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Urgh. Here we go again. McLeish had a great August so I don’t understand this training drop. One of these days I’ll figure out what I’m doing wrong.
My optimism of last month has faded. Somehow we lost almost £50k. I did some poking around and I think it mostly comes down to scouting costs. I guess scouting around 125 youths is costly. Also, we only had that one U23 home match, which gave me false hope of more money. We also saw a tremendous drop in attendance between our first U18 match and second, from 333 to 23.
My rating dropped to 83% but that is due to the fans being unhappy about Kemar going out on loan. Also, they are quite pissed about my signing of Ronnie Hollett. What the hell? Does the game engine note salary and signing bonus against Potential Ability? Do the fans not realize we have a Sugary Daddy? Chillax, Brixton!
Huzzah! James Jefcoate is now a Highly Influential Player. You’d expect nothing less from your Vice Captain.
Holy moley! Alan Coates in one month jumped from League Two level to Championship level according to my AssMan. I suppose he was undervalued as he had no starts but with several starts under his belt he’s being overvalued? That’s a ridiculous jump so there’s gotta be inaccuracies going on.
In other good news but not as great, new hire Glyn Davies, who last month was an “extra body” signing, has seen his Determination go from 6 to 8. Sometime between FM2014 and FM2018 Sports Interactive made it so that your squad’s personality can transfer to others. Brilliant!
And more! Our wing sub, Gary Leary, now has a 17 Pace. Dang that’s super-fast!
And even more! Jamie Hopkinson, out on loan, has seen his Determination go up one to 15. He’s doing well for Worksop, scoring 2 goals and rating at 7.53.
The month starts with another Queens Park Rangers offer for Pilcher. It’s still worth a total of £2,000 so of course I nix it. An hour later Sheffield United come in with the same offer. Heavy sigh. Another hour, another offer, another no; sorry, Cardiff. They wait four hours before returning with the same offer. It’s the last day of the Championship transfer window so I’ll be dealing with this all day.
My AssMan reports that he thinks that Tommy Watkins now has the potential to be a Championship-level player. Excellent...now I have two young right wingers who should be with us a long time.
We have three players out on International Duty, Gareth O’Keeffe, Noah Harding, and Meilir Pugh. Only Pugh is a starter but with Gareth away, U23er and former Senior backup Richard Webb gets to ride the bench. Oxford are stinking up the joint so we should be alright with a couple of starters out due to tiredness.
vs. Oxford City, 4 September 2019
Formation: 4-4-2 Diamond Standard (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, DMC, MR, ML, AMC, ST r, ST l)
Starting XI: Legg, Parker, Pilcher, O’Shea, Rice, Ferguson, Robinson, Leary, Taylor, Macey, Rae
Subs: Webb, Johnstone, Nightingale, Coates, Roberts, Hibbert, McLeish
There aren’t a lot of action sequences in the first half with a 30 minute void after some early chances. We finally get first dibs off a corner that goes to Fergie, who passes to O’Shea, whose weak shot eventually wanders over the line. I think that’s his first Brixton goal? Correction, it was so weak that a defender was able to get a foot on it but then it still went in. He gets the own goal.
In the second Parker gets called for a b.s. penalty when he happens to stand in his place while an Oxford players leaps onto him. I switch to the Spade with an Attacking mentality and take off Rae and his 6.3 rating. At 60’ I take off Macey and his 6.3 rating. I also take off marginally effective Leary. On come McLeish and Hibbert. My genius shines through 7 minutes later when Hibbert nods on a Legg long kick to Taylor in the middle and he sends a lovely pass to a streaking McLeish. His shot goes off the right post and into the goal. Whew! With 15 minutes left to play Taylor picks up a bruised thigh so I throw Liam Roberts into the mix. It goes all quiet from then to the end.
Of note, not a single individual pep-talk for players subbing in results in a boost in morale. Heck, my pre-game speech also was flat. Am I losing the team? Probably not. At the end I Calmly tell them that we got away with that today and they all get fired up.
POM: Gary Ferguson 8.1 (3 key passes, 2 chances created)
So…I learned a lesson. When the game tells you a player has pulled a hamstring but can play through it, don’t listen. We are going to be sans Pilcher for 8 day to 3 weeks. Fuck. And Taylor’s bruised thigh will have him out 3 to 6 days. Brixton’s bugaboo of lower body injuries continues. We have an FA Cup match in three days. Fuck fuckity fuck fuck fuck.
I’m turning over a new leaf. I’m not going to admonish players for any rating in the sixes. Five point nine and lower I will. I’m concerned that I’m doing it too much for youngsters. I suppose maybe I’ll change my mind once we reach League Two. Maybe.
