The Premier League relegation battle, through the eyes of fans
What's it like to watch your team teeter on the brink of relegation? West Ham, Tottenham and Forest fans share their tales of agony and elation.
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The fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League will go to the final weekend. Nottingham Forest and Leeds United are safe. Wolves and Burnley are relegated; the team joining them in the Championship next season will be either West Ham United or Tottenham Hotspur.
West Ham have a fan base with the 2023 Conference League title still in their consciousness. Spurs are last year's Europa League champions, and are now led by Roberto De Zerbi after sacking Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor this season. They are one of the Premier League's traditional Big Six and have never been relegated. Meanwhile, after flirting with the drop for several months, Forest have been steered to safety under their fourth manager this season, Vitor Pereira.
Since the end of April, ESPN has kept in regular contact with supporters from West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. They've documented their emotions as they've watched their beloved clubs offer hope and lead them to resigned despair.
This is life inside the relegation battle, through the eyes of the fans.
Quotes have been condensed and edited for clarity.
The fans
Nottingham Forest
Grant, 31 -- A season-ticket holder at Forest. He was hooked after his first match in 2004, a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace, thanks to Forest's "Kids for a Quid" promotion in 2004.
Phil, 54 -- Has supported Forest since he was 7. Remembers loving Archie Gemmill's goal in the 1978 World Cup, and thinks his love of Forest was heavily influenced by iconic former manager Brian Clough. His late father-in-law was a West Ham fan; his wife is a Spurs fan.
Tottenham Hotspur
Flav, 44 -- Has always supported Spurs along with his five brothers. Grew up in Arsenal's side of North London, but went to every Spurs home match. Produces "The Fighting Cock" and "The Lab" podcasts, along with being one half of "The James & Flav... For Now" podcast.
Adam, 38 -- A season-ticket holder at Spurs since 1994-95. Has loved watching Spurs' superstars such as Jurgen Klinsmann, David Ginola and Gareth Bale, but with Son Heung-min leaving last summer for MLS, he has missed that star power this season. He's on the "Echo of Glory" podcast, and is chef and owner of an events catering company.
Simon, 50 -- A Spurs supporter since 1983. His first match was in 1985, a 3-2 defeat at Highbury to Arsenal. He has been going home and away since, missing just one of Spurs' trips to Stamford Bridge in the last 20 years.
West Ham United
Joe, 27 -- Went to his first West Ham match at age 4 and follows them home and away. He remembers his first match vs. Gillingham and how he didn't know the teams changed ends at halftime, so he accidentally celebrated a Gillingham goal in the second half. He fondly remembers Dimitri Payet's free kicks and still loves Mark Noble.
Josh, 34 -- Got his first season ticket about 13 years ago. Watches matches with his dad and brother, Russell, and always meets a group of mates for a quick pint in the lower tier of the Bobby Moore Stand beforehand.
Bas, 37 -- Found West Ham through love. He fell into a Hammers-supporting family when he met his wife Anna in 2015. Her great, great grandfather was West Ham founder Arnold Hills, so they never really had a choice. Both his sons, Kit and Arthur, are also Hammers.
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Matchweek 34
Supporters of Wolves and Burnley are already processing life in the Championship next season, but Forest, West Ham and Spurs are scrambling to avoid joining them.
Forest are also competing in the Europa League semifinals vs. Aston Villa, having beaten Burnley 4-1 on April 19 and defeated Porto in Europe.
West Ham are also showing signs of fight. Since the middle of January, their form would have put them in seventh.
Spurs are without a league win in 2026 and on a run of 15 matches without a victory. Manager Igor Tudor was dismissed on March 29, a reign lasting just 44 days, leaving the task of avoiding relegation to De Zerbi.
April 24
Grant -- Forest: I'm on the train on the way up to the match with my girlfriend, Eimear. We'll make a weekend of it. Obviously the Premier League is our priority, but we also have Europe and the two matches with Villa coming up.
I'd love us to get to a final. It's our biggest match of the season tonight. If we win, I'd say we're 90% safe, and then hopefully we can prioritize Europe.
Flav -- Spurs: The issue is, West Ham and Forest have felt relegation before, so they understand it. They're comfortable, but our players aren't.
By halftime, Forest are 4-0 up, thanks to an own goal from Trai Hume, and others from Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus.
Phil -- Forest: I am banished to the front room to watch the match on my own as my wife cannot bear to have it on!
