Top team in London

[bigray]

We were the top London team once.....what year was that?

[Hubble]

We were the top London team once.....what year was that?

1993 was the last time.

[Bluehoop]

There's something quite fascinating arising out of Hubble's reminder of our last finish as top London club. I went to check on the size of the points gap between us and others but got sidetracked by the number of Clubs in the top flight then that have fallen from grace. (Not including Villa and Norwich who IMO are going down this year) the list of teams that finished below us that season included:
Blackburn, Wednesday, Wimbledon, Sheff U, Coventry, Ipswich, Leeds, Oldham, Middlesboro and Forest.
Now, ask yourself this, how many of those teams are in the EPL now, and how many times since they were relegated from it have they spent even a single year in it? The answer to both of course is a big fat zero.
I'm not suggesting that it makes us lucky to have had two brief returns since relegation but perhaps it puts some perspective on our relative success compared to these even less fortunate souls?

[bigray]

I thought it was when Liverpool beat Wolves on the last day of the season to pip us for the title

[bigray]

Oops missed out that was the 1975/6 season

[Shania]

It would be great if we could end up above Brentford and on on top of that buy Alan Judge at the end of the season.

[Hubble]

There's something quite fascinating arising out of Hubble's reminder of our last finish as top London club. I went to check on the size of the points gap between us and others but got sidetracked by the number of Clubs in the top flight then that have fallen from grace. (Not including Villa and Norwich who IMO are going down this year) the list of teams that finished below us that season included:
Blackburn, Wednesday, Wimbledon, Sheff U, Coventry, Ipswich, Leeds, Oldham, Middlesboro and Forest.
Now, ask yourself this, how many of those teams are in the EPL now, and how many times since they were relegated from it have they spent even a single year in it? The answer to both of course is a big fat zero.
I'm not suggesting that it makes us lucky to have had two brief returns since relegation but perhaps it puts some perspective on our relative success compared to these even less fortunate souls?

I noted that too, Blue. Fascinating to consider and of course you're right - it puts some much needed perspective on our league position and people's expectations.

I thought it was when Liverpool beat Wolves on the last day of the season to pip us for the title

As far as I know, 1975/6 was the first time we ever finished as top team in London, Ray. 1993 the last. And of course the one man directly involved in both of those seasons was Gerry Francis.

[Kevin Mcleod]

Don't know if I dreamed it, but I'm sure I used to see a statement going around that we were the top London team of the 80's on average.