Well what do I do now?

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RoblinThePAFCGoblin

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"Sorry Mr Lock, we no longer require your services, you've performed admirably and have really done well in turning the appointments team around but the hospital is cutting out middle managers and stream lining things. You'll have 3 months salary and keep your pension and 4 weeks before you leave. We wish you the best"

-4 weeks later-

So here I am, 25 years old, unemployed with no real qualifications so to think of and £3000 to last me until I find a new job, I've applied for various positions all with no luck, turns out 6 years of working for the NHS isn't a good thing in the business world!

As a joke I do what I see in the papers and apply for various low level football management jobs with a C.V. based on ludicrous FM achievements, "Keeping Plymouth Argyle afloat" " Returning RCD Mallorca to La Liga" F.C. Cologne winning the Bundesliga" I don't expect to get anywhere, Sunday League Footballer and no coaching qualifications when suddenly - Stirling Albion of Ladbrokes League 2 in Scotland offer me and Interview, I take the 499 mile drive from Plymouth to Stirling, I go through the questions and a week later I get the job!

I AM THE MANAGER OF THE MIGHTY STIRLING ALBION!!!!!!

-AUTHORS NOTE - FROM HERE I SHOULD POINT OUT, I STARTED THE SAVE AND GOT TO OCTOBER BEFORE DECIDING TO DO THIS SO THERE WON'T BE AS MUCH DETAIL AS THIS IS A CATCH UP AND EXPLAINS WHY THE SCREENSHOTS AREN'T EXACTLY REFLECTING WHAT I AM SAYING BUT BEAR WITH!

I sign a one year contract worth £250 a week, find a nice b&b and get down to it, realising very quickly, I've got one shot a this!

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I take a look at the team and run them through their paces, there is a pretty good squad here, but i decide to add to it to get them to play the way I've decided is best!

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As we start playing our competitive games, we go out of the Betfred Cup - 3rd in our group,
Lose in the first round of the challenge cup 1st round

Have a very very patchy start as I try and find the right formation in the league.
Come 3rd in a cup friendly competition i create to try and gain some money
BUT WE BEAT SPARTANS IN THE SCOTTISH CUP 2nd Round

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This come the 23rd of October 2016 leaves us

Out of the Betfred Cup
Out of the Challenge Cup
3rd in the "money cup"
Into the 3rd Round of the Scottish Cup
And 3rd in the league after 9 games

View attachment 111753


Now we're all caught up - Let the fun begin

Once again, sorry for the rush job, hopefully my writing style with improve as I go and I'm not cramming 3 months into one update!
 
October 23/10/16 - 13/11/16

We start by finding out who we'll be playing in the Scottish Cup 3rd Round and we get handed a draw of either Inverurie Loco Works or Cowndenbeath who have a replay soon!


We play Clyde in our first league game back from the cup game. They're the favourites with the bookies even though we're ahead of them in the league - Although that might have something to do with the fact they came to Forthbank and completely outplayed us and went back to Clyde with 3 points after a 2-4 win for them!

But this time will be different, we are strong, we have grown.....

The game begins, we're bright on the counter attack but very wasteful, the very thing i've been worrying about all season is showing its head again, we can't find a reliable striker to put the ball in the net. Fortunately, Clyde seem to be having the same problem today as we race towards half time with not much worth for the fans to watch when suddenly, Clyde get penalised for a hand ball, PENALTY - Up steps Dickson our top scorer (4) he sends the keeper the wrong way and makes it 1-0 as we go into the break.
Fun stat including this goal we have scored 9 in the league - Dickson has scored 5 of them.... he's a ball winning midfielder!

Onto the second half - what an awful half of football, nothing at all of note, I was desperate for a second goal to keep us safe in the lead, but atleast Clyde showed nothing to make me worry to much but all the matters is the 3 points!!

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Next up - We have Forfar at home in the league, this should be a standard 3 points- we've beaten them already this season, they're 9th and we are 2nd after last weeks win, however, top scorer Sean Dickson is still our main goal threat and I'm tweaking players roles and the formation slightly in a bid to get another goal scorer, will this backfire and remove our ever improving defensive solidity?


First Half - the game starts cagey but we start to take control and in the 16th minute - Jordan Morton pops up on the wrong wing to give us a 1-0 lead!! The game continues with us making 3 attacks for every one of Forfars attacks but nothing doing untill the 40th minute when Morton sends in a ball from the Left wing that he's meant to be on, It goes towards Henderson who makes all a nuisance of himself and causes doubt amongst the defenders and cause Forfar player Bain to score an own goal - 2-0 Stirling - Dickson seems to have gone missing this game?


