Fm19 The Rise of the Poole Town Dolphins!

[Abe Sargent]

December

Dec 1 – FA Trophy vs Tilsbury
Dec 8 – Home vs Wealdstone
Dec 15 – FA Trophy Match
Dec 22 – Away vs Torquay
Dec 26 – Home vs Chippenham Town
Dec 29 – Home vs Hungerford Town


FA Trophy vs Tilsbury – Keep up our run! Moore is back. I will start Smeeton for Bedford in the middle alongside him. Brooks is back at AMC too. I’ll skip our pure domination of the lesser club. Goals by Balmer, Elliot, assists by Kesbbie and Devlin, MOM Kebbie, 2-0 win.

Poole Town extends my deal by a year.

I bring in a new Head of Youth Development

[Abe Sargent]

Most of my players have their deals finishing this year. I offer to extend GK Steadman, FB Kebbie, Roberts, DC Corbridge, backup GK Beardsmore and Thomas; Spletch, Moore, Elliott.

This would mean that, right now, Jez Bedford, Devlin, AMC Brooks, DC Walker, Smeeton, Kaikay, DC Whisken, Pettefer would not be extended past this year.

These are for reasons such as age for Devlin and Walker, or quality for Brooks and others.


We draw Eastbourne in the FA Trophy

Spetch, Roberts, Beardsmore, Corbridge, Thomas, Kebbie, Elliot, Moore and Steadman resign!

Game #20 – Home vs Wealdstone – It’s driving rain today. Roberts has a fluke score in the 5th. We’ll take it. Two early yellows to Walker and Corbridge. Otherwise it’s been a quiet half. 1-0. Don’t get complacent! I pull my DCs early. I don’t want a double yellow to reduce my chance of winning. Kaikay and Leslie-Smith head in. In the 57th, they score on a counter and it’s tied up. Devlin sinks a DFK in the 67th to go back up. Pettefur in for a tired Moore. We hold and win 2-1. Devlin was MOM.

Devlin was named in Team of the Week

[thehitcat]

Loving the new team and season. Pride of Dorset! Up to Pool(e)!

[Abe Sargent]

FA Trophy vs Eastbourne – Whisken is back from his injury, and Walker heads back to the bench. Other than that, I haven’t made any changes to my squad for today’s way game. It’s gently raining as Kebbie feed Roberts a goal from the side on a strong cross at the 6th minute mark. Then Kebbie drives at the 28th, crosses, but instead of going to a marked Roberts, crosses over him to an unmarked Devlin, who scores. Eastbourne are pros, and they aren’t going to be pushed around in their own house like so in the 37th minute, the grab a nice build up through the center to claw one back. Half. Don’t get complacent! Smeeton, with our only card, is pulled for Kitching. Brooks is pulled for Balmer. Bedford for Spetch. They equalize off a counter in the 87th. End, 2-2. Extra time begins. Dig in lads! Half. 15 minutes left. We are pushing hard, with some nice moves. Tied 2-2.

We have a rematch scheduled


FA Trophy Rematch vs Eastbourne – Now we are hosting! The winner of today will face Torquay next in the Trophy. Ready? Let’s do this thang! All credit to Eastbourne for not folding when down by two. But we are at home now. For the fans! Under pressure, they give us an OG in the 16th. A few minutes later, on a corner, Devlin finds Roberts for a score. Then they score back in the 33rd off a nice long shot. 2-1 half, identical to last time. Again, don’t get complacent. They don’t listen to me. We give up a PK in the 51st and they score. Bedford for Smeeton. We have waves of chances. Extra time. One goal. Kitching for a dead tired Moore. Walker for Corbridge to bring in some fresh legs defensively as well. Half. At the 116 mark, they hit a header off a cross for goal. We lose 3-2 and are out.

Ah well.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by thehitcat

Loving the new team and season. Pride of Dorset! Up to Pool(e)!

Yeah Poole!

[Abe Sargent]

Game #21 – Away vs Torquay – I have pulled Smeeton for Bedford. I gave out rests, but I’ll still likely pull folks sooner from tired legs than normal. Torquay have four nice shots turned away in the first 15 minutes, but then things settle down and we find a rhythm. I think they were starting very aggressive to take advantage of our tiredness. We injure their fullback and he has to head out. Half, 0-0. One goal lads. But we can’t get one goal, until we have one goal. Balmer for Brooks, Pettefer for Bedford. They score in the 59th . Kitching for Moore. Then in the 67th and we are suddenly down 0-2. In the 73rd, another goal goes their way. Well it was close. But they blew the doors off the game right there. In the 79th, Bedford scores! 3-1 now. In ET, they hit goal again. We lose 1-4.

Remember we hosted Torquay earlier in the year and barely beat them 2-1 after they had THREE people sent off. We are clearly not at their level yet.




