Saving Scottish Football 2021

[Mr_Grieves]

January


Fixtures

We pick up right where we left off winning 4/5 games in the league as well as the cup game with Inverness. Celtic were the only team to take points off us and we almost got the win at Parkhead. The crowning glory was getting revenge on Hearts to stay safe at the top of the table.

SPL Table

Celtic were the league's form team and we now have the top 4 split by 5 points. Look at the top scorers! In early seasons that would be the top scorer totals at the end of the season never mid in January.


Transfer Window

Nobody was willing to buy my players so i could not raise money to make any changes to the squad. Only two pre-contract signing from the summer join the club.

 

[Mr_Grieves]

February


Fixtures

What a banger to get the month started with a 7-5 win in the Scottish Cup against Celtic. We made the far easier task of Hearts winning 4-1 and as if they want us to not win the cup we'll face Rangers or Aberdeen in the Semi-Final
In the league, it all started worryingly slow with a goalless draw at Motherwell but we followed that with 3 wins against the top 6 teams Rangers, Dundee Utd & Aberdeen. In the Dundee Utd game, we were behind from the 18th to 89th minute so that was a massive 3 points. Especially with a win over Aberdeen 3 days late

SPL Table

The win gives us a 5 point lead at the top while the rest of our title rivals are split by 3 points with non of the top 4 out of it with the Split not far away. Dundee is still clinging onto the top 6 but Dundee Utd are a better squad and St Mirren under new management is catching up fast!
​

 

[Mr_Grieves]

March


Fixtures

After 3 manager of the months in a row, we were dragged down to earth by Falkirk. It seems like a bump in the road, or a pothole is more apt right now. We thrashed Ross County before winning a back and forth fight with Celtic then stumble to another late win at St Mirren gave us 3 wins from 4. A good return!


SPL Table

We reach the championship split and boy what a fight we're going to have. We have a 2 point lead but are 1 goal behind in GD and we've scored 2 less than Aberdeen. Hearts & Celtic are big longshots for the title. Rangers are in no man's land while Dundee Utd was just glad to make the top 6. At the bottom 11th and 12th look set unless they can go on their best run of the season.


Scottish Cup Semi-Final
Aberdeen 4-3 Hibs

Hopefully, this is not an omen for the rest of the season as we go through another season without winning the Scottish Cup. It should have all been over in the 7th minute when Sawadogo fed up with not being injured for once he got sent off. We were 3 down before halftime but halfway through the 2nd half we came alive and with 10 minutes to go we were level. Sadly my former Dons captain Campaz won the game for Aberdeen. They will face Hamilton in as easy a final as you'll get.


France

We got going with a 7-0 win over Iceland. We almost stumbled to another defeat to Scotland but a late rally gives us a perfect start.​

 

[Mr_Grieves]

Run In


Hibs vs Aberdeen it seems. Hearts not dead yet though, No Old Firm at all.

Match 34
Hibs 3-3 Aberdeen

Wow-what a match! Aberdeen led 3 times but it was all for nothing as a 95th-minute goal from Velasco gave us our biggest point of the season. Celtic drew with Rangers to all but end the Old Firms season. They are looking like finishing 4th & 5th.

Match 35
Celtic 2-3 Aberdeen

This is just going to be one uncomfortable game after another isn't it? Well we finally beat Celtic after they pulled the game level twice our homegrown striker Josh O'Conner scores our new most important goal of the season. HEarts make sure it's still a 3 horse race for the title but with 3 games to go they need to make up 7 points. They do have to Aberdeen and ourselves in the next match.

Match 36
Hearts 2-1 Hibs

The day we lost the league V2029. We had the lead for 3 minutes but the league's form team came back and with a penalty of their own and despite 40 minutes of pressure we could not break down the Hearts wall and Aberdeens win at home to Celtic probably seals our fate. They have taken a 6 goal lead in goal difference so we need Hearts to return the failure.