Second Half - Starts much the same as the first half, we attack, we waste a few chances - Forfar do the same but then - Sean Dickson decides he's had enough of being a passenger this game and decides to take the game by the scruff of the neck and do something - sadly all he does is earn a yellow card. But we start getting complacent and Forfar score in the 70th minute, i get ready to ******* the team but then the linesman flags - disallowed offside - thank god for that! - I take off Dickson and bring on attacking Midfielder Ferns to see if we can kill the game off - I hope I don't regret not shutting up shop!

Fulltime - 2-0 - I don't regret not parking the bus but neither does it turn into a master stroke and lead to a 3rd goal - still - 3 points and a clean sheet - I'm happy with that

Our analysis man - whom I normally ignore confirms just what I thought - Dickson wasn't himself - maybe he was tired I don't know but hopefully he'll be better for the next match - and thank god we found another goal scorer!

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Up next - Elgin City!

Elgin City are struggling and we are doing well and are inform - realistically we should be winning this game, but we are without top scorer and best player Sean Dickson so I have to call up a player from the U20's squad such is our threadbare squad plus my mind is on other things, I apply for the Clemont Foot job in Ligue 2 - I hear back fairly quickly that they can't afford the compensation to Stirling and miss out - How much where they asking for???

First half - We go 1-0 down inside 5 minutes - our defense torn open by the 3 central strikers of Elgin. Less than 2 minutes later we're 2-0 down - the **** is going on??? This is getting horrendous, just as we start to play, Elgin score again - 3-0 16 minutes played. 4-0 - 30 minutes played - my god what is going on???????

It stays like that till half time - I storm in to the dressing room and let the players know exactly how poor this is - what the **** is going on? Up pops Jordon Morton - "we heard about Clemont Gaff - if you're not staying or commited why should we be?" - that shut me up - I send them out of the second half and start doing a lot of thinking - in the NHS I was always taught to keep improving - keep going up the pay grades - aim for the next job, I didn't think about the commitment and desire you need as a Club manager and how much you can affect your players.

the game finishes as a 4-0 defeat.

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We go Second in the table with one league and one cup match left for November and me with a lot to think about.
 
I have a big think after the last match and the reaction to me applying for the Clermont Foot job and decide to stop seeking bigger and better teams and go with the flow and see what happens.

I also decide to come up with some rules and objectives for my long term plan.

I will do atleast a season with every club I manage unless I get sacked.
If I do get offered a job midway through a season - unless my current club won't give me more qualifications I must refuse

I communicate the fact i'm staying to my players and we pick up where we left off.


Stirling Albion 0-1 Arbroath - Ladbrokes League 2 - We dominate the game but we can't stick the ball in the net and give away a penalty.

I finish my National Award Level C Coaching Badge - Get In!!

Stirling Albion 2-4 Cowdenbeath - Scottish Challenge Cup 3rd Round - I change to a 4-4-2 formation in an attempt to get the strikers more chance at scoring goals but it fails miserably, we attack attack and attack but both goals are scored by midfielders, we lose Left Winger Jordon Morton and our defensive solidity before the Elgin game has now disappeared - back to the drawing board.

Berwick Rangers 1-1 Stirling Albion - Ladbrokes League 2 - A STRIKER SCORED!!!!!!!!! - Other than that, i felt we were unlucky to only draw but happy it wasn't a loss and we only conceded one.

I start a National Award Level B Coaching Badge

Edinburgh City 2-2 Stirling Albion - Ladbrokes League 2 - Although this sounds a disappointing result only geting a draw against the bottom club - we did score 2, we played 60 minutes with 10 men and Blair Henderson scored his second goal in 2 games - maybe he is the answer to our striking problem now i've tweaked the formation?

I start thinking about next season and decide to tie the core of my squad to new contracts ending in 2018

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Both goal keepers, both strikers, 3 or 4 of my midfield and my defence all get renewed - my first choice left back decides he's worth £250 p/w plus playing bonuses and I decide the back up option is not much worse, could become better than the current one so will phase him into the team for the rest of the season!

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On the plus side a lot of the squad have taken pay cuts so more room in the budget for next year and maybe this window!

