Fantasy Football League

This was brilliant. Shame it hasn't been on in it's usual format since about 1995, and shame it hasn't been on for a football tournament since 1998. This is excellent. Frank Skinner and David Baddiel, with 2 celebrity guests for each show. The studio was designed to be like a flat, and Frank and David would be sitting on their sofa as they did in real life when they shared a flat. The resident Statto would be there, as their geeky mate, always in his dressing gown and slippers, who tended to concentrate on the details of football, whilst Frank and Dave would deal with the passion, and the humour. If only this series would come back. The duo would show clips in which they'd noticed amusing things, and discuss the various goings-on of football at the time. There would also be a hilarious 'Phoenix from the Flames' where a goal from past football would be re-created by Frank, David and one of the players involved. It was a classic show. There has never been a better programme on football, and it is one of the greatest comedy shows ever, in the opinions of football supporters.

The joke is long over, such as it was in the first place. They are doing the same things they were doing ten years ago when they at least had novelty value.

EVERY show begins with the boys saying 'hello' to somebody (apparently a comedy staple too good to be parted with), audience chants 'Statto!, Statto!' for a bit, two celebrities arrive and engage in some cheery 'banter', 'Phoenix From the Flames' a never-funny segment in which old football moments are recreated with some 'comic' touches, then some old footballer comes on and sings, the big joke being that he never can. All this and swearing too. Controversial or what?

Frank Skinner has let himself down by plodding on with this rubbish. David Baddiel, on the other hand, has never said anything amusing in his entire career and is thereby doing as well as a man with no talent possibly could.

On the positive side, the whole debacle has moved from BBC to ITV, so none of my license fee is not going into Baddiel's pocket.

Don`t be put off by this show just because you don`t follow football , this is top notch light entertainment . Based upon the concept that invited celebs are a football manager and they`re allowed to spend a certain amount of money on their own fantasy team Frank Skinner and David Baddiel would turn this into a very funny chat show . Probably the most memorable guest was boxer Prince Nassem Hamed . When discussing that he had bought the house of the Sheffield Wednesday manager Hamed mentioned that he`d met the manager`s children :

" Oh did he leave them behind ? " quipped Skinner

Cut to a very nasty silence where Hamed gave a muderous glare

" Listen anymore sarky comments and I`m gonna have to do some slapping in here "

This led to a shocked silence that was broken by Skinner saying : " Good we quite enjoy that "

It`d be easy to dismiss this as a bit of banter on Hamed`s part but reading later interviews when asked about his appearance on the show Hamed makes it very clear he wasn`t kidding and still often makes disparaging and possibly libelous comments about Baddiel and Skinner .

Another very memorable guest was another Sheffield lad Sean Bean who was asked to read a message into camera but was incapable because of an extreme attack of giggles

Another part of the show was where viewers were asked to send in pornographic pictures of people who looked like football personalities . I can still clearly remember a picture of someone who looked like a certain big name chairman having sex with an electrical appliance . FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE might have been great entertainment bit it was never a family show

As a footnote the concept of being a football manager able to buy and sell players according to finances has become a big business computer game industry and I`ve spent many an enjoyable hour playing these games . And I`ve never had sex with an electrical appliance