Better than 1970-71!

[Silent Blade]

After 34 games

2 points for a win

1970-71 W17 D10 L7 44 points
2018-19 W19 D7 L8 45 points

3 points for a win

1970-71 W17 D10 L7 61 points
2018-19 W19 D7 L8 64 points

 

[Harry's Game]

I wasn’t even a twinkle in the milkman’s eye at that point.

What’s the comparison to 1990 and 2006?

 

[HighfieldBlade]

When was 3 points for a win introduced?

 

[South Bucks]

Remember 70/71 vaguely, think there were only 42 games that season and we only lost 1 at home that season to Hull. We didn't really know we were up til the penultimate match against Cardiff, great night, even though not mathematical.
Too close to call this season but if we are positive away from home and with luck we could do it. The rest is history...

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

In 1971 we did go unbeaten for the rest of the season to get the 2nd promotion spot. It will take some doing to repeat that. Thanks for trying to make me optimistic, but you'll have to do better than that...

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Remember 70/71 vaguely, think there were only 42 games that season and we only lost 1 at home that season to Hull. We didn't really know we were up til the penultimate match against Cardiff, great night, even though not mathematical.
Too close to call this season but if we are positive away from home and with luck we could do it. The rest is history...

We had to draw the last match against Watford to confirm promotion.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I was born in 1971 and remember that season well.

 

[Sheffsteel]

When was 3 points for a win introduced?

It was the 81-82 season when we were in the 4th division.

If it had been brought in a season earlier in 80-81 we’d have easily stayed up and the Don Givens missed penalty would have been irrelevant.

 

[blade.i.am]

It was the 81-82 season when we were in the 4th division.

If it had been brought in a season earlier in 80-81 we’d have easily stayed up and the Don Givens missed penalty would have been irrelevant.

From memory we got 95 points which was a record at the time

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

It was the 81-82 season when we were in the 4th division.

If it had been brought in a season earlier in 80-81 we’d have easily stayed up and the Don Givens missed penalty would have been irrelevant.

All part of the 13-year curse. Watch out for any rule changes at the beginning of next season.

 

[blade.i.am]

70-71 was my first season going to the Lane. Hopefully, this season will inspire more kids to being life-long Blades. Happy days.

 

[Silent Blade]

From memory we got 95 points which was a record at the time

96

 

[ucandomagic]

We didn't really know we were up til the penultimate match against Cardiff, great night, even though not mathematical....

Believe it or not the Cardiff game was my first ever - just before living in Sheffield for 6 years - been hooked for the 48 years since - glory seeker obviously!

I remember having a hell of a time, a diving header, a lot of beer (which I was later told was Wards) but I don’t remember much else! Only similar footballing memory blank occurred at Darlington!

I’ve tried to be more controlled since then - unfortunately the need for restraint has been rare!

Fuck it - I’ll empty the Sheaf Island of Jaipur and forget it all again if we make it this year!

Magic

 

[ucandomagic]

I wasn’t even a twinkle in the milkman’s eye at that point.

What’s the comparison to 1990 and 2006?

Here's a few comparisons - including 2006 - I haven't got the 1990 chart to hand - will do it tomorrow perhaps.

 

[ucandomagic]

I wasn’t even a twinkle in the milkman’s eye at that point.

What’s the comparison to 1990 and 2006?

Oh go on then - I've put them both on just for you!

 

[tomtheblade]

When was 3 points for a win introduced?

And in addition, to those of you who were around at that time, what was the general reaction to the rule change?

Was there an outcry of 'heresy/ the end of football as we know it/ the games changed beyond recognition' etc? Or were people positive about it?

I ask because there's some very strong reactions to any changes to the game these days, or even to changing fashions within the sport, and I wonder if this was always the case.

 

[Robby Blade]

The biggest change was there were not so many draws. I may be wrong (nowt new) but the pools companies were struggling with so many draws that payouts were getting less and less, so they might have had something to do with it. Not sure when score draws got more points than no score draws on coupons.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

And in addition, to those of you who were around at that time, what was the general reaction to the rule change?

Was there an outcry of 'heresy/ the end of football as we know it/ the games changed beyond recognition' etc? Or were people positive about it?

I ask because there's some very strong reactions to any changes to the game these days, or even to changing fashions within the sport, and I wonder if this was always the case.

I was around at the time, but just couldn't remember which season it was introduced (it was 81/82, as mentioned above).
From what I recall, the idea was looked upon favourably and when implemented it was well received - especially as we were crowned Div 4 champions that season!

 

[finlaytheblade]

After 34 games

2 points for a win

1970-71 W17 D10 L7 44 points
2018-19 W19 D7 L8 45 points

3 points for a win

1970-71 W17 D10 L7 61 points
2018-19 W19 D7 L8 64 points

We had just started the run in after being beaten by Hull City,we went unbeaten for the last 11 games drawing a fair number.

 

[Revolution]

And in addition, to those of you who were around at that time, what was the general reaction to the rule change?

Was there an outcry of 'heresy/ the end of football as we know it/ the games changed beyond recognition' etc? Or were people positive about it?

I ask because there's some very strong reactions to any changes to the game these days, or even to changing fashions within the sport, and I wonder if this was always the case.

The one I remember vividly was the backpass rule coming in during the summer of 1992. There was a lot of negative reaction to this at the time...and it has been an excellent rule change.

In fact, there are a lot of things wrong with football, but you have to say that the 3 biggest rule changes of the last 100 years, the 3 men to 2 men change in the offside rule (1925), the backpass rule (1992) and the clampdown on dirty play that has moved forward incrementally over the last 40 or so years (with its roots in the 1970 World Cup) have made the game a much better spectacle.

