What makes a'big' club?

http://footyramblings.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/what-makes-a-big-club/

Can't argue with the maths behind this, or our position. I would say it's fairly indicative of our history, etc.

Always an interesting debate, how you measure a 'big' club.

I'm just bumping this back up, as I'd hate for our six-toed chums from up the A38 to miss out on the proof of what a Mahooosive Club Exeter are

Our rugby club is though.THE BIGGEST CLUB IN DEVON.

downthetrack wrote:

Our rugby club is though.THE BIGGEST CLUB IN DEVON.

So what you're saying is that Exeter City isn't even the biggest club in Exeter?

Chiefs home games they take over 100k at the bar,big money

what makes any club big ,is some foreign fellow with either an oilwell ,or a lot of russian gold hidden under the bed!

A lot of wood.

A general guide yes but it does not allow for potential support if top flight status has been enjoyed by the fanbase for several years.

Norwich for instance, are imo a bigger club than Preston in the modern game, as they now enjoy a solid 20k fanbase even in the lower leagues. If back in the 60's Argyle and Norwich's history of achievement were reversed, we would almost certainly be now mirroring what they can achieve through the turnstyles and on the pitch and they would be somewhere close to where we are now.

You know a Club is truly "Big" when during a major world news event in a 3rd World Country or the like a poor down at heel local is wearing a football shirt from another Country. It looks totally out of place and the more shocking as a result.

When Ceaucescu was being ousted I remember seeing an Arsenal shirt on somebody storming the Presidential Palace, in Syria recently I saw some local firing wearing an Inter Milan shirt.

These are "Big" Clubs. It is also apparent when you hear the background to many serial killers and rapists they seem to all have on thing in common, they always seem to be able to show a picture of them in their beloved Man Utd shirt on the news.

Another example of when a Club has gone global when a world mega star is seen on TV in front of 8 million viewers day in day out in the Jungle...wearing a City shirt. Or when a person more famous than Jesus visits your club and is made honary president. Thankfully though he didn't ever sit on the board and never tried to promote his own worth at every opportunity. Thankfully The Club was so big, he wasn't allowed to get involved with the Club as the role was only an honary one. Who is your honary president and what does he do?

Jacko or Webbo who would you choose?

I would rather "Blow Bubbles"....no video exists of this and this is pure speculation. That said, you seem to have your own Bubbles character....

WEBBO and BUBBLES

please note than anything in italics is said with tongue definately in cheek. If City were in a Golf Bag, out of the 13 Clubs in there they would only ever be the putter.

[i]

The Red Star wrote:

You know a Club is truly "Big" when during a major world news event in a 3rd World Country or the like a poor down at heel local is wearing a football shirt from another Country. It looks totally out of place and the more shocking as a result.

When Ceaucescu was being ousted I remember seeing an Arsenal shirt on somebody storming the Presidential Palace, in Syria recently I saw some local firing wearing an Inter Milan shirt.

These are "Big" Clubs. It is also apparent when you hear the background to many serial killers and rapists they seem to all have on thing in common, they always seem to be able to show a picture of them in their beloved Man Utd shirt on the news.

Another example of when a Club has gone global when a world mega star is seen on TV in front of 8 million viewers day in day out in the Jungle...wearing a City shirt. Or when a person more famous than Jesus visits your club and is made honary president. Thankfully though he didn't ever sit on the board and never tried to promote his own worth at every opportunity. Thankfully The Club was so big, he wasn't allowed to get involved with the Club as the role was only an honary one. Who is your honary president and what does he do?

Jacko or Webbo who would you choose?

I would rather "Blow Bubbles"....no video exists of this and this is pure speculation. That said, you seem to have your own Bubbles character....

WEBBO and BUBBLES

please note than anything in italics is said with tongue definately in cheek. If City were in a Golf Bag, out of the 13 Clubs in there they would only ever be the putter.

[i]

Then again, 'drive for show, putt for dough !'

When I was a youngen I thought we were big because we had a big stadium, but now we don't so I'm banking on the idea that we still have a pitch that's one of the biggest.

GOB wrote:

When I was a youngen I thought we were big because we had a big stadium

When I was a young 'un Argyle WAS a big club (by Devon standards) but like all things as you get older (and bigger) yourself, they aren't any more.

Having to lock the gates with less than thirteen thousand inside and averaging less than half that many through the gate this season obviously makes them significantly smaller than some other clubs in the same league than they play in...............a lot bigger than my club; but a lot less successful and well run too.

So is the advantage in being a "Big Fish" in a small pool anyway? If you don't know how to run a big club then it becomes a millstone around the neck, and you would be better served downsizing and recognising the attributes of those that DO run their smaller clubs in a fit and proper manner.

Finishing just 2 points clear from a third succesive relegation and almost plumetting out of The Football League is hardly indicative that THIS current administration is any better than the recent ones you've had before, and given the current storm over the behaviour, morals and integrity of those who claim to be close to the owner; if I were an Argyle fan I would be very worried right now until I see signs that James Brent has rid himself of his coterie of pet chimps with their equally untrustworthy vermin involved in the forums of other clubs; I would not breathe easily.

I hope for your sakes that (a) he does, and (b) that he learns the ropes of employing the right sort of people to make a good job of running your football affairs in a competent manner.

The Red Star wrote:

You know a Club is truly "Big" when during a major world news event in a 3rd World Country or the like a poor down at heel local is wearing a football shirt from another Country. It looks totally out of place and the more shocking as a result.

