Our first seasons after promotion from tier 4 to tier 3

[Dutch Uncle]

Since the non-regionalised tiers 3 and 4 were introduced in 1958-59 we have been promoted from tier 4 to tier 3 on 7 occasions. I thought it might be interesting to compare this season with the 6 other first years back in tier 3:

1966-67: 23rd, 32 points (44 at 2 per win), Goals 58-117, top scorer (lge only) T.Ogden 10
1969-70: 11th, 46 points (63 at 3 per win), Goals 52-54, top scorer J.Regan 13
1981-82: 19th, 56 points, Goals 55-68, top scorer R.Dawson 8
1984-85: 14th, 59 points, Goals 72-74, top scorer G.Snodin 18
2004-05: 10th, 66 points, Goals 65-60, top scorer M.McIndoe 10
2017-18: 15th, 56 points, Goals 52-52, top scorer J.Marquis 14

The average home attendances in those 6 seasons were 7909, 8562, 5234, 4103, 6886 and 8213

It has not always been easy to adjust, and we are on target to beat all of those attendances, in fact we are on target to have our highest home attendance average outside of our Championship seasons since 1968-69.  IMHO we are doing fine, especially considering our cup exploits this season.

[mpc123]

Great post, it just shows the reality of the growth of the club that people keep slagging off.

Everyone is doing a great job with a great supportive owner, that would never see is in trouble.

A plan on the footballing side to grow and keen investment in facilities.

Love it, keep supporting.

[Barmby Rover]

I think we have done well for the first season here, money is the final factor of what happens next season.

[Avsuptem]

Racking my brains to remember who the Managers were in those years, this is the best I can do and may be wrong

66/67 Can't remember
69/ 70 Lawrie McMenemy (one of our best in my lifetime imho)
81/82 Billy Bremner
84/85 Billy Bremner
04/05 Dave Penney
17/18  Darren Feguson

I would also rate Bremner and Sean O Driscol as our best post war Managers and Grant McCann as the best of the lot. Just my opinion.

[selby]

 Bill Leivers resigned in February 1966 and a committee of Jackie Bestall and club secretary Tom Garnett did the honours until December 1966 when Keith Kettleborough was appointed player manager according to google.
  Couldn't remember the committee bit at all just Bill Leivers really.

[idler]

Keith didn’t last too long though, didn’t he resign or got pushed and Bestall took over again? Rovers paid Newcastle £12,000 to Newcastle for Kettleborough and I wonder if it was the same £12,000 that we got for Laurie Sheffield. Thank you Hubert Bates.
In some ways 1966/67 was as disappointing as when we dropped out of the league. Some dire journeys home after away games that season.

[RoversInSpain]

Fantastic post DU. As someone has already mentioned, love the reality of this.
Levels out some expectations seeing our best finish was 10th in a time where Rovers were about to ‘take off’
If Grant see this you can bet he’ll be aiming for a 9th slot this season , another best ever for him to achieve with a Rovers team.

[Bristol Red Rover]

Thinking of next seasons expectations  it's  interesting to also look at our 2nd seasons in the third tier after promotion from the 4th.

1969-70: 11th, 46 points (63 at 3 per win), Goals 52-54, top scorer J.Regan 13, att. 8560
1970-71: 23rd, 35pts (48 at 3 per win), Goals 45-63, att. 4478

1981-82: 19th, 56 points, Goals 55-68, top scorer R.Dawson 8, att.5234
1982-83: 23rd, 38 pts, Goals 58-97, att.3541

1984-85: 14th, 59 points, Goals 72-74, top scorer G.Snodin 18, att. 4103
1985-86: 11th, 64 pts, Goals 52-45,  att. 2804

2004-05: 10th, 66 points, Goals 65-60, top scorer M.McIndoe 10, att.6886
2005-06: 8th, 69 pts, Goals 55-51, top scorer McIndoe 8, att. 6139

2017-18: 15th, 56 points, Goals 52-52, top scorer J.Marquis 14, att. 8213
2018-19: 6th, 73 pts, Goals 76-58, top scorer Marquis 21, att. 8098

Midtable would be the aim for next season I think, higher would be nice, promotion a disaster - we're simply not solid enough by a long way for that.

[Dutch Uncle]

if you include 1958-59, our first ever season in tier 3 (we were relegated from the old Division 2 in 1957-58) we were relegated in 4 of our first 6 seasons in tier 3 - we found it very difficult to establish ourselves.