Loving The Big Match Revisited on ITV4. No need to comment on the 70s haircuts and clothes, but plenty worth mentioning:
1 – The Pitches: how did they play on those surfaces? I played on council pitches that looked better than Upton Park, The Dell or the Baseball Ground back then. So, if you see a player trap a ball or play a decent one-two you should be applauding them. I think I’ve heard it said that, while players from the past would have loved the money modern players get, the thing they really envy is the quality of the pitches now. Apparently that’s why Wembley always seemed such a big pitch when even Orient’s playing area was actually bigger: Wembley’s surface was perfect (except for the 1970 Cup Final when they’d just had the Horse of the Year Show on it), which meant that passes got to their intended recipient faster and easier than usual, so the opposition would be even more knackered trying to get the ball back. Or something like that.
2 – The Interviews: none of your media-savvy Premier Leaguers watching their words and giving cagey, rehearsed replies to questions. Not that the Big Match seems to be packed with players, coaches or managers letting rip. They just seem much more nervous, but also seem to give a bit more tactical insight, instead of moaning about refereeing decisions.
3 – Data Protection: back then if you sent a letter in, they’d not only read it out but would introduce it with your name and address. Yes, the full address. Identity theft was obviously a mere glint in someone’s eye at the time.
4 – The Nostalgia Bit: either ‘Where are they now?’ or a match from ‘the past’. It’s unsettling to watch a nostalgic bit of TV that has its own bit of nostalgia in it. Bit like seeing a reflection of a reflection of a reflection. And one of the ‘Where are they nows?’ showed an ex-international striker who had become a maths teacher. Perhaps Harry Kane could help with the shortage of maths teachers in schools after he retires.
SteveTLooksBack 