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Connacht Rugby sign six professional contracts for academy graduates

Cathal Forde, Shane Jennings, Oisin McCormack, Darragh Murray, Ciaran Booth, and Diarmuid Kilgallen have all signed pro contracts for Connacht.

Galway-born Cathal Forde can cover the 10 or 12 positions and played a significant role in Ireland’s U20 Six Nations campaign last year, earning plaudits for his performances. The 20-year old has represented Galway Corinthians RFC at club level and played school rugby with Colaiste Iognaid (The Jes).

Like Forde, Shane Jennings also made a big impact on the Ireland U20 scene last year. Another product of the Connacht pathway system, Jennings has played for Ballinasloe RFC and Garbally College and predominately plays centre. More recently he was a member of the Ireland Sevens squad at the World Sevens Series in Canada.

Oisin McCormack is another alumni of Garbally College and Ballinasloe RFC, playing with friend Shane Jennings from an early age. McCormack holds a unique accolade of scoring tries in consecutive Connacht Schools Cup finals, touching down in both the 2018 and 2019 Senior deciders. The 20-year old can play across the back row.

Darragh Murray is the second Murray brother to graduate from the Academy, following in the footsteps of his older brother Niall. A fellow lock, Darragh was a member of the 2021 Ireland U20s and captain of the Connacht U18s that won the 2018 Interprovincial Series. He came through the pathway at Buccaneers RFC and Colaiste Chiarain Athlone.

Ciaran Booth first joined the Connacht Academy in the summer of 2020, arriving from Sale Sharks. The 21-year old was born in Stockport and is Irish qualified, having played for Ireland in the 2019 U20 Rugby World Championship. Primarily a flanker, Booth can also play as a number 8 or in the second row.

Diarmuid Kilgallen is no stranger to Connacht supporters having already made 5 appearances with the Pro team. The back three player made his debut at the Aviva Stadium against Munster in August 2020, and Lansdowne Road was also the scene for his first try, scoring an intercept against Ulster last October.

Connacht Rugby Academy Manager Eric Elwood has paid tribute to the six players:

“I’d like to congratulate the six men on their impending move to the Pro team, and to their respective clubs and schools that have played a big part in their success. Everyone at Connacht Rugby has worked tremendously hard at all levels to give them the platform to succeed and I’d like to acknowledge the work done by the coaches as well as the wider Academy staff. That said, it’s up to the players themselves to take the opportunities afforded to them and they’ve done just that. I know they each have what is required to take that next step in their careers.”

Connacht Head Coach Andy Friend has congratulated the six players on their contracts:

“This is a special day both for Connacht Rugby and for Ciaran, Cathal, Shane, Diarmuid, Oisin and Darragh. They have each forged their own paths to professional rugby through hard-work and dedication, and with the help of their coaches, parents and volunteers along the way. It’s particularly pleasing that 4 of the 6 players came through the Connacht pathway, playing their club and school rugby here in the West of Ireland. I’m looking forward to further integrating them into the Pro setup and help us challenge for honours in the years ahead”

Introduction to Coaching Gaelic Games course announced

A course aimed at introducing coaches to Gaelic games will increase the number and quality of coaches involved in developing players across the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association and make it easier for them to acquire coaching credentials.

 

In a significant step, this collaborative project has produced a coach education programme which will ensure that beginner coaches in Gaelic games do not need to take code specific introduction courses.

 

This new course will be shared cross each of the three Associations and will, for the first time, ensure that beginner coaches of any of our codes come together and engage in a common programme.  Coaches operating in clubs that have different codes, particularly One Club model clubs, now can take one coaching course, which is a huge benefit to our volunteer coaches.

 

Since 2019 the three Gaelic games Associations have worked closely together to develop this new common Introduction to Coaching Gaelic Games or ICGG Award.

 

Launching this new course today at Croke Park, the three Associations believe that this approach will ensure that beginner coaches, regardless of their code of choice, will learn from and share with each other and assist their coach development.

