The Matt Grimsey story

August 2018

Friendly: Middlesborough under 23s at home: View attachment 68307

Tweaked the lineup a bit here. Not exactly a classic but Wakeman keeping a clean sheet on his debut, keeping our unbeaten run going, Wilson having a decent performance and most importantly of all no more injuries meant that this was satisfying enough.

Eddie Howe becomes the new England manager and I discover that there’s now a managieral vacancy at Pittodrie. I consider it for ten seconds and think…no. Want to wait till I’m in L1 or L2 at least before thinking about that job…or maybe start by getting a toe hold lower down in the Scottish game

Adie Britton finds a new midfielder, a Noel Leighton who gets immediately put in the under 23s.

Downey is officially promoted to the captaincy and on Karl’s suggestion, I give Willis the vice-captaincy. I consider talking to MaGuire but with him out of action for so long, I hope he understands that I have to hand the armband elsewhere.

Wilson’s trial comes to an end…right on the day of our last pre-season match against Boston Town and Thompson asks me what happened. I just shrug my shoulders and say it’s football…according to our analysisis, Adams is better than him in enough areas anyway, might be better off taking a punt on him. Buggers things up for our last pre-season game though

Friendly: Boston Town away: View attachment 68306

Town are United Counties League. They had already played our under 23s in a friendly and drawn 2-2 with them. I try to avoid starting with any players that played in the under 23s match. When one of my starters, Waite, gets himself yellow carded(and Town open the scoring through the resultant penalty), I decide to sub him and bring on Diedrick-Roberts who did the business in the under 23s game…who subsequently gets yellow carded himself…then scores the equaliser. Then complete his hat-trick. Someone wants a starting spot for the first league game of the season and may well get it. For the first time in my managieral career, we finish pre-season unbeaten.

With all my jiggering around with the squad in the last two friendlies, I need to have a bigger think that this time last season on who I want in my starting XI for our opening league game away to Nuneaton. Of the 22 I decided to stand or fall with at the start of pre-season, two are injured and another I wouldn’t want to take my chances on yet, all midfielders. Willis is the safe bet in goal, doubly so as my new vice-captain. Defence is picked based on pre-season form. Midfield picks itself due to injuries. Strikers are picked on pre-season form. Can we get three points out of Nuneaton. Let’s see.

National League North: Nuneaton away: View attachment 68305

The players talked me out of a more attacking approach to this one and well…Diedrick-Roberts got our first league goal of the season but Nuneaton equalised soon after and well…we had the chances to win it…just didn’t take them. Annoying.

Adams does his abdominals in training…out for at least four weeks. I’m tempted to give him an injection so he can make the next game at home to Chorley but decide to just leave him to the physios. Even if it does mean I have to work out who to play at right mid for that game. Rollins is happy to do so at a pinch…

National League North: Chorley at home: View attachment 68304

Rollins in a pinch turns out to be ****** good at right mid. Chorley are largely at our mercy and if anything, we could have won by a lot more here. Still, first league match at home, first league win of the season and it’s against last season’s playoff runners up. Not so bad.

Give Rollins a pat on the back for his performance.

When I get home, I find an answerphone message from my Mum. She’s been keeping in touch with our old postie back in Aberdeenshire. Postie says she knows someone in the Scottish football world who says that St Johnstone are considering me as their next manager. Now, the Saints would be no mere toehold in the Scottish game and are the early leaders of the Scottish Championship, while under the player/caretaker managership of Alan Mannus, their longtime goalie. My first question has to be…is our postie on any medication we need to be made aware of? Chairmen of teams like the Saints do not trawl the English 6th​ tier for new managers right? What if they did though? If they did and I played my cards right I could be a Scottish Premiership manager for the 2019/20 season! Interesting.

Time to stop dreaming…

National League North: Bradford PA away: View attachment 68303

First unchanged lineup of the regular season though my match strategy is still partly dependent on player fitness. Fired the guys up by reminding them that this lot were one of the sides that made us look like April fools last season. First half, we were very much the better team but couldn’t hit the net and it took a penalty for us to break the deadlock. Ultimately, that’ll be our three points thank you very much.

Adie Briton takes the liberty of signing up a variety of players, the latest being striker Thomas Knowles. Those guys can stay in the under 23s, I know who I have faith in.

St Johnstone take the relatively sensible offer of hiring Paul Hartley as their next gaffer but that leaves Hartley’s old seat at Scottish Premiership Falkirk empty, and now our old postie is rambling about them being interested in me having that gig. Again, question her medication. If nothing else, Falkirk’s caretaker is Jimmy Nicholl. He is no mug and it would be a massive honour to have him as my assistant manager…but he is more than capable of taking the job permanently himself.

In the meantime…

National League North: Tamworth away(MATCH OF THE MONTH – match file attached): View attachment 68302

These are one of the teams that mugged us last season. “Show no mercy” is my cry in the dressing room and Tshimanga in particular shows no mercy in the 1st​ half. Tamworth throw everything at us in the second half and my substitution strategy is still limited due to player match fitness but while they pull one goal back, my guys hold them off. Another team ticked off the list.

Adie Briton signs up another striker for the under 23s, Jack McMenemey.

36th​ birthday, nice lunch with Stacey, cake after Rick gets home from school and then…

National League North: York at home: View attachment 68301

What was seen as the division’s big match of the night but the guys aren’t really with it, I try and go 4-3-3 late on to push for a win…only for a disasterous late collapse to happen. First defeat of the season and at home, and a knock to Tshimanga. Not what I had in mind.

(annoying thing is, I originally won this match but then botched up saving the game so had to redo it and second time round, things went to ****)

The Tshimanga knock is minor, the Dolling knock means he’s not riskable for the next match but Chapman's fit again so I'm not going to freak out. Ah well, at least lunch was nice.

2018/19 season:

Team: Boston United
Friendlies: P6 W4 D2 L0
National League North: 4th
FA Cup: Starts in September
FA Trophy: Starts in December
 
September 2018

National League North: Nantwich at home: View attachment 68164

Nantwich are one of the division’s new sides, freshly promoted from the Northern Premier League. I tell the guys they need to get their act together for this one and they respond with a dominant first half. The second half is compromised by concerns over fitness and further knocks, a minor one to Tshimanga then possibly a bigger concern with East after I’ve used all my subs. Still, back to winning ways.

Turns out East has a gashed head, he’ll be out for over a week though the Tshimanga issue turns out to be nothing. Definitely picking up more injuries this season but it isn’t affecting the team’s form.

Timo Carpene, a striker is the latest guy that Briton signs for the under 23s.

Our old postie has apparently stopped rambling about me taking the Falkirk job. Ah well…maybe they fixed her meds…

Briton signs a guy on a trial, Eijike Azubike, a 19 year old midfielder…has him train with the first team for the duration…OK fine…

National League North: Stockport away: View attachment 68163

Well the first half, I couldn’t ask for more from. The second half, Stockport stepped up a gear and we just couldn’t match them. Effectively two points lost but no more injuries and less concerns with fitness as the season goes on.

Matthew Halliday is the latest Briton signing for the under 23s and I’m asked to let midfielder Burnell Goater-Braithwaite train with the first team for a week.

Next up…the FA Cup. Again it starts in September, again the board expect us to still be in the competition in November. The 2nd​ qualifying round draw gives us…Lincoln United away. As opposed to the Lincoln City side who we played against in pre-season. This lot are Northern Premier Division South. Should be straightforward.

National League North: FC United at home: View attachment 68162

Omrore’s first start and he rewarded me with an early headed goal. And that’s about the only good thing I can say about this match. How the Reds were able to take the **** out of our defence twice…not sure.

King snarks that he’s not seeing enough action. I tell him he’ll probably get some before the season’s out. He seems satisfied with that.

National League North: Spenneymoor away: View attachment 68161

Ah yes, that took the taste of the last match away. Spenneymoor are a team we know how to beat and we do so pretty smoothly…particularly in the second half. The Rollins-Tshimanga combination is working a treat right now!

Briton signs a few guys for the under 23s, none of whom I’m that concerned about for now.

FA Cup 2nd​ qualifying round: Lincoln United away: View attachment 68160

What…the ****…was that? The dullest game of football I’ve seen in a long time for starters. Somehow took an age for us to hit the net and then they were able to do us right at the end. We really should have buried this lot, instead, we have to take them back to our place for a replay.

The 3rd​ qualifying round draw means that assuming we do put Lincoln United to the sword in the upcoming replay, we’ll face another Northern Premier League South side in Cleethorpes.

I have a team meeting to snark at some of our hit and miss displays recently, the majority of the squad back me up but Chapman gets a bit snarky back. Meh.

FA Cup 2nd​ qualifying round replay: Lincoln United at home: View attachment 68159

Now why couldn’t we have done that in the first game…to be honest we could have doubled our score, it didn’t help that the 8th​ tier side pretty much parked the bus in both games but at least that’s done and dusted now. One down, two to go, just wish we didn’t have to play this lot twice.

Tell Tshimanga I was impressed with some of his passing after that match…but he gets a bit funny with me over it. Ah well.

So yeah, next round it’s Cleethorpes at home. Let’s hope we can deal with that lot at the first time of asking.

Next match is at home to Solihull Moors. They’re one of the teams that got relegated from the National League Premier last season. That’s not what the pre-match hype is about though. One of the centre mids for Solihull is Grant Roberts, former fan favourite at York Street…though before my time here. Still, it’s his first match at York Street since he left here. Been there, done that, sympathise with the guy.

National League North: Solihull Moors at home(MATCH OF THE MONTH - match file attached): View attachment 68158

First half sees us generally do the business, though when Solihull pull one back, that has me warning the guys against complacency. Tshimanga seems to bounce off the walls with that but it fired the defence up at least. In the meantime, Roberts has the sort of game I had when I returned to Griffin Park as an Exeter player for the first time and gets withdrawn at half time. In the second half, Tshimanga completes his hat-trick, defence is bulletproof, no worries whatsoever.

Praise Tshimanga’s shooting after the match, which he takes well this time around.

I have further reason to pat him on the back at the end of the month…he secures the division’s player of the month award!

2018/19 season:

Team: Boston United
Friendlies: P3 W4 D2 L0
National League North: 4th
FA Cup: 3rd qualifying round
FA Trophy: Starts in December
 
October 2018

Having seen me bounce off the walls throughout September, Stacey goes into counsellor mode. The fact is, I signed my current contract in December 2017. Since February 2018 I have had talk, either speculative or confirmed that clubs as high as L1 south of the border and top flight north of the border have been curious about my services. So why am I not even getting interviews with these clubs? I’ve been putting pressure on myself as a result, passing that pressure on to the players and I guess I really just need to focus on being Boston United manager for a bit. The board want me to secure a playoff spot? Well we’ve not been out of the playoff spots this season. Just need to focus on the present, not neccersarilly commit to a third season here too early and see where things are at the end of the season.

