1 Year On And We're STILL Not Much Better!

Last updated : 09 December 2002 By Rob Davies

It that time of the year again!
Now that we have just about got into the run of Christmas fixtures and we’ve STILL failed to get that elusive 4th win under our belts I thought I would check up on how we are doing compared to this time last season.

We all know what happened last season, and the struggle we had to avoid relegation after a very dull and, for the most part, uninspiring season (although looking back we did it quite easily in the end).

This season seems to be an endless run of draws, defeats and maybe most importantly, lost leads.

After doing much research I found that, despite it seeming worse now than after 20 games last season, the records aren’t that much different! Personally, I was quite shocked with what I found.

Not only are we in exactly the same place as a year ago but we have the same number of points and are 2 points off the team above us – like last season.

We have won one less than in December 2001 but have drawn 3 more which makes up the points.

However, if we look at the 2 records in the cup, they are very

Not a lot to cheer about this season
different. This season we have the appalling record of getting knocked out in the 1st round of all 3 cups whereas last year we were about to play Oldham and Wycombe in the LDV 3rd round and FA Cup 2nd round, respectively. We lost in both of those matches without scoring a goal.

So overall we are actually doing as badly as this time last season in the league, but we do have a better goal difference, which is (slightly) more reassuring to know!

So take a look at the facts for yourself and see what you think.

(Please note that this season’s figures DO NOT include the goals etc for abandoned game at Bristol City)

THIS SEASON:
Played: 20
Won: 3
Drawn: 10
Lost: 7
Goals for: 27
Goals against: 31
Goal difference: -4
League Position: 21st
Points: 19
Points between us and the team above us: 2
Points above 24th place: 4
FA Cup: Knocked out in the 1st round.
League cup: Knocked out in the 1st round.
LDV Vans Trophy: Knocked out in the 1st round.

LAST SEASON:
Played: 20
Won: 4
Drawn: 7
Lost: 9
Goals for: 25
Goals against: 35
Goal difference: -10
League Position: 21st
Points: 19
Points between us and the team above: 2
Points above 24th place: 5

Scored an own-goal at Bristol last season
FA Cup: Into the second round.
League cup: Knocked out after round 2.
LDV Vans Trophy: Into the 3rd round.

There is a strange sense of Deja-vu about all this. Not just because some of the things in that table are the same but because our 20th game last year was also an away game against Bristol City. The score was 3-2 (again) and one of City’s goals was an own goal by one of our central defenders. STRANGE!