Blackburn Rovers

Overview

The birth of the Premier League also heralded Blackburn Rovers' return to the top flight for the first time in 26 years. They underlined their ambition by breaking the English transfer record to sign a 22-year-old Alan Shearer for £3.5million. Other expensive signings ensured they finished an impressive fourth.

Owner Jack Walker continued to splash his cash and in their second season, his team were runners-up to arch North Western rivals Manchester United in 1993/94. The positions were reversed the following season as Rovers pipped United to the title on the last day of the season.

The team have failed to reach those heights since then and in 1999, Rovers became the first former Premier League champions to be relegated. The club bounced back in 2001 and progress under Graeme Souness and then Mark Hughes has seen them qualify for Europe four times in six years.

Hughes left the club for Manchester City in June 2008 after helping them to a seventh place finish. He was replaced by Paul Ince later that month.

Club Heritage

Blackburn Rovers were born at a hotel meeting on 5th November 1875, organised by Shrewsbury school old boys Arthur Constantine and John Lewis. The club's patronage by the wealthy middle classes helped it stay afloat and outlive many of the other clubs in the area.

As one of the top clubs, they were approached in 1888 to become one of the 12 founding members of the Football League. They finished the inaugural season in fourth place and unbeaten at home.

Rovers moved into their permanent home at Ewood Park in September 1890 and marked their first season there with a fifth FA Cup win. But a downturn in fortunes saw them narrowly escape relegation on several occasions and the 1928 FA Cup victory was their last major trophy for 67 years.

Rovers were relegated from the top flight for the first time in 1936, signaling the start of their long struggle to regain their status as a top team. Relegation in 1966 saw the beginning of their 26-year exile from the top flight and it was not until Walker and his millions came on board in 1991 that Blackburn returned to their glory days.

Premier League History

1992/93 - Blackburn, recently promoted via the play-offs, break the national transfer record by signing Alan Shearer from Southampton for £3.5million.
1993/94 - Finish runners-up in the FA Carling Premiership
1994/95 - Break the English transfer record again, signing Chris Sutton from Norwich City for £5million. Win the FA Carling Premiership
1995/96 - Manager Kenny Dalglish becomes Director of Football. Former assistant, Ray Harford, becomes manager
1996/97 - Shearer sold to Newcastle United for a record £15million. Harford resigns in October after failing to win any of the ten opening matches. Tony Parkes takes over as caretaker manager
1997/98 - Roy Hodgson appointed as manager
1998/99 - Hodgson sacked in December and replaced by Brian Kidd. Relegated
1999/00 - Kidd sacked. Parkes takes over again until March when the club appoint Graeme Souness
2000/01 - Jack Walker dies. Promoted as runners-up
2001/02 - Break club transfer record with £8million signing of Andy Cole from Manchester United. Win their first-ever League Cup
2004/05 - Souness leaves to join Newcastle United. Replaced by Mark Hughes
2006/07 - July '06 sign South African striker Benni McCarthy from Porto who scores 18 Premier League goals in his debut season
2007/08 - July '07 pay £3.5million to Bayern Munich for Paraguyan striker Roque Santa Cruz
2007/08 - Manager Mark Hughes leaves the club for Manchester City in June, and Rovers name Paul Ince as his replacement
2008/09 - Paul Ince is sacked in December after a run of six successive Barclays Premier League defeats. He was replaced by former Bolton Wanderers and Newcastle United manager Sam Allardyce.

Aston Villa

Overview

The inaugural 1992/93 Premier League season saw Aston Villa miss out on their first title in 12 years when they finished runners-up to Manchester United. Villa got their revenge over the champions by beating them in the League Cup Final the following season.

Chairman Doug Ellis had been unimpressed by Villa's league form and replaced the flamboyant Ron Atkinson with Brian Little in 1993/94. The former Villa player led the club to a 3-0 win over Leeds United in the 1996 League Cup final.

In 2000, Villa reached their first FA Cup final since 1957 but were defeated by Chelsea. Although Villa remained a hard side to beat, the loss of several star names and further managerial changes did little to help consistency.