National League North: Blyth at home: View attachment 67970

The first half went OK but I really should have told them not to get too cocky at half time, instead our defence goes to **** late on and boy was I ****** off with the guys for that in the dressing room afterwards. Rollins getting injured was also less than ideal.

Rollins has twisted his ankle. Gutted for the guy but Adams can take over from him and MaGuire isn’t far from full fitness as backup.

My Fergie impersonation in the dressing room after the Blyth match got reported to the media by Vince. Fine.

Karl suggests we hire an old Exeter teammate of mine Robbie Whiston as under 23s manager. Well I talk to him but we can’t come to terms money wise.

FA Cup 3rd​ qualifying round: Cleethorpes at home: View attachment 67969

Now that’s how you deal with an 8th​ tier side in the FA Cup qualifying rounds. Biggest win of the season so far, only concern being a McGowan injury. Still, two down, one to go.

McGowan’s out for a couple of weeks with concussion. Annoying, but at least King will get the first team action he was bugging me earlier in the season for.

The FA Cup 4th​ qualifying round draw is where the National League Premier sides join the party. Well we avoid those but get drawn with Telford, away. Last time we played it Telford it was so embarrassing the players decided to reimburse the fans. Less than ideal, certainly.


Briton signs a young striker Jason Travaal for the under 23s. He looks promising and there will be space for fresh strikers in the squad next season so let’s see what happens.

National League North: Harrogate away(MATCH OF THE MONTH – match file attached): View attachment 67968

Last season, Harrogate were about at our level. This time, Simon Weaver’s crew have stolen a march on us and are the league leaders. Yet when my guys can get their **** together, they can beat such teams. Counter attack, chill out…Harrogate don’t know what hit them. That’ll be our three points, now lets see if that gives us some momentum in the league.

I give Tshimanga a pat on the back for his performance.


Next up is Kettering away. Now Kettering is who poached Ciaran O’Loughlin off us last season, they’ve since been promoted from the Northern Premier League. Apparantly though, he’s now playing in National League South, for Eastborne. The same source who told me about that said that Liam Wakefield has been transfer listed by Exeter.

So I give Paul Tisdale a text, “can I have Wakefield back?”. He and I do some haggling but cut a deal for 6K. Slight problem, Wakefield himself then doesn’t want to discuss terms. Bummer.

I catch some action from the all-National League South FA Cup 3rd​ qualifying round replay between Hungerford and Wealdstone, with Wealdstone winning 2-1.


National League North: Kettering away: View attachment 67967

The first half shows that Kettering are not mugs and Tshimanga getting himself injured is less than ideal but luckily Diedrick-Roberts opens the scoring just before half time. We then go three up before Kettering pull one back. I then about telling the guys to go more defensive but remember a fan’s tweet that I heard about. “Grimsey is best when he sticks to a plan”. Stick to the plan, secure the three points.

Tshimanga is concussed and will be out for two weeks which is a pain in the ****.

Briton has striker Ned Day trial for the first team…fine and signs a couple more guys for the under 23s, fine.

FA Cup 4th​ qualifying round: Telford away: View attachment 67966

Given the board’s Cup expectations, this felt like a Cup final and after what happened last season here, this was one of the last places I wanted to play such a match. It is to the credit of our defence that the match was goalless at half time! They were all over us. And then in the second half, out of nowhere, Waite hits the net, Vince gets a penalty and I dare think we have the win. Yet Telford aren’t done, pull one back, I resist the temptation for the guys to go more defensive and think we’ve held them off only for them to hit a scorcher of an equaliser which means that we have to take them back to our place.

Well we’re in the draw for the FA Cup 1st​ round at least…if we do see off Telford in the replay…we face L2 Morecombe away in the first round proper.

FA Cup 4th​ qualifying round replay: Telford at home: View attachment 67965

At 2-0 up I thought we were reasonably sorted…but this is a team that does seem to have our number and they absolutely hammer us ultimately. I brought McGowan back but he had to be taken off at half time he was so knackered and well, the second half was a ******* disaster and once again I dug out the hairdryer. Waite injured on top of that just pored salt into the wounds. Out of the Cup in October, David Newton will not be happy with me and I’m ****** off at the players, how can this bunch be so awesome in some matches and fall to bits in others?

Waite has a gashed head and will be out for a couple of weeks. This is a pain in the ****…I promote Noel Leighton, the most promising of Briton’s signings for the under 23s as emergency cover.

Luckilly Newton leaves me alone for now, and the journos have been quieter than usual for an age. Interesting.

National League North: Brackley at home: View attachment 67964

Brackley are 2nd​ and I decide to roll with a Counter strategy and see what happens. Well the first half goes OK but is goalless and it ultimately comes down to a second half Brackley penalty. Bummer.

Morale in the dressing room has gone to ****. I try to raise their spirits in a team meeting but it goes down like a lead balloon.

With the Cup already gone, the only other competition on the horizion is the FA Trophy. The 3rd​ qualifying round draw bits us up against Isthian League D1 North side Bury Town away. The first of two teams we have to beat to keep the board satisfied on that front before we can even think of repeating last season’s run.

Tshimanga is fit again, so it’s back to the under 23s for Leighton.

National League North: Chester at home: View attachment 67963

Chester are the other side that were relegated from the National League Premier last season. They’re having a pretty ****** season however. Well…I can’t remember the last time I was involved in a match quite like that. I thought we had every wrapped up and then suddenly Chester come out of nowhere and pull level. Diedrick-Roberts then hit what I think is surely the winner, Chester get yet another equaliser and Tshimanga completes a hat-trick in his comeback game to hit the actual winner.

Give Tshimanga a pat on the back for pretty much saving our arses there, the fans are starting to wonder if we’re a one man team. Vince getting himself suspended after five yellows over the course of the season is less than ideal though.

Thompson shows up for the first time in a while after the match. Leyton Orient might be interested in securing my services as manager. My jaw drops slightly at that, hadn’t thought that our results had been good enough to get that sort of attention. Orient were relegated from L2 in my last season as a player, they’re one of those teams that know me pretty well. Last season they only just missed out on going back up through the National League Premier playoffs and this season has seen things go completely to **** for them. I say I’m fairly stunned at the attention and would certainly talk to them.

What I don’t say is that I’d rather wait till the end of the season before making a commitment to Orient. I know the guys don’t fancy our chances of promotion but if we really can get our **** together, it’s still doable, albeit via the playoffs.

Karl suggests that Eddie gets the chance to upgrade his coaching qualifications, I pass the suggestion on to David Newton, who likes the idea.

Tshimanga secures his second Player of the month award in a row. Do I have the best individual player in the division on my hands? Maybe. Is that enough for me to make it worth staying more than two seasons in Boston…if I’m honest, not unless the players start believing they can go up another level. While I’m no mercenary, I don’t want to be managing at this level forever. The players don’t want me to go, but they also feel that I’m putting them under too much pressure. It’s only a matter of time before I’m out of here.

2018/19 season:

Team: Boston United:
Friendlies: P6 W4 D2 L0
National League North: 5th
FA Cup: Knocked out in 4th qualifying round replay
FA Trophy: Starts in December
 
November 2018

Briton signs a couple more guys for the under 23s.

In the meantime, the reaction of the Boston United fans to my being willing to consider the Leyton Orient gig is to beg me through Four Four Two to stay. To be fair, my record here is probably the best the club has had since dropping from L2 straight down to this level(due to financial dodginess) back in ’07. Just as the club weren’t able to keep Ashley Hemmings or Liam Wakefield here though due to their ambitions, so will I have to leave at some point.

In the meantime, I am still Boston United manager and I have a home match against Grantham to deal with. The fellow-Lincolnshire side has just been promoted from the Northern Premier League and my opposite number Steve Adams is the latest to whine about the York Street pitch. Daniels asks me what my take on his whining is…I laugh it off and say that the club can’t afford to do anything about the pitch anyway.

One more thing, Tshimanga will be off to Africa after the next match. He’s in the Congo squad for an African Nations Cup qualifier against DR Congo and a friendly against Zambia…and yeah, couldn’t be happier for the guy, we’re not even playing any matches while he’s gone.

National League North: Grantham at home: View attachment 67880

I know Grantham have been doing better than expected in this division but being able to find holes in our defence twice like that is simply not on. Another two points thrown away and Tshimanga picking up another knock was less than ideal.

The Tshimanga knock proves to be minor, it won’t affect his international duty, let alone our next match.

The bigger eyebrow raiser is Daniels approaching me after the match. He’s heard that Maidstone want me as their next manager. Maidstone are in the National League Premier relegation battle, I say that I’d certainly consider the possibility.

There’s another vacancy I’ve heard of though that off the record, I say I’m more curious about. A certain someone(Gary Neville) got in touch to let me know that Bury might be taking a second look at me. Remember that Bury were one of the L1 clubs that gave me an out-of-nowhere interview not long after I hung up my boots in the summer of 2017. Back then, they went with Steven Pressley. He lasted till Janurary 2018. He was replaced by Graham Alexander who has recently been fired with the club in the L1 relegation mire. Daniels confirms off-the-record that they might be curious.

The response to my statement on Maidstone is…hope from the Maidstone fans that I’ll join them and hope from the Boston board that I’ll hang around.

Tshimanga heads off to the Congo.

In the meantime, it’s FA Cup 1st​ round weekend. For the first time in ten years, I am not involved. For the first time in my footballing career, it’s for the wrong reasons. I can’t get rid of this sense of frustration, luckily a release provides itself in a text from Paul Tisdale. Exeter City have invited me to their FA Cup 1st​ round match against Crewe to give a halftime interview. A family weekend back in Devon could do some good.

We head down on the Friday night, stay with friends in Exeter then Saturday afternoon, I set foot in St James’s Park once more. Luke Wakefield isn’t playing for City but six of my former teammates are with a seventh on the bench. Still, in less than two years, the club has had a significant overhaul. First half is goalless and if anything Crewe look the more likely side.

Half time...the PA announces my name, I step on to the pitch…”Matty Grimsey is a Red…he hates Argyle”. I talk about my time here, my great season with Boston last season and a bit about my frustrations that I’m not sure I can take these players much further and as they’ve heard, I’m hoping to move on to a bigger club.

Second half…again proves dull and goalless, I offer Tisdale my commiserations, he’s now got a trip to Crewe to slot into the schedule. From there it’s meet up with Stacey and Rick and haul down to Totnes for dinner with her parents.

