| This season is better than you might think! 12:07 - Mar 9 with 2250 views | Asa |
I was interested in looking at how this season fared with other seasons both in League One and past Town sides league campaigns and have been absolutely amazed at how completely incredible our performance is this season.
We have lost just 4 of our 35 league games. For context, if we lost 5 of our last 11 matches we would still equal the 9 defeats in the excellent seasons of 1997/98, 1999/00 and 2004/05!
We are on course for 5 defeats, which would be our best performance since 1967/68 when we achieved the same. That’s 55 seasons.
We are heading for 91 points as it stands. That’s 6 more than the 2004/05 season when we finished 3rd. It’s 4 more than when we went up in 1999/00 (again 3rd). This would make it our highest points tally ever. Of course, playing less games in the 50’s and 60’s and 3 points for a win not being introduced until the late 70’s plays it’s part, but again incredible.
Looking at League One in the last decade, for a more relevant look, our current PPG and projection would see us have won the league four times in the last decade and three times would have got us runners-up. That is 7 promotion seasons in the last 10 at this level. It would also have been enough to get us promoted in every other season since we were relegated.
Defensively we have had 20 clean sheets. This is the 5th most in the clubs history, which is another incredible achievement, yet we’d probably feel that a lack of clean sheets and the number of goals conceded has been a big issue.
I know there will be a massive sense of disappointment to go so close and fail and I know some see being outside of the automatic promotion places as a failure but we really have done as much as could be expected. The key thing that stands out for is in the three seasons that 91 points wouldn’t have been enough, we’d have missed out by GD, 3 points and 5 points. The same 5 points that we are currently behind Plymouth with only 35 games played and effectively 8 behind Wednesday. Both of them are on target to outperform all of those other teams that would have pipped us to promotion in those few seasons we’d have missed out.
Really this is about two utterly ridiculous teams above us and almost unseen form. In the highest season of the two promoted clubs over the last 10 years, Blackburn and Wigan managed 98 and 96 points respectively one season). Wednesday are headed for 100 points. Plymouth for 97 points.
Every team has bad referees but factor in those costly decisions that swing points. Wednesday have denied us an extra four points probably and gained an extra two from an offside goal and a red card that would have been given if it wasn’t for an assistant not being able to see the offender.
Plymouth would have had two points less and us an extra one if the foul for Chaplin was given. Their fans can’t claim the penalty on Tuesday was fine because there was contact and ignore their player completely wiping out our player. Then there are the two points from Barnsley.
Luck plays a part too. How much luck have we really had? Walton heads against the bar against Plymouth and we miss out by inches. By contract, a probably routine save for Walton from Mumba becomes an impossible to save shot into the top corner.
All of this whilst not being outplayed once in 35 games, playing superb to watch football and being the top scorers in England. We are heading for 89 goals too, the most since 1961/62, more than any Burley or Royle team managed.
I’m not having the funding argument either. Yes, we are well backed. But other clubs were ahead of us in terms of where the club was at, have talented players too. Plymouth are loaning the sort of players we buy. Wednesday already had quality. Derby had plenty. You can’t just throw a team together with money and hit these levels. You can expect success, demand it even. But not to basically be performing at the top levels of pretty much every stat category there is (aside from wins sadly — and we all know we’ve a few drawn too many — again games we dominated on possession and chances)
There is very, very little to criticise but the sad thing is that anybody can see this season as a failure should we continue on this trajectory and fall short, unless of course we completely fail to show up in the play-offs.
Whatever happens, it feels like a matter of when not if under Ashton, McKenna and the owners. It's hard to see where we can improve now, with Broadhead and Luongo etc from August we win the league I'm sure of it. We also know the Championship clubs that would be looking at our players are not in a financial position to take them.
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| This season is better than you might think! on 12:11 - Mar 9 with 2183 views | Dyland |
Oh Asa old ba, you could have just posted this bit...
"But not to basically be performing at the top levels of pretty much every stat category there is (aside from wins sadly — and we all know we’ve a few drawn too many — again games we dominated on possession and chances)"
:) |  |
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| This season is better than you might think! on 12:20 - Mar 9 with 2121 views | Illinoisblue |
Not to be all Chico about it but we’ve spent millions just to get into the Division 3 playoffs. |  |
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| This season is better than you might think! on 12:21 - Mar 9 with 2104 views | Dyland |
| This season is better than you might think! on 12:20 - Mar 9 by Illinoisblue |
Not to be all Chico about it but we’ve spent millions just to get into the Division 3 playoffs. |
suc(hico) | |
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| This season is better than you might think! on 12:29 - Mar 9 with 2059 views | homer_123 |
| This season is better than you might think! on 12:20 - Mar 9 by Illinoisblue |
Not to be all Chico about it but we’ve spent millions just to get into the Division 3 playoffs. |
Hi Chico!  |  |
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| Yep, we are currently.... on 12:29 - Mar 9 with 2065 views | Bloots |
....the 3rd best team in the 3rd division.
