Early Season Premier League Sensations

Not surprisingly following their two nil away win at Newcastle much coverage has been given to Blackpool’s start to the season which at time of writing, sees them sitting in forth place. Of course we have been told that no one saw this coming and that it is a huge shock etc. However it seems to follow a growing premier league tradition that the most unfancied team in the league always seem to a very good start.

I believe this trend started in the 2000/2001 season. Ipswich came up through the play-offs and were expected to go straight back down. But they started strongly winning six of there first nine. They continued their strong form and finished fifth with  Marcus Stewart finishing second top goalscorer scoring nineteen goals. This was a particularly good year for promoted teams with all three finishing in the top ten (Ipswich 5th, Sunderland 7th and Charlton 9th). The trend continued with Bolton making a strong start to the 01/02 season. They topped the league after winning there first three games following promotion through the play-offs. Michael Ricketts even won an England cap against Holland due to his role in there start. Bolton managed to stay up finishing a respectable 16th. In the 03/04 season Portsmouth were the surprise early season leaders after beating Aston Villa in their first game before drawing with Arsenal away and beating Bolton four nil. They managed to use this form as a spring board to finish 13th in their first season. The 05/06 season saw the much unfancied Wigan in second place after three months of the season. They were unable to maintain this kind of position but finished a very good 10th and reached the final of the Carling Cup.After a couple of years hibernation the trend has been clear to see in the last two season with both Hull, in 08/09, and Burnley, last season, having very good starts to the season after being written off a whipping boys . Hull were third in the table after winning six in there first nine, a run that included a 2-1 away win over Arsenal. Hull’s form tailed off after this as they only recorded two more wins in the rest of the season. They were none the less able to survive by just one point. Burnley as we know  were not as fortunate last season, due in no small part to the loss of Owen Coyle. They won two of there three games beating Everton and Manchester United.

So despite Blackpool’s apparent lack of quality , with by my reckoning Marlon Harewood and Charlie Adam being the only Premier League quality players, should we really be surprised to see a massively unfancied team to be high up the table in September. It is after all a bit of a tradition. The question is weather they can use this as a spring board to a good season like Ipswich, Portsmouth and Wigan. Or will they tail off alarmingly like Burnley and Hull before them. I feel a tough next four games against Chelsea, Blackburn, Liverpool and City will prove a reality check.