Britannia: a Football Manager 16 career

[Greyfriars Bobby]

A few weeks ago, I had almost given up on Football Manager 16. For some reason, the latest version of this game hadn't grabbed me and kept my interest the way FM 13-15 all did. At first, I thought it was a case of my convert's zeal wearing off; unlike some of you, I only started playing Football Manager three years ago.

I was still having fun with FM 14, but I found myself missing some of the features that have been added in the last two versions. So, since I spent a decent chunk of change on FM 16 and didn't want to waste it, I gave it one more go. I'm glad I did, because I found myself enjoying it this time.

For one thing, I figured out a tactical system that has my team playing the kind of football I want it to play. More on that later.

Another thing I found annoying was the odd selection of hairstyles the game was generating for fictional players in FM 16. I swear, every other player in my team had a mohawk. I found a mod that created a better set of hairstyles and installed it. A small change like that made so much difference in making the game more appealing.

I've also discovered I enjoy using the Director of Football role to customize the amount of control I have over my team. Giving the DoF control of hiring the rest of the staff and shaping the roster creates a fun challenge. I'm in charge of finalizing any deal, so if the DoF does something I can't stand, I can veto it, and I reserve the right to step in if I identify an obvious need the DoF hasn't spotted. Most of the time, however, leave the personnel moves up to him. If a small club can't attract a DoF, I have the chairman take those responsibilities.

Now it's time to pick the league and team I want to manage in.

I've enjoyed the lower leagues of the British Isles the most. I think it's easier to immerse myself in those leagues, because I've visited those countries with my family, and because the names of the clubs and players are simply easier for me to remember! I usually use "fake names," so I have a world of my own with its own main characters, but it's still easier to write about a match if I'm not constantly having to look back to check the spellings of every name in the story.

I'll set this career in England, with an edited database that will allow me to begin my career as low as the 11th level of the pyramid. From there, it's a long way to the top, but that's fine. I think the journey is even more fun than the destination. If I didn't, I'd start with a Premier League team.

I've had fun managing several small English clubs, and I thought about giving one of them another go. Then I found a team that gave off a vibe I liked.

Ashby Ivanhoe Football Club are located in the town of Ashby de la Zouch (pronounced "Zoosh"), in Leicestershire. They're named for Sir Walter Scott's famous novel, which was set in the area near the town. In the novel, Robin Hood wins an archery competition that's held there. This map of England shows the location of Leicestershire.

The Knights, as they're sometimes known, play in the East Midlands Counties Football League (Level 10). They're a semi-professional club, with a small wage budget, basic facilities, and a tiny staff. It looks like an ideal place to begin my career.

I might stay at Ashby Ivanhoe for years, becoming a club legend with a statue in my honor outside a stadium named for me. I might get sacked within months. I might move on to bigger clubs, or bounce around the lower leagues like a vagabond. Who knows?

That's part of the fun, isn't it? I hope some of you will come along for the ride.

P.S. I find I enjoy my threads more if I don't try to include too many images in my posts. That process can be pretty tedious. Still, I'll throw in a pretty picture or two, in cases where they're worth a few hundred words.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

8 August 2015

The first thing I did as manager of Ashby Ivanhoe, once the opening meetings with the chairman and my back room staff were completed, was hire a Director of Football. There were only two aspiring DoFs who would even consider relocating to Leicestershire and working with a small club. Fortunately, one of them was willing to take the job. Ricardo Alcalde, a Spaniard who spent time on the staff at Tenerife and with Loughborough Uni, is taking over much of the daily operation here at the NFU Sports Ground.

I met Assistant Manager Miles Dixon and Head of Youth Development Liam Moore on my first day. They're both just fine for this level. Ricardo wasted no time filling out the rest of our back room staff, hiring two scouts (Dave Cameron and Michael Scora), two physios (Steve Jones and James France) and a coach (Cameron Jefford).

The Squad

Here's the team we will take into the East Midlands Counties Football League season.

Goalkeepers


Neither of these lads look like much, honestly. Our staff think they have the chance to be good one day, but right now, that day seems a long, long way off. We conceded only two goals in four preseason friendlies, but none of our opponents were very good.

I'm not ready to award either of them the number one shirt on a regular basis. They'll both play, and hopefully at least one of them will seize the opportunity.


Defenders


We're paying £20/week to bring Harrop in on a three-month loan from Lancing, a club one level up from ours. He's a terrier, tiny, fast, and tenacious, and he'll lock down right back for now. Clucas will be his backup.

Bamford is the only center back we have who can do anything with the ball but hoof it up the park, so he's essential to the style I like to play--patiently building from the back. Marsh has a slight edge over Elding at the other D(C) spot.

I'd like to get Raynor some time with the senior club, either at left or center back. He's raw, but he's very athletic and shows signs of becoming very tough mentally. For now, Marshall is the better choice for the first team. He's almost as physically imposing, and more polished.


Defensive Midfielders



The 4-1-2-2-1, with a defensive midfielder, is one of my favorite formations, and it's a decent fit for the players in this team. What this means is that the team has some natural DMs on its roster, a trio of callow youths with varied skills and deficiencies.

Like a lot of young lads, Butterfield is quick and will chase any opponent that comes near him, but has an alarming lack of composure and struggles with his positioning. Rowland loses his man too easily and isn't as fast as Butterfield, but knows the game better. Seal runs like he's 36 instead of 16, but he'd try to tackle the team's coach (the one we ride to away matches).

Butterfield played the best during the pre-season, so he'll get first crack at the starting eleven. Eighty-one other clubs want him, compared to a combined total of nine who would like to prise away Rowland or Seal. Either they're all daft, or JButter is a decent player.


Midfielders


Our primary formation calls for a pair of central midfielders, with wingers on each side, playing higher up the pitch.

Kenny is the best we have in the middle of the park. He's our vice-captain, respected and liked by his teammates. His amazing lack of concentration is puzzling, but otherwise, he's solid. Collins, whom I like better than my staff does, will play beside him. Wood and Smith are in reserve.

I'll often replace my DM with an AM(C) when I'm chasing the game. Smith is the best I have at this role, although coach Cameron Jefford thinks Snedker is greatly Smith's superior.

There is no such debate about the identity of our best right winger. It's Greenwood, who does everything fairly well and nothing spectacularly. Fuller, whom Broxburne is trying to sign away from us, is a very similar player with an exemplary work rate. If Fuller leaves, young Storer will have to step in. He's a bit of a loose cannon.

Albans is useful; he has bags of pace and can cross a football. Black is a promising youngster, but he's got the attention span of a squirrel and a hideous ginger Mohawk.


Strikers


Even though I usually play with a single striker, I'd like to have more than two of them in the senior team.

Harris knocked in three goals in five friendly matches, and he'll open the season as the starter. He's keeping Smith, the club's captain, on the bench. Their playing styles are similar; they both have a clue about what to do when they get the ball in the area, although neither offers much pace.

Harris is being courted by Greenwich, a bigger club. I'd love to hold on to him, but I'm not sure I can.

Smith is beginning to lose some of his physical prowess, so if Harris goes, I hope Ricardo starts looking for another front man. Otherwise, I'll have to intervene and find one myself.


Outlook
The media have no idea what is going to happen in the East Midlands Counties Football League this year. They believe 12 of the league's 19 teams have an equal shot at winning the league, putting 25-1 odds on each. We're one of that dozen.

Our board expect a top half finish from us, and the players responded very positively to that challenge in our pre-season meeting. I think that's a reasonable goal.

Upside: One of our 'keepers asserts himself and becomes a stalwart custodian. The center backs and one of the holding midfielders step up, and we become very, very hard to break down defensively. Meanwhile, Harris stays with the club and scores for fun, while Smith holds off Father Time and Kenny bosses the midfield. The Knights win the double, with skipper Smith lifting the East Midlands Counties League Cup as well as the league trophy, and we move up to the Midland Football League Premier Division. Smith then retires, at the top of his game, and we hire him as our new Director of Football, replacing Ricardo Alcalde. Nobody feels bad for Ricardo, however, as he's accepted an offer from a bigger club, complete with a big increase in salary.

Downside: The middle of our defense is porous, and opposing attackers batter the hapless 'keepers until their nerves are shot to the point that neither could stop a beach ball kicked by my adorable six-year-old daughter. Harris signs for Greenwich, Smith breaks down, and none of the kids from the youth team can find the net. Ashby Ivanhoe battle relegation, but I'm not there for the end of it, having received my walking papers on a bleak, windy December day.

