It’s been a very long time since there was an intruder into the Premiership who might just take the title.
The Premiership has generally been a carve-up mainly concerning Man. Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea. Although, of late, Man. City have shown more than a passing interest.
The only other team to earn a mention in the leagues history is Blackburn Rovers who did a “Leicester” in 1994/95 season when they astounded everyone, except their manager, Kenny Dalglish, when they took the top spot.
Going back in time and including the old Football League there was hardly ever an upset. e.g. a team from the bottom half of the previous season’s league table winning the title.
Those that do stand out are very few indeed. For me there are only two which are memorable.
In the old Football League in 1960/61 Ipswich Town were promoted as Division 2 Champions. They then did the unthinkable and won the First Division Title at the first attempt. This gave them entry into the European Cup in which they won their first tie 14 – 1 on aggregate versus Maltese side Floriana. They were then seen off by A.C. Milan.
Their glory days in the First Division didn’t last for too long either. They finished their second season in the top division just four points above the relegated sides.
The following season saw them relegated as wooden spoonists.
The next interlopers of note, were Blackburn Rovers.
They found themselves in the newly formed Premier League having won via the “play-offs”. By this time they had a new chairman, Jack Walker who had installed Kenny Dalglish as manager.
They had been quietly plied their trade in the new Premier League. Finishing fourth in the inaugural season 13 points behind champions Man. Utd. The following season again ended in Man. Utd being crowned Champions and just 8 points behind in second place was Blackburn Rovers.
The 1994/95 season saw them finish ahead of Man. Utd, depriving them of a third successive title by 0ne point.
From this high position they soon found themselves floundering finishing 7th, 13th and then 6th, before being relegated (19th) in the 1998/99 season.
They returned to the Premiership for the 2001/02 season after finishing seccond behind Fulham. The 2002/03 season saw their best position (6th) during their eleven year spell before once more being relegated. Apart from that one season their form was never realy more than moderate.
Man. Ciry were promoted from the First Division at the end of 2001/02 season. However they didn’t make too much of an impact until the 2009/10 season whenthey finished 5th. Thereafter they didn’t act like intruders as they finished third the following season and then finished as Premiership Champions 2011/12. This was folloewd by another second place and then they won their second Premiership title in 2013/14. Last season they again slipped to second place. So now we cannot really call them intruders.
With all the money now floating around the Premiership clubs it remains to be seen whether any other non-fashionable sides make any kind of breakthrough.
The likes of Arsenal cannot be ruled out, of course, but will we see a resurgent Tottenham hotspurs or Liverpool make their presence felt in the coming seasons?
Man. utd must always be considered too but only time will tell what damage has been done to them since Ferguson left them pretty much high and dry.