Sunday morning, we’re getting packed to head back to Boston…when I get a call from Lacey…James Brent, Plymouth Argyle chairman wants to interview me for the managieral vacancy there. Now of course I knew Argyle were looking for a new gaffer, but did I really want to return to Home Park after the way my playing stint there ended, not to mention the fact that I went on to captain City which didn’t do my relations with the club any favours. I didn’t think they’d want me really, Brent must be pretty desperate…well he is facing the possibility of back-to-back relegation from L1 to the National League Premier. And I am still a veteran of the clubs best spell in recent history, and the last FA Cup quarter final they played in.

Do I really want to return to Argyle though? After that reception at St James’s Park? It would make Devon derbies very odd. Plymouth is still Stacey’s home city though, and it’s the first League club that’s wanted to interview me since I signed up at Boston. Still and Rick still have to head back up north because Rick’s got school tomorrow morning, but she asks her parents if I can crash at their place down there for tonight. It looks like I’m staying in Devon a bit longer

Brent makes it perfectly clear that he feels this’ll be a big jump from Boston, he wants me not only to haul them out of the L2 relegation mire, but get them to midtable. The toughest question he asks…concerns the way the dressing room atmosphere has gone downhill at York Street. I know full well why that’s happened – the prospect of me leaving, and my frustration that I can’t get those players up another gear, but I just say that the situation at York Street is irrelevant here.

After the morning interview, lunch proves to be a sandwich on the train from Plymouth to Birmingham New Street. After a further change in Nottingham, I’m home in time for dinner…assuming I can call Boston home for much longer.

Relationships with the players are increasingly messy. Downey can’t accept praise and Broadhead wants more first team action, at least the latter I’m able to cool down.

One player that does seem to like me is Hartlepool centre-mid Harry Lewis. He can’t get any National League Premier action and has yelled out to the press “come get me, Matt Grimsey!”. You’re having a laugh mate, analysis says that I’ve already got better centre mids than you.

Plymouth decide I’m more trouble than it’s worth after all, they see Justin Edinburgh, Spurs player from the 90s who’s been in management longer than me as a safer bet. No sooner have I gotten used to that, I get a call from Daniels saying that he’s heard Stevenage, another team in the L2 relegation scrap are sniffing round me. I tell him I’m glad of the attention.

In the meantime, I do still have a job to do in Boston. Tshimanga returns from the Congo, his first experience of international football being as an unused sub in two matches. Pity, but it would still have been a great experience for the guy.

Omrore takes a knock in training but it’s minor and won’t keep him out of the next match.

National League North: Leamington away(MATCH OF THE MONTH - match file attached): View attachment 67879

This was hardly a classic match, but it was still a solid display from the guys that might actually get them to start believing in themselves again. Leamington pull one back which makes me nervous but we still secure the three points.

After the match, Daniels approaches me, there’s talk of Blackpool being interested in my services. They’re in the L1 relegation scrap and not in good financial shape. I tell him that I’d be up for that challenge. Off the record, he’s heard that Blackpool and Stevenage are just two of five League clubs considering my services. Bradford are giving me a second look and Southend and Colchester are also giving me a looksee. The Boston board just acknowledge this speculation knowing I still have seven months left on my contract.

Overhearing chat in the dressing room, the Leamington win has given the players some of their mojo back, but they’re also starting to look towards the end of my time here as well. They’d still like me around but maybe if I’m going to go, they’d like me to get on with it.

As for jobs I was previously been considered for…well Leyton Orient blag Gianfranco Zola as their next gaffer while Mark Delaney takes the Bury job.

Midweek, I’m off to Crewe to watch the Crewe vs Exeter FA Cup 1st​ round replay. Wakefield’s on the subs bench for City but doesn’t see any action as Crewe win 2-1 with my old teammate Jason Stockley scoring for City. Some journo from Sky Sports spots me and assumes I’m there to see how Wakefield’s getting on.

National League North: Telford away: View attachment 67878

And we still can’t beat the bastards, but we don’t do that badly against them either on this occasion, getting a point out of Telford is a lot better than a 7-2 defeat in league terms though various knocks are a concern, still, given how knackered they were, another two points lost.

The only knock that proves to be significant is East’s and even that only puts him out of action for a day or two.

Far more jawdropping is an interview offer that comes out of nowhere from Burton Albion chairman Ben Rollinson. I matched up against them a few times as City captain in L2, they went on to rise as far as the Championship, only to get relegated last season and now they’re not doing as well as they’d like in L1. And they want to interview me. Interesting indeed.

So…lunch the following day is a sandwich on the train from Boston to Nottingham then the hop from Nottingham to Burton-on-Trent. Rollinson seems to be relatively easy going, the Boston players have their mojo back so unlike the Plymouth interview, that isn’t a concern, only possible concern is finances and the fact that National League North to L1 is a very big jump for such a young manager. If an L1 club is ready to hire me though, then I’m ready to make that jump.

Well, I’m checking email at Nottingham train station on my way home when I get a text from Stacey. She’s just heard that I’m now the favourite to get the Burton job! My response…”I need a beer”.

I am a National League North manager who has not had anything to do with L1 even as a player for seven seasons. How the **** am I the favourite for an L1 managieral vacancy? When I get back to Boston train station, I’m greeted by Daniels, who asks me to confirm that I’ve just attended an interview for the Burton vacancy. I confirm that I have. Then head for home for a late dinner. With beer.

The Boston board’s response to the interview with Burton is the same as it ever is…but they must know that my time with them is numbered. For now though, I am still Boston United manager, and I have an FA Trophy match against Bury Town to prepare for.

2018/19 season:

Team: Boston United
Friendlies: P6 W4 D2 L0
National League NOrth: 5th
FA Cup: Knocked out after 4th qualifying round replay
FA Trophy: Starts in December
 
December 2018

FA Cup 3rd​ qualifying round: Bury Town away: View attachment 67194

You have got to be kidding me! Why does this defence keep choking? On the plus side, Karl turning back the clock is very welcome but this has been a disasterous season for us in the Cups, mugged by an eighth-tier side…****** ****…

I give Karl a pat on the back for his recent on-pitch form though while trying to work out what the **** I’m meant to do about this defence!

A few levels up…my potential suitors at Burton are actually on pretty good form under caretaker manager Kevin Bond who has to be my main competition for the gig and after the Bury Town mugging, my odds there have lengthened from 2-1 to 5-2.

And yet, I get a phonecall from Daniels, Partick Thistle, currently rock bottom of the Scottish Premiership might be interested in hiring me. I smile and say for the record I wouldn’t rule it out. Off the record he tells me that I’m also probably favourite for that gig! I am stunned…and if I’m honest, would take the Partick gig over Burton…but Partick have to interview me first. Burton might want to offer me a contract before I haul north of the border for an interview though.

I can’t count chickens about my future though, and still have a job to do in Boston. Which includes dealing with Broadhead’s latest complaints about the lack of first team action. I tell him that I’m planning to overhaul the defence after the Bury Town farce and that involves him starting the next game.

National League North: Darlington at home: View attachment 67193

Unfortunately the next game is against Kevin Hutchinson’s Darlington who did the double over us last season and the crew of my old Exeter vs Torquay playing rival are also on course for the playoffs this time around. My defence proves to be useless against his chief assassin Mark Beck and when we go 4-2 down, he smirks at me. I have a deadly assassin of my own however and when Tshimanga completes his hat-trick to draw us level, I smirk back. With Beck later substituted, he’s left cursing his team’s inability to retake the lead. I’ll take that point.

After that match, Daniels tracks me down…having heard that Dundee United might be interested in hiring me. The “New Firm” side are currently midtable in the Scottish Championship. I say that waking up that sleeping giant could be interesting.

Both Partick Thistle and Dundee United fans like the idea of me managing their club but the Boston United board are getting increasingly annoyed with me. Fine by me, I’m in a pretty strong position here, I’m getting attention both sides of the border and have already had interviews with two League teams and still waiting to hear back from one.

FA Cup 2nd​ round weekend…I decide to head to Shrewsbury to see how Ashley Hemmings is getting on. He doesn’t play in the match against Wigan and they lose 1-0.

Not long after I get back home…I hear mixed news. On the one hand, Burton have decided to hire Paul Hurst instead of me. Hurst is one of my predecessors as Boston United manager but more significantly, he’s an ex-Burton player…but that just means his old seat at Shrewsbury is now empty and Thompson wants to know if I’m up for that gig. Well the chance to re-team with Hemmings, this time in L1…yeah, I’d take that…which annoys the Boston United board even more but meh. Particularly as Thompson reckons Oldham, bottom of the Championship, may also be interested in signing me up.

The next potential gig I hear about is north of the border, Livingston, Scottish Championship. Still waiting to hear from Partick Thistle but I say I wouldn’t rule it out…which annoys the Boston board even more.

In the meantime…I do still have work to do here.

National League North: Alfreton away(BOSTON UNITED MATCH OF THE MONTH – match file attached): View attachment 67192

Last match before Xmas. An Alfreton side with Craig Westcarr injured is a good time to give Wakeman his league debut amongst other tweaks and sure enough, we get a win, we also however get Tshimanga picking up another injury which isn’t so good.

Tshimanga’s out for another four weeks. This is getting old.

With the Burton gig, despite my hopes having gone, I invite Daniels for a beer and ask him to bring his crystal ball. Partick didn’t even bother interviewing me so that leaves Shrewsbury, Dundee United and Livingston keeping an eye on me. In order of preference, I’d go with Dundee United, Livingston and Shrewsbury. Daniels says that the Shrewsbury job is the only one that’s realistic, which I suppose makes sense. Given that none of those sides have even interviewed me yet, it looks like we’ve got a second Xmas in Boston after all. Of course, the Plymouth and Burton interviews both came out of nowhere.

I give Tshimanga a pat on the back on his recent form.
North of the border, Livingston fans decide they like the idea of having me as their manager… but then one of those out-of-nowhere interviews comes in! Airdrie are Scottish League 1. I have memories of them being in the Scottish Premiership back in the day. And they want to interview me. After 24 years…Scotland, I’m coming back!

The journey there involves overnighting in a hotel by East Midlands airport before a morning flight to Glasgow sees me set foot on Scottish soil for the first time since I was 11 years old. Shuttle bus to Queen Street station then train out to Airdrie, have lunch in a local café and…

…the interview with Airdrie chairman Jim Ballantyne goes pretty well, though this turns out not to be the Airdrie I remember, I’m reminded by some research that that club ceased to exist in 2002. A new club was started from scratch that summer, originally called Airdrie United before changing its name to Airdrie in the summer of 2013. They have since established themselves in the Scottish third tier. Other than some concerns about me having to adapt to the Scottish football scene(which I have no history whatsoever in) and the finances at Boston United, it’s promising.

