When were Tottenham Hotspur last relegated?

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank has endured a tough debut season as Tottenham Hotspur manager (Image credit: Getty Images)

When Tottenham Hotspur finished 17th in the Premier League last season, fans of the north London club must have thought it couldn't get any worse.

Spurs took just 38 points from their 38 league games in 2024/25, losing 22 times, although their awful domestic form was masked slightly by the club ending their 17-year wait for a trophy with victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final.

When were Tottenham last relegated from the top flight?

Micky van de Ven reacts to another bad result for Tottenham

Defender Micky van de Ven reacts to another bad result for Tottenham (Image credit: Getty Images)

Spurs head into the midweek round of matches 15th in the Premier League, just six points above the relegation zone.

Their form is even more alarming than their position in the table, having taken just four points - all draws - from their past seven league games.

A general view inside the stadium as fans hold up pieces of fabric to display a message of 'Dare Dream Do' prior to the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 12, 2022 in London, England.

There is a genuine fear that the impressive Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could be hosting Championship football next season (Image credit: Clive Rose/Getty Images)

And if Thomas Frank's side can't turn their fortunes around, there is a real danger that Tottenham could drop into the second tier for the first time since 1977.

The club had enjoyed a successful start to the 1970s, winning two League Cups and the UEFA Cup, but they finished bottom of the First Division in 1976/77 under manager Keith Burkinshaw.

Spurs sealed an immediate return to the top flight as they took the third and final automatic promotion place in the second tier the following season, behind Bolton Wanderers and Southampton.

In fact, Burkinshaw even went on to become one of Tottenham's most successful managers, guiding the club to consecutive FA Cups in 1980/81 and 1981/82 and the UEFA Cup in 1983/84.

A first relegation in 49 years would be hugely embarrassing for a club who won a European trophy less than 12 months ago, reached the Champions League final as recently as 2019 and boast one of the most impressive grounds in the world in the form of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham lift the Europa League trophy after defeating Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao, May 2025

Tottenham won the Europa League less than 12 months ago (Image credit: Getty Images)

But they will need to find a few wins from somewhere in their final 13 games of the season, with the points total required for Premier League survival looking set to be close to the traditional 40 points this term.

West Ham United are 18th but have 23 points from their 25 matches - and the Hammers are in form, having won three of their past four games.

And Leeds United and Nottingham Forest, who occupy the two positions immediately below Spurs, have each tasted victory in two of their past five matches to narrow the gap to the north London club.

It means Tottenham need to start picking up points soon and they will hope that begins against Newcastle United tonight, where an overdue victory would help ease their relegation fears.

Freelance writer

James Roberts is a freelance sports journalist working for FourFourTwo. He has spent the past three years as a sports sub-editor for various national newspapers and started his career at the Oxford Mail, where he covered Oxford United home and away.

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