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Historically there have always been teams who fall between two stools, too good for the second tier but out of their depth in the top-flight. 

Subsequently, yo-yo clubs have existed since way back when.

Most Relegations From Premier League

• Norwich City – relegated six times
• West Bromwich Albion – relegated five times
• Leicester City – relegated five times
• Burnley – relegated four times
• Middlesbrough – relegated four times
• Sheffield United – relegated four times
• Sunderland - relegated four times
• Watford - relegated four times

The introduction of parachute payments however has seen this concept become a phenomenon in recent years and it’s no surprise to learn that the eight clubs who have dropped from the Premier League four times or more since 1992 are all firmly established members of the yo-yo fraternity. 

They come up, having out-scored the rest and boasting a high percentage of clean sheets. They immediately plummet, thrashed most weeks and hopelessly outclassed. 

By the following May, they are feeling champion again. 

Such has been Norwich City’s fate – on and off – for over 30 years now, and the Canaries can take great pride in navigating five promotions to the promised land, a record in the modern era. 

That though only tells half of their tale. 

Norwich City – 6 Relegations

The founding of the Premier League coincided with a high-water mark for Norwich, a terrific side fronted by Mark Robins and Chris Sutton challenging for the title right through until spring. 

A year later they famously beat Bayern Munich in Europe, a performance still cherished in East Anglia. 

Yet just two seasons after finishing third in the Premier League’s inaugural campaign Norwich were down, undone by an atrocious second half to 1994/95. On New Year’s Day they were ninth. 

If that tumultuous period demonstrates how boom-and-bust Norwich can be it pales to a more recent example. Across four seasons from 2018/19 on, the Canaries twice finished top of the Championship and twice finished bottom of the Premier League.

Leicester City– 5 Relegations

The Foxes have twice upset the football odds in the last decade, first winning a fairy tale title in 2016 against all logic and expectation, before going down in 2023 when many were tipping them for a top-half finish.

Elsewhere, relegations have been suffered in 1995, 2002, 2004, and 2025 with an additional demotion occurring in 2008 that took the East Midlanders down to the third tier.

Their 2002 campaign stands out as being a particularly poor vintage, with a pitiful 30 goals scored and just 28 points accrued.  

West Bromwich Albion – 5 Relegations

The Baggies are such a yo-yo club the fans have even taken to bouncing on the spot when celebrating a goal, shouting ‘boing boing’ as they do so. Let’s just say this is not a club overly associated with stability. 

Their first relegation took place in 2003, just twelve months after securing promotion. Their next tenure at the top saw an improvement, this time lasting two seasons after coming back up in the interim.

In 2008 they were promoted again, proudly as champions, but a meagre 32 points had them promptly depart the main stage, rock bottom to boot.

A year later they returned to the big-time, on this occasion lasting eight seasons. They even broke into the top ten in 2013, propelled by the goals of Romelu Lukaku.

2018 saw them bottom again come May but yet another promotion swiftly followed. Not even a fire-fighting Sam Allardyce could save them from an immediate stumble back to the Championship, however.

Is anyone’s head spinning? 

Burnley– 4 Relegations

For the first half of the Premier League era the Clarets could only dream of enduring relegation from the top-flight. Instead they languished in the lower divisions, at times facing financial oblivion.

Gaining a foothold in the second tier therefore was a huge plus for this marquee name in English football, a circumstance that greatly improved when Owen Coyle took over and guided Burnley out of the Championship via the Play-Offs in 2010. 

On that occasion, gravity soon took hold but several further stints among the elite have followed, courtesy of Sean Dyche and Vincent Kompany. Each relegation has hurt, but that’s nothing compared to their serious woes of yesteryear. 

Middlesbrough – 4 Relegations

Boro went down in the Premier League’s inaugural season but it’s their second relegation that stays long in the memory, a ridiculous state of affairs that can be read about here.

In summary, with a team illuminated by Juninho and spearheaded by Fabrizio Ravanelli, Boro somehow contrived to win only two of their 20 fixtures between mid-September and the start of March, a disastrous run to spiralled them into the drop-zone.

It was a postponed game with Blackburn Rovers around Christmas that ultimately did for them though, a subsequent three-point punishment costing them dear amidst a series of misunderstandings.

The North-East club have since endured the drop twice-over, in 2009 and 2017.

Sheffield United– 4 Relegations

One aspect of Premier League betting got significantly easier just a couple of months in to the Blades’ horror-show of a season in 2023/24.

Once a week it was simply necessary to check who Chris Wilder’s broken team were playing that weekend and back them to the hilt. Hey presto, quids in.

Across an arduous campaign, United won only three of their contests, shipping in a staggering 104 goals as the great, good and average lined up to beat them comfortably. 

It was a hard watch at times, though presumably Wednesday supporters enjoyed every sorry minute of it.  

Sunderland– 4 Relegations

When the Mackems are bad, they are very, very bad.

In 2002/03, they lost 15 games on the bounce, the longest losing streak in the Premier League era. Kevin Phillips bagged just shy of a third of their league goals that term, which initially sounds impressive. But the usually reliable hit-man converted only six times. 

