<P> In 1990, the managing director of London Weekend Television (LWT), Greg Dyke, met with the representatives of the "big five" football clubs in England (Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Everton and Arsenal) over a dinner . The meeting was to pave the way for a break away from The Football League . Dyke believed that it would be more lucrative for LWT if only the larger clubs in the country were featured on national television and wanted to establish whether the clubs would be interested in a larger share of television rights money . The five clubs decided it was a good idea and decided to press ahead with it; however, the league would have no credibility without the backing of The Football Association and so David Dein of Arsenal held talks to see whether the FA were receptive to the idea . The FA did not enjoy an amicable relationship with the Football League at the time and considered it as a way to weaken the Football League's position . </P> <P> At the close of the 1991 season, a proposal was tabled for the establishment of a new league that would bring more money into the game overall . The Founder Members Agreement, signed on 17 July 1991 by the game's top - flight clubs, established the basic principles for setting up the FA Premier League . The newly formed top division would have commercial independence from The Football Association and the Football League, giving the FA Premier League licence to negotiate its own broadcast and sponsorship agreements . The argument given at the time was that the extra income would allow English clubs to compete with teams across Europe . Although Dyke played a significant role in the creation of the Premier League, Dyke and ITV would lose out in the bidding for broadcast rights as BSkyB won with a bid of £ 304 million over five years with the BBC awarded the highlights package broadcast on Match of the Day . </P> <P> In 1992, the First Division clubs resigned from the Football League en masse and on 27 May 1992 the FA Premier League was formed as a limited company working out of an office at the Football Association's then headquarters in Lancaster Gate . This meant a break - up of the 104 - year - old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions; the Premier League would operate with a single division and the Football League with three . There was no change in competition format; the same number of teams competed in the top flight, and promotion and relegation between the Premier League and the new First Division remained the same as the old First and Second Divisions with three teams relegated from the league and three promoted . </P> <P> The league held its first season in 1992--93 . It was composed of 22 clubs for that season . The first Premier League goal was scored by Brian Deane of Sheffield United in a 2--1 win against Manchester United . The 22 inaugural members of the new Premier League were Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Coventry City, Crystal Palace, Everton, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Oldham Athletic, Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Wimbledon . Luton Town, Notts County, and West Ham United were the three teams relegated from the old first division at the end of the 1991--92 season, and did not take part in the inaugural Premier League season . </P>

When was the premier league called the premiership