In brief
With English clubs vying for trophies in numerous cups and leagues, there are plenty of top-flight honours up for grabs.
In the history of English football, elite teams like Liverpool and Manchester United have won the most trophies.
Despite numerous near misses, other respectable names are still trophyless.
With the first FA Cup starting in 1871, it has been more than 150 years since English football teams were able to compete for a prize. The Football League was formally established 17 years later, and clubs all around the nation have been fighting for trophies ever since.
Depending on their position in the football pyramid, teams have been awarded more domestic cups over that time. The European Cup, which would subsequently be renamed the Champions League, was first introduced in 1955. In addition, English clubs would be able to pursue a second or even third continental accolade. There are plenty of top-flight awards up for grabs.
Certain teams have won a lot more games than others. Those larger teams typically compete in the Premier League and have a respectable winning record. As they continue to fight for the most top-flight trophies in the nation, Liverpool and Manchester United are at the top of the list.
11Plymouth Argyle
Championship
The well-supported Plymouth Argyle, sometimes known as The Pilgrims, is by no means a minor club, but since their founding in 1886, they have failed to win a major trophy as a team. Naturally, they have had a lot of success throughout their 139-year history, winning the third division three times: in 1958–59, 2003–04, and 2022–23.
They also won the fourth division in England at the beginning of the year, but great success has been a contentious issue in the southwest. As a second-tier team, the Devon team made it to the League Cup semi-final for the first time in their existence in 1965, but they were defeated by Leicester City that day.
Regarding FA Cup achievements, they have made it to the Round of 16 three times. They first faced South Shields in the 1950s, losing by a slim margin of 1-0. Years later, in 1987–88, they played Manchester City, who were less used to them, and defeated 3–1. To their credit, the fans never give up on the idea that success is imminent. Pep Guardiola’s team had to defeat Premier League table-toppers Liverpool in the Round of 16 in 2024–2025 after defeating them in the previous round to keep their hopes of winning a championship alive.
10 The Championship of Millwall
Currently playing in the Championship, Millwall, a team based in Bermondsey, south London, has won every league title in England save the top level over the years. In 1989/90, their most recent season in Division One, they finished the campaign at the bottom under Teddy Sheringham’s leadership.
Despite having a boisterous supporter base, Millwall has yet to win a major trophy. Their last real chance for great success came in 2004, when they played Manchester United in the FA Cup final. In a 3-0 victory, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy scored the game’s winning goals.
The capital team reached 10th in the First Division in the 1988–89 season, which was their highest-place finish in the top division of English football. However, they have since plateaued as they struggle with life in the lower divisions. But, like many teams in the second division, they might always have a cup run in them.
Bristol City Championship No. 9
After finishing second in the league just two years after being FA Cup finalists in the 1908–09 season, Bristol City’s recent history indicates that they are a) performing below their weight and b) no closer to breaking the trend of being one of English football’s nearly men.
Although the Bristol team has never played in the Premier League, they have won the EFL trophy three times and have added to their collection of trophies over the years.
8Reading
League One
They have won the third and fourth divisions as well, but never the top tier. Nigel Adkins’ team finished last in the Premier League in the 2012–23 season, was officially demoted, and hasn’t been back since.
From the perspective of the FA Cup, the Englishmen advanced to the semi-finals in 2014–15 but were eliminated from a final position after losing to Arsenal in extra time. In addition, Reading has made it to the League Cup’s Round of 16 a few occasions. Their 7–4 loss against Portsmouth is considered to be one of the most thrilling games in British football history.
Seven Premier League Brentford
A true rags-to-riches tale is Brentford’s journey to the Premier League. The Hounslow team didn’t have a stadium that complied with Premier League criteria until 2019. Even though they lost the lucky Ivan Toney in the summer of 2024, they are now trying to stay in the division for the fourth straight season. Brentford doesn’t have much to boast in terms of trophies because of their modest origins.
They haven’t ever advanced to a cup final, in contrast to the other teams on this list. They were defeated by Tottenham in the 2021 Carabao Cup, which was their closest match to date. That semi-final loss was a devastating blow after defeating teams like Southampton and Newcastle in previous rounds. Back in 1936, they achieved their highest league place ever, finishing fifth in the premier tier. These days, the primary goal will be to remain in the division. Any additional benefits that accompany it would just be a bonus.
Bournemouth Premier League, sixth
Bournemouth was considered a minor club trying to make an impact in English football a long time ago. When Eddie Howe took over as manager in 2012, he turned the south coast club into a championship team. However, that naturally ended in 2016 when they entered the most competitive level in England. Although they defeated Hull 2-1 to win the EFL trophy in the 1983–94 season, the victory is inconsequential. The Cherries have frequently advanced to the League Cup quarterfinals since they started playing in England’s top tier.
In reality, they lost to Chelsea, a team from the Premier League, in consecutive League Cup campaigns in 2017–18 and 2018–19, and their FA Cup results haven’t been any better. In 2020–21, they had their second-best run, however they were soundly defeated by rival Southampton in the quarterfinals. People think it’s coming slowly but steadily because the team, which went into administration in February 2008 when financial horror struck, is currently playing Manchester City in the quarterfinals.
5 The Championship of Hull City
Sadly for its devoted supporters, Hull City has failed to win any significant awards despite being what many would consider a successful club in English circles since their founding in June 1904 and, with the exception of 2020–21, being in or around the top two divisions in the country since the 2005–06 season.
