Trek: Mid Season Update ‘09/10

Charles Akonnor

My Bournemouth career started well as I secured the signatures of Charles Akonnor, who’s represented Ghana no less than 51 times. 24 year old Frenchman (we won’t hold it against him), Vincent Escude quickly followed him through the door, arriving on a free transfer from Ajaccio. With absolutely no money to spend, and with a wage budget well into the red, I looked for loans. Eventually, four loan signings also made their way to Dean Court, in the form of Kyle Davies, Damien McCrory, Alexander Prijovic and Shane Lowry.

Having secured what I considered to be enough quality to see us challenge for the Blue Square Premier title, I went about decreasing the wage bill, with the majority of the playing and coaching staff taking wage cuts. Unfortunately, 12 players that were surplus to requirements were off loaded, leaving me with a very small first team squad, as I decided to focus on quality not quantity.

Pre-season went relatively well, as we won four and only lost to opposition from the football league, we pushed Plymouth particularly hard, before remembering our manners and succumbing to a 2-1 defeat. Our start to the league campaign went even better, as we conceded just the one goal en route to 7 straight wins. We continued this excellent form, and by Christmas we had only dropped 8 points, scoring 49 and conceding 13 in 23 games. We also performed well in the cup competitions, securing our place in the FA Cup third round by beating League 2 side Rochdale 1-0 at Dean Court, with our reward being a home tie against Charlton. In addition to this, we also overcame every obstacle presented to us in both the FA Trophy and the Conference League Cup, seeing us through to the 2nd round and quarter final respectively.

Prijovic: Leading the goalscoring charts.

Unfortunately however, injuries have taken their toll, with Lowry, McCrory, Prijovic, Pitman, Hollands, Escude, Akonnor and Cooper all on the sidelines at different points throughout the campaign. This has been a particularly shame for Prijovic, on loan from Derby, who’s the top scorer for the club, with 16 league goals to his name. His excellent form has seen him lead the way in the goalscorers chart, and it’d be almost heartbreaking to see him robbed off the award just because he’s suffered a couple of injuries. Hopefully, he’ll manage to regain his form when he returns.

Looking forward to the remainder of the season, I have four main aims.

1. To put up a good fight against Charlton.
2. To maintain our unbeaten run for as long as possible, winning the league in the process.
3. To win the FA Trophy and the Conference League Cup.
4. To keep the clubs finances in good shape.

I have a feeling task four may be the most difficult, with my assistant manager being a particular and persistent nuisance, offering contracts to the youth team even though I’ve given him strict instructions not to. Maybe I should sack him, but I’m not sure if I can afford the settlement, or find a better option for a cheaper price.

Trek: End of Season ‘08/09

Our unbeaten run was extended by all of three games, before Stafford finally burst our bubble, as we lost 1-0 away. We managed to bounce back strongly, scoring 18 in 6 games, before Stalybridge Celtic became the first team to take a point away from the Butchers Ground, grinding out a 0-0 draw. A six game winning streak followed, ended by Farsley Celtic, as we knotched up a 1-1 away draw. With only five games left, we sat 15 points clear, with a goal difference of +51, compared to second place Hinckley’s +36, meaning the title was pretty much ours.

We confirmed the Blue Square North title, and our return to the Blue Square Premier in our next game, recording a convincing 3-0 win against already relegated Hucknall. Two draws and two wins rounded out a brilliant season, and we ended on 103 points, 17 clear of second place, with our unbeaten home run intact, and having lost only one game all season. Such incredible form culminated in me being handed the Manager of the Season award, while Chris Clark picked up third place in the Player of the Season category.

Daniel Broadbent

In addition to Clark, two other players had been instrumental in our title win. Daniel Broadbent, on loan from Huddersfield, bagged 11 goals and 6 assists in 19 games for the club, while Steven Beck scored 7, set up 8 and claimed 5 man of the match awards in 31 games, resulting in a nomination for the Player of the Year award. I’d also be willing to bet that Broadbent could have challenged for the Top Goalscorer award if he’d been at the club for the duration of the season.

