Extra games when the Premier League was formed and expanded European competitions meant that by the early 1980s, its long-winded format, which involved group rounds played early on in the season leading to two-legged knock-out rounds similar to the modern UEFA Champions League, attracted much criticism.
Ekstra kampe, da Premier League blev dannet og udvidedet europæiske turneringer betød, at ved begyndelsen af 1980'erne, dens langvarige format, der involverede gruppekampe tidligt på sæsonen, med efterfølgende knock-out runder over to kampe, der ligner den moderne UEFA Champions League, tiltrak sig megen kritik.