Stan Collymore thinks the Premier League needs Aston Villa and also other big city clubs such as Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and the two Sheffield clubs, probably instead of the likes of Bournemouth, Brighton, Burnley, Huddersfield and Watford. So what determines a big club? Is it population, or perhaps the size of stadia? Well if the latter was the criterion, none of Burnley, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Huddersfield Town, Watford or Wolves would qualify as they don’t play in the top 20 largest grounds, but as well as Collymore’s suggestions, the grounds of Coventry City, Derby County and Middlesbrough would qualify as they play in the top 20 largest stadia.
At the time of writing this piece, Gary Rowett is reported to be the new Stoke City’s manager and is perceived to be joining a bigger club. However Derby County has a better historical record than Stoke City having won the original First Division League twice which Stoke City have never won. So should historical achievements be regarded as the criterion for the order of bigger clubs? If so, there are eight clubs currently outside the current Premier League who have won the original First Division League more than once. These include two current third tier clubs, Portsmouth and Sunderland.
There are currently 60 clubs in the top four divisions who have tasted top tier football, and all but Bury since the Second World War. That’s a staggering two thirds of the current 92 clubs. Most of us will probably remember Carlisle United being promoted along with Jack Charlton’s Boro team, and also Notts County in the early 1980’s, but I can recall Brentford being relegated in 1947, Grimsby Town in 1948, Leyton Orient in 1963 and Northampton Town in 1966, who incidentally hold the record for the quickest rise and fall from grace having been promoted from the Fourth Division in 1961, promoted to the First Division in 1965, and then three relegations back to the Fourth Division in 1969.
So the question is what makes a big club? I adapt the adage that a league table never lies, so in my opinion the clubs currently in the Premier League deserve to be there, and if say Reading, QPR or Boro get promoted next season, then they too will deserve to be there whether they have an inferior historical record than Aston Villa or any other club.