On the downside, a freak training ground injury leads to this news

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B******KS

Our top scorer and midfield glue is gone for nearly 2 months.


Stirling Albion 0-2 Annan Atheltic - Ladbrokes League 2 - Well, we did well for 70 minutes and were on the front foot, but Annan always looked dangerous on the break and we paid for our awful finishing, to top matters off, we had Bryan Hodge one of our midfielders sent off. That leaves me playing 2 youth team members next game....

Well its now the 17th of December, Going into the first transfer window and Christmas period for me as a manager I feel its time to reflect.

The aims for this year set by the board were
Playoff Spot (Top 4) in the league
Competitive in the Betfred Cup
2nd Round Challenge Cup
4th Round Scottish Cup

I went out of all 3 cup competitions very early and we are 6th in the league a point of 4th.

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This is my squad

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On reflection, I think i need to go back to my main formation with a defensive midfielder as hopefully I'll have 2 new arrivals in DM to show you in the next update.

I am also on the look out for another striker because my two aren't the most reliable - unless its the way I've been playing.

But 6th in the league - 1 point off the playoffs is a good achievement I feel for a novice and with 1 coaching badge under my belt and a 2nd one on the way, i'm feeling good.

What happens next, we shall see :)


Authors note - In real life, I work 7am-10pm 10 days out 14 with only a day and a half of those 4 days off when my missus is at work so updates may be sporadic but I will keep them coming - hope you're enjoying it and I welcome any feedback or suggestions -Especially ones for a flaming striker!!
 
Ask the board for a senior affiliation asap one of the top league teams or a championship side like Hibs or Dundee United will provide youth players better than most at this level, if you can find a link you good sign a few gems without paying their wages lol
 
Teddybear30 said:
Ask the board for a senior affiliation asap one of the top league teams or a championship side like Hibs or Dundee United will provide youth players better than most at this level, if you can find a link you good sign a few gems without paying their wages lol
Click to expand...




Thats a good idea, never thought of that! Preferably Celtic, Rangers or Aberdeen me thinks for this save
 
RoblinThePAFCGoblin said:
Thats a good idea, never thought of that! Preferably Celtic, Rangers or Aberdeen me thinks for this save
Click to expand...

preferably dundee united if you get the option choose them! they produce good youngsters in real life and the scottish scout for FM is a Dundee United fan so always biased. Don't do Rangers whatever you do because they don't start off well.
 
As promised I back with an update, might try and get a second one in today but will see how it goes - won't be another one untill next week due to my awful work patterns!

First things first - in real life -Getton Plymouth Argyle!!!!!! Awful to watch but brilliant result for us!



Now back to the game.....

First up we had Montrose hoping to get back to winning ways

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Bit of a boring game to watch, no real excitement until on loan winger Morrison popped up with the winner 1-0!


In response to my request for a parent club I got offered a choice between Hearts and Hibs - I chose Hearts - sadly no one wanted to join us on loan but hopefully if we get promoted we stand a good chance for some good young players next season


Next in the league where Cowdenbeath who we've had a very mixed record with all season, I jiggled the formation a bit, tried to add some steel and some strength going forward.

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Brilliant end to end game in the first half, sadly it all went to pot at the back for us, 4 goals conceded again. I can't put my finger on why but atleast we showed more going forward this time!

Next up where Clyde who we've been pretty even with so far this season, we've beaten them and they've beaten us, I leave the team mostly the same and hope for the same amount of goals but a lot less in our net.

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A very typical winters game, 1-1 draw was a fair reflection on the game, again our strikers let us down. Getting very tired of that!

We then Play Forfar Athletic - Wasn't looking forward to this game at all had a feeling we were going to get hammered for reasons I can't explain. I gave new loan signing - striker Jamie Wilson his debut for the club and first start.

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What a good result - very happy with Wilson and with young Robbie McNabb in midfield who has been deputising for Sean Dickson.


Elgin City awaited us at home next - I stuck with the same team and hoped to avenge the 4-0 hammering we got last time

View attachment 110754
REVENGE IS SWEET!!!!! - Well we got 3 points which was the main thing - sadly we also lost Jamie Wilson through injury but sub striker Blair Henderson found the net so I'm happy :)

Annan are up next and we had a big chance to get a result i thought - I put Blair Henderson in for the injured Wilson and crossed my fingers

View attachment 110753
Henderson proved his worth and Robbie McNab got his second goal for the club - All in all very happy afternoons work - I hope the whole 45 fans we took with us enjoyed it.


