Football. ****** ****!
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The following day I decided to give the squad a break from training. They had earned it with all the hard work. So I decided to have a day off and spend it with the family. We decided to head the coast and just cabbage. Fresh air would do everyone, especially me some good. Unsurprisingly, Whitley Bay was packed to the rafters with locals and tourists. The sea breeze was refreshing and I watched with a smile as the kids bolted away for some fish and chips. My girlfriend looked at me.
"Good idea this. We needed a break-especially you. Been working really hard lately." I leant on the metal fence and looked at the waves crashing against the rocks below.
"Tell me about." I replied. "This could be my last break for a while. May only be a part time contract, but it's still pretty much full time work." She gave a playful nudge.
"You'll do just fine. Look at how you've done so far already and the seasons not even started yet." Everyone I knew had been saying the same thing-and the fans too. Encouragement can do the world of good-in the right doses. "Just remember not to bring your work home too often-there's only so much a woman can put up with when it comes to football!" I looked at her with a smile.
"I'll try my hardest. Can't always promise though. But I will try." We then continued with the relaxing and didn't mention football the rest of the day. Though it was continuously at the back of my mind. One of the downsides. Now matter how hard you try-it's nearly impossible to not think about football when away from the club while doing something else. You have to at least try to occupy yourself with something else so it doesn't take you over clearly. But today, it did the world of good.
The following few days, was the nitty gritty of training. We had no more injury worries to be concerned with thankfully. Barring Michael Robson, it was a clean bill of health. There was a real zip around training. But I also had a feeling there would be a few nerves too. Kickoff was tomorrow after all. I know I was getting a bit nervous. But also very excited. It would be my managerial debut. I couldn't wait for it. I waited until the players were ready for their final training session then shut the door in the changing room.
"Right lads. Tomorrow is the first match of the season. Everyone ready for it?" The captain Ben Cattanach spoke first.
"More than ready boss!" he nearly shouted. "Just itching to get on that pitch and get the first win. The pre-season went great for us. I think this can be a great season this year. This could be our time to go up." There were heads nodding everywhere. I smiled.
"I think so to Ben. You've been working very, very hard since we began our training. Now, if anyone is nervous-don't be. You needn't be worried. It's only the first game of a long season. We're going to win some games, we're going to lose some games and of course we're going to draw. It's football. Anything can happen. We've all seen it. We've seen the biggest clubs get dismantled by clubs a few divisions below them. We saw what happened to Manchester United played against York City in the cup a few years back. So don't expect to win every game. Just work hard, and do your best. Just don't pressure yourselves too much-it'll just screw you up and you won't be able to perform to your best." Every single player was listening intently.
It was now Steve Pickering's turn to speak.
"Have to say boss, the reason I think we're going to do well is what you've brought to the team. It's been a breath of fresh air with a new formation, new strategy....the change has done us a world of good." There was some mutterings of agreement. "Trainings enjoyable, more discipline, more involvement between players and staff-it's made things much easier, and because we're not being pushed as hard we're able to relax more and play better." I nodded and took a seat in the middle of the room.
"Good, good." He was right. There was a very positive, relaxed atmosphere. "I don't know about your previous gaffer, but I go along the lines of constant communication, discipline mixed with a bit of fun. You enjoy your football more and you play better. So today we'll do a bit of relaxing and only do light training. Want you in peak condition for tomorrow. Though uh....not sure when I'm getting involved in a 5-a-side again. In worse shape than I thought. So just go out there, relax and don't push yourselves too hard okay? And don't forget-anything troubling you on or off the pitch-come and see me or Chris okay? Right, go and do what you have to."
And before I knew it-the last training session before kickoff was over. As I headed back home on the usual bus, a lot of things preyed on my mind. Player instructions, which players to pick for the subs bench-and of course the starting eleven. I would have to disappoint someone but that's football. It's a squad game. But it wouldn't be the same continuous lineup so everyone would get games during the season. They all pretty much deserved it. And I was convinced they would all play a part in the success that I foresaw. I would also like to indulge in a brief history lesson in our first oppoents that not many people are aware of-if I may.
West Auckland is a small village in County Durham-to the west of Bishop Auckland. If I asked you who won the first World Cup, you'd instinctively say Uruguay. Or is it really Uruguay? Some people in County Durham would say otherwise. But why would they disagree? Well, the reason they'd disagree is a fantastic yarn about a small north-eastern club, that was made up of a group miners and traders who were invited to take part in a prominent international tournament in Italy, and ended up thrashing Italian giants Juventus. On this day in 1909 West Auckland became the first winners of the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy.
