Life After Promotion: What Really Happens When a Club Steps Up a Division
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Life After Promotion: What Really Happens When a Club Steps Up a Division

Life After Promotion: What Really Happens When a Club Steps Up a Division

To get promoted from any league is a feeling of ecstasy that cannot be matched. To see your club slowly climb through the ranks during the league season and finally be awarded promotion is a rollercoaster of emotions encompassing pride, joy and excitement for the future.

But the next season is often one that encompasses pain, anger, and even the thought that it may have been better to stay put.

And yet every club that goes up, from the Championship to the National League, steps into the same unknown. Promotion reshapes identities, resets ambitions, and forces difficult truths into the open.

Promotion does not just elevate a club; it exposes it.

Bigger wage bills, big money signings, a squad that simply can’t cope with the step up.

Throughout this article, Football Park has spoken to some of the most dedicated fans across all 12 promoted clubs to see how they believe their season is going thus far.

Leeds

Last season - 1st in the Championship

Current Position - 17th in the Premier League

After Leeds United’s 2-1 loss to Aston Villa on the 23rd November, manager Daniel Farke said that if Leeds were to finish 17th—safe from relegation—that it would be a “great success”.

And whilst many teams would sniff their nose at the thought of a relegation battle, the German is not incorrect. In the past two seasons of the Premier League, not a single promoted side has avoided the drop.

Macy Edwards, a 22-year-old Leeds supporter, agrees with this sentiment but also feels that her club's fate has already been sealed. “It felt amazing to hit the 100-point barrier last year, like a real accomplishment. But I don’t think Daniel Farke is the man to bring us forward,” she said. “As time has gone on, I think it’s looking more and more likely we’re heading back to the Championship.”

28-year-old Robbie believes that his club does not have “Premier League quality” and feels the only route to survival is if Leeds “make a managerial change and spend in January. I’m not sure either of those is going to happen.”

Robbie also agrees that Leeds are missing an impact striker in front of goal. “We need to buy some attackers and not rely on free signings if we’re to retain Premier League status for next season.”

As it stands, Leeds have not had the greatest time in the Premier League. After a promising 1-0 win against Everton for the Yorkshire-based club, results have not gone their way. They have managed just 11 points since their first win, six of which came against sides who sit in the bottom four.

But on Wednesday, 3 December, Farke’s men produced a spellbinding 3-1 win over Club World Cup champions Chelsea.

Before this match, Chelsea sat 3rd in the table and had lost just three games in the league this season. This victory ended a five-match losing streak and was their first win against a team that finished in the top half of the Premier League table last season.

With matches against Liverpool, Brentford, and Crystal Palace coming up, Leeds must carry the momentum from this win into the weeks ahead. If they are to have any chance of survival, they need to start turning performances into points.

Burnley

Last season - 2nd in the Championship

Current Position - 19th in the Premier League

It is safe to say that Burnley has taken over Norwich’s title as the Premier League and Championship yo-yo club.

After six successive seasons in the top flight between 2016/17 and 2021/22, Burnley were relegated back to England’s second tier in May 2022. Since then, there has not been a year in which they have been either promoted or relegated.

And since being re-promoted, it has been a tough start to life back in the Premier League.

Just like Leeds, they hit the 100-point barrier in the Championship, conceding just 16 goals during the 46-match season. But after just nine games played this season, they had already cleared that metric, having conceded 17 goals.

I spoke to 22-year-old Isaac Williams, who believes that manager Scott Parker is “setting up too defensively against the strongest teams and not putting up a fight whatsoever.”

Whilst it may be true that Burnley put up valiant fights against Liverpool and Manchester United, which Isaac described as “heartbreaking,” Burnley have shipped 12 goals in four matches against the other traditional top six.

And it is not just the defence that Williams is worried about. With just 15 goals scored so far this Premier League season, he said, “Our attacking output is also a worry; we’ve had the least amount of shots on goal so far this season.”

Burnley are no strangers to the Premier League, nor the drop zone within it, but the Clarets need something to change… and for that to happen now.

Williams is pessimistic about the rest of the season. Whilst he sees the club in a better light compared to the last time they were in England's top division, he still sees Burnley getting relegated as “I don’t think we have enough quality compared to West Ham and Nottingham Forest.”

