In the fifteen year history of the Premier League, only one club outside of the four horse race has ever won the Premiership title. That was Blackburn Rovers during the 1993-94 season. The chances of a club from outside the top four lifting the trophy in the future are practically nil.

So, to recognize those achievers from “the other 16,” EPL Talk has gone back through the history of the Premier League since its start in the 1992-1993 season and created an award named the Alternative Premier League Trophy (pictured below). Our aim is to recognize their achievements. Sadly, it’s the closest any of them will get to winning the Premier League trophy possibly ever again.

The winners of the Alternative

Premier League Trophy, which goes to those clubs outside the top four who finished in the highest league position (shown in parenthesis), are:

2006/2007
Tottenham Hotspur (5th)

2005/2006
Tottenham Hotspur (5th)

2004/2005
Everton (4th)

2003/2004
Newcastle United (5th)

2002/2003
Newcastle United (3rd)

2001/2002
Newcastle United (4th)

2000/2001
Leeds United (4th)

1999/2000
Leeds United (3rd)

1998/1999
Leeds United (4th)

1997/1998
Leeds United (5th)

1996/1997
Newcastle United (2nd)

1995/1996
Newcastle United (2nd)

1994/1995
Blackburn Rovers (1st)

1993/1994
Blackburn Rovers (2nd)

1992/1993
Aston Villa (2nd)

In all, Newcastle United has won more Alternative Premier League trophies than any other club. Here are the number of times each club has won it:

1. Newcastle United 5
2. Leeds United 4
3. Blackburn 2
4. Tottenham Hotspur 2
5. Aston Villa 1
6. Everton 1

Times have definitely changed for clubs such as Newcastle and Leeds, but they can take some comfort in finishing the best of the rest.

Really there shouldn’t be a need to create such a silly trophy like this in the first place, but it goes to show how ridiculous it is for a league to flourish where you can guarantee that only one of four out of the 20 clubs can win it. Thanks heavens for the relegation battle and Champions League and UEFA Cup spots. Otherwise it would be a boring league indeed.