TOTTANHAM HOTSPUR

overview

Tottenham Hotspur have been in the Premier League since its inception and have lit the competition up with their flamboyant style of play. With Jurgen Klinsmann and Ilie Dumitrescu, the team was built around goals, but points were harder to come by. Relegation was only narrowly avoided in 1998, but fans' relief was short lived as their next manager was a legend from fierce north London rivals Arsenal - George Graham.

He led the team to a League Cup victory in his first season - Spurs' first trophy since the Premier League began. However, it wasn't until Martin Jol took over in 2004 and started building a team for the future - firmly placing his faith in youth - that Spurs began to climb the table. They only narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification in the 2005/06 season and secured another fifth place finish the following campaign.

But a slow start to the 2007/08 season saw Jol replaced by Juande Ramos. The Spaniard repeated Graham's trick of winning the League Cup in his first season by defeating Chelsea in the final at Wembley Stadium and also lifted the club up to 11th place in the league.

club heritage

Boys from Hotspur Cricket Club and the local grammar club formed Hotspur FC in 1882. The name was changed to Tottenham Hotspur in 1884. Three years later, they played their first north London derby, but the match was called off after 15minutes "owing to darkness" - Spurs were beating Arsenal 2-1.

The club turned professional in 1885, but didn't join the football league until 1908. In the meantime, they became the only non-league team to win the FA Cup (in 1901) since the formation of the Football League in 1888.

Spurs became perceived as a big club when Bill Nicholson took over in 1958. He won his first match 10-4 - a sign of what was to come. In his 16 years at the club, Spurs won eight major trophies - becoming the first club in the 20th century to complete the league and cup 'double' in 1961 and the first British team to win a major European competition in 1963.

Further league success eluded Spurs and, following Nicholson's retirement, they even spent a brief stint in the Second Division in 1977/78. Their ethos of playing attacking football continued though - players that wowed the White Hart Lane faithful include Ossie Ardiles, Glenn Hoddle, Paul Gascoigne and Gary Lineker.

premier league history

1993/94 - Ossie Ardiles becomes manager
1994/95 - Ardiles sacked in September. Replaced by Gerry Francis
1997/98 - Francis replaced by Christian Gross, who re-signs Jurgen Klinsmann
1998/99 - Gross replaced by George Graham. Win League Cup
2000/01 - Glenn Hoddle replaces Graham in April. ENIC complete takeover with Daniel Levy becoming chairman
2003/04 - David Pleat replaces Hoddle in September
2004/05 - Jacques Santini becomes head coach, but quits after just 13 matches. Replaced by Martin Jol
2007/08 - Sign Darren Bent for club record £16.5m from Charlton Athletic
2007/08 - Martin Jol sacked as manager in October
2007/08 - Juande Ramos appointed manager and names Spurs old boy Gus Poyet as assistant
2007/08 - Win League Cup
2008/09 Juande Ramos sacked as manager along with coaches Gus Poyet, Marcos Alvarez and sporting director Damien Comolli. Harry Redknapp leaves Portsmouth to take the reins. Spurs lose the Carling Cup final to Manchester United on penalties after a 0-0 draw at Wembley.

SUNDERLAND

overview

Sunderland stormed to the Championship title in 2006/07 to reclaim their place in the top-flight at the first time of asking.

After their relegation in 2006, the club was taken over by Drumaville - a consortium of mainly Irish-based businessmen, headed up by former player Niall Quinn - which appointed Republic of Ireland legend and former Manchester United hero Roy Keane as manager, his first managerial post since hanging up his boots.

The club have not looked back since as Keane guided them from the bottom of the Championship to title winners in May. Keane led them to a 15th Barclays Premier League place finish in 2007/08 but left the club midway through the following season with the Black Cats struggling at the foot of the table.

Coach Ricky Sbragia moved up to take charge until the end of the campaign and guided the Black Cats to safety. Majority shareholder Ellis Short has assumed 100 per cent control of the club with Quinn staying on as chairman.

club heritage

Glaswegian schoolteacher James Allan founded Sunderland and District Teachers' Association Football Club in 1879, changing the name to Sunderland AFC a year later. They were elected to the newly-formed Football League in 1890/91 and were to remain in the top flight for 68 consecutive years - a record only recently passed by Arsenal.

