At Home With The Hornets - A Horsham Town Story

Thoroughly enjoying this mate, congrats on getting to the BSS
 
Thoroughly enjoying this mate, congrats on getting to the BSS
Thanks you mate :D

Great job with winning promotion mate, love stories with lower league teams going through the divisions. How long are you planning on playing this save? Also, do you know what capacity your new stadium is going to be yet? Keep up the good work pal! :D
Probably till FM14 mate :) and no it never said but honestly I don't care will just be great not having to ground share with Horsham YMCA and get ticket income all to ourselves!!

Need some more Sam I'm really enjoying it. Nice job on the new stadium!!
Cheers buddy, such good news getting our own brand new stadium :D

Just read from page 1, well done mate, this is great. Keep it going. (H)
Thank you man :)
 
Update tomorrow lads, I was a lot more careful in the transfer market this time. I'll include August's results too :)
 
Look forward to next update. Is Bale still at Spurs on your game? Just intrigued. Thx
 
Look forward to next update. Is Bale still at Spurs on your game? Just intrigued. Thx
Yeah he is but there has been some strange transfers. Like Michu to City, Phil Jones to Spurs, Caulker to United, De Bruyne to City along with Benteke.
 
Yeah he is but there has been some strange transfers. Like Michu to City, Phil Jones to Spurs, Caulker to United, De Bruyne to City along with Benteke.

Wow, very interesting. Just wanted to know as I'm thinking of doing a lower league story at the club where I'm 1st team coach and being a spurs fan, wanted Bale to stay there for a season or two, to make it realistic. Cheers
 
Wow, very interesting. Just wanted to know as I'm thinking of doing a lower league story at the club where I'm 1st team coach and being a spurs fan, wanted Bale to stay there for a season or two, to make it realistic. Cheers
Oh right what teams that??? Ha a hopeful Spurs fan I see ;)
 
Oh right what teams that??? Ha a hopeful Spurs fan I see ;)

Haha, I'm always hopeful, hehe.

Romsey Town is team where I've just been appointed mate. I work full time with the Youth, coaching under 7s to under 18s.
 
Pre Season 2014/15

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So we're in the Blue Square Bet South league for the first time in our history. I got a small boost in the wage budget but still no transfer budget which is fine by, the state of the finances are becoming a real worry and we need to find some kind of big big income, a takeover would be nice but can't see it coming. Lets have a look at my work in the transfer market anyway:

Transfers

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So a lot of players leaving after there contracts run out, most of them let me down last year considering the wages players like Diedhou, Green, Ludovic and Napper were on. The only one I wanted to keep was McCourt but he didn't want to sign a new contract with us. Now I'm really happy with the players I've signed some are genuinely really good for this level. The core of the team from last year remains with Cornock in goal, Chappell at centre back still but has a potential new partner in young Cunningham. Kyron Farrell and new boy Robinson will fight it out for the right back spot. I have a whole new set up in the middle of midfield with Fearnehough and Eaton our deep-lying playmakers. With Ijaha(who is an ex trainee for Wolves) and Jordon Berry our new Ball Winning Midfielders. Neil Martin is our new left back with Calum Robins his back up there. I also brought in some cover for Johnson Halls at CAM with Macguire and Gray as cover/rotation.

Here they are anyway:

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There they are some real decent players I'd say I was much more careful this time round signing players who will play and are good enough to make an impact. So lets have a look at the odds that the bookies are giving us for promotion:

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Pretty good!! Better than what I was expecting to be honest and going by that it looks like we might be able to get into the play-offs hopefully!!



Also something that caught my eye in the mailbox was the rise in season ticket holders with almost an extra 100 of them now we're in the Blue Square Bet South:

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Look at them all jumping on the bandwagon!! Plastic fans!! But really its good our fan base is growing for when our new stadium in the summer of 2016.


Finances

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YUK!!! We need some income, and quick those loan repayments for the stadium we don't even have yet is killing us!!


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August Results

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I organised some pre season games to gain some income at around a few grand each, not that it made much of a difference. Some decent results in the league though including this EPIC comeback:

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What a turn around all thanks to Jamie Griffiths!!


