Page 1 of 2

Playoffs

Posted: Thu May 15, 2014 6:48 am
by Jimski
I wonder what the record is for most seasons in the Football League (since 1987) without ever having made the play-offs? I'm sure we might be contenders for that dubious title. (I know we've been in the Conference play-offs, obviously, but that's different.)

I tried a web search for such a stat, but couldn't find one.

Re: Playoffs

Posted: Thu May 15, 2014 10:34 am
by Kernow Yellow
I believe that prior to our relegation in 2006 we were the ONLY team who had been in the football league since the introduction of play-offs and never featured in them.

Re: Playoffs

Posted: Thu May 15, 2014 10:53 am
by slappy
Kernow Yellow wrote:I believe that prior to our relegation in 2006 we were the ONLY team who had been in the football league since the introduction of play-offs and never featured in them.
On the other side, these were listed as the teams never to be in FL play-offs:-
Crawley, Fleetwood,Exeter,Coventry,Wimbledon,Oxford and Newport

Re: Playoffs

Posted: Thu May 15, 2014 6:27 pm
by Jimski
Interesting - where did you find the list? I guess we can remove Fleetwood now.

Coventry and Exeter the other ones who've been in the league for a good many seasons

Re: Playoffs

Posted: Thu May 15, 2014 9:10 pm
by Kernow Yellow
Well if that list is correct, I reckon Coventry were ineligible for play offs for 14 seasons between 1987 and 2001 (being in Div 1/Premier League); Exeter for 5 seasons between 2003 and 2008 (being in Conference); and Us for 4 seasons between 2006 and 2010 (ditto). So that would mean we do indeed thrillingly hold the record for most seasons in FL without being involved in the play-offs.

Re: Playoffs

Posted: Fri May 16, 2014 6:31 am
by Jimski
I make us one behind Exeter - can anyone check, as this is all by hand? (We were in the top flight for the first two playoff seasons.)

Exeter - 23 (1986/7, 1987/8, 1988/9, 1989/90, 1990/1, 1991/2, 1992/3, 1993/4, 1994/5, 1995/6, 1996/7, 1997/8, 1998/9, 1999/2000, 2000/1, 2001/2, 2002/3, 2008/9, 2009/10, 2010/1, 2011/2, 2012/3, 2013/4)

Oxford - 22 (1988/9, 1989/90, 1990/1, 1991/2, 1992/3, 1993/4, 1994/5, 1995/6, 1996/7, 1997/8, 1998/9, 1999/2000, 2000/1, 2001/2, 2002/3, 2003/4, 2004/5, 2005/6, 2010/1, 2011/2, 2012/3, 2013/4)

Coventry - 13 (2001/2, 2002/3, 2003/4, 2004/5, 2005/6, 2006/7, 2007/8, 2008/9, 2009/10, 2010/1, 2011/2, 2012/3, 2013/4)

Wimbledon - 6 (2000/1, 2001/2, 2002/3, 2011/2, 2012/3, 2013/4)

Crawley - 3 (2011/2, 2012/3, 2013/4)

Newport - 3 (1986/7, 1987/8, 2013/4)

Re: Playoffs

Posted: Fri May 16, 2014 6:55 am
by Jimski
Although you could argue we were eligible (along with Coventry and WImbledon) during the first two seasons of the play-offs, as the third bottom side in the top flight were included in those two seasons.

Re: Playoffs

Posted: Fri May 16, 2014 9:57 am
by Andrewmaha
This is a very interesting question Jimski and I was thinking just the same thing a few weeks back. I conducted a quick tick off via the Sunday papers and came up with a slightly longer list so thanks for the subsequent analysis.

Unfortunately this is another sad statistic in the unspectacular world of Oxford United :x

Re: Playoffs

Posted: Fri May 16, 2014 2:09 pm
by Kernow Yellow
Yes, we were eligible from the start. Don't think you can argue with that? We pip Exeter to the title I reckon.

Re: Playoffs

Posted: Fri May 16, 2014 8:40 pm
by Snake
I don’t think that you can discount Division V in the current League structure. Exeter City was nail biting and heartbreaking stuff but R&D and Wembley the next time around against York was simply dreamland in front of an official attendance of 46,669 - so in my book that’s twice Oxford United have made it. What is of more concern is the fact that we’ve not been promoted out of the top four divisions since 1996.

Re: Playoffs

Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 4:02 pm
by slappy
I tend to agree with Snake here. Although the question states Football League play-offs, surely the essence is to find a team whose supporters have never seen any kind of league play-offs.

Re: Playoffs

Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 6:03 pm
by Snake
Another poser. How many of the current 92 clubs in the top four division have never been to a Wembley (old or new) Final? Oxford are lucky having been (and won) there twice. Even Oxford City have.

Re: Playoffs

Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 6:43 am
by Jimski
I cant imagine there can be many, what with all the playoff finals, Paint Pots, etc. I'd imagine only real newcomers to the league might qualify. But you never know.

As to the playoffs question, I'm actually a firm believer that league is different to non-league. I'm not sure why goals scored in the Conference seem to be conflated with those scored in the league (any more than those scored in the Southern League should be). So yes, we (and Exeter) have experienced playoffs, but not the Football League Playoffs. An important distinction, I feel.

Re: Playoffs

Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 7:41 am
by Dartford Ox
The question appears to be getting blurred - are we talking play-offs or Wembley?

Walsall (from memory) have appeared in one, and only one play-off, but that was played at the Millenium stadium.

Re: Playoffs

Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 1:17 pm
by Andrewmaha
Snake wrote:Another poser. How many of the current 92 clubs in the top four division have never been to a Wembley (old or new) Final? Oxford are lucky having been (and won) there twice. Even Oxford City have.
A quick scan through the tables has flagged Plymouth Argyle up as a contender.