Black Cats' great escape There's been a lot made of how Sunderland were bottom of the table at Christmas and might complete only the second "great escape" of the Premier League, but having seen my team propping up the table after a full half of our games, I'm wondering if any other team that has been in the bottom spot after 19 of their league games has beat the drop? Where did each of them end up in the table and on points? Thanks to Opta, I can tell you that only one other side has been bottom after 19 games of a Premier League season and gone on to beat the drop. That side was the only other side to have beaten relegation having been bottom on Christmas Day - West Bromwich Albion in 2004/05. That season they had just 10 points after 19 games, but recovered to finish 17th, one place above the relegation zone. Sunderland had 14 points after 19 games of the season, but that is far from being the worst record at the half-way stage of a 38-game campaign. We have seen 26 teams on 14 points or fewer after 19 games of a 20-team season - including three sides on single figures: Sunderland themselves (6 points in 2005/06); Derby (7 points in 2007/08) and Sheffield Wednesday ( 9 points in 1999/2000). Sunderland could become the sixth side to stay up having earned 14 points or fewer at the half-way stage of a 38-game season. The others were as follows: WEST BROM (2004/05) - As mentioned, the Baggies had 10 points after 19 games but finished 17th. SOUTHAMPTON (1998/99) - The Saints had 13 points after 19 games, but finished 17th. FULHAM (2007/08) - The Cottagers had 14 points after 19 games, but finished 17th. PORTSMOUTH (2005/06) - Pompey had 14 points after 19 games, but finished 17th. SUNDERLAND (2007/08) - Sunderland themselves had 14 points after 19 games, but finished 15th - and it looks like history could repeat itself six years on. http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12038/9298799/almost-there Also, I've attached my SAFC spread sheet to show you how I track the season(s).
Since Bruce we have scraped survival. Even his much vaunted (by himself mostly) 10th place finish was a stroke of luck as we plummeted towards the drop zone. The last few seasons we'd just done enough. This season we were staring relegation in the face but by great teamwork and spirit smashed it 13 points from a possible 15 we could possibly win 5 in a row. Now I'm not wanting a repeat of this season ( I'll take a cup final again but from a position of safety) Let's just hope that after 4/5 years of survival we can finally push on with the right man at the helm and start to look towards a 50 point season. Not an east task.
Previously the team that is bottom on December 25th are regarded as dead men walking. We were still bottom on April 25th , OK we had games in hand but they still had to be won. That has to be the greatest escape ever. At any level.
I think another telling factor in this escape is that we were bottom, 7 points adrift, with 6 games to go. 3 of those games were Chelsea, Man City and Man Utd (All away). I said on another thread - if the league started when Poyet took over, we'd be 12th and 2 points behind the mags!! He has performed a miracle