But we've got a few quid.
What a time to be alive. |  |
| "The sooner he comes back the better, this place has been a disaster without him" - TWTD User (July 2025) |
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| This season is better than you might think! on 12:34 - Mar 9 with 2037 views | Vegtablue |
This could be tempered with other stats from the league one decade, perhaps.
2013/14: 2nd = 96, 3rd = 86
2014/15: 2nd = 91, 3rd = 89
2015/16: 2nd = 85, 3rd = 84
2016/17: 2nd = 86, 3rd = 82
2017/18: 2nd = 96, 3rd = 87
2018/19: 2nd = 91, 3rd+4th = 88
2019/20: COVID
2020/21: 2nd = 87, 3rd = 80
2021/22: 2nd = 90, 3rd = 89.
We're on course for 90.7 points if you extend the current 1.97 PPG without incorporating a weighted criteria for match difficulty and opponents to come. When one does our protected total falls below 90. This is a league in which it's quite common for the top two teams to eclipse 90 points due to the amount of cannon fodder within it. | | | |
| Yep, we are currently.... on 13:05 - Mar 9 with 1799 views | BlueBadger |
| Yep, we are currently.... on 12:29 - Mar 9 by Bloots |
....the 3rd best team in the 3rd division.
But we've got a few quid.
What a time to be alive. |
Lambert out. |  |
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| This season is better than you might think! on 13:06 - Mar 9 with 1800 views | TRUE_BLUE123 |
brilliant post.
I completely agree. Gamechanger have been here coming up to two full seasons. Let us not forget how much of a shambles we were. Last season we were ruined by a poor start under Cook, not GCs appointment and they've (Ashton) replaced him with a brilliant young coach who has done a damn good job, playing exceptional football, scoring loads of goals and may well get us over the line this season (although playoffs seems to be the way he is going to have to do it).
As you say, if we don't go up top two, then fair play to Plymouth and Wednesday, they will deserve it and we focus on trying to win at Wembley. |  |
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| Yep, we are currently.... on 13:25 - Mar 9 with 1705 views | homer_123 |
| Yep, we are currently.... on 12:29 - Mar 9 by Bloots |
....the 3rd best team in the 3rd division.
But we've got a few quid.
What a time to be alive. |
Yep, plying our trade in Div 3 is sh*te, no doubt.
That said, the actual football on display is possibly some of the best we have seen since Magic and Royle led us.
Watching us ply our trade in Div 2 like we were in treacle without an ounce of attacking nous under the likes of Keane and the later part of Micks reign was something to behold wasn't it?
As for the shambles that followed....well, nothing to say really.
So, yes, Div 3 it is, not KMs fault or the current owners....so maybe take the season for what it is, it ain't over as yet.
For the first time, in a very long time, I don't dread watching us play. [Post edited 9 Mar 2023 13:37]
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| This season is better than you might think! on 13:38 - Mar 9 with 1621 views | N2_Blue |
| This season is better than you might think! on 12:20 - Mar 9 by Illinoisblue |
Not to be all Chico about it but we’ve spent millions just to get into the Division 3 playoffs. |
these comments are boring now (not just aimed at you by the way)
Plus i didn't know it was May already, we may not be in the playoffs at the point it actually matters. |  |
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| This season is better than you might think! on 13:44 - Mar 9 with 1583 views | Illinoisblue |
| This season is better than you might think! on 13:38 - Mar 9 by N2_Blue |
these comments are boring now (not just aimed at you by the way)
Plus i didn't know it was May already, we may not be in the playoffs at the point it actually matters. |
They’re a good antidote, though, to the gushing “best football we’ve ever played and look at all these records we’ve broken (even though we’re comparing performances made in higher leagues) and gee aren’t we so great with the best squad in the league and if wasn’t for those pesky other teams playing well we’d be top two” type of post. | |
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| This season is better than you might think! on 13:55 - Mar 9 with 1501 views | N2_Blue |
| This season is better than you might think! on 13:44 - Mar 9 by Illinoisblue |
They’re a good antidote, though, to the gushing “best football we’ve ever played and look at all these records we’ve broken (even though we’re comparing performances made in higher leagues) and gee aren’t we so great with the best squad in the league and if wasn’t for those pesky other teams playing well we’d be top two” type of post. |
There just seems to be a mentality of fan that want to see the pessimistic and negative side of everything Town related at the moment. It's rather tiresome in what is Town's best season for god knows how many years, whatever league we find ourselves in. We can only play in the division we currently find ourselves in. It may be third tier, but we have no given right to get out of it, it is always a challenge, even with money. Plenty of clubs as big and even bigger than us have struggled.
