Best English League Teams of the 1980s

(Photo Courtesy: Fortis Media, UAB)

Best English League Teams of the 1980s

With the start of the new football season just around the corner, fans will be daring to dream that the 2025-26 season will be a positive one. The performances from the previous season are already forgotten and every team will kick off a fresh campaign with huge ambitions that they could make history. 

However, as history would indicate, teams that currently sit among the favourites in the Premier League winner betting odds, have been no strangers to success in recent history. For some, the domination dates back generation, with some of the top teams also bossing the English top-flight during the 1980s. 

But, which teams were the most dominant in the country during the 80s? 

Liverpool

The reigning Premier League champions were undeniably the dominant force in the English game throughout the 1980s. Despite finishing only fifth in the 1980-81 season, the following nine seasons would see the Reds accumulate six top-flight titles. 

Their dominance also ensured that even when they weren’t winning the league, they were still finishing second, as they took the silver medal in the 1984-85 and 1986-87 seasons. 

Liverpool’s highest points tally of the decade was achieved in 1987-88, as they hit a memorable haul of 90. Led by Kenny Dalglish, the Reds enjoyed a 29-match unbeaten run, and they suffered just two losses in their 40 league outings. However, the Reds would fall short in their bid to win a unique domestic double after memorably losing 1-0 in the FA Cup final against underdogs Wimbledon. 

As well as domestic dominance in the 80s, Liverpool also won the Champions League in 1984 and were beaten finalists in the 1985 season.  

Everton

The 1980s were a dominant period for the area of Merseyside. If Liverpool weren’t coming out on top in the then it was their city rivals Everton. The Toffees enjoyed a golden period between 1984 and 1987, winning two top-flight titles. To make it even sweater, they finished ahead of their cross-city rivals in both campaigns. 

The golden period also saw Everton reach the FA Cup final on four occasions, but their only success was achieved in 1984. As well as domestic prizes, Everton would also thrive in the continental scene, winning the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1985. 

Everton’s 1984-85 season will live long in the memory, as Howard Kendall lead the Toffees to success in three competitions. Graeme Sharp would be the main player, scoring 27 goals across all competitions. 

Meanwhile, Neville Southall and Peter Reid were honoured for their stellar campaigns after winning the FWA Footballer of the Year and PFA Players’ Player of the Year accolades, respectively. However, success has dried up for Everton since their title-winning campaign in 1986-87. But, their move to a new stadium ensures that fans remain hopeful that the glory days may someday return. 

Arsenal

Aside from Liverpool and Everton, only two other teams won the top-flight in the 1980s. Arsenal, led by George Graham, would be the final champions of the decade, marking the end to an 18-year wait for a top-flight title. 

The 1988-89 season will be one that lives long in the memory, as the championship battle went down to the final day, with Arsenal’s 2-0 win at Liverpool ensuring that they were crowned champions due to the number of goals that they had scored. 

It was one of the few times in English football history that the top two in the top-flight had accumulated the same number of points with an identical goal difference. Arsenal’s depth was a key reason behind their success, as 14 different players scored during the campaign. 

However, Alan Smith ending the season as the top scorer with 25 efforts across all competitions. But, it was Paul Merson that was the team’s most important player, and his performances saw him pick up the PGA Young Player of the Year Award. Mikel Arteta will be hopeful of the same result from his big-spending team at the end of the 2025-26 season. 

Aston Villa

It could be argued that one of the star teams of the 1980s was Aston Villa. For just the seventh time in their history, the Villa were crowned champions of England in the 1980-81 season. Ron Saunders was the mastermind behind their title-winning campaign, keeping together a thin squad of just 14 players. 

However, Villa would make club history in the following campaign, with Tony Barton leading the club to a first-ever European Cup success. The final in Rotterdam saw the English club beat Bayern Munich 1-0, and the match-winning goal by Peter Withe is still played before every match at Villa Park in this modern day. 

Success would dry up at Villa Park after the European success, and their relegation to the second tier was confirmed before the end of the decade. However, after one season in Division Two, they gained promotion back to the top-flight in 1987-88.