With the 2023/24 season approaching its end, a few Nigerians within the Premier League relegation zone are battling for survival.
Six Nigerians are in the Premier League relegation zone this season and are battling to ensure their clubs do not drop to the Championship.
The clock is ticking fast, while the Grim Reaper is fast closing in on them.
The clubs with Nigerian players in danger of dropping to the Championship include Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Luton Town.
The Nigerians in the League relegation zone include Frank Onyeka (Brentford), Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest), Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest), Gabriel Osho (Luton Town), Fred Onyedinma (Luton Town) and Elijah Adebayo (Luton Town).
The only Nigerians in the Premier League who are safe from relegation are Alex Iwobi (Fulham), Lesley Ugochukwu, Carney Chukwuemeka and Noni Madueke (Chelsea).
Let's look at all the Nigerians with Premier League relegation to their name.
Premier League relegation: How many Nigerians have tasted it?
By our count, 34 Nigerians have tasted Premier League relegation. Contained in this list are some big names in the Super Eagles.
Of the 34 names, nine have tasted relegation on multiple occasions.
Nwankwo Kanu (2005/06, 2009/10) – West Brom, Portsmouth
Papilo is one of Nigeria's most loved players. He is also one of the most decorated, but despite his massive success, Kanu tasted the good, the bad and the ugly.
Kanu made his name with Ajax and Arsenal, but with West Brom and Portsmouth, he found what battling for survival means.
In the 2004/05 season, Kanu helped West Brom to become the first side to avoid relegation despite being bottom of the table at Christmas.
However, in the 2005/06 season, Kanu could not save West Brom and thus was his first Premier League relegation.
Following the expiration of his West Brom contract, he joined Portsmouth. Despite winning the FA Cup with Portsmouth in the 2008/09 season, he could not save them from being relegated the following term.
The club went into administration and had to terminate Kanu's contract, as they dropped to League One.
Ade Akinbiyi (1994/95, 2001/02, 2006/07) – Norwich City, Leicester City, Sheffield United
Not many people remember Ade Akinbiyi. The former Super Eagles international has been around in England.
He featured for several clubs, including Norwich City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Bristol City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leicester City, Crystal Palace, Stoke City, Burnley and Sheffield United.
In his sojourn in England, he was involved in three Premier League relegations with Norwich City, Crystal Palace and Sheffield United.
Akinbiyi has one international cap for the Super Eagles – in 1999 against Greece.
Obafemi Martins (2008/09, 2010/11) – Newcastle, Birmingham City
Obagoal had mixed fortunes in England. He joined Newcastle United in 2006 after five years in the Serie A with Inter Milan.
It was a strange experience for the diminutive striker. He won the Serie A, Coppa Italia and the Super Coppa Italiana with Inter Milan, but at Newcastle, he had to make do with the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2006.
He faced Premier League relegation with Newcastle in the 2008/09 season.
After stints at VFL Wolfsburg and Rubin Kazan, he joined Birmingham City on loan to be closer to his family.
Obafemi Martins helped Birmingham City win the League Cup in 2011, but they could not avoid the drop.
Sone Aluko (2007/08, 2014/15) – Birmingham City, Hull City
Sone Aluko is another Nigerian who has been around in the English space. He featured for several low-end clubs, with his biggest sides being Glasgow Rangers and Fulham.
He started his international career with the English youth teams but eventually got a call-up to the Super Eagles, where he made seven appearances and scored two goals.
Aluko tasted Premier League relegation with Birmingham City and Hull City.
Aluko spent most of his English club career in the Championship.
Other top names relegated from the Premier League
Finidi George (2001/02) – Ipswich Town
Finito tasted relegation with Real Betis in 2000 and joined Mallorca before arriving at Ipswich Town. However, he could not save the Tractor Boys from a Premier League relegation in 2002.
Other top names to fall to the sword of Premier League relegation include Seyi Olofinjana (Hull City), John Utaka (Portsmouth), Obinna Nsofor (West Ham), Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Blackburn Rovers) and Victor Moses (Wigan Athletic).
Joseph Yobo (Norwich City), Peter Odemwingie (Cardiff City), Semi Ajayi (West Brom), William Troost-Ekong (Watford), Oghenekaro Peter Etebo (Watford), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) and Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) are also in the list.
Below is a complete list of Nigerians who have gone on Premier League relegation.
|
Nigerians in Premier League relegation by year |
||
| Ade Akinbiyi | Norwich City | 1994/95 |
| Dickson Etuhu | Manchester City | 2000/01 |
| Finidi George | Ipswich Town | 2001/02 |
| Ade Akinbiyi | Leicester City | 2001/02 |
| Ifeanyi Udeze | West Bromwich Albion | 2002/03 |
| Carl Ikeme | Wolves | 2003/04 |
| Isaac Okoronkwo | Wolves | 2003/04 |
| Nwankwo Kanu | West Brom | 2005/06 |
| Ade Akinbiyi | Sheffield United | 2006/07 |
| Danny Shittu | Sunderland | 2006/07 |
| Sam Sodje | Reading | 2007/08 |
| Sone Aluko | Birmingham City | 2007/08 |
| Obafemi Martins | Newcastle | 2008/09 |
| Shola Ameobi | Newcastle | 2008/09 |
| Seyi Olofinjana | Hull City | 2009/10 |
| John Utaka | Portsmouth | 2009/10 |
| Nwankwo Kanu | Portsmouth | 2009/10 |
| Obinna Nsofor | West Ham` | 2010/11 |
| Obafemi Martins | Birmingham City | 2010/11 |
| Yakubu Aiyegbeni | Blackburn Rovers | 2011/12 |
| Carl Ikeme | Wolves | 2011/12 |
| Victor Moses | Wigan Athletic | 2012/13 |
| Hope Akpan | Reading | 2012/13 |
| Joseph Yobo | Norwich City | 2013/14 |
| Peter Odemwingie | Cardiff City | 2013/14 |
| Sone Aluko | Hull City | 2014/15 |
| Victor Anichebe | Sunderland | 2016/17 |
| Josh Maja | Sunderland | 2016/17 |
| Tom Dele-Bashiru | Watford | 2019/20 |
| Isaac Success | Watford | 2019/20 |
| Ola Aina | Fulham | 2020/21 |
| Ademola Lookman | Fulham | 2020/21 |
| Josh Maja | Fulham | 2020/21 |
| Semi Ajayi | West Brom | 2020/21 |
| William Troost-Ekong | Watford | 2021/22 |
| Oghenekaro Peter Etebo | Watford | 2021/22 |
| Tom Dele-Bashiru | Watford | 2021/22 |
| Emmanuel Dennis | Watford | 2021/22 |
| Samuel Kalu | Watford | 2021/22 |
| Wilfred Ndidi | Leicester City | 2022/23 |
| Kelechi Iheanacho | Leicester City | 2022/23 |
| Joe Aribo | Southampton | 2022/23 |
This article was most recently revised and updated 5 months ago
