****** Mourine with his baby insults.

[Big G Superhero]

I had a dream last night that we came back from 8-0 and 10-3 down (on a pitch which looked suspiciously like Hoylake) to win 10-11, following which, Mourinho, Mongo and Robben all committed suicide

[Liverpoolway]

well, we are looking to buy more than two or three players this summer so he has got a point.

 

Chelski have bought five senior players so far this summer, and five youth players as well... Moanrinho is full of crap as always.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

Ballack, Sheva, Kalou. who else?

[Stevie H]

Ballack, Sheva, Kalou. who else?

try reading the thread you gimp.

 

true, his wind-ups are sh*t these days, he just sounds too bitter

i think he's just undermined from the start. chelsea aren't a big club, they have no history, and they've bought their way to two titles. every football fan knows this. so whenever mourinho bangs on about what a big, great club they are he just looks pretty foolish 'cos his starting point is so hollow.

[growler]

Honestly speaking though, until we win the title we are more a cup team. we need one this decade and I am sure it will happen.

 

Its also true about the top teams tweaking their squads. We on the other hand have added 2 CB, a LB, a striker still looking for a RW and another striker and had numerous departures. the door just does not revolve that much at the majors (other than REal Madrid).

 

I tihnk we are a big club, but the reality of it is, until we win the title or at least make a couple of seasons where we make a chase of it, we won't be seen as one.

[Benitez]

well, we are looking to buy more than two or three players this summer so he has got a point.

 

 

the Rent Boys have bought more players than us so far.

 

We've bought two so far this summer - Bellamy and Fabio.

 

They have bought - Shevchenko, Ballack, Mikel and that Dutch striker. And will buy Cole as well.

 

I reckon we'll both have bought around the same amount of players by the end of the summer.

[Lee W]

I tihnk we are a big club, but the reality of it is, until we win the title or at least make a couple of seasons where we make a chase of it, we won't be seen as one.

 

Are you serious ?

[hideNseek]

I tihnk we are a big club, but the reality of it is, until we win the title or at least make a couple of seasons where we make a chase of it, we won't be seen as one.

 

We'll always be a big club, top 3 in Europe forever. The press can try and deny it because we've not won the Premiership but once we have they'll be eating humble pie.

[floyd]

Go around Europe, and we are held up as much as any of the others, Real, AC or Barca. In britain were their is a southern based press, so obviously we don't get the regognition we deserve. Ask any right minded fans what they think, and they say us and the mancs are the only 2 really big clubs. As indicated in this,posted yesterday and shamefully nicked from atha cliath, of RAWK

 

 

 

old distinction of being a ?Big Club?. And yes, Tottenham are a ?big? club?IN HIS MIND.

 

The mythical status of being a ?Big Club? is one that is argued with annoying regularity on message boards and between rival supporters. The idea of somehow being superior to another club regardless of any competitive success.

 

No one can even define what makes a ?Big Club?, you?ll hear financial strength, size of stadium, trophies won, quality of players, historical icons, historical style of play, size of fan base, volume of transfer speculation, number of bearded goalkeepers, quality of half time pies.

 

Is it simply restricted to reputation in England, or globally? The list goes on and on.

 

The easiest one is that the more trophies you have won, the ?bigger? the club, but Chelsea is putting that theory to the test. A simple look to the left bar of this site reveals a rather heated mass argument over how history will remember Abramovich?s revolution. Portsmouth are following suit, their fans are amongst the best so will Gaydamak?s millions turn them ?Big??

 

No club and no supporter wants to feel as though their club is somehow less important than another despite whatever glaring evidence there is to the contrary, especially rivals. For Tottenham vs Arsenal disputes, the notion of the traditional ?Big Club? has been all that Spurs have been able to cling to for about a decade. The same applies to Everton and Liverpool while you wouldn?t find it particularly difficult to find someone ready to strip Manchester United of their status.

 

A few feathers also got ruffled at West Ham recently after Carlton Cole accidentally spoke while still having both feet firmly planted in his mouth but Newcastle are probably the current model of the trophyless ?Big Club?. The Intertoto cup this summer would represent their first bit of silverware in years and yet they are still able to draw the likes of Michael Owen, Damien Duff and certainly consider themselves to have status greatly exceeding their trophy cabinet.

