A Belgian's Non-League adventure

[Focky]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and having read these pages for the past days I decided to have a crack at a new game as well. I like playing in the English leagues and particularly the Non-League because it's grassroots. I follow the English results every week from here in Belgium so I have particular knowledge of teams and their players.

I looked at some of the teams and noticed there was one team with no manager. It was DROYLSDEN FC in the Blue Square North. I applied for the job and got it, based on my impressive succes in the Belgian youth leagues. It's a small club based in Manchester and it has no reserve team or a youth team for that matter. I remember that a couple of years ago they were ripped apart in the Blue Square Premier and I also recall the FA Cup saga against Chesterfield so I know a thing or two about the club.

Looking at the squad I notice a few very good players at this level. There's winger Shaun Whalley and Paul Brown. The experienced Neil Sorvel has good ability and experience and strikers Tony Gray and Simon Yeo have got goals in them I think.

Shaun Whalley, arguably our best player​

The club has a bank balance of around £30,000 but the weekly wages of around £4,500 will make the budget go in the red if the attendances aren't too good (it is a very small club) so a cup run is always welcome.​

We Will play feeder team Chester, Irlam, Abbey Hey, Flixton and Carlisle United tot get ready for the new season.​

 

[bolase]

Good Luck 8)

 

[Focky]

Wednesday 8 July​

Considering the tactics, I think that with these players I should play an attacking 4-5-1 formation, so it's more a 4-3-3 with wide, high-playing wingers. This is the full squad:

GK: Chris Howarth-23
GK: Craig Mawson-30

D RL: Liam Brownhill-22
D RC: Steve Halford-28
D RC: Colin Cryan-28
D R: Lee Roche-28 (formerly of Manchester United)
D R: Lee Woodyatt-25
DR, M RC: Steve Pickford-31
D C: Mchael Byron-21
DC, DM, MC: Danny Williams-29

DM, MC: Neil Sorvel-36
MC: Alex Brown-24
MC: Rob Lloyd-22
AM RC: Steven Beck-25
AM R: Lewis Craig-19
AM RL: Shaun Whalley-21
AM R, S: Alex Meechan-29
AM L: Paul Brown-24

S: Tony Gray-25
S: Simon Yeo-35

I have a lot of defenders (particularly at right-back) and midfielders but before deciding on their futures I'll give them all a chance in pre-season. I'll also be looking for a left-back and maybe another central midfielder.

-​

I have appointed a new physio called Mark Fairhurst and decided to make my scout redundant.​

Saturday 11 July​

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GK: Mawson (Howarth 45')
RB: Roche (Woodyatt 45')
LB: Brownhill
CB: Cryan (Halford 45')
CB: Byron
DM: Williams (Pickford 45')
CM: Sorvel (Beck 45')
CM: Brown (Lloyd 45')
AMR: Whalley (Craig 45')
AML: Meechan (Brown 45')
S: Gray (Yeo 45')

Att.: 131​

A promising first game in which I got to see all of my squad. We were the better team and should've scored a couple.​

Wednesday 15 July​

​

GK: Mawson (Howarth 45')
RB: Woodyatt
LB: Brownhill
CB: Halford (Byron 45')
CB: Cryan (Williams 45')
DM: Sorvel (Williams 45')
CM: Lloyd (Beck 45')
CM: Brown (Pickford 45')
AMR: Whalley (Craig 73')
AML: Brown (Meechan 45')
S: Gray (Yeo 45')

Att.: 41​

Disappointing game from our part. Some of the players need to up their performances because it was not so good. I told them I expect more from them in the next games.​

Friday 17 July​

Former Manchester United left-back Paul Tierney has joined on trial.​

Saturday 18 July​

​

GK: Mawson (Howarth 45')
RB: Roche (Woodyatt 45')
LB: Tierney (Brownhill 45')
CB: Halford (Byron 45')
CB: Cryan
DM: Williams (Pickford 45')
CM: Beck (Sorvel 45')
CM: Lloyd (Brown 45')
AMR: Meechan (Whalley 45')
AML: Brown
S: Yeo (Gray 45')

Att.: 101​

What a pathetic performance from my team. That's all I can say about it. We were blown away by an impressive Merthyr.​

Tuesday 22 July​

Young Lewis Craig joins Clitheroe on loan for first-team football.​

Wednesday 23 July​

​

GK: Mawson
RB: Woodyatt (Brownhill 45')
LB: Tierney
CB: Halford
CB: Byron (Cryan 45')
DM: Sorvel (Pickford 62')
CM: Beck (Lloyd 45')
CM: Brown (Roche 62')
AMR: Whalley
AML: Meechan (Brown 61')
S: Gray

Att.: 22​

Another defeat. I don't know what to say really. I'm going to look in the market for some new players.​

Monday 27 July​

GK: Mawson
RB: Woodyatt (Pickford 45')
LB: Tierney (Brownhill 45')
CB: Cryan
CB: Byron (Halford 65')
DM: Sorvel (Williams 45')
CM: Roche (Lloyd 65')
CM: Brown
AMR: Meechan (Beck 70')
AML: Brown (Whalley 45')
S: Gray (Yeo 70')

