From Northern League to the Premier League?

[SimonJ96]

I quite like reading other people's manager stories but eventfully I decided when I got the new FM 2013 I'd make my own manager story up. The next phase was what team to manage, I support Newcastle United but recently since 2009 I've started following my hometown team which is Gateshead FC. During FM 2011 & 2012 I've only mainly managed these 2 teams and occasionally an average championship team such as Bristol City or Leicester City. I have been successful bar winning numerous titles during my FM years but I've had the odd relegation with Gateshead in the football league. However I've decided to attempt to get a Northern League team to the Premier League in as few seasons possible. I decided to be a Northern League team after following Darlington's demise which lead them to the Northern League Division 1. I've decided to be Hebburn Town in light of BBC's new sitcom 'Hebburn' and also because I live in Pelaw which is just up the road from Hebburn. I hope this all makes sense and I aim to update at least once week!
If you read all the way through thanks for reading Simon

 

[SimonJ96]

Hebburn Town's new manager Simon Johnson

View attachment 284871

 

[SimonJ96]

Pre-Season with Hebburn Town.

Pre-Season ​

I started work on the 18th July 2012, I wasn't aware that the contract system was that I could only offer amateur contarcts. This meant I could approach other teams and offer their players ac ontract and 9/10 times I'd sign them up for free which went well because I had £0 transfer budget. This would probably be key in recruiting players to help with the promotion challenge.
I only played 2 friendlies. One was against our reserve side which and the other being against Team Northumbria which were in my league but I needed to get a rough idea what my strongest team was. One major coup of the contract system meant I signed Adam Boyd who was previously at Hartlepool United last season and he was the star of pre-season.
Hebburn Town 5-3 Hebburn Town Reserves
(Stuart Nicholson, Ste Woodman & Adam Boyd x3)
MOTM: Adam Boyd, Hat-trick and 1 assist.
Hebburn Town 4-3 Team Northumbria
(Stuart Nicholson, Adam Boyd x2 & Steve Foster) (Matty Harrington x3)
MOTM: Adam Boyd, 2 goals and 2 assists
After these 2 games it became evident that I needed a better defence and a good winger because I seemed to concede goals whilst playing 4-4-2 but when I 4-3-1-2 I didn't concede and I scored a lot of goals. Below are the transfers I made. Most of them were signed for cover then released when I realised they weren't good enough.

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/542944284624680194/7D719A64BFE2425D67C0EBCB1455AAC12B37E9A8/

 

[SimonJ96]

August

August

Matchday1: 11/08/2012
Hebburn Town 4-3 Billingham Town
(Stuart Nicholson, Paul Grainger, Daniel Borley & Adam Boyd) (M.Dunwell x2 &G.Jones)
My first competitive fixture was against Billingham Town at home. It was a dry Saturday afternoon and a massive 90 fans (Including 12 away fans) turned up to watch me make my managerial debut. I promised in my first press conference that the style of football we would play would be exciting and it would offer great entertainment for the fans. The match started out with both team struggling to retain possessing and neither keeper being really tested. However on 32 mins M.Dunwell placed a left footed shot low into the bottom left corner. M.Dunwell then doubled Billingham's catching us on the counter attack. 2 minutes later Stuart Nicholson cut the deficit with a fantastic 25 yard strike into the roof of the net after Adam Boyd played a long cross field pass to Nicholson. Paul Grainger then equalized on just before the hour mark with a outstanding volley from 30 yards out from a Adam Boyd cross to end a brilliant passing move. Then we took the lead with a 71st minute free kick that flew into the top corner from 25 yards out from Daniel Borley. We looked to see the remainder of the game out but in the 82nd minute G.Jones caught out our keeper McCarthy with a 25 yard chip, this goal looked likely to settle the match as a draw. But in dramatic style Adam Boyd scored in the 89th miunte when he stabbed home from 6 yards outto secure us our 1st win of the season.
MOTM: Adam Boyd
Att: 90

Matchday2: 15/08/2012
Spennymoor Town 0-2 Hebburn Town
(Adam Boyd & Michael Laws O.G)
MOTM: Adam Boyd
Att:279

Matchday3: 18/08/2012
Hebburn Town 4-1 Team Northumbria
(Steve Foster, Steven Richardson, Stuart Nicholson & Paul Grainger) (Matty Harrington)
MOTM: Steve Richardson
Att:81

Matchday4: 21/08/2012
Hebburn Town1-3 Dunston
(Tom Marron) (Andrew Bulford,Stephen Goddard & Christian Vale)
MOTM: Tom Marron
Att:108

Matchday5: 25/08/2012
Norton& Stockton Ancients 0-2 Hebburn Town
(Steven Richardson x2)
MOTM: Steven Richardson
Att:106

At the end of August the league table looks like this:

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