List of Premier League clubs
The following is a list of clubs who have played in the Premier League since its formation in 1992 to the current season. All statistics here refer to time in the Premier League only, with the exception of 'Most Recent Finish' (which refers to all levels of play) and 'Last Promotion' (which refers to the club's last promotion from the second tier of English football). For the 'Top Scorer' column, those in bold still play in the Premier League for the club shown. Premier League teams playing in the 2016–17 season are indicated in bold, while founding members of the Premier League are shown in italics. If the longest spell is the current spell, this is shown in bold, and if the highest finish is that of the most recent season, then this is also shown in bold.
As of the 2015–16 season, a total of 47 teams have played in the Premier League. Preston North End and Huddersfield Town are the only former top-flight First Division champions that have never played in the Premier League,[1] and are among a total of 18 (as of the 2015–16 season) extant clubs who have played in the old First Division but not in the Premier League. By contrast, Barnsley, Bournemouth, Hull City, Reading, Swindon Town and Wigan Athletic never played in the old First Division before being promoted to the Premier League.
Ten of the twenty-two founder members of the Premier League are competing in the 2016–17 season. Six (Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur) have contested every season of the Premier League. Four (Crystal Palace, Manchester City, Middlesbrough and Southampton) were also founder members, though each team has been relegated at least once in the past. Aston Villa will not compete in the 2016–17 season, following their relegation.
Two clubs, Cardiff City and Swansea City, are actually located in Wales but play in the English football league system for practical and historical reasons.
Table
As of the 2006–07 season, former Premier League members were in all three divisions of the Football League for the first time following the relegation of Swindon Town to Football League Two and their promotion back to Football League One at the end of that season. At the end of the 2012–13 season, Portsmouth were also relegated to League Two, while Bradford City were also promoted back to League One. At the end of the 2015–16 season, Blackpool were relegated to League Two as well. To date no former Premier League club has been relegated to the National League.
Crystal Palace had never had a spell last more than one season, until the 2013–14 season, when they managed to secure safety after beating West Ham 1-0 to leave them on 43 points and to guarantee Premier League football for the 2014–15 season. The club were relegated at the end of the inaugural 1992–93 season, but after winning the First Division Championship the following season, they returned to the Premier League for 1994–95 campaign. This was the only season when the Premier League had four relegation places, and Palace finished fourth from bottom to be relegated back to the First Division. At the end of the 1996–97 season, Palace once again gained promotion to the top flight (this time through the play-offs), only to be relegated the following season after finishing bottom. After winning the play–offs again in 2003–04, Palace were once again relegated back to the Championship the following season. They won the First Division/Championship play-offs for the third time at the end of the 2012–13 season, and are currently in their fifth spell in the Premier League.
Both Luton Town and Notts County took part in the original negotiations in 1991 that led to the formation of the Premier League, and both resigned their membership of The Football League along with the other 20 clubs in the top flight during the 1991–92 season. However, both clubs were relegated that season and have not returned to the top flight since, with Luton even dropping to the National League. The third top-flight club relegated that season was West Ham United, who subsequently won promotion into the Premier League the following season.
Chart
Clubs who have competed in the top flight First Division, but not the Premier League
Notes
- ↑ "Football Trivia Question of the Day January 2012 Archive". My Football Facts & Stats. January 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ↑ Arsenal finished 5th in Division Two in the 1914–15 season, but the Football League was then suspended until 1919–20 due to WW1, After the War, Division One was expanded from 20 to 22 clubs and Arsenal was elected to the First Division for the 1919–20 season.
- ↑ "Goalscoring Records". Arsenal F.C. 8 July 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
- ↑ "Hall of Fame". Aston Villa F.C. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
- ↑ Wimbledon relocated from London to Milton Keynes in 2003, and renamed themselves MK Dons a year later. Throughout their time in the Premier League, Wimbledon played their home games at Selhurst Park, the home of Crystal Palace.
- ↑ The Accrington Stanley club competing today in League Two, as well as its 1891 predecessor, are unrelated to the original Accrington club.