Clubs That Punch Below Their Weight

[Midlands Yellow 4,015]

I’d go for Peterborough. Historically never done much and have always pulled in crap attendances despite no competition close by. 

[cornish sam 959]

Could say the same about Carlisle, until recently they were the only professional club in one of the largest counties and bar 3 or 4 seasons in then 70s not been out of the bottom 2 divisions and always struggle with gates...

[Midlands Yellow 4,015]

1 minute ago, cornish sam said:

Could say the same about Carlisle, until recently they were the only professional club in one of the largest counties and bar 3 or 4 seasons in then 70s not been out of the bottom 2 divisions and always struggle with gates...

Good call, they did get to the top level once but then dropped back down like a stone in the 70’s? 

[nutty nigel 7,555]

Coventry.

[Midlands Yellow 4,015]

3 minutes ago, nutty nigel said:

Coventry.

Interesting choice Nutty, based on what though? 

[cornish sam 959]

10 minutes ago, Midlands Yellow said:

Good call, they did get to the top level once but then dropped back down like a stone in the 70’s? 

They went up to the 1st division the season man Utd went down, which means that man Utd are the only league team that Carlisle have never played a league match against.

[nutty nigel 7,555]

1 minute ago, Midlands Yellow said:

Interesting choice Nutty, based on what though? 

34 consecutive seasons in the top flight then…

[Midlands Yellow 4,015]

1 minute ago, nutty nigel said:

34 consecutive seasons in the top flight then…

That might be overachieving then? Read the thread title. 

[nutty nigel 7,555]

3 minutes ago, Midlands Yellow said:

That might be overachieving then? Read the thread title. 

How is spending the last 22 years nowhere near that level with 8 years in leagues one and two, while dossing in other clubs stadiums overachieving?

This forum would be on fire if that was us…

[Midlands Yellow 4,015]

1 minute ago, nutty nigel said:

How is spending the last 22 years nowhere near that level with 8 years in leagues one and two, while dossing in other clubs stadiums overachieving?

This forum would be on fire if that was us…

Ok, now you’re moving the goalposts (and why not) get that sack of spuds off your shoulder! It’s been nearly 40 years! 

[nutty nigel 7,555]

What was that song Cyndi Lauper had a big hit with? 

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,791]

Given the size of the area , Plymouth?

Preston...havent kicked a ball in the top division since 1961  ,where other clubs around Lancashire frequently have with the likes of Blackburn Burnley Bolton...even Blackpool and Oldham

That massive club Ipswich with all their 'history'...yet incredulously have only played in the top league for FIVE of the last 38 seasons... 

Edited April 19 by GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary

[Canario 207]

Everton. 

[nutty nigel 7,555]

1 minute ago, GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary said:

Given the size of the area , Plymouth?

Preston...havent kicked a ball in the top division since 1961  ,where other clubsxaround Lancashire frequently have with the likes of Blackburn Burnley Bolton...even Blackpool and Oldham

That massive club Ipswich with all their 'history'...yet incredulously have only played in the top league for FIVE of the last 38 seasons... 

Good call.

The binners and Coventry.

[Midlands Yellow 4,015]

1 minute ago, nutty nigel said:

What was that song Cyndi Lauper had a big hit with? 

Girls Just want to have fun? Maybe you’re venturing toward True Colours? I think you showed those years ago to anyone half alive. 

[Duncan Edwards 2,245]

Liverpool. One title in 30+ years is a shocking return for a club of their stature.

Newcastle. Won farke all since football was on Pathe News. 
 

 

[nutty nigel 7,555]

5 minutes ago, Midlands Yellow said:

I think you showed those years ago to anyone half alive. 

💛⚽️💚

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,791]

8 minutes ago, Canario said:

Everton. 

Indeed...contribute b ugger all to the premier league season in,season out ,lingering like a stench

High time a relegation caught up with them

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,827]

11 minutes ago, GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary said:

Given the size of the area , Plymouth?

The largest town/city in England to have never had top flight football. 

On a similar note, Bradford is one of the biggest cities in the country with a large ground and very good attendances considering they've been in League Two for most of the last two decades. 

Similarly, Gloucester has never had a team in the Football League despite having a large population. I know it's more of a rugby city, but unlike Warrington or St Helens, they don't have any huge football clubs around to complete with for attendances.

