Stats on Top 100

Season 26 Power Rankings

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 21:30:02 +0100

Biggest Risers from S25: Manchester United, Napoli, Wolfsburg

Biggest Fallers from S25: Shakhtar, River Plate, Tottenham, Fener, PSG

A change in #1: Hellas overtakes Borussia. It must be the going Gold!

Biggest Risers from S20: Napoli, Sevilla, Zenit, Independiente

Biggest Fallers from S20: Schalke, AZ, Werder, Gladbach, Stuttgart (it's tough to be German apparently)

Season 26 Division 5 Stats and Facts

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 15:01:05 +0100

Will a weak keeper hold back stats favourites Napoli.

In reality Napoli could sort that out in a heart beat and would be a good head in front of the rest of the chasing pack. Having a 91 rated attack in D5 is really the nuclear option with no team having any keeper or defence above 89.

Brugge strong in attack and defence but lacking depth should be the main opposition this season with Independiente not being far behind, Marseille are the most defensive team in the league and this is favoured in the current SM machine that processes the results. Rubin have a good midfield and attack combo , so plenty of possession and a shield for the defense.

There are clearly a number of teams that are being ahem “ rebuilt “ , though why they need to be quite so uncompetitive is not really within the scope of this article. Stuttgart and Twente have the least depth in any sides we have seen for sometime, Athletic club and Twente have keepers that don’t need to be so weak and they could finish 4 or 5 places higher.

The A.I. sees Torino as a surprise playoff team moving up from 10^th to 6^th with AZ falling out of contention but Spartak knocking on the door of D4 if they play their cards right.

If we assume 218 is the cut off for D4 then Spartak would be o.k. without much work needing to be done. There is also the work in progress gap that now exist between Spartak and Lazio, food for thought.

	GK	DEF	MID	ATT	Top18	Ave	ETOT	Pre	A.I.
SSC Napoli	85.0	88.5	89.4	91.0	86.0	88.0	221.99	1	1
Club Brugge KV	89.0	88.5	88.0	90.0	84.0	87.9	220.46	2	3
Independiente	88.0	88.3	89.4	89.0	86.0	88.1	220.85	3	2
Olympique Marseille	88.0	89.3	87.8	89.0	86.0	88.0	220.37	4	4
Rubin Kazan	86.0	87.3	88.2	89.0	85.0	87.1	218.73	5	7
AS Monaco	88.0	87.8	89.0	88.0	86.0	87.8	219.48	6	5
AZ Alkmaar	88.0	87.3	88.2	88.0	85.0	87.3	218.32	7	9
Santos FC	87.0	87.3	87.8	88.0	85.0	87.0	217.88	8	10
Villarreal CF	87.0	86.8	87.2	88.0	86.0	87.0	217.12	9	11
Torino	88.0	87.5	87.2	89.0	85.0	87.3	218.37	10	6
Spartak Moskva	89.0	87.8	87.4	88.0	85.0	87.4	218.20	11	8
SS Lazio	88.0	86.3	87.4	88.0	85.0	86.9	216.88	12	12
Chievo Verona	86.0	87.3	87.6	87.0	85.0	86.6	216.95	13	13
Atalanta BC	87.0	86.0	87.0	87.0	85.0	86.4	215.59	14	14
Athletic Club	85.0	85.8	87.6	87.0	84.0	85.9	215.51	15	16
FC Twente	85.0	86.8	86.0	88.0	78.0	84.8	214.96	16	18
PSV	87.0	86.8	86.2	87.0	82.0	85.8	215.19	17	17
Celta Vigo	89.0	86.0	85.8	87.0	84.0	86.4	214.75	18	15
Girondins Bordeaux	86.0	84.0	87.2	86.0	83.0	85.2	213.14	19	19
Stuttgart	85.0	83.5	84.0	85.0	78.0	83.1	208.81	20	20

Season 26 Division 4 Stats and Facts.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 14:43:19 +0100

Will Celtic overcome their poor start to be number 1 in the stats.

In an ironic twist the top stat team is after 1 game holding up the rest of the table. Thie main weakness is the keeper but an 88 is fine in D4 a few powerhouse teams do have stronger attacks but a top 3 places should be theirs at least,

Valencia and Lille are closely matched even if different prospects. Valencia are playing the popular defensive game, Lille go all out attack. Lokomotive and Ajax in 4 and 5^th are more balanced teams, Moscow have the most potent midfield in the league so if they can convert the possession, they should get a top 3 place could be for them. Liverpool , Palace and Kiev all play the attacking game ,but not all can succeed and if this becomes a “thing “ surely a defensive counter movement will follow.

To survive D3 you would need 219 so Olympiacos or even Partizan could push for a playoff spot without much concern.

Shaktar have mountain to climb pretty much the weakest in all positions. Sassuolo have a decent keeper but not much else. Lyon may escape due to a decent attack, Moenchenglabach are the balanced team amongst the relegation candidates but is that a good idea?

Division 4 lost some profoundly weak teams last season so predicting a cut off is all but impossible. Two really strong teams were promoted and this means the average rating is slightly less. D4 should be even tighter than last season.

What does the A.I. think? Lille are predicted to come 2^nd , Kiev are expect to get a playoff spot at the expense of Basel. The A.I. thinks Moenchenglabach will displace Bremen maybe the depth of Bremen will help as the season goes on.