Sunderland won the title three times in five years, only losing one home match in their first six seasons. The Mackems won another title in 1902, but a better prize in their fans eyes' was a 9-1 thrashing of fierce rivals Newcastle United - still a record away win in the top flight. The team came close to doing the double in 1913 but they lost the FA Cup final 1-0 to Aston Villa.

A post-war slump saw them beaten by Yeovil Town in the FA Cup - the first time a non-league club had beaten a top-flight team - and worse, relegated in 1958. Sunderland have spent most of their time since then bouncing between the top two divisions, with their only real glory being a 1973 FA Cup win over Leeds United - the first time in 40 years a club outside the top flight had won the trophy.

The Black Cats reached their lowest point in 1987 as they were relegated to the Third Division. But successive promotions saw them back in the top flight two years later.

premier league history

1992/93 - Avoid relegation to Division Two by one point
1993/94 - Mick Buxton replaces Terry Butcher as manager
1994/95 - Peter Reid becomes manager with seven matches remaining
1995/96 - Win Division One
1996/97 - Relegated from FA Carling Premiership
1997/98 - First season at Stadium of Light. Lose play-off final on penalties
1998/99 - Win Division One with a record 105 points
2002/03 - Break record signing with Tore André Flo for £6.75million. Reid replaced by Howard Wilkinson. Mick McCarthy takes over with nine matches left. Relegated with lowest points tally ever (19)
2004/05 - Win Division One
2005/06 - McCarthy leaves in March after just two wins. Kevin Ball appointed as caretaker. Relegated with new record low number of points (15).
2006/07 - Consortium headed by former hero Niall Quinn takes over. Quinn appointed as manager but sacks himself after four straight defeats. Roy Keane becomes manager. Win promotion to the Barclays Premier League
2007/08 - Break British transfer record for a goalkeeper - paying Hearts £9million for Craig Gordon
2008/09 - After a disappointing run, Roy Keane resigns from his post as manager in December. Ricky Sbragia takes temporary charge and keeps the Black Cats up. Steve Bruce takes becomes new pemanent manager in June.

EVERTON

overview

Everton have maintained their place in the Premier League since its inception in 1992. The Toffees claimed a famous 1-0 win over Manchester United in the 1995 FA Cup final courtesy of a goal from Paul Rideout. Everton have often been overshadowed by their Merseyside rivals Liverpool but they have a glorious history of their own.

A fourth place finish under manager David Moyes in the 2004/05 campaign, coupled with sixth and fifth place finishes respectively in the 2006/07 and 07/08 seasons, have cemented the club's status in the upper echelons of English football. Another fifth-placed finish came in 2008/09 along with an FA Cup final appearance.

The club have contested more seasons in the top flight than any other and are the fifth most successful English club in terms of trophies won.

club heritage

In 1878, the club was founded as St. Domingo FC so that the people from the parish of St Domingo's Church could participate in a sport outside of the summer months, when they played cricket. The team began playing on Stanley Park with no dressing rooms, carrying their own goalposts out onto the pitch. When people outside of the parish wanted to participate, the club was renamed Everton a year later.

Players recruited from other clubs were allowed to wear the shirts of their former teams and this caused much confusion. The need for a unified kit led to the dieing of the many different shirts black in order to avoid purchasing a brand new strip. The first league title arrived in the 1890/91 season. Royal Blue was settled on for the 1901/02 campaign.

The signing of Dixie Dean in 1925 prompted the Toffees' first sustained period of success. His 60 goals in 39 league matches in the championship-winning 1927/28 season is still a top flight record.

A subsequent relegation and immediate promotion two years later, was followed by another title triumph on their return to the top flight in 1931/32. A second FA Cup victory was achieved with a 3-0 win over Manchester City a season after and the era ended with a title win in the 1938/39 season.

