Written by Neamman
Well, obviously that title was tongue in cheek as we all know they are not, but a recent trip got me thinking, just who are the HUGE British clubs in the world?
Before I start let me give some personal disclosure. Born in Kentish Town I have spent over half my life in Canada, and for the last 20 years have visited Asia at least once a year and worked there for 16 months. This article therefore is going to be subjective in the sense that I can comment on Britain, North America and Asia, but have little idea about who is huge elsewhere. I will try to be as objective as possible and tell it as it is, not as I wish it were!
At the expense of reinventing the wheel and for the benefit of the younger and any non British readers lets recap how you usually choose your team. Way back when, before Sky, we saw perhaps one match a week on TV so, although there were always exceptions, your football allegiances were largely shaped by where you were born, and who your family followed. Being a Kentish Town boy I had but two choices, my Dad was a rabid Spurs fan but for some unknown reason as a kid I chose Arsenal. It was a brave or stupid choice at the time, as those were the glory days of the Spurs double side. I think it was just because I liked the colour red over white. Being of an Irish background with relatives of orange and green family considerations made me follow Rangers almost as much as I do Arsenal, but birth trumped family history for me, Arsenal are always number one. My sister married a guy from Ilford and all her kids grew up as Hammer fans so birthplace was normally the deciding factor.
These days, with wall to wall TV coverage, I think birthplace and family ties are not so important and its quite common for someone from say, Brighton or Preston, to follow a big 4 team due to media exposure.
So who are the big teams in England? Well the obvious candidates are MU, Arsenal and Liverpool who are above everyone else. Chelsea, Everton, Villa and yes… Spurs….could all be called big teams in terms of support and history though not at the same level as the top 3. Below them we have such teams as West Ham, Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday and Man City who border on being “big’ if they ever won anything of substance.
In North America I have to say Man U are in a league of their own, with Liverpool very close behind. Arsenal are a strong third at probably the same level as Celtic and Rangers who have huge support in the expat Scot and Irish communities. I would imagine this is pretty similar in Australia and New Zealand. For the Spurs fans reading this, if any, I am sorry but in 30 years in North America I have seen just THREE people wearing a Spurs shirt. You may be reasonably big in Britain but outside of the British Isles, you really don’t register.
In Asia once again Man U and Liverpool dominate with Chelsea and Arsenal close behind. Earlier this decade Arsenal were ahead of all but Man U but since 2005 many people have probably switched to Chelsea. In Thailand, Everton is quite popular due to Chang beer but the other big teams in terms of shirts worn are Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern and AC Milan. Once again you rarely see a Spurs shirt unless worn by a tourist visiting, and even then in 20 years I have seen just two.
So as Gooners we can say with confidence worldwide we ARE a big team. We have slipped a bit these past five years but given the financial difficulties Man U and Liverpool face, and given our coming financial stability and power I am quite confident that over the next 5 years we will reach the same level of support that only MU currently sees.
In closing I am trying to think where was the strangest place I have seen an Arsenal shirt worn by a local. About 5 years ago I was doing the Yangtze cruise in China, one day we passed a barge going in the opposite direction and one of the Chinese deckhands was wearing an old away shirt of ours. I waved and gave him the thumbs up and I would like to say we bonded but the reality is he probably never noticed the strange Laowei [foreigner] waving at him. But I noticed my friend, I noticed.
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Morning all
Thanks neamman for the post.
I’m sure Gazidis is rubbing his hands together thinking how we can tap into the North American market, a pre-season tour should get the ball rolling.
Completely agree with this post. I have worked in Russia, Georgia and surrounding countries, the middle east and the far east and the shirts you see often in order are Man Ure, Liverpool, Arsenal, Barcelona and Real Madrid. Although I am fairly sure that most of the people I have seen wearing the shirts have no idea what they represent and see them as items of clothing.
In Australia, Liverpool and Everton are massive because of the Australian connection, (Cahill for Everton and Kewell used to be with Liverpool) followed by ManU with Arsenal and Chelsea closely behind.
One continent I’d say we are the biggest or close to the biggest is Africa, every time there is anything to do with any African country on t.v you are bound to see someone wearing an Arsenal jersey.