	GK	DEF	MID	ATT	Top18	Ave	ETOT	Pre	A.I.
Celtic	88.0	89.0	89.4	90.0	86.0	88.5	222.10	1	1
Valencia CF	89.0	90.0	88.8	88.0	88.0	88.8	221.48	2	3
Lille OSC	87.0	88.0	88.6	91.0	86.0	88.1	221.19	3	2
Lokomotiv Moskva	88.0	88.0	89.6	89.0	86.0	88.1	220.81	4	4
Ajax	89.0	88.5	88.8	89.0	85.0	88.1	220.57	5	6
Liverpool	88.0	88.3	87.6	90.0	86.0	88.0	220.06	6	5
FC Basel	88.0	87.5	88.6	89.0	86.0	87.8	219.61	7	8
Crystal Palace	86.0	87.3	87.8	91.0	83.0	87.0	219.47	8	10
Dynamo Moskva	87.0	88.8	88.0	88.0	86.0	87.6	219.36	9	11
Dynamo Kyiv	88.0	86.3	87.8	91.0	85.0	87.6	219.15	10	7
Olympiacos	89.0	87.5	87.8	89.0	86.0	87.9	219.09	11	9
FK Partizan	87.0	87.8	88.4	88.0	86.0	87.4	218.88	12	13
Feyenoord	87.0	87.8	87.8	88.0	87.0	87.5	218.52	13	12
Besiktas JK	87.0	87.5	87.4	89.0	85.0	87.2	218.41	14	14
Newcastle United	87.0	87.5	88.0	88.0	86.0	87.3	218.36	15	15
Bremen	88.0	86.5	88.0	88.0	84.0	86.9	217.44	16	17
Monchengladbach	88.0	87.3	87.6	87.0	86.0	87.2	217.31	17	16
Olympique Lyonnais	87.0	86.3	86.6	89.0	85.0	86.8	216.77	18	18
US Sassuolo	88.0	86.8	87.4	87.0	85.0	86.8	216.63	19	19
Shakhtar Donetsk	87.0	85.5	85.4	85.0	83.0	85.2	212.37	20	20

Top Performers and Underachievers in Season 25

Fri, 02 May 2025 21:38:05 +0100

Top 100 Season 25 Six Match Review

Six matches into Season 25, the highly competitive Top 100 game world is already offering plenty of intrigue. It's still early in the 38-game campaign (current in-game date Thu 1 May 2025), but comparing the action to pre-season expectations (including "Malcolm's Stats" by Sevilla manager Mister TRX, 8th historically), historical manager performance, and last season's trophy winners reveals some fascinating early narratives. Here’s an overview of who’s hitting the ground running, who’s stumbling, and potential reasons why.

Division 1: São Paulo Lead; Reigning Champs Verona Off Pace

Fittingly, the game world's top-ranked manager historically, Scott Mckenzie, has São Paulo leading (16 pts), though he acknowledged needing more despite staying unbeaten after a 2-2 draw at Sporting. Just behind are kevin mcgregor's Juventus (15 pts, 39th historically), last season's Top 100 Shield winners, who suffered their first loss 1-2 at home against Doug Earle's impressive Leicester (6th). McGregor admitted he "would of bitten your hand off if said this was the start I was going to get," showing perspective despite the setback. Adam's Barcelona (5th, 40th historically, S24 Super Cup winners) also look dangerous, spearheaded by the sensational G. Rodrygo (leading D1 with 5 goals and 6 assists). Manager Adam noted his key attackers are "getting amongst the goals more... hope they can keep it going."

The biggest divergence from Malcolm's Stats is the form of Dario Saviano's Dortmund (17th, 28th historically) and, more surprisingly, Luís André Libras-Boas's Hellas Verona (12th, 5th historically). Predicted as title contenders, their struggles are stark – especially for Verona as reigning Division 1 champions. It suggests either the pre-season analysis overrated their readiness or established managers are finding the tactical battles tougher this term. Even James Mckenzie (2nd historically, S24 SMFA Shield winner) finds Chelsea slightly off pace in 8th. Fellow S24 trophy winners André Guerra (Porto, SMFA Champions Cup - 10th) also sit mid-table.

How are last season's promoted sides adapting? Last season's D2 champions Aston Villa (David Inglis, 18th historically) are currently 14th. D2 play-off winners Tottenham (Pedro Vilar, 67th) are exceeding early expectations in 11th after beating Espanyol 3-2, a result Mullan (Espanyol) felt robbed by. Regan Thompson's Hertha BSC (44th historically), S24 Top 100 Cup winners, are currently 18th.

At the bottom, Gursimran Brar (11th historically) sees Köln last as forecast, while Espanyol and Hertha join them. Espanyol's Mullan expressed frustration after the Spurs loss, citing hitting the post multiple times and injuries.

Division 2: Leverkusen Deliver, West Brom Flounder, Schick Flies

Marco G's Leverkusen (1st, 16 pts, 59th historically) are impressively living up to their favourites tag from the predictions, dispatching Udinese 4-1 with Koopmeiners (7 goals) instrumental. Behind them are Standard Liège (2nd, 12 pts), managed by Attilio Bonnici (69th historically), who are performing well after winning the D3 title last season, despite a shock 1-0 loss at Genoa. For 3rd place Hamburger SV, manager David Marsden (41st historically) felt they "Totally dominated a strong Stoke side" but needed a late Casemiro goal for a 1-1 draw. Atlético (Gav Harmer) and Stoke (Andrew Kelly, 4th historically) are also in the mix.

The season's biggest shock remains paddy d's West Brom (16th historically). Tipped for glory by the stats, now rooted in 20th. This drastic underperformance raises questions about their high-profile recruitment strategy. Conversely, RJ Alston's Southampton (8th, 24th historically) and Jamie Alldridge's Schalke (12th, 35th) are comfortably mid-table, defying predictions of a relegation scrap. Man Utd (Dan Wallace, 25th) are struggling near the bottom (17th) as expected during their rebuild phase.

Last season's D3 play-off winners Udinese Calcio (6th), managed by Neil Frankland (23rd historically), are also competing effectively in the top half after promotion.

Individuals: Benfica's Patrik Schick is the standout scorer across all divisions with 9 goals, while Southampton's Houssem Aouar leads D2 assists with 8.

Division 3: CSKA & Flamengo Top; Dnipro Still Surprise

Newer manager Chris Meida (71st) has CSKA leading (1st, 15 pts), alongside Carl Martin's Flamengo (55th historically), though Flamengo stumbled with a shock 3-0 loss at Saint-Etienne, with Martin citing key player absences. Mike Scallotti (10th historically) has Everton (3rd, 13 pts) well-placed, fulfilling their predicted potential.

The remarkable story is Everton Luiz's Dnipro (5th, 11 pts, 81st historically). Tipped for relegation by Malcolm's Stats, their strong start suggests effective tactics or perhaps being underestimated. Fiorentina's D. Mota leads scoring (6 goals) but his team (15th) underwhelms. Predicted promotion candidates Anderlecht (Walter Gogh, 27th) and PSG (Josh McMillan, 21st) need improvement.

How are last season's promoted teams settling into D3? Zenit Saint Petersburg (4th), managed by Christian RC 1914 (82nd) after winning D4 last year, have adapted excellently. AS Saint-Etienne (13th), under Carlos Miranda (77th) and promoted via D4 play-off, showed their potential by beating Flamengo.

