Howe - we can be bigger than Arsenal

[Huntley & Palmer]

At worst, it shows Howe is thinking big; at best, it can be seen as a statement of intent.

Why are people slagging him of for saying it? If he came out and said "we hope we can avoid relegation for the next 10 years" he - and the club - would have been accused of lacking ambition; sometimes there are "fans" only too happy to criticise ANYTHING the club says.

He also hasn't put a timeline on when this may (or may not) occur; in the 30's Huddersfield was a huge club. In the 50's Wolves, Blackpool and Bolton were. In the 60's Burnley were, in the 70's Leeds and Derby were, in the 80's Forest were....in other words, what may have sounded mad in the 80's to a Forest fan (that, for example, Chelsea would within 20 years be far bigger and more succesful than they whilst they were in the 3rd tier of league football) came to pass - and so it could again.

Money was not so much of a factor in those days though Mr A, unfortunately now it dictates exactly how well you can progress as a club

[Behindu]

Money was not so much of a factor in those days though Mr A, unfortunately now it dictates exactly how well you can progress as a club

Hence JM's repeated statement that it needs a billionaire to take things forward.

I guess a billionaire would have a chance of making even someone like Aldershot as big as Arsenal though....

[sheshnu]

I guess the Premier League is going to become a game of Who's the Richest Billionaire, if it hasn't already. With more and more clubs becoming richer and richer there are going to be lots of billionaires wanting success - maybe when everybody can afford whatever they want the money will become meaningless?

Then football will once again become a level(ish) playing field and provincial clubs will start winning trophies and competing with what is currently a Big 4....

The obvious conclusion to this scenario is the rich owners selling up when they realise they can't buy success any more; luckily good old Sky will ensure that nobody goes without.

[Huntley & Palmer]

Well the next logical step is a European Super League, it's the only route left for the big clubs to go if they want to make more money.

[Stranded]

Well the next logical step is a European Super League, it's the only route left for the big clubs to go if they want to make more money.

Honestly don't think it would make enough money to be viable, short term possibly but in the mid to long term, no chance.

[sheshnu]

Well the next logical step is a European Super League, it's the only route left for the big clubs to go if they want to make more money.

And good luck to 'em. Won't make me want to support any of them though.

[Huntley & Palmer]

Well the next logical step is a European Super League, it's the only route left for the big clubs to go if they want to make more money.

Honestly don't think it would make enough money to be viable, short term possibly but in the mid to long term, no chance.

Depends, the TV and commercial revenue from a top draw European League would be immense. Of course it would kill the game as a fan apart from the home ties but do they really care that much?

[Stranded]

Well the next logical step is a European Super League, it's the only route left for the big clubs to go if they want to make more money.

Honestly don't think it would make enough money to be viable, short term possibly but in the mid to long term, no chance.

Depends, the TV and commercial revenue from a top draw European League would be immense. Of course it would kill the game as a fan apart from the home ties but do they really care that much?

Initially yes it would but as a product I feel it's shelf life would be very short.

A Super League involving say the top 16 clubs in Europe would die because there would be too many dead rubbers. From about the half way stage around half to 2/3rds of the teams would have nothing to play for bar positional prize money.

A lot of European clubs particualrly Italy struggle to get people to early rounds of the CL as is - if say Juventus were 14th after 20 games and had nothing to play for then they'd be playing in front of no-one except for perhaps a game against one of the other Italian sides.

That wouldn't be good for TV or commercial revenue as people won't want to watch game after game with empty stadia or games that don't mean anything.

[papereyes]

The way I see it, this is the current status quo in the Premiership from a commercial and 'brand' point of view

1st group

Man U
Chelsea
Liverpool
Arsenal

2nd group

Everton
Newcastle
Tottenham
West Ham
Aston Villa
Man City

3rd group

Bolton
Blackburn
Boro
Fulham

4th group

Charlton
Portsmouth
Us
Sheff U
Watford
Wigan

Realistically if we could stay up for a few seasons and the complete ground restructure goes ahead and is successful then there is no reason why we cannot get into that 2nd tier. I think breaking into the first tier is nigh on impossible, you need one hell of a brand to sell which requires history and a clutch of trophies over a very long period.

I like the way that's been split. Its accurate.

I think there's an inertia about things in terms of "bigness", so our one season in the sun (so far) will not move things that much. Spurs could underachieve for years and still be bigger than, say, Bolton or Charlton. I think, at best, we'll become a friendlier, southern Bolton unless we win something.

But

I also agree with

At worst, it shows Howe is thinking big; at best, it can be seen as a statement of intent.

Its a bit silly for him to talk in those terms, but I've always said that our position gives us so much potential. It doesn't mean we are big, it doesn't mean that we will be big but it means that we can grow.

[papereyes]

A Super League involving say the top 16 clubs in Europe would die because there would be too many dead rubbers. From about the half way stage around half to 2/3rds of the teams would have nothing to play for bar positional prize money.

It depends on how you organise it. I could imagine something like a regional/conference system where teams have something to play for.

What would kill it is that fans prefer the local derbies against teams they have a history with. Yes, you get the tourists and their free flags, but the lifeblood would be the fan who wants to remind the local rival how they're not MASSIVE and how long its been since they won something.

[cmonurz]

Really the thread title should be 'how can we be bigger than Arsenal?!'

[Behindu]

The way I see it, this is the current status quo in the Premiership from a commercial and 'brand' point of view

1st group

Man U
Chelsea
Liverpool
Arsenal

2nd group

Everton
Newcastle
Tottenham
West Ham
Aston Villa
Man City

3rd group

Bolton
Blackburn
Boro
Fulham

4th group

Charlton
Portsmouth
Us
Sheff U
Watford
Wigan

I don't think there is a difference between the 3rd and 4th groups. They are all essentially 'local' teams. You don't get kids in Kent deciding to be Blackburn fans or kids in Halifax being Royals fans. I'd argue Pompey have a stronger 'brand' than any of the 3rd tier teams, and we've got at least as good non football set up as any of them.

It's definitely possible to get into the 2nd tier, but it's a huge step to Tier 1, although not so long ago Newcastle, Spurs and Leeds would have claimed to be up there.

[Harold]

If reading become a big club, rich and succesful will you all despise them?

[Wycombe Royal]

If reading become a big club, rich and succesful will you all despise them?

Still fishing?

[sheshnu]

If reading become a big club, rich and succesful will you all despise them?

Would probably stop bothering with them if they became arrogant with their wealth and cheated their way to success. I mean, who would want to be associated with something like that?

[Mr Angry]

If reading become a big club, rich and succesful will you all despise them?

I would only despise Reading if they became arrogant, nasty and boring to watch, spending millions and millions (say, £500M in 3 or 4 years) on players in an attempt to buy the Champions League, and with unpleasant, greedy players who demand massive contracts with a guarantee that they are always paid as much as the highest paid player at the club.

If they ever acted like a chav who has won the lottery, that would simply be terrible.

[Woodcote Royal]

1066, 1966...........2007...................they come in 3's, Harold, don't you know?