Sir Thomas Lipton (of the famous Lipton Tea), a millionaire who had business interests in Britain and Italy, decided to host a tournament in Turin between teams from Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Britain. Torino XI (Italy), Stuttgarter Sportfreunde (Germany), FC Winterthur (Switzerland) all turned up to play in the competition. However, the English Football Association (in their usual wisdowm!) decided not to send a team. Angry, Sir Thomas was not going to sit around and let this happen, and wanted a British representative, although why he chose West Auckland still to this day, is still very much unclear.
It is very probable that one of Lipton’s employees had a personal connection to the club, but whatever the reason the players travelled to Turin in 1909 to take part in the tournament. However, for many it would be at their own costs. At the two-day event ‘West’ beat Stuttgarter Sportfreunde 2-0 in the first match, and then beat FC Winterthur by the same scoreline to win the trophy. In 1911 they were invited back to defend their title-and they did it in some fashion. In their first game they beat FC Zurich 2-0 before mauling Juventus 6-1 in the final. Having won it twice the team were allowed to keep the trophy for good-and the competition was never staged again. Does it justify the claim to winning the first World Cup? Who knows. It is still a fascinating story for us football purists all the same.
The club kept the trophy-but unfortunately financial problems forced them to **** it to the landlady of a local pub. It wasn't until 1960 that a local village appeal raised the funds necessary to return the cup to the football club. But sadly in 1994 (and like the FA Cup and the World Cup), the cup was stolen and, despite offering £2,000 as a reward for recovering it, the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy was never recovered. A replica is on display in the West Auckland Working Men’s Club.
Just a year after their famous victory, debts caused the club to collapse and disappear and withdraw from the Northern League but were reformed in 1914 under the name West Auckland Town FC in 1914, although they have never hit the heights that they did during the early twentieth century.
"Good idea this. We needed a break-especially you. Been working really hard lately." I leant on the metal fence and looked at the waves crashing against the rocks below.
"Tell me about." I replied. "This could be my last break for a while. May only be a part time contract, but it's still pretty much full time work." She gave a playful nudge.
"You'll do just fine. Look at how you've done so far already and the seasons not even started yet." Everyone I knew had been saying the same thing-and the fans too. Encouragement can do the world of good-in the right doses. "Just remember not to bring your work home too often-there's only so much a woman can put up with when it comes to football!" I looked at her with a smile.
"I'll try my hardest. Can't always promise though. But I will try." We then continued with the relaxing and didn't mention football the rest of the day. Though it was continuously at the back of my mind. One of the downsides. Now matter how hard you try-it's nearly impossible to not think about football when away from the club while doing something else. You have to at least try to occupy yourself with something else so it doesn't take you over clearly. But today, it did the world of good.
The following few days, was the nitty gritty of training. We had no more injury worries to be concerned with thankfully. Barring Michael Robson, it was a clean bill of health. There was a real zip around training. But I also had a feeling there would be a few nerves too. Kickoff was tomorrow after all. I know I was getting a bit nervous. But also very excited. It would be my managerial debut. I couldn't wait for it. I waited until the players were ready for their final training session then shut the door in the changing room.
"Right lads. Tomorrow is the first match of the season. Everyone ready for it?" The captain Ben Cattanach spoke first.
"More than ready boss!" he nearly shouted. "Just itching to get on that pitch and get the first win. The pre-season went great for us. I think this can be a great season this year. This could be our time to go up." There were heads nodding everywhere. I smiled.
"I think so to Ben. You've been working very, very hard since we began our training. Now, if anyone is nervous-don't be. You needn't be worried. It's only the first game of a long season. We're going to win some games, we're going to lose some games and of course we're going to draw. It's football. Anything can happen. We've all seen it. We've seen the biggest clubs get dismantled by clubs a few divisions below them. We saw what happened to Manchester United played against York City in the cup a few years back. So don't expect to win every game. Just work hard, and do your best. Just don't pressure yourselves too much-it'll just screw you up and you won't be able to perform to your best." Every single player was listening intently.
It was now Steve Pickering's turn to speak.
"Have to say boss, the reason I think we're going to do well is what you've brought to the team. It's been a breath of fresh air with a new formation, new strategy....the change has done us a world of good." There was some mutterings of agreement. "Trainings enjoyable, more discipline, more involvement between players and staff-it's made things much easier, and because we're not being pushed as hard we're able to relax more and play better." I nodded and took a seat in the middle of the room.
"Good, good." He was right. There was a very positive, relaxed atmosphere. "I don't know about your previous gaffer, but I go along the lines of constant communication, discipline mixed with a bit of fun. You enjoy your football more and you play better. So today we'll do a bit of relaxing and only do light training. Want you in peak condition for tomorrow. Though uh....not sure when I'm getting involved in a 5-a-side again. In worse shape than I thought. So just go out there, relax and don't push yourselves too hard okay? And don't forget-anything troubling you on or off the pitch-come and see me or Chris okay? Right, go and do what you have to."
