In part one, Notts Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland were examined to see whether there’s life in the slumbering form which might one day restore those clubs to former glories and give long-suffering fans something other than old photos and YouTube clips of The Big Match to sustain them. On with more sleeping giants.
Huddersfield Town
Who? I hear the youngsters say. Well in 1926, the club from Yorkshire won the last of three successive championships.
They were the first club to achieve such a feat. Only Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United have been able to equal this achievement.
The Terriers stayed in the First Division until 1952 and bobbed around the lower divisions until a glorious promotion run saw them back in the top flight in 1970.
However, they were dwarfed by a certain illustrious neighbour at that time and were relegated in 1972, which marked their last dance on the highest stage.
In 1994, Huddersfield moved from their almost 100 year residence at Leeds Road to the McAlpine Stadium, and a new owner in 1998 called Barry Rubery promised to take the club to the Premiership. Instead, he took them to administration.
Currently, Huddersfield ply their trade in League 1, having lost the play-off final to Peterborough back in May for the right to play in the Championship.
It’s doubtful they will ever make an impact on the top flight again, but as of now, they have won only one less title than Chelsea, and one more than Manchester City.
Burnley
Former European Cup quarter finalists, twice winners of the title, founder members of the Football League, pwerhouse of the 1950s and 1960s.
That’s the resume of the club who play out of one of the oddest-sounding home grounds in the league. But will the fans who fill Turf Moor ever see the Clarets achieve the success of 50 years ago?
Well, they were in the Premier League as recently as 2009 but Burnley went straight back down without denting too many reputations along the way (thought they did beat Manchester United 1-0 at Turf Moor).
However, the former giants were near to oblivion in 1987, barely avoiding relegation out of the Football League.
They endured seven years in the fouth tier of football but eventually marked the turn of the century by clawing their way back up to the Championship.
A play-off win against Sheffield United gave the Clarets their Premier League status in 2009, making Burnley the smallest town to host a Premiership side. Sadly, it was a brief flirtation and it seems the little town will support a team that will always fall short.
Leeds United
For most fans of the English game, Leeds are the epitome of the sleeping giant. Many Australian fans charted the club’s progress in the EPL when Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka helped them to a Champions League semi final in 2001.
But this was more like a third dawn for the club, who originally made their name in the late 1960s and early 70s under Don Revie.
They won their first title in 1969, were runners up for the following three years, with each race going down to the last day of the season.
Leeds won a second title in 1974 with a record haul of points for the time (when wins were awarded two points rather than three) and only one loss throughout the season.
They made the Eurpoean Cup final in 1975. But by 1982, Leeds were relegated to the Secibd Division, and there they stayed until 1990.
The second dawn arrived in 1992 when Leeds won the last of the old First Division titles, after Manchester United self-destructed in the run home. In 1993, the club made what now seems the insane decision to sell Eric Cantona to Manchester United.
The third dawn arrived with the appointment of David O’Leary as manager, and a style of football that thrilled audiences.
They never finished out of the top five under O’Leary’s guidance but went heavily into debt in order to try and maintain a top four finish.
The house of cards fell apart and the great club tumbled into the wilderness of League 1 in 2007 and ended up in administration.
Back in the Championship now for a second successive season, Leeds are often cited as the club currently outside the Premiership who would be most likely to get back in and win it.
But that’s an awfully tall order for a club that has as many ghosts of failure as they do stories of success in their professional existence.
sledgeross
Guest
yeah, gone are the days when teams could develop players. Probably the Beckham/Giggs/Scholes/Neville class was the last team to do it. The big 4 clubs can just buy whoever they need now, the onus is now on the clubs in lower positions to give youngsters a chance to shine and then sell them for a profit.
