It might be stretching a point to reference Christmas during what has so far been a flaming June in Norfolk, but the night before our fixtures were released used to be like Christmas Eve to me as in sheer anticipation of what might follow on *Christmas Day* when the announcements were made.
Would it be Palace, QPR or Watford away for our first game of the season? You know, inspiring stuff like that which often kept me awake on the night before *Christmas*.
And would it be the fine officers of Norfolk or Suffolk Constabulary who were in line for overtime rates when we played 1p5wich Town on Boxing Day?***
Back in our Ron Saunders-inspired promotion season to the old Division One, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Shoot magazine’s league ladder, which readers of a certain vintage will recall as an oversized A4 piece of cut-out cardboard in June followed by a set of 22 pop-out tabs in July which you could adjust according to the week-by-week performance of the teams.
The tabs were in respective club colours and the print quality was so primitive that bleeding meant you could easily confuse Arsenal with Man U if you weren’t careful. But there was no mistaking the only team printed in yellow and green.
A thirst for nostalgia led me to investigate who made up Division One for the 1972-73 season and the complement is not a million miles away from PL season 2021-22, as follows:
Everton, Ipswich [I know], Man Citeh, Southampton, Derby, Stoke, Leeds, Sheff Utd, WHU, Arsenal, Palace, Newcastle, Spurs, Leicester, Liverpool, WBA, Birmingham, Man U, Chelsea, Coventry, Wolves and ourselves. 22 of what were then the finest teams England had to offer.
Nearly 50 years on the Premier League announced the fixtures this morning, every single one of which will be subject to change for broadcasting reasons thanks to Sky and BT Sports so I think I’m justified in saying that I’m by no means as excited as I used to be and slept like a felled tree trunk last night.
So a quick run through this time’s list offers us:
First up on Saturday 22 August: Liverpool (home) – no worries there then – but the next three are Citeh (a), Leicester (h) and Arsenal (a). Tough start or what?
Boxing Day: Arsenal (h) – a Christmas cracker for us fans to be sure.
New Year’s Day: Leicester (a) – not as cruel as Newcastle for the travelling Y’Army!
The run-in over the last half a dozen games is a mixed bag of Man U, Newcastle, Villa, West Ham and Wolves, ending with Tottenham at Carrow Road on May 22.
There are no easy games in the PL, as these fixtures have surely proved but the 13-year-old me with his Shoot league ladder and huge expectations has grown into a weatherbeaten, cynical old git who simply worries and wonders: after this Christmas, will we be coming down with the decorations?
Let’s hope not. I’m certainly not actively inviting it, especially as I simply don’t have a clue what the squad will look like!
***My memories go back through slightly over 50 years of supporting City and yes, we really did play Ipswich Town on Boxing Day back in the previous century. It seems like a millennium ago now for more than one reason.
Everyone I knew had Shoot league ladders. My parents couldn’t understand why my brother and I wouldn’t share, but fraternal love has its limits!
It doesn’t look as though we’re going to make the flying start that is so useful to promoted teams. It seems to me that the points the weaker teams get in the first few weeks of the season are the ones that keep them up at the end of it. Still, everyone plays everyone twice (and other cliches) so maybe it’s best to get the toughest games out of the way early, I remember not being thrilled about the last 5 games the last time we were up.
I see the PL geniuses have come up with the fantastic idea of sending us to Newcastle on a Wednesday night in December. It’s almost as though they don’t want us in their cosy club.
Hi Don
*It’s almost as though they don’t want us in their cosy club*. Too right mate.
My sarky comment involved Newcastle too and I wouldn’t have been surprised if we’d ended up there on NYD, I really wouldn’t.
I didn’t think so many folks would remember the Shoot league ladders, but like you say just about everybody had one then!
Cheers
To be fair, Newcastle have to go Southampton on New Years Day.
That’s incredibly harsh.
Hi Martin
Great breakdown but isn’t cities first game on the 14th August subject possibly to a Friday night change like the last time we played Loserpool.