Game #22 – Away vs Chippenham – I make no major changes to my roster today. For the Fans!!! In the 8th, driving up the left flank, Roberts gets the ball and shoots close to the goal, it rebounds off the GK, and falls to a DC who clears it but it bounces off one of their other defenders back into goal. In the 15th, Devlin sinks a DFK. They bang up Spetch, but we’ll leave him in for now. Chippenham get their sea legs, and recover and are fine. Half. Don’t get complacent out there. Moore with a yellow. I pull Moore and Spetch. Here go in Walker and Pettefer for them. They hit us back on a breakaway in the 58th. Then again in the 62nd and it’s tied. Whisken with a card. I send in Leslie-Smith. Game, tie 2-2.

I go to my board, and they agree to upgrade our youth facilities.

[Abe Sargent]

Game #23 – Home vs Hungerford – For the fans!!!!! In the 13th, in the driving rain, Roberts feeds Brooks for goal! A Roberts goal a few minutes later is called offsides. Moore collects a yellow. They have a nice counter, that rebounds off the crossbar to our GK to scoop up. In the 34th, Brooks scores again after Roberts feeds him off a triangle with them and Kebbie. Half. Don’t get complacent. I pull Moore during halftime for Pettefer. In the 61st, Hungerford has used their final sub. What I like to do when I see that happen early is to push ahead strongly, up my tempo and such, in order to take advantage of tired legs and push into harder tackling too. I send in Balmer and Leslie-Smith. We hold and win 2-0, MOM is Brooks.


Today is an important day! Anyone I want to make an offer to for next year who is coming free?

I will not hit continue as I want to take a moment and review potential free agents and such.


I do like 24 year old DC Alex Davey over at Dag & Red. He’s also transfer listed for just 6k,so I could bring him in now if I wanted to. I could easily slide him in, and I think he’d be my best player by a little bit. Along with my other two DCs, I’d have a solid defense, and could rotate someone not named Walker. As a reminder, I have not extended Whisken past this year. Whisken is at a 6.89 league rating vs Corbridge’s 7.01. I could grab Davey for next year (or this year) and then move him into my staring role next to Corbridge, but Whisken is my captain.

I cannot make an offer to Davey. I have waited two days and it’s the 31st. Maybe this is a post-Brexit change. The EU rule of the Bosman transfers six months early may not exist here now. I put him on my transfer request list.

[Abe Sargent]

January, 2019


1 Jan – Home vs Weston-Super-Mare
5 Jan – Away vs Slough
12 Jan – Home vs St. Albans
19 Jan – Away vs Concord
26 Jan – Home vs Hampton And Richmond

Let’s do it to it!

Game #24 – WSM – Here we go. Pick up where we left off baby! Today is Roberts’ birthday, btw. We drive and almost score in the driving rain in the 9th, but are dialed back. They have two large thrusts we turn aside. Brooks with a card. In the 44th, Roberts scores on his birthday; don’t get complacent! I pull Brooks, and Whisken. They score in the 66th, and then a 2nd yellow in the 79th, and I push forward hard, hard, hard. They hold and we tie 1-1.


You know what?

What if I pushed?

[Abe Sargent]

Right now, we are not dominating as we did early.

Current table?



As you can see, we are #1. We’ve not had great form recently, and we’ve dropped points to WSM, Chippenham, and Torway, with just one victory against Hungerford, and we are just one win in the last six games.


Because I never expected to be here, I was okay letting the inevitable slump hit. My guess is we’d windup around 8 to 5 after our strong start came back down to earth, which is happening right now:

But what if I took advantage of our early season form to push my team?


Here, these players are available for transfer:



This is Rhys Browne, and we are scouting him right now, currently under a contract with Yeovil. On the market for 13k. I have been looking for another good AM RLC option for subbing or starting. He would likely be a strong signing for my club.

Here’s another:



This is Josh Ashby, whom I’ve been scouting a little here and there an have a good, strong feel for. He would immediately take up my MC role adjacent to Moore that is currently Bedford’s. He is also a good addition to my squad.



Here is Davey, for whom I’ve already discussed.

Now, here’s the thing.

What if I brought in all three now?



Here’s my current budget.

I can make these offers:

Browne – 14k
Davey - 6k

And then let’s say 25k for Ashby.

That would be 45k, with 15k going to my salary to help pay for them

[Izulde]

Go big or go home.

[Abe Sargent]

the one who’s not on a transfer list with a given price attached. So I call them up.


They take my first offer of 15k (his value). Alright.

I make offers to Browne and Davey for 20k total.

Then, as soon as I have that 35k tied up, I spend 25k moving my salary to help pay for them. I know that this is risky (if we don’t make more money,we have jacked up our salary) but I have enough staff and players leave in June that I shoulder fine if I am still in the South. I get my max salary to 5142.

