Last Season In Stats

Thanks to the un-named author who emailed in these stats.

Club Records

*Highest League finish since 1957-8, and highest ever in Level 3 (non-regionalised)

*7th season in a row that national league ranking higher than the season before (this season we were 52nd as opposed to last season's 54th). Previous best 5 seasons in a row from 1962-3 (beating a low in 1961-2) until 1966-67.

*Second time at level 3 (Not Div 3 North which was half a level lower) with a positive Goal Difference at the end of the season (first was last season)

*Third time in history that achieved staying up at a level higher than lowest possible for two successive seasons (previously 1950-51 to 1957-8 in old Div 2 and 1984-5 to 1987-8 in old Div 3)

*First time in the club's history that the last 4 league matches were won

*Leading league scorer with only 8 goals (Heffernan + McIndoe) lowest since 1936-7 (7 by E.Perry). Equalled in 1947-8 (P.Todd), 1981-2 (R.Dawson), 1993-4 (K.Hulme) and 1997-8 (P.Moncrieffe!!). Note in 1902-3 and 1904-5 when only 34 games were played, the leading scorers had 7 and 3(!) goals respectively.

*Reached the 3rd round of the FAC for the first time since 1984-85, and the last 8 of the League Cup for the second time ever (first was in 1975-76)

*2nd time ever reached 3rd round of FAC and FLC in the same season (last time 1964-65)

*Wins over Man City and Aston Villa were the 5th and 6th in the club's history over top flight opposition in competitive games. First four were all FA Cup against Middlesboro (Away 4-1 in 1951-2), Sunderland (Away 2-0 in 1953-54), Aston Villa (at the Hawthorns after 4 drawn games, 3-1 in 1954-5) and QPR (Home 1-0 in 1984-85). So the 3-0 win over Villa equaled the biggest over a top flight club, and was the biggest home win. Villa are also the first top flight time to have been beaten twice.

*7 was the most Cup matches won in a season (in FAC, FLA and LDV as a league team) Note 9 matched were won as a conference side in 1998-9 and 8 won in 1999-00 in the FAC, FA Trophy and Conference Cup.

*Highest number of cup goals scored in a season - 23 (FAC, FLC + LDV). Previous best as a league club - 15 in 1975-76. Note 23 scored as a conference side in 1999-2000 (FAC, FAT and Conference Cup)

*6 cup goals by Paul Heffernan in a season equals club record by Lawrie Sheffield (1966-7) and Brendan O'Callaghan (1975-6). Note 6 also scored by Ian Duerden in 1998-99 as a conference side.

*Since we finished higher than Tranmere and Bristol Rovers, last season was the first time we have finished the second highest place Rovers (after Blackburn) since 1986-87. We have never been "top" Rovers, but in 1998-9 we even finished lower than Forest Green!

League records set for an ex conference side:

*3rd Highest finish ever by an ex conference side (Best Colchester this season, second Wycombe 6th in 1993-4, which by the way was not high enough for a play-off position because of league restructuring)

*Second placed ex-conference at the end of the season (1st were Colchester)

*Note Yeovil became only the fourth ex-Conference team to reach level 3 and not be relegated in first season after ourselves, Wycombe and Colchester. Six have been relegated immediately after promotion: Lincoln, Darlington, Barnet, Macclesfield, Cheltenham, and Rushden & Diamonds. Carlisle next year?

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.