Promoted teams that defied the EPL odds


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Sheffield United currently occupy seventh spot on the EPL standings 
 
Since its inception in 1992, clubs have continued to defy the odds in England's top-flight. 
 
Amid big spending from the so called 'big six' it has become increasingly difficult for the so called 'smaller' clubs to make a real challenge for English Premier League honours. 
 
While Leicester defied 5000-1 odds to win the Premier League just a few seasons ago, giving hope to those aiming to dethrone the 'big six', chances of something similar happening in the near future are increasingly slim. 
 
That said, there are still clubs defying the odds in their own capacity with Sheffield United proving to be no pushovers since their promotion back to the Premier League this season. 
 
The Blades have been punching well above their weight this  -- they currently occupy seventh place on the log standings -- and in honour of the South Yorkshire team's run of form Betway takes a look at six promoted teams that the defied the odds in the Premier League era: 

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Wolverhampton Wanderers (7th - 2018/19 season) 

 
Nuno Espirito Santo's team took the league by storm last season and finished within the European spots following a run of three wins in their final four games. 
 
Mexican forward Raúl Jiménez top scored for the club with 13 goals while club captain Ruben Neves pulled the strings from midfield. Fellow Portugal international João Moutinho assisted eight goals while Rui Patricio kept seven clean sheets and it should come as no surprise that Wolves quickly became most people's 'second team'. 
 

Sunderland (7th - 1999/00) 

 
The Black Cats returned to England's top-flight in the 1999/00 season with a real bang -- largely due to Kevin Phillips' incredible scoring run. 
 
Phillips netted 30 goals (seven more than anybody else and more than 50% of Sunderland's goal tally that season) to finish the campaign as the league's top scorer and he subsequently scooped the Premier League Player of the Season award. 
 

Ipswich (5th - 2000/01) 

 
Ipswich finished above Chelsea and within the UEFA Cup places in the first season of the new millennium. 
 
The Tractor Boys had a British core, coached by George Burly who was named Premier League Manager of the Season while Marcus Stewart top scored for Ipswich with 19 goals. Ireland international Matt Holland captained the club. 
 

Blackburn Rovers (4th - 1992/93) 

 
Before finishing second and eventually winning the Premier League in the 1994/95 season, Blackburn -- who were coached by Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish -- made waves by finishing fourth in their first Premier League season.
 
Premier League all time top scorer Alan Shearer netted 16 goals while Jason Wilcox chipped in with 10 assists. The core of that team would go onto clinching the Premier League title just two seasons later with Shearer the main protagonist. 
 

Nottingham Forest (3rd - 1994/95) 

 
While Rovers received most of the plaudits for pipping Manchester United to the Premier League crown in the 1994/95 season, Forest -- captained by Stuart Pearce and coached by Frank Clark -- finished third on their return to England's top-flight. 
 
Stan Collymore top scored for Forest with 22 goals while Bryan Roy assisted 11 goals. Forest, though, failed to build on their third place finish and were relegated in 1997 after finishing bottom of the standings. 
 

Newcastle United (3rd - 1993/94) 

 
The Magpies have hopped up and down divisions during the Premier League era and came close to winning the league in both the 1995/96 and 1996/97 seasons, but first made a splash three seasons prior when they finished third in their maiden Premier League campaign. 
 
Captain Peter Beardsley finished the 1993/94 season with 21 goals while Andy Cole topped both the scoring and assists charts in an incredible individual campaign. 
 
Cole scored a league record 34 goals and assisted 13 for the free-scoring Magpies who netted 82 goals in their 42 matches that season. 
 
Coached by Kevin Keegan, Newcastle would make a real push for Premier League glory over the next few years, but ultimately fell short to Sir Alex Ferguson's winning machine. 
 

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Published: 04/29/2020