With Wycombe Wanderers reeling from their disappointing start to life in League One, it’s time for some useless stats to while away the time and give both the optimists and the pessimists food for thought.
There have been 28 completed seasons since the rules were changed to award three points for a win.
During that time 31 teams have banked 6 points or less after their first 11 games in League One (Level Three).
19 of those teams have been relegated at the end of the season, but 12 have gone on to survive.
3 teams have even managed to finish in the top half of the table despite their poor start.
It appears however, that in recent years it’s been harder to recover from a slow start, with only 3 out of 10 surviving since the turn of the century.
The Chairboys have been in this position twice before, recovering on one occasion and suffering relegation on the other.
Here’s a list of everyone that’s started as badly as Wycombe since 1981. Some readers may find hope, while others will only see impending doom.
1981/82
Plymouth……..Pld:11, Pts:2, (Final Pts:65, Final Pos:10th) – Survived
1983/84
Bradford……….Pld:11, Pts:6, (Final Pts:71, Final Pos:7th) – Survived
Bournemouth…Pld:11, Pts:6, (Final Pts:55, Final Pos:17th) – Survived
Port Vale…..,…Pld:11, Pts:5, (Final Pts:43, Final Pos:23rd) – Relegated
1984/85
Cambridge……Pld:11, Pts:5, (Final Pts:21, Final Pos:24th) – Relegated
1985/86
Darlington…….Pld:11, Pts:5, Final Pts:58, Final Pos:13th) – Survived
1987/88
Preston……….Pld:11, Pts:6, (Final Pts:58, Final Pos:16th) – Survived
York City……..Pld:11, Pts:3, (Final Pts:33, Final Pos:23rd) – Relegated
1988/89
Chesterfield…..Pld:11, Pts:6, (Final Pts:49, Final Pos:22nd) – Relegated
Aldershot………Pld:11, Pts:5, (Final Pts:37, Final Pos:24th) – Relegated
1989/90
Wigan………….Pld:11, Pts:5,(Final Pts:54, Final Pos:18th) – Survived
1991/92
Torquay……….Pld:11, Pts:6, (Final Pts:47, Final Pos:23rd) – Relegated
1992/93
Chester City….Pld:11, Pts:5, (Final Pts:29, Final Pos:24th) – Relegated
Huddersfield….Pld:11, Pts:5, (Final Pts:60. Final Pos:15th) – Survived
1993/94
Barnet………….Pld:11, Pts:1, (Final Pts:28, Final Pos:24th) – Relegated
1994/95
Cardiff………….Pld:11, Pts:6, (Final Pts:38, Final Pos:22nd) – Relegated
Chester ………..Pld:11, Pts:5, (Final Pts:29, Final Pos:23rd) – Relegated
Bournemouth….Pld:11, Pts:4, (Final Pts:50, Final Pos:19th) – Survived
1996/97
Rotherham……..Pld:11, Pts:5, (Final Pts:35, Final Pos:23rd) – Relegated
1998/99
Lincoln City…….Pld:11, Pts:5, (Final Pts:46, Final Pos:23rd) – Relegated
Wycombe ………Pld:11, Pts:3, (Final Pts:51, Final Pos:19th) – Survived
2000/01
Oldham ………….Pld:11, Pts:6, (Final Pts:58, Final Pos:15th) – Survived
Oxford……………Pld:11, Pts:6, (Final Pts:27, Final Pos:24th) – Relegated
2001/02
Bury……………..Pld:11, Pts:5, (Final Pts:44, Final Pos:22nd) – Relegated
2003/04
Wycombe………Pld:11, Pts:6, (Final Pts:37, Final Pos:24th) – Relegated
Notts County…..Pld:11, Pts:6, (Final Pts:42, Final Pos:23rd) – Relegated
Chesterfield……Pld:11, Pts:5, (Final Pts:51, Final Pos:20th) – Survived
2004/05
Stockport……….Pld:11, Pts:6, (Final Pts:26, Final Pos:24th) – Relegated
2006/07
Millwall………….Pld:11, Pts:6, (Final Pts:66, Final Pos:10th) – Survived
Rotherham…….Pld:11, Pts:4, (Final Pts:38, Final Pos: 23rd) – Relegated
2008/09
Hereford………..Pld:11, Pts:6, (Final Pts:34, Final Pos:24th) – Relegated