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We are down to our last matches of the year with one league match to go and three cup finals. We also have a gap of two weeks early on and I plan to fill that gap with a friendly against a local Premier League team's U23 squad, preferably Chelsea or Fulham. That should keep us match fit and bring in a lot of money.
Ben Pope and Chick Legg are in my plans next year so this is good new. The rest are not in my plans but I'm still quite disappointed in Andy Robinson and Jose Parker but this kind of proves that they are way too good for us and are stagnating.
Another month of losses, this time to the tune of £68,391. If we had stayed in the FA Cup a round longer maybe we would have made some more money this year. I guess I'll wipe my tears with the 12 million pound notes we made selling Kemar.
Wowza! I'm up to 100% in my "Untouchable" status and we still have three cups to vie for.
Back on 6 April Stephen McGregor moved up into Influential Player level. This is good news because I want to make him the new Vice Captain with Jefcoate departing.
Adrian Lee (GK) and George Bunn (DC *) had really good training performances and I brought them into my office to tell them so. They both saw a jump in their Morale after the praising. Bunn was especially pleasing with everything in Technicals showing a green arrow, as was everything in Physicals except Natural Fitness. About half of his Mentals were also green. In a weird twist of fate, Ronnie Hollett, a Youth Candidate from last year I never signed because he had no Determination or Ambition but then signed back in late August 2019 because I needed U18 bodies, also was like Bunn and now I'm having second thoughts. (His Personality changed from Unambitious to Balanced spontaneously back some months.) Dare I extend him? He's only rated 2.5 stars in Potential Ability.
Kevin Jenkins has seen his Determination go up to 11; it had started at 8. His Unambitious personality lingers on.
Good news! Dean Rice's Bravery has recovered up to 10. Technical it's 9.6 but FM does the rounding thing to nearest whole number. Did I do that right? I don't math well.
With Andy Robinson and his League One current ability leaving us, because I'm a bonehead for not offering a contract way long ago, I'm not so saddened to see my AssMan thinks Andy's replacement Ben Pope is too a League One talent. Awesome.
Here's something of note. Mark Marshall's personality changed from Spirited to Light-hearted. I think it's because his Determination went from 15 to 16, courtesy of Eddie's tutoring, but it's more likely that some of his Hidden Abilities are changing.
We have a two-week gap in the middle of the month so I proposed a friendly with the Chelsea U23s for 13 May. We should bring in a sizeable crowd. InshaABBA.
This is our final league match of the season. The league will continue to have matches as at this level promotion rounds are introduced to see who else gets promoted. While that goes on we'll have three cup finals matches; Conference League Cup, FA Trophy, and FA Vase. This is a long way of saying May is going to be a quick month.
vs. Billericay, 1 May 2021
Formation: Diamond Attack (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, DMC (DLP-S), MR, ML, AMC (AM), ST r (DLF-A), ST l (AF))
Starting XI: Legg, Lawford, Ferreira, Barnes, Curran, Noulas, Pope, McGregor, Lemon, Marshall, Morris
Subs: Peers, Smith, Harding, Leary, Rae
Oh yay! I was hoping for a large crowd and we got one with 5,240 butts in seats.
Looks like our opponents are going to get boned today. Marshall sends in an early cross but their leftback screws up the clearance and the ball goes right into goal. On the restart Billericay are disabused of the notion of venturing into the final third as Ferreira robs their slow striker and launches one forward to Marshall. He finds himself blowing past their central defenders and squeaking the ball under the goalie's crotch. The goals were 55 seconds apart. At 32:10 Marshall gets his brace and the easy continues to the end.
Or so I thought. We give up a goal by not marking their right centreback during a corner. And four minutes later we concede on a counter-attack; mad props to Trustin Zammit for one hell of a cross. I switch back to the attack and after some butt-clenching moments Noah Harding provides the perfect set-up for Mickey Morris and that youngster rockets one in from the 18-yard line. But the scoring isn't over as we allow an early cross to find an unmarked player again, just after 92'.
