Newcastle United finally ended their 70-year wait for a major trophy on Sunday evening, defeating Manchester United 2-1 at Wembley in what was a memorable moment for many fans.
For years, they sat comfortably, if uncomfortably, at the very top of the trophy drought list by some distance, but with that long-awaited victory, the list has shifted and now there’s a new unwanted record holder.
There are still some huge clubs on this list that might surprise a few people and with that in mind, SolentSportsNews took a closer look at some of the longest trophy droughts in football history to find out which clubs are still searching for their next piece of silverware.
It’s worth keeping in mind that there are five clubs in the Premier League, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Fulham and Brentford, who have never won a piece of major silverware, so they’ve been left out of this list.
5. Everton – 30 Years
It’s been three decades since the Toffees famously stunned Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United to lift the FA Cup. And while they’ve managed to avoid relegation throughout the entire Premier League era, Everton fans are still waiting for those efforts to be rewarded with another long-awaited piece of silverware.
However, could they now have a better chance than ever to finally get their hands on a piece of silverware? New manager David Moyes arrives fresh from winning the Europa Conference League with West Ham, add to that Everton’s new state-of-the-art stadium nearing completion, and it feels like the stars might just be aligning on Merseyside.
4. Nottingham Forest – 35 Years
It might come as a surprise to some to see Nottingham Forest on this list, given their dominance of English and European football in the late 70s and early 80s under Brian Clough. But the reality is, Clough’s final trophy at the club, the 1990 League Cup win over Oldham, was the last piece of silverware Forest lifted. That victory marked the end of a golden era that spanned more than a decade and saw the club win 12 major trophies, including back-to-back European Cups.
After the legendary Brian Clough era, if you’d told Forest fans they’d still be waiting in 2025 for their next piece of silverware, they’d have called you crazy. Yet here we are. However, there’s genuine optimism around the City Ground once again. Forest are in pole position for Champions League qualification this season, and with that, they could have the chance to add to their illustrious European trophy collection as soon as next year.
3. Ipswich Town – 44 Years
Much like Forest, Ipswich Town’s last major trophy might come as a surprise to many. Under the legendary Sir Bobby Robson, Town lifted the UEFA Cup in 1981, defeating AZ Alkmaar 5-4 on aggregate in a memorable two-legged final. Since then, however, they’ve spent many years outside the top flight, hence the long wait for another celebration.
However, the Tractor Boys look set for relegation this season after just one year back in the top flight. That means they’ll drop out of this list next year and their long wait for another major trophy will continue for a little while longer.
2. Wolverhampton Wanderers – 45 Years
Just edging out Ipswich on this list are Wolves, who lifted the League Cup under John Barnwell in 1980, just a year before the Tractor Boys celebrated their European success. They managed two League Cups in the space of 6 years but since then, no trophy celebrations have made their way to the west midlands.
1. Southampton – 49 Years
The record for the longest trophy drought in the Premier League belongs to Southampton. The Saints find themselves with another unwanted record after their one and only major trophy, the FA Cup, in 1976, when they defeated Manchester United under Lawrie McMenemy.
Unfortunately, this season, Southampton are all but guaranteed relegation, which means they’ll be removed from this list next year, making way for a new number one. But, when the Saints last won silverware, they were in the second division, so who knows? Maybe when they return to the Premier League, they’ll leave this list behind for good.
