A Wee Scottish Club (FM 14)

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Note to self: Save your Football Manager games more often. Failing to do so erased a very interesting, fairly successful month in my Preston North End game. It's 100 percent my fault, but it's frustrating enough that I'll set that one aside for awhile and do something different.

I read a thread in another forum about a very good FM player's experiences as the manager of a lower-level team. I'm not talking about the Conference South in England. I'm talking a level where all the clubs are amateur, and the players all seem to have gaping holes in their games that sometimes render their actions on the pitch almost inexplicable. That's what I'm going to do this time.

There is an edited database that creates an alternative Scotland football system that extends the pyramid down eight levels. The author of the database, "El Ricardo," calls the bottom tier the Scotland Amateur Combination. It contains nine regional combinations (leagues). I played a similar database for FM 13, and I liked it a lot.

I entered "prettiest villages scotland" into a search engine, and discovered Pittenween, located on the north shore of the Firth of Forth. Sure enough, they have an amateur football team, and "El Ricardo" included them in the Fife Combination. Pittenween Rovers, you have yourselves a new manager.

Pittenweem Rovers were founded in 1930, so they have some history. They play at Recreation Park, which holds 750 spectators, who may sit if they bring chairs. My staff includes an assistant manager, a head of youth development, a physio, and a scout. I added a second coach to the staff. They're all amateur volunteers. The youth coaching and recruitment network are as insignificant as they can be. Glasgow Celtic, we aren't.

I'm using "fake names," so I won't be tempted to hunt down real players that So-and-so recommends (not that they'd be tempted to play for us, anyway). I've included about 35,000 players from the UK and Ireland, so there will be plenty of lads for our scout to search for. He can't leave Scotland for now, but that's fine, too.

My manager alter ego is 30, he's a former semi-pro footballer, and Pittenweem is his home town. He's come back to lead the amateur club where his footballing journey begins.

Where will it go from here? Let's find out. I hope at least some of you will join me, and please feel free to comment, even if it's only to say "I'm following along," "good luck," etc. I enjoy having posts to reply to.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

7 August 2013

The story begins, not at the very beginning, but about a month into my tenure at Recreation Park. I've spent that month becoming acquainted with the squad, letting some players go and bringing others in, and playing six preseason friendlies. I'm trying to add a seventh, because some of the lads still need to gain some match fitness.

I have a tendency to chop and change my tactics too often, and I'm going to do my best to resist that tendency this time. I doubt my players have the skill to move fluently from one system to another, anyway. They best suited to play a simple 4-4-2, like this:

Tactics
The roles and duties I've chosen are largely inspired by the work of a tactician called "Dr. Hook." He has some great ideas about lower league tactics that I'm going to try. My goal with Rovers is to keep things simple, with a solid defensive shape. Our mentality will usually be fairly conservative, but hopefully I have enough players on attacking duties that we'll generate some offense, too.

Team Instructions
As my own managerial style is developing, I'm discovering I like my teams to play a possession-oriented style, keeping the ball 55% of the time and completing 80% of their passes. I'm hoping the Pittenween lads will be able to do this, despite their less-than-polished skills. After all, their opponents aren't going to be Real Madrid and Chelsea, either.

I'm instructing the players to use Shorter Passing. They have decent pace for their level, but they aren't good in the air, so they'd probably give away possession too easily if I have them playing directly, trying to hit a target man.

Stick to Positions will hopefully prevent them from blundering all over the park, getting themselves into situations they can't play their way out of.

Play out of Defence might be tricky, since for the most part, my backs are not secure on the ball. I'm slowly upgrading the team here, looking for defenders with Passing attributes higher than 3 or 4, which seem to be the norm for my squad. Still, I don't want them hoofing it up the pitch recklessly, and I figure it might be easier for them to get it to a midfielder playing nearby.

Retain Possession and Lower Tempo will hopefully encourage them to hold the ball and patiently wait for their opponents to leave them an opening to attack. Again, their limited skills might make this difficult, but again, the sides we play against will tend to make poor decisions and wander out of their shape, too.

Personal Instructions
I only give one player anything special to do: my goalkeeper. I'm instructing him to Pass It Shorter and Distribute To Defenders. Those have worked a charm with other teams I've managed. Otherwise, the keeper simply belted it up the park and, as often as not, the other team would come away with it.

I'm prepared for the keeper to occasionally duff the ball to an opponent in a dangerous position (it's already happened in a friendly) or for a defender to sometimes receive the ball and promptly do something dumb with it (that's happened, too). On the whole, though, even the Pittenween custodians seem to be following their directions passably well (pun intended).

I'm not attempting to present myself as a master tactician, by any means, so please don't take these as the musings of an expert. If anything, you might want to consider doing the opposite. On the other hand, I've moved past the point where I'm randomly tossing things together and seeing what happens. Describing my starting point and tracing the inevitable adjustments I make along he way might help us all enjoy the game more.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

7 August 2013

Pittenween Rovers are an amateur club, which means several things as I'm assembling my squad.

1. Players might be free to leave the club and sign with another at any time. There are transfer windows in the Fife Combination; one runs from 9 June until 31 August, and the other begins on 1 January and ends on 1 February. I'm hoping that means I won't have to constantly guard my squad from other amateur clubs' attempts to poach them.
   
2. The only thing that might limit the size of my squad is my ability to attract players. There's no wage budget, after all. In the past, I've been unable to resist the temptation to amass huge squads when I've managed amateur clubs. Once I had 55 players on my squad list. I am doing my best to make sure I don't have more than 20-25 players in the club. That's what most of the other Fife Combination clubs have. The temptation to hoard players won't be as great if there really are real transfer windows, however.
   
3. At the end of the season, there might be a mass exodus of players to higher leagues. I'd like to think some of the Rovers will prove themselves worthy of semi-pro contracts. It won't be fun to lose them, but at least that will mean we probably enjoyed some success with them in the side. The thought of a career club servant at this level is probably not a realistic one.

With those things in mind, here's a look at the players I've assembled as the Fife Combination season approaches. There are no reserve or youth teams at this level, so what you see is what we'll have.

Normally I'd include my assistant's star ratings with this information, but at this level, the assistant's evaluation doesn't seem to mean much. He tends to give players either one or five stars, and his assessment seems to change wildly if even one new player joins the team.

Goalkeepers


Ferguson begins the season as the first choice, but McAusland will also get plenty of action. Chris commands his area better, but Charlie is much better in the air.

Both made ridiculous mistakes during preseason. Ferguson made a save and promptly dropped the ball in front of a opposing forward who obligingly put it past him into the goal. McAusland started to rush out to meet an opponent, hesitated, flapped at the attacker's shot, and deflected it backward into the net.

Edinburgh United is supposedly interested in signing McAusland.


Defenders


When I arrived, there were only four defenders on the roster, so obtaining some reinforcements here was an early priority.

We seem to play best with Murray at right back, McShane and MacLellan at center back, and Lord on the left. McArthur seems to have a better set of attributes than MacLellan, however. He's a new addition to the club and might simply need more time to settle in. McArthur's versatility makes him an ideal super-sub, too.

Kenny and Robertson have been decent when they've played, but their ball skills are atrocious: almost all their technical attributes are 2(!) or 1(!!). Fortunately their Composure and Decisions are a little better, or they'd be on their way out of town.

