Five of the Worst Premier League Teams Ever
By
Blake Roberts
Founder & Editor in Chief Updated: 18 August 2023
Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief
Blake Roberts is the founder of Betting.US and is currently heading the creative team as Editor in Chief. Born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, Blake is a great sports fan, with football and basketball being his favorite. He’s our trusted voice for all betting-related matters.
Worst Premier League Teams Ever
- Lowest Premier League Points Total
- What are the Worst Premier League Teams Ever?
- Leicester City: 2001-2002
- Swindon Town: 2003-2004
- Watford: 1999-2000
- Sunderland: 2005-2006
- Derby County: 2007-2008
- Frequently Asked Questions
The English Premier League, regarded by many as the best soccer league in the world, has had its fair share of teams that struggled. In today’s blog, we’ll look at some of the worst Premier League teams. But we won’t just be looking at the number of points they gained, as we’ll also take many other factors into account too. So, let’s look at the worst Premier League teams ever!
Lowest Premier League Points Total
What do we mean by “worst” seasons? The easiest way to explain this is by looking at the points total accumulated by teams throughout a season. Every Premier League team plays 38 games each season, and if they win, they’re awarded three points. One point is awarded for a draw, while zero are given for a loss. But we’ve also looked at other factors too, including the club’s stability and the number of goals conceded.
The teams we’ve listed all clearly had terrible campaigns, putting their fans through match after match of disappointing results. But most bounced back – and one even went on to win the Premier League title years later!
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Who Are The Worst Premier League Teams Ever?
Who are the worst Premier League teams ever? This is a tricky question. There are many ways to define the worst team – by points, goals scored, goals conceded, or even the number of losses in a season.
But for the purpose of this post, we’ll focus on the overall performance throughout a particular season. Five teams stand out in this respect: Leicester City, Swindon Town, Watford, Sunderland, and Derby County, the last of which has the dubious honor of gaining the lowest Premier League points total ever.
Each of these teams endured seasons that were incredibly challenging, both on and off the pitch, resulting in poor performances that led to their eventual relegation. These seasons were generally defined by the teams struggling to maintain consistency, having issues with their squad, and having an inability to defeat opponents. Here’s a quick overview of the teams we’ll be looking at today, and the seasons where they performed so poorly:
| Team | Season |
|---|---|
| Leicester City | 2001-2002 |
| Swindon Town | 2003-2004 |
| Watford | 1999-2000 |
| Sunderland | 2005-2006 |
| Derby County | 2007-2008 |
Leicester City: 2001-2002
Leicester City’s journey in the 2001-2002 Premier League season is one that’s riddled with struggles. The Foxes, as they’re often known, found themselves swimming against the tide right from the beginning of the season, and as a team, they only managed to score 30 times throughout the course of the 38-game season.
To make matters worse, the defense that was supposed to provide stability and reassurance was anything but; they conceded a staggering 64 goals, which was the highest in the league for the season. Leicester’s inability to stop shots meant they were constantly trying to claw their way back into games – something they rarely managed successfully.
The team also struggled with consistency, winning only five games. Their inconsistency was evident as they drew 13 matches and lost 20. However, despite the gloomy season, Leicester City didn’t give up, and in the years that followed, the club underwent a remarkable turnaround, eventually winning the Premier League title in 2015-2016.
Swindon Town: 2003-2004
Swindon Town’s 2003-2004 season in the Premier League was one they’d rather erase from memory. The club, playing in the top league of English soccer, seemed out of their depth right from the start. They managed just 30 points from their 38 games, a record that left them right at the bottom of the table.
But the struggles for Swindon weren’t just reflected in the points tally. The team’s defense was a serious issue, and they conceded a staggering 100 goals throughout the season. This was the highest in the league, reflecting the difficulty Swindon had in keeping more accomplished teams at bay. Despite their best efforts, the defensive line was often breached with ease.
When it came to scoring goals, things weren’t much better for Swindon, either. They managed to score just 47 times during the season. This inability to score, combined with their poor defense, made it difficult for them to compete effectively against the other Premier League teams. While they don’t hold the record for the lowest ever points total in Premier League history, they’re not far off – and they were quickly relegated back to the lower leagues.
Watford: 1999-2000
The 1999-2000 Premier League season for Watford was a challenging one. It was a season characterized by struggle, disappointment, and ultimately, relegation. The Hornets accumulated a mere 24 points during the season, a total that left them far from safety and marked them as one of the worst teams in the history of Premier League soccer.
Watford’s struggles extended to their offense, which managed to score a measly 35 goals in 38 matches. Their attack lacked the necessary abilities to get through their opponents’ defenses, and this was something they were simply unable to overcome.
Their defense was also poor; their backline was unable to keep opponents at bay, and they conceded 77 goals throughout the season. This ended up becoming incredibly frustrating for the players, and fans were also visibly annoyed by the lack of the team’s ability.
Sunderland: 2005-2006
Sunderland’s 2005-2006 Premier League campaign was one for the record books, but for all the wrong reasons. The Black Cats endured an awful season, managing just 15 points from their 38 matches. This horrifically low points total ensured a swift return to the Championship for the club.
One of the worst things about the season Sunderland went through was their lack of wins; from all 38 matches, they were able to win just three games! On top of this, they drew six games and suffered 29 defeats, proving embarrassing for the players and managers.
However, the team’s struggles weren’t limited to their points tally. Sunderland struggled at both ends of the field, scoring just 26 goals while conceding 69. These numbers spoke volumes about the imbalance in their squad. Despite their best efforts, they just couldn’t get a grip on things, and it was one of the most difficult seasons for Sunderland fans – one that the vast majority would like to forget about.
Derby County: 2007-2008
Derby County’s 2007-2008 season is one that stands out in Premier League history. Unfortunately for the Rams, it stands out for all the wrong reasons. This season was one of complete disappointment, as Derby managed just 11 points from 38 games, setting a record for the lowest Premier League points total in EPL history.
Their struggles were mainly based around their inability to win matches. Derby won just one game throughout the season, while suffering an astounding 29 losses. They were able to manage eight draws, but these were not nearly enough to prevent them from being relegated.
There were a wide variety of factors that led to Derby’s horrific season, but a couple of the main ones were their poor defense and ill-coordinated attack. They only managed to score 20 goals over the course of the season and conceded a stunning 89 goals. This works out to an average of over two goals conceded per game – making them one of the worst Premier League teams ever!