[Izulde]

What's the Level 11 mod you're using? I downloaded one but the game is refusing to recognize it.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by Izulde

What's the Level 11 mod you're using? I downloaded one but the game is refusing to recognize it.

Thanks for stopping by, Izulde. I'm using a mod called "E23-England to Level 23," which I found on the Sports Interactive forum. Its creator uses the screen name "Dan BHTFC."

As the name would suggest, the mod will actually allow you to play as low as Level 23, although your choices are more and more geographically limited once you descend past Levels 10 and 11. That's not in any way a criticism of Dan's work. He's from Sussex, and his lowest levels follow a single path through the Sussex leagues.

I only have the top 11 levels enabled in my game.

So far, I'm liking it. I'd recommend giving it a try.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 September 2015

We weren't good at all in our season opener, away to Arnold Town. We lost, 0-2, but the scoreline wasn't as bad as the way the team looked. We were listless and sloppy, and the players seemed unable to carry out any instructions more complicated and demanding than "Play football."

The next match, on 15 August, was our home opener against Stapenhill. For the first 75 minutes or so, we looked a lot like the motley crew that had turned out at Arnold Town. We trailed, 0-1, and looked like losing. Then, I made a substitution and a tactical change.

I brought Josh Snedker into the match and shifted to a 4-2-3-1 formation, which meant replacing my defensive midfielder with an attacking central midfielder. Almost immediately, the team began to click, and deep in stoppage time, Snedker snatched the equalizer.

We've been training the 4-2-3-1, so it wasn't unfamiliar to the lads, and we used it from the beginning of our next match--away to Blaby & Whetstone Athletic. We conceded a very soft goal when Bobby Lakin staggered off his line and was beaten by a soft shot to his left, but we roared back with three scored within a 13-minute span around the hour mark. Two came from Ross Harris, the other from Lewis Greenwood. Snedker set up Harris's first goal with a lovely short through ball.

Harris got another brace on the 29th, which was enough to see off Anstey Nomads at Cropston Road in Leicester. Again, Snedker laid on one of the goals, before he left the match with a bruised rib that will probably keep him out of our next match.

Our seven points from four matches put us fourth in the table. Radcliffe Olympic are off to a terrific start, scoring 13 goals and conceding one in four consecutive wins.

Ricardo Alcalde continues to look for players who could possibly strengthen our squad, but so far, none have been willing to join us. One or two unattached players seemed interested, but we couldn't match their demands for appearance fees. We're right on our £90/week wage budget, so the board isn't willing to splash the cash on anybody.

However, if we keep playing like this, who needs new players? We can sit back, let the players we have gel, and be just fine.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

2 October 2015



After a longer-than-usual break, we played our first match of the month on the 9th. Our opponent, Kimberley Miners Welfare, was tired, having played just a few days earlier. They are an outstanding defensive team; they'd conceded only one goal in four previous matches, and they kept another clean sheet against us in a 1-0 victory at NFU Sports Ground.

Now it was our turn to play on short rest, coming back on Saturday after playing on Wednesday. Ayleston Park Old Boys are a classy side, who play what passes for attractive football in our league. No team completes more passes or retains possession longer than they do. We didn't see as much of the ball as we'd like, but wide man John Fuller took advantage of our one good chance and netted a late equalizer in a 1-1 match.

A day later, Ricardo Alcalde triumphantly presented to me Chris Rush, a young goalkeeper from an old club: Sheffield, founded in 1857. Chris is smallish for a 'keeper (5'9"), but he's still decent in the air and commands his area well for a lad of 16. Bobby Lakin hasn't been bad for us between the posts, but Rush looks like he's a bit better. Due to his age, we could sign Chris to a £5/week youth deal.

Our next task was a daunting one: traveling to Nottingham to face Radcliffe Olympic, the league's best team. To the surprise of the crowd at Recreation Ground and the delight of Knights supporters around the world, we opened up a 3-0 lead! Ross Harris brought his scoring boots with him once again. His second goal was particularly fun to watch. Josh Snedker played Harris in for a hard drive that Olympic 'keeper Matt Ilderton dove and batted away, but the striker scrambled after the loose ball and slotted it past the helpless Ilderton.

Olympic have a real danger man, Liam Smith, who entered the match with six league goals. As soon as Harris netted his sixth of the season to tie his mark, Liam responded by scoring himself. Then, two minutes later, he did it again.

OK, so we're still up a goal on a very good side, at their grounds. No sooner did I formulate that thought before our left winger, Lewis Greenwood, went up to head away an Olympics free kick...and nodded it past Chris Rush into our own net!

The next fifteen minutes were, as my older girl child (age 9) might say, "cray-cray." Olympics center half Tom Marshall headed off the crossbar. Rush made two splendid saves to deny Smith and Billy Owen...and when the referee tooted his whistle, the 3-3 draw was still intact. Given the opposition, I'll take that.

The 48 souls who braved a rainy, windy day at Recreation Park certainly got their five pounds' worth.

We learned after the match that center back Jonathan Bamford tweaked ligaments in his knee, and he won't see the pitch again until we're singing Christmas carols. Mark Elding and young Paul Raynor will now get some run in the first team.

Before our last match of September, we welcomed another new player to the team. Grant Hargreaves is a central midfielder, who can play right behind the striker or in the middle of the park. I almost didn't approve his signing, because Josh Snedker has been so good at AM(C). Hargreaves, however, is really good for our league. He's the same age as Snedker (25), and he's technically superior. I can see myself playing Grant in the M(C) stratum, with Snedker in the AM(C) slot.

Hargreaves welcomed himself to the team with a Man of the Match performance away to Borrowash Victoria, who have the nicest stadium we've seen. He laid in a goal for Harris and scored one himself as we saw Vics off, 3-1.

Unfortunately, we lost another man to injury. This time it was John Fuller, who sprained his ankle badly. For the next two months or so, I'll audition a cast of left wing hopefuls, one of whom will hopefully make good.

So far, we're looking like what I thought we might be: a good, upper-mid-table side who can play with anyone but lack the consistency the best clubs demonstrate.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

3 October 2015

The injury to John Fuller prompted Ricardo Alcalde to commence a search for a left midfielder, and he came back with a player who can do much more than fill in while Fuller is sidelined.

John Gould, 19, is a versatile player who can handle any task I might assign to an offensively-minded midfielder. He is most comfortable as a wide midfielder, with the fitness to run all day and the work ethic to actually do so. For now, he'll deputize for Fuller, but if he plays well, we'll find a more permanent place for him.

El Ricardo wasn't through. He apparently has no qualms about spending the chairman's money, so when he spotted left back Matt Mason of Brigg Town, a Level 9 club, he quickly closed a deal to bring him to Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Matt doesn't have a lot of pace and, at age 18, he won't get any faster. His ability to dribble up his wing and deliver good crosses makes him a decent bet as an attacking fullback.

Gould and Mason are both on pay-for-play contracts that will put £20 in their wallets every time they see the pitch. These deals, plus a few others, have us paying out nearly twice as much as our budget allows.

We're almost £12,000 in the red right now, which seems like a huge sum for a club at our level. The board are not happy, and while it's Alcalde that's spending the money, I might end up getting sacked for his extravagance.

Then again, I could say "no" to the deals...

[Young Drachma]

This is making me want to fire up FM15. Love your story and will follow your progress!

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

This is making me want to fire up FM15. Love your story and will follow your progress!

Thanks very much! I'm having fun with it, so I'm glad to see that other people are enjoying it, too.

1 November 2015



The month ended as it began, with Knights sitting sixth in the table. That's not to say it wasn't an eventful month.

We won three of five matches in the league, beginning with 1-0 and 2-0 home victories over Holwell Sports and St. Andrews, respectively. John Gould got a debut goal in the Holwell match.

We had a chance to go top of the league when we traveled to Terrace Road to face Ellistown & Ibstock United. Instead, we were thrashed, 0-3, playing as badly as we have all season. Bobby Lakin was in goal, replacing Chris Rush, who was home recovering from a virus. Bobby did nothing to convince me to keep him in the eleven.

Director of Football Ricardo Alcalde decided to supplement our defense with two new center backs. Chris Green, 17, arrived from Parkgate, and Marvin Wilson, 16, from Harrow Borough. Green has more athletic ability; he's strong and good in the air. Wilson is a more technically advanced player, with a better sense of where he is on the pitch. Both of them are good enough for the first team.

