Bristol R 2004 - No longer will we go wild Rover?

[SirFozzie]

We play an AWESOME game against Shrewsbury, a brace of goals by Birchall, and single goals by Walker and Agogo (can you imagine what we would have had if Agogo hadn't missed most of the season? Arrrgh ) and we win 4-1 over Shrewsbury.

As you can see from the table, things are going to get MIGHTY interesting down the stretch.

| Pos   | Inf   | Team           |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 1st   |       | Cambridge      |       | 38    | 25    | 6     | 7     | 82    | 33    | +49   | 81    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 2nd   |       | Boston Utd     |       | 37    | 22    | 10    | 5     | 61    | 24    | +37   | 76    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 3rd   |       | Swansea        |       | 38    | 22    | 6     | 10    | 71    | 51    | +20   | 72    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 4th   |       | Cheltenham     |       | 38    | 19    | 13    | 6     | 66    | 39    | +27   | 70    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 5th   |       | Notts Co       |       | 38    | 17    | 13    | 8     | 51    | 26    | +25   | 64    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 6th   |       | Rushden        |       | 38    | 17    | 10    | 11    | 48    | 34    | +14   | 61    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 7th   |       | Chester        |       | 38    | 15    | 13    | 10    | 54    | 41    | +13   | 58    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 8th   |       | Grimsby        |       | 38    | 16    | 9     | 13    | 62    | 58    | +4    | 57    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 9th   |       | Leyton Orient  |       | 37    | 15    | 10    | 12    | 52    | 51    | +1    | 55    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 10th  |       | Bristol Rovers |       | 38    | 15    | 9     | 14    | 45    | 48    | -3    | 54    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 11th  |       | Oxford         |       | 38    | 11    | 19    | 8     | 47    | 38    | +9    | 52    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 12th  |       | Lincoln        |       | 38    | 13    | 11    | 14    | 53    | 44    | +9    | 50    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 13th  |       | Shrewsbury     |       | 38    | 14    | 8     | 16    | 45    | 51    | -6    | 50    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 14th  |       | Northampton    |       | 38    | 12    | 13    | 13    | 49    | 47    | +2    | 49    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 15th  |       | Darlington     |       | 38    | 14    | 6     | 18    | 56    | 61    | -5    | 48    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 16th  |       | Wycombe        |       | 38    | 12    | 10    | 16    | 37    | 50    | -13   | 46    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 17th  |       | Scunthorpe     |       | 38    | 10    | 14    | 14    | 57    | 62    | -5    | 44    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 18th  |       | Southend       |       | 37    | 12    | 8     | 17    | 53    | 66    | -13   | 44    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 19th  |       | Rochdale       |       | 38    | 10    | 10    | 18    | 40    | 58    | -18   | 40    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 20th  |       | Macclesfield   |       | 38    | 11    | 7     | 20    | 50    | 69    | -19   | 40    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 21st  |       | Yeovil         |       | 38    | 8     | 12    | 18    | 36    | 62    | -26   | 36    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 22nd  |       | Bury           |       | 37    | 7     | 12    | 18    | 32    | 61    | -29   | 33    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 23rd  |       | Mansfield      |       | 38    | 6     | 13    | 19    | 36    | 63    | -27   | 31    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 24th  |       | Kidderminster  |       | 38    | 6     | 8     | 24    | 34    | 80    | -46   | 26    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
|       |       |                |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 

[SirFozzie]

This is our remaining schedule:
(Today is 3/12 for reference)

3/19 H 3rd place Swansea
4/2 A 16th Place Wycombe
4/9 H 21st Place Yeovil
4/16 A 23rd Place Mansfield
4/19 H 14th Place Northampton
4/23 A 17th Place Scunthorpe
4/30 H 11th Place Oxford
5/7 A 18th Place Southend

All but the Swansea game are VERY winnable games (and the Swansea game is at home, too, so maybe a draw or a win isn't out of the question!). Hopefully we can win a few more in a row and really make a run at em!

[SirFozzie]

Remember how I said in my last post that a win or draw against 3rd place Swansea wouldn't be "out of the question"?

Oh, me of little faith.

Agogo scores twice (his 4th and 5th goals of the league campaign.. not bad!!) and Birchall adds a third, and we run out to a 3-0 first half lead. They get a penalty late, but it never was going to be a comeback, and we run out 3-1 winners.