Kenny might be anyway, as his services are desired by three other clubs. Three different teams are sniffing at Lord. Then there's MacLellan, who must feel like the most desirable man in Scotland. Seventeen teams are said to have "major interest" in him, and 24 others have "minor interest."


Midfielders


Rose, whom I signed on 14 July, looks like he'll be the best player in the team. I'll use him as the box-to-box midfielder. His technical attributes, especially his passing, are the best on the team, and he has the Pace, Stamina, and Work Rate to run all day. Innes will get the first crack at the other central midfield spot, with Scott, who can also play there, in reserve. McShane and McArthur can also deputize at M(C). Paton is much better at AM(C), and he'll play there some when I use our second tactic, a 4-4-2 Diamond.

Weir will start on the left wing, with Barbour on the right. Morrison and, to some extent, Wright, have promise for the future, but Heggie will need to show something to keep his roster spot.

Forwards


My backroom staff thinks this is the weakest area of the team, by far. Spence is the captain, and he's the Advanced Forward in the pair. His best attribute, besides his Leadership ability, is his Pace. Booth will be the Deep Lying Forward, and he's a good fit there, except for his near total lack of Creativity. He's left-footed, and Spence is right-footed, which is making me consider switching them so each plays on the other side.

Adamson is fairly quick, but he's as raw as a 24-year-old player can be. Wilson, whom eight other clubs might like to take off my hands, is extremely well suited to the role of Defensive Forward, a role I've never used. I'm wondering if using Wilson there to protect a lead might be a good tactical move.

Incidentally, my coaches say McShane would be the team's third-best striker.

Can a football team have too much leadership? I have EIGHT players whose Leadership attribute is 15 or higher! Steven Barbour, who is not among them, is a Model Professional--the first I've ever had on a squad I've managed. Will all these alpha males clash, all trying to assert themselves as THE leader? Or will they bend other teams before their will, due to the strength of their character?

I guess we'll find out.

[Grover]

Looking forward to following this! My favorite ever FM games were FM10 - taking FC Paris from Le Championnat National to Ligue 1 in three years and FM12 - taking Gloucester City from the 6th tier to the Prem in as many seasons.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by Grover

Looking forward to following this! My favorite ever FM games were FM10 - taking FC Paris from Le Championnat National to Ligue 1 in three years and FM12 - taking Gloucester City from the 6th tier to the Prem in as many seasons.

Thanks, Grover. I believe I've read one of your FM stories here, haven't I? I hope I have a long, successful run with Pittenweem Rovers, too.

Stop by anytime!

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 September 2013

Well, things haven't turned out like I planned...



Playing four matches in two weeks didn't help, but every other club in the league faced the same kind of fixture congestion. And they've all managed to win at least one of their matches.



We honestly haven't played that badly, with the exception of the disaster at home to Fife Thistle, who look like one of the best clubs in the league. Normally I would be inclined to start changing my tactics, trying to find a quick solution to problems I haven't quite identified. That's a recipe for disaster, and this time I'm going to stick with what I'm doing and wait for my players to bed in.

I'll have to try to turn things around without Turnbull Spence. The skipper tore his hamstring against Burntisland United, and he'll be out until November, at the earliest. I might have tried to add a striker at the transfer deadline anyway, but Spence's injury made it a priority.

I brought in Kyle Cheyne, who's a little older (27) than I would have wanted him to be, but he's very versatile--both in terms of the positions he can play and the skills he possesses. Cheyne can play on both wings and as an AM(C), and he's very technically adept for our league. He was with Nithsdale Wanderers of the Dumfries & Galloway Combination.

Right wing Graham Conway left the team for Jed Legion in the Borders Combination. We replaced him with Rab Ritchie, formerly with Eyemouth Amateurs. Ritchie, 22, can play all over the right side of the park, and in the central midfield strata, too. He's going to play regularly somewhere, that much I can tell you. He understands the game like an older, more experienced player and, like Cheyne, his skills are very good for a team in the Fife Combination.

Hopefully the additions of Cheyne and Ritchie will give the squad a lift, and maybe the ball will bounce our way more often in September. We'll be starting cup play soon, so we'll need all the rest/help/luck we can get.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 October 2013



Another month finds us still bottom of the table, still without a win in league play, slowly losing touch with the teams above us.



The team is playing the way I want them to play with huge exception: they simply are not scoring goals. I'm going to try a more aggressive mentality in my next matches, and we'll see if it produces better results.

In the Amateur Cup victory over Vale of Leven, Pittenween looked like a different side: incisive in front of goal, attacking the opposing area, drawing two penalties that we converted. Jamie Adamson turned a joyous somersault after he completed his hat trick.

I'd never seen that side before; I haven't seen them since.

That result is probably the reason why I'm still employed. The board called me in for a meeting today, and I assured them that once our injured lads were fit again, things would turn around. Turnbull Spence and Michael Wilson, both strikers, have bad hamstrings, and midfielders Adam Paton and Callum Weir have just returned to training.

I've bought myself some time. Now we'll see if I can turn things around.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 November 2013



Look who's not bottom of the table right now!



I abandoned the reliance on a Defensive mentality, and so far, the results have been much better. Otherwise, I think it's simply been a matter of the team beginning to gain some familarity with the tactics I use and become used to playing together.

The temptation to try to reverse our run of bad form was almost too much to resist, but for once, I stuck with what I'd developed. Right now, I'm very glad I did.

According to the media, the match away to Buckhaven Town was one I had to win to keep my job. If that's the case, remind me to buy Kyle Cheyne dinner at the restaurant of his choice. Cheyne has bedded in well as a deep-lying forward, where his creativity and passing ability give him the ability to pick out his strike partner when he's in position to score. Kyle can finish too, as evidenced by his game-winner at Buckhaven.

Stewart Booth has been the prime beneficiary of Cheyne's artistry. Booth is pacey and works hard, and his finishing (he rates a 5) doesn't look like much, but it's good in the Fife Combination.

The other new player I mentioned last month, Rab Ritchie, has been a great fit, too. I use him as an attacking full back most often, but he's also covered the central midfield. He's become a dangerous force on free kicks, accounting for both our goals against St Andrews Amateurs that way--scoring one himself and teeing up Joseph Lord for a headed goal.

We're still in the running for two cups, the Fife and Scottish Amateur championships. We're expected to contend for the former, but we've surprised the experts with our success in the latter. I tried to conserve my best players for the Amateur Cup ties with St Roch's, and we still managed to advance to the next round.

We've achieved this run of good form with a new man between the posts. Our regular 'keeper, Chris Ferguson, was injured in on 10 October, and I took advantage of the league rule that allows a club to sign an emergency goalkeeper at any time. Our scout found one who is much better than a desperation fill-in. He's called James Graham, and he's a commanding, 6'4" presence in the net. Ferguson will be back to training this week, but do I give him back the number one shirt with Graham in such good form? It's a nice problem to have.

We begin November a lot closer to the top of the table than we were a month ago. We're only 4 points shy of 10th position, and for now, I seem to have earned myself a bit more job security.

[Grover]

November was an excellent month!

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by Grover

November was an excellent month!

Yes, it was! I can't help wondering what Rovers are really like...are they the club I saw in September, the one I saw last month, or something in between?

I'm guessing something in between, but morale is high right now, so I'm hoping to ride this wave as long as we can.

Thanks for stopping by!

