FM2012 - 2 Live Crewe (And US Too!)

[Abe Sargent]

With my new expanded sports package for cable, I’ve been watching a lot of soccer. With a soccer bug biting, it seems like the right time to take FM 2012 for a spin. I have four possible dynasties in mind. Here they are:

1). Take a newer team, such as Vancouver or Portland, from the MLS. I have never played an MLS team, and with the massive and esoteric rules in place, you are really constricted in player acquisition. It’s often difficult to find players from other leagues at the beginning of ours, due to the start time of the league. Playing my first MLS team that’s not in a strong place would be something new.

2). My standard play at the beginning of my CM and FM playing experience was to take a lower league team in English football and get it promoted up and up. I stopped doing this after I encountered another way of playing in the game, but I enjoyed it. I haven’t done this in a while, and perhaps it’s time to do it again, I’ve been feeling the itch.

3). While playing a dynasty as Carilsle and having gotten them promoted to the Championship, I was offered a deal at newly promoted Kaiserslautern in the top German league. I decided to take it and established a dynasty in K-Town, and it was a lot of fun. For my next dynasty, I began a team in Ukraine, and I’ve never had more fun with a dynasty (until possible Slavia Prague, my most recent FM excursion). Since then, I took a lesser league team in a top flight European club that is out of favor. I get them to the top of the league and into European play. I’ve played teams in Austria, Belgium, Czech, Ukraine and Greece. I’d love to do this again, perhaps in Turkey or somewhere else.

4). As a fantasy challenge, take a team with some cash in a one of the best leagues that allow a lot of international players. (Such as France for their rules (but not cash)). Then see if I can build a team of all African players that competes, wins, does well in Europe, and so forth. Have all of the normal expectations, but with just African players =- and preferably Sub-Saharan players. After looking at various clubs and leagues, I feel that Malaga would be the best place to try with a transfer kitty of 27.62 M and just expecting to be 6th in the league. Since Spain allows all of the Cotonu Agreement nations to count as EU, I can pick up players from almost any African nation. Doing well with just African sides in this league would mean something


So those are my four options. Low level English team getting promoted, new MLS team, lesser league club expecting relegation battles to ensue, or Malaga with my African fantasy plan. Which one will I choose?

[Abe Sargent]

At this point, I’m totally unsure. Parts of me are being pulled in all four directions.

The first one I pull out is the one I’ve been doing for a while. Let’s pull out option #2, the normal lower level top flight team with the low expectations. Let’s do something different this time. Perhaps it will be different by going back to what I used to do in English football. Let’s choose my lower flight club to see who I would be.

Good options are Macclesfield for a challenge – predicted 22nd with a small stadium but with good training facilities and no debt. Crewe Alexandra has top training faciities, predicted 8th, and 10l strong stadium. It’s not a bad choice from League 2 either. Bradford has a huge stadium at 25k, but just adequate training facilities and expected 12th. Plymotuh at 15th is tied for the best youth facilities with adequate, a 16k+ stadium and a 15th prediction. It has insecure finances, that’s not good. Also fairly basic training. Of these, I feel that Crewe is the best positioned to move up without taking a team in the top five or anything. I have no transfer budget. The senior squad is very young – everyone is 21 or under save for 2 at 22, 2 at 23, one 24, one 28, one 30 and one 33.

So I’ll be playing Crewe Alexandra, or Vancouver, or Malaga. Which will it be?

I see the Crewe dynasty as a long term commitment, and I’m, not sure that I have the time or patience for that. It would be at least two years before I could guarantee a promotion, and then another to get to Championship, and I suspect this team is at least three years from being in the Championship, and more likely four. That’s a commitment. I can just play Vancouver until I get and set it down. I expect to fully Africanize the Malaga senior squad in three years. However, it would take me some time to suss out the MLS< so there is a commitment to Vancouver for that.


Okay, let’s really push this time, and say no to Crewe. We’ll do something brand new – Vancouver with MLS oddness or Malaga with its African challenge.

[Critch]

A few years ago Beveren in Belgium pretty much tried your African challenge. Signed loads of African players with a view to selling them on for profit when they'd proven themselves. Most of the money was coming from, and going to, investors so the plan wasnt successful for the team.

Beveren eventually went out of business, so that sets the bar pretty low for you to beat with Malaga.

[Abe Sargent]

It’s the next day, and I still haven’t chosen. I’ve been wrestling with who I want. I was hoping that inspiration would strike, but it hasn’t. In fact, I’ve been leaning more towards Crewe again. Let’s toss Crew back into the match, and then let’s do something radical. I’m grabbing a d6, and a 1 or 2 will be Crewe Alexandra, a 3 or 4 will be Malaga and the African challenge and a 5 or 6 is Vancouver and the MLS’s byzantine rules Here we go.


The die rolls. Red plastic tumbles and lands, revleaing a pair of black pips starting back at me.



Say hello to Crewe Alexandra

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Critch

A few years ago Beveren in Belgium pretty much tried your African challenge. Signed loads of African players with a view to selling them on for profit when they'd proven themselves. Most of the money was coming from, and going to, investors so the plan wasnt successful for the team.

Beveren eventually went out of business, so that sets the bar pretty low for you to beat with Malaga.

Awesome!

[RPI-Fan]

I was by far most interested in the last idea (the African team in Europe).

[Abe Sargent]

I hear ya, but I got tired of that, I just couldn;t commit.

[Abe Sargent]

Braham Essex, 35
Welsh/Norwegian
Professional Player

Favorite Team – Swansea



Only England is used, but includes Conference leagues , as well as Wales, Ireland, N Ireland and Scotland. In all cases, the lowest level league is selected. Large database is used.


Crewe Alexandra –

The Railwaymen

3.8 m value, 1.2 m in loan; Okay Finances

10109 all seater at the Alexandra Stadium

Top training facilities, average youth facilities

Predicted to finish 8th this year

[Abe Sargent]

0 transfer budget, and 19016 Euros in weekly budget, currently standing at about 1200 loer than the budgeted amount, leaving us with little room for maneuverability

We begin with Ass-Man, 3 youth coachs, one fitness and one coach, one scout, and two physios


About Crewe – Crewe are a club that has historically been at or near the bottom of professional English football for long stretches of time. However, a commitment by long term manager Dario Gradi on youth development allowed Crewe to become not only a profitbale club by selling off players trained, but also a home-grown club. For the first time in more than 60 years, Crewe had players getting English caps despite lower standings. This approach enabled Gradi to get the club to Division One football (eventually renamed the Championship), for a few years, until Dean Ashton was sold and Crewe began to tumble. For a while in the mid 2000;s, Dario Gradi was the longest tenured manager in English football. In 2006, Crewe was voted the Most Admired Club by a few major magazines. He stepped aside to become technical direction while a new manager came up in 2007. Of course, no manager could do with Crewe what Gradi had done. Thus began an era of new managers, who were let go and Gradi came back to caretaker the team until another was brought in.

Today, July 5, 2011, the third manager to be brought in after Dario Gradi “left,” one Braham Essex, was hired. With no managerial experience but a solid professional career of playing with some degree of tactical and leadership demonstrated, he has been entrusted with Division 2 side Crewe Alexandria. The division leading goalscorer from last, year, who was on Crewe with 29 goals was Clayton Donaldson, but he moved to Brentford. Can Essex replace such a powerful presence in the attacking game? What impact will Braham have on Crewe?

[Abe Sargent]

Staff Moves – I mutual terminate Nick Oakley., a physio. Dario Gradi is my youth coach, and he’s pulling in 2400 a week, In reality, he does more ta just a youth coach. I don’t like their quality, so I also let go Coach Ray Walker, Ass Man Neil Baker, and Youth Coach Neil Critchly

I look to see what I can uncover in the staff market

I make an offer to a Scout named Harry N’Timbanzeh for 400/week salary

I make an offer to Coach Paul Thompson for 575 a week and Coach Huy Lloyd for 375 a week

I also look and I’m able to afford Ass. Man John Morling, so I make him an offer at 500 euros a week.


Let’s leave staff for a bit


We have several affiliated clubs. The first is IBV, an Icelandic club. The second is a local club named Nantwich. We have to play them an annual friendly at their place. We have to do the same to Congleston and Quorn. None of these teams are any good.


The following pre-league friendlies have been scheduled:

Kettering, away, July 9
Luton, away, July 16
Tottenham Reserves, home, Jul 19
West Brom, home, 24th
Quorn, away, 26th
Nantwich, away, 30th

Our first game of the season is home vs Accrington on August 6th.

I cancel the Kettering Town match, and schedule a friendly with Congleston at their place for the 11th. That should fulfill our obligations while also pushing back the first game by two days in case I bring in some players

[Abe Sargent]

As i mentioned before, I have a very young squad – that’s the concept here at Crewe.

Reserve Squad in age – Everyone is between 17 and 20, and we have just 19 and one at 20.

Senior Squad – ages listed – 17, 17. 19, 20, 20, 21, 21, 21, 21, 22, 22, 23, 23, 24, 28, 30, 33

17 players total

Key Players –

Ashley Westwood, 21 year old DMC, MC worth 45k and making 1.2k a week

Highlights include 14 determination and many average stats, such as 11 passing, and solid mental attributes, with just two less than ten (Flair and Bravery, each at 8). Weaknesses include below average technical stats and physical stats (for example, 4 strength, or 8 stamina). Not that hot.


Nick Powell, 17 age, MC, St and AM RLC. Worth 600k and making 575 a week. Our young star

Highlights includes jumping of 13, first touch of 14 passing of 13, work rate of 13 and more solid 13s and 12s in good places (determination, flair, off the ball, stamina.) Average finishing – 10. Pac 11 and acceleration of 8. Lowest physical stats are still 7s – balance and strength.


That’s it for key players


Powell

[Abe Sargent]

First Team


Steve Phillips – GK, 33 years old, 1.2k weekly given and 18k value

Here are his goalkeeping stats I really care about – 7 aerial ability, 10 handling, 9 one on ones, 12 reflexes. 8 kicking and 9 throwing lead to adequate ball movement. Jumping of 13, agility of 13 and balance of 13.


