What Are The Biggest Success Stories From Recent Promoted Championship Teams?

In the last two seasons, the Premier League has become an impossible league to survive in. In the past two years, all of the promoted teams from the Championship were unable to survive the season after in the Premier League, and went straight back down to where they came from.

It looks like it will be the same case this year, with Southampton already relegated, and Leicester and Ipswich looking to be on their way down with them.

Southampton are relegated from the Premier League ⏬

With seven games left to play, it's the earliest relegation in PL history. pic.twitter.com/RTnBQO1jfG

— B/R Football (@brfootball) April 6, 2025

So, in recent years, what are some of the teams have been successful in surviving their first season in the Premier League, and where are they now?

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest were promoted to the Premier League via the playoffs in 2022 after beating Huddersfield Town in the final.

Forest were immediately casted as favourites to go down, with fans seeing little hope of surviving. However, Forest did something that not many would predict, and something that would keep them afloat in the Premier League.

In the summer transfer window before their first season back in the Premier League, Nottingham Forest made a total of 28 signings. All football fans were confused, not only as to how they could afford all of this, but also as to how signing a whole two new starting elevens would be able to increase their chances of surviving.

Their signings included players like Morgan Gibbs-White, Chris Wood (Loan) and Taiwo Awoniyi, and even former Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas. There were many other players that Forest signed who now feature regularly for the side this season, whilst many players signed have been sent on numerous loan spells, and some of the players I am sure even Nottingham Forest fans themselves wouldn’t have any idea about.

Since Promotion to the Premier League, Nottingham Forest have spent £360 million in the transfer market, with a net spend of £215million.

The Premier League were shocked when they spent this much, but it paid off, as the club survived in their first season in the Premier League, and now look to be heading for the Champions League next season. Forest were given a point deduction for their high spending in the Premier League, breaching profit and sustainability rules last year, but it didn’t damage their survival hopes at all, and if four points is all you are deducted to give yourself a better chance of staying up, would they really care?

Seeing all the high spending from Forest, bringing in an abundance of players, is breaking spending rules and spending as much as possible the best way to survive in the Premier League?

Fulham

Fulham were promoted in 2022 after winning the Championship, and have played in the Premier League ever since. For Fulham, they haven’t been anywhere near as busy as Nottingham Forest in the transfer market since joining the Premier League, but their business has been fairly smart.

Fulham signed plenty of players with Premier League experience, such as Willian, Bernd Leno, Issa Diop, Andreas Pereira, Alex Iwobi and Raul Jimenez, along with many more. Fulham prioritised players with serious footballing experience, wanting to ensure they had players well equipped to playing in the Premier League.

Fulham’s first season in the Premier League surpassed all expectations, finishing 10th. The London side are of course no stranger to the top flight, but they have considered themselves a yo-yo club, constantly going up and down the championship and the Premiership. However, talented coach Marco Silva had developed in them years, and seemed to understand what would be needed to survive.

Fulham had been ball-oriented in the Championship, focusing on dominating games in the opponents half, scoring plenty of goals along the way. However, in the Premier League, Marco Silva tweaked the way Fulham played, as he focused on defensive solidity, and using fast players to counter quickly and catch opponents out.

Fulham survived their first season, and were able to build on their first season, as Marco Silva slowly reverted back to his possession style, with Fulham now ranking in the top 6 of the Premier League for possession.

Fulham are challenging for Europe this season, level on points with Bournemouth in 8th place.

So, it shows that survival in the Premier League isn’t all about big spending (although it does help), but is also important to be able to adapt game by game, and be a team set up to be strong at the back.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth were the last of class of 2022, achieving automatic promotion just behind Fulham in 2022. At the time, Bournemouth were a club with limited financial funding, and it would be difficult for them to once again establish themselves in the Premier League.

However, Bournemouth were busy in the transfer window, utilising the loan market and free agents. Bournemouth signed Barcelona goalkeeper Neto on a free transfer, as well as Ryan Fredericks from West Ham, and Joe Rothwell from Blackburn on free transfers.

However, Bournemouth also signed players with potential, such as Ilya Zabarnyi, Dango Outtara and Hamad Traore. Signing these players can be a risk, as you must hope that they can step up to the Premier League. But if they do step up, it can mean you have young players who are capable of playing in the Premier League for years to come, or even sell them on for big fees.

Bournemouth finished 15th in their first season back, although it was a lot more difficult as it may have seemed. Scott Parker was struggling, and unable to pick up points regularly for the side, putting survival in doubt. Fans were calling for him to be sacked, and a 9-0 loss to Liverpool was the nail in the Coffin for the manager, as he was sacked the next day.

Gary O’Neil was chosen to take charge, and his focus on counter attacking football meant Bournemouth started to pick up more points. O’Neil impressed when in charge of Bournemouth, and he was appointed full time manager of the side due to Bournemouth’s strong form to ensure their survival.

