CREATE TABLE table_204_186 (id NUMBER, "season" CLOB, "tier" NUMBER, "division" CLOB, "place" CLOB)

they finished 16th in 2008/09 . how did they finish the previous year ?
SELECT "place" FROM table_204_186 WHERE "season" < '2008/09' ORDER BY "season" DESC LIMIT 1
SELECT "place" FROM "table_204_186" WHERE "season" < '2008/09' ORDER BY "season" DESC FETCH FIRST 1 ROWS ONLY