David Artell ,DC, 30 of age. 10k value, 850k weekly

Best stats include 14 jumping, 14 strength, 14 bravery, 15 determination and 13 in influence and work rate. Passing is just a 5. Marking 11, tackling 11, and heading 10 – a bit weak for what I want from my DC.


Adam Douglas, DC and DR – 23, 16k value, 750/week

9 tackling, 6 passing, 11 markings, and 11 heading. 11 jumping, 13 strength. 13 bravery, 11 in position ning, aggression, anticipation and teamwork.


Shaun Miller, ST, 23 and worth 40k, 750 a week in salary

Only two technical stats are in the double digits – finishing and technique, both at ten. Acceleration and Pace both 13. Just three mental attributes in double digits – anticipation, at 10, determinion at 12 and work rate at 15. Not that good.


Byron Moore, 22 age, 20k and 800/week, AMR and ML.

No technical attribute is in double digits. In fact, none is higher than 7 except for the 8 in penalty taking – just three mentals in double digits – bravery, determination and flair. Pace 13, Acc 13 and Fitness 14. That’s it for physicals in double digits too.


Matt Tootle, 20, DR and DL, 75k value, 800/week

Just 10 dribbling is at double digits in technical attributes. 13 Fitness, 10 pace and 11 stamina in physical ones. Not high quality


Ajay Leitch-Smith – 21, ST, AM RL, 6k value, 450 weekly.

Other than 10 crossing, no technical stat at 10 or more. Just pace 12, agility 10 and acc 11 in physicals, and just 13 determiation, 11 flair and 10 work rate in mentals.


That’s it for first teamers


Rotation – There are none

[Abe Sargent]

Backups on Senior Squad –

Lee Bell – 28, MC, DM, 30k 925/week

Looks better than many above – passing 12, tackling 12, marking 11, 9 and 10 accel and pace, 15 work rate, 10 teamwork, 13 positioning and influence, 10 determination, etc. 15 stamina. Not bad at all.


Alan Martin, Scottish, 22 years, 10k and 800/week, GK

Clearly a backup GK. No need for stats


Danny Shelley – DR, MRC, 20 years, 35k and 700/week

8s in pace and accel, just three stats in 10s or more in technical, all three are set pieces. Mental just has four stats, none are that important for his role.


Luke Murphy – MC, 21, 30k, 925/week

Average at best – no stat higher than 11, and many 10s or 9s including passing,, tackling, technique,pace, acceleration, teamwork, work rate, concentration, composure, anticipation, decisions, and more. A decent stopgap for now.


Harry Davis – DC, 19, 40k, 700/week. Jumping 14 is his best stat. heading of 9, passing of 10, mark of 9 and tack the same. Just two 10s in mental, no other that high. Just 5 strength for a defender, and lower bravery and aggression stats.


Ben Garratt – GK, 18k, 450/week, 17 years of age

Another backup GK. Nothing more to see here


Carl Martin – D RC, 24, 14k, 575/wk

No technical stats over 7 save for 9 in heading, solid physicals and mentals with 12 jump, 13 stamina, and fitness too, 13 work rate and bravery, 11 teamwork. But very weak stats in tacking (just 6), marking (7) and such.


Jordan Connerton – 21, ST, 2.5 k and 575 weekly

Just 6 stats at ten or higher, and half are tens and two are 11s. Not quality

[Abe Sargent]

At this point, any player of quality I pick up can start. It’s more about ability than position.

I take a quick look at my reserves and youth to see if anyone has it.


I move George Ray to my starting squad. He’s 17, n a hot prospect contract. He already has 10 each in marking heading and tackling, 12 acceleration, 6 strength, 14 jumping, 13 aggresssion and more and plays the DC position.

I have a striker, Max Clayton, at 16 in the U18 club everyone is telling me is great. I bump him up for friendly matches upcoming to see what he has

I also bump up 16 year old Irish D LC Joe Gorman and Striker I like 16 year old Liam Wilson. None of the rest here appeal to me

[Poli]

Good luck, I'll follow along.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Poli

Good luck, I'll follow along.

thanks

[Abe Sargent]

Based on my current squad, I change our formation


My current squad is 6 players who can play DC, 2 who can only play DR or DRL, five who can play MC, three who can player both AM or M R and L and one who can play MR, six who an play strikers. This is with the youth players here. For example, I have just one player other than youth Joe Gorman who can pay DL and that;s Matt Tootle. I have no wingbacks at all, so that’s not a possibility. Our current 4-3-3 has no one playing on the outside int eh middle and using fairly weak fullbacks. We need a new plan.

I decide to move to a 3-5-2. I have the DCs for it, and I have the middies for it. I also don’t have the strikers for a 3 strong field. I’ll come back later for more detailed tactics, but that is where my squad is leaning.


Now that I know that, I can approach my player acquisition


I suspect I’ll play our star Nick Powell on the wing. He can use either foot and play either wing, so let’s see if I can find a good winger for the other side


I order some scouting of some prospects.

I make an offer for 18 year old unattached DC Stephen Edward for a youth contract. Other youth contracts I offer include 18 year old Lee Collins, ST; 17 year old DR Ben Mongomery; 15 year old DC Alex Rowland; 15 year old DMC Luke Warrington


I ask my board for a Trial Day and they agree to hold one soon

Okay, let’s stop looking at youth players

[Abe Sargent]

I offer a trial to 41 year old ST Nigel Jemson. I can’t see everything, but that 16 finishign is tempting; I also offer a trial for 20 yar old Scott Ginty with his 14 finishing – trails will give me their stats when they arrive. I can’t scout 31 year old Jamaican Fabian Taylor, so I offer him, a AMR and St a trial as well


I make a miracle offer for Eric Addo but he has interest from a ton of clubs, many higher than us. I doubt that will come to fruition. That’d be a huge deal


I make a few miracle loan offers to players really high above our paygrade, just to see what happens.


I have a ton of scouting projects on various players. We’ll see who comes out


Miracle news. Eric Addo has agreed to join us! This is huge news – he comes in as our best player. We’ll look at him more in a bit. I’m paying a good chunk of change, so I need to look and see if there is salary I can trim – I mutually terminate my other physio and pay less for Peter Heady

I place adverts for GK Coach and Scout


Now I advance time a bit more

The fans have reacted to the Addo signing and love it.


Eric Addo – 32, DC and DM – I could play him at either place. Every mental stat save Off the Ball is in double digits. Every physical stat is in double digits. He also features 12 passing, 14 marking, 14 tackling and 13 heading

We are paying him 1.8k a week. He has a contract through just this year – it was a requirement. If things go well, who knows! It protects him and us both, and I’m happy for that.

I may make a DMC position for him or just play him at DC


My budget is right up against the cap – I fire Dario Gradi with a mutual term


I attend the first press conference on the next day


Addo

[Abe Sargent]

Today I am attend the Trial Game.


There are some nice plays in the first half. A cross headed perfectly into the next opens the second half. We also have TWO own goals. And five yellow cards. The best play is a powerful strke from long rane by a player in blck. I’ll look in a bit.

Helio Andre was player of the gamewith the great goal. He doesn’t look like he has the goods though. I look through the players who came out.

There is a really good player, 29 year old Herita Ilunga, who pays DL and WB L. If I signed him, I could go back to the 4 defenders, because he is that good. He’s fairly cheap, but I don’t have the cash right yet, so I toss him on my shortlist for later, just in case. Ben Davisson was a decent cross that was headed in, and is okay. 10 crossing, 10 passing, 19 years old. I sign him to a 120 weekly salary because he was 4 of 4 on his crosses on the day.


Now the Addo press conference arrives

I place Matt Tootle on the transfer list. Byron Moore is placed there too

Our staff signed have joined us, save or Huw Lloyd. We have arranged a match vs the reserve squad for tomorrow

Several of my youth players are coming. I hand the friendly tomorrow to my Asst m


Ajay is sprained his ankle in the match which ended 0-0


Davisson

[Abe Sargent]

On the 8th, som of my trialists arrive and Davisson joins us

I don’t like Jamaican Fabian Taylor enough for a full contract, nor do I like Nigel Jemson enough

Scott Ginty maybe, we’ll hold onto him for a bit


It’s the 10th, and none of my loan offers came through

We crushed our friendly 5-0 – I forgot to put myself back in charge so I do that now


I have offered a few extraneous players. We’ll see if any get picked up

15 July – I attend the Trial for English Players

I get a few scouting reports on some of the attendees

We have signed Joe McKee to the tem for year long loan


Joe McKee – 18, paid nothing, worth 825k. MC and AM C. Admittedly slow – 6 acc and 10 pace. 20 free kick and penalty, so I have a nice set piece man. He’s from Burnley and admitted that he might like to see if the loan could be made permanent later. 11 passing, 13 technique, 14 long shots, 13 first touch, 12 each to dribbling and corners, and even 15 finishing. This guy’s a nice talent in this league. Mental stats of quality include 16 composure, 14 flair, 14 influence, 13 determination. Weaknesses include 6 work rate, 7 team work, 4 each jumping and heading, and so forth. He’s a good attacking MC choice for us this year


Due to Addo’s ability, I decide to create another tactic to work on, a 3-1-4-2 with Addo in a DMC role – it’s a backup tactic only.

I pay a friendly vs Luton Town


McKee

[Abe Sargent]

I’m playing Addo as a Ball Playing Defender with the Stopper role. He has two other DCs around to back him up. Joe McKee is given an attack central middie role. My wingers have a wide midfielder role on automatic. The other two middies are on support duties as a central middie. I really haven’t sussed out my strikers yet, because they are pretty weak.


We need a striker badly. A good one. For example, the highest finishing of any striker available for loan is 12. I released a few of my reserve players on a free to clear up some salary space.