Att.: 33​

That's better. The more games we play, the more I get to know about the strenghts and weaknesses. Tierney will leave because he didn't impress me.​

-​

That's July, by the way, I didn't realise the language in the picture in the first post was Dutch. Sorry.​

---------- Post added at 12:27 AM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 05:44 AM ----------

Saturday 1 August​

​

GK: Mawson
RB: Woodyatt (Pickford 45')
LB: Brownhill
CB: Cryan
CB: Halford
DM: Sorvel
CM: Roche
CM: Brown (Lloyd 74')
AMR: Whalley
AML: Meechan (Brown 74')
S: Gray (Yeo 45')

Att.: 745​

Okay, we conceded a couple, but the two from Kavanagh were absolute screamers. We played pretty well and got an excellent goal. If we play like that we'll be up there with the best in the league.

-
Chester have offered youngster James Owen to Droylsden on loan, but he was deemed not good enough by the manager so the deal was cancelled.
-
Steve Halford has been named captain for the forthcoming season. Neil Sorvel will be vice-captain.​

Friday 7 August​

Speaking ahead of the first game of the season at home to Droylsden for the Non League Paper, manager Nick F. indicated that his team is ready for a play-off push at least. He sees Southport, Fleetwood and Telford as the main title contenders but believes his side can challenge them.
"Looking at the squads of Southport and Fleetwood, they have two or three quality players for each position and that's something we can't afford. But I have got some great players at the club here and they will help us get the results everyone wants."
He also hopes Shaun Whalley, Alex Meechan,Tony Gray and others can come up with the goals because he believes that's where his side's main strengths lie.
"They showed glimpses in pre-season of their qualities and our brilliant goal against Carlisle following a free-flowing move shows that we have quality. I will therefore wait a couple of games before I'll decide on signing some players."

Saturday 8 August

​

​

GK: Mawson
RB: Pickford
LB: Brownhill
CB: Cryan
CB: Halford
DM: Sorvel
CM: Roche
CM: Brown (Lloyd 48')
AMR: Whalley
AML: Meechan (Brown 68')
S: Gray (Yeo 82')

Att.: 418​

I think I can be pleased with the performance today. We dominated from start to finish but couldn't break through. Gray scored a great goal and Whalley missed an absolute SITTER at the end but all in all no complaints. Next up: Hinckley.

-
Alex Brown will be out for a week.
-
Droylsden have put in a bid to get midfielder Greg Tansey from Stockport on loan.​

Sunday 9 August​

Droylsden have announced that 200 season tickets have been sold for this season.​

Monday 10 August​

Greg Tansey joins on loan as Nick F's first signing. "He's a young lad with decent ability on the ball and will start in today's game".
-​

​

​

GK: Mawson
RB: Woodyatt
LB: Brownhill
CB: Cryan
CB: Halford
DM: Sorvel (Lloyd 66')
CM: Roche
CM: Tansey
AMR: Whalley (Brown 76')
AML: Meechan
S: Gray

Att.: 422​

A below-par performance tonight. We started well but on their firstattack conceded again and the confidence drained. Our defence was poor today. We have to get better against Gainsbrough on saturday.

Saturday 15 August​

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​

GK: Mawson
RB: Woodyatt
LB: Brownhill
CB: Cryan
CB: Halford
DM: Sorvel
CM: Roche
CM: Tansey (Lloyd 73')
AMR: Whalley
AML: Meechan (Brown 73')
S: Gray (Yeo 90')

Att.: 274​

A nice first win which we really deserved throughout. Two cracking goals but it's again disappointing we conceded in their first real attack. I can't complain, though, the three points ara all that matter. Up next are Northwich on monday.

Monday 17 August​

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GK: Mawson
RB: Woodyatt
LB: Brownhill
CB: Cryan
CB: Halford
DM: Sorvel (Yeo 90')
CM: Roche
CM: Tansey (Lloyd 70')
AMR: Whalley
AML: Meechan (Brown 70')
S: Gray

Att.: 327​

A first home win! It was an even game in which we had the better chances. Sorvel scored the opener with a great effort from outside the box and Gray finished them off on a nice counter-attack. It could have gone other way had Johnny Allan not missed when clean through on goal but Mawson pulled off a brilliant save. We'll go to Gloucester on sunday next.​

 

[BradleyDFC]

Hello mate i dont no how you are doing now but im new to this and im a droylsden fan in real life whalley is a cracking player and i really feel he should be playing at a higher level, tony gray bagged 24 goals this season and now as moved on to champions fleetwood who will play in the BSP next season, if you can give me some tips would be thankfull cheers mate and good luck if your still playing

 

[NUFC_Tony]

Mate,

As usual in stories I have some negative and positive feedback.

Firstly try putting the line-ups in the centre of the page, in my opinion this will improve the layout alot.

As a positive, your little match screenshots are very conventional, and are working very well for you. I haven't seen another story on the site with them like that.