[Archived] The "big Club" Debate

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I prefer not to use the term Lancashire anymore as apparently it starts on the outskirts of Blackburn somewhere nowadays!

Just tell him Ewood Park has 15 league clubs nearby each roughly within 1 hours drive!

[Fife Rover]

Ask him how many League clubs he has within 30 miles of SJP

- Its 2 btw - Hartlepool and Sunderland

And then Ewood (14); Preston, Burnley, Bury, Liverpool, Everton, Bolton, Wigan, Rochdale, Oldham, United, City, Blackpool, Stockport, Huddersfield.

You missed out Accrington and Macclesfield. That's 16.

[stuwilky]

You missed out Accrington and Macclesfield. That's 16.

Quite true sir, quite true.

Cant believe I forgot the Stanley, silly me!!!

[philipl]

Completely disagree.

This all depends on how you categories’ a big club, a subject that’s been done to death but Newcastle:

Have a massive fan base.

Spend whatever it takes to buy the best players.

Pay wages at the highest level.

Should be a top 6 side.

These points to me put them in the BIG CLUB bracket.

Which over the past 50 years has won one less League Championship than Burnley.

[Bazzanotsogreat]

Completely disagree.

This all depends on how you categories’ a big club, a subject that’s been done to death but Newcastle:

Have a massive fan base.

Spend whatever it takes to buy the best players.

Pay wages at the highest level.

Should be a top 6 side.

These points to me put them in the BIG CLUB bracket.

You can wipe out points 2 & 3 because that is money they have leant from the bank any club can do that from top 4 in the premiership to bottom 4 can go into debt . It dosent make you a big club spening money you havent got, youre a big club when you spend money you have got

[Modi]

Ask him how many League clubs he has within 30 miles of SJP

- Its 2 btw - Hartlepool and Sunderland

And then Ewood (14); Preston, Burnley, Bury, Liverpool, Everton, Bolton, Wigan, Rochdale, Oldham, United, City, Blackpool, Stockport, Huddersfield.

You talking as the crow flies? As the Galpharm is defiitely not within 30 miles any other way!

[Uddersfelt Blue]

You talking as the crow flies? As the Galpharm is defiitely not within 30 miles any other way!

It is from where I'm sitting

[stuwilky]

You talking as the crow flies? As the Galpharm is defiitely not within 30 miles any other way!

Yes.

Its about 40 miles driving as I recall.

[Billinge End Blue]

Ask any Geordies if they remember hearing the following ditty sung by Rovers fans in the mid eighties in the Second Division (to check how far back their loyalty and 'big club' association extends)

There's a circus in the town (in the town)

Kevin Keegan is a clown (is a clown)

Arthur Cox has got the *&^(ing pox

Newcastle are staying down (staying down)

Agree also with those above, reminding them of Shearer's best 'goal-den' years at Ewood is also highly recommended !

It is pretty arbitrary discussing the various definitions that might determine a 'Big Club'. Supporting BRFC, like most of us here do, ie the BEST club, renders the debate fairly academic anyway!

[thenodrog]

Ask him how many League clubs he has within 30 miles of SJP

.......... And then Ewood (14); Preston, Burnley, Bury, Liverpool, Everton, Bolton, Wigan, Rochdale, Oldham, United, City, Blackpool, Stockport, Huddersfield.

Dunno if I've mentioned this before .............. but I've often thought that if you stick to the actual Lancashire clubs within that list there's an absolutely huge one waiting in the wings.

[philipl]

You mean a crow?

[Wolverine]

Can we not include accrington on that list?

[yoda]

The whole point of being a football club is to compete, if you employed a handicap system (as in golf) to give football clubs a rating, taking into account the salient points, Rovers I am sure would be right up there near the top. Whilst the bar codes would not be very high.