Probably not of that much interest to most but I just thought I'd have a look over the last 10 seasons, what happened to the teams newly promoted to the league. Out of the 20 teams promoted, Bristol Rovers were the 4th team to acheive back to back promotions and apart from those 4 teams only 4 other teams have finished in the top half the following season, so the adage that newly promoted teams usually do well isn't really that acurate. The lowest a team has finished in their first season back in the league is 20th. Apart from Exeter and Bristol Rovers last season, the highest position a play-off winner has finished is 11th.

Below is how the teams of the last 10 seasons have fared in their first season back. First team are The Champions, 2nd team the play-off winners. The season is the season that they won promotion with their final postition in the table the following season in brackets.

2005/06 Accrington Stanley (20th) Hereford United (16th)
2006/07 Dagenham & Redbridge (20th) Morecambe (11th)
2007/08 Aldershot (15th) Exeter City (2nd Promoted)
2008/09 Burton Albion (13th) Torquay United (17th)
2009/10 Stevenage Borough (6th Promoted) Oxford United (12th)
2010/11 Crawley Town (3rd Promoted) AFC Wimbledon (16th)
2011/12 Fleetwood Town (13th) York City (17th)
2012/13 Mansfield Town (11th) Newport County (14th)
2013/14 Luton Town (8th) Cambridge United (19th)
2014/15 Barnet (15th) Bristol Rovers (3rd Promoted)

One statistic stands out to me.....
None have come back down!
Straightaway!!

Although we are newly promoted team. Is it right to include us in the same bracket based on those statistics? IMO we will only have 3 of last seasons squad in our starting line up. Surely we must have had one of the biggest clear outs of all newly promoted teams and therefore probably unfair to predict where we will finish based on those facts. It could swing either way who knows!

I was surprised that Fleetwood only finished 13th in their first season. I always thought they went straight up again.

Quoted from GyMariner

Although we are newly promoted team. Is it right to include us in the same bracket based on those statistics? IMO we will only have 3 of last seasons squad in our starting line up. Surely we must have had one of the biggest clear outs of all newly promoted teams and therefore probably unfair to predict where we will finish based on those facts. It could swing either way who knows!

True but over the course of the season we'll know if this team is better or worse than last season.

I'd say Burton have been the most successful out of that list

Quoted from GyMariner

Although we are newly promoted team. Is it right to include us in the same bracket based on those statistics? IMO we will only have 3 of last seasons squad in our starting line up. Surely we must have had one of the biggest clear outs of all newly promoted teams and therefore probably unfair to predict where we will finish based on those facts. It could swing either way who knows!

I am still a bit surprised that we got rid of so many players, it was all a bit ruthless considering they were the ones that won us promotion. some like Clay never got their chance to prove themselves in L2.
Still in PH we trust

Not surprised how ruthless Hurst was.  

We literally fell over the line last year to get promoted, despite the fact it was a urine poor league in the end.   That team needed an absolutely massive quality upgrade (hopefully one they've got).  The promotion side is one that will go down in folklore but it was a side built with the sole objective of winning promotion, not for playing at the next level.

Interesting stats those and might help a keep expectations at a reasonable level. It would seem a top half finish is good going.

seems like a mid-table is on the cards then....  :-/

Quoted from Garth

I am still a bit surprised that we got rid of so many players, it was all a bit ruthless considering they were the ones that won us promotion. some like Clay never got their chance to prove themselves in L2.
Still in PH we trust

Not sure whether we've replaced his nastiness yet and wonder whether for balance we'd have been better spending budget gambling on Clay rather than Disley due to the ball playing midfielders we've brought in.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Not surprised how ruthless Hurst was.  

We literally fell over the line last year to get promoted, despite the fact it was a urine poor league in the end.   That team needed an absolutely massive quality upgrade (hopefully one they've got).  The promotion side is one that will go down in folklore but it was a side built with the sole objective of winning promotion, not for playing at the next level.

Totally agree. Ruthlessness accentuated by a few not taking up contract offers too.

As we stand at the moment really wish Nsiala had stayed, a massive loss.

I'd add Nolan to that Bigdog, fantastic footballer if we'd signed him and Toto on 3 year deals they could have been really salable assets and would also have better players. I wasn't that devastated at Podge, Tait or Nath leaving TBH.

Not convinced about pre season thus far but happy to be proved wrong
Need to gel In the remaining games before 6th
Come on Town!!

What bothers me is (admittedly getting info from here) that we seem to be creating shed loads of chances in most games and scoring maximum one goal in most games. Also are the new players upgrades on the Conference side, about the same or worse?

Quoted from gary_elton

seems like a mid-table is on the cards then....  :-/

For which most of us would gladly bite off your arm.