Unfortunately, all the teams ahead of me in the playoff race won, so we're still 10th, 4 points out, but momentum is rolling...

Here's what kills me. Agogo's only played in seven games this year so far, but he's tied for third for most goals this year with Forrester at 5 goals. (Walker has 12, Birchall has 11).

To have him for the full season....

[SirFozzie]

We have a week off due to international games and even though we're red-hot, I'm glad for the break, it gives some of my tired players a chance to rest and recover from the niggling injuries a season can bring.

I watched England resume their World Cup Qualifying domination of Group 6 by defeating Northern Ireland, 2-0. The group now is at the official midway point, and it looks good for perhaps a 1-2 UK finish. England leads the group with 15, Wales (who tied 1-1 with Austria) is second with 10, Northern Ireland is third with 9, Poland has 6, Austria has 4, and Azerbaijan has yet to score a point (but has scored 1 goal. Too bad they let up 16).

Basically, it should only take 2-3 wins in the reverse fixtures to clinch England a WCQ spot. With the playoffs, it's not quite set, with Wales and Northern Ireland so close, but likely if they play as well as they have so far, Poland and Austria probably are long shots for a playoff bid

[SirFozzie]

Northampton sign England international (66 caps/5 Goals) Tony Adams to be their new manager. Argh. So now they're playing for their lives for next year, eager to see if they can impress the new manager enough to get big contracts. Groovy.

In the second set of games for the international week, the midweek games saw England lay a 5-0 beating on Azerbaijan, and things are getting interesting for 2nd place. Wales could only manage a 1-1 draw with Austria, (still a fine result, considering the game was played in Austria), and Northern Ireland's magic seems to have run out, as Poland laid down a 4-0 beating on them. With four games left, England could conceivably clinch during the next round of fixtures, as they lead by seven over Wales, and Poland and Northern Ireland are two further back.

[SirFozzie]

April 05

Well, the rosters are set now. No more transfers at all, as the final transfer window for domestic teams has passed. But right now, I feel pretty good about Bristol's chances.

Adam Birchall gets Young Player of the Month honors for March, but Bardsley was second. Not bad

Even better, for guiding Bristol to four wins in four attempts in March, I receive the Manager of the Month Award.

However, I don't have much time to celebrate, because the next day sees us traveling to Wycombe Wanderers.

For the first seventy five minutes, it's back and forth, with Wycombe showing good attacking skills, but just not able to break through against Fahey. We have a couple good spurts, but as the minutes tick away, it looks like a draw would be a good result (not good considering the standings.. but good based on the play on the field).

Then in the 78th minute, on a counter, Birchall's cross finds Junior Agogo, and he heads it IN THE NET! 1-0 Bristol!!!!!

Again, it's all hands man the pump time as Wycombe tries for an equalizer, but Fahey makes a couple good saves, and the defense blocks a couple shots.

In the final seconds of injury time, Forrester (on as a sub) finds Birchall on a breakaway, and he calmly dribbles past the despairing keepr and lashes it home for the final margin.

2-0 win, and wow, what an effort!

Leyton Orient lose 1-0 to Lincoln, so Chester moves up to 7th, based off a 1-0 win over Boston Utd (although they have possible league champions Cambridge next!) We are within TWO points of the playoffs.

Here's the top 10 (11th place Lincoln is pretty much out of it with 54)

| Pos   | Inf   | Team           |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 1st   | Pl    | Cambridge      |       | 40    | 26    | 7     | 7     | 85    | 34    | +51   | 85    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 2nd   |       | Boston Utd     |       | 40    | 22    | 12    | 6     | 62    | 26    | +36   | 78    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 3rd   |       | Swansea        |       | 40    | 23    | 6     | 11    | 76    | 56    | +20   | 75    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 4th   |       | Cheltenham     |       | 40    | 20    | 14    | 6     | 68    | 40    | +28   | 74    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 5th   |       | Notts Co       |       | 40    | 19    | 13    | 8     | 57    | 30    | +27   | 70    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 6th   |       | Rushden        |       | 40    | 19    | 10    | 11    | 53    | 34    | +19   | 67    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 7th   |       | Chester        |       | 40    | 16    | 14    | 10    | 58    | 44    | +14   | 62    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 8th   |       | Leyton Orient  |       | 40    | 17    | 10    | 13    | 55    | 52    | +3    | 61    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 9th   |       | Grimsby        |       | 40    | 17    | 9     | 14    | 63    | 60    | +3    | 60    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 10th  |       | Bristol Rovers |       | 40    | 17    | 9     | 14    | 50    | 49    | +1    | 60    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 

