The Elected EPL

[tommo84]

I can't lie, we're only on the second of the World Cup rest days and my withdrawal symptoms have stepped up a notch. So I thought I'd share a debate I have with myself every year, and see if anyone can add to it. If not, I won't be offended!

Basically, I'm often curious/perplexed by how some clubs' fans see their place in the football pyramid. Every year we hear fans of promoted/struggling clubs say their club "belongs" in the Premier League. Last season we saw Norwich fans angry at the prospect of relegation, and now the 'What Opposition Fans Are Saying' thread is full of comments by Southampton fans talking like they are one of the giants of the game, despite gracing League One not so long ago.

This always gets me thinking, who really does "belong" in the Premier League?

If the EPL had to be rebooted and the top 20 clubs in English football had to be elected to the league, who would make the cut?

Whenever I think about this I reach the conclusion that there are only 9 or 10 teams currently in the EPL who are no-brainers: Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, ourselves (Spurs), Everton, Aston Villa, Man City and (due largely to recent success) Chelsea. I'd also throw in Newcastle and (begrudgingly) West Ham.

Beyond those, I think everyone is up for debate. For every club who have established themselves in the EPL recently, like Stoke, you have a sleeping giant toiling outside the EPL, like Leeds.

Leeds, along with Sheffield Wednesday, Notts Forest, Derby and Ipswich are just some examples of the clubs who probably feel their club belongs in the top tier, but currently sit in the second or third. If these were to be elected to the EPL, whose places would they take from the existing EPL? To put it another way, which EPL clubs are punching above their weight, and do their fans appreciate that reality, or will they label it a disgrace and call for the Board's heads if/when they inevitably fall back to the Championship?

 

[hughy]

Only the ever-presents.

 

[kevinfish]

Top 20 teams from the conception of the Premier League are as follows, so it would be my opinon that it should be these 20:

1. Man Utd
2. Arsenal
3. Chelsea
4. Liverpool
5. Tottenham Hotspur
6. Everton
7. Aston Villa
7. Newcastle Utd
9. Blackburn Rovers
10. Man City
11. West Ham
12. Leeds
13. Southampton
14. Middlesbrough
15. Fulham
16. Bolton
17. Sunderland
18. Coventry City
19. Sheffield Wednesday
20. Charlton Athletic (Should be Wimbledon but they are no more)

 

[tommo84]

Top 20 teams from the conception of the Premier League are as follows, so it would be my opinon that it should be these 20:

1. Man Utd
2. Arsenal
3. Chelsea
4. Liverpool
5. Tottenham Hotspur
6. Everton
7. Aston Villa
7. Newcastle Utd
9. Blackburn Rovers
10. Man City
11. West Ham
12. Leeds
13. Southampton
14. Middlesbrough
15. Fulham
16. Bolton
17. Sunderland
18. Coventry City
19. Sheffield Wednesday
20. Charlton Athletic (Should be Wimbledon but they are no more)

Forest were in the first EPL season (92/93), Newcastle weren't.

 

[kevinfish]

Forest were in the first EPL season (92/93), Newcastle weren't.

No, it’s an accumulation of points from when the PL began until the end of last season.

 

[tommo84]

No, it’s an accumulation of points from when the PL began until the end of last season.

Ah I see. Cheers

Although that rationale is open to the criticism that football existed long before the EPL, and also it's open to fluctuations every year dependent on who is currently in the EPL. I'd hazard a guess that a half-decent 2014/15 for Leicester would see them leapfrog Charlton(?)

 

[kevinfish]

Ah I see. Cheers

Although that rationale is open to the criticism that football existed long before the EPL, and also it's open to fluctuations every year dependent on who is currently in the EPL. I'd hazard a guess that a half-decent 2014/15 for Leicester would see them leapfrog Charlton(?)

Yea, 20 points will see them above Charlton.