Back in the 1960s as a teenager I would regularly visit Elm Park to watch my home town team Reading in the old Third Division. Among the visiting sides were Brighton, Bournemouth and Brentford. Just like Reading, these clubs looked destined to stay in the lower divisions forever although by some miracle Reading made it to the Premier League in 2006 for an all-too-brief stay.
But take a look at the top half of the Premier League table today and there we have the "Three B's" proudly occupying seventh, eighth and ninth place. It is a testament to all three that despite lacking the financial resources of the big clubs they have succeeded in achieving top flight status.
Even more amazing is that all three clubs have at some stage been on the verge of going out of business.
Having been in the Premier League for seven seasons now, Brighton are the most established member of the trio. In fact they spent four seasons in the top flight from 1979-83 and famously met Manchester United in the 1983 Cup Final but suffered relegation the same season.
It is frankly remarkable they still exist. In the 1996-97 season they were down in the fourth tier League Two, 13 points adrift at the very bottom, but managed a late recovery and in the last game against Hereford secured the point they needed not to fall into the Conference.
The Seagulls finally moved into the excellent Amex Stadium for the 2011-12 season and their fortunes on the pitch improved considerably, culminating in winning promotion to the Premier League in 2017. That they have become an established club in the top flight is truly impressive.
As recently as 2009, Brentford were in the fourth tier when they won promotion to League One. After progressing up the tables they won the Championship playoff in 2021 to reach the top flight for the first time since 1947.
Under Danish manager Thomas Frank the Bees have adapted very well to the Premier League with strong all-round team performances especially at home. It has been a remarkable three seasons for a club jokingly referred to as "a bus stop in Hounslow."
When Bournemouth first won promotion to the Premier League in 2015 it already felt a bit like a fairy tale. The club that had spent its entire history in the lower divisions had somehow finally achieved the Holy Grail. With the Vitality Stadium only having a capacity of just over 11,000 it was also by far the smallest club to reach the lofty heights of the top flight
Most pundits thought the Cherries would be relegated immediately but they survived for five seasons and won many admirers playing entertaining football under manager Eddie Howe before he moved to Newcastle. Relegation finally consumed them in 2020 and many wondered if that was the last we had seen of this south coast club. But after two seasons in the Championship they were back.
It is hard to imagine that as recently as the 2008-9 season Bournemouth were in in dire straits in the basement of League Two with minus 17 points. But they miraculously escaped relegation, finishing in 21st place in what became known as "The Great Escape".
The success of these three clubs against all odds will surely provide belief amongst smaller clubs never to give up their dreams of reaching the top flight.
But take a look at the top half of the Premier League table today and there we have the "Three B's" proudly occupying seventh, eighth and ninth place. It is a testament to all three that despite lacking the financial resources of the big clubs they have succeeded in achieving top flight status.
Even more amazing is that all three clubs have at some stage been on the verge of going out of business.
Having been in the Premier League for seven seasons now, Brighton are the most established member of the trio. In fact they spent four seasons in the top flight from 1979-83 and famously met Manchester United in the 1983 Cup Final but suffered relegation the same season.
It is frankly remarkable they still exist. In the 1996-97 season they were down in the fourth tier League Two, 13 points adrift at the very bottom, but managed a late recovery and in the last game against Hereford secured the point they needed not to fall into the Conference.
The Seagulls finally moved into the excellent Amex Stadium for the 2011-12 season and their fortunes on the pitch improved considerably, culminating in winning promotion to the Premier League in 2017. That they have become an established club in the top flight is truly impressive.
As recently as 2009, Brentford were in the fourth tier when they won promotion to League One. After progressing up the tables they won the Championship playoff in 2021 to reach the top flight for the first time since 1947.
Under Danish manager Thomas Frank the Bees have adapted very well to the Premier League with strong all-round team performances especially at home. It has been a remarkable three seasons for a club jokingly referred to as "a bus stop in Hounslow."
When Bournemouth first won promotion to the Premier League in 2015 it already felt a bit like a fairy tale. The club that had spent its entire history in the lower divisions had somehow finally achieved the Holy Grail. With the Vitality Stadium only having a capacity of just over 11,000 it was also by far the smallest club to reach the lofty heights of the top flight
Most pundits thought the Cherries would be relegated immediately but they survived for five seasons and won many admirers playing entertaining football under manager Eddie Howe before he moved to Newcastle. Relegation finally consumed them in 2020 and many wondered if that was the last we had seen of this south coast club. But after two seasons in the Championship they were back.
It is hard to imagine that as recently as the 2008-9 season Bournemouth were in in dire straits in the basement of League Two with minus 17 points. But they miraculously escaped relegation, finishing in 21st place in what became known as "The Great Escape".
The success of these three clubs against all odds will surely provide belief amongst smaller clubs never to give up their dreams of reaching the top flight.
