" Our Season So Far (half season report) "

After the completion of the game today we currently stand no worse than 5th, after today’s games end, in the Championship table with 39pts out of the 69 available. We are now in our 9th season as a Championship club so how does this points haul compare to the eight pervious seasons;

Well our highest points total was 40 points during season 2010/11 with the lowest being 22 points in season 2004/05. Sadly despite having two attempts at beating that record 1 point against both Middlesbrough and Watford saw us fail to break a 50 year old record. Our average over the 9 seasons has been 34 points after 23 games.

So exactly halfway through the season we have collected our 2nd highest points total since our return to the Championship.

It is also important to appreciate that in reaching the halfway stage of the League season we have actually played 28 games which is 4 more than at the same stage last season. This is thanks to our Carling Cup Semi Final place but 15% more games is a lot and with at least 2 Carling Cup and 1 FA Cup games in the second half of the season we are looking at a minimum of 54 games which is just short of our previous maximum of 56 games.. Add a possible Carling Cup Final, further FA Cup matches and maybe 3 playoff games and we will be off the charts for any recent season in terms of games played with a real chance of hitting 60 games for this season..

What is truly remarkable about our performance to this point is that it is generally agreed that any NEW manager needs at least 3 seasons to put his mark on a club, to develop his team and to maximise the performance of his team. This season MM, his backroom team and our players have blown that theory out of the water and as a result we find ourselves in an absolutely fantastic position. If we can repeat this points haul in the second half of the season history will tell us that we WILL be in the playoffs, but a little light of the automatic positions. But that is the big question now can we repeat this points haul in the second half of the season. Ask most any Bluebirds fan and they will tell you we rarely finish a season as well as we start it. But is that actually true;

Well since our return to the Championship our highest return was 40 points during season 2010/11, and our lowest being 26 points during season 2006/07 with an average of 34 points. So if we can achieve our average points haul for the 2nd half of the season we will equal the 73 point average which normally puts a team in the playoffs.

Those figures tend to fly in the face of the opinion that we faded towards the end of the season because in 6 of the 8 season we have at least equalled our points score, in 3 seasons we have actually collected more points in the 2nd half of the season than we did in the first. On only two occasions have we collected fewer points, so why do so many of us believe we always fall away at the end of the season, perhaps it’s a feeling derived directly from our inability to get across the finishing line, failing by 1 goal to reach the playoffs, losing a playoff semi final and of course losing the playoff final.

In MM we have a passionate manager who I believe has already established a firm affinity with the fans, you only have to witness him clapping the fans at the end of the game to realise this. However football is a results game so exactly how does this team compare to those since we returned to the Championship.

To fully appreciate what MM has brought to the club it is worth looking at the official league statistics covering the areas which not only identify performance but how effective the team is against key performance criteria. The following is a comparison of our performance to date this season against the average performance of the team since the club returned to the Championship.

The comparison is I think very interesting;

If you take the number of games lost we have currently only lost 17% of the games we have played, our previous best was also 17% during season 2008/09 with the worst being 48% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 29%.

If you take our record for scoring the first goal in a game well this season we have done that in 69% of our games, our previous best was 63% during season 2010/11 with our worst performance being 39% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 48%.

If you take our record for failing to score in a game well this season we have only failed to score in 9% of our games. Our previous best performance was 19% during season 2010/11 with our worst performance being 37% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 28%.

If you look at the number of goals scored well so far this season we have scored 37 goals, our best is 41 goals scored in season 2009/10 with our worst being only 24 goals scored in season 2004/05. Our average is 34 goals.

The goals scored have also been shared amongst 17 players which is a record since our return to the Championship, beating the previous highest of 14 from season 2010/11. Our previous lowest was 11 players during season 2005/06.

To further support the statistics regarding goals scored this season we have averaged 14.78 attempts on goal each match, (both on target and off target are included in this figure), this is the highest figure since our return to the Championship. Our lowest average was 10.09 per match in season 2005/06.

If you take our record for keeping clean sheets well this season we have kept a clean sheet in 35% of our games. This matches our performance during season 2003/04 and 2009/10 with our worst record being 17% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 30%.

If you look at goals conceded well so far this season we have conceded 26 goals, our previous best was 24 goals conceded during season 2008/09 with our worst being the 31 goals conceded during season 2004/05. Our average is 27 goals.

We have also only given away, on average, 8.91 fouls per game which is the lowest figure since our return to the Championship, our previous best was 9.20 fouls per game during season 2008/09, our worst performance being 13.48 fouls per game during season 2005/06.

We have also averaged 1.30 bookings per game which whilst not being our lowest figure, that was 0.78 bookings per game during season 2008/09, it is exactly our average during the 9 seasons since our return to the Championship. However our opponents are receiving 1.74 bookings per game which is a record high figure since our return to the Championship, the lowest figure being 0.90 bookings per game in 2008/09.

When you consider we have conceded below our average number of goals, currently only 1.13 goals per game, have our best clean sheet record, have given away fewer free kicks, received only average yellow cards whilst our opponents are giving away a record number of cards it tells me we are playing a very organised and more importantly controlled game this season than at anytime since our return to the Championship..

For me huge credit must go to MM, his backroom team and of course our players for this consistent level of performance. I actually think that there are few clubs, if any, who would not at least respect us and in my opinion many more would fear the prospect of having to play us. That’s what the class of 2011-12 have brought to the table, and in my opinion, when you consider how many new players arrived at the club this summer it’s an absolutely fantastic performance.

There are however 2 statistics which have disappointed me the first being the number of points we have lost from a winning position. Currently we have lost 16 points from winning positions this season and that’s the highest total of any Championship club, maybe it’s just a reflection of the fact we have taken the lead in more games than any other club or it may be an indication of a problem hanging on to a lead.

The second is overall possession which shows this season so far we have averaged 50.00% of possession during our matches. This is the lowest averge total since our return to the Championship. Our best average being 54.58% achieved during season 2008/09. Our average has been 51.84%.

I have always thought that a team has to work harder without the ball than they do with it, so with our small squad will this mean we have an increased risk of our players running out of legs in the second half of the season. I think there is a risk and is probably the strongest indication that we need to add to our squad to reduce that risk.

There are a number of clear differences in these statistics from those achieved in previous seasons, one thing which unites most Bluebird fans and that is the work ethic and never give up attitude of our team, but for me we are so very much more than just a bunch of hardworking players who never give up. We have mental strength, consistency and reliability throughout the team.

