Toby Venner: Born to manage!?

Introduction:

My name is Toby Venner, I’m a 21 year old Crawley born lad who dreamt of becoming a football player and acted on that by enlisting myself into the local club across the street of my home in Crawley. At the age of six that meant I became a Three Bridges FC youth prospect, proud to be part of a squad that wore the gold and black striped kit. Pretty soon the coaches realized I had a certain potential in the game but that it would probably never come to show since I had a major flaw in my physiological appearance. Translated into layman terms, made of glass. When I was fit and ready to play I showed signs of a certain intelligence on the pitch. Good vision, brilliant pass and the ability to stay out of hard fought duels. I saw the play before it actually happened and acted on that. Shame that at the same time I could injure myself in the most stupid ways possible. Tying a shoelace or stepping out of bed the wrong way was enough to injure myself. So when I turned 14 years old the coaches invited me to help them out with leading training sessions. And so I did, starting as an assistant manager for the under 6 and even their manager two years later when I was 16. But then my character kicked in. Which meant two things. I hate failure and doing stuff half-hearted. So I went into the office of our chairman and asked to be able to follow courses to get some coaching badges. He agreed if I promised to stay on board for at least two years, in exchange I would follow the course and the club would finance it. I agreed. Five years later I managed to bag my National A-license and was already promoted towards manager of our under 18 squad. A job I combined with my studies Business management in London.

And so we are up to speed and where things got really interesting. A week ago the chairman of our gold and black coloured club, Paul, and our current manager Jamie got into a heated discussion. The training sessions had just started and the team played a pre-season friendly at United Services Portsmouth, which they won 0-3. The argument got so heated that Jamie saw no future anymore in working at The Jubilee Fields and resigned his function. Clueless as I am at that moment, Paul shows up on my doorstep. I welcome him and am under the impression his visit to our house is to ask my dad, a former non league footballer for Three Bridges and Eastbourne to become the new manager. Little did I know they both already had a conversation with each other, not for my dad but for me to become the new manager of the first team, and now he stood there to formally ask for my services with an offer of a one year deal for 400£/week.

Me, Toby Venner, a 21 year young lad just out of puberty managing a genuine football club. His reasoning was simple and not to be discussed. I knew the club, the club knew me, fans, players, himself we all knew each other quite well, so why not? And if I was to fail, no one would hold me responsible due to my young age. They would point the blame onto him for giving such a young man the chance of leading a squad in the Isthmian Premier South East Division. As mentioned before, I am a student in business management, managing a football team can be seen as a business and therefore I could hold it up as some sort of defense. I have a paid internship, it just happens to be a football club. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and plunged myself head first into the deep end by picking up the pen and signing the contract. “Welcome on board.” Paul smiled.

First days:

Dressed in a tracksuit of the club with the crest on the middle of the shirt and my initials on the right side of the chest I stood in front of a crowd of thirty players. First team, under 21 and 18 all of them in the cantine of the Jubilee Fields sport complex which is the home of The Bridges. I kept it simple and to the point. I did not have to tell them my name, they already knew. Some of them even played with me on the rare occasions I was fit, and some of them already had the pleasure of playing under my management in the under 18. So the only thing for me left to do was announcing my course of action.

Point 1: I will not look at age. You're under 21 or 18 and show me something good, you will get your chances in the first team.
Point 2: You want to leave the club? Let me know, we need to keep an eye on the financial balance.
Point 3: Our aim is mid table for the season. We will give it our best in the cups but it is not a priority.
Point 4: I will get some people in for the Technical staff to aid us in whatever we deem necessary. I will see you tomorrow for our first two sessions which will focus on teamwork and bonding.

Five players responded to be very pleased with the prospect of prospects getting their shot. One of them came up to me to let me know he would not hold it against me if I transferred him out.

Well we ain't buying players for now, first I have to get some supporting staff in here.

Episode 1: Keeping it simple

Tactics

Okay, you know who I am now. Time for the plans to unfold. Before I actually start thinking about people to join my technical staff their was this idea in my head on how we should play football. I had choices enough to pick from. Than again I did not want to simply copy a style of play and implement it. And thus I took what I liked to see and placed it on a piece of paper. Eventually I came up with something that holds up between a rout one and a gegenpress style of play. Drop off, but not to far, press but not to hard and if we have the ball? Get your but in front of goal and finish them off.



Second but certainly as important to the way of play I had to make sure there is a plan for the set pieces since lots of games are decided by small margins and details. Not that set pieces are just a detail. I would certainly not let chance be the decisive factor over winning or losing. So we started on corners. You see the defending on corners on right side, for the left side it is just the same same set up, turned around.



On the attacking side of corners my worry was running into a counter of the opponent. That had to be neutralized. So I came up with the following set up. You see the left hand side attacking version, the right side is exactly the same set up.



Next came up the free kicks. I felt it was not necessary to place four man into a wall. Two or three players should do it as long as those in the pack behind it did their job.



You see there is only two men in the wall on defending free kicks from the left side. On the right side it is the same with one exception: 3 men in the wall. Funny thing, two or three men wall, free kick takers still keep kicking the ball in the wall on a regular basis.

In the attacking part of it the same fear arose to run on a counter. So I needed enough people to stay back. Those are the four defenders. I don't care if they are good headers or have a good free kick. you're a defender you stay back and defend. The reasoning for that is simple. If I put a defender as a taker or use is aerial ability up front I have to replace him with a winger or a center midfielder at back and he has to do something that does not come natural to him. We play in the lower reaches of the footballing pyramid which means these lads are not the best players around, therefore I can not ask them to do stuff they do not know how or lack the skill for it. Back to the early days of football that means. Throwback football if you want. Defenders defend, attackers attack. Crystal clear. One of the four players that stay back (does not matter if we attack on free kick on left or right, it is the left back) gets no task. The reason for that is I noticed he will help where needed. Mostly that means a lose ball in his vicinity he will try to get it, move up and pass or cross it into the 6 yard box, if he does not get the ball in time he will pressure the man in possession and still has 3 others to aid him out and if you have a ball winning midfielder in a support or defend role he will help him out as well.


You see the attacking version direct from the right side. All version from all sides are like this.

Throw ins. Simple and with the same set up as for corners and free kicks.


defense


offense. (note one of the three at back is a stay back if needed, also means he will go forward if needed).

Hiring technical staff

Opposites attract they say. Well as a rule of thumb in football I do not agree on that. Specially if we are talking about an assistant manager. Mostly I search for a guy that has more experience. That way he can partially act as a scout without even being one. He knows players from previous clubs might have a good relation with them and if the assistant keeps the same ideas as you on line ups then your golden. He will most definitely introduce at least a few players that fit your system and are affordable or willing to join you because of your assistant. So I found John Francis. 58 years old been a player between Championship and Vanarama National with 259 games on his name. Worked in the youth academy of Burnley for six years. He likes a 4-4-2 gegenpress and a 4-3-3 wide in a direct style. Lovely just what I needed and the man was willing to leave Brighouse Town where he was an assistant manager for 2 seasons. 60£/week for this kind of experience is peanuts and your not getting a monkey (shame I like monkey's)

The board allows me two coaches and you will definitely get some profiles proposed of regular coaches. Do not take them. They do close to nothing. You got two spots, get the goalkeeping coach and a fitness coach. The latter is because otherwise your players are gonna nag the ears of your head because quickness training is terrible and you can not fix it yourself. It is a case of keeping them happy. I found a Welshman in his mid 20's for 50£/week with a score of 8 on fitness. In the lower leagues 8 is good enough I noticed.

For the goalkeeping coach I had my eye set on Jordan or David Felgate. Not sure they are related. But both are good in what they do, specially in the lower trenches of the English game. Shame, I got home without one of those two. One of them is active at Bacup Borough the other one works for the under 18 of Blackburn Rovers. So I settled for 60 year old Ronnie Orchard. The only man that actually costed me money to persuade joining us. We had to cough up 2.500£ towards Chessington & Hook United.

