We are a 'small club'

Attendances in 2016...

Newcastle - 52,228
Atletico Madrid - 46,777
PSG - 46,634
Inter - 44,962
Rangers - 44,720
Celtic - 44,321

 

The problem we've had is that the stewardship of the resources that we've accumulated must be in serious question.

I guess that we're approaching another fork in the road and our ambition will show its hand.

 

Attendances are a tiny fraction of what makes money and money means you're a big club these days

 

Personally I judge a 'big club' by the response you would get going to a far flung part of the world and talking to a fan in a backwater and mentioning a club's name.

 

So, have you tried it in Consett? And, if so, what response did you get?

 

They absolutely knew who NUFC are mate given the B&W bias up here.
I did go to Ch L St the other day and ask too.... but given it's full of Mackems waving keys and giro books I couldn't get a word in edgeways...

 

That's the trouble with you youngsters, you just have no idea on geography or the range of rescue vehicles.

The rescue vehicles in Consett don't have the range to get you from the snow mountains and blizzards of Consett to Chester le Street's sunny streets. They only go to Stanley which is why there was still 6 foot snow drifts and mackems.

The only red and white in Chester le Street are the barbers poles.

 

No mate. Pop yer bifocals back on... all the barbers are poles.... it's Mackem heartland roond there Marra....

 

You are a tiny club then......

 

A key on each finger. Front door, back door, patio door, garage door, shed door and gas / electric box.

 

No, it's in the eyes of the beholder. Celtic fans for example think they're are one of the top 5 teams in Europe. Reality is a lot different.
Where Newcastle is concerned media change how they reckon a "big club" repeatedly when addressing whatever club.
Success ? Then Leicester are a big club.
They're not.
How much money has been spent on players ? No....no....wait. Newcastle have spent more than most in prem. Can't use that. Attendances ? No. Can't use that. Better stick with trophies then. Safer.
But Notts Forest won.....yeah, but that was nearly 40 years ago, man. Ditto Villa. They both think they're "big clubs" too, but rant if Newcastle regard themselves as such. But they often get their biggest attendances for their visit.....surely THAT is a guide on "Big Club" - how high the attendances are for the other clubs for their visit ?

 

Of course I'm right ?

I'm taking about today forget what clubs used to be big mate


It's all about money

 

No, it's not just about the money. That's what the media and the nouveau rich clubs would want you to believe. It's more what you could call an Obi plate of food; there's lots of ingredients involved and always being topped up with new ones.

 

Sorry but you're in clown cookoo land

 

We are a prestigious club but we have greatly under-performed.

 

We are not a big club by any reckoning for me.i work in the here and now. We have struggled for 10yrs. That is recent history. We have regularly fought relegation or been lower half of the PL. You can of course judge it by other means such as attendances etc. It's pretty much down to the individual take on things.

It doesn't make the club any less important however to its own fans.

 

Not a big club compared to who? Man Utd? Bournemouth? Huddersfield? Rotherham? Carlisle? Dunston UTS? The Dog & Duck sunday league team?

In the grand scheme of things we are a massive club. We may not have won anything for a very long time, and we may even be temporarily in second division again, but we have a a larger fan base, a more illustrious history, and way more financial clout than the vast majority of clubs out there. I'm really not bothered about being called a big club; what difference does it make? I just think it's a fact that we are, and to suggest otherwise is plain daft or you are only comparing us to the very elite level of clubs which is a pretty slanted way to look at it.

 

As I say it all comes down to how you judge it. I just go off results purely. In general over the last ten years we are not a big club by that yard stick. Big clubs consistently take part in European competition and finish in top half the PL. We don't. Others looks at history, attendances, financial clout (which is a laughable reason for me given clubs who have bought their way into the lower divisions). I just don't anymore. I used to but when I look around I think it all means little. Big clubs are top 7 or 8 every year. Your athletico madrids, Barca, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, Man U, man c, Liverpool, Porto, benfica, sporting, etc etc etc. These clubs are consistently there all the time. We did it under KK and Robson. For roughly 10 yrs out of a 15 yr spell we were top 6, played in Europe every year. We were one of England's bigger clubs. Now we are relegation fodder. That's hardly big in my eyes.

 

So you are saying there are only 5 or 6 big clubs in England? Ask Burton Albion fans if they think we are a big club.

 

At any given reasonable period of time (decade) yes. Otherwise there are a lot of big clubs and recent performance is meaningless.

Look at Leeds, sheff wed, villa, Preston, wolves, Sunderland, Huddersfield, Derby, forest - the list is bloody endless of clubs who have had spells. Then you can look attendances, argue about catchments, it just goes on and on. Half the leagues would be big clubs.

Hence I view big clubs as those performing consistently over a reasonable period of time but not stretching too far back. I do think there are clubs who are sleeping big clubs who with relevant investment/organisation could challenge to be a big club. We currently fall in that category. With a lot of others.