[Archived] 'Biggest clubs' in the Championship?

[longsiders1882]

If crowd is everything then based on last years ave attendances, this is the 'size' league:

Derby County 26,281 1

Wolverhampton Wanderers 25,682 2

Bolton Wanderers 23,669 3

Leeds United 23,283 4

Leicester City 23,036 5

Blackburn Rovers 22,551 6

Cardiff City 22,100 7

Nottingham Forest 21,969 8

Sheffield Wednesday 21,336 9

Brighton & Hove Albion 20,027 10

Birmingham City 19,126 11

Hull City 18,790 12

Ipswich Town 18,266 13

Middlesbrough 17,557 14

Charlton Athletic 17,429 15

Crystal Palace 15,219 16

Huddersfield Town 14,146 17

Burnley 14,048 18

Bristol City 13,845 19

Blackpool 12,764 20

Watford 12,703 21

Millwall 11,484 22

Barnsley 10,331 23

Peterborough United 9,110 24

Now you have to allow for a spike for the promoted clubs and also a dip for those relegated - difficult to factor in the Premier League effect though.

PS: I think Southampton had a higher average than Derby

[rhodie]

What is the definition of big?, the only way "big" should be measured is on success on the field.I have lived in England for 20 years now (came from Africa)and before coming here I followed rugby union and cricket, I couldn`t honestly say I was bothered about football .I obviously follow Rovers now (sometimes I wonder why) but my point is ,the only team I would support in those days was Liverpool and that was because it was winning everything and therefore always in the media. Blackburn may only be a relatively small town but I can promise you there are more people that will recognise the name and shirt than clubs like Derby and Sheffield Wednesday.That isn`t because of how many pitch up on a Saturday but more with reputation and media coverage through success and playing in the premier league.Sure people will say we won this and we won that 50 years ago but that counts for nothing.The clubs that recently went down from the prem are the biggest clubs in the Championship because they are the most known and therefore would be the most followed (internationally as well).That will change the longer we are in this league so we need to bounce back quick.

[PAFELL]

What is the definition of big?, the only way "big" should be measured is on success on the field.I have lived in England for 20 years now (came from Africa)and before coming here I followed rugby union and cricket, I couldn`t honestly say I was bothered about football .I obviously follow Rovers now (sometimes I wonder why) but my point is ,the only team I would support in those days was Liverpool and that was because it was winning everything and therefore always in the media. Blackburn may only be a relatively small town but I can promise you there are more people that will recognise the name and shirt than clubs like Derby and Sheffield Wednesday.That isn`t because of how many pitch up on a Saturday but more with reputation and media coverage through success and playing in the premier league.Sure people will say we won this and we won that 50 years ago but that counts for nothing.The clubs that recently went down from the prem are the biggest clubs in the Championship because they are the most known and therefore would be the most followed (internationally as well).That will change the longer we are in this league so we need to bounce back quick.

It really is hard to define big club. But easier to answer is who in the championship has been the most successful club. Then Rovers would be in the top few. But a big club today can only be defined on how they are NOW. Afterall when a club was successful, it could be considered a big club for that period of history.

Putting aside history for the sake of debate - so making a level playing field. A big club has to be defined on what is backing them. Good owner, bad owner. Size of area the club is in - therefore potential. How many other football clubs are in that particular area. Rovers catchment area is terrible imo.

One thing that cannot be challenged in my opinion. Is every other club in the championship has better potential to become a successful, therefore big club than Rovers, whilst venkys and Kean are here.

[Athlete]

Rovers don't have the catchment area but have history , the Premiership , FA Cups , etc

[Hughesy]

BIG Clubs - but not really done much in the last 15 years ....

Forrest, Leeds & Sheff Weds

Established premier league clubs in 20 seasons since it formed - Blackburn & Bolton

Its those 5, in whatever order you want.

As for Brighton - They are more interested in ....... than football!

Despite all our problems, I hope we smash some of these smaller teams next season.

[The Prof.]

Too easy this one. Only one Premiership Champion in here. It's us - we're the biggest by a million miles.

[SamDingle]

How 'big' you are?.. jeez. Get over yourselves. You're a championship club like 23 others and that's it.

You'll be measuring up against 23 League One clubs 12 months from now. Think how massive you'll be then.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

How 'big' you are?.. jeez. Get over yourselves. You're a championship club like 23 others and that's it.