Table

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Not a bad start, I don't think we will get top spot with only one team getting promoted but play-offs is do-able!!

 
Good luck mate in the BSS, I'm betting on a playoff place too. :p
 
Good luck mate in the BSS, I'm betting on a playoff place too. :p
Thanks mate, board only want me to steer clear of relegation and there's no chance we're gonna be at risk of that. Main thing will be finding money from somewhere :/ new stadium can't come soon enough!! Update tonight probably :)
 
September 2014 - November 2014

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So we made a solid start in the league but could we continue it?? No transfers to report on so straight into the results!!!

Results

League

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So not too bad, this league is a pretty big jump up. Most teams are richer than us and have better players but we're not doing too badly. The draw against Dover was massive as they're one of the best teams in this league but we have hit a poor run with just 1 win in our last 4 games and this will need to change!! Mainly because I've been rotating the squad to cope with the fixtures and the FA Cup games.


FA Cup

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Exactly what we needed. A fairly simple run to the first round of the FA Cup but it could all end with Luton being league's above us in the dizzy heights of League 2. I can only hope they rest their key players and we can ****** something.


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Squad

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So our best players have been Frankie Chappell(again), Austin Eaton and Aaron Scott. The big problem I've been having with Austin Eaton is getting him fit, a problem I've had with a few players due to the fact I'm operating with a small squad trying to juggle with the busy fixture list.

I'm slightly disappointed with Tony Nwachukwu and Danny Fearnehough, both haven't been good enough so far this season. They need to improve or I'll look to offload them especially with the state of our finances.


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Finances

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YUK!! Everytime I see this I feel sick. How am I supposed to bring us back into the black?!?! Seriously with these loan repayments we could enter administration!! Suppose it makes for a nice twist on the story for you guys but I don't want my club to go down the toilet!!!


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Table and Player Stats

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We're hanging on in there!! Its incredibly tight and we need to improve on our current form to stay in those play-off spots. I really hope we can pull away from the chasing pack and get a few wins on the bounce but we're doing pretty well considering the size of the club. I'm very proud :)



Hope people are enjoying, let me know when you want the next update. I'll probably do it at the start of January but if you want it soon, say! =]
 
Keep going how it is mate, I'm loving it. Plus the rewards with finances will come, every team that wants to progress goes through it, unless you get a break with a takeover. (H)
 
Keep going how it is mate, I'm loving it. Plus the rewards with finances will come, every team that wants to progress goes through it, unless you get a break with a takeover. (H)
Thanks man, hope so otherwise we're gonna be in trouble... Pompey style!! Wouldn't mind a takeover :p but can't see it happening.
 
November 2014 - January 2015

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(Horsham faithful)


So we'll start off with some transfer news with one player leaving and one player coming in:


Transfers

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So I released Danny Maguire as he was unhappy with lack of game time, so with the wage budget free'd up a bit I felt like we needed a decent centre back, introducing the beast that is Jordan Anderson signed from Blue Square Premier side Gainsborough.

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Very good stats for this level and will be good enough if we get promoted too.


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Results

League

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A fantastic run is just what we needed to cement ourselves in this league and I'm over the moon with our results!! Some great results taking points off teams around us. Surely this means we're bang on for a play-off spot as long there isn't an awful collapse.


FA Trophy

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I didn't care about this competition and basically threw the game against reigning champions Salisbury. Never mind.


FA Cup

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WOW. We've made it to the third round of the FA Cup thanks to 3 fantastic games!! The first game against Luton we were actually 2-0 up then Luton pulled one back in the 18th minute, we held on until the 82st when Mendy grabbed his second and broke our hearts. But we had a replay at Gorings Mead which went to extra time and we showed real determination to score not once but twice to secure our passage to the second round!!

League 1 side Oldham waited for us and the game was chosen to be televised which generated a fair bit of money!!

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But what was more important was the result, we played a League 1 side off the park. Absolutely tore them apart and fully deserved the 2-0 win!! So in the third round awaits Premier League side Sunderland!!


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Squad

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A good team is always built from the back so its no surprise to see my two centre backs have been my best players. Star rating's wise they aren't but I don't care about that as long as they are performing well. Ethan Moore's performances this year have been superb and he's our top goalscorer, if it wasn't for him there's no way this season would be going so well. I'm so glad I took a shot on him.

