Tottenham will be desperate to avoid unthinkable relegation to the Championship (Image: Getty)
Tottenham are in serious danger of being relegated to the Championship, an unthinkable scenario for one of England’s biggest clubs. Less than a year after winning the Europa League, the north Londoners are fighting to secure their Premier League place after a disastrous campaign so far. If they were to be relegated, it would probably be the most shocking relegation in history.
Spurs haven’t been relegated since 1977, when times were very different. They are now part of the established ‘big six’ and raise far more money than most other Premier League clubs. They also have one of the best stadiums in world football, and it would be a huge shame, if not a little interesting, to see teams like QPR, Bristol City and Preston North End host this stadium next season.
Express Sport analyzes six of the most shocking relegations of all time. Tottenham are desperate to avoid joining that unwanted club…
Manchester United (1974)
More than 50 years ago, the Red Devils were relegated to the second division in a move that shocked English football. It was natural for them too.
Despite being one of the biggest clubs in the country, they were one of the worst-performing teams in their division, scoring just 32 points in 42 league games and being sent off on a whimper.
It was only 20 years after the Busby Babes era that United established themselves as a European powerhouse. They quickly secured a return to the top league, winning the second division at the first request.
Juventus (2006)
Juventus were relegated not because of their performance on the pitch, but rather as part of the biggest scandal to ever rock European football.
They were involved in the infamous Calciopoli scandal, a major investigation into allegations of sports fraud involving several Italian clubs.
As a result, Juventus were relegated to Serie B for the first time in their history and were stripped of the Serie A title in the 2004/05 season. The unusual sight of world-class players such as Pavel Nedved and Giorgio Chiellini competing in the second division has become a strange reality.
Newcastle (2009)
The Magpies were knocked out of the Premier League for the first time in 20 years, in one of the most shocking relegations in recent history.
Their chaotic campaign was marked by managerial turmoil, with Kevin Keegan, Joe Kinnear and Chris Hughton unsuccessfully trying to keep them away from the drop zone.
Alan Shearer was drafted in with eight games remaining in a hopeless roll of the dice, but the former England striker was unable to save them and they were relegated to the Championship.
Spurs’ relegation would be the most shocking relegation in history (Image: Getty)
River Plate (2011)
Due to the unusual format of Argentina’s top flight, River Plate, one of the country’s biggest clubs along with Boca Juniors, was relegated in 2011.
They were forced to face a relegation play-off, which will be determined by their average points won over the past three seasons.
River Plate ultimately lost to Belgrano in two games, falling to the second division for the first time in their 110-year history.
Villarreal (2012)
It’s not often you see clubs competing in the Champions League get eliminated in the same season, but that’s exactly what happened to Villarreal in 2012.
They finished fourth in La Liga the previous year, but suffered a dramatic collapse as three different managers failed to sustain the team.
Villarreal lost in dramatic fashion on the final day of the season, with Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao scoring the winning goal late on, sealing their fate.
Schalke (2023)
One of Germany’s biggest and most supported teams, Schalke sleepwalked towards relegation for several seasons, but that didn’t make their eventual demise any less shocking.
Without a win in their first 14 games, the club went through five different managers before withdrawing from the Bundesliga for the first time in 30 years.
Schalke have yet to regain their form and finished 14th out of 18 teams in Germany’s second division last season. However, they currently sit top of the league and could finally return to the Bundesliga in the 2026/27 season.
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