Star Wars, Elvis, New York blackouts - What the world looked like the last time Tottenham were relegated

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 30 Mar 2026 06:32 CDT
• 5 min read

News

Tottenham are facing the unthinkable this season, with a real chance they could be relegated for the first time in nearly half a century.

At the moment, Spurs are 17th in the Premier League, just one point clear of the relegation zone. West Ham, Burnley and Wolves occupy the three places below, currently.

Crucially, there isn't much hope on the horizon as, with seven matches to go in the 2025/26 campaign, they are without a manager after interim boss Igor Tudor left his post on Sunday. That comes after Ange Postecoglou was sacked last summer, while his replacement, Thomas Frank, also lost his job in the middle of the season.

Tottenham are looking for a firefighter to get them out of this mess, with names like Roberto De Zerbi, Sean Dyche and even club legends such as Glenn Hoddle and Tim Sherwood mentioned as managerial candidates for the final portion of the campaign.

If they fail to improve, they will be relegated for the first time since 1977.

So, what did the world look like back then?

The football world - Liverpool, Pele and Simonsen

In the 1976/77 English First Division, Sunderland and Stoke were relegated alongside Tottenham, while Liverpool won the title after finishing one point clear of runners-up Manchester City. Andy Gray and Malcolm Macdonald were the top goalscorers that season with 25 strikes each.

It was a fabulous season for Liverpool as they also won the European Cup after a 3-1 victory against Borussia Mönchengladbach at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

It was a Gladbach player who was officially recognised as the best player in Europe that campaign as Allan Simonsen claimed the 1977 Ballon d'Or.

The 1976/77 season was also when yellow and red cards were introduced into English football after a successful trial at the 1970 World Cup. Prior to that tournament, players were simply verbally cautioned by the referee which caused confusion, particularly for coaches who were unaware if their players had been booked.

It was also the first season that goal difference was used in England to break apart teams who finished a campaign on the same level of points.

Nantes won the league in France, Juventus in Italy, Ajax in the Netherlands, Benfica in Portugal, Celtic in Scotland and Atletico Madrid in Spain.

Brazilian great Pele also played for the final time in a 'Pele Sayonara Match' between New York Cosmos and a Japan All-Star XI at Tokyo's National Stadium.

Politics - Jimmy Carter and James Callaghan

For the 1976 United States presidential election, Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter found himself up against Republican candidate Gerald Ford, who was aiming for another stint in The White House after stepping into the Oval Office following the impeachment of Richard Nixon.

Carter won the election with 50.1% of the popular vote and 297 electoral votes, while Ford won 48% of the popular vote and 240 electoral votes. He was officially inaugurated as President of the United States on Thursday, 20 January 1977.

James Callaghan of the Labour Party was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1977 and held office from April 1976 to May 1979.

In China, Teng Hsiao-ping was reinstated, and a new constitution was adopted in the country.

Film - Star Wars, Annie Hall

Lives would be changed forever on 25 May 1977, as that is when Star Wars first premiered in the USA, with the UK premiere coming the following December.

Generally considered to be one of the greatest movies of all time and arguably the most popular movie in history, Star Wars changed cinema. Written and directed by George Lucas, it starred Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, and James Earl Jones. It told the story of Luke Skywalker, a farm boy who joins forces with Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo, and Princess Leia Organa to deliver stolen plans that reveal a weakness in the Empire’s Death Star, leading to a daring attack that destroys it.

Star Wars was the biggest box office hit of 1977, earning $410 million worldwide in its first run, surpassing Jaws as the most successful movie ever until that point. Other notable releases that year were Smokey and the Bandit, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Saturday Night Fever, The Spy Who Loved Me and Annie Hall.

Arnold Schwarzenegger found himself on the cusp of superstardom with the Cannes premiere of documentary Pumping Iron.

Music - Elvis dies, Punk, Rumours

On 16 August1977, rock 'n' roll legend Elvis Presley was discovered unresponsive by fiancé Ginger Alden on the bathroom floor of his Graceland mansion. He was pronounced dead at Baptist Memorial Hospital at the age of 42.

There was an outpouring of grief from fans and collaborators around the world. Jimmy Carter said he "permanently changed the face of American popular culture."

Allegedly, around 80,000 people lined the processional route to Forest Hill Cemetery, where Elvis was buried next to his mother.

1977 also saw the debut of one of the most popular albums of all time, Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. There were also high-profile releases from Pink Floyd (Animals), David Bowie (Low, Heroes), Steely Dan (Aja) and Billy Joel (Stranger).

It was the year that punk was at its peak and we saw the release of The Clash's debut album as well as Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols.

Around the world

- In March 1977, the world watched on in horror at the deadliest aviation disaster in history as two Boeing 747 passenger jets collided at Los Rodeos Airport in Tenerife, killing 583 people and injuring 61 others.

- In July 1977, an electricity blackout impacted the majority of New York City, leading to widespread power outages and eventual looting.

- In March 1977, a devastating earthquake struck Romania, killing 1,578 people and leaving 11,300 injured

- The Torrijos–Carter Treaties for the Panama Canal are signed.

- The "Son of Sam" killer (David Berkowitz) is arrested in New York.

- Smallpox is eradicated, with the last natural case found in Somalia.

The FootballTransfers app

Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.

The FootballTransfers app is available in the Apple App Store. Download here:

•App Store