A few players haven't impressed at this level though and will be let go at the end of the year whether or not we're promoted.


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Finances

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Big improvement thanks to the FA Cup run but still in the red. Looking a lot better though and hopefully we can generate a bit more income.


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Table and Player Stats

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Yes!! Play-Off spot basically secured already and we're Dartford's closest rivals to the title. I doubt that we can beat them to the title but this season has gone much better than I ever could have expected.

Now if there's one team I would want to avoid in the play-offs it would have to be Oxford, they're very strong and have given us tough games in the past. But anything could happen in the play-offs!!


Thanks for reading once again, if you guys want me to do an individual update on the Sunderland game let me know!!
 
You've done fantastically! Look forward to how you do against Sunderland! Good luck.
Thanks mate!! Loving it and will probably play this save till FM14.

An update on the Sunderland game would be good :D
I'm gonna do a single update for January which will include a detailed report on the Sunderland game which was amazing!!
A little bit of info.... it was 1-1 at half-time ;)
 
January 2015

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Sunderland match a real thriller until final 15 minutes
Make one new signing
New stadium announced to hold 3115



New Signing

Reza Davidson

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This versatile young defender looks a real talent and signing him on a non-contract agreement is a fantastic bit of business. The most useful thing about his is he can play anywhere along the back four, he also has some pretty impressive stats for a 17 year old!! High determination, work rate, bravery, jumping and fitness really makes him a true workhorse.


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Results


League

Horsham 1 -1 Weston-super-Mare

Halls

A frustraing draw, but a point is a point.




Horsham 1 - 1 Tonbridge Angels

Moore

Once again another annoying draw, need to start winning again to keep up the heat on Dartford.




Horsham 2 - 2 Oxford City

Davidson, Howe

Once again ANOTHER DRAW!!! Oxford are a good side though so I see it as a point gained.





Whitehawk 0 - 3 Horsham

Halls, Griffiths(2)


Yes finally a solid win, great to see young Jamie Griffiths smashing in the goals.





Ebbsfleet United 2 - 1 Horsham

Eaton

A really tight game with a late goal winning it for Ebbsfleet.




Horsham 1 - 0 Dartford

Moore

YES!! What a win against first placed Dartford!! Ethan Moore scored a one on one then disaster 10 minutes later in the 65th minute as central midfielder Ijaha was sent off for a horror tackle, we managed to hold out for the remainder of the game thanks to Nate Cornocks heroics in goal.




Horsham 2 - 0 Bath City

Cunningham, Halls

An easy win against lowly Bath with Johnson Halls scoring AGAIN!!


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Sunderland v Horsham FA Cup


So as seen in the previous update we've managed to make it to the FA Cup Third Round in which we drew Premier League side Sunderland!! Lets get into the game.


Formations

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So Sunderland boasted players like Sessegnon, Coentrao, Lambert and Mignolet. The minute I saw there line up I knew we had no chance, I was half hoping they fielded their kids but they clearly saw our giant killing acts in the previous rounds and didn't fancy taking any chances!!



Results

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No fairytale I'm afraid lads!! I did think for a minute when it was 1-1 at halftime we could maybe just sneak it!! I was brought down to earth with an almighty bump. We lost one of our best players in Eaton to injury before halftime. Sunderland shifted up a gear in the second half and Nate Cornock's rating isn't fair the lad made some incredible saves but wasn't helped by our poor defence on the day, mind you they were up against some world class players in Coentrao and Sessegnon. I'm still proud of the lads.


Stats

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They battered us. 13 shots on target against our measly 1 in which Aaron Scott finished nicely. 5-1 really isn't that bad in my eyes, we're a Blue Square South side after all!!


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Table

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We have made some serious ground up on Dartford and made the title race interesting!!! i'm just left thinking if we didn't have that run of 3 draws then we might even be first!! Just 2 points in it now though!!!




Thanks for reading once again guys :) comments always welcome and if anyone wants any screenshots let me know!!
 
Great fa cup run and you have a great chance of being promoted being 2 points behind Dartford!
 
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