Sunderland

Last season - 4th in the Championship (promoted via playoffs)

Current Position - 6th in the Premier League

After eight gruelling seasons, Tom Watson’s 95th-minute winner against Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final sent Sunderland fans into delirium. With his last ever touch for his boyhood club (he had already agreed to join high-flying Brighton in the months beforehand), he sent them back to where they belong—The Premier League.

For Harry Gibson, the moment meant even more:

“Funnily enough, I used to joke to my partner that I would propose to her when Sunderland got back to the Premier League,” he said.

Gibson could not wait that long, with the Australian proposing in June of last year, but he claims that “it must have been fate that was waiting on that to spark our promotion season.”

And Sunderland’s party promotion is yet to stop. Despite being the bookies' clear favourite for relegation, the Black Cats have been nothing short of exceptional thus far.

After nine games, the North-East side sat on 17 points. Only five other promoted sides have had a better start to the Premier League season, with all of those teams avoiding relegation back to the Championship.

One reason Sunderland have fared so well is their business during this summer's transfer window. With the promotional package being worth £200 million, Sunderland were unrestricted with their spending and celebrated with several eye-catching arrivals.

The signings of Granit Xhaka and Reinildo Mandava brought a huge injection of experience, whilst the additions of Enzo Le Fee (with his prior successful loan turning permanent), Nordi Mukiele, and Brian Brobbey provided much-needed youth and energy.

Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris was also praised by Gibson, with the 28-year-old telling me: “He has been incredible, I do not think anybody could put a bad word about him, given the position he's got us to at the moment. The thing I admire the most about him is his ability to learn from his mistakes.”

Le Bris has been a breath of fresh air for Sunderland fans who have gone through 18 managers (including caretakers) since their relegation from the Premier League. A calm manager by trade, the Frenchman has been true to his style of play, saying: “We won't play like Guardiola or De Zerbi, because we are Sunderland and I'm Régis Le Bris.”

For now, survival is still vital for Sunderland. They have started extremely well; they just need to ensure that these performances keep rolling in.

Birmingham

Last season - 1st in League One

Current Position - 8th in the Championship

When Knighthead Capital Management took over Birmingham City, their fans knew they would be in for a wild ride. Along with American football superstar Tom Brady, they own 100% of the club.

And for members of the Born to be Blues group (Josh, James, Sam, Jordan, Ben, and Tommy), the past year has been nothing short of transformative. What could have been a moment of total despair has instead become a turning point many now describe, almost reluctantly, as a “blessing in disguise”.

Josh reflected on how the drop into League One two seasons ago allowed the Blues to reset their football ambitions and start anew. “I’m actually grateful we went down,” he admitted, whilst also stating that the eyebrow-raising arrival of NFL legend Tom Brady “was not on my bingo card, but what he has done behind the scenes has allowed us to improve not only on but off the field.”

James spoke about Birmingham’s new owners, but it was chairman Tom Wagner he was most impressed with. “Tom Wagner brings clarity to the club. He talks about long-term sustainability, about infrastructure, about making Birmingham City a ‘proper’ football club again.” And Jordan agrees with him. Despite being a “sceptic” of American owners—which is not hard to understand—he now believes that the club is “in the best place it’s been in my lifetime with these amazing Americans at the helm!”

Whilst Sam has also praised the Knighthead group, calling Wagner the “best owner the club has ever had,” he also shines a light on manager Chris Davies.

Davies, a former assistant coach to both Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers, joined Birmingham City on the 6th June, 2024. Despite having no experience of solely managing a side, he decimated the league, accumulating a record 111 points. Sam said, “It’s hard to say anything other than Chris Davies has done an amazing job.” He added that the jump up to the Championship has had its “complications”, but “some personal tweaks have meant a recent resurgence.”

Both Ben and Tommy have their eyes set on the future. Whilst neither is getting ahead of themselves, there is a clear sense of ambition coursing through the veins of the Blues’ ranks. Ben says he would be more than satisfied with “anywhere in the top half of the table this year, with the ambition to push further next season.” Tommy, meanwhile, allows himself to dream a little bigger. “Only time will tell,” he says, “but if, come the end of the season, our name is lit up in gold on the Sky Sports table with a ‘P’ next to it, I’ll be a very, very happy man.”

Wrexham

Last season - 2nd in League One

Current Position - 10th in the Championship

Similar to Birmingham City, Wrexham have been on the ride of their lives.