The appointment of Howard Kendall as manager in 1981 heralded the most successful period in Everton's history. The league title was claimed in the 1984/85 and 1986/87 seasons, while the FA Cup was won in 1984. The Toffees' only European trophy arrived in the form of a Cup Winners' Cup final defeat of Rapid Vienna in 1984/85.

premier league history

1993/94 - Mike Walker appointed manager
1993/94 - Peter Johnson takes over as chairman
1994/95 - Joe Royle appointed manager
1994/95 - Win FA Cup
1997/98 - Howard Kendall appointed manager
1998/99 - Sir Phillip Carter reappointed chairman after Peter Johnson steps down
1998/99 - Bill Kenwright takes over club and Sir Phillip Carter becomes chairman
1998/99 - Walter Smith appointed manager
2001/02 - David Moyes appointed manager
2004/05 - Bill Kenwright takes over as chairman in 2004, succeeding Sir Phillip Carter
2006/07 - Andy Johnson signs for a then club record £8.6million from Crystal Palace
2007/08 - Yakubu signs from Middlesbrough in the summer transfer window for a new club record of £11.25million

BIRMINGHAM CITY

overview

Birmingham City exploded onto the Barclaycard Premiership stage in 2002. Having suffered play-off heartbreak in the previous three seasons, they won the play-offs under former manager Steve Bruce and seemed determined to make up for lost time.

In their first season, they finished a highly creditable 13th and did the double over arch rivals Aston Villa. Another mid-table finish in 2004/05 was followed by relegation a year later and a mass clear-out in an effort to reduce the wage bill.

But Birmingham bounced straight back up in the 2006/07 season, clinching automatic promotion as Championship runners-up. They became the first senior club in English history to postpone a match because their newly-laid pitch wasn't ready. The Blues have the dubious honour of playing on what was originally the spare pitch for the new Wembley.

After suffering the heartbreak of relegation on the last day on the 2007/08 season, Alex McLeish's side bounced back at the first time of asking, winning promotion back to the Barclays Premier League by finishing the 2008/09 season as Championship runners-up.

club heritage

A band of cricketers from Holy Church in Bordesley Green founded the club under the name of Small Heath Alliance in 1875. The club turned professional 10 years later, agreeing to pay their players half the gate receipts. In 1879, the first match between the two sides was recorded as a victory to Small Heath by "one goal and a disputed goal to nil."

The Blues were founding members of the Football League Second Division in 1892 and were champions in their first season. They became Birmingham City FC in 1905 and moved into their permanent home of St Andrews Stadium a year later. To facilitate this move, a group of gypsies had to be evicted and it is rumoured they put a curse on the ground as they left. Fans still blame this curse during every bad run.

The club have spent most of their existence bouncing between the top two flights - their Second Division title in 1955 was notable in that they beat Luton Town on goal average by just 0.297 of a goal. Their only major cup victory - the 1963 League Cup - was made even sweeter in that it was over rivals Aston Villa.

premier league history

2001/02 - Manager Trevor Francis replaced by Steve Bruce. Win promotion to Barclaycard Premiership via play-offs
2003/04 - Break club record transfer signing Emile Heskey for £6.25m
2005/06 - Relegated from the Barclays Premiership
2006/07 - Win automatic promotion to Barclays Premier League as Championship runners-up
2007/08 - Steve Bruce leaves to take up the reins at Wigan Athletic
2007/08 - Former Scotland manager Alex McLeish appointed manager
2007/08 - Relegated from Barclays Premier League
2008/09 - Promoted back to Barclays Premier League as Championship runners-up. Birmingham smash their transfer record by signing Ecuador striker Christian Benitez.

LIVERPOOL

overview

Liverpool have maintained their status as a domestic and European force since the Premier League began in 1992, rarely finishing outside the top positions. The club have won seven major trophies since then, including the Champions League, Uefa Cup, two FA Cups and three League Cups.

Indeed, 2001 saw the Reds claim an unprecedented League Cup, FA Cup and Uefa Cup treble. Having won more domestic and European trophies than any other English club, Liverpool's status as giants of the domestic game is undisputed.