I make a couple of loan offers and move to the friendly


The game is underway – we are in black, and they in orange-red. About fifteen minutes in and everything is fine, but they’ve pushed forward more than we have, since this is their place, that’s to be expected I told my lads to relax and work on fitness and playing together – Luton barely misses gol at the 15:14 mark with a kick just off the right post of our goal

We move the bal off the break and Powell tries a cross, it goes out for a corner after being headed away. I’ve already noticed Miller taking some long shots. Addo gets under a Goal kick and knocks is down and kicks it downfield to Miller, who takes a crack and their GK gets to it. Nicely done though. At the 29th minute, they get a great throw in deep and its headed into goal and they go up 1-0. Half time arrives.

I tell them they can still win this and only Mckee looked to have gaining confidence

Wilson kicks the ball into the keeper and ne of their players tries to head it away, fail, and scores an Own Goal in the 46th minute of the game. Luton have a marvelous attacking run but it stops at my keeper I the 48th Wilson finds Miller who gets a long distance one on one chanc at the edge of the box vs the keeper but can’t connect and we get a corner out of it. We foul them on the kick. I put in four subs at the 59th minute. Wilson is doing well, and I was hoping he’d be my star, the 16 year old who isn’t as huge a as two other 16 year old strikers, but he’s out there and pushing. Addo collects the ball quickly from a throw in and dumps it high to Wilson. Wilson finds the subbed in Clayton who kicks the ball from thirty yards away over the GK’s head and into the net for a goal for our team. I switch in three more players post goal. They kick a cross which is woefully off target but makes it into the goal on luck. Score is 2-2 at the 73rd minute. That’s the game. I praise them after wards and they are mostly delighted. Good result

[Abe Sargent]

I reduce the size of my pitch to the smallest size – 101 by 64

It’s announced that we sold 1728 season tickets thus far, and are expecting another 500 to be sold.


July 18 – Meet our newest loanee – 19 year old Colombian Christian Montano, worth 1.8 mill from West Ham. Plays ST and AM L. Actually he’s a good player for this level, but not that great. He has two 13s – teamwork and tackling. He has a bunch of 12s – acceleration, pace, finishing, dribbling, crossing, work rate, agility and aggression. Just a 9 in passing. This is about his level. He comes in, and he could start n my left end or in my striker role. He is currently playing international ball with the U20 squad

I make an offer to a GK oach who responded to my advert named Geoff Crudgington

We move Danny Shelley to Macclesfield for no money, just to reduce the salary wage. He wasn’t close to starting for us. I make an offer to Herita Llunga with the money we just saved.


Time to play the Tottenham reserves, a game which we should lose badly.

We are playing defensive, and Miller scores in the 2nd minutes of the game! Cross from Powell headed into the lower right corner. Miller gets a goal kick, dribble past a defender up the right flank, fight Wilson, but Wilson is wildly off target great play by Miller to set it up. Adam Dougdale has a slight injury, and I pull him in the 38th minute. Howell crosses to Wilson who kicks but it rebounds hard off the top crossbar and away. 1-0 us at the half. I calmly encourage my folsk to keep it up and they look inspired. The spurs reserve wins a corner early in the second half. Nothing happens. Ten minutes later a pass by Wilson to Miller results in a weak, on target sot easily gathered. Artell throws the ball to Wilson, who crosses it t Powell and Powell blasts it into the net. 2-0 us. I pull some players. I pull both strikers at the 66th minute. Nothing happens and we win. Nick Powell was man of the match. I assertively tell them it was a good game and they look good for the start of the season, and they respond appreciably. Another good result.

[Abe Sargent]

21st – The GK coach joined us. I make an offer to one more coach, Mark Bonner, for 450/week

The Scout advert is done in the 23rd and I make an offer to a solid guy, one Paul Molesworth for 400/week

Herita Ilunga is joining us!

Let’s take a look at why I signed him.

I have too many defenders at the club right now, but what I am missing are quality ones. Here is Herita Ilunga

29 years old, D L WB L (can play DC competantly). Worth 14k, paying him 875 weekly

Every physical stat is at least 12. Including 12 strength, 16 stamina, 12 pace and acceleration, and 12 jumping. Technical stats of note – 11 heading, 12 marking, just an 8 in passing, 13 tackling, as well as good outside stats such as 10 crossing, 10 dribbling, and so forth. Mental stats of worth include 14s in determination, aggression and bravery, 12s in teamwork, work rate, composure and decisions and 11 in influence, anticipation, concentration and 10 in position. This is a solid guy for this level, no question. He comes in as my second best DC behind my Belgium/Ghanaian signing of Eric Addo. Now I can move him to a starting DC roles, and try to find homes for my many DCs.


I decide to move starter Adam Dugdale from my team. I offer him for free. My new Coach arrives and I fix up my training schedules. Two offers come in and I accept both. I also get my 3rd scout on board

I now have a full staff.


Its the 24th and we host West Brom for fun.

In retrospect, I probably should have cancelled it and put someone else here after the win vs the Spurs. I tell them to relax and enjoy the match We are playing Defensive. They start out very strong and we are under some serious pressure. They’ve had four corners in 13 minutes. OH MY GOD. Here’s what happened. End result was a long range Wilson score. Throw in by Davisson to Wilson deep, bounced out by West Brom to Miller. Under pressure, Miller back passes to Westwood at the half line. Westwood under pressure slides the ball over to Miller ho comes back and finds McKree and moves back into an attacking position. McKee feeds it back to Miller, Miler under pressure from two West Borm players finds Wilson about ten yards behind the penalty box, who kicks it right in. A corner by them at 36 bounces dangerously in the box before Ilunga can clear it away. A one on one break is knocked away by my Gk at the 39th. Corner kick for them t the 44th. Goes nowhere. I assertively inform them I’m happy with their performance thus far, to keep it up. McKee powers a long shot on target bu their Gk manages to grab it - Corner for WB at 54. Headed out for another corner. Headed out by Ilunga. The ball is kicked on target long distance at our goal, our GK grabs it, it rebounds to the ground but he gathers it before anyone could get it. At 62 they get a cross and headed I in to tie the game. I make some subs. I make 5 subs. At the 75th, I make a few more subs. Corner kick fr them at the 87th minute Shot on goal stopped by gk, and cleared by Davis. They counter our drive and get a score at 88. I tell them that I’m pleased with their performance despite the score. Liam Wilson was Player of the Game


Ilunga

[Abe Sargent]

After playing a few matches, I feel like I need one more midfielder in squad rotation sense. I make an offer to a player who will certainly say no, just to see what happens (Fabrice Jau, 32 year old MC). I scout a few players.

Whoah, Fabrice Jau said yes. That’s crazy.

I bring him in. Dario Gradi says this is a good choice for a transfer in the press. Apparently he has no ill will to me cleaning house and letting him go. It was time.


Fabrice Jau, 32, French, MC

Key Player, Paying 1.7k/week I cleaned out some more backups to get him in – value 45k. One year contract as well as Addo.

Good stats – Physical – 12 acc, 15 stamina, 12 str, jump; 11 agility, 13 fitness lowest stat is 9 for pace.
Mental – 15 teamwork, 14 create, 13 work rate, anticipation, 12s in composure, concentration, determinaton, 11s in decisions, position, influe, 10 in flair off ball and bravery.
Technical – 13 passing, heading, technique, 15 long shots, 12 first touch, 11 crossing penalty taking, corners, 10 tack

Not a bad player for this level at all. He immediately starts for me, and is the last major pickup of the offseason.

I pull David Artell as my vice captain. He’s good at it, but nt god enough o make the pitch. I make Eric Addo the Vice.


Jau

[Abe Sargent]

July 25 Press Conf called for Fabrice Jau - I take it. I make some nice comments and everybody is happy. They ask a stupid question I wish the game wouldn’t ask. Fabrice is French, so they ask if I will bring any other Frnech players in since he is the only French player on my squad. But, my last signing has French as a secondary nationality and speaks French fine. So I have another French player on my squad already.

Let’s play our friendly away at Quorn. We will be playing Control. No one responds to a show me what you can do comment. So here we go. We are black and they red. Beautiful. 6th minute, Addo collects the ball in our box, finds Miller, who runs at the defense and knocks it in. Miller finds Wilson who kicks it just in from just outside the box at the 10th minute. Wilson sets up Miller with a nice cross that Miller can’t deliver. Wilson sets up Miller again and gets the 3rd goal at the 17th minute. Addo nails a free kick for a score at the 23d minute off a McKee free kick. 4-0 at the half and I make some halftime subs. I make two changes. I make some more at the 55 mark and 67th. And that’s game. I tell them to play that way when it matter, sand several gained focus. Miller was Game MVP


Post game I release Byron Moore on a free and I need one more squad rotation winger now.

I make an offer for 140k a week to young player Simon Johnson.


27 July – Here Ye go, Simon Johnson, on the cheap

20 years old, plays M RLC.

Passing 10, Cross 13, Acc 14, Pace 2, Fitness 11, Drib 10, ff the Ball 13, Flair 12, Determin 12 and that’s all of the double digit scores - a decent rotation level player for me.



Okay, I feel ready now


I offer normal league but high cup bonus


28 Jul – Dugdale has been offically moved


I call a press conference for Simon

The 1st Rnd of the League Cup Draw has arrived. We will be traveling to League 1 team Huddersfield on Aug 9th


Johnson

[Abe Sargent]

30th July – Our final friendly has arrived – away at Nantwich

It’s past my bed time so let’s do this quick. Only major highlights. After some close calls, Miller rushes the GK one on one and gets behind him for a score. Assist by Wilson. Powell crosses to Miller who slides into it for goal a few yards off the line for a 2-0 score at the 37th mark. Halftime. Just back and forth in second half - 2-0 at the end of the game. Man of the Match is Miller


I accept a loan offer to Matt Tootle for Wrexham for six months since they will pay his wages. He moves there on Aug 1.

