The Premiership 2007/8
How Do They Match Up?

Since the English Premiership 2000/1 season The Spur has previewed each new campaign of the English top tier. In that time, Spurs have come a long way - we now have a real shout at cracking the Top Four, though it woould still be an incredible feat to do so, and thus earn a place in the European Champions League.

Arsenal fans, happy to say, have become increasingly less smug over those years, though always increasingly loathsome.

If there ever was a season to sock it 'em on the pitch, this, my friend, is our campaign to do it.

Note: Links below are mostly to unofficial sites or other sites pertaining to the club or its location, and are gradually being updated, and like this page, is a continually ongoing work in progress. If you know any wacky fan sites to link, give us a shout.

Also remember that players and managers continually move from club to club. At the time of writing, this page was accurate with regard to the above mentioned affiliations. But things change... fast. Whatever happened to loyalty, aye? It's for the fans.

As we approach the season start, so more clubs will be added to the mixer, until complete.

ARS*NAL: Once knowns as The Bank of England club, the Arse have kept their cheque book increasingly close to their chest, with no major star signings and the loss of yet another club icon, this time of course lynchpin scoring ace that is, was, Thiery Henry.

But make no mistake Arsenal's success is no longer dependent on Thierry Henry's presence as we saw last season. They have two of the top ten players in the league right now in Robin Van Persie and Cesc Febregas. Adebayor is one of many others who are also big talents, and the team still plays well together.

So continued shrewd talent spotting from manager Arsene Wenger has kept them in the second band of clubs along with Liverpool, and now perhaps also Spurs and Newcastle too. But big spenders Chelsea and the phenomenon that is Man Utd, stunning the world by showing Chelsea the door last season, are still miles out in front as the only two serious contenders for Premiership champs.

Kanoute16: "Every single gooner I know spouts shit because deep down inside them they hate Spurs way more than us yids hate Arsenal! My reasoning behind this is that they cannot understand why we are so passionate about our great club despite our shortcomings. Gooners follow Arsenal because they win - simple as that!! You may say that every fan has a right to an opinion blah, blah, blah ... but quick frankly I have no respect for any comments made by Gooners."

Plastic Gooner Alert: This is a club primarily supported by glory hunters. If you are an overseas fan looking for an English team to support and you pick this one, you will be derided by real footie fans and you will have no credibility. Don't give a slimy team like this your support that doesn't need it. Look at clubs other than this one, even lower division clubs, with whom you can become a welcome and much needed addition to their flock (or support Spurs of course).

ASTON VILLA: Until the arrival of Martin O'Neil, a stunning and unexpected coup for Villa, The Spur's comments from the last six or seven years held true: that Villa were a club that few players with ambition wanted to play for anymore.

Now the legacy of David O'Leary has almost been completely expunged by the new gaffer. O'Neil stabilized the club and took them out of a scary decline. He brought a buzz back to Villa Park and the team that seemed to be heading towards oblivion, seems to be on its way back up.

So phase one completed, but now the new manager faces his stiffest test. They have to jostle with other middle of the table clubs who, like Villa, are retooling. Can O'Neil make enough difference to get them seriously challenging for Europe? Anything less than 8th will almost certainly be viewed as a failure, but they should end up around 7th so no worries.

Says BBC West Midlands' Mark Regan: "Villa will not be in the top six. When you compare what's happened at Spurs, who are looking to move into the top four or five and challenge them, Villa are not in the same bracket."

BBC Birmingham Online. Taking off from Birmingham airport.

BIRMINGHAM CITY: The Brummie Blues are back. With the parachute payments given to relegated Prem clubs it's no great surprise to see many of the demoted clubs bounce back, but some credit to those that do; it's by no means a guarantee.

The vociferous and loyal working-class City support may not have that much to cheer about. They are fast becoming associated in the casual footie public's mind, along with neighbours WBA, who didn't quite make it up this time, as your typical "yo yo" club. It is hard to see them anywhere but battling in the vicinity of the drop zone, and one week prior to kick off the betting companies had already condemned them.

Photos of Birmingham.

BLACKBURN: This fiscally well managed locally supported club did well to finish 10th last season after struggling big time for the first part of the campaign. Nearing the home stretch, though, they were outside challengers for a UEFA place, but then lost steam.

Their secrets for punching above their weight are (1) shrewd purchase of players that have risen to the occasion (2) ability of managers to put together teams that work hard and play for each other. However, they are a mid-table team that could go either way. Despite Mark Hughes being a highly competent gaffer, competition is become more intense, yet they have it within them to make the #9 slot.

BOLTON: Well, any preview of the Trotters is going to talk about the departure of manager Sam Allardyce (to Newcastle) and the fact that this is likely to see the end of the Lancashire side's ability to punch above their weight. Losing Haim, who is way out of his depth at Chelscum but was perfect as part of Allardyce's clockwork machine, and the fact that they are unlikely to attract top players or have a leader who can mould less fancied players into a competitive machine the way Big Sam did, adds up to heap o' trouble for BWFC.

