| What is it with us? 13:46 - Feb 19 with 3245 views | Asa |
Only 10 Championship teams EVER have had 66 points at this stage of the season before this season.
We are one of four to have done it this season.
Last season we needed 98 points to go up. Wednesday would have won the league in almost every other League One season.
As incredible as we are and as much as we got across the line last season, we have been bloody unlucky to be involved in one of those seasons let alone both!
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| What is it with us? on 13:57 - Feb 19 with 3138 views | badadski |
it is crazy the strength of the 3 relegated teams and how many of the top players they have retained - for us to be so close with our squad against any of the top 3 is crazy and I just hope that if by some chance we do not go up then McKenna stays as next season if we keep what we have with a few quality loans of similar ilk:
if so then we have a great chance of doing a Leicester as none of the bottom 4 prem teams currently have any where near the quality of what we are playing at the moment in regards to Leicester, Soton and Leeds [Post edited 19 Feb 13:58]
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| What is it with us? on 14:54 - Feb 19 with 2912 views | Bigalhunter |
I wouldn’t have predicted Leeds to be so strong, they looked a right basket case when they came down. Somehow managed to keep Gnonto and Summerville and stumbled across a decent manager after the Allardyce Marsch fiascos last season.
It’s also odd how good Wednesday and Plymouth looked last season, yet we’re light years ahead of them this time round. |  | | |
| What is it with us? on 15:04 - Feb 19 with 2858 views | Asa |
| What is it with us? on 14:54 - Feb 19 by Bigalhunter |
I wouldn’t have predicted Leeds to be so strong, they looked a right basket case when they came down. Somehow managed to keep Gnonto and Summerville and stumbled across a decent manager after the Allardyce Marsch fiascos last season.
It’s also odd how good Wednesday and Plymouth looked last season, yet we’re light years ahead of them this time round. |
Of all the mind-blowing stats one of the best might be this.
Roughly 75% into the season, we have the SAME number of points as Plymouth and Wednesday COMBINED!
The team that finished above us and the one that finished on 96 points. It's not even as either of them is hopelessly adrift either. Plymouth where they'd hope to be and Wednesday a win or so from safety.
That's with pretty much the same team from last year. | | | |
| What is it with us? on 15:17 - Feb 19 with 2800 views | NthQldITFC |
I take your point, it is unlucky in that sense, but I'm preferring to be looking at it as us actually being really lucky to be involved in two such phenomenally high quality three- or four-way contests which are driving us to be better and better just to stay involved.
The effect of us striving to compete at such a high level is brilliant for our development process as a club, whether or not we get there this season. Which is why we shouldn't get too angsty when we have a few sub-excellent results. This ride is doing us the power of good for the next several seasons. |  |
| # WE ARE STEALING THE FUTURE FROM OUR CHILDREN --- WE MUST CHANGE COURSE # | | Poll: | It's driving me nuts |
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| What is it with us? on 15:28 - Feb 19 with 2747 views | OldFart71 |
Whilst I know it would be the same for us it we were promoted then relegated with regards to parachute payments it is not just becoming a small gap, but a chasm between clubs coming from the Premier League to Division One. It is proving more and more that these teams have a massive advantage and also highlights the absolutely fantastic job McKenna and co have done. But for a few defeats and draws we would still be second and it's plain to see the injury to Hirst came at a perfect time for the opposition because just as last seasons run up to Christmas we faltered, got in some new players and then stepped on the gas again. But this season we have more serious opposition in Southampton and Leeds than we did with Plymouth, Wednesday and Barnsley. I have left Leicester out as unless they hit a real crab they should finish top. | | | |
| What is it with us? on 16:00 - Feb 19 with 2660 views | Asa |
| What is it with us? on 15:17 - Feb 19 by NthQldITFC |
I take your point, it is unlucky in that sense, but I'm preferring to be looking at it as us actually being really lucky to be involved in two such phenomenally high quality three- or four-way contests which are driving us to be better and better just to stay involved.
The effect of us striving to compete at such a high level is brilliant for our development process as a club, whether or not we get there this season. Which is why we shouldn't get too angsty when we have a few sub-excellent results. This ride is doing us the power of good for the next several seasons. |
It also bodes well if we don't go up.
