Down and out – how Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton returned to the Championship

Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton became only the second trio of promoted clubs to be relegated in the same Premier League season.

Bolton, Barnsley and Crystal Palace in 1997-98 were the only teams to previously suffer the same fate and here, the PA news agency looks at how the current crop compares.

Down and out

This season’s bottom three have an unsavory case to be considered the worst relegated trio of the Premier League era, setting several records of futility.

The Blades in particular have failed to compete on their return to the top flight, winning just three games and conceding a record 104 goals – Swindon’s previous mark of 100 was set in a 42-game season.

Derby’s 11-point 2007-08 side held the previous 38-game record of 89 goals against, as well as the worst goal difference, with Chris Wilder’s side equaling that record of -69.

Luton and Burnley did a handful of better things but still won just six and five games respectively and could have been down earlier if not for the points deduction given to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest on financial grounds.

The bottom three finished with a combined 66 points, with the previous lowest total for relegated sides being 76 in 2018-19, when Cardiff, Fulham and Huddersfield finished with 34, 26 and 16 respectively.

Fulham’s 28 points in their next relegation season 2020-21 were the fewest for the 18th-placed side – or the top equivalent of the relegation zone in 22-team seasons – to Luton’s 26 this mandate.

Forest’s 32, admittedly affected by that four-point penalty on profitability and sustainability, is the lowest ever for a surviving team – a record previously held by West Brom’s 34 in 2004-05.

Better from Bolton

While the class of 1997-98 is unlucky to be lumped in with this season’s strugglers, Bolton in particular is unlucky to be remembered that way.

Wanderers won the 1996-97 Championship with 98 points – a record almost identical to Burnley’s 101-point title-winning campaign last season under Vincent Kompany and 18 clear of second-placed Barnsley.

They then finished 40th in the Premier League and were only relegated on goal difference behind 17th-placed Everton. In a 38-game season, only West Ham have dropped more points – 42 in 2002-03.

Barnsley finished five behind on 35 and even bottom club Palace, promoted by David Hopkin’s last-minute play-off final winner against the Blades, reached 33 – a total that would have ensured survival this season .

Bolton then reached the play-off final in 1998-99, but a 2-0 defeat at Watford meant they missed out on an immediate return – and with Barnsley and Palace finishing 12th and 14th respectively, the omens did not are positive as this year’s trio try to bounce back.

Narrow escape

The 2004–05 season came close to joining the list, with Norwich and Palace dropping straight back down and West Brom finishing 17th with their then-record 34 points.

Goals from Geoff Horsfield and Kieran Richardson in a final-day win over Portsmouth left Albion a point above the dotted line and just two behind bottom club Southampton.

Burnley finished 16th in 2016-17, while promoted sides Hull and Middlesbrough went straight down, while Sunderland were just three points above the drop zone in 15th in 2007-08 as Derby set up a points record and Birmingham also only lasted one season. .