Newcastle United legend Bobby Moncur maintains that teams deserve the ‘ big club ’ tag by winning trophies . Commenting on the study in Thursday 's Sportsmail , Moncur said the rankings of Chelsea ( 4th ) and Manchester City ( 5th ) in the ‘ big clubs ’ league table were justified despite owners splashing hundreds of millions of pounds in recent years . Newcastle were listed ninth in our findings , one place above rivals Sunderland , who Moncur later joined . Vincent Kompany celebrates with the Manchester City squad as they are crowned Premier League champions . Manchester City are jubilant after winning their second Premier League title in three years in 2014 . Frank Lampard celebrates with the Champions League trophy after winning the competition in 2012 . But rather than claim the North East clubs — with their loyal and sizeable fanbase — should reside above the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City , Moncur said : ‘ For me , a big club is one that wins trophies. ’ Moncur , the last man to lift a trophy for the Magpies when they won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969 , added : ‘ If you were ranking Newcastle on supporters alone I ’ d have them in the top three . The fans are loyal , passionate and fill the ground week in , week out , regardless of what happens on the pitch . ‘ In that sense , both they and Sunderland are huge . But , as we know , Newcastle have not won a trophy since 1969 and Sunderland since 1973 . Former Newcastle captain Bobby Moncur holds aloft the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969 - the club 's last trophy . Sportsmail 's extensive study found that Manchester United are England 's biggest club with Arsenal and Liverpool second at third respectively while Newcastle and Sunderland are ninth and tenth . Chelsea won the second league title in the club 's history in Jose Mourinho 's first season in England . ‘ You could say Manchester City have bought success but they were always a big club in my day , people sometimes forget that . Chelsea have won a lot of trophies after financial backing but they ’ ve had good days in the past too . ‘ Some North-East fans might argue their teams should be higher but ranking them in the top 10 is fair and actually recognises how big they are. ’ Moncur , 70 , also agreed with placing Arsenal in second , above Liverpool . ‘ Arsenal have always been a big club , all the way back they ’ ve been in the top division and won things , ’ he said . ‘ Until Bill Shankly came in , Liverpool didn ’ t dominate like they did in the Seventies and Eighties . I remember when they were nothing . Frank McLintock , George Graham and Charlie George celebrate as Arsenal complete the Double in 1971 .
Chelsea were ranked fourth biggest English club in Thursday 's study . Current Premier League champions Manchester City were ranked fifth . The survey was conducted by the University of East Anglia and surveyed more than 1,000 people from across Britain, including 2,000 football fans who had attended a match at Stamford Bridge since it opened on August 1, 2000 Moncur would rank Newcastle in the top three based on fans alone . Moncur agreed that Arsenal are a bigger club than Liverpool . CLICK HERE for all the latest Premier League news .