And before I knew it-the last training session before kickoff was over. As I headed back home on the usual bus, a lot of things preyed on my mind. Player instructions, which players to pick for the subs bench-and of course the starting eleven. I would have to disappoint someone but that's football. It's a squad game. But it wouldn't be the same continuous lineup so everyone would get games during the season. They all pretty much deserved it. And I was convinced they would all play a part in the success that I foresaw. I would also like to indulge in a brief history lesson in our first oppoents that not many people are aware of-if I may.
West Auckland is a small village in County Durham-to the west of Bishop Auckland. If I asked you who won the first World Cup, you'd instinctively say Uruguay. Or is it really Uruguay? Some people in County Durham would say otherwise. But why would they disagree? Well, the reason they'd disagree is a fantastic yarn about a small north-eastern club, that was made up of a group miners and traders who were invited to take part in a prominent international tournament in Italy, and ended up thrashing Italian giants Juventus. On this day in 1909 West Auckland became the first winners of the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy.
Sir Thomas Lipton (of the famous Lipton Tea), a millionaire who had business interests in Britain and Italy, decided to host a tournament in Turin between teams from Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Britain. Torino XI (Italy), Stuttgarter Sportfreunde (Germany), FC Winterthur (Switzerland) all turned up to play in the competition. However, the English Football Association (in their usual wisdowm!) decided not to send a team. Angry, Sir Thomas was not going to sit around and let this happen, and wanted a British representative, although why he chose West Auckland still to this day, is still very much unclear.
It is very probable that one of Lipton’s employees had a personal connection to the club, but whatever the reason the players travelled to Turin in 1909 to take part in the tournament. However, for many it would be at their own costs. At the two-day event ‘West’ beat Stuttgarter Sportfreunde 2-0 in the first match, and then beat FC Winterthur by the same scoreline to win the trophy. In 1911 they were invited back to defend their title-and they did it in some fashion. In their first game they beat FC Zurich 2-0 before mauling Juventus 6-1 in the final. Having won it twice the team were allowed to keep the trophy for good-and the competition was never staged again. Does it justify the claim to winning the first World Cup? Who knows. It is still a fascinating story for us football purists all the same.
The club kept the trophy-but unfortunately financial problems forced them to **** it to the landlady of a local pub. It wasn't until 1960 that a local village appeal raised the funds necessary to return the cup to the football club. But sadly in 1994 (and like the FA Cup and the World Cup), the cup was stolen and, despite offering £2,000 as a reward for recovering it, the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy was never recovered. A replica is on display in the West Auckland Working Men’s Club.
Just a year after their famous victory, debts caused the club to collapse and disappear and withdraw from the Northern League but were reformed in 1914 under the name West Auckland Town FC in 1914, although they have never hit the heights that they did during the early twentieth century.
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Apologies if the last bit wasn't very interesting, but I found it interesting so I gave in to my selfishness 
Going to be a new direction for the story-if I find any interesting facts going to merge them into the story
Going to be a new direction for the story-if I find any interesting facts going to merge them into the story
The big day had finally arrived. Kick-off. I'd been waiting for this since....well...last night if I'm honest. There wasn't much sleep to be had. I spent most of the night pacing in the living room. Nothing worked-Horlicks, Ovaltine....I had been tempted with Jack Daniels but that would have been fatal. So spent the night pacing and smoking. The more I watched the clock the slower time seemed to go. It was maddening at times. So I ended up listening to light music and dozing off on the couch. Waking to find the cat asleep on top me-his face shoved into mine.
It was a very sunny morning and very mild. Not a cloud in the sky. Season opener weather. Absolutely perfect. I couldn't eat any breakfast. My stomach was so full of butterflies. All I could was smoke cigarettes and drink cup after cup of black coffee. And it wasn't even 7 o'clock yet-I'd be bouncing off the walls before long with all the caffeine. I washed and shaved. I looked at myself in the mirror once I was dressed. Shirt, tie, trousers, black suit jacket-wanted to give a professional appearance. I looked at myself in the mirror again. You can do this I told myself. It's only the first day but you can win-have a little faith for once. The other half had woken up.
"You all set then?" she asked half asleep. I took a deep breath.
"As ready as I'll ever be. Desperate to get started. Still got about 8 hours until kickoff. So I suspect much dragging of time." I smiled wryly. She gave me a good luck kiss.
"You'll be fine. You've already shown you can do it in other matches. Today won't be any different." I kissed her back.