At the bottom, Chris Mackenzie's Basel (52nd historically) struggle as predicted, joined by Hoffenheim and Shakhtar.

Division 4: Predictions in Disarray as New Leaders Emerge

This division completely contradicts the pre-season forecast. ruts66 (7th historically) leads with Feyenoord (14 pts), alongside Stuart Monteith's Montpellier (14 pts, 56th historically). Dynamo Moskva (Paul Rimmer, 59th) are 3rd, performing as predicted for a playoff spot. Córdoba, Salah, and Blanco share the goals lead (5).

The biggest head-scratchers are Mister TRX's Sevilla (8th historically, now 17th) and Hugo Costa's Celtic (50th historically, now 14th). Despite TRX crafting the very stats predicting his team for the title, he admits "things haven't really gone to plan." Are the established managers/squads struggling tactically, or were they simply overrated? Conversely, Melvin Udall's Werder Bremen (5th, relatively new, 91st) are defying their relegation prediction admirably.

Two teams promoted from D5 last season are now competing here: Last season's D5 winners Beşiktaş JK (yamil Mc02, 74th) are finding their feet in 15th. D5 play-off winners Olympiacos (Ricardo Ferreira, 66th) have started well and sit 7th after hitting four goals last night.

At the bottom, Murilo's Celta Vigo (new, 90th) are last, as their expected struggles materialise, joined by Sassuolo and Crystal Palace.

Division 5: Partizan Lead Tight Pack Chasing Promotion

Relative newcomer Marc Ques (79th historically) has Partizan setting the early pace (15 pts), followed closely by Bruno Neto^^'s Lyon (14 pts, 83rd). The managers predicted to dominate, Gianluca Ghio (Independiente, 5th, 57th historically) and Ignazio Barraco (Marseille, 7th, 34th), find themselves in the chasing pack but haven't asserted dominance yet. Independiente possess the division's top scorer in Trincão (7 goals). Nick Wheels' Spartak Moskva (3rd, 48th) are meeting their playoff prediction, with João Mário leading assists (6).

Perhaps most interestingly, the relegation picture defies Malcolm's Stats. Predicted strugglers Atalanta (Chris Taylor, 80th), Chievo (Carlos Azevedo, 86th), and Athletic Club (Wayne Bullough, 45th) are currently safe. Instead, Santos (Paolo Everland, 84th), Bordeaux (Sheene Ralspunsky, 81st - actively signing players), and PSV (Chris East, 57th) find themselves unexpectedly in the bottom three.

Overall Conclusion (Early Stages)

After just six games, Season 25 is proving highly competitive and often unpredictable, challenging many pre-season expectations based on Malcolm's Stats and even historical manager performance. While some favourites like Leverkusen are delivering, others like West Brom, Sevilla, Dortmund, and reigning D1 champions Hellas Verona are significantly underperforming. Standout individuals like Rodrygo (D1), Schick (D2), and Trincão (D5) are lighting up their divisions. Teams like Dnipro and Werder Bremen are providing early surprise packages. With 32 games still to play, there's ample time for fortunes to change, but the initial phase has certainly provided plenty of talking points and suggests that reputation and predictions count for little once the whistle blows.

Season 25 Power Rankings

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 21:24:09 +0100

Season 25 power rankings are out. This is a season-over-season and change since season 20 look at where teams stack up across divisions.

Sevilla, Boca, St. Etienne, and Napoli are the biggest risers from last season. Unsurprisingly, Schalke, Celta, Stuttgart, and Man U are the largest fallers from last season.

Looking at the change over 5 seasons, Sevilla again tops the list, followed by Shakhtar, Espanyol, and Cologne. What teams have been made a mess of over this period? Schalke, Man U, Ajax, and Werder Bremen certainly stick out. Of course, I imagine many of these teams were older, etc but...the longer you look at this data with the same manager, the more questions that may be asked?

Division-by-Division Betting Odds for S25

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 16:55:39 +0100

After the first round of matches, here's GinoBetFrank100 bookmaker's latest title and relegation odds for each division in S25. (Remember this is just for fun.)

Division 1:

Hellas Verona: 5/2
Dortmund: 3/1
⬇️Chelsea: 5/1
FC Porto: 10/1
⬇️Barcelona: 14/1
🔝Juventus 15/1
🔝Leicester City: 20/1
Levante: 50/1
Espanyol: 50/1
Aston Villa: 100/1
Bayern (to finish 6th): 1/2

Division 2:

⬇️West Bromwich Albion (WBA): 3/1
Leverkusen: 3/1
Genoa CFC: 7/1
Stoke City: 8/1
Internacional: 10/1
⬇️Benfica: 20/1
Liege: 50/1
🔝Hamburg 50/1
🔝Southampton 100/1
River Plate: 100/1
Zagreb: 100/1
Atletico Madrid (to finish 12th): 2/1

Division 3:

Everton: 1/1
⬇️Paris Saint-Germain (PSG): 4/1
CR Flamengo: 10/1
CSKA Moskva: 20/1
🔝Augsburg: 20/1
⬇️RSC Anderlecht: 25/1
St Etienne: 50/1
West Ham United: 50/1
AS Roma: 100/1
🔝Sampdoria: 500/1

Division 4:

Sevilla: 2/1
Celtic: 11/4
⬇️Mo Salah: 6/1
Club Brugge: 12/1
⬇️Lille OSC: 12/1
Dynamo Moskva: 16/1
🔝Werder Bremen: 20/1
Sassuolo: 25/1
Olympiacos: 25/1
🔝Feyenoord: 25/1

Division 5:

🔝AZ Alkmaar: 3/1
Independiente: 5/1
Olympique Marseille: 5/1
SSC Napoli: 10/1
Torino: 10/1
Spartak Moskva: 20/1
🔝Lyon: 25/1
⬇️Rubin Kazan: 25/1
Partizan: 25/1
Villareal: 50/1
Twente: 50/1

Relegation favourites

Division 1:

AC Milan: 1/2
Tottenham Hotspur: 4/6
🔝Cologne: 1/1
Hertha Berlin: 6/4

Division 2:

⬇️Manchester United: 1/5
⬇️Schalke: 1/5
Galatasaray SK: 5/4
Southampton: 6/1
Hamburg: 6/1
🔝Benfica: 20/1
🔝Atletico Madrid: 25/1

