So How ‘Big’ Is Your Club?

One of the more inexact references in football is the term ‘big club’. But how can you gauge the difference in size between one club and another, and is your club really bigger than your bitter rivals?One of the more inexact references in football is the term ‘big club’. But how can you gauge the difference in size between one club and another, and is your club really bigger than your bitter rivals?

These are question that have exercised the mind of AFS member Mike Aylott and his findings will be published in the first AFS Report of 2005.

Mike’s study, which covers all clubs who have been members of the Football League for at least three seasons since 1970, is definitely not a work of opinion. He describes it as ‘robust statistical analysis’.

Subscribers to the AFS Report will therefore discover in February if Arsenal is bigger than Spurs, Nottingham Forest is bigger than Derby County, Huddersfield Town is bigger than Barnsley, and Darlington bigger than Hartlepool United… and why.

Other articles in Report Number 116 include, in the Tigers’ centenary season, a look back over the 100-year history of Hull City, and the intriguingly titled ‘When to conceive a professional footballer’.

There’s also the return of old favourites such as In Off The Post, Milestones, Obituaries and Book Reviews.

All contributions are gratefully received. They must be forwarded to enquiries@11v11.co.uk before 31 January 2005.

If your AFS Report subscription has expired or you would like to take out an AFS Online subscription then please use the Join button on the left-hand side of this page.

Looking further ahead in 2005, Report 117 is due to be posted to AFS Online on 10 May, Report 118 on 10 August and Report 119 on 10 November. Members should receive their copy by the end of each of those months.