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 December 2013



Form is an elusive thing. As soon as you think you've captured it, it slips away again. Pittenweem Rovers went 2-1-2 in league play during November, playing well at home and poorly away. The seven points we secured moved us up one position in the table, but the board remain dissatisfied with our league standing.



Blantyre Victoria, who are top of the league in the Strathclyde Combination, eliminated us from the Scottish Amateur Cup. Had we been able to play that tie at Recreation Park, we might have fared better, but nobody expected us to advance as far as the Fifth Round anyway.

We're not exactly pouring in the goals. If not for the magical touch of Rab Ritchie on a dead ball, we'd really be in trouble.

Club captain Turnbull Spence is back in training, and he's fit enough to give us 20 or 30 minutes a match now. Chris Innes (gashed leg) and Stewart Booth (twisted knee) are out, however, so it's a case of one hand taking away what the other one gives. Our rutted pitch and our mediocre physio aren't helping, either. At the bottom level of Scottish football, that's the way of things.

Perhaps Santa Claus will give us something nice in our club's stocking this holiday season.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 January 2014

The New Year sees Pittenweem Rovers slowly creeping up the table in the Fife Amateur Combination, and we bid goodbye to 2013 with a stirring victory in the Quarter Final of the Fife Amateur Cup.



The programme isn't too busy in December and January. After our league fixture on the 14th, we waited over a fortnight to play again, in the Fife Amateur competition. Now, we're waiting another two weeks or so before we resume league play.



According to the media, I faced a sacking if we'd lost at home to Burntisland United. I was still a bit concerned when we played them to a goalless draw, but the board seemed pleased with the result, and my end-of-the-month evaluation was the most positive I've received yet.

We treated the supporters to a 3-0 win over St Andrews University in the Fife Amateur Cup, and we're hoping to build upon that momentum in the New Year. The transfer window opened today, and that meant we could welcome three new Rovers to the side, lads we signed during the autumn. All of them were free agents who were looking for a club.

Charlie Parratt, 25, is best at center half, but he can play effectively anywhere along the back line. He's an imposing physical specimen--6'5", and over 15 stone--and he has a surprising amount of pace for such a big man. I envision Parratt providing effective cover at any of the defensive spots. He joins us from Golspie Sutherland in Highland Alliance Three.

Center back Brian Ball is a veteran, age 32, and he's not as quick as he once was. His knowledge of the game ought to enable him to do effective work at this level, however. Ball is strong in the tackle and plays solid defensive football. He'll step into the first team as soon as he's fit, enabling Billy McArthur to assume a super-sub role. Ball was a free agent.

Thomas Adams is a New Zealander with Scottish citizenship. He's 20, and I'm very excited to see him work in our central midfield. I plan on slotting him in as a deep-lying playmaker, where his slick passing, sound decision-making, and nose for the football should serve him well. He played for Whitburn in the Lothian Amateur Combination earlier this season.

Gareth Wright, Craig Heggie, Adam Paton, and Billy Kenny all left us for other clubs today. I wish them well, and hope they can find what they're looking for in their new clubs.

Here's a look at our statistics, with just over half the league campaign in the books.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

2 February 2014



Pittenweem Rovers might have only ventured onto the pitch three times in January, but it was nevertheless an eventful month.



Three wins in the Fife Amateur Combination gave us enough points to rise into the top half of the table. Included in this good run were results over Valleyfield and Crossgates Primrose, the top two clubs in the league. Eight wins, eight draws, and eight losses. That's about as even a record as it gets, and it's a far sight better than where we were back in the autumn.

Now, instead of the media speculating about my sacking, they're making me the favorite for the jobs that open up when other managers are sacked! Twice I fielded questions about my interest in vacancies in the league one level higher than ours, but I wasn't willing to entertain the possibility of leaving Pittenweem for Armadale Thistle or Coldstream. The board was delighted to learn I was planning to honor my contract with Rovers.

I hadn't planned on delving into the transfer market very much this winter, but I changed my mind when semi-professional clubs came after two of our players. First it was left back Joseph Lord, who signed for Irvine Vics at 50 quid a week. Lord's departure didn't surprise me; he'd been courted by one club or another all season long.

The other player who left did catch me off guard: the skipper, Turnbull Spence. He made only six appearances with us, due to injury, but he was in our starting XI whenever he was fit. Now he's with Dundee North End, making £50/week. I promoted Chris Ennis to captain, and named Billy McArthur vice-captain. The players responded very positively to my choices.

I didn't see a striker I liked well enough to replace Spence, but on Deadline Day I signed a new left back called David Power. He's young, only 20, and there's not a faster player in the Fife Amateur Combination. Some of his skills are raw, as you might expect with a player his age, but his electric pace ought to make him an effective player at our level. Power was without a club, so he's not match fit, but he'll get a chance to establish himself in the first eleven over the next few fixtures. He can deputize anywhere on the left side of the pitch, so even if he doesn't prove himself ready for the first team, he will make a versatile, valuable reserve.

We've scored the fewest goals in the league, by a decent margin, but only one other club has conceded fewer. I'm not used to managing a club that's so reliant on preventing goals; my sides usually knock in a fair few goals and struggle to avoid conceding just as many.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 March 2014



This would have been a good month to make a charge up the table, with matches against three of the weaker teams in the league.



We beat the one strong side we faced (Steelend Victoria), but we lost away to Leven United and mucked our way through an ugly goal-less draw at Star Hearts. So, instead of gaining ground, we actually dropped a spot.

The highlight of our month was Steven Barbour's hat trick against St Andrew's University. Such are our struggles to score goals that Barbour, in a single game, became our second high scorer in league play--one behind Rab Ritchie.

I've noticed that Pittenweem's roster is a little larger than the other teams in our league. I have 23 players on my squad list, which doesn't seem like too many to me, but none of the other clubs in the Fife Amateur Combination have more than 18. With no reserve team, it's hard to keep many of the backups match-fit. I might have to schedule a friendly for them, or think about trimming my squad list.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 April 2014



Rovers seem to be firmly entrenched in the middle of the table now, neither gaining nor losing ground to the teams at the top. There's still a buzz of excitement surrounding the club, however, as we have advanced to the Final of the Fife Amateur Cup!



We faced a tough draw, away to Rosyth Civil Service, who have been around the top of the Fife Amateur Combination all season long. Since the Semi Final came in the midst of a run of important league fixtures, I wondered how strong a side I could realistically field for the Cup tie. In order to get some of our reserves some match fitness, I scheduled a mid-week friendly with Fairmuir.

Then, a day or so before the Semi Final, the graduates of our youth academy joined the club! There were 16 of them, all 14 or 15 years old, and the group included several lads who didn't look like they'd be overmatched at our level. So, I took a chance, and filled out a team sheet that included four debutants: defenders Maurice Milne and Kevin Callaghan, and midfielders Martin Buchan and Ryan Baird.

Callaghan, whom our staff believe is the most promising of the young lads, played a fine game (7.3 match rating), and a goal from Stewart Booth put us through to the Final. We'll face a tough opponent, Leven United, with whom we've drawn and lost in league play, and the match will take place on 27 May.

