Conquering Europe

Recent Fixtures
[imgw]http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/2073/2013fixturessep.jpg[/imgw]

League Table
[imgw]http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/8720/2013tablesep.jpg[/imgw]

FA Cup results




League Cup results

2-3 vs Colchester (Championship) - 1st round

Johnstone's Paint Trophy results

5-4p vs Cambridge (League 2)


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Our early window loan moves are paying off in spades right now. The added strength has helped lead us to a second consecutive undefeated month in league play as we finished September with a 3/1/0 record. This netted me the coach of the month honor and the team is looking more and more confident as the games go by without a loss. Our fantastic start has us in a dead heat with Torquay for 1st place, which they hold due to a better goal differential. I'm sure we will come down to earth in the coming months but we are enjoying our time in the limelight.

As discussed, we were right in the thick of things when we squared off against Cambridge in the 1st round of the JPT. We made good on all of our penalty kicks and Cambridge screwed one shot wide for the difference. We will be facing off against Bournemouth in the 2nd round who are currently 17th in the league.

Injuries continue to hound us. Starting right back Darren Cole suffered strained knee ligaments in the first week of September and isn't expected back for another 2 to 3 weeks. Veteran Lee Mansell was called up from reserves and he is doing an admirable job so far. King Kisuka is also out for another couple of days after he bruised a rib in our last game.

Hey, as i told you before, i have started my own game unemployed with only sunday league experience. It took me a year to get a job... in the end i got a job at Sutton Utd. I brought in an almost entire new squad and new staff. The season started poorly.
At Christmas, we lied around 17th, 18th in the BSS... but when i employed a completely new tactic of a 4-2-2-2.. I went on a 14 game unbeaten streak, only conceding 2 or 3 goals.. which found me 6th , 7th with just a few games to go.
Unfortunately, a slip up against Thurrock meant it was unlikely for me to sneak a play off place.
However i managed to beat Bromley and Newport with my final two games .. poised to get 5th... But then Lewes won as well which meant i finished 6th ... just 1 point of a play off spot. (33 GD aswel!)

So hopefully i can get 1st next season. (thats if i can hold onto my stars)

Gussin : Hey, as i told you before, i have started my own game unemployed with only sunday league experience. It took me a year to get a job... in the end i got a job at Sutton Utd. I brought in an almost entire new squad and new staff. The season started poorly.
At Christmas, we lied around 17th, 18th in the BSS... but when i employed a completely new tactic of a 4-2-2-2.. I went on a 14 game unbeaten streak, only conceding 2 or 3 goals.. which found me 6th , 7th with just a few games to go.
Unfortunately, a slip up against Thurrock meant it was unlikely for me to sneak a play off place.
However i managed to beat Bromley and Newport with my final two games .. poised to get 5th... But then Lewes won as well which meant i finished 6th ... just 1 point of a play off spot. (33 GD aswel!)

So hopefully i can get 1st next season. (thats if i can hold onto my stars)

Keep it up! It's always the first few seasons that are the toughest when starting in lower leagues. The payoff is that much sweeter when you begin to succeed, though.

Recent Fixtures
[imgw]http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/3724/2013fixturesoct.jpg[/imgw]

League Table
[imgw]http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/687/2013tableoct.jpg[/imgw]

FA Cup results




League Cup results

2-3 vs Colchester (Championship) - 1st round

Johnstone's Paint Trophy results

5-4p vs Cambridge (League 2)
2-0 vs Bournemouth (League 2)


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September's high gave way to October's reality check. We fought through a 2/0/3 record for the month that saw us drop to 5th on the league table. Like last season, hopefully we can pick ourselves up from a rough patch of games here and get ourselves back on the winning track. While we are still well ahead of schedule in terms of success, I wouldn't complain if we had a stellar showing in our first season of League 2 play.

We had a good showing in the 2nd round of the JPT as we defeated Bournemouth 2-0; a game that we controlled from start to finish. Our draw in the south region quarterfinals is a rough one, however, as we will be facing off against League 1 outfit Bristol.

