Alfie Docker - The Story of an Unknown Manager

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clarky1683

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Hello everyone! This is going to be a Manager Story where I just go where the game takes me. I'm willing to admit, I'm not the best at this game, but I've enjoyed it for years, so just sit back and enjoy wherever we end up!

I'm going to start unemployed, and see what jobs become available. Also, I will start with a National A Licence Coaching Badge and Professional Footballer (National Level) as my past experience.

Here is my managerial profile.

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I will return with an update when a job has become available!
 
View attachment 287454We've been offered our first job! It's taken until the 22nd November for a decent job to become available, but I'm happy with the idea of managing Preston in League 1. Therefore, I'll be accepting the offer!
 
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Interviewer: "What are your ambitions as manager of Preston North End?"

AD: "I want to get promoted. Yes, we may be 14th, but in the grand scheme of things we're only 6 points off the play offs."

Interviewer: "So you believe you'll have a successful first season?"

AD: "Look, football is a sport where anything can happen. I'm confident, but not complacent. We'll see how things go.

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Not the best result, or even performance. However, I suppose it wouldn't be fair to harshly criticize the players as this match took place on the day I got the job. They probably didn't have the right mindset going into the game, against Bristol City who were 3rd in the League.

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Gutted to have been knocked out of the JP Trophy! I was hoping we could make it at least a bit further.. but at least we gave County a good game.

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We played okay. On a good day we may have snatched a draw but the players are putting in great effort. Although we have lost all of my first 3 games in charge, I'm not too disheartened as they have all been away from home against strong teams. Things can only get better?

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I hope that we can turn this around and make it into the playoffs. The league is still very tight and a few wins could put it in a good position. We just have to play a bit more clinically!
 
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Get in! Our first win as a manager and it feels good. Take nothing away from Mansfield in this game though, they played their heart out and nearly turned it around. Luckily Joe Garner's strike was enough to put us into the 2nd round.

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Great news! During my interview for the job I explained the need to set up a link with a top club, and the board gave me the choice of Tottenham.. and.. just Tottenham. No worries though, I believe they are a good choice!

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Another victory, and we are straight into the FA Cup 3rd round! Tom Clarke scored a last gasp goal to send us through!

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I've signed up Wally Downs as a coach. I think he has some good attributes, especially in defence.

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A tough draw, but I have a sneaky feeling that we could sneak through!
 
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A good, comfortable win! Garner looks like he's going to be our key goalscoring threat this season, so keeping him fit will be very important! I can see some teams trying to sign him in January!

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Wow. Just wow! MK Dons were in 4th place before this match, but did that phase us? **** no! Gallagher with the hat-trick!

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Seriously? How are we doing this! I just told the players to relax and play with no pressure, and their response was to thrash Peterborough 4-0! Gallagher is on fire at the moment!

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Back to reality, I suppose. Barnsley were right behind us going into this game, so it would have been nice to get away from them. Still, a draw isn't too bad.

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After some great results, we have climbed all the way up to 8th place! Can we get into the playoffs?

Also, if you have any suggestions or constructive criticisms, please say! I'm all ears! Thanks for reading :)
 
January 2015

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We played well in this game, but Birmingham just showed that they are a better team, with better players. Too many 50-50s were lost! It just shows that if we do get promoted, we will really need to strengthen the squad!

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Yeovil are fellow promotion chasers, and a strong team at that. I'm quite pleased with this draw actually! Clarke managed to get us back level quickly after going behind, and then the game was rather even, end to end action!

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Baxter tore us apart here. Not much else can be said! It's not often that you lose if you score two goals away from home, but the defence didn't play too well today!

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Jack King has left the club. He was fourth choice centre back, and I felt that with wages of £3.6k, it was best to offload him, and loan in a younger defender!

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Leyton Orient managed to keep us at bay for most of the game, and our defence once again let us down.

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Although Laird is a good player for League 1, he doesn't fit into the 4-1-2-1-2 Narrow that we play. We got a decent amount for him too, and we wish him the best of luck at Wolves!

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A nice victory here. We should have seen the game off much earlier though! Clarke with his second 93rd minute winner since I've been manager!

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Murray Wallace comes in on loan until the end of the season. I'm hoping that he can steady our leaky defence of recent weeks. He's young but quality, and who knows, we could potentially look into a permanent deal if he impresses!

The rest of January will be up soon!
 
End of January

Transfer News
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Garbutt will stay until the end of the season, and Aaron Kuhl will provide a nice rotation option in midfield.

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A solid win against 22nd placed Crawley. I'd have expected nothing less!