I’m a worried, we did get beat at home by spurs. So technically they rule us , thats the way we have been playing it all these years. Guess we should our silly mouths shut and try get our team to perform consistently
This is obviously an idea that appeals to spuds as we’ve had lots of comments from them that I’ve had to bin as they’ve not respected the fact that this is an Arsenal blog.
They have one of the biggest games of their season today, you’d have thought they’d want to be commenting on spud blogs not here.
Morning All,
Hugely enjoyable return to the home country with a trip to the Emirates included. Lovely to meet up with Peaches.
The less said about the Partizan game the better, suffice it to say that there were many times when I questioned my sanity to have paid €50+ to freeze my buns off watching two very poor teams going through the motions.
Bugman. Perhaps where you come from (Edmonton?) one victory in 17 years is “ruling us”. In my opinion ( and the enormous majority of sane people), Spurs are a small club. Show me any evidence to the otherwise. The article has nothing whatsoever to do with consistency – but then I guess you only read the headline….
Hi Raddy glad you had a nice trip, did you find somewhere to sit for the 2nd half?
You try going to Kenya.
Out of every 5 guys wearing football jerseys, 3 of them will be having the ”Fly Emirates” on it, 2 of them with AIG(or whatever those guys wear these days) and maybe one of them with either of Barca, Real, Liverpool and Chelski. Never seen anyone ever putting on Tottenscum!! 😀
And one more thing. Arsenal’s biggest fan ever came from Kenya.
The guy who just couldnt bear arsenal’s loss and hung himself. Rest In Peace dude. Arsenal Forever!
Neamman. I too have had the good fortune to travel extensively and it always brings a smile to my face when I see an Arsenal shirt or cap.
I feel that we really need to find a world class “face” to push our exposure. A few years ago billboards across the world had the face of TH14 smiling out, and of course he had huge TV exposure with the Gillette campaign. We need the same today and it must be hoped that someone within our squad will follow in his steps.
It is true that AFC are huge in Africa, thanks to a history of great African players going back to Kanu.
I think Arsenal have already decided who that face is Raddy – the amount of exposure Theo gets in the programmes – it has to be his face.
Great post Neamman, thanks.
Back from the shortest ever long weekend away! All good.
Yes I did Peaches. And then moved to the halfway line which gave a totally different view and atmosphere.
Didn’t improve the football though! I thought it was the worst performance I had seen since the late GG days. Totally disjointed, no appreciation of where the players were making runs, little movement apart from Nasri, Though we were clearly the better side and their goal was just lucky.
I was surprised at the venom in the papers following the game. We won, and won reasonably comfortably. As I don’t get the London papers here I was shocked at their negativity and now realise why some fans have such a downer on our chances. If they read and absorb that rubbish, then they will inevitably come to the same conclusion – that our defence is the worst in the Prem and we have no thrust upfront – in fact the only decent player is Nasri.
And asking around the ground I didn’t find a single person who believed we had a chance of a point tomorrow, which really saddened me.
You didn’t do too badly then, a van Persie penalty and then 2 great goals from Theo and Nasri.
Having guaged the feelings of supporters at the ground last week do you feel differently about the team than you otherwise would have?
I have some breaking news and it relates to Neammans’ Chinese shirt encounter. Picture this. It is early June 1989. Mickydidit89 has sobered up enough and staggers into a mountain refuge (kind of mountaineering crash pad) just below the Vignemarle, which is the highest peak in the Pyrenees. On the thrown room wall there is just one piece of grafitti and it reads: “Anfield ’89, Goon To The Moon”. There are Gooners everywhere. That is why I sometimes sign off as I do!
Morning Micky – thats quite a sober comment from you all things considered – are you at defcon 5 yet?
Pre Match Level 3. Pre Match Level 3!
Always sober Peaches!