Sadly for me there is a risk to everything that has been achieved so far this season, and that is the size of the squad, and unless our board backs the manager with at least another 2 players, better still with 4 players the number of games, injuries and suspensions will catch up with us. If you accept my view that this team is working harder because of the lower level of possession then this must be dealt with. I hope the board don’t expect MM to work with one hand tied behind his back because in my opinion he has started well, his team has started well and he will deliver the goods if he is backed.

In an average Championship season a club will require 73 points to reach the playoffs so in an average season we now require 34 points from the 69 available to reach the playoffs, it could be as low as 31 because Blackpool reached the playoffs with 70 points. I know many think we are at risk of dropping off to a midtable position, or 10th place as many have suggested. Well on average 10th place is achieved with 64 points so for us to finish 10th, in an average season, we will have to collect only 26 out of the 69 points available. Although we have done exactly that during season 2006/07 I just cannot see that happening this season, but you never know, but my prediction is that we will finish in the playoffs but no higher.

Our squad is to small to make a sustained push for the automatics as in an average season you need 86 points to gain automatic promotion, it has been as low as 79 or as high as 91 so we will need to gain 47 points out of 69 available. I would love to see it but that would be a matter of blind faith and I just can’t see it.

There is a well known saying that it’s not the size of the dog that matters in a fight but the amount of fight in the dog. Well our squad has plenty of fight in it, and no small amount of quality, but history will tell you we are light on numbers so put that right and I think that just maybe 2011/12 can be the year we achieve the dream of PL Football.

Through the playoffs though.

Gary, thank you for a fantastic up to date report on our season so far and then going in to more details of our last 9 years.

Its quite fascinating and full of detailed facts and your comments I agree with, say regarding a manager needs at least 3 years, it took Jones 5 years to make the play offs.

Gary, thank you for a fantastic up to date report on our season so far and then going in to more details of our last 9 years.

Its quite fascinating and full of detailed facts and your comments I agree with, say regarding a manager needs at least 3 years, it took Jones 5 years to make the play offs.

Thanks Annis and the facts certainly demonstrate what a fantastic position we are in this season. Remember this time last year when we couldn't buy a win. Although we beat Conventry on Boxing day we went on to lose badly at Watford and the Wurzels.

This season we are just 1 point behind the "That team" from last season and overall we are undefeated in 83% of our League matches, compared to last seasons 74%.

It's all about building the squad now for the run in to the season and doing it with loans if that's what it takes. For me we need players who are better than Mason and Gestede to give MM better options. Nothing against Mason or Gestede as both have done well this season, but we need better and we need to get them without breaking the bank.

Do that and I think MM will not only get us into the playoffs but promoted.

I truely believe that.

Gary, thank you for a fantastic up to date report on our season so far and then going in to more details of our last 9 years.

Its quite fascinating and full of detailed facts and your comments I agree with, say regarding a manager needs at least 3 years, it took Jones 5 years to make the play offs.

Thanks Annis and the facts certainly demonstrate what a fantastic position we are in this season. Remember this time last year when we couldn't buy a win. Although we beat Conventry on Boxing day we went on to lose badly at Watford and the Wurzels.

This season we are just 1 point behind the "That team" from last season and overall we are undefeated in 83% of our League matches, compared to last seasons 74%.

It's all about building the squad now for the run in to the season and doing it with loans if that's what it takes. For me we need players who are better than Mason and Gestede to give MM better options. Nothing against Mason or Gestede as both have done well this season, but we need better and we need to get them without breaking the bank.

Do that and I think MM will not only get us into the playoffs but promoted.

I truely believe that.

Spot on in my opinion Gary, Gestede and Mason are just squad players for the present time, we need a few more players of a higher quality.

Great read as always Gary - Agree with the facts we need new players,along with many of your points and views.

Gary, thank you for a fantastic up to date report on our season so far and then going in to more details of our last 9 years.

Its quite fascinating and full of detailed facts and your comments I agree with, say regarding a manager needs at least 3 years, it took Jones 5 years to make the play offs.

i agree excellent report thanks for the time castleblue

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news folks, but heard from a good source witnin the city Bankers that Cardiff have not got a lot of money floating around. The wages are paid right on the limit every month, and sometimes it.s very tight. There will not be any big signings in January, mostly loans, but not many.
But it is not all doom and gloom, the bank is now happier the way the club is now being run, and that is because Risdale has left.
We are being run on a more proffessional basis, and the financial guys are happy, because that's the way football cubs should be run, as long as we go along those lines, money won,t be as tight and eventually the. Purse strings will be loosened.
By the way they are really pleased by the way the Jacks run their club, they think they are real proffessionals, not my words but my source, I cannot name the source and I won,t but I know him to be at a high level in the bank..

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news folks, but heard from a good source witnin the city Bankers that Cardiff have not got a lot of money floating around. The wages are paid right on the limit every month, and sometimes it.s very tight. There will not be any big signings in January, mostly loans, but not many.
But it is not all doom and gloom, the bank is now happier the way the club is now being run, and that is because Risdale has left.
We are being run on a more proffessional basis, and the financial guys are happy, because that's the way football cubs should be run, as long as we go along those lines, money won,t be as tight and eventually the. Purse strings will be loosened.
By the way they are really pleased by the way the Jacks run their club, they think they are real proffessionals, not my words but my source, I cannot name the source and I won,t but I know him to be at a high level in the bank..

so basically the wages and tax bills are being paid on time and the club is on a tight budget but being run properly.
where's the bad news in that when 18 months ago we were continually hearing about players not being paid on time and constant threats from the HMRC.
I wonder how many clubs in the football league struggle with the same bad news you mention every month

I don,t write bad news every month, it.s not that often I come on here and write a post, now I know why, all I was pointing out was don,t expect expensive signings, because we have,nt got the money as some people seem to think we have, or think that all they have to do is tell the Malasians to get their check books out and spend their money.L

After the completion of the game today we currently stand no worse than 5th, after today’s games end, in the Championship table with 39pts out of the 69 available. We are now in our 9th season as a Championship club so how does this points haul compare to the eight pervious seasons;

Well our highest points total was 40 points during season 2010/11 with the lowest being 22 points in season 2004/05. Sadly despite having two attempts at beating that record 1 point against both Middlesbrough and Watford saw us fail to break a 50 year old record. Our average over the 9 seasons has been 34 points after 23 games.

So exactly halfway through the season we have collected our 2nd highest points total since our return to the Championship.

