Have Tottenham Hotspur Ever Been Relegated?
We look back at Tottenham's history in English football to see how they fared both before and after the Premier League was formed
Tottenham Hotspur are one of a small number of clubs who have never been relegated from the Premier League in its current format.
Spurs were one of the founding members of the current English top flight and have been ever-present in the division since its inception back in 1992.
But what about before the Premier League was founded? Spurs have indeed been relegated from English football’s top division in the past.
In this article, we’re going to take a close look at Spurs’ history in English football, both before and after the inception of the Premier League, including revealing how many times they have been relegated.
Tottenham Hotspur – The Premier League Years
Let’s start off by looking at Spurs’ history in the Premier League.
Have Tottenham ever been relegated from the Premier League? The answer is no. Spurs were one of the 22 founding members of the English top flight and they have played in the division in every single season since it was formed in 1992-93 and have never suffered relegation.
That means that the north London side belong to a small number of clubs who can proudly declare that they have never been relegated from the Premier League. The five other clubs in this elite group are Spurs’ bitter local rivals Arsenal, Chelsea FC, Everton, Manchester United and Liverpool FC.
(At the time of writing, Brighton and Hove Albion have also never been relegated from the Premier League – but they were not one of the division’s founding clubs and have only been in the top flight since the 2017-18 campaign).
Tottenham Hotspur fans (Photo: Cosmin Iftode / depositphotos.com)
So, we now know that Spurs have been ever-present in the Premier League since its inception back in 1992 and have never been relegated from the division. Tottenham finished in eighth place in the table in the debut Premier League season in 1992-93.
The Lilywhites’ lowest finish in a Premier League campaign to date came soon after the division’s inception – in the 1993-94 season – when they finished 15th (the Premier League was still comprised of 22 teams at that point). They also finished 14th in the 2003-04 campaign.
Spurs’ form in the top flight has improved dramatically in recent years. From 2008-09 to 2021-22, Tottenham finished in the Premier League’s top 10 in every season, ending up in the top four in seven of those campaigns.
Despite their progress, however, Spurs are yet to win the Premier League title. The north London club’s best finish (to date, at the time of writing) in the Premier League came in the 2016-17 campaign, when they finished second in the English top flight under Mauricio Pochettino and behind champions Chelsea FC.
What About Before The Premier League Was Founded?
Despite never having been relegated from the Premier League, Tottenham have suffered the drop in the years before the new English top flight was founded.
Spurs were last relegated to the second division of English football in the 1976–77 campaign, when they finished bottom (22nd) of the English Football League First Division. However, Spurs immediately bounced back to achieve promotion back to the First Division after they finished third in the Second Division in the 1977-78 season.
In total, Tottenham have been relegated four times from English football’s top division. The north London side were relegated in the following campaigns: 1976–77, 1934–35, 1927–28 and 1914–15.
Harry Kane is one of Tottenham Hotspur’s greatest-ever strikers (Photo: Vasilis Ververidis / depositphotos.com)
Despite never having won the Premier League title, Spurs lifted two league titles prior to the top flight’s formation in 1992. Their two English First Division league titles came in the 1950–51 and 1960–61 campaigns.
When Was Tottenham Hotspur Founded?
Tottenham Hotspur have a long history in English football, with the club having been founded way back in September 1882.
The club was initially named ‘Hotspur FC’ and formed by boys from Hotspur cricket club and from the local grammar school.
In 1883, the club was reorganised under the presidency of Mr John Ripsher and their matches were played on Tottenham marshes. In 1884, the club was renamed Tottenham Hotspur Football Club – and they played their first competitive match against St. Albans in the London Association Cup the following year.
In 1908, Spurs secured entry to the Second Division of the Football League – and they immediately gained promotion to the First Division thanks to a second-placed finish in the 1908-09 campaign.
Tottenham moved to their new stadium, The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in April 2019. The ground replaced White Hart Lane, which was demolished for the new stadium to be built on the same site.
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (Photo: Cosmin Iftode / depositphotos.com)
What Trophies Have Tottenham Hotspur Won?
Tottenham Hotspur have lifted quite a few trophies over the years but they have not won any major silverware since the 2007-08 campaign.
They won their two First Division league titles in the 1950–51 and 1960–61 seasons. They also won Second Division (equivalent to the modern-day Championship) titles in the 1919–20 and 1949–50 campaigns.
Tottenham have also won the FA Cup eight times – in: 1900–01, 1920–21, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1966–67, 1980–81, 1981–82 and 1990–91.
Their last major trophy came in the 2007-08 season, when they won the English League Cup for a fourth time (after having also won it in 1970–71, 1972–73 and 1998–99).
Tottenham have also enjoyed some success in European football over the years. Spurs won the Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup in 1962–63.
They have also won the Uefa Cup (the equivalent of today’s Europa League) twice – in 1971–72 and 1983–84.
(Photo: Adobe Stock)
In the 1971-72 campaign, Spurs beat fellow English side Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 on aggregate in the Uefa Cup final to claim the trophy for the first time. Then, in the 1983-94 Uefa Cup final, Spurs beat Anderlecht on penalties after a 2-2 aggregate draw.
Wrapping Things Up – Conclusion
So, that brings us to the end of our look at Tottenham Hotspur and their relegation history.
We now know that Spurs have never been relegated from the Premier League in its current format – and that they are one of six founding-member clubs who can proudly say that they have played in the division ever since its inception. Their lowest finish in the Premier League to date was in the 1993-94 season, when they ended up 15th in the table.
However, the Lilywhites did suffer the drop four times before the new English top flight was founded back in 1992.
Spurs are one of the oldest clubs in English football, having been founded in September 1882. The Lilywhites have lifted plenty of trophies over the years, including two First Division titles, eight FA Cups and two Uefa Cups.
However, at the time of writing, they have not lifted a major trophy since they won the League Cup back in the 2007-08 campaign.