Morning,
Excellent and perceptive post Neamman. It has had the added effect of ruffling the feathers of a lot of nervy totnum fans prior to their ‘big game’, thanks for all the hits lads, worst of luck this afternoon 😉
Micky, is there anywhere in the world you haven’t been pissed? 😆
Peaches,
The DEFCON system is totally the opposite of the Micky system. DEFCON is a defensive state of readiness, and mine is very much the offensive, which is also why I have the inverted number system. DEFCON 1 is the highest, my Level 1 is the lowest, and I move steadily towards LEVEL 5 as we approach kick off.
Does anyone think it is sad that I have given this so much thought?
10 years ago I was in Thailand and decided to look at a ancient temple by a remote border post between thailand and cambodia the place was deserted accept for a thai soldier who had a rifle in one hand and a large bottle of chang in the other, where you from ” england I replied to which his face lit up and said David Seaman, Arsenal, an got offered a swig of his beer, unfortunatly his english was limited so the conversation was short.but an Arsenal fan in the middle of nowhere,just goes to show gooners every where
Welcome samui,
What a lovely story, I think we’re mentioned in the Dead Sea Scrolls as well 😛
Rasp: Did you mean the Dead Sea?
Hi GN5, corrected, thanks for the heads up – biblical history was never my strong point 😳
I’m another one that has had the good fortune to travel extensively.
I was on a fishing trip to a mountain lake in Idaho, 3 of us were fishing for Brook Trout on a river that led into Lake Coeur d’Alene. As I rounded a bend in the river there standing on the opposite bank was a guy all dressed up in his waders and fishing gear. We spoke for a while and he asked about my accent so i told him that I was born in Highbury, North London – well blow me down he opened his vest and displayed an Arsenal shirt.
Talk about a small world! I ask ya!
Good piece Neamman. I’ve tried , om many occasions, to find out the number of worldwide fans by team – with limited luck.
The most likely number that I’ve found for Arsenal is 27 million – which is not small potatoes and much larger than SPUDS??
So, we have:
My mountain Gooner: HIGHEST.
Gunner5’s Gooner: MOST WESTERLY.
Samui’s Gooner: MOST EASTERLY.
We are after a lowest (a deep sea Gooner), and some Polar Gooners.
Can I make an offering for MOST JUNGLY.
I was two days up river on a boating journey into the forests of Kalamantan (the Indonesian-owned half of what we used to call Borneo). We were sleeping on the boat and watching out to spot wild orang utans in the trees. At the furthest extent of the trip (before we turned and headed for home) we visited a tiny village by the riverbank and, sure enough, there was a gnarled old tribesman wearing an O2 red and white shirt. I smiled and pointed at his shirt and he smiled and seemed pleased, but I have no idea if he knew what he was wearing.
Agree with everyone else – on all my travels (Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, USA, Canada, Egypt, Russia among others) I have hardly ever seen a Spud shirt. Possibly one in the US once, but I think it was a tourist.
On another subject, thanks to Evra for the motivational speech. I’m sure SAF is delighted he’s given our boys a bit of extra incentive to take the points on Monday.
Rasp, the bleating from ManUre players makes me think they are really quite worried. They know their form has been below par for most of the season and they will not relish facing our array of attacking talent.
Fascinating insight Neamman. 🙂
I was in a remotish (non-touristy) part of Spain last year, when I came across a large group of young guys playing footie on a lovely beach, in front of a large group of lovely young maidens watching their beaus. 🙂
Three of the guys were wearing Arsenal shirts, and at half time I congratulated them on their football taste.
Unfortunately, they were all Zaragossa fans and wore the shirts because they liked them for sartorial reasons, not unconnected to their nubile fan club.
Gauging support by the wearing of club shirts, in foreign climes, is a pretty good barometer, but it seems it isn’t always reliable.
Either way, Arsenal are a big club, Sp*rs are middling, at best! 🙂
Afternoon All
I was at the base of Sugar Loaf mountain in Brasil in 1998, and met an Argentinian fan wearing a Nelson Vivas Arsenal shirt.
A week later I saw a few more Arsenal shirts in Buenos Aires. Can’t recall seeing any Spud shirts there, even though two very famous Argies in Ardiles and Villa played for them.
