What division are you in?
Football's just a branch of science, no? Well, after meeting our good friend Dave this morning in a pub in Manchester, yes that Dave, we decided to draw up the definitive EFW divisional ready reckoner: a list of the 92 clubs and the division, we think, they belong in. Admittedly, everyone involved in this experiment had indulged in a few lunchtime range finders, but hey, worse things happen at sea, don't they?
So, football fans of the top four tiers of English football, listen up. This is how it feels to be lonely,(Wigan), this is how it feels to be small, (Barnet). This is how it feels when your club means nothing at all, (MK Dons).
The Premier League (Division 1 in old money)
Arsenal
Aston Villa
Chelsea
Everton
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Newcastle United
West Ham United
Tottenham Hotspur
Leeds United
Derby County
Nottingham Forest
Ipswich Town
Southampton
Sunderland
Middlesbrough
Sheffield Wednesday
Coventry City
Blackburn Rovers
The Championship (Division 2 in old money)
Birmingham City
Bolton Wanderers
Fulham
Stoke City
West Bromwich Albion
Queens Park Rangers
Watford
Leicester City
Norwich City
Portsmouth
Preston North End
Burnley
Reading
Notts County
Brighton and Hove Albion
Crystal Palace
Sheffield United
Hull City
Oxford United
Charlton Athletic
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Cardiff City
Swansea City
Bristol City
League One (Division 3 in old money)
Doncaster Rovers
Brentford
Scunthorpe United
Millwall
Barnsley
Bournemouth
Stockport County
Peterborough United
Wigan Athletic
Carlisle United
Swindon Town
Plymouth Argyle
Bristol Rovers
Tranmere Rovers
Oldham Athletic
Blackpool
Bradford City
Southend
Gillingham
Port Vale
Rotherham
Crewe
Huddersfield
Walsall
League Two (Division 4 in old money)
Hartlepool United
Dagenham and Redbridge
Colchester United
Yeovil Town
MK Dons
Exeter City
Leyton Orient
Shrewsbury Town
Cheltenham Town
Stevenage
Barnet
Accrington Stanley
Hereford
Burton Albion
Chesterfield
Torquay United
Lincoln City
Macclesfield Town
Morecombe
Aldershot Town
Bury
Northampton Town
Wycombe Wanderers
Rochdale
So, what do you think? Agree, disagree? I fear we may be turning into Talk Sport with this one, but we're going with it anyway.
- Feel free to vent your spleen/agree with us below -
15 comments:
I think we need to set the scene a bit better here Danny just to stop the hate mobs descending on us. This was put together after a long and tiring day of travel and with 8 cans of Carlsberg Export under our belts.
BUT BHA should not have replaced Huddersfield. That is all I am saying
Correct. In truth, we were snot-flying drunk. And it was just a bit of fun. This is what we get up to on a Christmas work do.
Next week: Associazione Calcio Pisa 1909; Serie A, B, C or D? You decide.
Danny. Huddersfield and Pisa are as nailed on level 2 sides as is possible.
Just checked your twitter and glad it's prompted national debate.
It has indeed Dave, although I don't think I'm going to thank you in the long run for introducing us to the divisional ready reckoner concept.
I feel a onslaught of abuse from Stoke, WBA and Hudders fans is only just around the corner.
#justforfunremember #notlegallybinding
Great idea, but Oxford and Reading above Plymouth? :-)
Reminds me of a piece on Billssportsmaps which looked historically at who belongs in the second tier: http://billsportsmaps.com/?p=6883
Good work. I always thought of doing this for Germany, too. When I find the time...
@Lloyd It has to be said that, of those that were gathered around a table debating this, our knowledge of football is plucked mainly from the 80s. I can name every team, ground, player and cup final from that decade.
As such, during the 80s, Oxford United were lifting the Milk Cup aloft and had John Aldridge bagging goals willy nilly and Ray Houghton pulling all their strings.
@1860er A German version of the divisional ready reckoner you say? Bring. It. On.
And here's how it maybe should have been done:
http://mirkobolesan.wordpress.com/2010/11/29/all-time-league-table-by-average-league-position/
Will admit that as a Reading fan, we are probably third tier - until 1986, the club had only played two seasons in the second level.
Can I point out here Mr Last that The Scummers of Portman Road may have won some tinpot European trophy back in the 80s when they had the ugliest side in living memory, but 11,000 fans for a Carling Cup quarter final, and yet still they are worthy of being a level above the mighty Canaries?? Never mind history old chap, it's the present that counts!!
@Liam - Good points well made old chap, but the ready reckoner doesn't lie. *winks*
Maybe 1 change:Wolves up,Coventry down.
I dont know,im from Algarve...
Middlesbrough are about as Division 2 as it's possible to get. They're on a par with Hull and Notts County, definitely below Leicester, Wolves and Sheffield United.
I may be slightly biased, of course. But only slightly.
Oxford United were only admitted to the League in the 1960s, then went non league again in the 2000s? Are you lot completely mental?
They still played their top flight games in a collection of farm sheds. Just because they got some of Maxwells workers pensions, when a little money in football went a long way doesnt mean they are a big team?
I pretty much agree with that, but perhaps the Luton scum in division 2/3 and Wrexham in divison 4?
-Oxford fan
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