Here are the scores for our forwards over the last 3 seasons.

It starts with the potential number of games a player could have appeared in with a 100% fitness record during the period. It then has totals for Starts, Subs Appearances and the percentages for the combined totals.

The Points shows how many points we would score for 100 games with this player's effectiveness. The actual value multiplies the Points total by their availability score.

Player	Potential	Starts	Won	Drawn	Lost	Subs	Won	Drawn	Lost	Appearances	% App	% Won	% Drawn	% Lost	Points	Value
Andersson	102	25	10	9	6	7	2	1	4	32	31%	38%	31%	31%	145	45
Asprilla	29	12	6	3	3	2	0	0	2	14	48%	43%	21%	36%	150	72
Dalglish	25	8	2	2	4	5	2	2	1	13	52%	31%	31%	38%	124	64
Ferguson	82	32	14	8	10	8	4	2	2	40	49%	45%	25%	30%	160	78
Guivarc'h	10	2	1	0	1	2	0	0	2	4	40%	25%	0%	75%	75	30
Ketsbaia	153	55	22	16	17	49	17	12	20	104	68%	38%	27%	36%	141	96
Maric	65	17	6	7	4	14	5	3	6	31	48%	35%	32%	32%	137	65
Robinson	51	2	0	1	1	14	4	1	9	16	31%	25%	13%	63%	88	28
Rush	54	9	3	0	6	5	2	2	1	14	26%	36%	14%	50%	122	32
Saha	23	6	4	1	1	6	1	2	3	12	52%	42%	25%	33%	151	79
Shearer	153	108	41	29	38	4	2	0	2	112	73%	38%	26%	36%	140	102
Tomasson	54	25	11	3	11	8	2	2	4	33	61%	39%	15%	45%	132	81

This table shows that Big Dunc is the most effective striker at Newcastle over the last 3 seasons, but comes in fifth overall because of his lack of availability. The really interesting scores are those for the Georgian Loon and Louis Saha (although Saha's scores come from a smaller number of games and are therefore less trustworthy). No surprises about Ian Rush though, eh?

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

Answers

Softie, Where did you get that table from? It's bloody complicated. Can I alter the figures and use it on my Web site?

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

Here Softie,

If you've got time to mess about with tables how about getting another couple of BBSCL matches in before we lose you to fatherhood? :o))

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

Hey Softie, When is the de-tenticled one likey to appear?

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

Rik, I'd rather you didn't publish it mate, the research to produce it forms part of my Corinthian League and took me weeks of patient tapping away: I'd hate some journo to lift all my hard work. Hope you understand.

Little Bobby is due on 31 August but is likely to be here sooner.

Pilgrim, sorry for the lack of League results, I lost my internet connection until this afternoon when I had to reinstall IE...some dodgy site tried to take over as my ISP and wipes out the contacts for the one I signed up with. I'd love to get my hands on the turd who programmed that little manouevre!

Are these tables interesting? Anyone want to see the midfielders, defenders or keepers?

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

Softie these are very sad, hopefully fatherhood will improve things, but yes I'd love to see all the other details !!

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

Oh yeah ... can you turn it upside down. I'm sure I could work it out for myself but you may have an easier route. You could have a column which is "Number of potential games needed to attain 100 points".

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

Blimey Mac, I only got a C at O Level! :-) Not sure how to do that at all, although I'd be keen to learn. I could give the players in different positions a percentage of the total points, that might be worth something.

The real eye-opener in the midfielders is Speed; any guesses what percentage of potential appearances he's made?

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

How about I, nick it and chamge all the mames around to make it look as if Fergusson is crap (only if he leaves )

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

Goalkeepers

Player	Potential	Starts	Won	Drawn	Lost	Subs	Won	Drawn	Lost	Appearances	% App	% Won	% Drawn	% Lost	Points	Value
Given	153	88	36	20	32	1	0	0	1	89	58%	40%	22%	37%	142	83
Harper	153	37	14	14	9	2	2	0	0	39	25%	41%	36%	23%	159	41
Hislop	54	21	9	3	9	0	0	0	0	21	39%	43%	14%	43%	143	56
Karelse	49	3	0	2	1	0	0	0	0	3	6%	0%	67%	33%	67	4
Srnicek	54	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2%	0%	100%	0%	100	2

