All At Peril
Tomorrow sees a very rare event in English top-flight football. All four of the bottom four teams in the table start their games with the mathematical possibility of being relegated while, at the same time, all four each also retain some hope of still being in the Premiership next season.Tomorrow sees a very rare event in English top-flight football. All four of the bottom four teams in the table start their games with the mathematical possibility of being relegated while, at the same time, all four each also retain some hope of still being in the Premiership next season.
Automatic relegation was introduced in 1898 with two teams being demoted. The likelihood of higher placed teams still being threatened with the drop increased in 1973-74 when the three up / three down format began. However, the guarantee of all teams in the top division playing their last game of the season on the same day has only been instigated during the Premiership era.
Nonetheless, there are five previous examples of at least four teams fulfilling the exact criteria of all going to the start line on the last day of a scheduled season to play their last game with both possibilities of being relegated or staying up, as follows:
NB Two points for a win apply to all, and teams level on points are positioned in Goal Average (i.e. Goals Scored divided by Goals Against) order.
SEASON 1948/49 - League Division One
Table before final day
| Team | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Goals For | Goals Against | Points | Pos |
| Middlesbrough | 41 | 11 | 19 | 11 | 45 | 56 | 33 | 19 |
| Sheffield United | 41 | 11 | 20 | 10 | 57 | 78 | 32 | 20 |
| Huddersfield Town | 41 | 11 | 20 | 10 | 39 | 69 | 32 | 21 |
| Preston North End | 41 | 10 | 20 | 11 | 60 | 75 | 31 | 22 |
Results - 7 May 1949
Aston Villa 1 - 1 Middlesbrough
Huddersfield Town 1 - 0 Manchester City
Liverpool 0 - 2 Preston North End
Sheffield United 0 - 0 Newcastle United
Final table
| Team | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Goals For | Goals Against | Points | Pos |
| Middlesbrough | 42 | 11 | 19 | 12 | 46 | 57 | 34 | 19 |
| Huddersfield Town | 42 | 12 | 20 | 10 | 40 | 69 | 34 | 20 |
| Preston North End | 42 | 11 | 20 | 11 | 62 | 75 | 33 | 21 |
| Sheffield United | 42 | 11 | 20 | 11 | 57 | 78 | 33 | 22 |
SEASON 1937/38 - League Division One
Table before final day
| Team | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Goals For | Goals Against | Points | Pos |
| Everton | 41 | 16 | 19 | 6 | 78 | 74 | 38 | 15 |
| Huddersfield Town | 41 | 16 | 20 | 5 | 54 | 68 | 37 | 16 |
| Manchester City | 41 | 14 | 19 | 8 | 80 | 76 | 36 | 17 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 41 | 14 | 19 | 8 | 73 | 87 | 36 | 18 |
| Portsmouth | 41 | 12 | 17 | 12 | 58 | 68 | 36 | 19 |
| Stoke City | 41 | 12 | 17 | 12 | 56 | 59 | 36 | 20 |
| Birmingham | 41 | 9 | 14 | 18 | 54 | 61 | 36 | 21 |
| Grimsby Town | 41 | 12 | 17 | 12 | 49 | 68 | 36 | 22 |
Results - 7 May 1938
Everton 1 - 1 Derby County
Grimsby Town 2 - 0 Chelsea
Huddersfield Town 1 - 0 Manchester City
Leicester City 1 - 4 Birmingham
Middlesbrough 4 - 1 West Bromwich Albion
Portsmouth 4 - 0 Leeds United
Stoke City 2 - 0 Liverpool
Final table
| Team | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Goals For | Goals Against | Points | Pos |
| Everton | 42 | 16 | 19 | 7 | 79 | 75 | 39 | 14 |
| Huddersfield Town | 42 | 17 | 20 | 5 | 55 | 68 | 39 | 15 |
| Leicester City | 42 | 14 | 17 | 11 | 54 | 75 | 39 | 16 |
| Portsmouth | 42 | 13 | 17 | 12 | 62 | 68 | 38 | 17 |
| Stoke City | 42 | 13 | 17 | 12 | 58 | 59 | 38 | 18 |
| Birmingham | 42 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 58 | 62 | 38 | 18 |
| Grimsby Town | 42 | 13 | 17 | 12 | 51 | 68 | 38 | 20 |
| Manchester City | 42 | 14 | 20 | 8 | 80 | 77 | 36 | 21 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 14 | 20 | 8 | 74 | 91 | 36 | 22 |
SEASON 1932/33 - League Division One
Table before final day
| Team | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Goals For | Goals Against | Points | Pos |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 41 | 12 | 20 | 9 | 76 | 94 | 33 | 19 |
| Leicester City | 41 | 10 | 18 | 13 | 69 | 87 | 33 | 20 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 41 | 11 | 21 | 9 | 73 | 92 | 31 | 21 |
