CHANNEL 5 SCORE WITH NON-STOP SHOW
THIRTY years ago, the 1985-86 football season got underway with a rather novel twist. There was no televised league football. Not a single pass, shot or save was seen on television until the Christmas lights had been taken down. Can you imagine the uproar that would cause now? By then United... yes, West Ham United, were tussling with Merseyside giants Liverpool and Everton for the Championship in a sport still recovering from the tragic fire at Bradford, the horror of Heysel and the scourge of hooliganism. And BBC and ITV’s extended arm-wrestle with the football authorities over rights fees and their ambition for more live matches kept the game off the box until the New Year. No such problem now. Over an opening weekend of the 2015-2016 season, viewers have had the choice of five live Premier League matches to watch with West Ham’s stunning away win over Arsenal on Sky Sports yesterday taking star billing so far. However, there was a touch of originality about Channel 5’s new Football League Tonight show and its prime-time 9pm Saturday evening slot. With its production team working as fast as an F1 pit crew, presenters Kelly Cates and George Riley confidently steered us through a programme that left the viewer exhausted, never mind the workers. But it was a good first effort. Kelly Cates is underrated. Knowledgeable and unerringly cheerful, you feel the programme is in safe hands. And Riley, a fresh face to TV, has solid radio experience. The mission: to show every goal scored in the Football League that day. I’m sure they did it and the action, cut in bite-size chunks, really did zing along. This is a ‘walk and talk’ show. And the studio set has its traps. They may need to be looked at so that the show’s presenters compete against ‘Casualty’ rather than end up in it. Not everything worked. The studio audience are part of the show but looked on awkwardly — which, in turn, makes it uncomfortable for the viewer. Ex-Brighton defender Adam Virgo added genuine insight; lively studio guest and Barnet manager Martin Allen added tales from the touchline. We probably could have done with seeing Reading’s Aaron Tshibola’s over-the-line ‘goal’ again. But as a first show Channel 5 should be pleased. Watching Match of the Day after that frantic action seemed like a soothing cup of hot chocolate. There was cathedral calm in the studio and only six games to mull over — quality over quantity? Perhaps. Frustratingly, Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho straight-batted questions over Thibaut Courtois’ sending-off but pundits Danny Murphy and a stronglyopinionated Alan Shearer showed early-season form. Will Stamford Bridge host another title celebration this year? They did at the end of the 1985-86 season, as Kelly Cates’ dad, Kenny Dalglish, clinched the Championship for Liverpool there. Of course, the action was only seen on Match of the Day. A few weeks later a young England international was off to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, only to come back a feted world star. Whatever happened to Gary Lineker?!