The Man Without The Plan

[City Blue]

"Oh here's Bale inside to Ramsey! Goal! Newport County are ahead here in the 91st minute of the UEFA Champions League final it looks like the team from Wales are about to beat Barcelona. And they have! A great achievement for young master mind Matthew Hawkins!"
I woke up from my dream and opened up my laptop and put it on BBC Sport.

EDINBURGH SACKED BY BOARD
Today officials at Newport County have announced that they have mutually terminated the contract of manager Justin Edinburgh.Edinburgh had only been there for a few weeks but he has obviously had a fall-out with the board.The position at Spytty Park is not very lucrative and could be the start for a young manager.

Wow I thought to myself my almost local club my second-team.I was half black and white half blue.Half Newport half Cardiff.I lived on the border of the two.And I was a season-ticket holder at County.My life was controlled by football.Football Manager,FIFA so on.The only reason I forked out for Sky was to watch football.Anyway I thought I maybe I could manage County!I grabbed my keys and looked in my drawer as always no formal clothes.So I went to the car got my wallet and drove to the High Street.

I walked into the tailor's to buy a suit.I forked out about £95.Expensive but still gotta dress to impress.Anyway I went back into my old Ford Caori and drove to Spytty Park to speak to chairman, Chris Blight.

 

[Footy4Life89]

good start will follow

 

[City Blue]

Yes!

I pulled into the Newport County car park not exactly oozing confidence.I was nervous and even more so as I walked into the stadium seeing faces that I knew very well.I looked down the corridor and walked into reception.After a nervous wait I walked down a long corridor being greeted by many faces.

Gary Rowett-Assistant Manager Burton Albion FC

Neil Baker-First Team Coach Crewe Alexandra FC

Jez George-Manager Cambridge United FC
​

It was a countless list but I knew I was in for a shot I knew the club inside-out the chairman would surely look at that.Anyway I walked into the office.
"Hello" Blight said "what is your name"
"Matthew Hawkins,sir" I stammered
"Take a seat Mr.Hawkins" I sat down "I take it you're here about the job?"
"Yes" I seemed to say
After that all he done was ask what I thought I could do for the club etc.At the end he said.
"Well Mr.Hawkins I have to say I'm impressed I'll be in touch."
​

THE NEXT DAY
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"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!!!!!!!!!!!!" I yelled my life had been changed for ever when a man named Mr.Blight called.The conversation went like this
"Mr.Hawkins?" he asked
"Yes" I said "who is this?"
"Mr.Blight and I have some excellent news for you." he said "I have spoken with the board and they have decided that you are the new manager of Newport County FC"
So I am now a.
​

 

[faulky10]

Cute! Hope you'll link this up to the Gary Speed Challenge too! I'll be watching.

 

[City Blue]

Cute! Hope you'll link this up to the Gary Speed Challenge too! I'll be watching.

Doing Cardiff one for that (as they are my hometown club)

 

[City Blue]

Feedback would be appreciated

 

[Cai123]

A nice start, good luck managing them, keep writing and ill follow.

 

[jordalicious]

Nice start mate, will follow

 

[City Blue]

First Day

7th July 2011
Today was my first day at County and as I walked into the ground the receptionist called me over.
"Here is your schedule for today Mr.Hawkins"

8:00-9:00	Boardroom meeting
9:00-10:00	Meet the staff
10:00-12:30	Training
13:00-14:30	Meeting with sponsor/kit supplier
14:00-16:00	Training
16:00-17:30	Meeting with players

Wow was the word that came to mind.This isn't what happens on Football Manager.I walked into the boardroom and took a seat.I was facing the Board of Directors.
Chris Blight-Chairman
Phil Morgan-General manager
Matt Southall-Director
John Collingbourne-Director
John Bowkett-Director
I didn't see why there was a need for more than just one person but oh well.I sat down and the meeting began.They started talking finance which (even though I was clever) was gobbledegook too me.Then it turned too football.I was amazed when the room turned to me and Blight asked.
"So Mr.Hawkins what are you'r aims this season?"
"Well," I replied "I will have too meet the squad but I can't see why we couldn't get too mid-table"
"OK then you will have a £22,000 transfer budget and an additional £18,00 for the players wages."
The talk then turned back to finance and I just sat there waiting for it to end.
Next was meeting my staff which would be better.Here are the people I won't get rid of.
John Hartson-Assistant
Yep I'm getting rid of 8 members of staff.And replacing them with these.
Steve Whitehall-Physio
Jon Hallworth-Keeping coach.
​

Next was training.
As I walked onto the pitch in my Newport 2010 kit.I saw them in the 2010 training kit.Darryl Knights came over to me.
"All right boss?Congratulations on becoming manager!"
"Yeah thanks"
I felt calm after that I walked onto the training pitch and got them in a circle.I stood in the middle and told them how I wanted to play.I set up 3 grids.And made 56 5-a-side teams me in one of them as my squad only had 14 players.I looked on and saw that very few players possessed great technical ability that I would work on.It was a good session and I told them to rest for this afternoon.

I had a meeting with the sponsor and the kit suppliers now.I designed the new kits (available on the 10th).We scrapped contracts with Lotto and Acorn.We now have Umbro and South Wales Echo.

-Home kit

-Away kit

-Keepers home kit

-Keepers away kit
Quite nice kits.Next up was our second training session.
I basically looked at fitness and put the players on fitness regimes.Next up was a meeting with them.I basically told them that I was easy-going and that I needed respect.I told them that some players may leave.And then we packed up and left.​

​

 

[City Blue]

I've decided to do two stories one as Newport one as a foreign team.Probably from Spain/Germany