Since Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over the third-oldest professional football team in the world in February 2021, the Red Dragons have surged through the leagues. In 2023—after 15 years in the National League—they finally earned promotion by smashing the division’s points record with 111. Since then, they haven’t looked back.

Two successive second-place finishes delivered two more promotions, completing an extraordinary trio of climbs. Wrexham now find themselves back in the second tier for the first time since 1982. And whilst they have not set the division alight, they have performed well. Wrexham currently sit 10th in the Championship table and are unbeaten in their last eight league fixtures.

But despite Wrexham sitting comfortably and the three successive promotions, manager Phil Parkinson has been criticised throughout the past three years by fans and pundits who believe he is not fit to manage in his division.

But fans Elizabeth Seibert and Bryan Thomas do not share that same revelation.

“I don't have the knowledge of Phil's past experience in the Championship to opine, but even so, I wonder at its relevance in 2025?” Seibert said. “I fully back him and think talk of changing managers is utter madness right now and a distraction.”

And whilst Thomas has poked holes in “Parky’s” style of play, he admitted that his “back-to-back-to-back promotions make him hard to criticise.” Thomas also added that “Unless they are in the relegation zone, I feel he will be in the position next season.”

Whilst neither believes a play-off is in question, with both Sibert and Thomas believing that a “mid-table finish” would be respectable, the Welsh side sit just three points off 6th place.

They also remain the only side to take three points off league leaders Coventry City.

There is a chance—albeit a minuscule one—that another promotion isn’t entirely out of the question.

Charlton

Last season - 4th in League One (promoted via playoffs)

Current Position - 17th in the Championship

For Charlton fans, promotion seemed like an impossible dream for a large majority of the 2024/25 season.

By the 14th of December, Charlton had accumulated just 24 points from 19 games and sat 14th in the league. But as we all know, the lower leagues of English football are unpredictable.

Fast forward to the end of the season, Charlton sat 4th in the table with 85 points. Towards the end of the season, they went on a run of 14 games where they dropped just eight points.

They would then later beat Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 across two legs, before defeating Leyton Orient by the same score in the play-off final.

But life back in the Championship has not gone particularly well for the Robins. After a strong start—23 points from their first 13 games, enough to sit inside the play-offs—Charlton have endured a torrid run of four successive losses, suffering 12 goals, and falling from 6th in the league to 17th.

Conor Mears, a 22-year-old lifelong fan of the club, has said that all he wants is a “mid-table finish,” and that “coming into the season, staying up was the target.”

One aspect Mears made sure to mention was manager Nathan Jones. Despite Jones being contentious with other fan bases—which Mears made sure to mention—he remains largely popular with fans at the London-based club.

“Nathan Jones has instilled a real mentality in the players, and through his passion, he’s got the fans back on board after some awful managers in recent years,” he explained. Mears went even further, saying Jones shows “week in, week out” that he would “die for the club.”

For a manager who is hated by a myriad of clubs across England, the affection he has generated in SE7 is a striking contrast.

It remains to be seen how Charlton will fare with the rest of the season, yet the uncertainty is filled with a palpable sense of belief.

Doncaster Rovers

Last season - 1st in League Two

Current Position - 18th in League One

The last 10 years as a Doncaster Rovers fan must feel like living in limbo.

After earning promotion via the play-offs in 2007/08, Doncaster began their first season back in the Championship in 2008/09, their first appearance in the second tier since 1958.

Rovers spent four seasons in the second tier before eventually suffering relegation. They bounced straight back at the first attempt, only to drop straight down again the following year.

Times have been tough since then. Doncaster have bounced between League One and League Two, rarely finding the consistency needed to mount a serious push back toward the Championship.

There was a brief flirtation with the idea when John Marquis spearheaded the Rovers into 6th place in League One, but they faltered to Charlton on penalties in the play-off semi-final.

Now the Rovers are back in League One after a three-season stint in League Two, which saw them nearly drop into the National League for the first time since 2003. For 17-year-old Rovers fan Riley Hardy, earning promotion again felt “great,” a reward for everything the club had pushed through to get there.

“Going unbeaten in 11 was an amazing feeling,” he said. “We worked hard to get to that point, and it was gratifying to not only return to League One but to win League Two.”

The path back wasn’t straightforward. Doncaster had endured a difficult return to League Two, finishing 18th in their first season. But a play-off run in 2023/24 offered a glimpse of momentum.