I've continued to schedule friendlies so I can see the youngsters and backups in action and determine which of them have a future with the club. Right now, the young lads are looking better than the 20-something reserves; some of the veterans need to be giving some thought to whether nor not they'd like to be back with us next season.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 June 2014



I remember looking at the table in early April and thinking that a decent-sized run of good form could make a big difference in our league standing. Well, we got that run of good form, and we end the season fifth. Considering we were bottom of the league in October and 14th on New Year's Day, I'm delighted with how the season turned out.

Perhaps part of our late-season success was due to a tactical shift I made. I wish I could say it was a calculated decision, borne of my brilliant strategical insight. Instead, it was the result of a talented young player complaining about a lack of first team football.

Ross Scott is a natural defensive midfielder, and in a flat 4-4-2, I didn't have much use for him. Scott has very good attributes for our level--he's technically solid, pacey, and tough--and I was training him to play M(C). He wasn't comfortable there yet, however, and I was afraid I'd lose him when he went to the press and complained about playing time.

I also had the players training up a 4-5-1 formation, with attacking midfielders flanking a single striker and a D(M) in the hole behind my center mids. I used that tactic, with Scott at D(M), against Dysart on 5 April, and we won, 2-1. I stuck with it, and we didn't lose again in the league.

Here are the stats for our most important players during the 2013-14 campaign.



Thomas Adams was a great addition to our side. He's a tremendous midfield creator who can score goals, too; his talents from the penalty spot came in very handy (as you'll soon see).

David Power and Brian Ball solidified our back line, joining Rab Ritchie, who had an exceptional season for us.

We eventually got a player into double figures on the goal chart: Kyle Cheyne, who moved to the right wing in our 4-5-1 and seemed very comfortable there.



I was delighted with James Graham, the "emergency 'keeper" who made the number one shirt his own. Charlie McAusland, who realized he wouldn't get much playing time with us, asked for a transfer and I obliged him. He'll join Darvel on 8 June, when the transfer window opens.

There's one more match to report on: the Fife Amateur Cup Final.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

27 May 2014

Leven United v. Pittenweem Rovers
Fife Amateur Cup Final
Hampden Park, Glasgow

I probably should have done this sooner, but here's a map of Scotland, which shows the location of Fife. It was one of the legendary kingdoms of the Picts, over a millenium ago.

As you can see, Glasgow is not in Fife. I have no idea why we play our Cup final there, but the chance to play in Hampden Park is very special for all of us.

Here's our team sheet for the Final:

4-5-1
GK: James Graham
D: David Power, Brian Ball, Jamie McShane, Rab Ritchie
DM: Ross Scott
CM: Thomas Adams, Matty Rose
AM: Calum Weir, Kyle Cheyne
ST: Jamie Adamson

Subs: Chris Ferguson, Stewart Booth, Chris Innes, Steven Barbour, Billy McArthur

Leven United also play in the Fife Amateur Combination. We drew against them, 1-1, in September, and lost 2-1 to them on their grounds in February. We were fortunate to enter the game in good health, while Leven were missing Craig Drummond, who knocked in 11 goals, and imposing winger Lewis Jackson. For some reason, Leven manager Paul Smith left the club's leading scorer, Matthew Campbell (18 goals) on the bench. I sure wasn't going to complain about that.

There were only 293 spectators inside vast Hampden Park, which accommodates over 52,000 for a Scotland match. Still, it was the biggest crowd to watch us play all season long.

We opened somewhat sluggishly, failing to keep the ball--which is something our side is very good at doing. Leven were clearly on the front foot, and almost took the lead on 8 minutes when Scott Kelly headed just wide of Graham's left post.

That near miss seemed to invigorate our lads. Three minutes later, we strung together a series of passes, Rose picking out Adams, who put Adamson through with an even better ball. Adamson's drive was turned away by Kevin Cowie for a corner. Scott took it, and Adams challenged Leven center back Jamie McLeod for the ball. McLeod shoved Adams in the back, the referee pointed to the spot, and Adams coolly drilled the ball past a diving Cowie. Pittenweem, 1-0.

We controlled the game through the rest of the first half. We doubled our advantage on 36 minutes, Adams playing in Cheyne, who jinked past Darryn Ryan and fired from a very tight angle. It was perhaps our most artful goal of the year, and almost certainly our most important one. Pittenweem, 2-0!

Not surprisingly, Paul Smith's side came out for the second half with guns blazing. Scott Courts hit the post with a wicked drive, and McShane cleared the rebound off the line just before Kelly could pounce on it. Smith brought on Campbell, and twice within his first five minutes of action he nearly scored. One of his shots sizzled just above the bar, and the other went just wide; good thing, too, as Graham would never have saved it had it curled inside the post.

On the hour mark, Adamson picked up an injury and couldn't continue. I introduced Innes in his place, choosing to play without a striker, and changed our mentality to Defensive. McArthur came on for the exhausted Scott on 78', and I instructed the lads to slow the tempo way down and start wasting some time.

As it turned out, I didn't need to take such defensive precautions. The hapless Darryn Ryan, who'd been turned inside out by Cheyne earlier in the match, seemed to barely brush against Ball as they raced after a loose ball in the Leven penalty area. Again, the referee signalled the penalty (I'd have never given one in this case). Again, Adams converted. Pittenweem, 3-0.

Leven threw everyone except their chairman and physio forward, but we held on, preserved our clean sheet, and a grinning skipper, Chris Innes, accepted the trophy for our club.

Pittenweem Rovers win the 2014 Fife Amateur Cup!

It's unusual for us to lose the possession battle, but that didn't seem to hurt us today. Paul Smith has to be livid about his team's lack of discipline: two penalties given, and 28 fouls, to our five.

Graham wasn't called upon to make a save all afternoon, although Leven sent several dangerous strikes barely wide.

This is my third trophy as a Football Manager boss. My Wantage Town side won the Oxfordshire Senior Cup, and Rosport captured the Luxembourg Cup. I realize there are a lot of FM players who win a trophy every week, but I'm not one of them, so this feels good.

[bbgunn]

Would have made more sense for them to play the Final in Edinburgh, if they need a big stadium. It's right across the bridge from Fife!

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by bbgunn

Would have made more sense for them to play the Final in Edinburgh, if they need a big stadium. It's right across the bridge from Fife!

I know! I've been to Edinburgh, and I remember the Firth of Forth bridge very well.

I'd use an editor to change the venue, if I could, but I don't think I can do that with a game that's already begun.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

23 June 2014

Here are Pittenweem Rovers' Best Eleven for 2013-14:





Joseph Lord, who served us well before signing with Irvine Victoria in January, earned a spot in the team that could have also gone to David Power. He, along with Brian Ball and Thomas Adams, sparked Rovers' turnaround during the last third of the season. Power didn't even make the Best Eleven bench; I'd have picked Power, who had a 6.95 average rating in 15 appearances, over Steven MacLellan.

The supporters chose Rab Ritchie as their Player of the Year, a decision which didn't surprise me and one I agree with wholeheartedly.

The transfer window has been open for two weeks, and two of the players from the Best Eleven have already left the club. Midfielder Matty Rose was the first to depart. He signed for Strathspey Thistle, where he will earn £40/week. I have a warm spot for Strathie, whom I managed in another dynasty. They enjoyed a successful season last year, winning Highland Alliance Two and earning promotion.

Chris Innes became the second club captain to leave Recreation Park, choosing to move up two levels and sign for Selkirk of Lowland Alliance Two. It's hard to blame a lad for wanting to make a little money or for desiring to play for a bigger club.