"Thanks babes." Then I gave her a hug. "Well....." I said adjusting my tie. "Here we go then." I gave a her one last hug then left for the bus. This was going to be the biggest moment of my life. A community would be watching me and my players on the pitch. I would be in the local press. I would at some point be on the local tv again. I would be the focal point of a lot of things. And if it went badly I'd be shown the door. Stop worrying for gods sake! I told myself. It's only going to be the first match of 42-not including cup games!
When I arrived at the ground it was deathly quiet save for the birds and distant traffic. There were a few well wishers on the way in too which helped me to relax. I hung up my jacket and took a seat, letting out a deep breath. I looked at my watch. Twenty past nine in the morning. I decided to go through the e-mails. Quiet in that department too, except a good luck message from the chairman, and a few others from friends. I stood at the doorway and breathed deeply, then sipping what must have been my 6th coffee of the morning. I walked to the pitch and had a look. Perfect condition. Then I saw Chris pull up in the car park. He waved.
"Morning gaffer. You all set for the big day?" I waved back and walked towards him.
"Pretty much. Didn't get much kip though. Just desperate for kick off." He chuckled.
"Don't blame you. Don't worry though. Once the players arrive time will speed up. Before you know it, it'll be kick off." He made a good point. Once I start getting busy the day will fly past. We both headed inside the office and began discussing the upcoming match. Once we finished talking the players had started to show up gradually-as had some fans just a few feet from the ground, watching with curiosity. Captain Ben Cattanach looked over and smiled.
"All set for the big off Ben?" I called. He gave the thumbs up and grinned like a loon.
"Dam right I am boss. Have a good feeling about today. We're goin' to win those 3 points!" then trudged into the dressing room. His enthusiasm had clearly rubbed off on the other players-and me. Precisely why I had made him captain. He was full of enthusiasm and drive. Failure was not an option for him. He was also a model professional too. I headed back into the office to prepare for the pre-match team talk. I looked back and saw that the West Auckland FC players had arrived too, along with a few of their fans.
With half an hour until kickoff, I kept the team talk to the basics. It was very similar to the very first one I gave in our first pre-season match. Work hard, be committed, don't do anything stupid. Stick to the basic, yet essential fundamentals, of playing football. But at the same time, reminded them that it was only the first match of 42. It wouldn't make or break our season. Then with 5 minutes to go, they headed onto the pitch. Fans applauded both sides with enthusiasm. I couldn't believe how close to the field of play the fans were. I loved it. It's how it was meant to be. Where you can literally hear the action. The tackles, the ball being struck, fans shaking a players hand as he walks onto the pitch. And there was no need for stewards or policing. It was sad you rarely saw that any more.
As I walked to the touchline the fans applauded me, some shouting me luck for now and the rest of the season. I waved back at them with both arms in appreciation. I also had words of encouragement from West Auckland manager Paul Dixon, who gave me a firm handshake and a pat on the shoulder. I was now buzzing. Then before I knew it, the referee had blown for the game to begin. I know I wouldn't be sitting anywhere-I simply couldn't keep still.
The team exploded off the blocks, adrenalin pumping through them. Ben Cattanach nearly scoring after only 90 seconds, only the crossbar denying him. It looked a certain goal. Then we had our breakthrough goal on the 3rd minute, Andrew Bulford latching on to a great pass from Steve Pickering inside the area and smashing it home. It was a fantastic start and I punched the air like a man possessed. 12 minutes later it got even better, with Steve Shaw picking up the ball just over the half way line. He ran full speed toward the goal and unleased a venomous piledriver-the keeper had no chance. I couldn't have wished for a better start. And from thereon, we never looked back.
View attachment 226381
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Man of the Match
Steven Shaw - 3 goals
When the final whistle went we were all jubliant. Chris, the players and the fans. 7-0 the final score. It was a simply fantastic performance. The West Auckland players and manager looked absolutely shellshocked. They didn't know what had hit them. My first league match of the season in charge and we were top of the division. I was just speechless. Words can't express how I felt that day. Even now I can't describe the emotions coursing through me after the whistle blew. I had nothing but praise for each and every player. Even the chairman phoned me and passed on his congratulations. He was clearly overjoyed.
If we could keep this style of play up, I could see us going only in one direction. But there was a long, long way to go....................
It was a very sunny morning and very mild. Not a cloud in the sky. Season opener weather. Absolutely perfect. I couldn't eat any breakfast. My stomach was so full of butterflies. All I could was smoke cigarettes and drink cup after cup of black coffee. And it wasn't even 7 o'clock yet-I'd be bouncing off the walls before long with all the caffeine. I washed and shaved. I looked at myself in the mirror once I was dressed. Shirt, tie, trousers, black suit jacket-wanted to give a professional appearance. I looked at myself in the mirror again. You can do this I told myself. It's only the first day but you can win-have a little faith for once. The other half had woken up.