 

So we?d like to hear two things from you:

 

1) What really defines a ?Big Club?

2) Who - right now - are the 7 ?Biggest? clubs in England, in order, and why?

 

52 Comments so far

Leave a comment Quote highlighted text

 

1) A big club is trophies, no one will remember where why or how you won them, and fan base. Global support and global reputation is more important than domestic. Who?s heard of Tottenham outside of England?

 

2)

 

Liverpool

Manchester United

Chelsea

Arsenal

Tottenham

Newcastle

Nottingham Forest

 

West Ham are deluded

Comment by scott Quote this comment

 

United - Liverpool joint

Chelsea (RIGHT NOW)

Arsenal

West Ham

Newcastle

Tottenham

 

History is important for a big club but the now jsut as much, look at Tottenham, havent won s*** since the 60s and yet still harping on about how great they are. But it?s not until Jol got them some curent succes that people took notice. Chelsea are a big club now but they will never ever be the biggest, there will always be an asterisk by their achievements

Comment by munchaho Quote this comment

 

Tottenham will always be above the diving cheating scum in their EMIRATES stadium, what great history when your stadium doesnt even have a proper name

 

Emirates and the Reebok, two stadiums for two clubs of equal standing

Comment by Anonymous Quote this comment

 

man utd

liverpool

arsenal

forest

newcastle

west ham

leeds

chelsea

Comment by james angle Quote this comment

 

Trophies defines a big Club IMHO, what you have acutally won, When all the talking stops, and people check, right what have this BIG club won. Blow ins dont automatically count just cos the owner has a few quid, so i dont think Chelsea deserve biggest club in England mantle. My list is this.

 

Liverpool

Manchester United

Arsenal

chelsea

tottenham

Everton

Forrest

Comment by bazza76 Quote this comment

 

The number of trophies won and how well known worldwide over a sustained period of time make a big club. there aren?t 7 teams in england who are big clubs.

 

1. liverpool

2. man utd

Comment by mark rooney Quote this comment

 

Where have those people who think Forest is a big club been?? They were never a big club. There have always been a small club that did well, largely down to Brian Clough. A big club is defined by Fan Base, History and of course money.

 

The top 7 right now are probably;

Chelsea

Man Utd

Liverpool

Arsenal

Tottenham

Newcastle

Everton or West Ham

Comment by Craig Quote this comment

 

Manchester United

Liverpool

Arsenal

Newcastle

Everton

Tottenham

Westham

Chelsea

 

This is the global view because I?m from Saudi Arabia

 

And no one supports Chelsea outsisde England

Comment by Ahmed Quote this comment

 

Liverpool

Man.U.

Arsenal

Chelsea

Everton

Astonvilla

Newcastle

Man.c.

Spurs

 

Because that?s the way it is.

Comment by joe Quote this comment

 

Having witnessed the unbelievable support that West Ham took to the cup final (I never would have belived that any team could out-sing us!) I would say that the current top 4 plus Newcastle/Spurs and the happy Hammers is currently the ?big? 7

Comment by GlenB Quote this comment

 

A personal view is the club whichy just beat my team (or finishes higher is a big club.

 

A players view (nowadays) is if a club doesn?t worry about wage structure and will pay me an obsene amount per week they are a big club.

 

Top ?BIG? clubs based on that view are currently

 

Chelsea

Man U

Newcastle

Tottenham

 

although Arsenal and Liverpool are better and have more sense.

Comment by Joe Quote this comment

 

The only 7 clubs to have been Premiership ever-presents are also the ones with the most trophies and best histories

 

Liverpool 40 Major Trophies

Manchester United 31

Arsenal 27

Aston Villa 20

Tottenham Hotspur 16

Everton 15

Chelsea 11

Comment by RD Quote this comment

 

scott,

 

You?re a c*** who knows f*** all about football.

Comment by Scott is a muppet Quote this comment

 

i agree, big club is defined by their history, liverpool are the greatest, although they havent one the premiership for a while, dey have constantly been a driving force in the FA cup, Carling Cup, and of course, champions league.