I might have been able to move on, too. I've been linked in the media with about a dozen jobs, but only one of them interested me at all. Hall Russell United, of Highland Alliance Two, intrigued me because, unlike most of the other clubs who sacked their managers during the year, they were safely above the relegation zone and seemed to have a decent team. I didn't even inquire about the job, however, because I want to see what I can accomplish at Pittenweem. We have a group of good young players, lads in their mid-teens, and it will take quite an offer to lure me away from the opportunity to watch them develop.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

5 July 2014

When I took the job at Pittenweem, I knew it would be highly unlikely I could keep a squad together for more than a year or so, especially if it were a good one. It's natural for players who have proven themselves in a small club to want to try their luck with a bigger one. So, the fact that we've had several very good players leave this summer doesn't surprise me. I don't like it, but I expected it.

Within three days, three more players who were regulars last year left the club.

Jamie McShane signed for Aberdeen University; he's still on an amateur contract, but they are a bigger club in a higher league. Incidentally, McShane was named the worst signing of the 2013-14 season in the Fife Amateur Combination, an assessment I don't agree with at all.

On the same day, 28 June, Jamie Adamson accepted a £30/week deal with Girvan, and Ross Scott took £40/week to sign for Rothes.

I've been looking for some replacements, but so far I haven't been able to bring in anyone who would be better than the players I already have.

I was bummed enough about the departures that when I was mentioned as the front-runner for a job with Newtongrange Star (Lowland Alliance Two/East, two levels higher) I didn't immediately dismiss the possibility. I told my mate James Atalig, from the East Fife Mail, that it was nice to hear my name linked with a high-profile job, and that I wouldn't rule anything out. I made the board a little grouchy, but I don't think it hurt to remind them I'm not a lap dog.

There hasn't been an offer, and I haven't applied for the job. I probably wouldn't take it, anyway. I'm still leaning toward seeing what I can do with the players I can keep here in Pittenweem this season.

We've played two friendlies so far, both at Recreation Park. We've won them both, beating Barnhill AFC and Duns FC by identical 2-0 margins.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

13 July 2014

Will the last player to leave please close the door?

Since the first of July, three more players have left the club. All three were first team regulars, and among them was the club's biggest star.

Winger Callum Weir accepted a £30/week contract with Glenafton, who play in the Lowland Alliance One--three levels above us.

Leading scorer Kyle Cheyne will earn twice that amount with Lothian Thistle, and he'll get to face Weir's club twice a season in league play.

Rab Ritchie was the big winner. I knew we wouldn't keep him; unlike the other players we've lost, Rab wouldn't even discuss a new contract with us for this season. He signed with Annan Athletic of the National League, the third tier of Scottish football; he'll earn £200/week.

I'm happy for all three of them. Pittenweem were clearly too small a club for them, and it was good to have them while I could.

We lost our most recent friendly, 3-2, away to F.C. Polonia Dundee.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

9 August 2014

We begin our Fife Amateur Combination season today, away to Eastvale. Here's a look at our club, as it stands today.

Goalkeepers


I'm very happy with our 'keepers. Graham is possibly the best goalkeeper in our league. Ferguson, who is coveted by several teams, began last season as our number one and did fine until he got hurt. McLaughlin and Quinn came up from the youth program last spring, and both have plenty of promise. I wouldn't hesitate to give either of them a start.

Defenders


Two of last season's stalwart regulars return, Power at left back and Ball at center half. A new signing, McCartan, will get the first chance to start beside Ball, with the Milnes, Graeme and Maurice, rotating at right back.

Buchanan, McIntyre, and Callaghan are too promising to sit on the bench all season long, so they'll get some playing time when the programme gets crowded. Parratt, Robertson, and MacLellan can all fill in if needed, and each can play more than one position.

Midfielders


Adams is now our team's biggest star, a versatile, tireless engine in the middle of the park. Five young players, including three 15-year-old lads, will compete for the other M(C) position. Knox, Baird, or Morrison will play on the left; Morrison played the best in the pre-season, so he'll start the league opener. Power can play up on the wing if I want him to.

Now, a bit of story. I've never used a Director of Football, but when I realized the board would let me have one, I decided to give it a try. I found and hired Nigel Chapman, and set him to work finding transfer targets.

His first discovery was McMullan, whom we signed from Queen's Park, the most renowned amateur club in Scotland. He'll man the right wing, no matter which midfield formation I use.

McArthur, who's listed with the defenders, will be our DM(C)--once he recovers from a hamstring injury. He's also our captain this season.

Barbour will deputize on both wings, and two youngsters I forgot to include on the screen shot--Myles Charles-Cook and Stevie Templeman--will play DM(C) while Billy Mac is healing.

We're very, very young and somewhat unsettled here. If at least a few of the new boys don't make good, I'll sign Finnie, the Grey Ghost, or do some shopping in the free transfer market.

Forwards


Until last week, Stewart Booth was going to be our front man. Then, he decided to take his talents to Dalkeith Thistle, who will pay him 40 quid a week for his services. Now, we have four strikers who scored a total of three goals between them last season.

Wilson accounted for two of them, in five appearances in a Pittenweem shirt. New arrival Sturrock scored one for Dundee North End, where he played mostly as a second striker. He's an imposing physical force; if he had pace, he might make the Premiership. Beveridge and Grant are youth graduates; Beveridge is fast and agile, while Grant offers versatility and playmaking ability.

The media has made us favorites for the Fife Amateur Combination championship this season. For that to happen, a number of unproven players will have to step up, and quickly.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

2 September 2014



There are 20 teams in the Fife Amateur Combination, so you can see what kind of start we've had. The team that are missing from this table (it won't fit on my screenshot) are Eastvale...the only one we've managed to defeat.

By the way, the board expect me to lead the team to a league title this year.

It's been a tough month all around. I wondered how long it would take for bigger clubs to sniff out James Graham, our beast goalkeeper. By mid-August, he was receiving offers, and when he turned down the opportunity to discuss a new contract with us, I knew he was gone. He last appeared for Pittenweem on 16 August, when we saw off Balintore in the first round of the Scottish Amateur Cup. Four days later, he signed for Gala Fairydean Rovers of Lowland Alliance One, on £70/week.

Is it a coincidence that, since then, we've lost three straight matches?



It hasn't helped that Billy McArthur hasn't played yet. Steven Sturrock has appeared once; he injured his knee in training the day before our first match, and just returned to action. Still, it's hard to imagine those two players would be worth 10 points by themselves, and that's how far we are adrift right now.

Transfer Deadline Day was 30 August, and it began with the news that Colin Knox signed a deal with Dunipace Juniors that will pay him £30/week. He's the 13th player we lost during this transfer period.

That afternoon, we went to King George V Park to face Leven United. You might remember them as the club we defeated in the Fife Amateur Cup Final last May. This time, they got the better of us, coming back from a goal down to defeat us, 2-3.

Nigel Chapman, our Director of Football, discovered a very promising 15-year-old striker called Stephen Ferguson, who plays for Jed Legion. It's hard to persuade a lad to leave his hometown club, however, and we couldn't sign him.