 

This course has been designed to be more interactive and practical than previous introductory courses, with a significant emphasis on coaches learning by doing. 

 

Last year 300 coach developers, from across the three Associations, took part in collaborative upskilling events in preparation for the ICGG programme delivery in 2022 – with a start date to be agreed when pandemic restrictions allow.

 

The ICGG Award course has been designed to support new coaches develop a solid foundation of knowledge, skills, competencies, and values for coaching the child, youth or adult playing population.

 

The Introduction to Coaching Gaelic Games award is structured around three key elements:

  1. The Coach | ‘Being a Coach’, ‘How to Coach’, and ‘Preparation for Planning’.
  2. The Player | ‘Who are you coaching?’. Whether they are child, youth or adult players, male or female and address the need to be inclusive.
  3. The Game | a focus on movement for Gaelic games, skill development and games.

 

This programme will provide coaches with awareness, knowledge and experiences related to:

  • Why do you Coach? | Each coach is an individual, and each will bring their own skills and characteristics to our games.
  • How do you Coach? | A set of skills and behaviours which coaches can use in games and training sessions
  • What do you Coach? | The games and developmental activities that can be used by coaches, and how to structure sessions to hone the skills of players
  • Who do you Coach? | The specific players that a coach has within their team/group; looking at age, stages of the player pathway they are at, the importance of inclusivity and how it impacts upon their coaching

 

Upon completion of this Award, coaches can then choose learning and development opportunities specific to them, their needs, and abilities with specific reference to the stage of the player pathway (see attached graphic) that they coach.

 

Welcoming this new ICGG award;

 

Uachtarán CLG, Larry McCarthy said: “Working in partnership with the LGFA and the Camogie Association, I believe that this new introductory coaching to Gaelic games course will have a profound effect on our volunteer coaches. This streamlined and collaborative approach will allow new coaches to concentrate on how to coach and how to coach well and will allow them to maximise their time and the impact they have in developing players. Tús maith leath na hoibre, we are told, and this can put Gaelic games on a strong footing.”

 

Uachtarán of the Camogie Association, Hilda Breslin said: “We are delighted to be involved in the development of the first collaborated coaching programme within the Gaelic games family. This collaboration will provide prospective coaches within the Gaelic games Associations to come together and learn the fundamentals in a supportive and inclusive environment. We are excited for the future success that this collaboration will bring, and I thank my colleagues in the GAA and LGFA for their continued support in the development of this programme”.

 

Speaking on behalf of the LGFA, President Mícheál Naughton said: “The launch of the Introduction to Coaching Gaelic Games is another major collaborative project between the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, the GAA and the Camogie Association. This is a very important step for the provision of coach education at grassroots level and ensuring courses are more accessible at local level. The benefits will be evident for clubs all over the world, with this single course now being provided for coaches regardless of the code they are coaching, rather than having to attend multiple events. We would like to thank everyone involved for the hard work in bringing this to fruition and we look forward to getting coach developers active across the country, and beyond.”

7 Tips to Help You Choose an Online Gambling Website

Taking your time when picking an online casino is very important. Virtually anyone with basic computer skills can create a convincing gambling site and use it to steal either your information, money, or both. Other sites will use tactics to sucker you in and won’t live up to their promises. You also have casinos that are outdated, don’t offer the best experience, or are unreliable. This is why you need to know how to identify a good website before you start looking at options. Let’s take a look at a few tips to help you choose an online gambling website.

Look at their Certification

The most important thing when picking an online casino is checking their licensure. If a casino is unlicensed, there is no reason for you to play there as this is the clearest sign of a fraudulent casino.

If you want to know where you can find the licensing information, you should be able to see it in a site’s footer or on their about page. This would be a good time to look up the information you find there and see how detailed it is. The more details you can get about the company, its ethos, and its history, the better.

