Conquering Europe

Recent Fixtures
[imgw]http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/3025/2015fixturesfeb.jpg[/imgw]

League Table
[imgw]http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/7779/2015tablefeb.jpg[/imgw]

FA Cup results

1-0 vs Bradford (League 1), 1st round
1-0e vs Norwich (League 1), 2nd round replay
0-4 vs Fulham (Premier), 3rd round

League Cup results

6-5p vs Watford (League 1), 1st round
0-1 vs Derby (Championship), 2nd round

Johnstone's Paint Trophy results

5-4p vs Gillingham (League 2), 2nd round
1-2 vs Leyton Orient (League 1), South Quarterfinal

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Let me lead off by saying that I decided to switch to my tried and true 442 tactic. Midseason. While we're in the middle of a playoff push. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to try to unlock whatever potential King Kisuka may have at this level of play. In my 442 he plays the poacher role while Scott Ford plays the trequartista. Early results are looking pretty good, and at the very least it seems like Kisuka is regaining his scoring touch. He is two goals away from matching his career high of 23 and he has recently become the leading goal scorer in the league.

This month's 2/2/2 record is a bit deceiving in that our two losses were by one goal each, but our biggest victory was a 4-0 demolition of relegation-threatened Scunthorpe. It looks like the players are still having a hard time adjusting to the new formation, but everything was clicking during that 4-0 win. Hopefully the team will continue to get comfortable as the season winds to a close. With 11 games to go, we are 14 points out of 2nd place and the last auto promotion spot, 1 point out of 6th place and the last playoff spot, and 20 points clear of the relegation zone.

No injuries to report going into March. This is going to be key as we begin our final push in league play.

Recent Fixtures
[imgw]http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/1121/2015fixturesmar.jpg[/imgw]

League Table
[imgw]http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/8661/2015tablemar.jpg[/imgw]

FA Cup results

1-0 vs Bradford (League 1), 1st round
1-0e vs Norwich (League 1), 2nd round replay
0-4 vs Fulham (Premier), 3rd round

League Cup results

6-5p vs Watford (League 1), 1st round
0-1 vs Derby (Championship), 2nd round

Johnstone's Paint Trophy results

5-4p vs Gillingham (League 2), 2nd round
1-2 vs Leyton Orient (League 1), South Quarterfinal

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March was solid with a 2/1/1 record but I think reality is starting to set in. That reality is it will likely come down to luck if we are to land a playoff spot. As well as we are playing, we were unable to gain ground against the teams ahead of us. With 7 games to go we are 11 points out of 2nd place and the last auto promotion spot, 1 point out of 6th place and the last playoff spot, and we are now mathematically clear of the relegation zone.

No injuries to report going into April.

Recent Fixtures
[imgw]http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/5197/2015fixturesapr.jpg[/imgw]

League Table
[imgw]http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/8661/2015tablemar.jpg[/imgw]

FA Cup results

1-0 vs Bradford (League 1), 1st round
1-0e vs Norwich (League 1), 2nd round replay
0-4 vs Fulham (Premier), 3rd round

League Cup results

6-5p vs Watford (League 1), 1st round
0-1 vs Derby (Championship), 2nd round

Johnstone's Paint Trophy results

5-4p vs Gillingham (League 2), 2nd round
1-2 vs Leyton Orient (League 1), South Quarterfinal

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Another solid run of games in April has us all but assured of a playoff bid. Not too bad for our newly promoted team! We compiled a 3/1/1 record for the month. With only two games to go we are 6 points out of 2nd place and the last auto promotion spot and 4 points ahead of 7th place and the last playoff spot.

No injuries to report going into May, although we ran much of April without the services of a starter and a key sub. A healthy starting unit will help us at least make things interesting if we make the playoffs.

The first leg of our semifinal match vs Colchester went extremely well. Will James opened up the scoring in the 19th minute. Scott Ford then doubled our lead in the 34th minute and we cruised into the second half of play. The thought of a two goal lead going into the second half was very reassuring, but that thought was dashed in the 57th minute. Ian Daly clawed back a goal but we held firm the rest of the way.

Game replay

Unlike our first leg, the second leg vs Colchester was anything but smooth. Colchester scored in the 17th minute, leveling the aggregate score and giving them the leg up due to away goals scored. Then things went from bad to worse after Colchester scored again in the 39th minute. That put us down 1 goal on aggregate and still down one on away goals as we headed into the second half.