My impressive start to my management career resulted in a contract offer from Bournemouth, recently relegated from League Two. Relegated by virtue of administrative misdemeanors, I knew the club was more than capable of bouncing back instantly, however I was concerned by the lack of financial stability at the club. Despite this, having already helped one team go straight back up, I took on the challenge once more, agreeing to take the Bournemouth hot seat at the end of May.

Hopefully, I’ll have the same good fortune at Bournemouth as I did at Droylsden. I am once again promotion favourites, however I have some major issues to resolve before the season starts, namely, whitling down the squad to the necessities, and bringing the wage bill down to a maintainable level, while securing a couple of new players. Put simply, without the points deduction, Bournemouth would still be in the football league, so I’ll view anything other than promotion at the first attempt as a failure. Another interesting factor will be games against Droylsden, who are expected to struggle. I can see them surprising a few people, and securing Blue Square Premier football for at least another season, mainly by virtue of their excellent defence, but maybe I’m just showing a bit of favouritism to my old club.

Trek: Mid Season Update ‘08/09

Our good form continued in the league throughout September and October as we picked up 5 wins in 7 games, drawing the other two, with Chris Clark once again picking up the Player of the Month award in September. Unforunately, our cup form was considerably more sketchy, and we were sent packing from the Conference League Cup in the second round by Gateshead. We also struggled through the FA Cup qualifying rounds, needing replays to beat both Stalybridge Celtic, and amateur outfit Woodley Sports. It came as no surprise that we were knocked out by League One side Hartlepool in the first round proper. We met the same fate in the FA Trophy. Having eased past Chatham in the third qualifying round, we were easily beaten by Blue Square Premier side Woking in the first round proper. Oh well, there’s always next season eh?

Loan signings came and went as the season progresssed. Notable acquisitions included Port Vale trio Kyle Perry, Luke Chapman and Jamie Elwell, with Perry netting 5 goals in 12 games. Spencer Harris and Daniel Broadbent also joined on loan from Huddersfield, while Jean-Paul Abalo, and veteran ‘keeper Michael Oakes joined on permanent deals.

Despite our poor cup form, we continued unbeaten throughout Novemeber and December, beating league rivals Harrogate 3-1 in the process, and after 21 games, we sat top of the league by 8 points, with our unbeaten run still intact, with the only downside being an injury to Shaun Newton, keeping him out for 6 months. Our good form attracted the interest of struggling League Two outfit  Darlington, however, I decided to stay put. Hopefully we’ll keep up our good form, however I’m well aware that there’s little chance of us ending the season unbeaten, especially in such a competitive league.

FMSB: Football Manager Social Board

FMSB was the first FM forum I used regularly, and as such, I feel it to be my online FM home. Set up initial as an escape from the overbearing Mod’s on GameFAQs, it’s been recently revamped, with the guys in charge are looking for more members and an increase in FM content. With a new article system in place, it’s easier than ever to get writing. Other highlights include the yearly Wiggleville release (a custom database made from the members of the forum), the occasional mix tape swap, weekly polls, possibly the best Serie A updates around and the friendliest user group around, so how about you pop by and make yourself known, just click on the link below.

TAKE ME TO FMSB!

Trek: A New Beginning

Well, with my Journeyman game up in smoke, and with my Mac back and working, I’ve embarked on a new game. The format’s the same. Start unemployed. Get job. Get better job. Pretty simple really.

The Bloods

Thanks to the January update, I knew I wouldn’t be starting in the same place as last time. Thankfully, I still had many options available to me. CV’s flew out left right and centre, to Italy, Spain as well as here in the UK. I took the first job offer to come my way, which just so happened to be recently relegated Droylsden, in the Blue Square Conference North. Brilliant. Having been handed a wage budget of £6,000, that’s £1,500 more than is being currently being spent, I went around pinching the best free talent. Warren Peyton and Chris Senior arrived from Altrincham, and Steven Clancy, Chris Clarke, Michael Branch and Jordan Lodge arrived on frees. Two loan signings quickly followed, with Darren Green arriving for three months from Stockport County, and Ollie Hotchkiss handed a years contract, from Leeds.

With the majority of signings sorted, pre-season got under way. Wins against Eastwood and Matlock were followed by a narrow 1-0 defeat at home to Chester City, our parent club, of League Two. A 2-1 win over Barnet put the lads in good spirits, before we received our arses on our plate at home to Burnley, losing 7-0, and with it, almost all of the confidence built up.

