Thirteen looks like it could be Yeovil Town’s lucky number and it could come this weekend at home to Dover Athletic.
If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, we are talking about consecutive wins for Yeovil Town in all competitions, which reached 12 with Tuesday night’s 3-1 win at Torquay United.
So, after asking our Historical Oracle Nigel Dyson to consult his comprehensive spreadsheet, the answer is not quite simple – but it seems to be 13.
That is in the 1963-64 season, Yeovil Town also won 12 consecutive games in all the competitions we’re counting from October 9th 1963 to December 21st 1963, and here they are:
“But there’s 14 big green Ws there“, we hear you cry! Your counting does not deceive you, but one of these – a 9-0 win over Welton Rovers in October 1963 – came in the Somerset Premier Cup, a competition which Yeovil Town were beaten in this season. However, given the make up of our teams for both our fixtures in the competition being decidedly youthful (aka entirely made up of Under-18s players), we’re not counting that competition in this maths.
“But then there’s still 13 Ws“, you reply – yes, yes, we’re getting there! If you look at the home fixture against Worcester City on November 11th 1963 you will see a little asterisk meaning the game was abandoned (if you’re interested, when it was replayed in March, Yeovil won) which makes it 12.
Therefore, my this spreadsheet, Mark Cooper’s side equalled a club record last night and now only Dover Athletic stand between them and a new one. On to…….Saturday. Let’s not get carried away!
Here’s another stat for the stat-conscious:
After 15 league only games in the 1996-1997 ICIS promotion season:
W11 D2 L2 F35 A14 PTS 35
After 15 league only games in the 2002-2003 Conference promotion season:
W10 D4 L1 F37 A13 PTS 34
Now check the current league table and I hope you smile ?
FYI on the 16th game in the above corresponding seasons, they both finished with 1-1 draws. So we could be +2 ahead come 5pm.
Behind this is some very sound decision making. For instance:
Martin Hellier keeping faith with Mark Cooper ( I admit to doubts)
Mark Cooper’s balancing of the team and deployment of substitutes.
The Clubs engagement with its Community.
Such a contrast to so much that went before.
Great to have the Glovers on a roll, however I hope success doesn’t breed arrogance. We need to keep our feet on the ground, Yeovil are not champions until the crown is officially on our head. And I hope the manager is reminding the players of that. #UptheYeo