10 Longest Absences From The Premier League

The answer that’s almost guaranteed to score zero whenever a Premier League question comes up on Pointless, Swindon, like Barnsley, had never spent a single season in the top flight before they earned promotion to the Premier League for its second campaign.

They were woefully unprepared. With results including 5-0 losses to Liverpool, Arsenal, Leeds and Aston Villa and a 7-1 mauling at the hands of Newcastle, they quickly returned to the second tier, winning just five games in total and ending up ten points below their nearest rivals, though they did hold champions Manchester United to a 2-2 draw at home.

The most notable element of Swindon’s diabolical season was that they conceded 100 goals in total. This unwanted honour has yet to be matched to this day, though the official record is now held by Derby County’s conceding of 89 goals in 2007/08 given that it occurred in a 38-game season in contrast to Swindon’s 42.

The fact that the Robins were punching well above their weight is evidenced by their subsequent fortunes. They haven’t played in the second tier since 2000, having become mainstays of League One.

They did once boast a player called Danny Invincible, however, so maybe they should get some props for that at least…