A Small Club Or Just Success Challenged?

Lots of predictably tiresome outrage at Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez's comment that Everton are "a small club" but no one has really stepped up to the plate to say what many are surely thinking: these days Everton are a small club.

Yes, we know that they still pack in 30,000+ fans every weekend and sure, they won 9 titles and 5 FA Cups, but since the Premiership began, Everton have fallen away from the truly big clubs. They've won no titles since 1987, no cups since 1995 and, let's be honest, unless they find their own Roman Abramovich, they will never win the League again.

Everton can afford to purchase maybe 1 good player a season, but can't afford to get quality backup...they've fought against relegation several times in the past few seasons...their brief foray into Europe last term showed up the weakness of the team....they are just a small club.

Having an illustrious history and lots of fans doesn't make you a big club...big clubs are those that win trophies, play regularly in Europe. Small clubs fight for the scraps. Everton fight for the scraps.