Getting Started
Woke up today thinking football fans need simple stuff about Ipswich vs Tottenham history. You know how people drown in fancy stats? Wanted barebones timeline even my nan could follow.
Step-by-Step Journey
First move: Grabbed notebook and tablet. Went straight to football reference sites. Noticed they dump everything like a truck unloading bricks. Useless.
Big hurdle: Dates were scattered everywhere! Championship seasons here, Premier League years there. Like herding cats. Spent three hours just lining up matches chronologically in my spreadsheet. Coffee went cold twice.
Stats headache: Found six different sources claiming different attendance numbers for same 1981 match. Typical. Picked the one listed most often. Ain’t nobody got time for this.
- Scratched out cup games first – easier with knockout rounds
- Highlighted Premier League clashes with yellow marker
- Ditched obscure friendlies – who cares?
Eureka Moment
Realized supporters just want:
1. Final scores jumping out
2. Key goalscorers underlined
3. Those mental upsets in bold
Made columns in my doc for these. Cut all fancy metrics. Felt good ditching xG nonsense.
Frustration phase: Tottenham’s 80s records are messier than teenager’s bedroom. Two different sites said Ipswich won 3-2 in ’85 when actually was 1-1. Double-checked dusty football annuals on my shelf. Trust paper over pixels.
Wrapping Up
Printed draft pages. Stuck em on wall with tape. Stepped back – timeline flowed left to right like proper story. Added dotted lines between seasons like breadcrumb trail. Final touch? Thick red marker for THAT 3-0 Ipswich shocker in 2001. Magic.
Proofread during EastEnders ad breaks. Done before midnight. Posted it thinking: If my mate Dave at pub gets it instantly, job’s proper sorted.