Other sports - such as Rugby (which nowadays involves a lot of standing around and can't even decide what a try is) NFL (which can't decide what a catch is) and Baseball (which seems utterly incapable of confronting the problem of long slow boring games) could learn a lot from this.

 

[Silent Blade]

, the 3 men to 2 men change in the offside rule (1925),

That finished many defenders!

 

[Revolution]

That finished many defenders!

It caused an explosion in goalscoring for some years, but it was worth the change. The game at the top level was being strangled by the use of the offside trap.

 

[sitwell]

The one I remember vividly was the backpass rule coming in during the summer of 1992. There was a lot of negative reaction to this at the time...and it has been an excellent rule change.

In fact, there are a lot of things wrong with football, but you have to say that the 3 biggest rule changes of the last 100 years, the 3 men to 2 men change in the offside rule (1925), the backpass rule (1992) and the clampdown on dirty play that has moved forward incrementally over the last 40 or so years (with its roots in the 1970 World Cup) have made the game a much better spectacle.

Other sports - such as Rugby (which nowadays involves a lot of standing around and can't even decide what a try is) NFL (which can't decide what a catch is) and Baseball (which seems utterly incapable of confronting the problem of long slow boring games) could learn a lot from this.

That finished Jamie Hoylands career ,his whole game depended on passing it back to the keeper. Disagree that all the rules have changed for the better though ,a good tackle could get a crowd going but the refs clampdown has sanitised that side of the game. Still would prefer offside to mean offside ,its become too much of a grey area ,and does anyone ,even the FA know whats occurring with the 4 second rule for keepers ,does it still apply or not ?

70-71 was my first season too.

 

[Weasel]

It was the 81-82 season when we were in the 4th division.

If it had been brought in a season earlier in 80-81 we’d have easily stayed up and the Don Givens missed penalty would have been irrelevant.

It is true that we would have stayed up that season If we had the 3 points for a win rule. That said, it would still have been a tight squeak.

We would have finished the season on 54 points and in 17th place (we finished with 40 points in 20th place). Walsall would have gone down in our place, and Swindon and Gillingham (the latter finishing nearly mid table in reality!) would also have finished below us. But each of us would have had 54 points which means that the final game v Walsall would have been a dead rubber unless we conceded a sack load as we had a much much better goal difference - in fact we were plus 2! Mind you I wouldn't have put it past the gutless sods who were playing for us then as we were total wank at that time.

It was an incredibly tight league that season. Imagine getting relegated on 54 points...!

 

[Revolution]

That finished Jamie Hoylands career ,his whole game depended on passing it back to the keeper. Disagree that all the rules have changed for the better though ,a good tackle could get a crowd going but the refs clampdown has sanitised that side of the game. Still would prefer offside to mean offside ,its become too much of a grey area ,and does anyone ,even the FA know whats occurring with the 4 second rule for keepers ,does it still apply or not ?

70-71 was my first season too.

Nigel Pearson was the person most damaged by the change in the backpass law.

I look on the laws on violent play like this: we would not have had Ronaldo and Messi do so well for so long in the 1980s. They would have been treated like Maradona was in Spain. They'd have been kicked out of the game.

Or look at 1966 vs 1970. Pele had the crap kicked out of him by the Portuguese and George McCabe did nothing. From the first game in 1970 they clamped down on stuff like that and the greatest player in the game flourished. I know what I'd rather have.

As I said, it isn't perfect, but the big changes have IMHO worked very well. And believe me, you don't want the pre 1925 offside law back.

 

[tomtheblade]

Yeah, not having the backpass law does look silly now with hindsight. Made the game way too easy for defence, knowing that they had a safe pair of hands right behind them anytime they're under pressure.

And also, on the rare occasions when it's broken, we get the joy of witnessing an 11-man wall on the line resembling something from playground football, but on a professional pitch. Beautiful.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

When was 3 points for a win introduced?

Jimmy Hill campaigned for it.
Fifa didn’t officially adopt it until 1995:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zqvtn39

 

[sheffielder]

Paul Beesley was also impacted by the back pass rule.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

And in addition, to those of you who were around at that time, what was the general reaction to the rule change?

Was there an outcry of 'heresy/ the end of football as we know it/ the games changed beyond recognition' etc? Or were people positive about it?

I ask because there's some very strong reactions to any changes to the game these days, or even to changing fashions within the sport, and I wonder if this was always the case.

Difficult to remember reactions to specific changes. The 3 points for a win has opened up the game, and means that away teams don't often play for a 0-0 draw from the beginning. It has also made it easier to move up and down the league, so teams are involved in promotion/relegation fights much later in the season. Increased numbers being promoted/relegated also helps with that, as does having the play-offs. Play-offs, however, lead to the odd situation of the team fishing third not getting promotion, and the team in sixth place going up. There is something uncomfortable about that. And, of course, the play-offs were designed to drive all Blades fans to insanity...

 

[Revolution]

Difficult to remember reactions to specific changes. The 3 points for a win has opened up the game, and means that away teams don't often play for a 0-0 draw from the beginning. It has also made it easier to move up and down the league, so teams are involved in promotion/relegation fights much later in the season. Increased numbers being promoted/relegated also helps with that, as does having the play-offs. Play-offs, however, lead to the odd situation of the team fishing third not getting promotion, and the team in sixth place going up. There is something uncomfortable about that. And, of course, the play-offs were designed to drive all Blades fans to insanity...

Whilst I know what you mean, one way to look at the playoffs is that the team in third did not get promoted between 1899 and 1973. There was only a 13 season period when there was the third automatic promotion place in the second and third tiers (oh, and 1991 of course, when the Pigs finished third...).

The playoffs have had a positive effect on attendance and make the league more interesting. They would be brilliant if:

1. There was some sort of system where each place was of greater value than the one behind it, like in promotion to the Scottish Prem

2. We actually won them.