Blyth Spartans: Location: North East, Destination: The World

Utaka

I hope you enjoy reading my story as I attempt to climb the footballing ladder with Blyth Spartans from the Blue Square North.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/20/blythspartans.png/

Introduction
Blyth Spartans A.F.C. is a small semi-professional football club from the town of Blyth, Northumberland, England (Estimated Population: 35,818). The club was founded in 1899 and play their home games at Croft Park (Capacity: 4400 (563 seated)). The Spartans possess adequate training facilities and basic youth facilities. The club also have basic junior coaching and a limited youth recruitment network. The chairman is Tony Platten.

Blyth Spartan’s most recent and recognisable cup run was back in 2008 where they reached the FA Cup Third Round. They knocked out teams such as; Whitby Town, Buxton, Sheffield FC, Shrewsbury Town, AFC Bournemouth and finally Blackburn Rovers. Blyth sadly crumbled to a 1-0 defeat, with a single goal from Carlos Villanueva. The match was played at Croft Park and broadcasted by Setanta Sports.

P.S Graeme Swann (England Cricketer) announced on BBC’s Football Focus that’s he supports both Newcastle United and Blyth Spartans.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/225/blythspartansfootyconf5.jpg/
(Croft Park – ‘Port Of Blyth’ Stand)

Blyth Spartans, Blue Square North (BSN), 2011/12
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/825/bsqnorthconflogo.gif/

Finances:
200k in the bank (Sorry I forgot to take a screen print).

Start of Season Expectations:
Top Half Finish – 3.5k Transfer Budget & 5k p/w Wage Budget.

The transformation of the club begins…
Transfers:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/717/blythspartanstransfers.jpg/

Starting XII:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/402/blythspartanstactics.jpg/

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marz3y95

13 years

Good luck i look forward to reading it. ( by the way your pictures are too small)

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Utaka

13 years

@marz3y95 - Thanks for the post, the images are now a better size, i hope. My next post will probably be tomorrow at some point. Its looking very interesting and I have some BIG news to upload

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marz3y95

13 years

Looking good so far. That run in the Fa cup is quite something considering what league you are in, good luck hopefully you can cause a massive upset

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Utaka

13 years

January 2012

Competitions:
Blue Square North:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/825/bsqnorthconflogo.gif/
Table:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/bluesquarebetnorthoverv.png/
Summary:
Fairly happy with the progress I have made in the league. My team took a very long time to adapt to the 4-2-3-1 formation that I play, but now it is almost fluent to them. I’m obviously over-achieving as I was predicted 13th in the Blue Square North. As you can see from the league table I am 2 points behind Histon with a game in hand.

FA Cup: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/267/1301426.png/
Second Qual. Round: Garforth 1-1 Blyth
Second Qual. Replay: Blyth 2-1 Garforth
Third Qual. Round: Spennymore 1-4 Blyth
Fourth Qual. Round: Harrogate 0-2 Blyth
First Round: Altrincham 1-6 Blyth
Second Round: Blyth 2-1 Port Vale
Third Round: Southampton vs. Blyth

Summary:
I don’t even need to write here how delighted I am to have gotten this far and beaten Port Vale (League 2) along the way. But most of all, an away trip to St. Mary’s in the Third Round is something that will be a massive boost to the club and city. Blyth has something magical about them when it comes to the FA Cup!

FA Trophy: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/849/109202.png/
Third Qual. Round: Blyth 1-1 Bury Town
Third Qual. Replay: Bury Town 3-2 Blyth

Summary:
This is very disappointing! I was 2-1 up with 9 minutes to play and then disaster struck, Bury Town hit 2 past me and literally kicked me to the ground and made me crawl out of the FA Trophy!

Overall Summary:
League performances are very pleasing, haven’t conceded too many goals and have a comfortable goal difference, which is always healthy. Obviously what stands out is that massive game away to Southampton, which will be a journey of around 350 miles!

-Sorry about the repost, I accidently deleted it

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Stam

13 years

Doing well in the league, good job!
Unlucky vs Bury Town

Since this is your first season and you're still fresh with the transfers targets for BSN/BSS, I'd like to see a topic or article on decent free signings for clubs around that division. Do you think you could start something like that?

Good luck with the remainder of the season, hopefully you can challenge for promotion

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Utaka

13 years

Hey Stam, Thanks! Yeah, I wouldnt mind at least starting one based on my game and then people can add there players etc. I'll start on that a bit later on

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Utaka

13 years

FA Cup Update:

SOUTHAMPTON vs. BLYTH
The 350 mile journey has been completed, just one more objective to go;
In the Words of Ian Holloway: “try and see if we can put the ball in their net more times than they do in ours”.

