Earliest relegations in Premier League history

Take a look at the earliest relegations in Premier League history.

While Leicester (42-game season), Sunderland (twice), Portsmouth and Fulham were all mathematically relegated from the Premier League with five games to spare, four teams went down with six games left on the calendar, with Southampton setting the record in the 2024/25 season, going down with seven games still to play.

Southampton - 6th April 2025 (seven games remaining)

Although not the earliest on the calendar, Southampton were the quickest side to suffer relegation in terms of games played, going down after just 31 matches in the Premier League. Russell Martin had already been sacked earlier in the campaign, with replacement Ivan Juric going in the aftermath of the 3-1 defeat to Tottenham.

It took until February for Southampton to get their second win of the season on the board, beating follow newly promoted (and fellow relegated) side Ipswich. It would be the last time the Saints would pick up three points, amassing just 12 points over the course of the season.

Derby County - 29th March 2008 (six games remaining)

Despite setting the record for the fewest points in a Premier League season with 11, Derby managed to reach 31 games before mathematically going down, though the did suffer the drop on 29th March 2008, marking it the earliest relegation in the calendar.

Huddersfield Town - 30th March 2019 (six games remaining)

After an impressive first season in the Premier League saw Huddersfield Town finish 16th, the Terriers became the second team in history to be relegated in March, winning just one of their final 25 games, losing 28 times across the campaign, and picking up a measly 16 points.

Ipswich Town - 14th April 1995 (six games remaining)

Perhaps best remembered for their 9-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester United, Ipswich set the record for the earliest relegation in Premier League history when going down with six games to play back in the 42-game 1994/95 campaign.

Sheffield United - 17th April 2021 (six games remaining)

Following in Huddersfield's footsteps Sheffield United were another Yorkshire side enjoying a return to the top flight, remarkably finishing ninth in the 2019/20 season. While many expected a degree of regression the following term, two points from their first 17 games effectively sealed their fate by the new year.

Despite a run of three wins from five to start the year, including a 2-1 win at Old Trafford, United were sent down in April after losing 1-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers.