In a league of their own

ON SUNDAY,April 18, 2021, the world of football was shocked to its very core. Not just because Rotherham United had lost 1-0 at home to Birmingham City, leaving themselves agonisingly close to relegation, but because a bunch of jolly powerful people within the game had issued a rather startling press release.

“Twelve of Europe’s leading football clubs have today come together,” it began, “to announce they have agreed to establish a new mid-week competition, the Super League, governed by its Founding Clubs.AC Milan,Arsenal FC, Atlético de Madrid, Chelsea FC, FC Barcelona, FC Internazionale Milano, Juventus FC, Liverpool FC, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid CF and Tottenham Hotspur have all joined as founding clubs.

“It is anticipated that a further three clubs will join ahead of the inaugural season, which is intended to commence as soon as practicable, assuming no one has a problem with any of this and decides to start whining and bleating and giving us a load of grief about the game being torn apart by greedy so-and-so’s who don’t give a monkey’s about the fans, blah blah.”

Yes, all right, I’ve doctored that last sentence just a smidgen.

A 42-word smidgen, to be precise. Because, of course, there really was quite a ballyhoo about this proposal.

And it wasn’t just supporters who went ballistic.

Some of the game’s best-loved, most respected figures, and also Gary Neville, expressed outrage. KICKING OFF:THE RISEAND FALL OFTHE SUPER LEAGUE (9.30pm, BBC Two) relives the drama of the days that followed, as this extraordinary concept came under attack from all sides.

Not only were people horrified by the sheer greed they felt was driving it, they also hated the idea of a league that would effectively operate as an elitist bubble, from which no club could ever be relegated – and, perhaps more to the point, to which none could ever be admitted via its on-field achievements alone. Not even a resurgent Rotherham.

Using archive clips and expert interviews, the documentary traces the hour-by-hour developments that saw the Super League die a death in just three days.

And in case anyone is naive enough to imagine that similar proposals won’t emerge again some day, in some form or other, it reminds us that football is already driven by money and power like never before.

Before that, from 7pm, also on BBCTwo,Arsenal take on Tottenham Hotspur in MATCH OF THE DAY LIVE:WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE.

Yes, women playing football. Can’t imagine that catching on either...