Division 3:

ACF Fiorentina: 4/5
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk: 6/4
FC Basel: 7/4
🔝Sampdoria: 2/1
🔝Anderlecht: 10/1

Division 4:

⬇️Stuttgart: 1/6
⬇️Celta Vigo: 1/4
SV Werder Bremen: 1/2
Feyenoord: 3/1
Ajax: 5/1
Sassuolo: 7/1
Montpellier: 10/1

Division 5:

Athletic Club: 1/6
Chievo Verona: 1/5
PSV: 2/1
🔝Bordeaux: 3/1
Olympique Lyonnais: 5/1
Lazio: 5/1
🔝Monchengladbach: 10/1
Santos: 20/1
Newcastle United: 25/1

Net Transfer Spend - Div 1

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 19:07:40 +0100

With a lot of debate in the GW lately, I present a quick and easy update regarding net transfer spend Div 1. In what I can only describe as eerily similar to real life, Barcelona is the biggest & most wreckless spender in the division. Closely followed by Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Man City... Sound familiar? Equally, the German sides are all extremely financially prudent, with the exception of Schalke - just like in real life.

I think we are all getting tired of opinions on the matter, so I'll just leave this table here, otherwise uninterpreted, for now. Anyway, I'm off to watch the Dortmund - Leverkusen game. Have a nice evening all!

Season 24 Power Rankings

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 22:47:56 +0100

This post comes with the usual caveats: it’s for fun, we’re on the verge of rating updates so this is a point in time look at power rankings. And a shout out to Malcolm on whose data this is based. Over time, I do think it reflects a manager’s impact on the team – which managers can improve their teams v. which sink them or abandon ship to new pastures. The top 5s are comparing last season to this season, and season 20 to now (since that’s when I joined – I think) Without further ado…

Biggest Risers (Season 23 to 24)

Celta Vigo (+34)
Flamengo (+20)
Malaga (+20)
River Plate (+20)
Dynamo Moskva (+19)

Biggest Risers (Season 20 to 24)

FC Koln (+49)
Shakhtar (+48)
Basel (+38)
Malaga (+36)
Zenit (+27)

Biggest Fallers (Season 23 to 24)

Lazio (-49)
Man U (-40)
Fenerbahce (-30)
Atletico Madrid (-26)
Werder (-23)

Biggest Fallers (Season 20 to 24)

Feyenoord (-40)
Sassuolo (-40)
Man U (-38)
Ajax (-34)
Boca (-31)

Season 23 Power Rankings

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 16:35:47 +0100

This post comes with the usual caveats: it's for fun, we're on the verge of rating updates so this is a point in time look at power rankings. And a shout out to Malcolm on whose data this is based. Over time, I do think it reflects a manager's impact on the team - which managers can improve their teams v. which sink them or abandon ship to new pastures. The top 5s are comparing last season to this season, and season 20 to now (since that's when I joined - I think) Without further ado...

Biggest Risers (Season 22 to 23)

Twente
Shakhtar
Basel
Stuttgart
PSV

Biggest Risers (Season 20 to 23)

Lazio
Shakhtar
Basel
Cologne
PSV/Espanyol

Biggest Fallers (Season 22 to 23)

Celta Vigo (by far!)
Crystal Palace
Sampdoria
Lokomotiv Moskva
Flamengo

Biggest Fallers (Season 20 to 23)

Feyenoord
Ajax
Sassuolo
Atalanta / Wolfsburg / Southampton

Welcome New Managers

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 22:27:03 +0100

We welcome four new managers to Top 100, plus one returning after a break, all from Top 120.

Chris Taylor has a big job on his hands at Atalanta. La Dea haven't had the same manager for more than three full seasons. Their "glory" days were back in S12-13 under Golden Bear and Walter Gogh! A club crying out for some tender, loving care and nurturing over the longer term after a disastrous season finishing bottom of D4 as expected.

Augsburg were expected to win D4, but got relegated instead! Returning to Top 100, new manager The Godfather has already promised to lead them right back by winning the D5 title next season!

The fans will be hoping he can emulate the master himself, Mister TRX, who took the club from D5 to the brink of the D2 playoffs in five seasons (S13-17).

Speaking of masters, Master T masterminded a promotion and two playoff places in his four full seasons at Olympiacos. The club's best ever period was arguably under the four season long reign of Bowers who built on the work of Top 100 legends McLean and Prince before him to lift the club into D3 for the only time in their history. Can Dhawy Al go one better than Master T and beat Bowers' record?

Mark Gardiner built a very good squad at Partizan many seasons ago taking them from D5 also rans to the D4 playoffs twice in nine seasons before it all went Pete Tong and they slipped back into the bottom division again. Gardiner's successor Nuno "El Loco" Marques got them promoted in his first full season and won the D4 title in his second. He handed over to Top 100 legends Walter Gogh and Nuno "El Loco" Bento who combined to undo all Marques's good work.

Ricardo Alexandre stabilised the Serbian club in D5 mid-table leaving fans wondering how and why he was head-hunted for the Crystal Palace job. New boss Marc Ques has a big job on his hands to get the club firing again, but has already made some good signings.

Lastly, but by no means least, Paolo Everland will aim to reclaim the heights of D2 achieved in the Morrison/Rajan era (three promotions in as many seasons), and avoid the McMillan/Pip/Wythe three successive relegations that soon followed. Dan Wythe won Santos their only title last season, and took them to 13th in D4 this time.

Good luck to all of you, be active and have fun!

Most Last Place Managers

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 21:21:42 +0100

I did think twice about posting this, as I don't want to upset anyone. It's just a game at the end of the day, and these are just stats which don't always tell the whole story.

For one thing, there are plenty of managers here who have won titles and trophies as well, and who are active and valued members of the Top 100 community. Sometimes it just needs a change of luck, club, or maybe perseverance to stay with one club to achieve success.

Obviously, Most Bottoms is a record no one wants, but the stats (and the bottoms) are there staring me in the face so it's impossible to ignore.

Now, it should be noted at this point that while those managers winning title after title and never finishing lower than 2nd place are great managers, those managers finishing bottom more often than most are simply unlucky. The SM algorithm was out to get them. The match engine is rubbish. They had bad teams given to them. Real life got in the way.