When Ceaucescu was being ousted I remember seeing an Arsenal shirt on somebody storming the Presidential Palace, in Syria recently I saw some local firing wearing an Inter Milan shirt.

These are "Big" Clubs. It is also apparent when you hear the background to many serial killers and rapists they seem to all have on thing in common, they always seem to be able to show a picture of them in their beloved Man Utd shirt on the news.

Another example of when a Club has gone global when a world mega star is seen on TV in front of 8 million viewers day in day out in the Jungle...wearing a City shirt. Or when a person more famous than Jesus visits your club and is made honary president. Thankfully though he didn't ever sit on the board and never tried to promote his own worth at every opportunity. Thankfully The Club was so big, he wasn't allowed to get involved with the Club as the role was only an honary one. Who is your honary president and what does he do?

Jacko or Webbo who would you choose?

I would rather "Blow Bubbles"....no video exists of this and this is pure speculation. That said, you seem to have your own Bubbles character....

WEBBO and BUBBLES

please note than anything in italics is said with tongue definately in cheek. If City were in a Golf Bag, out of the 13 Clubs in there they would only ever be the putter.

[i]

We ain't that big, we would be the tee

Tringreen wrote:

A general guide yes but it does not allow for potential support if top flight status has been enjoyed by the fanbase for several years.

Norwich for instance, are imo a bigger club than Preston in the modern game, as they now enjoy a solid 20k fanbase even in the lower leagues. If back in the 60's Argyle and Norwich's history of achievement were reversed, we would almost certainly be now mirroring what they can achieve through the turnstyles and on the pitch and they would be somewhere close to where we are now.

Keep chucking it up that pole Tring, maybe someday you will find somebody to salute it.

They haven't included such a parameter because it is a fantasy existing only in your mind, just be happy that you can still claim to be bigger than ECFC, for the time being anyway.

What can't be disputed is the historical attendance figures for Argyle, Norwich, Ipswich, Southampton, before three of those clubs achieved top flight status.
All four were very similar and double that of Exeter and treble that of Torquay.

GOB wrote:

When I was a youngen I thought we were big because we had a big stadium, but now we don't so I'm banking on the idea that we still have a pitch that's one of the biggest.

.........and came quite cheap.

Tringreen wrote:

What can't be disputed is the historical attendance figures for Argyle, Norwich, Ipswich, Southampton, before three of those clubs achieved top flight status.
All four were very similar and double that of Exeter and treble that of Torquay.

But... you didn't, and you won't... live with it

Tringreen wrote:

What can't be disputed is the historical attendance figures for Argyle, Norwich, Ipswich, Southampton, before three of those clubs achieved top flight status.

Up goes the flag again and the number of salutes is................................................nil pointe.

Get over it Tring, they are good, big clubs and you guys are a property developer with no interest in football's minor inconvenience, try dealing with the reality of it all rather than some convoluted version of the the path not taken.

Big clubs are big clubs because they have achieved something, as previously stated you are the biggest club in Devon, for the time being, hang on to that and the fact that you managed to avoid by a mere two points the ignominy of a drop into the Conference.

Only if the Gas could keep a lead, hey.

downthetrack wrote:

Only if the Gas could keep a lead, hey.

That's a very sobering thought.......

Cerbera wrote:

downthetrack wrote:

Only if the Gas could keep a lead, hey.

That's a very sobering thought.......

What might have been eh ?

Now here's me starting to sound like Tring.

Tringreen wrote:

What can't be disputed is the historical attendance figures for Argyle, Norwich, Ipswich, Southampton, before three of those clubs achieved top flight status.
All four were very similar and double that of Exeter and treble that of Torquay.

You are of course factually correct Tring, but our smalltown cousins choose to ignore that.

It is utterly embarrassing how at no point in our history we've made it to the top flight. For a city of our size it's a travesty, but there you go...

But while it's never happened with us, teams like Swindon, Bradford and Blackpool - all teams 'in our league' so to speak - have cracked it.

It's because teams like that have done it, that our chances of it happening one day, aren't pie in the sky.

This is what separates following a team like Argyle, as opposed to Exeter. Their 'Premier League', in terms of a glass ceiling, is the Championship.

Well, we've spent dozens of seasons at that level. Bit boring actually after a while, but it's peaks and troughs innit. One day Exeter may, just may get to the Championship. It's not beyond the realms of fantasy. Highly improbable, but not impossible.

It must be a bit of a downer though, knowing in your heart of hearts, you follow a team that will categorically NEVER reach the top flight...

...and that, in a nutshell, is what separates us.

Championship is possible in my lifetime i think.Massive investment to the east of the City at the moment.May get a company to put some money in ,like south west telecoms have at the Chiefs.
Think that's the best we can hope for

Pity we haven't got a massive investor in Plymouth.Would move things forward a lot faster.Next season we are going organic,slowly slowly catchy monkey.Still look on the bright side we will have a GASBoard..

Czarcasm wrote:

It must be a bit of a downer though, knowing in your heart of hearts, you follow a team that will categorically NEVER reach the top flight...
...and that, in a nutshell, is what separates us.

WRONG!

It's not a downer at all..................

What separates us is that WE get a whole lot more pleasure and satisfaction following OUR clubs than you do following yours ~ simples innit?

Are you saying that because the love of my life is slimmer and more perfectly formed than yours, or to put it more succinctly that yours is a big fat flabby cow; I'm on a bit of a downer?