It is also important to appreciate that in reaching the halfway stage of the League season we have actually played 28 games which is 4 more than at the same stage last season. This is thanks to our Carling Cup Semi Final place but 15% more games is a lot and with at least 2 Carling Cup and 1 FA Cup games in the second half of the season we are looking at a minimum of 54 games which is just short of our previous maximum of 56 games.. Add a possible Carling Cup Final, further FA Cup matches and maybe 3 playoff games and we will be off the charts for any recent season in terms of games played with a real chance of hitting 60 games for this season..

What is truly remarkable about our performance to this point is that it is generally agreed that any NEW manager needs at least 3 seasons to put his mark on a club, to develop his team and to maximise the performance of his team. This season MM, his backroom team and our players have blown that theory out of the water and as a result we find ourselves in an absolutely fantastic position. If we can repeat this points haul in the second half of the season history will tell us that we WILL be in the playoffs, but a little light of the automatic positions. But that is the big question now can we repeat this points haul in the second half of the season. Ask most any Bluebirds fan and they will tell you we rarely finish a season as well as we start it. But is that actually true;

Well since our return to the Championship our highest return was 40 points during season 2010/11, and our lowest being 26 points during season 2006/07 with an average of 34 points. So if we can achieve our average points haul for the 2nd half of the season we will equal the 73 point average which normally puts a team in the playoffs.

Those figures tend to fly in the face of the opinion that we faded towards the end of the season because in 6 of the 8 season we have at least equalled our points score, in 3 seasons we have actually collected more points in the 2nd half of the season than we did in the first. On only two occasions have we collected fewer points, so why do so many of us believe we always fall away at the end of the season, perhaps it’s a feeling derived directly from our inability to get across the finishing line, failing by 1 goal to reach the playoffs, losing a playoff semi final and of course losing the playoff final.

In MM we have a passionate manager who I believe has already established a firm affinity with the fans, you only have to witness him clapping the fans at the end of the game to realise this. However football is a results game so exactly how does this team compare to those since we returned to the Championship.

To fully appreciate what MM has brought to the club it is worth looking at the official league statistics covering the areas which not only identify performance but how effective the team is against key performance criteria. The following is a comparison of our performance to date this season against the average performance of the team since the club returned to the Championship.

The comparison is I think very interesting;

If you take the number of games lost we have currently only lost 17% of the games we have played, our previous best was also 17% during season 2008/09 with the worst being 48% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 29%.

If you take our record for scoring the first goal in a game well this season we have done that in 69% of our games, our previous best was 63% during season 2010/11 with our worst performance being 39% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 48%.

If you take our record for failing to score in a game well this season we have only failed to score in 9% of our games. Our previous best performance was 19% during season 2010/11 with our worst performance being 37% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 28%.

If you look at the number of goals scored well so far this season we have scored 37 goals, our best is 41 goals scored in season 2009/10 with our worst being only 24 goals scored in season 2004/05. Our average is 34 goals.

The goals scored have also been shared amongst 17 players which is a record since our return to the Championship, beating the previous highest of 14 from season 2010/11. Our previous lowest was 11 players during season 2005/06.

To further support the statistics regarding goals scored this season we have averaged 14.78 attempts on goal each match, (both on target and off target are included in this figure), this is the highest figure since our return to the Championship. Our lowest average was 10.09 per match in season 2005/06.

If you take our record for keeping clean sheets well this season we have kept a clean sheet in 35% of our games. This matches our performance during season 2003/04 and 2009/10 with our worst record being 17% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 30%.

If you look at goals conceded well so far this season we have conceded 26 goals, our previous best was 24 goals conceded during season 2008/09 with our worst being the 31 goals conceded during season 2004/05. Our average is 27 goals.

We have also only given away, on average, 8.91 fouls per game which is the lowest figure since our return to the Championship, our previous best was 9.20 fouls per game during season 2008/09, our worst performance being 13.48 fouls per game during season 2005/06.

We have also averaged 1.30 bookings per game which whilst not being our lowest figure, that was 0.78 bookings per game during season 2008/09, it is exactly our average during the 9 seasons since our return to the Championship. However our opponents are receiving 1.74 bookings per game which is a record high figure since our return to the Championship, the lowest figure being 0.90 bookings per game in 2008/09.

When you consider we have conceded below our average number of goals, currently only 1.13 goals per game, have our best clean sheet record, have given away fewer free kicks, received only average yellow cards whilst our opponents are giving away a record number of cards it tells me we are playing a very organised and more importantly controlled game this season than at anytime since our return to the Championship..

For me huge credit must go to MM, his backroom team and of course our players for this consistent level of performance. I actually think that there are few clubs, if any, who would not at least respect us and in my opinion many more would fear the prospect of having to play us. That’s what the class of 2011-12 have brought to the table, and in my opinion, when you consider how many new players arrived at the club this summer it’s an absolutely fantastic performance.

There are however 2 statistics which have disappointed me the first being the number of points we have lost from a winning position. Currently we have lost 16 points from winning positions this season and that’s the highest total of any Championship club, maybe it’s just a reflection of the fact we have taken the lead in more games than any other club or it may be an indication of a problem hanging on to a lead.

The second is overall possession which shows this season so far we have averaged 50.00% of possession during our matches. This is the lowest averge total since our return to the Championship. Our best average being 54.58% achieved during season 2008/09. Our average has been 51.84%.

I have always thought that a team has to work harder without the ball than they do with it, so with our small squad will this mean we have an increased risk of our players running out of legs in the second half of the season. I think there is a risk and is probably the strongest indication that we need to add to our squad to reduce that risk.

There are a number of clear differences in these statistics from those achieved in previous seasons, one thing which unites most Bluebird fans and that is the work ethic and never give up attitude of our team, but for me we are so very much more than just a bunch of hardworking players who never give up. We have mental strength, consistency and reliability throughout the team.

Sadly for me there is a risk to everything that has been achieved so far this season, and that is the size of the squad, and unless our board backs the manager with at least another 2 players, better still with 4 players the number of games, injuries and suspensions will catch up with us. If you accept my view that this team is working harder because of the lower level of possession then this must be dealt with. I hope the board don’t expect MM to work with one hand tied behind his back because in my opinion he has started well, his team has started well and he will deliver the goods if he is backed.

In an average Championship season a club will require 73 points to reach the playoffs so in an average season we now require 34 points from the 69 available to reach the playoffs, it could be as low as 31 because Blackpool reached the playoffs with 70 points. I know many think we are at risk of dropping off to a midtable position, or 10th place as many have suggested. Well on average 10th place is achieved with 64 points so for us to finish 10th, in an average season, we will have to collect only 26 out of the 69 points available. Although we have done exactly that during season 2006/07 I just cannot see that happening this season, but you never know, but my prediction is that we will finish in the playoffs but no higher.

