Football today is unrecognisable from the game many of us fell in love with.
Corporate sponsors dictate kick-off times, players are media-trained robots, and the Premier League product feels more like a polished brand than a sport rooted in community. Yes, the game has evolved – but not all change is for the better.
Below are six undeniable reasons why football in the 70s and 80s was better than the version we have now.
The FA Cup Final Was the Biggest Day in the Football Calendar
There was a time when the FA Cup Final was more than just another game – it was a national event. Always played on the last Saturday of the season, it received wall-to-wall coverage from early morning until full-time. From Cup Final Grandstand to It’s a Knockout-style challenges, the build-up was a spectacle in its own right.
Winning the FA Cup meant something. Clubs took it seriously, fielded their strongest sides, and fans dreamed of Wembley glory. Compare that to today’s rotated teams, half-empty stadiums in early rounds, and managers apologising for prioritising the league – it’s night and day.
The Home Internationals Gave Us Real National Pride
Forget the sterile friendly matches or the convoluted UEFA Nations League – in the 80s, the Home International Championships provided genuine passion. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland played each other every season in packed stadiums, battling not for qualification points, but for national bragging rights. Wembley. Hampden. Ninian Park. Windsor Park. The atmosphere was intense, the rivalries fierce, and fans truly cared. It gave each season a patriotic crescendo that’s sorely missing from the calendar today.
FA Cup Replays Were Epic Football Sagas
Before penalty shootouts and single replays, the FA Cup often delivered marathon clashes that created unforgettable drama. Take Arsenal vs Liverpool in the 1979–80 semi-final – four matches were needed to separate the sides, with the decisive goal coming just nine days before the final.
In 1991, Arsenal needed four games to get past Leeds in the fourth round, and Everton vs Liverpool required three. These drawn-out battles allowed underdogs to earn multiple paydays, fans to live the dream of a giant-killing replay, and the narrative to build over weeks, not be wrapped up in 90 minutes and forgotten.
More Teams Had a Genuine Shot at the Title
In today’s Premier League, the top four is practically a closed shop. But in the 1980s, the title race often involved unlikely contenders. Nottingham Forest, Derby County, Ipswich Town and Queens Park Rangers all challenged for top honours.
Leicester City’s 2016 miracle was hailed as unprecedented, yet in the 80s, Watford, Southampton and Ipswich all finished second. Everton won two titles, while Leeds United, Derby County and Forest all claimed championships in the decade prior. The top flight felt open, unpredictable, and grounded – not a financial arms race decided before a ball was kicked.
Terracing Had a Life of Its Own
Yes, modern stadiums are safer and more comfortable, but they lack the raw, pulsing energy of old-school terraces. The Kop. The Holte End. The North Bank. Heaving masses of fans swaying as one, creating an atmosphere that simply can’t be replicated with seat numbers and marshals.
Even at smaller clubs – like Lincoln City’s old Clanford End where this writer first stood – there was a sense of unity and intimacy that’s hard to find in modern all-seater grounds. Of course, Hillsborough changed the game forever, but there were safe terraces, and they delivered matchday experiences that linger in the memory like no padded seat ever could.
Maverick Players Brought Chaos and Colour
Today’s players are fitter, faster, and technically drilled to within an inch of their lives. But where’s the personality? The individuality? In the 80s, the game was awash with mavericks. Robin Friday, Frank Worthington, Stan Bowles, Rodney Marsh – players who drank, gambled, entertained, and didn’t play by the rules. They were unmanageable, unpredictable, and utterly brilliant.
Now, flair is trained out of players. There’s no room for chaos, no tolerance for non-conformity. It makes for a more efficient game – but a far less entertaining one.
Final Whistle
The Premier League era has brought wealth, exposure, and global appeal. But in that trade-off, we’ve lost much of what made football beautiful in the first place. The 1980s game was rougher, rawer, and full of imperfections – but it was real. It belonged to the fans, the communities, and the chaos. Football hasn’t just changed – it’s been repackaged.
And for those of us who stood on the terraces, counted the replays, and watched the Cup Final build-up from breakfast to bedtime, we know exactly which version we’d rather have.
