manclad
Well-Known Member
Shouldn't you be back at school now. They started back on Tuesday in Manchester.
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Michael Owen vs Alan Shearer after calling Newcastle a Small Club
- Thread starter razman
- Start date
Charmer.Shouldn't you be back at school now. They started back on Tuesday in Manchester.
Having a big away following is hardly a requirement of being a big,elite club. One of the biggest away followings I have seen at Maine Road was Chelsea in 1984 (must have been well over 10,000 of them) and they were in the 2nd Division so not really one of the big clubs at that time.
Other sides with good away followings are
Leeds United
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield United
Sunderland
Middlesborough
West Ham United
None of these teams can be considered big/elite teams,even though 4 of them have 40K plus capacity stadiums .
And the reason they are not big/elite sides is because they have won virtually nothing trophy wise for the past 25/30 years.
However Chelsea who 30 years ago were NOT considered an big/elite team are now considered to be a big/elite team. They still have the same stadium as 30 years ago(with a reduced capacity to due seating.) They still have a good away following.
But the main difference between Chelsea in the 80s and the current Chelsea is that they have been serial trophy winners for the past 25 years(both pre and post RA.)
It's the winning of umpteen cups and leagues that moves a club from being also rans to eliteism.
Not how many fans you take to lower division away sides.
I consider all of those teams you mentioned as big clubs. My post didn't only state that a big away following was the only requirement to be considered as a big club. It is other clubs perception of the club as well and trust me in all those divisions every club we played considered us a big club, even though we hadn't won a trophy for decades. The day, actually if my memory serves me well it was a Friday night, when Chelsea brought 10,000 fan's they were going for the second division title and we were a major rival.
So in your opinion the only way a club can be considered a "Big club" is winning umpteen trophies. In that case then only the rags, dippers, Arsenal and Chelsea can be considered big clubs. Or are Villa in there as they have won a lot of trophies in their history?
I always considered us a big club even when we hadn't won a trophy for 35 years. I am sure every club, to their own fan's, consider themselves as big clubs.
So big clubs can be defined by a few things in reality. Winning a lot of trophies, a large following/fan base and a long history. Demographics probably helps too. If Norwich suddenly won countless trophies over the next twenty years would the world perceive them as a big club as they would still be located in rural Norwich?
Going back to Newcastle from the period 1978 until 1993, a period of 15 years their HIGHEST average attendance was 29,811.
Onholiday(somemightsay)
Well-Known Member
Agree with that - I think the meaning of the phrase has been diluted over the years from attendances / fanbase to 'are you competing at present?'.........Prior to 2011 (and maybe since) most City supporters - including me - if asked, would have said that a club doesn’t have to win trophies to be considered a big one.
manclad
Well-Known Member
Takes one to know one. See you at Old Trafford next week .This thread reeks of United and Liverpool fans in disguise.
This thread reeks of United and Liverpool fans in disguise.
Agreed. I certainly think winning trophies as a requirement to be regarded as a so called big club only became a major issue when the dippers and rags had their period of dominance. Speak to some younger rag fans now and they have no idea they went 28 years without winning the title.
mexico1970
Well-Known Member
The arrogance of someone comparing their club with someone elses using their own acheivements or cultish fans as evidence is something to be ignored.
journolud
Well-Known Member
I think they call it P R or marketing or something like that. Surprised they haven't been on the One Show or that stupid bints 'Friends Round Friday' on radio 2.
How much is the book by the way and where can I get a copy......
Waterstones in Newcastle is your best bet. Can't put a price on it but if you can wait a while you should be able to get it from the works in a couple of months for a fiver.