Where the 13 teams proposed in original 1982 ‘British Super League’ are now with now-Premier League giants snubbed

IT WAS 42 YEARS ago that a ‘British Super League’ was originally proposed – but one of the Big Six was not even considered for it.

But two English teams that are now not even in the Premier League did make the 13-club cut.

Rex

Chelsea were LEFT OUT of a proposed British Super League back in 1982[/caption]

Kenny Ramsay

Celtic and Rangers have pushed for a British Super League numerous times[/caption]

The potential British Super League was put together in an effort to get Scottish giants Rangers and Celtic to face off against England’s best.

It has long been an ambition for the SPL duo – and even other teams north of the border are still seemingly in favour of it.

St Johnstone boss Craig Levein recently said: “I will come back to my base camp, I would love to see the Old Firm playing in the English Premier League.

“They would be able to afford to pay £50m each per season to the rest of Scottish football and then I would support Celtic and Rangers playing in the English Premier League.

“But will it ever happen? I don’t think so.”

Although the discussion has resurfaced over recent months and years, the 1980s plans never materialised for the British Super League.

But a decade later saw the teams in the old First Division form a breakaway from the EFL to form the Premier League.

Nine of the clubs for the BSL are still in the Prem, including five of the ‘Big Six’ – Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

However, of those teams lined up join it, Chelsea were surprisingly left out.

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While they are now one of England’s heavyweights and two-time Champions League winners, back then they had just finished 12th in the second tier.

In fact, in that very same year, the Blues were even bought by Ken Bates for just A QUID!

It was not until the £140m takeover by Roman Abramovich that the club started to hit the big time in the Premier League, and despite their recent struggles, they are still one of the most powerful clubs in the top-flight.

Incredibly, they were not the only big omission at the time – Nottingham Forest were too.

Brian Clough led them to European Cup glory in consecutive seasons in 1979 and 1980, but they also failed to make the cut in ‘82.

With Rangers and Celtic still dominating Scotland and the other five ‘Big Six’ members still going strong at the top of our domestic game, they would all appear to have been good choices for the ‘British Super League’.

But what about the rest… here we take a look at how the other six teams that were proposed are doing these days:

EVERTON

The Toffees won the title twice in the 1980s as well as both the FA Cup and League Cup.

They have remained a constant in the top-flight since, adding another FA Cup in 1995, but face a tough fight to maintain that status having already been deducted ten points and looking at a potential further six-point penalty.

NEWCASTLE UNITED

While their search for silverware goes on, they enjoyed a return to the Champions League this season under Eddie Howe.

And big things are expected in the future for the Magpies after their Saudi takeover.

ASTON VILLA

Like Newcastle did last term, Villa are threatening to break the dominance of the ‘Big Six’ and qualify for the Champions League.

Unai Emery’s side are currently riding high in the top flight.

WEST HAM UNITED

The Hammers have dropped in and out of the top-flight several times over the past 42 years but they are in a completely stratosphere compared to the early 1980s.

They now have a 62,500 capacity ground after the move to the London Stadium and are regulars in European football.

And they secured their first trophy since the 1980 FA Cup last season when David Moyes guided them to Europa Conference League success.

LEEDS UNITED

Having enjoyed great success in the 1960s and 70s, Leeds were still considered to be one of England’s big boys.

They won the last First Division title in 1992 but would soon fall out of the top-flight and endured a 16-year absence before Marcelo Bielsa ended that in 2020.

They stayed there for three seasons but are now back in the Championship following relegation last year.

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Another Yorkshire giant that are no longer in the Premier League.

Back in 1982 they were also in the Second Division but boasted one of the country’s finest stadiums.

The Owls enjoyed an eight-season stay in the top-flight throughout the 1990s but they suffered relegation in 2000 and have not returned since.

Currently sitting second bottom and five points from safety in the Championship, they face a huge fight to try and prevent an immediate return to League One after last season’s play-off success.

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