ManC away and Leicester at home then throw in Arsenal, Watford and last for the 6 opening fixtures Everton.
Why didn’t they change the Watford for Chelsea and we would have played a full house of the top 4 but Watford be a glimmer of hope to get some points on the board also the team from Woolwich may not have a settled side by then.
As the saying goes we have to play 19 Games home and away so before a ball us kicked we are all square but we have lost our most excellent player in Emi now SW needs to RE-ARM Daniel for the battles ahead and and pray none of out Euro players come back injured.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay safe and Stay Healthy
Hi Alex
Some very sensible stuff there to be sure.
I doubt even you and I are old enough to remember when the Woolwich lot were Royal Arsenal any more than when West Ham were Thames Ironworks!
I join you in hoping for no injuries when Tim, Teemu, Grant and Pepe return from the Euros.
Brilliant piece Martin.
I too loved that Shoot ladder😂
What a season that was. As for this season this is one tough start.
The first 4 are incredibly hard, especially the first two. My mate Marty says get them over with but my worry is a couple of thumpings will dent confidence. Years ago a friendly mauling by Arsenal set the scene for the whole season.
I would have preferred a slightly easier start but the difference between now and the wonderful Shoot Ladder days is that the quality between the established teams and the promoted teams is vastly superior.
Still I am sure Marty feels we will have 10 points come September 12th. 🤞
Hi Tim
Your pal Marty must be a lot more optimistic than his namesake.
Sure we don’t need early beatings for just the reasons you suggest. I won’t say that is inevitable, but certainly more than possible.
I’m glad to see the Shoot ladder getting some love – it was just a throwaway line in a largely pre-written article really!
Martin he is the most positive City supporter you could ever meet.
He will even put a positive spin on the day we lose Farke 😂
He is the optimist, Nick the realist…and you have guessed it I am the pessimist !!!
Keep safe.
At least12 points Timothy ! 😜
😀😀 it’s funnier on a second reading.
Oh my god you really are an optimist !!!!😂😂😂
Do you know what I think you’re right (see below). He”s got a great sense of humour though!
At least 12 points Timothy ! 😜
😀
He is expecting Europa League qualification at the least Martin 🤣
Words [for once] fail me 🙂
Thanks for the laugh guys – maybe we should get Tim & Martin [even Nick if he wants to join in] to do an MFW Q&A with me around Christmas time?
Pythonesque it might be but I’d imagine we could all do with a laugh around the festive period.
Watch this space – you never know, I might be serious.
Here is their full fixture list?
14/08/2021 15:00 Liverpool (h)
21/08/2021 15:00 Manchester City (a)
28/08/2021 15:00 Leicester City (h)
11/09/2021 15:00 Arsenal (a)
18/09/2021 15:00 Watford (h)
25/09/2021 15:00 Everton (a)
02/10/2021 15:00 Burnley (a)
16/10/2021 15:00 Brighton (h)
23/10/2021 15:00 Chelsea (a)
30/10/2021 15:00 Leeds United (h)
06/11/2021 15:00 Brentford (a)
20/11/2021 15:00 Southampton (h)
27/11/2021 15:00 Wolverhampton (h)
01/12/2021 19:45 Newcastle United (a)
04/12/2021 15:00 Tottenham Hotspur (a)
11/12/2021 15:00 Manchester United (h)
14/12/2021 19:45 Aston Villa (h)
18/12/2021 15:00 West Ham United (a)
26/12/2021 15:00 Arsenal (h)
28/12/2021 15:00 Crystal Palace (a)
01/01/2022 15:00 Leicester City (a)
15/01/2022 15:00 Everton (h)
22/01/2022 15:00 Watford (a)
08/02/2022 19:45 Crystal Palace (h)
12/02/2022 15:00 Manchester City (h)
19/02/2022 15:00 Liverpool (a)
26/02/2022 15:00 Southampton (a)
05/03/2022 15:00 Brentford (h)
12/03/2022 15:00 Leeds United (a)
19/03/2022 15:00 Chelsea (h)
02/04/2022 15:00 Brighton (a)
09/04/2022 15:00 Burnley (h)
16/04/2022 15:00 Manchester United (a)
23/04/2022 15:00 Newcastle United (h)
30/04/2022 15:00 Aston Villa (a)
07/05/2022 15:00 West Ham United (h)
15/05/2022 15:00 Wolverhampton (a)
22/05/2022 16:00 Tottenham Hotspur (h)
I wonder if we’ll have the company of that nice Mr Savage on the 16th of October?
