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When you look at the English leagues there are quite a few surprises down there. Massive clubs such as Leeds with big fanbases plying their trade in League 1. While teams such as Fulham are surviving (but only just) in the Premier League. Clubs like Fulham have no place in the Premier League, they've never won a trophy, while Leeds have Top division titles to their name.

Yes these teams probably deserve to be playing in the Premier League, but I can't help but look at clubs like Middlesbrough who don't fill half their stadium and feel a little shame that they are at the highest level.

None of you will agree but please give your opinions anyway.

You forget that football isn't about the biggest clubs, it's about the best clubs.  Leeds, granted, were once one of the best teams in the country, but poor money management and, more importantly, poor performances have caused them to drop to the third tier.  Fulham and Middlesbrough are premiership sides purely because they are better than the second, third and fourth tier clubs and have proved it with good enough performances to keep them up.

Derby are of course the exception that merely proves the rule.

Cal has beat me to it. Leeds dont deserve to be in the Premiership purely based on their fanbase. They are in League One for a reason over the last couple of seasons they have'nt been good enough to play in the top flight. And judging by this season they are'nt even the best team in League One.

Given a few good seasons and better management, finacially, I think there is no doubt Leeds will, again, be a massive club. I also think Gary MCcalister is the man to take them forward and they will progress through the playoffs this season. Even championship football isn't bad for the club money wise as it's noww, according to reports, the 4th richest league in the world. I find that astonishing, for such a small country like england to have there top 2 leagues in the 4 richest in the world.

 If you can survive in the Premier League, you are worth your place there.

I think it's great that clubs like us, Fulham, and others such as Reading, potentially Hull,

or Bristol City, can come from lower leagues to the premiership, in four or five seasons.

As this post suggests, fanbase is a factor, i am the first to admit Fulham has a

dreadful fanbase, and we take a resturants capacity away, and major trophies include

old Division Two, and One titles, but, Progression, i feel optimistic, after a good end to a

sh*t season, next year, cor we could challenege the top, hmm 15, maybe 14, when i

can say i have been a fan for 71 years, in 50 years time, we could be beating Livorno

in the Champions League final.

Sorry, i don't know why that came out like a poorly structured poem.

I knew this post was going to annoy a few people. I think that I am just bitter that a club the size of Sunderland (the sixth most successful in English history) with a massive fan base has had to play out the last few seasons in mediocrity. Then I look up to the Premier League and see small clubs like Fulham with disgraceful fans beating and competing with clubs like Man UTD and Liverpool.

I'll try to keep my opinions under wraps from now on!

Your completely entitled to your opinion, and you do make a valid point that Sunderland have recently failed to live up to their traditions and history, but just count yourself lucky that you haven't slipped as far from your tradition position as Leeds, currently re-biulding from scratch in League 1.

personally i think nottingham forrest are the biggest club in league 1.

two european cups, leeds never did that 

 The title of this thread is a huge oxymoron. You can't be a big club in league 1. Forest and Leeds have a massive history (I think Leeds have won more and are thus "bigger"), but are they "big"? They have big stadiums but are below Stoke City, Hull, Middlesbrough, Wigan and Fulham, not jsut in places, but in terms of divisions! They make Newcastle and Spurs look big!

safcrhys:

I knew this post was going to annoy a few people. I think that I am just bitter that a club the size of Sunderland (the sixth most successful in English history) with a massive fan base has had to play out the last few seasons in mediocrity. Then I look up to the Premier League and see small clubs like Fulham with disgraceful fans beating and competing with clubs like Man UTD and Liverpool.

 

I'll try to keep my opinions under wraps from now on!

Ok, this is a dreadful post.

The underlined point is a ridiculous joke. They "had" to play out their last few seasons in mediocrity? They were forced, weren't they? It had nothing to do with signing *** players or having *** manaagers, (Wilkinson) no? *** sake, Sunderland were *** becasue of themselves, not because they ahd to be! Wanker. Grow the *** up.

The Past is worthless.

 If you can't stay in the top league, you are not a big club.

I get what you mean LarssonGerrardNedved but it sort of takes into account the history as well.

 It's definetly Leeds... because Nottingham Forest are in the Championship now!

Leeds fell at the last hurdle, and may they fall many times more under the ownership of Ken Bates!

Leeds will be in the Championship this time next year, and even in League 1 they had an average attendance of 26,038, more than 6 Premier league teams.