Our squad is to small to make a sustained push for the automatics as in an average season you need 86 points to gain automatic promotion, it has been as low as 79 or as high as 91 so we will need to gain 47 points out of 69 available. I would love to see it but that would be a matter of blind faith and I just can’t see it.

There is a well known saying that it’s not the size of the dog that matters in a fight but the amount of fight in the dog. Well our squad has plenty of fight in it, and no small amount of quality, but history will tell you we are light on numbers so put that right and I think that just maybe 2011/12 can be the year we achieve the dream of PL Football.

Through the playoffs though.

99% of respondants think this is an excellent post

I don,t write bad news every month, it.s not that often I come on here and write a post, now I know why, all I was pointing out was don,t expect expensive signings, because we have,nt got the money as some people seem to think we have, or think that all they have to do is tell the Malasians to get their check books out and spend their money.L

i wasent having a pop jeff and you misunderstood the every month bit where i meant clubs problems every month
personally i hope malky dosent sign anybody for the sake of it as there is never any real quality players available in january.
i would rather finish mid table and consolidate and then bring 4 or 5 quality players in in the summer to make our squad capable of automatics

I don,t write bad news every month, it.s not that often I come on here and write a post, now I know why, all I was pointing out was don,t expect expensive signings, because we have,nt got the money as some people seem to think we have, or think that all they have to do is tell the Malasians to get their check books out and spend their money.L

i wasent having a pop jeff and you misunderstood the every month bit where i meant clubs problems every month
personally i hope malky dosent sign anybody for the sake of it as there is never any real quality players available in january.
i would rather finish mid table and consolidate and then bring 4 or 5 quality players in in the summer to make our squad capable of automatics

Steve that is my thinking. Stregthening in the January window as a means of 'pushing on' for promotion is a bit of myth (started by Dave Jones) and when we look at what we brought in last year then I think I have a point.

IMO the January window is a bit of a magical roundabout where players who are not getting a look in are off loaded on loan and replaced by likewise from other clubs.

Any major changes to the squad should happen in the summer which is the primary transfer window.

1/2 way through the season and only 5 points behind automatic promotion. So we are still in the mix. A bit of decent support from the board early in January and I think Malky is capable of pulling off the impossible i.e. Promotion in his first season as manager.

I agree with quite a lot that has been said, I have been watching the city since 1955, the last 20 years as a season ticket holder since I could afford it on a regular basis, and before that when I could afford it, a book containing my match tickets which were little stubs ripped out for every match, so I'v, see lots of things that's gone on with the club over many years. I wouldn't,t say that this was the most successful time, because as far as I,m concerned 1959,1960,1961, was but! There is one thing I have noticed and that is the amount of fans that only come when the team is doing well or we are playing a top club, these fans drop off like flies when we are unsuccessful, I would hope we finish in the top two this year, if not the top six, barring that a failed play off final, because if we don,t do any of these things, and we can only do that by buying the most affordable that Malky can buy, then a lot of the finicky fans will not buy season tickets next year, and only come on a match to match basis, and to me that will be a problem, because Nonian Park used to generate it,s own atmosphere but the new stadium does not, it has to be packed with nearly a full house to make the atmosphere as good as it should be and even then we struggle. So it,s just not about balancing the books, but it,s also about keeping the punters happy, something that is very difficult to do in a football cub.

If I was a tutor I would give the original post an A+.

However I'm not, so you get a c-

I don,t write bad news every month, it.s not that often I come on here and write a post, now I know why, all I was pointing out was don,t expect expensive signings, because we have,nt got the money as some people seem to think we have, or think that all they have to do is tell the Malasians to get their check books out and spend their money.L

i wasent having a pop jeff and you misunderstood the every month bit where i meant clubs problems every month
personally i hope malky dosent sign anybody for the sake of it as there is never any real quality players available in january.
i would rather finish mid table and consolidate and then bring 4 or 5 quality players in in the summer to make our squad capable of automatics

THIS ^^^^^^

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news folks, but heard from a good source witnin the city Bankers that Cardiff have not got a lot of money floating around. The wages are paid right on the limit every month, and sometimes it.s very tight. There will not be any big signings in January, mostly loans, but not many.
But it is not all doom and gloom, the bank is now happier the way the club is now being run, and that is because Risdale has left.
We are being run on a more proffessional basis, and the financial guys are happy, because that's the way football cubs should be run, as long as we go along those lines, money won,t be as tight and eventually the. Purse strings will be loosened.
By the way they are really pleased by the way the Jacks run their club, they think they are real proffessionals, not my words but my source, I cannot name the source and I won,t but I know him to be at a high level in the bank..

Been saying it for months and people wouldn't believe me.

Been saying what?? All you have said is that 'The Malaysians arent committed and are
planning to do one, because they are chancers'.

The wages are paid right on the limit every month?? Sometimes its very tight?

Well ive never worked for a single company in my life where the boss has said "we're
doing really well this year so im going to pay you two days early!"

Show me ONE post where anyone has said we'll be getting a big signing in January.

As per usual you just CANNOT see how positive the original posters statement really is.
He is saying that THE CITY are pleased with how the Club is being run. These are the
fellers who run the Country, if their happy, then so should we be.

Then again, when Tan does a runner in the summer, we'll all have egg on our faces except you

After the completion of the game today we currently stand no worse than 5th, after today’s games end, in the Championship table with 39pts out of the 69 available. We are now in our 9th season as a Championship club so how does this points haul compare to the eight pervious seasons;

Well our highest points total was 40 points during season 2010/11 with the lowest being 22 points in season 2004/05. Sadly despite having two attempts at beating that record 1 point against both Middlesbrough and Watford saw us fail to break a 50 year old record. Our average over the 9 seasons has been 34 points after 23 games.

So exactly halfway through the season we have collected our 2nd highest points total since our return to the Championship.

It is also important to appreciate that in reaching the halfway stage of the League season we have actually played 28 games which is 4 more than at the same stage last season. This is thanks to our Carling Cup Semi Final place but 15% more games is a lot and with at least 2 Carling Cup and 1 FA Cup games in the second half of the season we are looking at a minimum of 54 games which is just short of our previous maximum of 56 games.. Add a possible Carling Cup Final, further FA Cup matches and maybe 3 playoff games and we will be off the charts for any recent season in terms of games played with a real chance of hitting 60 games for this season..