All these are perfectly valid excuses, of course, and if it wasn't for the guys occupying positions 4-20 in the table every season there would be no winners or runners-up.

And without their perseverance in the face of season after season of hopelessness there would be no Top 100.

So, without further ado, let's get right down to it, and see the faces behind these bottoms, as it were, er.

In reverse order....

There are quite a few managers who have TWO bottom place finishes on their record. Jamie Alldridge, Alex Borel, Padraig Corcoran, Gareth Crisp, Joao Alves, Nicky Thomson, Walter Gogh (two and a half, really). Some of those were double relegations, some were double relegations with different clubs.

On THREE 20th place finishes, we have Lee Adams, Gianluca Ghio, Feargal Hickey, Ashley Holtom, Alessandro Ioli, Rahul, Gerrit Vogeleer.

Lee Adams starts us off. If you look at Lee's overall record, you can see he also suffered five more relegation seasons.

So in EIGHT out of his sixteen seasons in Top 100 he got relegated. I don't know how he stuck it out so long. Ironically he quit last season after his best ever finish in 8th with Spartak!

Independiente are currently 6th in D5 under manager Ginaluca Ghio with one to play. Gianluca had the misfortune to start Top 100 with three successive last place finishes! They're doing a lot better now, and even won the Top 100 Shield last season!

Only Jimmy Gouldie at Southampton last season amassed fewer points in a season than Ginaluca in his first season.

Feargal Hickey has not had the luck of the Irish with him for his hattrick of bottoms, and now a fifth relegation with Stuttgart this season.

Hattrick for Ashley Holtom! Five clubs in six seasons. Two successive 20th places was enough.

Alessandro Ioli had a tough start in Top 100 with three last place finishes in his first five seasons at Bordeaux.

Within two seasons of leaving, he won D3 with Dynamo Kyiv and is undoubtedly their most successful manager.

Now, I think that Rahul is held in very high regard by most, if not all, of us as a manager and for his work on ratings predictions (particularly on the old forums). But Rahul also has three bottom places to his name.

Last of the triple fallen crown winners is Gerrit Vogeleer. I remember Gerrit in the early seasons seemingly always finishing bottom, and wondering what he had done to merit such bad luck season after season no matter which team he had.

Are there any managers who have FOUR bottoms? YES! There is one. But he also has FIVE bottoms!

Here he is, our winner! Golden Bear!

Now, to be fair to GB, I know last season was a difficult one for him personally. He's another like Gerrit who I remember having an incredibly unlucky run back in the early days with five relegations in seven seasons, including three back-to-back each with different clubs.

Let's finish on a positive note - Bear is a mainstay in Top 100 from the beginning, and took Atalanta to the D5 title in S12 (although he quit to take Anderlecht before the final games and so doesn't have that officially on his record), took Anderlecht back to D1 in his first season there, and won D5 again with his current team AZ. He's got an outside chance of the top three again this season, and must have a good chance in the playoffs otherwise.

Most 3rd Place Managers

Mon, 27 May 2024 22:04:11 +0100

Never good enough to be a winner, not even good enough to finish second... who are the managers who scrape third place the most often?

Oh, shit, it's me! (FIVE, if I manage it again this season.)

Keeping me company, for the moment at least is DP 91 with FOUR 3rd place finishes.

Neil Frankland, Frank Hirst, Jay Jones, Roy Keane, Andy Kelly, Mark Phelps and Mr TRX all have THREE thirds. As does Gursimran Brar (or is it tow and a half?).

Dan Wallace, Roberto Downinho, James Mckenzie, Josh McMillan, Greg Owen, Scott Mckenzie, and Mike Scallotti all have TWO each.

Most 2nd Place Managers

Mon, 27 May 2024 21:30:28 +0100

You've got to be in it to win it, so there's no disgrace at all in finishing second in the table (even if it might be a bitter pill at the time).

It's no surprise, therefore, to see that many of the most titled managers are also those who have finished as runners-up more times than other managers, too. If only the rest of us mere mortals knew what they are smoking...

Btw, in case you were wondering, all of this data is available here.

Top of the no. 2s is James Mckenzie with SIX seconds!

Mike Scallotti has FIVE second place finishes, all with different clubs.

Then there's Gursimran Brar, ruts... and Scott Mckenzie on FOUR each.

Rob Ryan has THREE.

Gareth Crisp, Dan Wallace, Roberto Downinho, DP 91, Doug Earle, Chris East, Gav Harmer, Frank Hirst, Roy Keane, Luis Andre Libras-Boas, Paul Masters, Mike T, Nathan Prince, Bob 'Groucho' Sal, and Mr TRX all have TWO each to their names.

Most Titled Managers

Mon, 27 May 2024 18:05:48 +0100

Unsurprisingly, Scott Mckenzie leads the way. His EIGHT D1 titles alone would be more than enough, but he's since added two more with Sao Paulo as he's taken them from the bottom of D5 to the brink of the top four in D1.

Now, with three games to play, we have a three-way tie for second place. In pole position (after last night's results) to make it SIX titles is Luis Andre Libras-Boas.

Just behind him, waiting for a great slip-up, is James Mckenzie, of course.

Also on FIVE titles is Gursimran Brar.

On FOUR titles is the old dinosaur himself Mr TRX.

On THREE titles we have Roberto Downinho, The Godfather, Andy Kelly, Kev Mcgregor, Paddy D and Mark Stewart.

Joining them will be Dan Wallace, who has already wrapped up the D5 title with Shakhtar this season, adding to his titles with Barcelona in S15 and S16.

Adam, Heath Brown, Joao Alves, Dave Inglis, Michael H, Attila Olah, Rahul, ruts..., Mike Scallotti and Niall Taylor all have two titles.

D1 Title Race

Thu, 23 May 2024 14:47:34 +0100

83 points needed to guarantee the title... the maximum points both Chelsea or Hellas Verona can get is 83.... Of course, they meet at Stamford Bridge in the final game of the season!

it would be a sixth title for Chelsea and manager James Mckenzie, but the first time they have won two in a row since S13 and S14.

Verona manager ALB is hoping for a second D1 title in three seasons.

Five clubs are battling to reach 70 points for the remaining two places in the Top Four: Porto, Barcelona, Dortmund, Bayern and Sao Paulo. It may be that 70 points won't be enough this time to guarantee a top four place.

