This is an update to the stuff I posted at the beginning of the season to include the campaign just ended.

This features all goals scored since we joined the Premiership excluding penalties. I have followed the aerial warfare model whereby you need at least 5 goals to be considered an ace. The columns show the appearances and goals scored against bottom, middle and top sides in the premiership. The strike points are awarded as a percentage of the goals conceded that season by the opposition (e.g. a goal against a side that only conceded 20 in the season will give you 5 strike points and 2 against a side who let in 50 will get you 4 points). A quick reminder: penalties not included.

	Bottom		Middle		Top		Total	Strike Points
Player	Apps	Gls	Apps	Gls	Apps	Gls	Goals	Total	Avg
Shearer	55	24	61	25	55	22	71	143.47	2.02
Cole	19	11	25	22	14	10	43	81.62	1.90
Ferdinand	22	13	25	18	21	10	41	83.95	2.05
Beardsley	42	16	51	13	36	4	33	58.35	1.77
Lee	81	12	106	16	80	5	33	60.15	1.82
Speed	46	8	56	13	49	3	24	46.61	1.94
Solano	40	9	47	5	42	5	19	38.70	2.04
Watson	45	4	56	5	53	2	11	19.38	1.76
Fox	18	4	23	4	17	3	11	18.72	1.70
Dabizas	34	4	43	5	37	2	11	21.51	1.96
Kitson	10	3	14	5	12	2	10	18.62	1.86
Dyer	24	4	26	4	24	2	10	19.67	1.97
Gillespie	37	5	44	1	32	4	10	18.27	1.83
Elliott R	26	4	36	2	29	4	10	20.55	2.05
Asprilla	13	4	18	2	17	3	9	17.96	2.00
Bellamy	9	4	9	3	9	2	9	18.49	2.05
Robert	12	3	13	2	11	3	8	15.50	1.94
Ketsbaia	27	4	24	2	25	2	8	14.97	1.87
Albert	28	4	36	3	32	1	8	13.53	1.69
Ferguson	10	4	11	1	8	3	8	16.63	2.08
Cort	6	4	8	3	7	0	7	13.44	1.92
Glass	16	2	14	4	12	1	7	15.64	2.23
Clark	29	3	44	3	27	1	7	12.47	1.78
Acuna	15	2	13	1	14	3	6	12.35	2.06
Ginola	19	1	19	2	20	3	6	14.41	2.40
Barnes	9	1	8	4	10	0	5	9.30	1.86

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

Answers

Incidentally, bottom middle and top are decided on by taking NUFC out and then counting bottom 6, middle 7 and top 6 except in 1993-94 and 1994-95 when there are 9 middle teams. I have assumed that the likelihood of teams conceding more goals in those season is balanced up by the players having more opportunities to score.

Notice how wor Carl hasn't managed a goal against a top six side as yet and Shearer maintains an even spread regardless of level of opposition, indeed, the only player who looks convincingly like a flat-track-bully is Beardo but it would take a brave man to suggest it in the Strawberry.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

...always said that Shearer blerk was sh*te, leyk! ;o{)

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

With a goal every 2.4 games excluding pens he's an absolute giant of the game.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

Great stuff Softie. So the average is a measure of the quality of the goals in terms of the strength of the opposition defence? How about an average of strike points per appearance? Good man.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

I'm too thick to understand all them stats and stuff Softie.

Just tellus man - is that Shearer fella any cop or what ??

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002