POM: Mickey Morris 9.0 (1 goal, 2 assists, 4 key passes, 3 chances created)
I lay into the team and specifically target Lawford and Curran for their 6.4s and Legg for his inability to react to balls coming his way.
Pope's agent is the pain du jour but this time I'm not bothered as Pope is going to replace Robinson in the first team. I just tell him to give me a month.
After the match, ending the season unbeaten, Mickey Morris goes to the press and expresses him admiration for me, leading the team to great success. A very Sally Field moment for me. :-)
Remember Daryl Sharpe from my last update? Left-footed central defender who's too short for the position but is super fast and could move to left fullback? Well, Mark Curran's performances since he got here concern me so I add Daryl Sharpe to my Shortlist for 3 months. Curran looks to be The Answer at leftback but what if Sharpe is better?
Gareth O'Keeffe gets called up for the England's team in the U20 World Cup. He'll definitely be gone from 22 to 30 May but conceivably be gone until 13 June if England does well. Poop. I was banking on him being between the posts for our three cup finals.
This reminds me to check if Chick Legg's contract option got triggered. It hasn't. Maybe at the end of the league season, after the playoff final, it'll trigger when the program's maths happen.
On 4 May my scouts report another Sharpe player, this one named Keith who's a right-footed centreback. He's not that fast but has a lot of other great skills and is Natural DC, DMC, and MC. His contract is up soon and Stoke don't have an option. He is 4.5 stars so he's probably not good enough for Stoke, currently 7th in the EPL, so they may not resign him.
Our victory over Billericay sees Morris and Marshall named to the Team of the Week.
Worcester, the team in second place in the league we just came from, want U23 DL Sam Sterling for a loan until the end of the season. It must be to secure their promotion to the Conference South as their starting left fullback is out with a knee ligament strain for the next 11 to 28 days. I don't approve as their facilities are crap and I doubt Sterling would see any improvements.
In Conference South playoff news, Dulwich Hamlet will host Billericay to see who gets promoted to the Conference National along with us. I think I want Billericay to go up.
The scouting report for the Chelsea U23s comes in and it's mixed bag. Some players who are awesome now and will be awesomer in the future. Some who are mediocre but will be awesome in the future. Some who are mediocre now and pretty good in the future. I wonder who they'll field.
U18 defensive utility player Kenny Holden is fitting in nicely. I got an email from my Head of Youth Development on 12 May saying that the squad's general character has had a positive effect on him recently. This is evidenced by his Determination going from 10 to 11 and almost every ability showing green arrows of progress.
The friendly versus the Chelsea U23s is gonna be a full house with 4,500 of the fans being Chelsea loyals. Mo' money, mo' money!
Friendlies are about fitness and perfecting tactics. And making money when you invite the secondaries from a Premier League club just miles away. I've included some U23s of our own and made the selections based on who needs match fitness the most.
vs. Chelsea U23s, 13 May 2021
Formation: Cudgel (DC r, DC c, DC r, WBR, WBL, MC r (Mez), MC c (BBM), MC l (Mez), ST r (DF-S), ST l (TM-A)
Starting XI: Webb, Smith, Nightingale, O'Shea, Parker K, Jefcoate, Harding, Ferguson, Roberts, Macey, Rae
Subs: Legg, Parker J, Collopy, Murphy, Peers, Sterling, Kingdon, McAdam, Davies, McLeish, Flynn, O'Reilly
There are only two action sequences in the first half and both were for Chelsea. The second one ended in a too-easy goal for them. At the break I dust off the Club formation and add an Attacking mentality. The starters show me nothing so they get yanked en masse at 55' and eventually Flynn and McLeish get a breakaway with Derek getting one in just inside the left post from distance.
POM: Chelsea's Marcos Antonio 7.4 (2 key passes, 2 chances created)
I congratulate the men for salvaging a draw as most them were second- and third-choice players after all. We did make £64,002 from the match too.
