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Oldham Athletic (1993)

As the inaugural Premier League season entered its final week Oldham found themselves 8 points adrift and facing 3 tough fixtures against Aston Villa, Liverpool, and Southampton.

Relegation rivals Crystal Palace faced an easier run-in and, with an 8-point lead, most pundits expected them to survive at the expense of Oldham. Everyone that is except the Latics players.

After a 1-0 victory over title-chasing Villa, they edged a thriller 3-2 against Liverpool and entered the last day with a fighting chance.

A slim chance though, Palace also needed to lose, and Oldham needed to make up a goal difference deficit of 3.

To the last round of fixtures and Oldham cruised into a 4-1 lead before Matt Le Tissier scored a late brace to set nerves jangling. The Latics held on to win, and with Palace losing 3-0 at Arsenal they'd survived.

The reprieve was short-lived though - the following season they were relegated.

Everton (1994)

Everton's long stay in the top flight was under serious threat as they went into this final day clash with Wimbledon at Goodison Park.

Starting in 20th place - the final relegation slot - the game got off to a terrible start for the Toffees as the visitors grabbed a 2-0 lead.

But Graham Stuart's spot-kick gave Everton hope, and then Barry Horne brought them level with a 30-yard screamer.

With results elsewhere going their way, Everton were safe even before Graham Stuart' s winning goal capped a remarkable turnaround.

Tottenham Hotspur (1997)

During Coventry's 30 seasons in the top-flight they were the division's great escape artists surviving on the final day no fewer than nine times.

On this ocassion they went into the final day occupying the last relegation slot, needing to beat Tottenham and hope one of the teams above them slipped up.

Goals from Dion Dublin and Paul Williams gave the Sky Blues a 2-0 lead, but Tottenham's Paul McVeigh's pulled one back just before the break to set up a nerve-shredding second-half.

Goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic was immense, pulling off two fantastic late saves to deny Neale Fenn and Jason Dozzell and maintain City's lead.

Sunderland, losers at Wimbledon, were relegated instead.

Carlisle United (1999)

In 1999, Carlisle were locked in a relegation battle with Scarborough - at stake, Football League survival. Going into the last day, the Cumbrians were bottom, needing to beat Plymouth and hope that Scarborough dropped points.

With time up and the scores tied at 1-1, Carlisle got a corner and with nothing to lose, sent on-loan keeper Jimmy Glass forward. The gamble paid-off spectacularly as Glass scored the winner with a sweetly struck volley.

Elsewhere, Scarborough could only manage a 1-1 home draw with Peterborough, and dropped into the Conference.

Bradford City (2000)

Bradford's promotion to the Premier league in 1999 surprised many people, but few gave them any chance of staying up.

And the Bantams did nothing to disprove that notion as they entered the final day of the season third from bottom.

To make matters worst, they were facing Liverpool, a team needing to win to ensure Champions League football.

David Wetherall's powerful header at Valley Parade won it with 12 minutes to go and Bradford were safe - for another year at least.

West Bromwich Albion (2005)

The team in bottom place at Christmas always gets relegated, everybody knows that - except, in 2005, West Brom beat the odds and survived.

Entering the last day in bottom spot they had to beat Portsmouth, and hope results elsewhere went their way.

Geoff Horsfield and Kieran Richardson got the goals that won it for the Baggies, and with all of their relegation rivals dropping points, West Brom had survived.

West Ham United (2007)

West Ham started the season with high hopes having signed Argentine stars, Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano. But neither of their new signing made an impact as the Hammers slid towards the relegation zone.

That is, until the season's run-in, when Tevez finally found some form. Five goals in nine games gave the Hammers hope, but they still had to win at Old Trafford on the final day.

Tevez duly provided the winner as West Ham beat newly-crowned champions Man United 1-0, to condemn Sheffield United to the drop.

Wigan Athletic (2007)

Wigan's fledgling Premier League status was put under serious threat in 2007. In the last game of the season they went to Bramall Lane to face Sheffield United, themselves not mathematically safe but 3 points better off than the Latics.

Only a win would do and Wigan got it, thanks to goals by Paul Scharner and David Unsworth. The Blades replied through Jon Stead, and Danny Webber also hit the post, but it was not their day as they made a swift return to the Championship.

Southampton (2008)

Having been a Premier League club just three seasons previously, Southampton were facing a drop into League One as they took on Sheffield United on the final day of the 2007/2008 season.

Nigel Pearson's side had to win in order to stand any chance, but it started badly, with Stephen Quinn putting the Blades in front.

The Saints fought back with goals from Marek Saganowski and Stern John, but Jon Stead's header brought the visitors level.

At 2-2, Southampton were going down, but a second Stern John goal won it, and Leicester City were relegated instead.

AFC Bournemouth (2009)

Starting the season with a 17-point deduction, Bournemouth were always going to be up against it, and the Cherries made it even more difficult for themselves by failing to register a win in their first six games.

With half of their fixtures completed they had wiped out the deficit, but were on only 7 points, and still in serious trouble.

A superb second half to the season saw them guarantee their safety in the penultimate game. But for the points penalty they would have finished just 6 points off a play-off spot.

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