Comments on: Which 20 Clubs Would Be In Your Premier League?

By: RaiderRich

RaiderRich — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:59:58 +0000

I think the term your looking for is “meritocracy” not “democracy”…

By: Ads

Ads — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:53:09 +0000

Sorry, I must’ve missed the official ruling that states that only clubs that are based in a city can compete in the Premier League??? How strange…
Your argument that teams like Blackburn and Burnley can’t keep fans in the stands is immediately flawed, because when you compare the attendances to the populations of the towns, they have the highest in the league – something like a quarter of the towns descend upon Ewood and the Turf each matchday. Can the likes of Leeds and Sheffield claim this?
In addition, the fact that Bolton and Blackburn have punched above their relative weights for years is fantastic and should be commended – not sneered at. Despite their current difficulties, Bolton have been to Wembley in cup finals and played in Europe, and Blackburn have won the Premiership, the League Cup, played in Europe numerous times in recent years and played in 5 domestic cup finals.
Newcastle certainly don’t deserve to be in the Prem, not until their up-themselves fans learn that they aren’t, and never will be a top 4 club…

By: Adam Whieldon

Adam Whieldon — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:22:58 +0000

I am a HUGE Leeds united fan. And yes it is my dream for my club to be back in the prem. In our case it was poor financial management by tossers like Risdale, but in the cases of Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Derby County who are also a massive club who dont get mentioned enough and us after we’d been messed up. All of these great clubs are not in the premiership right now because they simply werent good enough when they were in it.
I love the way our game is run, it is called democracy. Every club as equal rights irrelivant to the size of the stadium, fan base and history. At the end of the day the players and the manager are the important ingrediants irrelivant to what the clubs name is.

By: Lyle

Lyle — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:47:15 +0000

I agree with this and I’m a fan of Fulham. Fulham is probably a League One or Championship size club, based on fan base. Eventually Fulham will probably go down and very likely won’t come back up for a good while.

I’m waiting for the day though that the big English clubs form a super league across Europe, however, and kills off clubs like Fulham and West Ham.

By: Lyle

Lyle — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:41:39 +0000

I play this game in my head all the time as well.

Out: Burnley (Turf Moor is great, Burnley is too small though), Wigan Athletic (not enough fans, rugby town), and two of any Hull City, Bolton, Wolverhampton, or Blackburn (lots and lots of history in the last three, but they’re in towns or small cities that can’t keep fans in the stands… there replaceable with any decent Championship side, imo). Portsmouth might be another team that could be kicked out, but their fans are just too good to one to seen them out of the Premier League. They would have to be replaced by Southampton at least to keep a team on the south coast in the league.

In: Newcastle, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, and one of the Sheffields (I prefer Wednesday, but United are arguably the more deserving club).

By: Trevor

Trevor — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:25:28 +0000

What about the real clubs coming in

FC United
AFC Wimbledon

and regional

Plymouth
Ipswich
Newcastle

There should be only one team from one city so get rid Liverpool, Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham.

By: The Gaffer

The Gaffer — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:11:02 +0000

The other argument is that it takes money, not talent to get promoted to the Premier League. Sure, you need talent on the pitch to translate into wins. But, by my estimations, here are clubs who bought their way into the Premier League who otherwise would never be in it:

Blackburn Rovers
Wigan Athletic
Fulham

Am I missing any others? Chelsea were already flying high in the Premier League and didn’t need promotion to get into the Prem.

Cheers,
The Gaffer

By: The Gaffer

The Gaffer — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:59:14 +0000

Harry, it’s a fantasy Premier League – an ideal league based on our own bias. Which 20 clubs would you want to see in the league?

Cheers,
The Gaffer

By: Laurence

Laurence — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:49:26 +0000

Really great question Gaf,

I know it’s just for fun and rivalry, but you really have sparked something here right?

Do you think that all clubs have a right to make their history though? How can a club dine out on great nights if they don’t have enough time/funds or coverage to do so?

My point is, Liverpool and Manchester United both had/have great managers because they got the break to do so. Doesn’t everyone in football deserve that? If they don’t prove themselves then they get relegated, it’s not as black and white as that but it is what the question boils down to.

Equally, it’s about perspective and scale, some clubs achieve great things on a small scale and some clubs achieve big things on a big scale and some mix it up a bit. All have their merits. That’s part of the bragging rights of football, who took the route with the most drama/wonderment.

By: harry.batty@o2.co.uk

harry.batty@o2.co.uk — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:52:09 +0000

What a load of twaddle the football league has always operated on a promotion relegation basis , now just because the floundering clubs like Leeds and Forest and Newcastle cant hack it in the competition you want to give them a free pass , rubbish make them earn their places and then hold onto them if they can , its results on the field that keep you up not gimmes.
Harry B