The Billericay-Dulwich Hamlet match ends with Billericay winning and getting promoted along with us. Excellent. I won't have to deal with Dulwich Hamlet again.
There is some relief when I get the email saying the Legg's contract will be extended a year because he got into 15 matches. Good.
On 17 May Pat Lawford turned 17 and now makes a whopping £150 per week. He'll be the starter next season so at some point in June I plan to offer him something better. His contract goes to 2023 and has a two-year option so I hope to maintain that. I'm slowly learning that I need to sign my promising youth before they ask for too much and I can't afford them.
The Conference League Cup final is expected to draw 22,000 fans to Wembley. Or in other words, mo' money, mo' money! Also, we are 6-4 favored to win. Around 15,000 are expected for the FA Vase Final, and again, we are 6-4 favored to win.
Sweet! There are 16,000 fans to watch us today. Should be a minor challenge, what with all their expensive foreign players, but I'll always back the lads.
vs. Congleton at Wembley Stadium, 19 May 2021
Formation: Diamond Attack (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, DMC (DLP-S), MR, ML, AMC (AM), ST r (DLF-A), ST l (AF))
Starting XI: Legg, Peers, Ferreira, Barnes, Curran, Noulas, Robinson, McGregor, Flitcroft, Marshall, Morris
Subs: Lee, Lawford, Parker J, O'Shea, Rice, Ferguson, Pope, Leary, Davies, Macey, McLeish, Nightingale
Third time's a charm, right? Must be because that's the number of the attempts it took to get Mickey on target and past the goalie. And it only took 33 minutes! Sigh. Twelve minutes later I'm wondering where I went wrong with Curran as he's riding another 6.4 but then he intercepts a pass into the box and FedExes it to Morris way up field and some how he gets his brace. Woot! Curran wasn't moved by my Passionate halftime speech so I directly told him how awesome he is and that got him happy. I move to Control. Then the wheels come off. Ferreira intercepted a pass and even raised his hand to say he had it. Then he passed it back to Legg who had stepped out to grab a pint at the nearest pub and that's how we lost half our lead.
We restore the cushion with yet another Curran launch from afar and this time Marshall is the lucky recipient, weaving his way around the goalie for a simple tap in. Just before I can switch to the Cudgel at 68' we get a free kick deep behind enemy lines. Robinson and his 6.4 send it to the far side of the box where Mickey is chillin' like a villain, allowing him plenty of time to get his hat trick. Then I make the change and do Ye Olde Outfield Swap. (Man, it seems ages since I used that phrase.)
POM: Mickey Morris 9.6 (3 goals, 5 key passes, 2 chances created)
We do get that confetti parade at midfield followed by circling the arena. Awesome. Making £62,800 from the match is also pretty awesome.
Hot damn! Ferreira is now Natural at DC. Excellent. This will be important next year when I expect him to be the regular starter at right centreback.
So McGregor wants a new deal. He just put on a 7.7 performance but he has two more years so I tell him no. He understands and doesn't get mopey.
I was looking back at Congleton's roster because I remember their starting left striker went out with an injury after 30' and I wanted to see what happened to him. I poked around some more. They need faster strikers. Their fastest has a Pace of 12 and the next two in line only have 11. We'll see what they do next year.
The U18s Coach that I use to teach the kids Tactics is about to be poached by Hartlepool, a team in the Conference National but who are getting relegated. I ask him to stay and he invokes the ghost of Jesus Jones and wants to be "right here, right now, there is no other place that I wanna be."