You'll be measuring up against 23 League One clubs 12 months from now. Think how massive you'll be then.

I find it funny how your signature is concerning a game where you scored a nice goal but we still beat you......although it's not like you have much to choose from I suppose.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Here we go, another primitive cave-dwelling Dingle muppet who doesn't realise that his very presence on here is confirmation of how pathetic and inferior Burnley are compared to Rovers. You're obsessed SamDingle, and you don't seem to realise how weak it makes you look and how important it makes the thing you're obsessed with look.

[Ozz]

He/she makes a fair point I think. Talk of big clubs etc is all a bit playground really, no? The only relevant point is the amount of Trophys in the board room.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

He/she makes a fair point I think. Talk of big clubs etc is all a bit playground really, no? The only relevant point is the amount of Trophys in the board room

Fair enough Ozz......that's your lot well and truly bolloxed then SamDingle!!!!

[K-Hod]

How 'big' you are?.. jeez. Get over yourselves. You're a championship club like 23 others and that's it.

You'll be measuring up against 23 League One clubs 12 months from now. Think how massive you'll be then.

Says the man trolling on the messageboard of his rival club. Pathetic.

Nobody thinks we're a big club, but to be fair, we're the most successful TOWN team in the country, no wonder you're so obsessed

[thenodrog]

He/she makes a fair point I think. Talk of big clubs etc is all a bit playground really, no? The only relevant point is the amount of Trophys in the board room.

To a degree Ozz. BUT history means nowt. It's an old cliche but the only thing that really matters in football is the next match.

It's a sin and a shame what the Slumdogs have done to BRFC but I'm afraid Sam is quite right, we are just a Championship club. Best analogy to describe my feelings about the club at the moment (and I don't know if you've ever dreamt it) is that commonly experienced nightmare about falling through space.

[m1st]

I would put your club Longsider edging into that middle bracket of teams.It also struck me very strange how a club that only a few seasons ago in Brighton was averaging 6,000 now has fans who condsider themselves above clubs like ours in the pecking order.It's all about personal opinion but to put (with due respect) clubs like Brighton and Watford ahead of Rover is ludicrous never mind another 35 SKH!!

Just as a matter of fact, SG194 [PAFELL can doubtless confirm this], if I remember rightly, the principal reason Brighton's average was so low was that, following the disposal of the Goldstone Ground by a former-Chairman , they had to play for some seasons at Gillingham's ground which is about 70 miles away, then at an athletics track in Brighton which had an extremely limited capacity.

But, as a general point, this thread has shown how difficult it is to define a "big" club. For those of us who began following the Rovers in the mid-1950s, we are now back to the level we were at then, and it could be said that, largely thanks to Uncle Jack, we've arguably been punching above our weight for the most of last 20 years.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Just as a matter of fact, SG194 [PAFELL can doubtless confirm this], if I remember rightly, the principal reason Brighton's average was so low was that, following the disposal of the Goldstone Ground by a former-Chairman , they had to play for some seasons at Gillingham's ground which is about 70 miles away, then at an athletics track in Brighton which had an extremely limited capacity.

But, as a general point, this thread has shown how difficult it is to define a "big" club. For those of us who began following the Rovers in the mid-1950s, we are now back to the level we were at then, and it could be said that, largely thanks to Uncle Jack, we've arguably been punching above our weight for the most of last 20 years.

Brighton played at the Withdean stadium which had around 7k capacity. That all changed with Falmer. The potential at the club is huge if you consider the catchment area. They have the whole of Sussex to themselves.

The problem using attendance figures is that, depending on the success of the club, the attendance figures don't really reflect how 'big' a club is. We were in the premiership for a decade and averaged between 23 and 26k for most of that time. Now a club like Brighton would easily average 30k if they were in the top division. For a town the size of Blackburn to have a club averaging above 20k a season is very impressive but it doesn't really alter the fact that we will never get 'bigger' then that. Ewood will never be full every week regardless of whether we're in the premier league. That can't be said for the likes of Brighton.

I see us as one of the 'bigger' sides of the championship simply because we have been an established member of the premier league for the best part of 20 years and we have several players who could still get a game at a reasonable premiership club, however, I think its understandable to see other fans view us as a 'small club' because we just don't have the fans. To be honest though I dont consider being called a 'small' club to be an insult. I'm proud to have seen my club winning the premiership, league cup, competed in the champions league and UEFA cup over the last 20 years. I'd rather be a small successful club then a big unsuccessful one.