On 61 points are Andre Guerra's eternal bridesmaids Porto, looking to equal their best ever finish of 3rd in S15. Another frustrating season in the end after such a bright start.

Barcelona are one point behind Porto. They also led the table for some time midway, but have dropped back since.

The Spanish giants have finished outside the top three on only three occasions - S1, S8 and S21, although to be fair the end of the Wallace era and the beginning of new manager Adam's reign saw something of a rebuild underway.

Dortmund are level with Barcelona, and also topped the table at one point during the season. A top four finish would be the club's best ever.

If they manage that, their last five seasons will have seen finishes in 10th, 9th, 8th, 5th and 3rd/4th. You would fancy them to challenge strongly for the title next season with that progression.

Two points away in 6th, Bayern Munich are on course to achieve their average position in ten full seasons under "Mister Consistency" manager Bojan.

Sao Paulo weren't quite good enough to win D5 in S16, but six season's later they have an outside chance of finishing in the top four of D1 in their first season with the big boys.

With 56 points needed for a top ten place, Juventus, Leicester and Benfica are favourites to remain in those positions.

Six points adrift of Sao Paulo, Juventus will be disappointed with their season after coming 3rd last time. They averaged 5th place under DP 91, and 7th and 3rd in two seasons under Kevin Mcgregor.

Leicester City look set to achieve their first ever top ten finish in the top division Under manager Doug Earle, a feat he managed three times in four seasons at Atletico Madrid, back in the day.

Benfica really consolidated as a D1 team under previous managers Mark Stewart and ruts... and haven't finished outside the top ten since S17.

Division One Sack Race

Thu, 23 May 2024 13:01:10 +0100

The bottom half of D1:

38 points needed to avoid the sack, 43 to avoid relegation....

Villa and Valencia are already down. The lowest points totals ever for 20th was Southampton's 12 last season, while Schalke amassed a meagre 21 points to finish 19th in S12.

Fenerbahce need four more points to equal the lowest ever points total for a team finishing 18th in D1 (record currently held by Dortmund in S5).

Manchester United under new manager Tharani need another nine points from five games to reach the magic 43 points total. Unlikely, but not impossible.

Espanyol need another four points, which seems more likely. Manager Glen Mullan is keen to avoid his side becoming a yo-yo team with what would otherwise be a third relegation from the top flight in five seasons.

A disappointing season for Real Madrid. Level on points with Espanyol, you would think they will survive, but after finishing sixth in manager Rob Ryan's first season in charge this has been a season to forget.

Despite a brief renaissance and a 3rd place under Andy Kelly in S17, arguably the club never recovered from Roy Keane's decision to sell all his ratings for youth in S6 and then appointing Beddows when it all went tits up.

The fans will surely not tolerate another relegation?

S18 Champions Arsenal are hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone on 40 points. After seasons of mediocrity under Michael Bowes, manager Heath Brown broke the Barcelona/Chelsea dominance in D1.

Atletico Madrid are on 41 points, 2 from "guaranteed" safety. More of the same from manager Gav Harmer.

Bayer Leverkusen are level with Atletico on points, and have never managed more than two straight seasons in D1. Staying up this season will mean a third straight season in D1 Under manager Marco G - arguably Leverkusen's greatest ever manager.

Genoa have 42 points and should be fine.

D2 Promotion Push

Wed, 22 May 2024 22:13:33 +0100

Ten teams are still plausibly in with a chance to go up from D2 with five games left to play:

57 points has been enough in recent seasons to guarantee a playoff place. Realistically, the final two playoff spots are between Hertha, Udinese, Sporting, Schalke and Celtic.

It would be an amazing first for Celtic, who look certain to finish in their highest ever position barring an end of season wipeout.

If Schalke can make the playoffs it will be their best finish since S13.

Sporting had their best ever season in S20 when they finished 4th in D2, although last season they narrowly avoided relegation.

Udinese have reached the playoffs in two of the last four seasons under manager Mark Stewart. They must be a good bet to do it again this time.

Hertha's history shows steady evolution from a D5 side to D1 under three progressive managers, Mark Stewart (three consecutive division titles), Rahul (D3 title), and Dan W (promotion to D1).

After a couple of impressive top six finishes in D1, manager Regan Thompson chose revolution over evolution resulting in a couple of yo-yo seasons before settling in mid-table of D2.

With 65 points needed to be "certain" of promotion in the top three, Manchester City are as good as there, Levante look set to follow them, and the final automatic place will be between Milan, Stoke and Internacional.

Internacional have won the D2 title twice before under former boss Roberto Downinho (now at Cruzeiro) in S7 and S11. They also won the D2 playoffs in S16 under Nuno Marques just before I drove him crazy.

Since their promotion to the top flight in S7, they've never spent more than two consecutive seasons in D2. This is their second consecutive season in D2 under new boss Paul Masters, so the fans will have high expectations....

Stoke made the D2 playoffs in three of manager Seb C(ampillo)'s nine previous seasons as manager, winning the final in S15.

Milan look set for their best finish under manager Andrew Bailey, building on a series of impressive cup wins in the previous two seasons. They've been promoted from D2 on four previous occasions - in S3 (Beddows), S9 (title under Paddy D), and S14 and S16 (including a playoff final win under Alex Borel).

Although they've never managed to play more than two consecutive seasons in D1, this is Milan's fifth consecutive season in D2, the longest they've spent out of the top flight in their history.

79 points are required to guarantee the title in D2.

That's just out of reach for Levante, but they look sure to push Manchester City all the way to secure their second promotion to D1 in ten seasons under manager Salvatore Zerbo.

Manager Alex McLean is in his third spell as City boss. His best ever season was his first, finishing fifth in D1 in S7, improving one place on Paddy D's sixth place finish the previous season.

A rebuild and relegation followed, but it was Mark Deadman who took them back to D1 in S13. City enjoyed eight seasons in D1 under Deadman and Doc (aka Jamie H), until McLean return for a third time and relegated them in his first season back at the helm.

He looks set to make amends this time around and could win City their first ever title.

Division Two Sack Race

Tue, 21 May 2024 11:57:55 +0100

46 points are usually required to guarantee avoiding the bottom three and the sack in D2, and this season I expect it will be a few points less.

The table now, with five games to play:

Werder Bremen are as good as gone and look set to return to D3 next season for the first time since S14.

Facing a second successive relegation, Southampton are almost certain to join them, for the first time since S12.

