When most people think of Manchester City, they think of the Citizens as a wealthy football club that challenges for big trophies at home and abroad.
However, this wasn’t always the case, as City are not one of the original six top-flight teams who have not suffered relegation in the Premier League era. Instead, their last relegation was not that long ago.
When City last suffered relegation
City last suffered relegation from the Premier League in season 2000/01. It was their second relegation during the Premier League era, as they had also suffered relegation from the top-flight in season 1995/96.
That was a dark period for the Citizens, as they dropped even further two seasons later, as they fell into the third tier of the English game.
They became only the second team after Germany’s Magdeburg to have won a European trophy and suffered demotion to the third tier of their domestic leagues.
However, by season 2000/01, the men from Manchester had worked their way back up to the pinnacle of the English game.
Their stay in the top flight was short-lived, as they were in the Premier League for just a season before immediately returning to the second tier.
City endured a difficult campaign under former Everton boss Joy Royle, finishing 18th place in the table. The Citizens didn’t even come close to surviving, as they finished the season eight points adrift of the safety of 17th place in the Premier League table.
They suffered 20 defeats and picked up just eight wins from their 38 games in the Premier League.
The main factor in City’s relegation to the second tier of the English game was conceding too many goals, as only bottom of the table Bradford City conceded more goals in the English top-flight that season.
In truth, surviving in the Premier League may have been a step too far for the Citizens, as they had won back-to-back promotions to the English top flight, and many of the squad remained from their time in the second tier, and in some cases third tier of the English game.
The season got off to a woeful start, as they suffered a 4-0 drubbing on the season’s opening day at Charlton Athletic. They went on to win just two of their opening eight games in the top flight.
A run of form from October 28th until December 3rd could have been better, as City suffered six straight league defeats, including a 1-0 home defeat against city rivals Manchester United.
City enjoyed what looked like a positive summer with Paulo Wanchope, George Weah, Alf Inge-Haaland (Erling’s dad), Richard Dunne and Steve Howey all arriving to add strength to the promoted squad.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go well for the new signings, as Weah left the club in October after a row with the management team.
Haaland’s career was thrown into doubt in the April 1-1 Manchester derby at Old Trafford by a now infamous Roy Keane horror challenge.
The midfielder only played three more games for City as a substitute after recovering from the injury. He also made seven appearances in his homeland of Norway before officially retiring from the game.
A run of just two wins in their final ten Premier League games of the season was the final nail in City’s coffin.
Promotion back to the Premier League
It didn’t take Manchester City long to win promotion back to the Premier League, as they immediately returned to the English top flight, winning the second-tier title while recording an impressive 99 points.
The Citizens were particularly impressive on home soil, as they won 19 of their 23 league matches at Maine Road that season while suffering just one defeat.
One man who played a vital role in the promotion was striker and now City icon Shaun Goater, as the Bermudan star scored 28 goals in the second tier and 32 goals in all competitions that year.
Goater’s fellow forward Darren Huckerby also weighed in with 20 league goals and 26 in all competitions.
The following season, the Citizens did much more than just beat the drop in the Premier League, finishing a comfortable ninth place in the table. They even qualified for the UEFA Cup via the Fair Play League.
City is unlikely to experience relegation anytime soon
It is incredible that just over 20 years ago, City were languishing in the third tier of the English game. Fast forward to recent years and City are a powerhouse of the English and the European game.
Only city rivals United, Liverpool, and Arsenal can better the Citizens English top-flight title tally of nine.
It seems unlikely that the club’s fans will have to suffer the ignominy of relegation anytime soon, as the men from Manchester now look to have a bright future, which likely includes challenging at the top of the Premier League table for years to come.
Do you remember the last time Manchester City were relegated?