Serial Yo-Yo clubs in the English Premier League

It is equally exciting to watch the battle for survival for smaller clubs, as staying in the top flight brings enormous financial rewards and exposure. 

In contrast to some clubs who have achieved promotion and never looked back, other teams have trouble establishing themselves in the top flight. 

And then there are Yo-Yo clubs in the Premier League that have truly balanced the art of staying at the Premier League and then being relegated in the following season. 

In recent years, clubs like Norwich City, Fulham, and West Bromwich Albion have been unsure whether they are coming or going. At the same time, the likes of Hull City and Sunderland have now spent years away after a series of promotions and relegations.

Here we take a look at five serial Yo-Yo clubs:

West Bromwich Albion

West Bromwich has been the Premier League's most prominent yo-yo team. 2002 onwards, which was their first season in EPL, and 2010, West Bromwich was promoted to the Premier League four times.

The Baggies were promoted in 2010 and remained in the top tier for eight more years before being relegated at the 2017-18 season. They have been promoted 11 times and relegated 12 more times until the 2020-21 season. Nearly a third (seven) of the 23 division changes occurred in the 2002-2010 rollercoaster period.

West Bromwich was promoted to the Premier League in 2020, but the Championship invited them again in 2021-22.

They enjoyed their best spell from 2010-2011 to 2012-2013, finishing 11th,10th, and 8th, respectively. However, West Bromwich almost lost the top division in 2014, where they came 17th.

Norwich City

Norwich City has been relegated from the Premier League five times, the record for the most relegated teams since 1992-93, when the new top-flight was established. 

It has been a particular yo-yo season for them, which included changing divisions in 2003-04, then eight times after that culminating in their promotion to the Premier League as Championship champions in 2018-19.

The Canaries were dropped from the top tier at the end of the 2019-20 season but promoted at the 2020-21 campaign.

Sunderland

Sunderland has spent more time in the top flight than 2016 winners Leicester City. They have been relegated four times from the Premier League. The Black Cats were relegated from the Premier League in 2017 when they finished last.

Sunderland, which plays in EFL League One, is arguably the largest club away from the top-tier English football and probably the biggest outside the top two divisions.

Watford

Watford has been moving around in the different divisions for a long time. They spent the 1970s in the second, third, and fourth tiers of English football. In the 1980s and 1990s, they switched between the top two levels.

Since 1999, when Watford was promoted to top-tier English football, they had failed to secure a Premier League spot. It was a long season, just like their 2006-07 stint.

The Hornets have been relegated from the Premier League three times in the last two decades. Things improved in the 21st Century, and Watford finished 11th in 2018-19 after being promoted to the top flight of the Premier League in 2015.

After a five-year stay, Watford was demoted to the Championship at the 2018-2019 season's end. They quickly returned to the top after 2020-21, just like Norwich City.

Leicester City

Leicester City is recognised as a top-six team in the Premier League. However, in the Premier League's first decade, Leicester City had three separate stints in the top flight. Leicester City and Manchester City have both won the Premier League title and been relegated, something that Blackburn Rovers (who are currently in the Championship) have also accomplished.