Biggest without top flight football

[Lundan Cabbie]

I always thought since Hull won promotion in 2008 that we became the biggest club but that must've been an urban myth.

Well it seems that nobody likes the fact that Wakefield holds City Status because it doesn't comply with their thoughts of what constitutes a city, and this must have been the case even way back in 2008.

However as pointed out earlier in the thread, in 2000 Kingston-upon-Hull technically lost their claim to that title when Brighton & Hove gained City Status as part of the Millennium celebrations and it was they that had a better claim for the 17 years until Brighton & Hove Albion played in the Premier League last season.

 

[foreigner]

James Brent endeavoured to identify potential major acceptable investors without success. I truly believe our location is a major stumbling block. We have no airport, a railway system which is unfit for purpose and 45min drive to the nearest motorway which is a nightmare in the summer. No government of any colour will address these issues because in the flawed electoral system we are saddled with there is no incentive to do anything. The South east, Midlands and the North have loads of parliamentary seats and therefore get investment we have very few so the brainless tw-ts who sit in parliament could not careless.

I think James Brent actually said that he wasn't actively looking for investment. Anyway, he's gone now.
There's two ways of looking at the location thing. why not try and use it to your advantage.

 

[memory man]

I always thought since Hull won promotion in 2008 that we became the biggest club but that must've been an urban myth.

Not quite - as mentioned earlier in the thread it was biggest city rather than biggest club.

 

[AdelaideGreen]

Most of this is irrelevant.

The key here is untapped potential.

Plymouth as a city of 260,000 is unique. It has Cornwall to its north and west.
Another half million (roughly) who don't have a club anywhere near the same league level.
In addition, there is West Devon, South Devon and North Devon - the last two might be tempted by Torquay and Exeter - but those teams are now (and often are) in lower leagues, and so, as long as Argyle are a division or two above them, they also have no other "local" team at an equivalent level. [You argue the same for some of East Devon (including Exeter), but some rivalries run too deep.

IF (and a big IF) Argyle get back up to Championship or (fingers crossed) Premier League status, then the natural "catchment area" is huge.

Where else is there that much potential?
As far as I know - nowhere else in the UK.

That could attract an investor who would see the upside and plough in some money!

 

[Presto]

Most of this is irrelevant.

The key here is untapped potential.

Plymouth as a city of 260,000 is unique. It has Cornwall to its north and west.
Another half million (roughly) who don't have a club anywhere near the same league level.
In addition, there is West Devon, South Devon and North Devon - the last two might be tempted by Torquay and Exeter - but those teams are now (and often are) in lower leagues, and so, as long as Argyle are a division or two above them, they also have no other "local" team at an equivalent level. [You argue the same for some of East Devon (including Exeter), but some rivalries run too deep.

IF (and a big IF) Argyle get back up to Championship or (fingers crossed) Premier League status, then the natural "catchment area" is huge.
Where else is there that much potential?
As far as I know - nowhere else in the UK.

That could attract an investor who would see the upside and plough in some money!

The potential catchment area may be huge but your theory fails to take account of the fact that earning levels across that area are well below the average for the UK. Even when we were in the Championship attendance levels average around 13,000 and there was no indication that there was significant number of football starved fans turning up from the far extremes of Cornwall or Devon on a regular basis. I am afraid your theory if flawed.

 

[Biggs]

The key here is that you're seeing the Championship as some sort of huge draw. It isn't. You need top flight football or a cup win at some point to ignite the area, as Pompey, Southampton, Norwich, Swansea, Ipswich and pretty much ALL better supported similar sized clubs have had.

We also had a bit of a dump of a ground (the grandstand, the car park, portakabins etc being the face of the club) from 2004-2010 that would also put off curious families, women, students, and general prospective fans. Also having the effect of looking like a small club going nowhere to both fans and players when you're operating out of a portakabin in a potholed car park.

When we get to the Championship next time, we have a proper foundation to build from.

 

[buck197]

Another factor brought up by an earlier poster is our lack of an airport which allied to Flybe’s failing which would just about shut Exeter airport down if they pulled out. This leaves Newquay as the air gateway to Plymouth who also rely on Flybe. We have a rubbish rail link out of Plymouth too which makes us more like an island outpost than ever.

 

[foreigner]

Another factor brought up by an earlier poster is our lack of an airport which allied to Flybe’s failing which would just about shut Exeter airport down if they pulled out. This leaves Newquay as the air gateway to Plymouth who also rely on Flybe. We have a rubbish rail link out of Plymouth too which makes us more like an island outpost than ever.

You've forgotten the Devon Expressway!

 

[JannerinCardiff]

Are we the furthest UK city away from 1. A motorway and 2. An airport ??

And I mean proper city with at least 150,000 inhabitants. St David’s doesn’t count.

 

[Bermudian Green]

Are we the furthest UK city away from 1. A motorway and 2. An airport ??

And I mean proper city with at least 150,000 inhabitants. St David’s doesn’t count.

Norwich must be further away from a motorway, but it does have an airport.

To be fair, we still have an airport 50 miles away, but with an hourly bus service that takes 2 hours it's not the most convenient.

 

[Biggs]

Does it actually take two hours? It’s astonishing there isn’t a shuttle bus service, probably because it would be an admission that Plymouth’s airport is dead.

 

[Willis88]

Theres a shuttle from St David's so you're better off getting a train to there and bus rather than anything direct from Plymouth

 

[BcbC2312]

some great points apologies as didn't mean to make Bristol rovers comment subjective just stating as them & Port Vale are from big cities like us without top flight football though know their cities rivals have gave their cities top flight experience so that's why put them into mention, & sorry about the @'s new to pasoti having the account a week & a bit, also interesting about Celtic Rangers & when they actually was partitioning to come into are top flight, not in an offensive way but best staying in one leages as more growth & potential I think & always wish Wales FA did this to enhance their league with Cardiff Swansea Wrexham & Newport playing in their country as think it would enhance countries football making their top league more recognisable, again just my opinion & mean no offence or malice by this what so ever

 

[Presto]

some great points apologies as didn't mean to make Bristol rovers comment subjective just stating as them & Port Vale are from big cities like us without top flight football though know their cities rivals have gave their cities top flight experience so that's why put them into mention, & sorry about the @'s new to pasoti having the account a week & a bit, also interesting about Celtic Rangers & when they actually was partitioning to come into are top flight, not in an offensive way but best staying in one leages as more growth & potential I think & always wish Wales FA did this to enhance their league with Cardiff Swansea Wrexham & Newport playing in their country as think it would enhance countries football making their top league more recognisable, again just my opinion & mean no offence or malice by this what so ever

A few full stops and some paragraphing would help!!!!!

 

[BcbC2312]

Apologies a late night after a 12 hour shift so punctuality wasn't all there, another point to add as there's been some great once, now correct me if I'm wrong as people do have different takes on this as Wakefield Doncaster & Southend have had shouts, but was looking into this & found not only is Plymouth biggest place in England without 1st division football but Exeter is the biggest without 2nd division football.

Correct me if I'm wrong as their is also Hartlepool Rochdale Torquay Wycombe Morecambe Cheltenham Fleetwood Stevenage Barnet & Macclesfield, as well as the 2 reformed clubs Accrington Stanley & AFC Wimbledon to have not played in 2nd tier too.

So might top Exeter in population but read Exeter was the biggest, I know Wimbledon & Barnet can't count as their cities hosted an array of teams in the top flight from the capital but any feed back on this subject is greatly appreciated.