By Neil Ravenscroft
November 20 2002

After the Preston game, I did a comparison between the results this season and last. I thought it might be time to update it, following the recent run of form. For those who missed the original column, the method used is quite simple. You take last years results and compare them to this year, with the three teams that came down taking the place of the promoted teams and the three that came up doing the same with the relegated teams.
On that basis, you can have a look at how we are doing this year, compared with last.

2002/2003

Ipswich (H) 0 2 Points 0
Wolves (A) 1 3 Points 0
Shef Utd (A) 1 1 Points 1
Nott For (H) 2 1 Points 3
Brighton (A) 2 0 Points 3
Reading (H) 0 2 Points 0
Watford (A) 0 2 Points 0
Bradford (H) 0 1 Points 0
Rothm (H) 3 4 Points 0
Millwall (A) 3 0 Points 3
Shef W (H) 1 0 Points 3
Derby (A) 2 2 Points 1
Burnley (A) 1 2 Points 0
Preston (H) 3 3 Points 1
Coventry (A) 0 0 Points 1
Palace (H) 3 4 Points 0
Stoke (H) 4 2 Points 3
Leicester (A) 0 2 Points 0
Wimbledon (A) 2 3 Points 0
Total 19

2001/2002

Albion (H) 2 1 Points 3
Wolves (A) 0 3 Points 0
Shef Utd (A) 1 0 Points 3
Nott For (H) 2 0 Points 3
Stockport (A) 2 0 Points 3
Barnsley (H) 2 1 Points 3
Watford (A) 1 2 Points 0
Bradford (H) 2 2 Points 1
Rothm (H) 3 2 Points 3
Millwall (A) 2 2 Points 1
Shef Wed (H) 0 3 Points 0
Birmingham (A) 0 1 Points 0
Burnley (A) 2 5 Points 0
Preston (H) 1 2 Points 0
Coventry (A) 0 1 Points 0
Palace (H) 2 2 Points 1
Stockport (H) 1 0 Points 3
Man City (A) 0 3 Points 0
Wimbledon (A) 2 2 Points 1
Total 25

I see that Geoff has received some criticism on the Steve Roy site for taking a pessimistic view of how well we are doing this season. I think that those who have been saying such things need to take off the rose tinted glasses. Our performances, in terms of results, badly need to be improved if we are not going to get dragged into another relegation dogfight. The improved form of Grimsby and Brighton is a danger sign and it is only the poor form of Stoke, Wednesday, Ipswich and Bradford that is keeping us clear at the moment. Mind you, the Grimsby v Burnley result showed how one win can improve confidence in a side.

In fact, this is the predicted table from StatMail:-



1 Portsmouth 46 117
2 Leicester City 46 114
3 Wolverhampton 46 98
4 Nottingham Forest 46 95
5 Norwich City 46 92
6 Reading 46 88
7 Watford 46 79
8 Wimbledon 46 73
9 Coventry City 46 72
10 Sheffield United 46 70
11 Rotherham United 46 67
12 Crystal Palace 46 65
13 Burnley 46 61
14 Gillingham 46 57
15 Preston North End 46 55
16 Derby County 46 55
17 Millwall 46 52
18 Ipswich Town 46 39
19 Walsall 46 37
20 Bradford City 46 33
21 Grimsby Town 46 33
22 Stoke City 46 18
23 Sheffield Wednesday 46 17
24 Brighton & Hove Alb 46 16

That is far too close for comfort.

I know people will say that I am being over pessimistic here, but, as Alan pointed out in his article this week, we have come a long, long way in the last ten years and this could be the big chance to consolidate on those achievements.
Just as importantly, it means that home games are vital to our success and the crowd has a big part to play in that. I have had a feeling the last couple of home games that the atmosphere has been a little flat (something to do with the strange surroundings perhaps?) and hope that Saturday will see a change there too. Best of luck to the new signing, Dave Kelly, in his attempts to whip up the crowd!