1995-96
Don’t ask me when I was most happy. Ask me instead when I was most excited, and I’ll tell you it was in the mid-1990s. Oh to be a teenager again, with Britpop on the radio, TFI Friday on the telly, and English football in the midst of a golden era. The birth of the Premier League had brought glamour to the game but there were still enough old-school vibes in those early days to make it feel relatable, and that was no more so the case than in the 1995-96 season as Tony Yeboah and Georgi Kinkladze scored goals from the Gods while West Ham wore shirts sponsored by Dagenham Motors. And then there was the drama, namely Newcastle’s blowing of a 12-point lead involving that loss to Liverpool and that rant by Kevin Keegan. It was wild, intoxicating stuff, with more to come that summer in the shape of Euro 96 and Oasis playing Knebworth. Aged 15, I’ll tell you, honestly, I loved it. Loved it. Sachin Nakrani