What is truly remarkable about our performance to this point is that it is generally agreed that any NEW manager needs at least 3 seasons to put his mark on a club, to develop his team and to maximise the performance of his team. This season MM, his backroom team and our players have blown that theory out of the water and as a result we find ourselves in an absolutely fantastic position. If we can repeat this points haul in the second half of the season history will tell us that we WILL be in the playoffs, but a little light of the automatic positions. But that is the big question now can we repeat this points haul in the second half of the season. Ask most any Bluebirds fan and they will tell you we rarely finish a season as well as we start it. But is that actually true;

Well since our return to the Championship our highest return was 40 points during season 2010/11, and our lowest being 26 points during season 2006/07 with an average of 34 points. So if we can achieve our average points haul for the 2nd half of the season we will equal the 73 point average which normally puts a team in the playoffs.

Those figures tend to fly in the face of the opinion that we faded towards the end of the season because in 6 of the 8 season we have at least equalled our points score, in 3 seasons we have actually collected more points in the 2nd half of the season than we did in the first. On only two occasions have we collected fewer points, so why do so many of us believe we always fall away at the end of the season, perhaps it’s a feeling derived directly from our inability to get across the finishing line, failing by 1 goal to reach the playoffs, losing a playoff semi final and of course losing the playoff final.

In MM we have a passionate manager who I believe has already established a firm affinity with the fans, you only have to witness him clapping the fans at the end of the game to realise this. However football is a results game so exactly how does this team compare to those since we returned to the Championship.

To fully appreciate what MM has brought to the club it is worth looking at the official league statistics covering the areas which not only identify performance but how effective the team is against key performance criteria. The following is a comparison of our performance to date this season against the average performance of the team since the club returned to the Championship.

The comparison is I think very interesting;

If you take the number of games lost we have currently only lost 17% of the games we have played, our previous best was also 17% during season 2008/09 with the worst being 48% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 29%.

If you take our record for scoring the first goal in a game well this season we have done that in 69% of our games, our previous best was 63% during season 2010/11 with our worst performance being 39% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 48%.

If you take our record for failing to score in a game well this season we have only failed to score in 9% of our games. Our previous best performance was 19% during season 2010/11 with our worst performance being 37% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 28%.

If you look at the number of goals scored well so far this season we have scored 37 goals, our best is 41 goals scored in season 2009/10 with our worst being only 24 goals scored in season 2004/05. Our average is 34 goals.

The goals scored have also been shared amongst 17 players which is a record since our return to the Championship, beating the previous highest of 14 from season 2010/11. Our previous lowest was 11 players during season 2005/06.

To further support the statistics regarding goals scored this season we have averaged 14.78 attempts on goal each match, (both on target and off target are included in this figure), this is the highest figure since our return to the Championship. Our lowest average was 10.09 per match in season 2005/06.

If you take our record for keeping clean sheets well this season we have kept a clean sheet in 35% of our games. This matches our performance during season 2003/04 and 2009/10 with our worst record being 17% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 30%.

If you look at goals conceded well so far this season we have conceded 26 goals, our previous best was 24 goals conceded during season 2008/09 with our worst being the 31 goals conceded during season 2004/05. Our average is 27 goals.

We have also only given away, on average, 8.91 fouls per game which is the lowest figure since our return to the Championship, our previous best was 9.20 fouls per game during season 2008/09, our worst performance being 13.48 fouls per game during season 2005/06.

We have also averaged 1.30 bookings per game which whilst not being our lowest figure, that was 0.78 bookings per game during season 2008/09, it is exactly our average during the 9 seasons since our return to the Championship. However our opponents are receiving 1.74 bookings per game which is a record high figure since our return to the Championship, the lowest figure being 0.90 bookings per game in 2008/09.

When you consider we have conceded below our average number of goals, currently only 1.13 goals per game, have our best clean sheet record, have given away fewer free kicks, received only average yellow cards whilst our opponents are giving away a record number of cards it tells me we are playing a very organised and more importantly controlled game this season than at anytime since our return to the Championship..

For me huge credit must go to MM, his backroom team and of course our players for this consistent level of performance. I actually think that there are few clubs, if any, who would not at least respect us and in my opinion many more would fear the prospect of having to play us. That’s what the class of 2011-12 have brought to the table, and in my opinion, when you consider how many new players arrived at the club this summer it’s an absolutely fantastic performance.

There are however 2 statistics which have disappointed me the first being the number of points we have lost from a winning position. Currently we have lost 16 points from winning positions this season and that’s the highest total of any Championship club, maybe it’s just a reflection of the fact we have taken the lead in more games than any other club or it may be an indication of a problem hanging on to a lead.

The second is overall possession which shows this season so far we have averaged 50.00% of possession during our matches. This is the lowest averge total since our return to the Championship. Our best average being 54.58% achieved during season 2008/09. Our average has been 51.84%.

I have always thought that a team has to work harder without the ball than they do with it, so with our small squad will this mean we have an increased risk of our players running out of legs in the second half of the season. I think there is a risk and is probably the strongest indication that we need to add to our squad to reduce that risk.

There are a number of clear differences in these statistics from those achieved in previous seasons, one thing which unites most Bluebird fans and that is the work ethic and never give up attitude of our team, but for me we are so very much more than just a bunch of hardworking players who never give up. We have mental strength, consistency and reliability throughout the team.

Sadly for me there is a risk to everything that has been achieved so far this season, and that is the size of the squad, and unless our board backs the manager with at least another 2 players, better still with 4 players the number of games, injuries and suspensions will catch up with us. If you accept my view that this team is working harder because of the lower level of possession then this must be dealt with. I hope the board don’t expect MM to work with one hand tied behind his back because in my opinion he has started well, his team has started well and he will deliver the goods if he is backed.

In an average Championship season a club will require 73 points to reach the playoffs so in an average season we now require 34 points from the 69 available to reach the playoffs, it could be as low as 31 because Blackpool reached the playoffs with 70 points. I know many think we are at risk of dropping off to a midtable position, or 10th place as many have suggested. Well on average 10th place is achieved with 64 points so for us to finish 10th, in an average season, we will have to collect only 26 out of the 69 points available. Although we have done exactly that during season 2006/07 I just cannot see that happening this season, but you never know, but my prediction is that we will finish in the playoffs but no higher.

Our squad is to small to make a sustained push for the automatics as in an average season you need 86 points to gain automatic promotion, it has been as low as 79 or as high as 91 so we will need to gain 47 points out of 69 available. I would love to see it but that would be a matter of blind faith and I just can’t see it.

