Football changed dramatically in the 1990s, with the advent of the Premier League, the European Cup switching to the Champions League and the increasing commercialisation of the sport all contributing to a more globalised product.
But while Manchester United dominated in England, Liverpool – the most successful side in the country until that point – were leading the way off the pitch, though not quite how fans would have wanted.
Jason McAteer formed part of the infamous group of Liverpool players nicknamed the ‘Spice Boys’ in the mid-1990s, with their matching cream Armani suits worn prior to the 1996 FA Cup final the nadir of the perjorative. It didn’t work, with Manchester United beating them 1-0 at Wembley.
Former Liverpool midfielder Jason McAteer reflects on the ’90s
Having signed for the Reds a year before from Bolton as a 24-year-old, McAteer naturally noticed a sharp shift in interest around his personal life when he arrived at Anfield.
He believes that off-field matters became just as important as what happened on the pitch, though, as he also reveals his disdain for the moniker attached to the Liverpool players at the time.
“The ’90s is when football changed: Sky TV, more money, more foreign players, advertising… overnight, we went from people who play football to superstars,” McAteer exclusively tells FourFourTwo.
“Journalists were given lots of power and we were more accessible. It was easier to judge players; if you weren’t winning, they’d try to find out why. The Spice Girls were around and Melanie [C] was often wearing Liverpool kits. I didn’t like being called the Spice Boys.”
He did, however, revel in playing for the side he supported as a kid.
“I was a Liverpool fan,” McAteer adds. “The dream of any youngster is to play for their boyhood club; I picked the best team in the world, so to achieve that dream was a million miles away.
“By their very high standards, Liverpool weren’t in an amazing place at that time. The challenge for the Premier League title was becoming much harder for Graeme Souness, so they changed direction and appointed Roy Evans.
“Me and Alan Stubbs were making headlines at Bolton because of how well we were progressing. Kenny Dalglish tried to sign me at Blackburn first, but then Liverpool came in so I went straight up to Anfield. It was a dream come true, but you soon have to become professional about it.”
