Levy gone!

[Rita_Poon]

But I don't consider that the be what makes a club "big". But in 2025, sadly it does, and Levy got that.

There was a politician on the tv a couple of months back, who flippantly said words similar to "eventually we'll run out of football clubs to sell to the saudis'.

Typing this, it has just occurred to me, a situation in Europe in the mid 40's.

So, the league is slowly being carved up, in one corner there is the american money (arsenal, chelsea, Everton, man utd) in the other corner middle eastern monies, (newcastle, man city, sounds like spurs).

The league could end up representing an iron curtain of ideologies.

 

[Connor]

Shrewd @MikeH72

 

[TrachyBlue]

Newcastle went 70 years without a trophy, yo yo’d in and out of the league, CL was a pipe dream and they are based in a northern outpost (I like the place, but it’s miles from anywhere).

Spurs have CL football, the best stadium in the league and top 5 in the world, won a trophy 3 months ago, part of the “sky 6”, played Europe 18 of the last 20 seasons.

Basically it’s night and day - even Newcastle fans would admit that

Miles from where you live, you mean. I hate Newcastle. I hate spurs more.

 

[Creek]

I mean naff compared to most clubs you would consider a competitor. There was nothing that made Spurs stand out in 2000 as being any bigger than Villa, Newcastle, Leeds or Everton.

Villa won a league cup in 1996 and were a lot more competitive in the League. Challenged United in the first season of the PL.

Newcastle, despite their lack of trophies, were regularly getting to cup finals and were a genuine competitor for the title, and should have won it in 96.

Leeds won the league in 1992 and were hitting a Champions League semi final in 2000-2001.

Everton, absolutely rubbish in the 90s, but still won an FA Cup, destroying a much media fancied Spurs with Klinsmann in the semi final.

You ask any neutral in 2000 whether Spurs were bigger than Villa, Newcastle, Everton or Leeds, and you are probably getting a no. There is literally no footballing metric to say they were bigger. Other than being a club based in London, so able to benefit from increased customers for fancy corporate hospitality. But I don't consider that the be what makes a club "big". But in 2025, sadly it does, and Levy got that.

I agree we were no bigger than most those clubs - I have a hard time reconciling that with Newcastle, a club that went 70 years without a trophy and has been regularly relegated.

I would also argue we’re no bigger than those clubs now, again bar Newcastle.

Naff in the league - yes for most our existence, but we were always a huge danger to any side in the cups and you could rely on us bringing home a trophy at least once a decade but usually more. Levy came in and oversaw a 16 year drought that the likes West Ham (a minnow club) used to mock.

That Europa win saved our blushes from having Newcastle and Palace taking the mick, which would have been a huge indignity.

There is little fun finishing top 6 but having nothing to show for it, getting close but achieving nothing. The CL shine wears off after a while, getting dumped on by Bayern isn’t much fun

 

[Creek]

Miles from where you live, you mean. I hate Newcastle. I hate spurs more.

Miles from when anywhere young multi millionaire footballers consider cosmopolitan - it’s why they struggle to attract players.

I went to uni in Newcastle and lived in Jesmond, it’s got some lovely places nearby like Bamburgh castle - but the only other places close by are Durham and Sunderland - it’s not exactly Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool or London is it.

Earning £5m a year in Manchester or London is much more fun than earning that is Newcastle or Sunderland

 

[Rita_Poon]

but we were always a huge danger

are*

And I agree completely.

 

[Alanbileysfeathercut]

I mean naff compared to most clubs you would consider a competitor. There was nothing that made Spurs stand out in 2000 as being any bigger than Villa, Newcastle, Leeds or Everton.

Villa won a league cup in 1996 and were a lot more competitive in the League. Challenged United in the first season of the PL.

Newcastle, despite their lack of trophies, were regularly getting to cup finals and were a genuine competitor for the title, and should have won it in 96.

Leeds won the league in 1992 and were hitting a Champions League semi final in 2000-2001.

Everton, absolutely rubbish in the 90s, but still won an FA Cup, destroying a much media fancied Spurs with Klinsmann in the semi final.

You ask any neutral in 2000 whether Spurs were bigger than Villa, Newcastle, Everton or Leeds, and you are probably getting a no. There is literally no footballing metric to say they were bigger. Other than being a club based in London, so able to benefit from increased customers for fancy corporate hospitality. But I don't consider that the be what makes a club "big". But in 2025, sadly it does, and Levy got that.

Tbf and honest, spuds have always been an attractive team to watch.
Always stuck a bit more on the attendance at Goodison before the pl explosion.
Good travelers back then,not as game as arsenal..

 

[Creek]

are*

And I agree completely.

Ahh, what wit

I will have to remember that one

 

[Rita_Poon]

a 16 year drought that the likes West Ham (a minnow club) used to mock.

Blackburn
Huddersfield
leeds
Wolves

There's a film called 'Crocodile Dundee', in it he is asked about the Aboriginal rights to the land (of Australia) and replies with...

"See those rocks? Been standing there for 600 million years. Still be there when you and I are gone. So arguing over who owns them is like two fleas arguing over who owns the dog they live on."

An alleged spurs fan throwing their weight around re minnows is a bit rich like.

[On my travels I have just encountered a historic fact that has me perplexed, (Everton) the club are a founding member of the Football League in 1888, and a founding member of the Premier League in 1992, one of just three clubs to have been a founding member of both leagues.

Who are the other two?] @Eggs

 

[Rita_Poon]

Villa and Bolton? (this is a guess)

Not Bolton, possibly Blackburn.

 

[Eggs]

Blackburn
Huddersfield
leeds
Wolves

There's a film called 'Crocodile Dundee', in it he is asked about the Aboriginal rights to the land (of Australia) and replies with...

"See those rocks? Been standing there for 600 million years. Still be there when you and I are gone. So arguing over who owns them is like two fleas arguing over who owns the dog they live on."

An alleged spurs fan throwing their weight around re minnows is a bit rich like.

[On my travels I have just encountered a historic fact that has me perplexed, (Everton) the club are a founding member of the Football League in 1888, and a founding member of the Premier League in 1992, one of just three clubs to have been a founding member of both leagues.

Who are the other two?] @Eggs

…Villa and Blackburn.

 

[Creek]

Blackburn
Huddersfield
leeds
Wolves

There's a film called 'Crocodile Dundee', in it he is asked about the Aboriginal rights to the land (of Australia) and replies with...

"See those rocks? Been standing there for 600 million years. Still be there when you and I are gone. So arguing over who owns them is like two fleas arguing over who owns the dog they live on."

An alleged spurs fan throwing their weight around re minnows is a bit rich like.

[On my travels I have just encountered a historic fact that has me perplexed, (Everton) the club are a founding member of the Football League in 1888, and a founding member of the Premier League in 1992, one of just three clubs to have been a founding member of both leagues.

Who are the other two?] @Eggs

Those other clubs have glorious histories - how does that make West Ham a club that is not a minnow?

You seem to like your football history - up until 2023, West Ham in 125 years had won less trophies than “the Wanderers” won in their 24 years of existence - they are now both tied on 5

West Ham’s highest league finish ever is 3rd - which they’ve achieved once.

They had one decent period where they picked up the FA cup, that’s it

 

[Rita_Poon]

You seem to like your football history

sing a song about it and everything...

 

[Creek]

sing a song about it and everything...

Well I hope your hearts okay

 

[Rita_Poon]

Well I hope your hearts okay

They're Scottish mate.