[Albion] So, we're a big club now...

[nicko31]

Lets be honest if we relegated we wouldn't fill the Amex every week.

We've come a long way but we're not a big club and TBH i prefer it that way. When I started supporting Albion in 1979 I did because they were my local team and the only team in Sussex, most of my mates at school supported Liverpool because they were winning everything

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

It's undeniable that we're a big club now. World famous in football, with fans all around the globe. The BHAFC crest seen all around Sussex, more so than any other club now.

The legacy the club has created in the last few years, and particularly the new fans that we have acquired, will surely protect us from ever worrying about extinction again, even should we drop a few rungs down the football pyramid.

Should that happen - thousands of fans would lose interest, but also thousands would still stick around. Four figure gates are a thing of the past for us now, regardless of which league we find ourselves in.

So while this incredible journey of top 10 Premier League football won't last forever - and it doesn't like it's about to come to abrupt end either - Brighton and Hove Albion FC is going to be the most popular team in the county, with fans all over the world, for years to come.

We have gone from unknown minnows, just 15 years ago we were a struggling homeless League One side... to one of the top teams in the world.

What Bloom & Barber have done with this football club is beyond legendary.

I hope you haven't gone too soon.....

Nice, though. Now. And that.

 

[portlock seagull]

We’re a much wealthier club, amongst THE wealthiest in the world.

As for big, yep, still No.1 in Sussex.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

We will be swiftly forgotten about as soon as we drop in to the Championship, like Swansea and others before us.

Big club? Meh.

Indeed. Big clubs are:

Arsenal
Man Ure
Everton
Liverpool
Citeh

That's it.

Not Chelsea, Spuds, Massive, Luxury Villa, the Twats or anyone else. For a range of reasons related to attendances in the second (or third) tier after relegation, weft, achievement and potential. Chelsea are a spook club. A blob of nothing, pooped out of Abramovich's arse, into Todwangles lap. Everyone hates them. Ditto Newcastle (who haven't won anything since before I was born).

There is a danger that Everton may drop out soon (which is a phenotypic change, not just 'form').

We are nowhere near.

But we may still win something before those other specimens. Which is all that matters.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I don't think Everton are that big any more - except in the immediate vicinity of Everton. They haven't won anything for decades and most of what they have won is pre-1960. They are dwarfed by Liverpool, especially in Liverpool.

 

[Pavilionaire]

The' big club' debate is a blind alley. The fact is none of the the 'Small 14' clubs in the Prem have won a major domestic trophy since 1996. That's 27 years - the names Dalian Atkinson and Paul Rideout will mean nothing to anyone under 30.

We had the 14th best attendance last season and that will probably go up to 11th this season, so still not even top 10 in the Prem.

We've won nothing and we struggle to hold onto our best players. Yet such is the structure at the club to continue to contend and attract the best young talent.

 

[Crawley Dingo]

Small but getting bigger.

 

[portlock seagull]

Small and wealthy. Like the other 14 in the PL.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

We're having our moment in the sun, but its worth remembering that BURNLEY finished 7th and qualified for Europe not so very long ago. Swansea also played in Europe after winning the League Cup within the last 10 years. They've both since been relegated.

We've won nothing. This "big club" stuff does my swede in tbh.

Yep. And Leicester won something recently. We're doing very well only until we don't.

 

[GT49er]

People could argue all nght (and probably will) about what constitutes a 'Big club'. Surely, among the criteria needed for 'bigtness', this must be one of the essentials:
"Always in or around the top of their domestic league, well-known the world over and with a huge world-wide fanbase". This has to have been the case for at least a generation, more likely two or three generations.
Cue: Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern, Arsenal, Barca, Boca and a (very) few more. Maybe Inter, PSG..........



Not Brighton.
(We're doing alright though).

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Funny how this kind of talk only ever mentions big and small clubs.

I'd say we're smack bang in the group of medium sized clubs.

 

[spence]

I agree with above. We are a medium size club now. I'll take that.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

We're one bad sesson away from becoming someone else's salutary lesson. We're not big.

 

[Justice]

Chelsea were a Fulham until the Russian came in and bought Chelsea instead of Spurs by mistake.

 

[NorthLainer]

Personally I've got no ambition to be a 'big' club, whatever that means.

I'm just happy we're one of the best clubs.

 

[Birdie Boy]

I think someone should email PBOBE or ask Mr Bloom at the next forum...

 

[Questions]

But still no Thai noodles in WSU

 

[Russconha]

There is no official definition of being a 'big' club so we'll have to use our imagination.

 

[warmleyseagull]

Look at 2013 table, Same old top 6, bar one place. Only West Ham (promoted previous season) and Everton (flirting with relegation now) have also been constants in PL since.

 

[SAC]

Why would anyone want to support a big club? The disappointment you must feel not winning each and every match. Not for me, Clive.