Three years later they surpassed even this extreme level of poorness, breaking all manner of unwelcome records.

Only five weeks were spent away from the foot of the table as a substandard side featuring Jon Stead in attack and Anthony Le Tellec alongside him won only one game at home all season-long. 

They were down with weeks to spare. 

Watford– 4 Relegations

The Hornets have spent 22 seasons of the Premier League era in the Championship, and a further two in the third tier, and this surprises given their stature.

If top-flight sides was a category on Pointless you would be reluctant to plump for Watford. They would feel too obvious.

Moreover, they have experienced relegation in exactly half of their eight seasons at the summit.

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*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

Bagging Premier League hat-tricks is not for everyone. The feat eluded Niall Quinn despite the towering target-man converting 59 top-flight goals across many a season.

Craig Bellamy never managed one either, nor did Paolo Di Canio for that matter, and this suggests that a fiery temperament is not best suited to scoring three in a single game. 

Most Premier League Hat Tricks:

• Sergio Aguero – 12
• Alan Shearer – 11
• Robbie Fowler – 9
• Michael Owen – 8
• Harry Kane – 8
• Thierry Henry – 8
• Erling Haaland – 8

That’s because to do so requires a cold, clinical edge from the opening minute to the last. A relentless desire to get on the end of everything. Simply put, to never be satisfied with a mere two. To never be satisfied, full stop.

Nobody could claim that the seven natural born finishers below didn’t possess these traits in spades.

They defined themselves by goals. Indeed, they probably expected to score three-plus every time they crossed the white chalk. 

Of course, there is one among them who is set to smash all records when it comes to top-flight hatties, should he remain in English football for a while yet. We will get to him shortly. 

Michael Owen – 8

A teenage prodigy, Owen notched on his debut for Liverpool and then never stopped, quickly racking up formidable numbers that even now are gob-smacking.

Aged 18 he banged in 18 league goals for the Reds. Having just turned 19, he secured his first hat-trick, away at Sheffield Wednesday.

He was still a teen when he fired another hat-trick, this time at Newcastle, following that up soon after with a quartet of strikes in a single afternoon at Anfield. 

Owen was already well on his way to scoring 118 in 216 Premier League appearances for his boyhood club.  

Harry Kane – 8

Having spent time on loan at Leicester, aiding his development, Kane showed scant gratitude by firing his first hat-trick against them in the spring of 2015. There followed one a season on average as

Tottenham’s record goal-scorer ran riot in the English top-flight, terrorising goalkeepers and breaking opposition hearts for close to a decade.

It should not be forgotten either that Kane has to date fired five hatties for his country, one of which came in a World Cup finals. 

Thierry Henry – 8

Mr Va-Va-Voom scored a hat-trick every 32 games for the Gunners and so sublime was his talent, and so immense his contribution to English football, that it genuinely surprises to learn that he ‘only’ scored eight in the league for Arsenal.

It also surprises that it took him 49 games – and 27 goals – before he secured his first, an undoing of Leicester that was made to appear straightforward but really wasn’t. Naturally, none were tap-ins.

Once in the groove however there was no stopping him, his best – and most memorable – treble coming at the expense of Liverpool in Arsenal’s Invincible season.

His first was a cool dispatching of a long ball. For his second he slalomed past Did Hamann and Jamie Carrgher, sending both players to the deck in sheer bewilderment. 

He finished off proceedings with a clever angled run and neat poke from close range. 

“Who could argue that this is the world’s hottest striker?” So asked commentator Peter Drury and not one of the watching public raised their hand.

An interesting quirk is that all eight of Henry’s trios were scored at Highbury. 

Erling Haaland – 8

There are many different ways to try and put Haaland’s freakish goal-scoring feats into some form of context, all of which blow the mind. 

Try this one for size.

The Striking Viking has already equalled the same number of hat-tricks as Harry Kane, Michael Owen and Thierry Henry, three of the greatest practitioners of forward-play this country has ever witnessed. 

Kane reached eight trebles after 320 appearances. Henry needed 258. Owen, 326. Haaland has matched them after just 70 outings in sky blue.

By the time he’s done he will surely surpass Sergio Aguero and be crowned as the Premier League’s hat-trick king. It could well be a figure nobody else comes close to for the rest of time. 

So prolific is the 24-year-old he really should have his own section in the live betting markets. He is a law unto himself. 

Robbie Fowler – 9

It is August 28th, 1995, and Liverpool are hosting Arsenal at Anfield. 

A week earlier, for the season’s curtain-raiser, the Reds had thrashed Crystal Palace 6-1 so they were in fine spirits. The Gunners for their part were very much a side in transition, two years away from Arsene Wenger’s arrival.

That takes nothing away though from what transpired that afternoon, with teenager Robbie Fowler bagging two in quick succession, just two minutes apart in fact.

Liverpool’s wonderkid had got on the score-sheet against Palace and already had a league hat-trick to his name. But this wasn’t just about whether he could add a third. History was beckoning.