We also hired Wilfred Thomas as a head of youth development. He came for free from Clapton FC. Not sure why I took him, not even sure he actually does something. Although I believe he is the one that told me to give a contract to some of the young ones that turned 17 and now is actually becoming a very regular starer in my first team.



Scouting is something you have to be careful with. You need them for sure but I do not think they are gonna be that happy working under me. I took two guys in their mid 30's and gave them a contract as a scout. No head scout. Scouting is expensive, especially if you play in the lower regions. The reason behind it is simple. You want your players to be happy. Attracting a lot of new players can upset moral in the dressing room, mostly with the players that are for the same position. So I tend not to get to many testers, give chances to prospects and if I do not find players in the youth or first team for a certain position or just have one guy that can play in that position, only then I tend to look at the market. You need the scouts to look around and get players introduced although lots of the players that have no club will introduce themselves. Once I have my squad I turn off the scouting area and put it on none. Which saves me about 7K each month, which is massive for these clubs. Once I turn off the scouting I already have a shortlist with players that I like to have a closer look at. The only reason I would offer them a contract is because one off my players left on a transfer and I do not have a suitable replacement in my squad.



Medical. The last frontier. You do need them. In the lower reaches you play FA Cup starting in the FA Cup extra preliminary round. If you manage to get to the 2nd qualifying round of the FA Cup their is a problem with fixture congestion because you will be active in the league, the FA Cup and the FA Trophy starts as well around this time. If you even manage to qualify for the 3rd qualifying round of the FA Cup and survive the first round or 2 in the FA Trophy the congestion gets even worse because you will enter the local cup as well. For us that is the Isthmian League Cup. That means 3 cups + the league itself, besides that you only get 5 men on the bench with exception of the FA Cup where your allowed to place 7 players on the bench. They commission does rearrange your schedule but still you have to play these games. These are the times you hope it rains and your games gets postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. You might think what does this have to do with the medical staff? Well very simple. Besides working with the injured players, you can now also plan recovery training sessions, the only way you can do this is when you have a physio.



Pre-season: Rides the shoopuf? All aboard!!

The bookies where not kind to us. Off the 31 players only one left. Joe Kay our left back got an offer and as promised I did not stop him. He left for Waltham Abbey. Luckily I had other players that could take over on left back. Not that I feared we had a short on players. But my scouts pointed at a player I did like. He could play everything from left to right mid and winger on the 10 and up front as a striker. A bit of a Swiss army knife for the attacking regions and foremost his biggest trait, the guy is as quick as an arrow. So my mind was set, he has to become a Three Bridges player. 28 year old Dom Brennan left Hinckley Leicester Road and joined us. The board, chairman Paul that is, was not happy. 120£/week and a bonus of 20£ for any goal and assist was a bit much for his liking. Than again no transfer fee, not starting fee, no not used fee. Just his wage a week and the bonus for scoring or giving the assist. I even got him so far as not wanting to be the star player but hire him as a squad player. Still the bookies did not like us one bit, still I felt sorry for Littlehampton Town who where said to be even worse off than we are.



Funny those bookies. They saw us play in pre-season. Well, I do not know how they base their odds, never been my cup of thee but I'm pretty sure our pre-season told another story than the odds they gave us I believe.



Yeah, okay. I know. We did not play the big clubs, or bigger clubs. Besides the game at Binfield who play at the same level as we do all the opponents are in lower divisions than we are. Still the game versus Roffey, we are down to 10 man at a scoreline of 2-1. The 4-4-2 changed into a 3-4-2 with at the back the left and right center back as wide center backs. The middle one stayed as a central defender. And the left and right mid became defensive wingers in a supportive duty. One of the two center midfielders (the ball winning midfielder support) became a ball winning midfielder defend. We did not change to cautious or defensive or very defensive. We kept it all the same. Balanced, direct, regroup, step up more. And still got one over them. They showed grit and apparently the two strikers find each other blind folded.

The last game of pre-season, at home versus Horley Town, I could not have been happier. The next game we got on the list is a tie against Loxwood in the FA Cup extra preliminary round. I believe we are ready, or was Horley Town a sense of false hope?

Episode 2: We fly only to crash!

It was as if the starting shot sounded and everyone looked surprised. Except for The Bridges, they where ready to go and oh boy did they go for it. Loxwood FC the opponent in the FA Cup Extra preliminary round was nowhere to be seen, they stood on the Jubilee Field before a crowd of 578 fans and got slaughtered. Six - nil showed the scoreboard at the end.



At the end of the first month seven games where played. Two FA Cup games and five league games. Three Bridges won 6 of them and drawn one. In the FA Cup preliminary round Bedworth United got moved aside with a 1-3. Only Ashford United managed to get something against the Bridges with a 3-3. The line up did not change compared with the Loxwood game.



September came and The Bridges kept flying. Winchester got taken in the FA Cup 1st Qualifying round and the draw gave Three Bridges Vanarama National League South outfit Ebbsfleet United as their next opponent. Meanwhile only Corinthian kept the Gold and Black on a 1-1 draw. Three cup ties in a row with FA Trophy, FA Cup and again the FA Trophy was waiting for the Bridges. Didcot Town came in the 1st qualifying round of the FA Trophy and lost 2-1. A week later, just one day before Toby's 22nd birthday, Ebbsfleet United showed up in Crawley. The Fleet dominated, created chances, made the ball almost unplayable for the Bridges but forgot to finish them off. 865 fans with the eleven players on the pitch wanted to give Venner a perfect birthday gift and found the left back of The Fleet willing to work with them. Domi mistouched the ball, Noel Leighton, current topscorer of club and league did not hesitate, took the ball looked up and fired off an atom shot into the top corner. Three Bridges FC vs Ebbsfleet United 1-0. Three Bridges did the same a week later against Bedfont Sports on the 2nd qualifying round of the FA Trophy.

In the press conference just before the final match of september, Toby warned everyone. Sittingbourne are flying high and playing some good football. This will be a tough encounter. The game itself was pretty level, chances on both sides of the pitch and two very equal sides fighting to get one over the other. But somehow the scoring machine of Three Bridges took a brake. Twenty minutes into the first half. Level on shots, level on shots on target but the scoreline read 0-4. At the end of the game the scoreline read 2-6 .

Four days later South Shields came to play the 3th qualifying round of the FA Cup. The Bridges prevailed with a 1-0 win. And somehow their it all broke down. Curtis Gayler decided to move towards Bedworth United. Allan Lee the right back fell out with an injury and would not be available for seven weeks.

October became the month everything turned against the Gold and Black. Warrington Rylands eliminated the Crawley based side out of the FA Trophy, Weston Super Mare knocked them out of the FA Cup and Chatham Town knocked them out of the Isthmian League Cup. Burgess Hill Town and Ramsgate got beaten in the league but Sheppey United managed a draw. Three Bridges fell in the standings out of the top 5 spots and where in search for themselves and their previous form.

Three Bridges FC went on a fifteen game run with only 13 points out of a possible 45. It was February when they managed to get a small unbeaten run with 2 wins and 2 draws in four games. Even the opening game of March against Sheppey delivered a win, which in turn gave some small hope on reaching the play offs if they won all of their remaining games. The next game against Ramsgate the hope was gone. In the last seven games of the league they only won 1 game (3-2 vs Lancing).

The end result was a 10th spot with 50 points, the mid-table spot asked by chairman Paul Fiali was achieved. The FA gave an overview of the FA cup in which Three Bridges where named the surprise story of the year. The press gave a thumps up for the Gold and Black as they where said to certainly drop towards the County Leagues and managed to stay up comfortably but behind the scenes something was boiling.

Toby Venner took a decision. The team needed an overhaul. The 4-4-2 had to go, a knew system had to be implemented. For that he needed some different kind of players. Right after the final match he went in to the dressing room, looked around, turned and walked out. John Francis the assistant who just signed for another year followed him. The only thing he could hear was Toby muttering about revamping and re-branding the Three Bridges FC.