Train back to Queen Street, shuttle to the airport, food on the flight back south of the border, shuttle to Nottingham train station and best part of 24 hours later, I’m finally back in Boston.

In the meantime, Thompson gives me a phonecall…for the record…he hears Carlisle, English L1 are interested in my services, I say that I certainly like that idea.

And then, Airdrie give me another yell. We might not be having that second Xmas in Boston afterall. They’ve offered me a contract. Slight problem, it’s only £400 per week, and I’m already on £425 at Boston. So I push for £450, knowing that I potentially have other options still. They say “deal”.

Stacey is not particularly happy at the sudden change in Xmas plans, but this contract with Airdrie runs till May 2020 and I promise her that I will see that contract out.

Farewell Boston, and thank you, part of me will still miss this team but let’s be honest, you don’t turn down this sort of job. My first job in Scottish football awaits…

AIRDRIE

Stacey, Rick and I travel up to Scotland together and before we even get the chance to check into the hotel I’m in a rush of meetings and…oh yeah…home league match against Albion Rovers later that day.

In the meantime…Adie Briton has taken over from me as Boston manager and terminated a load of player contracts! **** knows why other than saving the club money.

In the meantime I have another meeting with Ballantyne and my new assistant manager Kayode Owadji, a one-time Nigerian international who’s probably the one guy as the club with any shared history with me, a journeyman of the lower English divisions, we’ve crossed paths a few times.

Next. The journos. A ton of them. FourFourTwo, Goal.com, Mail on Sunday, Airdrie Football review, Scotland on Sunday, MirrorFootball.com. I’ve left my familiar faces behind and am once again on alien territory. Is my departure from Boston due to lack of loyalty? I say that I simply felt that it was time to move on. They try and get me to comment on the failings of my predecessor Steve Findlay, I say that I’m in no position to do that. They question whether I can meet expectations, I say that I can. They question whether I can manager a game with only a few hours notice. I say it’ll give me a chance to see what the players can do. They ask what I’ll do in the transfer marker, I say we’ll see what happens. I created a good dressing room atmosphere at Boston? I plan to create a similar atmosphere here. Do I plan to haul up any backroom staff from Boston? Not really. Am I planning to focus on the league or the Cup for the rest of the season. I say I’ll take both competitions seriously.

Next up, team meeting. I just repeat what Ballantyne told me, that we’re expected to keep clear of the relegation battle. That doesn’t impress the players that much, who think I lack ambition, I then reckon we should aim more for midtable then, which impresses them more but overall…that could have gone better.

So, where is my new team at at this point? Well they’re currently 9th​ in L1 which means they’re liable to get sucked into a relegation playoff with three L2 teams at the end of the season. My job is to get them out of that. They are also in the 4th​ round of the Scottish Cup where they have Championship Queen of the South at home. They were knocked out of the Betfred Cup in the group stages and the IrnBru Cup in the 2nd​ round by L2 Clyde.

So, scrabble together a team for a bottom of the table scrap, allowing for injuries…here goes…

League One: Albion Rovers at home(AIRDRIE MATCH OF THE MONTH – match file attached): View attachment 67191

I tell the players in the dressing room to go out there and impress me. They couldn’t have done much more to do so! Completely outclassed Albion, and while Kayode wasn’t sure attack was one of our strong points, the scoreline speaks for itself. This looks very promising indeed.

Post-match, again more journos than you can shake a stick at. The Scotsman, DailyRecord.co.uk, Coatbridge Football Review, Goal.com and Four Four Two. What’s my take on Championship Dunfirmline wanting to snap up Paterson? I can’t rule anything out. Fraser’s performance was great…how far can he go? Potentially very far? Do I want to tie Currie to a permanent deal? **** yes. Great way to start your managierial career. **** yes.

First obvious order of business…give Hearts and Rangers a yell, see if they’ll do a permanent deal for Currie and Fraser. Both say “no way in ****”. So the two best strikers on my hands are going to leave at the end of the month. Not good. Get my new scouting team to take a look at Dieter Downey Downey, unfortunately Airdrie can’t afford Tshimanga or Hemmings with the current transfer budget.

Goal.com try bugging me again on the Paterson-Dunfirmline talks. I give the same response.

Xmas Eve sees my parents join us at our hotel for Xmas, and Xmas day sees us have dinner together at the hotel, unfortunately our Boxing Day match is an away game so I can’t blag tickets for my parents like I was planning to in Boston.

The journos are at me again prior to said game, away to Queen’s Park. Daily Record, Sky Sports News and 5 Live. Defeat could see us slip back into the relegation playoff zone. Am I concerned? Well we need to get a good run together. Am I concerned about opposite number Gus McPherson’s patient playing style? Not really. Isn’t that being cocky? Not really. How do I fancy our chances? Anything could happen, it won’t be an easy match. Will I pick Scott Adams? No, he’s not quite fit still

And so…

League 1: Queens Park away: View attachment 67190

I can now say, I have managed a team at Hampden Park. That’s about the only good thing about today. If Brownlies, my new captain no less had not put the ball in his own net then we might have done the business here. As it is, we did everything but score at the attacking end. Very annoying and Currie’s injury is less than ideal as well.

Currie’s busted his toe which puts him out of action till after he goes back to Hearts.

My parents head back south of the border and the club helps find us a place to rent(landlord’s a friend of Ballantyne’s) and gets Rick into a local primary school for the following term.

Craig Trulove, a promising left mid in the under 20s wants a first team contract, I tell him I’ve not been here long enough to judge him yet and I’ll look at things before the end of the season.

My upcoming opposite number, Stenhousemuir’s Brown Ferguson, shrugs his shoulders at coming up against an unknown like me.

League One: Stenhousmuir at home: View attachment 67189

Well…back to our home turf of Excelsior Stadium…team gets overhauled and with the fans blaming our 4-4-2 set up…OK, fine, let’s try 4-3-1-2 for size! Thing is…after this display, I’m not convinced the formation matters, the big problem is, the strikers here make me wish I had the money to haul the likes of Kabongo Tshimanga up here! The rest of the team is perfectly solid.

After the match, more journos, from The Scotsman and sportinglife.com. Surely it’s great to get a point off Brown Ferguson, one of the big name managers at this level of the Scottish game? I give no comment, it doesn’t feel like much of an achievement. Am I feeling the pressure after an iffy start? Yes.

I need guys that can score – now!

I look at my old club Boston United and find that Tyrell Waite has been transfer listed, he’ll do I guess. Boston are happy to take £2K for him but I’m not able to do a deal on wages. Back to square one.

Prior to our next match, at home to league leaders Raith, more journos. Teamtalk.com, sportinglife.com and MirrorFootball.co.uk. What’s my take on Raith start Lewis Vaughn? Don’t care about him. Raith beat my guys last time around, is that a big deal? Not really, I just want to win matches. Am I worried about Fry’s fitness? I might have to do some rotation. What’s my take on oppositite number Barry Smith? Don’t really know the guy.

The month ends with Fraser and Hay getting 2nd​ and 3rd​ place respectively in the division's Young Player of the month award, not so bad.

See…there’s promise here…just need to add firepower. Well, I wanted a fresh challenge.

2018/19 season:

Team: Airdrie
Friendlies: P5 W0 D1 L4(before my time here)
Betfred Cup: 3rd Group D(before my time here)
League One: 8th
IrnBru Cup: Knocked out in 2nd round(before my time here)
Scottish Cup: 4th round
 
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Interesting new challenge, what's your aim for the rest of the season?
 
On current form...I'll settle for finishing in 8th place and not getting sacked. This is not proving to be easy.
 
Janurary 2019

Currie and Fraser return to Hearts and Rangers respectively.

League 1: Raith away: View attachment 67027

4-4-2. Counter attack, tell the guys there’s no pressure on them. Sound familiar? Doesn’t quite work north of the border it seems. First half was solid enough but the league leaders still hit a second half winner.

So…we move into the new flat.

As far as business is concerned, my director of football Gordon Daziel finds me two new strikers, Jo Johnson from Forfar and Mark Day from Edinburgh City. Let’s see what they can do.

Prior to our next match away to Alloa, more journos. Teamtalk and The Scotsman. Am I looking for a reaction after the Raith match? Yes. How big a win would this be? Very.

League One: Alloa away: View attachment 67026

What the ****…it still seems that we have yet to find strikers who can score, worse still, we have our first significant defensive collapse on my watch. ******* ****.

Well the players are happy to compensate the fans for that display and Conroy accepts a warning regarding his red card but I’m in even deeper trouble than I thought.

Daziel finds another striker in Terry Reynolds.

Goal.com wants to know if Joe Johnson will come good. I have to say that I hope so.

I try holding a team meeting to fire the guys up. It goes pretty well, fingers crossed things will improve now.

Rick starts at his new school.

Championship St Mirren want to take Hay on a week’s trial. I tell them they’re having a laugh. If they want the guy, they’re going to have to pay money for him.

Prior to our next match, away to East Fife, Goal.com and Teamtalk want to know if it’s good to have young gun Graeme Rice in a secure contract. I just say I’m glad to have gotten that sorted out. East Fife haven’t scored for a long time though…I say that it could still be tricky, on current form I can’t take anything for granted.

League 1: East Fife away: View attachment 67025

We finally have a guy who can score for Airdrie and his name is Mark Day. Just when I think we have the three points wrapped up though, the defence goes to ****. This is not good at all.

Daziel signs another couple of guys for the under 20s, I’m not massively interested in trying them out, more concerned about finetuning the defence after the last match.

In the meantime…more journos, prior to our next game at home to Brechin. Daily Record.c.uk and Teamtalk. Am I pleased with one of Daziel’s signings, Charlie Muir? Reasonably so. Why are so many young players being signed? Can’t afford the more experienced guys I want to sign.

League One: Brechin at home: View attachment 67024

4-4-2 and counter attack against theoretically superior opposition…works second time of asking north of the border. When Brechin equalised, I did get a sense of déjà vu after the East Fife game, but then Sam Doig, a guy Kayode nudged me into picking turned out to be a goalscorer that was right under my nose! First win of 2019 secured, and now I finally have what looks like a team!

I find out that Andy Morrell, Tamworth gaffer prior to November, is my successor at Boston United. They could have done better but his Tamworth side gave me and my old crew plenty of headaches last season so he isn’t a complete mug.

Rick joins his new school’s Primary 4 football team.

