It's All A Load of Balls - The European Journeyman! (FM18 Edition)

[BallyC7]

News Article: Ball To Leave FC Rosengard?

Chris Ball Said To Be Fuming With FC Rosengard Board
Following End Of Season Meeting

We bring to you today, breaking news from the IP Rosengard stadium where manager Chris Ball has attended his end of season meeting with the FC Rosengard board of directors. Rumours are coming from within the club that Ball left the meeting in a foul mood and is said to be fuming with the board.

Ball clearly feels that with a win percentage of 57% since taking over at the club 56 games ago, he should command more respect from the directors at the club. Apparently that is not the case though as Ball is said to have been given an ultimatum today with the board not happy at the club's failure to win the Division 2 Sodra Gotaland this season.

Despite not winning the league, Ball did lead FC Rosengard to their 2nd highest points tally ever amassed in the division and many pundits and fans alike feel he has been unlucky not to lead his team to at least a playoff spot this year. After all, the 54 points acquired would have won them the division in 2017 and 2018!

Chris Ball was unavailable for comment today, as he sped away from the club's ground! Many FC Rosengard fans will fear they may lose their talented young manager before next season, with one fan outside the ground predicting that Ball was off home to check the job boards and get his applications in to move clubs as soon as possible.
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[BallyC7]

Ball Swaps Swedish Division 2 for Scottish League Two

Chris Ball Swaps Swedish 2nd Division For Scottish 2nd Division

Clyde FC have today announced ex FC Rosengard manager Chris Ball as the new man in charge at the club.

The Swedish Division ended nearly 3 months ago and rumours were rife in Malmo that Ball was not happy with FC Rosengard's treatment of him at the end of the league campaign. Ball had been tasked with winning the league by the FC Rosengard board and despite delivering the club's 2nd best points tally in the club's league history and only losing 4 games throughout the league campaign, the FC Rosengard board expressed their discontent to Ball in an end of season review, as the club finished 3rd behind IFK Hassleholm and Hogaborgs BK who took the promotion and playoff spots.

Although not happy, the board did not sack Ball and it is believed they did offer him a new contract in December which was rejected. Things have been very quiet from both Ball and the club over the past couple of months but rumours have been rife that Ball has been actively searching for a new challenge.

Today those rumours were confirmed as Chris Ball was announced the new manager at Clyde FC, swapping Sweden for Scotland.

Clyde FC chairman, Norrie Innes, stated 'we are really pleased to bring Chris to Clyde. He boasts an impressive win ratio from his previous role and we are glad to bring him here and give him a fresh start. Chris can rely on us to give him our full backing and we are excited to see what the future holds under his management'.

Fans gathered outside the ground chanting Ball's name and are seemingly pleased with the appointment.

Ball joins Clyde half way through the season with the club currently sitting in 5th place in Scottish League Two, exactly where they were predicted to finish by the bookmakers at the start of the season. His first game in charge will be away at Brora Rangers tomorrow!


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[BallyC7]

Clyde FC

Year Founded: 1877
Country: Scotland
City: Cumbernauld

Professional Status: Professional
Training Facilities: Adequate
Youth Facilities: Below Average
Corporate Facilities: Fairly Basic
Reputation: Below Average (1 Star)

Stadium: Broadwood Stadium
Owned By: Council
Year Built: 1994
Capacity: 8,086 (all seated)

Fierce Rivals: None
Other Rivals: Partick Thistle (Historic), Hamilton (Competitive)
Derbies: None

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Previous Honours:

Scottish Premiership; Third Placed (1909, 1912, 1967)

Scottish Championship; Winners (1905, 1952, 1957, 1962, 1973)

Scottish Championship; Runner Up (1904, 1906, 1926, 1964, 2003, 2004)

Scottish Championship; Third Placed (1894, 1925, 2005)

Scottish League One; Winner (1978, 1982, 1993, 2000)

Scottish League One; Third Placed (1999)

Scottish League Two; Third Placed (2016, 2019)

William Hill Scottish Cup; Winner (1939, 1955, 1958)

William Scottish Cup; Runner Up (1910, 1912, 1949)

Petrofac Training Cup; Runner Up (2007)


Clyde are currently playing in the 4th tier of Scottish football, where they have been for the past 9 years. They have finished 3rd twice in the past 4 years but failed to gain promotion through the playoffs on both occasions. Their last competition win was back in 2000 when they won the League One title.