Wilfred Thomas the head of youth development got replaced by Daniel Grimshaw. David Forde took an offer elsewhere and got replaced by Daniel Dubidat in the scouting. Malcolm Catherall refused to sign a new deal as scout but stayed on a month to month bases. Charlie Amu the physio left for another offer elsewhere and got replaced by Richard Lavis-Williams. The rest of the staff stayed on board.

In the squad a few new faces got told to leave. Dom Brennan who came from Leicester Hinckley Road was the first new signing Toby made and was told straight after the finale match (2-3 loss vs Beckenham Town) to leave the club at once, he ran out the last month of the contract and became a free agent.

Jay Barton a striker that came in november from Milwall FC, left in january to Wingate & Finchley. In 9 games for the Bridges he scored 2 goals. With Wingate & Finchley he relegated.

Tristan Francois-Vernal came in november towards TBFC from Leyton Orient that loaned him out towards Harlow Town. He signed and immediately became a first choice on the right back position.

Mitchel Brommage the reserve goalkeeper got to play one game in the Isthmian League Cup. He left for Sevenoaks Town that became champion in the Isthmian League South East Division.

Jake Heath came from Bromsgrove Sporting in october and played 22 games on the midfield. He got a new deal for another year at the Jubilee Fields.

For the 23/24 season Toby went on the transfer market again and returned with 5 players.

- Tommy Barrel (Aldershot Town, left wingback) 19y
- Joshua Chetwynd (Aldershot Town, left wingback) 20y
- Laurence Harvey (Herne Bay, Central Defender) 28y
- Dan Stevens (Cheltenham Town, Striker) 20y
- Peter Ojemen (Margate, Left Back) 23y

June 2nd, 2023

The discussion exploded. Paul rampaged over the financial aspect of the club. "We need to restore the clubs finances." he stated.

"Get some additional sponsors in. The 5.000£ a year kit sponsor is not enough" I replied.

"In order to restore the budget, we are gonna fight the drop, because we can not aim higher if it means bankruptcy." Paul stated. "And I want to see high pressing football." he added.

We talked for an hour or two. Eventually I signed for another year. 350£/week and a bonus of 1.000£ if we promoted. But somehow I got this feeling that the beginning of the end kicked in. High pressing football was not what I had in mind with the new system. And restoring the clubs finances without additional sponsor deals was something that relied on getting pretty far in the FA Cup or Trophy. Getting to the 2nd round of the FA Cup meant 41.000£ on the balance just for winning the first round. That meant seven FA Cup ties we had to win. Or the FA Trophy and win it, the winner gets 60.000£ Mission Impossible featuring Toby Venner. Forget Tom Cruise.

Are the boys up for it? Am I up for it?

Episode 3: The rebuilding.

The pre-season fixture list was simple, we play at home and only invite those that bring money to the bank. So a lot of last season pre-season opponents returned to the Jubilee Field in Crawley this season. A pre-season that would be used to implement the new tactic.


Only 2 new names in the line up with Tommy Barrel and Dan Stevens


Chetwynd and Harvey are the new signings.


No newcomers in this one. José comes out of the own youth academy


Bateson, McCarey and Roxburgh come out of own youth academy. Our only away game in the pre-season to city rivals Crawley Green since it costed nothing and gave us 500£ income.


No one new in the line up.


Jemson and Bennet are new signings.


Ojemen is new, came in out of position and gave an assist.


No newcomers in this one.

On the transfer market we are still waiting on Louis Chadwick (20y goalkeeper from Cambridge Utd and son of Luke Chadwick) and Harry White a 28y striker from Racing Club Warwick.

Update: Louis Chadwick from Cambridge United and Harry White from Racing Club Warwick just joined Three Bridges FC on free transfers.

The opening month of the season looks as followed:

Episode 4: Three burned bridges

After a cup replay at Great Wakering Rovers we qualified for the next round of the FA Cup. But the 2-2 at home and the 1-2 at Rovers left me with a taste of sourness. I was mad, not at the players but at someone or something else. Two penalties in those two games for Rovers and the idea stayed in my mind, both where never a pen. And even when given, I saw two similar situations on the other end of the pitch, play on said the ref. The idea got enhanced when on opening day of the league promotion contenders Faversham where beaten 5-1. Our players showed domination and effectiveness in front of goal, I was a happy manager at the time.

The next eleven games on the fixture list came and went. Eleven games with nine losses and two draws. Even bottom of the league team Fleet Town came and won at the Jubilee Field after being down at the half time whistle. Not that we played poorly, somehow we could not see a game through and conceded late in the game a goal or 2 that finished us off. It sends us bottom of the table, 20th with only a few points on our name.

Suspensions, injuries, poor performances of individuals made me change the system we played. The only player I could not hold responsible for the malaise we got in was our star player and fan favourite Noel Leighton. He kept providing assists and goals no matter where I placed him in the line up, which was up front or on the left wing.

We tried different goalkeepers but in the end Kieron Thorpe kept his spot since he always seemed to be better than his stand ins. So we signed Reece Irwin a central defender of 18 years old who is strong as an ox and fast as a gazelle. Always fit always ready to play and above all: a swiss army knife. Center back or up front as a target man, he will provide. He went from Northampton Town to Bowers & Pitsea where we picked him up for free.

The results did turn in our favour. We won our games against the direct opponents in the bottom of the table and even kept some of the topteams in the division at bay. Points came pouring in and we started to climb the league table. Than the bubble bursted. The Isthmian League Cup came up. A game against a similar level team. We went up, went back down, climbed back up, went back down. And no one could imagine up front it would be a goal galore of this magnitude. We lost 8-5.

Some presidents of certain clubs came to ask if I was up to manage their team. Cambridge City was the first, Hythe Town (who where with us fighting to stay up and got beaten two weeks prior by us) came next, Canvey Island showed their interest as well. I talked to all of them because I was curious to what they had to offer and get a brief glimpse of what they do and how they do it. Hythe offered me the job but I declined. A day later the 8-5 goal galore took place. We where down and out flatt on our asses. I went in for the post match interview which I dreaded at the moment since Julian of the Non League Paper kept pointing at the poor performances of the refferees, no matter the score, win, lose or draw the ref was always the center of attention for him. That and the question if the change of player was throwing mud at the wall to hope it sticks, even if the set player was playing on his best position in his best role.

Paul came in after the interview fuming on about questions I gave he did not like. Avoid the subject I told you. I did. Was my honest answer, the man did not know wood from iron anymore. And I had it, fed up with it.

I knew than and there, I can not stay at the Bridges. Even if we stay up, whatever their was, it is gone. Early the next morning the phone rings. I pick up without looking at the number and hear a voice introducing himself as Mark Norwood. Chairman of Brightlingsea Regent FC. The R's are in trouble and they need you. You are my top candidate to take over, I saw your work at the Bridges and even when down in the relegation zone (at this time one point behind a safe spot) I'm still impressed by your work.

I took my dads car and drove over to North Road Stadium. A two hour drive, sat down and had a chat with him. Their problems where like a Mission Impossible. Bottom of the league (22nd) 10 points down on the 21st and 18 points down on 17th and a safe spot to stay up. Mark was fair in his assessment. We can not stay up this season, that would take a miracle. But I'm willing to give you time, we need to repair the finances and get going again. We are not even demanding to bounce back up straight after the relegation that is pending.

My only response was that the footballing director had to go if he wanted me to join his club. Mark did not even blink at the proposal. A few days later, just as I was to enter the pre game interview for the game the next day, he called me. 1 year, 220£/week. 2 years, 200£/week I replied. Deal! he shouted.

I turned around and drove to North Road to sign the deal. On the way to Brightlingsea I called my back room staff to tell them the news. They where shocked but eventually understood where it was coming from. A day later we where on the coach driving towards Lewes FC.



