Source: Daily_Mail
Portsmouth in good company - the Premier League's most pointless clubs
Never mind the consolation of making the FA Cup final, Portsmouth face a struggle to regain some dignity in the Barclays Premier League this season.[LNB]The south coast strugglers were relegated at the weekend with five games to play and look like they will struggle to register 20 points for the season as they prepare to take on Wigan.[LNB]Fair enough, a nine-point deduction for going into administration and a serious lack of funds hasn't helped, but the 23 points they would have registered from 33 games was hardly survival form.[LNB] Torrid season: Portsmouth fans protest against the running of their club[LNB][LNB]Sportsmail looksback at some of the worst relegation 'fights' in Premier League history- and worryingly for Pompey fans, not too many have bounced back fromthis bunch...[LNB]Tough time: Swindon midfielder John Moncur[LNB]Swindon Town - 1993-94ThePremier League was only a year old when Swindon Town were promoted to the topflight for the first time in 73 years and a ball hadn't even had been kickedbefore they were on the back foot.[LNB]Promotionwinning manager Glenn Hoddle left to be player-manager at Chelsea and assistant John Gorman took thereins and then 16 games to record their first win. [LNB]At a time when 42 games wereplayed The Robins won only five and conceded a Premier League record 100goals, finishing 10 points behind next nearest club Oldham Athletic.[LNB]Didthey recover? No, Swindon were relegated again the following season and in2007 became the first club having played in the Premier League to be relegatedinto the Football League's bottom division. They have since wonpromotion back to League One but the top-flight days are now a long time agoand a long way away.[LNB]Raining Goals: Andy Cole celebrates after scoring a hat-trick against Ipswich, he would go on to get two more as Town suffered a record 9-0 defeat[LNB]Ipswich Town - 1994-95Havingsurvived on the final day of the previous season, the signs were there for anotherstruggle, but nobody expected it to be as bad as it was.[LNB]ManagerJohn Lyall left in December with Ipswichalready looking doomed and the inexperienced George Burley came in, choosing togive younger players a chance as his ageing squad was not up to the job. [LNB]Noresult highlighted this more than when they were thumped 9-0 by Man Utd at OldTrafford, still a record Premier League defeat. Burley's side were relegatedwith the then record low of 27 points.[LNB]Didthey recover? It took a while but keeping faith in George Burley paid it'srewards after promotion back to the big time in 2000, following a seriesof heartbreak play-off defeats. They finished fifth in their first season backas well, but disaster struck again next season when they were relegated again. Theyhave not been back since.[LNB]Nottingham Forest - 1998-99Aftera storming season winning the First Division, Forestwon promotion in style and had a squad capable enough to mix it in the PremierLeague once again.[LNB]Butall was not well in pre-season as neither of the dynamic duo in attack of KevinCampbell and Pierre van Hooijdonk that took them up would lead the charge as the former was sold and the latter went AWOL.[LNB]Despitea promising start, results took a nose dive. Despite the return of VanHooijdonk in November they never recovered or even looked like it. [LNB]Ron Atkinsontook charge in January but could not change the club's fortunes, instead leadinghis side to the worst home defeat in Premier League history when they were annihilated8-1 by Manchester United before getting relegated on 30 points - 11 points from safety.[LNB]Didthey recover? It got worse. After near play-off misses, the club then declinedsteeply and were relegated once again in 2005. They have since bounced backwith promotion and are currently flying high in the Championship with aplay-off place almost secure. The Premier League may once again beckon.[LNB] Glum: After sitting in the wrong dugout before the game, 'Big Ron' sees his Forest side lose 2-1 at home to champions Arsenal in his first game[LNB][LNB]Watford - 1999-00Watford went straight back down afterwinning two successive promotions.[LNB]Despitesome great early results, including victories over Liverpool and Chelsea, Watford only wonthree more games all season and recorded a then record low of 24 points. It was a punishing season which showed theeffects of being ill-prepared for the Premier League[LNB]Didthey recover? They did, before another decline. After an ill-fated spell withGianluca Vialli in charge, the Hornets won promotion under Adrian Boothroyd in 2006 but were again relegated. this time winningonly five games.[LNB] Doomed: Robert Page (left) and Watford struggled to get to grips with the demands of the Premier League[LNB]Bradford City - 2000-01IfWatford the previous season were an example of being under-prepared, Bradford were guilty of not building on their ownsurvival.[LNB]Afterbeating the odds and staying up the previous season, Bradfordthen crashed and burned with 26 points and athen-record low of five wins. [LNB]Albeit they were not helped by the resignation ofPaul Jewell before the season had started. The Bantams got off to a terriblestart and sacked Chris Hutchings after only 12 games. Things never improved after that and it became a matter of when andnot if they were relegated.[LNB]Didthey recover? Absolutely not. Bradford have not been close to the PremierLeague since and have fallen down the Football League into League Two, wherethey currently rank lowest of any club that has played in the Premier League.Ouch.[LNB] Guess the score: But not even Stan Collymore could keep Bradford up[LNB]Sunderland - 2002/03 & 2005/06Notcontent with setting the Premier League record for worst season to date back in 2003 - witha record low of four wins and 19 points - Sunderlandsmashed both of their own records three years later. The Wearsiders limped homewith only three wins and 15 points.[LNB]MickMcCarthy was sacked in March but by then it was too late, and caretaker managerKevin Ball never stood a chance.[LNB]In a season where they received their heaviestderby defeat in more than 50 years, a 4-1 beating by Newcastle,Sunderland fans also had to wait until thevery last day of the season to see their side win at home[LNB]Didthey recover? Yes - and in superb fashion. Following a bad start to the next season, Roy Keane replaced Niall Quinn as manager and took the club to the Championship title. The Black Cats have remained in the top division since.[LNB] Worst of times: Kenny Miller and Roy Carroll clash during Derby's sorry season[LNB] [LNB]Derby County - 2007/08IfSunderland were bad then Derbywere ridiculous and ultimately humiliated during their brief stay in the topflight.[LNB]Althoughthey were among the favourites to be relegated following their surpriseplay-off win, nobody expected the calamity that would follow. [LNB]With just the onewin all season - against Newcastle - they equalled a 108-year old football league record for least wins in a season. [LNB]Not even sacking Billy Davies and replacing him with Paul Jewell brought any wins and were they officially relegated before the end of March, ending the season withjust 11 points.[LNB]Didthey recover? To a certain extent, they were never contenders to come straightback up. But they have maintained their Championship status as Nigel Clough looks torebuild the club.[LNB] FA vow to fix Wembley pitch after players rage over shocking surface Hard-up Pompey can net £3.2m from FA Cup but still lose out on EuropeChris Foy given chance to impress at Wembley by refereeing FA Cup finalPORTSMOUTH FC
