But my blood was boiling last week and, with the Champions League semi-finals being decided this week, it probably will be again.

What's the big deal about being a big club?

And exactly what are the criteria?

A fleet of Ferraris in the car park?

A sparkling new stadium?

Players sporting more bling than P Diddy (or whatever he's called these days) at a jewellery convention?

And does anyone really care?

Obviously certain sections of the broadcast media seem to think so having devoted the best part of two hours to the subject before Chelsea's visit to Anfield. The implication being that Avram Grant's side don't really deserve to progress because they don't have the same history as their opponents.

With Manchester United and Barcelona, who kick-off the whole shebang at Old Trafford this evening, paired together in the other half of the draw the argument was pretty much redundant.

True, Liverpool have a proud record in domestic and European competition.

But then Chelsea haven't exactly risen without a trace either.

Although the host in question, who had apparently forgotten that Liverpool spent over £25m signing Fernando Torres in the summer, accused them of being nothing until Roman Abramovich deposited his roubles on the Kings Road.

Peter Osgood, Alan Hutchinson, Tommy Lawton, Jimmy Greaves - none of them are, he told his listeners, proper heroes.

Not the same as Kevin Keegan or Kenny Dalglish.

Now this isn't just a rant about Chelsea or an excuse to peddle an anti-Anfield agenda. (Although sometimes it can be pretty tempting).

Stretch this to its logical conclusion and followers of Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster and Chesterfield apparently spend their time staring longingly at the red and white half of Merseyside.

Absolute rot.

Did Blackburn fans care they didn't 'have any history' when they lifted the Premiership title?

Did they hell.

And do supporters in the Steel City think more of Steven Gerrard or Ian Rush than they do of Tony Currie or Chris Waddle?

I think we all know the answer to that.

"Big" and "Club."

Two words I hope I never hear in the same sentence again.

Speaking of European competition, two clubs I hope never to see in the Premiership are Celtic and Rangers.

The latter's progress in the UEFA Cup has re-ignited the debate about letting the Old Firm move to England.

Good for them and good for us we are told; probably by the same misguided souls who thought the '39th Game' was an idea worth exploring.

Why not go the whole hog and invite Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Internazionale and Milan too?

What a division we'd have then.

Because it's a bloomin' stupid idea. That's why.

What do you think? Post your comments below.

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