Grant -- Forest: Bloody hell, what a night so far! Never seen anything like it. Best away end I've been in for a long, long time. Unless something miraculous goes wrong, we've gone one huge step closer to safety and can focus on those Europa League games now.
For Grant, watching Forest away in Europe with his father was always a dream. Their Europa League victory over FC Midtjylland in March stands out as the highlight. Forest win 5-0 with Elliot Anderson adding a late fifth. The win moves them to 39 points - six more than West Ham in 17th.
Phil -- Forest: Quite extraordinary. Nobody saw that coming. Just one of those perfect evenings. One more win and I think we're safe.
Joe -- West Ham: Just checked the Forest score. It's a two-horse race now: Spurs vs. West Ham. It could either end in delirium or despair.
April 25
Adam -- Spurs: Being a Spurs fan is like living a real-life version of always being inside the head of Alan from "The Hangover." I wake up to five WhatsApp groups every morning, each imagining different ways of how we can escape this mess.
My mum wished me good luck as I left the house last Saturday as if I was playing Brighton myself. Every game has felt big, but this really feels like the biggest game of our season.
Flav -- Spurs: Our players aren't used to this like West Ham's are. If we lose today, I think spiritually, we're down.
Joe -- West Ham: Earlier in the season, I tried wearing lucky socks, but we kept losing when I wore them. I tried different socks and we kept losing, so it's fair to say it probably wasn't the socks. We just aren't very good.
Spurs' and West Ham's matches kick off at the same time. Molineux is bathed in sunlight, the Spurs fans roasting in the midafternoon sun. Simon is in there with his usual crew.
Simon -- Spurs: I went through some weird emotions at kickoff. A group of us made peace with our predicament and we started seeking silver linings and positives. Going to new stadiums, experiencing new towns and cities around the country. We'll have 3 p.m. kickoffs, and there won't be VAR!
In the second half, West Ham strike first as Tomás Soucek heads past Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at the near post. Then there's a lengthy delay at Molineux as Xavi Simons goes down with a knee injury. But Spurs start to find a rhythm, and João Palhinha scores the opener in the 82nd minute.
Adam -- Spurs: I had a gastro tray in my hand at the hotel; I was whacking it against my knees. I got shouted at by someone at the hotel, saying, "This is a place of work." It's not like me at all, but I just completely lost it.
Moments after having a stonewall penalty denied, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall equalizes for Everton just two minutes from time. It's West Ham 1-1 Everton. Spurs fans are in full voice.
Simon -- Spurs: A group of younger fans near us started singing, "We are staying up!" We gave them the death stare, and I said to them, 'Please, let's not get into this.' I guess it was an admission of where we were."
A minute into added time at London Stadium, West Ham's Callum Wilson scores. The stadium erupts. The Wolves fans cheer at Molineux, bathing in schadenfreude, letting Spurs fans know what's happened elsewhere. Spurs have to keep Wolves out to secure the win, or the gap will be four points.
Josh -- West Ham: Everyone was buzzing coming out of the stadium, but we all know there's a long way to go.
Josh and his friends attended the 2023 Conference League final, which West Ham won 2-1 over Fiorentina. Joe -- West Ham: My mate was checking the score every two minutes, but you knew what was going on from the noise at the ground.
Wolves have one final chance, a free kick from 30 yards out. Antonín Kinsky, the man who suffered the ignominy of being replaced after 17 minutes against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, is in the Spurs' goal. João Gomes' ball sails to the top corner, and Kinsky plucks it out. A minute later, Spurs seal their first win of 2026. Final scores: West Ham 2-1 Everton, Wolves 0-1 Spurs.
Josh's brother, Russell -- West Ham: I've taken the phone off Josh. I've had to consume quite a bit of alcohol after it! Emotionally drained after that, especially when they equalized. The winner... that's the loudest I've heard a goal at that stadium in a long time.
The delayed train back from Wolverhampton to London is packed with relieved fans. One group discusses the Championship -- "Home games will be shit, but at least away games will be fun, like today" -- and break out into song: "Spurs fans away, Ole, Ole, Ole!"
Simon -- Spurs: An important win, but you still feel helpless. The minute we survive or get relegated, it's going to unleash hell on the ownership.
Simon with new Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Flav -- Spurs: For so long it felt like no win was ever going to come, and you forget what you previously took for granted back when we were a half-decent team and winning became a relatively regular event.
