“What’s the longest time a team has had at the top of the Premier League without winning it?” asks Paul Martin.
Whatever the document is, it might be about to be damaged. Arsenal’s win over Chelsea on Tuesday night time manner they have got been best of the desk for 248 days, however Manchester City (16 days) have two video games in hand and are odds-on favorites for the Premier League name.
The present holders of this unwelcome document are Kevin Keegan’s newcastle, who led the best way for 212 days in 1995–96 sooner than they had been reeled in via Manchester United. Newcastle beat Coventry 3–0 at the opening day of the season and went best of the fledgling desk. Barring two days in August (on each and every instance, the leaders Leeds had performed a sport extra), Newcastle had been best till Eric Cantona scored an injury-time equalizer at QPR on 16 March 1996. Less than two months previous, Newcastle had 12 issues. transparent.
Keegan’s group went again to the highest two days later, beating West Ham 3–0 in considered one of their two video games in hand at United. That put them forward on purpose distinction – however just for 5 extra days. At 3.03pm on 23 March 1996, the Scottish centre-back Scott Marshall headed Arsenal forward at Highbury, and Newcastle slipped under United within the as-it-stands desk. Ian Wright finished a 2–0 win with an insouciant end, and Newcastle dropped off best spot for the general time that season.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s group did it once more in 2002-03, extinguishing Arsenal‘s hopes of holding the name for the primary time because the Nineteen Thirties. Arsenal, taking part in one of the easiest soccer ever observed on this nation, led the desk for many of the season, together with an uninterrupted spell from mid-November to mid-April. But issues began to get furry, specifically clear of house – this was once when Ferguson coined the word “squeaky-bum time” – and Ruud van Nistelrooy went into overdrive. He scored 13 targets within the ultimate 8 video games, and United gained the name via 5 issues. Arsenal have been best for 189 days of the season.
Arsenal and manchester united swapped roles in 1997–98. A tender United facet, taking part in one of the easiest soccer ever observed on this nation, led the desk for many of the season, together with an uninterrupted spell from late-October to mid-April. But when the going were given difficult they desperately ignored Roy Keane, who was once out for the season after injuring himself whilst seeking to depart one on Erling Haaland’s long run dad.
Most other people concept United had the name wrapped up at first of March, and one publicity-shy bookmaker even paid out, however Arsenal had a variety of video games in hand. Their quietly emphatic 1-0 victory at Old Trafford in mid-March intended the name was once of their arms and out of United’s, even though they nonetheless were not best of the league. Arsenal stored successful and in spite of everything went best – nonetheless with two video games in hand – after thrashing Wimbledon 5–0 on 18 April. United have been best for 175 days consecutively and 187 throughout the entire season. Arsenal’s superior, unheard of run of 10 immediately victories culminated in a name celebration towards Everton, when Tony Adams summed all of it up.
A decade later Arsenal‘s younger facet had been best for many of autumn and wintry weather, 156 days in general, but it surely was once a Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired United who gained the league. Arsenal misplaced the lead as soon as and for all on 15 March after they drew 1–1 at house to Middlesbrough. It was once their fourth consecutive draw, a expensive run that began with an notorious sport at Birmingham.
Lastly, in probably the most unyielding Premier League race of all 4 seasons in the past, Liverpool led the desk for 141 days. They went best on 14 other events, however in the end attracts value them, in particular 4 in six video games as wintry weather became spring, culminating in a goalless fit at Goodison Park on 3 March. Liverpool gained their ultimate 9 fits, and had been best of the desk at quite a lot of issues in April and May on account of the best way the fits had been scheduled. But from early March, City knew it was once of their arms. They gained their ultimate 14 video games, an ideal, unheard of run that decided the name via one level.
We assume those are the highest 5 unfortunate losers of the Premier League generation. But if we now have ignored anyone or totally tousled our calculations, you recognize what to do.
Interim managers being sacked
Cristian Stellini is not even the primary Italian caretaker to depart a London membership upfront, regardless that whether or not Attilio Lombardo jumped or was once driven is open to discuss. In March 1998, Crystal Palace had been heading for relegation and determined to take an enormous gamble: the chief Steve Coppell was director of soccer, and Lombardo – a tremendous participant however one that slightly spoke English – took over as player-manager. Tomas Brolin was once his assistant/translator.
