Who are the biggest club on the South Coast? (and where do we sit....)

[wardy wonder land]

looking forward is the only direction..........

looking back, we're bigger than you bollox, it's about the here and now (& what lies around the corner)

if we took the points from the table Pompy 195, S'ton 185, BHA 40 ish

then we would still be bottom of the South Coast Big Club league after 10 years even if :

Pompy & S'ton stayed in the championship

 

[wardy wonder land]

.........part 2........

then we would still be bottom of the South Coast Big Club league after 10 years even if :

- Pompy & S'ton stayed in the championship
- BHA got promoted AND won the FA cup & Premiership every year for 10 years !

 

[Notters]

In fact, should you wish to ignore league position and concentrate solely on crowds, infrastructure and potential, Southampton and Brighton are arguably bigger clubs than some current PL clubs (e.g Wigan).

Disagree, there's nothing arguable about it, anyone who thinks Wigan are bigger than us is a nonce.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

.........part 2........

then we would still be bottom of the South Coast Big Club league after 10 years even if :

- Pompy & S'ton stayed in the championship
- BHA got promoted AND won the FA cup & Premiership every year for 10 years !

Not true. If Albion came into the Premier League and won that and also the FA Cup for five years in succession, they would accumulate 265 points, even without taking attendance figures into consideration.

 

[chucky1973]

I think Crawley Town will soon be bigger than Southampton.

 

[Dave the OAP]

the problem is with who is "bigger" than another club gets you into all sorts of criteria. I would argue that Huddersfield Town are bigger than every club in the football league as they were the first club to win the first division ( premiershite as it is now) three times in a row. Other clubs have now done it, Arsenal and Manchester United, but that is it.

On teh South coast, I would say that taking everything into consideration, Portsmouth and Southampton are probably top dogs due to history etc....Saints at the moment as they are the best team around by miles. Then us, then Plymouth, Bournemouth, Torquay and exeter.


all though we have only really won lower league titles and only been in teh top flight for 3 years....Plymouth have been inm teh top flight longer than us...so I suppose technically we are about 4th

 

[Crofty]

Based on club history, seasons in the top flight etc I would have to say Pompey, with ourselves and Saints vying for 2nd and Bournemouth bringing up the rear.

What do you think NSC?

Portsmouth, Southampton ,Worthing FC, Littlehampton FC, Arundel, Havant, Eastleigh FC,Bournemouth, B&HA

 

[Simster]

Portsmouth, Southampton ,Worthing FC, Littlehampton FC, Arundel, Havant, Eastleigh FC,Bournemouth, B&HA

...Brentford, Barnet, Bromley, Cashalton, Hooley Village, Crystal Palace

Edit: Sorry, I meant Charlton, then Crystal Palace.

 

[El Presidente]

Even then it's probably no brighter than Southampton's.

For me, Southampton are comfortably the biggest. Pompey were the biggest before the 1950s ended, but their track record since the 70s hasn't been significantly different to ours really - fleeting spells in the basement and top flights. The difference is that they won the cup (by cheating) and have spent most of that time at the second level whereas we have spent most of it in the third. However, as you say our futures look very different now. Portsmouth bumbling along in front of 11,000 at a delapidated "stadium" and us with 20,000+ crowds in a state of the art arena - they'll probably go down again soon.

Southampton are realistically on another level - they've spent years in the top flight, play in a big stadium in front of 25,000 and are likely to go up again. They too have reached the cup final in recent seasons and haven't been in division 4 in living memory, having spent just two season in division 3 with us recently. Oh and last season was the first time Albion have finished above Southampton since 1961 so anyone who thinks we're as big as they are is deluded. No surprise too see Looney in that category, obviously.

All three clubs are miles bigger than Bournemouth. I hope we never get mentioned in the same breath as that tin pot club again.

Thanks Simster, saved me typing!

 

[Crofty]

...Brentford, Barnet, Bromley, Cashalton, Hooley Village, Crystal Palace

Edit: Sorry, I meant Charlton, then Crystal Palace.

Nice to see you er.....using your imagination there Simster but I think I was first. And anyway do I give a flying Feck?

 

[Crofty]

Oh and I forgot Gatwick Baggage Handlers First and Second XI....THE MIGHTY GBH!

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Southampton have a top flight stadium and training facilities with a good chance of promotion this year.
Portsmouth have a run down stadium and presumably adequate training facilities and have just lost a manager to Nottingham Forest.
We have two thirds of a top flight stadium with plans to complete it and the training ground.

I personally think it is:

1. Southampton
2. Brighton
3. Portsmouth

Unless Portsmouth get a new ground, they are stuck at this level.

My take on it is this....................if all 4 clubs were playing in the premiership at the same time in 50k stadiums there average att would be IMO


Southampton 40-45k
Portsmouth 38-42k
Brighton 30-35k
Bournemouth 20-25k Sorry just my opinion


I wonder if anyone has any of the clubs offical supporter club numbers?

 

[wunt be druv]

Major fail....you forgot Brighton Ladies!!

D`oh!

 

[Working class pride]

Thanks Simster, saved me typing!

Hi El P and Simster. Two things, firstly nobody is deluded because they dont agree with you, they just dont agree with you. Main point tho' is a question. If Saints are much bigger than Brighton or Pompey, then how come Brighton in the late 70s and at other times played to higher crowds when in a lower league? A Saints fan answered by saying that Brighton had a large fan base. If this is the answer, then if its on trophies, then are wimbledon bigger than palace?

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

My take on it is this....................if all 4 clubs were playing in the premiership at the same time in 50k stadiums there average att would be IMO


Southampton 40-45k
Portsmouth 38-42k
Brighton 30-35k
Bournemouth 20-25k Sorry just my opinion


I wonder if anyone has any of the clubs offical supporter club numbers?

Southampton and Portsmouth are smaller 'towns' than Brighton in terms of numbers and their figures are a little 'ambitious' as averages I would say - we're not in the 1950s now.

 

[andy1980]

Is there a difference between beeing a bigger club, and being a more sucessful club?

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Is there a difference between beeing a bigger club, and being a more sucessful club?

Yes. Wigan are a more successful club, but not a bigger one.

 

[andy1980]

is a more successful club, does it mean they are in a higher league and win more trophies than another club (then there is no disputing southampton and portsmouth are more successful). A bigger club has more fans, and anything else?

 

[Phat Baz 68]

Do you really need to ask this question ??

 

[Phat Baz 68]

Portsmouth, Southampton ,Worthing FC, Littlehampton FC, Arundel, Havant, Eastleigh FC,Bournemouth, B&HA

You left out Crowborough Athletic FC