Ebbsfleet Zeros to Hero's "Maybe"

[Poodles]

Ebbsfleet United 2014-
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So I noticed quite a few Football stories here read a few and really loved them. I've been managing Ebbsfleet for a few seasons but kept the story to myself never thought of the idea of sharing the pit falls and stresses of trying to win promotion to the promised land of the Premier League so here we go, I shall endeavour to keep this going for a few seasons, highlight my tactics, favourite players, star buys and sales and those little special gems you occasionally find.

Hmm lets start with the club history as Ebbsfleet haven't been around as long as most clubs..........

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Ebbsfleet United F.C.
Ebbsfleet United Football Club is an English association football club based in Northfleet, Kent.
The club participates in the Conference South, the sixth tier of English football. The team plays their home matches at Stonebridge Road. Capacity 4098
Founded: 1946
Arena/Stadium: Stonebridge Road
Manager: Lee Clough (Well had to add my Name somewhere)
League: Conference South
Training ground: Ditton Community Centre

Hmmm supposed to be my KEY PLAYER
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This was my initial starting squad I shall be adopting an attacking 4-3-3 formation and hope to find a couple of strikers to help fill out the squad.

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The Chairman & myself have decided we are aiming for promotion in the 1st season, so with a medium transfer pot of £55K but a large wage packet already of £9K a month this season will be about buying quality over quantity, as I suspect a number of these players wont want to move.

I shall go through pre-season try and pick up some players and then my next post will be the starting season line up with my plans for attack/defense and the way forward

 

[Poodles]

Season Starter Home vs Concord

Season 1 Preview
2014/15



Pre Season
My first season will be a year of of Squad building. We're cutting wages down to the minimum on players. We'll cut right back to have a basic squad, will add few youngsters, I have a semi idea of a few players that would push my squad quickly to the next level but most of them at the moment just aren't willing to drop to the lower league.

I managed to talk the board to into affiliating with a bigger club so Doncaster Sky Lge Bet 1 .. However there initial squad appears to be as rough as mine hopefully my January window that will have changed.

Bookies make us 12/1 for the League I'd have taken that bet on, Whitehawks are favs by a stretch and we'll be away to them 3rd game

Targets
Vanarama - Promotion (Thanks Chairman)
FA Cup & FA Trophy - 1st & 2nd round respectively maybe possible

So here we are the Seasons kicked off, my 1st game is a little later than the others so already I'm starting half way down the table awesome.

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I swapped a few players around managed to get no-one on my top 10 prio list and have ended up with mostly fill in players

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I'm hopping at the moment Mr Risser will be the difference between a stardom and a rough 1st month

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[Safc-mad-scotty]

Good luck mate. I had a Ebsfleet save when the game came out. Your keeper Edwards stayed with me all the way to League 1. Sheringham, McMahon and Acheampong were all very good in the Conference North as well.

If you can get a lad on loan from Luton called Zane Banton then do it, was amazing for me. Has something like 17 pace and 17 acceleration which is obviously amazing at that level!

 

[Poodles]

Good luck mate. I had a Ebsfleet save when the game came out. Your keeper Edwards stayed with me all the way to League 1. Sheringham, McMahon and Acheampong were all very good in the Conference North as well.

If you can get a lad on loan from Luton called Zane Banton then do it, was amazing for me. Has something like 17 pace and 17 acceleration which is obviously amazing at that level!

Hey Mad Scotty yeah I had a look at Zane nice stats at the moment he & the club don't appear to want to help the Fleet but he's now on my short list so we'll see how that one pens out

 

[Poodles]

August

August

A terrible start, I've managed to get a number of the players I wasn't going to use of the books for no money, and bring in a handful of journey men pros, i feel already it might be a leaky defence that cost us but we'll wait and see I have 125K to spend and 2k now spare in salaries but no-one wants to join this magical title challenge & no wonder we start we a stunning 0-1 home defeat 20 shots to 3 and they still win maybe its goal scorers i need


