Becoming the Best

[craigsmith1995]

I have decided to start a new story which I am hoping will keep me drawn into football manager as I can't seem to get into a save. My aim for this is to start off as an unemployed ex semi pro with no coaching badges, I will be starting out as my real age of 19 and will start in the lower leagues in Scotland.

So my journey began on the job hunt, many opportunities became available in England but I just wanted to start in Scotland. It took until March of the first season for a lower league Scottish team to become managerless and it was 3 all at once, Airdrie, Ayr United and Arbroath. Ayr and Airdrie were both in League 1 and Arbroath League 2. I had interviews with all 3 but in the end I chose Airdrie who were bottom of League 1 but I believed them to be the biggest team out of the three.

I was very excited to get stuck in here as we begun in 10th with 9 games to go and no cup competitions to participate in.

The league table when I took over was as follows;
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The league table shows us bottom but only on goal difference and a relegation battle on our hands! I was boosted when I came across the the average rating stats as our captain has the second highest average rating in the league and from there on I could see I had a star man.

A disadvantage to the start of my reign in charge was that our top goal scorer was out injured as was our main goalkeeper.

 

[craigsmith1995]

My first game in charge!

Finally the story can begin as I come across my first match away to Brechin City who are only a few places above us!
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A bore draw. goalless and a little disappointing but there was positives to take, we struggled to cause them problems but defended well and a clean sheet in my first match with a team bottom of the league has to be a good one. Hopefully better times to come.

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Morton are cruising at the top and seem to be sure winners in the title race so my first home match would be very tough, we did have two great chances late on but poor finishing let us down and I suffer my first defeat! Not really a game where I could evaluate my team.

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My first signing of the story would be Andrew Black on loan from Dundee and he would debut here. Promising as we score our first goals and the two goalscorers end goal droughts but we suffer defeat and need to pick up the points quick!

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Our first win!! the top goalscorer is back and nets a goal! We outclassed Stenhousemuir and move up to 8th in the table, it was a must win game and we bossed it.

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The end of my first month may not have seemed great but we're off bottom and out of the relegation zone so I have already achieved my target for the first month, not long to go and it's now time to cement our place in league 1 for next season.

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Boyle has been Airdrie's best player this season and put us ahead here but we were dreadful second half and let ourselves down with another defeat.

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What a start this was but it went horribly wrong, Forfar were in the top 4 so we expected a tough game but we made it look easy early on, only to throw it away! need to make sure of these games.

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Felt we could've won this won and with all the chances we created I have to be disappointed but I see alot of promise in this team, we level with 12 mins to go for an important point.

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Our biggest game yet! If we lose we're almost guaranteed to finish in the bottom 2 and a win basically guarantees our survival. We showed up for this and get an important win! Even a missed penalty can't stop us.

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Final day of the season and we're well beaten, plenty of shots pleases me but the most important thing is we clinch 8th to stay up! Airdrie's lowest ever position in their history but who cares as we have avoided relegation.

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The final table see's us avoid relegation! now to strengthen for next season as I have an idea on who'll be going and which positions will be strengthened, looking forward to my first full season!