"You all set then?" she asked half asleep. I took a deep breath.
"As ready as I'll ever be. Desperate to get started. Still got about 8 hours until kickoff. So I suspect much dragging of time." I smiled wryly. She gave me a good luck kiss.
"You'll be fine. You've already shown you can do it in other matches. Today won't be any different." I kissed her back.
"Thanks babes." Then I gave her a hug. "Well....." I said adjusting my tie. "Here we go then." I gave a her one last hug then left for the bus. This was going to be the biggest moment of my life. A community would be watching me and my players on the pitch. I would be in the local press. I would at some point be on the local tv again. I would be the focal point of a lot of things. And if it went badly I'd be shown the door. Stop worrying for gods sake! I told myself. It's only going to be the first match of 42-not including cup games!
When I arrived at the ground it was deathly quiet save for the birds and distant traffic. There were a few well wishers on the way in too which helped me to relax. I hung up my jacket and took a seat, letting out a deep breath. I looked at my watch. Twenty past nine in the morning. I decided to go through the e-mails. Quiet in that department too, except a good luck message from the chairman, and a few others from friends. I stood at the doorway and breathed deeply, then sipping what must have been my 6th coffee of the morning. I walked to the pitch and had a look. Perfect condition. Then I saw Chris pull up in the car park. He waved.
"Morning gaffer. You all set for the big day?" I waved back and walked towards him.
"Pretty much. Didn't get much kip though. Just desperate for kick off." He chuckled.
"Don't blame you. Don't worry though. Once the players arrive time will speed up. Before you know it, it'll be kick off." He made a good point. Once I start getting busy the day will fly past. We both headed inside the office and began discussing the upcoming match. Once we finished talking the players had started to show up gradually-as had some fans just a few feet from the ground, watching with curiosity. Captain Ben Cattanach looked over and smiled.
"All set for the big off Ben?" I called. He gave the thumbs up and grinned like a loon.
"Dam right I am boss. Have a good feeling about today. We're goin' to win those 3 points!" then trudged into the dressing room. His enthusiasm had clearly rubbed off on the other players-and me. Precisely why I had made him captain. He was full of enthusiasm and drive. Failure was not an option for him. He was also a model professional too. I headed back into the office to prepare for the pre-match team talk. I looked back and saw that the West Auckland FC players had arrived too, along with a few of their fans.
With half an hour until kickoff, I kept the team talk to the basics. It was very similar to the very first one I gave in our first pre-season match. Work hard, be committed, don't do anything stupid. Stick to the basic, yet essential fundamentals, of playing football. But at the same time, reminded them that it was only the first match of 42. It wouldn't make or break our season. Then with 5 minutes to go, they headed onto the pitch. Fans applauded both sides with enthusiasm. I couldn't believe how close to the field of play the fans were. I loved it. It's how it was meant to be. Where you can literally hear the action. The tackles, the ball being struck, fans shaking a players hand as he walks onto the pitch. And there was no need for stewards or policing. It was sad you rarely saw that any more.
As I walked to the touchline the fans applauded me, some shouting me luck for now and the rest of the season. I waved back at them with both arms in appreciation. I also had words of encouragement from West Auckland manager Paul Dixon, who gave me a firm handshake and a pat on the shoulder. I was now buzzing. Then before I knew it, the referee had blown for the game to begin. I know I wouldn't be sitting anywhere-I simply couldn't keep still.
The team exploded off the blocks, adrenalin pumping through them. Ben Cattanach nearly scoring after only 90 seconds, only the crossbar denying him. It looked a certain goal. Then we had our breakthrough goal on the 3rd minute, Andrew Bulford latching on to a great pass from Steve Pickering inside the area and smashing it home. It was a fantastic start and I punched the air like a man possessed. 12 minutes later it got even better, with Steve Shaw picking up the ball just over the half way line. He ran full speed toward the goal and unleased a venomous piledriver-the keeper had no chance. I couldn't have wished for a better start. And from thereon, we never looked back.
View attachment 226381
View attachment 226382
View attachment 226383
Man of the Match
Steven Shaw - 3 goals
If we could keep this style of play up, I could see us going only in one direction. But there was a long, long way to go....................
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Just wondering if readers would prefer match by match updates along with other bits and bobs, or just a general round up of matches like say on a monthly/fortnightly basis? I don't mind either way tbh, but don't want the readers getting bored thats all as i know not everyone is into level 10 football
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The following day I was still buzzing. We even had a larger than normal article in the Evening Chronicle-I kept seeing words like mauling, blitz, shellshocked.........all pretty accurate descriptions. Though it was an amazing result, I had to ensure that the players did not get too complacent or carried away. And I had to ensure I did the same. Losing focus for one moment can be fatal and unravel all the hard work. Though after getting to know the players well by now, I shouldn't be too difficult to do. I had to get the perfect balance between praise and caution. Being overly optomistic after one match would be a no-no.
