Five of the Best Teams Dubbed 'Too Good to Go Down'

1. LEEDS UNITED - 2004

In April 2001, Leeds United were 4th in the Premier League and into their first European Cup semi-final since 1975, taking on the previous year's finalists Valencia. But where they are today stems from the failures of, what seemed at the time, a superb season. Under chairman Peter Ridsdale, Leeds had taken out large loans relying on the share of TV rights and sponsorship revenues that come with Champions League qualification, but the club narrowly failed to qualify and simply couldn't afford to repay the loans. Bit by bit, players such as Rio Ferdinand, Harry Kewell, Jonathan Woodgate and Robbie Keane were sold off, some against the will of the managers in charge such as David O'Leary and Terry Venables. Peter Reid couldn't turn things around, and despite having players that had appeared in Europe such as Paul Robinson, Alan Smith, Mark Viduka, Ian Harte and Eirik Bakke, the club were relegated under temporary boss Eddie Gray.

2. WEST HAM UNITED - 2003

West Ham fans were left to reflect on a season that promised much following their seventh-placed finish the previous year, yet delivered nothing but heartache. The Hammers possessed artistry and style with the likes of Di Canio, Carrick, Kanoute, Defoe, Joe Cole and then-England international Trevor Sinclair in their side and despite more exciting youngsters Glen Johnson and Anton Ferdinand breaking through, David James just couldn't prevent the goals flying in. It was left to Sir Trevor Brooking in the final two games of the season to save his beloved club as Glenn Roeder recovered from a brain tumour, but whatever the Hammers acheived was rendered futile as Bolton beat Middlesbrough on the final day.

3. MIDDLESBROUGH - 1997

Middlesbrough, despite spending millions of pounds on high profile foreign players like Juninho, Emerson, European Cup winner Fabrizio Ravanelli (who scored 31 goals in all competitions), World Cup winner Branco and Gianluca Festa, were relegated on the final day of the season and reached the finals of both the FA Cup and Carling (then sponsored by Coca-Cola) Cup, losing both. But it was a hugely controversial decision halfway through the season that ultimately cost Boro their top-level status. With Juninho already injured, as were several other players, a flu virus took hold at the training ground which Boro claimed left them with 23 players sidelined and just seven available to play. They faxed the Premier League to say they couldn't fulfil their fixture at Blackburn claiming twenty-three players were either ill, injured or suspended and only seven were available. Failure to play the match resulted in a three-point deduction. Without it, Boro would have finished 14th.

4. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR - 1977

Tottenham slipped out of the top tier for the first time in 27 years after paying the price for letting key players leave. World Cup winner Martin Peters had signed for Norwich and Martin Chivers had gone too, whilst tricky winger - the late, great Jimmy Neighbour - also left for Carrow Road. Even the introduction of a mulletted, 19-year-old Glenn Hoddle couldn't save them. The defence was particularly ropey, lowlights including losing 8-2 at Derby and 5-3 at West Ham, and relegation arrived for Keith Burkinshaw's (pictured left) side after a 5-0 thumping at Maine Road. A year later and Spurs were back, with Argentine World Cup stars Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa joining in a move that shocked the footballing world.

5. NOTTINGHAM FOREST - 1993

In Brian Clough's last game in charge, 'Old Big 'Ead' and his team that had been competing for honours in recent years, dropped into the second tier of English football and out of the Premier League in its inception season. Clough had led his side to three League Cup finals in the last four years but this was the year the last-chance saloon ran dry. Selling inspirational forward Teddy Sheringham at the start of the season proved to be a grave error, whilst Cloughy decided against using Stan Collymore and instead signed Robert Rosario from Coventry. Roy Keane was employed as an emergency centre-back after the decision to let England defender Des Walker join Sampdoria and the team just couldn't keep the goals out.

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