[SirFozzie]

Here's the Round 41 important matches (at least to me and my playoff hopes )

(Home Team listed first)

2nd Place Boston Utd vs 8th Place Leyton Orient
10th Place BRISTOL ROVERS vs 21st Place Yeovil Town
1st Place Cambridge United vs 7th Place Chester City
9th Place Grimsby Town vs 19th Place Southend Utd
6th Place Rushden & Diamonds vs 20th Place Macclesfield Town

[SirFozzie]

It's all one way traffic to start, we are just POUNDING at Yeovil's goal. We have 9 first half shots, but nothing on the board. Agogo's been average, so I bring on Corr just after halftime, and within 5 minutes, he puts one IN the net, an unstoppable low shot. We are riding high, with other results, we might move into a playoff position today...

4 minutes later, Disley adds a 2nd one, and it's 2-0!

Not wanting to risk giving up a goal that would let them back into it, I back off the all-out attack we had gone to at halftime, but we nearly get a third on a couple occasions, but a 2-0 win is great!

And now, the other results.

Boston Utd beat Leyton Orient 2-0! Woot!

Cambridge POUNDED Chester City, 4-1. Og this is good..

Rushden won 4-1, and they're probably completely safe now.

Arggh.. Despite having a player sent off in the 79th minute, Grimsby Town scores TWICE in injury time to beat brave Southend Utd, 2-0. They are now ahead of us, only on goal differential.

It's now a five team race for two spots, but Rushden seems to have one of them pretty much locked up. Here's the standings

6th Rushden & Diamonds 70 Pts (+22 GD)
7th Grimsby Town 63 Pts (+5 GD)
------ Playoff Line ------
8th BRISTOL ROVERS 63 Pts (+3 GD)
9th Chester City 62 Pts (+11 GD)
10th Leyton Orient 61 Pts (+1 GD)


Two teams had their fate for next year made clear, as Wrexham will be relegated from League One, and Crystal Palace's stay in the EPL will be cut short after this year.

In happier news, Sutton Utd has clinched the English Conference South with 3 games to play.

[SirFozzie]

Mid-week, I see the story that Harrogate Town, who are on the verge of dropping out of the Conference South (20th, 2 points from safety) hired Willy Wordsworth to be their new manager. I tried telling em I knew this guy who could really help them....

The Quarter Finals in the Champions League are set. Here are the Champions League "Final Four"

Inter Milan (3-0 winners over Celtic)
Juventus (4-0 Over Chelsea)
Bayern Munich (2-2 aggregate, won on away goals vs AC Milan)
PSV Eindhoven (5-2 winners over Werder Bremen)

[SirFozzie]

The Semi-Finals in the UEFA Cup are set. Here are the four surivors.

VFB Stuttgart (4-0 over Greek side AEK)
Ajax (4-4 agregate, won on away goals over Dortmund)
Arsenal (4-2 over Lazio, with a 4-0 home 2nd leg saving their butt)
Feyenoord (3-1 over Newcastle)

[SirFozzie]

Here's the Round 42 matchups of note in the playoff chase.

(home teams listed first)

23rd place Bury vs 6th Place Rushden
9th Place Chester vs 5th Place Notts Co
10th Place Leyton Orient vs 1st Place Cambridge
20th Place Macclesfield vs 7th Place Grimsby
22nd Place Mansfield vs 8th Place BRISTOL ROVERS

[SirFozzie]

We're up 1-0 (thanks to a Walker goal) in the 29th minute when Mansfield's Neil sees a straight red card for elbowing Birchall. I immediately tell the guys to rush into the attack. With Goal Differential currently the difference between playoffs and no playoffs, we need every goal we can get.

They do equalize, and right after that I get a news flash from the Grimsby game, apparently Macclesfield had a player sent off as well. So I'm gritting my teeth, but both our game and their game is tied at the half.

The 2nd half, we push forward and score three times, from Disley, Mirza and Forrester, for a 4-1 win.