Injuries are starting to get under control finally, and we also had a shock addition to our squad. Our new link with Blackpool (Championship) gave us the opportunity to bring in a fantastic keeper on loan. Andrew Collier agreed on the loan move and I made him my new starting keeper straight away. It was tough telling James Dormand that he would be relegated to backup duty, but Collier simply gives us a better chance of winning.

Recent Fixtures
[imgw]http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/9712/2013fixturesnov.jpg[/imgw]

League Table
[imgw]http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/2820/2013tablenov.jpg[/imgw]

FA Cup results

1-0 vs Kidderminster (BSP) - 1st round
2-0 vs Cheltenham (League 2) - 2nd round


League Cup results

2-3 vs Colchester (Championship) - 1st round

Johnstone's Paint Trophy results

5-4p vs Cambridge (League 2) - South 1st round
2-0 vs Bournemouth (League 2) - South 2nd round
3-2 vs Bristol (League 1) - South Quarterfinal


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October's losing record must have served as motivation for our superb November. A perfect 4/0/0 league record netted me the Manager of the Month award for the second time and more importantly our 4 straight wins has launched us back into 1st place. We're almost half way through the season and we're starting to dream big at Welling. I don't think we can hold onto pole position, but it's looking very likely that we will be within the top 7 that qualify for the playoff. Hell, if we keep up our strong play, we might just shock the league and finish top 3 and get promoted again!

We're onto the 3rd round of the FA Cup after wins against Kidderminster and Cheltenham. King Kisuka netted the only goal against Kidderminster; a game that featured a pesky BSP team with a chip on its shoulder. We looked more motivated in our win against league opponent Cheltenham. Wingers Will James and Elias Wagner provided the scoring. We'll likely draw an upper level team in the next round, with the Premier League teams set to enter the fray.

In the JPT we walked into enemy territory and took a victory against League 1 outfit Bristol. We won on the strength of King Kisuka as he bagged a brace and also assisted on the 3rd goal. We face off against another League 1 team in the South Semis, this time against Brighton.

We enter December with a clean bill of health from the physio. Good thing, too, because we'll need to be as close to full strength as possible as we head into the upper stages of cup play and the back stretch of league games.

This is exciting stuff! Read it through the whole pages and looking forward to see if you can withstand the top spot until the end of the season! Good Luck

Inspiring stuff!

Ash327 : This is exciting stuff! Read it through the whole pages and looking forward to see if you can withstand the top spot until the end of the season! Good Luck

Inspiring stuff!

I'm glad you enjoy it! Reader responses to the story are part of why I keep going with it.

:beer

Recent Fixtures
[imgw]http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/7274/2013fixturesdec.jpg[/imgw]

League Table
[imgw]http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/6109/2013tabledec.jpg[/imgw]

FA Cup results

1-0 vs Kidderminster (BSP) - 1st round
2-0 vs Cheltenham (League 2) - 2nd round


League Cup results

2-3 vs Colchester (Championship) - 1st round

Johnstone's Paint Trophy results

5-4p vs Cambridge (League 2) - South 1st round
2-0 vs Bournemouth (League 2) - South 2nd round
3-2 vs Bristol (League 1) - South Quarterfinal
0-2 vs Brighton (League 1) - South Semifinal

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After a flawless November, we slipped a bit 4/2/1 going into the new year. We had some solid wins during this stretch, including wins vs Darlington (2-0) and Swindon (3-1), where we looked worthy of the top spot. But then we had a game vs Burton that we lost 1-3 where we looked like the newly promoted team that we are. Going into the back half of the league season we hold a slim 2 point margin at the top of the league and we're a hefty 15 points clear of the final playoff spot.

No update on the FA Cup other than drawing fellow promotion contenders in Wycombe. We squared off against them earlier during league play and we managed a draw at home. If there's ever been a time for us to break into the 4th round, this is it. We're matched against a much more equal team than the past few seasons.