I have offers accepted with Davey and Ashby, and Browne is mulling my key player offer.

I have to get creative with Browne with my max 425/week and 50% raise annually. But he comes aboard as well.


Browne is the first to agree and come over.

Ashby arrives. Davey does as well.

For those that were hidden before, here are they next to the starter they will currently replace:





And at the AMC spot:





I’m sure you can see why! These are actual, proper, starters for my club. Let’s get stuck right on in!

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Go big or go home.

Exactly!

[Abe Sargent]

Game #25 – Away vs Slough – With my three changes! Moore sinks a PK in the 3rd. In the 32nd, Moore again scores, this time from the field, after he scrambles on a loose intercpetion by Slough. Half. Don’t get complacent! We injure one of their strikers. In the 54th, Rhys Browne finds goal in his debut for us! With a rebound off the crossbar, they get a goal back in the 57th. They get a breakway to sink a few minutes later and it’s a game again. Devlin finds Browne for another goal in the 75th. Nice. I send in Piching and Whisken. We hold and win 4-2. MOM is Browne in his debut!


Browne named in team of the week.

Game #26 – Home vs St. Albans _ pick up from where you left off!!! Roberts finds Corbridge on a set piece for goal in the 13th. They have four cards, but a quiet half. 1-0 us. Don’t get complacent! Devlin to Roberts for goal in the 48th. Bedford and Whisken head in. Spetch is injured. Brooks too. They have a few strong drives late, with lethal shots on target that our GK stops. Then they get one in extra time. We win 2-1. Corbridge was MOM.

Spetch is out for the next game. I’ll just start Moore in his spot and Bedford in his.

Corbridge named in Team of the Week.

[Abe Sargent]

Sigh.



Dickson was signed away.

Game #27 – Away vs Concord – Concord are 5th. Their pitch is waterlogged and the game is postponed to the 29th

Game #27 – Home vs Hampton & Richmond – Keep up our run! Devlin to Ashby for goal in the 4th minute. That’s Ashby’s first goal for us! Bedford finds Elliot for goal a few minutes later. Ashby feeds Bedford for a score outside the box, in the 22nd. Half. Don’t let up! We injure their left middle, and he has to head out. Pettefer and Whisken head in. Elliott to Moore for goal in the 76th. Balmer heads in for a tired Roberts. They get a consolation goal in the 83rd. We win 4-1. MOM is Ashby, his first for us.

We have not let up and dropped a point since adding my three new folks. But now our first big test arrives…


Elliot, Davey, Ashby in Team of the Week – good job Davey!

Game #28 – Away vs Concord – Concord are now 6th. Ready? I leave my squad as is, even though Spetch is now back from injury. Bedford had an assitant and goal last game, so I want to leave him in the middle with Ashby, and Moore to the FB spot. Keep up that run! Raining water meets our boots on the ground. Devlin hits a DFK in the 9th. Kebbie with an early card. I’ll likely pull him early. Concord gets two cards themselves. They score off a counter at the 36th. Half. Venegance! They score in the 47th. Then they get a red card in the 59th, and I pull Kebbie. I pull bedford after he gets a card too. We score in the 72nd when Browne feeds Ashby for goal. And that’s it. We tie 2-2. MOM is again Ashby.

[Abe Sargent]

February

2 Feb – Away vs Billericay Town
9 Feb – Home vs Woking
16 Feb – Away vs Dartford
23 Feb – Home vs Hemel Hempstead Town

Current table:



Game #29 – Away vs Billericay – I start Whisken as I want to give him a start again. Keep our good run going!!! In the pouring curtain of rain, Elliot shoots, the shot is blocked, and he puts it away in the 10th. Moore is the game’s first booking for either side. Half, we are up 1-0. I pull Moore, and then tell them not to get complacent. We give up a PK in the 57th, and they sink it. I send in Balmer for a quiet Roberts. Game. We tie 1-1. Elliot is MOM.

[Abe Sargent]

Update on our takeover:



Game #30 – Home vs Woking – Starting today is Spetch at the fullback position, and Bedford is out for Moore in the Middle. Davey is back at DC too. Keep our run in this rain storm coming! We begin hemmoraging cards, with cards to Browne, and Moore. They have an offsides goal in the 22nd. Card to Corbridge. Devlin sinks a DFK in the 33rd. Half. Don’t get complacent! I am going to pull Moore and Corbridge now. In head Smeeton and Whisken. Then Brooks for Browne in the 76th. We hold and win 1-0. MOM is Devlin.

[Abe Sargent]

Game #31 – Away vs Dartford – Keep our run going! No changes to my roster! We lose 2-1. I am not pleased., but what am I going to do?


