Premier League vs Championship

[Aaron]

So what makes the Premier League better than the Championship?  What is it that makes our place in the league worth fighting for?  I need some convincing here.

I'll go first:

1) Better TV coverage.

I'm pretty much out of ideas now..  Anyone else?

I don't buy this "mixing it with the big boys" business as we don't mix with them, we get hammered by them.  I also don't agree with this idea that football is irrelevant unless you're at the highest level.  Do Fleetwood and Notts County fans go home depressed after every win wishing instead that they'd just got beaten 2-0 at home by West Ham in the Premier League?

Dropping into League One is another one I hear a lot about.  I'm not sure I buy this either unless it actively threatens the existence of the club or our staying at Craven Cottage and I don't believe it would?

Is anyone *really* preferring this season to last?  Even this season to two seasons ago?

Cracking away days at good honest old school grounds and knowing that any team in the league on their day could beat any other team.  I enjoyed that.

I don't enjoy this?

[JoelH5]

Sadly, you're right. Every weekend getting ruined by this rubbish. This second half we haven't even looked that bothered to be 2-0. If we at least had some fight I'd be way happier.

[Samjack]

Totally agree mate. The premier league is not fun. It's boring, overhyped and expensive. Obviously, it's better when you do better (it's easy to go on like this when you're bottom of the league)  but of the 13 years we had in the prem last time round I can't think of any that were memorable apart from the Europa cup season and that was memorable for the cup run not the league!

[Milo]

Bring back the Championship!

[DevonFFC]

So what makes the Premier League better than the Championship?  What is it that makes our place in the league worth fighting for?  I need some convincing here.

I'll go first:

1) Better TV coverage.

I'm pretty much out of ideas now..  Anyone else?

I don't buy this "mixing it with the big boys" business as we don't mix with them, we get hammered by them.  I also don't agree with this idea that football is irrelevant unless you're at the highest level.  Do Fleetwood and Notts County fans go home depressed after every win wishing instead that they'd just got beaten 2-0 at home by West Ham in the Premier League?

Dropping into League One is another one I hear a lot about.  I'm not sure I buy this either unless it actively threatens the existence of the club or our staying at Craven Cottage and I don't believe it would?

Is anyone *really* preferring this season to last?  Even this season to two seasons ago?

Cracking away days at good honest old school grounds and knowing that any team in the league on their day could beat any other team.  I enjoyed that.

I don't enjoy this?

If we were winning and we're not in the situation we were in would you still moan about the prem?? Probably not.
We all knew what we were going in to when we cheers our team on at Wembley, unfortunately it's not the league that's the issues it's us

[Aaron]

If we were winning and we're not in the situation we were in would you still moan about the prem?? Probably not.
We all knew what we were going in to when we cheers our team on at Wembley, unfortunately it's not the league that's the issues it's us

I don't think I was moaning?  I was just expressing a preference for the league we found ourselves in last season. 

If we were in a position to challenge for a Europa League place or something then I'd probably be more onboard with the whole PL thing, but there's still a gulf in class between the top 4 or 5 and the rest of the league that makes it all a bit depressing really.  Every fixture in the Championship felt winnable, you don't get that in the PL.

I'll give you that most of Roy's tenure in the Premier League was quite exciting as there really was a feeling we could upset the odds and do something, apart from that and our first season or two it was all a bit.. crap?

[WindyCity]

I won't resign to the let's just play in a league most compatible with our talent level.  What is "sport" all about, anyway?  To succeed at the highest levels.  I'm sure players in the lower leagues aspire to reach the PL.  Players, along with fans, should want to reach the highest levels and not accept anything less.  Yeah, it's tough, and especially in the PL where most of the money and talent resides within 5-6 clubs.  But there certainly can be plenty of satisfaction gained for finishing mid table in a difficult league.  And the occasional win against one of those top clubs. 

Yes, these games (losses) have been brutal, to say the least.  But I'd just as soon be playing here than in one of the lower tiers.  Taking our lumps right now, and it is hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel.  But as we look at things at present, it would be a huge 'win' if FFC could survive this season and stay in PL.  I don't like our chances, but will continue to hope for the best and some sort of turn around.

[john dempsey]

Leicester champions of England.
you have to have dreams.....

[Steeeeeeeeeed]

I think of Fulham as a plucky Championship /League 1  club at heart club with a certain old school charm (the ground, the scenery , the "polite" aura, even the black and white kit). That's what made the promotion run in 2018  So beautiful we had added some outstanding football to our core values. But those core values are almost not suited to the cut throat Billionaire plaything of the Premiership.

But maybe the Championship is in our DNA. I think much bigger clubs such as Aston Villa and Sunderland are Premier League clubs really. So appreciate the good times which overall we have had plenty of over the last twenty years.

Remember the good times.

[@jolslover]

Better players (both for us and opposition) in prem.
Better discussion with work colleagues and neutrals when were in the prem.

[ScalleysDad]

I think of Fulham as a plucky Championship /League 1  club at heart club with a certain old school charm (the ground, the scenery , the "polite" aura, even the black and white kit). That's what made the promotion run in 2018  So beautiful we had added some outstanding football to our core values. But those core values are almost not suited to the cut throat Billionaire plaything of the Premiership.

But maybe the Championship is in our DNA. I think much bigger clubs such as Aston Villa and Sunderland are Premier League clubs really. So appreciate the good times which overall we have had plenty of over the last twenty years.

Remember the good times.

It's an interesting point about our DNA and core values. Progress is one thing but I have felt for a while now that we are just a business these days.

[DevonFFC]

I think of Fulham as a plucky Championship /League 1  club at heart club with a certain old school charm (the ground, the scenery , the "polite" aura, even the black and white kit). That's what made the promotion run in 2018  So beautiful we had added some outstanding football to our core values. But those core values are almost not suited to the cut throat Billionaire plaything of the Premiership.

But maybe the Championship is in our DNA. I think much bigger clubs such as Aston Villa and Sunderland are Premier League clubs really. So appreciate the good times which overall we have had plenty of over the last twenty years.

Remember the good times.

It's an interesting point about our DNA and core values. Progress is one thing but I have felt for a while now that we are just a business these days.

That is not just us, that's football as a whole.

[AnOldBrownie]

I've got one.


People in the USA get to see live Fulham games without having to go to London.

That's a big plus to me, but I won't lie.   I enjoyed watching all of last season's matches delayed than I have watching all of this seasons games live.   

NBCSN Gold + Youtube TV...I haven't missed a game.

Last season was more enjoyable to watch though.

I haven't given up on this season, but I won't complain watching 90 Minutes next season (if relegated).

I also LOVED watching the style of football played by Fulham last season.    Not sure they'll be as fun to watch in the Championship playing non-tikky tak football.