The Greatest Escape! (1 Viewer)

[Nathccfc]

Right,

I was at uni and during a time when i had finished most my work i thought about the saying " if your bottom at christmas then you are going down". How true is this?

I managed to look what the championship table looked like after boxing days games from 2001-2002 right the way to last season.

So thats 10 seasons, out of the 30 teams who have occupied relegation spots at christmas. 19 of them have gone down at the end of the season, which is about 63%.

However, the team which has occupied bottom spot at christmas has gone down every time, 100%.

2011-12
Position Team Points at xmas End of season result
22nd- Forest 21 points ?????
23rd- Doncaster 19 points ?????
24th- Coventry 16 points ?????
2010-11
Position Team Points at xmas End of season result
22nd- Palace 21 points (Stayed up with 48 points)
23rd- Scunthorpe 20 points (Went down with 42 points)
24th- Preston 19 points (Went down with 42 points)

2009-10
Position Team Points at xmas End of season result
22nd- Sheff Wed 19 points (Went down with 47 points)
23rd- Plymouth 18 points (Went down with 41 points)
24th- Peterborough 17 points (Went down with 34 points)

2008-09
Position Team Points at xmas End of season result
22nd- Forest 21 points (Stayed up with 53 points)
23rd- Doncaster 21 points (Stayed up with 58 points)
24th- Charlton 19 points (Went down with 39 points)

2007-08
Position Team Points at xmas End of season result
22nd- Preston 24 points (Stayed up with 56 points)
23rd- QPR 24 points (Stayed up with 58 points)
24th- Colchester 22 points (Went down with 38 points)

2006-07
Position Team Points at xmas End of season result
22nd- Hull 21 points (Stayed up with 49 points)
23rd- Southend 17 points (Went down with 42 points)
24th- Leeds 11 points (Went down with 36 points)

2005-06
Position Team Points at xmas End of season result
22nd- Sheff Wed 21 points (Stayed up with 52 points)
23rd- Crewe 21 points (Went down with 42 points)
24th- Millwall 18 points (Went down with 40 points)

2004-05
Position Team Points at xmas End of season result
22nd- Forest 21 points (Went down with 44 points)
23rd- Gillingham 21 points (Went down with 50 points)
24th- Rotherham 15 points (Went down with 29 points)

2003-04
Position Team Points at xmas End of season result
22nd- Derby 24 points (Stayed up with 52 points)
23rd- Bradford 17 points (Went down with 36 points)
24th- Wimbledon 17 points (Went down with 29 points)

2002-03
Position Team Points at xmas End of season result
22nd- Stoke 17 points (Stayed up with 50 points)
23rd- Brighton 17 points (Went down with 45 points)
24th- Sheff Wed 17 points (Went down with 46 points)

2001-02
Position Team Points at xmas End of season result
22nd- Sheff Wed 22 points (Stayed up with 50 points)
23rd- Grimsby 22 points (Stayed up with 50 points)
24th- Stockport 12 points (Went down with 26 points)


So if we were to survive it would be the greatest escape because in the last 10 seasons, not one team has survived relegation when they are bottom of the league. Good luck City! I hope you do it, i just hope we get some recognition for surviving relegation if we actually do, purely based on these facts!

PUSB!

 

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[skybluesam66]

except we only had 13 points at xmas

 

[We'll_live_and_die]

It will be a massive achievement if we do it.

 

[SkyBluesAndy]

This is helped by Pompey being deducted 10 points though, unless we finish 5th bottom..

 

[Nathccfc]

after boxing days 1-0 win at Bristol we had 16 points

 

[We'll_live_and_die]

This is helped by Pompey being deducted 10 points though, unless we finish 5th bottom..

Not really, Pompey have cheated to get their higher league position, if they had players they could afford they might have been in the bottom 3.

 

[Nathccfc]

yeah it has very much so been helped by Portsmouth being deducted 10 points, if they hadnt have been deducted 10 points we will still be in relegation 3 points behind millwall, and we could have still stayed up with a good run the last few games

 

[hughescov]

It's typically a saying applied to the premier league but it seems it also applies here!

And we were on 13 points, which is extremely low to all of the other teams at the bottom excluding Stockport

 

[Nathccfc]

a win at bristol on boing day made it 16 points by the way these points tallies are all after the boxing day results

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

2006-07
Position Team Points at xmas End of season result
22nd- Hull 11 points (Stayed up with 49 points)
23rd- Southend 17 points (Went down with 42 points)
24th- Leeds 21 points (Went down with 36 points)

Was the league upside down that year?

 

[MatthewWallis]

I read somewhere that the team that is bottom at the turn of the year has been relegated for the last ten years or something like that, luckily for us we beat Brighton and Bristol City over the new year and Doncaster replaced us at the bottom of the table on New Years Eve so, we're definitely safe.....

 

[Otis]

I am now rather worried.

I was very confident after Hull and you would think that we should beat Peterborough ...... but, the lack of squad depth i feel could now come and bite us on the bum. As someone said the other day, the only fit defenders we have are Clarke, Christie, Keogh, Cranie, Hussey (half fit) and then, besides the two youngsters in Clarke and Christie we have the even younger Jordan Willis. Can't see how that is going to be enough to carry us through to the end of the season.