I also got a nice suprise

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Now onto the business of the January Transfer window - we didn't do a lot to be honest - no room in the budget but we do somethings

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Cleaned out some dead wood and brought some more back up into the squad - 2 midfielders an AMC/Striker and a full blown striker who then got injured but anywho - Also managed to steal someone from Forfar at the end of the season - a very good prospect for the future i think

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Anyway all that leaves us looking like this at the end of January

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Joint first is a very good position to be in - now bring on February!
 
So February looms, with everyone playing each other so often and with such a close top 8 and only 4 places that give a chance of promotion, I pray for a good February to build some momentum and get us into the play offs and onto a good run.....

First up comes Montrose, who we've traded wins with all seasons so this is one i'm looking for the team to exude some dominance and finally break free of the shackles and just go for it!

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What the sh*t f*ck did I just have to f**king sit through. What a bunch of useless c**ts!!

Moving swiftly on from that result, I send the team to double training, I am not putting up with a losing without any form of passion or pride, especially at the Forthbank which should be our fortress.

The team having learnt a lesson in pride from their training sessions prepare to welcome Berwick, who were the early pace setters in the league but have sloped off a bit since November. Can we continue their slide?

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Of course we ****** can't. We barely make a whimper as Berwick attack and attack and attack making our defense look like Pearl Habour!

Now I was fuming, really fuming, I let the players know it too, what the ****** **** were they playing at?
losing i can handle but having our arses handed to us 5-0 over two games at home, thats a different story. I teach some basic defending drills in training again, real proper primary school stuff, getting it in their heads to do the simple things well. We can't afford to lose 3 in a row. I want to finish 1st or 2nd, scraping in to the playoffs in 4th isn't what i want!

We travel up to Arbroath for the next game

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We didn't win but we didn't lose!!!
Finally, a point for February!! WE SCORED TOO!!!!!

Next up were bottom club Edinburgh, can we round February off with a win?

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THANK GOD FOR THAT A WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I was targetting with 3 games at home and one away, 10 points out of 12 for the month, we gained 4.

Now on to March, here, I am expecting a much harder month, away to Cowdenbeath who are the league leaders, Montrose who destroyed our last run of form, Annan who are a playoff rival and Clyde who are the same, I'll be happy with 6 points, but really we need 9 at least!

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What a win!

Very happy with that, that's just what the doctor order to started March with, a dominant display and two goals!

Next up are evil Montrose also known as "they always beat us bastards"

I remind the team that everytime we get into a good run of form, Montrose knock us off our perch and it normally takes us 3-4 games to recover, I beg them to take a point back to Stirling with us.

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They came through, oh boy did they come through!! I don't think I've had a happier moment as manager of Stirling!!

Well apart from maybe this

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Now on with the Football,

We have Annan Athletic next, I would love a point from this game, Just to keep the momentum going, a win would be fantastic but a point is all i ask for.

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We dominated the first half, doing everything right, even scored! which has long been our achilles heel, but sadly because we couldn't kill the game off, Annan came back and we were screwed. I try not to be angry with the team, but I can't help it, when we go 1-0 up at home we shouldn't be pegged back like that!!

Next is a trip to Clyde, who we've beaten, lost to and drawn with in our 3 games this season, top scorer Sean Dickson is suspended, so in comes Robbie Mcnab in midfield from our youth team who filled in very well before.

Really I'm after 3 points here but again one would keep me happy.

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So thats March over and done with, with a sudden dawning of panic and realisation, i work out we only have 6 matches left untill the end of the season!

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I take a look at the league table and really start to panic then

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6 matches left 18 points to play for, we're in the play off positions, one point ahead of Arbroath, 6 ahead of Berwick, on the same amount of points as Clyde and Cowdenbeath and 2 behind Annan.

I check our fixture list again and make 3 different target points hauls and where I think they'll come from and what they'll do for us.

My first target is 10 points out of 18 - I think that'll keep us in the playoffs and we'll need 9 of those points to come from the games against Arbroath, Berwick and Cowdenbeath.

My second target is 12 points out of 18 - This I think will put us in 2nd. We'll need to beath Arbroath, Cowdenbeath, Forfar and Berwick for that I think.

The third and final target is 15 points out of 18 - WIN THE LEAGUE. obviously, we'll have to win all but one. which I don't think is very attainable.