Please God no
Yes mate I saw it first thing – just didn’t have the time to regurgitate it here in full.
It’s enough to make yer blood run cold!
Great memories of the Shoot league ladder, happy days!
Sorry to be a pedantic so and so but we’re at home v Spurs last game.
Hi Ady
You’re not pedantic at all – you’re right! I had to rush this out very quicklyand gambled that we couldn’t start and finish at home. Backed the wrong horse this time!
We’ve put it right now – thanks.
And thanks for yet more love for the Shoot ladder 🙂
Hi Martin wouldnt worry what order the games come in if we are good enough its not a proplem needs to make good buys in transfer market to help the squad as it is would be a struggle as we are i making early prediction as moon is in the right área , first game a 22 draw and second a 21 win i keep dreaming all the beat mate☺😊 😊
Hi Kev
Yes we all have to dream but this particular fixture release woke me up right quick!
Recruitment is absolutely crucial.
If we get four points from the first two games the beers are definitely on me!
Cheers
Marty, nostalgia ain’t what it use to be. I guess the one lesson City seemed to have learnt is how to fall and not go bust, we’ve been close but we are better at that now. How we avoid falling is another matter. Emi wanted out as do a couple more of our players, plus a good loan player probably not returning, four of our best probably gone and no fault of ours. Will we fall again? And at what stage we play the top teams will that alter anything? I hope not but I wouldn’t put money on it. Still we’re unlikely to go bust and we’ll get another crack at it.
Hiya Cutty
Yes I think you’re pretty much spot on there. My only real problem is that by now everybody and his pet frog knows that our only ambition is not to go bust.
Which calibre of senior player will we attract with that attitude?
As PD said this morning, itv well be quite surprising if our opening game is at 3pm on Sat 21st Aug, but at least quite a few of our players won’t be taking to the pitch looking like ‘rabbits caught in the headlights’, but will instead be coming out to the sound of 25,000 voices singing :On The Ball City!!’😄
#bringiton
As the season starts on the 14th August as the schedule shows I would hazard a guess city will possibly be on Friday 13th at 8pm on Sky
Friday 13th!!! ?
Good idea that, L’pool wont like the ‘Friday 13th element.
Nor will I !!!
Hi Ed
I saw the preview with Paddy & Dave and they really talked up Liverpool – quite unitentionally of course – with all that You’ll Never Walk Alone stuff.
We’ve gotta play ’em some time……
Cheers
12 points after 4 games and top of the league, Emi will be wondering what he’s done, (other than being far wealthier), Our lads will be raring to go after a long rest whereas most of the teams we play contain a plethora of players involved in the Euro’s who’ll all be jaded.
That’s my take on it which has, when shared, strengthened my daughters’ resolve that I must arrange one of those dementia tests with the Doc!
Thanks for mentioning the League Ladder, loved ’em, I recall Workington Town & Barrow in Furness, but my recollections would have been from the 60’s by 1971 something called girls appeared and rather changed my focus, ‘foolish’ mistake that, so they would say!
A famous Irish actor called Farrell once said he had trials with Loserpool’s Paisley’s and Forest Clough with Roy Keane but went back to Ireland 🇮🇪 as he has discovered Booze, Birds and Fags and gas gad a good life
Now would that be Colin *feckin’* Farrell by any chance?
Yeah he was suppose to harder that Keane
No-one’s harder than Keane – in Keane’s mind anyway.
Hi Colin
Yet more love for the league ladder – I now feel justified for mentioning it!
