[Archived] A question about relegation

[Finch]

As we all know, we are in the relegation scrap on the last day of the season and it got me thinking.

When was the last time this happened? When was the last time we were fighting for survival right up to the last day?

The year we went down, our relegation was confirmed before the last day and we've 'flirted' with relegation before but pulled out of it before the end, so can someone tell me when we were last in this situation ... and who we played and what the score was and who went down instead?

[philipl]

I think sometime in Bobby Saxton's time- we saved ourselves in the old 2nd Division on the last day in the mid-80s. That I believe is the only previous occasion in my time supporting Rovers.

Relegations in 1966, 1971, 1979 and 1999 were all settled before the last day.

[GiddyGoat]

What about last day heroics? When did we last save our skins on the final day?

[A cup of beans]

another question.. surely avram grant is the only manager to finish bottom of the same division 2 years running ??

not just the top division.. any division i'd reckon.

[Neil Weaver]

Philipl will prob be able to confirm if this is the one he's thinking of - 85/86 we beat Grimsby 3-1 on the last day to stay in Div 2. I don't remember exactly, but I think a draw would have been enough - as it turned out, I think we'd have stayed up even if we'd have got beaten.

[Finch]

So this is something of a first in modern Rovers history (thanks to Philipl for the stats)

I should add that I am confident we will survive. There are too many other clubs involved and we are on top of that list of threatened clubs. Too many things have to happen for us to go down.

[92er]

Philipl will prob be able to confirm if this is the one he's thinking of - 85/86 we beat Grimsby 3-1 on the last day to stay in Div 2. I don't remember exactly, but I think a draw would have been enough - as it turned out, I think we'd have stayed up even if we'd have got beaten.

There was another match played at the same time, I think involving Carlisle, and the result of that match meant one of the 2 teams were relegated and we were safe.

[FourLaneBlue]

Off the top of my head, I think it was 1986 when we beat Grimsby. I only really started going to Ewood the season after so this is as unfamiliar terrain for me as it is most on here.

The last time we went into the last game not knowing which league we would be in the next would be 1992. In the last of the regular games we beat Plymouth 3-0 to squeeze into the play-offs.

The rest, of course, is history.

[philipl]

Philipl will prob be able to confirm if this is the one he's thinking of - 85/86 we beat Grimsby 3-1 on the last day to stay in Div 2. I don't remember exactly, but I think a draw would have been enough - as it turned out, I think we'd have stayed up even if we'd have got beaten.

Yes that's the one Neil. In the event we could have lost but it was a bit nervy at the time.

[philipl]

Philipl will prob be able to confirm if this is the one he's thinking of - 85/86 we beat Grimsby 3-1 on the last day to stay in Div 2. I don't remember exactly, but I think a draw would have been enough - as it turned out, I think we'd have stayed up even if we'd have got beaten.

Yes that's the one Neil. In the event we could have lost but it was a bit nervy at the time.

[Ray-Von]

I seem to remember the Grimsby game took place on a wet Monday night after the final round of fixtures due to a postponement and Carlisle played on the same night....could be wrong though.

I do remember the traditional end of season pitch invasion with a young lad running towards the Nuttall Street stand brandishing a badly painted bed sheet with "Fox and Saxton out!"

[philipl]

Famously, the relegation in 1936 had also been settled before the season end. However, we went to Villa on the last day and won 4-1 sending them down as well. Thus the last two founder members of the Football League surrendered their record of never having played outside the top division on the same day.

Have heard/read nothing about the 1948 relegation but the final table shows we must have been down before the last day.

So never since it all started in 1888 have we ever gone down on the last day of a season. Gulp!

[PAFELL]

Famously, the relegation in 1936 had also been settled before the season end. However, we went to Villa on the last day and won 4-1 sending them down as well. Thus the last two founder members of the Football League surrendered their record of never having played outside the top division on the same day.

Have heard/read nothing about the 1948 relegation but the final table shows we must have been down before the last day.

