Paul McDonnell leaves, but that's okay.
And then the bottom falls out.
Patrick Lauber is the latest Inkberrow player to get a money offer and leave. 
I'm so depressed, I don't care that
Garry Shepard and
Tom Clarkson are the recommended new captain and vice-captain.
Transfer In - AMC/AML Lee Blackshaw - 31 - 2.5/2.5
Big step down from Lauber, but is it what it is.
[b]5th @Westwood United (7th)
G: Martin Grice
D: Michael Ricketts/Gareth Younie/Tom Clarkson/Neil Smith
M: Joe Ward/Binn Minshull/Liam Bright
AM: Simon Bloor
S: John Wigglesworth/Garry Shephard
1 -
0-1
26 -
Ward knocked out, so
Blackshaw makes his debut.
49 - Nice pass by
Blackshaw to
Wigglesworth, who jukes past the D for he score.
1-1
69 - Double yellow for
Ricketts. Sigh.
75 - What-fucking-ever.
1-2
We lose
Joe Ward for 3 to 4 MONTHS.
6th @Breightmet United (11th)
G: Paul Langford
D: Lee Craig/Dean Strutt/Nathan Black/Tony Morgan
M: Lloyd Edge/Liam Bright/Benn Minshull
AM: Lee Blackshaw
S: John Wigglesworth/Brian Haule
7 - We've just had too many losses
0-1
12 - Off goes
Strutt with injury. On comes
Street.
Whatevertime - FK goal
0-2
71 - Own goal. K.
1-2
90 - PK. K.
1-3
At this point, it's only our promotion campaign last season that's saving me from being fired.
Billy Akrigg leaves next, and I'm wondering why I didn't get out last year when I was a hot commodity.
I find a semipro team with an insecure team whose name and logo I like, and declare interest.
Good Trains
GK Martin Grice
Bad Trains
GK Paul Langford
My expressed interest puts even more pressure on the target club's manager, and the media is hot with a rumor that I'll be hired soon.
Whopping $75.16k profit last month, but my job security is downgraded to Very Secure, and is still based on last year. The semipro team tells me to fuck off. Ton of openings, but they're all Amateur.
We lose our next game 1-5, and
Liam Bright for a month.
Looking at our team, we have the strongest,oldest, and heaviest average ratings. I have no idea what's good for that. But I will change to a slower tempo and retaining possession, since a bunch of heavy dudes can't be good for the fast tempo we're running. Particularly since we don't have the pace advantage we once did.
Lee Craig leaves next, and finally a couple semi-pro teams open up. One's asking for a mid-table finish and has solid finances. The other wants an upper-half finish, has a ton of injuries, and is paying off a loan debt. Loan debt team is automatically out.
The other team doesn't have the players I want to run my offense, and only has a $38k wage budget, $22k of which is tied up in two players who are absolutely not worth it. I'll apply anyway.
They're willing to give me a job interview, which I officially consider an awesome addition to 2014. Hope I don't blow it like I do team meetings.
My interview is all about me maintaining status quo and making no demands of them, nor me boasting.
Next game features
Michael Ricketts sent off on a red, two injured players for us, and a 93rd minute goal surrendered to lose. Our slower tempo and possession orientation seems to be working, though.
Dean Strutt is out a month. I've lost track of how many players we've had hurt this season.
The Inkberrow board wants to talk to me and see if they can convince me to stay. I'll consider it if they revise their expectations this season to be more in line with our talent.
Unfortunately, that's not an option. It's only possible to pick something else to be judged on in addition to our placement, or to build more facilities. Those aren't things I want or care about.
We hold a team meeting and it's the first one that works well.
The semipro team rejects me. We're 16th in the league, and have no realistically shot at the title. My only hope is the board gives me an extra year and that the expectations are more realistic then.