Current Position & Target

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As I take over, we are currently sitting 5th in the table, 7 points behind the playoff spots. We seem to have been the draw specialists so far this season with 9 draws from 19 games. The league is extremely close with only 2 points separating 5th to 8th.

We are already out of all three cups. Knocked out by Raith Rovers in the 3rd round of the William Hill Scottish Cup, knocked out in the group stage of the Scottish Communities League Cup, and knocked out by Partick Thistle U20s in the Petrofac Training Cup.

The board have given me one target to achieve between now and the end of the season; A Top Half Finish!

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[BallyC7]

Clyde FC Squad Evaluation

Squad Evaluation

I have good height in the side, with a number of players over 6ft.

Everyone in my squad is Scottish.

I have a very good central midfielder in Evan Horne.

Most areas on the pitch require improvement in quality of depth, with a poor standard of cover in most positions.

Jay Sandison and Conor Langton look like decent loanees.

There is currently a leadership void in the club.

We rank 7th out of 10 in the league on goals scored.

Nobody in the squad is playing very well with the highest average rating of any player being only 6.76 (Jay Sandison).

Our strikers are clearly underperforming and not scoring enough goals.

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Dynamics

The players are blending well together, although team cohesion could be better.

The dressing room atmosphere is OK, with most players content.

My reputation compared to the players is poor and it will take some convincing to get them on board.

I have 3 players unhappy as they would like more first team chances.

Kieran Duffie and Scott Linton are highly influential players within the squad.

Most of my players seems to be in the same core social group, with a small secondary social group.

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Best Players

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Name: Evan Horne
Nationality: Scotland
Position: MC
Age: 21

The young midfielder looks a decent player with good passing ability from the centre of the park.

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Name: Jay Sandison
Nationality: Scotland
Position: RB/LB
Age: 18

The young loanee looks good defensively with excellent tackling ability. Not sure how much he will have to offer going forward though which is a worry as I do like to play attacking full backs.

Finances

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The club's finances don't look good with club being over £100k in debt.

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[BallyC7]

Playing & Backroom Staff Added

New Backroom Staff Brought In At Clyde FC

I've added two new staff members to my backroom team. There were gaps in the coaching team for a Fitness Coach and a Head of Youth Development too. After speaking to a number of candidates for both roles, I have offered the jobs to Andy Palmer and Kevin Hogan who join the club immediately.

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A few days later, I then added Rab Douglas to the scouting team, and David Gunn to the Sports Science staff.

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Two New Players In

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I've brought in extra cover for the centre back position with the loan signing of Graeme Gebbie from Aberdeen, until the end of the season. Gebbie has made some appearances for Aberdeen U20s in the Petrofac Training Cup this season and has looked good when given the opportunity. I wanted to bring the 18 year old here to give him an opportunity to shine and show his parent club what he is about, as he'll be utilised in a squad rotation system here for me.

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My second signing was a permanent one. I brought in Ryan Strachan on a free transfer. The 29 year old central midfielder joins us from Cove Rangers where he has been a first team regular for the side bottom of the Scottish League Two. He will provide first team cover in the centre of the park, with the ability to also play the DM holding role.


New Senior Affiliate

Once I'd taken over my role as manager, taken a look at the lack of quality in the squad and the severe lack of finances available to me, it was obvious I might have to look at the loan market for additions to the side. So I asked the board to get out there and find me a Senior Affiliate to pair up with. They came back to me with 3 options, Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and Ross County. After assessing all three sides and in particular their youth coming through, I decided to go with Kilmarnock.

