Ranking Promotions (Stolen from the Champ thread)

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

In what order would you rank your teams promotion seasons?

Been supporting us for 14 years so only remember the two.

2002-03 - Record breaking season, best away form in the clubs history, best points total in the clubs history, 101 goals in all competitions, best defensive record in the clubs history which says something, a free scoring team that played fast attacking football and held our own against big spenders such as Wigan, Cardiff, Oldham and QPR and the strength of Bristol City. The best Crewe side I've ever seen.

2011-12 - Failed to sign a single outfield player in the transfer window and inevitably started the season with 4 defeats in 4, ended up losing 10 of our first 17 games and Dario resigned to be replaced by Davis when he wasn't so dull. 4 defeats in our next 29 games took us to 7th in the league before beating Southend over two legs in the playoff semis and then Cheltenham in the final on the back of a 19 match unbeaten run. The individual brilliance of Westwood, Murphy and Powell and Clayton's late cameos made this season fantastic. The away games at Oxford, Gillingham, Torquay and Southend second leg will always live long in the memory.

Although the record breaking season was fantastic, I think the sheer unexpectedness of our latter promotion makes that one better, because we were looking Conference bound that November and ended up as a League One side by May!

 

[TomPNE94]

1999-2000.

That's it.

 

[UTS]

14-15 - Better than the Chesterfield promotion for me as it was last game of the season and in 10-11 it was only a matter of time until we were promoted anyway. The fixture was always going to be tense with Bury and Tranmere being local rivals in that southern league. We needed Southend to lose and us to win. Southend went 2-1 down midway through the second half, and we scored minutes later cue mad scenes in the away end. Southend then went 3-1 down so it became a matter of us hanging on (against a Tranmere side who were determined to spoil the party) one goal conceded would have kept us down . Thankfully we hung on (just) to seal our promotion to the most attractive L1 in years. It was also a big middle finger to those fans (I'm looking at you Rochdale) who were laughing at "big spending bury" when we were 10th in December. 13 wins in the last 16 games and an amazing squad unity. And a top reward for our chairman who's worked tirelessly turning us from administration to promotion candidates in 2 seasons.

10/11 - Alan Knill (twat) left us with 8 games to until the season ended, which threatened to derail our season. Instead we went on to get six wins on the trott, beating eventual champions Chesterfield away 3-2 with an 87th minute winner from Ryan Lowe to send us up.

 

[T.A]

Rochfale? Don't think you've quite grasped that insult yet.

 

[JoeJoeJoeJoe]

ermmmmmm

 

[UTS]

Rochfale? Don't think you've quite grasped that insult yet.

Oh piss off you miserable c***. It was a typo

 

[Heisenberg20]

Surely Swindons best Promotion was to the top flight in 1989/1990?

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

Well let me think..................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................still thinking....................................................................................................................................................................................................well I have so many promotions to pick from..........................................................................................................................,sorry just can't do it !!

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

Found one, my best promotion season was 1966/67 and I can remember it well as I was four

 

[Lambourn Red]

92/93 Under Hoddle was unbelievable although 89/90 under Ossie was a better team and I am sure would have stayed up if they would have been allowed to by the FA

 

[Big Bird]

Surely Swindons best Promotion was to the top flight in 1989/1990?

I reckon you think about Swindon while you make love to your Bristol City scarf.

 

[THE TERRACEMAN]

Err.......... this season its our 1st promotion and 1st title since we gained promotion to the league !

 

[Heisenberg20]

I reckon you think about Swindon while you make love to your Bristol City scarf.

Yep thinking about the spanking they got at AG last month

 

[dedwardp]

The only one I remember is the one to the Championship in 2005/06. It was absolutely superb, but never to be achieved again no doubt.

My first ever game was the 1998 play-off final against Torquay, but I was six and hardly remember it, let alone anything about the season so it doesn't count. So just the one promotion for me really.

