The use of data in football has increased exponentially in the last decade. From complex expected goal calculations to basic win-loss records, statistics have become a mainstream way of analysing a football team’s performance over time. The prevalence of data-driven tactics have brought the use of data in football into the public spotlight, and it seems sensible to suggest the stats are here to stay.

With that being said, it would be amiss not to incorporate the use of data in the sphere of Trevs football. Have the performances of Trevs since 2019 matched the data? Where does this 2024/25 season sit amongst the records of previous years? Who has been the most successful team in the past half-decade? By taking a glance at the data provided by College Sport, these questions and more will be answered. If you were hoping for references to xG (expected goals) and goals-per-minute stats, then, unfortunately, College Sport has promised that they’ll release these in the coming months (just kidding) – but the data that is available will still provide an insight into Trevs’ performances these past years.

“It would be
amiss not to incorporate the use of data in the sphere of Trevs football”

Firing on all cylinders or drawing blanks? How Trevs’ goalscoring has ebbed and flowed?

Since 2019, Trevs have hit the back of the net 477 times – an average of 2.19 times per game. Yet, there has been a large degree of variation in goal-scoring when breaking down the seasons individually. The gap between our lowest-scoring season (the 2019/20 Bs) and our highest (the 2024/25 Bs) is a surprising 25 goals, indicating that there is a non-linear pattern to Trevs’ attacking.

Whilst these stats might be suggestive of an overall indicator of Trevs’ footballing success, goal scoring isn’t that indicative. Teams such as the 2022/23 Ds have seen their results largely match their prolificacy in front of the goal, as their relegation season coincided with only 19 goals scored. On the other hand, some of Trevs’ most prolific seasons haven’t experienced the success that might be expected, such as 2023/24 Cs who didn’t achieve promotion despite hitting the back of the net at an average of 3.10 times a game.

Nesta-Esque or closer to Wout Faes? Trevs’ defensive record at a glance

They say the best form of defence is attack, but try telling that to Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham side this season (apologies to any Spurs fans – it’s nothing personal). For all the merits of a high goalscoring side, many a championship has been won through defensive solidity. The Ds conceded an impressive 11 goals in the 2019/20 season, making them the most watertight group in Trevs since 2019, while the average number of goals conceded across the whole cohort in 2024/25 was the lowest since the 2019/20 season. There have been some leakier campaigns, such as 2022/23 Ds shipping 53 goals in a single year, but we’ll put that down to ringers and swiftly move on.

‘That tastes like promotion’– Was there a deciding factor in Trevs success?

Since the 2019/20 season, Trevs has been able to say those iconic words on

twice. The 2019/20 Ds and 2024/25 Bs both achieved promotion, and the stats may be able to suggest a cause that is shared by these successes. Both of these teams finished with a goal difference of +25 or better, indicating that they combined an attacking ruthlessness with resolute defending. Sir Alex Ferguson once stated that “Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles”, and this idea echoes the qualities of these two teams. But does promotion make a team the best? Teams like the 2019/20 As, who finished an impressive 6th in the Premier division and conceded only 15 goals, didn’t have the same success– but does that diminish their triumphs? This question perhaps is less statistically influenced.

Overall, stats can illuminate the peaks and troughs of Trevs football. They can indicate when teams gelled, and they don’t shy away from when Trevs failed. The 2024/25 season, from a data-based standpoint, was certainly a success and leaves us in no doubt that the future of Trevs football is in safe hands. Next season, it will be interesting to explore whether these trends continue or if certain teams buck the norm. An exciting period for Trevs football is undoubtedly to come!

Images: Zac Arney and Alexander Beer