Unfortunately, Grimsby gets a PK, in the 66th minute, and goals in the 82nd and 86th minute to beat 10 man Macclesfield 3-0. So, in the big picture? Nothing's changed. All that's really changed is we have one less game to catch them.

The other reports of note:

Chester had a 2-0 loss to Notts County, it will be very hard for them to catch Grimsby or Bristol, as they are now four points back of us.

Leyton Orient managed a 2-2 draw at home against Cambridge, and are also four points back.

Rushden beat Bury comfortably, 2-0 to maintain a seven point clearance of Bristol and Grimsby.

Here's the standings.

6th Rushden 73 (+24)
7th Grimsby Town 66 (+8)
-----Playoffs-------
8th BRISTOL R 66 (+6)
9th Chester 62 (+9)
10th Leyton orient 62 (+1)

[SirFozzie]

We have Round 43 on Tuesday, and players fitness will be a question.

Grimsby has their last "gimme" game, at home against Bury (they finish with 9-11 teams Chester, Leyton Orient and Lincoln, while we have Northampton next, then Scunthorpe, Oxford and Southend)

Chester basically must beat Rushden to have any shot at the playoffs, while Rushden know they can pretty much clinch a playoff spot with a win against Chester.

I'm pretty much rooting for Chester to beat Rushden, that might open up a possible second spot, but it would make their next game against Grimsby SO very important. Except for this mid-week game, I think I have an easier schedule then Grimsby.

If (and it's a rather big if), Leyton Orient stays in the playoff hunt, they also play Grimsby town in the next to last game of the year.

But the way the two teams are playing, it might just come down to the final game, or down to goal differential. It's going to be fun.

[SirFozzie]

The Northampton game is pretty wide open, but neither side can finish. For one of the first times this year, the game ends a scoreless tie, 0-0.

But the good news is that, in a TREMENDOUS upset, Bury defeats Grimsby 1-0 thanks to a 38th minute goal. So while things get tighter, we actually IMPROVE with the draw.

Rushden ties 1-1 with Chester. Combined with ours and Grimsby's results, they have moved within 2 points of clinching their place. I've dropped them from the listings. Leyton Orient lost 1-0 to Notts Co, and are also dropped out of the other side of the standings (although with the right results could get added back in)

The showdown with three to play.

7th BRISTOL ROVERS 67 (+6)
---- PlayOff ----
8th Grimsby Town 66 (+7)
9th Chester City 63 (+9)

Here's the matchups for Round 44.

16th Place Scunthorpe vs 7th Place BRISTOL
9th Place Chester vs 8th Place Grimsby

HUGE HUGE game. If Chester wins, it gets very interesting, especially if Bristol fails to get 3 points from Scunthorpe. If Grimsby wins, Chester is out. A draw.. well a draw is the best result I can ask for, (combined with a win against Scunthorpe, of course )

[SirFozzie]

(this is a replay, unexplained crash to desktop, no warning Grrrr)

Scunthorpe comes out in a 4-2-4. Very interesting, I haven't faced that once this year.

We do manage to break over the 4-2-4 with long balls, and one on one contests between Adam Birchall and the goalie? My money's on Adam

He scores twice in the first half, and Scunthorpe have a goal pulled back for offsides. We win 2-0.

[SirFozzie]

Chester City beat Grimsby 3-0, to make it a tie for 8th, but thanks to our win, we are now four points clear with two to play. If we win either of our final two games, we are in the playoffs. I may give some of the reserves and 2nd teamers a chance to play in our next game (against Oxford) just to rest some of them (especially our defenders, who have pretty much been the same three the entire year.

[SirFozzie]

(The real reason I put in the subs is because I didn't want to improperly benefit from the crash, in the Scunthorpe game pre crash, I tied, so I figured this would be enough a penalty.)

I do go with a mainly second team 11 against Oxford, and they don't do half bad. Oxford takes a first half lead, but Chic Charnley (yup, our 40+ year old coach/player) scores the tying goal in the 2nd half with 12 minutes to play, and we get a 1-1 draw.

What this DOES do though, is it removes our safety net. We are two points up on Grimsby and Chester, who both won. If we win, we're in. They can't catch us. If we draw, and either of them win, it'll be close (Grimsby needs to win by three goals to beat us, they are at +5, we are at +8.. they've scored more goals.. Chester WILL beat us on goal differential should it come down to us.