Game #32 – Home vs Hemel Hempstead – For the Fans!!! I like Hemel’s away kits. Elliott with a first-ten minutes yellow card. In the 18th, Moore finds Ashby on an attack run for goal. Moore to Ashby again in the 37th for goal! Half. Hemel have beat us statistically, more shots, more possession. So folks? Don’t get complacent! I send in Brooks for Elliot. I pull Moore the moment he collects a card. Smeeton heads in. Simialrly, the moment Devlin gets a card, I send in Balmer. They are bringing heat. Here is a nasty shot and it rifles off the crossbar. They get a second yellow in the 87th, and now are down a man. They get a long shot to sink in the 92nd. Game, we win 2-1. MOM is Ashby. Good job!

Ashby named in team of Week

[Abe Sargent]

March

1 Mar – New Intake of Youth Players Arrive
2 Mar – Home vs Oxford City
9 Mar – Away vs Dulwich Hamlet
16 Mar – Away vs Bath
23 Mar – Home vs Eastbourne
30 Mar – Home vs Welling


Current Table:



You can see that this month includes games against two of the top five teams in the league, and well as 8 and 9. March youth came in? Anyone that triggers my Abe-dar? Not right now


Game #33 vs Oxford City – Ready? Let’s get ready to rumble! Keep up our run! It’s raining today. I like Oxford’s kit too. DC Davey (my ball playing DC) drives, feeds Roberts for goal in the 17th. We stop a strong counter by Oxford right after. Our foes have three cards in the first 25 minutes of play, but us? None. Wow I know. 4 cards. Half. Just because we all know what I am about to say, doesn’t mean it’s not true. Don’t. Get. Complacent. Out. There. Lads. In the 63rd, they score on a break after one of my players gave up the ball, and they passed to someone fast enough to get a 1:1 on my keeper. I pull Browne for Brooks after he gets injured. Whisken for Corbridge for new legs. Kitching for a tired Moore. In the 87th, there is is. Kebbie crosses to Devlin for goal. Game. We win 2-1.


Browne is out 2-4 weeks, and Brooks will start for him while he’s down.

Devlin set a record for most goals scored by a Poole player at 91!

[Abe Sargent]

We have been taken over:





They hand me a mighty 35k in transfer money I can use too. I drop that down to 12k so my salaary matches now (I went over with my three new players and my signing of my recent youth intake)


Game #34 – Away vs Dulwich Hamlet – Keep up our run! I am starting defensively today. Ashby gives up a card and a penalty in the 15th, and they sink it. Then in the 34th, they hit goal again. Half. Show me something else! I send in Bedford for Ashby. Then Whisken. Balmer for a tired Roberts. We are shut out 2-0, the first time we haven’t scored in quite a long history.

That loss dropped us to 2nd, btw.

Leslie-Smith who was not on a contract with us, was signed away.

[Abe Sargent]

Game #35 – Away vs Bath – I begin cautious today. We need a new result. We’re in the midst of a little slump, and we need all hands on deck to right the ship’s wrongs. Get ready for this!!!




That’s right! Our Goal keeper hoofed the ball clean to Roberts for a score. Nicely done! They net two, three cards over the next 25 minutes. In the 30th, they get a second yellow, and then that person is out of here! Go home! In the battle of Bath vs Poole, you aren’t going to drown us with your little baby puddle ways. I move forward to positive. Devlin to Elliot, score, 39th. I pull Moore who is carded for Bedford. I am not playing equalizing yellows. I am keeping our advantage. Half. Don’t. Get. Complacent. Bedford grabs a yellow, so Kitching heads in to spell him. They’ve turned aside a number of our attacks, but we’ve been in charge of the game. Devlin finds Kitching for goal in the 79th. That’s his first goal for us, and ever. Peffefer heads in for a tired Ashby. We win 3-0, MOM is Devlin.

That was Roberts’s 20th league goal, so he got a bonus!

Devlin is named in Team of the Week

[Abe Sargent]

Game #36 – Home vs Eastbourne – This game was postpned due to a waterlogged pitch here in Poole. Sorry!

Game #36 - Vengeance!!! Browne is back from his injury and starting at AMC. Welling tied a few days ago, so if we win, we move back into 1st place, btw. That was a boring half. 2 shots each, 1 on target each. 2 cards each. I send in Kaikay and Brooks for Devlin and Moore. Well it was just one of those matches I suppose. 0-0 tie.


Game #37 – Home vs Welling. This is our best chance now to move back up. Home vs the current #1. Brooks is in as Browne is stilll tired from the last game after the injury recovery a few days ago. They start out defensive, and we push. Roberts fires a nasty, lethal shot in the 14th that’s offsides, but barely. We injure one of their middies and they get pulled off. We are moving and pushing them around, but quiet. Half. 0-0. Keep playing our game, and the result will come. In the 57th, they score off a nice counter attack. In the 63rd, Moore hits a penalty kick, and we tie. I send in Bedford for a poorly playing Spetch and move Moore to his fullback spot. In goes Whisken and then Kaikay. In the 88th, Brooks feeds Bedford for goal, and we crack it open. A few minutes later in OT, we get an OG from their DC after he fails to clear a ball off a header and heads it into goal. Then they score off a counter in the 93rd. We win 3-2. MOM is Bedford. Who’s in first baby!


