Yo-yo club
A yo-yo club is a football team that moves up to a higher division one season and down to a lower division the next. The term comes from the way the team goes up and down like the toy yo-yo. It’s especially common in the UK, where clubs bounce between the Premier League and the division below, but many countries have clubs that do the same.
In England, several teams became famous for this pattern. West Bromwich Albion were a classic example in the early 2000s, with multiple promotions and relegations. Other clubs that have often moved between divisions include Norwich City, Fulham, Birmingham City, Leicester City, Hull City, Sunderland, Watford and Notts County. The idea is that some teams regularly improve enough to reach the top flight, only to struggle and drop back again soon after.
Around the world, many clubs have similar histories. Quilmes in Argentina has had many promotions and relegations. In Brazil, teams like Avaí and Coritiba have switched between the top two divisions many times. In the Netherlands, FC Volendam is known as the Heen-en-weer club, meaning “to-and-fro club.” In Spain, Málaga CF has experienced frequent moves between divisions. Other examples can be found in Turkey, Scotland and other countries, where clubs repeatedly rise and fall between leagues.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 15:20 (CET).