Under Rafa Benitez, Liverpool have secured Champions League football in each of the last five seasons. The Spaniard won the competition in 2005 and guided the club to an appearance in the final two years later where they were beaten 2-1 by AC Milan. They lost to Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the competition last season and secured a second place finish in the league.

club heritage

In 1891, John Houlding purchased Anfield after Everton left the ground for Goodison Park following a seven-year tenancy. With an empty stadium and only three players remaining, Houlding formed Liverpool Football Club on 15th March 1892. Everton FC and Athletic Grounds, Ltd, or Everton Athletic was to be the name, but the Football Association refused to recognise the team as Everton. Liverpool's first-ever competitive match was in the Lancashire League, where a predominantly Scottish team defeated Higher Walton 8-0 on 23rd September 1892. Liverpool won their first title in 1901 after gaining promotion to the First Division in 1894.

The appointment of Bill Shankly in 1959 was the beginning of a golden era for Liverpool. He led the club to promotion to the First Division in 1962 and they have stayed there ever since. The title was secured in 1964 and 1966, with a first-ever FA Cup final victory sandwiched in between. A year after winning the Uefa Cup, Shankly retired and was replaced by his assistant Bob Paisley.

Within two seasons, the Reds had won the league, and the Uefa Cup for a second time. Paisley's nine-year reign saw Liverpool win 21 trophies, including three European Cups, six league titles, a Uefa Cup, and three League Cups. Joe Fagan took over in 1983 and inspired the club to the European Cup, League title, and League Cup in his first season.

premier league history

1993/94 - Roy Evans replaces Graeme Souness
1994/95 - Win League Cup
1998/99 - Gerard Houllier joins Evans as joint-manager
1998/99 - Houllier takes sole charge in November 1998
2000/01 - Win FA Cup, League Cup and Uefa Cup
2002/03 - Win League Cup
2003/04 - Houllier departs by mutual consent in May 2004
2004/05 - Rafa Benitez takes over
2004/05 - Djibril Cisse joins from Auxerre for a club record £14m
2004/05 - Win Champions League
2005/06 - Win FA Cup
2006/07 - American businessmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks become owners in a deal worth £470m.
2007/08 - Fernando Torres becomes Liverpool's record signing at an initial fee of around £20.2m from Atletico Madrid.
2008/09 - Benitez ends widespread specualtion about his future by signing a new five-year contract.

ARSENAL

overview

Arsenal may have been off the pace in the inaugural Premier League season in 1992/93, but they made up for it by winning both the FA and League Cups.

The Premier League crown eluded them until 1998 - two years into manager Arsene Wenger's tenure - when they did the league and FA Cup double. Under the Frenchman, the Gunners shook off their "boring" image and began to play some of the most attractive football in England.

In eight of his 13 seasons at the club, Arsenal have finished first or second. And together with star players such as Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp, Wenger took Arsenal to another "double" in 2002.

The Gunners reached the Champions' League final in 2006, becoming the first London team to do so, but lost to Barcelona. Their Barclaycard Premiership title in 2003/04 saw them become only the second team to win the league without losing a match - earning them the title "The Invincibles." Overall they went 49 matches unbeaten, which is a national record.

club heritage

In 1886, a group of workers at the Woolwich Arsenal Armament Factory formed a team called Dial Square, renaming themselves to Royal Arsenal shortly afterwards. The team turned professional in 1891 and changed its name again to Woolwich Arsenal, eventually dropping the prefix completely in 1913 when they moved to Highbury.

The Gunners joined the Second Division in 1893 and were promoted in 1904. Success eluded them until the arrival of Herbert Chapman in 1925 when they won the league five times between 1930 and 1938 and the FA Cup twice. Chapman, who died in 1934, was also behind the renaming of the nearest London Underground station to Arsenal.

Arsenal had to wait until the 1970s for their next period of success. But their first double in 1971 was followed by several near-misses - finishing second in 1972, and losing three FA Cup finals and the 1980 European Cup Winners' Cup final.