But as the clock was winding down, I managed to reach terms with Dean Bennett, a midfielder formerly with Stirling Thistle. He's 34, and he's a true professional who should bring some additional leadership to our young team. On the pitch, he's a box-to-box midfielder with very good technical attributes for our level. He's not fast, but he's got the positioning, composure, and awareness to compensate for his lack of pace. I'd have liked to give one or two of our young midfielders the chance to play more, but with the board demanding a championship, I'm not sure I have that luxury. Bennett is probably better right now.

Hopefully, in a month, things will be looking more promising.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

12 September 2014

A lot has happened since the first of the month, so an interim update seemed to be in order.

We were horrible in our match at home to Rosebank on the 3rd. Steven Sturrock scored his first Pittenweem goal in the 3rd minute, but we fell apart after that and lost, 1-3.

I decided to (1) give Chris Ferguson a seat on the bench and put Billy Wright, a 19-year-old former Grey Guy, in goal for our next match and (2) look for a 'keeper on the transfer market. Wright looked decent in a 2-1 victory over Rosyth Civil Service, which we secured when Thomas Adams converted a penalty in the fourth minute of extra time.

Ferguson went back between the posts in a 2-1 win at Steelend Victoria two nights ago. In the meantime, I signed a new goalkeeper: Johan Karlsson, a Swede who's currently with Stirling University of the Scottish Alliance and not playing at all. He's 28, and he looks like he'll be a good fit. He'll join the club on 31 December.

But...there's a chance I might not be there when he arrives...

A few days ago, I opened my inbox and saw an offer for a job interview with Whithorn. I'd never seen that before, and it made me curious. I read a little bit on the forums about what might happen if I interviewed with someone while I had a job somewhere else, and I decided I'd see what the process was like.

The next day, I opened my mailbox, expecting to find a NastyGram from my board or a comment from an angry supporters' group. Instead, I found several more offers for interviews! Same thing the next day. I've now interviewed with 11 clubs from across Scotland, all of them in the Scottish Amateur Combination.

I'm not a fan of Pittenweem's board; they turn a deaf ear to my requests for any kind of upgrades and, after we've lost 13 players to bigger clubs, they expect a league championship AND a successful defense of the Fife Amateur Cup. I have no problem with high expectations, but these might be a bit unrealistic.

We'll see what happens...

[Greyfriars Bobby]

16 September 2014

The job interviews have gone well. I offer the same set of philosophies to each board with whom I interview; I want to play a possession-oriented, defensive style and I'd like to bring in young players.

I've been offered a number of jobs already, and in each case, I've asked the board to delay my decision for a week. Each time, the board have agreed to the delay.

Here are the clubs that have offered me jobs so far:
Whithorn
Third Lanark
Aberdeen Lads Club
Bankfoot Athletic
Whitehills
Nithsdale Wanderers
Scone Thistle
Steelend Victoria
Downfield
Luncarty

Third Lanark are an interesting possibility. They're one of the most historic clubs in Scotland, and after being dissolved in the 1960s, they are back as an amateur club.

Steelend Victoria are, of course, in the Fife Amateur Combination. In fact, we beat them 2-1 just last week.

Nithsdale Wanderers have a strong side, but their board is looking for promotion this year. Since only the league champion is promoted, I'd be facing the same kind of board expectations I have with Rovers.

Two nights ago, we defeated Lochar Thistle, 2-0, in the Second Round of the Scottish Amateur Cup. So, things are going better on the pitch, too.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

20 September 2014

I took a long time deciding what to do about the job offers I received. (Not being able to play any FM for a couple days gave me time to mull things over.) I ended up deciding to bid Pittenweem goodbye, and take on a new challenge that I think I will enjoy.

As of today, I am the new manager at Third Lanark Athletic Club.

Third Lanark were founded in 1872, and we play in the Strathclyde Amateur Combination. Currently, we're 17th in the league, with 7 points from our first 9 matches. We've scored 9 goals (not great) and shipped 18 (worst in the league), so tightening up the defense will be an immediate priority.

Here's a look at the players in the team as I take over.

Goalkeepers


McQueen is nothing special, and his poor distribution will make it tough to play the possession style I prefer. Paterson probably isn't worth signing to a contract.


Defenders


Campbell is the best of our defenders. Ten clubs want to sign him away from us, and I'll do what I can to keep that from happening. I call McManus and Ellis the "Bruise Brothers." They're old-fashioned center halves, big, physical presences...but they're slow and not terribly secure with the ball. McMenamin might receive a contract offer, because I like his youth and versatility. Burns is strictly a fill-in.

Midfielders


McLaren is the captain, and he's probably our best player. I tried to sign him for Pittenweem, in fact. He is best as an AM(C), but he can also play M(C) effectively and will feature no matter whether we play a 4-4-2, a 4-5-1, or a 4-2-3-1. Roberts and Murphy are virtually the same player; Murphy has had a better season so far. Frame is currently injured, but I might play Husband ahead of him, anyway. Clark is young and has a lot of potential.


Forwards


Crawford leads the team with three goals, but he's out for the next few weeks with a sports hernia. Our staff like Welsh's potential, and several teams are after him. Henry is young and very raw. I'll probably offer MacDonald a contract; his attributes are better than any of the strikers on our roster.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

3 October 2014

This is our first look at the Strathclyde Amateur Combination table.



My first match as manager of Third Lanark did not go as scripted. Facing a stingy Wishaw club at home, we conceded a goal right before the half and another at the hour mark, and lost 0-2.

I noticed something interesting when I reloaded the game. My Grey Guys all had new names! I signed two of them, defender/midfielder David McCall (previously known as Robbie McMenamin) and striker Derek Hughes (AKA Sean MacDonald).

McCall, age 19, is extremely versatile. Right now he's having to play left back, because there's nobody else in the team who is remotely capable at that spot. That's going to change on 31 December, as you'll soon see; McCall will then be free to serve as a super-utility player.

Hughes, also 19, immediately becomes our most dangerous forward. I wish he had more pace, but his first touch is very good for our level, and he is a deadly finisher. Almost every player in our league has some obvious weaknesses, after all.

I also got a very pleasant surprise. We seemed to have added a new greyed-out goalkeeper, and once I got a look at him, I quickly "brought him to life." Welcome to the club, Neil Ward. He's 21, and with the exception of his aerial ability, he's a definite upgrade over Paul McQueen. Ward made his debut against Wishaw, and he made two outstanding saves.

A new coach has joined the club: Steven Harvey. He looks like a great hire for our club; his coaching attributes are solid across the board, and he's the best judge of talent in our staff, by far. Harvey joins a back room crew that also includes assistant manager Darren Douglas, youth development head Jack Smyth, head physio Chris Bagshaw, and head scout George MacLellan.

I took a wistful look back at Pittenweem Rovers' squad page, and they are still searching for a new manager. I did leave on somewhat of a high note--we won our last two matches with me in charge--and they've won twice more since then.

In the meantime, I made contract offers to four Pittenweem players, and three of them have agreed to come to Third Lanark when the transfer window opens on 31 December. Left back Brian Ball, right winger Jamie McMullan, and AM(C)/striker Steven Sturrock will all be turning out for Thirds once the New Year arrives. I really wanted center half Eric Buchanan, too, but Eric is a Pittenweem lad, and wanted to stay with his hometown club.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

4 November 2014

I'm not sure what it says about the quality of your side if signing the greyed-out lads makes it better. But that's exactly what seems to have happened with Third Lanark. We're alternating wins and losses now, with a draw or two mixed in, and that's a bit better set of results than the supporters had been forced to endure in the first weeks of the season.



