When was the last time we had 4 clean sheets in a row?

You've got to go back seven years, to the 1998/99 season, to find the last instance of City's keeping four clean sheets in a row. That was the year the Bluebirds soared from 21st place in 1997/98 to snag an automatic promotion place and climb out of the dungeon. Here's the four-in-a-row clean-sheets sequence from that season:

Oct 20, 1998 - Orient (H) D 0-0
Oct 31 - Exeter (H) W 1-0
Nov 7 - Torquay (A) D 0-0
Nov 10 - Scarborough (H) W 1-0

This run ended at when City lost their next game, 2-1, at Swansea on November 22.

While we're on the subject of that annus mirabilis, let's take a look at some startling similarities between that season and this one. At least, so far at any rate. Both campaigns began with no expectations of success whatsoever and both began as expected, i. e. quite badly. In 1998/99, City managed only four points from their first five, losing their first two at home. After those five, they found themselves in 18th place. Then along came that September 5 home game with Plymouth which City won 1-0 thanks to an 88th-minute own goal. From there it was off to the races, with the Bluebirds losing but twice in the next 17. Again this year City sported but four points from their first five and stood 19th in the table after five games. Now, after 10 games, they're 9th. This rise in the table is virtually identical to the early-season move the club made seven years ago. Back in 1998/99 they had climbed to eighth by the 10th game of the season.

John Heyda


Thanks John.

Now I've been stung enough times in the past so I'm not going to ask yet when the last time we went five games was. If we manage a clean sheet this weekend we'll ask John then.