Robbie Keane

[Nodge70]

Depends on your criteria.

Celtic have won the European Cup and have been domestic champions 49 times. Spurs can't get near that. Celtic have a 62,000 capacity stadium and count on the support of the millions of Irish descendants throughout North America and Australia let alone all of Ireland. Their support numbers in the tens of millions. Celtic (and this is as a proper bluenose speaking) are the most popular "pull" for pre season tournaments, friendlies and testimonials due to the huge crowds that will follow them everywhere. Celtic and Rangers are absolutely HUGE football clubs that happen to play in a Mickey Mouse league. They have global reach that only a few others (Madrid, Barca, Man Utd) can get close to.

[Squirrel]

Hmmm you seem to have justified that point quite well there, not gonna lie I take back my last point about saying his point was stupid, but still think there must be 5 teams better placed in the world than celtic

[Nodge70]

Certainly there are but Rangers and Celtic are artificially restricted by the league they play in. If they were allowed to play in the PL for example (will never happen) - they'd both overtake everyone bar Man Utd within five years in terms of commercial growth and brand value.

Christ, I sound like Ali Russell - someone shoot me!

[G.T.P]

whats the population of scotchland then that would make celtic bigger than liverpool and arsenal etc, cos im missing this conversation on so many levels.

[Goddard]

whats the population of scotchland then that would make celtic bigger than liverpool and arsenal etc, cos im missing this conversation on so many levels.

With the possible exception of Man Utd, there is not another club in the world that have more supporters actually turning up for home games from other countries.

Mainly from England and Ireland.

[Nodge70]

In layman's terms equating the whole ethos, history, tradition and political and religious "pull" of a football club and sporting institution, Celtic = Barcelona.

[WeAreQPR12]

In layman's terms equating the whole ethos, history, tradition and political and religious "pull" of a football club and sporting institution, Celtic = Barcelona.

Steady Nodge have a lie down mate, at least its fri.

[stanley75]

I admit I can't be asked to read all this thread as it is clearly tosh-laden. If I have missed something sensible I apologise. But it does seem to me that people are missing the point when it comes to Celtic (and Gers by implication). The elephant in the room point is glaringly obvious

- Celtic reach out beyond Glasgow as they are a totemic symbol of being catholic/republican.

- Rangers reach out (less so) if you are (parochially) unionist and (generally) right wing/protestant.

Simple. That's all. They are not big teams in any other sense than they are an idea. I do not doubt they can pick up 50k "supporteres" when these idealogies clash. If they are playing similar ideaologies (Bhoys/Hibs or Gers/Dundee) they would struggle to fill LR. They sell shirts to blokes who never go and fill derby games is all.

[Jeffro]

Celtic are nowhere near as big as Barcelona in any way you look at it.
If they came to the premiership , even now as poor as it is, them and rangers would be mid to lower table at best.
Newcastle get 55-60k crowds and have potential just like Celtic.

[SirLes]

Yes, I was with you all the way until that comparison Nodge.

El Clasico was watched by over 400 million people worldwide the other night. The last Old Firm derby would have been lucky to get 4 million..

Celtic are a bigger club worldwide than Spurs, no doubt but not sure they should be compared to Barcelona.

[Jeffro]

Yes Nodge, for a knowledgeable, well respected poster, the Celtic -Barcelona comment must must rank as your all time low moment on this board

[G.T.P]

i think all of its quite far off the radar to be honest.
i can smell a scotch mum or dad somewhere there and making his spectacles see all things thistley.

[hammer]

Agree on that one. One of my Charlton mates upset the West Ham crowd down the local, suggesting, (after Charlton beat them 4-0), that they were bigger than West Ham. Went down like a bag of cold sick, and some people still are funny with him because of it. Look where Charlton are now.
It doesn't really matter the division you're in. It's the recent history, trophies, and crowds that decide this. Are Wigan bigger than Southampton? Are Blackpool bigger than Leeds or Sheffield Wednesday?
To be bigger than West Ham, we need to be in the Premiership for a couple of decades, win a few trophies, and get bigger crowds than them on a regular basis.
I'll re-activate this post in 20 years time!

spot on.

[DelTrotter]

Robbie Keane LOL no chance

[Hertford Hoop]

Personally doubt Keane would drop a division but who knows. Wages are obviously an issue but how the fooook can Leicester even think about paying his wages unless Spurs done a decent deal

Wouldn't mind at all him playing for us though