Two achievements, contrasting coverage.
All credit to Jamie Vardy. His goal scoring streak has been phenomenal and has rightly been heralded across the media.
However.
What record has he equalled exactly? By scoring in 10 successive top division matches, some are saying he shares this 'record' with Ruud Van Nistelrooy. This is only a record equalling feat if you believe top flight domestic football in England began circa 1991/1992. He has actually equalled the achievement of 4 other players - Van Nistelrooy included.
This fixation with all things Premiership / Premier League overlooks, and somehow - in my mind anyway - belittles the achievements of players who plied their trade in earlier eras. Players who excelled at the highest level and played in the equivalent of the current Premier League.
To equal the top flight record, Vardy will need to score in 12 successive games, to break it he will obviously have to go one better.
This will be an achievement that will be heralded, quite correctly, as outstanding and a 'once in a generation' moment in the sport.
The record is currently held by Jimmy Dunne who scored 12 goals in successive top division matches, Stan Mortenson scored in 11, along with Tommy Thompson. Then comes RVN and Vardy - both only on 10.
I wish him all the best. Hope he does equal - and go on to break -the current record.
The second 'record' which has so far gone under the radar is the Premier League goalkeeping record for the number of clean sheets (since 1992).
This record is currently 'held' (!) by David James on 169. Petr Cech is now only just 1 away on 168 and, even given Arsenal's defensive shortcomings, should surpass this total before his top flight career is over.
But who holds the genuine, undisputed, linear, all-time, top division record for clean sheets?
This particular record is held by Ray Clemence with 300*.
Perhaps Joe Hart, on 111 at the moment, could reach this figure but at 28 yrs of age time might be against him.
Ray's record is the genuine article.
The top division roll of honour of clean sheets reads like a 'Who's Who' of goalkeeping legends. Here's the top 10:
Petr Cech = 168 (still playing)
David James = 169
Nigel Martyn = 170
Bruce Grobbelaar = 189
Neville Southall = 197
Pat Jennings = 208
John Lukic = 217
David Seaman = 232
Peter Shilton = 272
Ray Clemence = 300* (English Top Division Record).
Interesting that there's no place for the 'Great Dane'.
Anyone else, like me, fed up with this revisionist* and generally cavalier attitude to English top-division records by Premier League stakeholders motivated by marketing the brand and promoting it's product around the globe? I do sense a welcome backlash to this amongst some media-types who sound increasingly irritated at having juggle with the relative significance of players achievements.
*In this sense, I use revisionist to mean the illegitimate distortion of the historical record.
Can't wait when England's top-division is rebranded again and becomes the "Murdoch Mega League"© the "Sky Soccer English World Series"™ or the "Google Chrome Meritocracy"®. They'll have to re-boot all their 'records' once more!!!
Thoughts??
English Top Division: Records & Revisionism
posted on 30/11/15
The part where you are forcing the conspiracy angle on to the article is hogwash mate, nothing but.
Do you know what words like 'focus' mean. Saying something once is different from saying something repeatedly/focusing on something. The latter has a different effect to the former. The tendency to focus on premier league records has an affect on other records, which is what I deem this thread to be about. Not some discombobulated conspiracy theory.
posted on 30/11/15
comment by Mamba - Sterling, what's the score? (U1282) (U13041)
posted 3 minutes ago
The part where you are forcing the conspiracy angle on to the article is hogwash mate, nothing but.
Do you know what words like 'focus' mean. Saying something once is different from saying something repeatedly/focusing on something. The latter has a different effect to the former. The tendency to focus on premier league records has an affect on other records, which is what I deem this thread to be about. Not some discombobulated conspiracy theory.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I thought we resolved this on Friday. First off, we agree there isn't a conspiracy. However, for me the OP suggests in his article and comments that he feels there is an active pursuance of 'air-brushing' all time records in favour of Premier League ones. Following that comment he hasn't moved to deny or correct that. That's where we are with the "discombobulated conspiracy theory".
posted on 30/11/15
And, for me, the "tendency to focus on premier league records" is just that they likely occur more often. As I said. Several times. Not sure why you think I don't understand what 'focus' means.
I suspect that as and when an all time record does go, there will be plenty of focus on it.
There I used the word.
posted on 30/11/15
posted on 30/11/15
So its the OP's fault?
So you finally concede that your conspiracy angle was hogwash?
Good. Have a nice evening.
posted on 30/11/15
comment by Mamba - Sterling, what's the score? (U1282) (U13041)
posted 1 minute ago
So its the OP's fault?
So you finally concede that your conspiracy angle was hogwash?
Good. Have a nice evening.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
No, my "conspiracy angle" hasn't changed one jot. I'd love to know which comments you're actually reading, it'd make this much easier.
posted on 30/11/15
Uh-oh....
For 'airbrushing' read 'obscuring'.
I didn't see that further clarification of the point I made was necessary. It was clear enough.
That the preoccupation with 'Premier League' records tends to overlook the achievements of players who played in the top division before it was rebranded and that this is a consequence of it's marketing strategy.
Consider John Aldridge.
You brought up the conspiracy theory stuff and sought to link it to the point I was making.
Why should I have to further qualify, deny or correct your supposition?? What you've written in that previous comment is simply nonsensical.
posted on 30/11/15
comment by HenrysCat (U3608)
posted 4 days, 2 hours ago
comment by Planet Monkey - SCORE. WIN. REPEAT....@ Kloppo's Kastle
posted on 30/11/15
No it's not. It's a reasonable conclusion given the suggestion of your previous statements.
"Why should I have to further qualify, deny or correct your supposition?"
Because that's conversation. When someone has misunderstood what you've said - you further clarify or correct them rather than make snide comments. Particularly when they ask you directly to point out what they've over looked or misunderstood.
So, you don't think the people of the Premier League are intentionally obscuring 'all time' records then? So what's the problem? It's just down to people being stupid and/or not listening?
Is it as I said in my first (or thereabouts) comment where it's only a problem if the person receiving the information does not understand that a Prem record is just a Prem record?
posted on 30/11/15
Glad you've cleared that up for yourself.
A Premier League record is just that. A Premier League record. Clearly and unequivocally a record derived from a distinct period of English top flight football (circa 1992 to date).This was never in doubt and never the issue.
For the final time, my point:
The preoccupation with 'Premier League' records tends to overlook the achievements of players who played in the top division before it was rebranded and that this is a consequence of it's marketing strategy.
Consider the case of John Aldridge.
I can't help you to understand this any more.