There is a well known saying that it’s not the size of the dog that matters in a fight but the amount of fight in the dog. Well our squad has plenty of fight in it, and no small amount of quality, but history will tell you we are light on numbers so put that right and I think that just maybe 2011/12 can be the year we achieve the dream of PL Football.

Through the playoffs though.

Brilliant report by the way feller

I just have this image of your missus in a sexy negligee "come to bed big boy
im waiting for you!"

..."gimme another hour love, just got these away goals scored in the final 5 minutes stats
to get squared away!"

After the completion of the game today we currently stand no worse than 5th, after today’s games end, in the Championship table with 39pts out of the 69 available. We are now in our 9th season as a Championship club so how does this points haul compare to the eight pervious seasons;

Well our highest points total was 40 points during season 2010/11 with the lowest being 22 points in season 2004/05. Sadly despite having two attempts at beating that record 1 point against both Middlesbrough and Watford saw us fail to break a 50 year old record. Our average over the 9 seasons has been 34 points after 23 games.

So exactly halfway through the season we have collected our 2nd highest points total since our return to the Championship.

It is also important to appreciate that in reaching the halfway stage of the League season we have actually played 28 games which is 4 more than at the same stage last season. This is thanks to our Carling Cup Semi Final place but 15% more games is a lot and with at least 2 Carling Cup and 1 FA Cup games in the second half of the season we are looking at a minimum of 54 games which is just short of our previous maximum of 56 games.. Add a possible Carling Cup Final, further FA Cup matches and maybe 3 playoff games and we will be off the charts for any recent season in terms of games played with a real chance of hitting 60 games for this season..

What is truly remarkable about our performance to this point is that it is generally agreed that any NEW manager needs at least 3 seasons to put his mark on a club, to develop his team and to maximise the performance of his team. This season MM, his backroom team and our players have blown that theory out of the water and as a result we find ourselves in an absolutely fantastic position. If we can repeat this points haul in the second half of the season history will tell us that we WILL be in the playoffs, but a little light of the automatic positions. But that is the big question now can we repeat this points haul in the second half of the season. Ask most any Bluebirds fan and they will tell you we rarely finish a season as well as we start it. But is that actually true;

Well since our return to the Championship our highest return was 40 points during season 2010/11, and our lowest being 26 points during season 2006/07 with an average of 34 points. So if we can achieve our average points haul for the 2nd half of the season we will equal the 73 point average which normally puts a team in the playoffs.

Those figures tend to fly in the face of the opinion that we faded towards the end of the season because in 6 of the 8 season we have at least equalled our points score, in 3 seasons we have actually collected more points in the 2nd half of the season than we did in the first. On only two occasions have we collected fewer points, so why do so many of us believe we always fall away at the end of the season, perhaps it’s a feeling derived directly from our inability to get across the finishing line, failing by 1 goal to reach the playoffs, losing a playoff semi final and of course losing the playoff final.

In MM we have a passionate manager who I believe has already established a firm affinity with the fans, you only have to witness him clapping the fans at the end of the game to realise this. However football is a results game so exactly how does this team compare to those since we returned to the Championship.

To fully appreciate what MM has brought to the club it is worth looking at the official league statistics covering the areas which not only identify performance but how effective the team is against key performance criteria. The following is a comparison of our performance to date this season against the average performance of the team since the club returned to the Championship.

The comparison is I think very interesting;

If you take the number of games lost we have currently only lost 17% of the games we have played, our previous best was also 17% during season 2008/09 with the worst being 48% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 29%.

If you take our record for scoring the first goal in a game well this season we have done that in 69% of our games, our previous best was 63% during season 2010/11 with our worst performance being 39% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 48%.

If you take our record for failing to score in a game well this season we have only failed to score in 9% of our games. Our previous best performance was 19% during season 2010/11 with our worst performance being 37% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 28%.

If you look at the number of goals scored well so far this season we have scored 37 goals, our best is 41 goals scored in season 2009/10 with our worst being only 24 goals scored in season 2004/05. Our average is 34 goals.

The goals scored have also been shared amongst 17 players which is a record since our return to the Championship, beating the previous highest of 14 from season 2010/11. Our previous lowest was 11 players during season 2005/06.

To further support the statistics regarding goals scored this season we have averaged 14.78 attempts on goal each match, (both on target and off target are included in this figure), this is the highest figure since our return to the Championship. Our lowest average was 10.09 per match in season 2005/06.

If you take our record for keeping clean sheets well this season we have kept a clean sheet in 35% of our games. This matches our performance during season 2003/04 and 2009/10 with our worst record being 17% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 30%.

If you look at goals conceded well so far this season we have conceded 26 goals, our previous best was 24 goals conceded during season 2008/09 with our worst being the 31 goals conceded during season 2004/05. Our average is 27 goals.

We have also only given away, on average, 8.91 fouls per game which is the lowest figure since our return to the Championship, our previous best was 9.20 fouls per game during season 2008/09, our worst performance being 13.48 fouls per game during season 2005/06.

We have also averaged 1.30 bookings per game which whilst not being our lowest figure, that was 0.78 bookings per game during season 2008/09, it is exactly our average during the 9 seasons since our return to the Championship. However our opponents are receiving 1.74 bookings per game which is a record high figure since our return to the Championship, the lowest figure being 0.90 bookings per game in 2008/09.

When you consider we have conceded below our average number of goals, currently only 1.13 goals per game, have our best clean sheet record, have given away fewer free kicks, received only average yellow cards whilst our opponents are giving away a record number of cards it tells me we are playing a very organised and more importantly controlled game this season than at anytime since our return to the Championship..

For me huge credit must go to MM, his backroom team and of course our players for this consistent level of performance. I actually think that there are few clubs, if any, who would not at least respect us and in my opinion many more would fear the prospect of having to play us. That’s what the class of 2011-12 have brought to the table, and in my opinion, when you consider how many new players arrived at the club this summer it’s an absolutely fantastic performance.

There are however 2 statistics which have disappointed me the first being the number of points we have lost from a winning position. Currently we have lost 16 points from winning positions this season and that’s the highest total of any Championship club, maybe it’s just a reflection of the fact we have taken the lead in more games than any other club or it may be an indication of a problem hanging on to a lead.

The second is overall possession which shows this season so far we have averaged 50.00% of possession during our matches. This is the lowest averge total since our return to the Championship. Our best average being 54.58% achieved during season 2008/09. Our average has been 51.84%.