Celta Vigo are five points adrift of safety, and it's hard to see how they can survive on current form. Their stay in D2 will have been just two seasons, if that's how it turns out.

Like Southampton, Everton face consecutive relegations, and also like Southampton would be playing D3 football for the first time since S12.

West Brom are two points clear of the drop zone, and just finding a little form under new manager Paddy D. If they do go down, they will be another like Southampton and Everton going from D1 to D3 in two seasons.

PSG are three points clear, but relegation would be the worst season in their history.

Promoted Anderlecht will be hoping to avoid an immediate return to D3. With a four point cushion, you would think they will survive.

Liverpool also have a four point cushion. The club finished a creditable 4th last season, but like PSG, relegation would be their worst season ever.

River Plate should feel safe enough already, but they've found it impossible to establish themselves in D2 for more than a couple of seasons after three promotions in eight seasons. Rumours are that manager Jones is ready to jump ship....

Koln were in D5 five seasons ago, and were promoted last season for their first ever season in D2. Like River Plate, they can probably feel comfortable enough barring total collapse in their final games.

The bottom three look doomed, and the final relegation place could be between Everton and Anderlecht.

D3 Promotion Push

Tue, 21 May 2024 11:11:39 +0100

The top half of D3 with five games to go:

With 60 points needed to be sure of a playoff place, the current top four look sure to have that covered.

Zagreb looked to be running away with it at the halfway stage, but have taken just 20 points form 14 games since. They seem to have recovered their form in time to get them over the finishing line and a return to D2. (Zagreb were relegated from D2 in the unluckiest fashion possible - equal on points, goal difference and goals scored with River Plate.)

Swansea have managed 26 points from 14 games since half-time in the season, and they are currently the team in form. If they can win all five remaining games they might just beat Zagreb to the title....

71 points would usually guarantee promotion, so it's likely to be between "D1 team" Inter and my Hamburger. The two teams meet at the Volksparkstadion in the penultimate game of the season. Both were on 33 points after 19 games, so Inter may just have the slight edge. They certainly have more quality, and more first team depth.

Palace are on a terrible run of form at the moment. If they can turn it around and win promotion, it would be the first time in the club's history that they have reached D2.

West Ham are also seeking promotion to D2 for the first time.

Flamengo suffered back-to-back relegations from D2 to D4, and are now trying to win back-to-back promotions to return to D2 under new boss Carl Martin.

Of the chasing pack, Malaga are behind Flamengo only on goal difference. This is their first ever season in D3.

Spurs and Sunderland might have a chance of the playoffs if Palace can't recover their form. Of the two, the Black Cats seem to be in the best form in the second half of the season to take advantage.

Division Three Sack Race

Mon, 20 May 2024 13:33:28 +0100

Five games left, this is the bottom of D3:

With 45 points needed to be 100% sure to avoid relegation, we can be sure that Gladbach are gone, and their manager Ken jumped two games ago before he was pushed. Ken had amassed a paltry 5 points in twelve games since his halt-time team-talk, while the interim caretaker manager is unbeaten with a win and draw so far.... Gladbach look certain to play D4 football next season for the first time in their history.

It's almost certainly not going to require 45 points this season to avoid the drop, but next most likely are Twente. Manager Jamie Alldridge some mistakes in the transfer market and which he's been trying to rectify all season. He's managed 18 points from fourteen games since, but even if he keeps that level up it's not enough to stay up, and probably not enough to avoid the bottom three and the sack.

Stuttgart have managed just 13 points from 14 games, and that's seen them drop into the sack zone since the halfway mark. Manager Feargal Hickey joined in controversial circumstances from Atalanta after Tharani took the vacant Manchester United job. Tharani had taken Stuttgart from D5 to D3 in consecutive seasons so was a hard act to follow. Only Hickey himself had done the same in S2 and S3, and he won the Top 100 Shield!

Under another former Atalanta manager (and also a former Gladbach boss) Attila Olah, Galatasaray have taken 15 points from 14 games since Ken's halfway review and they remain in the drop zone. After just missing out on the playoffs last season, Gala - like Gladbach - could be playing D4 football for the first time in their history next season.

Hoffenheim were in D1 three seasons ago, but are now flirting with a return to D4 for the first time since S5. Under Anthony Guardiola, they have taken 17 points from 14 games since the halfway mark, and if they can continue their relative uptick in form compared to the four teams floundering below them, they'll be fine.

It's a similar story for Liege, who look like they will just be able to do enough to survive under Attlio Bonnici. Critics might argue they should be doing much better!

Cruzeiro are in an awful run of form, but even if they lose their last five that could still have enough points already to survive simply because the teams in the bottom four are so poor.

D4 Promotion Push

Sun, 19 May 2024 09:59:39 +0100

Here's the top of the D4 table with six games to play:

With 60 points needed to "guarantee" a playoff place, 67 points for the top three, and 73 for the title, it actually looks like none of the teams are likely to reach the points totals that would "guarantee" those finishing positions this season. Whether that's down to a lack of quality or increased competition, or a combination, I don't know, but it makes for an exciting run-in.

Leaders Brugge have a four point cushion and are looking for a second successive promotion and a return to D3 after seven seasons in the lower divisions under long-time boss Davy V.

Sevilla are on the long road back to D1, and who better to lead them there than the old dinosaur himself Mr TRX. Only the Mckenzies, Guri and ALB have won more division titles than Malcolm!

Olympiacos have made good progress under Master T over the last four seasons.

Like the three clubs above, Fiorentina are nother team doing well under a progressive manager Andy Martin. They will hope their run to the Cup Final won't hinder their promotion chances. Fiore have one of (if not) the most unfortunate histories in Top 100 with four successive relegations in S7 to S10 that saw them plummet from D1 to D5.

Lille have been there or thereabouts in six of the last eight seasons, including promotion in S19. Have they got what it takes to go up and stay up?

CSKA are another progressive team, and like Lille had a recent promotion followed by immediate relegation. In fact, CSKA have had five promotions in their history, four of which have been followed by relegation the next season (other other time relegation came the season after next).

Another Moscow club Lokomotiv are really doing better than they hoped for at this stage. Promotion might be too soon?

It's hard to imagine Wolfsburg in D1, but that's where they spent S6 and S7. In fact, the once mighty Wolves had never been as low as D4 until The Special Gyan guided them there in S14. The club got a severe nosebleed under the glory days of Niall Taylor, who took them to two titles and up to D2 in three seasons.

