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The three clubs went down together 16 years ago. They have all made dramatic, topsy-turvy returns to the Premier League
By Richard Foster for the Guardian Sport Network
Sixteen years have passed since Leeds last played a game in the top flight, the longest gap between Premier League fixtures for any club. The club were relegated on 8 May 2004 after a 3-3 draw with Charlton at Elland Road. Leeds had been 3-1 up with 15 minutes to play, but two mistakes from Michael Duberry and two goals from Jason Eull confirmed that they would be returning to the second tier for the first time since 1990. “Leeds may be going down, but their fans seem happy enough, as well they might after this six-goal carnival,” read the Guardian’s match report at the time. One optimistic fan at Elland Road carried a banner that declared: “First Division 2005: champions elect.”
Wolves and Leicester were the other two clubs relegated that season, with Leicester also going down after drawing with Charlton. All three clubs finished on 33 points. They were almost inseparable in the league table that season and have faced similar challenges since, including further relegations, financial meltdowns, multiple changes of ownership, heavy rotation of managers, the odd brush with the play-offs and finally their re-emergence among the English elite. Continue reading...