The 6 Highest Finishes Achieved by Sides Promoted to the Premier League

With Burnley flying high in 12th place and looking a seasoned Premier League veteran, it would be easy to forget they were in the Championship just last year.

But could the Clarets finish higher than any other promoted side in Premier League history?

Well to be honest no, but here's a list of sides who amazed everyone by adapting effortlessly to life in the Premier League...

6. Reading - 8th (2006/07)

After steamrolling the Championship the year before with an incredible 106 points, it didn't come as quite a surprise that Steve Coppell's side finished a respectable eighth after promotion.

In fact, the Royals finished just one point and one place off a UEFA Cup spot.

Yet despite their fantastic achievements, it unfortunately didn't last and Reading were relegated back to the Championship the following year.

5. Sunderland - 7th (1999/00)

Sunderland strolled to the 1999 First Division title, winning the league by a huge 18 points.

Peter Reid's side included a number of household names, including Thomas Sorensen, Micky Gray and Kevin Kilbane, and finished 7th with a remarkably high total of 58 points.

Yet the stars of the team were the dynamic pairing of Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips up front. Phillips in particular scored 30 goals, leading to him winning the European Golden Shoe award.

4. Ipswich - 5th (2000/01)

Thoughts of finishing fifth in the Premier League and playing in Europe may feel like a lifetime ago for Ipswich fans, but 16 years ago it was reality.

After guiding his side to promotion in 2000, George Burley nearly managed to finish in a Champions League spot the following year. In fact, Ipswich were only three points away from Europe's elite competition.

Unfortunately for the Tractor Boys it wasn't to last and incredibly the following season they were to be relegated, despite playing in the UEFA Cup.

3. Blackburn - 4th (1992/93)

In the Premier League's inaugural season, Blackburn surprised everyone by finishing fourth.

Heavily backed by owner Jack Walker, Rovers spent £3.3m (a British record at the time) to bring Alan Shearer to Ewood Park. Yet it was far from a one-man team.

Shearer suffered a serious knee injury in December and a Blackburn side including the likes of Tim Sherwood, David May and Mike Newell still managed to finish in the European spots.

2. Newcastle - 3rd (1993/94)

Newcastle's first year in the Premier League was incredibly successful and showed glimpses of the side that would run Manchester United so close in the title race a few years later.

Thanks mainly to the goals of young Andy Cole (34 in the league) Kevin Keegan's side took to the Premier League as if they were made for it.

The highlight of the campaign was undoubtedly the 7-1 thrashing of Swindon Town.

1. Nottingham Forest - 3rd (1994/95)

Nottingham Forest, alongside Newcastle in 1993/94, can still claim to be the highest ever finishers after being promoted to the Premier League.

A side that included the likes of Colin Cooper, Stuart Pearce, Steve Stone and Stan Collymore finished on 77 points in their first year in the Premier League (a high enough points tally to win the league on occasions).

Manager Frank Clark was to sell Collymore the following summer for a then British record fee of £8.4m. It was thought at the time as a sign that transfer fees were become ridiculous...how times have changed.