We are only where we are in the table currently because two other clubs are having outstanding seasons, and fair play to them. I'm sure McKenna and the squad are doing absolutely everything they can to reel them in. If we get 90+ points and miss the top 2 sometimes we just have to hold up our hands and say 'fair play', two clubs just did better than us but without finding anyone to blame within ITFC ...it's such fine margins. | |
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| Just imagine.... on 13:59 - Mar 9 with 1467 views | Bloots |
| Yep, we are currently.... on 13:25 - Mar 9 by homer_123 |
Yep, plying our trade in Div 3 is sh*te, no doubt.
That said, the actual football on display is possibly some of the best we have seen since Magic and Royle led us.
Watching us ply our trade in Div 2 like we were in treacle without an ounce of attacking nous under the likes of Keane and the later part of Micks reign was something to behold wasn't it?
As for the shambles that followed....well, nothing to say really.
So, yes, Div 3 it is, not KMs fault or the current owners....so maybe take the season for what it is, it ain't over as yet.
For the first time, in a very long time, I don't dread watching us play. [Post edited 9 Mar 2023 13:37]
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....how amazing our football would look if we got relegated to the 4th division!! | |
| "The sooner he comes back the better, this place has been a disaster without him" - TWTD User (July 2025) |
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| Just imagine.... on 14:00 - Mar 9 with 1464 views | homer_123 |
| Just imagine.... on 13:59 - Mar 9 by Bloots |
....how amazing our football would look if we got relegated to the 4th division!! |
Again, the fact we are L3 isn't KMs fault or Gamechangers.
Are they not doing the right things to get us out of this league? Can we not, at least, appreciate that? | |
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| This season is better than you might think! on 14:35 - Mar 9 with 1375 views | Illinoisblue |
| This season is better than you might think! on 13:55 - Mar 9 by N2_Blue |
There just seems to be a mentality of fan that want to see the pessimistic and negative side of everything Town related at the moment. It's rather tiresome in what is Town's best season for god knows how many years, whatever league we find ourselves in. We can only play in the division we currently find ourselves in. It may be third tier, but we have no given right to get out of it, it is always a challenge, even with money. Plenty of clubs as big and even bigger than us have struggled.
We are only where we are in the table currently because two other clubs are having outstanding seasons, and fair play to them. I'm sure McKenna and the squad are doing absolutely everything they can to reel them in. If we get 90+ points and miss the top 2 sometimes we just have to hold up our hands and say 'fair play', two clubs just did better than us but without finding anyone to blame within ITFC ...it's such fine margins. |
One man’s pessimism is another man’s realism. Of course the club is better run now. After years of neglect we actually act like a professional club. Stadium looking way better. Other bits going on. Doesn’t alter the fact we’re, again, making really hard work of getting out of Division 3. It is what is. Now let’s get out of this godforsaken league. COYB | |
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| This season is better than you might think! on 15:41 - Mar 9 with 1201 views | BigCommon |
Nice positive post...... There's lots to be positive about right now.
You'll always get those that see things from a negative angle. But in this day and age, we have to be empathetic, understanding and tolerant of their mental health issues. Even if they are fkin annoying... |  | | |
| This season is better than you might think! on 15:53 - Mar 9 with 1173 views | Coastalblue |
| This season is better than you might think! on 14:35 - Mar 9 by Illinoisblue |
One man’s pessimism is another man’s realism. Of course the club is better run now. After years of neglect we actually act like a professional club. Stadium looking way better. Other bits going on. Doesn’t alter the fact we’re, again, making really hard work of getting out of Division 3. It is what is. Now let’s get out of this godforsaken league. COYB |
We are, and we may yet fail again this year, i don't think we will but it's entirely possible. The bigger picture though has to be the foundation that has been laid, whether we go up this year or next we can head into the championship feeling we can compete as opposed to fight for survival.
I think we're doing it the right way, even though that might make us more of a slow burner. |  |
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| This season is better than you might think! on 19:00 - Mar 9 with 960 views | Stewart27 |
It’s been an outstanding season so far. | | | |
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