Barnsley win over Leeds is huge.......

[BensGrandad]

I think that theoretically it is possible for any team to catch us but realistically that isnt going to happen

 

[looney]

Name them. Seriously. Name a settled club, team, manager that fell apart with big leads like ours, a win-loss record like ours, a goals for/goals against record like ours?

Really? Of the top of my head Im thinking Rangers blowing it a few years back after a game where they picked up a couple of injuries and a red card, cupss and league. I seem to remember Man Utd blowing a big lead, 17 points years ago.

quick google

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...lowing-the-title-a-brief-history-7601079.html

""They were all flair teams who dominated home games but had little experience of winning titles. Sound like anyone?

TBH 3 of the 5 are really crap examples imo but remember plenty of divisional teams doing it. If after the tough games in feb we are 15ish points clear then I'll be happy.

Out of curiosity I wonder what team has blown the biggest lead ever? Bet its someone like Sheff Wed.

 

[Rugrat]

Out of curiosity I wonder what team has blown the biggest lead ever? Bet its someone like Sheff Wed.

Best examples I can find from a very quick scan (so may not be 100%). From around same point in season

05/06 Sunderland outscored Ipswich by +12
06/07 Sunderland outscored Derby by +14
09/10 WBA outscored Forest by +15 (for 2nd)
11/12 Reading outscored West Ham by +11

 

[Hotchilidog]

I genuinely feel sorry for you if you're not able to enjoy this season and just want it to be over.

For me, it's all about the journey. I'm less fussed about next season, I am just relishing every performance like Friday's. I think we'll do it because, aside from the barcodes, I've not seen anyone else with the quality and consistency to catch us.

It's all about the glory.

PG

Absolutely this. Very well put. This season has been magnificent thus far and friday night was just exceptional. The aftermath of the gme will live long in the memory the full throated celebrations on the concourses and then the extremly bouyant trip back into town where every pub seemed to full of celebrating fans. Town was buzzing, and you get the feeling that both the team and supporters are in this together. I'll cross the bridge to next season when we come to it, but I'm as sure as hell going to make the most of this season.

 

[LlcoolJ]

Absolutely this. Very well put. This season has been magnificent thus far and friday night was just exceptional. The aftermath of the gme will live long in the memory the full throated celebrations on the concourses and then the extremly bouyant trip back into town where every pub seemed to full of celebrating fans. Town was buzzing, and you get the feeling that both the team and supporters are in this together. I'll cross the bridge to next season when we come to it, but I'm as sure as hell going to make the most of this season.

This is what the Palace goons don't get. Regardless of the ultimate outcome, this season has already been one filled with total joy and celebration for us and never ending misery and ridicule for them.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Really? Of the top of my head Im thinking Rangers blowing it a few years back after a game where they picked up a couple of injuries and a red card, cupss and league. I seem to remember Man Utd blowing a big lead, 17 points years ago.

quick google

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...lowing-the-title-a-brief-history-7601079.html

""They were all flair teams who dominated home games but had little experience of winning titles. Sound like anyone?

TBH 3 of the 5 are really crap examples imo but remember plenty of divisional teams doing it. If after the tough games in feb we are 15ish points clear then I'll be happy.

Out of curiosity I wonder what team has blown the biggest lead ever? Bet its someone like Sheff Wed.

Thanks. Sorry I didn't mean to set homework its just that there are nearly always underlying reasons for these collapses that don't apply to us. For example Newcastle's collapse was a result of Keegan being out of his depth and in a situation he had never experienced before, we can't say that about Hughton.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Best examples I can find from a very quick scan (so may not be 100%). From around same point in season

05/06 Sunderland outscored Ipswich by +12
06/07 Sunderland outscored Derby by +14
09/10 WBA outscored Forest by +15 (for 2nd)
11/12 Reading outscored West Ham by +11

Ta. fair enough, it can happen. Delving a little deeper:

Ipswich 04/05 were top after 26 games, with 52 points, but only 3 ahead of Sunderland and 5 ahead of Wigan, the two teams to finish above them that season. Sure, Sunderland then went on to finish 9 points ahead of Ipswich, but they didn't come from that far back.

Derby 06/07 had a mere 47 points after 26 games, we have 57 so we've got a decent head start there. Sunderland had just 37 at the same time so 51 points from their final 20 games - wow! Come in Aston Villa your time is now!

Forest 09/10 had 49 points at this point, were in second, just 3 points ahead of West Brom who had a game in hand, and finished with just 79 points - although still in third. Newcastle romped away with the title and 101 points. Incidentally if we're talking about history repeating itself, Newcastle 09/10 were the last team to reach 50 points as early as the 23rd game before Brighton seven years later. The name of Newcastle's manager at that time escapes me right now

West Ham 11/12 had 50 points after 26 games, joint second and 8 points clear of Reading. Reading were already well on their amazing run at that point. This is certainly the closest parallel to this current season.

In all these cases the teams had far fewer points after 26 games than we do right now, so we have a nice big head start. Its true that our chasing pack of Leeds and Hudds do have a lot of points of their own stashed away, but I think we're cool

 

[Paris]

Just booked a few open top buses for May. Roger French is such a lovely guy.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Just booked a few open top buses for May. Roger French is such a lovely guy.

He is, but a shame he retired in 2013.

 

[Paris]

He is, but a shame he retired in 2013.

Well, they've got someone working in the B&H buses office that sounds remarkably like him. A real Roger Moore twang.