Teams you forgot were once in the Premier League

The Premier League has played host to many teams over the years—some have cemented themselves as household names, while others faded back into the footballing wilderness.

Here are a few clubs that briefly graced the top flight before disappearing from view like a striker missing an open goal.

Wimbledon in the 90s were a footballing anomaly—a team that thrived on a mix of physicality, shenanigans, and the occasional bit of brilliance. The 'Crazy Gang' made life miserable for Premier League opponents until they were relegated in 2000.

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What followed was one of the most controversial sagas in English football, as TNT Sports reported, with the club being relocated to Milton Keynes and rebranded as MK Dons. Thankfully, AFC Wimbledon rose from the ashes and now competes in League Two, keeping the original club’s spirit alive.

Now here’s a club that lit up the Premier League like a firework before fizzling out just as quickly. Managed by the ever-quotable Ian Holloway, Blackpool played with a reckless abandon that was wildly entertaining but not particularly sustainable.

Blackpool were relegated back to the Championship after losing 4–2 at champions Manchester United on the final day of the season, blowing a 2-1 lead at the 57th-minute, as reported by Bleacher Report.

Bradford City actually managed two seasons in the Premier League, including a dramatic survival on the final day of the 1999-00 campaign. Their reward? Immediate relegation the following season and a financial collapse that saw them tumble down the leagues.

These days, they’re in League Two, far removed from their days of top-flight glory. Their fans still fondly remember the time they mixed it with the best… briefly.

Oldham were one of the original Premier League clubs, but only lasted two seasons before making a swift exit. They became known for their great escape act in 1992-93, but there was no repeat performance the following season.

Since then, the club has had a rough ride and, in 2022, became the first ex-Premier League side to drop into the National League, as the Guardian reported. If you’re an Oldham fan, you’ve had to develop a serious sense of humour.

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Barnsley’s stint in the Premier League was short but chaotic—just one season, but with plenty of drama. They were famous for their plucky underdog spirit, but unfortunately, grit alone doesn’t keep you in the top flight.

Despite a memorable FA Cup run, where they reached the quarter-finals, they were relegated back to the Championship. Nowadays, they’re bouncing around the Championship and League One, still dreaming of another shot at the big time.

Ah, Swindon Town. Their one-season stay in the Premier League was a defensive horror show, conceding a record 100 goals in a single campaign. That’s not the kind of record you want to set. Unsurprisingly, they finished rock bottom and promptly returned to the lower leagues

These days, they’re battling it out in League Two, probably still having nightmares about all those goals they shipped in 1993-94.

Notts County were relegated just before the Premier League’s big kick-off, so they missed out on the glitz, glamour, and absurdly high wages. Since then, they’ve been on a rollercoaster ride that included dropping all the way to the National League.

They clawed their way back to League Two in 2023, but their Premier League dream remains as distant as ever.

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