We had three wins and two losses in Strathclyde Combination play this month. Things didn't go as well in cup competition; within a week, we were eliminated from the Strathclyde Amateur and Scottish Amateur Cups. The latter was tough to take. We drew 2-2 away to Stow, which made a replay necessary. At Cathkin Park, we fell behind 0-1, before Paul McManus headed home a corner to pull us level on 81 minutes. Into extra time we went, and seven minutes before time, Gareth Moore fired in his second goal of the game to see us off.



You might recognize a new name among the goalscorers this month. In late October, I signed Alan Aitchison to a contract, after liking the way he played as a Grey Guy earlier in the month. He's 19, and he can play as a center forward or on either wing. Aitchison has decent pace, can cross a ball with a deft touch, and is now our first choice for corners and free kicks.

Also risen from the Grey Guy ranks is Brad Joyce, 19, whom I discovered had scored a goal in a friendly match back in July. Brad can play anywhere in the center or the left side of our defense, and he's been a regular at DM(C) since his signing. I didn't have a true holding midfielder in the team until I found Joyce, whose toughness and football sense make him a good fit for that role.

My scout, George MacLellan, uncovered a 15-year-old lad called Bobby Forster who was without a club. He's a central midfielder, and I needed one badly. It took him almost a week to decide to accept our offer, and I'd almost given up on him before he arrived, right in the midst of a Wednesday-Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday run of fixtures. Bobby is understandably raw, but he immediately became the fastest player in the team.

In general, Third Lanark lack pace. Most of the lads who can run fast can't do much else on a football pitch. I've had to adjust to the painful slowness of our defenders, especially the Bruise Brothers; I started instructing our back line to Drop Deeper after watching opposing forwards either race past them or latch on to long through balls that eluded them.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

2 December 2014



A 1-2-1 month leaves us in 16th place. We're slightly farther adrift of the leader, and we're one point farther behind the 10th place club, so we lost a tiny bit of ground this month.



We were somewhat better defensively this month. We didn't score much, but we faced two of the better defenses in the league in Benburb and Johnstone Burgh. We were very unlucky away to Muirkirk, when we had 23 shots and six half-chances but couldn't put one in the net.

Coach Steven Harvey completed his Continental B course this month, and his attributes went up a bunch. He's now an incredible coach for our level. A promotion to Assistant Manager might be in his future.

I had a bit of an epiphany as I was reading a thread on one of the Football Manager forums. In my attempts to develop a winning system, I was making things far too complicated for someone with the amount of time I have to devote to a game. I can't invest the hours and hours it takes to figure out why a complex tactical system works (or doesn't work) the way it does (or doesn't). I need to keep things clean and simple.

I also tend to over-react to game situations, shifting my approach (aggressive? cautious? in between?) and issuing new team instructions that probably create all kinds of contradictions and overkill. I am going to cut way, way back on that kind of tinkering. Again, clean and simple is the goal.

I'm pretty comfortable creating a balanced, basic tactical shape and assigning roles and duties that make sense to my players. If I have the right players for those roles and duties, then my side ought to be successful. As the transfer window approaches, I'm evaluating my players to see how well they fit the system I'm creating.

In the past, I've tended to look too much at the star ratings my staff give to a player as I've decided whether or not to sign him or put him in the first team. I'm now taking a closer look at the key attributes for each role and finding players who excel in those areas.

Fortunately, the three players I'm bringing in from Pittenweem--Jamie McMullan, Brian Ball, and Steven Sturrock--are all well-suited to the role I want them to play. I've also found a young left back with Ballingry, Paul Spence, who looks like he will make a fine attacking full back for us. He's got very good pace, he's sure in the tackle, and his football sense is well-developed for a 16 year old player.

Daniel Ellis has been a mess at center half, and there are clubs who want him, so he might be on his way out during the transfer period. There are others who will almost certainly be let go, because they're not good fits for the club right now--they're older, they lack the ability to play the roles we need, or they simply aren't any good.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 January 2015

Happy New Year from Third Lanark A.C.!



There's a holiday break in the middle of the Strathclyde Combination programme. We played only twice in December; we battled to a goal-less draw away to Camberslang Rangers, and lost 1-2 at home to St. Roch's on a late goal.

The board has expressed its first concerns about my performance. We've only gained one spot in the table since I was hired, so I suppose it's understandable.

Here are the stats for the first part of the season:



Most of the players with the best average ratings have arrived since I took over: Forster, Aitchison, Hughes, and Joyce. Among the top players, only McLaren was with the club on my first day.



Ward was a huge, huge upgrade over the clueless McQueen.

Next, I'll introduce you to the newest members of the team.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 January 2015

Three of the four new faces in the Third Lanark changing room are at least somewhat familiar to me, as I briefly managed them at Pittenweem Rovers.

Brian Ball, age 33, was the first to sign. I played him at center half with Rovers, and with Thirds he'll feature there or at left back. He passes the ball well enough to handle the Central Defender role, and he'll be just fine as a Full Back or Limited Full Back when he's on the left.

Jamie McMullan, 18, can play on either wing or at M(C). His poor marking and positioning skills will hamper him some in the middle of the pitch, so he'll almost certainly make his most significant contributions as a winger.

I barely got to enjoy having Steven Sturrock, 20, with me at Pittenweem; he was injured and only got into one match while I managed there. He'll see regular duty at Third Lanark, though, as a powerful center forward.

Paul Spence, 16, arrives from Ballingry Rovers, who were willing to release him on a free transfer. He's a left back with the pace and stamina to run up and down the wing, joining the attack and playing crosses into the area. If I play him at D(L), I can move Ball into the center and put a Bruise Brother on the bench.

There are seven players who are wanted by at least one club this winter:
M(R) Andrew Clark
D(C) Daniel Ellis
ST/AM(L) Austin Henry
AM/M(C) Phil McLaren
D(C) Paul McManus
M(R) Fraser Murphy
ST Paul Welch

I'm not going to hoard players, since I can't keep 25 men happy and match-fit when I don't have a reserve or youth team. So, four guys are going to leave this transfer season. Of those listed above, Clark and Murphy would be the two I'd miss the least. Both Bruisers are on the list, and I can't afford to lose both of them right now.

I'd still like to bring in a young goalkeeper and send McQueen on his way. He's griping about not getting first team football, and with Neil Ward between the posts, that ain't happening. I'd rather have a teenager as Ward's deputy than an ill-tempered veteran.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

3 February 2015



Our long winter break is over, and we're back into the league schedule. We gained a little ground in the last few weeks, and now we're only two points shy of the middle of the table.

Good thing, too, because the board and media were getting a little restless. The first whispers of discontent with my leadership were being heard, and my job status had sunk to Insecure. As a result, I was very active in the January transfer period. I figure if I'm going down, I'm going down with a crew of my own choosing, not one I inherited from the previous captain.

I would have had to bring new men into the team anyway, as EIGHT players left the club. Say goodbye to Daniel Ellis, Fraser Murphy, Paul Roberts, David Crawford, Phil McLaren, Paul Welsh, Paul McQueen, and Andrew Clark, all of whom have left the club for new pastures they hope are greener.

Murphy, Roberts, Crawford, McQueen, Clark, and to some degree, Welsh had all seen their playing time decrease greatly since I arrived. Of that group, Welsh is the one I'll miss the most. He was a dependable, spirited club captain.