That was Moore’s 100th game, btw

I offer to extend Devlin’s deal by a year. Dude is 33, but dude is dude.

[Abe Sargent]

April

6 April – Away vs Gloucester City
13 April – Away vs East Thurrock United
20 April – Home vs Chelmsford
23 April – Away vs Wealdstone
27 April - Home vs Chippenham

Alrighty!




Current table! We knocked Welling down to 3rd, but they are tied with Torquay on points. As you can see, we have games against 13th, 22nd who has already been relegated and has nothing to play for, 16th, 7th and 8th who are still ikely to be playoff chases for 7th by the time our games roll around. Ready?

Let do this thang!


Game #38 – Away vs G. City – We are starting Browne again. Keep up that sweet run! Devlin collects an early yellow in a tackle that injures one of their foes. They are pushing forward, and it’s hard to fight them off, but we have a useful counter that’s stopped by their GK. Half. 0-0. We’ve played well, just keep at it! I pull Devlin for Brooks at the half due to his card-age. I then send in Bedford for Moore after he gets his 10th card of the season. In the 63rd, they score a powerful counterattack and go up. Then a few minutes later in the 69th, they score again off a DFK for 2-0. Nope. I shout to my lads to fire them up, and then move to all-holds-barred throttle. Roberts is playing badly, so I send in Balmer. In the 86th, we get a score! Balmer assists Ashby for goal. Back in a shout, but surely too late, right?

Right?

RIGHT?!?!?!?!?

Then this happens:



Nice Ashby! And Brooks for supporting him! Whew! I dial back to merely positive. We have 5 minutes of stoppage time though. Are we getting another score? Or they? Or are we holding for a tie? 2-2 tie. MOM is Ashby. Okay. If you had told me this was a tie going in? Not happy. But after going down 0-2 late? Oh yeah, get me some points!

Ashby has been a good signing, right? Right!

[Abe Sargent]

Game #39 – Away vs ETU - Moore is out today with a 10th yellow card ban; I start Kitching. I begin attacking. Why not? They start with a counter in the 19th score, and then Devlin sinks a DFK a few minutes later. Davey collects a card. Kitching feeds Browne a goal. Half. Don’t get compacent. I send in Whisken for him. Roberts to Elliot – goal. This is Elliot’s birthday too. Smeeton heads in. Bedford as well. Browne to Roberts for goal. We win 4-1, MOM is Browne.



Poole sets records!

Browne named in Team of the Week

[Abe Sargent]

Game #40 – Home vs Chelmsford – I leave in Kitching for Moore as he had a good, strong game last week. Keep our run going lads! We get started. It begins slowly, with little happening. They have three cards. In the 31st, they get a nice built up strike. Half. Do you even want to win this game? Show me some passion! In the 51st, Devlin connects with Roberts for goal! Then they score in the 62nd. I pull a tired Devlin for Brooks, and then send in DC Whisken. In the 78th, Spetch finds Roberts for another score, and we tie in. I send in Balmer for an underperforming Elliot. We tie 2-2. MOM is Roberts.


That was Devlin’s 293’s appearance for Poole, and that makes him the most played Poole player.

Game #41 – Away vs Wealdstone – Moore is back in. Keep up the run! Elliotto Ashby for goal in the 4th! Then in the 18th, they shot, and our GK knocks it in for them and gifts them an OG, and then a quiet half, with Moore a card and them a trio of cards. 1-1. We are domianting the stats board. Just keep going. I send in Bedford for Moore, and Whisken too. In the 78th, we still have pushed for that goal, although we have lots, and lots, of quality shots. I send in Balmer. In the 89th, Bedford feeds Balmer goal, and we win 2-1. MOM is Ashby. We finished the game with 23 shots, 17 on target, but only 2 goals. Thheir GK should have been MOM!

Balmer named in Team of the Week

[Abe Sargent]

Pettefer and Walker have announced their retirement. They are both retiring next month, They are 38 and 35 respectively.

I’ll start them in next week’s matchup.

I hold a team meeting. Win this game? Win the league. Focus on the game, not the title. They all agree with me, uniformally. If Chippenham wins, they get 7th and the playoffs, so they are going to be really up for this game.

Ready?

Let’s keep our run! I begin positively.

Devlin to Roberts, goal, 2:26 mark
Yellow card to Pettefer, 31st minute
Half – Don’t get Complacent
Bedford for Pettefer, 54th
Yellow to Browne, 61st
Brooks for Browne, 64th
Whisken for Davey, 81st


We hold and win 1-0.