But ignoring targets, this is what I think will happen

1 - Forfar (H) - Win - 3
2 - Berwick (A) - Lose - 0
3 - Cowdenbeath (H) - Draw - 1
4 - Elgin City (A) - Draw - 1
5 - Edinburgh City (A) - Win -3
6 - Arbroath (H) - Lose - 0

Which all means, I think we'll be coming in with 8 points out of 18.

God I hope I am wrong!
 
STIRLING ALBIONS FINAL RUN IN

​

First up we have Forfar Athletic - Now I predicted we would win this game. Lets see what happens!

We go in 3-0 down at half time, Forfar are absolutely ripping this team to shreds, we're choking like f*ck.

68 minutes in we're 5-0 down and I'm think about a resignation letter.....

View attachment 109350

That was just atrocious, i couldn't believe what I was watching - I still can't, there is only 2 bits of good news to come out of that game, we're still in the top 4 and at-least both of our suspended midfielders will be back for the next game!

We're now 7 apoints behind 1st with 15 remaining- I think we're not getting automatic promotion

Now we travel to Berwick...

(NB - I've noticed in the last post theres a load of (A) and (H) - They were meant ot signal whether I was home or away for those fixtures - for reference (A) is Away and (H) is Home....)

View attachment 109349

Disappointed with the draw, but atleast it's a point and we're still in the hunt, Gutted Ferns got injured but hopefully Malaga can step up!

Now we're on to Cowdenbeath - I am so hoping we shock ourselves back to life with a win.

12 points left and we've taken 1 point from 6 - not promotion form at all - but if we beat cowdenbeath, I think a play off spot is secure.

In the mean time, I pass my national B coaching badges and after much arguing with the board, convince them to let me take my National A Badges.

View attachment 109348

A second draw in a row, definitely not getting automatic promotion this season. Very frustrating performance, dominated the first half but sat off far to much the second half, they split us wide open in defense through the right hand side. But we're still in 3rd. Thats good for me at the moment.

And that was the last of our matches against teams around us for a bit - Elgin and Edinburgh next, I'm targetting 6 points from these two matches so we dont go into the Arbroath game looking over our shoulders!

Elgin are up first and they've been a bogey team for us all season,
we've beaten them once, we've drew with them and they've thumped us 4-0 - I had this down as a draw and I hope its the case but if Elgin beat us, they secure their spot in the league for next season....

View attachment 109347

And as I expected, that's exactly what ****** happens. Cowdenbeath also win, as do Clyde, so we're right back to square one.

WE HAVE TO BEAT EDINBURGH

We lose 1-0 - I am son angry, i forget to screenshot the match for this. I cannot believe this. What the **** is going on. We have one match left, we have one point on Forfar and Berwick who have superior goal differences. We now play Arbroath whilst Forfar play Annan who are going for the title and Berwick Play Edinburgh.

I reach the decision to resign if we lose this match and don't make it to the play offs.

So this is it, the biggest game of the season.

Arbroath. Last match - Win this, we make the Playoffs guaranteed - lose or draw, we're relying on other teams.

The season defining match.

The first half starts of cagey, the fans are getting on the players backs, they know we shouldn't be in this position, we go behind to a poor goal, 0-1 down, Berwick are drawing but Annan are beating Forfar - a massive cheer goes up, then suddenly, we win a penalty - Sean Dickson steps up and scores 1-1!!!!!!!!! We're back up to 4th... then a loud grown goes around, Berwick are 1-0 up, we're back in 5th. Stays like this untill half time. I tell the players exactly the score, wish them luck and tell them not to leave an ounce on that pitch..


Reilly one of centre backs gets injured. Then Dickson pops up and makes it 2-1 - WE'RE IN THE PLAY OFFS

The last 20 minutes are nerve racking but we hold on!
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YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
 
The Play Offs

LEG ONE - STIRLING ALBION V PETERHEAD

This was it, 4 games between me and promotion in my first season in charge. I have put together a young well organised team who can't score to save their lives but no matter. I hoped that the win against Arbroath gave the team some confidence because we would need it.

I named an unchanged team, we welcomed Peterhead to the Forthbank Stadium.

First half we were all over them and got the goal we deserved thanks to Sean Dickson.

Second half I set us up to counter attack if we needed to and we scored two more goals - 3-0 in the first leg.