Ellis and McLaren were in the first team, and were probably going to stay there. I needed to find replacements for them, and fast.

So, there are seven new faces around Cathkin Park these days. Here they are:

Center back Mark McLeish, 17, arrives from Montrose in the Championship, the third level of Scottish football. He didn't get a first team game there, but he's going to get plenty of them with Thirds. Mark is hard-working and tenacious, and he brings a level of technical skill Ellis lacked.

Midfielder Rab Higgins, 21, is an example of a player whom I chose to fill a specific role, even though my staff aren't impressed with his overall ability. He'd played himself out of a starting role at Broughty United. He had the best set of attributes for a supporting central midfielder of any player we'd scouted, and that's how we will use him. I'll ask him to do that, and nothing else. Plus, he's as fast as anyone in the club.

Good box-to-box midfielders are hard to find, because the role requires them to do so many things well. Barry Cargill, 16, might turn out to be the kind of midfield dynamo who can lead a team to victory. I was pleasantly surprised that we could lure him from Broughty Athletic, since they play two levels higher. Barry will start for us now, and he'll only get better.

I wasn't really looking for a right back, but our intrepid scout, "General" George MacLellan, found Ross McCarthy, 16, with Broxburn Athletic. He's a rather wee lad--5'5" and a hair over 9 stone--but he's quick, active, and plays with an edge. Jock Campbell is hurt right now, so Ross will be in the first team for now, and there's a possibility it might become a more permanent gig.

I wasn't looking for a striker, either, but Dene O'Connor, 16, appeared on MacLellan's report and I decided to take a closer look at him. Like McCarthy, he was playing for a bigger club--Preston Athletic--and had scored two goals in 15 matches. His pace and athleticism should allow him to be more productive in our league, and his technical attributes should come along with more experience. I can pair him with Steven Sturrock, giving Dene the more creative role in the pair, or use him as a single striker with either a supporting or attacking role.

Steven Barbour, 22, requires no real introduction. He posted a 6.91 rating in 27 matches with me at Pittenweem last season. My new Director of Football, Alex Jones, started transfer talks with him in the last week of the transfer window, and I closed the deal. Steven brings a little more pace to the club, and I believe he's the only Model Professional I've ever had in my team.

Finally, I brought in Ross Gilmour, 15, from Kilwinning Rangers to provide cover at DM. I only had one player, Brad Joyce, who could play that position, and I am starting to employ a DM quite often. Ross is athletic, with a non-stop motor, and is a solid depth option with the potential to be a much better player.

I like the team I have now better than the one I had when I arrived at Cathkin Park. I think it's better suited for the style of football I want to play, and it's considerably younger, too.



The 2-0 result away to East Kilbride Thistle was a big win, as they're among the top clubs in the league. A quick brace from Rab Higgins did the trick. Both of Brian Ball's goals have come off corners, and Steven Barbour endeared himself to Thirds supporters by bagging a goal on his debut.

I wasn't able to sign a goalkeeper I liked during the transfer period, so I'm going with a grey guy as my backup for now. He looks decent, so I might sign him to a contract soon.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

2 March 2015



We're holding our own now, and the board has decided they're satisfied with my leadership. I'm glad, because I'd like to see how a full season with Third Lanark might turn out.



I've decided Darvel are our bogey side. We were spanked by them, 1-5, in the last match before I took the job. They eliminated us from the Strathclyde Amateur Cup, and this month, they hit us with a barrage of 21 shots...and beat us 1-2. That damaged our morale, which didn't help us against a Glasgow Harbor side we ought to have beaten at Cathkin Park.

We'd risen as high as 11th before securing only one point from those two fixtures. Still, a top half finish is a very realistic aspiration for us, with ten matches remaining.

I hired a new assistant manager this month. Danny Bannister, age 40, is a definite upgrade from Darren Douglas, our previous AM. Danny is a much better coach, and he's currently studying for his Continental B badge. He's as good as it gets at working with young players, a must-have attribute since I'm building a youthful squad here.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

2 April 2015



Look how closely packed the middle of the Strathclyde Combination table is right now! A good run of form would put us in the top five. We've been on the verge of making that run several times. Since 24 January, we've gone 6-1-3, good for 21 points in 10 matches. If we'd played that well all season, we'd be top of the league. Then again, if Thirds had been that successful in the fall, I wouldn't be their manager.



After opening the month with two victories, we faced two tough away fixtures late in March. We didn't play well against Larkhall Thistle, and deserved that 1-2 result. Away to Neilston, who are second in the league, we fell behind on the hour mark. We refused to give in, however, and pressured their defense until the game ended. I thought Barry Cargill had the equalizer on 81', but he was ruled offside; looking at the replay, the call was the right one.

Christmas came in March when a new class of youth graduates entered the team. Sixteen young players, age 14 or 15, have arrived, and several of them have already made their first team debuts.

Left back Scott Connelly, 14, has made the biggest impact so far, starting three matches since his arrival. Bigger clubs are already courting him. Midfielders Danny Winter, 14, and Billy Ferrell, 15, have fared well in their first exposure to first team football, and Willie Reilly, 15, who can play as a striker or a winger, is now dressing for every match since Steven Sturrock, Alan Aitchison, and Derek Hughes are sidelined with injuries. That's a lot of offensive firepower missing from our lineup.

Several of the other youth are one step away from being ready for the first team, too. I'll have some tough decisions ahead this summer, unless other clubs swoop in and sign a bunch of Thirds players during the off-season. That happened with Pittenweem Rovers last year, so I'm expecting more of the same this time around.

There are now 38 players in the squad, counting the youth graduates. I'm going to start scheduling mid-week friendlies so everyone can stay somewhat match-fit.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

10 May 2015



The Strathclyde Amateur Combination season ended this week, with Third Lanark sitting 13th in the table. I would have loved to pick up a few more places, but that wasn't to be.



I scheduled three friendlies, in which I featured youngsters and players who were recovering from injuries. You'll notice those matches were the only ones in which we knocked in a decent number of goals...thanks to Austin Henry. Otherwise, we were good defensively, but seriously starved for goals.

I was proud of our effort against Johnstone Burgh, who ran away with the league. A week later, we hosted the bottom club, Muirkirk, conceded a soft goal off a corner in stoppage time, and spoiled a Fan Day with an 0-1 defeat. That, after controlling the ball 61% of the time, and generating 4 clear chances to their 2.



The low number of appearances most of these players made reflects the way I turned over the squad after I arrived. Paul McManus, the captain, was really the only player who was in the first team both before and after I took over.

I can't remember ever having a team leader with only seven goals...and Derek Hughes was a former greyed-out player. So was the team's second high scorer, Alan Aitchison. After him came a center half who put in three goals off corners, and a striker who started out strong but didn't score in his last eight matches.



Neil Ward was a stud between the posts this year. Unfortunately, he won't talk to me about a new contract, and I've learned that's a very strong indicator that he'll be moving on next year. I'd like to be able to give Allan Lawwell, who is only 15, another year's worth of development before he takes over in our goal.

The players are on holiday now, and I challenged them to work for a top-half finish next season. Most of them seemed to be energized by that challenge, and the only one who reacted badly was Barry Cargill. Umm, Barry...if you're going to be a diva, you need to play better than you did this season.