Premier League winners in 2016 to relegation in 2023? Leicester City will go down this Sunday if they fail to beat West Ham, or even if Everton are victorious against Bournemouth, potentially leaving Jamie Vardy with the unusual record of lifting the top-flight title and then suffering relegation with the same club.
Here’s an XI made up from players who went through that very same experience.
Goalkeeper: Alex Stepney
League winners in 1967 and European Cup winners a year later, Manchester United finally realised the dreams of legendary boss Matt Busby, who managed to build another incredible side after the tragedy of Munich decimated his babes in 1958. Busby retired in 1971 and the club’s decline was even more severe than the post-Fergie drop off. The holy-trinity of Best, Law and Charlton was no more come the end of the 1973/74 season, a campaign that saw the club slip into the second tier for the first time since 1938. Alex Stepney still remained from the glory years and helped United back to the top flight at the first attempt, where the Red Devils have remained ever since.
If you fancy a goalkeeper challenge, try naming the keeper who won the league and suffered relegation with Ipswich Town, who also had a son that went on to play for Manchester United.
Centre-back: Roy McFarland
Tipped to be at the heart of the England defence throughout the 70s, Roy McFarland’s career ended up being plagued by injury and he collected just 28 caps as the Three Lions suffered a bleak decade. At club level, things didn’t go as badly for McFarland, as he helped Derby County to two league titles, first under Brian Clough and then with former teammate Dave Mackay at the helm three years later. Unfortunately for the Rams, they couldn’t sustain their place at the top and come the start of the 80s, the Baseball Ground would host second-tier football while former boss Clough lifted the European Cup with rivals Nottingham Forest.
Centre-back: Allan Evans
Part of Aston Villa’s title-winning side of 1981 and a European Cup winner with the club the following season, Allan Evans remained at Villa Park when the side dropped into the second tier just five years after becoming kings of the continent. The Scottish defender led them to promotion at the first attempt under new boss Graham Taylor before departing a year later.
Centre-back: Alex Raisbeck
One of the first in a long list of Scotsmen adored at Anfield, Alex Raisbeck captained Liverpool to a maiden league title in 1901 and repeated the trick in 1906. However, in between the two celebrations the club endured one season in the second tier, with Raisbeck staying loyal to help ensure a swift return to the top.
Right-wing: Billy Liddell
Speaking of legendary Liverpool stars from north of the border, Billy Liddell’s ability to play on either flank adds strength to this XI, with the winger experiencing the same ups and downs as his fellow countryman Raisbeck. Still regarded as one of the greatest players in the club’s storied history, Liddell’s early career was hampered by war but once the First Division resumed, he immediately made up for lost time by helping the side secure the title in 1947. However, it wasn’t to be the dawn of a golden era, with Liddell one of the few bright lights at Anfield though mid-table mediocrity before relegation in 1954.
4 – For those asking, Arsenal relegated from top-flight in 1913, Everton most recently in 1951, Liverpool 1954 & Man Utd 1974. Plunge.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 18, 2013
Central midfield: Jimmy Dickinson
After Liverpool’s downturn in form following their triumph in 1947, the end of the decade belonged to Portsmouth as the south coast side lifted two consecutive league titles. Jimmy Dickinson was at the start of a long career at the time, his form at Fratton Park earning him a place in the England side. He remained a one-club man even after relegation in 1960 to amass an incredible 845 appearances for Pompey.
Central midfield: Ron Flowers
The oldest member of England’s World Cup winning squad in 1966, Ron Flowers was a Second Division player at the time, after Wolverhampton Wanderers had dropped out of the top flight a year earlier. It was quite a downturn in fortunes for the club after the golden era of the 50s, when Flowers was a key player in three league title successes at Molineux.
Attacking midfield: Peter Doherty
Nowadays discussion surrounding Manchester City lurches between the incredible on-pitch success at the Etihad to debates on FFP, human rights and those all-important 115 charges. It’s certainly a far cry from the misfortune of a tragicomic Jamie Pollock own goal. Or timewasting in a draw when a win was needed to avoid relegation. Or an 8-1 thumping by Middlesbrough. Or getting relegated the season after the club’s first-ever league title. That unique feat occurred in 1938, when a dreadful campaign saw the holders finish second bottom, despite the continued good form of star man Peter Doherty.
Left-wing: Frank Blunstone
Before the advent of Roman Abramovich at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s only league title was from the 1954/55 season, when the Blues were managed by former Arsenal hero Ted Drake. Young England international Frank Blunstone supplied the ammunition from the left-wing and he remained in West London over the coming seasons despite the side failing to finish in the top 10 for the rest of the decade. Unfortunately, things got even worse for player and club, with a rock-bottom finish in 1962 before a broken leg ended Blunstone’s career prematurely in 1964.
Striker: Chris Sutton
Jack Walker’s riches wouldn’t be enough to bankroll a title charge in today’s game, but back in the 90s it was still possible for a mere millionaire to turn the fortunes of their local club around. Walker was determined Blackburn Rovers could win a first league title since 1914 and spent big to put together a team capable of challenging Premier League poster boys Manchester United. The dream was achieved in 1995 after a dramatic final day saw Rovers pip the Red Devils by a point but key players from that side gradually departed, notably England front-man Alan Shearer. His strike partner Chris Sutton remained but he only bagged three goals in the league during the 1998/99 campaign as the club finished 19th under former United assistant Brian Kidd.
Striker: Dixie Dean
Erling Haaland’s goalscoring exploits this season have thrown Dixie Dean’s name back into the public eye, with the iconic Everton striker’s 60-goal haul back in the 1927/28 campaign marked as a target for the lethal Norwegian forward. The Toffees reaped the rewards of Dean’s form, winning the league for the first time since the First World War, but just two years later Goodison Park was a Second Division venue, marking the first relegation in the club’s history. Dean stayed loyal and fired them to promotion at the first attempt before helping the side to another title win the following season.