We played a decent first half, kept it scoreless and praised them for it in the dressing room. A simple 4-4-2 attacking on the reaction, Lewes created nothing serious in the first half. A few half chances that went into the stands but nothing threatening that could lead to a serious opportunity. We on the other hand created almost nothing, half a chance which got blocked and ended on the crossbar and a shot to weak to beat a goalkeeper. The first half hour of the second half was much of the same, than the free kick came, swerved round the wall bouncing of the post into the back of the net. 1-0 down. Not a chance for my goalkeeper. The heads went down and two more goals followed in quick succession. 3-0 loss a day after my signing for them. Still I kept it optimistic, I saw some positives in it and the first goal well there was no stopping that one. The consequences of that goal where normal. They where already a full season struggling and fighting on a very thin squad, that the heads went down instead of responding with grit was on a psychological point of view very normal at this time.

John Francis my assistant at Three Bridges was fuming. Paul the Bridges chairman appointed the U18 manager as the caretaker manager for the first team. John felt that was his job now that I left the club. Almost a 100 miles to the north east I looked at my backroom staff and was surprised. One physio, one scout, a goalkeeper coach and an assistant manager. None of them deemed good enough for me to work with. That and they only had a total of fifteen players which was thin to say the least.

I called Patrick Foley my fitness coach at Jubilee Fields and asked him to join me. He did not hesitate to switch and signed. Next on the list was Reece Irwin the 18 year old center back, it took some convincing but eventually he signed for us. And with a bit of luck I found Louis Bonser at Mansfield Town, an 18 year old striker who was willing to join us.

My second game was coming up, my first at the North Road Stadium in Brightlingsea. Hosting Aveley. We started the game and dominated the opponent, withing 10 minutes we should have been 3-0 up but in all three occasions the woodwork denied us a lead. I could not believe what I saw. After 19 minutes we finally got up front. Theo Hudson a loan player from Concord Rangers was just quick enough to tap into the goal. Two minutes later Aveley finally got a play going and as it happens a lot with teams that aren't doing to well we conceed the equalizer. It became a more leveled playing field now but our defense kept a hold and up front we missed a bit of luck to get the lead back. The second half was a copy of the first 20 minutes of the game. Dominating but not scoring, Aveley FC where pinned in their own penalty area. Not always nice to look but we won the fights for the second ball and kept the pressure on. My heart went berserk and fear struck because I had the idea we would lose one ball and on the counter they would finish us off. Until Samuel Jeremiah got the ball. The chest control, one touch with his foot inside round his marker and fire away to the far corner, the goalkeeper touched it. Damn another corner for us I thought, but the hand was only half on the ball, not enough to completely clear the danger, it went on the post and dropped into the goal. 2-1 up and the crowd got absolutely mental, which repeated itself at the final whistle. A very important 2-1 win.

A week later Slough Town showed us we had no plan B. They dominated the game and won 2-0. They where still fighting for a play off spot. At home against Bishop Stortford was more important. This was D-day. Anything less than victory would seal the deal and send us down to the Isthmian League North Division. We got up after half an hour of play thanks to Theo Hudson who would leave us the next day since his loan spell ended. We kept dominating the play but forgot to finish it of. Squandered chances necked us. Bishop came once in a while and than chaos emerged. Somehow our defence and goalkeeper looked at the ball, all thinking the other would clear it out till suddenly Ken Charles pops up between them and does the unthinkable, he levels the score and sends us down.

Relegation being fact and still four games to go, gave me a whole new perspective on things. The scoreline did not matter, the way we played on the other hand was more important. But try to encourage a team that already knows it is going down. The squad was fifteen players, with Bonser and Irwin joining it became seventeen. But that was it. No B-squad, no under 21 or under 18 squad. It was first team and nothing else.

Both new signings did well. Bonser played 5 games and scored 4 goals. Irwin did what he could at the back but him alone was not enough to plug all the holes, and plugging holes was his forte. For me it was a matter of how you coped and if you did what was asked. With each matchday that came, I had players that left. I could not care less, I certainly was not gonna stop them from leaving. Only two players in the squad that where already their when I signed, convinced me of their ability's. Twenty-three year old left back Joshua Rusoke and eighteen old central midfielder Finlay Cotton. The rest could bugger off for my part.

We lost all four of the remaining games in the season. As if that could stop me from working out the plans I made in the meanwhile. It only was a matter of getting the chairman on board.

Episode 5: Foundations

Mark Norwood, the chairman of Brightlingsea Regent FC, was not kidding when he spoke of restoring the finances of the club. He came back with an astonishing 24 sponsorship deals for the upcoming season for a combined total of 13.250£/year. The R's where the leading authority in the Isthmian League North Division.

So I had to do my part of the business. Before I started to look at players I needed people around me I could trust. Therefore I phoned my backroom staff at Three Bridges FC. All of them with the exception of Ronny Orchard who was the goalkeeper coach agreed and joined me in the small civil parish of Essex on the British east coast. Aarran Standen (physio), Daniel Dubidat (scout),Patrick Foley (fitness coach), John Francis (assistant manager) and Richard Lavis-Williams (physio) resigned the Crawley based club and came over.

That meant I still needed a new goalkeeper coach, chief scout and an additional scout. Ryan Mackerness became the new goalkeeping coach, Eric Graves the new Chief Scout and James Townsend a new scout.

Time for the new players. And for some additional money. First thing we did was take half of the scouting budget and move it over to the transfer balance. About 90% of the transfer balance was put into the wage bill. This meant that our wage bill off 1500£ could now hold a good 2100£/week and we have a transfer sum available of about 6.000£.

Three players left the club. Charlie Turner (GK) left for New Salamis FC, Mehki McKenzie (AMC/F) left for Leatherhed FC and Zack Littlejohn (DC) left for Flackwell Heath FC.

On the incoming side we managed to sign thirteen new players, all on free transfers and non of them being paid a singing bonus.

- Courtney Lashley (DL/AML) came from AFC Rushden & Diamonds
- Alfie Marigliani (GK) came from Alveschurch
- Sam Roach (GK) came from Hilston FC
- MJ Kamara (WBL/DL) came from Lincoln City
- Tommy Barrel (WBL/DL) came from Three Bridges FC
- Ky-Mani Hunter (DR) came from Coalville Town FC
- Sebastian Boothe (AMC/MC) came from West Ham United
- Alex Borlase (AMC/MC) came from Grimsby Borough
- Reece Irwin (DC/F) came from Three Bridges FC
- Marcus Lewis (AMC/F) came from Beaconsfield FC
Harry Walsh (DC/DMC/MC) came from Kettering Town FC
- Magomed Mironov (ML) came from AFC Sudbury
- Louis Bonser (F) came from Mansfield Town FC

Pre-season got filled up with friendlies in a league system. All played at the own North Road Stadium. 3 games in 3 days, a week of training followed by another friendly league of 3 games in three days. 6 times in total for an amount of 18 games. We won 2 of those leagues (not that it mattered). The meaning of it was to generate a cash flow or at least lower the net debt and get the players being used to play in the formation and style we want to use during the season.



The back room staff and myself agreed uppon the notice of not being the strongest outfit out their. Maldon & Tiptree FC was the team that to me looked as a very strong side. Bury Town FC and Hashtag United seemed to me the two other big threats if you're willing to bounce back up. But my contract running till the end of the next season meant for me that by the end of the 25-26 season we need to accomplish promotion from the Isthmian League North Division. Build the foundations and see where we are at the end of it, fine tune it and demolish the competition in the second year.

After 11 match days and two cup ties, we looked good but at the same time vulnerable at times.





We still looked to be okay, but I still had the feeling we needed a striker, someone with real speed and stamina who can do good in aerials. We have good headers and even good finishers, but no one really that one of those links up with a tremendous pace. So to get some pace up front, it happened that I placed Reece Irwin the central defender up front, he is currently the speed demon of the bunch. With a striker that mixes pace, aerial ability and finishing we would be top contenders for promotion.

