The Premier League is a target that all of the teams in the football league are aiming for. But it is a cutthroat league and relegation has been part of the league since its inception. So who were the first teams to be relegated from the Premier League?
Who was relegated in the first Premier League season? The inaugural Premier League season in 1992-93 saw Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace relegated to the newly named Division 1. They were replaced by the promoted trio of Newcastle United, West Ham United and Swindon Town.
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest were the first team to be relegated from the Premier League, despite finishing 8th in the previous season. They had sold key players like Teddy Sheringham and Des Walker in the summer and struggled without their stars.
Forest were consistently in the relegation zone despite winning five of their seven games after the turn of the year. A 2-0 loss to Sheffield United secured their relegation and it was the last season that Brian Clough was in charge as he retired at the end of the year. Forest were back in the Premier League after coming straight back up.
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough were actually one of the best teams to start the season, winning four of their first seven games including a thrilling 4-1 win over reigning champions Leeds United. They were a consistent middle of the pack team throughout the start of the season and were not really worried about the relegation battle.
But their form in the second half of the season was very bad, winning just three of their final 18 games to slip into the relegation zone. They did have a chance of survival heading into the final games of the season, but results went against them and they were relegated before the final game of the season.
Crystal Palace
Palace were the final team relegated and it came in one of the best relegation battles in Premier League history. Palace headed into the season without Mark Bright who was sold off in the summer. They could not replace the goals that had left the club when Bright was sold.
They were consistently around the relegation zone but had a three-point lead over Oldham Athletic going into the final game. They had a goal-difference advantage over Oldham as well. But Palace lost to London rivals Arsenal 3-0 on the final day and Oldham pulled off one of the greatest Premier League survivals, with Palace relegated after Oldham won 4-3 on the final day of the season.
Who was relegated from the Premier League this year?
The three teams to have most recently been relegated from the Premier League. Burnley, Watford and Norwich City are the three teams to have most recently been relegated from the Premier League.
Burnley
Burnley were involved in the relegation scrap for the final few weeks of the season, a fight that also included Leeds United, Everton and Southampton. The Burnley squad had seen little investment and they saw crucial striker Chris Wood leave in January. It turned out to make a big difference.
Sean Dyche’s team only got one point from their final four games which came after a three-game win streak. They had a slim chance of survival heading into the final game of the season, but their 2-1 loss to Newcastle meant Burnley were relegated, with long-time manager Sean Dyche being sacked in mid-April with the team struggling.
Watford
Watford were never really close to staying up and their chaotic season was not helped by having three different head coaches. From the end of November, Watford only won two games in the rest of the season and their relegation was secured long before the end of the season.
Watford just did not have the squad to compete in the Premier League and ended the season with one of the worst defences in the league. By the season’s end, they finished 16 points from safety.
Norwich
It never really seemed as though Norwich were planning to stay in the Premier League as they needed big investment to stay in the league. It did not help that Norwich lost their best player from the previous season, with Emiliano Buendia going to Aston Villa at the start of the transfer window.
They finished the season with just five wins and had the league’s worst defence, conceding 84 goals. Norwich only spent one game week outside of the relegation zone and they were bottom of the league table for the final fourteen weeks of the season.
When was the earliest a Premier League team was relegated?
If you know much about the Premier League, it would be hardly surprising to hear that Derby were the earliest team to get relegated. Their 2007/08 season is one of the worst in Premier League history and they hold various unwanted records that still stand today.
They became the earliest team to get relegated on the 29th of March 2008 when they drew 2-2 with Fulham and it ended the team’s historically bad season.
Which Premier League teams have never been relegated?
There are a group of Premier League clubs that have not been relegated since the league’s creation in 1992-93. These teams are Arsenal, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea. These teams have been part of every Premier League season.
These teams are some of the most successful in Premier League history and so it is hardly surprising that they have not been relegated before. Everton are the team to have come closest to relegation as they struggled massively last season to stay in the league, being fully engaged in the relegation scrap.
The other teams on this list have not been relegated since the Premier League was created in 1992-93. But this does not mean they have not been relegated before. All of the teams on this list have been relegated from the top flight before. Arsenal have not been relegated since 1912-13.
Chelsea are the most recent team to have been relegated, going down to the second division four years before the Premier League was created.