Paterson, Bell and…all pick up slight knocks but those are minor issues.

What turns out to be a bigger issue is player dissent. First up, McIntosh wants more first team action. I remind him it’s a squad game and he’ll get some before the end of the season. That doesn’t impress him but I don’t want to sell guys over this sort of issue. He does not leave in a good mood.

Next up, journos, wanting to talk about the upcoming Scottish Cup 4th​ round match against Championship Queen of the South. MirrorFootball.co.uk, Airdrie Football Review, ESPNFC, Radio 5 Live and FourFourTwo. Thae transfer window’s about to shut, any further business expected? No. Great win against Brechin, can we keep the run going? It certainly gives us confidence. Looking forward to the match against Queen of the South? Well it’s my first time managing against a top-two tier side on either side of the border, I’m looking forward to the challenge. We’re thought to be after Ross County goalie Scott Munroe, any thoughts? We wouldn’t turn him down. Isn’t that going to annoy Ross County gaffer Owen Coyle? Don’t care. Can we beat Queen of the South? Wouldn’t rule anything out.

And then more trouble with players. Conroy wants more first team action. He’s only been out of the team two games and the first of those he was suspended for because he got his dumb **** sent off. I tell him to be patient, he’s not impressed. I insist he be patient. Still not impressed.

Next thing I know he’s got a crew of about seven players backing him up, all I’m guessing got more playing time under Findlay than they have under me so far. I’ve finally found a winning team and then this bullshit happens – never had to deal with it at Boston! I manage to calm a few of Conroy’s crew down but not all. In the long term, I’m going to have to return Conroy to first team action, but on my terms, not his.

Scottish Cup 4th​ round: Queen of the South at home(MATCH OF THE MONTH – match file attached): View attachment 67023

Conroy and his crew need to shut up. This team, this starting XI have just put on a mindblowing performance against a team that were more than capable of giving us a post-Brechin reality check in theory. Things are starting to click here though, finally. Our Championship opponents came back, to be honest, I’d have taken the replay, but Day had other ideas. And then I realise, I never came close to managing in the FA Cup 4th​ round with Boston and prior to that, didn’t reach this stage of the competition in all the time I played for Exeter. And yet this match, my guys won! Back to back for the first time on my watch. I might just have something here!

Post match, journos ahoy! Daily Record, Scotland on Sunday, Sporting Life, Goal.com and The Scotsman. What did I think of the match? It was great to prove people wrong. What did I make of Queen of the South’s Lyndon Dykes? Great performance from him. How far can we go? Just taking it one game at a time. Great performance from Doig! Too right. Great winner from Day! Both are a privilege to work with.

The 5th​ round draw has us drawn away to the winner of an all-L2 replay between Montrose and Annan. ****…the quarter finals are doable!

All is not entirely well though with journos bugging me about Conroy’s and McIntosh’s situations…I pretty much get backed into a corner by one and say that I can’t pander to Conroy, if he doesn’t like what I’m doing, he knows where the door is. Which then means offering him to clubs, but no one’s interested in the ******, so I tell him to sort his own deal out.

With McIntosh…I just tell the journo he’ll have to be patient.

And then Gill gets injured, out of action for a few months, which means I have to scrabble for a new backup goalie.

I get nudged into signing central defender Mark Finlayson on loan from Falkirk, pop him on the bench to start with, lets see what he can do.

Get asked by Goal.com about St Mirren’s interest in Paterson, I say they’ll have to come up with a pretty good deal.
Middlesborough try to offer Doig a deal, but he turns them down.

2018/19 season:
Team: Airdrie
Friendlies: P5 W0 D1 L4(before my time here)
Betfred Cup: 3rd Group D(before my time here)
League 1: 8th
IrnBru Cup: Knocked out in 2nd round(before my time here)
Scottish Cup: 5th round
 
February 2019

No sign of any potential new goalies, I take Hamilton and Paterson off the loan list.

A couple of journos show up prior to our return to league action, away to Stranraer. Michael Upson from Teamtalk and Greg McCann from Sportinglife.com. These guys are starting to look familiar. Did I want to bring in anyone other than Finlayson? Yes, but it wasn’t to be. What’s my take on Queens Park’s form this season? They’re pretty impressive from what I’ve seen.

League 1: Stranraer away: View attachment 66870

We find some local kid called Ben Harris at the last minute to join us on the coach to Stranraer and sit on the bench in a goalie shirt. The guys on the pitch are now operating like a well oiled machine. Cairns gets his first goal for the club, Finlayson wasn’t given to us in the best of condition but gets a few mins anyway, Stranraer pull one back but it’s too little too late…first away win since I got up here. The players suggested I should aim for midtable when I first got here…keep this up and that might be doable, we certainly have some breathing space below us now.

We might have a new goalie, English National League South Gloucester’s Stuart Barnes. Scout Matt Richards isn’t convinced he’s all that but I just need a guy to keep the bench warm for a few months. Slight problem, Gloucester want some money for him, let’s see if they’ll accept 1K. They do but Barnes and I can’t come to terms on a contract.

In the meantime, McIntosh is going the same way as Conroy, and when Teamtalk bug me about it, I say the same stuff as I said about Conroy. I offer him to clubs for £5K. No one’s interested so I tell McIntosh to try and make his own deal if he wants out.

In the meantime…I’ve got a Scottish Cup 4th​ round replay to watch, I’m off to Annan to see the local team’s match against Montrose. Montrose win the match 1-0, a solid enough performance but if my guys have their **** together, nothing for me to really worry about, even in Montrose

McDonald picks up a knock which means he’s not going to be worth risking for the next game.

League 1: Arbroath at home: View attachment 66869

Again, we get Harris to benchwarm at the last minute. When Doig gets the opener here and the guys put on a solid enough performance to get us in to half time in front, I can’t see Arbroath coming back. Then they slot a penalty and get out with a point. Annoying.

Russell is the latest to ask me why he isn’t getting first team action. Well let’s face it…when I was playing him, he couldn’t score to save his life and now both Doig and Day are both doing the business. He accepts that relatively happily. Phew.

McIntosh gets a knock that irony of ironies, keeps him out of the next match, which I was planning to actually play him in.

Harris starts training with us.

Journos show up prior to our Scottish Cup 5th​ round match against Montrose. 5 Live, DaillyRecord.co.uk, MirrorFootball.co.uk, Sky Sports News and Airdrie Football Review. My opposite number Steven Petrie seems to have been a bit blasé about the match? I say I’m surprised, to me this is a big deal – I certainly didn’t get to play in many such matches. Am I aware we might get mugged? That’s definitely a possibility. Are we going to “park the bus”? We’ll do whatever it takes. Is McIntosh going to be able to play? It’ll be touch and go. Am I going to have a hard time motivating the team for this match? The players can’t get complacent. How far can the team go? We’re taking it one game at a time. Am I confident of winning this match? As long as we stick to the plan. It’s a relatively easy draw, right? Yes but Montrose are still a perfectly solid team.

Scottish Cup 5th​ round: Montrose away: View attachment 66865

I overhaul the team for this one, including resting Brownlies and giving player-coach Fitzpatrick the armband, which gets the attention of the Dailly Record’s Jamie Pettigrew and I tell him in the tunnel that Fitzpatrick was the obvious choice in the circumstances. As for the match itself, well it did not go to plan. Our shooting, other than Day’s equaliser, reminded me of some of the early matches on my watch. Going out at this stage of the Cup as an L1 side I can take, its actually a pretty good run in my experience. Getting mugged by an L2 side? No excuse. Very annoying

Post-match, journos ahoy, Scotland on Sunday, Mirrorfootball.co.uk, The Montrose Review and ESPNFC. Dissapointed to be out of the competition? Very. Did your mindgames with Petrie backfire? What mindgames? Ryan Ferguson’s winner was impressive? Too right. Stewart messed up a bit, right? He’ll learn. Ferguson’s display was generally impressive right? **** yes! Thoughts on the great Cup run ending? We should have won this match, it’s very annoying.

And we’ve finally found a new goalie, Frenchman Alexis Andre, currently unemployed but English National League South side Truro are also interested in him. My kind of signing though. Have to do some haggling over wages until he’s reasonably happy and will get back to us.

Stewart takes a knock which makes him more trouble than it’s worth for the next match.

League One: Queen’s Park at home(MATCH OF THE MONTH – match file attached): View attachment 66864

The team has a more familiar look to it on this occasion, and while Andre is making up his mind, we’ve found another local kid, Ben Houston to benchwarm for us. The match itself showed how far the team has come in my time here, generally very smooth performance. Fitzpatrick got his first goal in my time here and while I got a bit nervous late on, Doig’s late winner wrapped things up. Paterson picking up a knock was less than ideal though.

Paterson has a twisted knee which means that he’s touch and go for the next game. In the meantime though, we are up to 7th​ which is the club’s best league position of the season!

Andre is offered a contract by Truro, and that’ll slow things down on that end.

Journos ahoy prior to our next match, away to Albion Rovers. Sportinglife.com, ESPNFC and MirrorFootball.com. What’s my take of Stranraer gaffer Steve Farrell’s predicament. Not my concern. What about the pressure on myself? I don’t feel under pressure anymore. Do I fancy our chances of staying up? It’s well within our power. Do I fancy Albion Rovers chances in our next match? I think we’re strong favourites.

Sky Sports then tracks me down over something my opposite number Kevin McGreaskin said, which makes it seem as if he’s slightly blasé over stuff. I shrug my shoulders and say I’m not sure the match is that big a deal myself.

Houston trains with us for a day or two prior to the next match.

League One: Albion Rovers away: View attachment 66861

The guys didn’t really have much to prove against Albion, they just had to do enough to secure three points and our fellow-Lanarkshire side were clearly well up for this one, no matter what their gaffer said. My guys know what they are doing now though, the second half may have been uneventful but we still took home three points.

Port-match, more journos, this time from Sky Sports and sportinglife.com. Our league form has been brilliant, can we keep it up? We’re perfectly capable. Are you worried about complacency? A bit. Today’s performance was very impressive? It was a very solid performance. McDonald played brilliantly didn’t he? He played very well.

Further up, Raith have garunteed at least a playoff spot already, as far as this division is concerned, that means a top four spot…already. They have been the dominant side this season.

An eyebrow raiser is word that Dunfirmline manager Allan Johnston was at the match. Word is he wants to sign Paterson.

Andre in the end signs for Truro, they fact that they can offer double the wages that I can takes the ****.

Airdrie Football Review then ask me about the possibility of Paterson going to Dunfirmline. Well the Pars are a Championship club, I can’t rule it out. Might relations between me and Johnston cause an issue? What issue?

