BURNLEY
The Lancashire club are back in England's top flight after an absence of 33 years but they have a glorious past with two league titles and an FA Cup among their trophy cabinet. They are one of the few clubs to have won the title in each of the four divisions.
MANAGER
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Owen Coyle
Owen Coyle guided the club into the Barclays Premier League after a play-off victory over Sheffield United.
CHELSEA
Chelsea will be desperate to regain the Premier League crown after finishing second to Manchester United in the last two seasons. Former manager Jose Mourinho, bankrolled by owner Roman Abromovich's millions, brought the first title to Stamford Bridge for 50 years when the Blues lifted the trophy in 2005. Chelsea became only the second team to win back-to-back Premier League titles when they clinched it a year later. Mourinho left the club by mutual consent in September 2007.
Although Chelsea reached the FA Cup final in 1994, they hardly set the world alight in their early Premier League days. Ruud Gullit became manager in 1996 and steered the Blues to an FA Cup triumph in 1997, while his successor Gianluca Vialli guided the team to victory in the League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup in 1998.
Shortly after, he led the team to the UEFA Super Cup after a 1-0 win over Real Madrid. The FA Cup followed in 2000. Vialli was replaced by Claudio Ranieri in 2000 and he led Chelsea to another FA Cup final appearance in 2002.
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the Blues for £140m. After a trophyless season, he appointed Mourinho as new Chelsea manager and there was instant success. In 2005, Chelsea won the Barclays Premiership and League Cup, along with a Champions League semi-final appearance.
And Mourinho retained the Barclays Premiership crown the year after, equalling the club's own Premier League record of 29 wins set the previous season. They were league runners-up in 2006/07 and also claimed the FA Cup and League Cup double.
They were also runners-up in the 2007/08 campaign, but by this time Mourinho had left the club. He was replaced by Avram Grant who led the Blues to the final of the Champions League and Carling Cup.
Grant left Stamford Bridge at the end of the season and was replaced by Luiz Felipe Scolari who will be charged with bringing the title back to the club. However he was sacked in February 2009 and replaced by Guus Hiddink who agreed to take charge until the end of the campaign while continuing to coach the Russian national side.
MANAGER
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Carlo Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti takes charge at Chelsea after leaving his post at AC Milan.
EVERTON
Everton have maintained their place in the Premier League since its inception in 1992. The Toffees claimed a famous 1-0 win over Manchester United in the 1995 FA Cup final courtesy of a goal from Paul Rideout.
Everton have often been overshadowed by their Merseyside rivals Liverpool but they have a glorious history of their own.
A fourth place finish under manager David Moyes in the 2004/05 campaign, coupled with sixth and fifth place finishes respectively in the 2006/07 and 07/08 seasons, have cemented the club's status in the upper echelons of English football. Another fifth-placed finish came in 2008/09 along with an FA Cup final appearance.
The club have contested more seasons in the top flight than any other and are the fifth most successful English club in terms of trophies won.
MANAGER
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David Moyes
David Moyes led the Toffees to fifth in 2008/09 and a place in the Europa League.
FULHAM
Fulham have maintained Premier League status ever since their promotion to the top flight under Frenchman Jean Tigana in 2001. This represented a third promotion in just five seasons for the Cottagers and they have not looked back, establishing themselves in the Premier League.
The 2006/07 season's 16th place finish was the first campaign where the club failed to finish between 9th and 14th position in the Premier League. In the 2005/06 season, Fulham's home form was the best outside the top six as they secured 13 wins from 19 matches.
Manager Chris Coleman was sacked as the 2006/07 season neared its end, with Lawrie Sanchez taking over on a temporary basis. The former Northern Ireland manager steered the Cottagers to safety and was subsequently rewarded with the full-time job.
But after the team struggled in the opening months of the 2007/08 season, Sanchez was also fired. Ray Lewington briefly took over as caretaker manager before Roy Hodgson was appointed and guided the club to safety with a dramatic last day win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park. In 2008/09, Hodgson guided Fulham to seventh and a place in the Europa League.
Fulham are the oldest professional team in London.
MANAGER
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Roy Hodgson
His side dramatically avoided the drop in May and Roy Hodgson will be looking to consolidate in the 2008/09 campaign.
