25 Years of the Premier League: Where are they now?

Leeds United fans can absolutely tell you where their club was the season before the Premier League started, as can many fans of other clubs. Leeds United was the last winner of the Old First Division of the Football League, the year before the Premier League came and ruined everything.

Below is the combined table of all four divisions of English Football in the 1991-92 season, and where the teams are now. I’ve also included if the team has been in the Premier League at any time of their history, and if the team has been liquidated (or had a winding-up order for the English). Some interesting reading, for sure, with teams like Burnley being in the bottom division in the 1991-92 season now sitting in the Premier League, and Luton Town and Notts County both in the 1st division in the 1991-92 season, and both of them have failed to reach those heights since.

This is the first installment of what will be a four-part series on 25 years of the Premier League, the money it brings in, and if the money that is brought in is good for football in England.

The fact that Sunderland, who were relegated this season, got more in revenue from the Premier League, due to television money, than the winners of the Serie A, the Bundesliga, or Ligue 1 get for winning their league is a little shocking. However, with the amount of money that has been pouring into the Premier League since 1992, it shouldn’t be too shocking. After all, the whole reason the Premier League exists is to monopolize the revenue that would be coming in from television deals for English football.

English Football 1991-92

First Division Current Division (2017-18) (Level) Been in PL? Y or N

Leeds United- Championship (2) Y

Manchester United- Premier League (1) Y

Sheffield Wednesday- Championship (2) Y

Arsenal- Premier League (1) Y

Manchester City- Premier League (1) Y

Liverpool- Premier League (1) Y

Aston Villa- Championship (2) Y

Nottingham Forest- Championship (2) Y

Sheffield United- Championship (2) Y

Crystal Palace- Premier League (1) Y

Queens Park Rangers- Championship (2) Y

Everton- Premier League (1) Y

Wimbledon- League One (as MK Dons) (3) Y

Chelsea- Premier League (1) Y

Tottenham Hotspur- Premier League (1) Y

Southampton- Premier League (1) Y

Oldham Athletic- League One (3) Y

Norwich City- Championship (2) Y

Coventry City- League Two (4) Y

Luton Town- League Two (4) N

Notts County- League Two (4) N

West Ham United- Premier League (1) Y

Second Division

Ipswich Town- Championship (2) Y

Middlesbrough- Championship (2) Y

Derby County- Championship (2) Y

Leicester City- Premier League (1) Y

Cambridge United- League Two (4) N

Blackburn Rovers- League One (3) Y

Charlton Athletic- League One (3) Y

Swindon Town- League Two (4) Y

Portsmouth- League One (3) Y

Watford FC- Premier League (1) Y

Wolverhampton- Championship (2) Y

Southend United- League One (3) N

Bristol Rovers- League One (3) N

Tranmere Rovers- National League (5) N

Millwall- Championship (2) N

Barnsley- Championship (2) N

Bristol City- Championship (2) N

Sunderland- Championship (2) Y

Grimsby Town- League Two (4) N

Newcastle United- Premier League (1) Y

Oxford United- League One (3) N

Plymouth Argyle- League One (3) N

Brighton & Hove Albion- Premier League (1) Y

Port Vale- League Two (4) N

Third Division

Brentford- Championship (2) N

Birmingham City- Championship (2) Y

Huddersfield Town- Premier League (1) Y

Stoke City- Premier League (1) Y

Stockport- National League North (6) N

Peterborough United- League One (3) N

West Bromwich Albion- Premier League (1) Y

AFC Bournemouth- Premier League (1) Y

Fulham- Championship (2) Y

Leyton Orient- National League (5) N

Hartlepool United- National League (5) N

Reading FC- Championship (2) Y

Bolton Wanderers- Championship (2) Y

Hull City- Championship (2) Y

Wigan Athletic- League One (3) Y

Bradford City- League One (3) Y

Preston North End- Championship (2) N

Chester City- Liquidated NA N

Swansea City- Premier League (1) Y

Exeter City- League Two (4) N

Bury- League One (3) N

Shrewsbury Town- League One (3) N

Torquay United- National League (5) N

Darlington- Reorganized NA N

Fourth Division

Burnley- Premier League (1) Y

Rotherham United- League One (3) N

Mansfield Town- League Two (4) N

Blackpool- League One (3) Y

Scunthorpe United- League One (3) N

Crewe Alexandria- League Two (4) N

Barnet- League Two (4) N

Rochdale- League One (3) N

Cardiff City- Championship (2) Y

Lincoln City- League Two (4) N

Gilligham- League One (3) N

Scarborough- Liquidated NA N

Chesterfield- League Two (4) N

Wrexham- National League (5) N

Walsall- League One (3) N

Northampton Town- League One (3) N

Hereford United- Liquidated NA N

Maidstone United- Liquidated NA N

York City- National League North (6) N

Halifax Town- Liquidated NA N

Doncaster Rovers- League One (3) N

Carlisle United- League Two (4) N

Aldershot- Liquidated NA N