Fixtures

Ebbsfleet 0-1 Concord
Bossed it Lost it


Ebbsfleet 4-0 Havant
Clark
Young OG
Godden
Sheringham


Whitehawk 1-3 Ebbsfleet
Godden 2
Clark


Ebbsfleet 2-0 Wealdstone
Clark Proving to be a CB with the skills
Godden

Basingstoke 3-3 Ebbsfleet
Sheringham 2 (90th minute Penalty to draw)
Godden




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What a terrible start we were unable to finish. However in the 2nd game I bring in Clark to the CD roll and Godden up front and bang were in form We pick up a fine habit of scoring goals and win 3 on the bounce including away at the pres season favs who are languishing in the relegation zone by the end of August. Were 4th Boreham Wood the early leaders 6pts in front but played the extra game Allison for them is made Manager of the Month

I'm reasonable happy with the 1st 18 days but would feel better with a few more signings lets see what September brings. FA Cup qual 2nd round at the end of the month
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[Poodles]

1853

September


I start September by taking a look at the coaching set up, out with the old Jupp and both Scouts mutual agree to finish their contracts, Joe Corrigan (Ex Man City Legend) Agrees to be my Goal Keeping Coach, and 2 more ex pros join as new scouts, games tick by still struggle to see players come in. However by the 2nd game of the month Banton has joined on loan and a reshuffle in midfield has made goals goals goals


Fixtures

Ebbsfleet 5-2 St Albans
Sheringham 2
Godden
Symons
Barthram
However Murray sent of for a reckless 2 footed challenge I had words


Weston Super Mare 2- 3 Ebsfleet
McMahon
Godden
Sheringham (pen)


Hayes & Yeading 0-4 Ebsfleet
Godden 2
Banton (On Debut)
Hennessay


Ebbsfleet 2-0 Sutton
Risser
McMahon

Hemel Heampstead 2-2 Ebbsfleet FA Cup 2nd Rnd Qual
Banton
Adijaya (OG)


Well what a race for the top spot we now have after a perfect September in the league I smash past Boreham and land in top spot a couple of points clear. Whitehawk after being title favs slump to 18th and its bye bye Steve King.

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Just one player decided to join the charge in September on loan and choosen as per an earlier suggestion I wouldnt of normally had a look at him Mr Banton

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Played 3 Scored 2 made 1 he could be one for the future at this level, although by that time I'm hopping I may be in the higher leagues. This disappointment of the month was the FA Cup 2nd qual held 2-2 away the reply maybe easier
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[Poodles]

October


Form flips bad performances & bad discipline equaling bad results and the loss of top spot.
Hemel Heampstead put us out of the FA Cup Qual replay In Extra time thanks to 3 penalties and 2 sendings off, and with that we go down at home in the next game. Shocking few weeks before we slowly get it back together near the end of the month.


Fixtures

Ebbsfleet 1-4 Hemel Heampstead FA Cup 2nd Rnd Qual Replay
SheringhamClark off
Symons off

Farnborough 2 - 1 Ebsfleet
Sheringham (pen)


Ebbsfleet 2-0 Eastbourne
Godden 2

Hemel Heampstead 0-2 Ebbsfleet (Revenge)
Risser
Sheringham

Ebbsfleet 2-3 Gosport
Banton
Risser
Symons Off (again)

Ebbsfleet 5-3 Hayes & Yeading
Risser 3
Herd
Middleton


So we managed to get through Ocotober by my main concern goals we seem to keep letting in stupid ones it may be something I need to look at to secure ourselves at the back. However scoring seems to be in the bag. I realised I was sort at the back and added a new LB just before the Hayes & Yeading match didnt stop us shipping 3 but he scored one for us.