The month doesn’t end on a bad note, Doig finished 2nd​ in the L1 Young player of the Month awards and I finish 2nd​ in the division’s Manager of the month awards. We both lose out to rivals from Raith…though I took Barry Smith down to the wire in the voting. The record of our two teams was identical over the course of the month, his lot just scored more goals! Given that he’s able to pay his players a decent wage, I think he’s a jammy git! Still, first time I’ve even been in the top three for these awards this season, either side of the border.

2018/19 season:

Team: Airdrie
Friendlies: P5 W0 D1 L4(before my time here)
Betfred Cup: 3rd Group D(before my time here)
League One: 7th
IrnBru Cup: Knocked out in 2nd round(before my time here)
Scottish Cup: Knocked out in 5th round
 
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March 2019

I’ve been here long enough for it to be time to look at player contracts…I offer some to the players I’ve gotten to know better but of course, they’re considering offers from elsewhere. Still, I’m able to suggest we could finish in the top half of L1 next season and board is able to find extra money from somewhere. I’m also able to extend the contract of under 20s gaffer David Pipe. Only issue is Rutherford, board aren’t willing to be so generous on wages for him.

Next up, journos…prior to the match against Stenhousemuir. Airdrie Football Review, MirrorFootball.co.uk, Goal.com, ESPNFC. Brown Ferguson has been trying to cool things down between the two of you. Thoughts? Can’t remember what the fuss what about in the first place. Would you consider yourselves favourites for survival now? Logically yes, but we can’t take anything for granted yet. Could Stenhousemuir get a result? Possibly, but not if we play like we’re capable of. What do I make of Furguson’s style? I’m not concerned about his style. Am I being too rigid? Don’t think so, I just have faith in my team.

Yet another local kid, Richard Dunlop trains with us prior to joining us on the coach to Stenhousemuir.

League One: Stenhousemuir away: View attachment 66648

Stenhousemuir never look up to much attacking wise, just a matter of seeing if we could hit the net and we do so before half time. That should have been three points in the bag only for the hosts to get an equaliser out of nowhere and we find ourselves unable to retake the lead even after going down to nine men. Two points lost with much tougher games to come.

I give player-coach Fitzpatrick a pat on the back for his recent on pitch displays.

A load of contracts get signed, including Doig. A journo from the Scotsman says that his contract isn’t watertight enough, but we’ll see what happens, for now he’s committed.

And then we run into injury trouble. Brown is out for the rest of the season with a hip injury and Day is out for 12-15 days with a gashed thigh. That is a pain in the backside.

In the meantime…time to check out the next generation. Our under 20s against a Youth Candidates side that Daziel is claiming credit for. Well Daziel’s kids do beat our established under 20s team 3-0 though it takes a while for them to do it. Needless to say, a bunch of his kids do get signed up, the best of the bunch being midfielder Shaun Lilly

League One: Alloa at home(MATCH OF THE MONTH - match file attached): View attachment 66647

Set the guys up to counter and memories of Alloa taking the **** out of us at their place in their heads…one thing’s for certain, there’s no defensive collapse we’re still level at half time. I’ll take that but I tell the guys the match is still winnable, and when Hamilton finds the net I punch the air. Doig’s injury is more of a concern but the important thing is…we hold on. We’ve just beaten one of the title contenders!

Doig’s injury is a gashed upper leg. He’s out for at least nine days.

Furthermore, I gather that Darren Ferguson was in the crowd today, best guess is that he’s keeping an eye on Paterson and hoping to snap him up for Falkirk. I don’t intend to make that straightforward.

Before I leave the ground for the night, Furtado bugs me, he wants more first team action. I tell him that Paterson is doing the business right now but he’s not impressed with that or my telling him that he needs to be patient. I definitely seem to be bruising a few egos here…but the results on the pitch speak for themselves and that’s all that matters to me.

It’s not over though, Furtado gets a small crew together, Conroy, McIntosh and Cairns. I actually manage to get Conroy to calm down on this issue, same with Cairns but McIntosh is still ****** off with me.

With that bullshit finally dealt with, Stacey, Rick and I head north. An old primary school friend came out of the woodwork when I became Airdrie manager. He’s now ground staff at Pittodrie, reckoned he could blag tickets for us to watch the Scottish Cup quarter final match between Aberdeen and Hamilton as it didn’t clash with an Airdrie game. 25 years is a long time, we grab dinner on the way up and arrive at my friend’s place in time to put Rick to bed and then have a catch up drink. That’s interrupted when Sky Sports's Josh Fleming rings me up, asking for my take on the Furtado situation, I say the guy will have to be patient.

The Dons have been on a rollercoaster over the past 25 years to say the least but Derek McInnes managed to build the best Dons side since my school days up here and when he became Scotland gaffer, Tommy Wright was hired to pick up where he left off. What we wind up seeing today initially looks like “nae goals nae fitba” as they say up here but the Dons eventually do the business and win 2-1. A journo apparently spotted me but made a bigger deal of McInnes’s presence.

Wagons then back to Lanarkshire and in the meantime I find out that Paterson has signed a new contract, as have a load of youth candidates, including Lily. Nice.

League 1: Raith away: View attachment 66646

I remember Barry Smith from the early 90s when he was a Celtic player. His Raith crew are the one side that could give us a massive reality check, particularly with my two best strikers still not riskable. I tell the guys there’s no pressure on them but we’re still 1-0 down at halftime, and when Raith get their second, I think we’re toast. I reckoned without Rutherford and Russell somehow each finding the net, something I never thought I’d see happy. The press here have picked up on my stubbornness…well I’ve clearly passed that on to my players now! Against all odds…we got a point out of Stark’s Park!

I give Russell a pat on the back for his performance.

Alloa have secured a spot in the Championship-L1 playoffs at the very least. The title is still doable for them!

At our end, we’re now mathematically safe from automatic relegation. That’s a start. Still have to insure ourselves from having to deal with the L1-L2 playoffs though. We’re currently nine points clear of that with seven regular season games to go.

I try and sign Welsh free agent goalie…but we can’t come to terms on wages. Instead I have Ethan May, the goalie on Daziel’s Youth candidates team who I’ve only just given a youth contract to. After just a few weeks with the under 20s, I have him train with the first team in preparation for bench warming duties for the rest of the season.

For some reason, the media thinks that I am in the shithouse with the club. I’m pretty sure it is them that are full of ****. I clearly have no mates in the media north of the border yet.

(68% board confidence and the media think I’m under pressure? XD)

League One: East Fife at home: View attachment 66645

We came into this with 6th​ place ours for the taking but Rutherford and Russell reverted to type in the first half. Time to bring on Doig who reminded them how it’s done. That should have been job done but a late East Fife equaliser meant two points blown. Gah

May signs a professional contract…cool. Furtado has picked up a knock which means he’s out of action for a couple of days, meh.

BBC Sport have come up with a survey asking if I should be sacked. 61% have thankfully said no though I have to wonder what the Beeb were smoking when they came up with the survey – my guys have just set a club record(current incarnation) for the longest unbeaten run! I am not quite sure what the 39% are looking for, as far as this season is concerned, I am just trying to clear up Steve Findlay’s mess.

2018/19 season:

Team: Airdrie
Friendlies: P5 W0 D1 L4(before my time here)
Betfred Cup: 3rd Group D(before my time here)
League One: 7th
IrnBru Cup: Knocked out in 2nd round(before my time here)
Scottish Cup: Knocked out in 5th round
 
Last edited:
April 2019

Six regular season games to go. Twelve points clear of the L1-L2 playoffs. Here we go.

I promote Fitzpatrick to vice-captain.

McDonald picks up a knock which makes him touch and go for the next match.

Apparantly, our upcoming trip to Brechin will be my 100th​ game in management. I have to admit, I hadn’t been keeping count.

League One: Brechin away(MATCH OF THE MONTH - match file attached): View attachment 66495

Doig returns to the starting lineup for the first time since his injury and does not **** about. The match as a whole proves to be pretty much our show, Brechin come at us hard once we go three up but it proves to be nothing Hay and the defence can’t handle…I am a very happy gaffer!

We’re in 6th​, breaking yet new ground for this season. Five regular season games to go, fifteen points clear of the L1-L2 playoffs. Barring insanity, we’re safe.

I give Doig a pat on the back for his performance against Brechin.

May picks up a knock, well meh, he’ll still be OK for the next match.

Kayode confirms that if we get a draw at home to Stranraer in our next match, we’re safe.

Ballantyne shows me a Dailly Record article suggesting that I’ll be in the shithouse if we get beaten by Stranraer. He assures me that they are talking bullshit(76% approval rating).

It’s suggested I hold a team meeting to gee the players up for the match, I basically remind the players that we can secure safety in the next match, so let’s get it sorted. The response is mixed to say the least, but the majority of players are with me in wanting to get the team over the line.

Next up, journos. FourFourTwo, Goal.com, Teamtalk and sportinglife.com. My guys only need one point in the upcoming match against Stranraer to secure safety, will I be relieved if we get it? Ask me when we’ve got that point. What’s your take on the stories about my future at Ardrie being in doubt? It’s a good laugh. How well do I think I’ll do against Stranraer’s new gaffer, Gary Jardine? I’ve never heard of the guy, so don’t know. How well do I think he’ll get on in general? Again, don’t know. There seems to be a good atmosphere in the dressing room at the moment, right? Well, we’re on good form. What if we lose? We’ll handle it. Any word on me signing Edinburgh City’s Steven Petrie? I have no interest in the guy at this point.

League One: Stranraer at home: View attachment 66494

Should just have been a matter of keeping our run going. In the tunnel I ran into Jamie Pettigrew of the Daily Record, my favourite **** stirrers. Still, I indulge him. How am I handling the pressure? I have talked to the board and my job is not under threat, I left out Furtado? Yes…I have more faith in the team I picked than I have in him. Have I picked the right team for this match? Too right, I see this as a winning team. What happens on the pitch though is that things go completely to ****. Goalless at half time with Cowie injured. Not good. Getting done twice by Stranraer in the second half? Completely unacceptable and I let the players know it.

Cowie’s concussed and is out for four weeks – that’s the last thing I need.

Down to 7th​, four regular season games to go and now only twelve points clear of the L1-L2 playoffs. Hopefully, no more insanity though.

One thing I didn’t need is Jardine crowing about the win post-match. He has better coaching badges than me. Good for him…but he’s been stuck at Edinburgh City for several years prior to this appointment. Pettigrew tries to get a reaction from me but I don’t really give him one. On with the next match.