On 24 October, we played our first match in the East Midlands Counties Football League Cup. We enter the competition in the second round, and the board expected us to make a good, long run. I'd say the tie was a favorable one--at home to St. Andrews--but we came out flat and went 0-2 down in a hurry. Now we'd conceded five goals since we last scored.

To the lads' credit, they came back and drew level, fell behind again, and once again equalized to send the match to extra time. Both teams were staggering around the pitch in exhaustion. I had to keep a man on the pitch with a fitness level of 18%, and St. Andrews had a player on 15%.

We lost in the fifth round of penalties, so out we went, far earlier than we should have.

On Halloween, Ross Harris netted his 10th goal of the season in a losing effort, as we bowed to South Normanton Athletic, 1-2. We played without both our new men, Gould and Matt Mason. Matt will probably be back next week, when his injured heel should be well enough to let him suit up. John will be missing for a while longer, with a bad shoulder.

As you might expect, Ricardo Alcalde's response was to bring in two more new players. One of them is a much-needed reinforcement to our corps of strikers, Jordan Brooke. He's 19, hard-working, fairly skilled, but not very fast. At least, he'll provide good cover for Harris and an insurance policy against the rapid decline of Danny Smith's skills. Brooke can play on the wing, too.

The other new arrival is 16-year-old left winger Ray French, in on a free from Hallen. Ray has bags of pace and a flashy style, and our staff think he's ready for a starting role. He'll have a good, long audition, with Gould laid up for a month or longer.

Today we said farewell to loanee Anthony Harrop, whose three-month deal expired. We arranged an extension with Lancing, but Harrop wasn't interested in returning. That's perhaps just as well. His complacency and lack of interest was starting to get on my nerves, and he hadn't played quite well enough to make his attitude more tolerable. Charlie Clucas will fill Harrop's old spot at right back, or I can slide Chris Green over from the middle and let one of our former starting center halves have a shot at regaining his position.

For some reason, I haven't fallen in love with life at Ashby Ivanhoe. I've been browsing the job openings, and if something enticing appears, I might put in for it.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

3 November 2015

It seems the board is getting increasingly concerned with the financial situation at the club, and with good reason. We're now more than £15,000 in the red, and when a crowd of 40 is a big one, it's hard to cut into that deficit very much.

We don't have a single player on a "guaranteed" part-time contract, so I couldn't trim the wage bill by sending any of them on their way. I checked the squad list, and found a handful of players on non-contract deals whom I could let go. Geoff Marsh is the only name you might recognize, and only if you memorized the original squad list (which I doubt you did).

Injured left wing John Fuller signed for Ellesmere Rangers, so he's no longer with the club, either.

The net effect of the changes is still a small one. It will be interesting to see how patient the board will be with the financial situation, since the club isn't doing badly on the pitch.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

7 November 2015

Today, our Head of Youth Development, Liam Moore, left to take a job as head scout at Gresley. They're a bigger club, and I wish Liam well. For now, we're saving £50/week--the cost of Liam's contract--but I'm thinking Ricardo will fill the position soon.

He found another good young player this week, too. Gavin Riley, 16, is a central midfielder who is most comfortable in an attacking role. Gavin has exceptionally good vision and technique for a player his age.

His arrival made Phil Smith expendable, so he's released on a free. Gavin's appearance fee (£5) is a quarter what Phil would receive, so there's another possible savings.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

2 December 2015



We played only three matches in November, from which we took four points. Several teams just below us in the table--St. Andrews, Aylestone Park Old Boys, Arnold Town--had better months, and edged above us. We're in the midst of a close pack of teams, so the situation isn't quite as bleak as it looks, but that means every point is a crucial one.

We saw off Holbrook Sports on a late strike by Lewis Greenwood, which proved to be the only highlight in an unpleasant month for the wide man. He sprained his ankle, and we expect him back sometime in early 2016.

I went out and found a replacement on the loan list: Chris Keddie, from Sporting Khalsa. He's 21, and he offers athleticism, a tireless work rate, and good technical skill for our level. He'll be with us for three months, and we don't have to pay any of his salary.

The same day, Ricardo Alcalde hired a new Head of Youth Development. His name is Alexander Brazil, and he's a good one.

We lost a hard-fought match away to Radford, and came back to draw against Greenwood Meadows, who have spent some time at the top of the table. Ross Harris got our goal, which put him one ahead in the race for the league's goalscoring honors.

Our best player lately has been Grant Hargreaves, who's playing behind Harris at AM(C). Grant is proving adept at drawing defenders his way, allowing Harris to find open spaces. Then, Grant gets the ball to him, and good things happen. Grant is already among the league's leaders in key passes, with roughly half as many league appearances as most of the others on the board.

The board remain satisfied with the job I'm doing, although the regular criticism of the way the budget is being handled remains. I have a feeling the board might overlook the expenditures if they paid off in a trophy, and since we're only four points off the pace, that's still a reasonable possibility.

Happy holidays, from Ashby Ivanhoe.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

19 December 2015

The season has reached the mid-way point, and I'm feeling a bit restless. I'm not sure what it is that makes me wonder if Ashby Ivanhoe is the right place for me.

It's not that the team is playing badly. After a brief flirtation with the top of the league, we've settled into the mid-table status we were expected to occupy all along. We've lost twice in three December matches--away to Graham St. Prims and at home to Barrow Town--but we bounced back to take three points from Stapenhill at their Edge Hill grounds.

Ricardo Alcalde continues to remake the squad. Our latest arrival is Chris Robinson, a 19-year-old right back who had been looking for a team. He's a determined, hard-working fullback who has a well-rounded set of skills, good enough on the ball to play a possession-based style. Robinson's arrival gives us a starting back four that is completely different from what it was two months ago: Robinson, Chris Green, Marvin Wilson, and Matt Mason, from right to left. It's an obvious upgrade in terms of talent; they now need time to bed in.

I noticed one of my favorite clubs, Kendal Town, sacked its manager at the end of November, so after some thought, I expressed my interest in the position. The Ashby Ivanhoe board wasn't pleased, and expressed their desire that I stay with the club. I've never had the idea they were in love with me, so I was a little bit surprised by their reaction.

The people at Kendal Town were happy to learn of my interest. I'm not quite ready to take the next step and actually apply for the Kendal job. So, we'll see what happens next.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

28 December 2015

On Christmas Eve, Kendal Town's chairman, a fellow called Darren Elliott, contacted me and asked me for an interview, and I accepted.

Mr. Elliott, understandably, had a few questions about the financial situation at Ashby Ivanhoe. I wasn't sure if the answers satisfied him, and left wondering if I'd talked myself out of a job offer.

Meanwhile, I had a match to prepare for, at home to Arnold Town on Boxing Day. We wanted to repay them for the defeat we suffered at their hands back in the summer, and we did, by a 2-1 score.

Today, I heard from Darren Elliott, who offered me a one-year contract to be the new manager at Kendal Town F.C. I accepted it, and I'm off to the Lake District.

Kendal Town play in the Northern Premier League First Division North, at Level 8--two steps higher than Ashby Ivanhoe. I've actually been to Kendal; my wife and kids and I were there on a vacation to the British Isles three years ago.

The club is called the Mintcakes, in honor of a local treat that has been made in Kendal for over a century.

They play at Parkside Road, which has been their home since the club's founding in 1919.

Kendal Town are currently 18th out of 22 teams in the league, only two points clear of the relegation zone. The board are aiming for a mid-table finish, and with 16 matches left to play, I'll have to turn things around quickly. There's some talent in the squad, so things could be worse.

New year, new club, new challenge.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 January 2016

My first game with Kendal Town is tomorrow. Here's a look at the squad I'm inheriting.

Goalkeepers


McDermott has been everpresent for the Mintcakes. He's conceded 34 goals in 23 appearances. Our staff like him, but he seems rather ordinary to me. I'll probably give Miles a start or two, to see what he has to offer.

The number one for the U21 team, Zach Bauress, is probably the second best 'keeper in the team. He might, in fact, be the best. There's only one way to find out, isn't there?


Defenders


Now I begin to see why McDermott has kept only one clean sheet this season.

Williams will be returning to Tranmere in two days, so don't get too excited about him. Kelly has been Williams' regular partner, and he's been dreadful. He's very weak technically for a center back in this league. We need at least one, if not two, center halves, ASAP. I might try Groves there, and see what happens.

Brad Taylor has been excellent at left back; his 7.58 average rating is second best in the league, and he's assisted on 10 goals. Gray has a slight edge over Craigen at right back.

Grimes has promise, and if I don't find a center back with some experience, I'll give him a few matches to see what he can do.


