Napoli are champions after 33 years, but for some the wait goes on and on

FOR such a big and important club, Napoli’s list of major honours is very modest; their latest Serie A title was only their third and their first since 1990 and the days of Diego Maradona. But they are not the only sizeable football entity that has had a modest roll call of achievement over the years. Manchester City and Chelsea’s trophy cabinet was quite underwhelming until they came into money and those clubs that dominated pre-WW2 football, such as Sunderland and Newcastle United, have not brought out the silver polish in decades. In the age of industry, English football had its heartland, and it was in the north and the midlands. In the modern age, those that win have extraordinary financial resources, giving them a competitive edge that dwarfs the advantages of the so-called rich clubs of the past.

It is likely that many of the English football champions of ancient sporting history will never be the top dogs again. There’s only been 24 different champions and some, like Preston North End (1890), Portsmouth (1950), Ipswich Town (1962), Burnley (1960), Sunderland (1936) and Derby County (1975), may forever be in the shadows. It would take a miracle for them to become contenders once more. But miracles do happen, even if they happen be wrapped up in a substantial ownership package. Nobody would have predicted that Leicester City would be Premier League champions, but they did it, and then won the FA Cup five years later.

Newcastle United are the latest club to take the money of the Middle East and this, effectively, elevates them to “big six” status. In fact, they could even displace one of the existing half dozen that have conveniently been bracketed as the crème de la crème of English football. Newcastle United’s glory days were long ago and the club is approaching the centenary of their last league title victory, in 1926-27. They are edging closer to becoming a trophy-hunting team and if anyone other than Manchester City and co. is going to surprise us, then Newcastle will probably be that club. There is arguably not a person alive who remembers 1927’s success and there cannot be too many who even recall their last trophy, the Inter-Cities’ Fairs Cup in 1969. 

Some clubs have been waiting for another title for well over 100 years: Preston North End last won the big prize in 1890 (133 years ago), while Sheffield United have been waiting 125 years. West Bromwich Albion were last champions in 1920. 

The longest wait between actual championships won is 81 years, the period between Blackburn Rovers 194 triumph and the Jack Walker-inspired victory in 1995. Aston Villa, the team of the late Victorian and Edwardian years, had a 71-year gap filled when they won the title in 1981. And Chelsea, for all their Abramovich-era success, ended 50 years of frustration when they won their second championship in 2005. Manchester City, in 2012, closed a 44-year chasm. 

Of the 2022-23 Premier League, 13 clubs have been English champions. The seven of the other 11 can be found in the Championship and four in League One. A total of 68 clubs have never won the title. It may seem a small number of clubs in the Premier but compared to many European countries, it almost smacks of democracy. 

In Spain, there have only been nine champions in 91 seasons, but 61 of those have been won by Real Madrid (35) and Barcelona (26). Some clubs have punched below their weight, such as Sevilla, who have a solitary La Liga victory to their name, in 1946, so they have been waiting almost 80 years for their second championship. Real Betis, their neighbours, have been waiting almost 90 years, while Athletic Bilbao will celebrate the 40th anniversary of their last title in 2023-24. Only seven clubs in the current La Liga line-up have been champions.

In Germany, seven of the current 18 top flight teams have won the Bundesliga. Bayern Munich have secured 32 of the 59 championships. Schalke 04 are the most notable team not to have won the Bundesliga, but they did lift the old championship in 1958, some 65 years ago.

Similar to Bayern in Germany and Spain’s Real-Barca duopoly, Italian football has been bossed by a small group, namely the northern sides of Juventus, AC Milan and Inter. This trio has won 74 of 129 titles, with Juve leading the way with 36. Genoa, widely acknowledged as the first club in Italy, were last champions 99 years ago, while Torino have not been at the summit since 1976. Roma and Lazio, the capital city clubs, have won just five scudettos between them.

France has arguably been the most open of league championships over the years, but Paris Saint-Germain are currently standing astride Ligue 1. PSG and Saint-Étienne have won 10 titles in the professional era, but the latter has not hit the top since 1981. Clubs like Bordeaux, Marseille and Lyon have all had their moments of superiority, but since PSG became the property of Qatar Sports Investments, it has been difficult for any club to consistently keep pace with the Parisians.