HULL CITY
Hull City had a memorable first-ever top flight campaign in 2008/09 by exceeding many people's expectations and staying up.
The Tigers survived on the last match of the season and finished one place above the relegation zone despite losing at home to Manchester United.
They secured promotion the previous season by beating Bristol City in the Play-off Final at Wembley Stadium in May 2008, Hull native Dean Windass' stunning 38th minute volley the only goal of the match.
MANAGER
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Phil Brown
The manager led Hull to the top flight for the first time in the club's history.
LIVERPOOL
Liverpool have maintained their status as a domestic and European force since the Premier League began in 1992, rarely finishing outside the top positions. The club have won seven major trophies since then, including the Champions League, Uefa Cup, two FA Cups and three League Cups.
Indeed, 2001 saw the Reds claim an unprecedented League Cup, FA Cup and Uefa Cup treble. Having won more domestic and European trophies than any other English club, Liverpool's status as giants of the domestic game is undisputed.
Under Rafa Benitez, Liverpool have secured Champions League football in each of the last four seasons. The Spaniard guided them to third place in the 2006/07 season and an appearance in the Champions League final where they were beaten 2-1 by AC Milan. They lost to Chelsea in the semi-finals of the competition last season and secured a fourth place finish in the league.
MANAGER
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Rafa Benitez
The Spaniard is seeking to match his European success with a Barclays Premier League title.
MANCHESTER CITY
Manchester City have spent 10 years in the Premier League since its inception in 1992. In the 2002/03 season, they became one of only two English teams to have qualified for the UEFA Cup through the 'Fair Play ranking'. This meant that the plush new City of Manchester Stadium was treated to European football just weeks after opening for the start of the following campaign.
Kevin Keegan and then Stuart Pearce, established the club in the Premier League, and under the latter, they finished in 14th place in the 2006/07 season. He was replaced by Sven-Goran Eriksson who guided the club to a ninth place finish in the 2007/08 campaign. City also secured UEFA Cup football via the 'Fair Play ranking' for a second time.
However, Eriksson was replaced by Mark Hughes in June and the Welshman will be looking to improve on the club's league position last season as well as overseeing a strong European campaign.
In September 2008, a takeover by the Abu Dhabi United group suddenly made City one of the richest clubs in the world. On deadline day, they smashed the British transfer record with a surprise £32.5m swoop for Real Madrid's Brazilian striker Robinho. However they failed in a £100m bid to sign Kaka from AC Milan in January 2009.
MANAGER
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Kevin Keegan and then Stuart Pearce, established the club in the Premier League, and under the latter, they finished in 14th place in the 2006/07 season. He was replaced by Sven-Goran Eriksson who guided the club to a ninth place finish in the 2007/08 campaign. City also secured UEFA Cup football via the 'Fair Play ranking' for a second time.
However, Eriksson was replaced by Mark Hughes in June and the Welshman will be looking to improve on the club's league position last season as well as overseeing a strong European campaign.
In September 2008, a takeover by the Abu Dhabi United group suddenly made City one of the richest clubs in the world. On deadline day, they smashed the British transfer record with a surprise £32.5m swoop for Real Madrid's Brazilian striker Robinho. However they failed in a £100m bid to sign Kaka from AC Milan in January 2009.
MANAGER
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Mark Hughes
Backed by the wealthy Abu Dhabi United group, the Welshman has his sights on long overdue silverware.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Manchester United are the most successful Premier League club having won the title 10 times. It all began in 1993 when manager Sir Alex Ferguson ended a 26-year wait to lift the Premier League crown.
The signing of Eric Cantona for £1.2million from Leeds United proved a masterstroke as the Frenchman was instrumental in the title victory, along with the likes of Gary Pallister, Denis Irwin, Ryan Giggs and Paul Ince.
United retained the trophy in the following campaign and romped to further titles in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003. More silverware was added to the Red Devils' burgeoning trophy cabinet with FA Cup success in 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2004, plus League Cup victories in 1992 and 2006.
Perhaps the most memorable time in the club's history was the treble-winning season of 1999 when they added the European Champions League trophy to the league title and FA Cup.
