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Fantasy Football League was one of BBC2's greatest triumphs. The boom of football in the mid 90's paved the way for a show celebrating the love of football, and the madness that surrounds it. Orginally based loosely around a Fantasy Football game with celebrity participants (Alan Hansen, Nick Hornby, Angus Deayton, Danny Baker, Susan Tully, Alan Davies were noted players in the league), the show's strengths were Frank Skinner's excellent coming timing, Baddiel's straight man support, and features such as Phoenix From The Flames (reliving classic footballing moments, for example 'that goal' in the 1966 World Cup Final) and Jeff Astle's singalong at the end of the show, which came later on in the series' original run. However, after a few series and a huge rise in similar shows following the format in someway (remember Standing Room Only?), the show came to an end. It was a sad loss, but it was pretty obvious that Skinner was moving to bigger and brighter things, and it was getting a bit long in the tooth for Baddiel. Despite this, the show as it was then is still fondly remembered, and rightly so. Skinner's move to ITV, and his new company's need to bolster it's football coverage, brought about the opportunity to revive the series, now to be run as a special during France '98. The format pretty much remained the same, but it didn't seem right - the primetime format clashed with the one of the successes of the original show - it was essential Friday night post pub viewing for football lovers before the big weekend of games ahead, and the celebrities love of football wasn't as ardent as those present on the original either - you don't really see Sylvia Kristel and Bridget Nielsen debating the qualities of the 5-3-2 formation do you? As a result, it was still funny, and still an enjoyable watch, but yet it didn't fulfil, which was a shame, as Skinner and Baddiel are perfect for such a show and it was obviously missed throughout the football fan community, who deserved better. And now, we have the Euro 2004 edition - again, a special run purely for the competition. Sadly, Jeff Astle is no longer with us, now replaced by a different former footballer doing a turn at the end, but otherwise, the format is pretty much the same. And that's the problem really - you know what to expect, the same visual-style gags, the witty comments from Baddiel and the observation of Skinner, tied in with the same features - but it's like the return of Parkinson, i.e. it was better the first time round, all that's happening now is the reliving of past glories, and the not having the excitement of not knowing what was going to happen next has taken the fun out of it a little. I have watched Fantasy Football League from it's inception, and I have laughed along with all the jokes, know all the songs and the in-jokes that run throughout, and I can honestly say it was one of my favourite TV programmes of all time. And that's just it - it WAS my favourite, and now, it's just something else to watch on the telly. I'll watch and laugh along all the same, but it won't be as heartfelt as it once was. A shame. Amir Arezoo, June 2004
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