Most of the mainstream attention surrounding the Premier League, quite obviously, focuses on the teams in contention for the title. However some of the best action takes place at the bottom of the table, where teams are fighting for their very survival.
In fact, you could argue that the relegation battle is infinitely more important than the title race. The teams at the top of the table are all headed for Europe and have global appeal. Teams at the bottom, on the other hand, have their futures at stake. There’s a reason that the final day of the season is called Survival Sunday, and like so many other things, it’s all about the money.
Membership in the Premier League has its privileges – specifically, the millions of pounds that come from Premier League television rights. Cardiff, last year’s 20th place squad, received 62 million pounds in TV money. And as the league becomes increasingly global, that sum of money will only become larger. Clubs wanting to stay in the league must spend money because it is so competitive, and smaller clubs have to walk a tight financial tightrope. Failure to stay in the league can often lead to financial disaster, with clubs tending to plummet from one depth to another- Leeds being a prime example. The relegation dogfight is always an attraction, albeit an attraction in which no team wants to play part.
With the 14/15 season almost upon us, lets look at three possible candidates for the drop. Continue reading