I sent out my scouts to scour the islands back some months ago and their assignments are come to a close. In two weeks the Irish teams will have their youth intakes so I won’t be setting new scout assignments until I pick over those kids. Ideally I’ll find a good left centreback and left advanced midfielder. If Pilcher has any delay in his recovery that theoretical kid could get thrown into the fire. Also, saving some money in scouting costs.
The report comes in for our next opponent, Brockenhurst. They are dreadful. Every player is rated half a star in current and potential ability. If we don’t slaughter them I’ll be severely irked.
For the first FA Cup match of the season there is a press conference. I call Brockenhurst a weak team, tempting fate that the match engine will hose us over. :-D
Pugh and Harding are back. Pugh is in top condition so he gets the start at AML, while Harding is a bit tired and might stay on the bench. Thirlwell returns to the bench. If we are up at half by a good margin I’ll bring off Macey and see if 45 minutes of play brings back the Thriller. Because of Taylor’s injury and Harding’s tiredness, I bring up Terry Barlow from the U23s to start at AMC.
vs. Brockenhurst, 7 September 2019
Formation: 4-4-2 Diamond Standard
Starting XI: Legg, Johnstone, Smith, O’Shea, Jefcoate, Roberts, Coates, Hibbert, Barlow, Pugh, Macey
Subs: Webb, Parker, Nightingale, Ferguson, Harding, Watkins, Thirlwell
Only Legg, Barlow, and Pugh understand my Assertive message that I expect nothing but a win. That makes me add in a personal message for Eddie Macey, Passionately imploring him that I want a good performance. Crickets. Oh phuq.
Oh thank you, Eddie! Not four minutes in Pugh crosses in from the left, Roberts nods it back to Macey from inside the six-yard box but Macey’s back is to the goal. Not to worry, Hibbert is free at the right corner of the small box, Macey back-heel passes it to the Doctor and he sends it in with emphasis. Exactly 10 minutes later Roberts passes to Eddie just outside the six and he nutmegs a defender to squeak one by the goalkeeper. Much relief.
Even when Eddie screws up he’s doing well. He lost possession just outside the 18-yard box and when the defender tried to clear the ball it bounced of Macey toward the left post where Pugh pounced on the ball and put us up three. Before 30’ Eddie gets his second goal when Barlow feeds him nicely up the gut and he gets a narrow-angle shot from the right. Wow. Eddie heads a Pugh cross to Hibbert and we go to five. And spot on 43’ Macey’s desperation shot bounces off the right post to Pugh who gets his second.
I do swap out Macey, his 2 goals, and his 4 assists at half for Thriller. Marcus gets motivated by my expression of his high talent. Fifteen seconds in he’s alone against the keeper and kicks it right at him. And again 7 minutes later. Oh boy. Pugh does make it eight with his hat trick.
Holy shit! Exactly 120 seconds into 2 minutes of extra time, Thriller receives an over-the-shoulder pass from Roberts that leaves him all alone with the goalie. He kicks the ball from just right of the penalty spot and the ball starts heading wide, but not too wide, hitting the inside of the right post for our ninth goal. Brockenhurst never even got a shot off.
POM: Eddie Macey 9.7 (2 goals, 4 assists, 4 key passes, 2 chances created)
We drew a pinch just below 3,000 spectators netting us just over £36k for the match. We are in the black for the month now.
At the post-match presser there aren’t any trap questions but I do tread carefully, being kind to our opponent.
For the next round of the FA Cup we are given the honor of hosting Leiston in the Conference North, a league above us. They were just promoted and are expected to place 17th. I rate this a medium challenge. We see them in two weeks.
Some loan updates for ya. I guess Huddersfield’s coach was a bit underwhelmed by Kemar as he put him in the line-up for their Monday evening U18 match. He scored 3 goals, rating at 9.6. Hopefully this clears out his cobwebs and he gets some Seniors time soon. Hopkinson meanwhile scored his fourth goal in five appearances for Worksop since his loan began.
I’m taking kind of a risk. Though Canterbury are two steps down I don’t have much faith in my second string, who I’m giving time today just to keep the starters fresh.
vs. Canterbury, 10 September 2019
Formation: 4-4-2 Diamond Standard
Starting XI: Legg, Parker, Nightingale, Smith, Rice, Coates, Robinson, Leary, Harding, McLeish, Rae
Subs: Webb, Johnstone, O’Shea, Ferguson, Watkins, Pugh, Thirlwell
You know it’s gonna be a good match when your Advanced Forward receives a cross and recovers his own shot and makes it in from even a tighter angle before 4 minutes have expired. Said player later gets tripped in the penalty area and Harding scores. He gets a second less than two minutes later, heading in a Parker cross.