You also have to know that there are only a handful of regulatory bodies that you can trust and are respected by the community. These include the UK Gambling Commission, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, Curacao e-Gaming, the Malta Gaming Authority, the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority, and the Alderney Gambling Control Commission. If the casino is not licensed by one of those, you can always check their background history, but it’s wiser to stay away.

Look at the Bonus Structure Closely

You’ll notice that almost all online casinos offer some sort of bonus to new players. Most of the time, they will offer a deposit match on your first and sometimes second, third, and even fourth deposit.

You have to be very careful with those bonuses as they can be deceiving. First of all, if any casino offers a match deposit over 300%, beware. This usually means that the casino is either a fraud or that some hidden terms make the bonus almost impossible to redeem.

The thing you have to pay very special attention to when looking at a match bonus is the wagering requirements. All these bonuses will require that you spend a certain amount of money before you can withdraw your money, and that’s understandable. But this amount needs to be reasonable.

Ideally, you want to pick a bonus with the lowest wagering requirements possible. The lowest you’ll find is 20 times your initial deposit plus bonus, but the average bonus will require that you spend anywhere from 30 times to 40 times that amount. If any bonus requires you to spend more than that, it’s not worth it.

Look at Reviews

The easiest way to find a great casino is to look up reviews on reputable casino sites. These sites will usually have extensive reviews of different casinos and reputable review sites will make sure that all the casinos on their list are legit.

If you’re looking for a great review site, we suggest you look at OnlineCasinos. OnlineCasinos has a list of all the best casinos along with details on what you can expect when playing there. They speak about the bonuses they have to offer, the types of games they have there, and other things like security, customer service, and payment options.

Check if the Casino Performs Regular Audits

Another thing you should look at is how fair the odds are at a certain casino. The only way to know this is to check an audit report. Reputable casinos will go the extra mile to show that their games are fair and seeing that a casino has been audited recently is a great sign. If you go on the website and you notice that it has been audited by eCOGRA, AuditNet, or GamingLabs and it’s licensed, then you can play there with complete peace of mind.

Look at their Software Provider

Not everyone knows this, but most online casinos will use software from a third party to run their games. There are a few reputed software providers in the business and knowing which provider a casino uses will give you a good idea of what you can expect as far as gameplay goes.

If you go with a casino that is powered by Microgaming, for instance, then you can expect it to have a huge selection of games with great themes. The same goes for NetEnt. If the casino is powered by Playtech, on the other hand, then you can expect games with advanced graphics, soundtracks and sound effects, and traditional gaming aspects. So, learn about the different providers in the business and their specialties.

Download and Test Their Software

Once you’ve found a few casinos that you can trust, you can check the quality of their software. Download the software on multiple devices and see how well it runs. Try a few games using their free play option and see how smooth the animations are. 

You should also pay very special attention to how stable the connection is. The last thing you want is for you to get disconnected in the middle of a high-stakes hand of blackjack, so check the quality of their servers before you start playing seriously.

Check their Customer Service

While you’re at it, you should also check how good the casino’s customer service is. If the casino has a live chat option, try to use it and see how fast you can get access to a rep. You should also give their customer service a call and have a few questions ready. You could ask them about their history, the number of games in their selection, or what software they use. How they answer should give you a good idea of whether they care about their clients.

Finding a great casino to play at should not be difficult once you know what to look for. Be sure that the casino is operating lawfully first and foremost and start looking at the fine details afterwards.

Jacques Villeneuve completes Daytona 500 test for Team Hezeberg

Jacques Villeneuve successfully completed this week’s two-day Next Gen NASCAR test for Team Hezeberg at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the team’s plan to compete in the 64th running of the Daytona 500 next month.

The European team invited Villeneuve to compete in the iconic event following his race winning performances in the 2021 European NASCAR Whelen Championship. He will drive the #27 Team Hezeberg Ford Mustang.

Villeneuve is no stranger to the world of NASCAR racing having competed in selected events following his retirement from Formula One in 2006. He is looking forward to returning to racing in the United States and to working with Team Hezeberg in developing the car’s performance.

