The highs of promotion and lows of relegation are two of the defining aspects of British football and its famed pyramid system.
And as we near the end of a bumper English Football League season, sides are beginning to realise their promotion ambitions or contrastingly, are now faced with the daunting realities of dropping down a league or even out of the pyramid entirely.
Wolves have already been condemned to their first season in the Championship in eight years while Sheffield Wednesday’s relegation to League One was confirmed way back in February.
So from the high-life of the Premier League all the way to League Two, ESPN rounds up every side to have been promoted or relegated this season.
– Lampard’s Coventry City promoted to Premier League
Premier League
20th: Wolves
Relegated on April 20
Failing to register their first league win until January, Wolves’ return to the Championship has long been a foregone conclusion.
Rob Edward’s arrival threatened to light a spark but it was ultimately too little too late with the former Luton and Middlesbrough boss unable to oversee a great escape, despite wins over Liverpool and Aston Villa.
West Ham’s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace on Monday night confirmed their fate with five games still to play.
“We are clear on what needs to improve, and our focus is now on strengthening the club, building momentum and creating a team our supporters can believe in. We know what is required and will approach the months ahead with purpose,” Wolves interim executive Nathan Shi said after the club’s relegation was confirmed.
“You deserve better and giving you a club you can genuinely be proud of is what drives everything we do from this point forward.”
– Wolves relegated from Premier League as West Ham, Crystal Palace draw
Championship
1st: Coventry City
Promoted on April 17
Frank Lampard’s Coventry City have strolled to promotion in the second-tier, not dropping out of the top two since September and look likely to go up to the Premier League as champions.
Boasting three players on ten goals or more for the season in the form of Haji Wright, Brandon Thomas-Asante and Ellis Simms, the Midlands side have led the way in the league and barring a blip in January, have never really looked like being caught.
They return to the top-flight after 25 years away.
“There’s a lot of work to do because we know the step that it will be for the football club,” Lampard said.
“So that’s something we have to work on quickly now because of where we’re at, we have to be ambitious — we’re Coventry City football club.
“I know what the Premier League is and its going to be a challenge, we can enjoy the moment for the next two weeks, but of course we have to work behind the scenes to ensure we go up the right way.”
– Lampard hints ‘ambitious’ Coventry must spend
– How does Lampard the manager compare to other England legends?
24th: Sheffield Wednesday
Relegated on Feb. 22
After having a whopping 18 points deducted for financial breaches linked to previous owner Dejphon Chansiri, along with various periods of unpaid wages and severe financial instability before being put into administration, it was always going to be a near-impossible task for Wednesday to stay up.
Club captain Barry Bannan also left for promotion-chasing Millwall in January, leaving behind a squad, largely filled with youth players, that was unequipped for the rigours of the Championship.
They have won just one game all season and have yet to see their points tally go above zero.
With a further points deduction seemingly on the way in League One, things don’t look like getting better anytime soon at Hillsborough.
– Wednesday Supporters’ Trust seeks review on 15-point penalty
League One
1st: Lincoln City
Promoted on April 6
Lincoln City’s season in League One is an underdog story for the ages.
With one of the lowest wage bills and budgets in the division, Lincoln have smashed every expectation that even the most ardent of supporters could have had by securing promotion in early April.
Like Coventry, they look set to go up as champions and will grace the Championship for the first time in 65 years after seven-successive seasons in the third-tier.
2nd: Cardiff City
Promoted on April 18
Cardiff City could hardly have been promoted in more dramatic circumstances.
Leading 3-1 at Reading, Cardiff were set to be made to wait to confirm automatic promotion with rivals Stockport winning against Exeter. Up step Jack Bycroft.
The Exeter goalkeeper scored a stunning equaliser in stoppage time to secure not only a vital point in his own side’s relegation fight but also confirm Cardiff’s promotion, courtesy of Stockport’s dropped points and rendering the Welsh club’s points tally of 85 unassailable in second.
It meant Cardiff, who were in the Premier League as recently as 2019, have wasted no time in getting back up to the Championship after relegation last year.
24th: Northampton Town
Relegated on April 15
Northampton’s return to League Two was confirmed with defeat to Jack Wilshere’s Luton.
They just staved off relegation last term with a 19th-placed finish but endured a terrible time of things this time around, winning just nine times and losing 26 games.
“Lessons will be learnt, we have proved we can get out of League Two, and now the goal is to get back into League One as soon as possible and all of our focus moves towards that,” Northampton chairman Kelvin Thomas said.
League Two
1st: Bromley
Promoted on April 18
In the National League South in 2015, Bromley will be in League One for the first time in their history next season.
Managed by none other than Liverpool goalkeeper and recent debutant Freddie Woodman‘s father, Andy Woodman, Bromley’s promotion was confirmed by Notts County’s 2-1 defeat to Barnet.
They remain unbeaten at home this season.