McLeish gets another followed by the Bishop getting a great goal from a perfect cross off the end line. Rae rounds off this scoring with a fine header in the 69th. (insert Bill & Ted guitar riff here)
POM: Noah Harding 9.3 (2 goals, 2 key passes, 1 chance created)
It’s now time to see who we face in the FA Trophy Third Round. We visit the Romulans or Maine Road. Correction: Romulus. They are a rung below and Maine is two down. So, Easy Street? The Romulus-Maine Road match happened later that evening and those weird aliens will be our opponents.
Long Eaton? I’ll long be eaton my hat if we lose this match. A lot of second-stringers get the nod today.
at Long Eaton, 14 September 2019
Formation: 4-4-2 Diamond Standard
Starting XI: O’Keeffe, Parker, Smith, O’Shea, Jefcoate, Ferguson, Hibbert, Pugh, Taylor, Macey, Thirlwell
Subs: Legg, Johnstone, Nightingale, Roberts, Harding, Leary, Watkins
We go into the locker room ahead two but the first 40 minutes were plagued by weak Macey and Thirwell efforts. Our first goal was an own goal originating from Macey who then got one at 41 minutes. So naturally we resume and go directly into a Thirlwell shot directly at the keeper. Ninety seconds later he sends in the hardest shot I’ve ever seen! I’m surprised the programmers didn’t code a ball going through the net. Twas amazing. Ferguson makes it four, newly-subbed Watkins makes it five, and Pugh makes it six. I was wrong to doubt them.
POM: Marcus Thirlwell 9.6 (1 goal, 3 assists, 8 key passes!!!, 5 chances created)
Meanwhile in Huddersfield, Kemar is still goalless but at least he’s up to a 6.8 rating! :-/
Our opponent for the FA Vase Third Round is – drumrollllllll – Sunderland Ryhope Community Association F.C. Man, that sounds like taking on the local YMCA team. Maybe I’ll run out the kids.
Our next match is on a Wednesday as is a U18 match. We get 500 spectators of the youth and in the process make £3,200. It’s weird that we get 500 for a youth match at 1900 on a Wednesday. Their previous home match was on a Monday that drew only 13 fans. I wish I understood the disparity.
Farnborough is our next opponent. They are 16th in the league so I expect an easy night. Fun fact: Farnborough host a yearly international airshow/trade exhibition. I hope we fly right past their defenders.
at Farnborough, 18 September 2019
Formation: 4-4-2 Diamond Standard
Starting XI: Legg, Parker, Pilcher, O’Shea, Jefcoate, Coates, Watkins, Pugh, Taylor, Macey, McLeish
Subs: O’Keeffe, Johnstone, Nightingale, Roberts, Leary, Harding, Rae
Thirty-four minutes it takes to crack the Farnborough defense and it comes from the left for McLeish, with Pugh in the supporting role. We get another before the half and after the half, as do Farnborough. They also see a player sent off in the second half, which doesn’t prevent them from scoring off a corner. A very schizophrenic match, that one.
POM: Derek McLeish 9.2 (2 goals, 1 assist, 1 key pass)
One more notable item from before the match. O’Shea and Pilcher have finally built an onfield bond, as have Macey and Taylor. This improves their performance and the squad’s Match Cohesion.
After the match, rating at a 7.2, Kevin Parker’s agent demands a new contract. He’s with us until 2021, and has an option year I can trigger, so I say no. Sometimes you can ask the player to sack his agent in these instances but I never do. Immediately afterwards, Parker sacks his agent and wants to talk to me. I tell him he has too much time left on his current contract and would have to wait. He understands and his morale returns to Perfect. I’ve never seen a player sack his agent after I’ve denied renegotiation. This game always has something new! I heart SI.
As we move into the Christmas season IRL, we move into the Youth Intake season in IRL. Hahahahahahah, see what I did there? I’ve sent my scouts out to scout the 226 youth in the Ireland youth intake day. Find me some gems, gentlemen!
Again the U18s have a match before the Seniors. Twenty-two fans turned out for a Youth Cup match and saw us beat Yeovil U18. Again, I don’t get the U18 turnout algorithm.
It’s FA Cup time! We are facing Leiston, a league above us in the Conference North. They are seventh in their league but we are somehow 1-4 favorites. I think that means the pundits think we have an 80% chance of winning. Math is hard.
vs. Leiston, 21 September 2019
Formation: 4-4-2 Diamond Standard
Starting XI: O’Keeffe, Johnstone, Smith, O’Shea, Rice, Roberts, Hibbert, Pugh, Harding, Macey, Rae
Subs: Legg, Parker, Pilcher, Ferguson, Leary, Taylor, Thirlwell
Oh yeah! Over three thousand fans show up! In the tunnel some journo points out O’Keeffe hasn’t given up a goal in a long time. I hope this isn’t some kind of trap…
It’s a little bit of back-and-forth for the first 30 minutes then O’Shea rolls his ankle. Before I sub him off we intercept a throw-in deep in our end. Some great passing allows us to exploit the left sideline then Pugh sends it off to the right only for Hibbert to send it into the middle where Macey boots in a screamer. Macey gets his second goal minutes later but this time Pugh gets the assist.
