Are Tottenham too big to go down? When other great English sides suffered the unthinkable
The phrase “too big to fail” is a dangerous one in English football, especially for a club such as Tottenham Hotspur, who currently sit just one point above the Premier League relegation after an 11-game winless run.
While their modern infrastructure and consistent presence in European competition suggest stability, history is littered with giants who believed the top flight was their birthright until the trapdoor opened beneath them.
Relegation for a member of the “Big Six” remains the ultimate sporting taboo, yet several of England’s most storied institutions have already survived the nightmare of the drop.
Manchester City: From the third tier to global dominance
Manchester City’s journey to the pinnacle of world football began from a remarkably low starting point. They first plummeted from the Premier League in 1996, but the crisis deepened in 1998 when they were relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time in their history.
Despite boasting players such as Georgi Kinkladze, the club struggled with instability before a dramatic play-off victory in 1999 sparked their ascent. They regained their place in the top flight during the 1999/2000 season, proving that even the darkest periods can precede a golden era.
Leeds United: The financial collapse of a European contender
Few falls were as steep or as painful as that of Leeds United. Only three years after reaching the semi-finals of the 2000/01 Champions League with a squad featuring Rio Ferdinand and Mark Viduka, the club was relegated in 2003/04 due to a catastrophic financial crisis.
The descent did not stop there, as they tumbled into League One during the 2006/07 season after entering administration. It took 16 long years of wandering the wilderness of the lower leagues before they finally secured their return to the Premier League in July 2020.
Newcastle: The recurring nightmare of the North East giants
Newcastle have frequently tested the theory of being too big to go down, suffering high-profile relegations in both 2009 and 2016.
In 2009, even the late-season appointment of club legend Alan Shearer could not save a squad that included stars such as Michael Owen and Damien Duff.
In 2016, Rafael Benítez was unable to prevent the drop despite having players such as former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum. Fortunately for the St James’ Park faithful, the club displayed remarkable resilience on both occasions, winning promotion at the first time of asking as Championship winners in 2010 and 2017.
West Ham: High-scoring failures and the struggle for stability
The 2002/03 West Ham United team is often cited as the best squad to ever be relegated from the Premier League. With a roster featuring future legends such as Paolo Di Canio, Jermain Defoe, and Michael Carrick, the Hammers went down with a record-high 42 points.
Their most recent relegation occurred in the 2010/11 season under Avram Grant, finishing bottom of the table despite the individual brilliance of Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year B. Much like Newcastle, they showed their pedigree by bouncing back quickly, securing promotion via the play-offs in 2012 after just one season away.
Aston Villa: A founding member lose their footing
Aston Villa remain one of the most decorated clubs in England, yet even their status as European Cup winners could not protect them in 2016.
The club suffered their first and only relegation of the Premier League era during the 2015/16 campaign after a season defined by internal discord and poor recruitment, despite having talents such as Jack Grealish and Idrissa Gueye. The Villans spent three seasons in the Championship before finally winning the play-off final in 2019 to secure their return.
Tottenham: Will the Europa League holders suffer the same fate?
Many are looking at the current Tottenham side wondering if a club of their stature can really go down. Having lifted their 17-year trophy curse last season with their Europa League triumph, many thought Spurs had turned a corner. However, since sacking head coach Ange Postecoglou after that glorious night in Bilbao, things have gone from bad to worse.
The Thomas Frank gamble failed to pay off, and despite having plenty of quality throughout the squad – like World Cup winner Cristian Romero, Dutch defender Micky van de Ven, and Portuguese destroyer Joao Palhinha – relegation is starting to look like a real possibility for the club that last faced the drop from the top tier back in 1977.
