Soccer fans know what they’re getting themselves in for when they choose to support an underperforming team. If in spite of the best of clubs in your local area, you decide the don the colors and be a fan of Rochdale, a Tranmere, a Barnet, then you’ve taken the noble but difficult path in life.
It’s a lifetime of disappointing long coach journeys back from some of the most miserable places the UK has to offer, having watched your side fail to register a shot on target. It’s okay. You knew exactly what you were signing up for; you don’t buy yourself a Scunthorpe season ticket because you’re expecting to see Champions League football within the next three years. Although these club supporters know there’s no Champions League football, they don’t allow that to hinder them from winning one or two best online blackjack real money games in every match.
But what happens when one supports a team that is traditionally not too bad but ends up letting you down on a weekly basis? Now that’s another great realm of disappointment the beautiful sport has got to offer.
So, here below, we take a look at the club who fits into that very category and crown the very biggest underachievers in British football starting with Charlton Athletic and ends with Bolton Wanderers.
1. Charlton Athletic
Without any doubt, Charlton Athletic was formerly a giant of the English game. Prior to Charlton relegation in 2010, the Addicks had only spent two seasons outside of the top two divisions since 1935. Just 16 years ago they finished seventh in the Premier League under former boss Alan Curbishly. The Addicks have since spent 50% of the last decade in League One. And with behind the scenes turmoil, according to reports, currently unfolding at the Valley, it’s likely things will get worse before they get better for Charlton fans.
2. Bradford City
Next on the list is Bradford City who spent a couple of seasons in the Premier League either side of the millennium, but tumbled into League Two after suffering a series of financial woes in 2007. The club former boss Phil Parkinson did a great job while in charge of the club, and their current situation would have changed tremendously had they won the 2017 League One playoff final, but that never happened. Two years later, Bradford City was relegated and now ply their trade in England’s League Two division. The Parafers are currently ranked a fourth-tier side with a 25,000-seater stadium.
3. Newcastle United
Newcastle United was one of the best teams in the country far back in the ’90s and early 2000s. However, the Magpies of today have wilted into a mid-table competitor and Premier League relegation survivors. Under the tutelage of Kevin Keegan and Bobby Robson, Newcastle United were all out gun blazing, competing in the Champions League football and challenging for the Premier League title. Watching their stars in the likes of Alan Shearer, Gary Speed, David Ginola and Titus Bramble bring joy to one’s heart; it is quite a fall from grace at the moment for Newcastle. And yeah, its well over 50 years they won a major trophy. But are they the worst underachieving side in the northeast? Definitely not, read on!
4. Aston Villa
Everyone knows Aston Villa is the royal family of English football; they’re steeped in a rich history, but we’re not really sure what the point is in keeping them around in the Premier League in the 21st century. The Villans, as per their nickname, are one of English football’s traditionally huge clubs; to their name, they have the following, eight-time champions of England (although only once since the First World War), seven-time FA Cup winners (a full two claimed after WWI) and European Cup winners in 1982. In short, we feel the Villans are a club that should be challenging for a place in Europe, not a mid-table competition, and celebrating Premier League relegation survival every season.
5. Middlesbrough
The Middlesbrough team was one of the Premier League regulars throughout the 2000s, and they even did the unthinkable when they won the League Cup and reach the UEFA Cup final under Steve McClaren. However, they were kicked out in the Premier League under Gareth Southgate (terrible guy, so many fans took to the best online casinos uk and bet that was the end of his career, but no, he’s now in charge of England’s Three Lions national team) and bar a brief top-flight return in 2016, have largely stagnated in the second tier. Over the years, Boro has not shown convincing performance to justify they are one fo the clubs with a divine right to be in the Premier League.
6. Sheffield Wednesday
In Sheffield, it’s hard walking a minute without you not seeing three to five Sheffield Wednesday fans on the street. The Owls are four-time champions of England and three-time FA Cup winners – although admittedly these honours all came before the Second World War. Throughout the 80s and 90s, before everything got worst, they were a mainstay side in the top flight and were founding members of the Premier League. However, after their relegation in the year 2000, Sheffield Wednesday have not been able to win a return back to the top flight. Their 12-point deduction last season could well see Sheffield languishing in the Championship for a little while.
7. Sunderland
Sunderland, who boast six-time champions of England and a two-time FA Cup winners – one of which was their famous 1973 underdog race to the title, the Black Cats have spent 100 of their 130 years of existence in the England top flight. With the highest number of attendance outside the Premier League, the Black Cats are one of English’s football biggest sleeping giants.
8. Bolton
Bolton is by no means the biggest club on this list. But in terms of the stature of the club in comparison to the predicament they currently find themselves in, they take the top spot. The Trotters really hit hard in the 2000s with two stints into the UEFA Cup before capitulating in the 20102 and 2020 by relegation to the fourth tier of English football for the second time in their history. Bolton went from playing against the likes of Atletico Madrid and Sporting CP with the likes of Nicolas Anelka and Jay-Jay Okocha in their rank to seeing Harrogate Town on their fixture list. Nothing more can be said of this team other than, they’re truly the definition of ‘fall from grace.’