Matters came to a head in 2006 when manager David O'Leary left in acrimonious circumstances, but Martin O'Neill has been heralded as the man to lead them up the table. Aston Villa - along with only Chelsea and Blackburn Rovers - have finished in every position in the top flight.

Club Heritage

In 1874, a group of cricketers needing something to occupy them during winter happened to see a game of football in the park - thus Aston Villa was born. Their first match was unusual in that the first half was played under rugby rules and the second under football rules. Villa fast became the Midlands' dominant side, beating Small Heath Alliance - later to become arch rivals Birmingham City - 22-0 on one occasion.

Aston Villa were one of the founding members of the Football League in 1888 and enjoyed instant success. In the 1890s, they won five titles in seven seasons. Villa were also the first side to do the league and cup double in 1897. A week later, they moved to Aston Lower Grounds, which the fans dubbed Villa Park.

Villa's winning ways continued into the early 1900s, but their fortunes dwindled and in 1937 they were relegated. After the Second World War, the team was totally rebuilt. But apart from a 1957 FA Cup win, previous levels of success were never achieved.

A new low was reached when Villa were relegated to the Third Division in 1971. The club's fortunes changed 10 years later when Ron Saunders led them to the league title. The following year, in 1982, under caretaker manager Tony Barton, the club won the European Cup with victory over Bayern Munich.

Villa were relegated from the top flight in 1987 but bounced back at the first attempt. They finished Premier League runners-up under manager Ron Atkinson in 1993 and League Cup wins over Manchester United and Leeds followed in 1994 and 1996 respectively.

Premier League History

1992/93 - Premier League runners-up
1993/94 - Win the League Cup (Aston Villa 3-1 Manchester United)
1994/95 - Brian Little replaces Ron Atkinson as manager
1995/96 - Win the League Cup (Aston Villa 3-0 Leeds United)
1997/98 - John Gregory replaces Brian Little
1999/00 - Lose FA Cup Final (Chelsea 2-0 Aston Villa)
2001/02 - Gregory quits in January. Former manager Graham Taylor takes over
2002/03 - David O'Leary replaces Taylor in May
2005/06 - At the end of the season O'Leary leaves. Randy Lerner buys a majority share in the club. Martin O'Neill appointed manager
2006/07 - Sign Ashley Young from Watford for a club record £9.65million
2007/08 - Sign Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood from West Ham United and Zat Knight from Fulham

Arsenal

Overview

Arsenal may have been off the pace in the inaugural Premier League season in 1992/93, but they made up for it by winning both the FA and League Cups.

The Premier League crown eluded them until 1998 - two years into manager Arsene Wenger's tenure - when they did the league and FA Cup double. Under the Frenchman, the Gunners shook off their "boring" image and began to play some of the most attractive football in England.

In eight of his 12 seasons at the club, Arsenal have finished first or second. And together with star players such as Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp, Wenger took Arsenal to another "double" in 2002.

The Gunners reached the Champions' League final in 2006, becoming the first London team to do so, but lost to Barcelona. Their Barclaycard Premiership title in 2003/04 saw them become only the second team to win the league without losing a match - earning them the title "The Invincibles." Overall they went 49 matches unbeaten, which is a national record.

Club Heritage

In 1886, a group of workers at the Woolwich Arsenal Armament Factory formed a team called Dial Square, renaming themselves to Royal Arsenal shortly afterwards. The team turned professional in 1891 and changed its name again to Woolwich Arsenal, eventually dropping the prefix completely in 1913 when they moved to Highbury.

The Gunners joined the Second Division in 1893 and were promoted in 1904. Success eluded them until the arrival of Herbert Chapman in 1925 when they won the league five times between 1930 and 1938 and the FA Cup twice. Chapman, who died in 1934, was also behind the renaming of the nearest London Underground station to Arsenal.

Arsenal had to wait until the 1970s for their next period of success. But their first double in 1971 was followed by several near-misses - finishing second in 1972, and losing three FA Cup finals and the 1980 European Cup Winners' Cup final.