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[Poodles]

November


We manage an awesome undefeated run pick up 10 points from 12.
Progress in the FA Trophy is easy I managed to give 8 of the reserves and youth team and run out my strikers are still running amok with Godden and Sheringham doing ok but finally my 3rd striker Purcell joins the party. After a 3-3 draw at the start of the month I decide we need to fix that leak at the back and Austin joins to secure the right side of the CDs

Fixtures

Staines 3 - 3 Ebsfleet
Clark
Godden
Purcell

Purcells 1st goal for the club after 9 games with blanks thank the lord

Ebbsfleet 6-0 Bath
Sheringham 3 (2 Pens)
Purcell 2
Austin

Austin joins we keep a clean sheet and he scores can you get a better debut! He'll be injured for the next match though


Ebbsfleet 4 - 3 Farnborough
Godden
Purcell 2
Symons

Eastbourne 1 - 4 Ebbsfleet
Godden 2
Sheringham
Purcell

The 1st game all 3 strikes net at the same time we go into half time 1 nil down. I read them the riot act and just swap the 3 forwards positions by the 60th minute we're 4 up and sailing

Dulwich 1 - 3 Ebbsfleet FA Trophy 3rd Qual
Purcell
McMahon
Acheampong

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5 games to come in December including that 1st round of the Southern FA Trophy I may go for a stronger team there and push for the progression as the board are already a little annoyed I didnt manage to get to the 1st round proper of the FA Cup. Ryan Austin has quickly settled into her Right Sided CD role.

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[Poodles]

December

The rain and snow came and well lower teams playing surfaces suffer, our attacking ball to feet, speed attack system is stretched to the limit and double injuries to my LBs and 2 CBs causes all sorts of headaches the bonus 2 games postponed and a nice cup win eases the heartache.

Fixtures

Ebbsfleet 3 - 1 Hayes & Yeading FA Trophy Round 1
Risser 2
Inman OG


Maidenhead 3 - 4 Ebbsfleet
Risser
Purcell
Austin
Banton

OMG what a game 2 down 2 mins before half-time score 1 and then 3 more just after half time as the injuries hit and then score in the 85th minute and swap our goal.


Ebbsfleet 5 - 1 Weston-super-Mare
Godden
Sheringham
Purcell 2
Fortune OG

The 2nd game all 3 strikes net at the same time we were 5 nil up at the half and coast to the win

Ebbsfleet 3 - 3 Basingstoke
Sheringham
Purcell 2

For the last game of the year I was down to pretty much a shadow squad injuries bit suspensions for 5 yellow cards mounted up, feel pretty lucky to escape with a draw. Elsewhere Bath, Boreham & Wealdstone are still in touch I can't seem to get enough clean wins to pull away. But we're over halfway though the season so I'm confident.

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[Poodles]

January - April

More rain, bad results, bad tempers crazy goals and finally redemption, unfortunately my steam account went off on one last night and it lost the January - April results . So this is just a quick catch up regarding the 2nd half of the season, I've managed to save a couple of the screen shorts so here is the story of what happened.

January started badly we suffered back to back defeats in the 1st week before rallying it seemed the only thing that was saying us was the power to score goals, in the FA Trophy we went from strength to strength it was proper bad league results dont matter in the cup as we smashed and battled our way into the final

February and same start awful 1st couple of games before a few limit winners towards the end saved us and left us clinging on to 1st spot just. At Christmas we made a ten point gab and looked like it was going to be a run away success by the end of February the pack was catching.

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March

Disatrous worse month of my FM15 life we couldnt buy a win we play 7 games and draw all 6 suddenly from being away and clear, we'd been top of the league since week two of the season and now with 4 weeks to go, I'm 3rd and seriously struggling. 1pt behind the leaders, the only saving grace a few water logged pitches meant if I could find a winning formula we'd still be able to do this 6 games in April would decide the season.

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April Season End in Site

We win the FA Trophy, silverware in the cabinet, that seems to give the boys a boost, we start April with a 1-0 nil away defeat to Bath title challengers, i tweak the defence and Clark who'd been injured all through Febraury and March as my CD rock is back, we storm on a 5 game unbeaten run. Clinching the title on the final day by 6 pts, in process smashing a 100+ goals

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Well what a finish to the season, fingers crossed my steam holds out for the next season as we'll go back to month on month reports, 3 quarters of my squad at the moment are refushing to sign contracts so it'll be a busy summer of signings/deals

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