Last time top at Xmas

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Were Leeds or us top when we played Boxing Day 1989?
 
Crikey, i had forgotten how clear we both were at that stage. 10 points between us and the mags that slowly reduced the following (granted they had a game in hand). The atmosphere that day was special. So many leeds on the kop though.

Yeah only Newcastle away and West Ham had laid a glove on first half of the season. Following the Leeds game we lost to Oxford on new year's day, 3 nil.

We had some stupid results in the second half of season most notably losing to Barnsley at home, Pompey away. But managed to close it out.
 
Yeah only Newcastle away and West Ham had laid a glove on first half of the season. Following the Leeds game we lost to Oxford on new year's day, 3 nil.

We had some stupid results in the second half of season most notably losing to Barnsley at home, Pompey away. But managed to close it out.
The West Ham game was mental. Phil Parkes was about 64 by then but had the game of his life. Just one of those days. Newcastle beat us fair and square mind. You're right we dropped lots of points needlessly. I remember Bassett being asked ''When did you first believe we were going up?'' and he said ''after getting beat 3-0 at oxford in the pouring rain''!!
 
The West Ham game was mental. Phil Parkes was about 64 by then but had the game of his life. Just one of those days. Newcastle beat us fair and square mind. You're right we dropped lots of points needlessly. I remember Bassett being asked ''When did you first believe we were going up?'' and he said ''after getting beat 3-0 at oxford in the pouring rain''!!
He's quoted on the end of season video in response to that question "when we were 5-2 up at Leicester with 5 mins to go and I heard Newcastle were 4-1 down, I thought "even we can't bleep it up now"

(Not going up required Newcastle winning and us not winning).
 
In 1979 and 2012 we were top at Christmas but in the 3rd tier.

2nd tier this season different set of rules.
We've been top of the 2nd tier 3 times at Xmas. 1937, 1952 and 1960. Promoted the last two times, missed out on goal average the first time.
 
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For completeness, the only other time we've been top of a league at Xmas was the old Division 1 in 1899. We finished 2nd.

So, overall being top of the league at Xmas has led to the following final positions

1st 1952
2nd 1899, 1960
3rd 1937
5th 2012
12th(!) 1979
 
1979-80 was bizzzare. First half of the season saw us with the modern equivalent of 44 points , 2nd half 19 points - relegation form..

Still nothing beats Millwall in 95-96. Top at Xmas. Ended up relegated.
 

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