West Ham United

West Ham regained their top-flight status via the play-offs in 2005 and have since consolidated their position back among England's elite. The Hammers' 10-year stay in the Premier League ended with a nail-biting final-day draw at Birmingham City in May 2003, which came after a season spent battling to retain their Premiership status. Under Billy Bonds and then Harry Redknapp, the Hammers established themselves in the Premier League before finding their feet and recording four top-10 finishes in the space of five years. And Redknapp's successor, Glenn Roeder, continued the momentum with a seventh-placed finish in his first campaign, 2001/2002. After the long-serving Bonds guided the team back into the top flight in 1993, Redknapp stepped up from his post as assistant manager to take the helm in 1994 and led the evolution from strugglers to the Premiership's stylish stalwarts. In the former winger's seven-year reign, he brought stars such as the charismatic Italian Paolo Di Canio to the Boleyn Ground. The club's famous youth system has produced some outstanding talent such as England stars Joe Cole, Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Carrick. A brand of open, attacking football remains West Ham's trademark and the Hammers faithful won't accept anything less. Roeder fell ill towards the end of the 2002-2003 season and although club director and United legend Trevor Brooking stepped into the breach and enjoyed an unbeaten streak, the club were unable to avoid the drop. Alan Pardew took over in October 2003 and guided the east London side to the play-off final in his first season, where they suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace. They were not to be denied 12 months later, though, after finishing sixth in the Coca-Cola Championship to clinch the final play-off place. Boyhood Hammers fan Bobby Zamora struck at the Millennium Stadium to see off Preston and secure West Ham's return to the Premiership at the second time of asking. They finished a respectable ninth in 2005/2006 and secured a place in the UEFA Cup as FA Cup runners-up.