Where Huddersfield Town rank among the five worst teams in Premier League history
Huddersfield's relegation from English football's top tier could be confirmed this weekend. But where do the Terriers rank among the worst teams ever to play in the Premier League?
5. Sunderland 2002-03: 0.50 Points per game
The fifth worst team in Premier League history, this Sunderland side took just 19 points from their 38 matches.
Under Peter Reid they had narrowly avoided relegation the season before but he would be sacked come October 2002 after more than seven years at the helm with the team struggling.
Things would go from bad to worse for Sunderland, who hired and fired Howard Wilkinson before Mick McCarthy oversaw the final two months of the season and their relegation.
The team scored just 21 goals that year and their points tally was a record low at the time – although somehow Sunderland have since plumbed new depths.
4. Huddersfield 2018-19: 0.452 points per game
Huddersfield have not yet been relegated, but it could be made official this weekend and while they currently have the fourth worst record the Premier League has seen, there is still potential to move up or down that list.
David Wagner guided the underdogs to safety in their first season back in the top flight but departed this year as he felt unable to repeat the feat.
They have lost 16 of their last 18 league games and sit on just 14 points with seven games left, which would be the second worst in Premier League history if they fail to add to it.
New boss Jan Siewert has brought renewed energy but has only one win against Wolves since he took over.
3. Aston Villa 2015-16: 0.447 points per game
The season before Aston Villa had reached the FA Cup final, but the picture quickly turned bleak at the former top-division mainstays.
An opening-day win proved a false dawn and was followed by a six-match losing streak that saw Tim Sherwood sacked.
Remi Garde did not fare much better, overseeing an 11-game losing run – as well as controversy over a Joleon Lescott tweet which the defender blamed on pocket dialling – as Villa dropped down into the Championship with 17 points.
2. Sunderland 2005-06: 0.39 points per game
After being relegated in 2003, Sunderland bounced back to England’s top tier just two seasons later, but they may wish they had never bothered.
In 2005-06 the Black Cats achieved the unthinkable and produced a season worse than their previous monument to failure, amassing just 15 points, with one of their three wins coming in the penultimate game of the season.
It was under Mick McCarthy that they had returned to the Premier League, but they were clearly not ready for the task at hand, losing the opening five games. He was dismissed with 10 games to go.
1. Derby County 2007-08: 0.29 points per game
Some of Sunderland’s blushes were spared when Derby came along and comfortably beat the Black Cats’ record for the worst campaign in Premier League history.
No side has totalled lower than their 11 points in 2007-08 and their solitary victory also remains a record for the fewest wins in a season.
Promotion came ahead of manager Billy Davies's schedule and an influx of new players acquired in a panic failed to deliver. Paul Jewell would replace Davies but soon realised he had taken over a sinking ship.
In January the club brought in experienced Premier League players such as Robbie Savage and Danny Mills but sold the heart of the team that had gained promotion and he could not avoid setting a new low.
Hall of shame: the 10 worst teams in Premier League history
1. Derby County 2007-08: 0.29 points per game
2. Sunderland 2005-06: 0.39 ppg
3. Aston Villa 2015-16: 0.447 ppg
4. Huddersfield 2018-19: 0.452 ppg
5. Sunderland 2002-03: 0.50 ppg
6. Fulham 2018-19: 0.55 ppg
7. Watford 1999-2000: 0.63 ppg
8. Sunderland 2016-17: 0.63 ppg
9. Ipswich Town 1994-95: 0.64 ppg
10. Wolves 2011-12: 0.66 ppg
= QPR 2012-13: 0.66 ppg