One of the key reasons for Doncaster’s success is Grant McCann. In his second stint as manager of the club, he has excelled. “Since coming back to Doncaster, Grant has done a great job, getting us the play-offs and then winning the league,” Hardy said. “He’s really done amazing. I can confidently say that most fans are behind Grant.”

Doncaster now sit 18th in League One. Stable, but not safe. With hard fixtures against Stockport and Cardiff City, McCann and his side need to be on form.

Port Vale

Last season - 2nd in League Two

Current Position - 24th in League One

Out of all 12 promoted teams on this list, Port Vale has undoubtedly had the worst season thus far.

Across the leagues, only two promoted teams are in the relegation zone: Burnley in the Premier League and Port Vale. Of the pair, Vale is the only side currently anchored to the foot of their table.

18 games played, just 14 points picked up, and they have scored just 11 goals—five fewer than the second lowest in the division.

The return to life in League One has not gone well.

Darren Moore, Port Vale’s manager, is under mounting pressure, and unless results improve in the next run of games, his position looks increasingly precarious.

In a press conference on 27 November, Moore said: “You have to work hard and trust that you're not in this battle on your own. We're in it together.

"We'll keep fighting, every week, to turn this around. When you are winning, everything's really great, and when you're losing, it can be really sour.”

But the opinion around the ex-Jamaican international is starting to turn sour with the fans.

Sam Plant, 32, told me that, “I am very torn on Moore. He’s good in the transfer market but very frustrating on the field.”

David Palmer, 53, and Arthur Haywood, 60, echo that view. Neither feels Moore should be dismissed, but both accept that results need to improve quickly if he’s to keep the pressure at bay.

Palmer said that the “jury is still out”, whilst Haywood told me that: “I still think Moore’s the right man, but he needs to find his best team fast and stick with it.”

All three have just one want for the rest of the season.

To survive.

Plant said he would “settle for anything better than relegation.” Palmer hopes for a “top-half” finish but admits that “relegation” remains a real possibility. Haywood, meanwhile, told me, “I’d love to say mid-table, but we need to be realistic.”

Bradford

Last season - 3rd in League Two

Current Position - 3rd in League One

As we leave behind the side that was promoted and is struggling the most, we turn to the side that has enjoyed the strongest start.

Bradford currently sits third in League One, behind only Cardiff City and Stevenage. If the season ended today, they would enter the play-offs in the strongest position.

For Brian, 36, this was completely unexpected. “I'd be a liar if I expected being newly promoted and being a top 3 team immediately,” he said. “There is still plenty of time left, but it is pleasing to know we can be at promotion level again.”

Despite Bradford having a fantastic start to the season, they have not been without their tribulations. Over the past seven matches, they have won just one game, and failed to win any match in the month of October.

Their saving grace is that they lost only once in that same stretch, grinding out five draws to keep themselves ticking over.

After a month without a win, doubts over boss Graham Alexander and his men were beginning to seep in amongst the fanbase.

After Bradford’s 1-0 victory against Exeter City, Alexander reflected on the drawing streak, saying, “Even though we haven’t won for a while in the league, we’ve only lost one of those games.

“Our resilience, organisation and fitness levels are good.” It’s another game for us to realise the quality that’s right the way through this league.”

Brian told me that he still has hope for the rest of the campaign. “It's a long season,” he said, “but you can't have many complaints where we stand.”

With the Bantams facing Plymouth Argyle and Port Vale—the two sides that sit at the bottom of the table—Bradford have a genuine chance to regain momentum and strengthen their position.

AFC Wimbledon

Last season - 5th in League Two (promoted via playoffs)

Current Position - 9th in League One

AFC Wimbledon’s advancement to League One meant more than just a promotion. It was the first time in their history that they would sit a division ahead of rivals MK Dons.

For Ollie Spence, the rivalry should not even exist. A man who would have just been six when his club was formed, he told me that, “The nature of the rivalry with Milton Keynes is such that the rivalry shouldn't exist. Drop the Dons.”

Two names came up in mine and Spence’s talk: sporting director Craig Cope and manager Johnnie Jackson.

“Craig Cope has performed miracles in recruitment,” Ollie said. “He turned a squad fit for the National League in 2022/23 to a promotion squad just last year, purchasing and then selling a player for a record League 2 transfer fee within a year in the process.”

