Leeds, Southampton, Sheffield Wed, Forest – which Premier League old boy is missed the most?

This season marks the return to the Premier League for Queens Park Rangers after a fifteen-year absence from the top flight of English football. QPR were one of the founding members of the Premier League back in 1992, but after three relatively successful seasons, Ray Wilkins was unable to steer his side clear of the drop in 1996 as QPR were relegated to Division One. Various financial troubles and off-field issues began to dominate the headlines at Loftus Road as QPR struggled to mount a substantial challenge to get back in to the Premier League. Last seasons, Neil Warnock led his side to the Championship league title and automatic promotion back to the Premier League and everybody involved with the club will be desperate for QPR to remain in the top flight after such a long period in the lower divisions.

While QPR have managed to earn their place back in Premier League, there are a number of ‘old boys’ who have not been so fortunate following their relegation from the division, and I’d like to know which of these we have missed the most?

Nottingham Forest:

After sixteen years of top flight football in which Nottingham Forest had won a league title and two European Cups, Brian Clough’s side were relegated from the newly formed Premier League in 1993. In an eighteen-year spell in charge of Forest, Clough established himself as one of the great managers of English football, and Forest as one of the great sides. After a season in Division One, Forest returned to the Premier League only to be relegated again in 1997. Dave Bassett earned the club promotion back to the top flight in ’98, however they finished bottom for the third time in seven seasons, and have failed to win promotion to the Premier League ever since.

The closest Forest have come to a return to the top flight was in 2003, when they finished sixth in the league, and lost their play-off semi-final to Sheffield United. In 2005, the club were relegated to League One, and became the first former European cup winners to suffer relegation to the third tier of domestic football. In 2008, Forest returned to the Championship and are currently managed by former England boss Steve McClaren. Having established themselves as one of the best clubs in the country, Forest have been unable to mount any real challenge for a place in the Premier League since 1999.

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Sheffield Wednesday:

Sheffield Wednesday earned promotion from the First Division in 1992, booking their place in the newly formed Premier League for the following season. Wednesday’s debut season in the top-flight saw them finish seventh in the league, though they were also both FA Cup and League Cup finalists the same year. In the following years, Wednesday established themselves as a Premier League side, and finished consecutive seasons around the mid-table. In 1998, The Owls suffered a disastrous season including an 8-0 hammering at the hands of Newcastle, and Wednesday were relegated to Divison One at the end of the campaign.

In 2003, Wednesday were relegated again to the third tier of English football, however they did win promotion back to the Championship in 2005 After a period that saw frequent changes in the managerial post at Hillsborough, Sheffield Wednesday are still generally found towards the lower end of the Championship league table. The club have never come close to winning promotion back to the Premier League, and after a relatively successful six-year spell in the top flight between ’92 and ’98, many expected this side to return almost immediately to the Premier League.

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Southampton:

When the Premier League was formed in 1992, Southampton had already established themselves as a top-flight team having played in the division since 1978. During a 13-year spell in the Premier League, Southampton went through various managerial phases, and the likes of Matt Le Tissier among others had helped to prove that the club could compete in the top tier of English football. Like Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton generally ended their campaigns around the middle of the table, but in 2005 newly appointed manager Harry Redknapp was unable to save the Saints from relegation, thus ending 27 successive seasons of top flight football for the club.

In their first season in the Championship, Southampton looked to be in danger of their second relegation in as many years, however a turn in form in the latter period of the season helped the club to safety. Such safety was short-lived, and despite reaching the play-off semi-finals in 2007, Southampton were relegated to League One in 2009. In May 2011, the club achieved promotion back into the Championship, and currently sit second after five games in to the new campaign. Having established themselves as Premier League regulars, nobody could have anticipated the effect that relegation had on the club, and only now do the Saints look at all likely to challenge for promotion back to the top-flight.

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Leeds United:

Leeds United were the last side to win the First Division championship, before the Premier League era began in 1992. However, in the season that followed the defending champions narrowly avoided relegation. Leeds looked to improve the following year, and began to build a team capable of breaking in to the top European competitions. In 1998, David O’Leary was appointed manager at Elland Road, and brought in both Jonathan Woodgate and Alan Smith to join up with the likes of Harry Kewelll and Jimmy Floyd Hasselabaink already at the club, as Leeds finished fourth and then third in consecutive seasons, qualifying for the Champions League in 2000. After a successful run that ended in a semi-final defeat to Valencia, Leeds were faced with a number of financial difficulties and forced to sell some of their top players, including Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Keane, and Robbie Fowler.

Leeds never really managed to discover the kind of form required in the Premier League after the sale of these key players, and despite rebuilding a side including the promising young talent of James Milner and Aaron Lennon, Leeds were eventually relegated to the Championship in 2004. In 2006, Leeds lost the play-off final at the hands of Watford, and things went from bad to worse as the club were relegated again the following season, after voluntarily entering administration in 2007. After three consecutive seasons in which Leeds reached the play-offs, Simon Grayson guided Leeds back to the Championship in 2010, and his side narrowly missed out on the play-offs last season. Leeds are renowned for their passionate fans and there is an air optimism around Elland Road this year, and a sense that promotion back to the Premier League may not be too far away.

Which of these Premier League ‘old boys’ do you think we have missed the most? Do you expect any of them to be back any time soon? Let me know either below or @sixthofficial on Twitter!

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