# When You Get Promoted/Relegated, Do You Get A Grace Period (so to speak)? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-soccer-fifa\ **Created:** [May 12, 2024, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447 "2024-05-12T15:14:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/1 "2024-05-12T15:14:50Z")
Like if your team is promoted from Championship League to Premier League, do you get a couple of seasons to find your bearings with the new level of competition? Or can you be sent right back to Championship after one season in Premier if you finish at the bottom of the table? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/2 "2024-05-12T16:22:40Z")
My understanding is that, no, there is no “grace period.” It’s entirely possible to get promoted one season, and then relegated back the next season. And, it’s possible to get promoted (or relegated) repeatedly over the course of several seasons. This Wikipedia article gives multiple examples of football teams that: - Were promoted repeatedly in consecutive seasons - Were regulated repeatedly in consecutive seasons - "Yo-yo"ed up and down repeatedly in consecutive seasons An English example of the third group is Fulham F.C.: - Promoted from EFL Championship to Premier League in 2018 - Relegated in 2019 - Promoted in 2020 - Relegated in 2021 - Promoted in 2022 > **[List of association football clubs with multiple consecutive promotions or relegations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_association_football_clubs_with_multiple_consecutive_promotions_or_relegations)** > > This is a list of association football clubs with multiple consecutive promotions or relegations. > For an association football club to achieve three consecutive promotions is somewhat rare, to achieve subsequent further promotions even rarer. Many football league systems are organised in a pyramid system, allowing league champions and, in many cases, clubs placed immediately behind the champions to achieve promotion, either directly or through a play-off system. To achieve three or more promoti... ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/3 "2024-05-12T16:32:29Z")
It’s just happened to Luton Town ! ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/4 "2024-05-12T17:23:42Z")
At the moment it is a virtual certainty that all three teams that came up last year are going right back down again. Sheffield United and Burnley are doomed, and Luton need to win and Nottingham Forest lose by a combined 12 goals to avoid the drop. This is not even the first time it’s happening in the Premier League era (so since 1992-93) ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/5 "2024-05-12T17:24:52Z")
All three promoted teams from the previous season are likely to be going down. I think I read that it’s the first time that’s happened in 26 years. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/6 "2024-05-13T03:21:49Z")
I was gonna say, you have until the start of next season. There’s your grace period. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/7 "2024-05-13T11:47:07Z")
OTOH, I guess, if none of last year’s promoted teams were able to pass even one existing club in the table, that means that all three teams promoted the previous year will have lasted for two seasons. BTW, League Championship playoffs held their first leg yesterday with both games ending scoreless (Norwich-Leeds and West Brom-Southampton). Leicester and Ipswich Town are already promoted. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/8 "2024-05-13T12:10:00Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > OTOH, I guess, if none of last year’s promoted teams were able to pass even one existing club in the table, that means that all three teams promoted the previous year will have lasted for two seasons. Not true: Year 1: Newly promoted teams A, B, C all finish at the bottom and are relegated back. Replaced by D, E, F. Year 2: New promoted teams D, E, F all finish at the bottom and are relegated back. Replaced by B, C, G. Now, if at the end of Year 1, the placement of the last 4 teams was A, Z, B, C. Then A got to stay which means they also lasted through Year 2 since D, E, F finished last. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/9 "2024-05-13T12:14:35Z")
I’m surprised this doesn’t happen more often. Any team that’s on the cusp of promotion is, almost by definition, better on average than all the other teams in the lower league. But, being in the lower league, they’re also, on average, going to be worse than the teams in the higher league. So I could see such a team spending a few years tweaking their game play, looking for the right combination of players and what not, before finding the right mix to gain promotion and keep it. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/10 "2024-05-13T12:44:00Z")
There is some help to the teams relegated in the form of parachute payments (see here: [Premier League parachute and solidarity payments - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_League_parachute_and_solidarity_payments#Parachute_payments) ). This is only for the English leagues, and it is a percentage of what they would have received if they hadn’t been relegated. It can continue for a few years, with less each year. This is intended as a financial aid in getting promoted again, and probably helps maintain some bigger contracts. Note that I am not an expert on this. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/11 "2024-05-13T14:43:55Z")
Minor hijack: What’s the deal with Manchester United and Manchester City? Why two teams from the same area? ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/12 "2024-05-13T15:29:10Z")
Many, many cities in Europe have two (or more) top-flight teams. London has seven, but Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Milan, Edinburgh, Belgrade, Vienna, just off the top of my head, have two each at the moment. Athens has three as does Istanbul. Sometimes the history of the clubs is based on local support from different sections of the city, sometimes that overlaps with sectarian or political divides (Celtic v Rangers in Glasgow, Barcelona v Espanyol in Barcelona). Sometimes the city just grows and absorbs the formerly separate towns that had teams (Brentford, Everton?) Because the football leagues in Europe generally are not controlled by corporate entities like the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, there isn’t the level of geographical ring-fencing to prevent other teams from invading the market of existing teams. If Millwall were to win the Championship (heaven forfend) the Premier League would not stop them from getting promoted just because they are too close to West Ham (historically, not sure about now). The only criterion would be the size and quality of their stadium. Some “cross town” rivals are even easy walking distance from each other. Liverpool-Everton, Red Star-Partizan come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/13 "2024-05-13T15:49:46Z")
Cool, thanks! A few weeks ago I was watching Manchester City vs Manchester United and I just couldn’t imaging Pittsburgh having two baseball/football/hockey teams each with their own following. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/14 "2024-05-13T15:51:47Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I just couldn’t imaging Pittsburgh having two baseball/football/hockey teams each with their own following. New York does it. In [football](https://www.newyork.co.uk/nfl-american-football-in-new-york/#:~:text=There%20are%20two%20American%20Football%20teams%20in%20New%20York%3A%20the,to%20win%20the%20Super%20Bowl.) and [baseball](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_in_the_New_York_metropolitan_area#Baseball). ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/15 "2024-05-13T15:53:41Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > New York does it. In [football](https://www.newyork.co.uk/nfl-american-football-in-new-york/#:~:text=There%20are%20two%20American%20Football%20teams%20in%20New%20York%3A%20the,to%20win%20the%20Super%20Bowl.) and [baseball](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_in_the_New_York_metropolitan_area#Baseball). When my brother lived in New Jersey, he explained that away. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/16 "2024-05-13T15:55:07Z")
And hockey and basketball and soccer. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/17 "2024-05-13T17:30:33Z")
Chicago, too, with baseball. And you have Oakland/San Fransisco. In basketball, LA Clipper and Lakers. LA has the Chargers and Rams also in football. And the Ducks and Kings in hockey. And the Angels and Dodgers in baseball. NY also has Islanders and Rangers in hockey. In other words, it’s not all that strange. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/18 "2024-05-13T17:30:33Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > Sometimes the city just grows and absorbs the formerly separate towns that had teams (Brentford, Everton?) Good post except the last word I’ve quoted - Everton has always been pretty central in Liverpool, and the football club there in fact pre-dates Liverpool FC. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2024, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/19 "2024-05-15T12:20:11Z")
Perhaps I worded things poorly? At the end of the 21-22 season, Fulham, Bournemouth and Forest were promoted. All three survived their first season back up and again this season (assuming Forest holds on). So all three promoted teams from the group before Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton Town have survived relegation two years consecutively and will play on for a third. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2024, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447/20 "2024-05-15T13:13:38Z")
More like I misunderstood. I thought you were speaking generally, not specifically. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-get-promoted-relegated-do-you-get-a-grace-period-so-to-speak/1001447.md?page=2)