Match 37
Hibs 3-0 Rangers

THE DAY THE LEAGUE WAS UNLOST! Hearts redeem themselves and the city of Edinburgh by repeating their adventure of last week coming from behind to beat the Aberdeen and that combined with our 3-0 win at home to Rangers see us move back to the top 2 points clear. WEre still behind in goal difference so will need to win our final game at Dundee Utd to secure the club's first title since 1951/52. The unbeatable Hearts side is still mathematically in the title fight but needs a 20 goal swing. In case you missed it there will be no old firm team in the top 3 this season now that Hibs, Aberdeen, and Hearts have secured the 3 champions league places.


If you think our final league game will be dramatic look at the English Premiership

Build up to the final day was not without drama. Al-Jazira met my best defender Ron Adir's min fee release and i thought it would be a shame to see him go in June but he's left immediately so I'm down my best CB. Just a day after losing the best striker and top scorer Josh O'Connor too.

Match 38
Dundee Utd 2-4 Hibs

WE DID IT! Dominated the game from the stat and it was all in hand after going 3-0 up after halftime. A small scare with Hi;;s goal 20 minutes from time but they were always at arms reach and the Dons domination of the SPL is over!


France

Mbappe is back and he's scored 12 goals in the 3 games back.

 

[Mr_Grieves]

Season 9 Review


Hibs Squad

The keeper situation flummoxes me. Aitken has been a rare case of a keeper scoring over 7 AVE but he lets in goals like i eat cake. Loanee Michel was even worse. I'm dying for a bid on Aitken to put me out of my misery
No wing back stood out which is a shame since we have nearly a dozen of them. Leeb and Sawadogo have the best coach reports and their rating is just better than the backups Mikkelsen, Stone & Janicic. Again a bunch of players that i just want bids on. In the middle, Ghimouz and Adir were the CBs of choice all season with Mayo being a reliable hand as a backup. Yilmaz will probably jump into the Adir size hole on our defense next term.
Tobar and Damian took their roles as starters on the wings and did solid if unspectacular jobs. Alex Robertson or Damian is a toss-up on the left. Baniff is questionable with the first batch of u18s ready to come through. In the middle Gilchrist & Moschetta again led the way. Campbell is a solid back up the rest were beaten out by u18s early on in the season.
Up top there's not much more to say than Ramirez and O'Conner won us the league. Velasco is a solid back up however there is now almost half a dozen strikers in the u19 two are spectacular. I've no idea how I'll get by this.

My Player of the Year
Brian Ramirez

He was sitting out of contract at Pachuca and after playing in parts last season and this season he was put upfront with O'Connor and they have been a revelation that led us to the title.


Final SPL Table

What a season. Hibs and Aberdeen were almost equal in every way but the main stat was we pulled in 2 more points to win the title with the lowest total in the save so far. Hearts & Celtic were not as dynamic up top but their defense was solid and a bit more luck would have seen them take the title perhaps. Rangers were in no man's land 30 points off the title. Dundee Utd remains the best of the rest but their neighbors Dundee ran them close all season. St Mirren looked like being in the hunt too but fade into the Falkirk no man's land. Motherwell & Ross County spent most of the season in the bottom spots and Ross County was deservedly relegated.

Inzagi lost the Celtic job

Play-Off
Motherwell 5-1 Inverness

Motherwell was in no way going back to the championship. Hamilton will be the only new team in the top flight next year.


Club Rankings

We stay 6th but only just as Portugal has the best season of any nation outside of Spain and England. Aberdeen & Rangers did a great job getting to the champions league last 16. Celtic doing the same in the Europa League
​

 

[Mr_Grieves]

Hibs Season 10
Pre Season 2029/30


Season Targets
SPL - Title Challenge
Scottish Cup - Win a Cup
League Cup - Win a Cup
Champions League - Europe after Christmas

So we are defending champions so the least i expect is to put up a challenge to retian our title. 5 Other teams are also in the position to put in a title challenge so who knows how it all going to pan out. I really want that Scottish Cup win, 10 years in, and by some act of God we ain't got one Scottish Cup win. Europe has to be better! We're back in the champions league groups again and again i want 3rd or better.


