Predictions
The table below summarises the relative confidence (or lack of) of Division One supporters at the start of play. As ever, the results are sensitive to timing... surveying the Bradford masses after their future was clearer might have yielded different predictions. Eighteen clubs predict a top-half finish, down on last season's 20, with 9 (instead of 11) predicting a play-off place. The mean prediction has also dropped from 7th to 9th, which may be down to a combination of both less arrogant clubs entering the division than exiting, and the generally poor health of the game over the last twelve months.
Nobody knows what Wimblestein are going to do. Last year's confidence position in brackets...
VOTES MEAN PRED
1 (-) Ipswich 27 1.81
2 (5) Wolves 27 2.48
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3 (-) Derby 21 3.52
4 (17) Norwich 28 3.96
5 (4) Preston 21 4.19
6 (-) Leicester 20 4.20
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7 (10) Coventry 25 4.48
8 (15) Millwall 30 5.90
9 (16) Portsmouth 21 6.14
10 (13) Burnley 14 6.62
11 (14) Cr.Palace 41 8.03
12 (7) Watford 96 8.86
13 (11) Sheff United 16 9.00
14 (-) Stoke 53 9.48
15 (12) Nottm.Forest 29 10.21
16 (20) Gillingham 29 10.34
17 (18) Sheff Weds 27 10.74
18 (-) Reading 25 10.92
19 (-) Brighton 30 14.80
20 (24) Walsall 15 14.87
21 (6) Bradford 27 15.85
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22 (22) Rotherham 19 16.58
23 (23) Grimsby 23 18.30
24 (-) Wimblestein 0 ???
TOTAL 664 8.73
The Perfect Table
The table below summarises the pet hates and sympathies of Division One supporters by standardising each club's votes to a weight of 25 and then summing. Thus, a club with 25 correspondents has the votes added straight into the pile, whilst a club from which 50 responses were received will have its votes halved. From Watford, for example, the number of votes for relegation for each club according to the Hornet's support is multiplied by 25/96=0.260. Clear ? Good.
As last year, Watford's apparent popularity has to be questioned... logic dictates that many supporters ethically opposed to the Hornets would not have bothered to complete the survey, hence the vote is biased in our favour. That's you, Burnley. With only 50 votes for promotion or relegation in total, Watford was overall the least frequent choice (cowards), with Portsmouth second on 69. Ipswich (266) and Millwall (257) picked up the most votes in total.
UP DOWN POINTS
1 (-) Ipswich 200.9 38.1 162.8
2 (6) Norwich 81.6 29.8 51.8
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3 (1) Preston 61 14.7 46.3
4 (-) Derby 100 57.1 42.9
5 (4) Watford 35.7 11.2 24.5
6 (3) Coventry 31.2 32.8 -1.6
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7 (9) Walsall 48.7 55.6 -6.9
8 (-) Brighton 90.9 99.8 -8.9
9 (5) Nottm Forest 44.9 66.6 -21.7
10 (15) Burnley 36 57.8 -21.8
11 (11) Portsmouth 15.1 41.5 -26.4
12 (-) Leicester 49.2 76.9 -27.7
13 (18) Grimsby 34.6 62.6 -28
14 (20) Wolves 92.8 120.8 -28
15 (7) Rotherham 46.3 79.2 -32.9
16 (-) Reading 25.1 62.9 -37.8
17 (12) Gillingham 22.8 60.9 -38.1
18 (-) Wimblestein 25.2 87.9 -62.7
19 (-) Stoke City 22.2 87.6 -65.4
20 (16) Sheffield United 12.3 79 -66.7
21 (21) Crystal Palace 15.9 93.1 -77.2
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22 (10) Bradford City 16.9 106.7 -89.8
23 (19) Sheffield Weds 17.6 115.4 -97.8
24 (24) Millwall 24.7 188.1 -163.4
TOTAL 1150 1725
Choice Signing/Weakest Link
Bobby Zamora was the most popular choice overall, picking up 71 votes from 22 clubs. Wayne Brown was second in line, his 48 votes all coming from one club. Matt Holland (25) was third. Luther Blissett, at the age of 44, chalked up more votes than Pierre Issa, Ramon Vega and Patrick Blondeau combined.