[Abe Sargent]

Our starting 11:

GK Steve Phillips – Never found anyone better, but a couple were close. I make an offer to a backup Gk much better than my current backup guy before the game starts


DC Eric Addo – Awesome for this level. Just finishing long stint at various teams in the Dutch Top League, although last year he was on a team in the next league down. With 45 caps for Ghana, chances are he could be called up for international duty – but I doubt it would happen often. Ball Playing DC with Support role


DC Herita Ilunga – Another African national, with 19 caps and 2 goals for Dem. Rep of Congo. Toulouse paid 2 million for him in 2007 and West Ham paid 3 million in 2009. He’s had 62 appearances for West Ham in three years. Then he got let go, and now he’s playing for us. Discovered in a Trial Day match where he scored from the fullback position. Defending Central Defender

DC Harry Davis – The current winner of the “who will step into the 3rd spot” sweepstakes. He notched it due to friendly play, where he was fairly decent. Can the 19 year old keep it?


ML and MR – I have three players who can play this position – Ben Davisson who had it during friendlies, Simon Johnson who I just signed, or my star Nick Powell could move over from the right. It comes down to Simon vs Davisson for the start.

Why Simon – 4 better acceleration, 3 better crossing, 2 better pace, 5 better off the ball, 5 better tackling

Why Ben – 3 better technique, 3 better teamwork, 3 better work rate, 1 better decisions and determination, 2 better anticipation

Same stamina and passing


If I want to start Simon, I’ll switch his and Nick’s spot on the pith. Nick can use either foot, but Simon is right footed. It looks like Simon is getting the nod. So He is moving to MR and Nick Powell is ML. Davisson was another Trial Day signing, and he was adequate in the friendlies. Both have automatic wide middle roles


MC Joe Mckee – A loanee starting in the middle with an attack role.

MC Fabrice Jau – Another recent signing, Fabrice is a support role player with a lot of talent. No one has ever paid for him, he’s always been picked up on free transfers. He has played in both Ligue I and 2. Last year, for the first time, he was in a regional division and so this is a lateral transition for him in some sense, and Crewe is a good spot for him to land for several reasons.

MC Lee Bell Our captain. Both him and Jau are in support roles at the MC place. The 28 year old is good enough to get the starting nod


ST Cristian Montano – Currently playing in the U20 Colombian squad for their World Cup Qualifiers which he just finished yesterday He starts for them and has 4 goals in five U20 caps. This loanee will hopefully get a chance to see what he can do.


ST Liam Wilson - Again, while told that he was not my best prospect by far, he looks it, did well in the friendlies including a Man of the Match award against West Ham. Had 2 goals and 4 assists in 4 starts. That includes some chumps and some good. With a 12 finish and dribbling, and 13 heading, we have a place to build. 12 Acc and 8 pace isn’t super great. 13 Flair, 15 fitness, etc. He’s just 16, and we’ll not lean on him too heavily, giving him lots of breaks. But he’s my guy.


Important backups –

ST Shaun Miller, currently GK Alan Martin, M L Ben Davisson, M C Luke Murphy, and DC Joe Gorman.

Next level MC Ashley Westwood, ST Max Clayton, DC David Artell


In real life, Crewe finished 7th this season, and then won playoffs to get promoted. We are predicted to finish 8th. Can we do a little better and equal what happened in real life? I feel really good about Addo, Jau, Ilunga, and my two loanees. Despite signing two 32 and a 29 yea old, my starters are: 33, 32, 29, 19, 20, 32, 18, 28, 17, 16 and 19. It’s still a youth movement here at Alexandra

[Abe Sargent]

We will be starting Miller for Game 1, home vs Accrington.


We start with a control tactic. We are predicted to win, and this is our place, but I don’t want to be too timid or too brave. Control seems just right.

The Season has begun

Simon Johnson injures one of their players at minute 7 and he is pulled for another. They respond in the 12th by tripping Johnson hard and get a yellow card. Beautiful interception by Ilunga who gets it to Wilson, plays it to Miller about five yards past the box, strike is on target but stopped by their Gk. At the 23rd minute, MeKee kicks a corner kick, headed out, Miller grabs the ball, passes to the umarked McKee who is way out there just inside the corner, the defense and GK are out of position, s McKee tries a long shot, on target, and we are up 1-0 and McKee looks nice. It was a brilliant goal. Goal in the 46th minute of first half, by Wilson. His first goal in his first game for us and hi first game as a professional. It’s a bit difficult to explain. Basically Lee Bell ends a passing group by hoofing the ball over the defense and to an onsides Miller. Miller runs forward, but the ball is tackled right at the penalty box area line. Wilson outruns their defense to get on it about two yards away from the circle where people take penalty kicks from, and has a one on one shot with the GK. The GK guesses wrong in which way to dive and it’s a goal. 2-0 at the half.

I tell the lads to keep their performance up in the 2nd half. They look ok. Accrington are under a lot of pressure this game. Lee Bell takes a powerful on target long shot that is deflected and scooped up by their GK Now in the 55-59 minute, Accrington are putting the pressure on us. I make a sub at 65. I pull Johnson for in the in match form Davisson, and switch their roles on the pitch with Powell. Miller gets a score on the 71st minute after being set up by Davisson. We passed the ball around a lot, and then 25 yards out, boom from Miller. I make my next sub. My next game is in three days. I pull Joe McKee for Joe Gorman and then swap Addo into McGee’s role. I make my final change at the 79th minute. I pull Liam Wilson for Max Clayton.

And that’s game! We win 3-0. Joe McKee is Man of the Match. I tell them I’m happy with that performance. Press Conference time. Ilunga was 7.7 rating and very nice. I say nice things about my boys. Assists by Miller and Davisson, goals by Miller, Wilson and McKee. 7.5 rating for Davis, 7.2 for Addo, 7.1 for Bell, 8.3 for McKee, 8.2 for Miller, 7.7 Wilson. It’s a good start to the season.

By the way, at the age of 16 years and 309 days, Wilson is both the youngest player to appear in the League 2, but also the youngest to score.

[Abe Sargent]

Ag 8 – Press Conference for Huddersfild match begins and I attend . I get Addo, Phillips and Ilunga happy after my comments that I think we have a shot at beating Huddersfield. I really do. We are a strong D2 side and they are a D1 side.

Joe McKee is named in the Team of the Week

I have agreed to sign a Canadian player, and now a work permit is being applied for. He’s 20, and been capped at the U20 level for Canada. Will tht be enough? I doubt it, but let’s find out, shall we?


Max Clayton signs a contract for professional now that he’s 17. It was already in the books when I arrived. A bit pricey at 700/week, but we have the budget for it after I released a few extraneous players


I will be starting Ben Davisson today and bring Simon Johnson n, because he’s not match fit. Here we go!

We will begin with a counter set up. I tell them assertively that there’s no pressure. The Ghana national boss is in the stands, looking at Addo. We are under some pressure ad have given away three corners in 20 minutes and then one shot rebounds off the crossbar - After another five minutes of this, Huddersfield are looking downright dangerous. Another corner for them at the 41. All tied at the half mark. I tell them once again no one is expecting anything. Addo and Davis are 7.1, No one else is that high.

2nd half. Wilson under pressure takes a shot, GK pushes it out. Corner. Ilunga gets a yellow in the box, and turns the ball over. They are much faster than us and are quaffing any chance of a counter or break. Phillips grabs the shot off a corner. I go to tactic and move to defensive. My first sub is to pull Ilunga at the 61st minute for Gorman. I don’t want a 2nd yellow to screw this over. They foul Powell when he has a one on one opportunity in the box and he is given us a penalty kick! McKee’s 20 penalty kicking is tested, and he responds with a goal 1-0 at the 69th minute. At the 75 mark I pull Davisson for Johnson. I pull out Jau for Murphy in the 82nd minute. Lots of pressure in the next few minutes. Tough defense for us and we win! I tell them that was really special. Many react well. Addo was man of the match with 8.2 rating. Powell is credited with the assist since he was fouled in the box. Let’s not forget our team. They had 10 shots on goal, five on target, two stooped by our Gk and three blocked by defenders. Hopefully this will impress the Ghanaian HC.

Their manager is pissed at the penalty and came out firing in his press conference. Now its our turn. I’m positive for our side and dodge the penalty question. Addo, Bell and Davisson are pleased with my post game comments.

[Abe Sargent]

We are hosting Bolton for the next round of the League Cup. That’s not going to be good. We were one of only three L2 teams to advance to round two, but that’s not an inspiring match up.

11 Aug – We appeal the decision to turn down the work permit by GK Adam Street, who would be a good backup to Phillips and a future starter if he gets better.

Aug 13 – We draw Walsall in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. Anther match vs a League 1 team in a cup. To be played away as well.

We are away vs Bristol today. After making it out of Group Stage at the U20 World Cup, Colombia won a 2nd Round vs Nigeria. Now they pay Egypt in the quarterfinal tomorrow. So Christian is not back yet, and understandably so. Bristol is a heavy, ad predicted to be 2nd in the league. The next game is Hereford, expected to be 23rd, in their place. So if I can beat Bristol in their place, it’s very good for us. If I can tie them, it’s good long term for us. I need to keep all of my players up. Therefore, Simon Johnson will start for Davisson, and Powell is back on the Left side.

We will start with a Counter set up. It’s rainy. They find a long shot on the 9th minute into our net, and things look poor from the get go. Powell takes a long shot which becomes a corner, but we can’t convert. Mckee follows with a nasty long shot, turned aside, corner. We have a good long shot team, so I don’t mind them. Both have been on target. Bristol wastes a corner. Miller injures on f their players and he has to come off. Phillips stops a one on one shot by them brilliantly at the 42 mark 0-1 at the half. I tell them assertively to show me something else in the second half. They look fired up, save for Powell who look stressed. I tell him he wasn;t that bad, but I want improvement, and he looks happy.