SPL Pre Season Prices

How would you like to bet on the defending champions at 16/1? Plenty of Hibbies got their 34/1 cashed and will be ready to invest again.


Hibs Transfers

My busiest summer in a while with 10 players joining for the first team. I got carried away with all the spare cash and we are 4 players over the 25 man squad after going overboard on the free agents.

Goalkeeper - Lucas Pantalacci

I finally decided to pull the plug and go after a new keeper. I found the capped Belgian 19-year-old sitting out his contract with just days left and even better he wanted to join. He will be no1 for us!

Defense
Dusan Garadiljevic DR, Jose Balde DC, Gonzalo Jimenez DL

Balde & Jimenez look set to go right into the first team while Dusan will bring us some suitable backup at right-back.

Midfield
Selcuk Ari ML, Thato Radebe MC

Imagine a Bayern youngster sitting out his contract and getting a call from me at Hibs and thinking that sounds tempting! Wel the Turkish winger is delighted to come in and fight Darmain from the starting spot. Center midfielder Radebe ticks my favorite box with an international cap. He'll be 3rd or 4th choice.

Attack
Luis Estrada, Jonathan Ross

I was overflowing with strikers and needed no more but here i am adding two Columbians. Yes, Jonathan Ross is a Columbian.

Youths

6 Youths come in this summer. Dylan Beale is highly rated and comes from City for a modest fee as my favorite summer kid pick-up.

Out
Duncan Ireland was a strange one. His value never went up but he was no better or worse than the other backup MCs. We were overloaded and into the last year of his deal so he's out. Speaking of backup MCs Dane Murray leaves us for a ridiculously overpriced club-record sale of £7.5m He was clearly the 4th best in the bunch which would have been ok in the SPL but why someone emptied the bank account on him is beyond me. That club-record sale lasted 13 days as we sold superstar DC Soufyan Ghimouz. Weirdly after a year of bids from Premiership teams, it was championship side Derby that stumped up £15m now and a total of £23m. He's a decent player now and a great prospect but there's no way i can turn down that kind of money at this stage. Two weeks later the transfer record was smashed again. Both Manchester teams and someone else, forget who met Ramirez's minimum fee clause. He was our best player last year but after massively overstocking on strikers i was really glad to see on leave bringing in a huge fee for the club.​

 

[Mr_Grieves]

August


Fixtures

The perfect start in the league and cup winning all 4 with 3 clean sheets. The win at home to Aberdeen was the clear highlight in a close match.


SPL Table

Rangers are the only other perfect team after 3 games. 4 teams have 0 points. Rangers stuck with McCracken too. Hearts best young player Adama Diouf looks like their best player now.

Champions League Group Draw

Are you kidding me? None of these teams are better than the 3 we played last season. We should win this group. Not getting top 2 will be a huge failure.


SPL Transfer Window

A whole page over £5m! The capital teams were the biggest spenders and sellers with Aberdeen the other major side featuring. Rangers and Celtic do their damage on page two with Gavin Chicken to Celtic being a heart breaker for us. I thought we had a deal till they sneaked in late. Good deal for them, however.

Hibs

We buy a wing back and sell a wing back. I wanted to loan my youth prospect Michael Stone out but with no interest, i sold him with a buy-back clause to Dundee Utd.​

 

[Mr_Grieves]

September


Hibs are in a transfer embargo as we go into takeover talks. £60m in the bank now compared to £9m this time last year.

Fixtures

We dropped our first points of the season with the team we were tied at the top on Rangers. They totally deserve the win so it was more of a point gained. WE beat rivals Hearts before we had our FM21 match engine game of the season winning 7-4 at Dundee Utd. The Hearts league cup defeat may be a close 2nd. We led 2-0 at the 40th minute but by the 62nd we were 4-2 behind. Out now so just the League and Europe till January.


SPL Table

The top 3 are the only sides to take points off each other. Hearts and Celtic looking on from behind for now.


