Soccer Data consists of databases of English and Scottish League and Cup results supplied as "raw" data files for you to analyse and process however you wish. You need a database or spreadsheet program, or be able to write your own programs in a language or your choice.
The database files described in this catalogue are supplied in dBASE or ASCII comma delimited format, suitable for processing on an IBM PC or compatible machine. dBASE format can be used by spreadsheets such as Excel and by databases such as Access. Specify ASCII format if you want to use a word processor or write your own programs. I will supply dBASE format unless you say otherwise!
The databases are sold for private use on a single computer. The prices quoted are for a single user licence. You need a different licence for commercial use, for use on more than one computer, or to post it on the Internet. Ask me for more information. All prices quoted are inclusive of media, postage and packing.
Please note that dates of games are not included with every database. The problem with dates is not their availability in printed reference works, but the difficulty in checking their accuracy. Although two sources have been used for the last sixteen years' data, it has often been necessary to refer to newspaper microfilm to confirm that the dates are correct. Write me for the latest news of adding dates.
Finally, if what you want isn't here, just write me!
A special package consisting of the last sixteen complete seasons is available for £22.
The "pools pack" is ideal for the person who wants to work on his or her own algorithms for betting and statistical purposes.
The databases include the results of the games and the dates they were played. Twelve character club names are used throughout. The results comprise the Premier League and Football League, the Scottish League, the "rounds proper" (round one onwards) of the F.A. Cup and the Scottish F.A. Cup, the Football League Cup and the Scottish League Cup. League tables are also included.
The contents of the League results files are as follows:
SEASON The final year of the seasonCup data files are similar and include indicators for rounds, replays, extra time, penalty shoot outs and neutral grounds.DIV The division that the game was played in
HTFULL 12 character club name (home team)
HOME_SCORE The home club's score
ATFULL 12 character away club name
AWAY_SCORE The away club's score
DATE Date of game, in YYYYMMDD format
The League tables include separate home and away records and goal difference.
Documents covering a brief history of the competitions and a full description of the file formats are provided as ASCII text files on disc.
The data is supplied with a separate file for each competition. Some 2.5 Mb of disk space is required.
Results from the current season are supplied free of charge, up to the date of despatch of the order.
Special weekly, monthly and annual update services are available by post or electronic mail. All mail deliveries, whatever the interval required, are charged at £5. A weekly update of the League results by e-mail costs £22 for a full season and is produced each Tuesday.
The contents of the records in the database are the season in which the game was played, the division of the league, home and away clubs and the final score. Note that the date of the game is now included in this database.
The file is usually supplied with 12 character names. Present day club names are used throughout. Club names can be provided as three letter mnemonics in order to save space on disc; for example, ARS is Arsenal, NMF is Nottingham Forest. A file of mnemonics and proper names is then provided so that the names can be converted if required.
The database includes only those games which contribute to final League tables. Therefore excluded are abandoned games, those of season 1939/40, test matches, play-offs, the expunged records of Accrington Stanley, Wigan Borough and Aldershot, and the Scunthorpe v. Exeter game of 1973/74 which was never played.
The results of Division 3 1920/21 are included with those of Division 3 (South). The Premier League is included with the Football League Division One results. The 1992/93 onward Divisions 1, 2, and 3 of the Football League are included with the former Divisions 2, 3, and 4.
Prices are as follows, including the dates of the games:
The complete results (over 159,000 games) £40Any division complete (1,2,3,4,3S or 3N) £15
Any League club's complete results £ 5
Any Season £ 5
The League tables (complete) £10
The complete results are available without dates at a special price of £ 35
The complete results with twelve character club names occupies some 5 Meg. of disc space. Files can be supplied with three letter mnemonics for the names. This reduces disc space requirements to 2 Meg.
The 58,000 Scottish League results are priced at £25 for all the divisions except the post war "C" division. The last five seasons can be supplied for £5. Dates of games are included where available; a project to add all the dates is underway. The records are in the same format as those for the Football League.
The Scottish League tables are priced at £5.
The data can be supplied with 3 or 12 character club names. The 3 character names require 1 Mb, the 12 character names 3 Mb of disk space.