The players had the day off to recover after yesterday. Then it would be back to the grind of training, in preparation for the match against Marske. I expected a win if I'm honest now. They were a similar club to us, but with a poorer quality of players. No disrespect to them. But the players lacked agility and pace, and from footage I had seen, passing was terrible, tackling was poor, and they lacked self-belief and confidence. And they had no manager. It would probably be tough at first, but I suspected there would be plenty of goals. So it would be a good idea to rotate players, and play the ones who needed match fitness and experience.
When match day arrived, I made my feelings clear to the players before kickoff.
"Okay guys. The last match is now history. You were exceptional that day, and today I excpect another good performance. But don't complacent out there though. They're not the best club granted. But even the poorest of clubs can nick a win courtesy of a mistake at some point. Seen it happen many a time. So today is no different to last time. Keep the ball, hassle, short passing, drill your crosses. Keep the ball on the ground-if you float them in, they'll probably go awol. It's really blowy out there today. Apart from that, you know what to do out there." The players gained focus, and it was apparent they were going to ensure that no mistakes were made.
It was a surprisingly tough match. The Marske players put in a real shift and worked really hard to break up the passing-they were pretty much using our own gameplan against us. And for a while it worked. And the wind totally screwed up some crosses which didn't help either. But on the 23rd minute we finally broke the deadlock with a Steve Pickering thunderbolt from around 25 yards out. The wind moving the ball from the keeper at the last moment. It was a relief-I had a feeling it wasn't going to be our day as Marske we're putting up a really good fight.
But the full time score didn't flatter us. It finished 5-0. Once we got the first goal, it knocked the wind out of their sails and their heads dropped. But more importantly for us, it was another clean sheet. 12 goals for and 0 against-and sitting pretty at the top of the division. Another faultless performance. And not one ounce of complacency was being shown. Just players determined not to screw up and play their best. But it was definately not the sort of start I was expecting. At all. I was ecstatic.
Next up 3 days later, we would play against Spennymoor. And yet again-another win. But this time with a much lower margin....2-0. But that was due to a complete rotation of the squad.
For me, that result was important. Spennymoor are a good side, and I wanted to test the other players-and they came through with flying colours. I was more than happy-we had good players all the way down. So we had greath depth. I didn't care by how many goals we won by, I wanted a good performance. They were capable of it and it showed. And it was tight at the top of the table with 5 teams having maximum points. Bedington, Tow Law, Whitley Bay, Consett and finally us-sitting at the top of the pile. I couldn't have asked for a better start to my career.
Now it would remain to be seen for how long this form could continue.............................
The players had the day off to recover after yesterday. Then it would be back to the grind of training, in preparation for the match against Marske. I expected a win if I'm honest now. They were a similar club to us, but with a poorer quality of players. No disrespect to them. But the players lacked agility and pace, and from footage I had seen, passing was terrible, tackling was poor, and they lacked self-belief and confidence. And they had no manager. It would probably be tough at first, but I suspected there would be plenty of goals. So it would be a good idea to rotate players, and play the ones who needed match fitness and experience.
When match day arrived, I made my feelings clear to the players before kickoff.
"Okay guys. The last match is now history. You were exceptional that day, and today I excpect another good performance. But don't complacent out there though. They're not the best club granted. But even the poorest of clubs can nick a win courtesy of a mistake at some point. Seen it happen many a time. So today is no different to last time. Keep the ball, hassle, short passing, drill your crosses. Keep the ball on the ground-if you float them in, they'll probably go awol. It's really blowy out there today. Apart from that, you know what to do out there." The players gained focus, and it was apparent they were going to ensure that no mistakes were made.
It was a surprisingly tough match. The Marske players put in a real shift and worked really hard to break up the passing-they were pretty much using our own gameplan against us. And for a while it worked. And the wind totally screwed up some crosses which didn't help either. But on the 23rd minute we finally broke the deadlock with a Steve Pickering thunderbolt from around 25 yards out. The wind moving the ball from the keeper at the last moment. It was a relief-I had a feeling it wasn't going to be our day as Marske we're putting up a really good fight.
But the full time score didn't flatter us. It finished 5-0. Once we got the first goal, it knocked the wind out of their sails and their heads dropped. But more importantly for us, it was another clean sheet. 12 goals for and 0 against-and sitting pretty at the top of the division. Another faultless performance. And not one ounce of complacency was being shown. Just players determined not to screw up and play their best. But it was definately not the sort of start I was expecting. At all. I was ecstatic.
