The contrast of teams chasing a title or a European place with those at the other end of the table is stark. It’s a weird part of football, the fact that the greatest final day drama so often comes down to the worst teams in a division.
Teams who have cherished every point earned throughout the campaign, teams who have – in some cases – been beaten heavily on multiple occasions.
Often times, though, the football betting intrigue is at the bottom of the table as the final matchdays arrive. All is sealed with the best teams.
Top Relegation Great Escapes:
The positive outcome is maintaining the status quo for those at the bottom, but the celebrations of a great relegation survival story are every bit as raw, as purely emotional as a European triumph.
With the standard of the teams around them that much lower, an unexpected recovery is always more possible than it seems.
Those languishing near the bottom three are more likely to go winless for seven or eight matches, opening the opportunity for a team below them to make up an apparently uncoverable gap.
These 10 teams have pulled off the greatest late-season turnarounds in Premier League history…
Leicester City (2014/15)
Arguably the greatest sports betting upset ever the following season, Leicester’s end to the 2014/15 season is a part of their 5000/1 Premier League title tale.
With nine to play, Leicester were seven points away from 17th. Nigel Pearson was involved in a touchline confrontation with James McArthur. There were rumours he was sacked, but then he wasn’t.
They embarked on an historic run, taking 22 points from 27 available. The worst, and funniest, moment came with defeat to Chelsea, which was followed by Pearson’s iconic ostrich rant.
West Brom (2004/05)
All three relegation spots were undecided heading into the final day of the 2004/05 season. Bryan Robson’s West Brom had the unwanted ‘bottom at Christmas’ tag.
The Baggies were even bottom ahead of the final day. Norwich suffered a defeat that sent them down, Southampton lost to Manchester United. As the closing stages began, it was West Brom and Crystal Palace.
West Brom were 2-0 up, but Palace took the lead away to Charlton. Charlton equalised late on, leaving West Brom’s players, staff and fans to wait for news of the final score.
The draw was confirmed, and the pitch was home to incredible celebrations.
Bradford (1999/00)
Bradford manager Paul Jewell had been publicly realistic about Bradford’s chances of surviving. With six wins from their first 34 matches, relegation from the Premier League looked almost inevitable.
Three wins from their last four matches turned their season around, however, and the Bantams finished three points clear of the drop zone.
A final day clash with Liverpool, who were in the running for a Champions League berth, ended in a 1-0 victory for the Yorkshire club and secured an unlikely place in the 2000/01 Premier League season.
West Ham (2006/07)
As far as 10 points from safety in March, Alan Curbishley’s West Ham were goners. The arrival of Carlos Tevez, who hit a rich vein of form, soon turned that round for the London club.
The Hammers headed to Old Trafford on the final day of the season needing a win to guarantee safety. Tevez scored the goal that kept them up, and the Argentine was rewarded with a summer move to Manchester United.
Sunderland (2013/14)
Seven points off safety with six matches to play, Gus Poyet acknowledged that Sunderland needed a miracle.
They faced both Manchester clubs and Chelsea in their final matches. No one gave them a chance, but Conor Wickham hit the form of his life, scoring five goals in three matches.
Sunderland drew at City, beat Chelsea and Cardiff, then won at Old Trafford. Beating West Brom secured them safety with a match to spare.
Portsmouth (2005/06)
A Pedro Mendes screamer was the turning point for Portsmouth, who picked up more points from their final 10 matches than the 28 previous.
Heavy wins over West Ham and Fulham gave them the push they needed, leading a drastic turnaround in form to collect 20 points from nine matches, enough to book their place in the Premier League for next season with a match to spare.
Wigan (2011/12)
The 2011/12 season is remembered for Sergio Aguero’s last-minute, title-winning strike, but Wigan actually picked up more points than Manchester City in the last nine matches of the campaign.
Wigan had one win in 14 and while they still were in with a shout of safety, they faced a gruelling schedule. It was a run of firsts: a first ever win at Anfield, a first ever win over Manchester United, a first ever win away to Arsenal.
They hit a purple patch even the most optimistic of Wigan fans would have deemed fantasy.
Fulham (2007/08)
A season of two halves doesn’t do Fulham’s 2007/08 justice. They won four of their first 33, then four of their last five. As is often the case with relegation avoidance, there was an unlikely hero in the shape of Diomansy Kamara.
Kamara led a miraculous comeback away to Manchester City, but it still went down to the very end. It was a Danny Murphy header with 14 minutes to go in the season that kept them up.
Oldham (1992/93)
It’s not often a relegation candidate scores the third-most goals in the league. Oldham were not like other strugglers – they had a strong claim as the most entertaining side in the inaugural Premier League season.
They needed to win their final three to stand a chance of staying up, and hope that Crystal Palace only picked up a solitary point from their final two.
Facing title-chasing Aston Villa, the football odds were stacked against Oldham, but a 1-0 win gave them hope.
A 3-2 victory over Liverpool followed, Palace drew with Manchester City, and Oldham got the win they needed on the final day to stay up on goal difference.
Everton (1993/94)
One of the stranger relegation survival stories, Everton looked like they were gone in 1993/94.
Trailing Wimbledon by two goals, the final relegation spot seemed to be going to Goodison Park. Everton drew level, which caused a blunder from Sheffield United.
The Blades were comfortable at Stamford Bridge, but instead of settling for the draw that would have kept them up, misunderstanding and/or miscommunication led to Sheffield United pushing for a goal.
Chelsea scored a late winner in west London, Everton completed their comeback to win 3-2 and Sheffield United were relegated.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Scott Heppell / AP Photo*