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[BallyC7]

January 2020 Review

January 2020 Review

Results

Scottish League Two
Brora Rangers 0 - 1 Clyde FC

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My 3rd venture in football management would start with an away game at Brora Rangers, who currently sat one position below us in the league in 6th.

My first game in charge would see me deploy a familiar 4123 formation that had been successful for me at FC Rosengard, with a standard mentality and a flexible team shape. But it wasn't until I went to pick my first matchday squad that I realised just how thin on the ground my squad was....a real lack of cover throughout the whole team as I find myself having to put 4 lads from the U20s on the bench in my first game! Not an ideal situation and I feel relieved that I've joined the club right at the beginning of the transfer window as additions will certainly be required.

I'd been in charge for just over 24 hours as we kicked off the game, so I wasn't expecting a lot from the lads in their first game under my command. I mean, we'd not even had a training session together yet! But the boys did me proud as they turned in a decent performance, considering this was an unfamiliar formation and style of play to what they'd been playing under the previous regime. We looked solid defensively, and created some decent chances going forward. A tidy finish from just inside the box from centre mid Evan Horne earned us a 1-0 win in my first game at the helm.

Scottish League Two
Clyde FC 1 - 1 Edinburgh City

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My 2nd game in charge will be up against league leaders Edinburgh City, who are currently a good 12 points ahead of us in the table. Checking back through the results, we have recorded contrasting results against Edinburgh this season with a 2-1 win and a 3-0 loss!

The lads did well with the 4123 formation in the previous game so I decided to stick with it for this one too. I also made no changes to the starting lineup.

A credible 1-1 draw against the league leaders, in which we were really good value for our point earned on the day. On the basis of play, we actually created better chances than them and if anyone was going to win it in the final minutes, it was us! Conor McLaughlin hadn't played any games for the previous management, but I've started him in both my matches so far and he rewarded me today for that faith with his first goal of the season.

Scottish League Two
Clyde FC 3 - 3 Cowdenbeath

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My 3rd game in charge would be another home one and we were up against 6th place Cowdenbeath.

As we had home advantage and came into this game as favourites, I decided to give another one of my favoured FC Rosengard formations a shot...the attack minded 4231. Kieran Duffie is better going forward from the right back role so comes in for Jay Sandison. Graeme Gebbie is also given his first start at centre back since joining the club on loan.

A close fought game ended in what was a disappointing 3-3 draw in the end. We were 3-1 up going into the final 5 minutes of the game, only for Cowdenbeath to hit us with 2 late goals and ****** a point. Don't know where the f*ck the ref got 6 minutes of added time from but that's no excuse for the lack of concentration late on! Graeme Gebbie got a goal on his debut for the club!

Scottish League Two
Clyde FC 1 - 2 Albion Rovers

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Next up was another home game against Albion Rovers who were sitting 8th in the table.

Again we had home advantage and were heavy favourites so I stuck with the attacking 4231 formation. The only change to the starting lineup being Mark Lamont coming in for Calvin Kemp who was a bit jaded.

By far the worst the team has played since I took over. A really bad performance in front of our own fans as Albion Rovers pretty much walked all over us! They could easily have had 4 or 5 goals today as we were utterly *****!

League Table

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This Month; Played 4, Won 1, Drawn 2, Lost 1, Goals Scored 6, Goals Conceded 6

Maintained 5th position which is where we were when I took over at the start of the month.

Player of the Month



Evan Horne
CM
Appearances: 4
Goals: 1
Assists: 1
Key Passes: 10
Average Rating: 7.36

Evan has shown me this month why he is ranked as the best player in this squad. He is by far the most consistent member of the squad and has turned in some good performances this month.

The Month Ahead...

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We have a tough month ahead as we'll take on the teams in 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the league. However, some good results in these games could really bring us into contention for a potential playoff spot in the top 4.


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[BallyC7]

February 2020 Review

February 2020 Review

Results

Scottish League Two
Stenhousemuir 1 - 1 Clyde FC

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Stenhousemuir came into this one in 9th in the table and well off the pace of the mid table group that we found ourselves a part of. An away win was a real possibility here if we played well.

