February 2025, then. A busy month; one that started well, ended well and – well – had an in-between part that was a bit dodgy. Things kicked off nicely with a 4-1 trashing of Exeter City, which isn’t something we’ve done too often. And we closed the month nicely with a win over at Shrewsbury. Again, not historically habitual. But how does the rest of the month leave us standing? Not only that, but how does that compare with 32 games down in previous years?
League One comparison at this stage
By clinching three points in Shropshire, we’re now officially on track for our third-best term ever; overtaking the 2012-3 campaign, where we were by this point in freefall mode. As it all stands, we’re one draw/one defeat better off than Smiffy‘s mob were back then. If you’re an optimist, you can also see that we’re only technically six points back on 2011-2 – the season in which we made the playoffs. Not that it means anything, given 2023-4 was ahead of that.
FACT:
As of 32 games, Boro’ can’t claim to have the meanest defence compared with past seasons. In 2011-2, we had conceded one fewer goal. We won’t talk about goals scored, obviously…
| Season | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
| 2023-4 | 32 | 15 | 8 | 9 | 46 | 34 | 53 | 12 |
| 2011-2 | 32 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 47 | 31 | 50 | 16 |
| 2024-5 | 32 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 30 | 32 | 44 | -2 |
| 2012-3 | 32 | 12 | 7 | 13 | 39 | 45 | 43 | -6 |
| 2013-4 | 32 | 9 | 4 | 19 | 32 | 52 | 31 | -20 |
Are there any notable lookalike seasons?
Just one other season have we been on 44 points after 32 league fixtures. That, dear readers, was the 1999-00 campaign; one in which we flew out of the blocks with six straight wins (and then imploded into winter). Richard Hill would limp on into April of that season before being given the boot. Interestingly enough, however, we had still maintained a positive differential in goals; nearly 50 scored coming up to this point of the season.
| Season | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
| 1999-00 | 32 | 13 | 5 | 14 | 49 | 45 | 44 | 5 |
The best and the worst after 21 games
| Season | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
| 1990-1 | 32 | 26 | 4 | 2 | 90 | 23 | 82 | 67 |
| 1991-2 | 32 | 23 | 6 | 3 | 67 | 29 | 75 | 38 |
| 1985-6 | 32 | 22 | 5 | 5 | 63 | 22 | 71 | 41 |
| 1980-1 | 32 | 23 | 7 | 2 | 106 | 35 | 53* | 71 |
Well well well! Since our last check-in, the class of 1990-1 have lost a second game. Not that it derailed anything; Cloughie‘s side comfortably in control of the title race (what race?). And a commanding 90 goals scored? Mammoth. Only bettering that in front of goal was the 1980-1 campaign; our first in senior football and – actually – coming to a conclusion at this point. If it were three points for a win back then, our points haul would be 76.
| Season | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
| 2002-3 | 32 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 41 | 44 | 30 | -3 |
| 2019-20 | 32 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 22 | 41 | 22 | -19 |
Into the doldrums and our 2019-20 campaign was only into early February by the time we hit 32 fixtures. At this point of the season, we were five points adrift of Macclesfield Town. And it was a long time since what would be our final win of the season. As for the 2002-3 season? At this stage, we were just starting a spellbinding run of form that would lift us out of trouble – our 32nd fixture being a 2-0 win at Barnet. We wouldn’t lose again into mid-April.
Main photo: Stevenage FC