You guys again? Is the third time a charm for you? I hope not. I'm not fielding our best team as I want the Best XI available for the final match. I still want a win though.
vs. Billericay at Wembley Stadium, 22 May 2021
Formation: Diamond Attack (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, DMC (DLP-S), MR, ML, AMC (AM), ST r (DLF-A), ST l (AF))
Starting XI: Lee, Parker K, Parker J, O'Shea, Rice, Roberts, Pope, Leary, Davie, Macey, McLeish
Subs: Legg, Ferreira, Nightingale, Smith, Jefcoate, Ferguson, Robinson, McGregor, Lemon, Rae, Flitcroft, Barnes
I'm trying to curb my cursing but expletive effing expletive. A 6.3 from McLeish. Yank at 60'. A 6.2 from Macey. Yank at 70'. Rae misses an sitter at 78' but I can't yank him. Finally in the 89th Pope, who's been great, springs Flitcroft for a one-on-one and he toys with the keeper, who had been sensational up to that moment. Expletive me.
POM: Ben Pope 9.0 (1 assist, 7 key passes, 4 chances created)
That was unnecessarily trying. None of those guys are getting another start. At least we made almost £48,000.
The post-match presser had a few questions about Eddie's debacle. I held no punches and then afterwards I fined him a week. I also gave McLeish a formal warning.
The next morning I unlock a Steam Achievement for winning the Manager of the Year Award. I told you I was great. :-D
Gareth O'Keeffe had a great World Cup match versus Egypt, he rated a 7.1 but faced no actual shots.
Eastleigh were second in the Conference National this year but failed to secure promotion. This means we'll face them twice next year. Let us get the introductions right and clobber them up and down the field.
vs. Eastleigh at Wembley Stadium, 25 May 2021
Formation: Diamond Attack (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, DMC (DLP-S), MR, ML, AMC (AM), ST r (DLF-A), ST l (AF))
Starting XI: Legg, Peers, Ferreira, Barnes, Curran, Noulas, Robinson, McGregor, Lemon, Marshall, Morris
Subs: Lee, Parker K, Nightingale, O'Shea, Jefcoate, Ferguson, Pope, Leary, Harding, Macey, McLeish, Smith
They scare us just before 12' when they send a free kick off the right post but we easily clear the rebound. In a tale as old as time, our two strikers take turns sending in a long shots off target but then combine to crack the seal on this one; Marshall crosses to the far post and Morris jumps up to head it in. Fantastic! Morris spends the next hour repeatedly shooting wide so he gets the heave-ho and I bring in McLeish to be a Target Man on the Attack. Well, he acted more like Support, taking a Harding pass and launching forward to a streaking Macey. Eddie starts to slow down and my feeling of dread skyrockets but it was a ploy. As everyone runs for him, he surprises the charging goalie and gets it underneath him and into goal. We have another trophy! (We got another goal at 94:06 when Harding had a free kick to the right of the box and sent it to a forgotten Nightingale in the arc. Not even the Berlin Wall could have stopped his power-shot.)
POM: Andy Robinson 8.0 (3 key passes, 2 chances created)
Very, very satisfying. But Morris' continued scatter-shots are worrying. I should relax, he's still only 17.
We also made almost £117,000 for our efforts too!
That's it! The 2020/2021 season is in the bag. Now it's time for a team meeting and to go over the roster to figure out who's staying, who's going, and who to bring in.
The team meeting goes well with nobody panicking and almost everyone seeing their Morale go up. I told them we could be mid-table next season and that seemed acceptable. When they report back in late June I'll tell them I expect promotion. We'll see how that flies then.
But first, time to hand out some new contracts! But firster, it's time for a team rundown. (In the original timeline, I did this in June but for some reason the cups finished early. I'm assessing that's because there were too many replays, pushing things back.)
On the afternoon of 26 May the board requests to meet to discuss improving our youth level. Hot damn! By the end of the season the youth academy will "be classified as a Level 1 setup." I don't know if that means the end of this season or next season.
Mickey and David Doran get international call ups for Wales U19s to play Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. Do your country proud, boys!
A lot of people are upset that I didn't offer them or Andy Robinson contracts. I wish SI had programmed an answer along the lines of, "This player is way too good for us and we're just holding him back. He'll very successful several leagues up and I wish him well."
Along similar lines, Gareth is upset that I won't let him talk to Swindon. Swindon is in League One and finished 19th there. He needs to be in a Championship or Premier side, realistically.