Someone gets injured or suspended out of that lot (especially either Cranie or Keogh) and we are fooked. Same thing worries me at the other end of the field. just the 3 strikers in Nimely, Platt and McDonald.

Don't like the fact that we have a game on Monday straight after the Saturday match and there is hardly anyone at all we can rotate.

Just starting to get this bad feeling. All that hard work and great run and we could now be all undone by mounting injuries. If we go down no because of it then Sisu need shooting!!

 

[Nathccfc]

Woops i have edited it now
it was how i was writing down the points total, thanks for pointing that out

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I am now rather worried.

I was very confident after Hull and you would think that we should beat Peterborough ...... but, the lack of squad depth i feel could now come and bite us on the bum. As someone said the other day, the only fit defenders we have are Clarke, Christie, Keogh, Cranie, Hussey (half fit) and then, besides the two youngsters in Clarke and Christie we have the even younger Jordan Willis. Can't see how that is going to be enough to carry us through to the end of the season.

Someone gets injured or suspended out of that lot (especially either Cranie or Keogh) and we are fooked. Same thing worries me at the other end of the field. just the 3 strikers in Nimely, Platt and McDonald.

Don't like the fact that we have a game on Monday straight after the Saturday match and there is hardly anyone at all we can rotate.

Just starting to get this bad feeling. All that hard work and great run and we could now be all undone by mounting injuries. If we go down no because of it then Sisu need shooting!!

Indeed-I don't fancy nearly all of our defence being composed of kids. Up front, we could move Sheff up front if any of those 3 get injured, and that wouldn't be so disastrous-though it's where the whole 'being completely and utterly skint but not Portsmouth' situation starts to take its toll.

 

[kg82]

On Christmas day we had 13 points by the way! So even worse off!

 

[kg82]

It's typically a saying applied to the premier league but it seems it also applies here!

And we were on 13 points, which is extremely low to all of the other teams at the bottom excluding Stockport

Damnit, beat me to it!

 

[Otis]

Indeed-I don't fancy nearly all of our defence being composed of kids. Up front, we could move Sheff up front if any of those 3 get injured, and that wouldn't be so disastrous-though it's where the whole 'being completely and utterly skint but not Portsmouth' situation starts to take its toll.

I do really think we will survive now ..... if we can keep key players healthy. Last thing we need right now is two games in 3 days.

 

[Nathccfc]

Let's hope we can stay up! Keep it positive and a good result against peterborough and the camp will be buzzing even more!

 

[kg82]

I am now rather worried.

I was very confident after Hull and you would think that we should beat Peterborough ...... but, the lack of squad depth i feel could now come and bite us on the bum. As someone said the other day, the only fit defenders we have are Clarke, Christie, Keogh, Cranie, Hussey (half fit) and then, besides the two youngsters in Clarke and Christie we have the even younger Jordan Willis. Can't see how that is going to be enough to carry us through to the end of the season.

Someone gets injured or suspended out of that lot (especially either Cranie or Keogh) and we are fooked. Same thing worries me at the other end of the field. just the 3 strikers in Nimely, Platt and McDonald.

Don't like the fact that we have a game on Monday straight after the Saturday match and there is hardly anyone at all we can rotate.

Just starting to get this bad feeling. All that hard work and great run and we could now be all undone by mounting injuries. If we go down no because of it then Sisu need shooting!!

These 2 games are key. If we can get through them with a bit of a cushion between us and the bottom 3 and no further injuries then we'll be ok.

 

[kg82]

One thing I would say is that win, lose or draw on Saturday, Monday's game WILL be the most important game we've played in 10 year.

 

[WillieStanley]

One thing I would say is that win, lose or draw on Saturday, Monday's game WILL be the most important game we've played in 10 year.

Whilst I agree, I don't think we should underestimate the importance of Saturday either. Anything less than a draw could disturb ournew found "winning mentality"

 

[kg82]

Whilst I agree, I don't think we should underestimate the importance of Saturday either. Anything less than a draw could disturb ournew found "winning mentality"

Britol City fans are drumming it up to be the same. Saturdays really important, don't get me wrong, but Monday's the one we're all thinking about (as in the fans). The players will be concentrating on Saturday for sure, but we're all thinking more about Monday and I think that says a lot about how important it is?

 

[WillieStanley]

Of course. Big tasty 6 pointer against a team who, until last season, beat us all the time! Massive, massive game!

 

[kg82]

Of course. Big tasty 6 pointer against a team who, until last season, beat us all the time! Massive, massive game!

Also, I can't make Saturday! Bloody stag do. I'll be keeping a very watchful eye on it though!

 

[oakey]

I can see why people are bigging up the Bristol game, but I think Peterboro is more important for these reasons
1) The next game is always the most important
2) If we beat Peterboro and Bristol lose or draw at Forest we cannot be overtaken by them on Monday whatever the result, which gives us a nice cushion and will, I think, get their fans in panic mode the longer the game goes on this Monday.
3) A win on Saturday breeds confidence.
4) A win on Saturday keeps the home fires burning.
5) Bristol play Forest AFTER our game ends. 5.20 K.O. They'll be downcast if we are 4 points ahead.

So, for me the Peterboro game is the most important until it's over.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

It's worth adding that winning on Sat could see us level with Millwall-the more teams pulled in the better.