The Previous 10 Champions

[sirpiechucker]

After 29 Matches the Previous 10 Champions have accumulated the following points (we have 56 points) and have been in the following league position:

Newcastle (09/10)
Points after 29 Matches: 59
League Position after 29 Matches: 1st

Wolves (08/09)
Points after 29 Matches: 59
League Position after 29 Matches: 1st

West Brom (07/08)
Points after 29 Matches: 51
League Position after 29 Matches: 1st

Sunderland (06/07)
Points after 29 Matches: 46
League Position after 29 Matches: 7th

Reading (05/06)
Points after 29 Matches: 72
League Position after 29 Matches: 1st

Sunderland (04/05)
Points after 29 Matches: 53
League Position after 29 Matches: 3rd

Norwich (03/04)
Points after 29 Matches: 56
League Position after 29 Matches: 1st

Portsmouth (02/03)
Points after 29 Matches: 60
League Position after 29 Matches: 1st

Manchester City (01/02)
Points after 29 Matches: 58
League Position after 29 Matches: 1st

Fulham (00/01)
Points after 29 Matches: 70
League Position after 29 Matches: 1st

So other than Sunderland on both occassions coming from behind to eventually win the division eight of the previous 10 Champions have been top at this stage. On both occassions it took Sunderland a further 10 matches to break into the automatic places before eventually leading the pack with just five games to go. In 06/07, WBA, Birmingham and Derby switched places at the top on a number of occassions through matches 20 to 40 with Birmingham leading for most of that period. They finished the season second, two points behind Sunderland and two points ahead of Derby (who went up via the play off). In 04/05, Ipswich led after 29 matches having led the division for nine matches before this but were eventually overtaken a few games afterwards. After losing to us in match 35 they slipped to 3rd and stayed out of the top two for the rest of the season. In neither year that Sunderland won the division had a team been leading the division from the start (OK we briefly dipped to second sometime ago but you get my point). All the teams who've been leading after 29 matches with the exception of Ipswich have gone on to gain promotion. Ipswich finished 3rd and eventually lost to West Ham in the play offs who went on to win promotion themselves.

[Dando]

some good stats. I think being a QPR fan, its hard to be optomistic sometimes as we are so used to things going wrong. As long as Adel stays fit, and we pick up some muchneeded wins away, I cant se anything stopping us. We just seem to be drawing too many away games, whereas im sure previous automatic promotion teams would have won more?

[QPR1976]

SirPie, can you add Ave. points for 3rd place to your trailer please.
Ave. for Promotion (and Champions) is great to see, but in reality we only need to get more than the team in 3rd place to go up (does that make sense ?)

[sirpiechucker]

SirPie, can you add Ave. points for 3rd place to your trailer please.
Ave. for Promotion (and Champions) is great to see, but in reality we only need to get more than the team in 3rd place to go up (does that make sense ?)

Makes perfect sense and have added it to the signature. QPR, Norwich and Swansea are all currently behind the average rate which suggests it's going to be a low scoring year. The 3rd place average over the past 10 seasons is 81 points but none of the teams in the previous three seasons managed to get 81 points. The average is healthy bumped up by the fact that in 2001 (Bolton) & 2002 (Wolves) the 3rd place team finished with 87 and 86 points respectively (both teams finished 3 or more points off 2nd).

[QPR1976]

Thanks, looks like that buys us an extra 3 to 4 points for promotion.
ie. finishing above 3rd.

I agree it looks like it could be quite tight this year.
Although with Forest on the charge, they too will challenge the averages if the win their 2 (albeit away) games in hand.

[Dando]

Although Norwich and Swansea are both doing well, I really dont think they have what is has to last at the top. Forest for me will definately get into the top 2, and possibly win the league, but I couldnt care less to be honest, as long as we go up!

[JonDoeman]

Good stats man

[PedalR]

Irrespective of stats I still get the feeling that many onlookers still do not take us totally seriously as potential champs. Thing is, we've variously seen Cardiff, Leeds, Watford go on hot streaks then splutter a bit. I see Forest doing likewise.... ie breaking into top two then getting a bit "giddy". It would be nice to romp away a la Reading and Fulham but I suspect we'll just keep grinding out points at a steady enough rate to cement a top two berth for ourselves.

[Morris]

Jesus christ Reading had 72 points after 29 games!!

[Factamondo]

Jesus christ Reading had 72 points after 29 games!!

they also lost their first two games.......................factastattomondo!!