Relegation from the Premier League is a financial and footballing shock. But while most relegated clubs regroup to mount immediate promotion pushes in the Championship, a rare subset of unfortunate teams suffer complete organisational freefall by dropping straight through the second tier into League One in consecutive seasons.

In 2025/2026. Leicester City became the latest victims to drop into League One confirmed just ten years after their fairytale 2016 Premier League title triumph. The Foxes became only the fifth club in Premier League history to experience back-to-back relegations into the third division.

At the moment, Burnley, who currently boast Jamie Vardy and Kyle Walker within their grasp and just appointed Fabio Celestini as new coach, languish in the relegation places in the championship at the beginning of November. Are they at risk of becoming the sixth club? Only time will tell.

But with May 2027 still a long way off, Striver.Football breaks down all five English clubs that have suffered the infamous "Double Drop."

Swindon Town (1993–94 & 1994–95)

Swindon Town were the original pioneers of the Premier League double drop, setting early benchmarks for defensive vulnerability in top-flight football.

In their maiden 1993–94 Premier League campaign, Swindon finished rock bottom with just 30 points across 42 games, winning five matches and shipping a staggering 100 goals, a Premier League record that stood for two decades.

Transitioning to the First Division under player-manager Steve McMahon, the Robins reached the League Cup semi-finals but conceded 73 goals domestically. 

Finishing fourth from bottom in a rare season featuring four relegation slots, Swindon fell straight into the third tier before rebounding immediately as Second Division champions in 1995–96.

Wolverhampton Wanderers (2011–12 & 2012–13)

Wolverhampton Wanderers hold the unique historical distinction of being the only English club to suffer back-to-back relegations from the top flight twice (having previously done so in the early 1980s prior to the Premier League's creation).

Wolves' three-year stay in the top flight unraveled in 2011–12 after sacking Mick McCarthy in February. Caretaker Terry Connor won just one of his final 24 league games, leaving Wolves rock bottom.
Norwegian manager Stale Solbakken struggled to adapt to English football, and replacement Dean Saunders failed to arrest the slide. 

Wolves finished 23rd in the Championship, four points from safety. However, like Swindon, Wolves secured automatic promotion back from League One at the first attempt to begin their eventual return to top-flight stability.

Sunderland (2016–17 & 2017–18)

Sunderland’s double drop unspooled in full view of the global footballing public, immortalized by the opening season of Netflix's Sunderland 'Til I Die.

After four consecutive seasons battling survival, David Moyes' side capitulated in 2016–17, taking 24 points and suffering 26 defeats to end a decade-long Premier League run 16 points adrift of safety.

The 2017–18 Championship campaign saw three permanent managers (Simon Grayson, Chris Coleman, and Jack Ross) fail to stem the bleeding. 

Winning just seven of 46 games, the Black Cats finished dead last in 24th. Unlike Swindon and Wolves, Sunderland spent four seasons in League One before securing promotion via the play-offs.

Luton Town (2023–24 & 2024–25)

Luton Town’s rise from non-league football to the Premier League was one of the stories of the 21st century, but their return to the top flight unraveled with ruthless speed.

Rob Edwards’ high-intensity side earned plaudits but finished 18th in 2023–24, six points behind safety after struggling to hold onto narrow margins.

Retaining Edwards despite a slow Championship restart backfired. Former Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield replaced him in early 2025 with the Hatters in 20th place. 

Vulnerable defensively (conceding 69 goals), Luton were relegated on goal difference on the final day, finishing level on points with 21st-placed Hull City.

Leicester City (2024–25 & 2025–26)

The most shocking double drop in modern footballing history belongs to Leicester City, who fell from Premier League champions in 2016 to League One contenders ten years later.

Following immediate promotion under Enzo Maresca in 2023–24, Maresca departed for Chelsea. Under Steve Cooper and later Ruud van Nistelrooy, Leicester shipped 80 goals in 2024–25, winning just six games to finish 13 points from safety.

The summer of 2025 saw massive roster gutting, losing icons Jamie Vardy, Wilfred Ndidi, and goalkeeper Mads Hermansen. 

Struggling under three different managers in 2025–26 and winning just two of 20 league fixtures post-January, a six-point financial deduction in February sealed their fate—relegating the Foxes to the third tier for the first time since 2008.

Final thoughts - notes for Burnley

The historical collapses of Sunderland, Luton, and Leicester carry a real-time warning for Burnley.

Following their own recent drop from the top flight, the Clarets find themselves exposed to the exact risk of a double drop.

Heavily leveraged financial debt from their ownership takeover, combined with high wage-to-turnover ratios and an bloated squad built for top-flight survival, leaves Turf Moor walking a dangerous tightrope.

The double drop is never a freak accident—it is a structural disease, and Burnley are currently operating squarely in the high-risk zone.