Just a note this might be my last post for a while.
Well specifically the 5th of January. I'm off to scout out potential in Italy for the New Year... with the girlfriend.
Anyway. Hope you all had a Good Christmas and a Great New Year gents!
With no early route back into the National League, I hunker down for another shot at climbing the lowest rung of the ladder.
Truth be told this isn't a complete disaster.
With a team and the setup still lingering from their days in the football league, this should be a walk in the park.
Time to craft a squad for my causal stroll to silverware.
We somehow manage to stop the entire first-team from jumping ship by guilt tripping them into another season with the Gulls.
Three transfers get us under way as Blair, Abrahams and Childs all depart the club. The trio of departures only pulled in a measly five grand but at least began the clear out of deadwood as we look to force some space in our now minuscule wage budget.
Despite our damage limitation job we still see influential central midfielder Luke Young instantly abandon the club as he refuses to renew his contract with the club. Can't blame him. Despite Youngs departure we do manage to desperately cling on to all important Irish finisher, Eoghan Stokes for what should be a free-scoring season.
From: Out of Contract
Cost: Free
First arrival of the season see's Right-back Joseph Wilson arrive at the club. The Twenty-Two year old failed to make the cut at both Reading and Wycombe but with a solid-season at Dover now under his belt, hopes are high that the nippy wing-back can continue to repair what remains of his career with the Gulls.
From: Guiseley
Cost: Free
Returning to the Lions, I snap up Welsh attacking midfielder, Dylan Levitt on a quick-fire free transfer. The supremely talented Welsh play-maker doesn't really fit into my four-four-two lineup but should be more then capable of morphing into a game changing central midfielder. Bargain signing.
From: Out of Contract
Cost: Free
When you have no money one of the best places to lurk is the exit door at Old Trafford. Recent released from The Red Devils, right winger Tom Shaw perfectly fills in what is now a rather glaring hole on the right side of midfield. With rapid pace and a neat cross, Shaw could light up the League this season.
From: Out of Contract
Cost: Free
Coming from Liverpool, Cunningham is ready to made to slot in on Shaw's opposite flank. What he lacks in speed compared to Shaw, James makes up for it with solid technical ability. An impressive cross and the technique to match, Cunningham could well find himself setting up a number of chances for key-striker Stokes.
From: Accrington Stanley
Cost: Loan - End of Season
With none of last season's loanees willing to ply their trade any lower down the standings and no wage-budget remaining we turn to Accrington's Aussie left-back Reagon Ogle to add some depth to our defence. He might not have the pace to overlap down the flanks but his defensive abilities should at least see him keep our left flank water-tight.
From: Blackburn Rovers
Cost: Loan - End of Season
We somehow manage to hold off a number of better teams as we land loanee Tom Taylor. The Irish Under Twenty-One midfielder has some of the most impressive physical attributes in the entire league and should easily run the show in the middle of the park alongside fellow new arrival Levitt.
Despite heading towards a season even further down the standings, I genuinely think I might have ended up with a stronger team.
With the start of the league quickly approaching, surely it's now just a matter of sitting back and waiting for the title and a return to the National League to come rolling in.
Still enough time to dust off the trophy cabinet in preparation...