In their lengthy and illustrious history of thrills, fireworks, and the occasional tragedy, the Tigers, as they are known, have won the third division four times (1932–33, 1948–49, 1965–66, and 2020–21). However, they have yet to surpass all previous champions and take home a major prize.
It was just over ten years ago that they faced Arsenal in the FA Cup final, and that was the closest they have ever come to raising significant trophies. Aaron Ramsey split Hull City’s hearts in two as he scored in the 109th minute at Wembley to keep the match from going to penalties.
4Brighton & Hove Albion
Premier League
It may be difficult for new supporters to envision a time when Brighton & Hove Albion wasn’t vying for spots in the top half of the Premier League standings. Under players like Roberto De Zerbi and Graham Potter, as well as recently Fabian Hurzeler, they have solidified their status as a credible contender to win European football during the past two seasons.
But because the South Coast side has spent a large portion of its history in the lower football categories, it is quite challenging for them to compete for the top prizes. In recent years, their golden generation has made progress in that regard. When they faced Manchester United, they were the superior team and advanced to the 2022–2023 FA Cup semi-finals.
They lost the opportunity of a penalty shootout after failing to break through the stalemate, as Solly March fired his attempt over David De Gea’s goal. They would have faced eventual treble winners Manchester City if they had advanced to the final. The chances would have been stacked against them, it’s safe to say. They did, however, come close to pulling off a miraculous upset against a Manchester team the one time they advanced to the final of England’s oldest competition.
They played United once more in the 1983 final, which ended in a 2-2 draw. In those days, United would triumph 4-0 in the replay that followed the finals. That is still the closest Brighton has gone to winning a Premier League trophy.
The third Watford Championship
The team on this list that has wasted the greatest opportunities for success is Watford. The team from just outside of London has been alternating between the Premier League and the Championship in recent years, and it appears that they may soon have a chance to win some significant hardware.
Tragically, the Hornets had two of their closest calls in back-to-back years. Watford, who finished second to Liverpool in the first division in 1983, faced Everton, another Merseyside mainstay, in the FA Cup final the following year. They were defeated 2-0 on the day, failing once more. They would have to wait 35 years to make it to the final again, but many might have wished they hadn’t bothered.
Consequently, they suffered a record-tying 6-0 loss against Man City in 2019. Even though it was a frustrating conclusion to their cup run, Wolves’ comeback victory in the semi-final after extra time is a match that will undoubtedly be remembered for a long time by fans.
2Fulham
Premier League
After appearing to be headed for relegation for the majority of the season, Fulham pulled off the great escape in 2008. They somehow qualified for the Europa League the following year after managing to stay up. Fulham was supposed to have a pleasant but brief experience, but they kept winning despite the odds.
In second place, they were able to advance from their group. Roy Hodgson’s team had an outstanding start to the campaign, finishing ahead of Basel and CSKA Sofia, with only Roma able to defeat them. One of the most intimidating names in Europe was waiting for them after they defeated Shakhtar Donetsk, the giants of Ukraine, in the Round of 32. After losing 3-1 in the first leg, it appeared as though the fun was over when they were drawn against Juventus in the Round of 16. When the Italians arrived at Craven Cottage, nobody could have predicted what would unfold.
Their lead started to dissolve in front of their eyes, and the Old Lady fell apart. The English team advanced to the final after winning 5–4 on aggregate thanks to goals from Bobby Zamora and Zoltan Gera. They faced Atletico Madrid there, who had Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero as their striking pair. Fulham lost the game by a slim margin of 2-1, but they were unable to pull off the miracle. They had placed second in a major competition for the second time in club history, the first being in the FA Cup final in 1975. That day, West Ham defeated them 2-0.
1 Premier League Crystal Palace
Brighton’s anguish in an FA Cup final versus Manchester United is not unique. Crystal Palace has visited as well. Twice. As chairman Steve Parish has stated, the London club has spent the last ten years solidifying their position in the Premier League.
This may have occasionally distracted the Eagles from advancing in other contests. Nevertheless, they have twice lost to the formidable Red Devils despite coming very close. 1990 saw the first of them. In the past, Sir Alex Ferguson’s reputation at Manchester United was salvaged by this cup final, which also gave him more credit to go and build the legacy he ultimately did.
However, Palace came very close to putting an end to this. Similar to Brighton, the final ended in a tie at first, but United stole the rematch five days later with a goal from Lee Martin. After twenty-six years, Palace had the chance to get even. Jason Puncheon even gave them the lead, and manager Alan Pardew was unable to contain his excitement.https://twitter.com/FootballRamble/status/1580216925648728065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1580216925648728065%7Ctwgr%5Edd8610bd3d07f653b3b2d17983e6de15355d564d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.givemesport.com%2Fbiggest-english-clubs-to-have-never-won-a-trophy%2F
Given that United was level moments later, the dancing might have been a little too cocky. Extra time was required to separate the finalists because there was no replay this time. After Chris Smalling was sent out for a second booking, Louis Van Gaal’s team was down to ten men. Palace was unable to capitalise on the advantage of having more men, though. Jesse Lingard gave his team their first trophy in the post-Fergie era by volleying home one of the finest goals in FA Cup final history, leaving Pardew’s Palace without a trophy once more.
xz
