This was an idea I had that was inspired (i.e. ripped off from) the Unofficial Football World Championships ( https://www.ufwc.co.uk/ ). Their idea is simple: using boxing's model, they traced back right to the very first international and worked out the 'World Champion' from there. When you lose a match, the title changes to the other team who hold it until they are defeated and so forth.
The champions at time of writing are Peru.
I wanted to work out who the unofficial English Champions would be but I needed a starting point.
As much as I would love to be able to go all the way back right to the formation of Sheffield FC in 1855, it's just not realistic. I don't have a team of researchers to trawl through newspaper reports from 1895, I am just one guy. So, I have taken the Sky approach of imagining football started in 1992 with the foundation of the Premier League. So, that 1992-93 season was a race to see who would be crowned the first Unofficial (but at the same time Official) English champions. So, it's no surprise than, that our first champions are Manchester United.
Some may say it should start with Leeds United who had begun the season as Division One Champions but there's no way for me to tell they were genuine Unofficial Champions of England, so using Man United gives me a more definitive starting point.
Some rules to clarify:
1) League Cup and FA Cup matches count meaning it is possible for teams from lower divisions to become Unofficial Champions of England
2) Only English (and a few Welsh) teams can challenge for the title. So, AC Milan and Barcelona can never be English champions but if a European fixture does throw up an all English affair, the title will be put on the line as well.
So, Manchester United are the first champions and their first 10 games brought successful defences against the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Arsenal, Norwich City and Newcastle United.
Which brings us to...
Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United 11/09/1993
Manchester United had started the 1993-94 season like a house on fire, they looked unstoppable.
Chelsea were not nearly so assured with only one win so far.
So when Gavin Peacock popped up in the 17th minute to put Chelsea ahead with a little dink over Peter Schmeichel, United were still expected to make another of their trademark comebacks.
Eric Cantona almost scored with an audacious effort from the half-way line. But huff and puff as they might, United could not break down the Chelsea door and they held on to become the second Unofficial Champions of England.
Match Highlights:
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