I have always thought that a team has to work harder without the ball than they do with it, so with our small squad will this mean we have an increased risk of our players running out of legs in the second half of the season. I think there is a risk and is probably the strongest indication that we need to add to our squad to reduce that risk.

There are a number of clear differences in these statistics from those achieved in previous seasons, one thing which unites most Bluebird fans and that is the work ethic and never give up attitude of our team, but for me we are so very much more than just a bunch of hardworking players who never give up. We have mental strength, consistency and reliability throughout the team.

Sadly for me there is a risk to everything that has been achieved so far this season, and that is the size of the squad, and unless our board backs the manager with at least another 2 players, better still with 4 players the number of games, injuries and suspensions will catch up with us. If you accept my view that this team is working harder because of the lower level of possession then this must be dealt with. I hope the board don’t expect MM to work with one hand tied behind his back because in my opinion he has started well, his team has started well and he will deliver the goods if he is backed.

In an average Championship season a club will require 73 points to reach the playoffs so in an average season we now require 34 points from the 69 available to reach the playoffs, it could be as low as 31 because Blackpool reached the playoffs with 70 points. I know many think we are at risk of dropping off to a midtable position, or 10th place as many have suggested. Well on average 10th place is achieved with 64 points so for us to finish 10th, in an average season, we will have to collect only 26 out of the 69 points available. Although we have done exactly that during season 2006/07 I just cannot see that happening this season, but you never know, but my prediction is that we will finish in the playoffs but no higher.

Our squad is to small to make a sustained push for the automatics as in an average season you need 86 points to gain automatic promotion, it has been as low as 79 or as high as 91 so we will need to gain 47 points out of 69 available. I would love to see it but that would be a matter of blind faith and I just can’t see it.

There is a well known saying that it’s not the size of the dog that matters in a fight but the amount of fight in the dog. Well our squad has plenty of fight in it, and no small amount of quality, but history will tell you we are light on numbers so put that right and I think that just maybe 2011/12 can be the year we achieve the dream of PL Football.

Through the playoffs though.

Brilliant report by the way feller

I just have this image of your missus in a sexy negligee "come to bed big boy
im waiting for you!"

..."gimme another hour love, just got these away goals scored in the final 5 minutes stats
to get squared away!"

Thanks Taff it's always nice to see other people appreciate the work that goes into statistical analysis. But sorry mate as much as I would love the senario you imagined about my missus sadly the reality nowadays is she is more likely stood over me saying;

Hay daftlad strongbow is on rollback over Asda'a get your car keys out.

After the completion of the game today we currently stand no worse than 5th, after today’s games end, in the Championship table with 39pts out of the 69 available. We are now in our 9th season as a Championship club so how does this points haul compare to the eight pervious seasons;

Well our highest points total was 40 points during season 2010/11 with the lowest being 22 points in season 2004/05. Sadly despite having two attempts at beating that record 1 point against both Middlesbrough and Watford saw us fail to break a 50 year old record. Our average over the 9 seasons has been 34 points after 23 games.

So exactly halfway through the season we have collected our 2nd highest points total since our return to the Championship.

It is also important to appreciate that in reaching the halfway stage of the League season we have actually played 28 games which is 4 more than at the same stage last season. This is thanks to our Carling Cup Semi Final place but 15% more games is a lot and with at least 2 Carling Cup and 1 FA Cup games in the second half of the season we are looking at a minimum of 54 games which is just short of our previous maximum of 56 games.. Add a possible Carling Cup Final, further FA Cup matches and maybe 3 playoff games and we will be off the charts for any recent season in terms of games played with a real chance of hitting 60 games for this season..

What is truly remarkable about our performance to this point is that it is generally agreed that any NEW manager needs at least 3 seasons to put his mark on a club, to develop his team and to maximise the performance of his team. This season MM, his backroom team and our players have blown that theory out of the water and as a result we find ourselves in an absolutely fantastic position. If we can repeat this points haul in the second half of the season history will tell us that we WILL be in the playoffs, but a little light of the automatic positions. But that is the big question now can we repeat this points haul in the second half of the season. Ask most any Bluebirds fan and they will tell you we rarely finish a season as well as we start it. But is that actually true;

Well since our return to the Championship our highest return was 40 points during season 2010/11, and our lowest being 26 points during season 2006/07 with an average of 34 points. So if we can achieve our average points haul for the 2nd half of the season we will equal the 73 point average which normally puts a team in the playoffs.

Those figures tend to fly in the face of the opinion that we faded towards the end of the season because in 6 of the 8 season we have at least equalled our points score, in 3 seasons we have actually collected more points in the 2nd half of the season than we did in the first. On only two occasions have we collected fewer points, so why do so many of us believe we always fall away at the end of the season, perhaps it’s a feeling derived directly from our inability to get across the finishing line, failing by 1 goal to reach the playoffs, losing a playoff semi final and of course losing the playoff final.

In MM we have a passionate manager who I believe has already established a firm affinity with the fans, you only have to witness him clapping the fans at the end of the game to realise this. However football is a results game so exactly how does this team compare to those since we returned to the Championship.

To fully appreciate what MM has brought to the club it is worth looking at the official league statistics covering the areas which not only identify performance but how effective the team is against key performance criteria. The following is a comparison of our performance to date this season against the average performance of the team since the club returned to the Championship.

The comparison is I think very interesting;

If you take the number of games lost we have currently only lost 17% of the games we have played, our previous best was also 17% during season 2008/09 with the worst being 48% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 29%.

If you take our record for scoring the first goal in a game well this season we have done that in 69% of our games, our previous best was 63% during season 2010/11 with our worst performance being 39% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 48%.

If you take our record for failing to score in a game well this season we have only failed to score in 9% of our games. Our previous best performance was 19% during season 2010/11 with our worst performance being 37% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 28%.

If you look at the number of goals scored well so far this season we have scored 37 goals, our best is 41 goals scored in season 2009/10 with our worst being only 24 goals scored in season 2004/05. Our average is 34 goals.

The goals scored have also been shared amongst 17 players which is a record since our return to the Championship, beating the previous highest of 14 from season 2010/11. Our previous lowest was 11 players during season 2005/06.

To further support the statistics regarding goals scored this season we have averaged 14.78 attempts on goal each match, (both on target and off target are included in this figure), this is the highest figure since our return to the Championship. Our lowest average was 10.09 per match in season 2005/06.

If you take our record for keeping clean sheets well this season we have kept a clean sheet in 35% of our games. This matches our performance during season 2003/04 and 2009/10 with our worst record being 17% during season 2004/05. Our average has been 30%.