Chelsea briefly broke their league dominance with title wins in 2005 and 2006. But in the 2006/07 season, the Red Devils roared back to regain the Barclays Premiership.
They went one better last season, enjoying their most successful campaign since winning the treble. They saw off the challenge of Chelsea and Arsenal to win an exciting Barclays Premier League title race and defeated the Blues on penalties in the Champions League final after a 1-1 draw between the two sides in Moscow.
MANAGER
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Sir Alex Ferguson
The long-serving Scotsman has won 10 Premier League titles.
The signing of Eric Cantona for £1.2million from Leeds United proved a masterstroke as the Frenchman was instrumental in the title victory, along with the likes of Gary Pallister, Denis Irwin, Ryan Giggs and Paul Ince.
United retained the trophy in the following campaign and romped to further titles in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003. More silverware was added to the Red Devils' burgeoning trophy cabinet with FA Cup success in 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2004, plus League Cup victories in 1992 and 2006.
Perhaps the most memorable time in the club's history was the treble-winning season of 1999 when they added the European Champions League trophy to the league title and FA Cup.
Chelsea briefly broke their league dominance with title wins in 2005 and 2006. But in the 2006/07 season, the Red Devils roared back to regain the Barclays Premiership.
They went one better last season, enjoying their most successful campaign since winning the treble. They saw off the challenge of Chelsea and Arsenal to win an exciting Barclays Premier League title race and defeated the Blues on penalties in the Champions League final after a 1-1 draw between the two sides in Moscow.
MANAGER
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Sir Alex Ferguson
The long-serving Scotsman has won 10 Premier League titles.
PORTSMOUTH
Portsmouth have not looked back since Harry Redknapp steered them to promotion into the Barclaycard Premiership in 2003. The top flight's most southern team comfortably remained in the division the following season and were successful in their fight against relegation in the 2005/06 campaign.
Once survival was secured, Alexandre Gaydamak took over the club and has injected several million pounds into bolstering the squad. The 2006/07 season saw Portsmouth come within a whisker of qualifying for the UEFA Cup.
Redknapp's ability to attract the likes of Sol Campbell and David James as well as a number of overseas players such as Kanu helped the club to a ninth-place finish, beating the likes of Manchester United and avoiding defeat against Arsenal.
They achieved the goal of UEFA Cup football last season as they won the FA Cup for the first time since 1939 after beating Cardiff City 1-0 in the final at Wembley Stadium. They also went one better in the league, finishing eighth.
Redknapp had resigned from his post in November 2004 but was reappointed in December 2005 after a stint at local rivals Southampton.
He left in October 2008 to take over at Tottenham Hotspur with assistant Tony Adams taking over as the new manager. However Adams lasted just 16 matches in charge and youth team coach Paul Hart was given the task up keeping Pompey up and he achieved that feat.
Portsmouth were the first club to stage a Football League match under floodlights when Newcastle United visited Fratton Park in 1956.
Once survival was secured, Alexandre Gaydamak took over the club and has injected several million pounds into bolstering the squad. The 2006/07 season saw Portsmouth come within a whisker of qualifying for the UEFA Cup.
Redknapp's ability to attract the likes of Sol Campbell and David James as well as a number of overseas players such as Kanu helped the club to a ninth-place finish, beating the likes of Manchester United and avoiding defeat against Arsenal.
They achieved the goal of UEFA Cup football last season as they won the FA Cup for the first time since 1939 after beating Cardiff City 1-0 in the final at Wembley Stadium. They also went one better in the league, finishing eighth.
Redknapp had resigned from his post in November 2004 but was reappointed in December 2005 after a stint at local rivals Southampton.
He left in October 2008 to take over at Tottenham Hotspur with assistant Tony Adams taking over as the new manager. However Adams lasted just 16 matches in charge and youth team coach Paul Hart was given the task up keeping Pompey up and he achieved that feat.
Portsmouth were the first club to stage a Football League match under floodlights when Newcastle United visited Fratton Park in 1956.
MANAGER
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Paul Hart
Temporary manager Paul Hart replaced Tony Adams and led Pompey to Barclays Premier League safety.
which is your favourite team share your views opinions here........!!
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