September
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John Heyda has produced the following stats

"For Julius Caesar the best available advice was "Beware the Ides of
March."  For Cardiff City, the best advice might just be "Beware the
end of one calendar year and the start of a new one."  The last time
City played better after the turn of the year than before was way
back in 1992-93.  That's right: in each of the last eight campaigns,
City have shown a worse points per match average after New Year's Day
than before it.  You wonder about Cork's training methods and the
Bluebirds' overall fitness.  One look at these stats and you'll
wonder whether this hasn't been a longstanding problem.

* 2000-01.  City's mark is 11-8-3 at the end of the year, good for 41
points from 22 games.  That's a 1.86 points per match average.  After
the turn of the year, City are 12-5-7 with 41 points from 24 games, a
1.71 average.  In terms of the division table, City are 4th at the
end of the year, 3rd at the end of the season.

* 1999-2000.  City are 5-8-10 for 23 points and a 1.00 average at the
end of December.  From there to the end of the season, they go 4-9-
10, good for a 0.91 average.  Tablewise, City are 18th at the end of
the year, 21st at season's end.

* 1998-99.  The Bluebirds are a smart 14-4-6 for 46 points (a 1.92
average) at year's end and in first place.  From that point to the
end of the campaign, City are only 8-10-4 for 34 points, drop to 3rd
in the final table, and average only 1.55 points per match.

* 1997-98.  City weigh in at 5-14-5 for 29 points on December 31 and
stand 18th in the table, with a points per match average of 1.21. 
From New Year's to the end of the season, City are 4-9-9 for 21
points and an average of 0.95.  The Bluebirds wind up 21st.

* 1996-97.  The club stand at 11-4-9 at year's end, good for 37
points, a 7th-place spot in the table, and an average of 1.54 points
per match.  After the turn of the year, City go 9-5-8 for 32 points
and a 1.45 average.  The Bluebirds manage to hold on to 7th place,
however.

* 1995-96.  City go 7-7-9 for 28 points until December 31, good for a
1.22 points per match average.  After New Year's City can do no
better than 4-5-14, a mere 17 points and a frightening 0.74 average.

* 1994-95.  City are 5-5-11 for 20 points and a 0.95 average at the
end of the year.  They are 4-6-15 for 18 points and a 0.72 for the
rest of the year.

* 1993-94.  The Bluebirds stand 5-9-6 on December 31, with 24 points
and a 1.20 average.  From there to the end of the campaign, City are
8-6-12, good for 30 points but only a 1.15 average.

* 1992-93.  You've got to go back to City's championship season to
find the last time City actually showed a better record after the
turn of the year.  What a turnaround it was too!  On December 31,
City's record bore no resemblance to that of a championship-bound
side.  The Bluebirds stood at 8-5-7, with 29 points and a points-per-
match average of 1.45.  From the turn of the year to the end of the
season, however, City went a sizzling 17-3-2, picking up 54 points
via a 2.45 points per match average."

So City must keep this in mind as the New Year approaches. No team is promoted at Christmas. The 2001 / 2002 Bluebirds must try to emulate the 92/93 promotion squad.