The contents of the records of the database are as follows:
YR The final year of the seasonRM A "round marker", only used for sorting the data
GP The qualifying round regional group number
RD The round
RP A replay indicator
HTFULL A 12 character name (home club)
S1 The home score
ATFULL The away club
S2 The away score
E Extra time indicator
N Neutral ground indicator
Prices are as follows:
F.A. Cup results; approx. 56,000 records): £200The price reflects the effort that has gone into the creation of this unique database. Three years free updates are included in the price. Extracts from it are on sale at the following prices:
F.A. Cup (round 1 onwards, complete; over 12,000 records): £20
The post war seasons (1945/46 onwards)(complete, including the qualifying rounds): £40
Any four club's individual records (complete, subject to note above): £5
The complete results require 2.4 Mb of disk space and the "rounds proper" 600 kb.
The "rounds proper" results for the Scottish F.A. Cup are priced at £20. The format of the data is the same as that used for the English F.A. Cup. "Qualifying Group" information is included for some of the early years of the tournament when the first few rounds were played in regional groups.
Please note that a few results from the early rounds of the competition have not been traced.
Any four club's results can be supplied for £5.
350 kb of disk space is required.
The contents of this database are similar to those for the F.A. Cup. Additional fields show the League division each team was in, and the aggregate scores in the second leg of a two legged tie.
The data includes the results of the competition under all its sponsors names (Milk Cup, Littlewoods Challenge Cup, Rumbelows League Cup, Coca Cola Cup, Worthington Cup). The price of the Football League Cup data is £15.
The complete results of the Scottish League Cup are priced at £15. The "group" number is included for the seasons when mini-leagues were used for the first round.
200 kb of disc space is required.
The complete results of the three major European Cup tournaments (more than 9,000 records) are priced at £20. The format of the data is similar to the other cup databases, but "country of origin" and aggregate scores are included. Most dates of games are included.
The complete results of these competitions for non-league clubs are priced at £10 each or £15 for both. The record format is the same as that used for the F.A. Cup, except that the qualifying round group number is not used.
A compilation of other domestic cup tournaments for League clubs is available, priced at £10 for the set. This compilation includes the pre-war Third Division South and North Cups, the Southern Professional Floodlit Cup, the Watney Cup, the Texaco Cup, the Anglo-Scottish Cup, the Superscreen Sports Cup, the Football League Trophy/Group Cup, the Full Members Cup (finally the Zenith Data Systems Cup) and the Associate Members Cup (now the Auto Windscreens Shield).
Complete results and league tables of this competition (also played under the names of the Alliance Premier League and the Gola League). Dates of games are not included. Price £10.
A long term project is underway to provide a complete database of league matches, including the players, scores, goal scorers, substitutes and attendances. To date, only seasons a handful of seasons are available. Please contact the author for more information on this project and to discuss any particular requirements you might have.
Single User Licence Terms
The prices are for private use on a single computer only; a licence for commercial use, to use the databases on more than one computer, or to publish them on the Internet, is available subject to payment of a negotiated fee. Soccer Data databases are the result of man years of development by the author. Whilst not wishing to restrict your personal use of the data in any way, please note that duplication of the data for resale in computer form is not permitted unless licence terms have been negotiated with the author. You are of course permitted to duplicate the data on your own machine for purposes of back-up and security. It is recommended that you do this regularly, and keep the master discs safe in case you corrupt the data by accident.
Tony Brown is a member of the Association of Football Statisticians and contributes the "Computer Corner" article to the quarterly AFS Report. He lives in Nottingham and makes a living from writing and consultancy assignments. His professional background is in the software industry and telecommunications.
To place an order, or if more information is required, please write to:
Tony Brown 4 Adrian Close Nottingham NG9 6FLTel: 0115 973 6086
Internet address: soccer@innotts.co.uk
Please pay by cheque, postal order, banker's draft or money order. Please make them payable to Tony Brown. I regret that VISA or MasterCard orders cannot be handled at the moment because of administration difficulties.
Data will be supplied in dBASE III format on 3.5" HD (high density 1.4Mb) discs unless you indicate otherwise. The large database or supplied in compressed format; a self-executing program will unpack the databases and write them to your hard disc.