I’m more concerned when Ballantyne tells me that we made a mockery out of what was meant to be a “fan day” with that performance, but given our form prior to the match, he’ll forgive me for it(board confidence dropping from 76% to 65%!)

Stick a fork in Albion Rovers, they are finally done.

The good news on the injury front is that Gill has made it back to full fitness before the end of the season which means I can return May to the under 20s. The bad news is…Fry is out injured for three weeks with a pulled hamstring which further buggers things in central midfield for the remainder of the season.

Have a team meeting to deal with the fact that we still have work to do prior to the next match. This time I try to chill the guys out. Albion Rovers at home should be straightforward anyway.

Oh yeah…Albion Rovers at home...journos. MirrorFootball.co.uk, Pettigrew, sportinglife.com’s Greg McCann, Radio 5 Live and the Scotsman. Do I think Ballantyne is ambitious enough for the club? None of their business. How well are we going to bounce back from the Stranraer match? We’re definitely keen to make amends. One point garuntees survival, can we do it? I’m just focussing on the next match. Kevin McGreaskin is trying to wind me up, how will you handle it? By ignoring him. Does the added pressure affect things? Not really. I seem to handle pressure reasonably well, what about McGreaskin? Not sure. Who do I fancy for the L1 Player of the Month award? Raith’s Lewis Vaughn.

ESPNFC’s Matias Oyarso then says that McGreaskin seems to be blasé about the match. I shrug my shoulders at that, it’s not a match that means much to his team.

League One: Albion Rovers at home: View attachment 66493

In the dressing room, I ask the guys for a massive step up after last time around. In the tunnel, McCann asks me how I’ll handle Fry’s injury. I say I’m gutted to not have him available but still have faith in the team I picked. On the pitch, that faith is rewarded. We go two up pretty sharpish and Rovers can’t be bothered to make a comeback attempt. Job done.

Survival secured with three games to go. Where the Stranraer defeat did ****** us though was our slim chances of making the Championship-L1 playoffs. Still, Ballantyne’s doubts in my ability have disappeared.

I give Fitzpatrick a pat on the back for his performance.

Raith secure the L1 title.

Now, journos. Oyarzo, Scotland on Sunday, Redio 5 Live and Teamtalk. How do I feel after the win? Relieved, I can chill out now. Did issues between you and McGreaskin have an effect on the match? Not really. I’ve kept the winning run against Albion Rovers going. Nice…but I just want to beat whoever’s in front of me. Albion Rovers couldn’t even get a shot on target, that must have been impressive. It definitely was. Am I going to try and tie Finlayson down permanently? That’s the plan.

I check in on my old Boston United crew, Moller has buggered things up there, dropped from 5th​ in National League North to 10th​ on his watch.

The season is pretty much over, now’s the time to focus on next season and work out who I need to tie down contract wise.

First concern, defence. I give Falkirk a yell, see if they’ll let me keep Finlayson. They get back to me wanting £35K. No way in **** will the board let me pay that. They wind down to £22K. Again, unfortunately no. Looks like I’ll need to find at least one new central defender this summer.

McIntosh. Might be worth rebuilding bridges with. Take him off the transfer list and put him in the starting lineup for the next match. Could yet potentially lose him to Dunfirmline but we’ll see what happens.

Furtado. Again could do with rebuilding bridges there. Plan to put him in the starting lineup for the next game – now the season is practically over, I can afford to indulge egos.

Rutherford…needs a new contract and gets one, no worries there.

Truesdale, I promised him when I arrived he would get a pro contract and I keep that promise, going to keep him in the under 20s for next season though.

My recently re-emerged old schoolmate has tickets to the Scottish Cup semi final match between Aberdeen and Celtic. We have an away match against Arbroath the previous day but I decide I’d rather play tourist in Glasgow and hand Kayode the reins for that one. (first official in-game holiday)

Kayode gaffers the team to a 0-0 draw in Arbroath, despite overhauling the midfield against my wishes and leaving Furtado out. Brownlie does the business though and after watching some highlight footage in our Glasgow hotel room, I text him to give him a pat on the back. Ballantyne then emails me however to say that he considers my buggering off to Glasgow on a match day to be unprofessional. Noted(board confidence drops from 76% to 65% for missing a virtual friendly – holy ****!)

Arbroath secure their spot in the Championship-L1 playoffs.

As for the main reason I travelled to Glasgow, my first trip to Hampden Park as a fan, well Celtic beat the Dons 2-1 after a late turnaround thanks to Maxwell Cornet, an Ivory Coast international left mid who the Greens signed from Lyon last summer. Frustrating but Celtic are still very much THE team in Scotland.

2018/19 season:

Team: Airdrie
Friendlies: P5 W0 D1 L4(before my time here)
Betfred Cup: 3rd Group D(before my time here)
League One: 6th
IrnBru Cup: Knocked out in 2nd round(before my time here)
Scottish Cup: Knocked out in 5th round
 
Last edited:
May 2019

What a difference a year makes. 1st​ May 2018…I got no sleep the previous night ahead of managing Boston United in an English National League North playoff preliminary match against Stockport. 1st​ May 2019…I’m Airdrie manager and I’ve slept like a baby, season pretty much over.

A whole bunch of under 20s need to get their contracts sorted out…fine.

What does get my attention is the Daily Record stirring **** again, and this time they’re in collusion with Gus McPherson, my opposite number for the upcoming trip to Queen’s Park. He says that he thinks I should be sacked, on what grounds he thinks that I do not know, particularly as last time our two teams met, my guys won. Anyway, the Scotsman give me a call, asking for my thoughts and I say that MacPherson is well out of order, I have no idea what he was playing at.

League One: Queen’s Park away: View attachment 66383

Hampden Park. Last weekend, I was here as an Aberdeen fan. This weekend, I’m here as Airdrie manager and to be honest, I was more fired up last weekend, despite McPherson’s bullshit. Still, Queen’s Park going down to ten men and Hamilton’s scorcher made me think the win was on at halftime…but I forgot that Queen’s Park had more to play for than us. Thomas Orr ultimately took the **** out of us in the second half. Annoying, but nothing to get too ****** off over given the circumstances.

That secures Queens Park their spot in the Championship-L1 playoffs.

And then…more journos. The Scotsman, Airdrie Football Review, Goal.com and Oyarzo. McPherson’s retreated from his earlier comments, hasn’t he? It’s nice to hear but ultimately doesn’t matter. The board had faith in me. Dissapointing performance today though? Too right, that was dire. At least East Fife didn’t win though? Don’t care about East Fife. Great goal from Hamilton, right. Too right, amazing goal. Great performance overall from him? Definitely, he showed what he can do. What about Sean Burns performance for Queen’s Park? Also impressive.

Various under 20s sign new contracts.

BBC Sport again think that I’ll be in the shithouse if we don’t win the next match. “Don’t worry about it” says Ballantyne(60% board confidence).

League One: Stenhousemuir at home(MATCH OF THE MONTH – match file attached): View attachment 66382

In the dressing room, I tell the players to win this one for the fans. I know full well that the visitors have slightly more to play for than us, with a slim chance of their still securing safety in the regular season. What I get isn’t very satisfying, nae goals...some good fitba in the second half though and a hungry Furtado secures the man of the match award.

That result doesn’t satisfy Stenhousemuir either, it leaves them with the L1-L2 playoffs to deal with.

Still, season over though it leaves this month as the first month in my managierial career that I haven’t won a match in, which is slightly disappointing but it’s the first month I’ve not really had anything to play for.

Doig does the double in the club’s fan awards, scooping the Young Player of the Year and Player of the Year awards.

The players head off on holiday, to come back mid-June. Before they go, I tell them that I reckon we can finish top half on the table next time around. Cheers all round. In fact, I fancy our chances of making the Championship-L1 playoffs but its best not to set the bar too high.

I start looking for new central defenders. First guy to check out is New Zealand international Steve Old. Older than most of the squad but a bit of experience won’t do them any harm, assuming we can handle his wage demands. Offer him a trial to start with.

Again ask Ballantyne if Kayode can go on a coaching coach, again get told “no deal”.

Old accepts my trial offer and that gets McCann’s attention. I tell him he’s just going to train for a bit, we’ll see what happens after that.

Stenhousemuir get themselves relegated by losing their L1-L2 playoff semi final.

I try and cut a deal with Old over a contract but he’s asking for way too much.

South of the border, MUFC win their first Premiership title since Fergie’s retirement and their Premiership and FA Cup Double since ’99! Nice one Jose! Further down, my old Exeter crew get promoted back to L1 after seven years, nice one Tis!

It’s suggested I drop Gill to the under 20s and promote May permanently in his place. OK.
Improve Brownlie’s contract to make sure he doesn’t get poached anytime soon. That gets McCann’s attention and I tell him I’m delighted to have secured my skipper’s future at the club.

Hamilton finishes 3rd​ in the L1 Young Player of the month awards.

2018/19 season:

Team: Airdrie
Friendlies: P5 W0 D1 L4(before my time here)
Betfred Cup: 3rd Group D(before my time here)
League 1: 6th
IrnBru Cup: Knocked out in 2nd round(before my time here)
Scottish Cup: Knocked out in 5th round

(next up - career summary so far, mainly focussing on 2018/19 season)
 
Two season review(focussing on 2018/19)

In June 2017, I decided to leave Exeter City, the club I had played for for the last eight years, three in League One, five as their captain in League Two. The plan was to start a new career as a manager. Given that I never did manage to play in the Premiership, I knew I was going to have to start pretty low down the football pyramid, Boston United of the National League North proved to be it.

A promising pre-season led into a solid start to my first league campaign as a manager, we were expected to finish in the top half of the table, it soon became clear we were punching above our weight. Our first defeat of the season came away to eventual champions Kidderminster Harriers in September. We followed that up with a 7-0 caning of North Ferriby. We were not going away and it became increasingly clear that we were on course for the playoffs.

The League wasn’t the only competition we were in however. The FA Cup saw us reach the 1st​ round proper and then take L1 Rochdale to a replay…only to be given a reality check on our own turf. The players were gutted but I was reasonably satisfied.