So never since it all started in 1888 have we ever gone down on the last day of a season. Gulp!

Your forgetting it is now the premiership, last time Rovers were relegated from that we had a Kidd in charge, now we have a useless novice. Gulp Gulp

[philipl]

Your forgetting it is now the premiership, last time Rovers were relegated from that we had a Kidd in charge, now we have a useless novice. Gulp Gulp

Two useless novices previously hailed as super coaches!

Don't understand your point about the Premier League in the context of this thread.

[chris]

Famously, the relegation in 1936 had also been settled before the season end. However, we went to Villa on the last day and won 4-1 sending them down as well. Thus the last two founder members of the Football League surrendered their record of never having played outside the top division on the same day.

Have heard/read nothing about the 1948 relegation but the final table shows we must have been down before the last day.

So never since it all started in 1888 have we ever gone down on the last day of a season. Gulp!

wow well thats a record we would all love to keep, althogh this week is not turning out too well.

[Finch]

Famously, the relegation in 1936 had also been settled before the season end. However, we went to Villa on the last day and won 4-1 sending them down as well. Thus the last two founder members of the Football League surrendered their record of never having played outside the top division on the same day.

Have heard/read nothing about the 1948 relegation but the final table shows we must have been down before the last day.

So never since it all started in 1888 have we ever gone down on the last day of a season. Gulp!

Quality stats Philipl - now that's what I'm talking about!

If we have never been relegated on the last day that looks set to continue.

For us to go down - realistically - we would have to lose and two of Blackpool, Brum and Wigan win.

(I did a screen shot of the current table and Sunday's fixtures and it's now my computer background - lest I forget)

[McClarky]

Philipl will prob be able to confirm if this is the one he's thinking of - 85/86 we beat Grimsby 3-1 on the last day to stay in Div 2. I don't remember exactly, but I think a draw would have been enough - as it turned out, I think we'd have stayed up even if we'd have got beaten.

Was this game not postponed at the last minute due to a downpour and when we did play it, probably the Monday night, we were safe anyway. I'm sure I remember sitting in the Aquaduct watching the scores coming in to confirm we were OK without even playing.

[steverovers]

Was this game not postponed at the last minute due to a downpour and when we did play it, probably the Monday night, we were safe anyway. I'm sure I remember sitting in the Aquaduct watching the scores coming in to confirm we were OK without even playing.

There was a massive downpour on the Saturday when it should have been played. It was called off at the last minute - I was walking towards the ground and hundreds were walking the other way - I remember it well.

I think it was played on the Tuesday and we still needed something from the game although I can't remember exactly what we needed. I remember us going 1-0 up and Grimsby equalised almost immediately, but we ran out 3-1 winners in the end.

[Ozz]

Garner scored in the first minute, Grimsby equalised. David Hamilton and Simon Barker got the two others. We did need to win to stay up at the start of play though.

[1864roverite]

I was in Gibraltar that night and tried everything to find out the score. Eventually I rang the ground and a secretary told me we were winning with about 5 minutes to go. Had a right old knees up in the Gibraltar Arms that night along with 2 other fellow Rovers fans who were also in dire straits about finding out how we were doing.

That memory seems such a long long time ago !!

[No Nay Never]

Off the top of my head, I think it was 1986 when we beat Grimsby. I only really started going to Ewood the season after so this is as unfamiliar terrain for me as it is most on here.

The last time we went into the last game not knowing which league we would be in the next would be 1992. In the last of the regular games we beat Plymouth 3-0 to squeeze into the play-offs.

The rest, of course, is history.

Was it not 3-1 down at Plymouth on that last day, seem to think we went 1-0 down also for some reason. May be wrong though.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I was in Gibraltar that night and tried everything to find out the score. Eventually I rang the ground and a secretary told me we were winning with about 5 minutes to go. Had a right old knees up in the Gibraltar Arms that night along with 2 other fellow Rovers fans who were also in dire straits about finding out how we were doing.

That memory seems such a long long time ago !!

That's because it is.