Features

Worst ever Premier League teams

Author: John Harris
Date: 29/09/2009
Football betting

Portsmouth have now slumped to seven straight league defeats - the worst start any side has made to a Premier League campaign.

Beleaguered Pompey boss Paul Hart watched from the sidelines as Everton twisted the knife in some more with Louis Saha netting in a 1-0 victory at Fratton Park.

With Portsmouth overwhelming sports betting favourites for the drop, they have it all to do.

If Portsmouth's terrible form continues, they could join a select few who are viewed as being the elite league's worst and we will take a look back at some of the once whipping boys of the top-flight.

Can Portsmouth clamber out of the Premier League mire? - Latest Football Betting

Swindon Town, 1993/94

Swindon Town surprised many by securing promotion to the Premier League following an epic 4-3 play-off final success against Leicester City.

Player-manager Glenn Hoddle scored in the final but he left for Chelsea with John Gorman taking the reins.

The Robins enjoyed their time in the Premier League but were out of their depth.

Winning just five games and losing 22, the County Ground outfit also conceded 100 goals as they accumulated just 30 points.

They made many friends during their single-season stay and unearthed Norwegian flier Jan-Aage Fjortoft as well as parading John Moncur, Brian Kilcline and Paul Bodin in their crestfallen team.

Sunderland, 2005/06

The Black Cats' disastrous Premier League campaign in 2002/03 was worsened during their 2005/06 efforts as they crashed out of the league with a paltry 15 points.

After scoring just 26 goals on their way to three wins and a massive 29 defeats from 38 games, the north-east outfit ended the season 15 points behind West Bromwich Albion.

Mick McCarthy was sacked with 10 games of the campaign remaining with Kevin Ball taking over initially before Roy Keane was installed as the next permanent manager.

Derby County, 2007/08

The Rams endured a horrible spell in the Premier League as they stuttered and spluttered to a demoralising 11 points from 38 games - a current record low.

Manager Paul Jewell was under no illusions that the season had been a nightmare and suggested: "It has been a long, hard season, a terrible season and a very difficult time."

They won just one game all season, away at Newcastle United, and this was under Jewell's predecessor Billy Davies who left after picking up just six points from the first 14 games.

Davies had been removed and replaced with Jewell who could not halt the slide towards the bottom of the league.

Only 20 goals were scored and they finished a massive 24 points behind Birmingham City.

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