Scott Ford ensured that we wouldn't go down without a fight as his goal in the 49th minute leveled the entire affair in terms of aggregate score and away goals. That's how the score would remain as we went into extra time.

Three minutes into extra time it was King Kisuka's turn for dramatics as his goal in the 93rd minute tied the game and gave us the lead on aggregate and away goals. Scott Ford then hammered home a nail in the coffin with a goal in the 101st minute that gave us the lead in the game, a 2 goal lead on aggregate, and a 2 goal lead on away goals. With time running out, Colchester scored in the 115th minute to tie the game. We hung on for the final 5 minutes, however, and won by virtue of an aggregate score of 5-4 to book a date to the finals!

Game replay

After an exciting two leg semifinal vs Colchester, our opponents in the finals were Hartlepool; a team we were unable to defeat in two tries during league play. We held them to a 1-1 draw at home but lost 2-3 when we played them away. If we are to promote to the Championship, we will certainly have to fight for it against the team that finished in 3rd place and just out of an auto promotion spot.

King Kisuka opened up the scoring in fine fashion with a goal in the 23rd minute. This lead held as we went into the second half. Going into 60 minutes I started to think that a surprise promotion could truly be in the cards for a second season in a row. I was woken from this dream harshly, however, as Jordan Richards scored to bring Colchester level. Just as I was regaining my footing after being shaken by that goal, it was Scott Ford's turn for dramatics. He slotted home a goal in the 68th minute that reclaimed the lead for us. With a surprise promotion within our reach, we turned to a defensive style of play and managed to wax away the final 20 minutes or so.

I had no expectations of even finishing in the top half this season, yet here we are having fought our way into the Championship League for next season!

Game replay

Here is the final league standings at the end of the season:

[imgw]http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/8699/2015tablefinal.jpg[/imgw]

Much like last season, exceeding expectations doesn't come close to defining our season. It wasn't as pretty as our League 2 auto promotion campaign, but I'm just as proud of our gritty promotion through the playoffs this season to get us out of League 1.

Adrian Boothroyd was rewarded with the League 1 Manager of the Year award after leading Watford to a 1st place league finish. I was 2nd in voting for the award after our unexpected promotion run and Mike Newell of Doncaster was 3rd in the voting after leading them to a 2nd place finish.

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Here is the transfer table at the end of the season:

[imgw]http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/7140/2015transferfinal.jpg[/imgw]

With reasonable funding available this past season, I decided to start dipping into the transfer market a bit. The vast majority of my moves were via free transfers, however.

Preparing for the Coca Cola Championship, Season 1

Starting Eleven

GK - James Dormand, 2.5 stars

DR - Eric Lichaj, 2.5 stars

DL - Grant Basey, 3.5 stars

DC - Sean Porter, 2.5 stars

DC - Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, 3 stars

MR - Elias Wagner, 2.5 stars

MC - Nicholas Barrett, 3.5 stars

MC - Gylfi Sigurdsson, 3.5 stars

ML - Marvin Scott, 2 stars

ST - Christiano Kisuka, 3.5 stars

ST - Brent McGrath, 2.5 stars

Ideally, I want to find replacements for anyone under 3 stars. That means I'm actively looking for upgrades at GK, DR, DC, MR, and ML. I'm not terribly concerned with finding a new strike partner for King Kisuka because we have James Forrest who has a potential rating of 4 stars.

Financials, expectations, and budgets

With a second consecutive promotion, I'm sure we'll be up against it to avoid relegation. With increased backing from the board, however, we'll look to do the same thing we did last season - reload on talent as quickly as possible and try to stay afloat in the new league. Speaking of the board, there are rumblings that our chairman may be looking to step aside sooner than later. It will be interesting to see what happens if a new chairman is appointed. Hopefully I'll continue to get the same financial backing that I've been afforded thus far.

Financials

Net gain/loss, two seasons prior - 353k
Net gain/loss, previous season - 74k
Current bank balance - 995k

Predictions

Prediction to Board - avoid relegation
Prediction by Skybet - 81:1
Prediction by Media - 24th

Budgets

Transfer budget, previous season - 550k
Wage budget, previous season - 40k p/w
Transfer budget, upcoming season - 1.3m
Wage budget, upcoming season - 71k p/w