10th April 1999
Had a bit of a disagreement with the production team earlier.
Running order.
They’re absolutely adamant that Arsenal should go first again tonight. “Title race”, “big audience”, “what the viewers want” — all the usual phrases get thrown about as if they’re gospel. I sat there, listened politely, nodded where appropriate… and then suggested, quite reasonably I thought, that we might instead lead with a proper football club.
It doesn’t land.
There’s a certain inevitability about these things now. The bigger clubs, the flashier names, always pushed to the front as if the rest of the Premiership is simply making up the numbers. In my day, you earned top billing. It wasn’t handed to you because someone in a meeting decided you’d “rate well.” Everything feels a bit… overproduced now. Graphics flying about like it’s Gladiators, music creeping into highlights, next thing you know we’ll have someone explaining the offside rule with a telestrator like it’s the NFL.
Still, their show, I suppose.
I’ll make my feelings known in the only way that matters — a slightly longer pause before introducing the second game, and perhaps a more enthusiastic tone when we finally get to it. Subtle. Professional. Might even linger on the classified results later — give the viewers something dependable. Something they can follow without needing a remote control and a degree in computing.
Out later as well — apparently there’s a new Italian place opened up down in Worthing. Pizza Express, of all things. Not entirely sure about it. Why it’s called “Express” I couldn’t tell you — I’m not in a rush.
Do hope they do a stuffed crust.