New Relegation Rule Could Plunge Bottom Four Into Chaos’
Compared with last season when relegation was decided months before the final game, the climax of 2025-6 looks as if it could carry a cliffhanger threat right to the end: West Ham’s last -day match up against relegation rivals Leeds has the potential to be a Premier League survival shootout.
However such dramatic season endings have become rare with the gulf in quality between the Premier League and Championship. In recent seasons more often than not, the same three have been bundled back down one season after winning promotion
Premier League urged to reintroduce radical ancient rule to determine relegation amid Tottenham drama”
Suggests a return to the 1980’s style bottom of the table playoffs to decide relegation, keeping the drama alive to the last and making the end-of-season ‘procession’ a thing of the past:
“The Premier League must introduce relegation play-offs – more excitement is needed at the bottom of the table
For those of you too young to remember, back in the ’80’s there used to be a couple of teams relegated automatically and then the next worst played off with the third team in the Championship ( or something like that) with a winner-stays-up’ final as a season climax. Sounds brilliant – and I seem to remember one huge ‘first division’ side getting relegated by that very method:
They used to do it in all the old days didn’t they..It was a relegation-promotion play-off, with a team that finished towards the bottom of the top flight playing against a team towards the top of the second division. I think Chelsea got relegated via a relegation play-off if my memory serves me right.”
English football did indeed have its own version of a relegation play-off in the late 1980s – and it sent Chelsea down.”
How about that for a season finale? The astute amongst you might have worked out that – for example, this season that could mean a West Ham v Millwall playoff at Wembley with a Premier League place at stake. Who’d be up for that?
From the old Bobby Moore Upper to the Billy Bonds’ stand these days – sometimes- have to admit I have not renewed my season ticket… I’ve been watching since ’03 and a supporter since about 1970..
Favourite player – Dean Ashton: Still watch YouTube repeats of the Cup Final of 2006 hoping in vain that Shaka Hislop grows six inches and stops Steven Gerrard’s injury time equaliser. Can tell I’m getting old knowing I saw both Mark Noble’s debut and his last game at West Ham.
Pulling on a Claret and Blue replica shirt still makes me feel the same butterflies as when I was seven ye ars old. Magic.
