The Growing Gulf: How the Premier League’s Promoted Three Crashed and Burned
The 2022-2023 Premier League season has been a tumultuous one, with all three promoted teams - Burnley, Luton, and Sheffield United - facing relegation back to the Championship. This marks only the second time in Premier League history that all three promoted teams have failed to survive the top flight.
The Premier League logo, a symbol of the top tier of English football.
The writing was on the wall for Burnley and Sheffield United, with their relegation confirmed with one game to go. Luton, meanwhile, still holds a mathematical chance of survival, but it would require a 12-goal swing in goal difference to overtake Nottingham Forest on the final day.
“At the very top of the Championship a club runs at what, £30 million to £50 million costs annually?” “Then the bottom of the Premier League runs at what, £150 million to £160 million annually? It’s just a massive difference in everything.”
Burnley invested heavily in their squad, spending over £90 million on new players last summer. However, the majority of that was spent on promising prospects who took time to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League, while Kompany’s insistence on playing out from the back attracted criticism for being naive.
Vincent Kompany, Burnley’s manager, who faced criticism for his tactics.
By contrast, Luton were cautious with their windfall after a meteoric rise to the top-flight thanks to five promotions in 10 years.
“We got promoted with one of the smallest budgets,” said Luton boss Rob Edwards, who was reduced to tears after a 3-1 defeat at West Ham on Saturday.
Luton will not only benefit from over £100 million in broadcasting revenue from this season, but will also receive parachute payments for the next three years if they fail to achieve promotion again. These payments are designed to ease the financial damage from falling out of the top-flight, but have been heavily criticised for creating a competitive imbalance in the Championship.
Luton boss Rob Edwards, who was emotional after a 3-1 defeat at West Ham.
The growing financial disparity between the Premier League and the Championship has been pinpointed as the major reason why the leap into the top flight is becoming even harder. Leicester, Leeds, and Southampton, the three sides relegated last season, all finished in the top four of the second tier. This should come as some consolation to Burnley, Luton, and Sheffield United, but exemplifies a problem the English game must get to grips with.
The Premier League relegation battle has been intense this season.
