Last Monday night, Newcastle United played Liverpool in a game which told the story of the Premier League.

One club is owned by Saudi Arabia, the other belongs to an American multisports holding conglomerate.It was played at St James’ Park in front of 50,000 frothing Newcastle supporters who were enraged that their best player had gone on strike because he wants to play for Liverpool.

This was a show staged in one of the great cities of industrial England for the benefit of television and with the supporters simply as extras.

On Free State today, the great football historian David Goldblatt talks about how football explains so much of where England is today in society.

He looks at how the kitsch of poppy commemorations became an opportunity to demonstrate militaristic credentials with Millwall playing a game in a camouflage kit.

It has led to the demonisation of someone like James McClean. This Goldblatt says shows that these people, who are also raising flags across England today, are living in “fantasy land” when it comes to England’s history.

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