Next up 3 days later, we would play against Spennymoor. And yet again-another win. But this time with a much lower margin....2-0. But that was due to a complete rotation of the squad.
For me, that result was important. Spennymoor are a good side, and I wanted to test the other players-and they came through with flying colours. I was more than happy-we had good players all the way down. So we had greath depth. I didn't care by how many goals we won by, I wanted a good performance. They were capable of it and it showed. And it was tight at the top of the table with 5 teams having maximum points. Bedington, Tow Law, Whitley Bay, Consett and finally us-sitting at the top of the pile. I couldn't have asked for a better start to my career.
Now it would remain to be seen for how long this form could continue.............................
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25th August 2011. It had been the perfect start. We were top of the table after dispatching of Billingham Town 2-0, and Norton and Stockton Ancients 5-0 respectively. So as it stood right now, 5 games played an maximum points-and staggeringly a goal still to be conceded. Looking back, I was amazed at how well things were going at the moment. I know I wanted good performances and hard work from the players but this was ridiculous! Bethnal Green at home in 2 days was next. An important game too as it was the FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round. A good cup run would be great for us, both for the players and course the fans. And that wasn’t including the financial benefits.
I thought about how great it would be to do our own giant killing. That’s what’s great about the FA Cup. At some point you always have a dream run for a small club-at times a club people have never heard of. And also provides a great distraction from the chore of playing so many league games.
I sat down on the couch and switched on the news. Away from football, the end of Colonel Gadhafi was fast approaching. He was now pretty much on borrowed time. There hadn’t been much good news lately. Conflicts spreading like wildfire everywhere-that’s all you heard about. It was pretty depressing stuff. Recession, wars, riots erupting in England started by a bunch of thugs….the world sounded pretty screwed up right now with no end in sight to the bleak news. Thank god for football.
Speaking of which, the end of the transfer window was fast approaching. Controversial player Joey Barton had joined QPR , Uruguayan defender Sebestian Coates joined Liverpool-joining Craig Bellamy. And Cesc Fabregas was pretty much on the verge of joining Barcelona, which I thought disastrous. They had already lost Samir Nasri to Manchester City. Well you know what they say-money talks. I decided to head out for a bit for a breath of fresh air.
So I had a walk down to Kingston Park, hopped on the Metro and headed for Newcastle City Centre. I was already gaining a lot of recognition from people. Not just from Dunston fans either. But also fans of Newcastle United and Gateshead. It was at first a pleasant experience. After a while though, you would like to have the day to yourself. Part and parcel of football management. But they were just wishing me well and giving me support so I can’t really have a go at them. Besides, it would be a lot worse at the top flight. Especially if I was a player. So glad I wasn’t!
I decided to head to head to the Quayside and sit on the bench. It was a lovely day. Tourists walking by, couples holding hands, men and their sons dipping their fishing rods in the Tyne, hoping for a bite. I felt totally relaxed having a break from the grind, and just basked in the sunlight smoking a cigarette, watching the Shields ferry pulling away further down the river. I looked at my watch-I’d have to make a move soon. It was then I decided not get the bus and decided to walk to the ground. It wasn’t really that far and knew the route by heart. Besides-I needed the exercise.
Along the way, things had hardly changed since I had lived in my old place. Walking past It was the same shop, pretty much the same people, same houses. The only things that changed were the numbers of the buses servicing the area. The memories came flooding back. Some good, some bad. It was around here that I had decided to live after flying the nest (to coin a phrase). And part of me wished I could turn the clock back to do some things differently. Like getting my first place to live and not getting evicted. That’s what I got for spending all my money on partying. You learn by your mistakes and boy did I get punished.
When I reached the ground, the team were already training. I walked over to Chris.
“How’s things going then?” I asked. He folded his arms. “
Very well.” He replied. “They’re all happy as larry and confident as ****. But not complacent though. Working hard, and everything’s going to plan. They’ve fully adjusted to everything now, including the 4-5-1.”
I nodded and folded my arms. “Great. Still can’t believe how well things are going right now. I mean, maximum points and top of the table? Feels like I’m dreaming.” Chris gave a small chuckle.
“Well, wake up lad. It’s all real. You’re doing a great job at the moment. Everything is spot on at the moment and the lads think the same thing as me, and the fans. The attendances are starting to increase too. If I was you, I wouldn’t change anything. No need to.” I allowed a smile of self -satisfaction.
It was bliss right now. Now we had a Cup tournament to prepare for………………………….
I thought about how great it would be to do our own giant killing. That’s what’s great about the FA Cup. At some point you always have a dream run for a small club-at times a club people have never heard of. And also provides a great distraction from the chore of playing so many league games.
