If the stars really are aligned above Brentford‘s new stadium and they win Tuesday’s Championship play-off final at Wembley, they will become the 50th different team to play in the Premier League.
The rarefied air of football’s wealthiest division looked an unlikely dream even when the Bees were League Two champions back in 2009, but they have risen steadily and recruited exceptionally well. The 17,250-capacity Brentford Community Stadium is the tangible result for a club described earlier this year as “the best-run in the country”.
The Bees bade farewell to Griffin Park – their home for 116 years – with a thrilling win over Swansea last week and will kick off next season just down the road, in the shadow of the M4. So if not now, then when for Thomas Frank’s exciting young team, with their explosive BMW forward line?
Given their solid foundations, Brentford’s arrival in the top flight should not be any more surprising than those of one-season wonders Swindon, Barnsley and Blackpool – all, coincidentally, now in League One.
Fulham are comparative veterans, having racked up 14 seasons in two spells. Only six teams have been ever-present for 28 seasons: Liverpool, Everton, Manchester United, Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea.
For a competition often regarded as a byword for elitism and spending power, the Premier League has distributed its largesse far and wide over almost three decades. Just seven clubs have won the title but more than half the traditional 92 clubs have sampled it, however briefly.
For some, though, leaving by the trapdoor has been the start of their troubles. In League Two next season you will find Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers (13 seasons) and founder members Oldham Athletic.
If they do make it, Brentford will become London’s 10th Premier League team. The only disappointment would be that their fans will have to wait before getting a chance to take their seats at the new stadium.
Not too long, let’s hope: more than half of the play-off final winners have been relegated the following season. However, if Brentford – or Fulham – want inspiration they need look no further than Aston Villa, who bucked the trend this season.
Premier League teams in full (and year of debut)
1992
- Arsenal
- Chelsea
- Everton
- Liverpool
- Manchester United
- Tottenham
- Oldham
- Sheffield Wednesday
- Wimbledon
- Crystal Palace
- Coventry City
- Nottingham Forest
- Middlesbrough
- Sheffield United
- Ipswich
- Norwich
- Manchester City
- QPR
- Blackburn Rovers
- Leeds United
- Southampton
- Aston Villa
1993
- Swindon
- West Ham
- Newcastle
1994
- Leicester
1995
- Bolton
1996
- Sunderland
- Derby
1997
- Barnsley
1998
- Charlton
1999
- Bradford
- Watford
2001
- Fulham
2002
- West Brom
- Birmingham City
2003
- Portsmouth
2005
- Wigan
2006
- Reading
2008
- Stoke
- Hull
2009
- Burnley
2010
- Blackpool
2011
- Swansea
2013
- Cardiff
2015
- Bournemouth
2017
- Brighton
- Huddersfield
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/31djdUx
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