Spurs in danger of unwanted record this season

Bottom side Cape Town Spurs travel top Mamelodi Sundowns for a DStv Premiership clash on Wednesday and with just three points from 13 games into the campaign so far, they are on the verge of setting an unwanted record.

The arrival of coach Ernst Middendorp has not yet seen a change in fortunes and it doesn’t get any harder than a visit to a Sundowns side who have 30 points from 30 this campaign, even if The Brazilians may have one eye on their Champions League clash at Pyramids at the weekend.

Spurs, who were promoted at the end of last season, have had a dire time of it and while they have not been thrashed yet this campaign, just don’t seem to have enough to get over the line in games.

Their single victory was a shock 2-1mhome success against Orlando Pirates last month, but since then there have been four more defeats in a row.

The lowest ever points total in a 30-game PSL season was the 15 Mpumalanga Black Aces managed in 2010/11.

They had five points after 13 games, but would only get another 10 in the next 17 and were sent into the second-tier.

Some hope for Spurs is that also that season Moroka Swallows had managed three points from their first 11 games (D3 L8) but went on to get 32 and finish 13th in the league. The Cape Town club will need a similar Lazarous-like revival to avoid the drop this term.

African Wanderers finished the 2002/03 campaign with 18 points and Jomo Cosmos had 19 at the end of 2011/12, the only clubs not to hit the 20-point mark in a season.

The teams to get the most points and still finish bottom of the league were Free State Stars with 29 in 2005/06, and Marumo Gallants, who grabbed the same number last season and still went down. Usually that would be enough to guarantee the play-offs at least.

The average number of points for the bottom side since the league became 16 teams in 2002/23 is 24 points.

LOWEST POINTS TOTALS IN A 30-GAME PSL SEASON

2002/03: African Wanderers - 18

2003/04: Zulu Royals/Hellenic - 22

2004/05: Wits University - 27

2005/06: Free State Stars - 29

2006/07: Maritzburg United - 21

2007/08: Jomo Cosmos - 22

2008/09: Bay United - 21

2009/10: Jomo Cosmos - 24

2010/11: Mpumalanga Black Aces - 15

2011/12: Jomo Cosmos - 19