By the end of 2022-23, the Premier League will have been won by either Arsenal or Manchester City. For Arsenal, if they emerge triumphant, it will end a 19-year barren spell in the league, the longest period without the holy grail since they started winning leagues in 1931. For City, it will complete a hat-trick of league successes, something Arsenal achieved in the 1930s.

When did you last see a title?

  First titleLast titleYears since last title (to 2023)
1Preston North End18891890133
2Everton1891198736
3Sunderland1892193687
4Aston Villa1894198142
5Sheffield United18981898125
6Liverpool190120203
7Sheffield Wednesday1904193093
8Newcastle United1905192796
9Manchester United1908201310
10Blackburn Rovers1914199581
11West Bromwich Albion19201920103
12Burnley1921196063
13Huddersfield Town1924192697
14Arsenal1931200419+
15Manchester City193720221+
16Portsmouth1949195073
17Tottenham Hotspur1951196162
18Wolverhampton Wanderers1954195964
19Chelsea195520176
20Ipswich Town1962196261
21Leeds United1969199231
22Derby County1972197548
23Nottingham Forest1978197845
24Leicester City201620167

+ Possible champions 2022-23

7 days in football – culminating in big derbies

DO Europe’s top leagues align their diaries to ensure some of the big games are played over the same weekend? Next weekend, Spain, Austria, the Netherlands and Italy all have huge clashes, while in midweek, we have the FA Cup quarter-finals and another round of Champions League games.

Monday March 13

In Northern Ireland, two of the front-runners, Crusaders and Cliftonville meet, while the last Scottish Cup quarter-final, Falkirk versus Ayr, takes place. The other semi-finalists: Rangers, Celtic and Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Tuesday March 14

Two UEFA Champions League last 16 second legs. Porto host Inter with the Italians having a one-goal advantage and Manchester City and RB Leipzig are all-square at 1-1. Who will join Chelsea, AC Milan, Benfica and Bayern Munich in the last eight?

Wednesday March 15

The last Champions League ties, Italian chamopions elect Napoli are at home to Frankfurt and have a two-goal lead from the first leg in Germany. Napoli are 18 points clear at the top of Serie A. Real Madrid won their first leg at Liverpool 5-2, so will be hoping to finish Jürgen Klopp’s side off at home. In the Premier League, the oddest “derby”, Brighton v Crystal Palace, the clash of seagulls and eagles, kicks off.

Thursday March 16

Manchester United have got their Europa League round of 16 tie sewn-up unless something seismic happens in Seville. Real Betis trail 4-1. Arsenal will have to work hard against Sporting Lisbon after their 2-2 draw in Portugal, but as Premier League leaders, they will be favourites to go through. Real Sociedad trail by two goals to Roma, who travel to Basque country for the second leg. In the Conference League, West Ham host AEK Larnaca with a 2-0 lead from their game in Cyprus.

Friday March 17

Cracking League One action with Sheffield Wednesday at home to Bolton Wanderers.

Saturday March 18

In the FA Cup sixth round, Manchester City welcome their former skipper Vincent Kompany and his Burnley side to the Etihad. In the Premier, struggling teams have tough tasks, including Southampton v Tottenham and Chelsea v Everton. League Two sees a promotion tussle with Carlisle United at home to Stevenage.

Sunday March 19

Three FA Cup quarter-finals: Sheffield United v Blackburn, Brighton v Grimsby Town and Manchester United v Fulham. It’s also the last eight in the Women’s FA Cup, with Lewes hosting Manchester United, Brighton going to Birmingham, Reading playing Chelsea and Aston Villa at home to Manchester City. In Spain, it’s El Clasico time, with Barca v Real Madrid. In Italy, the Derby d’Italia, Inter versus Juve takes place, and it’s the Rome derby aswell, Lazio v Roma. Ajax and Feyenoord meet headlong in Amsterdam, while in  Vienna, Austria Wien are at home to Rapid.