Chelsea had simply appointed Lombardo’s outdated Sampdoria and Juventus teammate, Gianluca Vialli, in a identical position, even if Lombardo was once prepared to fret one minor distinction. “Gianluca is in a similar position,” he mentioned, “although he is driving a Formula One car, as it were, while I’m in charge of a sinking ship.”
Palace conceded after 59 seconds of Lombardo’s first sport, a three–1 defeat at Aston Villa, even if it wasn’t all dangerous information. During his quick spell in rate, they gained at house for the primary time within the league that season. On 18 April.
Lombardo lasted seven video games (W2 D0 L5) sooner than leaving when relegation was once showed on the finish of April. It was once reported that he had stepped down, regardless that that tale quickly modified: in step with a variety of experiences he was once sacked, and discovered about it on Ceefax. He was once changed via an not going control duo: Ray Lewington (lately Roy Hodgson’s No 2 at Selhurst Park) and the outgoing chairman Ron Noades.
Noades left Palace that summer season and was each chairman and supervisor of Brentford, who had been promoted in his first season. Lombardo controlled a couple of golf equipment within the 2000s however has extra lately labored as an assistant to Roberto Mancini and others.
Long odds: a brief replace
In ultimate week’s wisdom, we seemed on the English champions who had the longest pre-season odds. We could not in finding Nottingham Forest’s in 1977-78, so because of Chris Clarke for guiding us to this access from PinkRobbo at the Forest discussion board LTLF:
We had been 66-1. I do know as a result of I wrote out a £10 win guess after which chucked the slip within the bin considering I used to be being crazily positive. A mate of mine positioned a chance and persevered to take a position each and every week – he gained a just right couple of dollars.
wisdom archive
“If Luton finish higher than 12th in the Championship, which looks increasingly likely, it will be the seventh consecutive year they have improved their league position. Would that be a record? wondered Bogdan Kotarlic in 2022.
First, a correction from John Curry: “Luton finished 11th in League Two in 2015–16 after coming eighth the year before – so they were chasing a sixth straight season of improvement. Local rivals Watford could beat that – they improved their league position for eight consecutive seasons between 1975–76 and 1982–83.” The Hornets climbed from eighth in Division Four to second in Division One in that time.
Chris Roe chimed in: “This will not be a record, not even for Luton. Their best record stands at nine straight seasons, starting in 1978. Only Gillingham (from 1994) and Oldham (from 1969) have equaled this.” Another set of Hatters, this time at Stockport, are comingmind [update: they improved again],
Ian Ditchfield nominated for National League South side Dorking Wanderers. “Their record stands at seven consecutive improvements, from fifth in the Sussex County League Division 3 in 2008–09 to second in the Isthmian League Division 1 South in 2015–16. The run was only broken by two consecutive second-place finishes, although they won the playoffs the second time. If that counts, and we disregard the voided 2021-22 season, the run will reach 12 as long as Wanderers (currently second) finish in the top six this term.” You can read more about Dorking’s remarkable rise here. [update: they improved again],
Can you help?
“Sheffield Wednesday and Derby play each other on the last day of the League One season; if the table stays as it is, they’ll then play each other in the playoffs. I’m presuming this isn’t a first, but can anyone provide any examples? asks James Murton.
“After Erling Haaland’s mid-game change of hairstyle against Arsenal, are there any other major instances of this happening?” asks Tim Robinson.
“Idly looking at league tables pre-match at the weekend, and we discovered what we reckon was the worst season anyone has ever suffered, Airbus, in the Welsh Premier Division,” writes Andy Pechey. “Played 32, scored 18, conceded 100, points -4 (deducted 6). Can anyone find a grimmer campaign?
“João Palhinha is on 12 yellow cards with six games to go, giving him a decent chance of reaching 15, which has never been ‘achieved’ in the Premier League,” notes Richard Powell. “Is there a suspension for reaching 15 yellows and what is the highest number of bookings in a single season anywhere?”
“San Marino’s SS Cosmos completed 2d within the league this 12 months – and had been only one level from successful the name, which is exceptional taking into consideration they completed all-time low ultimate season with simply 5 issues. Has every other group ever gained a league having completed in this kind of dangerous place the 12 months sooner than?” wonders Matthew Gregory.