The Premiership was once regarded as sexy; falling gates and goals, negative tactics, along with criticism from its own managers has left it seemingly frigid, so yesterday it was offered some advice by its lesser cousins from the Football League in how to tackle the problems affecting the game.
The League, innovative and proactive since the arrival nearly three years ago of Lord Mawhinney as chairman, announced a new initiative to allow children into games for free. Mawhinney stopped short of criticising the Premier League but promised that his body of 72 clubs were determined not to stand still.
Under the "Fans of the Future" scheme, clubs in all divisions are opening their turnstiles for free; more than half of League clubs have introduced a 'Kids Go Free' plan, offering free entry to children accompanied by a paying adult.
Overall, 34 clubs have committed to applying the scheme at all home matches with another six choosing individual games for under-sevens and, in some cases, under-14s. Many more are expected to follow suit.
Lord Mawhinney said: "I want to see hundreds of thousands of young supporters watching Football League matches for free. We are looking to build the Football League for the future and you do that by encouraging young supporters.
"The overall theme is quite clear. We are looking to attract young people to their local clubs and we are looking to do it in the context of the family. We did some polling and 77 per cent of parents who had never taken their kids would now. There is also quite a lot of evidence that the club you support first remains your club for the rest of your life."
The Premier League announced this week that a working party were looking into their ills, but the Football League have already acted.
"We are doing something positive and constructive and in that sense we would like to think we are giving a lead to football generally," Mawhinney added. "But we are not complacent. Any time you get to a position when you think 'we're all right Jack' you are at a time of maximum danger.
"No man is an island and we have to be careful to keep our own home in order and think ahead in our context. What other leagues do is a matter for them, but I think we will see a significant benefit for clubs."