Which are the 5 best newly promoted teams in Premier League history?
For many sides promoted to the top-tier, they end up becoming ‘yo-yo’ teams, flirting with the dream of establishing themselves in the Premier League.
Should these sides invest heavily or rely on what worked in England’s 2nd tier?
Furthermore, how expansive can these sides afford to be?
Marco Bielsa’s Leeds United team of 2020/21 employed a psychotic brand of ‘heavy-metal’ football, one which seemed to perfectly suit the Covid-condensed schedule. Can any of this year’s newbies make a similar splash?
Perhaps a trip through the past will offer some insight into what these sides should look to emulate. I’ve compiled a list of the 5 best newly promoted sides in Premier League history.
This isn’t purely based on points or league position, but rather my overall impressions of which sides have negotiated this transition most successfully. Who knows, at this time next year Brentford may be staking a claim to this list. Only time will tell.
Let’s move on to the top 5 best newly promoted teams in history…
#5 – Best Newly Promoted Teams – Wolverhampton Wanderers (2018/2019)
Manager: Nuno Espirito Santos
League Position: 7th
The most recent of my selections, the 2018/2019 Wolves side perfectly illustrates the changing footballing ethos ushered in by Guardiola and co.
Newly promoted sides no longer need to rely on shock value or long-ball hooliganism. Wolves came into the league and played a carefully calibrated brand of football, switching effortlessly between concentrated possession and swift counterattack.
His use of a malleable 3-4-3 showed tactical nous that is rare in newly promoted outfits. Santos and his crew made it easy for themselves with some inspirational transfer activity.
Seriously, these guys went Jason Bourne on that transfer window. The inspirational Jota was signed on a permanent basis while the little-known Raul Jimenez was brought in on loan. Barcelona reject Adama Traore was purchased despite looking more like an NFL line-backer than a footballer. They also nabbed Joao Moutinho for just 5 million pounds.
Nuno seemed to find the perfect synergy between youth and experience, presiding over the most tactically adept side ever promoted to top flight football (hipsters went mad for them).
On top of that, Wolves also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
#4 – Best Newly Promoted Teams – Sunderland (1999/2000)
Manager: Peter Reid
League Position: 7th
It would be grossly unfair to attribute an entire club’s success to the feats of one player. But that’s unfortunately the nature of the beast sometimes.
And such is the case with the 1999/2000 Sunderland side.
Kevin Phillips scored a staggering 30 goals in England’s top division. To this day, Phillips remains the only Englishman to win the European Golden Shoe.
But I’d hate to be overly reductive towards this side.
Peter Reid was a wily campaigner who never had the luxury of Nuno’s financial war-chest. He had to Scrooge McDuck it, largely relying on the squad that helped secure promotion.
But he did make some shrewd acquisitions, crucially securing the services of Arsenal legend Steve Bould (whom he named club captain). Bould’s leadership qualities and winning mentality made him the ideal man to lead this club.
And let’s not forget the unsung hero of their potent attacking play: Niall Quinn. This was an era where the big-man, little-man routine still had some traction (Owen-Heskey, Zola-Flo). Little did we know that these partnerships would soon become as obsolete as VHS (although someone hasn’t told Burnley that yet). As a matter of fact, I’m pretty certain that Sean Dyche still conducts his post-game analysis on a VCR. But I digress.
Let’s move on to number three in our list of the best newly promoted teams in the history of the Premier League.
#3 – Best Newly Promoted Teams – Nottingham Forest (1994/1995)
Manager: Frank Clark
League Position: 3rd
The early 90’s was a tumultuous period for Forest. They were approaching the end of Brian Clough’s reign, a glorious period that included back-to-back European Cup titles.
But league results had stagnated (a fact obscured by back-to-back FA Cup Final defeats in 1991 and ’92).
Clough’s final season as manager ended ignominiously, with Forest relegated from the top flight for the first time in 16 years. Uncertainty reigned supreme.
Forest roared back to the Premier League under the stewardship of Frank Clark (a venerated member of their 1979 European Cup winning side).
Stan Collymore was instrumental in their promotion campaign and his stock absolutely skyrocketed in the top flight. The former Southend prospect scored 22 goals in a sensational season.
Clark also showed glimpses of managerial imagination. He purchased Dutch wide-player Bryan Roy and converted him into a highly effective centre-forward. Lars Bohinen pulled the strings in midfield while Steve Stone and Ian Woan provided plenty of natural width.
They also had an uncompromising defensive unit, spearheaded by the quintessential British bulldog: Stuart Pearce. You’ve heard the old barflies lamenting the softness of modern football, glorifying the era when men were still men (what they are now escapes me). Pearce was a holdover from that era (he famously threatened to break Michael Owen’s legs prior to a match at St James’ Park).
Collymore would leave the following season to pursue an ill-fated Liverpool career. Forest were never quite the same again.
#2 – Best Newly Promoted Teams – Newcastle United (1993/1994)
Manager: Kevin Keegan
League Position: 3rd
And you wonder why Newcastle fans go ballistic when Rio Ferdinand defends Mike Ashley.
This Newcastle side exploded onto the scene in the 2nd year of the Premier League, truly earning their reputation as ‘The Entertainers’.
Sir John Hall and Kevin Keegan oversaw a radical transformation of both St James’ Park and the Newcastle squad.
Peter Beardsley returned, adding that sliver of fairy-dust that helped make this dream a reality. He was the perfect foil for Andy Cole’s fox-in-the-box shenanigans. Cole was devastating during this campaign, playing with a schoolyard effervescence that he arguably never replicated at United (despite all the success).
They weren’t shrinking violets either, with veteran pros like John Beresford lending them considerable street-cred.
As an interesting sidenote, Newcastle fielded a full-English starting 11 in their 3-0 victory over Liverpool. How times have changed.
When people reflect on the halcyon days of Newcastle United, they tend to mythologize Shearer’s goals and Ginola’s hair (for good reason, on both counts). But this was Newcastle’s most impressive season for me, drafting the blueprint for their buccaneering style of play and laying the foundation for the title runs that were to follow.
But, there’s one side who beat them in our list of the best newly promoted teams in the history of the Premier League…
#1 – Best Newly Promoted Teams – Ipswich Town (2000/2001)
Manager: George Burley
League Position: 5th
Ipswich Town is a club with a storied past, with icons such as Alf Ramsey and Bobby Robson embedded in its DNA.
But that was ancient history by the time George Burley’s men returned to the big show in 2000/2001. Ipswich had only featured in 3 of the past 14 top-flight campaigns.
Promoted via play-off and operating on a meagre budget, Ipswich were considered certainties for the drop.
But who said there’s no romance in football?
Ipswich shook the foundations of a seemingly impregnable league. United were virtually omnipotent whilst Arsenal were edging towards invincibility (Liverpool were also busy winning their ragtag quadruple).
Ipswich managed to keep pace with these giants, finishing just four points behind 2nd placed Arsenal.
Players such as Holland and Scowcroft were etched into Ipswich folklore while Burley was named Manager of the Year.
Marcus Stewart scored 19 league goals in a campaign that also included a League Cup semi-final.
The following season, the Portman Road faithful would be treated to a 1-0 UEFA Cup win against Inter Milan. That was a rare glimmer of light in an otherwise dismal 2001/2002 campaign. Ipswich struggled to negotiate the dual responsibilities of domestic and European football and were sadly relegated.
Still, the Tractor Boys had lived up to their agricultural moniker, ploughing their way into the annals of Premier League history with this exceptional campaign.
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Top 5 – Best Newly Promoted Teams in Premier League History
