- The Premier League has had 51 different clubs feature since the first season in 1992.
- Where have these fallen giants gone? 32 years on we investigate what happened to these teams.
The English leagues are littered with teams that have exited the Premier League, we refer to these as Fallen Giants. There are 51 teams that have featured in the EPL since it’s inception in 1992, that means there are 31 that are in other divisions.
Some of these teams are not too far away, residing in the Championship, where others have fallen further away. These teams make for a great Fallen giants challenge or rebuild, getting them back to the best league in the world will not be easy.
Barnsley
The club from the North which is known for it’s recruitment of random South Americans. Barnsley spent one year in the top flight in 97/98, where they struggled to make the impact that they wanted, and they join the fallen giants challenge list. They have been absent for 26 years and have unfortunately fallen down into league one for the second time.
On FM24 the media are predicting they come 3rd in the league so that is a positive. This club has a long way to go, it won’t be easy, but we have seen teams like Leicester and Southampton rise from this level and get back into the big time!
Birmingham city
What on Earth is happening at Birmingham City? This year they have had 4 different managers and been relegated, this is going to be a challenge in FM25. Either way this is FM24, they are in the Championship currently so only one step away. They have a media prediction of 17th in the league so the challenge will start tough. Welcome to the fallen giants list!
Blackburn Rovers
Once a powerhouse in the Premier League winning it in 1995, they really do lead the list of fallen giants. The Kenny Dalglish team including Alan Shearer, Chris Sutton, Colin Hendry and Tim Sherwood. They stuck it out for a number of years, but eventually dwindled in the league and were relegated.
Now they are hanging around midtable in the Championship after a brief one season stint in League One a few years ago. To bring Blackburn back to glory in the Premier League on FM24 would be one of the ultimate challenges.
blackpool
Everyone remembers the fallen giants of Blackpool, with their bright orange kit and Charlie Adam. Despite having a really small squad Blackpool were brilliant in the first half of the season sitting in 9th. The second half of the season was a disaster and they ended the season in 19th.
Since they exited the Premier League things have not gone well and they now live in League One. This would be a fantastic challenge to take on bringing them back to the big time.
Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers the home of anti football as it called under Sam Allardyce. Under Allardyce, Bolton spent a good duration in the Premier League but over the years they have suffered. While on a revival over the last couple of years, they hit rock bottom being relegated to league two.
Now they are in league one with a prediction of 2nd in the league, there are signs this team is turning a corner. This is a good time to take charge and push them back to the Premier League on FM24.
Bradford city
When we talk about fallen giants and Bradford, we normally think about when Bradford beat Arsenal in the league cup. What a lot of people do not realise is that Bradford in the Premier League for a couple of years.
Unfortunately they hit a downward spiral in the last twenty years and reside in League Two. The good news is that they are predicted to finish 5th on FM24 which is playoff territory. This would be a challenge to take them back to the EPL and revive these fallen giants.
cardiff city
For years Cardiff City were one of the best teams in the Championship just getting unlucky in the playoffs. They finally got there promotion to the EPL and were quite promptly dumped after one season. After this unfortunate event, They got a second chance in the Premier League a few years later and the same thing happened.
They now sit around the midtable of the Championship just waiting for the right manager to push them up once again. They are predicted to finish 18th, so the first season will be about strengthening the team. On FM24 there is an opportunity to take this club further than they have ever been.
Charlton Athletic
At the turn of the millennium Charlton were in the Premier League and were a main stay for a number of years. Eventually they succumbed to a bad season where they were relegated to the Championship. They were only there for a couple of seasons before dropping down to League One.
Since then they have gone up a couple of times to instantly return back to League One. On FM24 they are predicted 7th which is a good spot to start a promotion rally. AS fallen giants go this could be a good starter challenge.
coventry city
Coventry are another team that is on the up. After nearly collapsing and falling all the way down to League Two they have made steady progress. Currently predicted 12th in the Championship they have forward momentum and potential to push on. On FM24 there is a fantastic opportunity to finish the great work they have already done.
derby county
One of the founding teams of the football league and one of the real fallen giants. Derby County have had a wonderful history, but the modern history has been rather sketchy. They had a lengthy spell in the EPL, and then the Championship, but find themselves in League One now.
This is what we call a slow decline, but are now predicted to win the league on FM24. This club will be an excellent challenge if you want to lean on the youth academy.
hull city
Hull City have had three spells in the EPL, but unfortunately not managed to solidify themselves longer than two seasons. The mighty Hull are famous for the Phil Brown moment where they were flying high and then capitulated. At the other of the spectrum they made an appearance in League One and bounced straight back up.
On FM24 they are predicted 16th in Championship meaning there is some work to go to strengthen the team, but just like Blackburn and Birmingham could push further. While one of the smaller fallen giants they would be a good challenge as they are not too far from glory.
Ipswich town
The team everyone is talking about at the moment. After a very successful League One campaign the have now gone on to be promoted to the EPL. Ipswich have had an unfortunate history falling down the leagues, quite literal fallen giants, but that is all behind them now.
Although they are predicted 10th in the league on FM24, they have a good foundation to start from and maybe you can repeat the success from real life.
Leeds united
Leeds United have been brilliant throughout their history, we all remember the Viduka, Smith, Kewell, Bowyer and Dacourt team. After the finances went to the wall the club went to pieces and as a result they slipped down the leagues to League One. This was the start of the financial fall giants.