Episode 6: With ups and downs!

Halfway the season the balance was crystal clear for the R's. It could have been better, it should have been better but it was not. A decent start with a 10 game unbeaten run came to a halt at the hand of Stowmarket Town FC followed by defeats against Great Wakering Rovers and at that time bottom of the league side Barking. In between those fixtures there was a defeat in the Isthmian League Cup against Beckenham Town FC. Maldon & Tiptree that was and is flying high through the division collected another win and even Coggeshall Town FC could claim the win at North Road which made the balance 6 losses in a row and Venner furious with how things went.

It was time to intervene. Alfie Marigliani was demoted to second goalkeeper and Sam Roach got his spot under the bar. Hadleigh United had to be dealt with accordingly and so the Regent dealt with Hadleigh. A 2-1 win at the end of the game but Venner still not happy. The first ten minutes where brilliant with two goals, after that Hadleigh took command but Brightlingsea kept their ground and got their first three points after six losses in a row.

The you-tube club Hashtag United was next on the agenda. Despites good play and some decent chances the game got lost with 1-4. Roach had a torrid performance in goal and Marcus Lewis up front was just not up to it. Venner took the different approach, slammed Roach and Lewis and told the others they had bad luck today. Marcus Lewis took it as a sign to go to war. Storming into the office of Venner he demanded the team talks changed. The fact he had a torrid game and none of the other players seemed to mind what Marcus had on his mind made it become an open war. The threatening of stepping towards the press and openly criticize the manager led to Marcus Lewis being released of duty and found himself outside on the parking lot without a club.



With the signing of 32 year old striker Rowan Liburd (free transfer after his release at Cheshunt), the absence of Lewis was hardly a item in the team or press, not anyone mentioned anything on his sudden departure. That Liburd scored twice and gave an assist in his first three appareances plus the fact he had been away for an interland break which made him miss the Hashtag game, made sure no one mentioned Lewis.

That our adjustment in tactical approach and the coming of Liburd helped was clear to see for everyone. The play was better, the efficiency in front of goal went up. We finally had our big strong striker who is strong in aerial confrontations. Everyone questioned the signing of a 32 year old striker, but his skill set and experience was exactly what we needed. The next two games against teams who are around us in the league table would proof that.

Tilbury who are exceeding everyones expectations played a half decent game but came short against the R's. A 0-2 victory and since a long time another clean sheet proved we where on the right track. A week later we played Grays Athletic who where one spot below us got a 3-1 beating.



It made us beat the downwards spiral and climb back up. Not really there where I wanted us to be, but than again we found the right track to lead us there again.



With the calendar for the rest of the season as followed, things where looking brighter again for the R's


The 19th and final game of the season you see on the right hand side.

The top spot might have been gone, I do not see anyone catch up Maldon & Tiptree FC, but a top 5 spot is certainly something we can aim for. I would even consider our season a failure if we did not manage to get a play off spot, even when the board only asked for a mid table finish. I had enough of mediocrity.

The only other matter to deal with was the chairman, Mark Norwood. Their was a surprisingly difference between him and the fans at North Road about the transfers that had been done.



Somehow signing players on a result based contract was to much money for them. They did not play, they did not get paid. Still they earned to much according to the chairman. The only player who actually has a contract is Reece Irwin the young central defender who joined me from Three Bridges. He has a 200£/week deal, it was the only way to convince him and thus far played 17 games of the 22 total games we had on the calendar. His rating stands at 7,34 which is good enough.


I circled that what makes him so special and is therefore the first one on my line up sheet. The man is an absolute force of nature. I would clone him if I could and fill a team with those clones, specially in these divisions of the English game.

Episode 7: Blitz spell

I was not really worried. Teams where lining up to make bids on Reece Irwin. No problem he is under contract on a 200£/week deal. I refused the bids without even looking at it, Reece had no interest in leaving North Road. Other players got bids as well, specially Samuel Jeremiah, the enfant terrible that did not train that well, demanded a new contract on terms that could not be met by our club and threatened to step to the press. The kind of player that feels himself a star and therefore wants to be treated as one. I gave him a hard time. Stripped him of his stardom, made him a squad player, send him for a while to the reserves, threatened to release him on a free and that is where I struck his nerve. Samuel is foremost a bloke that wants to play football. Being a free agent was something horrific for him. He turned himself around, forgot about the new contract, snubbed of every club that came for him and started working on the pitch. For a while we had trouble up front, we got plenty chances but no goals. About a month later Samuel stepped into my small office and asked to play. So I went to my backroom staff. John Francis and Patrick Foley both told me he really worked hard and kept his head down since a while. He made progress. So I placed him up front as a striker. Not the biggest succes but ones in a while he did score a goal.

Luckily we had Rowan Libburd up front, big, strong, aerial very good. He played as a pivot. Kept defenders busy which made the second strikers life much more easier. And Rowan scored goals. There where offers for him but I was not worried. Rowan just joined to club after being released at Cheshunt where he scored 7 and gave 2 assists in 42 appearances.

The bad spell laid in the past, fortune turned and than suddenly struck again at North Road. Three games in a row we ended with 10 on the pitch due to a red card. The first two where red cards, no question. The last one for right back Ky-mani Hunter (2 yellows) was a joke which the press and opposing manager confirmed it was not even a fault. Still managed to get a point in those 3 games. Bury away was up next. Changes at the back since the suspensions and a slight change in tactics due to that.

Rowan Libburd showed his true colors. Netting two beautiful goals and getting us up against a team that is a direct competitor for theh play off spots. Somehow we managed to lose the Bury game 3-2. Back home Rowan suddenly tells me he is leaving for a club in his home country St Kitts & Nevis. I was in shock. 11 appearances 7 goals, 2 assists and 4 man of the match awards. Gone out of nowhere. He came, he dominated, he left in a two month window.

East Thurrock United was up next, a home game.They where in a relegation fight all season long. So even without the mighty Rowan the must be a game we end up winning. We dominated the game, created chances, gave nothing away and ended up drawing 1-1.

So it was time to do something, in the shock of Rowan leaving I managed to get my hands on a new striker. Jordan Greenridge was allowed to leave Hemel Hempstead in the Vanarama National League South. A day after the East Thurrock United game he did sign.

I reckon Samuel as a striker was not the best option. Lashley who was reformed from left back to left winger/midfielder lost his form and even his set pieces where declining. So Samuel Jeremiah got his spot back on the left midfield. Lashley got benched and Greenridge got his debute at home vs Barking. A game where we had to set the record straight. They dominated and humiliated us the first time. I was not letting that go.

They all seemed eager and motivated for the revenge at Barking. The game kicked off and within 5 minutes Barking was leading 0-1. Oh god, not again. It was enough of a wake up call for the boys in red & black apparently because from that moment on they started to take command. Henry Woods who took over the roll of Libburd brought us back level. Before half time Greenridge had a scoring debute, putting us 2-1 up. In the second half it looked as if Barking would bite but Woods delivered us from the barks and bites and netted his second of the game, making it 3-1 which left Barking with nothing but an honourable goal.



With nine games to go in my first full Brightlingsea season things where pretty clear. Maldon & Tiptree was on a whole other playing field. They led the pack with a 20 point gap over second in the league Stowmarket Town. We ourselves found us in 8th, 4 points down on a play off spot. With confrontations coming up that could define our faith. Away Stowmarket, Maldon & Tiptree and Hashtag United, all three of them in the top 6. The other 6 fixtures all versus teams in the lower reaches of the table and fighting to beat the drop. Still I believed in the play off spot, we had to be there or our season would be a wasted one in my opinion.

Episode 8: Everybody happy except the manager!

The season was over. The final game played. 10th with 53 points, that was the balance. Mid-table and nothing to worry about according to the fans and the chairman. Toby's idea was a complete other reality. No play-offs meant a failed season for him.