Defensive Midfielder


I really like Holland, a tough wee lad with a bright future. He'll captain the club one day. I need some cover for him, since he's the only DM in the team.


Midfielders and Striker


The Mintcakes played 4-4-2 most of the time under my predecessor. I'll line them up in a 4-1-2-2-1 with Holland in front of the back four, and with wingers playing ahead of a central midfield pair.

Youngster Bradley looks like he'll be able to handle the AM(L) role. He has two goals and 6 assists in league play; he's fast, and works very hard. Jackson will cover for him, unless I need him more in the center of the park. Wilkes is hurt, and he's not very good when he's healthy.

Smith, the club's highest earner at £95/week, is a versatile player who will start at one M(C). He's OK, but I wish he made half as much money. Whittaker has come off the bench in 12 of his 15 appearances, and hasn't done much. I think I'll see what he can do as Smith's partner. This is another spot where I'd love to see a better player or two.

Wells will be heading back to Skelmersdale in three weeks. Until then, he'll man the right wing.

I'd love to have Jake Taylor at that position, but he's the only true striker in the team...at any level. He leads the team in goals with five. He's money from the penalty spot. A loanee called Jordan Brown was with the team for a while, but his loan ended last week.

I'm going to need to find another forward, perhaps a loan player. Right now, I have Chairman Darren Elliott in charge of bringing in players, but I might step in and try to find some players to stiffen the spine of the club--center half, central midfield, striker.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

2 January 2016

Here's the bottom half of the Northern Premier League First Division North table, which is certainly the more relevant half of the table right now.



Warrington Town (50 pts) are top of the league, with Scarborough Athletic (49), Spennymoor Town (48), Trafford (47), and Witton Albion (42) in the remainder of the playoff places. Radcliffe Boro (42) are right behind, out of the playoff spots on goal difference.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

2 February 2016



In my first month at Kendal Town, we took five points from four matches. That's not a fantastic return, but it's better than the Mintcakes were doing before I arrived.

My debut at Parkside Road was a 2-2 draw against Glossop North End on 2 January. After the match, Adam Williams left the club, but by the time we faced Clitheroe two weeks later, I'd brought a replacement in on loan.

Gavin Hands, age 17, came to us from Bradford Park Avenue of the Conference North. He's faster than Adam, but not quite as polished defensively. Gavin is significantly better with the ball at his feet, however. From now on, when I bring in a new player, I'll give you a look at his "attribute polygon." It's my favorite way to get a quick read on a player's characteristics. Here's Gavin's:



An elite defender's polygon will fill up most of the top half of the circle. For Level 8, Gavin's attributes aren't too bad; he's good enough for our first team.

We lost to Clitheroe, and we shouldn't have. We were sloppy. The Blues' goals came on a penalty and an own goal, and I voiced my displeasure to the lads after the match.

Within the next two days, three new players arrived at Parkside Road. The first was a much-needed forward, Dan Jarvis.



Dan's polygon is much different from Gavin's. A world-class striker will fill out the bottom of the polygon, and anything he offers on the upper half is a bonus. Jarvis is 20, has bags of pace, and can finish. He'll feature as a striker or on the right wing, with Jake Taylor often occupying the other position.

Newcomer number two was Andy Howell, a 20-year-old defender who, like Jarvis, was unattached to a club. Andy can play either right or center back, and I like him best in the middle. He's tall and strong, good in the air and a fierce tackler.



The third new man was the one who got the supporters buzzing. George Willis, 18, was once an Ipswich Town trainee. The Tractor Boys, who are currently seventh in the Championship, didn't see enough in George to keep him, but in non-league football, George should be a star.



Wow. Just wow. His pace is only fair, but he can do things with a football that nobody in our team can approach. He's got the right attitude, too. I fully expect George's stay at Parkside Road to be a short one, but while he's here, he's a perfect fit in our midfield.

Willis, Jarvis, and Howell all made their Kendal Town debuts away to Trafford, one of the league's best sides. Willis was the Man of the Match as we drew, 1-1--a result I was perfectly fine with.

Next up was a relegation six-pointer with Lancaster City. The Dolly Blues are our biggest rival. For one thing, Lancaster is about a half hour's drive down the M6 from Kendal.

Lancaster's manager, Brian Gill, was under pressure, and I defended him in my pre-match presser. Brian seems like a good guy, and I hate to see a class act being raked over the media's coals like that.

A crowd of 178--a good one for us--turned out at Parkside Road on a chilly, rainy afternoon. We fell behind early in the second half, so I decided to change from our 4-1-2-2-1. Denzel Smith wasn't playing well, so I replaced him with Dan Jarvis. I moved Johnny Holland from DM to pair with George in the middle of the park. The result was a more offensive-looking 4-4-2. It seemed to work; on 64 minutes, we pulled level through Gavin Hands.

It looked like a draw was in the cards until the 85th minute, when the Dolly Blues' left back made a goofy cross-field diagonal pass from inside his own penalty area. Johnny Holland stepped up to intercept it, and played it ahead to Damien Bradley. The wide man spread it farther right to a charging Brad Taylor, who picked out Jarvis's run with a brilliant pass. Jarvis slotted home, and we took a 2-1 lead. We held on and left the pitch with three well-earned points. It was only the sixth win of the season for the Mintcakes; only hapless New Mills have fewer.

After the match, Brian Gill was sacked.

It took Brian exactly one day to find a new job. We needed a Chief Scout, so I hired him.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 March 2016



We're playing slightly better football, but we can't seem to gain any ground in the table. I don't think anyone believes the Mintcakes are still one of the four or five worst teams in the league.

The month began badly. On the 6th, we lost, 0-1, at home to Ossett Town. Johnny Holland drew two yellow cards and was sent off, so he was suspended for the team's next match, at home to Farsley Celtic.

We had a new man in the eleven that day. He's Keith Holland, a 17-year-old fullback from Southport in the National League. He can play either right or left back, and I'll use him most often on the right. Here's his polygon:



He's a well-rounded young lad, with a lot of upside. We'll have him until the end of the season.

Without Johnny H, I switched our formation to a 4-4-2 for the Farsley Celtic match. Damien Bradley fired in an early goal, and we held on for a 1-0 victory.

Next was Droylsden, at the Butchers Arms Ground. They beat us at Parkside Road, so earning a point at their place was a satisfying result...more or less.

Later that week, I checked out a player Brian Gill discovered: a 17-year-old center half called Peter Law. Two things about Peter caught my eye immediately. One was his potential--Gill raved about him, and believes he can go a long way as a footballer. The other was his size. Peter is 6'7" and weighs over 14 stone (just over 200 pounds).



Not surprisingly, Two-Meter Peter is already strong as a grizzly and very good in the air for a young lad. He moves better than you might think, too. He probably won't be in the first team yet, and he might go out on loan, but I'm very excited about his potential.

Kendal Town have an affiliation with Carlisle, the nearest big club. We host a friendly with them each year, and we supposedly receive players from them on loan...except they want their lads to play at a higher level. That's why I asked the board to find an additional senior affiliate for us.

They came back with a possibility: Dover Athletic, of the National League. I thought they'd be a good fit for us, so I approved the deal. We'll host them for a friendly each summer, and hopefully they'll be more agreeable to loaning us their young players.

The month ended with us hosting Bamber Bridge at Parkside Road. After conceding first, we drew level through Jake Taylor on 68', and held on for the point.

It's March, so we should be getting our youth intake soon! I'll report on that as soon as it happens.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

8 March 2016

Two days ago, a fresh class of youth candidates arrived at Parkside Road. It felt like Christmas morning, with a number of very nice presents beneath the tree. Meet your Kendal Town F.C. youth graduates for 2016!



Emmanuel Chukwuma might be good enough to get some run in the first team right now. Coach Kieron Massey, the best talent evaluator in our coaching team, says Emmanuel is already as good as Jake Taylor. His pace is electric, and he displays a deft finishing touch.

Daniel Ross might also get to show what he can do in the middle of the park. He has no clue about his defensive responsibilities yet, but he passes a football like he was born with it at his feet.

The whole staff raves about Conor Pugh's potential, although he's a long way from realizing it.

Today, the youth candidates faced our Under 18s in a friendly match. Most of the U18s are ghosts, so I wasn't surprised when the YC side ran them off the pitch, 4-0. What did delight me was the play of Owen Robertson and James Diver.