We get a goal in the 54th minute oddly. Ilunga throws the ball to McKee who under pressure knocks it back to Ilunga. Ilunga has the ball, unmarked, just outside of the area. He looks for someone to pass the ball too, but everyone is covered. He dribbles it left to the center just inside the area, and everyone is covered and the defense is tightening, so he takes a crack and sinks it. 1-1. Miller fouls a player in a dangerous free kick spot. Luckily, nothing happens with it. I pull McGee for Murphy, and then swap Murphy with Jau, so Jau can be the attacker. Murphy isn’t at that level of play. McGee is just too tired. Addo takes a long shot, on target, gathered by the GK. Bristol is upset when a 69th minute goal is disallowed for offsides. At 72, I pull Miller for Clayton. At 77 Davis is in pain, and I pull him for Gorman. I move defensive in the 80s. Wilson gets a yellow card at 88. And that’s time. I will take a tie here. Man of the Match is Ilunga with a 7.5 rating and a score. McKee had an assist on that. I tell them well done is dodging opinion and avoiding defeat, and they are mostly pleased. We gave up an early goal and didn’t let that faze us. Nicely done.

On the 14th, on penalty kicks, Colombian U20 squad defeated Egypt and now face the Spainish U 20 side I the semis on the 17th. On the 15th the work permit is not appealed and we are unable to bring him in. Ah well

[Abe Sargent]

The 16th is here and we host Hereford. A few lineup changes. Max Clayton is starting for Wilson. Ben Davisson is starting for Nick Powell. This will rest my 16 and 17 year olds.

The game has begun. They say McKee fouled them and they get a penalty kick in the 1:30 mark. They make it. Davison nets a yellow later. Both team are putting pressure on the other. Phillips has had several saves. Nothing else massive in the half occurs. We in a corner in 56th minute. Addo jumps unfairly and we give the ball away. I swap Murphy fr Johnson in the 62. Clayton manages to find the net in the 67th minute. It was lobbed to him by Davisson, and the he dribbled for a bit and launched I from just inside the white circle. I yank a poorly playing McKee for Westwood. I put Jau in that spot. Bell received a yellow card. At the 78th minute, another stop by my GK on close shot on target. I order my team to move to a more attacking style in the last ten minutes. I pull Lee Bell for Gorman, and switch it with Addo. Then I rotate Addo and Jau. Beautiful play by Westwood and Davisson. Westwood dribbles down the right flank and gets past a player. Davisson moves in fro the left flank to support him and instead of crossing it to Clayton, who had two people on him, he cross o Davisson, who finds the net. Goal – 2-1. Beautiful by both Westwood and Davisson. I move back to Control. Jau is injured in the 86th minute and has to come off, but I’ve used all of my subs. I make some changes on the pitch. I move Ilunga to DR and Gorman to DL. I drop Addo down to DC. I drop Miller to midfield. This gives me a 4-4-1. I then move to defensive. We manage to play keep away long enough to win. 2-1 us! I tell them well done. Ben Davisson, with both an assist and goal in MoM. Clayton looked good. Despite conceding a penalty, Phillips was a 7.7 on the match. I tell Davisson he made it happen and he’s happy. McKee was a 5.3, so I tell him that Im not pleased with what I saw and he’s fired up for the next match.

Once again, we came back from an early goal, and this time we won. McKee’s concession of a penalty just made it interesting.


We have Burton on he 20th in their place, and then Bolton on the 23rd. Aldershot at home follows on the 27th, and Away at Walsall on the 30th.

Davisson has been producing. Johnson has not. Colombia beat the Spanish 3-1 in extra time. Now they face Brazil in the finals of the U20 World Cup. While I wish didn’t have my loaner out all of this time, I have to admit it’s been interesting. The Finals are tomorrow on the 20th.

On the 20th, our U18 squad crushes the Man U U18 squad 4 to 1. That’s awesome lads. Crewe is a youth team, that’s our identity, and you saw it today.

[Abe Sargent]

Burton is predicted to be 20th. We are at their place. Wilson and Powell are back in the starting lineup. Davisson stays in since he’s the hot leg, over Johnson. I’m not even going to try and keep my lads fresh for the Bolton game. The league is my focus now. Our 7 points in three games is tied with Gillingham, Plymouth and Port Vale for the same, with no team at 9. I want to get to a strong start. And no team is at 0. Everyone has at least one tie at the top or bottom.


Miller finds the net from 30 yards out. Nice pass by Bell to find him about seven yards from a defender. He dribbles a bit and shoots. Davisson scores at the 15th minute mark. Ilunga threw it in to Murphy, starting for a slightly injured Jau. Murphy crosses to Davisson, who finds the net. 2-0 us. I move to Counter. Addo gets a yellow card. We give away a corner off a header fro a cross in the 29th minute. Then Wilson trips their guy but they can’t connect with the direct free kick. Miller gets a yellow just before half. Back to Standard for the 2nd half. We have been under a lot of pressure since about the 30th minute through now, the 53rd. I pull Liam Wilson for Clayton at 62 Miller injures one fo their players and they have to go off at the 64. At the 72 I pull McKee for Westwood and Davisson for Johnson. I switch Johnson and Powell. Save by Phillips at 84 turns into a Burton corner headed away by Addo. Game ends 2-0. I tell them well done. MOM is GK Steve Phillip with an 8.4 rating. Here’s how he won the game for us. 10 shots, 4 blocked, two on target. Several greats saves. Was in control the whole game. Nicely done Phillips!

Their manager praises us in the news, so I praise him back. At the Press Conf, I am asked questions about resting players such as Jau and how Ilunga is off a good start here.

Colombia defeated Brazil on penalty kicks in the Finals of the U20 World Cup. Christian Montano got the lone goal on Colombia’s side as the starting striker. Nicely done! Now he comes back to us, and we’ll rest him for the Bolton game. Phillips and Davisson are named in the Team of the Week.


Okay, heading into the Bolton game. Changes to roster. Jau is back in. Montano is 71% and needs a break. Clayton is starting for Miller. I wish I could start him for Wilson, because I don’t want the young guy against Bolton, but Miller is tired at 88%. League is more important. Johnson starts over Davisson. Youth 16 year old Gorman is coming in for Davis, because he’s faster.

To the game. I tell my team no pressure. We go defensive. They score in the 4th minute after a rebound of Phillips’s stop of their first shot. Not as much pressure as you might have thought until the 30s, when they make a long shot from 30 yards out. I remind them at the half there’s no pressure. Gorman give them an OG at the 60th minute mark. I pull him for Artell and Powell for Murphy. I pull McKee for Westwood in the 76th. Clayton with an OG in the 83rd minute. Game ends.

[Abe Sargent]

Today I want to crush Aldershot to give us our mojo back. Montano is started for Wilson. Miller is in for Clayton. Powell needs a rest for Johnson and Davisson are playing at the wings. If we can hammer our foe badly, Everybody will be forgetting that 0-4 drubbing against Bolton.

All of the players with 7 points won last time, so we are still in 2nd. I start out with a Control set up. MeKee nails a direct free kick for a goal in the 3rd minute. Right in the upper right corner. They are handing a penalty kick to our foes at the 5 ark and they reciprocate. They said Ilunga gave it away. Not much happening in the meantime. In the 67th, I pull Ilunga for Gorman and Murphy for Johnson. A the 73rd, I pull Jau for Westwood. I push us to attacking. At the 88th minute, they get a red card, and I go overload . At the 91st minute, we score! I pull my men back to Standard. Montano was dribbling down the left side. He crosses to Miller who heads it in but it bounces off the post and Miller puts in the rebound. We win, 2-1. I them them I was happy, there were some positives. I tell Ilunga to step it up and he seems motivated. Joe McKee is MOM. It wasn’t the win I wanted, but it wa a win. After fve games, we are in 1st, because all of the other teams just got ties at the top. We have 13 points, and three teams have 11.


Addo and Ilunga have been called up for international duty on early Sept. I choose to set no instructions. Our match against Rotherham has been moved to the 21st from the 3rd as a result. I praise the Walsall boss prior to our Cup match

McKee needs to rest. Because of the moved match, we don’t have a game until Sept 10 after this, so I’ma play him. I move Wilson in for Miller and Powell back in. I tell my lads no pressure, were the underdogs. I begin with a Counter set up. Not a lot in the early going. McKee injures one of their guys at 14. Davis collects a yellow. At the 35th minute, I move us to Standard. Even at the half. They don’t respond to my grab a goal to get this win comment. As of right now, no one has a shot on target, 5/0 for them and 3/0 for us. Montano scores after dribbling past a defender at the 53rd mark. Back to Counter. Assist by Wilson. At 64, I pull Johnson for Davisson. They say Addo fouled Walsall in the penalty area. He also collects yellow card. They score. Bell gets a yellow. I don’t make any more subs, in case we go to extra time. They get a nice cross and a header over Davis to get a goal. I make two subs and move to control. Miller for Wilson, Murphy for Bell. We think it could have been offsides. Game over, we lose 1-2. I tell them I can’t fault their effort, they are pleased. We have a lot of tired players, so it’s good they get a break now. Except for Addo and Ilunga, of course

[Abe Sargent]

Joe McKee’s goal against Accrington was Goal of the Month for League 2. I get the Manager of the Month award. I sign Joe Gorman to a professional contract for three years at 150/week. Matches for September:

10th – Swindon at our place
13th – Gillingham away
17th – Barnet home
21st – Rotherham away
24th – AFC Wimbledon away

Of these five matches, The first two are against the teams in 5th and 6th. The Dons are 21t, Barnet 11th and Rotherham 17th. I need to get through the first two matches well, and we’l look good for the rest.

I make no changes to my starting lineup, save for Powell, who is out with a facial gash suffered in training. We begin with a standard set up. Swindon currently have low morale. The game is afoot. Nice long shot by Mckee turned aside for corner, but it does naught. At 22nd minute I move to Control. Even at the half. I pull Wilson for Miller at the 60th. McKee feeds Miller the ball beautifully an we score in the 68th minute. I move us back to Standard. I pull Addo for Gorman at the 71st. Montano scores in the 71st just after the sub is made. Jau lobbed the ball in front of him and he took a shot just inside the box. I pull Jau for Murphy after the score. 2-0 is a nice win! Montano is MOM. It’s a good win for us in the standings

Montano needs rest and is on the bench. McKee needs it as well. To accommodate, I am moving Addo to his role, and starting Gorman . Every team we’ve played in League 2 is a 4-4-2 thus far, inclduign Gillingham today. I think that might be part of our success. We begin with a defense set up, just to warm up. Jau steals the ball, shoots it, pushed aside for corner in the first minute - nothing happens from it. Wilson grabs the open ball from a lob, and manages to get a one on one, he shoots pushed aside by GK and another corner here at the 6th minute nothing happens with it either. Jau has another power long shot on target, rebounds and cleared. Because we’ve had good offense, I’ma stay in my defense set up for now, rather than moving out in the 20s like my original intent had been. In the 35th, Johnson has picked up a knock, we’ll take him to the half. Half time, all nil. I put Murphy on for Johnson. We draw a corner in the 59th minute. Poorly hit by Bell. At th 71 I pull Bell for Westwood and I move us to Standard. I pull Davis for Artell at the 78th minute. They have a corner at 90:26. Nothing to it, end of game. 0-0 draw. Ilunga is MOM and I tell them I am disappointed, and tey are fired up. I tell ilunga as happy and he becomes so as well.

