[Archived] 'Biggest clubs' in the Championship?

[Puffsan]

As a foreigner I might view this a bit differently than you natives.

I would say among Norwegian fans there is probably 4 clubs in the championship that the fans feel "belong" in the top division.

Thats Leeds, sheff wed, Nottingham and rovers.

Maybe you can add Bolton and derby to that mix.

I think this is based by nostalgia, Leeds and forest had great success in their past, while sheffield and Bolton historically has always been in the top flight. Rovers have a great part in the premier league history, winning the title and being a

Pl for most of the period pl has existed.

Norwegian supporter union for British football have 48 supporter clubs as members. Here is a list of the supporter clubs payin members in 2011:

1. Manchester United 43520

2. Liverpool 36242

3. Arsenal 6239

4. Leeds United 4168

5. Tottenham Hotspur 3554

6. Chelsea 2269

7. Manchester City 1394

8. West Ham United 733

9. Everton 682

10. Ipswich Town 507

11. Queens Park Rangers 483

12. Stoke City 460

13. Aston Villa 427

14. Derby County 328

15. Nottingham Forest 310

16. Blackburn Rovers 281

17. Newcastle United 265

18. Bolton Wanderers 203

19. Celtic 183

20. Wolverhampton Wanderers 178

21. Sunderland 150

22. Torquay United 147

23. Fulham 102

24. Norwich City 98

25. Wigan Athletic 94

26. Crystal Palace 94

27. Portsmouth 92

28. Luton Town 79

29. Burnley 75

30. AFC Scarborough 57

31. Woking 57

32. Birmingham City 55

33. Leyton Orient 48

34. Cardiff City 45

35. Hull City 40

36. Rochdale 35

37. Macclesfield Town 30

38. West Bromwich Albion 30

39. Exeter City 30

40. Brentford 26

41. Cheltenham Town 23

42. Aldershot Town 16

43. Charlton Athletic 16

44. Billericay Town 12

45. Southampton 10

46. Leicester City 9

Obviously the biggest and most successful clubs have most fans. English football has always been big in norway. Norwegian tv were the first tv station to show english football live, even before bbc started showing it live. In the 70s and 80s the football game was a family gathering were everyone watched it.

Ask any fan abroad if the can tell you what shirt color brighton have. Most won't be able to answer. Then ask them what color rovers have

[thenodrog]

Ask any fan abroad if the can tell you what shirt color brighton have. Most won't be able to answer. Then ask them what color rovers have

How will you know which question they have answered?

[m1st]

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

And that, longsiders, was doubtless because, as I pointed out earlier in the thread,

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,

I know that most clubs have some fans who will put up with a 140-mile round trip for "home" games but I guess that such journeys would test the ardour [and the wallets] of most fans.

[Mattyblue]

Their crowds were never anything to write home about when they were at the Goldstone.

[FourLaneBlue]

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.

I think you you've summed it up very well.

Lest we forget, we are in a league where teams have won more European Cups than us (Forest), more titles than us (Sheffield Wednesday), more European competitions than us (Leeds, Ipswich) have a better average attendance than us PLUS history to match (Wolves, Derby) and, really, we are nothing special. Nothing special at all.

Thanks, Venky's, for ###### up the one thing we had left to feel special about being Rovers fans.

Thanks a lot.

[PAFELL]

Their crowds were never anything to write home about when they were at the Goldstone.

That is also correct.

[Blue blood]

Interesting topic.

Perhaps the stat which really matters is financial clout. And in these terms we must be pretty much middle of the pack in the championship. Money doesn't equal success, not trying to say that for a moment (look at blackpool getting out of this division) - but it most certainly helps!

Leicester seem to have a fair whack, and with the recent takeovers of Forrest, Hull and Watford, that's already 4 clubs with significant resources. Not saying new owners means guarenteed success or even money - we're proof of that - but even if just a couple of these clubs turn out to have strong resources it'll make for a very tough league.

[The Prof.]

Burnley UCFB launches bid for London Olympic Stadium

No question about it now - has to be the Clarets!