 

[joethegill]

1. 1999/2000 - Such a stunning season, reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, losing to Chelsea in the end. Should've got automatic promotion alongside Preston, but managed to lose 1-0 on the last day at Wrexham to allow Burnley to sneak through in 2nd. Our side was incredible that year, with Asaba and Taylor a lethal partnership, Hessy and Paul Smith a dynamic midfield partnership, led by Peter Taylor before he was snapped up by Leicester. Eventually won the play-off final at the old Wembley 3-2 AET against a decent Wigan side, having disposed of Stoke in the semi finals. Wonderful year.

2. 2012/2013 - Our first league title for 50 years, and we led pretty much from the first game. A small wobble around new year allowed Port Vale into first for a couple of weeks, but in the end we won it by a comfortable margin. The first half of the season was wonderful to watch but after a last minute 3-2 home defeat to Exeter, Martin Allen made a significant change in our mentality as he felt we should've settled for 2-2 in that game. After that we focussed on doing the bare minimum to win games, often winning narrowly rather than the early season thumpings. Our defensive record was excellent, as was our away record.

3. 1995/1996 - My first season watching the club, and again it was Preston and ourselves running the show at the top of the league. A divisional record of 29 clean sheets by Jim Stannard masked a record that only saw us score about a goal a game all season! A whole host of free signings in the summer of 95 bore fruit, with the likes of Stannard, Dave Martin, Kevin Rattray and a couple of 'big' money signings in Leo Fortune-West (5k from Stevenage, paid for by the fans) and Dennis Bailey from QPR providing the attacking spark. Similar to the 12/13 season, we started like a house on fire, only losing top spot around Christmas time to PNE, who we couldn't quite overhaul and finished in 2nd place.

4. 2008/2009 - Suffered relegation the year before, but optimism was high due to a late influx of signings the previous season - Simeon Jackson, Stuart Lewis, Barry Fuller, John Nutter, Adam Miller all joined from non-league, with decent quality signings joining them with Curtis Weston and Andy Barcham signing from higher leagues. A decent start looked to be going sour with a 7-0 defeat at moneybags Shrewsbury (more on them later!), but we steadied the ship and were in play-off contention for most of the season from there. Added in was a great cup tie with Villa in january which we narrowly lost 2-1, but the play-offs were the main aim of the season and we were pretty comfy with that. Got past Rochdale 2-1 on aggregate in the semis, and beat the Shrews deservedly in the final with a last minute Simeon Jackson header at Wembley.

 

[Crewelad87]

1. 2002-03 great team, great season. Easily my favourite season following Crewe. Being about 15-16 just started going away games with a bunch of mates as well. Great day at QPR to seal promotion.

2. 2011-12 started off horrific, but once Nick Powell hit top form we wernt far off being unstoppable, a joy to watch one of our own, pretty much single handly winning games week in week out. Great day out at Wembley with yet another Powell wonder goal.

3. 1996-97 I was abit to young really to appreciate it (I'd imagine it ranks number 1 for older Crewe fans), only went a handful of home games, including the play off game vs Luton. Just remember Adebola being a beast week in week out.

 

[valefan16]

Only seen the one in 2012/13 but what a season it was. No kit and four players signed in the weekend before the season began with the club in administration but pulled off the miracle promotion dispite most tipping us to struggle to stay in the FL. Scored more goals than anyone in the land, had the top scorer (and one of our own) in the Land who broke club records. Hammered big spending Rotherham and Fleetwood 6-2 and 2-5 in the space of 10 days and the memorable night when the club put on a special offer and over 10,000 and a phenomenal nighttime Vale Park atmosphere saw us tear promotion rivals Burton to pieces 7-1 in a game we were just unplayable in.

Beating Gillingham away to go top in the big top of the table clash, beating Rotherham away with SERNWA claiming revenge would be served, securing promotion against Northampton (barring a 28 goal swing) and 3000 fans at Rochdale and Wycombe in the last two away games, a very special season only tarred slightly by the dire eight game run we had which cost us the title when it looked as though we'd go and push on and left us a lot of work to do to finish the job!

Won't see a season like that again I doubt but a great year!

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Wish we could contribute to this thread.