[Abe Sargent]

We are heavily favored for the Barnet match. Montano is back in the starting lineup for Wilson. McKee is back. Powell is still recovering and will come back for the next match. I don’t want to risk him at 82%.


Since we are at home, I will begin Standard and get a feel for the game. We get the ball and drive down. We drive, push and cross, and they give us a gift of an Own Goal by Dean Brill at the 1:31 mark. At the 12th minute, Miller grabs a nice goal in the to left corner from inside the arc past the box. He was set up by Bell. Not much more happens, and we are up 2-0 at the half! Let’s head back out. Davisson gets a bit banged up from a collision. I pull him for Westwood at the 55th mark. In the 70s, I yank Jau for Murphy and Montano or Clayton. Addo gets a yellow in the 82nd minute. No changes to the scoreline in the second half, and we win. MOM is Ilunga. We had 12 shots, 6 on target. They had 8 and one on target.

Phillips is asked about in the Press Conference, since it’s been 274 minutes since he conceded a goal. Ilunga is named in the Team of the Week.

Today we have our make up game vs Rotherham. It’s very important. We are a game behind the rest of the conference, but with 2 points ahead of Port Vale and Plymouth. If we win this game, we are five points out in front. Even if we tie we are a full win in front. It’s free points, if you will. Powell is starting for Johnson. I bench a few players for the game we have in three days. I bench Montano for Clayton, and I have McKee out for Gorman with him swapping Addo up.

I begin with a counter alignment, because we are away. An offsides goal by them is called off at the 4th minute. I move to a Standard set up in the 30s. They score just before the half. I come out against them in the half. Rotherham have been pushing all game. Clayton finds Miller I the 56th minute right in front of the keeper and we bring it tie. I swap Jau for Addo, and drop him to a DMC role and I pull Davisson for Johnson. I put in Westwod for Jau in the 72nd minute. I pull Powell for Murphy at the 81st minute. In the 83rd minute, my GK kicks the ball downfield, it is headed back and their striker has a one on one and puts it away. I order my team to attack. And that’s game. I tell my lads ‘m far from pleased and it lights a fire under a few.

[Abe Sargent]

Our away game vs Wimbledon is about to commence. McKee and Monano are back into the line up. We begin Standard. Jau gets the ball from Montano, shoots it long and hits the crossbar, and Miller is there to finish it. 5 minutes in, we are up. In the 19th minute, we again score when Jau gets a cross from Montano right into the net. Offsides goal by Wimbledon called back at the 29th minute. Corner for us at 41 does nothing. Good first half. I tell them I’m pleased, keep it up. Counter has been good for us so I’m not pulling off. Bell gets yellow card. Davis gets one too. I pull Miller for Wilson at the 64th. I yank Davis for Gorman and Bell for Murphy. I have no desire for yellows to accumulate and give me a red. Montano gets open after juking past a defender on the left side. The last defender moves to him, leaving Wilson open, He drives,passes to Wilson, who puts it away. Beautiful break. And that’s the game, 3-0 for us. MOM is Montano with two assists. Montano was injured late in the game and has a three week gashed leg. Not much interesting at the press conference .

Montano named in Team of the Week

October has arrived. Matches for this month:

Oct 1st – Dag and Red at home
Oct 8th – Macclesfield away
Oct 15th – Cheltenham home
Oct 22nd – Torquay away
Oct 25th – Bradford home
Oct 29th – Port Vale away


Here’s the D&R game, get ready


We begin control at home. They net a free direct kick for a score in the 2nd minute. I move to attacking at the 25th minute, and then a penalty is awarded to us at the 28th. McKee does not disappoint and gives us our equalizer. Bell nails a long shot after Miller grabs an assist for him. Miller had the ball ad rushed down the flanks and found Mckee who knocks it ahead to Bell about 20 yards from the goal. 2-1 at the half. Wilson find Miller who has a 1:1 shot but can’t bring it down. I pull McKee for Murphy at the 62. Addo leaves for Gorman at 71. D&R get level off an indirect free kick headed in. 2-2. They get an Own Goal off of Bell’s Corner at the 93:42 mark. We win barely.

Our match for the 8th has been moved to the 12th due to international call ups. I hand Liam Wilson his first professional contract on his 17th birthday.

The 12th has arrived with a game vs Macclesfield. Apparently I screwed up and only brought in Montano for three months. I make an offer to extend it by three months. We are first in the league and again, have a game in hand today M-field are at 14th. Let’s see what we can do, but right now we’re 1 point in from of Rotherham, 2 in front of Bradford and 3 in front of Northhampton.

[Abe Sargent]

McKee is traveling back from the U20 Scotland team, so he cannot play today. Jau is in his position and Murphy is in Jau’s spot. Alons-y! We begin with Counter. I slide to Standard after twenty. Now the momentum is moving our way. No goals, but we are moving and getting shots. Miller gets a goal off a Wilson assist get a goal just before half and put it at 1-0. I tell them Ito keep going. Early in the second half, Powell gets a red card, and I go to a Defensive role. I hole up. They score in the 85th minute to tie it up, but gcan’t get another, so we finish 1-1. They are happy and I tell Powell I’m not happy with hi. All things considered, not a bad result.


I can’t extend Montano because we exceeded our short term loan limit. McKee and Montano are playing for us again, and Davisson is in for Powell. I begin with attacking. I want t shoot out of the gate for a bit. Wilson notches us a score before the game gets more than two minutes long. Assist from Miller. It looks like I forgot to put Montano it. Whoops. It worked out though. I slide to Control at the 10 minute mark. Pressure on both sides coms to nothing, and 1-0 at half. Miller gets a beautiful pass behind the defense by Davis and scores in the 48th minute. David gets a yellow a few minutes later. I yank McKee for Murphy at 61. Miller comes out for Clayton at 68. I FINISH BY PUTTING IN Montano for Davisson. (Sorry CAPS) . It finishes 2-0 and I tell the lads well done. Davis was MOM.

Montano;s loan is over Davis is in Team of Week. I look to see if I can find a good striker for loan. I can’t do more than three months outside of the transfer window. I make an offer to a guy who could contribute.

16 Oct see Artell tell me he wants more first team play and I agree to give him some. Powell was suspended for an additional two weeks.

Say hello to my new loanee

Akwasi Asante, Dutch and Ghanaian. 1 9years old, 1.5m value. Plays ST. 12 Finish, 13 and 14 acceler and pace, 12 first touch, etc. I move him to my starting position. Asante bangs his shin on the first day of practice with us and can; tpay the next game.

[Abe Sargent]

Today we play at Torquay. I come out aggressive with Control. Miller nabs a score in the 7th from the side after getting a pass from Johnson an dribbled with the ball a bit. Indirect Free Kick by McKee upgrades into corner after header on target by Addo. We do nothing with the corner though. I drop to Standard in the 23rd minute. 1-0 at half. I tell them to guard against complacency and get them fired up. Torquay score a goal at 58 from a cross over my GK and behind a defender. Davisson nets a yellow. Wilson hits Johnson for a score and he takes advantage to give us a 2-1 score. I put Artell in for Davis at the 63 mark. McKee has a dangerous free kick, takes it, it rebounds off the crossbar and comes down into eh box, and as it does, we are fouled and a penalty is awarded. McKee nails it. 3-1. I pull McKee for Westwood and Davisson for Murphy. Addo nets a yellow, and will sit next game, too many yellows. Nothing else, so we win 3-1. Apparently Johnson got angered after I told him I was happy with his MoM performance. I don’t know why. Press Conference was normal.


We will start Artell today and I moved Ilunga to Addo’s normal place. Asante will be ready next match. I begin with a standard set up vs Bradford. Lee Bell is injured early and must be replaced. I send out Murphy for him. Ilunga nails a McKee corner for a score at the 18th minute. Miller picks up a yellow. Ilunga gets a card too. Jau picks up one before the half, and Artell does as well. A 1:1 opportunity comes Bradford’s way at the 60. 1-1 Westwood joins the spot for Johnson. I tell my lads to go Control. Jau feeds McKee who puts it away from 15 yards out at the 68th minute. I pull Artell for Gorman in the 70s. Game over. MOM is McKee Bell is out for four weeks with a strained groin.


Artell is not getting another shot, he did horribly there. He let the goal through. Big match now against our rival, Port Vale. This is an away match, and its against a solid team. Asante is starting for us. I predictably begin with Counter set up. After some time, McKee sets up Asante at the 33rd minute and Asante finds the back of the net. Port Vale score a few minutes later on a corner. 1-1 at the half. I pull Jau for Westwood and Miller for Clayton. Powell gives away an OG off a Corner in the 69th. I move to attacking but it does no good, and we lose 1-2 on the road.

[Abe Sargent]

Games in November:

5th – Northampton away
19th – Shrewsbury home
26th – Morecambe away

We are now second in the League 2 one point behind Rotherham.

We get Swindon Town in the FA Cup for Nov 12.

Game time. I begin standard and neutral. 0-0at the half. Miller nails it just after the half. Jau crossed it to Davisson who was tackled and free and Miller grabbed it for the score. I move Powell to McKee position, slide McKee, just to move things a bit on the pitch. Asante is out for Wilson. Davisson ut for Johnson at the 72. McKee out for Westwood. We win. MOM is Ilunga

Phillips is in Team of the Week.

