Jumpers for goalposts: Why this era won't be remembered fondly?

I had the great pleasure of getting to know the late, great football player and coach Alec Stock through a previous role in the realms of association football. Alec was the eternal optimist, a superb raconteur, and lifelong devotee of the beautiful game, having been a lynchpin as player/manager of the Yeovil Town giant-killing side of 1949, and later a revered manager of Roma, QPR and Fulham (whom he led to the 1975 Cup Final). Alec was affectionately credited as the inspiration for the Paul Whitehouse character Ron Manager, a nostalgic, loquacious commentator epitomising the halcyon day...