The odds on Burnley, Sheffield United and whoever else comes down being as strong as the three this year is really very unlikely given how unreal this season is and out of the ordinary that is.
You'd think if McKenna stays and we add to the squad over the summer we'd be fancied to be right up there again next season with potentially all three of the teams better than us promoted.
Of course all three coming down could be strong again, but just on the balance of probabilities it's almost impossible. I know people will argue about parachute payments but they have been unfair for years and plenty of sides have come down and not looked like going back up. | | | |
| What is it with us? on 16:04 - Feb 19 with 2620 views | Portmanteauxcurling |
| What is it with us? on 15:17 - Feb 19 by NthQldITFC |
I take your point, it is unlucky in that sense, but I'm preferring to be looking at it as us actually being really lucky to be involved in two such phenomenally high quality three- or four-way contests which are driving us to be better and better just to stay involved.
The effect of us striving to compete at such a high level is brilliant for our development process as a club, whether or not we get there this season. Which is why we shouldn't get too angsty when we have a few sub-excellent results. This ride is doing us the power of good for the next several seasons. |
Wouldn't you prefer for us to have finished last season and be sat in a position this season in a similar situation that Chesterfield are at the moment (relatively speaking and without the necessity of having their current manager of course) ? |  | | |
| What is it with us? on 16:21 - Feb 19 with 2539 views | Aviator |
We are not unlucky that the total for automatic promotion is so high. On the contrary, we are fortunate that most of the teams in the division have been so inconsistent, particularly early on. This has enabled our current position.
Apart from the top 3 and us, I would suggest the league is quite a poor standard. I believe our standard would probably put us 6th to 8th in previous seasons. We are solid but not exceptional. That may be good enough this season. | | | |
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| What is it with us? on 16:23 - Feb 19 with 2516 views | WeWereZombies |
| What is it with us? on 16:00 - Feb 19 by Asa |
It also bodes well if we don't go up.
The odds on Burnley, Sheffield United and whoever else comes down being as strong as the three this year is really very unlikely given how unreal this season is and out of the ordinary that is.
You'd think if McKenna stays and we add to the squad over the summer we'd be fancied to be right up there again next season with potentially all three of the teams better than us promoted.
Of course all three coming down could be strong again, but just on the balance of probabilities it's almost impossible. I know people will argue about parachute payments but they have been unfair for years and plenty of sides have come down and not looked like going back up. |
It would not be the end of the World if we do not get promoted this year. We would have more time to build a squad that is Premier League ready, it might be just the right amount of breathing space that McKenna and Ashton need to really prove their mettle.
As for the teams getting relegated into the Second tier at the end of this season there is still the possibility that two of them could be Everton and Forest with significant restrictions on the way they operate after points deductions. We didn't go up in the first season McKenna took charge but we got all manner of things put right, two years in this division could see yet more strengths added. |  |
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| What is it with us? on 18:49 - Feb 19 with 2337 views | gainsboroughblue |
The main difference this year with the relegated teams is that there were three very established Premier League clubs. Leeds to a lesser extent but there was nobody akin to a Huddersfield from 18/19 for example.
Look at last year's relegated bunch. Obviously Burnley were strong and won out but Norwich mid-table, now pushing for a play-off place this year, Watford mid-table and struggling this time around.
The norm of at least one or maybe two of the relegated sides struggling just hasn't happened and it's almost like the division from around 10th onwards look extremely mediocre.