As strong as we looked against League 1 side Bristol in the quarterfinals, we looked that much weaker in the semis. Brighton took a 2-0 lead into the half and they bullied us all the way to the final whistle. I was less than happy with the effort we had on the pitch.

Tom Brighton is the only player on the mend going into January. He's coming back from a dead leg and should be back by the end of the first week.

man i don't know how you have the patinece 2 start in the bottom divisions, how dya kepp doing it?

lookin good tho

Recent Fixtures
[imgw]http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/4480/2014fixturesjan.jpg[/imgw]

League Table
[imgw]http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/3162/2014tablejan.jpg[/imgw]

FA Cup results

1-0 vs Kidderminster (BSP) - 1st round
2-0 vs Cheltenham (League 2) - 2nd round
1-0r vs Wycombe (League 2) - 3rd round

League Cup results

2-3 vs Colchester (Championship) - 1st round

Johnstone's Paint Trophy results

5-4p vs Cambridge (League 2) - South 1st round
2-0 vs Bournemouth (League 2) - South 2nd round
3-2 vs Bristol (League 1) - South Quarterfinal
0-2 vs Brighton (League 1) - South Semifinal

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We rang in the new year with a flawless streak. Our 4/0/0 record earned me my third manager of the month award. This recent stretch of results is helping us pull away from the pack a bit, even though we still have 17 league games to go. As it stands, we hold a 7 point lead over 2nd place Exeter, an 11 point lead over 4th place Torquay, and a 19 point lead over 8th place Wycombe.

Not only did we have a tremendous run during league play, we also had a great run in the FA Cup. We managed a 0-0 draw against Wycombe away, and we snatched a 1-0 victory against them at home. This set up an epic game against Premier League side Everton on our home pitch. With the fans fully engulfed in Cup Mania, we set the stadium on fire when King Kisuka slotted home a shot in the 34th minute. That lead held well into the 2nd half, and while we were constantly being tested on defense we kept answering the call. In the 73rd minute, however, Tim Cahill dashed our hopes of a monumental upset with a game tying goal. We managed to hold on for a draw, however, so we live to fight again as we will travel to Goodison Park for the replay.

We're only missing one regular on the first team, but it's a crucial sub. Nicholas Barrett is the first midfield sub off the bench and was a first team regular last season. If you recall, the only reason he isn't starting this season is because we were able to bring in Scott Ford on loan. Barrett has fractured ribs and wiil be out 5-6 more weeks.

the-great : man i don't know how you have the patinece 2 start in the bottom divisions, how dya kepp doing it?

lookin good tho

I've found that I maintain interest in my saves more when I start at lower leagues and work my way up. The last time I played FM09, I was playing as Man City. I won so much silverware in three seasons that I just gave up. There's no challenge in that. And rather that start with a weak Premier League team, I figure I might as well start at the lowest possible point.

Recent Fixtures
[imgw]http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/2192/2014fixturesfeb.jpg[/imgw]

League Table
[imgw]http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1628/2014tablefeb.jpg[/imgw]

FA Cup results

1-0 vs Kidderminster (BSP) - 1st round
2-0 vs Cheltenham (League 2) - 2nd round
1-0r vs Wycombe (League 2) - 3rd round
0-1r vs Everton (Premier) - 4th round

League Cup results

2-3 vs Colchester (Championship) - 1st round

Johnstone's Paint Trophy results

5-4p vs Cambridge (League 2) - South 1st round
2-0 vs Bournemouth (League 2) - South 2nd round
3-2 vs Bristol (League 1) - South Quarterfinal
0-2 vs Brighton (League 1) - South Semifinal

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We compiled a 2/2/1 record in February that was hard-fought. Other than our 3-1 drubbing of Morecambe, the rest of our league games weren't decided until late in the game and usually by the slightest of opportunities. I'll take ugly wins over any kind of loss, and all that matters is that we keep on adding to our point total. With 12 games to go, the finish line is in sight. We sit 5 points ahead of 2nd place Exeter, 10 points ahead of 4th place Rushden, and 19 points ahead of 8th place Bradford. Depending on how the chips fall in March, we could realistically lock up a playoff position.

