Arsenal branded a smaller club than Nottingham Forest in talkSPORT debate

Nottingham Forest’s European Cup triumphs make them a bigger club than Arsenal, who have never managed Champions League success.

That is according to Aston Villa legend Gabby Agbonlahor who has questioned Arsenal‘s status as a ‘big club’.

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Forest not only won the European Cup – the previous name of the Champions League – in 1979, but they also defended their title in 1980.

However, the Gunners have never matched that achievement, coming closest in 2006 when they reached the final and the semi-final in 2009.

Indeed, the north London club have not won the Premier League since the 2003/04 season.

But the European lack of success is the one that Agbonlahor finds especially crucial.

“So you don’t think Arsenal are a big club because they’ve not won the Champions League?” was the question put to him by Andy Goldstein on talkSPORT Drive.

“I just don’t think you can be a big, big, big, big, big club unless you win (the Champions League),” he replied.

And while Arsenal have never won the Champions League, there are a number of other teams who are not perhaps lauded so widely now who have in fact previously achieved that accolade.

And Goldstein was quick to question Agbonlahor about some of those clubs.

“So who’s the bigger club, Celtic or Arsenal?” asked Goldstein, reminding his co-host of the Lisbon Lions – the Celtic team who won the European Cup in 1967.

“Celtic is a big club, that’s a tough one,” as Agbonlahor struggled to answer the question, although he did admit that Arsenal would be a more attractive prospect for a young player.

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But Goldstein was not finished there.

“Who’s the bigger Club,” he asked again. “Arsenal or Forest?”

“Oh, Forest have got a big history,” replied Agbonlahor.

“Well, they’ve won the Champions League!” nudged Goldstein, recalling both of their successes in the competition.

“They’re a bigger club then, aren’t they?” stated Agbonlahor. “I’ll say Forest are a bigger club.”

In response, Goldstein joked: “How you getting home tonight, it’s not public transport is it?”

The talkSPORT host was referencing the backlash that Agbonlahor was likely to face from Gunners fans.

“No, not public transport, I’m going to get a helicopter!” laughed Agbonlahor.

But he continued in earnest as he explained why Arsenal’s lack of historic European success meant that, in his eyes, they were not quite part of the elites.

“For Forest fans, everywhere in the stadium will be about that (European win).

“For Aston Villa at Villa Park – everywhere you go it’s not (about) players that have played before, even myself.

“It’s all about that team that won the European Cup!”

Agbonlahor was referring to the 1982 Aston Villa team who clinched European Cup victory, defeating Bayern Munich in the final.

“All across the ground and behind the North Stand it’s that goal that we won the players that contribute to that goal,” he remembered. “They got their own Lounge at the stadium.

“The European Cup is the pinnacle. Simple as that.”