Regardless, we soldiered on. Our first week of league football saw us host promotion hopefuls Stafford, play away at Redditch, and then finish the week with a home tie against Tamworth, managing two wins, and an away draw. The home wins were both full of goals, with us registering four in each, while only conceding one.

The month carried on in similar fashion, with an away win at Gateshead, and a home win against Blyth Spartans, putting us three points clear at the top of the league. Just to top things off, I was handed the manager of the month award in my very first month in management, with new signings Chris Clark and Chris Senior taking first and second in the player of the month awards.

Hopefully we’ll make the most of this good start to the season, and continue on our run of good form. The aim’s to be playing Blue Square Premier football next year, and the squad have been informed that they’ll be on the end of a hefty bonus if they deliver.

The Journeyman Chronicles: The End

Unfortunately, I’ve had to bring this series to an end. My Macbook’s been in for repair for the last two weeks, having shown me the ‘white screen of death’ (seriously, google it). Unfortunately, my hard drive had decided to eat itself, or something along those lines, meaning I’ve lost everything. This is an especially bitter pill as I was just about to post a new update, having won the FA Cup, secured second in the League, and, as a reward, been handed the Arsenal job as Arsene Wenger’s replacement. I’m gutted to say the least.

So, the plan is, once exams are over, to start at the very bottom once more, maybe this time opting to try and forge a career abroad, and work my way up. Hopefully I can scale the same heights as before. 

Thanks for reading so far, and please keep checking back. I have exams on for the next two weeks, but then the luxurious student summer holiday should give me copious amounts of time to get playing, and posting, once more.

The Journeyman Chronicles: January Transfer Window 2015

The January transfer window was a relatively quiet one, by my standards at least, with only one further player leaving the Den. Having joined the club for our first season the Premiership, Madjid Bougherra had found himself on the fringes of the first team, with only one subsitute appearance in the League Cup to his name. As such, I was more than happy to accept a £1million bid from Bristol City, especially as it meant he wouldn’t be plying his trade at another Premier League club.

Five players arrived at the club, although only two were expected to be heavily involved in the first team this term, with the most notable being Sergio Asenjo, who for some reason was available on a free from Club Brugge. Having lost Preston Edwards, I was more than happy to bring in another ‘keeper to give Asmir Begovic some competition. Henny Delfosse was the other major signing in January, costing £8million from AA Gent.

Henny Delfosse (Click to enlarge)

We played 7 games in January, with 2 of those coming in the FA Cup. We were drawn against Coventry in the third round, and beat them easily. Next we faced Doncaster, and beat them 2-1. Unfortunately, we were nowhere near as convincing, which worried me a little. Of the 5 league games, we won 4, beating both Stoke and Wigan 3-0, before we were brought down to Earth by a defeat at Everton. Still we were sitting fourth, signifcantly better than the media had predicted us at the beginning, so I wasn’t about to complain too much. Hopefully we can keep up this form and ensure European football at the Den next season.

s’Logos

I recently downloaded some of the s’Logos packs, made by various users from different forums, with the template originally created by Sam on Susie, to give my game that classy touch. I’ve had other logo packs on FM before, but none as good as these. They are absolutely incredible (just take a look at the examples below), so I thought I’d spread the word. New packs are being constantly churned out, and with a list of packs already produced longer than my arm, you’re sure to find what you want.

To check them out, go to this thread on FMPulse, or the original thread on SortitoutSI. Downloads available include club logos, national team logos and competition logos, so get downloading!

The Journeyman Chronicles: Christmas 2014

We went unbeaten for the first eight league games of the season, before we lost away to Man City. This run however, included a hard fought 2-1 win over Arsenal at the Den, having gone behind after only six minutes, with both Makarov and Cuesta on the score sheet. The game at the City of Manchester Stadium was followed by a trip to Anfield, which resulted in a 1-1 draw, as did our next game, at home the Chelsea. We then scored ten goals in our next five games, before losing only our second league game in fifteen, where two goals at the death gave Newcastle a win at St. James’ Park. Our incredible start to the season saw us sitting second in the Premier League following a 1-0 home win over Manchester United. Hopefully this league form will keep up. Although I don’t expect us to challenge for the title come May, European football would be brilliant for the club.

