Historically over the whole history of the game there are only three clubs that are undisputedly big clubs. Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal in that order. Villa are the biggest club in the midlands, Leeds in Yorkshire and Sunderland in the North East etc, but they're regionally big. Nationally they're respectable size but a level below the largest clubs.
In the Premier League, Spurs are one of the biggest clubs and Aston Villa are not. The top 5 teams in the league currently are the "big" teams now, although out of the emerging ones Spurs are certainly a more respectable and credible club than Chelsea and Manchester City. I don't mind Spurs, they're a proper football club surrounded by proper football people unlike the ****ing circus going on at some of the other Premier League clubs.