Can't be stressed enough how amazingly well we have done. [Post edited 19 Feb 18:51]
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| What is it with us? on 19:17 - Feb 19 with 2240 views | NthQldITFC |
| What is it with us? on 16:04 - Feb 19 by Portmanteauxcurling |
Wouldn't you prefer for us to have finished last season and be sat in a position this season in a similar situation that Chesterfield are at the moment (relatively speaking and without the necessity of having their current manager of course) ? |
I'm not sure that you've caught my drift, but I'm damned sure that I've not caught yours! | |
| # WE ARE STEALING THE FUTURE FROM OUR CHILDREN --- WE MUST CHANGE COURSE # | | Poll: | It's driving me nuts |
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| What is it with us? on 19:52 - Feb 19 with 2157 views | Portmanteauxcurling |
| What is it with us? on 19:17 - Feb 19 by NthQldITFC |
I'm not sure that you've caught my drift, but I'm damned sure that I've not caught yours! |
I'm not sure why my drift has warranted a downvote. I was backing up the OP's last sentence by saying that in most seasons, with our points tallies, we would have finished last season streets ahead of second place and this season we would be very comfortably ahead of everyone else at this stage - preferable to having such fantastic seasons which, in normal circumstances, wouldn't have been bettered by other teams. Does this help ? | | | |
| What is it with us? on 20:53 - Feb 19 with 1984 views | NthQldITFC |
| What is it with us? on 19:52 - Feb 19 by Portmanteauxcurling |
I'm not sure why my drift has warranted a downvote. I was backing up the OP's last sentence by saying that in most seasons, with our points tallies, we would have finished last season streets ahead of second place and this season we would be very comfortably ahead of everyone else at this stage - preferable to having such fantastic seasons which, in normal circumstances, wouldn't have been bettered by other teams. Does this help ? |
Yes it does help. I was confused. Thanks for clarifying.
PS: the downvote you received was from the esteemed 'daveU' which is, I believe, held to be something of an honour! [Post edited 19 Feb 20:54]
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| # WE ARE STEALING THE FUTURE FROM OUR CHILDREN --- WE MUST CHANGE COURSE # | | Poll: | It's driving me nuts |
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| What is it with us? on 21:18 - Feb 19 with 1886 views | SmithersJones |
Knowing our luck we’ll find Man City improve further next season and we finish second in the Prem with 96 points. | | | |
| What is it with us? on 21:41 - Feb 19 with 1799 views | Rocky |
| What is it with us? on 21:18 - Feb 19 by SmithersJones |
Knowing our luck we’ll find Man City improve further next season and we finish second in the Prem with 96 points. |
McKenna out |  | | |
| What is it with us? on 22:36 - Feb 19 with 1655 views | pointofblue |
| What is it with us? on 21:18 - Feb 19 by SmithersJones |
Knowing our luck we’ll find Man City improve further next season and we finish second in the Prem with 96 points. |
Just Man City? With our luck it would be them, Liverpool and Arsenal. | |
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| What is it with us? on 22:55 - Feb 19 with 1598 views | pointofblue |
Just looking back through recent seasons, how the relegated sides have done:
2023/24 (to date): 1. Leicester (78), 2. Leeds (69), 3. Southampton (67)
2022/23: 1. Burnley (101), 11. Watford (63), 13. Norwich (62)
2021/22: 1. Fulham (90), 5. Sheffield United (75), 10. West Brom (67)
2020/21: 1. Norwich (97), 2. Watford (91), 6. Bournemouth (77)
2019/20: 4. Fulham (81), 5. Cardiff (73), 18. Huddersfield (51)
2018/19: 4. West Brom (80), 10. Swansea (65), 16. Stoke (55)
2017/18: 5. Middlesbrough (76), 18. Hull (49), 24. Sunderland (37)
2016/17: 1. Newcastle (94), 8. Norwich (70), 13. Aston Villa (62)
2015/16: 1. Burnley (93), 4. Hull (83), 12. QPR (60)
2014/15: 3. Norwich (86), 11. Cardiff (62), 17. Fulham (52)
2013/14: 4. QPR (80), 5. Wigan (73), 7. Reading (71)
So across the last ten full seasons, only once have all three relegated sides finished in the top six (20/21, which was mainly behind closed doors due to Covid). Two from three of the relegated sides finished in the top six in four of the last ten, so slightly more regularly. But, as said, to have all three relegated sides regroup and head the way is really abnormal. | |
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| What is it with us? on 00:02 - Feb 20 with 1471 views | Churchman |
| What is it with us? on 15:17 - Feb 19 by NthQldITFC |
I take your point, it is unlucky in that sense, but I'm preferring to be looking at it as us actually being really lucky to be involved in two such phenomenally high quality three- or four-way contests which are driving us to be better and better just to stay involved.