Teaming up on the wings, Diver laid on three goals for Robertson. Diver is especially talented at crossing a football, while Robertson features lots of flair and exceptional determination. I hope Diver's surname isn't indicative of his actions on the pitch, or the officials might find him less appealing.

I have a feeling we're going to sign all sixteen of these lads.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

2 April 2016

In the space of a month, things changed quite a bit at Kendal Town FC, and not for the better. The Mintcakes are now in the midst of a full-on relegation fight, and my job almost certainly depends on the outcome.

March began with two goal-less draws, away to Mossley and at home to Burscough. Conor Pugh started the Burscough match at center back, with Owen Robertson on the right wing. We nearly got the three points when George Willis hit the bar in stoppage time and, looking back, I really wish we had.

The day got even worse when we learned that left back Brad Taylor had sprained his ankle badly, and is almost certain to miss the remainder of the season. Keith Holland will move from the right to the left side, with Nathan Gray likely to get most of the playing time on the right.

The same afternoon, Lancaster won, moving ahead of us in the table. Still, we remained four points clear of the relegation zone.

25 March marked the end of the transfer window. We said goodbye to Jake Taylor, who might have seen the writing on the wall when starlets like Emmanuel Chukwuma and Owen Robertson came into the team. Jake left on a free to Team Northumbria, a Level 10 club. I wished Jake well with his new team.

We brought in a player, too, a versatile defender called Craig Nagington. He's 23, and he'll provide cover all along our back line.

Without Brad Taylor, our side seems less cohesive. We lack a consistent attacking threat from the fullback spots, and we don't look like ourselves in a drab 1-1 draw with Witton Albion and a 1-2 defeat to Scarborough Athletic, one of the league's top teams.

Today, we traveled to Ossett to face Ossett Albion, another of the teams fighting to stay up. For 92 minutes, we battled back and forth, neither team able to breach the other. Then George Willis took a free kick deep in the Unicorns' half. As I watched in disbelief, an Ossett player headed it back the other way, and the Unicorns were on the counter. Winger Ashley Patterson's strike was true, and Tony McDermott leapt, but couldn't tip it over. 1-0 to Ossett Albion.



Three matches to go. It's just gotten real.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Greyfriars Bobby

19 December 2015

The season has reached the mid-way point, and I'm feeling a bit restless. I'm not sure what it is that makes me wonder if Ashby Ivanhoe is the right place for me.

It's not that the team is playing badly. After a brief flirtation with the top of the league, we've settled into the mid-table status we were expected to occupy all along. We've lost twice in three December matches--away to Graham St. Prims and at home to Barrow Town--but we bounced back to take three points from Stapenhill at their Edge Hill grounds.

Ricardo Alcalde continues to remake the squad. Our latest arrival is Chris Robinson, a 19-year-old right back who had been looking for a team. He's a determined, hard-working fullback who has a well-rounded set of skills, good enough on the ball to play a possession-based style. Robinson's arrival gives us a starting back four that is completely different from what it was two months ago: Robinson, Chris Green, Marvin Wilson, and Matt Mason, from right to left. It's an obvious upgrade in terms of talent; they now need time to bed in.

I noticed one of my favorite clubs, Kendal Town, sacked its manager at the end of November, so after some thought, I expressed my interest in the position. The Ashby Ivanhoe board wasn't pleased, and expressed their desire that I stay with the club. I've never had the idea they were in love with me, so I was a little bit surprised by their reaction.

The people at Kendal Town were happy to learn of my interest. I'm not quite ready to take the next step and actually apply for the Kendal job. So, we'll see what happens next.

Until I got to this post was very into this, Blaby & Whetstone is the team I used to play for! Oh well, good luck with Kendal

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by AlexB

Until I got to this post was very into this, Blaby & Whetstone is the team I used to play for! Oh well, good luck with Kendal

That's very cool. If I'd known sooner, I might have stuck around with Ashby Ivanhoe...or kept an eye out for an opening with Blaby & Whetstone.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by. Hope you'll feel free to comment again anytime!


This is as good a time as any to mention that I've been keeping up with what's been going on back at Ashby Ivanhoe. The Knights ended the season eighth, on 50 points. That's where they were in the table when I left. HoYD Alexander Brazil took the reins as caretaker manager for the remainder of the season; they're still looking for a permanent boss.

Blaby & Whetstone came fourth, one of a cluster of four clubs on 61 points. Arnold Town won the league and are promoted, finishing with 65 points.

I must have accidentally taken Ross Harris's shooting boots with me when I left Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Ross put in only two goals after my departure, but still led the team with 12 in league play. On the other hand, Danny Smith thrived with someone else in charge, finishing the season with eight goals after scoring only twice in my time with the club.

Ricardo Alcalde and I put together a decent side at Ashby Ivanhoe. Speaking of Ricardo, he left the Knights, too, taking a job as Chief Scout with Clipstone, in the Northern Counties East Premier League (Level 9). His new club nearly won promotion.

Now, back to the story of the tension-packed last weeks at Kendal Town...

[Greyfriars Bobby]

29 April 2016

The task that faced us as we battled to stay up wasn't easy. Five clubs--Lancaster City, Ossett Albion, Prescot Cables, New Mills, and ourselves--were battling to avoid the drop.

The first of our three remaining matches saw us away to Spennymoor Town, a big club for our league, one who were tapped to finish in the top three. That's exactly where they were, third in the table, and playing on their own ground. The Moors were especially tough at the Brewery Field, with a record of 12-6-2 this year.

I prepared for the match with two new staff members. When I arrived at Parkside Road, I kept the existing back room staff in place while I looked for possible improvements. At first, it seemed like nobody wanted to join my new team. Then, in mid-March, it's as if the football world got together and decided I must be OK. Suddenly, a flock of aspirants expressed their willingness to join the Mintcakes brain trust.

I hired a new Assistant Manager and a coach. My new right hand man is Paul Phillips, a year younger than my managerial alter ego at 31. He's especially good with young players, is a top-rate fitness coach, and is very skilled at coaching the defensive arts.

Coach Michael Parkinson, also 31, is an offensive guru with excellent man management and motivational skills. Paul and Michael represent big upgrades over the men who held their positions before.

The board also brought in a Director of Football: Craig Henry. The 33-year-old has a keen eye for footballing talent, which is essential in his job.


George Willis rallied the troops in the days before the Spennymoor match, commenting to the press about the need to act quickly to stave off the threat of relegation. He then backed up his words, firing in a lovely free kick that Owen Robertson knocked past the Moors' 'keeper. The hosts pulled level but could do no more, and we left the Brewery Field with a point I hadn't counted on getting.

Meanwhile, Prescot Cables lost 1-3 at home to Farsley, and Ossett Albion drew 1-1 at home to Droylsden. The other club in the relegation scrap, Lancaster, assured themselves of staying up by beating bottom-of-the-league New Mills, 3-2. One more slip, and New Mills would be relegated.

Next, we returned to Parkside Road for a date with Prescot Cables, to whom e lost 1-2 at their grounds in November. Once again, Willis took to the media to inspire his teammates. George has played an increasingly vocal role in our changing room lately. Perhaps my fears that he'll soon leave the club for a bigger one are unfounded, as George seems to be happy at Parkside Road.

Once again, George backed his words with actions. He laid on both Mintcakes goals as we saw off the Tigers, 2-0. Owen Robertson scored the first, accepting Willis's cross on the right edge of the box, stepping past a defender and rifling the ball in at the near post. The second goal was scored by Dave Nichols, a 16-year-old forward I called up from the U18s to warm our bench...and who got into the match when Ray Jarvis pulled up with a strained calf.

That same day--16 April--Clitheroe sent New Mills down by beating them 3-1. Farsley ripped Ossett Albion, 5-1, leaving the Unicorns hanging on by the tip of their horns.

But, better yet, those results guaranteed that Kendal Town are staying up for 2016/17!

The season's final match was, then, somewhat anticlimactic. Our opponents, Radcliffe Borough, were in the running for a playoff spot, so I fielded a good side out of respect for the competition. I did give two promising youth players, wide man James Diver and striker Emmanuel Chukwuma, their senior bows; Emmanuel was an especially easy choice, since Jarvis was still hobbling on his sore calf.

It probably didn't matter, as the Boro were hitting on all cylinders and rolled to a 2-0 victory that secured their playoff spot. Meanwhile, Prescot Cables managed to draw, 1-1, with Droylsden, but that wasn't enough to keep them above the drop. Ossett Albion, who faded horribly down the stretch, barely stayed alive with a 1-1 draw at Bamber Bridge.



