There's always been a handful of clubs we couldn't financially compete with.
That doesn't really explain why where we were wasn't good enough and now aiming to get back there is praised.
yeah but was a lot different back then money wise. between about 95-2003 Villa, Liverpool, Newcastle, Chelsea, Leeds and maybe even Spurs were arguable competing for same level of players are and we could never get the better bracket of players under Doug.
We did get some big name players when Doug was chairman but they rarely paid off. Dean Saunders was the exception. Stan Collymore Was Brian Little's big signing!