book some of John’s predictions have come true. He says that there is a myth about the League’s global dominance and continuous revenue stream. This has been badly dented with the announcement that they have had to cancel the £564M Three year contract with PPTV in China after non payment.
Fans have also campaigned successfully for a pay per view service to be able to see their clubs specific match rather than the broadcasters match scheduled. This was in the main what was available during lockdown and fans want it to continue.
Come the next round of negotiations for TV rights the playing field will have changed and part of the revolution will be in motion.
John, a really thoughtfull and engrossing book, up the revolution.
Payonthegate 