Cup Match Time

I start Artell in Ilunga’s place, who is internationaling right now. I begin Control, since we are in my place. We open with a Luke Murphy goal in the long shot that sinks. David Artell gets the second goal off a Corner Kick and kicks it in after the ball bounces around a bit. 2-0 at the half. A Davisson score is called back for Offsides. Davisson gets them back with a Assante assist that powers through and into the GK and into the net. I pull McKee for Westwood. Goal for Swindon Town with a individual effort by a guy who dribbles past and through me. Johnson for Davisson and Miller for Wilson Davis is MOM with two assists and 8.5 ratings. 3-1 Cup victory


The Press Conference for it is fine. Just three question, typical. We draw Wimbledon for the next Cup match on Dec 3. The Loan transfer deadline has passed, no more loans for my squad.


We host #6 Shrewsbury. Ilunga is back and starts. Bell is too. I come out attacking, just for a bit Shrewsbury get a goal in the 7th minute. Addo opens the second half with a Corner Kick header from McKee to bring us back. Powell grabs a yellow card. Powell is knocked around a bit too so I pull him for Simon Johnson. Miller goes out for Wilson at the 71 Murphy goes in for a poorly performing Bell at the late 70s. We hold on after a lot of pressure in the last twenty, tie 1-1. Addo is MOM.


I played out the Morecambe game while I was on the phone with someone from school, so I didn’t take notes. It was CRAZY. We score quickly off McKee. Then nothing for a while, and Asante is tossed off for two yellows five minutes before the half. But we manage to score with just ten on the pitch right befor half by Miller, playing alone at the Striker position. Then we score as we open the half by another McKee wonder. Ten Morecambe comes back with a score but it’s too late and we win 3-1.. McKee is obviously MoM. Asante suspended for a match.

[Abe Sargent]

McKee named in Team of Week.

McKee’s Goal in Goal of the Month an Millers goal is 2nd in the Morecambe match. I view the goals again, thigns of beauty. Miller’s strike a lob over the keeper. Mckee’s an assist via Asante for a score at the top half from long range. Both beautiful. I have weak strikers, sure, but great long shot midfielders to make up for it.

December Matches:

4th – Cup Match at Wimbledn
10th – Home at Crawley
17th – Away at Oxford
26th – Home at Plymouth
31st – Away to Southend

And that’s the halfway mark of the season.


Cup Match vs Wimbledon

The winner of this match plays Stoke in the next round. Who gets slaughtered?

We begin Counter. I want to win any game I’m playing, and I have my full roster out, but if I lose, it’s not a big deal. The winner has to face an EPL team next. Offsides scores called back for AFC W at 18. Miller with a beautiful shot turned aside. Rainy day ends 0-0 at the half. My first sub is in the early 70s still with no score. Johnson heads in for Davisson. McKee breaks the stalemate with a score on the 75th minute. Powell hit Murphy who knocked it back to McKee for the score from range. I swap a tired Davis for Artell. I leave one sub in case of extra time or injury. And that’s game. 1-0 is fine. Ilunga is MOM.

Number of L2 teams left in 3rd round include Crawley, Oxford, Northampton and us.

Our game vs Crawley is today. I start Artell after some good games, and Asante is pairing with Miller. I begin with a Standard play. We are at home. I try giving Asante a poacher role to see how it goes. Crawley opens with a goal in the 13th Jau grabs a yellow card. Halftime and we are down. I move to attacking in the second half. I pull 5.9 Artell for Gorman. He’s back to the bench. Asante brings us back to even with a pass by Jau. Crawley strikes back immediately, catching Phillips off balance. Pull Davisson for Johnson at the 70. Bell for Murphy is final swap. Asante finds the net in the 89h minute from deep. Murphy found him. 2-2 tie to end it. Asante is MOM.


Asante named in Team of Week. Murphy is injured in training and will be out for a few weeks with concussion.

[Abe Sargent]

Our next game is at Oxford. I begin with a counter philosophy. Oxford is doing well his year too thus far. Miller scores in the first minute after shooting, and collecting the rebound from the GK and shooting again. Later, Davisson gets a cross to Miller and he puts it away in the 31st minute. 2-0 at the half. Back to action, second half. McKee nails direct free kick for a goal in the 56th minute. He aslo collected a yellow card. Ilunga joins him. At the 60 I pull Mckee for Westwwood and rotate the spot with Powell. I don’t want yellow card issues. Westwod crosses in and the ball bounces hit a defender, is loose, Astate stabs it and puts it in and we are 4-0 in Oxford before the 67th minute has arrived I pull Iunga for Gorman. Oxford manage a Corner kick goal at the 69th minute to prevent a clean sheet. Addo gets a yellow. I put in Clayton for the last 15 minutes. We finish 4-1 MOM Is Miller We have two game let, and then we’ll take a look at the table halfway through.


Mckee and Miller are both in the Team of the Week.

Dec 26 arrives. I make no changes to my squad prior to our game vs. Plymouth. We initiate a control strategy. The match is snowing. We have a lot of strong set pieces, direct free kicks and corners, but nothing dangerous from them yet at the 20 - I hit up attacking in the 30s. Powell crosses to Asante who puts it in Goal at the 38 mark. 1-0 at the half. I pull back to Control I pull McKee and Miller for Westwod and Wilson. Addo gets a yellow card I swap him for Gorman. It was close. Plymouth really wanted it and tied hard, but in the end we won 1-0. MoM was Asante. One more game before halftime

[Abe Sargent]

I will be starting Gorman over Davis this week. Ilunga is Week of the Team.

The following contracts expire in six months – Addo, Jau, Bell, Phillips, Harry Davis, Artell, Clayton. Addo isn’t interested in renewing his deal. Jau is. I offer Jau a one year extension to bump his salary to 1900. I have no interest in resigning anyone else right now

Final Match of 2011. We are traveling to Southend. A few matches are postponed due to heavy snow – ours is not one. We begin with the Counter. Ilunga gets a yellow early. We suffer heavy pressure early, but survive. Everyone has had chances, and its still 0-0 at the half. Asante grabs a yellow just before the half. I pull Miller for Wilson at the 64 mark. I’ve been doing all of my tricks to shake things loose, flip my wingers, switch my strikers everything. At 73 I swap Davisson for Johnson. Maybe new legs will help. I move McKee to an AMC role. I toss in Westwood for Powell late. A draw. MOM was Addo. Ilunga misses next match due to too many yellows

[Abe Sargent]

The League

Despite this annoying draw, we are in first with 51 points. In our first 23 games, we went 15, 6 and 2. We have a GD of +25. Rotherham is 2nd with 49 points, and Bradford 3rd with 44.

Player stats:

Shaun Miller 3rd in league in goals with 14, his 53% shots on target ties for 7th best. 10 shutouts for Phillips, 3rd in league behind two guys with 11. Addo in 5th for most key headers per game. Davis in 8th. Ilunga leads the league in interceptions with 169. Addo is in 8th.


Okay, is there anyone whose contract is expiring I want to pick up for next year?

I order some scouting. I begin by scouting a bunch of GKs. I make an offer to a nice 29 year old DC. Let’s see if he agrees. Okay, I’m good for now. Let’s see what my scouts uncover.

The deal goes through, and we have signed Nasser Daineche to be my 3rd DC next year. Or my 2nd one if Addo doesn’t resign. He’ll join us July 1. He’s Algerian and French.


Jan 1 – Scouting reports begin to arrive Cesc Fabregas won Player of the year for the World an World Golden Ball. Three GK targets stick out to me. Irish Aaron McCarey, Greek Dean Bouzanis and English Adam McHugh. Make a Hot Prospect offer to McHugh for 750 weekly. Now, of the other two, which am I interested in? I go for the more developed McCarey. But I can’t too young for a Bozema. I make an inquiry for Bouzanis instead .I have 7.7k in transfer money and he’s valued at 2k



Matches for Jan

2nd Accrington away
7th – CUP - Stoke away
11th – Bristol home
14th – Hereford away
21st – Burton home
28th – Aldershot away

[Abe Sargent]

Charlton have made a transfer offer for Addo. They offer me 50k over 36 months, 6k immediately, 500 per game after he notches 30 games, so 15k bonus. Now Addo is a rock for my team. I try to make him another offer, and no deal. This is rough offer. If he doesn’t come back, I might as well get something from him. He could sign a Bozeman at any time. He would finish the year with me, though. I have Daineche coming in, and I’m confident I could find another DC by next Aug, but can I find one now? Basically here’s the deal. If I can make it without him, I take it. If I don’t, I ride him for the next 23 league games. I scout some defenders and find nothing. Do manage to make an offer for Bouzanis, their enquiry was nothing.

Let’s play Addo tomorrow and then figure things out from there.

Jau has clinched a new deal, extending his stay by a year


We travel to Accrington today. Ilunga is out so Davis and Gorman are back there. We’ll begin Standard. I move to control after a quiet start by both teams in the early 20s. At the 30, Accrington have been piling pressure, so I move to Counter. A quiet half for us, because our offense did little. Bell passes the ball to Asante, he slips past a defender for a second, take a shot and sinks it. Goal at the 51st minute. Bell got a yellow, so I pull him for Murphy. Also going in are Johnson for Davisson and Westwood for Jau. We suffer a assault in the last 15, but we emerge victorious. 1-0. MOM was Harry Davis. That was Murphy’s 100 performance for the squad.


I rejected the Addo offer. I hate not getting full value for him. But I’m not going to mess with this run right now. I’m not going to be able to agree with terms to Bouzanis, because he wants to much money for a backup or squad rotation player. We just are too far away financially. Adam McHugh does join us in July though. That’s good news.

[Abe Sargent]

Alright, woodshed time by Stoke (who are also our rival)

I have pulled McKee for Murphy, Jau for Westwood and Gorman for Ilunga and Powell for Johnson. I want to rest tired players. We are on the road vs a team currently 11th in the EPL. I’m going to focus on what we can. The league. We’ll be playing defensive. I drop Bell to a DMC role and make Murphy a support player They score two minutes in, eighteen minutes in, twenty-two minutes in, halftime. They score 48th minute, 54th minute, I pull some tired folk for not tired folk. They score in the 79th minute. We lose 0-6. Very woodshed-y.


