Why the Top Clubs are always "The Top Clubs"

Being as much of a Sports fan as I am, I have seen some amazing consistency in sports. In all sports, all over the world it seems that the "Top Clubs" continue to be the Top Clubs year in and year out. Why? For example, I don't care what happens, but a team like Millwall or Crystal Palace, will never win the Premiere League Title, ever!!!!!

Their was a time in sports that any club in their respective league could win a championship. However thats not true anymore.  Teams like Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Rangers and Celtic are going to win their title, Always!!  In America teams like the New York Yankees or Pittsburgh Steelers have continued success year in and year out.

I'm curious what others think about that. Has the modern game adversely affected the competitive nature of these sports.? With commercials, endorsements,shoe contracts free agents and transfer signings, major licensing of stadiums.

What has changed in "Sports" which allow these teams to always be the top?

I thought your American draft system and salary caps made things more competitive....some people think that is the way things should go over here. (UK, I mean ...I'm in Canada but when I'm on here I revert to thinking as though I am still in England...but I digress...)

Anyway, I think most of the current biggest clubs have always been amongst the biggest...it is all to do with population base plus tradition and history. Basically the best clubs got the biggest crowds which helped them get the best players and so it went on....but it is also true that "smaller" clubs used to be able to crash the party...The Reds won 13 league titles in 25 years which is major domination but Everton, Derby, Forest and Villa popped up in between times along with the Arse and Leeds.

But still, overall, most of the same big clubs have endured....and now the whole thing is exaggerated by the Champions League...if you are not in that you don't get as much revenue so now it is virtually impossible for even fairly big clubs like Spurs, Villa and Newcastle to close the gap.

Liverpool is only clinging on financially,...we should never be so smug as to assume we will always be "top 4", we could easily do a Leeds if the owners F**k it up.

dont really agree too much here,
leeds and nottingham forest were massive clubs, looks like newcastle could come a cropper soon and they were contenders not too long ago.

Chelsea in reality have only ever been a medium club, twenty years ago teh top 5 were classified as Villa, Lpool, Everton, Manure and arsenal., see the difference now.

Top clubs will not really = top clubs after all.

Have to agree with robbyr there. Forest, Villa and Leeds were once good/top clubs, Leeds got into the semi finals of the champions league in 2001, and if i'm not wrong, Forest and Villa have a couple of european cups to their name too. In a matter of years or months, a club may just be reduced into a pile of sh*te, honest.

Just look at whats happening to Southampton now. Just a couple of years ago they were in the top flight and now they're on the brink of extinction. Really sorry to see that honestly.

What drives the top clubs to be top is because they keep up and have an edge in competivitness over the rest. Who knows, next season manure may just get relegated. Look at Ferrari in the F1.

But I think, its hard for the top clubs to drop because they have quality players, and quality players bring about moments of brillance who can change the game with a magical touch.

I agree that a competitive edge has been lost. An English club like Notts Forest will never win the Champions League again. When Forest won the European cup, football was very different. Club chairman were all local businessmen made good, not plutocrats. TV and merchandise did not account for the proportion of income that it does now. Because the wealth is polarised, the big clubs, mainly from the big cities will continue to dominate.