[Mattyblue]

The final line sums it up morten.

However we are not a 'small club', our history, our trophy count, the fact we are 11th on the all time league table, our record over the last 20 years, the top class players and mangers we've had all point to that, the only thing that counts against us is the fact we don't have the catchment area to pull in 30k+ crowds every week.

[thenodrog]

Brighton played at the Withdean stadium which had around 7k capacity. That all changed with Falmer. The potential at the club is huge if you consider the catchment area. They have the whole of Sussex to themselves.

Especially if they played in pink.

[longsiders1882]

Brighton played at the Withdean stadium which had around 7k capacity. That all changed with Falmer. The potential at the club is huge if you consider the catchment area. They have the whole of Sussex to themselves.

And prior to the Withdean? As I recall their historical average, prior to the Withdean was around 9K

[mhead]

Saw a European website that had us No 87 in world terms...not Chumpionship......granted we were in the PL,had an average of 25k and were playing in the UEFA Cup.

Still with the "Big Yins" other team in SFA2 there are a lot of 'big' Clubs on hard times.

[FourLaneBlue]

We're not a BIG club, never have been. We're from a town in East Lancashire for crying out loud.

We've been a bloody good one, though. Far more time spent in the top flight than out of it.

That's got to be more rewarding than saying "yeah...alright, you have that...but look at our potential, seat-filling fanbase and catchment area!"

I'd rather have the history and the legend than some pipe dream, thanks.

[Mattyblue]

A big club from a small town is how John Williams described us.

That'll do for me.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

To look at this you have to look at how other team's fans will look at us. Because we've just been relegated we'll be considered a big scalp for their team to claim. With every passing season we remain in this league we'll move lower down that scale.

Another reason that fans consider teams to be big is the size of the away following they bring. During the 80s the teams that would fill the Darwen End were the big games. At that time the only teams that considered us to big were our local rivals whilst Sheff Wed, Leeds etc were comsidered big.

[PAFELL]

Just as a matter of fact, SG194 [PAFELL can doubtless confirm this], if I remember rightly, the principal reason Brighton's average was so low was that, following the disposal of the Goldstone Ground by a former-Chairman , they had to play for some seasons at Gillingham's ground which is about 70 miles away, then at an athletics track in Brighton which had an extremely limited capacity.

But, as a general point, this thread has shown how difficult it is to define a "big" club. For those of us who began following the Rovers in the mid-1950s, we are now back to the level we were at then, and it could be said that, largely thanks to Uncle Jack, we've arguably been punching above our weight for the most of last 20 years.

Brighton were like Rovers now. They HAD pathetic owners.

But now they have moved to their new ground at Falmer, the potential is huge. Even they were surprised at how well they did last season, on and off the field. When they built the ground, they made plans for expansion. What they did not expect, was for it to be needed after just one season. As somebody else has mentioned they have the whole of sussex to themselves. Though they are also picking up supporters from london clubs. where fans are not prepared to pay london club prices.

But like all clubs, keeping that support and building on any potential. all depends on what happens with regards to the football part. They have a good manager in Gus Poyet - I think if they get promoted this season, then he would stay. But, he is ambitious and could end up elsewhere.

A big club from a small town is how John Williams described us.

That'll do for me.

Do me as well. As that is a fair description.

The final line sums it up morten.

However we are not a 'small club', our history, our trophy count, the fact we are 11th on the all time league table, our record over the last 20 years, the top class players and mangers we've had all point to that, the only thing that counts against us is the fact we don't have the catchment area to pull in 30k+ crowds every week.

Rovers are not a small club. To the championship sides, rovers will be a decent scalp to them. Another reason - if more are needed - why Kean is not up to the task. Every match will be like a cup final. Every team will step up a gear when they play Rovers, because of Rovers history.

[ABBEY]

SO YOUVE VINJAYED?

are you a brighton fan now?

[PAFELL]

SO YOUVE VINJAYED?

are you a brighton fan now?

No, not really. But I live near there, about an hour away. Someone asked a question, so I answered it. But I do go and watch them at times as I like watching football. Nearest proffessional club to where I live. I received a complimentary season ticket last season, so used it.

Others on here went to watch Chorley last season, for their own reasons. It did not make them Chorley fans.