An initial test with the team took place in Charlotte last October. Villeneuve’s participation in the Daytona 500 on February 20th will depend on the outcome of the qualifying race three days earlier. The French-Canadian is relishing the challenge.

“There are a few races in the world that stand out for me – the Indy 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Daytona 500,” said Villeneuve. “It’s part of that very small group of special races that if you get the chance, try it out.”

“It was great to be back behind the wheel of a Next Gen NASCAR at Daytona this week. It really is impressive to drive. It was a good test with the new team and although we have some work to do with the qualifying set up we were comfortable and quick when running in the pack. The team is at the start of its journey over here but we are working well and making progress.”

–

Jacques Villeneuve won the 1995 PPG Indycar World Series for Team Green with four outright wins including that season’s Indianapolis 500. He finished 2nd in the FIA Formula One World Championship in 1996 before winning the World Championship with the Williams team in 1997. During his Formula One career he scored 11 Grand Prix victories, 13 pole positions and 23 podium finishes. He competed in the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours for Peugeot making his debut in 2007 and finishing 2nd in 2008.

Munster Rugby Transfer News – RG Snyman extends contract

Munster Rugby Transfer News – Lock RG Snyman, props Stephen Archer, Roman Salanoa, Liam O’Connor, and hooker Scott Buckley have all committed their futures to the province.

World Cup-winning Springbok RG Snyman has signed a two-year deal that will see him remain with the province until at least June 2024. Despite enduring a difficult time with injuries since arriving at the province in the summer of 2020, the 26-year-old is well settled at his Limerick base.

An out-and-out leader, he is highly regarded across the squad and already in four short appearances he has managed to display his athleticism and skill set, including a first try scored against the Stormers in Thomond Park.

The province’s most-capped prop Stephen Archer has penned a one-year contract extension. The 33-year-old is the most recent player to reach 200 caps in 2019, joining an illustrious group of 11 players to reach the milestone.

The tighthead prop has now featured in 235 games and has been a vital member of the squad since his debut against Edinburgh at Murrayfield in October 2009. His name is rarely omitted from a team sheet showing great durability, strength, consistency of form and technique in a specialist position.

Loosehead prop Liam O’Connor has signed a one-year contract extension having made 32 Munster appearances since his 2016 debut in a Champions Cup clash against Stade Francais.

A product of Dolphin and CBC, the former Ireland U20s international plays his AIL rugby with Cork Constitution and graduated from the Academy to the senior squad in 2018.

Tighthead prop Roman Salanoa has signed on for three more years at Munster after one try in eight appearances for the province to date.

A former USA U20 international, the Hawaiian is a Shannon RFC clubman and joined the Leinster Academy in 2018 before making the move to Munster in the summer of 2020.

Hooker Scott Buckley follows Alex Kendellen in becoming the second Greencore Munster Rugby Academy player to be promoted to the senior squad ahead of next season, signing a two-year deal.

A product of Kinsale RFC and CBC, Buckley plays his AIL rugby with UCC and was a try-scoring Player of the Match on his Munster debut in the Champions Cup win over Wasps last month.

Superbike Championship announces full schedule for 2022

The Dunlop Masters Superbike Championship has announced its schedule for 2022 as it returns to a full calendar for the first time since 2019. With continuing support from Dunlop, a seven weekend championship will begin with the official test days in March and continue with a race event every month between April and September.

The six race events will all take place at Mondello Park, County Kildare, with three on the venues’ National Track and three on the International Track. For the first time the test weekend will also utilise both circuits over its two days. The championship will also feature some new initiatives along with an increase in the Superbike prize-fund.

Following one of the most competitive Superbike seasons for many years the championship promoters are looking to continue to grow the quality and quantity of bikes and riders involved in the feature classes. For 2022 the Superbike and Supersport categories will have longer qualifying sessions and Superbike competitors will also race for an increased prize fund. The value of the prize fund will increase by 30% with the Superbike awards increasing by more than €1,200 per event. Changes to the championship points scoring system are currently being finalised in an effort to keep more riders fighting for the championship right up until the final event.

