What is a big club?

This is a shortened version of an article that originally appeared in the Charlton fanzine, Voice of the Valley.

We are constantly told that football is all about opinions, although in practice modern recruitment and coaching is increasingly driven by in depth data analysis.   However, some of the debate surrounding football uses terminology in a rather loose way, perhaps once again demonstrating that it is a unique part of society and the economy.

One example which is the theme of this article is the use of the term ‘big’ club.  It is unclear what qualifies a club to be described as ‘big’, other than in the eyes of its supporters who are always ready to claim the title.   Some supporters say their club is 'massive'.

The top six

In reality the only clubs that are truly massive are the ‘top’ or ‘big’ six that dominate the Premier League and English entry to the Champions League (Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs).   

If we go back to the first 38-game Premier League season, 1995-96, and trawl through the years between then and now, two trends emerge. The first is that the top six have been steadily accumulating more points (an average of 75 per club over the last 10 seasons, compared to 70 per club over the competition’s first 10 seasons). The second is that the bottom three are picking up fewer points (an average of 30 per club over the last 10 seasons, compared to 33 over the first 10 seasons).    Focus only on the last five seasons and the pattern is even more marked in both cases.

Membership of the top six is not immutable and Tottenham Hotspur have had difficulty in winning silverware.    However, the financial gap between the top six and other clubs has been growing.   West Ham has aspirations to break into the top six and have been enjoying success on the pitch.  Their £193m revenue is currently 7th highest in the Premier League. It has increased by £72m (60%) since 2015, which is pretty good, but the problem is that the Big Six has seen even more growth, e.g. Spurs £164m and Chelsea £121m, so the gap has still widened.

Everton was one of the clubs involved in forming the Premier League and were then seen as a top club.  Since Farhad Moshiri’s arrival, they have spent big in the transfer market (until last summer). In the four seasons up to 2020, they splashed out a chunky £566m gross spend (£294m net). 

In fact, in the five years up to 2020, Everton’s £350m owner funding was the highest in the Premier League, but decision-making about both managers and players has often been poor.  Everton's revenue is the eighth highest in the top flight, it’s still far below the leading clubs, e.g. Manchester United’s £590m is three times as much, while Liverpool 2016/17 £364m was almost double.

What makes a club big?

Leaving aside the very top clubs, how can one decide whether a club is big?   Some clubs would accept the badge of ‘small’ as a mark of pride given their level of achievement.    That could apply to Burton Albion and Fleetwood Town in League One.  It looks as if Cheltenham Town and Forest Green Rovers will be able to play the famed ‘El Glosico’ in League One next season.    Neither club would claim to be big; indeed Forest Green has built its image around its ecological commitment.

I think that there are three criteria that could be used to help decide whether a club is ‘big’: attendance, ground capacity and league record.    Attendances fascinate fans, but the statistics are very unreliable.   In days gone by, before the creation of current levels of security, it was often possible to sneak into a ground without paying.    There were also allegations that clubs understated the attendance and revenue to reduce their entertainment tax liability.

Stadium size could be a criterion. Many clubs have invested in their stadiums in recent years, often to add additional corporate capacity in the top flight.   Some have moved to new sites, West Ham getting a particularly good deal on the London Stadium.  Everton’s hopes for revival are pinned on their new stadium.   Tottenham Hotspur probably have the most Impressive and flexible new stadium but such investments can load a club with considerable debt.   

Bournemouth have not expanded their stadium, because of difficulties with the ground owners, although when they were in the Premier League this meant they were more reliant that any other club on broadcasting revenue.   Too rapid a stadium expansion can lead to empty spaces and a lack of atmosphere when relegation occurs.

How long a club has spent in the top flight may be seen as a hallmark of a big club, although calculations are affected by whether or not one thinks that football started with the creation of the Premier League.   One might also factor in FA Cup success, although these days achievement in the Champions League is arguably more important.

Perhaps, at the end of the day, it's all a matter of opinions.