Timeline 1997

[Stat Brother]

For me the most shocking thing about the table twenty years ago is that since then;
4 clubs have been to the Premier League
10 have gone out the league
3 have gone bust and disappeared or had to be restarted under a new name

Wigan, Swansea, Fulham, Cardiff, Hull + **cough** 1 more.

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

But 5 (6?) have played in the Premier League.

Exactly, the disparity is mental. A sliding doors moment for us 100%

 

[Eeyore]

But 5 (6?) have played in the Premier League.

FA Cup winner too.

 

[crasher]

We've got to this stage have we ? "Look how far we've come" yawn. The commentator last night mentioned it loads of times, yeah we get it cos we were there. This was all posted last year and the year before etc.....

Bit different this year though isn't it when it's 20 years exactly and we are (please God) about to go up to the top flight for only the second time in our history.

And not everyone was there - not everyone's as old as me and you

 

[Barry Izbak]

told you I was shocked...... can't even count

 

[Stat Brother]

FA Cup winner too.

and a UEFA Cup finalist.

 

[Weststander]

On April 8 1997 the division 3 table looked like this. We were 5 points adrift with 4 games to play. Our last game had been a 1-0 loss to Scunthorpe on 5 April. Who thinks we had a realistic chance...View attachment 83721

Who were our two vital wins against, shown in the form column?

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

Our home form was absolutely imperious over the whole season!

 

[Munkfish]

Blimey, FOUR teams in that league have folded since then.

Ignore my shit post.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

We've got to this stage have we ? "Look how far we've come" yawn. The commentator last night mentioned it loads of times, yeah we get it cos we were there. This was all posted last year and the year before etc.....

So it means absolutely nothing to you? If you don't remember the past you'll never enjoy the future.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

On April 8 1997 the division 3 table looked like this. We were 5 points adrift with 4 games to play. Our last game had been a 1-0 loss to Scunthorpe on 5 April. Who thinks we had a realistic chance...View attachment 83721

Even when we were many more points adrift I was certain we would stay up. I was mocked at work but when I offered someone a tenner on it (this was back in the early March) nobody would take it. The chief mocker died rather horribly a few years later (making her one of many who have crossed me in a fairly trivial way and later met with severe ill fortune; a tale for another time).

 

[moggy]

Sad to see Scarborough there and now gone

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Exactly what was that for? From memory it was for a crowd disturbance incident.

Organised pitch invsion vs York. Game abandoned. It was well advertised in advance. I was there with one of my brothers but did not invade the pitch as I thought the inevitable points deduction was not what we needed at that time.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Blimey, FOUR teams in that league have folded since then.

And five have been in the top division (soon to be six). I lost count of the number who have dropped down intio the 'non league' zone, but several bounced back. Yes, a league of great turbulence.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

and a UEFA Cup finalist.

League cup winner

 

[Lord Bracknell]

What is easily forgotten is that the ONLY reason we finished the season above Hereford is that we scored more goals than they did. If the tie-breaker had been Goal Difference (like it is now), we would have been the team that was relegated.

 

[The Optimist]

Hartlepool 3-2

I think Archer and Bellotti actually turned up to that game. Amazing to think that despite the improvement Steve Gritt brought he didn't actually manage to win an away game.

 

[The Optimist]

What is easily forgotten is that the ONLY reason we finished the season above Hereford is that we scored more goals than they did. If the tie-breaker had been Goal Difference (like it is now), we would have been the team that was relegated.

We'd have won if we'd had to. Possibly.

 

[Easy 10]

Blimey, Hereford took 4 points off us that season.

Still not quite enough.

 

[scousefan]

What is easily forgotten is that the ONLY reason we finished the season above Hereford is that we scored more goals than they did. If the tie-breaker had been Goal Difference (like it is now), we would have been the team that was relegated.

Absolutely true - we were so lucky with that rule. Our home form at the Goldstone kept us afloat. I have to confess that I had given up hope when we lost to Chester on my. birthday at the end of March. At this stage on 8 April I would have still said we were done for. If there was any hope at all I was watching Hartlepool, not Hereford...