Leicester have been promoted to the top flight a record 13 times
Since its inception in 1888, the English top flight has seen a dynamic roster of clubs, with no single club maintaining a continuous presence throughout its history.
In fact, the only clubs from the original 12 founding members still in the English top-flight are Aston Villa, Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
While some clubs have remained steadfast in the English top tier for decades, others have had ups and downs. However, who are the club that has won promotion to the English top flight on most occasions?
Leicester City (Promoted to the top flight on 13 occasions)
The Foxes have earned promotion to the English top flight an impressive 13 times throughout the competition’s history, which includes winning the second tier twice.
Five of their 13 promotions to the English top flight have been during the Premier League era. Leicester and West Brom are the two teams who have achieved promotion on most occasions since the rebranding of the First Division to the Premier League in 1992.
The Midlands outfit first won promotion to the top tier by finishing second position in the Second Division table in season 1907/08. Unfortunately, they suffered immediate relegation back to the second tier.
Arguably, their most significant promotion came in season 2013/14. The team from the Midlands won the Championship title. However, they struggled in the Premier League for much of the following season, only to make a late season great escape to beat the drop.
The following season, the Foxes produced one of the biggest shocks in the history of football by winning the Premier League title.
Leicester remained in the English top flight until season 2022/23 when they were relegated back to the Championship.
Two months since this day 🤩 🤩 🤩 pic.twitter.com/glGVDwBTei
— Leicester City (@LCFC) June 29, 2024
However, they were not down for long. They won immediate promotion back to the Premier League by winning the Championship title in season 2023/24.
Birmingham City (Promoted to the top flight on 12 occasions)
Originally founded as Small Heath Alliance in 1875, Birmingham, as they became known in 1905, has been through more than their fair share of ups and downs in their history, often literally.
The Midlands club has won promotion to the English top tier on 12 occasions. However, the Blues have only won the Second Division title four times in all their promotion campaigns.
City’s first promotion to the English top flight came in season 1892/93. However, they have struggled to maintain their position in the top flight, hence the need to win promotion to England’s top tier so many times.
The Blues’ longest sustained period in the English top flight was 18 seasons between 1921 and 1939.
They have spent much of their history flitting between England’s top two leagues and a short period in the third tier between 1989/90 and 1991–92.
Birmingham City’s last promotion to the top flight was in season 2008/09, only to suffer relegation back to the second tier in season 2010/11.
After making the play-offs in their first season back in the Championship, the Blues have struggled to make an impact on the second tier.
In fact, in recent seasons, Birmingham has spent more time near the bottom of the Championship table than the top. City’s struggles culminated in relegation to League One in season 2023/24.
The Blues might have to wait a while before they secure their 13th promotion to the top tier of English football.
Manchester City (Promoted to the top flight on 11 occasions)
The Citizens are currently the dominant force in English football, winning the Premier League title on eight occasions in its current guise. However, there was a time when City dwelled in the second and even third tier of England’s football pyramid.
The men from Manchester have won promotion to England’s elite league on 11 occasions and been crowned champions of the second tier on seven occasions.
City’s first taste of promotion came in season 1889/90, but they stayed in the English top flight for just three seasons before suffering relegation.
Since then, the Citizens have usually stayed longer in the English top flight but still endured the spectre of relegation to the second tier. In season 1997/98, City suffered relegation to the third tier of the English game for the first time in their history.
However, they worked their way back up and in the 2001–02 season, the Citizens returned to the Premier League. They are currently experiencing their longest uninterrupted spell in the English top flight in their history. Given their position, it seems unlikely that they need to win a 12th promotion any time soon.
West Bromwich Albion (Promoted to the top flight on 10 occasions)
The Midlands outfit became so regularly promoted and relegated in the 2000s that they embraced the nickname ‘The boing boing Baggies’.
West Brom were one of 12 founding members of the Football League in 1888. They were part of the English top flight until season 1900/01 when they suffered their first taste of relegation.
The Baggies then went through several peaks and troughs in form, suffering relegation and promotion on regular occasions. Their longest sustained period in the English top flight was 24 years, from 1949 until 1973.
Their greatest period of flux between England’s top two divisions came in the aforementioned 2000s. From season 2001/2002 until season 2009/10, West Brom won promotion four times while suffering relegation on three occasions.
The Midlanders last won promotion to the top flight in season 2019/20 after finishing second in the Championship. Unfortunately for everybody connected with the club, their stay in the top flight was a short one, as they immediately returned to the second tier.
In their ten promotion-winning campaigns, they have won the second-tier title on just three occasions.
Honourable mentions:
Promoted to the English top-flight on nine occasions: Bolton Wanderers, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Sheffield United
Promoted on eight occasions: Burnley, Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland
Promoted on seven occasions: Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Derby County, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Are any of the above club’s promotion campaigns memorable to you?