I need to resolve who to re-sign and who to promote up the squads. I really don't want Stephen O'Shea as he's too expensive. Maybe I can find another mentor. I want to jettison Nightingale and Jose Parker as they are too slow for Conference National play.
But let me take a step back and let's look at our GK situation:
Obviously Gareth O'Keeffe is our first choice (his row is highlighted) but I know from the other timeline that he'll be mediocre because he wants to leave. I'll be realistic and sell him to a Premier League team. Maybe we'll try a loan back? Do I ride with Webb or do I try to work Adrian Lee into the mix now? Lee will be forcefully graduated into the U23s in August and I'm totally fine rocking with Kris Newton (the kid from two Intakes ago who is my first Model Citizen) and Gael Barbier to cover the U18s and U23s, well, and Legg and Lee as needed. Lee is currently better than Legg. Webb is better than Lee. Webb is one of The Original 16 so I think it's time for him to fly. I'll either sell him or put him out on loan. Legg is GK1, Lee is GK2, Barbier is GK3, and Newton is GK4. That settles it.
Now for the right fullbacks:
Pat Lawford has been impressive in the U18s and is 100% my DR of choice right now with Sean Peers number two. We have good coverage in the Seniors if Lawford goes down as Angelino Ferreira is Natural at DR and Alfie Barnes is Accomplished there. Kevin Parker is another Original 16 so he'll be gone. Nickson turns 18 on 28 June and will be forced into the U23s. I'm fine with Shane Pelling as the sole DR in U18s as there is a DL who is Accomplished at DR and some DCs who can slide to the left. I'll probably look for at least one more utility defender for the Youths. So, Lawford DR1, Peers DR2, Nickson DR3, and Pelling DR4.
In the center of defense we have:
The Senior DCs will be Ferreira, Barnes, and, well, I don't immediately know. Nightingale and Parker are too slow and should command healthy transfer fees. Connor Smith will be gone. I don't think I want to pay O'Shea £1,600 to £2,000 per week as a fifth option even if he is a mentor. Partridge is also slow. That kinda leaves Ryan Collopy as third-best. Cosgrove is slightly better than Murphy and Jenkins but I would like him to have another year in the U18s then U23s before graduating. Same with Colin Cockbill. That would leave no DCs in the U23s but I could give the Seniors some time or Cosplay and Cocky. I'm totally fine with Bunn, Dafydd Knott, and Mark Hirst rounding out the U18s. So, Ferreira as DCr1 (right centreback), Barnes as DCl1, Collopy as DCr2, Murphy as DCl2, and Jenkins as DC*3.
(In the original time line I signed Ben Evans from Manchester City and he was my third-best DC in the Seniors. I'll try for him again which will cause some trickle down effects, namely dropping Murphy and Jenkins to the U23s. That also assumes Collopy won't have outrageous wage demands.)
How do we look on the left side of the defense?:
This is an interesting line-up as five players all have the same Ability but there's a clear best player on Potential. Problem is though, Mark Curran hasn't exactly lit the world on fire, yet. There's not a lot of difference between Steve Pike and Dean Rice but I'll continue to favor Rice until proven wrong, keeping him in the Seniors. Pike is about to turn 18 so he'll be up in the Reserves. I kind of had high hopes for Sam Sterling but he's a bit slow and isn't improving there so he might not get a second contract. James Jefcoate, one of The Original 16, will be leaving us. Brian Osborn doesn't have much of a future and is just a U18 body for now; I hope I get a better DL in next year's youth intake. In summary, Curran as DL1, Rice as DL2, Pike as DL3, Sterling as DL4, and Osborn as DL5.
