Ah, the good old days.
We have a few placement students in the office at SportsJOE Towers and it almost made us physically sick at their surprise to see Leeds so high up in past Premier League tables.
Blackburn’s presence even seemed strange to them.
Sheffield Wednesday was incomprehensible.
They’ll not be invited back in here.
The thought of such clubs not only playing in the Premier League but competing in it was as bizarre and unthinkable to them as an Aston Villa shot is for their fans.
But a lot has happened since 1992 and some of the names that have occupied the top of the top flight of English football now look a little out of place.
Aston Villa could get their 163rd day there though.
Some day.
Most days at the top of the Premier League
Image via Sky Sports News.
Despite never having never won the league, Newcastle have been at the top of the Premier League for the fourth most amount of days. Out of of everyone.
They almost won it 95/96. They had a 12-point lead. They let it slip.
Then, this happened.
In 2008/09, Rafa Benitez made Liverpool fans dream.
A Federico Macheda-inspired Manchester United went on to win it but, with seven games to go, it was Liverpool who were sitting on the shoulders of the rest of the league.
They’ve been at the top of the Premier League for 288 days in total but still don’t have a medal to show for it.
Blackburn have been in that position less frequently than their north west counterparts but they have gotten over the line.
How could they not with men like Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton – the original SAS (piss off Suarez and Sturridge) – leading the line for Kenny Dalglish?
Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton with the Premier League Trophy 1995#BRFC #Blackburn #Title pic.twitter.com/IqntYERugH
— Football Memories (@footballmemorys) October 24, 2015
Aston Villa. Yep.
Arguably, at the moment, the worst team the Premier League has ever seen. Never been relegated but they can’t go down fast enough this season.
Well, they were once a force back in the days of Ron Atkinson and Brian Little but, even as late as the noughties – only a decade and a half ago like – John Gregory had the Villains at the top of the table for way too long. We don’t think they’ll be changing that Sky Sports graphic any time soon.
Don’t think Sam Allardici could have Bolton Wanderers at the top of the league?
Then you’ve obviously forgotten about a certain Mr Okocha.
Remember that Champions League semi-final run Leeds went on? They had some squad of players around that time.
David O’Leary never finished outside the top five with United and it’s no wonder with the talent that was coming and going from the club pre and post the Irish man’s tenure.
Keane, Kewell, Viduka, Woodgate, Smith, Wilcox, Batty, Martyn, Bowyer, Harte in that 00/01 squad. Serious altogether.
Now you have Spurs. The bookies’ favourite to win the league now this season – the first time they’ve ever been favourite to clinch the PL.
And, even throughout this campaign, they’ve just timed their run. If Spurs win against West Ham on Wednesday night, they’re top of the table for the first time this season.
They’ve only ever been top of the thing for 33 days in what is nearly 24 years now. But it only matters in May. They might live to tell that tale.
Tottenham Hotspur 2015/16 season form
Graph via Statto.com