One minute and 49 seconds later and a momentous feat was duly achieved, a lofted throughball by John Barnes finding the artful prowler in a yard of space. The rest was inevitable.

Fowler scored eight other hat-tricks – all but one of them for Liverpool, the other for Leeds – but a three-goal maelstrom inside five minutes was unprecedented and special. 

Alan Shearer – 11

From the mid-Nineties to the mid-2000s, Newcastle were never favourites in the Premier League betting for any meaningful silverware but in Shearer they possessed the most fearsome striker in the world. 

A colossal 260 Premier League goals is testament to that, a figure that is streets ahead of the rest, some of whom are stonewall goal-scoring legends in their own right.

It’s a century more than Mo Salah’s current tally. It’s 52 more than Wayne Rooney. 

Naturally, such an abundance of finishes includes a high number of hat-tricks, 11 to be precise and here we return to the introduction and those rare traits.

Shearer had a relentless obsession to hit the back of the net on a weekly basis right through to the final whistle. 

Sergio Aguero – 12

The Argentine was a one-man spree of pace, trickery and lethal execution who fired 184 league goals for Manchester City in 275 appearances. That equates to a strike every 107 minutes across 10 goal-laden seasons.

Thirty-six of this tremendous haul – or 19.5% - was made up of hat-tricks, or sometimes more too.

Against Newcastle in 2015, Aguero blasted five goals inside 20 minutes, from just nine touches of the ball in that period, before being subbed with ample time left.

An unheard-of double hatty was surely on the cards that afternoon given the haunted look in the goalkeeper’s eyes.

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*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

It’s been an exciting golf season with first-time major champions, playoffs, and even a golfer who had one of the best seasons in history since Tiger Woods.

If you want to get in on the action and excitement but aren’t sure how golf betting works, we have a brief overview to help you see what it’s all about.

If you are new to golf betting, these essential tips can get you started and help you find some early success before you find your groove. 

1) Understand Different Types of Bets

Before you start placing golf bets, it’s important to understand the various types of bets you can place. The most common and the one you likely know about is the outright winner bet; however, some other options may include. 

• Top 10 finishes

• Daily leaders/low rounds

• Matchups - one player performing better than another 

• Prop bets - which involve specific outcomes like a hole-in-one, etc 

There is no right or wrong way to do this. However, as you start placing your bets, you may get a feel for a certain type of bet you are good at making. Use that to your advantage and look at the variety of options you have. 

2) Learn How to Read Golf Odds

Most golf bets are presented as fractional odds. For instance, a golf bet of 10/1 means that for every £1 you bet, you’ll win £10 if your bet is successful.

The greater the odds a player has of winning a tournament, the less money you will win by betting on them. 

Golfers who enter the event with little chance of winning may receive larger payouts if they play well or win. Being comfortable with odds formats is essential for tracking your bets and understanding your potential returns.

3) Research Player and Course History

Are golf betting picks random? Is there really a way to tell who is going to play best? Absolutely. 

You can do quite a bit of research into the player, especially when playing a course for the second or even third time.

Some players have a course that suits them well, and they play well year after year. For example, a player who has never missed a cut at a particular event over the years could be somebody to look at for a top-10 finish. 

You’ll also be able to look at courses like links style or something that requires more precision shots and see which players tend to handle those golf courses the best. A long course may be a good option for golfers with lots of distance off the tee. 

4) Consider Weather and Outside Conditions

Staying on top of the details of a golf event in the days before it can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your bet. Wind, rain, and even temperature changes can impact a player's performance. 

Take a look at the playing field and do some research into which players handle things like windy conditions or inclement weather.

Golf is a much different game when the rain gear comes out! Some players handle it well and accept the additional challenge, while others struggle. 

5) Start Small 

Small bets are a great idea if you are new to golf betting. They allow you to learn the ropes without the risk of spending too much money.

As you gain more experience and become up to date with the players on the PGA, LIV, or even DP World Tour and their weekly performances, it’s easy to increase the amount you bet. 

6) Avoid Betting on Big Names Only

If you followed the 2024 golf season, you know that Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele dominated.

They were at the top of the leaderboard in almost anything they played, and because of that, the odds were always in their favour. 

While it is tempting to bet on these players, in the end, it could be a much lower payout if you were to win. Look at some players under the radar that can offer higher returns. Golfers' games tend to run hot and cold. 

If someone had a strong finish the week before, there is a chance that this week is their week to reach the top of the leaderboard. 

7) Use Betting Resources and Apps

Use betting resources like the 888Sport tournament previews and publications to learn some things about the course, the players, and the trends in betting at that time.

There are also forums dedicated to golf betting where you can learn what other golf betters may be having success with. Keep a close eye on player stats and ensure you know how they are trending. 

8) Final Tip For Betting On Golf

Golf betting can make you feel like you are inside the ropes and more involved with every golf tournament you watch.

Learning what it takes to make a smart bet and then using that knowledge as the season progresses can help you see what makes betting on golf so enjoyable.

For those who like stats, odds, and following their favourite players closely, golf betting is a great fit.

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*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*