 

[TimeyWimey]

2011-12 - Failed to sign a single outfield player in the transfer window and inevitably started the season with 4 defeats in 4, ended up losing 10 of our first 17 games and Dario resigned to be replaced by Davis when he wasn't so dull. 4 defeats in our next 29 games took us to 7th in the league before beating Southend over two legs in the playoff semis and then Cheltenham in the final on the back of a 19 match unbeaten run. The individual brilliance of Westwood, Murphy and Powell and Clayton's late cameos made this season fantastic. The away games at Oxford, Gillingham, Torquay and Southend second leg will always live long in the memory.

Although the record breaking season was fantastic, I think the sheer unexpectedness of our latter promotion makes that one better, because we were looking Conference bound that November and ended up as a League One side by May!

3 years ago today. Couldn't speak for days after that night.

(Best game I've ever been to. But season wise, I prefer 02-03. We were awesome.)

 

[JJH]

If we'd of got promoted that year when we lost to Hull in the PO Final under GJ - it would piss all over any of our others.

 

[Jockney]

2000-2001

Won the Division 2 title (old money) at a canter. Highlights included smashing eventual runners-up Rotherham 4-0 at the Den, hitting Reading for four in the first half at the Madejski before they made us sweat for it near the end and thrashing Colchester 6-1 on Boxing Day. The last line of great academy graduates we had -- Lucas Neill, Steven Reid, Paul Ifill, Richard Sadlier, Tim Cahill -- complemented by the quality of Neil Harris and the experience of Stuart Nethercott, Paul Moody and Steve Claridge. By far and away the best side we've had in my lifetime.

2009-2010

L1 Play-off winners. After a stop-start beginning to the season we finally hit form at the start of December and rose from midtable to 6th by January. Our form continued and with Leeds flagging badly, we were actually 2nd with the four games to go. Pressure got to the players and we fluffed our lines in two relatively easy games against Brentford and relegation-threatened Tranmere, so we fell just short on the final day. Breezed past Huddersfield in the semis and, bar a Charlie Austin chance in the 2nd half, were never particularly under threat in the final against Swindon either. Paul Robinson goal from a corner saw us promoted back to the Championship. A good, hardworking side, which became the subject of a book by sports writer Mike Calvin, who spent that entire season behind the scenes at the club.

 

[PrestonCha]

1996 under Gary Peters. Division 3 (League 2) Champions.
Last game of the season at home to Exeter. Boiling hot day. 19,000 packed like sardines into Deepdale, with thousands roaming the streets outside.

The buzz around the city, after being absolute dogshit whipping boys for so many years, will never be matched again in my lifetime.

I was only about 10, but remember it like it was yesterday. A truly special time to have been a North End fan.

The season our club woke up.

 

[Chris]

In this order:

• Football League Two
  • Play-off winners – 2013–14
• Conference National
  • Champions – 2011–12
• Conference North
  • Runners-up (and play-off winners) – 2009–10
• Northern Premier League Premier Division
  • Champions – 2007–08
• Northern Premier League First Division
  • Champions – 1987–88
  • Runners-up (promoted) – 2005–06
• North West Counties Football League Premier Division
  • Champions – 2004–05
• North West Counties Football League First Division
  • Champions – 1983–84, 1998–99

 

[UTS]

In this order:

• Football League Two
  • Play-off winners – 2013–14
• Conference National
  • Champions – 2011–12
• Conference North
  • Runners-up (and play-off winners) – 2009–10
• Northern Premier League Premier Division
  • Champions – 2007–08
• Northern Premier League First Division
  • Champions – 1987–88
  • Runners-up (promoted) – 2005–06
• North West Counties Football League Premier Division
  • Champions – 2004–05
• North West Counties Football League First Division
  • Champions – 1983–84, 1998–99

Very descriptive

 

[Etienne Vermeer]

2000-2001

Won the Division 2 title (old money) at a canter. Highlights included smashing eventual runners-up Rotherham 4-0 at the Den, hitting Reading for four in the first half at the Madejski before they made us sweat for it near the end and thrashing Colchester 6-1 on Boxing Day. The last line of great academy graduates we had -- Lucas Neill, Steven Reid, Paul Ifill, Richard Sadlier, Tim Cahill -- complemented by the quality of Neil Harris and the experience of Stuart Nethercott, Paul Moody and Steve Claridge. By far and away the best side we've had in my lifetime.