Akwasi Asante extends his deal with Birmingham. Nottm Forest make an inquiry for Ilunga, which I reject. Time for our next game. My players are back – Powell, McKee and Jau. We are hosting Bristol, a team in 21st place. I open with control. We’re applying some nice pressure early, so I stick with Control. Addo collects yellow. Halftime is 0-0. In the open,McKee gest a penalty kick at the 50th minute to put it at 1-0 us. Then McKee gets a long bal into the net at the 76th minute to make it 2-0. We get a third score by Bell with an Asante assist in extra time to finish 30. Asante had 2 assists, and McKee is MOM.


We head away to Hereford, a team that is 23rd in the division. We start with a Counter set up, just to throw them off. They probably expect us to come out firing. They score in the first minute with a direct free kick. Asante answers in the 13th. They reciprocate in the 22nd. Miller hits them back in the 37th. Half time. No one scores in the second half, and we finish 2-2.

Asante’s loan is about up, so I make an offer for another striker. Asante had 13 apps, 7 goals, 5 assts, and 7.1 rating. Montano has been placed on the transfer list and West Ham offer him to us for 108k. There’s no way we could afford that. Asante publicly is sad to leave us, and learned a lot he claims.

[Abe Sargent]

Game today. We host Burton. Wilson is back in the starting line up. I begin attacking. They are getting a huge push, so I move to Counter. 0-0 at the half. They score in the 59th minute, I move back to attacking. Nothing doing, but they gift us an OG in the 89s for a 1-1 tie. During the match Liam Wilson is out with a strained knee ligament and will be out for months

I make an offer to a youth striker to join my club. I miss out on a loan target, he rejects coming to us. I sign a youth stirker, 21 year old Shaun Goodhall, with a 12 acc, 11 pace, 12 finishing, 17 flair, but 6 stamina, 5 heading, 4 jumping, et. HE’s a backup for us, along with Clayton. I need a starter, so I look for another loan possibility.

Here’s our new starter –

17 year old ST Karim Rossi, Swiss, worth 1.5m and making 275 a week from Everton.

Physical Stats – 12, 13, 12, 10, 13, 13, 10, 11 (In order from acceleration to strength)
Mental – Main ones are 12 OTB, determ, 11 work, brav, comp, flair, 10 acti, agg, decis, team
Technical – 13 Fin, dribb, 10 technique first touch

He’ll start for us in the Montano/Asante spot

[Abe Sargent]

Game begins, we are on the road vs Aldershot. I begin with a Counter set up. It’s 0-0 at the half. To open the game, Rossi scores a header from a Corner kick, and puts us up. They respond seconds later. Miller nails a goal at 83rd minute for the win. Miller is MOM.


30 Jan – I reject an offer for Addo from Leyton Orient.


February Games

4th – Rotherham home
11th – Swindon away
14th – Gillingham home
18th – AFC Wimbledon away
25th – Barnet away


Rotherham is the big game, #1 us vs #2 them. They beat us last time. Who will emerge victorious now?


Let’s find out shall we? I make a modest change. I bench Miller, play Powel in his role, and have both Johnson and Davisson on the edges. I begin with a Standard layout. It’s snowing today. They’ve been pressuring us a lot. An offsides goal of there is called back in the 18th minute. I use this to move to Control. Let’s see what happens with that - nothing. I slide to Counter for the last minutes of the half. Jau finds Powell I the middle and Powell runs and scores. 1-0 us at the half. We’ll stick with counter for now. Bell grabs a yellow in the start of the 2nd. I pull a poorly playing Davisson for Murphy at the 63 mark. Bell leaves for Westwood beeause I don’t want to risk a double yellow. An indirect free kick falls to Rossi, who kicks, blocked by the keeper, and Powell grabs the rebound for a score at 75. I pull an injured Jau for Miller, and then I swap Miller and Powell. Rotherham grab a goal at the 81 mark. They change to a 4-2-4. We manage to rub down time with a bunch of corners for us. But then they score in the 92nd minute. Miracle for them, and it’s a tie game 2-2. MOM was Powell.

I swapped in Powell to mix things up. He’s a better midfielder than a striker. It was fun to play around with that, Miller will be back next game. Powell was in the Team of the Week. That goal at the end may have kept Rotherham in the hunt for the top. We would have opened a 11 point lead over them (but they have one game less than us played). Rotherham won their game and are now five back. The next are three teams thirteen back.

[Abe Sargent]

We travel to #18 today, Swindon. We’ll begin normal and move from there. I never move off. We win 2-0. We get a penalty kick by McKee which is controversial (they all are) He also notched a long shot from the edge of the box for a MOM game. McKee gets Team of Week as well.


We host the #7 team, Gillingham. This will be a bit tougher. I begin with a Control set up. Their GK has been injured. I push the pressure Rossi comes in, the ball is tackled by a defender toward goal and an OG by them at the 24th minute. Bell with a yellow. Half I pull Johnson for Murphy. McKee get a card. I pull McKee and Jau. Ilunga gets a card. I move to Counter in the 81 spot. Miller is injured badly at the 87th minute. No sub possible. Davis got a knock too. A lot of injury time added. They get a red for a professional foul on Rossi in the 94th minute. 1-0. Bad match, but we win. Addo was MOM. Bell can’t play next match, too many yellows.


For the Wimbledon game, a few changes. Davisson starts over Powell He needs a rest. I put Gorman in for Davis. And of course, Murphy is in for Bell. It’s 0-0 at the half, with Davsso and McKee with cards. I move to Control, and we open the game up. Rossi gets a an assist n a Davisson goal hard. Then McKee assists Rossi. Finally, Rossi assist Miller. By the end of the match, we have a convincing 3-0 victory. Rossi is MOM with a goal and two assists.

[Abe Sargent]

Right now, we have opened up the table. Rotherham have lost and we are now really far out in front. Any lead can crumble, as football fans know. But right now we have 12 points on Rotherham and 16 on Bradford. Rossi Is Team of the Week entry. Joe Gorman is called up for the U19 Irish squad. Ilunga has been called up too.


Our away match at #12 Barnet has arrived. Bell is still suspended. Powell comes in for Johnson. Davis is back in the lineup. I begin on Counter. It’s raining, and I ike Barnet’s orange and black kits, they look sharp. I move to standard at 25. Ilunga gives away an Own Goal at the 43rd minute. Live by the Own Goal, die by the Own Goal. Rossi steals the ball and gets a nice goal at the 67th minute. I put on new signing Shaun Goodhall for Miller to see what he can bring. Westwood swaps for Powell. Addo gets a yellow. An indirect free kick by them is headed in at the 73rd minute. I pull Davis, who is banged up a bit for Artell. And that’s game we lost 1-2. That’s our first loss in a while.


March is here. Games this month

3rd – Dag and Red away
6th – Macclesfield here
10th – Cheltenham away
17th – Torquay here
20th – Bradford away
24th – Port Vale here
31st – Northampton here

So a big month of matches. Rotherham won so they are nine points back now.

[Abe Sargent]

D&R game is here. I move Jau to McKee’s spot and bench him. He’s tired. We begin with Standard. Addo gives Rossi an indirect free kick header for a goal in the 3rd minute. I move to counter. Goal in the 5th minute fo us as well. Powell had the ball, and under pressure, he passed to Bell, who immediately fed the ball to Rossi who was onsides behind their defense. He puts it in the bottom left corner past the keeper. Rossi gets his hat trick at the 6:29 mark of the game!! Bell finds him, and he has three defenders in front. He dribbles past one and splits the other two just long enough to squeeze off a shot at the upper right corner. They notch a goal at the 27 mark. 3-1 at the half. Rossi scores in the 49th minute. Davisson led him into the box and he got the ball first before the defender did. Rossi has a slight injury, and replace him with Goodhall. I pull Powell for Westwood and Addo for Artell. D&R get a nice goal at the 83rd mark. We win 4-2. Rossi was obviously MOM. However, he got a sprained ankle, and will be out for about two months.

So, once again, I need a striker. I begin by doing a little scouting. Okay, I get another loaner


Cauley Woodrow, 17, Fulham, English, 625k and 575/week.

Physical 12 acc, 14 balanc, 10 stamina
Tech – 13 finish, 14 dribb, technique, 11 first touh, heading,
Mental – 11 Comp, 13 Work, 10 Deter, Flair, OTB

Not nearl y as good, but there are not a lot o f options left.

Bell and Rossi both in Team of the Week


Today’s game is hosting #10 Macclesfield. Woodrow will start. Control is our guiding light. They get a nice score at the 19th minute. Addo nets another yellow. Miller scres at the 26t minute. A nice flowing move gave Woodrow the ball just outside the box, but it was tackled, fell to Miller and Miller put it away. 1-1. Bell with a beautiful pass to Woodrow, who dances behind their defense, rushes past a GK that came out to challenge him and puts it away . They claim he was offsides but their protests account to naught. 2-1 at the half. We stay with Control. McKee gets a yellow card post halftime. Ilunga gets one too. MField are putting on pressure. . I yank Addo for Gorman. One of their guys gets a red card at the 64th minute. I tell my crew to tackle light. They change to a 5-1-2-1. Woodrow get a score. Off a throw in, the ball is given short to Davis. Davis crosses to Woodrow, who has a defender on him about 5 yards from goal. Woodrow runs forward and manages to shoot the ball without turning and gets it past the defender and into the goal. I rotate in two middies. Bell takes a long shot, its on target, and it goes in. Despite me telling them to tackle light, Ilunga foul sand gets a second yellow, and he’s off too. I move to playing counter and drop Bell to a DMC role. They get a long shot over our keeper and its 4-2 at the 83rd minute. They even get a goal in extra time, 93rd minute. And we win 4-3. Woodrow is MOM

I make some offers to some youth players