BangleMan

You clearly know nothing of UK football. Chelsea have in no shape or form "always" one of the big four. They werent even one of the biggest teams in London !!!

They spent years yo-yo'ing between the old First Division and Second Division, spending a lot of time in the Second Division, and I remember going over to Stamford Bridge during the 80's and early 90's when the ground was a shit hole, and you could barely must 18,000 fans a week

At least Man City, as much as I have no love for them, have always had a hard core support who have followed them through thick and thin, and regularly had good crowds......unlike Chelsea, who as I said had a crap team, a crap ground and crap support for years and years......and are now supported by a bunch of media brain washed glory hunters

Good luck to City.....Hope they smash through the so called big four as would love to see the smug faces of those 4 wiped clean off :curse:

benzonar

Simao,

Before Abramovich Chelsea were not as big team, there was no big four.

It was just Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal.

Chelsea if anything were famous for being Utd's bogey team, and were style with no substance. Lets be honest here Chelsea were always a small club.

Simao

Even though that I don't know english football like you guys but still, the first four spots are reserved for the big four and will be for a long time. otherwise, I'll be wrong and it would be true that you actually can buy success.

BangleMan

You absolutely CAN buy success

Which is why it isnt unreasonable to think Man City can break that gang of four monopoly if the ABU money is thrown at it

Some years ago Blackburn did exactly that and ended up winning the EPL that year

The biggest spenders in most European Leagues, certainly in the EPL are the ones who finish up winning their respective leagues or qualifying for the Champions League, where as a result even more money comes their way, and so the ball keeps rolling...

They keep buying the best players in Europe, and worse still, snapping up the good young English ones from other clubs, who have nurtured them for years from when they were kids, through the academy's etc

As a West Ham fan the likes of Lampard, Ferdinand, Cole, Carrick, Defoe spring to mind, but you could also throw in Walcott from Southampton to Arsenal, Bale from Southampton to Spurs, the Welsh teenager from Cardiff to Arsenal recently to name but a few..

So when the "big 4" have the most money, AND steal the developing young tallent from other clubs, its hardly a suprise that they keep finishing in the Top 4 year in year out is it ?

It all stinks to be honest...

The Dean

Sorry?

Oh I see what you're saying - you're assuming Abramovitch genuinely has USD 20 billion himself?

Nonsense - he's got a list of "obligations" that must give him nightmares...... I would not be surprised to discover that - from a strictly technical point of view - he's actually insolvent.

lionheart

I don't know who you are or where you are from, but you seem to know bugger all about English football. Have a look at crowd sizes if you want to see who the biggest teams are. For example, historically Newcastle have always been a bigger club than Chelsea in my view. If they had the same financial backing as City now have, they would be a Top Four club too. These days its almost entirely about money as Blackburn Rovers proved a few years back...but a good manager also helps.

Spugsy

if you are getting CL money every year then you can buy more and more better players - this is why we have the 'top four'.

When Newcastle were in the CL for a few years we made £20m a season alone from the revenue.

Spugsy

we have had loads of cash spent, unfortunately we tend to spend it on crap players.

BangleMan

Heard you are short of defenders and were trying to make a late bid last night for Brian Kilcline ....

The Dean

He'll have to fight Titus Bramble for a place...........

Spugsy

well he did it once for us...saying that, you've bloody sold all of your defenders!

Spugsy

thats Wigan's Titus Bramble aye?

Actually he was in the irish village for the CL final.

BangleMan

I know, tell me about it.....we dont have a left back at the club any more !

There's a lot of rumours doing the rounds that Keegan has walked out ?

BangleMan

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/Football/Players||Managers/Kevin+Keegan

Spugsy

yup so I hear, we shall see.