I managed Kendal Town for 16 matches, going 3-8-5, good for 17 points. The Mintcakes were 18th when I arrived, but we garnered roughly the same number of points per match under my leadership.


Only four players: goalkeeper Tony McDermott, winger Damien Bradley, defensive midfielder Johnny Hollland, and left back Brad Taylor--whose late-season injury made our relegation fight that much tougher--featured regularly both before and after my arrival. Jake Taylor was also in that category, before he left at the transfer deadline.

The turnover makes the team's Best Eleven look really weird to me, since it contains a bunch of players I rarely saw.

The statistical summary is equally uninteresting. Bradley was the leading scorer among players who finished the season with the Mintcakes, and he had only four goals. Dan Jarvis knocked in three during my tenure, the most of any player in the team. A bunch of players had two apiece.

The fans voted Brad Taylor their Player of the Season, by a wide margin. Brad polled 78% of the vote, with George Willis second at 14%. BT, aged 23, was also named the Young Player of the Season. His 7.12 average rating was the best among defenders in the league.

Willis was, unsurprisingly, the Signing of the Season, and Owen Robertson's goal against Prescot Cables was voted the Goal of the Season.

I sent the team off on their holiday with the charge of a mid-table finish, a goal they seemed to accept pretty readily. And, with that, the 2015/16 season at Parkside Road came to a close.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

The Close Season
26 June 2016


I guess the easiest way to summarize the events of the past two months is to group them into categories.

Around the Football World
The Northern Premier League First Division North Promotion Playoff winners(that's a mouthful) were Spennymoor Town. They beat Scarborough Athletic, on penalties, in the Final. They'll join league champion Warrington Town in the Northern Premier League Premier Division this season.

There will be several new teams in our league this season, because of relegation and redistribution. It's easier to simply show you the table when the season begins.

Arsenal won the Premier League, with Manchester City, Chelsea, and Tottenham rounding out the Champions League places. Manchester United, Everton, and Liverpool will also qualify for European competition this season.

On the other end of the Premiership table were Bournemouth, Norwich, and Sunderland, all relegated. Taking their places will be Queens Park Rangers, Wolves, and Burnley.

Arsenal's legendary manager, Elie Bauer, has retired on top of his game.

Note: I'm using fake names, so Bauer, of course is the doppelganger for Arséne Wenger. You'll see several other aliases appear in this story.

The Arsenal's brilliant German midfielder, Hilmar Metzger (Mesut Özil) was named the English Footballer of the Year. His teammate, Ricardo Leiva (Alexis Sánchez) was the Players' Player of the Year.

Dutch winger Henri de Jong (Memphis Depay) of Manchester United was crowned Players' Young Player of the Year. The league's top goalscorer was Chelsea winger Morgan Smets (Eden Hazard), who found the net 20 times in league play.

United won the FA Cup in a 4-0 romp over Southampton. Lifting the cup was interim boss Craig Morgan (Ryan Giggs).

The FA Trophy winners were Eastleigh, who defeated Cheltenham 2-1 with a goal in extra time.


Mintcakes Nibbles
In early May, the board approached me with a contract extension! I'm now signed through June 2017, on £230/week. Johnny Holland, who might be about to receive the captain's armband, was delighted at the news.

Our youth rating was upgraded to Category Four. I'm happy about this, because developing young players is one of my favorite things about FM.

Chairman Darren Elliott invested £12,000 into the club this spring. The board have given preliminary approval to a £1,300/week wage budget--almost double what we had last season.

Two members of the Mintcakes back room staff are studying for new coaching badges. Assistant manager Paul Phillips is working on his National A license, while coach Michael Parkinson is pursuing his Continental C credentials. I have a Continental B badge myself.

Brian Gill wasn't interested in returning to the club, so I'm in the market for a new Chief Scout.

Danny Smith, the captain of my Ashby Ivanhoe club, retired from football at age 34. He's interested in becoming a Director of Football one day, but he's a very capable physio--and he's now the Head Physio at Parkside Road. Welcome to the Mintcakes, Danny.


Goodbyes
Young center back Conor Pugh left on a free to Nelson, newly promoted to the First Division North. We'll see him twice this season.

Another player from last year's youth intake, midfielder Rob Threlfall, signed for 1874 Northwich, a Level Nine club.

Denzel Smith, Tommy Kelly, and several other players weren't offered contracts for 2016/17, and have left the club.


Hellos
The following Mintcakes have been signed to new contracts:
Goalkeeper Tony McDermott: one year; £75/week.
Left back Brad Taylor: one year, £130/week. Brad's now our top earner.
Center back Craig Nagington: one year; £100/week.
Central midfielder Ian Piggott: three years; £15/week.
Defensive midfielder Junior Hassett: three years; £15/week.
Central midfielder Daniel Ross: three years; £20/week.
Right winger Owen Robertson: three years; £75/week.
Left winger Damian Bradley: three years; £25/week.

With those signings, I've kept the core of last year's team intact. I think they're better than their 19th place finish would indicate.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

7 August 2016

There are four new clubs in the Northern Premier League First Division North this season. Nelson and West Auckland Town were promoted from Level Nine leagues; Nelson is up from the North West Counties Premier League, where New Mills and Prescot Cables will play this season. West Auckland are champions of the Northern League Divison One. Wroxham were relocated from another Level Eight loop; they finished 21st in their league last season. Ramsbottom United were relegated from the Northern Premier League's Premier Division, the league to which Spennymoor Town and Warrington Town were promoted.

The pundits believe Wroxham will almost certainly be relegated at the end of the season, with Nelson and Harrogate Railway battling to avoid the other relegation place.

On the other hand, the oddsmakers have made Radcliffe Borough and Scarborough Athletic the favorites for promotion, each on 5:2 odds. Trafford are next, at 5:1, while we are grouped with Witton Albion and Northwich Victoria at 6:1.

Last month, the media thought it was fun to toss my name out as a candidate for managerial jobs with big clubs. I'm not ready to take on the challenge of a League One club like Scunthorpe United or a Championship outfit like Ipswich Town. For now, I'll stay right here at Kendal.

Here's the squad on the eve of the 2016/17 campaign. This time, I'm listing every player in the club.

Goalkeepers


McDermott will once again be a regular between the posts for us. He's mentally tougher than he was last year, with more composure and determination.

Miles and newcomer Salmon will play in the U21 and U18 teams, and one will dress as Tony Mac's backup for senior matches. We lost a promising young goalie, Robert Robson, to Thackley, but Salmon might be even better one day.


Defenders


Taylor, the Supporters' Player of the Year for 2015/16, returns at left back. He isn't exceptionally fast, but he has every other quality I'm looking for in an attacking fullback.

Howell can play on the right flank or in the center, and he'll be on the team sheet in one of those spots almost every game. Reed, a former Fleetwood schoolboy, was signed last month. He's very good technically, but will his almost complete lack of pace cause problems?

Law has improved by leaps and bounds since he joined the team, and he's ready for regular duty in the center of our defensive line. Tollitt, who's in on loan from Salford, and Nagington are both tough, hard-nosed tacklers who play with a bit of edge.

Greenwood is the best of the younger lads.

We've got a group of old-fashioned English hard men on our defense.


Defensive Midfielders


Remember when I said Holland might be the club's captain one day? That day has arrived. He might be only 17, but his teammates like and respect him, and he backs down from nobody despite his 5'6" frame.

Piggott will provide cover for him when needed, and develop his talents on the U21 team.


Central Midfielders
My usual formation is a 4-1-2-2-1, with a defensive midfielder playing behind a central midfield pair. All the other options I'll use also employ two central midfielders.



Willis is the team's best player and, if you believe the media, he's the most talented player in the league. At this level, George is a complete, cultured midfielder. I use him as the more offensively-minded member of the pair, where his deft passing touch creates chances for his teammates.

I'm impressed with how well Sayce has developed, and he'll get the first crack at the more defensively-oriented M(C).

Ross and Evans will both get to see action this year. Ross is perhaps a better passer than Willis, while Evans isn't afraid to do the dirty work in the middle of the park. Jackson has been pushed down the pecking order by the new arrivals, but he's valuable because he can play out wide, too.

Aaron Whittaker, a promising youngster, is on a year-long loan at Maine Road.


Wide Midfielders


On paper, this is the weakest area of the team, but they seemed to deliver the goods pretty well on match day.

Fast, hard-working, and skilled, Bradley will feature regularly on the left wing. I'll find some playing time for Diver, a flashy youth whose dribbling and crossing can give opponents fits.