Then there was the FA Trophy. A competition I’d never bothered following before. Yet the club had some history in it, having played in the 1985 final, and my guys soon set about making their own history. First up, we had a 3rd​ qualifying round tie to deal with, against Northern Premier League North side Mossley, we saw them off 3-1 on their turf. The next match was much tougher, National League Premier Gateshead, and the board wanted the club to survive this round. We see them off 2-0 at home though and then fellow National League North side Blyth 3-0 at home. Next up came what looked like our toughest challenge yet, National League Premier side Eastleigh, on their turf and they looked seriously impressive…and yet we catch them in the middle of an injury crisis and beat them 3-1. We were in the quarter finals…and then…

2017/18 FA Trophy quarter final: Bromley at home, 24th​ February 2018(MATCH OF THE BOSTON UNITED ERA – match file attached, again): View attachment 1147744

I initially thought that the 7-0 league win over North Ferriby was our match of that season, but I forgot how big a deal the Trophy run was. Crazilly we were favourites against National League Premier opposition, we didn’t mess around only for Bromley to equalise just before half time. Deadlock brought us to extra time, we retook the lead, the equalised but ultimately we took advantage of their knackered defence. The last Boston United team to reach an FA Trophy semi final…was that 1985 team, and they were fifth-tier at the time. Fire up the Delorean!

Said DeLorean then visited Maidenhead, another National League Premier side and beat them 2-1 in the 1st​ leg of the semi final. Only to crashland in the 2nd​ leg at home when I set the guys up to play too cautiously. The result is a 4-0 collapse and a 5-2 defeat on aggregate.

League wise though, things generally keep running smoothly, at one point some were even considering us title contenders though I never brought into that. Ultimately, we finished 5th​ in the regular season, the club’s best league campaign since 11/12. They playoffs saw us beat Stockport 2-1 at home in the preliminary round before losing 3-2 away to Salford in the semis. And that was the end of that season.

I went into the summer of 2018 having on the one hand extended my contract back in December but on the other hand, by the tail end of the season League and National League Premier clubs were starting to show interest in my services and **** yes I was interested. The fact that I wound up starting a second season at Boston United afterall was very frustrating for me.

Preseason opened with me arranging a mini-tour of my old suburban stomping grounds. Two games, two wins…but captain MaGuire out injured for four months. Injuries would become a consistent theme in my last few months at Boston United but we did manage to finish pre-season unbeaten which gave me plenty of confidence going into the regular season campaign.

The league campaign opened with a draw and a win but the attention from other clubs for my services and rumoured suitors even came from north of the border…and I had no history whatsoever in the Scottish League. The first of these were from St Johnstone, that ultimately wasn’t to be…but it still raised my eyebrows. In the meantime, the guys extend their winning run to three matches before somehow losing at home to York.

September proves to be hit and miss in terms of league form, though seeing off Solihull Moors, freshly dropped from National League Premier, 3-1 at home proves very satisfying. Requiring a replay to see off Northern Premier League North side Lincoln in the FA Cup 2nd​ qualifying round…not so much.

Things were getting increasingly frustrating, I was getting plenty of speculated or confirmed interest from bigger clubs for my services, both sides of the border, including two Scottish Championship sides. What was keeping me in Boston? If I get them to push on from last season and get them promoted, that would be nice but…they didn’t really seem to believe in that idea. Another Northern Premier League South side, Cleethorpes was put to the sword 5-0 at home in the FA Cup 3rd​ qualifying round but our league form was looking very hit and miss. Untill…

National League North: Harrogate away, 9th​ October 2018(BOSTON UNITED MATCH OF THE 2018/19 SEASON – match file attached again): View attachment 1147745

Last season, Harrogate had pretty much been on the same level as us. This time round they’d stolen a march on us and were league leaders, so I employ my usual underdog strategy of counter attacking and telling the guys to chill out…I don’t think it’s ever worked better in a league game. Our hosts don’t know what hit them and my Boston United side prove that you underestimate them at your peril.

A further league win away to Kettering follows but then comes a disasterous all-National League North FA Cup 4th​ qualifying round tie. Telford proved to be our bogey side and so it proved. We thought we’d broken the curse by going 2-0 up at their place only for them to come back and equalise, forcing a replay. The replay was at our place but it proved to be disasterous. We lost 5-2. For the first time in ten years I would not be involved in FA Cup 1st​ round weekend and for the first time in my footballing career, it would be for the wrong reasons.

Morale in the dressing room was getting iffy but my attempts to pick the players up weren’t going down very well. On the pitch they still had their moments but talk of bigger clubs being interested in my services gained more credibility and it was pretty certain that my days at Boston United were numbered.

They first actual interview though came out of nowhere and in odd circumstances. I was back down in Exeter for a public appearance when I was contacted by Plymouth Argyle, still L2, offering an interview for their managerial vacancy. Given my history with that club and subsequent captaincy of rivals Exeter, I was a bit iffy about returning there but accepted all the same. Ultimately though, my Plymouth born-and-raised wife Stacey wouldn’t get to see me in green again.

In the meantime, for the first time, I could now say I had an international player playing for me. Kabongo Tshimanga, my chief assassin got a couple of games as an unused sub for Congo, it’s a start.

Other than that…relationships with the players get increasingly messy though a win in Leamington and a draw in Telford steadies the ship morale wise.

Then out of nowhere comes the second interview. L1 Burton Albion. This seems if anything even more promising than the Plymouth one, particularly as I’m subsequently considered to be the favourite to take the job. Ultimately, that still isn’t to be.

In the meantime, last season’s FA Trophy run proves to be a flash in the pan. We get mugged 3-2 by Isthmian League D1 South side Bury Town, 3-2 at their place. What…the ****?

In the meantime speculation over my future increased and the Boston United board were getting increasingly annoyed, which was unrealistic of them. I had never intended to manage at this level forever and if significantly bigger clubs(including Scottish Premiership now) wanted my services, I’d have been a fool to say no.

Boston United’s last match before Xmas was a 2-1 away win over Alfreton. It turned out to be my last match as Boston manager. Another out of nowhere interview saw me heading back north of the border for the first time since I was a kid. Airdrie, Scottish L1 were sending out SOSes after a bad season. It seemed barely any time at all though before they got back to me offering a contract. My time in English non-League football was over – woo hoo!

That first press conference was a reality check…a reminder that I may have been given a schoolboy trial by Aberdeen in 1994 and been considered by Mark McGhee as a potential future Scotland international in 2002 but in 2018…no one in the Scottish football community had ever heard of me. The very first question was…had I been disloyal to Boston United? Anyone at Boston United who considered me disloyal needed a reality check. When you’re Boston United manager, you don’t turn down clubs like Airdrie unless you were already a hardcore Pilgrims fan or had no respect for Scottish football.

Anyway, straight after that press conference, I had to scrabble a team together for a bottom-of-the-table clash with Albion Rovers. A 3-0 win provided a suitably good first impression but one issue was soon obvious. That first win relied on two loanee strikers from Premiership big guns that wanted them back, no questions asked. In the meantime…I filled the only obvious hole in the club’s staff with Jamie Moses, a data analyst who had previous history with Clyde.

Other than that…well the defence proved perfectly solid(a 5-0 defeat away to Alloa in early Janurary proving the exception) but finding someone that could hit the net proved easier said than done. My new director of football Gordon Daziel found part of the answer in a kid called Ryan Day who he found at L2 Edinburgh City and signed initially with the under 20s in mind. The other half of the puzzle proved to be under my nose. “Try this guy Sam Doig out” said my assistant Kayode Odejavi. Put those two together, and you got our first win of 2019, a 3-1 win over Brechin.

Despite the win, I didn’t have the happiest of dressing rooms. Even right from the start when I had chairman Jim Ballantyne tell me that my short-term aim should be to ensure the club’s safety from relegation, when I bounced that off the players…they thought that was too unambitious. Er…hello, I came on board with these guys on course for the L1-L2 promotion-relegation playoffs and they don’t think relegation should be a concern?

The other issue that reared its ugly head was player egos. At Boston, occasionally I had players frustrated they weren’t getting playing time but they never got a crew together to back them up. At Airdrie, that started happening. I didn’t do badly in those situations though wasn’t perfect and it took a bit of getting used to. Anyway…

Scottish Cup 4th​ round: Queen of the South at home, 26th​ Janurary 2019(AIRDRIE MATCH OF THE 2018/19 SEASON – match file attached again): View attachment 1147746

The one thing that had gone right for Airdrie prior to my arrival was the Scottish Cup campaign. Not only were the still in the competition but they’d been drawn against Championship side Queen of the South. Some even fancied our chances in this match. Me, I didn’t dare get my hopes up, I’d never managed against a team from the top two tiers either side of the border before, even in a pre-season friendly. When Doig put us 2-0 up single handedly, I was absolutely delighted. When our vistors came back to equalise, I’d have taken the replay so when Day hit the winner…well…wow. There was only so much of the credit I could claim, but Airdrie were in the Scottish Cup 5th​ round for the first time since ’09!

A training injury to backup goalie Ian Gill leaves me having to rely on random local kids as backup goalies for a while until a new prospect. Ethan May gets trialled and quickly rises through the ranks. I also get nudged into signing Falkirk central defender Mark Finlayson on loan while he recovers from injury.

On the pitch, couldn’t ask for much more from February. The club’s first away win on my watch comes in Stranraer, 3-1. A 1-1 draw at home to Arbroath is less than ideal but I’ll live with it. Getting knocked out of the Scottish Cup by L2 Montrose 2-1, even on their turf was completely unacceptable however(Celtic went on to win the competition) but league wins over Queens Park and Albion Rovers mean that I only miss out on the L1 manager of the month award for February by the skin of my teeth.

The February league run continued into March and soon my guys had broken the club record(since it’s 2002 reincarnation) for an unbeaten run which included a 1-0 win over Alloa and a 2-2 draw away to league leaders and eventual champions Raith. The club made 7th​ place for the first time that season, then 6th​. You’d have thought I was starting to prove myself as a manager to the Scottish football community but no. 39% of Airdrie fans apparently thought I should be sacked, the media seemed to operate on the assumption that I was on a non-existent cliff edge. Was this down to me bruising a few player egos? Still, all I could do was keep getting results…even the media recognised that it was only a matter of time before our safety was garunteed.

A 3-0 away win over Brechin continued the run and meant we were one point from securing safety. Home match against Stranraer next up, no worries right? Wrong. The unbeaten run came to an end in humiliating fashion with a 2-0 defeat on a fan day. We finally finished the job the same way I started it, a 3-0 win over Albion Rovers secured safety with three games to spare, making the rest of the season a bit anti-climatic. Airdrie were 9th​ when I took over and finished 6th​. They’ve had better seasons overall but I was only there for half of it. It’s next season that I can be judged on.

My record at this point: View attachment 1147747

And now…meet the spine of my Airdrie team…

Goalie Jordan Hay, young but rock solid from the start: View attachment 1147748

Central defender and captain David Brownlies: View attachment 66016

Veteran central midfielder, vice captain and coach Marc Fitzpatrick: View attachment 66015

Chief assassin Sam Doig, where would I have been without this kid?: View attachment 66014

(worth keeping this story going?)
 
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