Sammy Lee, who steps up to the gaffer role, knows how Big Sam was able to create miracles at Bolton, but can he replicate his former mentor? History says probably not. They may be stretched by their UEFA Cup commitments and could well find life very tough going this season, just escaping the drop zone.

CHELSEA's massive spending power failed to get them the major prizes they wanted and should have got for all the money spent. They lost their Premier crown and failed to win at Europe's highest club level. So despite their domestic Cups last season was not what it should have been, and the pressure is on Jose to bring home the bacon this season or adios.

The play toy of a dodgy "oil" baron, Russia's second richest man, who purchased the club in July 2003 for around £140m (including paying off debts), the SW London club has assembled a ridiculously expensive roster of world class stars.

Yet their mind-boggling array of talent, far exceeding in cost even Man Utd, simply hasn't won the big prize of Europe, and couldn't even hold on to their league crown. Not even close to as impressive to watch as Man Utd, Arsenal (and even Spurs we hope this season), and not especially entertaining, but they are a Glory Hunters wet dream simply because of the talent assembled in one place at one time: this is on paper a World XI, with Drogba, Terry, and Malouda poised to run most opposition players ragged.

They have had two weaknesses however. First, they have a tendency to buy players simply to stop others (read Man U) from getting them. Second, some of the signings smack of Roman, not Jose, making talent decisions. They paid the price for that last term, but it looks like the lessons have been learned and are The Spur's tip for the top, hated as they are.

Away fans' ticket prices have always angered opposing supporters. "It's the worst away trip by far. Crap view, ridiculous prices." -- Danny (Liverpool fan).

CFC message board. A Chelsea fan's experience of a night out in Tottenham.

PLASTIC ALERT: This is a club supported by phonies. Don't give a team your support that doesn't need it. The good thing about Team Abramovich is that it smashed the hegemony of Manure and Arse. But that alone is not worth your support. Chelsea fans are truly and deservedly despised.

DERBY Manager Billy Davies almost took low budget Preston up, then succeeded with County topping teams with much bigger budgets. He's made no secret that the Rams ownership aren't going to spend the kind of money needed to survive. He'll do his best, but it's really hard to see anything but a lower table finish, however surprising naysayers with a 16th placing. Message board.

EVERTON: Manager David Moyes has worked miracles at Goodison Park and, with a relatively limited budget despite the massive nature of the club and its support, has seen them become a UEFA Cup side, despite some wild fluctuations in the standings along the way: narrowly avoiding relegation in 2003/4 and then a year later, having lost Rooney, grabbing a Euro Champs spot. Then down to 11th, and finally last season finishing one place behind Spurs at sixth.

In midfielders Cahill and Mikel Arteta they have two of the most talented and watchable players in the league, but they lack top level players in every position and consistency has not been their strong suit.

Many feel they belong on balance somewhere between 7th and 10th, though if Moyes can snag a few more stars like the aforementioned guys, they could finish several places higher. Definitely a "stay-tuned" club, and 8th seems right to The Spur.

"4141" EFC fan on my football forum to Chelsea fan re away support: "You never brought many before Abramovich took over, to be fair only Spurs have sold out regularly up here out of all the London clubs."

Everton fan sites include Toffeeweb, Blue Kipper, Tofee Talk. For Radio, check City (requires UK server connection to listen).

FULHAM: Life has been tough for FFC since their return to the top flight. Their seventh consecutive term could be tougher.

The Whites have lost so many star players over the years. They were a joy to watch when their team consisted of a who's who of talent: Saha, Boa Morte, Malbranque, Finnan, De Sar, and several other rising stars. Had they not been a selling club or not had an owner that was too quick on the trigger, they could be UEFA level by now.

Still, new signing David Healy looks like a good acquisition. But overall they have too many untested top level players, and are favoured candidates for the drop along with Derby, Birmingham, Sunderland, and Wigan. Two of them will escape, but will FFC be one of them?

Their picturesque but delapidated SW6 Craven Cottage ancestral home is still one of the highlights of an away day visit, and a credit to their small but loyal band of supporters who refused to be literally sold down the river. Nice Thameside walk, good pubs, and decent transport connections.

An historic and unlikely victory in the SW London derby over Chelsea in March 2006 was one of the most absorbing televised matches of that season. Seeing the Fulham fan mooning the fuming Chelsea thugs was priceless.

But more so than ever in recent years, it's gonna be tough supporting Fulham, although they can count on a large American based support to at least keep their smart looking merchandise selling, even as they fight for their Prem lives in the drop zone.

LIVERPOOL. Almost word for word of last season here...

...are a strong side becoming stronger but still unable to have challenged at the very top since the inception of the Premiership.

They have stars, but only a few of the biggest, who still predominantly hang out at Man Utd and Chelsea.

The downside for them recently is that Chelsea overtook them with ease since Abramovich's arrival at the Bridge (also leapfrogging Arsenal in the process) by dint of his unlimited cheque book. Liverpool are not cash poor, but, like the other challengers, they are not in Ambramovich's league. Nevertheless, they finished third last season, and should expect third again.