But for now, let's concentrate on 2011's stat-tastic achievements. Here's a rundown to tickle your fancy:
- We've played more 11-a-side matches than ever: 49 games in 2011
- 23 wins in 2011 beats our previous 'most wins in a calendar year' by a mile (14 in 2010)
- Our win percentage in 2011 was 46.94%, thrashing last year's club best of 33.33%
- We finished with a plus goal difference for the first time (+3)
- Our goals-per-game average of 2.59 was our best ever
- Similarly, our goals-conceded per game of 2.53 was a club record
- We scored 127 goals in 2011 – a club best by some margin (previous best: 103 last year)
- Sam Herbert broke the club's record for goals in a calendar year, netting 29 times, beating Gary White's 26 in 2007
- Sam Herbert and Perre Heath each played 44 times for the Accies in 2011 – the most appearances in a year by any player
- Sam and Perre's joint goals tally of 55 makes them the club's best ever strike partnership (previous best: 37 by Gary White and Simon Mesner in 2007)
- Ronnie Taylor conceded 1.93 goals per game, by far the best stats for any keeper in a calendar year
Here's a jpeg of our 11-a-side stats year-by-year which shows how well 2011 compares to any previous year (click on the image to enlarge it and make it easier to read):
A milestone worth mentioning is that two players reached the 50-goal mark for Effra in 2011: first Simon Mesner, whose long injury lay-off meant he had to wait a while, but who became the first Accies player to reach a half-century of goals; then Sam Herbert, who now has 52 all-time 11-a-side goals and as such is now our top scorer. With Perre Heath on 41 goals and Andy Thornes on 47, hopefully they'll both reach 50 in 2o12.
There should be plenty of appearance milestones in 2012, with four players set to reach 200 11-a-side games (Dave Rudd, currently on 193; Simon Mesner and Joe Sene, both on 182; and Andy Thornes, on 180). No less than nine players should make their 100th 11-a-side appearances next year: Bobby Rauchenberg is 2 games away from his century; Barry Gardener is 4 away; Sam Herbert needs 10 more games; Phill Arnold needs 11 more; Lee Clifford is on 83 appearances; Tremayne Macdonald is on 82; and Greg Rainey is on 76).
Steve Spurdens is 5 appearances away from his 250th 11-a-side game for Effra. And if Andrew Dade can play a similar number of games next year as he did in 2011, he'll become the first Accies player to reach 300 appearances. If I can avoid injury, I'll get to 300 myself next year, but that seems like a big if!