I sat down on the couch and switched on the news. Away from football, the end of Colonel Gadhafi was fast approaching. He was now pretty much on borrowed time. There hadn’t been much good news lately. Conflicts spreading like wildfire everywhere-that’s all you heard about. It was pretty depressing stuff. Recession, wars, riots erupting in England started by a bunch of thugs….the world sounded pretty screwed up right now with no end in sight to the bleak news. Thank god for football.
Speaking of which, the end of the transfer window was fast approaching. Controversial player Joey Barton had joined QPR , Uruguayan defender Sebestian Coates joined Liverpool-joining Craig Bellamy. And Cesc Fabregas was pretty much on the verge of joining Barcelona, which I thought disastrous. They had already lost Samir Nasri to Manchester City. Well you know what they say-money talks. I decided to head out for a bit for a breath of fresh air.
So I had a walk down to Kingston Park, hopped on the Metro and headed for Newcastle City Centre. I was already gaining a lot of recognition from people. Not just from Dunston fans either. But also fans of Newcastle United and Gateshead. It was at first a pleasant experience. After a while though, you would like to have the day to yourself. Part and parcel of football management. But they were just wishing me well and giving me support so I can’t really have a go at them. Besides, it would be a lot worse at the top flight. Especially if I was a player. So glad I wasn’t!
I decided to head to head to the Quayside and sit on the bench. It was a lovely day. Tourists walking by, couples holding hands, men and their sons dipping their fishing rods in the Tyne, hoping for a bite. I felt totally relaxed having a break from the grind, and just basked in the sunlight smoking a cigarette, watching the Shields ferry pulling away further down the river. I looked at my watch-I’d have to make a move soon. It was then I decided not get the bus and decided to walk to the ground. It wasn’t really that far and knew the route by heart. Besides-I needed the exercise.
Along the way, things had hardly changed since I had lived in my old place. Walking past It was the same shop, pretty much the same people, same houses. The only things that changed were the numbers of the buses servicing the area. The memories came flooding back. Some good, some bad. It was around here that I had decided to live after flying the nest (to coin a phrase). And part of me wished I could turn the clock back to do some things differently. Like getting my first place to live and not getting evicted. That’s what I got for spending all my money on partying. You learn by your mistakes and boy did I get punished.
When I reached the ground, the team were already training. I walked over to Chris.
“How’s things going then?” I asked. He folded his arms. “
Very well.” He replied. “They’re all happy as larry and confident as ****. But not complacent though. Working hard, and everything’s going to plan. They’ve fully adjusted to everything now, including the 4-5-1.”
I nodded and folded my arms. “Great. Still can’t believe how well things are going right now. I mean, maximum points and top of the table? Feels like I’m dreaming.” Chris gave a small chuckle.
“Well, wake up lad. It’s all real. You’re doing a great job at the moment. Everything is spot on at the moment and the lads think the same thing as me, and the fans. The attendances are starting to increase too. If I was you, I wouldn’t change anything. No need to.” I allowed a smile of self -satisfaction.
It was bliss right now. Now we had a Cup tournament to prepare for………………………….
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this is a brilliant story mate and good luck with the badges
Cheers bud. Currently doing the respect part which is basically the very, very beginning. Basically a guide for parents. Deals primarily with mini-football, respecting referees, what you should/shouldn't do during a game....it's actually really interesting stuff. Good thing is, it's also free (should say 2 parts), and the minimum age to enrol in it is 16 (I think). Edit-And I'm now entering my details for my official FA Certificate for the resect part just completed. Chuffed to bits!
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tht is pretty awesome mate you should keep us updated on how ur badges goes and remember fm base guys when u end up managing a big team
Wow, big step. Best of lucks. And if there's anything you need...
...ask somebody else because it's a long way to Britain from here!
tht is pretty awesome mate you should keep us updated on how ur badges goes and remember fm base guys when u end up managing a big team
lol. Well, the first part was basically common sense really-but still. Official FA certificate speaks volumes. Just workin through stage two-but I have to say. The text is absolutely awful to read-and I mean awful. Good thing is, in a few months there's two towns locally holding a course for the lvl 1 badge. There's some next month, but they cost £110 so will need time to save it.
i can imagine it would be about as much fun as the driving theory test book lol bt the end result will definately be worth it though the cost is bit gutting lol
I'd love it tbh. I love footie and want to be involved. And because it's not until august it gives me time to save up the money. nd if I got it the pub crawl would be of epic proportions lol
i know you feel mate i love football more than anything we have a mental pub crawl after a amatuer game win so gettin your coachin badges means it wud have to be epic lol
Worst case scenario you'll end up coaching children.
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