Who was MOM? You’ll love it – Walker in his last professional game was all over the map, and led with a big 7.9 rating.

Great job lads!!!

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s pause, before I look at the table or my stats or anything else. Why do I believe we just got out that fast?

What happened? Great question!

Poole Town FC, as a reminder, had just recently risen up the football ranks. About ten years ago, it was around 9th in the pyramid, and that’s around where it was historically. New management and a new coach with a desire to push themselves up the table took over, and then won the Wessex league at level 9 three times (playoffs) before they finally got out. They were consistenly moving forward. Then in 2013, they won their Southern League Devision 1 at level 8, and made it out. This put them in the Southern League Permier at level 7. They missed playoffs by one point in their first year, and then got out in the 15-16 season. In 2016 they began playing in the Conference South, and then winning it under us just a few years later. So this is a team who started pushing quickly up the charts.


Here are some numbers that I suspect help with perspective making:

• 4. We initially added 4 new starters of talent during the summer. DC Corbridge was a much better player at DC, GK Stedman, while not great, was a big upgrade, DR Kebbie was a strong upgrade and aruably our best player in that first round, AMR Elliot was a strong starting addion that joined players like Devlin, Moore, and Roberts.
• 3. We added three very, very strong players at each level in January that were very good for this level. Ashby, Browne, and Davey were all strong additions that helped carve out 1st place for us.
• 4. By the time our new players arrived, we had just four starters left from last year’s about relegation-campaign, all of whom were big upgrades – and only Moore, Devlin, Roberts, and Spetch were left at DL, AML, MC, and ST.
• 13. Our tactics were designed to beat 13 of the teams in our league. We were a wash against four others where we had the same tactic. That means that only 5 games were ones where we didn’t have a tactical advantage
• 3. We got lucky in the first Torquay match when they had three players kicked off the pitch. Beating one of the best teams on the road on opening day was something that was really needed. For example, in real life, we began with a 0-4 drubbing against Torquay. Despite the low score of 2-1, that win ame us early momentum and confident going into matches agiant teams that were not expected to do well with a bigger talent loss.
• 0. We had zero long term injuries. All of our injury reports were telling us about how lucky we had been by avoiding major injury. Browne was out for a few weeks, and a few players here and there for a game or two. Nothing major – 0.

[Young Drachma]

I bought 19, but haven't gotten to playing yet. Following here.

[Chas in Cinti]

Following as well...

[thehitcat]

We're going up! The Dolphins are going up!!

[Abe Sargent]

Thanks everyone! Let's review the season and such!

[Abe Sargent]

This is the final table. As you can see, we finished with 5 points more than Woking, and 10 more than Torquay. We are out!

Meanwhile, notice who made it to 6th? We were expcted to be 22nd, and Hungerford was expected to be 21st. That’s right! We both had strong seasons. While I am sure that either Woking or Torquay ill join us instead of Hungerford, I’ll be rooting for them.

You can also see Devlin and Roberts there as well and their mutual successes in the league statistically.

My budget for next year is 9.5k/week and 132k in sweet transfer cash

[Abe Sargent]

Stats:

Corby Moore led the league in red cards and was 3rd most in yellows

Roberts led our team with 5 league MOMs – the most was 8. Roberts was 3rd most in goals with 24 and 6th in minutse played/goal.

Devlin was 2nd, and Elliot 4th in distance covered,

At 16th, Devlin was our most in form player with a 7.24 rating, Roberts was 7.22,

Devlin was 2nd with shots, and tied with Roberts for 5th most on target. Roberts had the 3rd best shot% on target and the 4th best conversion rate.

Devlin was 2nd most in assists and 11th most in key passes, and 6th most in chances created. Elltion was 8th most in chances created.

Brooks was 2nd best in pass completion %

Elliot was 6th most in dribbles/game

Whisken was 4th worst in mistakes leading to goals.

Corbidge was 8th best in key tackles and 7th best in interceptions made and 6th best in shots blocked.

Steadman was 7th in fewest goals allowed with 50 conceded and 5th best in 13 clean sheets. He was 17th best in saves held, and 15th in saves parried.

I feel like we won despite Steadman. He was, at best, merely okay.

A new GK has to be my top priority

For playing for just me, my best rating this year were Ashby, Devlin, Roberts, Browne, Elliot, Colbridge.



The playoffs here work like this:

7 plays 4

6 plays 5

Those winners play 2 and 3.

Those winners play in a final to get out.

[Abe Sargent]

I don’t think the next level will be as hard to get out of as one might think:

What teams made it out?

