Former Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has hailed the importance of football fans following the collapse of the European Super League.
Fan pressure meant the controversial closed-shop continental tournament, designed to replace UEFA competitions, was left in tatters as the six English clubs who signed up swiftly pulled out.
City and the other clubs involved continue to face backlash and there is still plenty of questions left to answer but the change in circumstance has led to celebrations.
Among those delighted is Wright-Phillips, who was part of the start of City's journey following the takeover of Sheikh Mansour.
"To be honest with you, I'm most definitely on the supporters and fans side. I think there's too much history in the Premier League, and I think all of the teams who were trying to join the European Super League were made by the Premier League and there's just too much to throw away," said Wright-Phillips, speaking exclusively to BritishGambler.co.uk.
"Fans make the Premier League, fans make football, and fans should have a big part to play in decisions like that, and hence the reason why Chelsea pulled out so soon because fans had a big part to play in that and made a stand.
"I think without fans there is no football. I think the Premier League is as big as it is because of the fans and the support it gets globally, not just because of the clubs themselves."
Wright-Phillips also spoke about his feelings after the initial decision to join the European Super League was announced, adding: "It was painful. It was hurtful as well, obviously having played there for so long. The owners have done a great job building Manchester up, not just the club but the training ground, the stadium and it has become something too much to just give up.
"Looking at it from two points of view, there is so much noise and the governing bodies are getting involved, saying that players won't be able to play international football and teams are going to get stripped of things, but none of this happened when there was racism in football? So I don't understand why it's so important now there's money involved? Everybody suddenly jumps up!
"England is the hub of football, everybody watches the Premier League, you can go anywhere in the world. I know people in Australia that stay up until 4 or 5 in the morning to watch a game and watch their team play.
"I feel like there are some clubs out there that haven't got the money to buy the players that they want to buy, and to be the clubs that they used to be, and the Super League would have given them that.
"And that can't happen without the Big 6 teams from the Premier League, which shows how powerful the Premier League is, so why not just keep that at home?"
