FAO the statistically inclined

[Ldr]

Keep seeing posts that claim L1 is our natural level. Does anyone have info to hand on what our average position above the bottom of the league pile is?

E.g. we finished 7th in div 2 in the early 1900s which would be around 20th  (around) from the top but around around 10th from the bottom.

[Dutch Uncle]

With a few caveats, our average national ranking  has been 64th, i.e. 20th in League 1.

This is taken over our 85 completed league seasons and 5 Conference seasons but does not count our non-league days between 1905 and 1922.

In the years of parallel 3rd Divisions North and South, the parallel league is taken into account, so e.g. 15th in Div 3 North equates to 73rd nationally (There are 28 higher teams in Div 3 North and Div 3 South, so we would be equal 29th after the 44 teams in Divisions 1 and 2).

If our 3 league seasons in the first decade of the 20th century are omitted, our average ranking since 1923-24 becomes 65th.

[Ldr]

Cheers Dutch so bottom end of l1 is our habitat?

[Dutch Uncle]

Exactly. The average is raised by our record since returning to the league in 2003-04, and by our extended stay in Division 2 in the 1950's. Outside of those two periods, we have been more like upper 4th Division

[rtid88]

But we have had 3 seasons in the Championship/2nd Division in the last 50 seasons so therefore surely Fergie should be getting us to win every game in League 1!! 

[drfchound]

But we have had 3 seasons in the Championship/2nd Division in the last 50 seasons so therefore surely Fergie should be getting us to win every game in League 1!! 

5 seasons.

[rtid88]

damn mobile phone txting, meant to put 5!!