Best ever season?

[Jameston1]

This might have been mentioned elsewhere, but does a 9th place finish in the 4th tier make this our best ever season in football?

[Hadrian]

See Our Position in Context thread.

(Briefly, no - we had promotion from Division Four and the Division Three years in the 1960s.)

[oldtimer]

I refer you to the " Our Position in Context" thread.

[A.B.]

It doesn’t, no.

[andyg]

Re: Our Position in Context
Post by andyg » Wed May 03, 2023 12:26 pm

1931/32 we finished 5th. 1933/34 finished 8th. 1947/48 a 7th finish. These finishes were, of course, in Division 3 North at the time.

Put this is in the aforementioned topic. Obviously the promotion season and Division 3 seasons are the other seasons we ended higher in the football league.

[pjdaly]

Jameston, I think it would be very, very difficult to argue with the case for saying that in our 122-year history season 1967-68 was the greatest of them all. Why? Because we finished 8th in Division Three that season (now called EFL 1). We have never finished higher in the pyramid than that. Yes, we had higher finishes in lower leagues (even winning several non-league-level titles) and lesser leagues (including our times playing in Division Three North, which, as the title suggests, only featured northern clubs and lacked the competition from southern clubs). Any of these finishes would therefore represent a less impressive achievement than finishing 8th in the third tier of the national Football League.

Some might well say that the season before, 1966-67, was our greatest ever on account of the fact that we finished 3rd in our current league (the 4th tier) and got promoted. I can see that argument because we had the excitement of getting promoted as opposed to finishing "only" 8th the next season. Yet it remains a fact that, technically, we have never finished higher in the full national pyramid than we did in that 1967-68 season.

Jameston, you have me confused (which isn't that difficult) . . . wondering whether this season could be our greatest ever would suggest you are very young and unaware of the heights we scaled in the 1960's and yet you have "veteran member" listed under your name. There's something I'm not fathoming . . .

[Suffolk Blue]

Problem here is that we need to distinguish between “highest” and “best”. One is statistical the other is subjective. This season is a statistically significant one for us. But I suspect there will be a lot of discussion post season about how good this season has actually felt.

[Sea Dog Sam]

Totally agree with PJ.

Season 1967-68 was the greatest of them all. And not just for our high ranking league position but for the quality of the football we played under the leadership of Player-Manager, Colin Appleton. I still have a photo of that team on my noticeboard. Testimony to that side is the Brian Arrowsmith stand, who of course, was the captain of that team. I watched that side as a boy and could only marvel with joy at the abilities of Dave Storf, Roy McCarthy, Mick Hartland, Peter Bebbington, Eric Harrison, Jimmy Mulholland, Tony Field and of course, Fred Else. I often wonder, if Colin Appleton had remained in charge, if we would have eventually won promotion to Div 2 - now of course named The Championship.

The footballing merits of that Barrow AFC team were epitomised by Eric Harrison - who later went on to coach the youngsters at Old Trafford. The fruits of his labour were subsequently manifested in the Manchester United 'Class of '92' who won the Youth Cup that year. And vindicated by the words of ex Liverpool star Alan Hanson, who six years later, announced, half way through the 1998/99 season - on MOTD to millions of viewers: "You can't win anything with kids"...Really? Well; nothing apart from The Treble!

[saltcellar]

Totally agree with PJ.

Season 1967-68 was the greatest of them all. And not just for our high ranking league position but for the quality of the football we played under the leadership of Player-Manager, Colin Appleton. I still have a photo of that team on my noticeboard. Testimony to that side is the Brian Arrowsmith stand, who of course, was the captain of that team. I watched that side as a boy and could only marvel with joy at the abilities of Dave Storf, Roy McCarthy, Mick Hartland, Peter Bebbington, Eric Harrison, Jimmy Mulholland, Tony Field and of course, Fred Else. I often wonder, if Colin Appleton had remained in charge, if we would have eventually won promotion to Div 2 - now of course named The Championship.

The footballing merits of that Barrow AFC team were epitomised by Eric Harrison - who later went on to coach the youngsters at Old Trafford. The fruits of his labour were subsequently manifested in the Manchester United 'Class of '92' who won the Youth Cup that year. And vindicated by the words of ex Liverpool star Alan Hanson, who six years later, announced, half way through the 1998/99 season - on MOTD to millions of viewers: "You can't win anything with kids"...Really? Well; nothing apart from The Treble!

We did quite well the following season, topping division 3 (equivalent of league 1 now) after beating Hartlepool away 4-1 on Friday 1st November 1968, the clubs highest ever position in the football league.

[russell_anderson]

Totally agree with PJ.

Season 1967-68 was the greatest of them all. And not just for our high ranking league position but for the quality of the football we played under the leadership of Player-Manager, Colin Appleton. I still have a photo of that team on my noticeboard. Testimony to that side is the Brian Arrowsmith stand, who of course, was the captain of that team. I watched that side as a boy and could only marvel with joy at the abilities of Dave Storf, Roy McCarthy, Mick Hartland, Peter Bebbington, Eric Harrison, Jimmy Mulholland, Tony Field and of course, Fred Else. I often wonder, if Colin Appleton had remained in charge, if we would have eventually won promotion to Div 2 - now of course named The Championship.

The footballing merits of that Barrow AFC team were epitomised by Eric Harrison - who later went on to coach the youngsters at Old Trafford. The fruits of his labour were subsequently manifested in the Manchester United 'Class of '92' who won the Youth Cup that year. And vindicated by the words of ex Liverpool star Alan Hanson, who six years later, announced, half way through the 1998/99 season - on MOTD to millions of viewers: "You can't win anything with kids"...Really? Well; nothing apart from The Treble!

I agree with you both. In fact, I can't think of 1 player in the current team who I would put above the player in the corresponding position in that team.
I don't even think that the current team is as good as the Evatt team which was promoted from the National League. I certainly haven't enjoyed the football anywhere near as much since we were back in EFL 2 and IMO the overall standard of the league is very poor as will be proven when Wrexham and Notts County are both challenging for the title next season.

[HenneysKnee]

Agreed Russell; need John Rooney back imho

[bluessupporter]

Agreed Russell; need John Rooney back imho

[McMark]

Aye They never had it so Good AFC 1-1 The future is Ours AFC.
This is bound to go to an extra decade or two then penalties to decide it.

[russell_anderson]

Agreed Russell; need John Rooney back imho

Please don't try to be clever because it only makes you look a bit silly. I'm talking about the John Rooney of the promotion winning team who was certainly far better than any midfielder in the current side not the John Rooney who came back who was nowhere near the same player. Anybody who doesn't recognise the ability of the John Rooney in the NL promotion winning team does not have a clue about football IMO and the fact that Tom White played a minor, but excellent, midfield role in that team whereas he is on par with any of our current midfield players only emphasises the point.

[HenneysKnee]

Josh Kay started most games in the promotion winning season; now he doesn’t