Don’t worry my daughter is an NHS professional [as is Alex B’s] and I’m sure we all get similar *referrals* from time to time.
It’s my son I’m worried about – he appears to think I’m sane.
Cheers
Those darn Shoot league ladders, I’d set them up after the 3rd match of the season as the league table didn’t start until then…….
After week 4 or 5 most would be too bent to move up and down, I’d have lost a couple and given up.
Gone through the fixtures a few times and can’t for the life of me see where we are going* to get close to 40 points. Ah well, take the 💰💴💰 and start again…..
Hi Cannock
*Gone through the fixtures a few times and can’t for the life of me see where we are going to get close to 40 points. Ah well, take the 💰💴💰 and start again…..*
That’s as spot on as it gets and doubtless prove prophetic.
Cheers
The team will need to get some points early to give them some confidence. The fixtures look to have made that a difficult task.
What is more interesting is who we sign. Like the idea of Gunny junior but do we need to spend £5m on a back up keeper. We need to make good on Emi’s goals and assists. We need another quality Centre Half. A back up striker is also needed. We need a quality defensive midfielder. Unfortunately Emi’s fee won’t go far.
I am.usually optimistic but at the moment I think we will be in the bottom three after 6 games and stay there
Hi Colin
I can’t remember a fixture list like this before in terms of setting out the harsh realities of the task ahead.
I really wish I could disagree with your final sentence but I can’t I’m afraid.
Thanks as always
Probably a bit late replying to this one, but GREAT article Martin!!
I loved those league tables – I think you’ll find that ‘Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly’ started those things – although it was a while ago so my mind may be wandering like an itinerant knife-sharpener there.
Back in the day we got all four English leagues plus the two Scottish leagues – quite a labourious job keeping them all up to date, but the Scottish ones won me a beer a couple of years back when I was able to tell two young colleagues exactly how many of the current Scottish lower league teams (including Highland/Lowland) used to be in the old 2-tier system, and point out the newest clubs in their two higher leagues.
And I think some of you guys are dead right – the Prem never seems to want us – exasperating that we’ve been touted for relegation against a backdrop of never-before Brentford, and several under-performing Prem League pillars of society – must be about the money!
We will prevail, I know it !!
OTBC
Hi Kev
I forgot the depth of those league ladders tbh but you’re quite right of course.
I only ever bothered with the division we were in – I think the likes of Kilmarnock and Falkirk were a little too geographically challenging for me at the time!
I remember the old Racing & Football Outlook minibooks too – the ones that used to name a squad of about 12 players and even less for the lower leagues.
No the PL don’t like us and Delia don’t care 😐
Cheers
Shoot leaders were so much fun. It was awful though if you could not get your hands on an edition with a particular league for the teams. That happened to me on more that one occasion and I had a blank division 3 or 4! These enterprising folks create and sell league ladders, https://leagueladders.club/. I have not tried them but am now tempted after this article.
There are no easy fixtures and any game is going to be a tough one next season. I suppose there are degrees of tough though. Whatever the outcome of the opener v Liverpool let’s hope that a full CR is allowed to roar the boys on. You never know it could be the spring board for a good season. OTBC.
Hi Tim
I am honestly delighted that so many people recall the ladders – maybe I’ll recall the Esso world cup plastic medal collections sometime.
I’ve got both of them, complete, but our Patterdale terrier inadvertently sat on one of the boards a few years ago so it’s probably commercially devalued – as if I’d ever sell it.
I’ll also look out the Football League one with the stick-on badges from the 1970s – ours doesn’t even feature the Canary!
Thanks for an idea for a future MFW article 🙂
League ladders , I remember they used to come free with the valiant comic back in the sixties.
Sitting near the TV as the scores came in on a Saturday to see how close to the top of the second division we could get.
Hi Bernie
The Valiant?
I was a Beano boy in them days so never read it, although the Eagle and Hotspur come to mind so I must have seen them.
Dan Dare and all that?
Cheers
Thanks for all your great comments, every one of you.
C’mon England.