2009-2010

L1 Play-off winners. After a stop-start beginning to the season we finally hit form at the start of December and rose from midtable to 6th by January. Our form continued and with Leeds flagging badly, we were actually 2nd with the four games to go. Pressure got to the players and we fluffed our lines in two relatively easy games against Brentford and relegation-threatened Tranmere, so we fell just short on the final day. Breezed past Huddersfield in the semis and, bar a Charlie Austin chance in the 2nd half, were never particularly under threat in the final against Swindon either. Paul Robinson goal from a corner saw us promoted back to the Championship. A good, hardworking side, which became the subject of a book by sports writer Mike Calvin, who spent that entire season behind the scenes at the club.

The correct order, though being older than you I'd put 1987/88 at the top of the list - the team that took us to the top of the league for the first time ever. Nothing will ever top that side.

 

[Chris]

1996 under Gary Peters. Division 3 (League 2) Champions.
Last game of the season at home to Exeter. Boiling hot day. 19,000 packed like sardines into Deepdale, with thousands roaming the streets outside.

The buzz around the city, after being absolute dogshit whipping boys for so many years, will never be matched again in my lifetime.

I was only about 10, but remember it like it was yesterday. A truly special time to have been a North End fan.

The season our club woke up.

Fair enough but you will find in 1996 you was a town

 

[SF_]

1996 under Gary Peters. Division 3 (League 2) Champions.
Last game of the season at home to Exeter. Boiling hot day. 19,000 packed like sardines into Deepdale, with thousands roaming the streets outside.

The buzz around the city, after being absolute dogshit whipping boys for so many years, will never be matched again in my lifetime.

I was only about 10, but remember it like it was yesterday. A truly special time to have been a North End fan.

The season our club woke up.

Great post, we couldn't get into Deepdale for that Exeter game, annoyingly after attending most games that season with my dad (I'd just turned 8 but remember it quite well). We ended up going to a packed Deepdale pub and made do with Radio Lancashire.

2000 was great too just because of how good our team was, was hoping for another day on the Flag Market this year too

 

[SF_]

Fair enough but you will find in 1996 you was a town

Who gives a fuck?

 

[Jamo]

I can only remember one (2005/2006 from League one) and even then I was on holiday for the play-off final. Twatted everyone at home and for the first and only time in my memory won more than we lost away from home. Lost P/O first leg 1-0 at Oakwell to Huddersfield, then went to their gaff and won 3-1 to set up a final with Swansea at the Millenium Stadium. Just got off the plane in Toronto when I had 3 texts come through at once, first one "Barns 2-1 Swans HT", second one "Barns 2-2 Swans gone 2 pens", third one "Barns 2-2 Swans Barns win 4-3 on pens". Lept in the air, absolutely buzzing and excitedly told my Canadian auntie, to which she replied "that's lovely, dear" and no more. Ungrateful swine.

I remember crying listening to Ipswich make it 4-2 in the 90th minute in the Championship P/O final in 99/00 as well but don't remember the season overall. So in other words I've witnessed one season where we've not been total shite. Right laugh.

 

[CFC91]

I've seen us get promoted 3 times.

2000/01 - Remember us beating Halifax 3-0 on the last day and Reeves scoring and running on the pitch from the Cross Street end towards the empty Kop (closed due to being unsafe). Was only 10 at the time but remember a lot of the troubles we had that season. We had a very good team but off the field events overshadowed what was a dark time for the club despite going up.

Getting promoted in Torquay in 2011 was great. Cracking weekend we had played on the Friday night and sold out and we stood in the home end watching the game, finished 0-0 but a loss for Bury on the Saturday meant Saturday night around Torquay harbour was cracking with undreds stopping the weekend. Remember having a cracking promotion party at Oxford the week after.

Promoted as Champions last in 13/14 was cracking too. Clinched promotion at Burton then the week after came from 1-0 down at home to win the league again.

All will live long in the memory, for differing reasons.