Could Millwall be involved in the greatest prize in club football next season?

We once again reached the quarter finals of the League Cup, beating Hull and Bristol City, only to be defeated by Manchester United once again. Hopefully we’ll avoid them in the FA Cup, as we really struggle against them in cup competitions!

A couple of players are already heading for the exit at the Den, with deals already in place for Preston Edwards, Kris Commons and Steven Smith. Smith struggled with injuries since arriving from Rangers, and never really challenged Antonio for the left back position. Both Edwards and Commons, heading to CSKA Moscow and Wisla Krakow respectively, were desperate for first team football, and as both have been great servants to club (Edwards in particular) I felt it was right to grant them their wish. Hopefully we won’t miss them too much. I still have a large chunk of my transfer budget left, so finding replacements shouldn’t be too arduous a task.

Both Preston Edwards and Kris Commons are set to leave the Den.

The Journeyman Chronicles: Summer Transfer Window 2014

Bye Bye Brandy

My first task for the summer, having already secured Ever Banega and Havard Nordveit on free transfers, was to offload some of the dead wood. The first to leave were Ben Chorley and Mark Little, who both headed north of the border on free transfers. Leigh Bromby moved to Notts County for £200K, while Febian Brandy called an end to his torrid time at the Den by completing a £4million move to Russian giants Zenit St. Petersburg. Several players also left on loan deals. Having secured Nottingham Forest as my new feeder club, Jeff Stevens, Miguel Angel Aldana, Nicolas Vial and Justin Daley were all dispatched to the City Ground to experience League One football. Also, Theo Adelaar moved to Roda JC for the season, and Karl Lampkin was loaned out to Notts County. Simon O’Halloran, trouble starter extraordinaire, was shipped out to Wolves for £1.2million after only 4 games for the club. Hopefully youngsters in future will learn from his mistakes, namely not to publicly fall out with 2 of your team mates, especially not club captain and England star, Ashley Gould. The final departure of the summer was that of Tamas Priskin, who was finally flogged to Swansea for £2.7million, giving me a profit of £2.7million on a player who only managed to score one league goal for the club!

Having flogged 6 players, and loaned out another 6, reinforcements were required. These came in the form of Steve Boyce, a right midfielder from Newcastle, Christian Hollman, an impressive German youngster, Renzo Niccolai, and Danielle Cerci (all regens.) However, the biggest deals of the summer saw Stuart Poole, a rock solid centre back from Swansea, arrive for £5.5million, and Sergey Makarov, a Belarussian international with 17 goals in 29 appearances, arrive for £10.75million from Feyenoord. Having spent £16.75million, and recouped £5.5million, I still have a pretty hefty transfer budget, so if I need to buy any reinforcements in January, money shouldn’t be an issue.

Stuart Poole (Click to enlarge)

Sergey Makarov (Click to enlarge)

There were yet more arrivals at the club as a minor staff reshuffle took place. Tony Burns, Millwall’s long standing goalkeeping coach, retired, and Ronnie Boyce was released. In their places came Kevin Pressman, Gwyn Williams, Berry van Aerle and Dave Fallows along with a host of ex professionals, including Nicky Butt, Simone Perrotta, Sidney Govou and Mikael Silvestre. This expansion of our scouting and coaching staff has paid off already, with yet more hidden gems uncovered, and players stats ever increasing.

Butt, Govou, Perrotta and Silvestre join the backroom staff.

Pre season was a mixed bag. Wins against Lille and Fiorentina were tempered somewhat by a 4-1 defeat to Valencia. A goalless draw against Ajax was also played out. We took one win from our first three league games, a 4-0 home win against Middlesbrough in which both Ever Banega and Sergey Makarov got off the mark for the club, followed by a home draw against Everton and an away draw at Fulham. In addition to this, we were handed a potential banana skin in the League Cup, away to Scunthorpe, however we managed to put the thought of a potential upset out of our minds and won convincingly.

Hopefully we’ll keep the unbeaten run up, however, I don’t want us to slip into the same form as last year, where we drew far too many games. I can only hope that the money invested in Sergey Makarov will see an increase in the amount of goals scored, while Stuart Poole will shore up the defence yet more.