Don’t those lazy ‘professional’ journalists just love reporting that Wigan Athletic shouldn’t be in the EPL? They cite all sorts of reasons why this should be so. They refer to lack of crowds, although most other clubs are suffering in a similar way to Latics. They cite ‘rugby town’, even though the truth is Latics’ season averages are regularly at least four thousand more than their neighbours.
They DELIBERATELY ignore the fact that Wigan Athletic have earned their right to be in the EPL and so for their benefit I have complied the following table to help them with their research and to give them an understanding of what this club has achieved.
Here is the record of every EPL teams longest consecutive stay in the division. On perusing it these journalists, (and I use that term in the loosest possible way) will hopefully realise why Roberto Martinez’s team does not deserve the lies and innuendos and downright insults the press often hurls their way.
In short these hacks should – TREAT THE CLUB WITH THE RESPECT IT DESERVES.
Arsenal – 20
Aston Villa – 20
Chelsea – 20
Everton – 20
Liverpool – 20
Manchester United – 20
Tottenham Hotspur – 20
Newcastle United – 16 (relegated once)
Blackburn Rovers – 11 (relegated once)
Bolton Wanderers – 11 (relegated twice)
Fulham – 11
Manchester City – 10 (relegated twice)
Wigan Athletic – 7
Sunderland – 5 (relegated three times)
Queens Park Rangers – 4 (relegated once)
Stoke City – 4
Wolverhampton Wanderers – 3 (relegated once)
West Bromwich Albion – 2 (relegated three times)
Norwich City – 3 (relegated twice)
Swansea City – 1
So apart from the ever presents, here is a list of current EPL clubs never to have been relegated from it…
Fulham – 11
Wigan Athletic – 7
Stoke City – 4
Swansea City – 1
… all right then, just for the record here are the longest consecutive seasons appearances for EVERY OTHER club that has graced the Premier League, obviously they have all suffered relegation!
Southampton – 13
Leeds United – 12
Middlesbrough – 11 (relegated twice)
West Ham United – 10
Sheffield Wednesday – 8
Wimbledon (original club) – 8
(only these clubs have also spent more consecutive seasons than Latics in the EPL).
Charlton Athletic – 7
Portsmouth – 7
Derby County – 6
Leicester City – 6 (relegated twice)
Birmingham City – 4 (relegated twice)
Ipswich Town – 3
Nottingham Forest – 3 (relegated twice)
Bradford City – 2
Hull City – 2
Oldham Athletic – 2
Reading – 2
Sheffield United – 2
Barnsley – 1
Blackpool – 1
Burnley – 1
Coventry City – 1
Crystal Palace – 1 (relegated three times)
Swindon Town – 1
Watford – 1
Now please bear in mind that all of these clubs (apart from the original Wimbledon) have at least an 80 YEARS head start on Latics when it comes to playing in the Football League. I don’t think that’s a bad record, do you?
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