Finally, Monaco have had an up and down career in Top 100 with four promotions and six relegations in their 21 seasons to date.

I think D4 is too close to call and a lot can change in the last six games. None of the teams look to have the consistency or quality to dominate, and luck will play a big part in who goes up and who misses out.

Division Four Sack Race

Sat, 18 May 2024 11:18:19 +0100

The bottom of D4 currently looks like this:

44 points are usually needed to "guarantee" not finishing in the bottom three and getting sacked. (45 points to avoid relegation).

With six games to play, Montpellier should feel reasonably secure, but haven't won in their last six games and have picked up just three points.

Manager Stuart Monteith has led something of a resurgence in recent seasons as well as providing the club with much needed stability as their longest serving manager.

Zenit are traditionally the club no one wants, even having three managers in one season (S10)! Their D1 heyday under current Torino boss L H's stewardship are a distant memory, although they had a revival under Mark Stewart who took them back to D2 as recently as S19.

Two successive relegations have seen them playing their first ever season in D4 this time around under another new manager J Walker. A third consecutive drop would be hard to stomach for Zenit fans.

PSV are another club with quite a turnover of managers, and until S18 had never dropped into D5. Padraig Corcoran's disastrous four seasons in charge saw them fall to the foot of D5. Manager Chris East transformed the club's performances securing promotion in his first season against the odds. Can they do enough to survive their first season back?

Ajax are staring down the barrel of D5 football next season a third consecutive relegation (and a second in two seasons for current boss Syed Shah), which would be a disaster for the once proud D1 and D2 yo-yo club.

Their first season aside, Ajax have had management stability with just two managers prior to Shah. It's certainly arguable with hindsight that the club acted hastily in dismissing two long-serving managers, neither of whom wanted to leave.

On the plus side, they've had a recent uptick in form, and you would think they have the quality to stay up.

Augsburg came close to promotion last season, so it's been something of a surprise to see them struggling all season this time. Manager Paddy D jumped ship during the season, and new boss Anmol Satam has struggled to turn things around. They're unbeaten in the last four, however, so that's certainly cause for hope.

Former Zenit boss L H's Torino have a mountain to climb. This is their fourth season in D4 which is already a record for the most seasons outside of D5.

Atalanta finished a creditable 8th under previous boss Feargal Hickey last season after promotion from D5 in S20. They look doomed to return this time, though, and Hickey has moved on to Stuttgart, leaving new gaffer Russell Jordan with a baptism of fire (just two wins in eighteen games).

For my money, Atalanta and Torino will be joined by Zenit in the bottom three, and I think Augsburg may just fail to catch Montpellier for the final relegation spot.

D5 Promotion Push

Fri, 17 May 2024 22:49:17 +0100

The top of D5 looks like this with six games to play:

According to my latest stats, Shakhtar under new manager Dan W can celebrate promotion now, and need only one more point to be sure of the D5 title. Quite a turnaround from last season!

With 66 points needed to "guarantee" a top three finish, it looks like two from the next three.

Rubin Kazan have only ever been promoted once - in S10 under Dave Inglis. Not even Doc could manage that! Current boss Frank Tyson has had them knocking on the door in two of the last three seasons. Will this be their turn?

Independiente are on course for their best ever league season - better even than under Gregg Robinson! In fact, if they do go up, it will be their first promotion after 22 seasons in D5. That would be a nice way to follow up last season's shock Shield win.

Boca Juniors are another team who have been knocking on the promotion door in successive seasons, but without success.

With 58 points needed to be sure of a playoff place, the above three look certain of that barring complete collapse in the final straight.

Of the chasing pack, AZ Alkmaar won the D5 title as recently as S18 under manager Golden Bear (who like Dan W this season transformed his bottom place team from the previous season).

Dynamo Kyiv's best days were winning D3 in S14 under Alessandro Ioli, but current boss Chris Baggio has fostered Ukrainian talent to begin the long road back to glory.

The Fall and Rise and Fall Again of Basel is one of the great stories Top 100. They won the D5 Playoffs in S7 under Dr Martinez five seasons later they were in D1. Within another six seasons they were back where they started.

Current manager Josh McMillan took a lot of criticism after four seasons going ever downwards in the table, but this time around has splashed the cash and got the results to match.

Villarreal, Newcastle and Marseille are all outside the top 7 waiting to pounce if one or more of the teams above suffer an end of season collapse in form.

Division Five Sack Race

Fri, 17 May 2024 13:44:50 +0100

The bottom half of D5 looks like this currently:

With 18 points left to play for, I can't see any of the sides from Spartak down getting the 46 points in total that would guarantee avoiding the bottom three and the sack.

So that means it's three from five....

Chievo are six points adrift of 17th place and that already looks far too big a gap to close. It's a long time since their Harmer heyday!

Lazio have invested heavily in some better quality players recently, and they must be favourites to escape this time around as a result. It's even longer since Lazio were a D1 club! (But only seven seasons since they were in D2!)

Dynamo will want to avoid a second successive bottom three finish following relegation from D4 last season.

Another former D1 club Lyon, and another Moscow club Spartak (who started Top 100 life in D2), have a two point advantage (massive win for Lyon last night!), which could be crucial, but Lyon's leaky defence could be their undoing at the end.

A tough debut season for Spartak manager Ben!

Who will get sacked? Who will survive? Who deserves to fight another season?

How Many Points Do You Need (S16)?

Sat, 21 Aug 2021 17:19:06 +0100

I've updated my spreadsheet averaging out the number of points needed to win the title, avoid the sack, etc. across all seasons.

As the number of seasons increase, each additional season's stats make less and less difference to the average.

So this time I've only include the last five seasons' data (S11 to S15), on the basis that this may give a better idea taking into account any trends during this time.

S11 to S15 average points needed

Compared to all seasons' data (S1 to S14), we can see that it's slightly easier (haha!) to win D1 and to avoid relegation and the sack.

Winning D2, D3 and D4 is also easier, but D5 got a bit harder to win.

It's slightly easier to gain automatic promotion in D3, but harder in D5.

More points are now needed to survive in D4.

It's getting easier to avoid the sack in D2 and D5, but harder in D3 and D4.

Average points needed in all seasons from S1 to S14