The effect of us striving to compete at such a high level is brilliant for our development process as a club, whether or not we get there this season. Which is why we shouldn't get too angsty when we have a few sub-excellent results. This ride is doing us the power of good for the next several seasons. |
Agree. Whatever happens this season, this club has made a massive step. That we are at all competitive with the relegated teams is remarkable given the disparity in wages, transfers and underpinning this, budgets. Should we miss out, I doubt any of the teams coming down will be as strong as these three next season, which bodes well for us.
Our progress can be directly compared to Plymouth and Wednesday, who were running away with L1 this time a year ago. Yet here we are. Plymouth - a good season for them and they should be more than happy with that. Wednesday? May scrape survival, which given the mess they’ve been in will be an achievement.
Us? We really were shatteringly good for L1 level last 15 games. This season? We’ve achieved all these points to date playing excellent football too. Remarkable.
Tomorrow is important. Win that and that’ll be three wins on the spin. Echoes of 12 months ago? |  | | |
| What is it with us? on 03:06 - Feb 20 with 1388 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| What is it with us? on 22:55 - Feb 19 by pointofblue |
Just looking back through recent seasons, how the relegated sides have done:
2023/24 (to date): 1. Leicester (78), 2. Leeds (69), 3. Southampton (67)
2022/23: 1. Burnley (101), 11. Watford (63), 13. Norwich (62)
2021/22: 1. Fulham (90), 5. Sheffield United (75), 10. West Brom (67)
2020/21: 1. Norwich (97), 2. Watford (91), 6. Bournemouth (77)
2019/20: 4. Fulham (81), 5. Cardiff (73), 18. Huddersfield (51)
2018/19: 4. West Brom (80), 10. Swansea (65), 16. Stoke (55)
2017/18: 5. Middlesbrough (76), 18. Hull (49), 24. Sunderland (37)
2016/17: 1. Newcastle (94), 8. Norwich (70), 13. Aston Villa (62)
2015/16: 1. Burnley (93), 4. Hull (83), 12. QPR (60)
2014/15: 3. Norwich (86), 11. Cardiff (62), 17. Fulham (52)
2013/14: 4. QPR (80), 5. Wigan (73), 7. Reading (71)
So across the last ten full seasons, only once have all three relegated sides finished in the top six (20/21, which was mainly behind closed doors due to Covid). Two from three of the relegated sides finished in the top six in four of the last ten, so slightly more regularly. But, as said, to have all three relegated sides regroup and head the way is really abnormal. |
Some proper mid table and low placed finishes amongst it as well. |  | | |
| What is it with us? on 08:02 - Feb 20 with 1180 views | Vic |
| What is it with us? on 22:55 - Feb 19 by pointofblue |
Just looking back through recent seasons, how the relegated sides have done:
2023/24 (to date): 1. Leicester (78), 2. Leeds (69), 3. Southampton (67)
2022/23: 1. Burnley (101), 11. Watford (63), 13. Norwich (62)
2021/22: 1. Fulham (90), 5. Sheffield United (75), 10. West Brom (67)
2020/21: 1. Norwich (97), 2. Watford (91), 6. Bournemouth (77)
2019/20: 4. Fulham (81), 5. Cardiff (73), 18. Huddersfield (51)
2018/19: 4. West Brom (80), 10. Swansea (65), 16. Stoke (55)
2017/18: 5. Middlesbrough (76), 18. Hull (49), 24. Sunderland (37)
2016/17: 1. Newcastle (94), 8. Norwich (70), 13. Aston Villa (62)
2015/16: 1. Burnley (93), 4. Hull (83), 12. QPR (60)
2014/15: 3. Norwich (86), 11. Cardiff (62), 17. Fulham (52)
2013/14: 4. QPR (80), 5. Wigan (73), 7. Reading (71)
So across the last ten full seasons, only once have all three relegated sides finished in the top six (20/21, which was mainly behind closed doors due to Covid). Two from three of the relegated sides finished in the top six in four of the last ten, so slightly more regularly. But, as said, to have all three relegated sides regroup and head the way is really abnormal. |
Worth noting that one of the relegated teams has won the championship the follow season on 6 occasions. |  |
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