When was the last time no relegated sides earned immediate promotion? | OneFootball

With none of the sides relegated from the Premier League currently sitting in the top nine of the Championship, this season could be the first time in some years that no relegated side managed an immediate promotion.

Leicester City, Ipswich Town, and Southampton all dropped down from last season's Premier League but aren't yet building momentum for an immediate return. The Tractor Boys are the highest in the table, sitting in 10th. Meanwhile, Leicester are in 13th and Southampton are all the way down in 19th after having sacked manager Will Still.

Should neither of the relegated trio earn promotion come the end of the season it would be the first time in seven seasons that none of the teams who dropped down to the second tier immediately found their way back up.

Back in the 2018/19 Championship season, Stoke City, Swansea City, and West Bromwich Albion were all looking to get back to the Premier League.

However, none of the three did. Stoke had a poor campaign, finishing 16th while Swansea finished midtable in 10th, while West Brom did make the play-offs when they finished fourth but didn't secure a spot back in the Premier League.

Since then, the yo-yoing of Fulham and Burnley have helped ensure that there has been a constant stream of immediate promotions. The Cottagers were the only relegated team to go back up in the 2019/20 and 2021/22 seasons. Meanwhile the Clarets did the same in the 2022/23 and 2024/25 campaigns as they fluctuate between the two divisions.

In that time since the 2018/19 season, there have been two instances in which two of the relegated sides immediately came back up.

In the 2020/21 season it was Norwich City and Watford who managed a swift return while Leicester and Southampton did the same for the 2023/24 campaign.

If you don't have an invested interest in one of the relegated side's immediately getting back to the top flight then seeing an instant promotion can make the gulf between those sides that drift between the top two tiers and those struggling to stay up seem quite big.

This season then could present a refreshing change if the likes of Bristol City, Millwall or Preston North End manage to make the Premier League for the first time or if a time like Coventry City secure their return after a long, long absence.