Comparisons with 46-47

[BillyStubbsTears]

I'm sure DU can do a better job, but here's my two pennorth.

The away form in that record-breaking 46-47 season was quite astonishing. 18 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats from 21 away games. At 3 points for a win, that's 2.61 points per away game. That MUST be the best away form that any professional side in England has ever had.

So it's worth noting that this season, so far, we are averaging 2.25 points per away game. Absolutely exceptional form. And it doesn't come about by accident, even if it ain't pretty to watch.

[Chris Black come back]

Our front two in that season are still probably more mobile than Brown and Paynter.

[Dutch Uncle]

I'm sure DU can do a better job, but here's my two pennorth.

The away form in that record-breaking 46-47 season was quite astonishing. 18 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats from 21 away games. At 3 points for a win, that's 2.61 points per away game. That MUST be the best away form that any professional side in England has ever had.

So it's worth noting that this season, so far, we are averaging 2.25 points per away game. Absolutely exceptional form. And it doesn't come about by accident, even if it ain't pretty to watch.

Repeated from thread called 'Away Form' after the Carlisle game:



The only two other seasons with away form in the first 10 games from start of the season better than or as good as this season were:
1946-47: Won 9, Drawn 1, Lost 0; Goals 30-12
1949-50: Won 7, Drawn 2, Lost 1; Goals 17-8

In both seasons we went on to win the Championship of Division 3N and reach tier 2.

The end of season away records were:
1946-47: Won 18, Drawn 1, Lost 2; Goals 56-24
(Still a football league all time record for away wins and points)
1949-50: Won 10, Drawn 8, Lost 3; Goals 36-23

P.S. Our longest winning sequence in the league away from home is 7 in 1946-7 (or 9 if you count the last 2 away matches on the 1938-8 season, and discount the 3 annulled matches played before the suspension for the War during the 1939-40 season)

Our longest undefeated away run in the league is 11 in 1946-7, 1968-9 and 2007-8 (or 17 in the artificial circumstances above)




Updating again - Only 1946-7 is now now better after 12 games (W10, D1, L1) since we lost and drew the 11th and 12th away games of 1949-50 (and thus became W7, D3, L2)

And BST - the Rovers record of 1946-7 is the best ever away record for any league club (Arsenal were unbeaten in their unbeaten season a few years ago but drew far more matches)

[donnievic]

Will also equal club record of 11 unbeaten in league during one season if avoid defeat on sat,not bad considering playing rubbish aswell

[podrover73]

Our front two in that season are still probably more mobile than Brown and Paynter.

More mobile than Paynter - leave Browny out of this

[BillyStubbsTears]

Update on away form. It's starting to look epic now.

A few facts to put it in perspective. Stat haters may want to toddle off at this point.

1) In the last 10 years at this level, only 4 teams have averaged more than 2 points per away game over the full season. The best any team has managed was 50 points from 23 away games (2.17 points per away game) by Charlton last season. We are currently averaging 2.30 points per away game.

2) In our promotion season in 07/08, we picked up 34 away points in 23 games.
In our 03/04 championship winning season we picked up 37 points in 23 away games.
So far this seadon we currently have 30 from 13 away games.

3) And it's not even as though we've had it easy. We've only got 2 of the current top 6 still to play away, and we have 4 of the bottom six still to see on our travels.

We are witnessing a truly historic performance this season. Savour it.

[Nudga]

Just think what will happen when this side starts playing decent football. From my understanding of reading this forum, we haven't hit any kind of playing form.

[MachoMadness]

Blimey, those numbers put into perspective just how good it is. I thought nothing would ever top the dominance the 03/04 title winning side had on that division, so to be 2 wins and a draw away from that record before the year is out in unbelievable.

Just need to get that home record fixed up now, let's start Tuesday!

[BigH]

Our away form is indeed epic. However, what will do for us this season unless we sort it is our home form. To keep up the comparison with 46-47, in that season we only lost once at home, winning over 70% of our home games.

With 12 home games left, we need to be thinking about how we get to an average of at least 1.5 points per home game - another 20+ points - and keep up an away record that is the equivalent of promotion-standard 'home' form.

Looking at our fixture list can we get 6-7 wins out of our remaining 12 home games? 7 of those games are against teams in the lower half of the league, none of which look like they're capable of stringing a run together so you'd have to say that if we can't do it then we don't deserve to be promoted.

Then again, Hartlepool winning at Sheffield United just goes to show how form can mean sweet FA in this division.

[Dutch Uncle]

Just a reminder to point out that the club record of 11 away games unbeaten in 1946-47 was also equalled in 1968-9 (part of the club record unbeaten run of 20 games), and again under SOD in 2007-8 (didn't someone try to claim on another thread that we didn't travel well under SOD?) .

Also in response to CBCB's tongue in cheek comment re strikers in 1946-7, although I cannot comment on their mobility I don't think it was too much of a problem since Clarrie Jordan (42) and Paul Todd (24) scored a staggering 66 league goals between them, 71 including the FA Cup. 

[BillyStubbsTears]

Dutch

Grand info as ever.

By the way, I think CBBC's comment was having a pop at our current strikers' mobility. Not bad breaking records wi a strike force that's less mobile than the old granddad in "Bread".