Straight after the final whistle at Grays Athletic Tommy Barrel and George Herbert got released from the club, not welcome anymore. Surprise signing Saul Kader who scored a stunning 27 goals for champions Maldon & Tiptree scored one goal in 3 games for Brightlingsea. Kader was a long wanted target and Toby took the gamble, to his great surprise Kader signed for the R's.

Greenridge was probably the next one on the list to go. Toby already knew who he wanted to stay and who he wanted out of the club. Only Samuel Jeremiah was a questionmark. Stay or release? If he was in the right state of mind he could definitely play some ball, but he was not that much in the right state of mind. Shame of such a talent. Reece Irwin the centerback a player that Toby absolutely wanted to stay, problem with him was he outgrew the financial status of the club. So it was playing a waiting game, hoping to get some funds going and prolong his contract.

That Toby got linked with jobs at Hungerford, Hampton & Richmond, Hemel Hempstead and Maidenhead United worried chairman Mark Norwood. Specially since Toby did not seemed reluctant to talk with said clubs. How would you respond if clubs in the Vanarama South became interested in a 24 year old you? Right!

But Toby was still at North Road, had a contract for another year and thus the reality was he would do his job as if their where no offers at all. Besides only Royston Town and Peterborough Sports sended an official invite for talks, which Toby refused in both cases.

Reinforcements where needed, specially up front since despite scoring 61 goals was still a point of weakness, they missed to much, not one player in the top 10 scoring sheet of the league. Hardly one player with over 10 goals in the season with the exception of Kader, but he scored 27 of his 28 goals for Maldon & Tiptree FC. And also the wings needed attention. And last but not least the left back position since that was an old soar that stuck as a rusty nail. Barrel, Rusoke, Kamara, Lashley all failed in that particular position. Kamara had the excuse of his young age, Lashley had the excuse of being a left winger being able to play left back if needed. Which made a new face in that spot necessary.

The rest was okay. The 62 conceded goals did not worry him. If the R's would score only 5% more of their chances the opponents would not score that many, or they would not mean so much in there point tally. It might sounded weird, but Toby believed it to be true and that meant getting a pure finisher into the squad.

Episode 9: Loyalty?

Mark Norwood enters the office, throws a bunch of local papers on my desk. I look up, I know what they wrote.

"Venner intrested in Hampton & Richmond job!"[/color]

"Wealdstone favors Venner as new manager!"[color=#204A87]

"Hemel Hempstead considder Venner to be leading candidate!"

"The Peacocks targeting Toby Venner!"[color=#204A87][/color]

"Can you explain this?" he bulders.

"Hi Mark, good morning. Explain what?" I answer without looking at the local press.

"Why you are aiming for a job at another club?" he hisses.

"Well some journalists called me, asked if I would be interested. I just answered it was an honor to be mentioned with those clubs, nothing more, nothing less." I kept calm.

"You had to say no, I'm good." Mark replies.

"Mark, No one talked to me. Royston Town and Peterborough Sports gave me an invite for a job interview, I declined them without giving it a second thought."

"I'm not convinced." he replies.

"Well okay, this is for me very simple. You trust me enough?" I asked plainly.

"Convince me I can trust you." he threw back at me.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I am still committed at my job here."

"Still not convinced, why should I believe you?" he askes.

"Because I came when you had an impossible job, took it anyway and we did better than anyone expected this season, by the time I'm done with the work for next season, meaning when the squad is ready, we will push for promotion." I kept calm.

"I'm sorry Toby, but this is where it ends."

Talks

After the shock with the R fans who did not really understand what happened, a journalist came by. He asked my idea and my response was calm but clear. I was pissed at the way things went and could not understand I got fired. I never talked with another club, just with some journalist about some clubs that mentioned my name. The clubs that came I declined firmly. Not because I felt to good for them but because I had a good job at Brightlingsea. That my name was mentioned in some clubs that played in the Vanarama South or Vanarama National caressed my ego, no doubt about that. But none of them contacted me.

Eventually two clubs invited me. Taunton Town and Hungerford Town. Hungerford doubted and made that clear in my invite. I refused to talk to them, if they wanted to talk without being convinced of me as a manager there was something off and I would not partake in such conditions.

Taunton Town on the other hand who invited me at the same time, made it very clear. You are our top contender for the manager spot at our club. Now that was a clear message of trust and thus I drove to Taunton. The fact I just finished my studies made me think everything through. I'm a graduate now in business management and the choice was clear. I loved being a football manager, so I would do everything to stay in the game. No more trips towards London to study. Nope, home, club, home, club. A three hour drive did not scare me, in fact I loved it, that was the time I put up some nice tunes and cleared my mind of all the things that otherwise would keep me awake. It was the time span I needed to stay sane.



Richard Allen, the Peacock chairman was calm, well thought and versed in his communication. The kind of man you could listen to for hours. A step up? I felt ready. I did a good job in my first year Three Bridges, the second year was a festival for the horror fans. My first period at Brightlingsea was a mission impossible. The first full season was according to fans and chairman a good season, I thought it was a failed season since we did not reach the Play Offs. But still somehow I felt ready for this. A week later I would find out Richard Allen kept the same view on the matter and he offered me a one year deal for 425£/week. Fired two weeks prior, I was now manager of a better team in a higher league with a better pay. Fire me more if this is what happens after I smirked in myself.

Episode 10: Restoration in progress

Work enough on Wordsworth Drive. First thing I noticed the Peacocks managed to have a negative transfer budget of 500£, a red colored wage bill and a red colored bank balance. 33.000£ negative to be exact. I knew what I was up against. Luckily I'm a business management graduate and now how to work the books. The only thing left to do was shuffle some funds around. Half the scouting budget got moved into the transfer budget and a big part of that got moved towards the wage bill. The wage bill in the green, the transfer budget in the green, still some 45.000£ available on the scouting cell, just the bank balance was still red.

The first thing they warned me about was Myles Sohna, Central defender, 23 years old at the club since 2023 and captain of the Peacocks. Borne in Gloucester and formed by Aston Villa, the defender was crystal clear even before I signed the contract at Taunton. Sohna will be leaving the club.

I took a look around at the club and found the atmosphere was not that good. So I paid Sohna a visit, talked about it with him hoping that he would consider a new contract. He is the best player at the club. Next I called his agent Bradly Reid. A patient man they told me. The message was clear. I want to re-sign Myles. I told him.
"I can imagine you want to problem is Myles is not interested at all to sign a new deal." he replied.

And that was that. I tried on three other occasions to sign him, a shame that Myles kept his foot firmly on the ground. No Sohna, no captain and we could start searching for a replacement.

The backroom staff surprised me. No fitness coach, a goalkeeping coach I would not even wish upon The Regent or The Bridges and a physio that could not tell the difference between a hand and a foot. Not even mentioning the scout who probably would mistake the corner flag for a wingback. Yep they all had to go. The only staff member that worked with me at the R's and would follow me was Richard Townsend who became the Peacocks new Chief of Scouting. For the rest all of the replacements that came into the club had no affiliation with me whatsoever. The scouting cell got reformed, the physio and head physio got replaced and we got a new goalkeeping coach and fitness coach. All the rest of the staff that was in place, stayed in their position. I was tempted to ask John Francis to follow as my assistant but eventually choose to keep him where he is. Matt Villis is a long standing member of the Peacocks and loved by fans and players alike. His ideas where a bit different from me and John but not to much and he is 20 year younger than Francis. He was a player, coach and caretaker manager for Taunton. Getting rid of him could get me in loads of trouble which I could miss.

The new pre-season started and so I welcomed the boys back and introduced myself. Funny thing it is when you welcome them for the first time as a manager. I already checked their playing careers and accomplishments and faults. The first one to speak up in a negative way was actually the man I decided that had to go. Brad Ash the striker was not even close to what I expect from a player up front on the pitch bagging in the goals. Problem was he bagged something, no goals unfortunately. Luckily the rest of the staff already knew this and wanted him gone as soon as possible. He reminded me of Marcus Lucas but than the 29 year old version, no hesitation, no waiting till it becomes a problem, he is out the door.

