Show me the league after twelve matches................. I'll show you the Champions?

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Always heard that you have to wait about a dozen matches to give you an idea of how teams are likely to perform. Thought that I'd put it to the test by researching which teams were in the top seven, roughly following each quarter of the last season

LEAGUE TWO

After 12 games:

CHESTERFIELD (P)
PORT VALE
ROTHERHAM
____________
BURY (P)
SHREWSBURY (PO)
WYCOMBE (P)
ALDERSHOT

after 23 games:

CHESTERFIELD (P)
WYCOMBE (P)
ROTHERHAM
_____________
PORT VALE
CREWE
BURY (P¨)
GILLINGHAM

after 34 games:

CHESTERFIELD (P)
BURY (P)
WYCOMBE (P)
______________
SHREWSBURY (PO)
ROTHERHAM
PORT VALE
GILLINGHAM

after 46 games:

CHESTERFIELD (P)
BURY (P)
WYCOMBE (P)
______________
SHREWSBURY (PO)
ACCRINGTON (PO)
STEVENAGE (PO)
TORQUAY (PO)

So, from last year the Champions were in first place as early as the twelfth game and perhaps more interestingly, the teams that finished in the automatic promotion places were in the top seven from the same time. Does show that the play-offs are achievable with a late run.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Usually every season there is always one team 'up there' who falls away after christmas, and one who suddenly appears in the 'mix' in the new year from nowhere. Remember us in 2005?. I recall a comment made from Yeovil who were at the top or thereabouts all season, relating to us which was 'where did they spring from'?.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Perhaps this season is special in that the top three finishers were in the top seven in all four quarters of the season. There were two sides, Rotherham and Port Vale, who featured in the top seven for the first three quarters and then fell away in the last quarter. Only Shrewsbury, who featured twice in the play-off places, actually maintained their challenge to the end. Tried to see whether there were similar trends in previous seasons but couldn't find the data.

 

[CC51DAS]

Perhaps this season is special in that the top three finishers were in the top seven in all four quarters of the season. There were two sides, Rotherham and Port Vale, who featured in the top seven for the first three quarters and then fell away in the last quarter. Only Shrewsbury, who featured twice in the play-off places, actually maintained their challenge to the end. Tried to see whether there were similar trends in previous seasons but the sun came out .

Edited for accuracy :smile::winking:

 

[Davros]

its fair to say Port Vale faded away!

 

[Manchester Shrimper]

its fair to say Port Vale faded away!

As did Rotherham for that matter.