Lets look at a team that got 2nd – Fylde –

This is randomly one of their starting DCs. Now I haven’t scouted them:



And their starting Gk:



But does Tunnicliffe look like this major defensive force? Does he look any better than my recents pickups at the position? Does their starting GK look like this force of footballing nature? No? Exactly.

I suspect that, without any major additions, we’ll back back half, but mid-table like 16-12. With some strong, targeted additions I think we can crack top ten.

[Abe Sargent]

Our Fans’ player of the Year was Devlin, then Roberts and Moore

Young player of season was Ashby, and signing was GK Stedman.

I tell our lads that I know next year won’t be easy, but if we bring in some new faces, we’ll have a great shot at avoidng relegation, and all of them are in a little, save for Kebbie, who is clearly very ambitious, and is glad more talent will be brought in.

I give them an extra week off for the season.

Poole is moving up!




Tom Killick was my immediate predecessor, and was the one who took Poole from 9th division to 6th in a few years, but then hit a wall, and I was brought in to replace him, and continue his vision for Poole Town. Tom was the Bobby Knight of Football Managers – incredibly passionate, would be banned sometimes for his on pitch yelling at refs or such, but was brilliant and loved by his players. I think that’s why I am a better follow up, as a gifted, tactical, intellectual presence instead. For Tom!

We are moving out of Tatnam Ground this year, and renting space in Avenue Stadium which is bigger, and meets the Premier Conference Expectations

[Abe Sargent]

Now, when it comes to talent, last year I was looking for a team of Moores. Now I want a team of Brownes. Browne was my best player and seems to be rouglly equivalent to a good Conference player. So now I will be looking for some more Brownes.


I go to my board and ask for a few things:

1. Moving to professional status. They say no.
2. Increasing training facilites, they say no.
3. Increase my scouting staff? Nope.
4. Coaching staff? Nope
5. …

Can I get my old board back?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Abe Sargent

Can I get my old board back?

Nope.

[Abe Sargent]

There are a few players I’m scouting right now:

GK Lewis Moore; AMC Hugo Logan; AM/ST Jonah Ayunga; MC James Blanchfield; DR Sam Ling; ST Ryan Seager; M/AM RLC Billy Clifford, DL Jack Williams, M/AM LR Oscar Borg

The best is likely Logan, then probably Ayunga. Most of them are either strong younger players hungry for their first real chance, or older players desperate for their last.

Let me remind you of the players I am actively looking to replace:

Roberts at ST:




Maybe Spetch




Certainly Stedman at GK





Corbridge didn’t improve much despite a year of starts, and I’d be fine moving him to #3 DC behind a better player if I could find one

Similarly, Elliot has been fine, but not irreplacably so.



Browne is very versatile, and I can bounce him to AMR or if I need to and grabbed that awesome AMC I told you about before.

[Abe Sargent]

Playoffs:

1st Round – Hungerford over Concord 3-0; Wealdstone over Dulwich Hamlet 0-0 on penalties.


Come on Hungerford!

I make an offer to free agent ST Tom Heardman

I have great news and sucky news:


2nd Round – Sadly, Hungerford’s challenge for promotion ended at Torquay – 2-0. However, and I cannot express how happy I am, Wealdstone took out he nasty Welling 2-1. So there will be a Wealdstone vs Torquay game for the promotion spot.

3rd Round - Wealdstone defeated Torquay 1-1 in penalties.

They will be joining us!


Walker and Pettefer retire. Both had more than 220 games for Poole Town and were a part of our meteoric rise up the charts. Thanks for your service to the club, and the great city of Poole!!!

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Nope.

[Abe Sargent]

Whoa! I might have my GK. On a free, 29 year old Rhys Taylor. I make him an offer.

I extend most of my staff


Taylor signs!



Welcome! I couldn’t get him for two years, just one, but I’ll take it. He wasn’t my top choice, but then, we often aren’t each other’s top choice in life, either.

Similarly, I had to dig down to my 4th choice for ST. But I found someone. He signs too!



Both of these were on frees. like Heardman as an interesting target guy who can be the target of my many crosses and sends from my three AMs. But that’s just theory, and his finishing isn’t as good as I’d like it to be for that role. He might wind up as my top sT, or wind up 2 after Roberts, or someone else. But the other STs I was scouting all sucked. One had a high stars with my scouts, but a 7 fin. Nope. That ain’t happening. Daddy needs to get his balls into the great net of life.

Now Heardman? My coaches think he’s a good Conference National where we’ll be playing, but Taylor, is more of a good player for the divison we just won. But he’s an improvement, so who cares.

[Abe Sargent]

I hire Manny Williams, a former international footballer from Sierra Leone to be my new scout. He just retired and we are his first staff club.

Celtic and Rangers were both relegated, although Celtic barely at 18, just one point behind Brighton at 17.

I make enquiries for Logan and Clifford.

I won manager of the year.