For manager Johnnie Jackson, Spence was more pragmatic. He said at times the tactics were “turgid” and “uninspiring,” but also told me that the players have always “stood by him” and that he is a brilliant “man manager.”

In his three years of management at AFC Wimbledon, Jackson has had a bumpy ride.

In his first season at the club, 2022/23, he struggled greatly, overseeing a disappointing 21st-place finish in their first year back in League Two.

In Wimbledon’s last 14 games of that season, they picked up just six points.

But over the past two years, things have greatly improved. Jackson and Cope have recruited a strong squad that could compete in League Two, and they jumped from 21st to 5th in just two years.

Now, they sit 9th in League One with a genuine chance of pushing for the playoffs. England’s most beloved club suddenly find themselves with an opportunity to do something special.

For Spence, the ambition remains grounded. All he wants is for his club to finish “above the dotted line (relegation)” and for the “success of the team” to be reinvested in the “long-term success of the club.”

Barnet

Last season - 1st in the National League

Current Position - 14th in League Two

Since being relegated from League Two in the 2017/18 season, Barnet have had a wild ride in the National League.

During their seven years in the division, they twice reached the playoffs, survived relegation only because Macclesfield Town folded and Dover Athletic’s results were expunged, and finally finished top last season to earn their return to the English Football League.

Nicholas Rowland, 23, had already begun to “doubt” his club would get promoted after the two play-off defeats. But another man who wanted to remain anonymous—for clarity's sake, I will refer to him as John Doe—had no doubt. “I've been supporting the club since the early 90s,” he said. “I fully expected us to return to the league, and I was delighted with the way in which we did it.”

Samantha Price, 24, also believed in her side, saying, “I had faith we would be able to be promoted to the football pyramid again.”

And their return to League Two has been fruitful thus far. With forward Callum Stead leading the line, Barnet have earned 25 points from 18 league matches, placing them 14th in the table.

As it stands, the Bees are three points off a play-off position, whilst being nine points clear of relegation.

For both Rowland and Doe, their strong start to the campaign has shaped a cautious optimism. “I'd like to think we'll fight for the play-offs,” Rowland said, whilst Doe was more pessimistic. “I try to keep my expectations realistic. I think there's a decent chance we could make it into the playoffs, but anything in the top ten would be considered good by me.” Price also stayed realistic, telling me, “I’m hoping for a top-half finish, but anything can happen in the EFL, so we’ll have to wait and see.”

Both men spoke highly of manager Dean Brennan. Despite having a tough first year in charge, Brennan has turned the club around, with Doe telling me, “He's my second favourite Bee’s manager after Barry Fry. His ability to sign and develop the team season on season has been phenomenal.”

And Rowland reiterated this point, saying, “I love Brennan; he rescued us. I doubted him during his first season, but he's turned us around. Last season was magical.”

Price also has faith in the Barnet manager, but looked towards the future. “I definitely think he is a long-term solution, and I hope he stays with us!”

Oldham

Last season - 5th in the National League (promoted via playoffs)

Current Position - 15th in League Two

Lastly, after 11 other promoted sides, we finish at Oldham.

Thirty-one years ago, Oldham was a Premier League club. Since the 1993/94 season, they have endured four relegations without reply, a slide that has taken them from the top flight all the way down to the fifth tier of English football.

Phil James-Roxby, 56, talked me through the drama of the final day and how “emotional” it was. “It was absolutely incredible being surrounded by Oldham fans at Wembley. The whole day was just surreal.”

Oldham’s first season back in the EFL has sufficed well so far. As it stands, they sit 15th in the division, just two points behind fellow promoted side Barnet.

While the Latics have suffered five defeats, four of them have come against teams in the top eight, and four have been by a single-goal margin.

In their last five games, they have accumulated eight points out of a possible 15.

James-Roxby has praised manager Micky Melon, saying, “I didn’t, and still don’t, doubt him.

“We don’t have money, we don’t have a massive fan base; it’s always going to be somewhat of a struggling underdog club.”

Looking towards the future, James-Roxby dreams of “mid-table obscurity,” safety for his club is the paramount goal. “I just want to stay up, play exciting football, keep that small club feel but really develop a consistent fan base,” he said.

How the Latics ultimately fare remains to be seen, but keep collecting points and safety will follow, along with the foundations for something bigger.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist

Joe Ryan

Features Journalist

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