Robertson was among the hits of last spring's successful battle against the drop. His mental attributes are superb, and if his technique catches up, he'll be too good for this league. Evans, normally a centre mid, and Jarvis, typically a striker, can deputize on the right flank, too.

Collins, McPolin, and Robinson will hone their skills in the U21 and U18 teams.


Strikers


Three forwards will have a chance to prove they're the right man to lead the line. All three of them run like the wind, and they each have skills that could make them dangerous.

Jarvis played the most last season. He's decent in the air, a good finisher, and a slick dribbler. Chukwuma, who is also eligible for Nigeria, has good technical skills and is a natural leader. Nichols, who emerged out of nowhere from the U18s last season, plays best as a deep-lying forward, and will probably play there if I use two strikers.

Chukwuma is actually best as an AM(C), and will be an easy choice for that position if I use our 4-2-3-1 formation.

Holmes's promise is tantalizing, and Casey could be a sleeper.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

2 September 2016



Boy, it sure is glad to include the top half of the table in my post!

The Mintcakes are off to a fine start in 2016/17, winning three of five league contests and drawing another one. Our only defeat was a 1-2 setback to a very good Trafford side at Parkside Road on 20 August.

We opened the season on the 7th, managing a goal-less draw away to Scarborough Athletic. We dominated possession, keeping 60% of the ball, but couldn't break down their defense.

A late goal by right back Max Reed was enough to see off Ossett Albion, before a good crowd at Parkside Road.

Three days later, we traveled to Victoria Park to face Nelson, with former Mintcake Conor Pugh at center half. We treat Conor and his new mates roughly, winning 2-0 on goals from Dave Nichols and Damien Bradley. George Willis was Man of the Match, bossing the midfield and setting up Nichols's goal with a thread-the-needle through pass.

After the loss to Trafford, we came back on Wednesday once again; the fixtures are coming fast and furious early in the season. Our next destination was Northwich, and we left with three points, courtesy of Owen Robertson's goal.

We were drawn away to Walsall Wood in the First Preliminary Round of the FA Cup. Walsall is in the West Midlands, about two and a half hours down the M6. I rotated the squad a bit, listing James Diver, Daniel Ross, and Craig Nagington in the eleven. Ray Jarvis netted his first goal of the campaign, banging in Diver's cross. Another fine effort by custodianTony McDermott and the defense assured our 1-0 victory.

Our Director of Football, Craig Henry, found cover for Johnny Holland in the form of 19-year-old free agent Ben Littlefair. He was released from League Two side Morecambe after appearing in two matches. A strapping 6'3", Ben needs work on his marking and anticipation, but he's a strong tackler and runs well. He can also play center or right back.

It's still early days, but this season is shaping up much better than last.

[Northwood_DK]

Really enjoyed this read.

Keep them coming.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by Northwood_DK

Really enjoyed this read.

Keep them coming.

Thanks very much! It's always good to hear from someone who is reading and enjoying. It encourages me to keep writing.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 October 2016



We played five league matches in September, winning three, losing one, and drawing one. We need someone to beat Radcliffe Borough; we won't get the opportunity to do it ourselves until 29 November.

Owen Robertson fired in the first goal in our 3-1 victory away to Ossett Town, but he hasn't been back on the pitch since. He strained ligaments in his ankle, and he won't return to training for another week, at least.

Owen's injury revealed a gaping hole at right wing, where we only had one player who was close to being comfortable there. I asked our DoF to suggest some possible loan players, and I settled on a Welshman, Lewis Jenkins, from Wrexham in the National League.

Lewis's style is a lot like Owen's, but with even more attacking flair. In other words, he's what Owen might be when he's 19, like Lewis is now. We'll have him until December, which should give Owen time to regain his match fitness.

Speaking of loans, our DoF loves sending our young players out on one-month loans! Six of our best teenagers are currently turning out for other clubs all around England. Some of them were on the fringes of the first team, like Daniel Ross and Emmanuel Chukwuma. They were always in the eighteen, and Chukwuma was getting a fair few starts.

At first I couldn't figure it out, and I'm still not completely sure why the DoF is clearing out my bench like that. Most of the clubs who take them are paying their wages, but we're not in the same kind of dire financial straits Ashby Ivanhoe were in.

One way to counteract that trend is to bring in a loan player or two myself. I found a good central midfielder called Matt White, playing for Blackpool's U21 side. Matt is 18, and he is good enough at everything I want a M(C) to do. He'll make perfect cover for George Willis and Matt Sayce, and I wouldn't hesitate to give him a start in a crucial match. For now, he's with us for three months, but if he's a good fit, I'll look to extend his loan.

Neither Jenkins nor White were with us in time to help us avoid an 0-1 defeat at the hands of Ramsbottom, a blah match we forced our supporters to endure at Parkside Road on the 6th. Nor were they available when we hosted Hoddesdon Town in the First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, but we didn't need them; we saw off the Lilywhites, 3-1. A crowd of almost 900, the biggest to watch us play, by far, was on hand at Parkside Road, and I'm glad we gave them a good show.

A goal from Dave Nichols, now clearly our first choice striker, sewed up a 1-0 victory at home to Burscough in league play. Three nights later, three different Mintcakes--Andy Howell, Dan Jarvis, and Craig Nagington--found the net, and we took three points from West Auckland Town.

That match was played at Parkside Road, but on the following Saturday we traveled to West Auckland for a FA Cup tie with Darlington 1883. They are a bigger club, and we put up a tough fight, but went down by a 1-0 score.

We closed out the month by drawing with Droylsden at home, 1-1. Lewis Jenkins got his first goal with Kendal Town.

It's been a fun ride so far this season. A spot in the playoff places looks like a reasonable goal, and a run at the title doesn't seem too unrealistic, either.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 November 2016





Yes, I know Radcliffe Boro has a game in hand, and yes, I know they are yet to lose in the league. Still, after last season, it's good to see Kendal Town top of the league.



We're out of the FA Trophy, losing to Hereford FC in the Preliminary Round. There's no shame there, however. Hereford were top of the Southern League First Division South/West (same level as we are), with a 9-1-0 record. By the way, the league names at this level are real mouthfuls. That, alone, makes promotion seem like a worthwhile goal to pursue.

A late goal by Glossop cost us two points; it hurt, because we should have had a result against the 16th placed team at Parkside Road. Lewis Jenkins put us ahead on 83 minutes. Little did we know that Lewis was about to go on a goal binge that saw him hit the net in five straight matches. The highlight was a hat trick at home to Bamber Bridge, a tough side.

Lewis's outstanding play made it difficult for me to justify leaving him out of the eleven, even after Owen Robertson returned to fitness. Then, I gave Owen a start, away to Brighouse Town, and what does he do? He fires in a natural hat trick himself!

The loanee group came back to the club, and some of them have gone right back out again. I made sure Emmanuel Chukwuma was going to stay with Kendal Town, and I'm glad I did. He's on a three-match scoring streak of his own, twice getting goals after coming on as a sub.

George Willis and Matt Sayce are both playing exceptionally well in the midfield for us. George leads the league in average rating, with 8.02, and he is tied for the league lead in assists with 8. Honestly, every week we keep him seems like a gift, because I feel like it's only a matter of time before the big clubs will come for him.

We have a new Chief Scout: Jon Seal, formerly of Billingham Town. He's a good one, and he's young--age 29. I'd like to tie him to the club with a nice, long contract.

My job status is now Untouchable, which feels good. The papers still mention me as a possible candidate when a job with a bigger club comes open, but I'm not interested in moving right now. I feel like I have lots of unfinished business at Kendal Town.

[Izulde]

Fantastic work powering up your new team. Hope you get that promotion.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Fantastic work powering up your new team. Hope you get that promotion.

Thanks very much, Izulde. We're semipro, so I don't have to deal with the annual roster turnover that your Keymer & Hassocks side goes through every year. I think that's made a huge difference in our performance this season. I kept the core of the team intact, and added a player or two to shore up some weaker spots. That's given the side time to gel, and our tactical familiarity is way up from last year.

George Willis has been insanely good this season, too. Unfortunately, he's probably getting too talented for Level Eight. The fans love him, and with good reason, but we all better enjoy him while we can. George is signed for us through 2017/18, but he might not be sticking around that long...not if the bigger clubs discover him.

I keep up with Ashby Ivanhoe, too, and it's good to see them second in their league, with much the same team I'd put together before I left. I think I'm better at building teams than I am at coaching them.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 January 2017



Oh yeah!