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

Defenders

Player	Potential	Starts	Won	Drawn	Lost	Subs	Won	Drawn	Lost	Appearances	% App	% Won	% Drawn	% Lost	Points	Value
Beresford	36	27	10	5	12	1	1	0	0	28	78%	39%	18%	43%	135	105
Domi	75	43	14	12	17	11	7	1	3	54	72%	39%	24%	37%	141	102
Hughes	153	46	14	13	19	13	7	3	3	59	39%	36%	27%	37%	135	52
Pearce	102	48	19	11	18	1	0	0	1	49	48%	39%	22%	39%	139	67
Pistone	153	59	20	20	19	2	0	0	2	61	40%	33%	33%	34%	132	53
Serrant	99	5	0	0	5	2	1	1	0	7	7%	14%	14%	71%	56	4
Beharrall	57	4	0	2	2	2	0	1	1	6	11%	0%	50%	50%	50	5
Dabizas	112	88	36	25	27	6	1	3	2	94	84%	39%	30%	31%	147	123
Dumas	24	7	1	4	2	0	0	0	0	7	29%	14%	57%	29%	99	29
Goma	51	17	4	2	11	0	0	0	0	17	33%	24%	12%	65%	84	28
Helder	30	12	8	3	1	0	0	0	0	12	40%	67%	25%	8%	226	90
Howey	153	44	19	12	13	5	2	1	2	49	32%	43%	27%	31%	156	50
Marcelino	51	13	5	5	3	2	1	1	0	15	29%	40%	40%	20%	160	47
Peacock	54	26	9	6	11	3	2	0	1	29	54%	38%	21%	41%	135	73
Barton	153	95	39	21	35	15	8	5	2	110	72%	43%	24%	34%	153	110
Charvet	99	41	16	11	14	2	0	1	1	43	43%	37%	28%	35%	139	60
Griffin	153	23	7	7	9	2	1	1	0	25	16%	32%	32%	36%	128	21
Watson	62	46	18	10	18	4	3	0	1	50	81%	42%	20%	38%	146	118

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

Midfielders

Player	Potential	Starts	Won	Drawn	Lost	Subs	Won	Drawn	Lost	Appearances	% App	% Won	% Drawn	% Lost	Points	Value
Gallacher	40	19	12	4	3	6	1	4	1	25	63%	52%	32%	16%	188	118
Glass	99	25	13	3	9	15	4	7	4	40	40%	43%	25%	33%	154	62
Barnes	102	33	12	7	14	7	2	1	4	40	39%	35%	20%	45%	125	49
Batty	71	53	19	13	21	2	1	1	0	55	77%	36%	25%	38%	133	103
Hamann	48	30	10	11	9	1	0	0	1	31	65%	32%	35%	32%	131	85
Lee	153	103	43	29	31	8	2	2	4	111	73%	41%	28%	32%	151	110
McClen	60	4	0	2	2	8	6	1	1	12	20%	50%	25%	25%	175	35
Speed	117	108	40	31	37	5	2	1	2	113	97%	37%	28%	35%	139	134
Dyer	51	35	14	8	13	4	2	0	2	39	76%	41%	21%	38%	144	110
Gavilan	17	2	1	1	0	4	1	2	1	6	35%	33%	50%	17%	149	53
Georgiades	48	8	2	2	4	5	2	2	1	13	27%	31%	31%	38%	124	34
Gillespie	73	42	17	10	15	7	2	1	4	49	67%	39%	22%	39%	139	93
Hamilton	153	11	3	2	6	7	3	1	3	18	12%	33%	17%	50%	116	14
Solano	99	71	28	17	26	7	2	3	2	78	79%	38%	26%	36%	140	110

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

Sorry Rik, I really don't want to see this info nicked. There's a pretty select readership on here and that's fine by me. The thought of someone who gets paid to investigate NUFC nicking my work for nowt is not one I could live with. Just leave it here and see what sort of discussion (if any) it raises.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

Great stuff Softie. Very interesting. I calculated a Points per Game total for each (on starts only - subs would complicate matters a lot) and that is very revealing too.

Spare a thought for Serrant who has never won a point in a United shirt. Five games, five defeats. Helder has 2.25 pts per game on his 12 starts, best of all the players listed.

To win a title you need 2 pts per game. Only 4 players achieve this, Helder, Saha(!), Gallacher and Gavilan. Gavilan only 2 games, Saha just 6 but Gallacher's record over 19 starts is very impressive.

Other players to exeed 1.5 pts per game are :- Asprilla, Glass, Howey, Ferguson, Andersson(!), Marcelino(!), Lee, Harper, Dabizas

Lee's record (1.53) is impressive especially as you probably have excluded the best part of his United career from these records. Shearer comes out at 1.41 per game, some way down the list but he has played most games and suffers more than many from the TSM era.

Down among the dead men, surprises are Goma 0.82, Hughes 1.2, Griffen 1.22, & Domi 1.26 Also in there are Beresford 1.3 and Peacock 1.27 whose United careers were outstanding but these records just show the tail end of their time mostly with TSM.

Fascinating stuff but the lesson is clear. Bring Helder back and we're set for 85 points this season! (-;

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2000

I have cut out the 39(!) Cup games now and recalculated with just the League info....very interesting.

I have also calculated a proportional points total whereby a win against the team who finished bottom in that season would only get you 1 point while a win against the eventual Champions would bring in 20 (that's Watford and Man Utd at Home sorted out then).

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2000

Even more interestingly, having worked out the correct formula to say total up column A where the corresponding value in column B = "Win" and in column C = "Start" or "Sub" and the bloody thing makes errors. I only picked up on it because Serrant was credited with a points value for winning....when I started cross-referencing it instantly claimed that I had performed an illegal operation and closed it down, wiping out an hour's work. Hmmmmm. I've rumbled you now you miserable littel Zurich Gnomes!

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2000