In the discussion around the newly promoted teams a few weeks back there was some conversation about teams we'd like to see up or back up in the top flight for 2021-22. For some this was old powerhouses who have fallen on hard times and for some it was smaller clubs that they wanted up for some reason or other.
That got me thinking about who my ideal 20 teams would be to be in the EPL. I looked at all 65 teams who have spent a season in the top flight, including 3 who no longer exist (Wimbledon, Accrington and Darwen) and 2 who only sort of still exist (Bury is in limbo right now and Bradford Park Avenue is really a phoenix club). I tried to look at their historical rivalries to maintain important derbies that maybe haven't been played in the top flight in a while. The top 10-12 is pretty much a no-brainer, the next 4-5 makes for interesting conversation and the last handful are downright painful.
Anyways, really for no one's benefit other than my own, here is the list I came up with. In no (real) particular order:
1. Liverpool
2. Everton
3. Arsenal
4. Chelsea
5. Spurs
6. United
7. City
8. Newcastle
9. Sunderland
10. Villa
11. West Brom
12. Wolves
13. Wednesday
14. Sheffield
15. Forest
16. Derby
17. Leicester
18. Blackburn
19. Bolton
20. Leeds
There's no teams south of London. I really wanted to include the Southampton/Portsmouth duo rather than Blackburn/Bolton (or Burnley). Partly for geographic diversity and partly for Portsmouth fan, Josh the English Aggie (and Ian Darke). It seems strange leaving out West Ham but they always seem like such an afterthought for me in London clubs. They and Middlesborough were the last two out. Also seemed strange leaving out Palace and Fulham but historically, they're really just 2nd division clubs.
My list ends up having 111 of the 121 Football League/EPL champions, 26/28ish major European trophies and 105/127 FA Cup winners. Previous English champions that didn't make my list are Ipswich, (1), Burnley (2), Preston (2), Portsmouth (2), and Huddersfield (3).
Like I said, this was just something that I had messed around with in my free time over the last few weeks.
That got me thinking about who my ideal 20 teams would be to be in the EPL. I looked at all 65 teams who have spent a season in the top flight, including 3 who no longer exist (Wimbledon, Accrington and Darwen) and 2 who only sort of still exist (Bury is in limbo right now and Bradford Park Avenue is really a phoenix club). I tried to look at their historical rivalries to maintain important derbies that maybe haven't been played in the top flight in a while. The top 10-12 is pretty much a no-brainer, the next 4-5 makes for interesting conversation and the last handful are downright painful.
Anyways, really for no one's benefit other than my own, here is the list I came up with. In no (real) particular order:
1. Liverpool
2. Everton
3. Arsenal
4. Chelsea
5. Spurs
6. United
7. City
8. Newcastle
9. Sunderland
10. Villa
11. West Brom
12. Wolves
13. Wednesday
14. Sheffield
15. Forest
16. Derby
17. Leicester
18. Blackburn
19. Bolton
20. Leeds
There's no teams south of London. I really wanted to include the Southampton/Portsmouth duo rather than Blackburn/Bolton (or Burnley). Partly for geographic diversity and partly for Portsmouth fan, Josh the English Aggie (and Ian Darke). It seems strange leaving out West Ham but they always seem like such an afterthought for me in London clubs. They and Middlesborough were the last two out. Also seemed strange leaving out Palace and Fulham but historically, they're really just 2nd division clubs.
My list ends up having 111 of the 121 Football League/EPL champions, 26/28ish major European trophies and 105/127 FA Cup winners. Previous English champions that didn't make my list are Ipswich, (1), Burnley (2), Preston (2), Portsmouth (2), and Huddersfield (3).
Like I said, this was just something that I had messed around with in my free time over the last few weeks.