I told them we would give youngsters a chance this season. I found one or two maybe even three youngsters worth the shot on a first team pick. And I told them we would aim for a mid table finish. Meanwhile in the back of my mind went the idea we had to be lucky and get spared of any major injuries. Otherwise we could look at a dire season with a dog fight coming up to stay in the division.

On a search for fresh blood I learned quickly not that much players where really interested on a move to Wordsworth Drive. Why? I don't know. Most of them spoke about a financial package we could not meet. Even Reece Irwin and Ky-mani Hunter who played under me at the Regent. The staff got excited about Hunter, they wanted him badly but Hunter declined me already three times with the explanation that the financial package is a dealbreaker, the same happened with Reece Irwin. Funny, they knew my financial skills and knew I would make it work. And than the penny dropped, the club has an outstanding loan of 220.000£ with the bank. Paying 1.900£/month. Oh deer, what did I get myself into?

So, search further. We got 4 testers in eventually. One of them peaked my interest. Jack Bainbridge a central midfielder trained by Everton and from there on moved to Swansea, Sunderland, Southport and Halesowen Town. We made him an offer in the hope he would decide before the opening game of the season which was home versus Braintree Town.

To spice the club balance we organised mini league. Four teams every league and played about 21 games in the time span of a month. It had its effect. The balance went from 33.000£ in the red towards 36.000£ of a positive balance.



Of course not everything could go to plan. 26 year old Brandon Barzey, a right midfielder and international for Montserrat broke his leg in one off the games and got ruled out for about 10 months. This is a big problem since he is one of the better players in the squad. With the Braintree game coming up this means on four positions I have to give chances to lads who actually are not ready yet. The defence was fine, the goalkeeper was okay but not really convincing in my opinion and we had to better their. I tried to get Sam Roach who was my first pick at the Regent but he replied in the same way as Reece and Ky-mani, which surprised me since we play a divsion above them. But left and right midfield, one of the two striking positions and one of the two central midfielders where positions where we lacked quality and experience. The Braintree game came way to early, even if Bainbridge signed in time so he could play against them. Than again I was not going to rush any signings, I want to sign the right signings. At this time mid table finish seemed something that looked very nice and I was afraid mid table would be a utopian thought.



Luckily our first five games of the season contained four home fixtures. That might give us a slight advantage.

Episode 11: September 31st, a day to remember!

The first game of the season was a home fixture against Braintree Town FC. It was a fixture that stood full of doubts. With half a team we had to puzzle on how we would play. Eventually the choice was simple. Just get the youngsters their chance into the first team. It meant a slight deviation of the first idea on the tactical front. Instead of the 4-4-2 it would become a 4-4-1-1.

The defens did not worry me one bit. Our best players where available and compared to much of the other teams could be considered as one of the best back four lines in the league. Our goalkeeper worried me a bit but I had not much else in the position so he would play anyway, I just hoped he could convince me.

The midfield was a whole other story. Only one of the normal first picks was available in Joe Budd. Budd a 23 year old deep lying playmaker needed someone next to him. But Barzey was out with a broken legg and even than Barzey preferred to play on the right midfield. So 16 year old Venor Lawrence got his shot. On the wings we had a huge problem. We had not one player that actually convinced me on playing there. I searched the market but the demands of better training facility's or high wage demands stopped me of actually signing one. Eventually 20 year old Alfie Clarke would play ML and 18 year old Ben McNulty would play the MR spot.

We found lack of players up front. Brad Ash left and no one came in his place. The fans where not particularly positive on the notion that Callum Jones would be their main man up front. I had not much the choose from anyway. Last season they had a 6 game losing streak in which Jones got his chances but failed to impress, it was one of the reasons previous manager Rob Dray got sacked which in turn gave me the job. On the ten spot I choose for Stacey Hapgood, 17 years old, own youth and by lack of any better he got the chance to impress.

The pre match press conference was simple. I tried to get some positive vibe into the team but on the same time I eased the expectations for the fans. It is a first game, it decides nothing yet whatever the outcome. After the game which we lost 0-1, I kept the same vibe going. I knew we had only a quarter team out there with a lot of unknown variables. Keep it positive but at the same time reminded everyone we are still building and searching.

Matchday 2 meant a trip to Hungerford Town, the team that showed interest in me at the same time Taunton did. But Hungerford's invite stood filled with doubts if they actually believed in my appointment so I refused to even talk to them. We switched a bit in the tactics and changed on two positions. Joe James an U 18 central midfielder came for Venor Lawrence and Ben McNulty on the MR made space for Zach Rosenwald who just as Joe played in the under 18.

We dominated the pace and play of the game. The only mention of Hungerford was at the half hour when their goal got ruled off-side. After 90 minutes they had no shots between the sticks. We won 0-2 thanks to Callum Jones and a stunning strike from Zack Rosenwald. Hungerford could praise themselves lucky it stayed at only 2 goals.

We kept the line up as it was for the coming off Gosport Borough. Rightfully so it seemed. Gosport did not even make it over the middle of the park and lost. The only downside of the matter was the scoreline being 1-0 when it should easily have been 5 or even 6-0. The only goal came through Aaran Racine a 33-year old centerback of 189cm with an awesome earial ability. Scoring on a set piece was something we worked on and payed off.

The fourth game of the season was one to remember. The fans happy and cheering being extatic with the style of play. Half time 3-0 up against Poole Town. Twice Callum Jones and a goal from the only new signing at this point: Phill Owers an 18 year old MR that was released by MK Dons. Shame we had to play a second half, they should have called it a day at the break. Poole Town got out of the dressing room with a bazooka on the shoulder, after 90 minutes the scoreline said: 3-4. Still the fans where optimistic and happy.

The off-day versus Egham (0-2) did not worry me, I knew this would happen. No bench means no rotation and no suitable replacements, the same players had to give it their all so you could expect matches like this to happen sooner rather then later. That a few days later the scoreline against Portchester read 2-0 for us at the break meant Egham was indeed an off-day. And then Poole Town all over again. Portchester turned the fortune around and in the final second of the game snatched the winning goal. 3-2 loss. I still kept optimistic since we had control most part of the game and still reminded them, we have no one else to come in.

Beginning in the FA Cup at home versus Canterbury City that stunned Haywards Heath came at the ideal time for us. We played well, we just where not able to shut down a game and get the points over the line. Canterbury felt they had something going since they beaten Haywards Heath.

Every player felt we had to show what we where about and show we could finish a game. Canterbury paid the bill with a 4-1 victory for us Peacocks. Never thought we could fly, well we did that day. Merthyr Town got lucky a few days later, they pulled up a defensive wall and lured on the counter. It paid off with them climbing 1-0 up, it felt as one of those days where nothing you do suffices until the 94th minute where Callum Jones managed to get passed his man and blast it in. A point seemed a very thin result specially if you saw the dominating play we performed but I stayed positive and cheered them one for their spirit and grit.

A loss at Marlow which in fairness should have been a spoil sharing occasion did not make us alter our aproach. Welwyn Garden City found out why after losing 2-0 and not getting one shot at goal. 2 days later the next round of the FA Cup was there with a game versus Shaftesbury. 1-0 win and the next round would give us the opportunity for a revenge versus Portchester. Shame we lost versus Totton (we deserved a point) and Cirencester with 0-1.

The fans where happy with a played a pressing style of football but at the same time where not really happy that it was low tempo and in there opinion not attacking kind of game. Apparently they missed the notion of only having a handfull of players that are actually good enough to be first pick and we had no replacement for them. They played every game mostly from start to finish.

