On Wednesday Sportsmail published its forensic study to finally settle one of football's great debates - which is the biggest club in England? Our exclusive table ranked the top 50 teams from the 59 who have played in the top flight for six categories: crowds, global fanbase, trophies, league finish, player quality and income. Manchester United came out on top followed by Arsenal and then Liverpool. Former Liverpool captain Phil Thompson and Newcastle legend Bobby Moncur have their say on our findings. INSIDE BY PHIL THOMPSON (EX-LIVERPOOL CAPTAIN) Arsenal bigger than Liverpool? I’m sure my old mates Charlie Nicholas and Paul Merson will be delighted about that one and they will be looking forward to the chance to rub my big nose in it. Needless to say, it is not a view with which I would agree. But this is not me, as former Liverpool captain and dyed-in-the-wool lifelong supporter, being biased. I’m basing my argument on what I have seen from travelling the world over many years. Phil Thompson parades the trophy after their 1-0 victory over Real Madrid to win the 1981 European Cup . Thompson lifts the trophy above his head as his team-mates celebrate beside him after the 1981 final . Thompson says Paul Merson (left) would rub his nose in it after Arsenal were ranked as a bigger club . Frank McLintock, George Graham and Charlie George celebrate as Arsenal complete the Double in 1971 . Liverpool have always been trailblazers. I remember in the early 1980s, our squad went to the Far East and played exhibition games in Bangkok and Hong Kong. The reaction was like nothing we had ever seen. It was a frenzy. It was the same when we went to Israel, Swaziland or some of the states in the Gulf. Liverpool were the dominant team in the game in that era and people were desperate to see us. But, over the course of the next 30 years, as football’s popularity has mushroomed, interest in Liverpool has continued to grow. In the summer of 2011, for instance, I was in Kuala Lumpur doing some ambassadorial work for the club during the pre-season tour. One night, an open training session was staged in Bukit Jalil, Malaysia’s national stadium, and 40,000 fans turned up to watch. Malaysian supporters cheer for Liverpool during the summer tour in 2011 . Thompson attends a press conference during the Liverpool legends tour of South Africa in 2013 . Arsenal ended a ten-year trophy drought by coming back to beat Hull in a memorable FA Cup final last May . The reception was phenomenal — and this was just to watch the squad doing some jogging and shooting practice. A couple of years later, I was part of a legends squad that went to tour South Africa. We played one match in the World Cup stadium in Durban and more 30,000 fans turned up. They hadn’t just come from Durban, however; they had come from all over the country. That is the draw Liverpool’s name has. Now I have great respect for Arsenal. Since moving into the Emirates Stadium in 2006, I can see why they have ticked a lot of the boxes in the survey. Liverpool’s capacity, after all, is 45,000. Arsenal, meanwhile, seem to have 60,000 for each home game, even when you can see gaps in the stands. But, seriously, what I think separates Liverpool — and Manchester United, for that matter — from the rest is history and heritage. You can talk about Facebook ‘likes’ and Twitter followers but what really matters are the trophies you win and the memories you create. Thompson lifts the League Cup trophy onto his head after Liverpool beat West Ham in the 1981 final . Thompson lifts the European Cup in 1981 as Liverpool won the competition three times in five years . It is why when you go to Scandinavia and Ireland, for example, the only clubs people will talk to you about are Liverpool and United; very seldom will you hear Real Madrid and Barcelona — never mind Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea — being mentioned. Liverpool and United dominate these strongholds because, between them, they dominated five decades. Young fans growing up in the 1960s would have seen the United team of Best, Charlton and Law or the side Bill Shankly was building at Anfield. We went on to enjoy incredible success in the 1970s and 1980s, United had a similar spell in the 1990s and 2000s. Those around the world who have grown up with success will have passed their affinities on to their children and that is where the respective huge fan bases have come from. Liverpool came out on top for most trophies won, and Thompson says that is what matters most . Thompson (back row second left) poses with the 1977-87 Liverpool team . Sportsmail's extensive study found that Manchester United are England's biggest club with Arsenal and Liverpool second at third respectively . Of course, there will be changes in the coming years. For starters, fans in south east Asia can follow trends, and teams that are doing well — as City and Chelsea have been — will attract more interest, while Arsenal are certainly up and coming in that region. When all is said and done, though, those clubs cannot yet match the deep-rooted affinities that so many have for Liverpool, which have come from those glorious nights when we won European Cups and countless other trophies. Things have changed in the Sky era and I understand the business side of football and how important it is to make full use of commercial opportunities, such as selling shirts and bringing in extra revenue with big sponsorship deals. Yet the key to it all is having great players and being involved in the games that matter the most. That, more than anything, is what defines how big a club is — and Liverpool’s list of honours speaks for itself. WHY CITY DESERVE TO BE FIFTH . 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 . 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. Frank Lampard celebrates with the Champions League trophy after winning the competition in 2012 . Former Newcastle captain Bobby Moncur holds aloft the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969 - the club's last trophy . ‘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. Mr Battered Briton, Austerityville, UK . When Liverpool increase their ground capacity to 60,000 in two years time, which they should have done 30 years ago, their points tally for home crowds will change dramatically. leeeeave it, London . I’m a Chelsea fan and I was never under the impression that we were the biggest club in England. It’s a pretty well known fact United, Liverpool and Arsenal all have more fans globally because of their past success. That time will come for us whether we buy it with ‘oil money’ or not. GlasgowRangers1872, Glasgow . The only club in England that are bigger than Rangers is United but if we were in England we would dwarf 95 per cent of the clubs. Brace yourself if we ever go into your league. Macca, Dublin . Villa — the club that CREATED the world’s first league and the club that was the MOST TROPHIED for nearly 100 years. Sorry guys, but when it comes to history, size and trophies won WITHOUT doping it’s Villa all the way. That’s why your future KING and PRIME MINISTER support them: History and class. Red Villarreal, Emirates Stadium . I’m an Arsenal fan and even I know we’re not bigger than United, Chelsea and Liverpool. I wish we’d stop pretending it’s OK and do something about it! Alex, Marietta, United States . Which of these clubs are still playing in Europe this season? Mr Impartial, London . Man Utd might be top worldwide, but Man City is the most popular club in Manchester, followed by Bolton and then Man Utd. CM2015, Harrogate . Leeds are comfortably in the top eight without doubt don’t care what anybody else says! Avinalaff, North West, UK . Everton have more league titles than Chelsea and Man City put together. straight, London . If this was done in 2004, Chelsea would not make the top 20. @chinery26 . West Brom over West Ham . . . that hurts. @Niceandcooltrig . This reminds me of a poll that said Westlife were a bigger band than the Beatles. LFC are the biggest club — simple as that.
Sportsmail study found that Arsenal were the second biggest English club . Liverpool came in third behind the Gunners and Manchester United . Former Liverpool captain Phil Thompson does not agree with the findings . Thompson insists it is trophies that matter, not social media following . Newcastle legend Bobby Moncur says Manchester City deserve to be fifth . READ: Which Premier League club is the biggest? Sportsmail's study finally settles football's great debate .