Two days later, Spurs confirm Xavi Simons has ruptured his ACL. That's their third ACL injury in 12 months, following Wilson Odobert and James Maddison.
Simon -- Spurs: So we've had one more ACL injury than managers, or home wins this season. Ridiculous.
Adam -- Spurs: If you're a Spurs fan getting angry at injuries, you may as well be a human getting angry about the atmosphere containing nitrogen.
Matchweek 35
May 2
Adam -- Spurs: I'm having such a nice time on holiday in Corfu that I've buried the nerves. But I will have an eye on the game.
Joe -- West Ham: Got to the station and realized I left the match tickets at home. Taxi back home, taxi back to station.
Joe is in the away end at the Gtech with three other friends. Josh is at a wedding, planning to check the score whenever he can. He has his West Ham cufflinks on.
West Ham have a goal disallowed and forward Valentín Castellanos has hit the woodwork twice, but it's Brentford who get the opener through a Kostras Mavropanos own goal.
Joe -- West Ham: We've been all over them, just can't put the ball in the net. Big second half needed. Feeling quite deflated at the moment.
In the second half, Igor Thiago slots home a penalty to make it 2-0 and Mikkel Damsgaard adds a third late on. Brentford 3-0 West Ham.
Joe -- West Ham: Got to hope Spurs lose tomorrow, which is an awful feeling.
Josh -- West Ham: Just praying Villa do us a favor now to keep it in our hands. I have a horrible feeling Spurs are going to get something. If they do, then we're in big trouble.
Adam -- Spurs: This felt like the kingmaker really, and tomorrow is now a free hit. It's been so miserable for so long, just to have another night where we're not staring into the precipice feels hugely relieving.
May 3
Flav -- Spurs: Feeling pretty relaxed, really. I'm attempting to reach a point of zen. I can't control the outcome, so can the outcome control me?
Villa make seven changes from the side that lost to Forest. There's still plenty of class, but manager Unai Emery is clearly prioritizing the Europa League semifinal second leg in a few days. With Simons injured, Conor Gallagher starts in the No. 10 spot for Spurs. By the 24th minute, Spurs are 2-0 up with Gallagher and Richarlison scoring.
Josh -- West Ham: Villa don't look interested, got their focus on the semifinal. But credit to Spurs, they're doing to Villa what we should have done to Palace: go all-out attack.
A halftime reprimanding from Emery does little for Villa, and though a late Emi Buendia consolation makes life momentarily nerve-wracking for Spurs' traveling fans, they have their second win as many games.
Bas -- West Ham: It was the most frustrating game of football I've ever cared about. Perhaps we've had our luck already, and now it's run out?
Adam -- Spurs: I'm still in Corfu. We're two hours ahead here, and I'm lying in bed watching emotional renditions of the Italian national anthem on YouTube in tribute to our savior De Zerbi.
Adam and his father have attended Spurs matches with the same group for over 30 years. I don't even know what to say. I could almost cry.... God, I am an absolute emotional wreck, but we have a pulse.
Flav -- Spurs: I am so hungover. It was like winning a final, that.
I don't like being in this situation, but these wins mean so much more than when you're 10th. And without getting carried away, we're on one hand thinking about staying in the league but also wondering what De Zerbi can do with this Spurs team.
Joe -- West Ham: Villa did us no favors. I think that's us done now.
Josh -- West Ham: This is the problem when you need to count on other teams to help you out.
May 4
Grant -- Forest: Every weekend I'm just hoping at least one of Spurs or West Ham lose rather than pinning all hopes on one club. Yesterday means we are one win away from safety, and I think it's more important we come through it with no fresh injuries and go all out to win the next two. This could be the start of an amazing week.
Forest open the scoring after 97 seconds. Dilane Bakwa turns Marc Cucurella and Taiwo Awoniyi taps home. De Zerbi is in the crowd, and watches as Forest make it two after 14 minutes. They get a third in the 51st minute.
Phil -- Forest: If Emery thought tossing off the Spurs game would force Forest to go strong today, it didn't work. We can now go all in on Thursday with no worries about Sunday. And a happy wife as well. A perfect weekend!
Phil has been a Forest fan since he was 7 years old. Phil Adam -- Spurs: Smiling feels weird, the muscles hurt through underuse.
Matchweek 36
May 10
After being knocked out of the Europa League due to a 4-0 loss to Aston Villa on May 7, Forest turn their attention back to the league. A point will pretty much guarantee their safety.
