Have a look at the rules and requirements needed to be awarded a Premier League winner’s medal
Manchester City secured their sixth Premier League title in seven years under Pep Guardiola as the 2023/24 season concluded.
For the unfamiliar, City clinched their fourth consecutive Premier League title with a decisive final-day victory over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium, making them the first English club to achieve this milestone in top division history.
What are the requirements to get a Premier League winner medal and how many minimum games does a player need to play in a season
This season, unlike previous years, City faced a tougher challenge from Arsenal, with the title race extending to the final day. However, City demonstrated their dominance by ending the season on an unbeaten streak of 35 games across all competitions.
Consequently, City will receive 40 Premier League winners’ medals to be distributed among manager Pep Guardiola, the players, and the coaching and backroom staff.
Now, let’s examine which players might miss out on receiving a medal based on the Premier League’s rules.
Premier League’s Rules
Another Premier League winners’ medal, same celebration 😬🏅@ErlingHaaland 👏 pic.twitter.com/5XDGqM0az7
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 20, 2024
Ahead of the 2012/13 season, the Premier League updated its medal eligibility requirements. From 1992/93 to 2011/12, players had to make at least 10 top-flight appearances (including as substitutes) to qualify for a medal.
The 2011 rule change reduced the requirement to a minimum of five games. Each title-winning club receives 40 medals to distribute among players, management, coaching staff, and others at the club’s discretion.
The Premier League Board can also grant additional medals for special cases, such as backup goalkeepers, injuries, or more than 39 players making at least five appearances.
It is not known how much the medals are worth as they more valuable than the pure gold value contained within. If we use Jose Mourinho’s gold medal, which he threw into the stands after capturing his first league in 2004/05, Premier League medals can go for auction in the $21,000 range.
Who Might Miss Out on a Medal for Man City?
For those who are anxiously thinking about this question, let us tell you, most of Guardiola’s squad will qualify for a medal, but there could be exceptions.
This season, 21 City players have appeared in Premier League matches, leaving 19 medals available for the coaching staff and additional squad members, should the club choose to allocate them that way.
Clubs can request additional medals from the Premier League if 39 or more players have made at least five appearances.
However, under current circumstances, four players who contributed to City’s successful season are poised to miss out on receiving medals, though there may be a technicality that could affect this outcome.
For instance, goalkeeper Scott Carson and current West Ham loanee Kalvin Phillips are among those who may not meet the criteria.
Notable Players Who Missed Out on League Medal
The 2011 rule change has reduced the likelihood of players missing out, but there have been several notable cases in the league’s early years.
Manchester United’s famous Class of ’92 had to wait until 1996 to earn their first medals, despite joining the first team in 1994. During United’s 1999 Treble campaign, David May and Jordi Cruyff missed out on medals due to the old rules.
Despite starting in the 1999 Champions League final, Ronny Johnsen missed out on a medal in United’s 2000 Premier League victory.
Arsenal’s Invincibles in 2004 included last-minute substitute appearances for Martin Keown and Nwankwo Kanu to reach the 10-game threshold.
Under Jose Mourinho, Chelsea saw several players miss out, including Glen Johnson, Wayne Bridge, and Lassana Diarra. One of the most infamous examples is Henrik Larsson, who missed out on a medal with United in 2007.
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