Champions League

1 game done and we already have more wins in the champions league than last season. Auxerre offered little to no problems. Felt like a normal day in the SPL.

Before this wins our odds are well, as they should be.

France
The expected results to remain perfect. Scotland on October​

 

[Mr_Grieves]

October

Hibs takeover is complete. We are a PLC once again but it makes no difference to the club's finances.

Fixtures

It almost a perfect month in the SPL but just as close to perfect as we were to our first defeat in the league which will wait till a later date thanks to our only shot on target from winger Ari.


SPL Table

Aberdeens sole defeat to us is not enough to keep them off top spot. They also beat Rangers this month and all 3 of us are well clear of Hearts and Celtic. For now!


Champions League

Less fun was had in Europe where we were destroyed at home by Bilbao after going down to 10 men then we lost a back and forth game with Salzburg. Auxerre surprised me and probably a few more onlookers by getting 4 points and making the likelihood of anything happening in this straightforward group a thing.


France

Two wins secure all but secure our world cup spot. Do I want to throw the Isreal game to knock out Scotland? You bet i do and will.​

 

[Mr_Grieves]

November


Fixtures

Two games and two wins. It all went wrong when i jumped into December for the Aberdeen game and we lost. Serves me right for not sticking to protocol!


SPL Table

Our first defeat of the season saw Aberdeen and Rangers go ahead of us in the table. Hearts & Celtic make no progress on us and the Dom Diego led Dundee Utd to go clear of the pack in 6th. Hamilton has 2 points from a possible 42 but lucky for them Kilmarnock & Falkirk are not much better.


Champions League

Two wins and two clean sheets. Who is this Hibs team guaranteeing European football after Christmas? We need a draw in Spain to secure champions league action but Auxerre cant catches us.


France

I threw the Israel game but Scotland still got 2nd place. It was not enough to qualify and Alex Neil keeps his job. SFA are idiots.​

 

[Mr_Grieves]

December


Fixtures

So we knew we were starting December with a loss to Aberdeen but 2 big wins on either side of the Bilbao game and then a 3-1 lead against Rangers made me think everything was ok. Our collapse against Rangers filtered into a disappointing loss to Hearts before a shambolic loss at home to Kilmarnock.

SPL Table

Rangers and Aberdeen pull away from us following our Christmas slump but Celtic and Hearts are miles off so our eyes are still firmly set forward. Hamilton are up to 5 points with no wins yet.


Champions League

We needed a draw to ensure the last 16 but even with a 1-0 defeat results elsewhere went our way and were into the last 16.

Champions League Last 16 Draw
Hibs vs Liverpool

Great we get an English team. Auto eliminated

France World Cup Draw

I'd say out of the 743 groups we drew the group of death.
​

 

[Mr_Grieves]

January


Fixtures

3 Games an 3 wins. A lower league team, winless Hamilton and Celtic with 10 men for 70 minutes. Couldn't have expected anything less.


SPL Table

Rangers lost twice including to Aberdeen who are now miles clear of us at the top.

SPL Transfer Window

Rangers with a title in their signs splash the cash while we and Aberdeen sell up. Aberdeen sells the best striker the league has seen in the save.

Hibs

A very busy window for Hibs 3 join for the first team but 5 left.

In

Dario Vidal, DC will take over from Mayo, Igor Balaban DR & Nino Vos was signing for free in the summer but for a combined £445k we should manage to get the into the first 11 or sold quicker. Balaban does excite me. Vos was a stupid buy with u18s ready to play now.

6 players for the overflowing u18s

Out
Lewis Mayo was one of the players for life. Till China came in with a ridiculous offer. Darmian was expendable and we got £15m for him too. Paul Aitken was no2 at best and after a falling out i was never going to play him again. £5m in a great deal after i couldn't give him away last summer. Guzman's min fee was met by Rangers another player i fell out with so no loss. Velasco getting moved on was great for my u18 superstars for 2 days. £99m has come in from player sales​

 

[Mr_Grieves]

February


Fixtures

What an abysmal run of games. Every Sunday-Wednesday for the whole month and look at that run Rangers twice, Aberdeen and Hearts with a Liverpool game in there too. Amazingly the only domestic game we dropped points was a 2-2 draw with Rangers who we gave up a 2 goal lead to one again this season.