The Weakest Link polls were wide-ranging but included (deep breath) 144 players, 14 areas of squads, 9 sets of supporters, 7 chairmen, 6 managers, 6 boards, 4 mascots, 4 directors, 4 bank balances, 3 stadia, 3 ticket offices, 2 supporters' clubs, 2 catering managers, 2 PA Announcers, 2 tea ladies, and 2 ex-managers. There were also votes for a set of administrators, an assistant manager, a Police Force (guess), a financial advisor, a chairman's son, a university, a local council, a PR Manager, a physio, a coach and ITV Digital. Supporters of 3 clubs said everything was wrong whilst those of 5 said nothing was wrong. Anne Robinson also picked up two votes.
Worst Ever Elevens
Stand out names are Irvin Gernon, Graham Harbey and one-time Watford loanee Keith Scott, who all received nominations in three worst-ever elevens and made in into two...
The World Cup
Sheffield United, averaging over 40 games apiece, claimed to have watched the greatest number of World Cup games, with Walsall coming a close second. At a modest 24 games each, Millwall appeared to be the least bothered.
BBC won the Final battle hands-down. Almost 87% of respondents claim to have watched Brazil's victory on the Beeb. Only 12 respondents (2% of poll) admitted to having watched it on ITV. Good show all round.
Andy Townsend squeaked the "worst pundit" award with 109 votes, Barry Venison his closest challenger on 104. Townsend has done something to upset the East Midlands, with Leicester, Derby and Forest each giving him particularly high ratings. Venison's stock was lowest in the South East, with Watford and Millwall both awarding him over 25% of their vote. Regional centres of resentment for other pundits were Stoke (Clive Allen and ex-Vale Robbie Earle), Burnley (Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink), Portsmouth (Ally McCoist), and Coventry (Bobby Robson), whilst Portsmouth (again) and Palace duelled for the right to resent Terry Venables.
The "World Cup Stars" poll was the most redundant on the survey. Ronaldo's funny turn in 1998 can obviously be put down to a very split personality, supporters of every club claiming that he epitomised their side. With 117 votes overall he was well clear of nearest challengers Rio Ferdinand (30), Ronaldinho (22) and Hassan Sas (18).
The Watford Adjective
We got off quite lightly here, with the quite literal Yellow (37) receiving the most votes, followed by Friendly (aaah) (23). It goes a bit downhill after that with Average (22), Boring (15) and Underachievers (15) next in line, but you have to get down to 11 votes before finding anything really nasty.
My Cup of Tea
Milk No Sugar (37%) was the overall winner, followed by Milk One Sugar (22%) and Milk Too Much Sugar (13%). Only 8 people confessed to consuming Fruity crap, and at least one of these was taking the piss. Of the less popular choices, Grimsby is the home of Black tea consumption (14% of poll), whilst Walsall have the biggest thing for Coffee (27%)
A Bullet in the Gun of...
Wide ranging targets here. Everyone in the World seems to have good cause to fear somebody. The Big Brother poll was won by Jade (8 votes, 4 from Watford), narrowly beating Tim (7). Top of the Political target list was Osama Bin Laden (15 votes), followed by the ever popular Margaret Thatcher (11), George W Bush (8), Tony Blair (7), Saddam Hussein (6), Gerry Adams (3), Ariel Sharon (2), David Blunkett (1), Colonel Gadaffi (1), Ken Livingstone (1), Jack Straw (1) and Donald Rumsfeld (1). As regards non-political figures, David Mellor also picked up a vote.
Can you help Ramon ?
No seems to be the short answer (73% overall). 7.5% wavered on maybe with a particularly desperate 6.5% saying yes. A fortunate 13% claimed never to have heard of him. Sheffield United appeared to have the lowest resolve overall, with 38% interested or thinking about it. Preston (37%) claimed the greatest degree of ignorance.
Have you been to the Isle of Wight ?
A fairly even split, with 50% saying "Yes", 48% "No" and 2% claiming ignorance. Patterns were predictably regional with Pompey (!), Brighton and Watford the most reliable visitors, Sheffield United, Bradford and Walsall the least. Two residents of the Island completed the survey.
Should Cake be sold in football grounds ?
Another close call, but the ayes have it (48% to 44% with 8% abstaining). Coventry were the most in favour (67%) with Burnley the least (80%) and Sheffield United (20%) the most apathetic to this issue.
Custard. Good or bad ?
The forces of evil are repelled 70% to 15%, with another 15% opting for "somewhere in between".
Sheffield United pinned their colours to this particular mast with a 88% yes vote. Preston were the only fans to poll as high as 30% against. 36% of Reading fans sat on the fence.