[SirFozzie]

It's going to be an all-Italian Champions League final, as Inter Milan destroyed PSV 6-2 over the two legs, and they'll be playing Juventus, who beat Bayern Munich 5-2.

On the UEFA Cup side, it's going to be Dutch side Ajax (3-1 winners over Arsenal) to take on VFB Stuttgart, who won 4-1 in the 2nd leg to win on aggregate 5-3 over Feyenoord..

[SirFozzie]

Not trying to draw it out. (honest) but this cold has really kicked my ass. More tonight or tommorrow

[SirFozzie]

Ok, finally found the (enforced) time to continue this, sorry, big ass update coming

[SirFozzie]

As we travel to Southend for the final regular game of the year, we know a win and we're in the playoffs, anything else is likely not enough.

And boy, do we respond.

We get an 8th minute own goal to jump out into the lead, and then Lescott makes it two with a goal inthe 14th minute. When Walker makes it 3-0 a minute later, it's party time for the traveling Bristol fans. We do give up a goal late, but by that time we have a fourth, one a penalty by Walker, and at the last gasp, we are through to the playoffs with a 4-1 to finish 7th in the table

[SirFozzie]

The playoffs see us drawn against 4th place Swansea, who we split a pair of games with during the season (winning 3-1 at home late in the season, but losing 3-2 at their place earlier in the year).

The first game sees us at home, which I prefer.. it gives a chance to set a target and know exactly what we need to do on the road to advance.

We take the lead in the 39th minute from Birchall, and look to have suffered a disaster when Fahey gives up a 74th minute penalty kick.. but we're extremely lucky when Swansea's Gurney puts it wide.

Agogo sends the fans home happy, with an injury time goal to give us a good start, as we will travel to Swansea, up 2-0.

[SirFozzie]

In the 2nd leg at Swansea, we know one goal would probably be enough to put us through (thanks to the away goals rule, they would need to beat us by three if we scored any), so I tell the guys to hang back and absorb attacks.

They do just fine, and as the minutes start slipping away.. I let the offense go out slightly, and they respond. Birchall scores a 68th minute goal to put the series away, and even though they score a 72nd minute equalizer, it's nowhere near enough. We are through to the playoff finals on 3-1 aggregate

[SirFozzie]

While we wait to play Notts County, some pretty big games are being played in Europe.

Ajax brings home the tropy to Amsterdam, defeating VFB Stuttgart 2-0 in the finals of the UEFA CUP.

Juventus takes home the Champions League title, 1-0 over Inter, Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring the only goal of the game.

[SirFozzie]

Over Twenty Seven thousand Notts County and Bristol Rovers supporters head to the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales for the League Two Playoff Final.

It's a tense game.. both teams have a couple good chances, during the first half, but no goals are to be found.

In the 64th minute, Adam Birchall scores his team leading 17th goal of the season to put Bristol up a vital goal.

Notts County pressed, and Fahey makes a couple big stops....

then in the final minute of regular time, Fahey scores off a deflected shot.. AND WE'RE PLAYING IN LEAGUE ONE NEXT YEAR!

Final 2-0...

[SirFozzie]

Final standings..