A new award is being planned which will allow Junior riders across all categories compete against each other for the title of young racer of the year. The series will use a radical points scoring system which will see riders scoring more points the more competitors they finish ahead of, thereby rewarding performances in the more competitive classes.

Mondello Park will also continue its policy of trying to encourage young racers into the sport next season by supporting the FIM MiniGP Ireland Series. The FIM MiniGP racers will join the Masters for two events, with the championship for ten to fourteen year old’s incorporated into the timetable at the May and August rounds. In addition, Mondello Park and Motorcycling Ireland are offering a scholarship to one lucky rider who will be given the use of a MiniGP Ohvale for the full 2022 season. Applications for the scholarship are currently being taken and details can be found on fimminigpireland.com.

Further details of the new Dunlop Masters Superbike Championship season will be announced over the coming weeks as the championship gets ready for its thirteenth year. Preparations for the new season can be followed on the championship web site, masterssuperbike.ie and its social media pages.

2022 Championship dates

March 25/27 – Pre-season Testing – National & International Track
April 23/24 – Rounds 1-3 – National Track
May 21/22 – Rounds 4-6 – International Track
June 25/26 – Rounds 7-9 – National Track
July 23/24 – Rounds 10-12 – International Track
August 27/28 – Rounds 13-15 – National Track
September 24/25 – Rounds 16-18 – International Track

Injury News – Leinster Rugby’s Dan Leavy out until end of March

Dan Leavy, the flanker underwent a procedure to stabilise a fracture in his wrist last week and will be unavailable for at least two months.

The Leinster Rugby coaching team have provided an update on the squad ahead of this weekend’s Heineken Champions Cup clash with Montpellier.

That game at the RDS Arena kicks off at 1pm on Sunday and is live on BT Sport and beIN Sports.

There are currently two players in isolation due to Covid-19 – one as a close contact – and this follows the latest round of PCR testing carried out at Leinster Rugby yesterday.

There was disappointing news on Dan Leavy, the flanker underwent a procedure to stabilise a fracture in his wrist last week and will be unavailable for at least two months.

There are no further updates on the following:

Conor O’Brien (hamstring), Dave Kearney (back), Michael Milne (calf).

Postponed Champions Cup rugby fixtures set to be 0-0 draws

Following a series of meetings of the Board of EPCR, it has been regrettably decided to cancel the postponed fixtures in Round 2 of this season’s Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup.

The Board has also authorised the EPCR Executive to determine the outcome of the fixtures as provided for in the rules of the tournaments and the EPCR Executive has decided that the appropriate solution is to record the results in each of the five Heineken Champions Cup and the two EPCR Challenge Cup fixtures in question as 0-0 draws with two match points awarded to each club (see below).

The Board and the Executive have been guided by input from the deliberations of the EPCR Sporting and Tournaments Committee which like the EPCR Board is made up of representatives of the URC, PRL and TOP 14 leagues.

The Round 2 matches were initially postponed following the unforeseen introduction of new travel measures between the UK and France which resulted in EPCR being unable to obtain assurances that existing cross-border travel exemptions for players, club staff and match officials would remain in place.

The options of modifying the tournament formats and/or rescheduling the matches were deliberated in great detail by all parties, however, in an increasingly complex fixture calendar due to Covid-19, it was regrettably decided that the only choice in the circumstances was to cancel the matches.

The Board then considered how the seven matches should be accounted for in the standings of the tournaments and it was satisfied that the correct approach was for the EPCR Executive to apply the Match Result Resolution Matrix as set out in the 2021/22 Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup Participation Agreement.

On the basis that none of the clubs involved were in a position to play once the EPCR Board had postponed the seven matches due to the new restrictive travel measures, the only option open to the EPCR Executive under the provisions of the Match Result Resolution Matrix was to record the results as 0-0 draws and to award two match points to each club.