Grant -- Forest: I think 42 points is enough; I don't see a world in which West Ham get seven more points and Spurs get six. And even if they do, I think we beat one of Newcastle and Bournemouth.
At full time, it's Forest 1-1 Newcastle. Harvey Barnes opened the scoring for the visitors in the 73rd minute, with Anderson equalizing with three minutes left.
Grant -- Forest fan: Phew! I always knew we were good enough to stay up, but our last two games are tough, so I'm just glad we've got it done. I have worries about what the future will look like without Anderson and MGW, but I've got faith in the recruitment team to get it right. Onward and upwards.
West Ham fans know they must get something against Arsenal to ease concerns, but Arsenal are closing in on their first Premier League title since 2003. Spurs fans are in a Catch-22: Do they hope their fiercest rivals win to ease their own relegation fears? Or do they want a West Ham win to dent Arsenal's title aspirations?
Flav -- Spurs: It's a horrible, horrible situation really. I just can't reconcile it. I can't in any way look at the result other than a result that hurts us. We always have to do our job and West Ham have to do theirs, but Arsenal winning can't be in any way celebrated.
Adam -- Spurs: I never thought I'd say this, but I want Arsenal to win. Put that on record.
Leandro Trossard's 82nd-minute goal puts Arsenal up 1-0. But seven minutes into second-half injury time, it's bedlam at the London Stadium. West Ham equalize after Callum Wilson's half-volley finds its way over the line. But VAR intervenes. After a lengthy wait, the goal is disallowed as Pablo is deemed to have fouled Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.
Josh -- West Ham: I'd rather have lost 3-0! Horrible way for it to end. Players gave it their all, the Fernandes chance was where the game was decided. I've watched the VAR decision back a few times, I personally think it's soft, but keepers will always get those decisions.
Joe -- West Ham: I hate football. Well, I hate VAR. Sick to death of it. Arsenal get away with that every week; can you sit there and tell me it's a clear and obvious error?
Adam -- Spurs: We live to fight another day. I think when all said and done, my rawest emotion when Wilson scored was "f---." It's been tremendous fun watching Arsenal screw it up over the last four years from impossible positions, but it's probably time to pay the piper on that. It's a massively positive day for us, as much as you have to pinch your nose and walk through the stench of it.
Bas -- West Ham: My wife found this written by my 5-year-old:
May 11 Tottenham vs. Leeds United, 8 p.m., Tottenham Stadium A win against Leeds would give Spurs a four-point lead over West Ham, a major step toward safety.
Phil -- Forest: West Ham fans must feel that everything is going against them. But it will fire them up even more, and I wouldn't rule out them winning their last two games.
Adam -- Spurs: Got one mate who only drinks vodka, but has just spent the whole pregame only drinking beer, just to try and mix it up out of superstition. The tension is awful. I've had some messages asking if we feel safe now. I feel about as safe as if someone gave me two glasses -- one's a cup of water, the other is hydrochloric acid, and I've got to drink one of them.
Grant -- Forest: Nice to not have an anxious watch on a Monday night!
Joe -- West Ham: Still angry with the decision yesterday but what can you do. Ever since Spurs looked like they were going to go, it feels like we've had every referee decision go against us.
Spurs' Mathys Tel scores a great opener, then gives away a penalty. James Maddison plays his first minutes of the season after recovering from an ACL injury (Spurs wanted a penalty for a late challenge on him) and Kinsky makes a stunning save on Sean Longstaff. Spurs are two points ahead of West Ham.
Joe -- West Ham: 1-1 gives us hope. I think if we beat Newcastle we stay up.
Joe follows West Ham home and away.
Flav -- Spurs: It's so frustrating that we could essentially see the champions of England decided by VAR and a relegation decided by VAR. It's a ridiculous situation to be in. But fundamentally, we never do anything easy.
Adam -- Spurs: The whole thing is just so draining. We've had a few gut punches, but it's mentally so tiring. We had a chance to really blow the doors off and give us some space. It feels flat. I have a migraine. Can't sleep.
Matchweek 37
Flav -- Spurs: I think at this stage, we need a draw at Chelsea at least -- that's if West Ham win at Newcastle. I still see us staying up, but very uncomfortable times.
May 17
Pereira's men are planning for life in the Premier League again next season. There's a calm atmosphere at Old Trafford - both teams having completed their respective goals. United win 3-2, but Forest are safe.