You can read my highlight report below or watch the highlights at the bottom of this post.]

Fourth Round Draw:
Portsmouth vs. Blyth!
Another huge journey back to the South Coast to face a Pompey team who are lying 2nd in the Championship.
This game is being televised so I should get some good money from this game.

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Utaka

13 years

Season Summary – 2011/12

Blue Square North:
I am delighted to have won the league, especially with how close it was. The top 3 (Blyth, Histon & Nuneaton) were swapping places throughout the final third of the season. Winning the league in my first season is something that I was shocked at but it obviously comes as a nice surprise.

FA Cup:
As you would have seen in my last posts, I got to the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. Words cannot describe how much of an astonishing effort this was to get so far. Beating a League 2 team (Port Vale) was good enough and then a 350 mile journey down to the South Coast saw me more than match The Saints and take a nice victory home. The Fourth Round Cup Draw saw Portsmouth vs. Blyth pulled out the hat – great, another trip from one end of the country to the other! This time it was too much for me as Pompey smashed me 5-0! The game was televised and I got some nice money from an astonishing cup run.

Finances:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/600/blythboardroomfinances.png/
I obviously made a lot of money this season, comeing from the FA Cup. I was making a loss each month when I didnt have cup games but that was due to my large squad size. I will try and keep an eye on this next year because another cup run would be silly to rely on.

Best XII:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/821/blythhistorybesteleven.png/

The main players to mention here are;
James Cronesberry - He was a real talent for me, chipping in with goals as well as getting many assists.

Oliver Nicholas - A real brick wall at the back and helped to make me the team with the least goals conceded.

And finally...

Star Player:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/819/martinreillyoverviewatt.png/
Martin Reilly - Scored pretty much all my goals and was a key player to taking me up. Lets hope he can continue that amazing form next season.

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6294

13 years

Nice one!
Good luck in the BSP!

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marz3y95

13 years

Well done on your first season in charge at blyth lets hope sucess continues.

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Utaka

13 years

Blyth Spartans, Blue Square Premier (BSN), 2012/13
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/442/imagesca6gfxwx.jpg/

Start of Season Expectations:
Mid Table Finish – 0k Transfer Budget & 7k p/w Wage Budget.

Personal Targets:
Reach the first round of the FA Cup
Reach the third round of the FA Trophy
Finish in the play off's to give me a chance of back to back promotions
Beat my rivals Gateshead in both games

Finances:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/265/blythboardroomfinances2.png/
Looking like a healthy balance at the moment, as long as I stay abouve 500k I'll be happy.

Transfers:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/683/blythtransfershistory.png/
Got rid of a lot of players this season because my sqaud was way to big last year and my bank balance would have been hugely affected if it wasn't for the cup run last season and I dont want to take that risk again this season. Best signing is Mortin Christensen - cost me some wages but I'm sure he will get goals and assists playing behind the striker.

Starting XII:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/710/blythspartanstacticsove.png/
If these players are available then this will be my first team. Goals from Reilly again hopefully and plenty of assists from the players behind him.

Glad to be in the BSP!

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marz3y95

13 years

Well done on getting to BSP i started a career with Altrincham FC back on fm11 and got them back to back promotions in to league 1 and a striker i found helpful was Jabuti. He got 49 goals in the league alone in BSP and 35 In league 2. You have to have spain open on your database to get him though.

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Utaka

13 years

Interesting, Altrincham were predicted to win the BSN but their odds soon shrunk when I went there and smashed them 6-1 haha I had a look at that Jabuti - he wasn't interested in coming to me, maybe the shock of the North West Weather would have been too much for him to handle?

Did you ever get a new stadium? On my Havant & Waterlooville game last season I only got a new stadium when I got promoted to the Premier League.

When I asked about expanding the stadium they replied with we agree but can't afford it answer.

Hopefully a nice expansion will happen if I get into League 2?

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marz3y95

13 years

I didnt manage to get a new stadium built or an expansion i think this is because of the poor fan base altrincham have due to the other two local sides being manchester united and city haha bit hard to compete with. Dependinding on your fan base you will probably get a new stadium or an expansion in league 1. Just remember try your best to get the board to develop youth facilites, recruitments and scouting range so that you will start producing good players yourself.

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Blyth Spartans: Location: North East, Destination: The World

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