 

Liverpool

United

Arsenal

Comment by Anon Quote this comment

 

Does winning trophies really count? I?m a villa fan and I?d say it was tenous calling us a big club at the moment. Potential, yes, big, no. Likewise man city, newcastle, and a whole load of other teams. Man city were big news when they went down to the 2nd division, they were bigger than their league standing by a mile, players, fans everybody knew that.

You could argue that blackburn were big a few years back, but you?d be daft, a league and a couple of cup runs won?t hide the fact that nobody outside of the north-west is interested in them, and never will be. People saying Forest are simply deluded/on drugs, Leeds have more of a history, bar a couple of years, but again, they?re only potential, but not a current big club.

So in short, it?s got to be a combination of success, both long and short term, the ability to consistantly draw crowds and a general, perhaps global, reputation.

Comment by Lorenzo Quote this comment

 

for trophies:liverpool

man utd

arsenal

worldwide fan base:man utd

liverpool

for money and greed:CHELSEA

Comment by paddy Quote this comment

 

A big club is based on reputation and quality of players currently in the club.

 

So in England right now,

 

1.Chelsea

2.Arsenal

3.Manchester United

4.Liverpool

5.Tottenham

6.Newcastle united

7.Bolton Wanderers

Comment by bestgamemidis Quote this comment

 

1) A big club is trophies, no one will remember where why or how you won them, and fan base. Global support and global reputation is more important than domestic. Who?s heard of Tottenham outside of England?

 

2)

 

Liverpool

Manchester United

Chelsea

Arsenal

Tottenham

Newcastle

Nottingham Forest

 

West Ham are deluded

 

Comment by Anonymous Quote this comment

 

Liverpool

Arsenal

Man Utd

 

These three and only these three have consistently had great teams and consistently been considered big clubs by Media and Fans Alike. No coincidence that they are also the three most successful English Clubs. All the other ?Big Clubs? have had 5-10 year success and still cling onto that. When the record books are open. Who stands out??

Comment by Sam Quote this comment

 

I am an arsenal fan & if you want to be realistic then the two biggest clubs in england are man utd & liverpool but it can be in either order. If you go on fanbase worldwide then man utd are top but I personally prefer to go on history & trophies which puts liverpool well out in front. Arsenal are a clear third & in my opinion everton or villa would be fourth.

 

1. Liverpool

2. Man utd

3. Arsenal

4. Aston Villa/Everton

Comment by Redtop Quote this comment

 

1. Accrington Stanley

2. Preston North End

3. Huddersfield Town

4. Notts County

5. Blackpool

6. Tottenham Hotspur

 

ok, maybe not Tottenham?lol

Comment by lol! Quote this comment

 

I agree with what the majority has said here. A big club is a club that has won trophies over an accumulated time frame and is constantly doing so. Some clubs have won some big trophies over a few years period but after that, they are either fighting for relegation or playing in the bottom leagues. Remeber, ?When you?re first, you?re first.. when you?re second, you?re nothing?. Its so true because people only remember winners and big clubs are made of continous success over a long time frame, not from an ?overnight? process. Winning 2 league titles after years of absence of winning trophies does not automatically categorise a team as a BIG club.

 

Big clubs in England:

Liverpool

Manchester United

 

Worthy mentions for considerable success in club history:

Arsenal

Aston Vila

Nottingham Forest

Tottenham

Everton

Chelsea

 

Similary, if you were to look in Spain, the BIG club status only goes to Real Madrid and Barcelona for their continous success in various competitions over the years. You can?t consider teams like Valencia or Sevilla which have had some good recent successes as a BIG club and in the same league as Barcelona and Real Madrid.

 

If you were to look at the Italian league, there could probably be 3 clubs that could be considered as BIG clubs due to a long history of winning trophies which are AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus. Clubs like Roma, Fiorentina, Parma and Napoli (remember the Maradona era)have had some successes over certain periods but they have not been continous to be in the same league of AC Milan, Inter Milan or Juventus.

 

 

 

link

[Bigal]

Jose is only annoyed that he could have got schevchenko cheaper had he waited