Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2009 23:24:56 GMT
Thanks for obliging, Andy.
I've been doing a little of bit of mathematical investigation into how Burton have dropped off the pace. Burton's high point was probably after 32 games when they'd reached 74 points (which put them on course for 106 overall). This compares with Aldershot's 71 points from their first 32 matches last season. Now, after 42 games, Burton's points total (85) is identical to our tally at the same stage of last season.
In other words, Burton and Aldershot did pretty much the same over 32 games. Then - between matches 33 and 42 -Aldershot stacked up 26 points to Burton's 11. For me, as much as anything else, that's further evidence of Aldershot's remarkable achievement last season. As it transpired, Aldershot coasted to the line with four draws at the end of the season to complete an eighteen match unbeaten run. Torquay, meanwhile, obtained just one point from the final four games.
As to what impact - if any - this had on what happened next can only be a matter of conjecture. It did, however, mess-up the minor sideshow of bettering a couple of club records: the best seasonal performance (based on points) and the most league wins. In the end - in spite of missing the chance on four occasions of surpassing the previous records - we exactly matched the achievements of 1959/60: W26 D8 L12 (60 pts the old way; 86 pts by the current method). 84 goals for and 58 against in 1959/60; F83 A57 last year.
Now this may matter to you - or it may not - and, even if it does, it's only an incidental in the bigger scheme of things. Indeed, last year I think there was some talk of records not even counting in a "pub league" (or words to that effect). That's an interesting one because - for those of us who follow this type of thing - we've been accustomed to all our records being placed in the context of our Football League history. This is the way the books always told it - biggest wins, most points, most appearances, greatest number of goals in a season or a career. Now it's different: Football League only or all leagues in which we've played? If we're now counting the Conference what about our achievements in the Southern, Western, Plymouth & District and those other early leagues? From 1899 or 1921? Well, I don't know. Pay your money and take your choice. My guess is that, other than the biggest victory - any progress on that, Jon? - there might not be too many "records" to consider from pre-1927 anyway.
I wondered if the Sky Sports (Rothmans) books would shed any light on convention. Now it must be said these books are not official in any way in their approach to statistics and records. Perhaps that's just as well because the present edition shows no consistency in the way it treats clubs which have entered and left the FL in recent seasons. For some - such as Dagenham & Redbridge - there's a mixture of non-league and Football League data. For Aldershot and Accrington there's a reversion to the records of the time their predecessor clubs spent in the Football League with no reference to the achievements of the "new" clubs and their players.
Ah well, a lot of fuss about nothing perhaps - unless you happen to be a member of the Association of Football Statisticians (which I am not). The one thing I find different is that - in the player-by-player records in the Sky Sports Yearbook - Conference games are not included. Consequently you'd never know Chris Zebroski ever came anywhere near us. Gosh, was he in Millwall's reserves all last season?