Our FA Cup miracle came to an end at the hands of Everton, but not after we made a strong impression on everyone that watched. We played a tactically sound defensive game and Everton didn't crack the score sheet until the 83rd minute. Dinijar Bilyaletdinov headed home an impressive cross to send us packing. I think we made a lot of fans happy with our run in the FA Cup, however, and we made a good bit of money along the way.

King Kisuka joins Nicholas Barrett on the injury report for the upcoming month, although he should be back in a few days after he bruised his ribs against Morecambe. Barrett has just under 2 weeks left before he comes back from his injury. Both players will be welcome additions back to the team as we head into the stretch run of league play.

Recent Fixtures
[imgw]http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/1471/2014fixturesmar.jpg[/imgw]

League Table
[imgw]http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/3279/2014tablemar.jpg[/imgw]

FA Cup results

1-0 vs Kidderminster (BSP) - 1st round
2-0 vs Cheltenham (League 2) - 2nd round
1-0r vs Wycombe (League 2) - 3rd round
0-1r vs Everton (Premier) - 4th round

League Cup results

2-3 vs Colchester (Championship) - 1st round

Johnstone's Paint Trophy results

5-4p vs Cambridge (League 2) - South 1st round
2-0 vs Bournemouth (League 2) - South 2nd round
3-2 vs Bristol (League 1) - South Quarterfinal
0-2 vs Brighton (League 1) - South Semifinal

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That air of confidence that the team has been exhibiting all season long has quickly disappeared this month. A 2/1/2 record has trimmed our lead at the top of the table dramatically, and we'd be in far worse shape if we didn't notch a win at the end of the month. The fact that we had to scrape together a win against Accrington, who are in 23rd place, says it all. We hold a 1 point lead over 2nd place Exeter, a 9 point lead over 4th place Torquay, and a 20 point lead over 8th place Cheltenham. We still hold a fairly comfortable lead for one of the three auto promotion spots, but injuries and frustration are starting to mount. We need to find our footing and we need to find it fast.

Injuries are adding to my frustration, as we now have three regulars out. While we regain the services of Nicholas Barrett, we'll be without our top playmaker in midfielder Scott Ford for about a week due to a bruised thigh. We're also doing without starting left winger Tom Brighton for another few days due to bruised ribs. To make matters worse, we also lost Brighton's top substitute. Winger Will James is going to be out for two weeks after twisting a knee.

i think u good i dont think i would be able to play at that lower level

Recent Fixtures
[imgw]http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/2738/2014fixturesapr.jpg[/imgw]

League Table
[imgw]http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/3279/2014tablemar.jpg[/imgw]

FA Cup results

1-0 vs Kidderminster (BSP) - 1st round
2-0 vs Cheltenham (League 2) - 2nd round
1-0r vs Wycombe (League 2) - 3rd round
0-1r vs Everton (Premier) - 4th round

League Cup results

2-3 vs Colchester (Championship) - 1st round

Johnstone's Paint Trophy results

5-4p vs Cambridge (League 2) - South 1st round
2-0 vs Bournemouth (League 2) - South 2nd round
3-2 vs Bristol (League 1) - South Quarterfinal
0-2 vs Brighton (League 1) - South Semifinal

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When is a loss really a win? I learned this myself after we got crushed 1-3 by MK Dons. After the game I was given the news that we clinched a promotion spot! So even though we slipped out of 1st place I could care less because we're moving up to League 1! The promotion news makes light of our 2/0/3 record in April. I think our team is coasting a bit too much, however, as our goal differential in the last three games is a disheartening -7. Good thing we clinched early because we're certainly not looking like contenders as of late. And it looks like the icing on the cake is out of reach as well. Exeter has caught fire and has a 4 point lead over us with only two games to go.

Going into the final two games of the season we have a clean bill of health. Ironic, since I think it's one of only a handful of months that we have managed such a feat.