I split my midfielders into Defensive and Attacking groups. Let us run DMCs first:
Liam Roberts is technically just a bit better than Tasos Noulas as a Deep Lying Playmaker but not Ball Winnng Midfielder or Regista but I've soured on Liam so I'll look to ship him elsewhere. Noulas is better than Gary Ferguson as a BWM but not as a DLP or Regista. Simon McAdam, one of The Original 16, will be gone at the end of the month so Henson Debellotte and Nathan Kingdon will be my DMCs in the U23s. I have high hopes for Lee Beirne and to a lesser extent for Kenny Holden but they'll just be sitting in the U18s to develop. Stephen Dennehy and Terry Buckle are just cannon fodder and will graduate to the U23s in the 2022/2023 season. Danny Douglas is just a body. Noulas is DMC1, Ferguson is DMC2, Debellotte is DMC3, Kingdon is DMC4, Beirne is DMC5, Holden is DMC6, Buckle is DMC7, Dennehy is DMC8, and Douglas is DMC9. (I really have too many DMCs.)
Now for the other half of the central midfielders, the AMCs (not a theatre chain):
Stephen Lemon has not been great just good but we're stuck with him. I prefer Glyn Davies so he'll be the starter. We're not stuck with Noah Harding and he'll be exiting soon. Ben O'Reilly will be second or third, depending if Lemon can improve. David Doran will remain in the U18s until January when he turns 18. Dennis Hammond will likely be the sole AMC in the U23s. Dean Hoddle will also be in the U18s. Sam Khinda and Jamie Stimson are just U18 bodies but with their utility player status might get to stay in the U23s for a long time. Ergo, Davies AMC1, O'Reilly AMC2, Lemon AMC3, Hammond AMC4, Doran AMC5, Khinda AMC6, and Stimson AMC7.
You put your left wing in, you put your left wing out, you put your right wing in and you shake 'em all about. Here's our AMRs:
I've already said it a million times but Andy Robinson will be leaving us. He's too good and too expensive. Ben Pope will be better eventually and I'm totally fine placing critical crosses upon his shoulders. A keen-eyed observer will have noticed that Chris Dryden is left-footed but listed as a right winger. He is still not Natural at MR but once he masters that I'll start working on his ML and AML, supposing his Versatility is high enough. He and Gary Leary will be wing subs for a good while. Ibrahim Agu will be our sole righty in the U23s, and Gary Walker, Mario Headley, and Gary Lund will all compete for the U18s. If Lund were going to be better he'd be a wing sub for a good while too. Pope is AMR1, Dryden AMR2, Agu AMR3, Walker AMR4, Headley AMR5, and Lund AMR6.
Now let's put the left wing in:
It all starts with my best signing of last off-season, Stephen McGregor. He's set in stone until Chris Keegan joins us on 26 July 2022 and I'm sure it will take Chris a couple of seasons to pull ahead. Until then, Gary Leary will be second choice for quite a while as he's really good on the right side too. Nickcolson Garcia really didn't improve much while on loan so he'll be first choice for the U23s. Ian Barnett will be there too but he has no future with us as he is slow for a winger (11 Pace). George Conrad and Glenn Day also have no future here and turn 18 after the cut-off date so they'll be eligible for the U18s and not be pressganged into the U23s. (I was really hoping the Glenn Day would be good so I could keep making references to Green Day songs. Oh well.) Sam Khinda is kind of our unicorn. He came to us Natural at AMR, AMC, and AML, and Accomplished at ST. I've been working on this ST since Day One and I hope he gets Natural there. I'd like to keep him around for as long as possible as a utility player until he ages out of the U23s. So, here's the breakdown: McGregor is AML1, Leary is AML2, Garcia is AML3, Barnett is AML4, Khinda is AML5, Conrad is AML6, and Day is AML7.
Up front we have quite the stable of strikers:
Wow do we have it good. Mickey Morris and Mark Marshall are my focal points but they are young and I'll still be giving plenty of time to Mark Flitcroft, Derek McLeish, Alex Rae, and Eddie "The Beast" Macey, our Captain. Those last three had 112 goals between them this past season. That's insane. John Burns joins us on 28 August and will eventually supplant Mark Marshall. Some of these cats are going to have to go out on loan and I fear it will be Alex Rae and Flitcroft, though Alex's salary might kill any desire by clubs to even ask, so maybe Derek goes? Andy Flynn will reside in the U23s, along with Burns until he settles in. Hollett is gone. Richard Phillips, Kevin Carolan, George Hanley, Geoff Smart, and Allen West will star for the U18s. I've included Khinda because he might eventually be a striker For Realz but you already know my plans for him.