Let’s be honest about Sp*rs. They have the best team they have had in years and in Flash Harry they have a better than average manager. But, unfortunately for them, this will be their one and only season in the CL. I’m not saying this out of partisanship. I genuinely believe that the top four this year will be ManUre, Chavski, Citeh and us (hopefully not in that order). Sp*rs will be in a tussle for fifth.
Once they get in the CL, Citeh will spend ridiculous amounts to strengthen the team and they will be much more attractive to some of the world’s top players. I just don’t see a way back in for Sp*rs, particularly if they go ahead with a plan for a new stadium.
We all know how the stadium move affected us. I don’t believe any manager in the world could have done what AW did in keeping us in the top four and in the CL during such a financially straitened period (new stadium plus worldwide economic crash). Mourinho and Ferguson certainly couldn’t have done it – their success is dependent (in part at least) on the cheque book. And Flash Harry certainly won’t manage it. After all, his record with clubs in financially challenged times is hardly an encouraging one.
So, to any Sp*rs fans reading this: congratulations, you have a decent team and you have back to back league wins over us, but you must recognise that this is the high water mark for you and your club.
Deepest Gooner must be that chap who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls.
I understand that both Captain Scott and Titus Oates were season ticket holders in the West Stand prior to their fatal journey to the North Pole 😉
Despite hailing from New Zealand, Sir Edmond Hillary was wearing his lucky Arsenal pants when he summitted on Everest (it says so in his biography)
And it is well known that Neil Armstrong was wearing an Arsenal shirt under his spacesuit when making those historic first steps on the moon!
Apparently Neil Armstrong was a cousin of Georgie Armstrong, hence his Arsenal-loving ways.
In the distortion of having his words beamed back from 239,000 miles away, what many people don’t realise is that his actual words were: “One small step for Arsenal, one giant leap for mankind.”
Radders !! Lol
Btw – great read Neamann (and very reasonably argued – you resisted what must have been an obvious temptation to make some cheap shots at our noisy neighbours’ expense and pretty much stayed objective all the way through).
What part of Canada do you stay in when you’re there?
Stop taking the piss out of my Remote Gooners List.
Having said that, I am tickled pink with Rocky’s Jungle Gooner.
BR, back to Polar Gooner, and I am thinking pre-war Arsenal Reserve legend Les Shackelton was related to Sir Ernest. So there!
I am in Mississauga, wil be off to the pub to watch the game tomorow. I didnt subscribe to Setanta as i am only here for a couple of months bfore returning to Thailand.
Commenting on the deepest place for an Arsenal shirt.. well
I have done the Yangstze cruise twice ..befoe and after the 3 Gorges dam. On my first trip I was wearing an Arsenal shirt and now , as the river as risen 175 metres.. I guess that may qualify??
Sorry Neamman, nice try, but no cigar. I have thought long and hard about Lowest Gooner, and have some fairly cunning ideas up my long sleeve, but a little more research is required.
Incidently, I live a full and meaningful life!
There is always East Anglian or Dutch Gooner who treads this mortal coil below sea level! However, where I am going is considerably deeper. By the way, any of you litterary types know of an Arsenal connection amongst any of the protagonists of Dantes’ Inferno?
I think I had better go! Lowering the tone.
Samui Gooner
I know the temple, tried to visit there 2 years ago but with the fighting between Thailand and Cambodia we couldnt get near it. You live in Koh Samui? I am ussually to be found in Chiang Mai these days but back in Canada for a few weeks to meet health plan and tax requirements.
MDi89 – that’d be the “Arsenale di Venezia” mentioned in Inferno.
Jeepers Chary,
An expert on Frasier AND Dante! You are practically the complete human being.
Good game this Spuds Chavs carry on.
I hope its a raw, dont want the spuds only 3 pts behind us
I have to confess MDi89, I only looked into Dante because there was a Tchaikovsky tone poem(Francesca da Rimini)that was based on 2 of the characters in it and I got intrigued by the story of the Inferno.
Let’s hope for a draw – after the spuds go 2 nil up and screw it up!
Have to laugh at the Northern Chavs – their skipper wants out.
Great team sprit they’re building up there, LOL 🙄
Chary,
That’s it. Frasier, Dante and now Tchaikovsky!!