A distinction should be drawn between the decisions in respect of the seven Round 2 matches in question and other tournament fixtures which were previously cancelled due to Covid-19 outbreaks or forced isolations affecting player availability.

Those previously cancelled fixtures could not have been played as scheduled under any circumstances, whereas the clubs involved in the Round 2 matches in question were all cleared and available to contest the matches.

Therefore, the determined outcomes of the three previously cancelled or forfeited Heineken Champions Cup fixtures, and the one EPCR Challenge Cup fixture, will stand.

EPCR would also like to thank all its participating clubs for their patience and understanding in what are extremely difficult times and wishes everyone well for the matches in Rounds 3 and 4.

HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP
The results of the following Round 2 fixtures are recorded as 0-0 draws with two match points awarded to each club:

Bath Rugby v Stade Rochelais
Sale Sharks v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Scarlets v Union Bordeaux-Bègles
Stade Toulousain v Wasps
Stade Francais Paris v Bristol Bears

The businesses that are booming thanks to the GAA’s popularity

Thanks to the GAA and its continued rise in popularity, other businesses are experiencing their own booms. Despite the game’s unaltered amateur status, players of all grades are making the changes necessary to improve their own performances. As a result, the demand for physios, dieticians, analysts, strength coaches, and recovery facilities is at an all-time high.

GAA businesses – New Age

Gone are the days of club players arriving at a game half an hour before throw-in. Now you will see players entering dressing rooms with foam rollers under their arms, tape holding every joint in place, and the day’s most popular protein bar bouncing on the gear bag. This isn’t a complaint by any means. In fact, there is an undeniable correlation between the rise of such careful preparation and the growing attention club games have received.

At inter-county level, each team has a physio, a strength and conditioning coach or coaches, and a dietician. Not to mention whatever facilities they need for recovery on hand. This has allowed many large companies to enter the game.

Club teams do not have the same resources to employ such a giant of the industry. Instead, most clubs make do with their own version of an analyst who will film games and forward footage on to coaches. Many college students of the Sports Science variety spend their work placements doing such jobs for club teams and even for underage county teams. With club teams inherently dismissed when compared to their inter-county compatriots, there is an open market for analysts willing to grind their teeth.

Across the Board

Analysis is just one example of a business directly profiting thanks to the GAA. The most obvious is perhaps the world of strength and conditioning. In the last decade, the emphasis on training has shifted. Previously, ball skills were trained without competition and gym work was considered more of a hobby for players. Now, these ball skills are almost taken as a given and a player is expected to adhere to twelve week gym programmes.

Consequently, the demand for sports scientists has reached new heights. However, with so much training, an emphasis also has to be placed on recovery. Enter the emerging studios where players can do it all in one go. Compression boots, ice baths, saunas and massage guns. All of these things were exclusive to the elite teams of the game but now they are accessible for the average club player.

Furthermore, the role of dieticians has been given new prominence among the amateur game. This profession is perhaps the most recent to experience a spike. Partly due to the success of Dublin nutritionist, Daniel Davey.

Look the Part

Those not so interested in the physical side of things can also find success thanks to the GAA. Anyone willing to give live scores and constant updates on social media can build a following. For example, Ah Ref is Mayo’s version of this and such is their success that they have extended to Sligo and Galway.

Any follower of the GAA will also have noticed the abundance of new brands on display. O’Neill’s is still the name you will find on most inter-county gear. Although club gear is being made by new companies across the country. Small startups, often by local players, have big markets for football gloves, socks, and gear as a whole. Much of this GAA gear will look the same but in keeping with the spirit of the game, clubs look after local businesses.

As the game continues to flirt with the threshold of amateurism, those with a love for the game can find ample opportunities to benefit from. When many industries are struggling, many more are finding success thanks to the GAA.

