Proper football back on the telly

YOU know when you are getting old when the music you have always listened to and thought was trendy starts appearing on budget cd's at Asda.

There I was mulling around the store last week. Just browsing. Not too hopeful of finding a gem.

Then, all of a sudden, I spot BA Robertson's seventies pop ditty "Bang Bang" on a £2.74 compilation.

Then on the next shelf, an eighties compilation featuring not only Musical Youth's "Pass the Dutchie", but Paul Hardcastle's "19". Classics.

I bought both Musical Youth albums and still do a turn at parties.

On another cd, titled Alternative 80s: Big Audio Dynamite, The Blow Monkeys, Lotus Eaters and Einstein A Go-Go by Landscape. All for £3.

Three discs, £8.48 between 'em. Not great songs but mine nonetheless.

It's always been the same with football with me.

I don't want the 'best' football in the world.

I rarely watch the Champions League on TV. I haven't an interest in La Liga or Serie A. I really could not give a monkeys.

I had only a passing interest in the last European Championships last summer.

I have a passing interest in the most exciting of the lot, the Bundesliga where any of the top six can still clinch it, but just because a friend just happens to be captain of one of the teams pushing for the title, Thomas Hitzlsperger at Stuttgart.

Despite all the guff that the Premier League has never been as good, I admit there really cannot be much doubt that it has never been richer or more hyped.

There has never been more top foreign players over here. But is the end product any better than it was when I was a lad in the seventies?

Yes it's quicker, yes it's more technically advanced. A Cruyff turn used to drop jaws. Now you'd think you have to do a dozen step-overs whilst catching the ball on the back of your neck and roll it down your sleeves to beat a full-back.

But the pitches are bowling greens to what they used to be. And the balls now are like those orange and black Fido balls I used to kick about on the beach. Balls that would swerve and swoop, rise and fall on the breeze.

Thank goodness the Premier League appear to be making some sort of strides to correct the obsence amounts of debt that some clubs have entered into.

Perhaps if Ledley King wasn't on £80,000 a week I might have some sympathy for him being caught with his pants down after one too many.

But thanks to ITV4 for bringing back so many good memories and bringing to life football when it really was the beautiful game.

For the past couple of weeks Big Match Revisited on ITV4 have been showing the nation some of the best action from Sunday afternoons in April 1979.

Wolves have just stolen a point at Albion. Frank Worthington has just flicked the ball on his foot a couple of times with his back to goal from a miscleared Ipswich corner, chipped it over the defence and rifled the ball into the corner of the net.

Afterwards the interviewer wanted to speak to Arnold Muhren, one of Town's two Dutch midfielders, about the balding Pole trying to make his way at Bolton. I missed his name.

Martin O'Neill has just nodded one in on a beach of a pitch at Derby County.

Cyrille Regis and Len Cantello join West Ham's Pop Robson and a few others in the hunt for Goal of the Season. The winner gets a ticket to the European Cup Final with Forest taking on Malmo.

Brighton have just clinched promotion by winning at Newcastle. Though they did manage a win the week before courtesy of a smoke bomb thrown from their crowd behind the goal into the six yard box just as they were about to score against Blackburn. The goalkeeper didn't have a clue.

"Maybe the referee should have disallowed that one," said Brian Moore. "But it is a tricky one..."

The managers afterwards? Never a hint of an excuse about small squads, injuries or offsides.

Sunderland hope to join them having won at Wrexham courtesy of two late goals. Stoke are already up. Crystal Palace under Terry Venables hope to join them and with two games in hand they have a good chance.

"Everyone's getting nervous," jokes Terry in the dressing room after a Vince Hilaire inspired win over a Notts County team for whom Dave McVay appeared as a half-time sub (McVay is now a fine sports journalist and author).

"The secretary asked me if I wanted a cup of tea. I said yes. And she said; 'how do you want it - white or red?!'"

Oh Terry! There is a cabaret and a nightclub waiting for you one day, my son.

Stuff it! I can't wait for the outcome. I've just googled the league table and Palace made it. Up as Champions.

So, when the Premier League reaches it climax tomorrow at Wigan, I'll be thinking more about 1979 and the FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Manchester United which is being shown on Thursday.

I hear Alan Sunderland has passed a late test. That might just swing it.