For those old enough to remember, Jimmy Greaves and Ian St John used to present a Saturday lunchtime programme imaginatively titled Saint and Greavsie.
And long before we had Kammy and his “unbelievable Jeff” catchphrase Jimmy Greaves coined “it’s a funny old game”
Well I think that phrase could sum this Premier League season up. There is no rhyme or reason to it, giants are slain so often that many aren’t giants any more.
I’ve mentioned here before that I don’t mind partaking in a weekend football bet or two and now, when I sit down on a Friday evening to plot the bookies downfall, I don’t even look at the Premier League fixtures.
I go straight to the Championship table and fixtures and work my way down the leagues and in to Scotland. At no point does it cross my mind to dip in to the Premier League and look for a ‘banker’.
Such thing does not exist in the Premier League this season. It is absurdly unpredictable. As it stands at this moment just about any team could beat another regardless of stature, form, money spent, star names fielded.
At the start of the season Leicester City were 5000/1 to win the Premier League. As I write this they are 7/4 favourites.
Now regardless of the stupidity of some things, our totally biased devotion to our clubs will make us do unreasonable stuff.
So I can guarantee a few Leicester fans would have taken that bet at the start of the season. Supporters of every team in the league would have thrown a couple of quid on their side winning the league.
Unless you follow a so called ‘top 4’ team you know you will have been throwing your money away but you would do it just the same. It’s a loyalty thing.
So, out there are a few Leicester fans nervously looking at a betting slip. If you had thrown a fiver on for the fun of it, you’re looking at potential return of 25 large ones.
When Leicester beat Man City on Saturday it all got very real.
We all said it wouldn’t last. Plucky and courageous, that band of previous unknowns and cheap buys (Riyad Mahrez £375,000) will run out of steam.
The engine still shows no sign of slowing down. Are we not all rooting for Leicester to carry on?
Yes we are because Leicester have become a standard bearer for the ‘lesser’, ‘unfashionable’ teams.
And we at West Ham fit that bill. Forever patronised. Patted on the head for wanting and sometimes getting attractive football. Ushered along and out of the way so the alleged big teams can get on with the business of winning the league.
How many times have you heard that West Ham are someone’s ‘second team’ because they like our plucky spirit or other such nonsense?
Well those people can do one. There is a revolution happening in the Premier League and long may it continue.
It is indeed a funny old game.
COYI