More niches that are finding success thanks to the GAA:
– Taking sports photographs like a pro
– The latest in sports massage therapy technology

– Football focused wearables for fitness

 

Ranked: Top Ten Biggest Clubs in England

Ranked: Top Ten Biggest Clubs in England

We’ve ranked the ten best defenders in Premier League history, the best midfielders in Premier League history and most recently, the best strikers in Premier League history, but now it is time to find out who are the biggest clubs in English football history?

What makes a big club? Well, many things can be looked at, for instance, how many trophies have been won by the respective club, time spent at the top of English football, how iconic the stadium is, the fanbase, financial importance and global notoriety.

With that being said, here are the ten biggest clubs in England, ranked.

Ranked: Top Ten Biggest Clubs in England

10. Nottingham Forest

 

11 Major Honours

League Titles (1978), European Cup (2 times), FA Cup (2 times), League Cup (4 times), Uefa Super Cup (1980), Community Shield (1978)

During the Brian Clough era starting in 1975, Nottingham Forest saw a massive overhaul of success. From 1977 to 1990 the club won a single league title, four League cups and most impressively, two European Cups during that timeframe.

With context, those achievements sound even better as the club won all those trophies within three years of getting promoted from the Second Division. Fairytale stuff to say the least.

That being said, the past few decades for the club has seen them relegated twice to the Championship, both in 1997 and in 1999, where they have stayed ever since.

9. Aston Villa

22 Major Honours

League Titles (7 times), FA Cup (7 times), League Cup (5 times), European Cup (1982), Uefa Super Cup (1982), Community Shield (1981)

The most successful club in the Midlands, with more European Cups,  than Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham combined, Aston Villa were once a behemoth in English football, with seven league titles, seven FA Cups and five League Cups, Villa are often forgotten by many modern-day football fans as being a ”big club”.

Having experienced six relegations during their history, their last being the 2015/2016 Premier League season, finishing 20th, they were soon back up playing top-flight football and are now a part of the core clubs to represent English football.

8. Leeds United

9 Major Honours

League Titles (3 times), FA Cup (1972), League Cup (1968), Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Winner (2 times), Community Shield (2 times)

Talking about a club like Leeds can go either one of two ways, you call them a ”small club” because of their long absence from the Premier League or to go with the norm and refer to them as a ”huge club” in the history of English football, the latter would be the obvious choice for many.

While they spent over 16-years out of the top flight, Leeds has recently made a resurgence, currently in their second season in the Premier League, where they rightfully belong.

A one-club city, Leeds United have won a decent amount of league and domestic cups while making it to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2001, an iconic club in England, Leeds will forever be listed as a top tier club.

7. Everton

24 Major Honours

League Titles (9 times), FA Cup (5 times), Cup Winners Cup (1985), Community Shield (9 times)

In terms of English titles, Everton is only beaten out by three clubs (Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal), and more than Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham, the Merseyside club are very much a massive club in English football.

Founded before Liverpool, Everton were once a much bigger and more well-renowned club than their rivals for quite some time, making 13 FA Cup final appearances and winning five since they were founded all the back in 1878.

Their trophy cabinet cannot be doubted, with numerous FA Cups and league titles to their name while boasting a tremendous fanbase and being only one of six clubs to never be relegated during the Premier League era, Everton are simply massive.

6. Tottenham Hotspurs

24 Major Honours

League Titles (2 times), FA Cup (8 times), League Cup (4 times), Uefa Cups (2 times), Cup Winners Cup (1963), Community Shield (7 times)

It is hard not to malign Spurs as a mere nearly club, always in the shadow of London rivals Chelsea and especially Arsenal, Tottenham may not be successful, but they are consistent in terms of cementing their place in the higher echelon of English football.

Always in and around the top 6, Spurs were the first London club to win a league and cup double, but that was all the way back in 1961.

Known for their philosophy of attacking and free-flowing football, they were so close to capturing their first Premier League title under Mauricio Pochetinno and even managed to make their first Champions League final in 2019, losing to Liverpool.

They do, however, have the best stadium in England. Make of that what you will.

