A British players Premier league.
A British players Premier league.
A bit of a pointless topic so apologies in advance...but the thought came to me today...what if we had domestic rules that stipulated that every club could only have 1 overseas player and the rest had to be a British Isles national (ie. Ireland included) ?
Would our interest be less piqued ? Would attendances be lower ? Would we be left unsatisfied and less passionate about supporting our club ? Would our national teams be performing poorer in international games ? Would we be happy or left feeling we are the poorer relation of Europe?
Would our interest be less piqued ? Would attendances be lower ? Would we be left unsatisfied and less passionate about supporting our club ? Would our national teams be performing poorer in international games ? Would we be happy or left feeling we are the poorer relation of Europe?
Re: A British players Premier league.
It would be rubbish.
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Re: A British players Premier league.
That’s basically what we had until the 90s. The football was poorer but the excitement was the same and titles were spread around, which can only be an improvement.
Re: A British players Premier league.
My wife (who couldn't be less interested in football) recently announced that you should only be allowed to play for a football club if you were born in that town or city.
Jay Rod would be playing for us well into his sixties, I Reckon.
Jay Rod would be playing for us well into his sixties, I Reckon.
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Re: A British players Premier league.
Less money
Fewer people watching
Poorer quality
Fewer people watching
Poorer quality
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Re: A British players Premier league.
And Jay would be playing in a one man team
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Re: A British players Premier league.
Harvey Barnes?
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Re: A British players Premier league.
Burnley Fotball Club has never just hired from Burnley… in fact the original idea of forming the team was to encourage weavers from Blackburn to move to the new cotton boomtown. One of the first mentions of the club in the newspapers was Burnley scouts being railroaded out of Dundee while scouting players they could pass of as economic migrants going into the mills/Marsden’s brewery etc while playing in the (pre-league amateurs only) FA Cup.
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Re: A British players Premier league.
See 1980's footballTufty wrote: ↑Sun Aug 31, 2025 8:37 pmA bit of a pointless topic so apologies in advance...but the thought came to me today...what if we had domestic rules that stipulated that every club could only have 1 overseas player and the rest had to be a British Isles national (ie. Ireland included) ?
Would our interest be less piqued ? Would attendances be lower ? Would we be left unsatisfied and less passionate about supporting our club ? Would our national teams be performing poorer in international games ? Would we be happy or left feeling we are the poorer relation of Europe?
Re: A British players Premier league.
I might even get a game!
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Re: A British players Premier league.
There was a notable change in the 1884/85 season which saw an influx of Scottish players displacing the locals as Elwa mentioned …..one of whom was my great great great uncle who was relegated to the reserves as a result!elwaclaret wrote: ↑Sun Aug 31, 2025 10:04 pmBurnley Fotball Club has never just hired from Burnley… in fact the original idea of forming the team was to encourage weavers from Blackburn to move to the new cotton boomtown. One of the first mentions of the club in the newspapers was Burnley scouts being railroaded out of Dundee while scouting players they could pass of as economic migrants going into the mills/Marsden’s brewery etc while playing in the (pre-league amateurs only) FA Cup.
This user liked this post: elwaclaret
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Re: A British players Premier league.
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Re: A British players Premier league.
Nathan Peel ?
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Re: A British players Premier league.
I might be wrong but when they first started showing Italian football on c4 in the early 90s I’m sure they had an oversees player rule? I think you were allowed 3 oversees players in your team. Correct me if I’m wrong
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Re: A British players Premier league.
I think the same rules applied hereShiptonsmother wrote: ↑Mon Sep 01, 2025 9:48 amI might be wrong but when they first started showing Italian football on c4 in the early 90s I’m sure they had an oversees player rule? I think you were allowed 3 oversees players in your team. Correct me if I’m wrong
Re: A British players Premier league.
Just did a search,I found Oliver Norwood and apparently Chris Eagles
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Re: A British players Premier league.
Would never happen. Clubs want as many foreign players as possible. It is good for clubs in europe as they can mop up world wide talent and can compete better in europe, how “good” the premier league is is based on how well english clubs do in european competitions. And it is good for all clubs for marketing. Look at the effect Son had with spurs. Foreign players bring in the tourists from the countries they are from.
Re: A British players Premier league.
A bit rough on someone born in Brierfield. Puts a blight on their England chances.

Re: A British players Premier league.
Dom Telford, who scored a lot of goals for Newport and is now at Gateshead was born in Burnley, though he grew up in Clitheroe.
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Re: A British players Premier league.
He would be up front in a 4-3-3 with Jack Whitham and Albert Cheesebrough. Both good players back in’t day.
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Re: A British players Premier league.
Harvey Barnes would be up front.beeholeclaret wrote: ↑Tue Sep 02, 2025 12:53 pmHe would be up front in a 4-3-3 with Jack Whitham and Albert Cheesebrough. Both good players back in’t day.![]()
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Re: A British players Premier league.
Wasn't the Celtic European Cup side of 1967 all born/grew up within something like 30 miles of Glasgow?
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Re: A British players Premier league.
Ashley Barns, hasn't he been adopted 

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Re: A British players Premier league.
I'm not sure if that applied in domestic football; I think Liverpool played one of their 1980s Cup Finals with Steve McMahon as the only Englishman under UEFA rules.Shiptonsmother wrote: ↑Mon Sep 01, 2025 9:48 amI might be wrong but when they first started showing Italian football on c4 in the early 90s I’m sure they had an oversees player rule? I think you were allowed 3 oversees players in your team. Correct me if I’m wrong
It was definitely the case in European football after UEFA closed the loophole that allowed Welsh, Scottish and Irish players to be classed as British for European competititons. Once they were classed as non-English and limited to three-per-team there was a bit of an adjustment period for English teams, as Gary Walsh can testify...
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Re: A British players Premier league.
Matty James Ollie Norwood
Re: A British players Premier league.
There are only 178 maternity units in the UK according to ai. That's a bit restrictive. Hastings, for example does not have one. It's in St Leonards.
That said, it would probably mean lots of scousers and londeners moving back home so that their children were born in the right catchment area, so it has some advantages.
That said, it would probably mean lots of scousers and londeners moving back home so that their children were born in the right catchment area, so it has some advantages.
Re: A British players Premier league.
I could imagine a scouser desperately trying to get his wife home in time and not quite making it - so his son gets a place in Burtonwood Services FC. 

Re: A British players Premier league.
Paris v London would be tasty.
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Re: A British players Premier league.
Is it true that mothers to be in Blackburn travel to Airedale GH, as they'd rather their kids be born in Yorkshire than Burnley..timshorts wrote: ↑Tue Sep 02, 2025 8:48 pmThere are only 178 maternity units in the UK according to ai. That's a bit restrictive. Hastings, for example does not have one. It's in St Leonards.
That said, it would probably mean lots of scousers and londeners moving back home so that their children were born in the right catchment area, so it has some advantages.
Re: A British players Premier league.
Around here you could be born in Burnley and die in Blackburn because of the maternity and A&E locations. Either way most people will be unhappy at either side of their life.
Blackburn fan——-place of birth , Burnley. I bet they never show their passport to anyone.
Blackburn fan——-place of birth , Burnley. I bet they never show their passport to anyone.
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Re: A British players Premier league.
If the rule was ever introduced the quality would nosedive. The Premier League's reputation is built on being the best of the best worldwide. Limiting clubs to one overseas player would turn it into a closed shop, more like the old First Division. Crowds would still turn up for the badge, but the spectacle would be nowhere near what we've gotten used to
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Re: A British players Premier league.
Matty James wasn't born in Burnley