If you look at goals conceded well so far this season we have conceded 26 goals, our previous best was 24 goals conceded during season 2008/09 with our worst being the 31 goals conceded during season 2004/05. Our average is 27 goals.

We have also only given away, on average, 8.91 fouls per game which is the lowest figure since our return to the Championship, our previous best was 9.20 fouls per game during season 2008/09, our worst performance being 13.48 fouls per game during season 2005/06.

We have also averaged 1.30 bookings per game which whilst not being our lowest figure, that was 0.78 bookings per game during season 2008/09, it is exactly our average during the 9 seasons since our return to the Championship. However our opponents are receiving 1.74 bookings per game which is a record high figure since our return to the Championship, the lowest figure being 0.90 bookings per game in 2008/09.

When you consider we have conceded below our average number of goals, currently only 1.13 goals per game, have our best clean sheet record, have given away fewer free kicks, received only average yellow cards whilst our opponents are giving away a record number of cards it tells me we are playing a very organised and more importantly controlled game this season than at anytime since our return to the Championship..

For me huge credit must go to MM, his backroom team and of course our players for this consistent level of performance. I actually think that there are few clubs, if any, who would not at least respect us and in my opinion many more would fear the prospect of having to play us. That’s what the class of 2011-12 have brought to the table, and in my opinion, when you consider how many new players arrived at the club this summer it’s an absolutely fantastic performance.

There are however 2 statistics which have disappointed me the first being the number of points we have lost from a winning position. Currently we have lost 16 points from winning positions this season and that’s the highest total of any Championship club, maybe it’s just a reflection of the fact we have taken the lead in more games than any other club or it may be an indication of a problem hanging on to a lead.

The second is overall possession which shows this season so far we have averaged 50.00% of possession during our matches. This is the lowest averge total since our return to the Championship. Our best average being 54.58% achieved during season 2008/09. Our average has been 51.84%.

I have always thought that a team has to work harder without the ball than they do with it, so with our small squad will this mean we have an increased risk of our players running out of legs in the second half of the season. I think there is a risk and is probably the strongest indication that we need to add to our squad to reduce that risk.

There are a number of clear differences in these statistics from those achieved in previous seasons, one thing which unites most Bluebird fans and that is the work ethic and never give up attitude of our team, but for me we are so very much more than just a bunch of hardworking players who never give up. We have mental strength, consistency and reliability throughout the team.

Sadly for me there is a risk to everything that has been achieved so far this season, and that is the size of the squad, and unless our board backs the manager with at least another 2 players, better still with 4 players the number of games, injuries and suspensions will catch up with us. If you accept my view that this team is working harder because of the lower level of possession then this must be dealt with. I hope the board don’t expect MM to work with one hand tied behind his back because in my opinion he has started well, his team has started well and he will deliver the goods if he is backed.

In an average Championship season a club will require 73 points to reach the playoffs so in an average season we now require 34 points from the 69 available to reach the playoffs, it could be as low as 31 because Blackpool reached the playoffs with 70 points. I know many think we are at risk of dropping off to a midtable position, or 10th place as many have suggested. Well on average 10th place is achieved with 64 points so for us to finish 10th, in an average season, we will have to collect only 26 out of the 69 points available. Although we have done exactly that during season 2006/07 I just cannot see that happening this season, but you never know, but my prediction is that we will finish in the playoffs but no higher.

Our squad is to small to make a sustained push for the automatics as in an average season you need 86 points to gain automatic promotion, it has been as low as 79 or as high as 91 so we will need to gain 47 points out of 69 available. I would love to see it but that would be a matter of blind faith and I just can’t see it.

There is a well known saying that it’s not the size of the dog that matters in a fight but the amount of fight in the dog. Well our squad has plenty of fight in it, and no small amount of quality, but history will tell you we are light on numbers so put that right and I think that just maybe 2011/12 can be the year we achieve the dream of PL Football.

Through the playoffs though.

Brilliant report by the way feller

I just have this image of your missus in a sexy negligee "come to bed big boy
im waiting for you!"

..."gimme another hour love, just got these away goals scored in the final 5 minutes stats
to get squared away!"

Thanks Taff it's always nice to see other people appreciate the work that goes into statistical analysis. But sorry mate as much as I would love the senario you imagined about my missus sadly the reality nowadays is she is more likely stood over me saying;

Hay daftlad strongbow is on rollback over Asda'a get your car keys out.

She sounds boss mate

one of the best and most informative posts ive ever read since joining...

amazing stats in there.. some unbelievable! one difference from this yr to last is that we did amazing in november, something that we have failed to do each and every yr... so lets hope we change history again this season with a decent finale !!


awesome work fella... cracking post....

one of the best and most informative posts ive ever read since joining...

amazing stats in there.. some unbelievable! one difference from this yr to last is that we did amazing in november, something that we have failed to do each and every yr... so lets hope we change history again this season with a decent finale !!


awesome work fella... cracking post....

one of the best and most informative posts ive ever read since joining...

amazing stats in there.. some unbelievable! one difference from this yr to last is that we did amazing in november, something that we have failed to do each and every yr... so lets hope we change history again this season with a decent finale !!


awesome work fella... cracking post....

I 3rd that, Gary aka Castleblue is one of the best posters on this forum.

one of the best and most informative posts ive ever read since joining...

amazing stats in there.. some unbelievable! one difference from this yr to last is that we did amazing in november, something that we have failed to do each and every yr... so lets hope we change history again this season with a decent finale !!


awesome work fella... cracking post....

I 3rd that, Gary aka Castleblue is one of the best posters on this forum.

Thanks Annis that means a lot.

Knowing you love a good debate there are a couple of statistics I left out of the report but I will post a thread a little closer to the transfer window opening to see if we can get a good debate going.

What an excellent read, Thanks very much for sharing your information.
The future is bright and also blue

Really enjoyed that post, thanks for taking the time.

one of the best and most informative posts ive ever read since joining...

amazing stats in there.. some unbelievable! one difference from this yr to last is that we did amazing in november, something that we have failed to do each and every yr... so lets hope we change history again this season with a decent finale !!


awesome work fella... cracking post....

I 3rd that, Gary aka Castleblue is one of the best posters on this forum.

Thanks Annis that means a lot.

Knowing you love a good debate there are a couple of statistics I left out of the report but I will post a thread a little closer to the transfer window opening to see if we can get a good debate going.

Your welcome Gary, I really enjoy your posts.

And yes I def like a good debate.