Draw. Excellent result for us.
Perfect result at Shite Hart Lane.
When did Bolton start playing football? Owen Coyle has done a great job there and in Elmander they have an excellent player who wouldn’t be out of place at the Emirates.
Excellent result for us. Keeps us top going to ManUre and keeps the Spuds in their box, five points behind us having played a game more.
The Spuds need to adjust their sights. Instead of looking up at the likes of us and ManUre, they need to be looking over their shoulder at Bolton, Sunderland, Newcastle, Liverpool…
Lots of chat on Radio Five about Bale’s persistent diving and all the Sp*ds fans leaving early once Chavski equalised. Classy lot, on and off the pitch…
So Monkey boy dives a lot R lives – I hope the refs get wise to that in future.
Somehow I don’t think we’ll get a return visit from any of the Spuds who populated our trash bin earlier.
Peaches – have emailed you.
Agreed Chary. Two blatant dives in that game, according to Radio Five (I was listening, not watching, so can’t vouch for it, but they were pretty adamant).
It’s Rooney’s diving that’s going to be more of an immediate concern to us, I expect.
as a Leeds supporter, Leeds are a big club and one lots of trophies. Up until a few years ago we were one of the big guns in England. Everyone knows of Leeds, problem is they love them or they hate them.
I hope the ref is keeping an eye out for that from Shrek tomorrow R Lives, maybe he’ll even card him for one of his dives now that the media are no longer behind him as they once were.
“Granny-shagging dive cheat gets his comeuppance” would be a better tabloid headline than “Hero Wayne wins it’s for United”
Chary 🙂
Ketch, I remember in the 70’s were a side to be feared with quite a formidable reputation.
It’s a pity you gave the Manks Cantona, a truly despicable side(the manks) IMHO.
Off now – laters people.
See you Chary.
Chelsea are doing really badly 😛
I replied Rocky 😉
Ronaldo just scored the most amazing free kick
Thanks for the comment Ketch, we will no doubt hear from your fellow supporters when we preview our upcoming FA cup meeting – you’ll be welcome to share your views with us on that post.
Agreed. Almost perfect result today.
Neither side will be happy. Gomes’ two howlers and only partial redemption in saving a weak pen.
Drogba taking the pen instead of Fat frank, and giving Gomes every chance possible to save it, by placing it close to him and at a very good height. Wot a cock.
So both teams go home pissed and very disappointed, almost perfect but not quite, as we had no injuries or red cards. Still, I’m happy enough with that.
6pts from 21 for Chelsea !! Odds on that..???
I hope and pray that the win that I am expecting tomorrow manifests itself. I don’t even care how we win, but win we must.
Oh and can I just put on record that if Fab1 is fit then he must start on the bench. He really mustn’t be in the starting 11.
Nite all
yes, Cesc must start on the bench. I think we can get a draw
I think we can win – why not. We have better attacking options than them, Nasri is on fire and AA may rediscover his genius. It could hinge on the CB partnership, which 2 of kozzer, squidgy and JD. They don’t pose such an aerial threat so AW may opt for kozzer and squidgy.
I think we will win.
I had a feeling we would lose at home to the Spuds and I have a feeling we’ll win away at the Mancs.
(Hope I’m right!)
chesney may start guys..
http://arsenal.theoffside.com/team-news/pole-to-pole-szczesny-to-start-against-manchester-united.html?
That would be a baptism of fire for Chesney, Statics.
BTW the picture in that link is from the Barnet game in August where he is shown kissing his g/f, the one with the long legs that I hardly ever mention, eh Raspers? 🙂
Hardly ever chary 🙄
Long long long long legs chary 😆
New post ……..
Three huge games in the Barclays Premier League this afternoon – and you can follow the action as it happens right here with Sportsmail. First up we’re in north London as Newcastle hope to maintain their momentum after victory in the personalised t shirts Tyne-Wear derby with a win at Arsenal. Then to the Hawthorns as Roberto Mancini’s misfiring Manchester City look to put a run of three defeats behind them with a win to stay in touch with the league leaders.