My mid-point speech is all about not getting complacent, which gets almost everyone’s attention. Rae ended the half with three horrible shots so I pointedly tell him though he wasn’t bad, he can still improve. That seems to get his attention!
Rae’s woes continue and at 65’ I want to bring him off but with concerns of tiredness and yellows off come Pugh and Rice for Leary and Parker. Rae is good for one thing: Getting his opponents to get straight reds. This allows me to move to Defensive at 80’ and see the match out. Keeping Rae in turns out to be a good bit of work as he ended the match with a 7.4 rating.
POM: Ashley Hibbert 9.0 (1 assist, 5 key passes, 4 chances created)
Oh fiddlesticks! O’Shea is going to be out for 3 to 5 weeks. Looks like a lucky youngster gets elevated! On the positive side, we made £40,569! We’re back in black (for the month, that is).
Even better news is that Kemar got his first goal for Huddersfield. Against Man U even! I gave him a call and praised his performance. Gotta keep things tight between us.
Hey, look! We have a whole week off! Well, not really, we have a U23 match on Monday and a U18 match on Wednesday before the Seniors play away on Saturday. Matter of fact, all matches are away. Maybe our pitches will “heal” up.
Draws, draws, everywhere there’s draws. For the Southern League Cup we’ll host either Royston or Deal. Let it be Deal, Royston might have our number still. For the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup we get to host Bognor Regis Town. Mr. Philbin is a league above us and are mid-table there.
Here’s some great cup news not related draws: Kemar had three (THREE!) goals against Bradford City in the League Cup. That’s an emphatic way of getting off the snide!
So far in my troll of Irish training grounds the only player rated at more than two stars that wants to move to Brixton has a Casual attitude, a Determination of 7, and a Jumping Reach of 1.
It was nice to have a whole week off for the Seniors to get all rested up. It’s also nice to get back to league play, especially when facing a middle-of-the-road team such as Merthyr Town.
at Merthyr Town, 28 September 2019
Formation: 4-4-2 Diamond Standard
Starting XI: Legg, Parker, Pilcher, Smith, Jefcoate, Coates, Hibbert, Pugh, Taylor, Macey, McLeish
Subs: O’Keeffe, Johnstone, Nightingale, Ferguson, Leary, Harding, Thirlwell
Again with the slow starts! It takes 29’ for Macey to cross from the byline to McLeish, who knocks it in. Pugh then shows how good he is at being dispossessed. Lucky for us Merthyr’s right back tries to clear the ball but it hits Pugh and deflects right to McLeish standing in the left corner of the 18-yard box. He quickly gathers the ball and passes it to Taylor flying up the middle and we double our lead. Our third goal comes directly off a deflection. Hibbert’s cross hits the left centreback and right into goal. I wasn’t expecting a fourth goal but newly-on Thirlwell gets a point-blank shot past the GK after a well-timed pass by McLeish.
POM: Derek McLeish 9.3 (1 goal, 2 assists, 3 key passes, 2 chances created)
We won but I’m not exactly ecstatic. We were accurate on only 3 of our 12 shots. Pretty bad.
Doing better was Kemar, he was accurate on 2 of 3 shots with one going in during Huddersfield’s beating of Crystal Palace. Huddersfield are now up to 13th.
In the final minutes of the month I have a sit-down with the scouts who have been scouring Ireland for youth footballers. So far they’ve only found one player who is willing to listen to an offer and actually worth offering. He’s a defensive midfielder from Salthill name Adrian O’Laoi. I have no idea how to pronounce that last name. The Laoi part makes me think he’s from East or Southeast Asia but that O’ part keeps me at the opposite end of the Eurasian continent. I’ll probably offer a contract and despite my scouts thinking Salthill won’t demand compensation, I’m willing to offer up to £1,000. His 3.5 star rating makes me think he’ll be League One worthy so a thousand pound note is doable.
What can I say, we continue to dominate. We’ve yet to lose a league match and we’re still in all cups, outscoring our opponents 22 to 1. I’ve not been able to find exactly what I need in the Ireland youth intake day though it looks like we’ll sign a kid for defensive midfielder depth.
Back two years ago in August 2017 I made an assessment of Alex Rae. I noted that our Head of Youth Development believed he could be a Conference South-quality striker but that his slow speed, inability to jump, and his weak frame might result in his dismissal. I specifically called him out for needing an 11 Pace and I’m happy to report he’s there. His Jumping Reach is now double-digits and his Strength has gone from 5 to 9. He is now assessed to be Conference South worthy with room still to improve. He’s not exactly scoring as prolifically as he was last season but McLeish has done plenty to cover for him.