I have an offer for Blanchfield for 65k and 50% of next sale, but Logan is more than 100k. Can I do installments? I drop my salary to make them both work.


A few days later they sign!



Here is Blanchford. I expect to be running him in the middle with Ashby, and then move Moore to Fullback or squad rotation.



Logan. We dropped my salary to just a few hundred more than Logan cost, and he wound up being 120k. I also had to give him a 30% wage rise. But he’s here. I expect to move Browne to AM R and fight with Elliot.

Now there are some players out there with 0 transfer costs who would be minor improvements for my club, but we cannot afford their salary, so I won’t be making those players.

[Abe Sargent]

Team Movement

From League 1 – Up - Rotherham, Sunderland, Bansley’

Down – Wycombe, Doncaster, Accrington, Rochdale

From League 2 Up – Bradford, Carlisle, Scunthrope, MK Dons,

Down – Morecambe, Grimsby

Conference National – Up – Notts County, Yeovil

Down – Havant, Hartlepool, Dag & Red, Bromley

Championship -

Up - Leeds, Reading, Derby

Down - Bolton, Wigan, Sheff.


Premier - Down – Celtic, Rangers, Cardiff

Man City won.

[Abe Sargent]

I sign a South African coach named Kingsley Burrows.

Are there any loanees out there that would be useful for me?

Nothing that jumps out at me. I send out some scouts for those loanees that would come my way.


After losing Celtic and the Rangers, the Scottish Premiership rose 11 spots from 28th to 17th best in Europe!

Browne was MOM in an international game against St. Pierre





The Poole always rises!


I have an offer for Jordan Elliot from Dundee over in Scotland – as a Scottish player, he really, wants to go. And that’s fair, it’d be hard to put together a package to keep him when we are this far down the football pyrmaid.

We expect to battle bravely against relegation

We agree to 25k from Elliot, a friendly with Dundee, and 50% of next sale.

[Abe Sargent]

It’s June 30th. Time for a lot of motion. We have the following players leave: Whisken, Smeeton, Kaikay, Brooks.


Now I don’t do anything.


Heading into free agency, this is my guess of my current starting XI:


GK – Rhys Taylor

DC – Ashby, Colridge

DL – Moore/Spetch

DR – Kebbie

MC – Ashby, Blanchfield

AM RLC – Browne, Devlin, Logan

ST - Heardman

That ain’t bad. Now should I look for some squad relief at DC/DR? AML?

With squad rotational players of Roberts, GK Stedman, Bedford, Balmer. I move Balmer to my U23 squad. Right now, I have 16 main players, including Kitching, who should probably be moved elsewhere too. I move Kitching to my U18 squad. I can’t be developing him right now on my main squad like I was before. That drops me to 15, so I need to focus on depth.


I now have 12.500 in cash post Elliot in transfer money that got added. I have some space on my roster too.

[Abe Sargent]

Here are a few players that are free I’m looking at:



Probably Redundant along Ashby/Blanchfield.



Bayli seems more feasible. Plays something where I could see myself grabbing a new Whisken or other player to push for starts there.



Or maybe Dinzeyi instead?



Or maybe Shihab?

Actually, the more I look at him, the more Shihab is my guy. I make him an offer.

[Abe Sargent]

Coleman comes back nice, but again, redundancy.

I make offers to around 10 different hot prospect players.

Welcome to the 1st

Someone wants Ibrahim El Haddad to interview for a job…


This is the team that Ibrahim’s father played for, and he was born in Jeju and is part South Korean.





They are currently 6th in the top K League.

From Poole to Korea! That’s a fun idea for a dynasty!


I attend the job interview! I doubt I'll get an offer, but that's nice that they thought of me!

[Izulde]

Playing in non-European leagues is interesting, though the Asian Champions League always feels super boring compared to the European ones (Not that I've ever made it there or anything).

[Abe Sargent]

I've never tried, to be honest.

[Abe Sargent]

Tareq has joined us! As you can see, he has more ball playing skill, tackling, and such, but he’s not a strong, or good and jump/head, so if I ran him at DC, I wouldn’t want to relay on him to muscle people off or head away danger, and I think the ball playing defenser role that I current Alex Davey’s may make more sense with him. He’s also fine at DMC or MC too, although I’d like a little better passing there. My scouts, and now coaches, love his potential.



Here you go. As you can see, good for this level, my best DC, and with the potential to improve to the next level of ability. I suspect that I’ll begin with Davey and Shihab at my DC, and Colbridge as my main sub.

Four youth sign with me - I move them to my U23 squad

I’ll let you know if any wind up being noteworthy

I offer trials to the top 6 unsigned players out there that are interested in Poole.



Thoughts?


Try to get some better things from them, namely investment in the Poole Town FC Insfrastructure? Such as our training stuff?

[Izulde]

Flip to Korea to do something new.