Ranked: Top Ten Biggest Clubs in England

5. Manchester City

28 Major Honours

League Titles (7 times), FA Cup (6 times), League Cup (8 times), Cup Winners Cup (1970), Community Shield (6 times)

Like Chelsea, Manchester City became a footballing powerhouse with outside foreign investment. Bought in 2008 by a Saudi Arabian group led by Sheikh Mansour, City have become the best team in England over the past decade with shrewd signings and beautiful football to match.

Winning five league titles during that timeframe, with the majority of them being record-breaking seasons and being the first club to reach 100 points in the Premier League, a couple of FA Cups and a plethora of League Cups, it is hard to argue that City is not a massive club in today’s footballing landscape, despite much ridicule.

4. Arsenal

47 Major Honours

League Titles (13 times), FA Cup (14 times), League Cup (2 times), Cup Winners Cup (1994), Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Winner (1970), Community Shield (4 times)

London’s most decorative club based on trophy overhaul since the club’s inception in 1886, Arsenal have the most FA Cup titles with a record of 14 and with the third most league titles in English football with 13, their last being in 2003/04.

During the 1930s, they won five league titles in eight years and four FA Cups, making them at the time, certainly the biggest club in London and perhaps the biggest club in England.

They’ve also been the only side in Premier League history to go a whole season unbeaten, winning the league title in the process. Since then, they have fallen off a cliff, steadily moving down the league table, and without a league title in 17 years. With no European success to their name, they sit fourth.

3. Chelsea

31 Major Honours

League Titles (6 times), European Cup (2 times), FA Cup (8 times), League Cup (5 times), Europa League (2 times), Cup Winners Cup (2 times), Uefa Super Cup (2 times), Community Shield (4 times)

Founded in 1905, Chelsea has always been deemed a good footballing club prior to foreign investment in 2003, winning six trophies in seven years before Roman Abramovich’s purchase, it is very hard to call them a small club.

Chelsea has become an English and European powerhouse over the last 20 years. Winning a slew of league titles, FA Cups and League Cups and are the first London club to win the European Cup.

With their recent success in Europe once again, the tide has turned in London between themselves and Arsenal for the biggest team in the capital. Depending on one’s criteria, either club can top the other but with the massive gap in European honours, Chelsea edge it.

2. Liverpool

63 Major Honours

League Titles (19 times), European Cup (6 times), FA Cup (7 times), League Cup (8 times), FIFA Club World Cup (2019), Europa League (3 times), UEFA Super Cup (4 times), Community Shield (15 times)

When you think of consistent success over the past three to four decades, Liverpool will almost certainly come to mind.

The fact that Liverpool only recently won their first league title in over 30 years a year and a half ago and are only one league title behind rivals Manchester United shows how dominant and successful they were during that time.

Holding the title for most European trophies with 14 and with a record of 6 European Cups along with numerous domestic honours, Liverpool is truly a class above the majority of every English club bar one.

Known for their iconic fans, the historically relevant Anfield and club legends, Liverpool is a truly iconic club.

1. Manchester United

66 Major Honours

League Titles (20 times), European Cup (3 times), FA Cup (12 times), League Cup (5 times), FIFA Club World Cup (2008),  Europa League (2017), Intercontinental Cup (1999), Cup Winners Cup (1991), Uefa Super Cup (1991), Community Shield (21 times)

It’s hard to argue that when it comes to the biggest and most well-known club in England and perhaps, the world, Manchester United take the crown and by a fair distance.

United have won the most league titles, second-most for FA Cup triumphs and a plethora of European success, including three historic European Cup victories, with their last being in 2008 in Moscow. With a larger than life fanbase all over the world, United top the list with relative ease.

Besides England, United are on par with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona, with massive success, numerous legends, a historic stadium, the money and the profile to match, United will be hoping they can get back to the level of success under Sir Alex Ferguson that made them the club they are today.

Ranked: Top Ten Biggest Clubs in England

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