It was not until the return of ex-player George Graham as manager that the club rose to greatness again - winning six trophies during his nine-year reign. That included League Cup success in 1987 and 1993, the FA Cup in 1993, the league title in 1989 and 1991 and European Cup Winners' Cup in 1994. Arsenal hold the enviable record of the most consecutive seasons in the top flight - 80 at present.

Premier League History

1992/93 - Win the FA Cup and League Cup double
1993/94 - Win the European Cup Winners' Cup
1994/95 - George Graham sacked. Stewart Houston becomes caretaker. Lose the Cup Winners' Cup final to Real Zaragoza
1995/96 - Bruce Rioch takes charge for one season before resigning
1996/97 - Arsène Wenger becomes manager. Signs Nicolas Anelka and Patrick Vieira
1997/98 - Win the FA Carling Premiership and FA Cup double
1999/00 - Sign Thierry Henry. Lose the UEFA Cup final on penalties to Galatasaray
2000/01 - Break club record transfer signing Sylvain Wiltord for reported £13million
2001/02 - Win the Barclaycard Premiership and FA Cup double
2003/04 - Win the Barclaycard Premiership without losing a match
2005/06 - Last season at Highbury. Lose the Champions' League final to Barcelona
2006/07 - Move to Emirates Stadium

Liverpool

Overview

Liverpool have maintained their status as a domestic and European force since the Premier League began in 1992, rarely finishing outside the top positions. The club have won seven major trophies since then, including the Champions League, Uefa Cup, two FA Cups and three League Cups.

Indeed, 2001 saw the Reds claim an unprecedented League Cup, FA Cup and Uefa Cup treble. Having won more domestic and European trophies than any other English club, Liverpool's status as giants of the domestic game is undisputed.

Under Rafa Benitez, Liverpool have secured Champions League football in each of the last four seasons. The Spaniard guided them to third place in the 2006/07 season and an appearance in the Champions League final where they were beaten 2-1 by AC Milan. They lost to Chelsea in the semi-finals of the competition last season and secured a fourth place finish in the league.

Liverpool's first-ever competitive match was in the Lancashire League, where a predominantly Scottish team defeated Higher Walton 8-0 on 23rd September 1892.

Club Heritage

In 1891, John Houlding purchased Anfield after Everton left the ground for Goodison Park following a seven-year tenancy. With an empty stadium and only three players remaining, Houlding formed Liverpool Football Club on 15th March 1892. Everton FC and Athletic Grounds, Ltd, or Everton Athletic was to be the name, but the Football Association refused to recognise the team as Everton. Liverpool won their first title in 1901 after gaining promotion to the First Division in 1894.

The appointment of Bill Shankly in 1959 was the beginning of a golden era for Liverpool. He led the club to promotion to the First Division in 1962 and they have stayed there ever since. The title was secured in 1964 and 1966, with a first-ever FA Cup final victory sandwiched in between. A year after winning the Uefa Cup, Shankly retired and was replaced by his assistant Bob Paisley.

Within two seasons, the Reds had won the league, and the Uefa Cup for a second time. Paisley's nine-year reign saw Liverpool win 21 trophies, including three European Cups, six league titles, a Uefa Cup, and three League Cups. Joe Fagan took over in 1983 and inspired the club to the European Cup, League title, and League Cup in his first season.

Premier League History

1993/94 - Roy Evans replaces Graeme Souness
1994/95 - Win League Cup
1998/99 - Gerard Houllier joins Evans as joint-manager
1998/99 - Houllier takes sole charge in November 1998
2000/01 - Win FA Cup, League Cup and Uefa Cup
2002/03 - Win League Cup
2003/04 - Houllier departs by mutual consent in May 2004
2004/05 - Rafa Benitez takes over
2004/05 - Djibril Cisse joins from Auxerre for a club record £14million
2004/05 - Win Champions League
2005/06 - Win FA Cup
2006/07 - American businessmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks become owners in a deal worth £470million.
2007/08 - Fernando Torres becomes Liverpool's record signing at an initial fee of around £20.2million from Atletico Madrid.