It almost made me hopeless. All the players we targeted made demands we could not promise or give. Upgrade the training facilities was out of the question. Financial we did good. The red numbers where gone. We managed to book a profit, not much but it was a profit. So the accounts looked as they should. From the 33K£ negative budget we went to a budget of 40.000£. The wage bill still had room for new players and the scouting budget seemed fine for a while. If we managed to get four players in my job on the transfer market would be done and their would not be a need for a scouting package which should stop the bleeding out of money on that front.

The last day of september, one day before the game with Potters Bar Town at our own Wordsworth Drive it all changed. I got out of bed, checked the mails and smiled. Experienced 30 year old polyvalent midfielder Joe Hanks said farewell to Gloucester and joined us. My mind went further on, hoping that if we made it immediately known to the press the other pending transfers would come through because he signed. And sure it did. By noon Ali Ali a left winger formed by Stoke City, left Redditch United and signed with us. Dominic Morgan-Griffits did the same at Nuneaton and Alex Prosser did the same at Leamington.

A few weeks prior we already saw the signing of Phil Owers and central defender Jed Rodriguez. Only Max Thompson refused to join us which I did not mind, we tried to loan him from Bracknell Town but got Callum Saunders instead on a permanent deal from Leamington. We finally got some wingers, midfielders, defenders and strikers. We now had a team that could compete, rotate and build some momentum. The transfer business was concluded. If there where new signings to come it had to be signings we could not refuse because of their level and preferable cheap as snow.

The future seemed bright, specially since we still, despite our 18th position in the league, had one of the best defenses in the league. With the additional strikers I might pull of some better goal scoring numbers. The fans might get their wish of high press high tempo vibrant attacking football, oh darn, just say you want Klopp to be your manager, I'm sure he wont say no to the Peacocks



Forget about it, Taunton feels good. If it is up to me...I will be here for a while

Episode 12: We rebrand and move on...

The season finished with two home fixtures. Wealdstone that had the lead in the league and Dorchester that was just above us in the league paid a visit to Wordsworth Drive. Wealdstone could with a victory crown themselves champion. At the same time if we did at least as good as the two teams behind us we would be save and certain of staying up in the league.

All that had passed was to forget. We had one serie of three wins in a row. The two games before boxing day and on boxing day itself we won. It was the first time this season we could win three in a row, it would also be the last time. We had a serie of 6 unbeaten but that was with one win and five draws. Enough to guide us out of the swamp (relegation zone) and into the mud (just above the relegation zone).

The game versus Wealdstone was something to get pissed of by. We started well, dominated the game and even climbed 1-0 up. Than just before half time a long ball off Wealdstone found a striker in the penalty area he went down and the whistle told us the penalty was given, the commentator doubted if it actually was one but Wealdstone unwrapped the gift and leveled the game. The second half began in the exact same way as the first. We dominate we create chances and even score. But Franki Merrifield got called off-side and the goal was disalowed, it was clear to see for everyone Merrifield was not off side, 5 minutes later Wealdstone got their second penalty of the game and scored the 1-2. The heads dropped and the remainder of the game was something that did not even resemble anything that was called football. Wealdstone celebrated their title and we where waiting on what happened elsewhere. The results came in, the celebrations started. All the teams behind us dropped points so we where certain of staying up.

The final day we hosted Dorchester. For the entire season their was this fight between myself and the Dorchester manager. Discussions about refs, the relegation, you name it and we argued. The Dorchester manager did not pass by a chance to attack me. Now we where at the final day of the season and there was Dorchester. For us the presure was of, we where safe. So was Dorchester who stood 16th in the league one plalce above us 3 points more and a goal difference that was way worse than ours.

I had the last laugh. We trashed them 5-1 and took over their 16th spot.

Two weeks later just before the final of the play offs for promotion Richard Allen offered me a new deal for the upcoming season, without hesitation I signed. Despite the hard fought season I knew their was much more in this team than they had showed so far. We said goodbye to our captain Aarran Racine who went on a pension as 35 year old center back and that in style with 8 goals that season.

Louis Rogers the reason of the fight between me and the Dorchester manager was not willing to sign a new deal. Dorchester wanted to sign him earlier with the explenation Dorchester where the bigger team. The 5-1 in the final game and us being just above them in the league on goal difference made me smirk. But Louis wanted to go anyway. He eventually signed for Truro City FC.

Franki Merrifield was allowed to stay if he demoted his role in the team and would agree on also being used as a central midfielder. He turned the chance down and left for Hemel Hemstead that relegated from the Vanarama South into our division. Callum Saunders was next to leave us and went to Dorchester. Alex Prosser left us as well, he decided not to be a fringe or back up player and so we said goodbye to him, he did not find a new club.

Incoming!

The new season was coming up and we scouted for new fresh blood that had the quality injection we needed to achieve what I thought was possible we could achieve.

The first one we found was Jordon Ibe a winger who is 30 years old started his career with Wycombe Wanderers and from then on went to play for Liverpool, Bournemouth, Birmingham City, Derby County and Solihull Moors.

Next we got Ted Bishop who started his career at Ipswich Town and played their for nine seasons before moving on to Lincoln City where he stayed for three seasons to move on to Bath City. After 2 seasons of Bath we picked him up to play for us. He is a central midfielder or at least we made him one, according to him he is a left winger.

Next one we got in was Tom Dinsmore a central midfielder we got from Bitton FC. He started his career with Bournemouth FC. After his Bournemouth spell he played for Moneyfields, United Services Porthsmouth, Portchester, Chichester and Cheshunt.

Bradly Buchell was next to join us, he comes on a loan deal from Newport County and is a 20 year old striker. He already played on loanspells with Marlow and Weston Super Mare.

Ryan Shallis was next. Also a loandeal from Newport County. He plays on the wings and can play on right and left side.

Isaihah Bazeley was next to come in, a rightback who joined us from Street FC.

Euen Pollock a striker joined us from Winchester City on a permanent deal.

Coby Rowe a 30 year old central defender joined us permanently from Hampton & Richmond.

Eventually the last one to singe with us was Ben Wyss a left/right back that came from Wingate & Finchley.

Stroke of bad luck.

During a pre-season game Jordon Ibe damaged his achiles tendon and was out for the next 4 to 7 months.
Joe Hanks who signed a new deal got a hip injury that would render him out for 3 months.
Ryan Shallis got a strained groin on a training session and would be out for 7 weeks.
Ben Walker got a pulled groin and would be out for 3 weeks.

The start of the season

That meant we had to re-draw the starting line up. I would not change the system but could not count on my strongest formation. After a long pre season we started on opening day at newly promoted side Yate Town FC. We dominated, created chances, even got a penalty but it was not to be. 0-0 at Lodge Road after 90 minutes.

The second game we got a visit from Hemel Hempstead Town that relegated out of the Vanarama South. Again we dominated the game with lots of chances. This time we rewarded ourselves. 4-1 victory with a goal from central defender Jed Rodrigues on a corner. Callum Jones who had to play due to the injury of Jordon Ibe scored twice and new signed striker Euen Pollock scored in his debute for the club the fourth goal. The goal from Hemel in the 93rd minute was nothing to worry about.

A third game was at another relegated team out of the Vanarama South with Chippenham Town. Again we performed a dominating game but just as at Yate Town did not reward ourselves for the trouble. 0-0 at Hardenhuish Park.

Bishops Cleeve came to us as a newly promoted side out of the Southern Division 1 just as Yate Town. They where the first team to actually give us some trouble. After twenty three minutes they climbed 0-1 up. Two minutes later they scored again but got dissalowed for an off side, in the same minute we went across the pitch and leveled the game. Ten minutes later we scored the 2-1 and kept a hold of it.

On the laste matchday of August we hosted Bedford. They gave us a run for our money but two goals from Brandon Barzey sealed the deal and we won 2-0, which sends us to 3rd in the league behind league leaders AFC Portchester that had maximum points and Marlow that had a better goal difference. Barzey's 2 goals meant also he would miss out on the fixture against AFC Totton and the 1st qualifying round of the FA Cup at Wingate & Finchley because he got called up for the Montserat national team.