There are fifteen matches left on the programme, and we're 12 points clear at the top. The season is far from over, but it would take an epic collapse for us to lose the league at this point and, if that happens, we don't deserve to win it anyway.

Radcliffe Boro, once our main rival for the league lead, has fallen off sharply, while we're playing better and better. The players have almost completely learned two tactics, which has made a big difference. We've also had a lot of stability, without players constantly coming and going.



This is the best run of form I've ever experienced in Football Manager. Our last loss came on 25 October. The matches against Sutton Coldfield and Kidsgrove were Northern Premier Challenge Cup ties, a competition in which we've advanced to the Quarter Final.

We've been very good in all phases of the game.

Lewis Jenkins has been nothing short of spectacular, running of a six-match scoring streak, netting eleven goals in his first eleven league contests. Renewing his loan agreement was a no-brainer.

At one point, we went six matches without conceding a goal, which was a new league record. The streak ended in a 2-2 draw at home to Nelson, who hit us for two quick goals and forced us to scramble back into the match.

George Willis continues to prove he's the best player in our league. His average match rating is 8.27, a full quarter of a point higher than his closest competitor (his teammate, Lewis Jenkins). His playmaking ability is the key to our offensive game plan, and he's joint leader in assists with 13. The quintessential Willis moment thus far came against Scarborough Athletic. He made a slick back-heeled pass to Jenkins at the edge of the box. LJ blasted a wicked drive to the top right corner of the net.

Alas, I'm not sure we'll have George much longer. Cambridge United, a League Two club, began to show interest in him in mid-December. The transfer window for League clubs is about to open, and I'm fully expecting the U's to make a bid for him.

However, our league standing is starting to make us more attractive to good players, though. Our DoF made a successful offer for a striker from Blyth Spartans called Kevin Hampson. Kevin wanted to join our club because of our league position. He's 23, with excellent mental attributes, very good technique, and a deadly finisher's touch. He's capable of giving us a dangerous goal threat to supplement LJ.

We didn't really need a striker, but Hampson is a definite upgrade over the players we had. He's played three games for us, and he's scored in all three. Kevin isn't cheap; he's on £120/week, but if he keeps scoring for fun, he'll be worth every penny.

My job status went to Untouchable in my latest monthly review. Life's good at Parkside Road. This ride might not last forever, but while I'm on it, I'll enjoy it.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 January 2016

I forgot to include Kevin Hampson's attribute polygon in my last post. Here's a different look at Hampson's skills. In this screen, I'm comparing him to a similar striker in our team, Emmanuel Chukwuma.



With one glance, I can see that Kevin and Emmanuel are similar players; their polygons are basically the same shape. Kevin is a significantly more polished offensive player right now, with better technical skills. Emmanuel has a little more pace, and he's slightly better in the air.

Emmanuel is six years younger than Kevin is, so it's possible he will be a better player one day. For now, however, Kevin is better suited to lead the line for a title-winning team.

We added another new face last month. Dan Stanton arrived from Harrogate Town, in the National League North. He's with us on a one-month loan.

Dan is a defensively-oriented central midfielder, who plays CM and DM equally well. He'll cover for Johnny Holland at DM, and he can bolster our defense in the middle of the pitch when we're protecting a lead.

His polygon looks almost exactly like Holland's; here it is:

[Greyfriars Bobby]

9 January 2017

Well, it happened.

Two days ago, Cambridge United put in a transfer offer for George Willis. The chairman, Darren Elliott, accepted it, and George agreed to terms with the U's. His transfer was made officlal today.

It was a good offer; Cambridge is giving us George's market value, and then some. We receive £17,250 up front, and we'll get 40% of the money when (if?) Cambridge sell George on to another club. We'll also receive another £5000 when he makes his 50th league appearance. The fans weren't chuffed--he was one of their Favoured Personnel--but they understand the business side of football, and the sale price seemed to help them feel better.

George will earn £550/week with his new club, a big raise from the £120/week we were paying him. He gets his own squad number, too--he'll turn out in the #23 shirt for the U's.

King George, as he was known on the terraces, will certainly be missed. The classiest midfielder in the Northern Premier League First Division North, he recorded three goals and 13 assists in 27 appearances fpr Kendal Town, in all competitions, this season. He was named Man of the Match 11 times, and his average rating was 8.27.

We've been on a lengthy break, so George's last appearance for the Mintcakes came on 31 December in a 1-1 draw at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium in Bamber Bridge. It was a typical Willis performance; he played in Kevin Hampson for our goal, finished the match with a 9.0, and was named Man of the Match.

Matt Sayce, a very good midfielder himself, will slide over to take George's playmaking role. Matt White will move into the eleven, at least for the remainder of his time with the club. George was also our vice-captain, and I've named Brad Taylor to replace him. Brad, who is a club favourite, certainly deserves the honor.

We brought in a new loan player, too, but I'll write about him in a bit. George Willis ought to get a post that's all about him. If we lift a trophy this season, he'll have had a lot to do with it, and his hand will be on it with the rest of the lads.

George, with the Kendal Town badge, one last time.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 March 2017



I've had to field a different sort of team lately, but to their credit, the lads have kicked on and haven't lost much of their lead in the standings.

At one time or another, Kevin Hampson, Damian Bradley, and Matt Sayce were all injured. Sayce's injury is the worst. His twisted ankle might keep him off the pitch for another month or so. And Lewis Jenkins didn't want to return to Parkside Road for another loan period, so we've lost him too. We'll miss him; he netted 14 times in 22 matches for us.



Hampson, for example, put us through to the Semi Final in the Challenge Cup, but went off with a sore leg in the game's final minute. He missed the West Auckland Town match, but returned with a brace against Harrogate Railway.

Our newest player has come in very handy, because he's very versatile. Matthew Morgan, 24, came over from Blyth Spartans, the same club from which we signed Kevin Hampson. Morgan is best at center back, where he's featured regularly since Aaron Tollitt's loan spell ended. He can play anywhere along the middle of the pitch, however, and he's also decent on the right side.



Morgan is fairly similar to Peter Law, with more offensive flair. Two Meter Peter offers a greater physical presence, but Matthew offers the ball skills that are essential to the style I want to play--building from the back and keeping the ball. We signed Morgan for £75/week for the rest of the season, so in effect, he's auditioning for next year's deal.

Hopefully, we'll all be playing in a higher league.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

7 March 2017

Enough has happened this week that it seemed like a good time for an update.

First of all, we saw off a good Brighouse Town side at Parkside Road, by a 3-0 margin that doesn't reflect how close the match seemed to me. Owen Robertson, restored to the eleven now that Lewis Jenkins is gone, is picking up where LJ left off. He's scored in two straight games now, getting the first goal each time. Matt White got the other two, completing his brace from the penalty spot. I thought the referee's decision was a bit harsh--it didn't look like a penalty to me--but I'll take it.

Today, we traveled to Barnsley for the Challenge Cup Semi Final tie with Shaw Lane Aquaforce. The Ducks are a mid-table side in the Northern Premier, and we were slight underdogs against the larger club on their grounds. We rose to the challenge and won, 2-0, on goals from Brad Taylor and Kevin Hampson.

The match also marked the Mintcakes debuts of midfielder Stephen Glendinning and defender Jordan Sarfo, in on loan from Shrewsbury Town and Tranmere Rovers, respectively. Both Stephen and Jordan will be with us for the rest of the season.

Glendinning's arrival was especially welcome, as Matt Sayce is still on the mend. Sarfo is best at left back, but we have Brad Taylor there, so he'll play on the right or farther up the pitch. He's fairly comfortable in both those positions.

And, today our youth candidates made their appearance. I didn't get to see the match--I was in Barnsley with the first team, of course--but they beat the Under 18s, 1-0, and supposedly looked good doing it.



Our staff likes Sani Orji the best. He took his goal well in the trial match. The easy comparison for Sani is with Emmanuel Chukwuma, and not only because both lads have Nigerian roots. Sani, in fact, was born there, and moved with his family to Kendal.

Ashley Howes, a goalkeeper, looks like he could be a good one. Chris Barrett and Ian Foster have exciting potential, too. Striker Ian Holmes might not have the upside Orji offers, but he's a fairly polished player already. Ditto for James Freeman, who could probably turn out for the senior team and not look terribly out of place.

I'll offer each of them a youth contract and see what happens from there. I'm not sure this year's youth class has the star power of last year's--Robertson and Chukwuma are already getting some run in the first team--but there should be some decent players among them.