SPL Table

Aberdeen and Rangers both had wobbles in February and were the big winners now only 4 points off Aberdeen. Hamilton suddenly has 3 wins.


Champions League Last 16
Hibs 1-2 Liverpool

We were in command 1-0 up and playing great then our usual downfall of a red card changed the game. Liverpool soon equalized then in the 96 of 94 minutes Liverpool grabbed a totally undeserved winner.
​

 

[Mr_Grieves]

March


Fixtures

Were up to the split and we've come through Christmas as the leagues from the team. We've only dropped 2 points at Rangers since the new year and have also reached the Scottish Cup Semi-final where we have Partick.

SPL Table

Looks like it's going to be between 2 this year. Rangers are 9 points and a bunch of goals behind. Hearts & Celtic will fight over 4th while Dundee Utd is locked into 6th. Look at the top scorers all over 25. One from Hibs, One from Hearts, and one from Dundee Utd. Two of them aren't in the top 3!


Champions League Last 16 2nd Leg
Liverpool 4-1 Hibs
Liverpool win 6-2 On Agg

Well, the second leg went as i expected. Hearts are the last team left in Europe. Rangers lost to WSG Tirol, Celtic and Aberdeen lost their Europa League tie to actual teams.​

 

[Mr_Grieves]

SPL Championship Group


Preview
We hold a 1 point and 8 goals lead over Aberdeen in this year's title fight. Surely the team that wins will have to hit 30 wins.

Celtic who are our first opponent will have their 3rd permanent manager in less than a year after firing former Boavista and Benfica midfielder Petit 9 months after he replaced Inzaghi now its Domenico Tedesco is the latest man into the Parkhead melting pot

We start off with a Scottish Cup Semi

Hibs 2-0 Partick

It looks tighter than it was. Partick is still waiting for a shot on target. Aberdeen will be a tougher opposition in my 4th final can i finally win the Scottish Cup


Match 34
Celtic 3-5 Hibs

One of the more thrilling games in my time in charge, usually they are against Celtic but this takes the cake. We led comfortably 2-0 at halftime, Celtic had no shots on target. Then new manager syndrome kicked in and with 13 minutes left they were 3-2 ahead and we were losing our lead in the table. However, we hit back with 3 goals of our own with 4 minutes to go O'Conner had it level before Radebe scored his most important goal ever and my former Dons defender Valenti got in on the act even though he scored for the wrong team. Aberdeen thrashed our next opposition Dundee Utd


Match 35
Hibs 6-0 Dundee Utd

HEARTS!!!! Are they going to mess about with the title picture again? They repeat last year's wonders by beating Aberdeen with a 92nd-minute winner. They also beat us so I'm not counting any chickens yet.


Match 36
Hibs 2-1 Rangers

We edge a close game but the real story is at Celtic Park where back-to-back defeats for Aberdeen mean we have retained the title with 2 games to spare.


Match 37
Aberdeen 4-5 Hibs

Aberdeens u18 and Hibs u18 put on an utter barnstormer.


Match 38
Hearts 4-2 Hibs

Kids couldn't repeat the magic​

 

[Mr_Grieves]

Scottish Cup Final 203

Hibs 3-1 Aberdeen

​

FINALLY I HAVE A SCOTTISH CUP WIN

We had to come from behind with Aberdeen taking the lead just before the break. It was a dead even game till Josh O'Conner equalised then we dominated and never looked like loosing and completed a memorable double for Hibs.​

 

[Mr_Grieves]