Deadline Day​

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Ben Pringle comes in for £192k. We could afford this due to Laird's sale to Wolves, and Pringle can play almost anywhere in midfield. He's also now played in the Championship so adds some good experience to the team! He also chose us over Ipswich! I might train him at CAM for rotation with Gallagher.

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Yes, that is indeed Bobby Zamora! He had his contract terminated by QPR so I thought he would provide good cover and experience. He may even nick a few goals here and there! Only £2.5k a week!

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As you can see; we were the biggest spenders! We still have some cash in the back too, but I think I will save it for the summer. We won't be able to bring in any more loan players as we already have 8, so it looks like this is all the transfer deals until the summer! February update to come!
 
February

News:

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Our key man, Joe Garner, has picked up a nasty injury during the month, and will be out of action for up to 3 months. Gutted for him, and the team. Robinson, Zamora and Beckford will need to step up!

Results:

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A solid month with only one loss coming away at Notts County. They are a difficult side to play against with some rigid defending tactics, so we found it tough to break through. Some good results otherwise, with Callum Robinson picking up three goals. He is certainly upping his game to compensate for Joe Garner's injury! It was nice to see Zamora, Beckford and even Ebanks-Blake scoring too.

League Table:

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It's still quite tight from us in 4th down to 9th with only six points separating the teams. Doncaster and Bristol City are running away with the automatic promotion places, and I'd be very surprised if either Yeovil or us catch them up.

Transfer News:

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Darnell Fischer will be joining Preston North End on a free transfer at the end of his current contract at Celtic. The young full back will sign a contract with North End until 2017.​
 
March

News:

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We also got our youth intake! Only two players to be excited about. Richard Davies and Zac Keen.

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Also, we've encountered one of my biggest fears...

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Brownhill wants to move to a bigger club. He got pissy at me for saying that no bid has come in so "not to worry about it" and now he has poor morale. Not what we needed!

Results:

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An unbeaten month here! Albeit, three draws isn't ideal but it's kept us going steady in the play off places. I firmly believe we can win promotion! We just have to keep going strong! Ebanks-Blake has been playing more recently, and is showing some good things. Will he get a contract extension though? I'm currently unsure.

League Table:

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As you can see, we are seven points clear of Coventry in 7th, so I'm confident of a play off place. No catching Doncaster or Bristol City though!
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April (and some May)

News:

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Seb Faure will join Fischer as a Preston player at the end of his Rangers contract. He'll be signed until 2017.

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Bristol City beat Doncaster to top of the table, but both go up automatically.

Results:

View attachment 287274Ebanks-Blake ended the season in scorching goal scoring form! Robinson grabbed a handful too! We just need them both to be on form during the playoffs, as I fear that although Garner is back, he will be rusty...

Table:

View attachment 287273So Bristol City and Doncaster return to the Championship, with Sheffield United, Preston North End, Yeovil Town and MK Dons filling up the play off places. It's going to be a tense, tough play off tournament!

The next post will be just the play offs, followed by the next post which will be a season review!​
 
Play Offs

Sky Bet League 1 Play-Offs


Sheffield United, Preston North End, Yeovil Town and Milton Keynes Dons will compete in the 2014/2015 Season League 1 Play-Offs.

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We will play Yeovil in the Play-Off Semi Final, with the first leg being played away from home.

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Some great motivation going into the tie; Brownhill is 'happy to stay'! Ecstatic!

Leg 1

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Well, well, well... what sensational drama! A tense affair, sparked into life by a surge of pace by Callum Robinson, a tame shot parried by the goalkeeper, but a cool composed finish on the rebound! Ugwu, who caused all sorts of troubles for us, just drove through the heart of our defence and powered a finish low into the corner. At this point I was bricking it. They were all over us, but Robinson's pace once again caused them problems, winning us a corner on the break, from which Huntington flicked the ball on at the near post into the roof of the net!

Leg 2

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We've got into the final! A topsy-turvy tie; 1-0.. 1-1... 2-1... 2-2... I'll take it. It's what we needed! Browne played his heart out and marked the occasion with a neat finish from 15 years out, and Keane pounced on a rebound from an Ebanks-Blake effort to send us through! But who will we play?

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MK Dons beat Sheffield United 4-1 over the two legs, and although I'd prefer to play them over Utd, I was still nervous!

Final

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What a superb final! We fought our way back from 2-1 down at half time, with our favourite guy, Joe Garner scoring in the last five minutes! Insane match, and I can't believe it; We are in the Championship!!

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Final League Table:

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So we are promoted alongside Bristol City and Doncaster! Who would have thought it when we took over in November? The aim for next season is to survive comfortably!

Season Review Coming Next!

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