However, much to the surprise of many Premier League fans, Gary O’Neil was sacked after the season had finished, with the new ownership of Bournemouth wanting to take a different route.

O’Neil left for Wolves, and the Cherries brought in promising Spanish manager Andoni Iraola from Rayo Vallecano. Iraola focused on high intensity pressing football, and aimed to score goals through dangerous counter attacks. Iraola struggled in his first few months in the Premier League, and many fans thought they would regret sacking O’Neil.

However, form picked up, and Bournemouth finished 12th in the Premier League. And now, in this current season Bournemouth, along with Fulham, are fighting for European Qualification, and have looked a very good side under Iraola, who has been recently linked with the Tottenham Hotspur job.

We have now equalled our all-time @premierleague points record 📈

We keep moving 👊 pic.twitter.com/F5mN9ZG7VA

— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) April 14, 2025

Could The Next Three Have Any Chance Of Surviving?

The Championship promotion race is still very much up in the air, as teams constantly drop in and out of the automatic promotion spots. Leeds, Sheffield United and Burnley look to be the strongest sides in the Championship, and have been a class above the rest of the division.

These three sides each have fairly different playing styles, and it will be interesting to see which style will translate to the Premier League best.

Leeds United

Leeds United are the top goal scorers in the league, and are solely focused on possession and dominating over their opponents, and creating plenty of chances to score from. The Yorkshire side have scored a massive 82 goals so far this season, and despite their recent little decline in form, still look very likely to return to the top flight. Leeds had been promoted to the Premier League in 2020, but were relegated in 2023. They have some familiarity with the league, but the best division in the country is no longer what it used to be. Leeds will have to spend massively to improve their squad, with their squad not having players capable of making the step up. Luckily for Leeds, they do have owners who have got money to spend, the 49ers enterprise group, who are known also for owning other sports teams. This is something that is vital for Leeds if they were to stay up, as well as needing good coaching. Leeds had a very good coach when they were promoted a few years ago, as Marcelo Bielsa was able to maximise the ability of his players, and set them up in a way that made them a tough side to play against. However, this time their manager is Daniel Farke. Farke has previously managed in the Premier League with Norwich City, and every time he has done so, they have been instantly relegated. So, as harsh as it may sound, is Farke the right man to keep them up in the Premier League? Their chances will be slim of staying up, regardless of who is in charge and how much money they spend, and I think it will be a tough ask for the side to stay afloat in the Premier League.

Sheffield United

It was only last year that Sheffield United were a Premier League side, and were relegated with just sixteen points and a massive 104 goals conceded. Fast forward to this season, and cult hero Chris Wilder is in charge of the Blades, and they are third in the league, and look to be the strongest out of the other sides who could be in the playoffs with them.

Earlier on the season, Wilder described his team as effective, saying “We mix it up. If we have to go long, we go long. If we have to control, we have to control”. Wilder is an experienced manager, and clearly has the skills to be able to adapt his sides to the opponent they are facing. Sheffield United are no different to either of the other two likely promoted teams, as they too have a knowledge of the Premier League.

Sheffield United have never spent a big amount on players, even when they were in the Premier League, which is perhaps as to why there is no surprise when they were relegated.

For them, it will be difficult to stay up, with a squad not near the ability to play in the top flight, but they do have a manager who has managed in the Premier League before, and did a fairly decent job when he done so, as we all remember when he guided the Blades to a top half finish and just five points away from European Football.

Burnley

Burnley are the final of the three sides who look to be likely to be promoted to the Premier League. Burnley were relegated along with Sheffield United last season, following a disappointing season under Vincent Kompany.

Kompany relegating Burnley was surprisingly rewarded with a move to becoming the boss at Bayern Munich. Burnley replaced Kompany with Scott Parker, who has had plenty of experience in the Championship.

Parker has drilled defensive solidity into his Burnley side this season, as they have kept 29 clean sheets and conceded 13 goals all season. Of course, Burnley will be busy in the transfer market upon their return to the Premier League, but should they be worried about their tactics?

🔥 Burnley's 29-game unbeaten run in the Championship:

✅ Wins: 1️⃣8️⃣
🤝 Draws: 1️⃣1️⃣
⚽️ Goals for: 4️⃣0️⃣
🥅 Goals against: 7️⃣
🧤 Clean sheets: 2️⃣2️⃣
🔢 Points: 6️⃣5️⃣

𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚! 👏#TwitterClarets pic.twitter.com/W463scQ76u

— The Championship Chat Podcast (@Champchatpod24) April 15, 2025

The Premier League is of course much more intense, and promoted clubs need to sure up at the back as they will face higher quality teams who can hurt them in attack much more easily. For Burnley, they seem to be very strong defensively, and therefore they could be able to cope with the step up, and they can look to win games through counter attacking football.

However, chances are still relatively low, as still lots of spending is going to be required in order for their squad to be able to cope with the demands of the top flight.