Tottenham Hotspur’s chances of relegation from the English Premier League increased after a midweek home 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace to put the Europa League holders just one point above the drop zone.

An injury plagued squad last season managed by Ange Postecoglou finished 17th, but twelve points above 18th placed Leicester in a campaign that never threatened the North London club with relegation.

However this year, relegation is a stark reality for the side now managed by Igor Tudor, with many suggesting Spurs falling would go down as the most shocking relegation of the Premier League era.

Here are ten clubs who were relegated from their respective divisions that evidently were not too big to go down.

1. Hearts & Hibs, 2013/14

Both teams which share Edinburgh suffered relegation in the same season, with Hearts’ suffering a 15 point deduction at the beginning of the campaign that actually kept their city rivals from going down automatically after finishing just 13 points behind them. Hibernian had the opportunity to stay up via the relegation play-offs, but would lose the second leg at home 2-0 to Hamilton Academical, leading to a penalty shoot-out defeat to consign both clubs to a season in the Championship shared with Rangers. Hearts bounced back first time of asking, but it took Hibernian three attempts to climb back up. 

2. Atletico Madrid, 1999/2000

Spanish giants Atletico Madrid were brought down to Segunda División in 2000 alongside Sevilla, despite reaching the Copa del Rey Final in the same season. It was the capital city side’s first relegation in 66 years, having won the top-flight and cup double in 1996. It took Atleti two attempts to achieve promotion, and they haven’t looked back since. 

3. Manchester United, 1973/74

It is inconceivable to imagine Manchester United in the second tier of English football, never mind a mere six years after winning the European Cup, yet that was the case back in the 70s. They had lost their talented trio of George Best, Bobby Charlton and Denis Law since then, with the ‘Lawman’ scoring at Old Trafford on the final day of the season for neighbours Manchester City after their fate had been sealed. 

4. River Plate, 2011

One of the finest teams outside of Europe, Argentines River Plate were relegated for the only time in their history in 2011. The Argentinean relegation system is complicated, with the Buenos Aires side going down through a relegation play-off based off of their point average over the last three seasons, a system brought in to protect the bigger clubs. They lost the play-off 3-1 on aggregate to Cordoba. 

5. FC Schalke 04, 2020/21 & 2022/23

Champions league regulars FC Schalke 04 suffered two relegations either side of their 2. Bundesliga promotion. Having possessed a side with quality such as Raul, Manuel Neuer and Klass-Jan Huntelaar in the 2010s, the Gelsenkirchen outfit were relegated during the COVID-19 season amid financial trouble and would go back down in their first season back up. After flirting with another relegation to the third tier, they are now top of the 2. Bundesliga with Edin Dzeko leading the line. 

6. Manchester City, 1995/96 & 1997/98

It is fair to say their fortunes have changed now, but the blue side of Manchester long lived in the shadows of Manchester United, going down to the Championship the same year United won the Premier League in 1996, over a decade before their financial takeover. More shocking however was their relegation to League One just two years later, a fate which could be suffered by former Premier League winners Blackburn Rovers or Leicester City this season. Manchester City could join them, depending on the result of their court case.

7. Juventus, 2006

Juventus were relegated under nefarious circumstances amid the Calciopoli scandal which rocked Italian football. Alleged to be involved in a match-fixing scandal which remains contentious today, Juve were brought down to Serie B and stripped of two titles in the mid 2000s. They returned at the first time of asking, keeping hold of star players such as Alessandro Del Piero and Pavel Nedved, despite beginning with a points deduction. 

8. Villarreal, 2011/12

The yellow submarine suffered the ignominy of relegation after one disastrous campaign coming after consistent European showings. It paved the way for exits for Giuseppe Rossi and Borja Valero, and their new manager brought in to guide them back to La Liga passed away from a heart attack the same day he was appointed. Villarreal would come back upon their second try, and would win the Europa League in 2021 after an 11-10 penalty shootout win over Manchester United. 

9. Leeds United, 2003/04

For fans of a certain age, Leeds and the Championship seems normal. However, their relegation in 2004 after financial mismanagement came just three years after the club reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. The Elland Road side would not return to the top-flight until 2020, where they have been a bit of a yo-yo club since. 

10. SSC Napoli, 2000/01 & 2003/04

From the Scudetti won in the era of Diego Armando Maradona in 1987 ad 1990, to the Scudetti won by Khvicha Kvartskhelia and Scott McTominay in 2023 and 2025, the Naples side fell as far down as Serie C in between. First suffering relegation to Serie B in 2001, financial woes dragged the Napolitanos to the third tier in 2004, recording attendances as high as 51,000 even at their lowest. They made their way back into the top division in 2007 alongside Juventus and Genoa. 

Have we missed anyone out? And where would a Tottenham relegation rank in this list if the once unthinkable now slightly probable scenario occurs this season?