Here we go: Morris is ST1 as a left Advanced Forward, Marshall is ST2 as a right Deep Lying Forward, Eddie is ST3 as right Defensive Forward, Flitcroft is ST4 as left Poacher, Burns is ST5 as left Advanced Forward, and finally McLeish is ST6 as our preferred Target Man. In the U23s Rae is ST7 as the preferred Target Man, Flynn is ST8 as second Target Man. In the Youths, Phillips is ST9 as a left Poacher, Carolan is ST10 as a Deep Lying Forward, Smart is ST11 as a left Poacher, Hanley is ST12 as a right Defensive Forward, and lastly, West is ST13 as a left Defensive Forward. (Man, that's a lot of strikers!)
I used to believe that central defenders and strikers were the only outfield players who should only know one position. I no longer feel that way about strikers. Right now Carolan is learning how to be an AMC. Flynn and Hanley are learning AMR and Smart and West will learn AML come summer camp. I'll eventually get Marshall and Morris to work on something too. McLeish and Rae get a pass for now. John Burns is Accomplished on both wings and my scouts believe he can "successfully be re-trained as an attacking midfielder." That'll be cool.
Doing this rundown allowed me to sort my thoughts on who to give new contracts to. Morris, Pope, and Lawford are the most important and Davies is after them. Marshall needs a new one eventually as he's only on £300 per week.
Morris is offered £2,000 per week, with a £500 appearance fee, £500 goal bonus, some other bonuses and clauses, all so we can keep him until 2023. If we get promoted then, which hopefully would be to League One, and he gets into 20 league matches, then a one-year option will be triggered. He signs on the afternoon of 30 May.
Pope (he's gonna be hella expensive) is actually gonna have to wait as in the original timeline I found Peter Smith, an AMR at Chelsea who got released on 1 July. I'll try to sign him early on 1 June but chances are he won't sign until he gets dropped. Unemployment tends to drop one's expectations.
Lawford, having turned 17 on 17 May and signed his initial contract, refuses to sign a new contact. Maybe I'll wait until just before the regular season begins.
So I might as well see if Davies wants to sign a new one now. He does, signing on the evening of 30 May and will make £600 per week for an additional year, plus we have a club option.
Despite Lawford showing no numerical changes, he is Premier League-quality for sure. Pleasing to see Barnes improve, it must be all the starts he was getting. Same goes for Noulas though he didn't get as many minutes. And I glad he is Championship-capable. Despite his decline Robinson is also a Premier player. At this rate, Cosgrove is going to be starting by New Year. But why is Flitcroft declining so? Maybe because he is Natural at ST he being compared to Morris more closely and he does pale in comparison, so...
The Quadruple! There was no way in hell we were going to win the FA Cup so this is the best we could have done. What a weird statement. We only got four trophies. Baa!
Back in late November 2018 I declared that Noah Harding could have been the best signing ever as he had four POMs so far into that season. Later that season, in March 2019, I again praised his signing. Spoiler alert: He won't be with us much longer and I don't believe he's been the best signing ever. He had only one more that season, two in the next season, and one in our most recent season. He really fell out of favor as he became less dependable and I realized his single-digit Teamwork and Work Rate were really hindering him. The lesson here is that he was amazing for the leagues we were in back then but we outgrew him as we advanced up the leagues.
Drum roll, please… Ferguson, his Consistency is…8. He only got into two matches, one as a starter, one as a sub, so maybe I'll need to change the experiment to someone who gets more playing time. Beirne also hasn't changed and also got into only two matches. But at least he rated 9.0 and 8.3. This experiment thing isn't panning out like I'd hoped.