Last 100% record in 2023-24

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Unusually early for this, this year, but we're already down to just half a dozen clubs in the top six tiers in English men's football and the top five in Scotland's.

Left standing south of the border: Man City, Brighton, Arsenal, Ipswich, Leicester, Gillingham.

In the Scottish leagues: Celtic, St Mirren, Queen's Park, Hamilton, Stirling, Bo'Ness United.

At least one of the three remaining in the Irish Premiership will go tonight when Linfield play Cliftonville, with Crusaders being the other, and in the Cymru Premier it's just TNS, Caernarfon and Penybont.

Any further down the pyramids?

[Jobi1]

Of the leagues localish to me that I keep a vague eye on, there are four in the top level of the Northern Premier (Ilkeston, Radcliffe, Macclesfield and Whitby) and five in the NCEL (Campion, Knaresborough, Hallam, Penistone and Albion Sports, though Albion have only played two games). Parkgate are the sole survivors in NCEL Div 1 with 4 wins from 4, while there are a handful in the second tier of the Northern Prem as well, although they've only played 2 games so far (in Consett's case, only 1).

[ad hoc]

It gives me no pleasure to report that FCSB are the remaining survivors in the top flight in Romania (after 5 games). In the second flight only Selimbar remain after 3

[Artificial Hipster]

Wythenshawe are 4 from 4 in the NWCL Premier and FC St Helens are 7 from 7 in Division One North.

[Botswana Meat Commission]

Enfield Town, Lewes, Chatham Town and Billericay Town all 3/3 in the Isthmian Premier.

[Artificial Hipster]

Defeat for Wythenshawe and a draw for St Helens last night means the NWCL's contribution to this thread is already over.

There are several 100%ers in the NPL but most teams have only played 3 or 4 games so there's no point listing them yet.

[Gangster Octopus]

Rayners Lane have won their first four league games. Probably helped by forgetting to enter the FA Cup and FA Vase...

[Simon G]

Anyone know the longest a team has gone into the season before scoring a goal? I suspect Cheltenham has some way to go, only being 4 league games and one cup game in so far.

[Patrick Thistle]

After 3 games, 5 teams in the Cymru Premier are on 7 points. No 100 percenters left.

Barry took 2 points off TNS today. Mint!

[Janik]

Defeats today for Ipswich and Gillingham leaves only Leicester still standing in the Football League. Plus Manchester City if we include the Premier League. None left in the National Leagues either.
It feels early for the top six men’s tiers to be down to just two sides, and those still standing from a game less than most (Leicester) or two for Man City... if they win tomorrow (as they surely will against Sheff Utd (a)). Feels early, but actually is it? Did any side at this level of the men’s game manage five wins from five last season?

[Janik]

Anyone know the longest a team has gone into the season before scoring a goal? I suspect Cheltenham has some way to go, only being 4 league games and one cup game in so far.

If Cheltenham do set a record, it might be brief - Everton could easily take it off them a week or two later.

[Simon G]

I don't know - I reckon Everton have at least looked like scoring this season. The closest we've come is when a Reading player misplaced a pass back to the keeper and it just rolled wide.

[Jobi1]

Quite a few changes in the NPL in the few days since my last post – only Radcliffe still standing in the Northern Premier's top tier, with just Sporting Khalsa, Spalding, Hebburn, and Kidsgrove across the three divisions in the second tier.

NCEL clubs have been busy with cup activity this last few days, but Campion and Hallam both managed to drop points in league games during the week.

[delicatemoth]

Apparently this is the first time Leicester have won their first four league games, which also feels like a weird stat (as in, it can't be that rare). Then I read that it's the seventh time a "Championship" team has won its first four games - that has to mean since it's been called the Championship, surely?

[Gangster Octopus]

Grrr

[Jimski]

I don't know - I reckon Everton have at least looked like scoring this season. The closest we've come is when a Reading player misplaced a pass back to the keeper and it just rolled wide.

What's happened to Cheltenham - is it the lack of Alfie May? (It won't please you to know that he looked good - and scored - for Charlton against us today.)

[Simon G]

It's partly the loss of Alfie, but even he'd struggle when there's nothing between the deep-lying midfielders and the attackers.

We are screaming out for an attacking, creative midfielder. If we don't get it, we will be relegated.

[My Name Is Ian]

Two down two to go in the Isthmian Premier, after Billericay were beaten 3-1 at home by Whitehawk and Lewes chucked away a two goal lead at home against Hornchurch (which I will write up when I get the chance). Enfield beat Cray Wanderers 2-0 and Chatham Town beat Potters Bar Town 2-0. Both of them are away today, at Haringey and Dulwich respectively, so there could be none left by five o'clock.

[Janik]

Apparently this is the first time Leicester have won their first four league games, which also feels like a weird stat (as in, it can't be that rare). Then I read that it's the seventh time a "Championship" team has won its first four games - that has to mean since it's been called the Championship, surely?

Similarly, Manchester City’s 3/3 start is the first time they have done that in towards a decade. A decade through which they have been the dominant side. Which tends to show how rare a bunch of wins to start the season is, even for sides with significant advantages over the rest of their Division.

[Janik]

Premier League best winning starts:
23/24: Man City - 3*
22/23: Arsenal - 5
21/22: Spurs - 3
20/21: Aston Villa & Everton - 4 (due to a postponement Villa were 100% for a week longer than Everton... but at that point Everton were top with a point more than Villa!)
19/20: Liverpool - 8
18/19: Liverpool - 6
17/18: Man Utd - 3
16/17: Man City - 6
15/16: Man City - 5
14/15: Chelsea - 4

Given the Premier League is a very stratified division, with greater gaps between the strongest and weakest sides than all the divisions below it, that provides a decent yardstick of how difficult it is to maintain a winning start beyond 5 games.

[delicatemoth]

Similarly, Manchester City’s 3/3 start is the first time they have done that in towards a decade.

That doesn't match with your subsequent post, which has them winning the first 6 in 16/17.

how difficult it is to maintain a winning start beyond 5 games.

Beyond 5, sure. My surprise is that winning the first 4 appears to be so rare.

[Janik]

I'm going with that being towards a decade - I knew it was seven seasons back when I wrote the phrase.

[AMMS]

In the 'senior' leagues only Hamilton Accies have a 100% record in Scotland. Beith have 100% in the West Of Scotland Premier. Crusaders are still 100% in Northern Ireland.

[Patrick Thistle]

Briton Ferry Llansawel have 15 points from 5 games in the Cymru South (Welsh 2nd tier)

[Gangster Octopus]

Rayners Lane have won their first four league games. Probably helped by forgetting to enter the FA Cup and FA Vase...

And now five. With Wembley on no points after three...