Season 10 Review


Hibs Squad

We have ourselves a No1 Pnatalacci showed that Aitken was not the great keeper the ratings made him look like. He's here for life unless a back up stumbles into superstardom
Like our keeper, we rarely stepped outside our strongest 11 injuries aside. Leeb & Balaban will debate who is the starting RB and who is sold. Jimenez is better than his rating tells us. Balde was spectacular after joining on a free. Yilmaz may be sold as i feel we need to upgrade the second CB with no standouts coming through yet. All the backups are welcome to find a new home.
On the right-wing i have a similar issue as Right back. Two players same age, same ability but we have to cash in on either Braniff or Tobar. I will do everything in my power to keep Moschetta and Gilchrist in the midfield together with no clear replacement for either coming through i'll want over £30m for either of them. Ari is the better player on the left Robertson deserves more than to be back up but that's where he'll stay.
Josh O'Conner led the team in goals as usual and his partner Estrada would have been a tremendous addition in 3 of 4 years' time but for now, i'll probably have to cash in on him. Like Luis other backups Rizoski & Vos are open to a sale. Chris Hagerty from the u19s is my intended starter next term. I hoped to have Beale in the first team too but he does not look ready.

My Player of the Year
Luis Estrada

He cleared 8 in the ave rating but i don't know if i want to risk holding up Hagerty's development. His buy-out clause is £18m so if he stays great. If not he's replaceable


Final SPL Table

We were the best team in the league. Fact! Aberdeens habit of losing late on in the season cost them a title. Ranger was in the fight for most of the season but faded away with 10 to go. Hearts and Celtic fought for the final Europa League place and it went to Hearts as Celtic change manager again. Dundee utd come in their standard 6th place but what the **** was going on with their by far league-worst defense? Hamilton went down although they made a good fight of it after Christmas.

Play-Off
Falkirk 3-2 Raith Rovers

Hearts win Europa League 2

First Scottish team to win a European trophy


Club Rankings

Scotland drop to 7th. That 18,000 seasons for Portugal will be a massive pain in our *** for the next 4 years

Worst of all we lose a champions league place so we all need to step up this season.​

 

[MidKnightDreary]

The Scottish Cup! Finally!

 

[Mr_Grieves]

The Scottish Cup! Finally!

Was wondering if the Champions League or Scottish Cup was going to come home first!

 

[Mr_Grieves]

World Cup 2030


France Squad

This is the Squad after the current wonder generation got into their 30s. Only Mbappe has over 100 caps, in fact he has more goals than anyone else has caps. Proof of how rebuilt this squad is that only 3 starters have over 50 caps.

Warm-Up games

Group G


Match 1
France 9-0 Ivory Coast

We make a dream start. Mbappe with a 9-minute hattrick

Match 2
Chile 2-2 France

We top the group in as unconvincing a manner as possible.


Last 32

All the major nations make it through

France 5-0 DR Congo

Last 16

We Drew Turkey and if we get past them we have a favorable Quarter Final. Sweden knocked out hosts and favorites England, USA beat Portugal.

Turkey 1-4 France

Despite dominating the game it was a nervous watch for 75 minutes Till Mbappe made up for missing a penalty by putting the result beyond doubt.


Quarter-Finals

Sweden next. Defending champs Spain is the big shock getting beat on penalties by Serbia. Brazil has an open goal to the final after Mexico finally best Germany in K'O game.

Sweden 0-2 France

As if the draw was not fair enough Sweden was down to 10 men before halftime and once we were 2 goals up i put on the handbrake to save as much energy for the Semi's as possible.

Semi-Final

France vs Holland and Brazil vs Mexico is the final 4. Holland had to play 120 minutes against Italy so we have to be the fitter team going into my biggest game so far.

France 3-0 Holland

Imagine if we didn't get Kylian Mbappe out of retirement. He's been quiet in the knockout games so far but came to life to singlehandedly drag the French into their 4th world cup final

World Cup Final 2030
And it's a repeat of the 1998 final.
France 6-0 Brazil

The biggest world cup final win ever! Mbappe scored 4 goals to break the most goals in a tournament record set in 1958.