It was not until the return of ex-player George Graham as manager that the club rose to greatness again - winning six trophies during his nine-year reign. That included League Cup success in 1987 and 1993, the FA Cup in 1993, the league title in 1989 and 1991 and European Cup Winners' Cup in 1994. Arsenal hold the enviable record of the most consecutive seasons in the top flight - 81 at present.

premier league history

1992/93 - Win the FA Cup and League Cup double
1993/94 - Win the European Cup Winners' Cup
1994/95 - George Graham sacked. Stewart Houston becomes caretaker. Lose the Cup Winners' Cup final to Real Zaragoza
1995/96 - Bruce Rioch takes charge for one season before resigning
1996/97 - Arsène Wenger becomes manager. Signs Nicolas Anelka and Patrick Vieira
1997/98 - Win the FA Carling Premiership and FA Cup double
1999/00 - Sign Thierry Henry. Lose the UEFA Cup final on penalties to Galatasaray
2000/01 - Break club record transfer signing Sylvain Wiltord for reported £13m
2001/02 - Win the Barclaycard Premiership and FA Cup double
2003/04 - Win the Barclaycard Premiership without losing a match
2005/06 - Last season at Highbury. Lose the Champions' League final to Barcelona
2006/07 - Move to Emirates Stadium

MANCHESTER UNITED

overview

Manchester United are the most successful Premier League club having won the title 10 times. It all began in 1993 when manager Sir Alex Ferguson ended a 26-year wait to lift the Premier League crown.

The signing of Eric Cantona for £1.2m from Leeds United proved a masterstroke as the Frenchman was instrumental in the title victory, along with the likes of Gary Pallister, Denis Irwin, Ryan Giggs and Paul Ince.

United retained the trophy in the following campaign and romped to further titles in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003. More silverware was added to the Red Devils' burgeoning trophy cabinet with FA Cup success in 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2004, plus League Cup victories in 1992 and 2006.

Perhaps the most memorable time in the club's history was the treble-winning season of 1999 when they added the European Champions League trophy to the league title and FA Cup.

Chelsea briefly broke their league dominance with title wins in 2005 and 2006. But in the 2006/07 season, the Red Devils roared back to regain the Barclays Premiership.

They went one better last season, enjoying their most successful campaign since winning the treble. They saw off the challenge of Chelsea and Arsenal to win an exciting Barclays Premier League title race and defeated the Blues on penalties in the Champions League final after a 1-1 draw between the two sides in Moscow.

club heritage

Formed as Newton Heath L&YR F.C in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902. Six years later they clinched the Division One title, then the FA Cup in 1909, and another title triumph in 1911.

Matt Busby became manager in 1945 and steered United to championship victories in 1952, 1956 and 1957. They became the first English club to compete in the European Cup and reached the semi-final, before going out to Real Madrid. Tragedy struck in 1958 when the plane carrying the team home from a European match crashed, killing eight players.

Busby survived and led his rebuilt team to an FA Cup win in 1963, then league titles in 1965 and 1967. United won the European Cup in 1968 with victory over Benfica in the final - the first English club to do so. When Busby resigned in 1969, his successors failed to continue his glorious triumphs and United were relegated five years later.

They managed to regain their top-flight status at the first attempt and later won the FA Cup in 1977. More FA Cup success followed in 1983 and 1985. But it was United's 1990 FA Cup replay win over Crystal Palace that proved to be the springboard to becoming the force they are today.

It saved under-pressure manager Alex Ferguson from losing his job and he went on to win the European Cup Winners' Cup the season after and began their Premier League dominance with the 1993 title.

premier league history

1992/93 - Inaugural members of the Premier League 1992/93 - Eric Cantona signs from Leeds United for £1.2m 1992/93 - Win FA Carling Premiership 1993/94 - Win FA Carling Premiership and FA Cup 1995/96 - Win FA Carling Premiership and FA Cup 1996/97 - Win FA Carling Premiership 1998/99 - Win FA Carling Premiership, European Cup, and FA Cup 1999/00 - Win FA Carling Premiership 2000/01 - Win FA Carling Premiership 2001/02 - Juan Sebastian Veron breaks the British transfer record with a £28m move from Lazio 2002/03 - Win Barclaycard Premiership 2003/04 - Win FA Cup 2005/06 - American Malcolm Glazer takes control of club 2005/06 - Win League Cup 2006/07 - Win Barclays Premiership 2007/08 - Win Barclays Premier League, win European Cup 2008/09 - Win Barclays Premier League, Carling Cup, World Club Championship.