Greatest Football Championship Season Collapses
The 2022/23 English Premier League witnessed one of the most stunning and spectacular collapses in recent history, as despite leading the league for over eight months, Arsenal are once again confined to the runner-up spot.
Manchester City took their seventh Premiership championship in 12 years thanks to a remarkable 11-straight winning streak compared to Arsenal’s bafflingly poor form from April onwards.
A title collapse is often a scarring experience for everyone wearing their football team kits, from players to fans, and it has happened more often than you might expect.
However, with the aim of helping Mikel Arteta and his exceptionally talented team cheer up, here are some title collapses even more astonishing than this.
Newcastle United 1995/96
The title collapse that brought about that most infamous rant where manager Kevin Keegan would “love it” if he beat the all-conquering Manchester United, Newcastle United initially appeared to be unstoppable in the 1995/96 Premier League.
They were ten points clear at the top of the table in December and as much as 12 points ahead in January. With a team that included Les Ferdinand, David Ginola and Peter Beardsley, this appeared unassailable.
However, as has happened many times with King Kev, his emotions got the better of him. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side of players so young that Alan Hanson also infamously stated that they wouldn’t win anything “with kids”, went to Middlesbrough and got something, leading in March and taking the title.
Manchester United 2011/12
Even though the Red Devils dominated the Premier League during Sir Alex Ferguson’s run more than any other club, they had seen their fair share of collapses. Arguably the worst of these preceded one of the most miraculous finishes to any championship in history.
However, before Sergio Aguero, 93:20 and that incredible final goal, their cross-city rivals Manchester United had left the door open for them, going from eight points clear with seven games to go before drawing level in one of the biggest derby games ever played.