Grant -- Forest: Feels strange not having a single worry or stress, but I'm absolutely loving it! Very subdued atmosphere prematch, but it's because I don't think we know how to react with nothing on the line. We were good enough for at least a point.
Tension builds among West Ham fans as the match nears. Josh and Bas are watching from home, but Joe has made the trip. The trains from London King's Cross to Newcastle are packed with West Ham fans.
Joe -- West Ham: Sitting on the floor, train is full. The glamour. But win and we stay up, anything else and I think we'll go down.
Josh -- West Ham: We'll win 2-1.
Newcastle are 2-0 up after 16 minutes. West Ham's fans grow increasingly exasperated at the team Nuno Espirito Santo has picked. He has gone away from their familiar 4-4-2 formation and picked a back five.
Joe -- West Ham: Players given up. Nuno started the wrong lineup. But players know they'll get their move in the summer. We'll all still be here, probably 17th in the Championship, but the players won't be.
West Ham lose 3-1 and have one foot in the Championship. Due to goal difference, Spurs effectively need one point from their final two matches to survive.
Josh -- West Ham: Currently checking the train prices for Lincoln away.
Flav -- Spurs: We should be safe, but could easily go to the final day. You're not Spurs if you don't have something in the back of the mind that tells you we could still f--- this up.
Bas -- West Ham: I never felt Wilson should start, but we were awful at the back and had nothing to offer up top. Hate Spurs now having the power to put us down.
Bas married into a West Ham family, and he and his son Kit have fully embraced the Hammers. Joe -- West Ham: We didn't get a seat on train home. Floor class.
Championship, here we come. New adventure. Happy to see the back of most of these players anyway. If they were any good, we wouldn't be where we are.
May 19
Adam -- Spurs fan: In the inimitable words of David Pleat in the 2006 Champions League final, "The sight is in end." Getting it out the way tonight would be such a relief as another four days' wait before Everton isn't good for anyone.
Spurs' record at Chelsea is dismal: just one win at Stamford Bridge in the last 36 years. But a point would secure survival.
Joe -- West Ham: I might put it on. Part of me would rather not watch it and just check the score to see if we're relegated. Then it's a stress-free Sunday and we can focus on next season.
Bas -- West Ham: I can't watch it tonight. Sorted dinner with some non-football friends to get away from it.
Flav -- Spurs fan: What will be will be. Just want them to fight and dictate the narrative as much as they can.
Flav (center) and his father attended the 2007 UEFA Cup match against Bayer Leverkusen in Cologne. Flav Chelsea's players walk out to the crowd singing about how much they hate Spurs, with fireworks punctuating each roar of "We hate Tottenham, Chelsea!" Chelsea score first thanks to a long-range effort from Enzo Fernández.
Joe -- West Ham: Yeah, I switched the TV on when Chelsea went 1-0 up.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth draw 1-1 with Manchester City, a result that crowns Arsenal as Premier League champions.
Adam -- Spurs: No one looking at the Bournemouth result, focus just on here. One f---ing point, that's it, come on!
Spurs lose 2-1. They remain two points clear of West Ham, but the battle will go to the final day.
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Simon -- Spurs: The ninth-richest club in the world and we have [Randal Kolo Muani], [Richarlison] and [Dominic] Solanke as our strikers. We've had terrible injuries to all our attacking and creative players and never replaced Son and Kane. Finished 17th last season and didn't reinvest. It can no longer be tolerated.
Joe -- West Ham: More false hope. Knowing our luck we'll win, and Everton will be winning, then Spurs will steal a late point.
Josh -- West Ham: It's going to be a horrible final day. I still think we'll go down, but there's a glimmer of hope.
Adam -- Spurs: This is just so painful because of the helplessness of it.... A lot of West Ham fans may have gone into the season thinking we could be in trouble here, but this is just not what anyone expected.
On the final day of the season, Spurs will host Everton. West Ham will face Leeds, knowing they need a win to stand any chance of staying up.
Adam -- Spurs: I was chatting to a mate of mine as we walked out of Stamford Bridge. He's been through it since January -- not eating, not sleeping. He said to me, "I want my life back." I'm sure there'll be people that would dismiss as it's "just football," but I think a lot of people adore their team, and their club is their community, so I can empathize with him.
I wish I was able to stress about my work or family, but I know I'm in control of that side of life. This is just so painful because of the helplessness of it. And now we have another few days of it weighing on you like a ton of bricks. You want to think of anything else, but ultimately, you're not, because this is everything.