They did manage to bounce back and get back to the EPL, but were relegated again last year. They are predicted to finish 2nd and have a very strong squad and should make light work of the Championship on FM24.
leicester city
Leicester like Blackburn Rovers are real fallen giants, winning the EPL against the odds in 2016. Since then though Leicester have hit a rough spot and find themselves back in the Championship. They are predicted to finish 1st on FM24 and under the right manager you will help them to storm back to the Prem.
middlesbrough
Middlesbrough used to be a mainstay in the Premier League until they were relegated in 2009. Since then they have been a mainstay in the Championship, apart from one season they went up and straight back down. Fallen giants seems a bit far fetched, but they did make a UEFA Cup final.
They are now looking for their next shot at the big time, predicted 4th, this would be great place for a manager to start out on FM24 and then stabilise them in the EPL.
norwich city
Norwich have been something of a yo-yo club over the years. They are looking to get up to the Premier League and stay there. Fallen giants might be a little over the top, but back in the day they even made Europe. They are predicted 5th which is no surprise on FM24, but let’s not make this another short trip to the EPL.
oldham athletic
Oldham are the lowest placed team on this list, they now feature in the Vanarama Conference division. They were in the EPL in 93/94 and since then have steadily declined through the leagues. It’s a sad story, but all they have managed over the years is to slow the bleeding.
They are predicted to finish 2nd in the conference on FM24, and would provide the ultimate challenge going to the Premier League. First mission is to get back to the professional leagues.
Reading
Reading have spent most of their modern history in the Championship. They had a couple of short runs in the Premier League, one with Steve Coppell that was a huge success finishing 8th. They were relegated the season after unfortunately. The second was an even bigger disappointment where they were relegated straight away.
Now they are predicted 8th in the League One, the objective is to get back to the Championship on FM24 and then push on.
sheffield wednesday
Ah Sheffield Wednesday, I have such fond memories of these fallen giants. Benito Carbone, Paolo Di Canio, Marc Degryse and Mark Bright. There is such a history attached to this club and it’s a shame the state they are in now, another one of the financial fallen giants.
While things have got better for the Owls by getting promoted from League One, the club is struggling for cash. With a media prediction of 21st on FM24, you are in for a battle in the first season to stay in the Championship. Once that is complete you can build your foundations and beyond.
southampton
Even with the most recent relegation Southampton make the fallen giants list. To summarise, Southampton and their history with the Premier League, they had two lengthy spells and a really bad time in the Championship and League One in between.
Now they are in the Championship again, and with the media predicting them as third they will probably bounce back in your first season. This is a nice easy challenge on FM24 for someone who wants to build their new future.
stoke city
Stoke have been on gradual decline since 2017-18 when they were relegated, hence hitting the fallen giants list. They hit midtable in the Championship and just stayed their every year since. In my opinion the worst thing what happened to them was losing Tony Pulis. Every so often a manager comes along and builds such a great culture, they are the very fabric of the club. Love him or hate him, he built a winning team with a culture.
Long gone are those days, and Stoke are predicted 9th in the Championship on FM24. You could get lucky in your first season and go up, especially through the playoffs.
sunderland
Sunderland are a team on the up, and about time too. They had a fantastic run as a midtable Premier League team for years, and then it happened. They were like a falling knife hitting League One which kept them there for 4 seasons. Now they are in the Championship for their second season and looking to move up. With a media prediction of 7th this could be one of easiest fallen giants to take back on FM24.
swansea city
Swansea were a team famed for there progressive football with Martinez and his Spanish superstars. They even compared Ashley Williams to Xavi due to the number of successful passes he made. Since relegation in 2017-18 to the Championship they have been involved in a couple of playoff games, but the momentum has now worn off.
Being predicted 15th in the league on FM24 looks like more of the same, the challenge here is getting out the Championship.
swindon town
This is a great one for a fallen giants challenge. Swindon featured in the 1993-94 season in the Premier League for one season. They now reside in League Two with a media prediction 10th. That means you could potentially get promoted in the first season and rebuild in League One. It will be a difficult challenge on FM24, but if you want a long term game this could be for you.
watford
Watford have had a number of attempts in the Premier League and ultimately ended in failure. Although the story is not as bad as other teams, Watford have just struggled to stick in the EPL. They have been the Championship for the last couple of years and are desperate to get back up.
Again with a Media prediction of 8th in the league, it is easy to dream that you could go up straight away. In terms of fallen giants, Watford have tried this a few times, so would be good to get them up and stay there on FM24.
west bromwich Albion
West Brom were a fixed feature in the Premier League for a while and as a result they are a fairly big club. In real life they are progressing by getting into the playoffs this year, so like a few of the clubs on this list you could take them up early. With a media prediction of 11th it reflects their midtable status on FM24. In the past they have been a yo-yo club, but with the right manager they could compete with their rivals Aston Villa again.
wigan
Wigan are probably the smallest club to ever feature in the Premier League, so to add them to the fallen giants challenge list seems ironic. They were very successful with their guerrilla football tactics and spent 8 years in the top flight. Since then though they have been flip flopping between the Championship and League One.
With a media prediction of 16th on FM24 and in League One you have your work cut out for you. The first thing is to break the vicious cycle of promotion and relegation between the two divisions. One of the biggest problems Wigan faced in the past is attracting good quality players.
Wimbledon
While we cannot play as Wimbledon on FM24 due to the club relocating to Milton Keynes and renamed as MK Dons, the crazy gang were fun. There is a team that the supporters set up in protest to the relocation as AFC Wimbledon too. You could use either of those teams to recreate the glory days of the Crazy Gang, a true fallen giant.
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