| Blackpool | 41 | 13 | 23 | 5 | 67 | 84 | 31 | 22 |
Results - 6 May 1933
Bolton Wanderers 5 - 0 Leeds United
Leicester City 6 - 2 West Bromwich Albion
Newcastle United 1 - 2 Blackpool
Wolverhampton Wanderers 4 - 2 Everton
Final table
| Team | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Goals For | Goals Against | Points | Pos |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 13 | 20 | 9 | 80 | 96 | 35 | 18 |
| Leicester City | 42 | 11 | 18 | 13 | 75 | 89 | 35 | 19 |
| Chelsea | 42 | 14 | 21 | 7 | 63 | 73 | 35 | 20 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 42 | 12 | 21 | 9 | 78 | 92 | 33 | 21 |
| Blackpool | 42 | 14 | 23 | 5 | 69 | 85 | 33 | 22 |
SEASON 1929/30 - League Division One
Table before final day
| Team | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Goals For | Goals Against | Points | Pos |
| Grimsby Town | 41 | 14 | 20 | 7 | 72 | 89 | 35 | 18 |
| Newcastle United | 41 | 14 | 20 | 7 | 70 | 92 | 35 | 19 |
| Sheffield United | 41 | 14 | 21 | 6 | 86 | 95 | 34 | 20 |
| Burnley | 41 | 13 | 20 | 8 | 73 | 95 | 34 | 21 |
| Everton | 41 | 11 | 19 | 11 | 76 | 91 | 33 | 22 |
Results - 3 May 1930
Burnley 6 - 2 Derby County
Everton 4 - 1 Sunderland
Huddersfield Town 0 - 1 Grimsby Town
Manchester United 1 - 5 Sheffield United
Newcastle United 1 - 0 West Ham United
Final table
| Team | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Goals For | Goals Against | Points | Pos |
| Grimsby Town | 42 | 15 | 20 | 7 | 73 | 89 | 37 | 18 |
| Newcastle United | 42 | 15 | 20 | 7 | 71 | 92 | 37 | 19 |
| Sheffield United | 42 | 15 | 21 | 6 | 91 | 96 | 36 | 20 |
| Burnley | 42 | 14 | 20 | 8 | 79 | 97 | 36 | 21 |
| Everton | 42 | 12 | 19 | 11 | 80 | 92 | 35 | 22 |
SEASON 1927/28 - League Division One
Table before final day
| Team | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Goals For | Goals Against | Points | Pos |
| Liverpool | 41 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 83 | 81 | 39 | 12 |
| West Ham United | 41 | 14 | 16 | 11 | 80 | 85 | 39 | 13 |
| Burnley | 41 | 16 | 18 | 7 | 80 | 95 | 39 | 14 |
| Sheffield United | 41 | 15 | 17 | 9 | 78 | 85 | 39 | 15 |
| Birmingham | 41 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 68 | 74 | 39 | 16 |
| Portsmouth | 41 | 16 | 18 | 7 | 65 | 86 | 39 | 17 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 15 | 19 | 8 | 74 | 86 | 38 | 18 |
| Middlesbrough | 41 | 11 | 15 | 15 | 81 | 85 | 37 | 19 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 41 | 12 | 16 | 13 | 79 | 78 | 37 | 20 |
| Sunderland | 41 | 14 | 18 | 9 | 71 | 76 | 37 | 21 |
| Manchester United | 41 | 15 | 19 | 7 | 66 | 79 | 37 | 22 |
Results - 5 May 1928
Birmingham 2 - 1 Derby County
Bolton Wanderers 1 - 1 Sheffield United
Cardiff City 3 - 2 Burnley
Manchester United 6 - 1 Liverpool
Middlesbrough 0 - 3 Sunderland
Newcastle United 3 - 1 West Ham United
Portsmouth 1 - 4 Huddersfield Town
Sheffield Wednesday 2 - 0 Aston Villa
Final table
| Team | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Goals For | Goals Against | Points | Pos |
| Birmingham | 42 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 70 | 75 | 41 | 11 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 42 | 16 | 17 | 9 | 66 | 78 | 41 | 12 |
| Sheffield United | 42 | 15 | 17 | 10 | 79 | 86 | 40 | 13 |
| Liverpool | 42 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 84 | 87 | 39 | 14 |
| Burnley | 42 | 16 | 19 | 7 | 82 | 98 | 39 | 15 |
| West Ham United | 42 | 14 | 17 | 11 | 81 | 88 | 39 | 16 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 42 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 81 | 78 | 39 | 17 |
| Sunderland | 42 | 15 | 18 | 9 | 74 | 76 | 39 | 18 |
| Manchester United | 42 | 16 | 19 | 7 | 72 | 80 | 39 | 19 |
| Portsmouth | 42 | 16 | 19 | 7 | 66 | 90 | 39 | 20 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 15 | 19 | 8 | 74 | 86 | 38 | 21 |
| Middlesbrough | 42 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 81 | 88 | 37 | 22 |
The above information was compiled with the use of our exclusive League Table Generator facility which is now available in our Members’ Area. It also features in today’s edition of the Guardian newspaper.