Calvin Kemp came back into the starting lineup down the left side. Other than that, no changes.

A superb volley from Conor McLaughlin put us in front on the half hour mark, which was the first significant chance in the game. Jamie Longworth then hit back for the home side with a fine strike of his own and the teams went into the break at 1-1. And the score remained that way, in a game of very few chances.

Scottish League Two
Elgin City 0 - 2 Clyde FC

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This game would see 4th vs 6th in the table and was more of a must win for us than them if we wanted to potentially push for a playoff place in the final 10 games of the season.

Dempsie and Strachan come into the starting lineup as I rotate the squad.

A very close match with very few chances but we come out on top with an excellent result taking the game 2-0. Kemp and Ross bagging the goals to secure us a big 3 points.

Scottish League Two
Clyde FC 1 - 1 Cove Rangers

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Bottom side Cove Rangers were our next opponents and they came into this one with only one win in their last 16 games in the league.

Dempsie picked up an injury in training this week, so Evan Horne comes back into the starting 11. Other than that, no changes.

A **** poor result! After a great 3 points last week against Elgin City, we struggle to a 1-1 draw with the side at the bottom of the league.

Scottish League Two
Clyde FC 2 - 1 Peterhead

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Peterhead came into this game in 3rd position in the table, but were having a slight dip in form having lost 3 of their last 5 games.

Conor Langton replaced Conor McLaughlin on the right wing.

Again a close game on the stats, but again another game against one of the top sides in the division that we just about edged and take a big 3 points. Steven Ross continued his good form this month with another goal which got us on our way, before Scott Linton hammered home a penalty for our 2nd and the winning goal.

Scottish League Two
Clyde FC 1 - 0 Annan Athletic

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We'd already beaten the teams in 3rd and 4th this month and now we'd play the side currently sitting 2nd in the table.

A good solid 1-0 win caps off a fantastic unbeaten month where we managed to turn over 3 sides above us in the top 4. The only goal of the game being another Scott Linton penalty.

League Table

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This Month; Played 5, Won 3, Drawn 2, Lost 0, Goals Scored 7, Goals Conceded 3

Still 5th in the table but we've closed the gap to the top 4 to only 2 points and put ourselves in with a shot at making the playoffs this year, if we can keep up this run of good form.

Player of the Month



Jack Breslin
CB
Appearances: 5
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
Interceptions: 28
Average Rating: 7.26

With us having to play 3 of the top 4 this month, it was important the defence held strong in those games and Jack was at the heart of that. He led the line really well and put in some solid performances this month. The defence only conceding 3 goals in 5 games.

Board Confidence

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The board are satisfied with my performance so far as manager.

Medical Centre

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Only Thomas Dempsie out and he'll be back within a day.

Dynamics

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A run of good results has seen the atmosphere in the dressing room improve dramatically this month.

Financial Update

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Still in the red but the board injected £90k into the club this month which has helped.

Manager of the Month Award for Ball
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In only my 2nd month in charge, I've been awarded the manager of the month for February.

The Month Ahead...

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We'll only play 3 games in March, kicking off against league leaders Edinburgh City.
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[BallyC7]

News Article: Petrofac Cup Winners

Livingston FC Lift Petrofac Training Cup

League One side, Livingston FC have won the Petrofac Training Cup for the second time in their history, having previously won the competition back in 2015.

They overcame Scottish Championship leaders Hamilton, via a penalty shootout after the game had finished in a 1-1 draw. The final was a very even affair with both sides sharing possession equally and also both having as many as 16 shots on goal each!

Hamilton will be disappointed to walk away as losers on the day, in a game they would have been heavy favourites to win prior to kick off.

Despite Livingston taking the glory, it was Hamilton central midfielder Greg Docherty that was awarded man of the match after turning in a very decent performance.

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[BallyC7]

March 2020 Review

March 2020 Review

Results

Scottish League Two
Edinburgh City 1 - 2 Clyde FC

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Edinburgh City were flying high at the top with an 8 point lead, and were a good 16 points in front of us!

I saw no need to change anything from the side that had beaten Annan 1-0 in the previous game.

We got off to the perfect start when Steven Ross headed us in front within the 1st minute! Edinburgh levelled up early in the 2nd half following a good passing move, but we snatched all 3 points in the 79th minute when Calvin Kemp fired home the winner. This result moved us into the top 4.

Scottish League Two
Clyde FC 2 - 2 Brora Rangers

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When I took over as manager of Clyde FC, our first game had been against Brora Rangers and the lads had done me proud and earned a 1-0 win. Now I was hoping we could repeat the feat as we take them on again.

No changes were made to the winning side at Edinburgh City. We just went a bit more attacking on the mentality.

A 97th minute penalty gets us out of trouble and we walk away from this game with a point. I'm sure Brora will be going home gutted at losing the win so late on...especially as the ref initially was supposed to add 4 minutes on. I think we can safely say we used our 'get out of jail free' card today.

Scottish League Two
Cowdenbeath 2 - 1 Clyde FC

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Cowdenbeath were sitting 8th in the table going into this one with no real threat of relegation or of making the playoffs.

Again, we kept the same lineup for this one with no changes to a fully fit starting 11.

It looked like Cowdenbeath had taken an 11th minute lead when the ball hit the back of the net, only for the referee to rule it out for a foul on our goalkeeper. It was then us who struck first through striker Steven Ross mid way through the 1st half. Ross then nearly doubled his tally just before half time but his powerful shot struck against the foot of the post. It looked like our opponents had equalised 3 minutes into the 2nd half, only for the linesman to put his flag up and rule out a second goal of the game for the unfortunate home side. Then they finally did score and it did count as they levelled things up on 61 minutes. We just hadn't been in this game as their 11 shots to our 2 had shown. So I changed things up switching to a more structured 442 formation. It made no difference though as we continued to find ourselves under relentless pressure and eventually fell to a disappointing 2-1 defeat.

League Table

View attachment 75648

This Month; Played 3, Won 1, Drawn 1, Lost 1, Goals Scored 5, Goals Conceded 5

Things have tightened up between the four teams between 3rd and 6th. Any two of those four could get a playoff spot now. The last five games will be crucial to all of us. Edinburgh City will do well to lose the title from here with a 6 point lead going into the last 5 games.

Player of the Month



Steven Ross
ST
Appearances: 3
Goals: 2
Assists: 0
Shots/Shots on Target Ratio: 8/5
Average Rating: 7.57

Steven Ross seems to be coming good under my management now and has now scored 4 goals in his last 6 appearances which is the kind of ratio you need from your main front man.

Steven was also rewarded for his performances this month with 3rd place in the Scottish League Two Player of the Month award.

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Board Confidence

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The board have gone from satisfied to pleased with me this month. I think it's because I've actually given the club a decent shot at a playoff place which looked unlikely when I took over in January.

Medical Centre

No injuries with a fully fit squad. Exactly what we need going into the final few games of the season.

Dynamics

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A couple of games without a win has seriously dented the atmosphere in the dressing room.

Financial Update

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£77k in the red! The monthly profit looks good following the £90k injection from the board.

The Month Ahead...

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So as we run down the season, we have 4 of our last 5 games in April. And the fixtures we have will shape our bid for a playoff place as we play two teams above us in the table. We'll kick off against Albion Rovers and then end the month against Elgin City, both teams who are also in the running for a playoff spot.


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[BallyC7]

April 2020 Review

April 2020 Review

Results

Scottish League Two
Albion Rovers 2 - 1 Clyde FC

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Albion Rovers were 4th in the table and one of our rivals in the running for a playoff spot, so this was huge for both sides.

McLaughlin comes in down the left in place of Kemp. Strachan returns in the holding midfield role.

We started the game in the worst possible way, Albion Rovers taking the lead inside a minute. A great goal to be fair, but disappointing for us none the less. And things quickly got worse as we conceded again within the first 5 minutes. We got one back mid way through the first half but that was all we could manage and fell to a 2-1 defeat. This was not the best time of the season to hit a slump in form!!

Scottish League Two
Cove Rangers 1 - 1 Clyde FC

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Last time we played Cove Rangers, we only managed a disappointing 1-1 draw. With them still slumped at the bottom of the table, we needed to ensure we did better this time!

Calvin Kemp comes back into the starting lineup in the left inside forward role.

Another disappointing 1-1 draw against the bottom side.

Scottish League Two
Clyde FC 2 - 1 Stenhousemuir

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This game against Stenhousemuir had become a must win for us. Anything but 3 points from this game againt the 9th placed side, would probably end any chance of a playoff spot for us this season.

Scott Linton has simply not been good enough at left back (and will probably be moved on in the Summer), so Darren Petrie is given a shot in that position. Graeme Gebbie is injured, so replaced by Gourlay at centre back.

We were the better side here and did deserve the win, even though it took us right up to the 92nd minute to actually get the winner and keep us in with a shot at the playoffs.

Scottish League Two
Clyde FC 0 - 1 Elgin City

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Elgin City were sitting one place above us in 4th as this game kicked off. They were 2 points ahead of us...so if we won, we'd go into the playoff spots. If we lost, we'd probably have no chance of making them.

Same formation, same lineup that beat Stenhousemuir in the previous game.

This was a really hard result to take! Performance wise, it was the best I'd seen from my team, the most domination we'd had in a match since I took over! But the result just didn't go our way....we just couldn't find the back of the net despite creating a number of really goood chances. No doubt about it...Elgin got lucky against us today at exactly the right time.

League Table

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This Month; Played 4, Won 1, Drawn 1, Lost 2, Goals Scored 4, Goals Conceded 5

With one game left, it's still mathematically possible to make a playoff spot but highly unlikely.

Edinburgh City have been crowned champions of the Scottish League Two.

Player of the Month



Brad Smith
CM
Appearances: 4
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
Key Passes: 11
Average Rating: 7..28

In a month where nobody really strung together 4 good performances in a row, Brad was probably the most consistent within a whole team that didn't play that well. No goals and assists for him but he did create a large number of chances as his key passes stat would suggest - unfortunately for him, the front men couldn't finish them off for him!

Board Confidence

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The board are back to being only satisfied with my performance.

Medical Centre

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Only Mark Lamont out with a minor injury.

Dynamics

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Match cohesion is now up to a decent level, the dressing room atmosphere is average and I still haven't gained the respect of the lads yet.

Financial Update

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Back up to over £100k in debt.

The Month Ahead...

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The final game of the season will see us away at Peterhead.
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[BallyC7]

Final Game

Season Finishes

Final Game

Scottish League Two
Peterhead 1 - 2 Clyde FC

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Our final game of the season was away at 5th placed Peterhead. Mathematically it was still possible to get a playoff place, but realistically very unlikely.

I stuck with the same formation and lineup as the team that had dominated and been unlucky against Elgin.

We sign off the season with a good away win, which sees us leap frog Peterhead into 5th position and secure the top half finish that I was targeted with when I took over the job in January.

Final League Table

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We finished the season in 5th place, on the same points as Albion Rovers (4th) and Peterhead (6th). Unfortunately our goal difference was not as good as Albion Rovers and they pipped us to 4th position and a shot at the playoffs.

Prize Money

The club have received £62k in prize money for finishing 5th in the Scottish League Two. We have paid out £16k to the players on bonuses for their achievement this season.

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[BallyC7]

End of Season Player Stats

End of Season Player Stats

Top Average Rating (in relation to appearances):

1st: Evan Horne - CM - 42 appearances - 6.94
2nd: Brad Smith - CM - 32 appearances - 6.89
3rd: Steven Ross - ST - 35 appearances - 6.85

Top Goalscorers:

1st: Steven Ross - ST - 11
2nd: Scott Linton - LB - 6
3rd: Evan Horne - CM - 4

Top Assists:

1st: Evan Horne - CM - 8
2nd: Steven Ross - ST - 5
3rd: Conor Langton (AMR), Darren Petrie (LB), Scott Linton (LB) & Calvin Kemp (AML) - 3

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[BallyC7]

End of Season Review

End of Season Review

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The general feel amongst the media is that we had a decent season. We were expected to finish in the top half and we achieved that goal.

Board Confidence

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The board are pleased with my performance, having delivered on my promise to achieve a top half finish.

The Boss's Thoughts

I've had just under half a season here at Clyde FC now and I have to say I'm enjoying football in Scotland. At times over the past 6 months, the lads have shown me some really good stuff and turned in some impressive performances, the away victory at Edinburgh City a highlight for me. However, there have been some well under par performances as well and we will have to do better next year. Two draws against the bottom side in the league were simply not what I expect of my side.

So looking ahead, the personal aim for next season is to improve. And should we manage that we will find ourselves in at least a playoff spot in the top 4...so that's the goal at this stage.

With regards to the squad, there are going to be changes over the Summer. Some of these lads just ain't good enough to cut it here and will find themselves leaving the club. Additions will be sought and properly scouted to ensure I am adding some quality to the side. I think on the face of it I need a left back, a centre back, a right back, a good backup centre mid, a right winger, a left inside forward and a striker to offer some decent competition to Steven Ross next season.

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[BallyC7]

Scottish Leagues

Scottish Leagues (The Winners & Losers)

Scottish Premiership

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Celtic win the title, as Ayr United are relegated. Hearts and Aberdeen secure places in next season's Europa League.

Scottish Championship

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Hamilton run away with the Championship title, winning it by 17 points! Dumbarton are relegated. Falkirk secured qualification for the Europa League next season, after winning the William Hill Scottish Cup.

Scottish League One

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Dundee United are champions and promoted to the Scottish Championship. Montrose and Stirling Albion are relegated.

Scottish League Two

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Edinburgh City win the title. Albion Rovers are promoted via the playoffs. Cove Rangers finished last but survived the relegation playoff against Berwick Rangers to stay in the division.
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[BallyC7]

News Article: Scottish Cup Winners

Falkirk Defeat Hibs To Win Scottish Cup

Scottish Championship side, Falkirk have won the William Hill Scottish Cup for the first time since 1957, beating Scottish Premier Division side Hibernian in a cracker of a game.

The game had finished 2-2 after 90 minutes, but it was Falkirk who proved the stronger in extra time and recorded a 4-3 victory after the added 30 minutes of play.

Hibernian will be cursing themselves after giving away two penalties to their opponents from the league below.

Hibernian striker Simon Murray will be wondering how he managed to score a cup final hat trick and still come away on the losing side. Although he will receive the match ball as a minor consolation on a day he'll certainly never forget.

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[BallyC7]

European Competition Winners

European Competition Winners 2019/20

Here's the update from around Europe as the major competitions have now come to a close for the 2019/2020 season...

English Premiership Winners: Manchester City
English Premiership Runners Up: Manchester United
English FA Cup Winners: Chelsea
Carabao Cup Winners: Manchester United

Spanish La Liga Winners: Real Madrid
Spanish La Liga Runners Up: Barcelona
Copa del Rey: Real Madrid

German Bundesliga Winners: Bayern Munich
German Bundesliga Runners Up: Borussia Dortmund
DFB-Pokal Winners: Bayern Munich

French Ligue 1 Winners: Paris Saint Germain
French Ligue 1 Runners Up: Olympique Lyonnais
Coupe de France Winners: Paris Saint Germain
Coupe de la Ligue Winners: Paris Saint Germain

Italian Serie A Winners: Juventus
Italian Serie A Runners Up: AC Milan
TIM Cup Winners: Juventus

Holland Eredivisie Winners: Feyenoord
Holland Eredivisie Runners Up: Ajax
KNVB Beker Winners: Ajax

Portuguese Primeira Liga Winners: FC Porto
Portuguese Premier League Runners Up: Sporting Lisbon
Taca de Portugal Winners: FC Porto
Taca da Liga Cup: FC Porto

Scotland Premiership Winners: Celtic
Scotland Premiership Runners Up: Hearts
Scottish Cup Winners: Falkirk
Scottish League Cup: Aberdeen

UEFA Champions League Winners: Manchester United
Champions League Runners Up: Paris Saint Germain

UEFA Europa League Winners: Spartak Moscow
Europa League Runners Up: Inter Milan

UEFA Super Cup Winners: Paris Saint Germain

UEFA Youth League Winners: Sevilla U19s
UEFA Youth League Runners Up: Barcelona U19s​

 

[BallyC7]

June 2020 Review

June 2020 Review

No games were played in June but there are a few other bits to give you a quick update on...

New Sponsorship Deals

My chairman, Norrie Innes, has announced 3 new sponsorship deals which will bring an extra £7,000 per annum into the club. The most notable deal was a new main kit sponsor, which will be worth £4,200 per year for 2 seasons.

New Assistant Manager

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I feel it is important to bring in my own right hand man for next season and have therefore taken the decision to sack current assistant manager Ross MacNamara. The new man to take over the role by my side on the touchline next season is Nick Haycock.

Celtic Named Number One Side in Scotland

Celtic have been named as the most reputable team in Scotland following their title win last season. Aberdeen and Rangers were rated 2nd and 3rd but have some way to go to catch up with Celtic.

We find ourselves currently sitting in 36th position.

Players Released

A number of players have been allowed to leave Clyde FC after their contracts expired. I didn't think any of them were good enough to stick around for next season...

Stuart Patterson (GK)
Mark Lamont (AMR)
Cammy Eadie (CB)
Scott Linton (LB)
Dan Orsi (AML)
Barry Cuddihy (DM)
Kieran Duffie (RB)
Christopher Angus (ST)

Board Set Initial Budgets

The board have set the budgets for the upcoming season...

- The transfer budget stands at £88k.
- The wage budget is set at £8,600 per week, with the club currently spending only half of this!
- The scouting budget for the upcoming season will be £8,400.

Four New Signings

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My first signing of the Summer is a new centre back. 29 year old Daryll Meggatt has joined us for a fee of £3.1k. The Scottish defender joins us from League One side Alloa Athletic where he made 20 appearances last season in the higher division. Meggatt offers very good pace to our defensive back line along with good tackling and heading ability too!

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Ross MacIver is my 2nd signing of the Summer. Another player that joins us from the Scottish League One, this time from Livingston. MacIver is a right winger who can offer us lots of pace to beat his man down the right flank, before whipping in good crosses with a decent crossing stat too. I've paid a fee of £5k to secure his signature but I think he will be worth every penny.

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I've managed to bring in a talented young striker on loan from our senior affiliate club Kilmarnock. 18 year old Tony Hannah should offer some good competition to Steven Ross up front this year and even has the ability to become our first choice forward. He joins on a season long loan and I look forward to seeing his pace and finishing ability combine this season.

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After 2 seasons away at Cowdenbeath, Scott Ferguson has rejoined the club. I signed him on a free transfer after he'd been released by our League Two rivals. Ferguson is a winger who would add depth to the squad although he is unlikely to be a first choice for the starting 11. Ferguson spent 5 seasons with Clyde FC from 2013 to 2018, making 116 appearances and scoring 18 goals for the club.

Scottish Communities League Cup Groups Drawn

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A tough group with 3 teams from the leagues above and Annan Athletic from our own division. With these group games played before the season kicks off, they'll be treated as part of our pre season friendly campaign.

The Month Ahead...

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I set up a couple of high profile home friendlies against Huddersfield and Leeds to get some fans in and some money in the bank hopefully.

Following that, we will kick off our League Cup campaign with the group stage. As we will play 3 teams from the leagues above, these will be treated as friendlies and a warm up for the league campaign as realistically we are not going to win our group and progress to the 2nd round!


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