Holders - Cambridge





| Pos   | Inf   | Team           |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 1st   | C     | Cambridge      |       | 46    | 29    | 10    | 7     | 97    | 39    | +58   | 97    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 2nd   | P     | Boston Utd     |       | 46    | 25    | 15    | 6     | 71    | 30    | +41   | 90    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 3rd   | P     | Cheltenham     |       | 46    | 23    | 14    | 9     | 80    | 51    | +29   | 83    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 4th   |       | Swansea        |       | 46    | 24    | 10    | 12    | 83    | 64    | +19   | 82    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 5th   |       | Notts Co       |       | 46    | 22    | 13    | 11    | 65    | 37    | +28   | 79    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 6th   |       | Rushden        |       | 46    | 22    | 12    | 12    | 61    | 37    | +24   | 78    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 7th   | P     | Bristol Rovers |       | 46    | 21    | 11    | 14    | 63    | 52    | +11   | 74    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 8th   |       | Grimsby        |       | 46    | 21    | 9     | 16    | 71    | 64    | +7    | 72    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 9th   |       | Chester        |       | 46    | 18    | 16    | 12    | 64    | 50    | +14   | 70    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 10th  |       | Lincoln        |       | 46    | 16    | 15    | 15    | 62    | 51    | +11   | 63    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 11th  |       | Leyton Orient  |       | 46    | 17    | 12    | 17    | 57    | 60    | -3    | 63    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 12th  |       | Northampton    |       | 46    | 15    | 16    | 15    | 57    | 52    | +5    | 61    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 13th  |       | Rochdale       |       | 46    | 16    | 12    | 18    | 49    | 61    | -12   | 60    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 14th  |       | Oxford         |       | 46    | 12    | 23    | 11    | 51    | 48    | +3    | 59    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 15th  |       | Darlington     |       | 46    | 17    | 8     | 21    | 64    | 72    | -8    | 59    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 16th  |       | Scunthorpe     |       | 46    | 14    | 15    | 17    | 72    | 73    | -1    | 57    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 17th  |       | Shrewsbury     |       | 46    | 15    | 11    | 20    | 52    | 65    | -13   | 56    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 18th  |       | Wycombe        |       | 46    | 12    | 14    | 20    | 43    | 61    | -18   | 50    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 19th  |       | Southend       |       | 46    | 13    | 9     | 24    | 60    | 84    | -24   | 48    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 20th  |       | Macclesfield   |       | 46    | 12    | 9     | 25    | 61    | 89    | -28   | 45    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 21st  |       | Yeovil         |       | 46    | 9     | 16    | 21    | 41    | 71    | -30   | 43    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 22nd  |       | Kidderminster  |       | 46    | 10    | 9     | 27    | 53    | 96    | -43   | 39    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 23rd  | R     | Mansfield      |       | 46    | 7     | 16    | 23    | 44    | 75    | -31   | 37    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 24th  | R     | Bury           |       | 46    | 8     | 13    | 25    | 38    | 77    | -39   | 37    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 

[SirFozzie]

We will be bidding a fare-thee-well to the following players after our last game

S C Adam Birchall (loan): Scored a team leading 17 goals this year (in 32 (2) appearances). Will be heading back to Arsenal short term, but his contract's almost up. We will try to sign the 20 year old on a free if he becomes available.

D C Phillip Bardsley (loan) An absolute workhorse for us, played 49 games, with a rating of 7.37. We'll see if we can get him again next year.

D/DM L Ijah Anderson (End of contract) Only played Five times for us, was decent, but we decided it wasn't worth renewing his contract.

GK Kevin Miller (End of Contract) Hopefully the aging GK will sign on for at least one more year. Appeared in 11 Games for us, allowed 14 goals, but was overshadowed by Fahey and Jones in crunch time, and at age 36, we couldn't see him handling League One strikers.

M R/C David Savage (End of Contract) *sigh* tough decision. He really played good for us, 7.27 rating in 22 appearances, but at 32, coming off a long term injury, and with his salary at 2K/week, we just couldn't keep him for next year

[SirFozzie]

We are welcoming the following players to Bristol on a full time basis.

S C Barry Corr (1K deal, paid 85/week) Scored three times for us last year on loan from Leeds in 15 appeareances (5 as a sub), still only 20 years old, basically on a make good contract.. He's improved since he came to Bristol.

We will also welcome these players as of the First of July.

S C Muhammet Hanifi Akagunduz (from Konyaspor, Turkey). Finished 04-05 with 16 goals in 35 appearances for the Turkish mid-table Premier league side, and scored two goals in two appearances for Austria.

DM C Matthew Gill (From Notts Co), Scored twice and had five assists for Notts Co, racking up an impressive 7.38 rating. Likely will be in the starting mix at the DM C position

[SirFozzie]

Scotland win again, at Moldova, and with four games to play, have moved in front of the Azurri of Italy for the automatic bid from Group six in world cup qualifying.

[SirFozzie]

Season 2 is here

[SthLdnTing]

i just spent about 1 hour reading season 1 lol. I think your a great manager. I tried to do this exact thing with southend but 1, i ended up cheating giving myself money with unreal tranfers xD and MANY restarts, and then when i won the season and got promoted i thought feck it xD and i deleted it. U have insipired me to do it all over again but with a even harder team as southend was quite easy even if i didnt restart i would have easily got 7/8th place. So I plan to do this lol. i definetly plan to keep reading about this season lol. Btw we are talking about the game Football Manager right? lol when u report it back u make it so realistic. neways keep up the good work in league 1