10 Longest Absences From The Premier League

Sheffield United defied all expectations to finish in the top half of the Premier League table this season, having occupied a European berth before dropping off after the resumption of play following lockdown. The Blades have had three spells in the top flight, but spent a long time in the shadow of their cross-city rivals, who were perennial midtable finishers throughout the 1990s before they plunged into the-then Division One at the end of the 1999/2000 season.

The Owls have never been back since, despite having reached the playoffs twice in 2016 and 2017 whilst United were still a division behind them in League One. Aside from those two years they have been closer to the bottom of the table than the top on every occasion since their own return to the Championship from League One.

Wednesday can still arguably cling to the claim of being the more successful Sheffield club given their solitary League Cup win in 1991. The two have seven FA Cups between them, but the most recent of those was in 1934.

There has been little to celebrate in the city from a footballing perspective in a long time. Hopes of a United run in Europe were dashed by their poor post-restart form and Wednesday are one of the bookies' favourites for the drop back to League One this year.