I apologise profusely for my part in this, Roller. So, back to the subject... My first thought is does it really matter whether QPR is a big club or not? Whilst one might try to categorise a club's biggednessness (to use the scientific term) in terms of its average gate, or trophies won, or time spent in the top tier etc., I suspect we're trying to define the undefinable. I suspect different people will apply different criteria at different times for different purposes. Perhaps some teams can become bigger than others for period of time, then this is overturned at a later stage? You could possibly argue that Swansea City is currently a bigger club than QPR; after all, they're in the PL, average crowds of 20,300 compared to our current 16,600, and have won a major trophy a little over 12 months ago. Head to head over 90 minutes you would currently expect Swansea to beat us. But then you have teams like Wolves; still considered a big club, albeit holding 'sleeping giant' status, languishing a tier below QPR, not having won a trophy since Peter Sallis was in short trousers, but still attracting gates of 20,000. Look further down the divisions and there's sorry old Portsmouth. An FA Cup a mere 6 years ago to go with one won in 1939, two league titles in the late 1940s, gates still over 15,000. Then you have Crystal Palace, still clinging onto PL status, gates of around 24,000, but a trophy cabinet emptier than a eunuch's boxers. Is PL status and a bigger gate sufficient to say Palace is a bigger club than QPR?
To answer your question Terry, if we have a 40,000 capacity stadium I want us to fill it, but would be delighted if we do this through very competitive seat pricing (as Tony has hinted at). I definitely don't want to be one of those clubs which 'expects' to win something, qualify for the CL etc every season. Their 'fans' have lost touch with reality, and football. But I would like to be beating these clubs on occasion, and giving them a bloody good scare frequently. All I really want is for us to win something other than the Championship or the League Cup (though I wouldn't sneeze at that) just the once while I am still able to appreciate it. That probably means the FA Cup or, in my dreams, the Europa League (a season in Europe, bring it on!). I am 53 now, given the life expectancy of men in my family I may have another 25 years if I'm lucky. The clock is ticking, I don't want 75-76, glorious as it was, to be the highlight of decades of support and commitment. It doesn't really bother me if we are 'big' or not, though I am genuinely interested in people's views. I just want us to be fun, exciting and stylish. As epitomised by the QPR no 10 shirt.
Good question about us and Palace, Uber. I would say that we are pretty even. Both clubs have a solid fan base and have hardly won anything. The next ten years is what matters. I would like to think that we have the possibility to become "bigger" than them over the next decade.
Agree with every word of that Stan, though I'm not expecting any trophy (apart from perhaps championship or league one) in the rest of my days! My question about wanting to become big was not meant to be addressed, or questioning, you. It was aimed at our support in general. My suspicion is that younger supporters would love us to become big, while people of my generation prefer the "punching above our weight" senario. Ideally we would compete at the top of the Premier, without bastardising ourselves, much like we did in 75-76 and as Forest, Derby, Ipswich etc. did for a while.
Im currently in the middle of a "conversation' about the Op thinbg now with an arsenal fan. his criteria is the "marketability" of a given club at the time, not soley reliant on numbers etc. I dont necc agree but its intresting to hear others views. We are certainly not a Big club as the Prem goes. we could become one with the new stadium and a solid 40K crowd every week and more sucess. Not sure we'll progress/regress that far TBH Im happy to be everybodies favourite second club because we play good football...as i suspect Burnley will become shortly
Depends which yardstick you're using Stan. If we were in the Prem we'd most definitely be a small Club. Last year we had the lowest average attendance by quite some distance if memory serves. Any Club that has a Stadium with a capacity below 20k in the PL can't be considered anything other than small, regardless of whether they've got a rich owner or not. However, if we were to build a new ground, pack them in and become established at the top tier, we would grow into something more. Historically we're a 2nd tier Club and that more or less reflects our size. If you look at it overall and place us somewhere in a ladder of the 100 or so Pro Clubs, we'd probably be towards the upper end of midsize. We're like a Charlton, Palace, Norwich or someone like that. A grand old size.
