Too good to go down? Five famous clubs that were relegated

Monaco had steadily declined since their Champions League final appearance in 2004, but a 2-0 defeat to rivals Lyon on the final day of the 2010/11 campaign damned them to a fatal fall from grace.

Leeds United
Towards the end of their Premier League days, under controversial chairman Peter Risdale, Leeds had dangerously taken out several large loans with the hope of securing Champions League qualification but, after narrowly missing out on a place, the Yorkshire-based club became engrossed in financial trouble.

A host of top names were subsequently sold on to fund loan repayments, such as Rio Ferdinand, who joined bitter rivals Manchester United for a reported £30m.

After a series of managerial sackings and further departures at Elland Road, the Whites were condemned to top-flight relegation during the 2003/04 season with star names such as Alan Smith, Paul Robinson and Mark Viduka still on their books.

They later went down to League One, as they were hit with a 10-point deduction after entering administration in 2007, and were officially relegated to the third tier after having previously never been lower than the Championship.

Newcastle United
The Magpies ended a 16-year stay in the top-flight in 2009 as they dropped to the Championship after a defeat to Aston Villa.

Newcastle, who had been taken over by the Premier League’s all-time goalscorer and club legend Alan Shearer towards the end of the 2008/09 campaign, lacked any firepower or urgency that season as it ended in devastating failure on Tyneside.

Despite Shearer’s team including Ireland international Damien Duff, whose own goal against Villa sent his side down, Shola Ameobi, Mark Viduka and Kevin Nolan, it ended in tears for the Geordie faithful.

Southampton
In 2005, after 27 years in England’s top tier, the Saints were sent down to the Championship after a disastrous season at St Mary’s.

At one point the following term, after their demise, it looked as if Southampton would suffer a second consecutive relegation but, with many seasons of producing top young talent such as Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale, they were able to bounce back.

Now sitting in the top four of this season’s Premier League table, Southampton’s revival is a great example of how to persevere and eventually fight back to the top-flight, something teams like Leeds can learn from.

Ronald Koeman’s top tier Saints are 2/1 to finish in the top four this term.