20 years is a long time in football

[Eric the Half a Bee]

20 years ago this season we spent our last season in the bottom division, finishing 2nd with an expensive squad for the division, playing an attacking football that saw lots of goals at both ends. We would be unbeaten at home all season. We won 82 points that season to finish second. We won 83 to finish 4th the season afterwards and 81 in our promotion season where we finished 6th. Only twice since then have we won more than 80 points, during both promotion seasons to the Premier League, where we won more points as runner-up than we did as Champions 5 years previously.

That season we were in the same division as Chesterfield (who were promoted with us), York City, Darlington, Halifax Town, Kidderminster Harriers, Hartlepool United and Torquay United - all sides that have since dropped out of the league and haven't returned. Also in the division were Brighton (champions), Hull City and Blackpool, who would all play in the Premier League.

In the Premier League, Man City would be relegated and suffer successive demotions. Coventry and Bradford played their last ever games (so far) in the top division. Ipswich, Sunderland and Charlton finished 5th, 7th and 9th respectively, yet all now ply their trade in League One.

In the Championship, Wimbledon were still Wimbledon. Grimsby and Stockport were mid table sides; both went out of the league and Grimsby might well head back to the National League again. Tranmere played their last season in the second tier.

In League 1, Swansea were relegated to the bottom division. They'd later spend 7 seasons in the Premier League. Bury were still in existence. Wrexham finished 10th. Reading, Stoke, Wigan and Bournemouth would play in the top flight. Notts County were involved in a promotion race but are no longer in the league.

[az city]

20 years ago this season we spent our last season in the bottom division, finishing 2nd with an expensive squad for the division, playing an attacking football that saw lots of goals at both ends. We would be unbeaten at home all season. We won 82 points that season to finish second. We won 83 to finish 4th the season afterwards and 81 in our promotion season where we finished 6th. Only twice since then have we won more than 80 points, during both promotion seasons to the Premier League, where we won more points as runner-up than we did as Champions 5 years previously.

That season we were in the same division as Chesterfield (who were promoted with us), York City, Darlington, Halifax Town, Kidderminster Harriers, Hartlepool United and Torquay United - all sides that have since dropped out of the league and haven't returned. Also in the division were Brighton (champions), Hull City and Blackpool, who would all play in the Premier League.

In the Premier League, Man City would be relegated and suffer successive demotions. Coventry and Bradford played their last ever games (so far) in the top division. Ipswich, Sunderland and Charlton finished 5th, 7th and 9th respectively, yet all now ply their trade in League One.

In the Championship, Wimbledon were still Wimbledon. Grimsby and Stockport were mid table sides; both went out of the league and Grimsby might well head back to the National League again. Tranmere played their last season in the second tier.

In League 1, Swansea were relegated to the bottom division. They'd later spend 7 seasons in the Premier League. Bury were still in existence. Wrexham finished 10th. Reading, Stoke, Wigan and Bournemouth would play in the top flight. Notts County were involved in a promotion race but are no longer in the league.

I think that shows how healthy the lower echelons are. OTOH I think Arsenal, Man Utd, Spurs, Liverpool, and Chelsea all spent the entire period in the top half of the Premier League. That shows how unhealthy the upper echelons are.

[the other bob wilson]

20 years ago this season we spent our last season in the bottom division, finishing 2nd with an expensive squad for the division, playing an attacking football that saw lots of goals at both ends. We would be unbeaten at home all season. We won 82 points that season to finish second. We won 83 to finish 4th the season afterwards and 81 in our promotion season where we finished 6th. Only twice since then have we won more than 80 points, during both promotion seasons to the Premier League, where we won more points as runner-up than we did as Champions 5 years previously.

That season we were in the same division as Chesterfield (who were promoted with us), York City, Darlington, Halifax Town, Kidderminster Harriers, Hartlepool United and Torquay United - all sides that have since dropped out of the league and haven't returned. Also in the division were Brighton (champions), Hull City and Blackpool, who would all play in the Premier League.

In the Premier League, Man City would be relegated and suffer successive demotions. Coventry and Bradford played their last ever games (so far) in the top division. Ipswich, Sunderland and Charlton finished 5th, 7th and 9th respectively, yet all now ply their trade in League One.

In the Championship, Wimbledon were still Wimbledon. Grimsby and Stockport were mid table sides; both went out of the league and Grimsby might well head back to the National League again. Tranmere played their last season in the second tier.

In League 1, Swansea were relegated to the bottom division. They'd later spend 7 seasons in the Premier League. Bury were still in existence. Wrexham finished 10th. Reading, Stoke, Wigan and Bournemouth would play in the top flight. Notts County were involved in a promotion race but are no longer in the league.

Thanks Eric, weren't we the leading scorers out of the ninety two in 99/00? I think we scored something like ninety five and it would have been well over a hundred if they counted all of the own goals we scored that season .

[Cardiff-Cal]

Thanks Eric, weren't we the leading scorers out of the ninety two in 99/00? I think we scored something like ninety five and it would have been well over a hundred if they counted all of the own goals we scored that season .

I doubt it, we suffered relegation that season 😆

[Cardiff-Cal]

Loved reading this thanks.

I remember our battle for top spot with Chesterfield and Brighton which Brighton ran away with in the end. We had Earnie, Brighton had Bobby Zamora and Chesterfield had Luke Beckett.

I think the point about Man City is slightly wrong though because that would have meant we would have played them in the league at some point in the next couple of seasons and I know we didn’t.

[Hilts]

Loved reading this thanks.

I remember our battle for top spot with Chesterfield and Brighton which Brighton ran away with in the end. We had Earnie, Brighton had Bobby Zamora and Chesterfield had Luke Beckett.

I think the point about Man City is slightly wrong though because that would have meant we would have played them in the league at some point in the next couple of seasons and I know we didn’t.

No your wrong.

Man City bounced back immediately under Kevin Keegan after their relegation.

[Cardiff-Cal]

No your wrong.

Man City bounced back immediately under Kevin Keegan after their relegation.

Well there we are then I’m right...

Because the original post says they suffered successive relegations.

[the other bob wilson]

I doubt it, we suffered relegation that season ��

Oops

[Mario Miethig]

I think Chesterfield had a points deduction that season? I remember the 3-3 draw with them. What a game! Can’t believe it’s 20 years.

[Hilts]

Well there we are then I’m right...

Because the original post says they suffered successive relegations.

Yeah sorry. The successive relegations was a few seasons earlier

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Well there we are then I’m right...

Because the original post says they suffered successive relegations.

I'm getting senile in my old age!! They didn't suffer successive relegations a couple of years before, either.