The importance of first day wins
By Nathan Jacson
August 10 2008
There is a popular belief that a win on the opening day is important. However, you look at the opening day results last season and you realise that MK Dons lost their opening game of the 2007/8 season, yet they secured almost 100 points in the division. So, how did the promoted teams in recent seasons cope after their first day results?
OPENING DAY RESULTS FOR THE SIDES THAT LEFT LEAGUE TWO IN 2007/8 | |
Champions - MK Dons | LOST 2-1 (VS BURY) |
Second - Peterborough Utd | WON 3-0 (VS ROCHDALE) |
Third - Hereford United | DREW 0-0 (VS ROTHERHAM) |
Playoff Winner - Stockport County | WON 1-0 (VS DAGENHAM) |
Relegated - Mansfield Town | DREW 1-1 (VS BRENTFORD) |
Relegated - Wrexham | LOST 2-0(VS DARLINGTON) |
So we lost on the opening day but that doesn't necessarily mean we'll have a bad season. MK Dons lost their first game of last sason and yet went on to record nearly 100 points during the season.
Another way of analysing the irrelevance of the opening day results is that Shrewsbury beat us 4-0 on the first day last season, but we finished above them in the final table.
Another example of the irrelevance of the opening day is that Torquay United won their first two games in 2006/7, a season in which they got relegated.
ALL THE PROMOTED SIDES IN RECENT SEASONS AND THEIR RESULT ON THE OPENING DAY OF THE SEAOSN THEY WENT UP | |
WALSALL | WON 1-0 (VS ROCHDALE) |
HARTLEPOOL UNITED | LOST 1-0 (VS SWINDON) |
SWINDON TOWN | WON 1-0 (VS HARTLEPOOL) |
BRISTOL ROVERS | LOST 4-1 (VS PETERBOROUGH) |
CARLISLE UNITED | DREW 0-0 (VS WYCOMBE WANDERERS) |
NORTHAMPTON TOWN | DREW 1-1 (VS LINCOLN) |
LEYTON ORIENT | WON 2-1 (VS MACCLESFIELD) |
CHELTENHAM TOWN | WON 2-1 (VS BURY) |
YEOVIL TOWN | LOST 3-1 (VS BURY) |
SCUNTHORPE | WON 3-1 (VS ROCHDALE) |
SWANSEA CITY | LOST 2-1 (VS NORTHAMPTON) |
SOUTHEND UTD | LOST 2-0 (TO CHELTENHAM) |
Looking back on the records of the teams that have won promotion since 2004/5, there are quite a mixed set of results. Infact, three of the four sides to win promotion that season were defeated on the opening day. Infact, Southend United beat City in the Playoff Final, Southend had lost their opening game and the Imps had won their's.
Now, I'm not going to pretend that starting with a defeat is a good thing because obviously we're playing catch-up already. However, look back at last season, bottom after the first game and we were fourth after the third.
All is certainly not lost for the Imps and with three of the better squads in the division all on minus points totals, City certainly still have a chance.
On both occasions we went on to lift the title?!!
UP THE IMPS
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