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Football is so unquestionably imbedded into English culture that it is and has always been surrounded by myth and legend.
This evolves around players, clubs, stadiums and the game itself but one myth has a current poignancy and that is whether Newcastle United is a 'big club'.
First of all the facts. Newcastle United has won the Championship on four occasions, the FA Cup six times and the Fairs Cup (now the Uefa Cup) once. This is an impressive record compared to many clubs, well that is until the dates of these triumphs are taken into account. The last Championship was 1927, the most recent FA Cup victory was 1955 and the sole European success was 1969.
This is hardly the history of a European great and these statistics are very difficult to get away from when considering any other elements that might support the claim.
Most often talked about are the fans and their loyal support through thick and thin, both home and away that garner favour amongst those trying to argue the case. True enough St James Park is a fantastic place and any fan who has watched football there will believe in the passion that exists.
From the original 30,000 capacity the venue now holds in excess of 52,000 and is regularly filled for all home games. This fan loyalty is matched by their fervour and a trip to St James Park is a highlight of many clubs season.
In addition, the number of fans turning up to watch games during the dark times when they languished in the old second division was a remarkable achievement not to mention the hard-earned money they have always spent travelling to away games to support their team.
Of all the English clubs these fans can certainly claim to be amongst the largest and most vociferous around. Whether that is enough to make them a big club though is another question entirely as Manchester City fans will testify to. At no point do they consider themselves in the elite even though they have the same historical track record of support as the Magpies.
It is often the case that great sides and iconic players raise a club's profile beyond the expected and Newcastle have certainly been fortunate in this area.
The Number 9 shirt at the club is a sort after possession ever since the great Jackie Milburn pulled on the jersey until the modern icon Alan Shearer wore it for the last time. Two others to rise above the normal have been Paul Gascoigne and the Tyneside hero himself, Kevin Keegan.
In the modern era no other man highlights the passion and fanaticism more than Keegan and his return to manage them in the nineties was almost boarding on the religious. However, as often has been the case for the club the dream was never realised with Newcastle falling short again when throwing away a championship winning lead in 1996 culminating with the infamous anti-Man U " I will love it" outburst on TV.
Subsequent high profile managers followed including Ruud Gullit, Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness and North East 'son' and former England manager Bobby Robson but all failed to stir the club to success. They also all complained following their departure on the pressure to succeed instantly and the problems this impacted on their plans.
In Newcastle there is no long term and often no medium term. It is all about the present and the need to win matches both consistently but also in the attractive manner the fans have come to expect. This is currently no different for Sam Alladyce who is facing the same issues all his predecessors faced and is finding it just as tough.
With the last minute loss to Chelsea on Saturday this weekend's FA Cup tie away to Stoke City is probably a defining moment for him and he could find himself unemployed come Monday morning should the result not go his way.
It is this impatience though that has led to owners and chairman to back their managers with plenty of money to buy quality but expensive players to win the trophies the fans desire. In money spent terms Newcastle are certainly a big club but if it does not bring success then it does not amount to much.
They have the spending power to attract players and their families to the North East, they have the support to rival most clubs in the Premiership and they have the iconic heroes to have a romantic past.
But whilst the trophy cabinet remains bare only the most sympathetic of supporters could ever believe they are a 'big club' in the sense it has always been meant and until this is resolved they are probably destined for more disappointment than achievement.