Colin N
Guest
"Although I hate Man United a lot they seemed to cut their spending a lot in the last few years and rely on what they had or who they were producing, until this pre season." However, United's success has never come from rich owners but instead building a global brand over a period of time. Their money has come from excellent young players building initial success, leading to domestic dominance, thus a bigger global fan-base which has meant more money for signings etc. And crucially they've sustained it.
apaway
Guest
Derby are part of the planned Part 3, Cattery. Thanks for reading.
apaway
Guest
Fussball There is a Part 3 planned and yes, Ipswich are part of it. The match you recall was all the more remarkable for United's South African-born keeper Gary Bailey saving 3 penalties in the one game. Thanks for reading.
Nathan of MVFC
Guest
Just wait till they bring the salary cap or budget spending thing to the Premier League, it will go along way to evening out the competition. While not completely but it will help and maybe the top 4 or 5 will be different or turned around each year. It will most likely stop owners just throwing money at the team (Chelsea and Manchester City) instead of building it up from foundations. Although I hate Man United a lot they seemed to cut their spending a lot in the last few years and rely on what they had or who they were producing, until this pre season. The A-League has a salary cap and basically every year we have a different winner besides Melbourne and Sydney. Every game is usually competitive and teams have more of a chance of winning against each other no matter what ladder position. Hopefully the salary cap will go some way into bringing these teams back to former glory.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
apaway I'm not sure if there will be a "Part 3" (I can only hope!) but thought I'd mention a team that caused my Man United lads lots of heartache in the late70s/early 80s ... an unfashionable team from Suffolk that just came together beautifully under Bobby Robson - Ipswich Town. I recall a match at Portman Road in the late 70s/early 80s where an Ipswich Town team featuring: * the Dutchmen: Arnold Mühren (later played for United), Frans Thijssen * the tough Scotsmen: John Wark & Alan Brazil * and England internationals: Mick Mills, Russell Osman, Terry Butcher and Paul Mariner tore United to shreds winning 6-0 ... and, I'm pretty sure Ipswich had a few penalties that day and missed! That Ipswich team eventually won the UEFA Cup (Europa equivalent) .. and, whilst Ipswich have returned to the EPL on and off, they've never scaled those dizzy heights again.
sledgeross
Guest
True Cattery, any Brian Clough team of the 70s was quite competitive.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Also, let us not forget that Pompey won consecutive titles just after the second world war, and how strong Derby was early to mid 70s.
NF
Guest
Excellent articles would like to see more article about football teams in the second tier and there previous history in the top flight who are the favorites this year to be promoted to the Premier League? Brighton & Hove Albion are top of the table leaders for now but it's early days.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
apaway really enjoyable series of articles, well done.
Al
Guest
It's Nottingham Forest, not "Notts" Forest, the only team that have "Notts" in their title are the team from just across the Trent. With Steve McLaren, the only thing Forest are looking at is relegation.
sledgeross
Guest
Leeds will only struggle if Ken Bates is still "owner". Leeds average bigger crowds than most Premier Clubs, and still have a decent academy which produces good players. I was at a mates wedding in 2009 in Leeds. He is a Clarets fan and 10 year season ticket holder at Turf Moor. On his wedding day Burnley beat Man U AND the Poms beat us in the cricket. What a day! Town are a good team with a proud history, and were the West ridings best team for many years. They play a good brand of football, have an athletic squad and an exciting young manager.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Excellent article and deep and sound research - well done. I never realised Huddersfield and Burnley had such a celebrated history!
Futbanous
Guest
Perhaps not much I can add to this apaway that I didnt say in part 1. All these clubs will struggle to be players again in the top tier,including Leeds
RIP Enke
Guest
The reason Leeds went into massive debt was due more to poor investment and two old ladies than anything else. they are on the way up, be a few years yet, but besides Leeds and West Ham, no other English teams have produced talented youth like them, just never been able to hold onto them. IMO it's the champions league that has ruined clubs opportunities as challengers for the title, as to compete on that level means incredible amounts of money, monopoly of players and a huge gulf between the big clubs and the minnows.