Premier League | Footy
The Premier League is an English professional league for football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, Premier League is the country's primary football competition. Premier League is contested by 20 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier League is a corporation in which the 20 member clubs act as shareholders. Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 38 games each. Premier League is sponsored by Barclays Bank, and is therefore officially known as the Barclays Premier League.
The competition formed as the FA Premier League on 20 February 1992 following the decision of clubs in the Football League First Division to break away from The Football League, which was originally founded in 1888, and take advantage of a lucrative television rights deal. The Premier League has since become the world's most watched sporting league. Premier League is the world's most lucrative football league, with combined club revenues of around £1.4 billion in 2005–06, which are expected to rise to around £1.8 billion for 2007–08 due to media revenues. Premier League is also ranked first in the UEFA rankings of leagues based on performances in European competitions over the last five-years, ahead of the Spanish La Liga and Italian Serie A.
A total of 42 clubs have competed in the Premier League, but only four have won the title: Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Arsenal, and Chelsea. The current champions are Manchester United, who won their tenth Premier League title in the 2007–08 season, the most of any Premier League team.
Promoted as "The Greatest Show On Earth", the Premier League is the world's most popular and most watched sporting league, followed worldwide by over half a billion people in 202 countries. The Premier League is particularly popular in Asia, where it is the most widely distributed sports programme
Premier League
Premier League
Gary Neville Manchester United ready to battle back
09/08/2008 22:10Premier League title will have to wait for Liverpool
09/08/2008 22:03Arsenal 1-1 Sevilla Draw
09/08/2008 21:58Wayne Rooney to miss start of season
07/08/2008 00:24Cristiano Ronaldo commits to Manchester United
07/08/2008 00:14
| Rank | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Alan Shearer |
260 |
| 2 | Andrew 'Andy' Cole |
187 |
| 3 |  Thierry Henry |
174 |
| 4 | Robbie Fowler |
163 |
| 5 | Les Ferdinand |
149 |
| 6 | Teddy Sheringham |
146 |
| 7 | Michael Owen |
136 |
| 8 |  Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink |
127 |
| 9 |  Dwight Yorke |
123 |
| 10 | Ian Wright |
113 |
| Season | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1992–93 | Manchester United |
| 1993–94 | Manchester United |
| 1994–95 | Blackburn Rovers |
| 1995–96 | Manchester United |
| 1996–97 | Manchester United |
| 1997–98 | Arsenal |
| 1998–99 | Manchester United |
| 1999–2000 | Manchester United |
| 2000–01 | Manchester United |
| 2001–02 | Arsenal |
| 2002–03 | Manchester United |
| 2003–04 | Arsenal |
| 2004–05 | Chelsea |
| 2005–06 | Chelsea |
| 2006–07 | Manchester United |
| 2007–08 | Manchester United |
Premier League
The 22 inaugural members of the new Premier League were Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Coventry City, Crystal Palace, Everton, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Oldham Athletic, Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Wimbledon.
Due to insistence by FIFA, the international governing body of football, that domestic leagues reduce the number of games clubs played, the number of clubs was reduced to 20 in 1995 when four teams were relegated from the league and only two teams promoted. On 8 June 2006, FIFA requested that all major European leagues, including Italy's Serie A and Spain's La Liga be reduced to 18 teams by the start of the 2007–08 season. The Premier League responded by announcing their intention to resist such a reduction. Ultimately the 2007–08 season kicked off again with 20 teams. The league changed its name from the FA Premier League to simply the Premier League in 2007. That same season saw the discussion over Game 39, a showpiece match played overseas.
There are 20 clubs in the Premier League. During the course of a season, which lasts from August to May, each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 38 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned champion. If points are equal, the goal difference and then goals scored determine the winner. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship, for relegation, or for qualification to other competitions, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank