Kingstonian FC - SW London's Finest

[olliexcore]

2023/24 - Halfway House

Well, as you can see it's been going pretty well all in all. A fantastic August and September, a flawless December so far and only two tight losses in the league sees the Super K's well in the promotion hunt. It's very tight at the top, nobody like Chesterfield last season or Grimsby the season before running away with it, and with up to three games in hand on some sides, we could very well find ourselves playing in League Two next season. Off the field, we're potentially subject to a fan takeover - surely they'll let us turn professional as soon as possible? One can only hope.

We're also going very well in the cup competitions, beating League Two opposition in York City and Burton Albion and we're welcoming Premier League opposition in the form of West Ham United to Tolworth in the FA Cup Third Round. I'll pop our transfers below but nothing really of note in terms of outgoings, but in terms of incomings we've seen some instant effect. We changed up our affiliate club to Leeds United and loaned in two of their youth players; Brad Almond has been decent in an occasionally very shonky defence but Mike Pilkington has been absolutely wonderful with 10 goals and 12 assists to his name. Former Spurs youth Matthew Craig (them again!) has also been wonderful since signing on a free in the summer, but player of the season so far has to be the incredible Armando Broja. 22 goals in 24 appearances is simply scintillating form and I'm terrified someone will come in for him in January - our board won't be able to refuse.

I'll probably pop in again when another quarter of the season is done so you can see how the promotion race is hotting up, but things are looking very rosy here at King George's Field. I've been offered jobs by clubs the size of Wigan Athletic and Reading but told them where to stick it - Kingston is where my heart lies. Come on you K's!

 

[olliexcore]

End of Season

It's the ****** play-offs again. Third year in a row. I hate the playoffs, I hate the Vanarama National and its one automatic promotion spot, I hate Football Manager for making me care about this silly team with no money. We went fairly well until April when it all fell apart, but to be fair by that point Aldershot were uncatchable. Few too many draws and a couple of heavy defeats; West Ham I understand but Yeovil was an aberration! At least we're in the FA Trophy final which gives us a nice trip to Wembley, hoping it won't be our only visit there (assuming the Vanarama National playoff finals are at Wembley of course).

We've had a couple of gutting injuries, chief among them being Mike Pilkington's ACL putting him out for a year and Leeds subsequently terminating their loan (which is why he doesn't appear below), Max Robson also does his ACL meaning right wing is a cursed position, both on FM and politically. However, I'm not here to make excuses, we have a small, poor squad who are all knackered by this point and I just want to take us up to League Two to be able to keep hold of our good players. Please FM, one small crumb of playoff joy.

Unsurprisingly, Armando Broja is still far and away our best player, but Craig and Sohna might be the only ones of actual League Two quality which may explain why Aldershot have so roundly trounced us. I'll do one more post for this season, please keep all of your fingers crossed for the Super K's!

 

[olliexcore]

May

****** Ebbsfleet. I knew I hated Gravesend when I went there, now it's for certain. It's a fourth season in a row in the Vanarama National - it really is the hope that kills you. And we don't even win the FA Trophy either, Ebbsfleet giving us a hiding at Wembley. Next season has to be the one, surely. Surely...

On a nicer note, Armando Broja wins player of the season, and our takeover (that's lasted 9 months!) might be done before the transfer window - we certainly need reinforcements for the promotion challenge. Come on Kingston, see you at Christmas Basers!

 

[olliexcore]

2024/25 - Season Review

YO ADRIAN! WE DID IT!

After 3 years of playoff heartbreak, Kingstonian are finally going up as champions! We are a League Two team! We celebrate that with our new chairman by finally turning professional and improving our youth facilities. Not sure what went so right after so long this season; perhaps it was the lack of runaway winners this year, perhaps it was squad improvements (even though our squad this season may have been worse than other years), perhaps FM20 felt sorry for me. Either way, an unbelievable January and February led us to the top of the division, and there we stayed until the end of the term.

As you can see below, Broja was once again our best performer, but Liam Smyth banged in his fair share of goals. Hope the two can hook up as well in League Two. Mike Pilkington wasn't as good as his initial loan spell, but other loanees were among our best performers, loans will be vital again in League Two with very little cash. I win Manager of the Season which recognises my truly magnificent accomplishment. We are a League Two side! I care about this story again! COME ON YOU K's!

 

[olliexcore]

August

Our first ever month in League Two and it's been an absolute stormer! Kingstonian have come into The 92 with all guns blazing, unbeaten so far and top scorers in the division. Out of the Carabao at the first hurdle to Championship Bristol City which is a shame, but otherwise the freedom of finally being out of the Vanarama has breathed new life into the club. As you can see from the transfer dealings our feeder club Leeds have been very handy for loan deals and freebies, Vince especially having hit the ground running. However it's another loanee in Joshua Edwards that wins my Player of the Month, who's been in grand form ever since joining from Birmingham.

Could another size-defying promotion challenge be on the cards? We shall see... COYKs!

EDIT: Jemar South-Thomas wins the League Two PotM while Harry Vince comes third, Harry Vince also came second in the YPotM.

 

[olliexcore]

September

The Super K's initally get September off to a poor start with successive losses but find themselves back on track until a rollercoaster loss to Tranmere Rovers. The sheer level of goals we're conceding is a concern, but in the words of Fat Les' Vindaloo, "we're gonna score one more than you (sometimes)". Player of the Month is the wonderful Jemar South-Thomas whose scintillating form continues - 10 goals in 13 appearances is glorious stuff. He's stepping up to the plate where double Player of the Year Armando Broja is faltering slightly in a new league - a little competition never hurt anyone. Still in the playoff hunt and feeling fortunate to be where we are, it's all looking rosy at King George's Field.

 

[olliexcore]

October

A very mixed October - a win against League One Peterborough comes before two straight losses to lower table sides being the weirdest sequence of results. Still just outside the automatic promotion spots, so can't really complain. Player of the Month for October is Harrison Sohna, seen here on the left playing in Villa colours against Southampton. A busier November, including an FA Cup First Round tie against Charlton Athletic - a little cup run might be fun! See you then, COYKs!

 

[olliexcore]

November

Inconsistency continues to be the name of the game, nice to beat League One Oxford to qualify for the next round of the Leasing Trophy but any hopes of an FA Cup run are quashed by a thrashing at the hands of Charlton Athletic. Player of the Month for November is our young Leeds United loanee Harry Vince, one of our most consistent performers so far this season with 6 goals and one assist to his name. Christmas time is upon us, can we keep in the promotion hunt in the festive season? Let's hope so! COYKs!

 

[olliexcore]

December/January

Gonna switch up my format a bit as the monthly updates were getting a bit dull, will clock in every couple of months to let you know how it's going. And the answer is pretty **** okay! Still in the hunt for automatic promotion and haven't dropped out of the playoff places in ages, and things might get a bit more fun with the loan signing of Marc Stoker who as you can see below has started in blazing form. We crash out of the Leasing Trophy so no more cup competitions for us, and aside from a loss to Lincoln City, we've started 2026 pretty darn well. See you in April, COYKs!

 

[olliexcore]

February/March

We go into the last month of the campaign in form that can be described as "patchy" at best, a winless February and a couple of shocking results including a 5-0 thrashing (away from home!) against potential champions Burton Albion sees Kingstonian lurching between greatness and mediocrity. We have 4 games left to preserve our playoff status and could be caught by Mansfield if we continue to fluctuate - fair enough really, we're nowhere near as good as our position makes us out to be, as you can see below by loan players dominating the higher reaches of performers. I'm just happy with a top-half finish, playoffs are a lovely bonus - so long as it doesn't curse us to 3 in a row again!

EDIT: Marc Stoker comes second in the YPotM for March

 

[olliexcore]

End of Season 2025/26

Thoroughly enjoyed the end of the season with two thrashings (especially consigning former Vanarama National winners Aldershot Town to relegation) but we exit the playoffs on penalties to Colchester United, who end up going up to League One. Don't mind this exit so much as we're woefully underprepared for League One, hopefully we'll be able to get in some reinforcements in the summer. Jemar South-Thomas runs away with player of the season, and wins League Two's top scorer award - bring in one or two more on his level and we'll be laughing. I'll be back in September for a catch-up, see you then.

 

[olliexcore]

August/September

So here we are in the 2026/27 campaign and how's it going so far? Well, despite some improvements, we are just as patchy as ever! Our early season form has seen the Super K's rise as high as third, but finish September just inside the playoffs, where hopefully we'll stay. A pleasing little run in the Carabao Cup until AFC Wimbledon knock us out including a thrashing of Coventry City and a walloping of millionaire playthings Salford City are early season highlights, along with job offers from Birmingham City and Huddersfield Town - of course I told them no way though, I'm committed to the K's!

I've included our transfers which make for interesting reading for long term followers - Leeds chuck us a few and we see the return of Mike Pilkington, who was brilliant in his first season here until breaking a leg and then less impressive in his return - will third time be a charm? They'll be dancing on the streets of The New Saints if so. Harrison Sohna leaves after many years of great service; ideally would have kept him but he was in his last year of contract and wasn't signing another one. Jemar South-Thomas has started the season on fire as he, Spong and Todd Miller (a freebie from Brighton) lead up our performers of the season so far, but Leeds loanee Stephen Peden has also been top class, keeping the returning last season's loan success story Marc Stoker out of the side.

See you in November for another update, let's hope for a bit more consistency and an automatic promotion challenge! COYKs!

Edit: Jemar South-Thomas wins PotM for September

 

[olliexcore]

October/November

WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE, SAY WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE!

The top of League Two is tighter than a gnat's chuff, but our continued form is getting me dreaming of automatic promotion and League One football in Tolworth. Some outstanding performances in both league and cup including thrashings away at Oxford and Accrington (who are they?) and overcoming Spurs' U23 side. We play Watford U23s in the next round of the Leasing and the winners of K's vs Plymouth play Middlesbrough at home in the next round of the FA Cup.

Our strikers lead the way in the performance ranks, Marc Stoker having been taking his chances in the first team of late with South-Thomas out injured. Spong is another big injury miss for 8 weeks, but a nice surprise package is Mike Pilkington, doing very well on his third spell with the club. In other news, former double player of the season Armando Broja goes on the unwanted list - it's a ruthless game with no sentimentality for me, Clive.

See you in January, keep your fingers crossed we're still in the auto promotion hunt! COYKs!

 

[olliexcore]

December/January

An absolutely exhausting amount of fixtures in December and January, as waterlogging during the festive period and beyond means games mounting up to a ridiculous extent at some points. As you can see, we're no longer top of the league but keeping pace despite some odd results like heavy defeats to Tranmere and Grimsby and a draw against relegation threatened Scunthorpe. Our FA Cup adventure comes to an almighty crashing end against Middlesbrough (when it finally gets played in late January!) but we're still in the Leasing Trophy, where we will play the winners of Ipswich vs Shrewsbury in the semis.

Stoker continues his excellent form as the loanees continue to dominate the higher reaches of the top performers. I'm happy with the squad (well, I have to be with no money!) heading into the end stretch of the season, no further reinforcements brought in in January or anyone successfully sold. I'll drop in again in March where automatic promotion will hopefully still be on the cards - COYKs!

 

[olliexcore]

February/March

Well, February was an utter shambles, wasn't it? Defeats left, right and centre as our December & January took its toll on our squad. Humiliation in the Leasing trophy, and while the away defeats can be understood if not condoned, home losses to Cheltenham and Southend in the lower reaches of the league are pretty unacceptable. Fortunately, things are turning around in March and despite a complete nosedive we miraculously still find ourselves in the automatic spots, and will be getting into the playoffs at worst - let's hope it doesn't come to that!

Not going to do a squad shot because A) they don't deserve it and B) hopefully April will be the last month of action for the Super K's and I'll have one in the EoS post. 4 games left, away at Blackpool and Cambridge and home to Bolton and Tranmere. Can we hold on? Find out in my post-season catch-up, and keep your fingers crossed Kingstonian will be a League One team next season, right the way from the Isthmian Premier. COME ON YOU K's!

 

[MidKnightDreary]

Good heavens, holding on to top spot while you had that kind of February form is nothing short of magnificent... and a testament to the bottlejobs around you

 

[olliexcore]

Good heavens, holding on to top spot while you had that kind of February form is nothing short of magnificent... and a testament to the bottlejobs around you

Hahaha, any league where second spot has lost 14 games in a season is not a good league!

 

[olliexcore]

April

CHAMPIONES! CHAMPIONES! OLE OLE OLE!

We finish the campaign on a flourish and win League Two! An absolute stormer of a last month sees us reach 99 goals and 90 points, not a shabby total at all. Jemar South-Thomas also wins the League Two player of the season and top goalscorer, and is undoubtedly my player of the campaign, despite strong showings from Leeds loanees Peden & Stoker and future transfer Mike Pilkington (who joins our overall best eleven despite never being a permanent player until now!).

Major reinforcements will be required before taking on League One which will be nigh-on impossible with our finances, so further magic in the loan and free transfer market will be much-needed. I'll catch up with you in September for a summary of what's gone on in the transfer market and how we start off life in League One - as ever, COME ON YOU SUPAH! HOOOOOOOPSAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

 

[olliexcore]

August/September

Weirdly, we didn't play any friendlies at all this summer, but also even more weirdly our season started in July. Anyway, as you can see, life in League One has gotten off to a wonderful start, and although it's a very early stage and I'm not getting too excited just yet, WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE! Some absolutely scintillating games, like the 5-4 on the opening day against Cov, wallopings of Lincoln, Charlton and especially Peterborough and the Desmond against pre-season favourites Hull City away from home is very satisfactory. Shame to fall out of the Carabao at the first hurdle, but can't win 'em all.

Our early season form comes mostly down to Neil Smithson-Connell, on loan from Sheffield Utd, who's been absolutely fantastic so far, smashing home 11 goals in 11 games and wins September's YPotM award. Last season's superstar Jemar South-Thomas has also got 6 in 5, and to be honest it's only really due to our stellar attack we are doing as well as we are - our defence is very much a League Two standard, and we couldn't bring anyone good enough in. However, that might not be such an issue come January as we pulled off a big money-spinner of a transfer with the sale of Henry Belcher. Barely featured last season due to 3 months out with a foot injury, and Portsmouth come in for him for £500k - is it madness? Have a look below. We also bid farewell to long-term servant Jack Spong.

As you can see, it's not the strongest League One I've seen... can we do two on the bounce? Keep your eyes peeled for more tales from The Hive, where we are now based as King George's Field is too small - we groundshare with Barnet and Haringey Borough. COYK's!

 

[olliexcore]

October/November

Well, well, well. More incredible form sees the Super K's not only stay top of the league, but have a SEVEN POINT LEAD over second spot! This is unbelievable! We still can't seem to help ourselves slipping up against lower-table strugglers like MK Douche or Carlisle, but our makeshift defence (more on that later) and amazing attack seem to be getting the job done without much issue. I'd love to say we're more than a one-man team, and players like Thomas Stacey (4 goals, 6 assists) and Mike Pilkington (5 goals, 10 assists (best assist provider in the league)) are doing sterling work, but Neil Smithson-Connelly has turned out to be an absolute diamond. 21 goals in 24 games is Roy of the Rovers stuff, and while yes, this isn't the strongest League One (wild that our fellow pacesetters are Mansfield who were in L2 with us last season and Notts Co, who started the game in the Vanarama National), I can't believe he's only worth £240k. Check his stats out below.

If you recall an earlier post, I made £500k off a player who barely featured. With us having had no money throughout my tenure, the wise thing to do would be to invest in our training or youth facilities which are dreadful for this level. So what do I go and do instead? Accidentally spend it on £700k compensation for a centre-back from Barnsley who my scouts only rate as a "very good" signing. Whoops. Ah well, Gilberto Souindoula joins in January, and if it helps gets us ready for the Championship he'll be worth the outlay. See you at the end of January to see if this run extends into the festive fixture pileup - looking at the size of my squad, I'm going to guess "no". COYKs!