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Guardian: Is Bristol the least successful English footballing city?

MetzRed

By MetzRed
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MetzRed

MetzRed

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The Guardian's knowledge column tackled this question. Here's what it said (https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/theknowledge):

 

“The beautiful city of Bristol has had two league clubs pretty much consistently since 1920, combining for a total of 212 years of league football, with only three Football League Trophies and one Welsh Cup to show for it,” mails Andy Field. “Does this make it the least successful multi-club city?”

Paul Levay thinks Stoke-on-Trent can challenge Bristol. “I admit that Bristol has a pretty rubbish record but Stoke-on-Trent is a competitor for the country’s most inglorious multi-club footballing city,” he says.

“Stoke City and Port Vale have very little to show from a joint total of about 290 years (with around 226 of those in the Football League). Since 1863, and as founder members of the Football League, Stoke have won one major trophy, the League Cup in 1972. They’ve also managed the Football League Trophy in 1992 and 2000. 

“Stoke were second-tier champions in 1933 and 1963. They were third-tier champions in 1927 and 1993 and have one other promotion from that level. They were FA Cup runners-up in 2011 and got to the semi-finals in 1899, 1971 and 1972.

“Port Vale have been around since the late 1870s (1876 or 1879 depending on who you ask) but in that time they have won the grand total of two Football League Trophies, in 1993 and 2001.”

 

To me that looks like a very good argument for it not being Stoke. Not only is Stoke actually six different places at once, really, but together it's not even as big as Bristol. Pound for pound that's some serious unsuccessful-ness.

Call me a masochist but being the least successful English footballing city is key part of my identity as a City supporter. Our collective (and justifiable) persecution complex makes us who we are and, in my view, hands us the moral high ground in any conversations about football. Fans of successful clubs are invariably obnoxious. Hopefully we'll keep the chip on our shoulders if we go up (which doesn't mean I don't want us to!)

Open to the idea that somewhere else might have it harder, but I'll need convincing.

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MetzRed

MetzRed

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14 minutes ago, BA14 RED said:

Plymouth never have had a top flight team.

That's a good shout. Title of biggest city never to have had a top flight team belonged to Hull until they went up in circumstances I can't seem to recall...

But it is about 1/4 size of Bristol

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ZiderEyed

ZiderEyed

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2 minutes ago, Dastardly and Muttley said:

Arguably, the biggest underachieving city is London...

Never had a team to really create a dynasty in the way that Liverpool or Manchester have. Only won the European Cup/ Champions League once.

Good point actually. Still stunning the sheer amount of clubs in London, compared to other large European cities.

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JBFC II

JBFC II

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They must have forgotten that we are the record holders of the JPT/ Freight Rover Trophy/ LDV Vans Trophy....

Add to that Bristol's 2nd team winning their league comfortably last season and we are surely one of the most successful footballing cities in the country?

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Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan

Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan

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They mention that in the 212 years of League football between the Bristol clubs the only thing the whole City has to show for footballing honours is three Football League Trophy’s and one Welsh Cup...

All won by Bristol City.

Not much to shout about but better than sweet **** all....like the Gas*

(*not including awards for Pasties, Pies and Cheesy Chips)

 

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cidered abroad

cidered abroad

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41 minutes ago, Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan said:

They mention that in the 212 years of League football between the Bristol clubs the only thing the whole City has to show for footballing honours is three Football League Trophy’s and one Welsh Cup...

All won by Bristol City.

Not much to shout about but better than sweet **** all....like the Gas*

(*not including awards for Pasties, Pies and Cheesy Chips)

 

Rovers won Third Division South as champions in 1953 & again in 1990 when it was League Two. 

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cidercity1987

cidercity1987

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Of course it's Bristol.

Biggest City to never have won the top division.

Biggest City to never have won the FA Cup.

Biggest City to never have won the League Cup.

Biggest City by a significant margin never to have played in the Premier League.

Oh and about twice the size of Stoke's six villages so no comparison.

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Leveller

Leveller

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1 hour ago, ZiderEyed said:

Good point actually. Still stunning the sheer amount of clubs in London, compared to other large European cities.

London currently has twelve league clubs I think? With 21 league titles between them and 30ish FA Cups if you include defunct clubs (Wanderers). Does Paris only have one in PSG? I know comparisons are difficult, as in which leagues to include.

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ZiderEyed

ZiderEyed

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3 minutes ago, Leveller said:

London currently has twelve league clubs I think? With 21 league titles between them and 30ish FA Cups if you include defunct clubs (Wanderers). Does Paris only have one in PSG? I know comparisons are difficult, as in which leagues to include.

They have Paris FC in the National, but it is astonishing really. In Milan, there are 4, including non-league sides.

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22A

22A

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Not English I agree, but Inverness had three teams; Caledonian, Thistle and Clachnucaddan(sp?) all playing in the Highland League. When the Scottish league was expanded, the clubs agreed to make a good impression, a merger was needed. Clachnucaddan refused to join their rivals though so continue in the HL. 

Newcastle have done well over the years, but connect them with Gateshead (a league club until 1960) and the record diminishes.

Bradford had two League teams until 1970, and they've not won that much over the years.

 

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Leveller

Leveller

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17 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

They have Paris FC in the National, but it is astonishing really. In Milan, there are 4, including non-league sides.

And Berlin is even weaker. No successful club, one top tier side and one other. Though the division and reunification via the Wall was a big issue.

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The Fat Controller

The Fat Controller

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2 hours ago, ZiderEyed said:

Good point actually. Still stunning the sheer amount of clubs in London, compared to other large European cities.

The problem in any comparison is how huge the population and area of Greater London is against other European cities.

The only city that can come close in comparison in terms of size is Moscow and that has 5 major clubs (CSKA, Torpedo, Lokomotiv, Dynamo and Spartak) and they they have won 51 Championships between them. 

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Leveller

Leveller

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3 minutes ago, Chris_Brown said:

The problem in any comparison is how huge the population and area of Greater London is against other European cities.

The only city that can come close in comparison in terms of size is Moscow and that has 5 major clubs (CSKA, Torpedo, Lokomotiv, Dynamo and Spartak) and they they have won 51 Championships between them. 

That’s a fair point apart from Paris which is very similar in size to London.

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