Teams have escaped from Peterborough United's current position before...but not very often! Plus key League One games on Saturday
Peterborough United are certain to be bottom of the League One table when October 18 dawns.
But history reveals that fact alone does not mean relegation will automatically follow, although it usually does!
The last four teams to be bottom on October 18 were all relegated. Seven of the last 10 teams to be bottom on that date went down, but three did survive, most recently Oxford United in the 2020-21 season, but they had only played 5 games at that point because of Covid delays.
After 11 games of that season – the number Posh have played this season – Wigan Athletic were bottom, but escaped and finished 20th.
The other survivors were Plymouth Argyle who remarkably went on to finish seventh in the 2017-18 season and Shrewsbury Town who recovered to finish 18th in 2016-7.
Bottom clubs
(On October 18)
2024-25 Cambridge United (relegated)
2023-24 Cheltenham Town (relegated)
2022-23 Morecambe (relegated)
2021-22 Doncaster Rovers (relegated).
2020-21 Oxford United (6th)
2019-20 Bolton (relegated)
2018-19 Plymouth Argyle (relegated)
2017-18 Plymouth Argyle (7th)
2016-17 Shrewsbury Town (18th).
2015-16 Crewe Alexandra (relegated).
The worst start to a Posh Football League season occurred in 1972-73 when the team picked up just 5 points from their opening 10 Division Four games. That team went on to finish outside the bottom 4.
The eight teams directly above Posh in the League One table are all in action on Saturday.
Next-to-bottom Blackpool have a tough game at Stockport County, while 22nd-placed Rotherham United are at Northampton Town and 21st-placed Burton Albion host Bolton Wanderers.
Other League One games: AFC Wimbledon v Port Vale, Exeter City v Reading, Leyton Orient v Doncaster Rovers, Wigan Athletic v Wycombe Wanderers.