[essex canary 498]

Charlton in the last 15 to 20 years.

[PurpleCanary 5,573]

Man Utd.

[Pockthorpe 533]

Sunderland 

[Midlands Yellow 4,015]

26 minutes ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

The largest town/city in England to have never had top flight football. 

On a similar note, Bradford is one of the biggest cities in the country with a large ground and very good attendances considering they've been in League Two for most of the last two decades. 

Similarly, Gloucester has never had a team in the Football League despite having a large population. I know it's more of a rugby city, but unlike Warrington or St Helens, they don't have any huge football clubs around to complete with for attendances.

Gloucester is interesting but lots of clubs within 30/40 miles? On a side note it has a beautiful cathedral but what a dump of a city. 

[CardiffCanary 131]

56 minutes ago, GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary said:

Given the size of the area , Plymouth?

Preston...havent kicked a ball in the top division since 1961  ,where other clubs around Lancashire frequently have with the likes of Blackburn Burnley Bolton...even Blackpool and Oldham

That massive club Ipswich with all their 'history'...yet incredulously have only played in the top league for FIVE of the last 38 seasons... 

That stat on the binners is quite hilarious!!! Thank you 

[TheGunnShow 5,957]

Considering the size of the town/urban area, I'd think Grimsby Town (yes, I know it's in Cleethorpes) is one that's struggling a bit compared to the days when Alan Buckley was in charge. On a similar scale, someone mentioned Plymouth but I'd also throw Exeter City in there - they've never made it into the Championship / the old Division Two despite being a fairly populous area.

I know this next one is in a part of the country that's not short of clubs at all, but considering its location and ownership, you'd think Salford City would have pushed further up the leagues than they have done so far.

Considering that Morecambe are pretty established in the Football League now, you'd have to say Lancaster City are a long way behind.

[JonnyJonnyRowe 451]

I think you have to say the Bristol clubs really.

Bristol has a population of 707,412 people, and that's before you consider Bath and West-Super-Mare down the road which don't have professional sides. Yes its complicated by having two professional sides, but Sheffield only has marginally more and yet has two much larger clubs despite more local competition like Donny Rovers, Rotherham and Barnsley.

This will be a weird one considering they are a Prem side, but you have to say that Bournemouth having a top tier side has been long overdue considering their population of 518,556, it does make you wonder just how big their gates could get if they plonked a fancy new stadium in the city, like Tony Bloom did in Brighton.

 

Edited April 19 by JonnyJonnyRowe

[The Raptor 1,223]

Villa and Birmingham. Ok villa are good this season but generally for a city that size attendance and success has been pathetic as long as I can remember. Despite one claiming it's a massive club.

Bristol is a massive place but hasn't had a top flight team since I can remember. So I reckon the 80s?

Edited April 19 by The Raptor

[The Raptor 1,223]

1 hour ago, Duncan Edwards said:

Liverpool. One title in 30+ years is a shocking return for a club of their stature.

Newcastle. Won farke all since football was on Pathe News. 
 

 

In Liverpools case surely that's not their fault though. 

[Midlands Yellow 4,015]

7 minutes ago, The Raptor said:

Villa and Birmingham. Ok villa are good this season but generally for a city that size attendance and success has been pathetic as long as I can remember. Despite one claiming it's a massive club.

Bristol is a pmassive place but hasn't had a top flight team since I can remember. So I reckon the 80s?

Birmingham yes but Villa no, some great alternative suggestions on this though to get you rethinking. 

[chicken 2,639]

Bradford. Almost twice the population of Norwich.

They had an 8 season stretch in the top two tiers peaking with two seasons in the prem in 98-99 and 99-00.

Relegation in the last season of the old Division One in 04-05 has seen them bobble around the 3rd and 4th tier ever since.

Their highest finish in that time was 5th in League One. In 22/23 they had the highest average attendances in league two with over 18,000.

To put that into perspective, only three clubs in League One can boast as good or better attendances this season according to https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/league-one/besucherzahlen/wettbewerb/GB3/saison_id/2023. Even nine teams in the championship are the same or worse.

Other than the two seasons in the prem, there really isn't much to write about before that. Until the '85-86 season they'd never been higher than the 3rd tier.

 

Edited April 19 by chicken