View attachment 109341

SECOND LEG OF THE FIRST PLAY OFF - Peterhead v Stirling Albion

I named an unchanged team again, I am desperate for us to score one goal to put the result beyond doubt but Peterhead score first.... is this the time to panic? No, we score 2 goals in the first half in response and that's how it finishes 1-2 - 5-1 on aggregate - We're in the final!!!



Our opponents? Cowdenbeath - we've played them 5 times this season.

View attachment 109340

On paper we're two very evenly matched teams.

I watch all the games again and apart from the cup game, we were even in all of them, it was just the odd goal.

I decide on my team and my tactics and here we go - first leg.

I tell the team to go out there and play this one for the fans, no sense in making more pressure, i said win lose or draw, if the fans see that you've given it your all they'll be happy.

For the first 30 minutes, both teams care cagey.. then Byron Hodge - gets a yellow and 2 minutes later gets a second yellow. Because he's a *****. Down to 10 men, what the **** do I do now?

I move McCue from AM to CM and change the set up so we're playing on the counter. We make it to half time unscathed.

I tell Bryan Hodge he's a ***** and then tell the rest of the team to keep their concentration up, despite being a man down, we're the better team so far.

The second half just isn't worth watching but we hold out for a 0-0 draw to take to Cowdenbeath

View attachment 109339

For the second leg, i decide to keep it all the same but bring in the off of suspension Sean Dickson to replace the suspended Bryan Hodge (*****) and whilst doing this, I can't help but wonder if these two hadn't of kept getting suspended and given us a run of those two together in the midfield if we could have had a better season?

Still, on to the second leg..

Its a very evenly matched game with Cowdenbeath mainly on top but we're strong on the counter... then with about 10 minutes to half time, James Wilson controls a long ball, feeds it into AM McCue and HE SCORES!!!!!!!!! 1-0.

We make it to half time like that.

I tell the team to keep up the levels of concentration but not to let their heads drop if we do concede, because Away Goals would still put us through but i tell them to play for the win.

We concede the equaliser through an own goal

and then shock horror, we concede again

I am gutted.
View attachment 109337

I tell the players they've done all they can when they come in, send them off for their break and start considering my options, stay? go? Do i want another season like this?

I can't decide.

One thing I do know is I definitely need to find a proper striker.

Where to go next.

All will be revealed.




 
Stuck in a quandry, my save files corrupted all but one ( V3 of my auto save) So i've lost the fact I quit and took over East Fife in the championship. But I'm back but the V3 file has loaded up on the last game of the playoffs - Do i play a kids team and deliberately lose or do i take advantage and replay the match and try for the win?

Any opinions welcome.
 
Personally I'd play the game again as normal, and let the gods decide. You can still quit afterwards and move elsewhere
 
I've given it 2 hours of thought and decided as East Fife where in the championship when I took over, even if I win the play offs i'll technically still be a league below where I was. So ****** it, lets try!


Suddenly I wake up and realise the last match was just a dream, we didn't lose to Cowdenbeath in the second leg phewww.

I stumble on to the bus with the lads and off we go to Cowdenbeath.

I settle on a 4 2 3 1 formation, I keep the impressive youth defender Rennie in the team and bring in Dickson to replace Hodge (Who's still a *****)

We settle in for the first half, lots of end to end moments and it stays 0-0.

I tell the lads to be strong and keep going, we can do this.

In the 58th minte we concede.

I take off Stevenson from the Midfield and bring on striker Henderson and put us on attack instructions.

We fall 2-0 behind in the 70th minute and I have a familiar sinking feeling.


We lose 3-0.

******.
 
Hi everyone. just to let you know there will be an update come Wednesday (1/2/17) And its a long one, takes me right through pre-season to the start of competitive football again, I won't give to much away, but I'm through to the second round of the Betfred Cup with the team I am using.
 
After the double disappointment of once again losing in the play offs, this time with an even worse result, i take a week to go back to Devon and wander around seeing friends and family and trying to decide what I want to do. Can I take Stirling into Ladbrokes League 1? Can I make them competitive? Am I happy North of the border miles away from home on a Part time Contract? Can I ever find a Striker? Have I forgiven the ***** in my midfield?

I make appointments to see Derek Adams (PAFC) Paul Tisdale (ECFC) and Kevin Nicholson (TUFC) separately. I speak to Derek about the success he's had north of the border with Ross County and how he's dealing with managing Plymouth. I speak to Paul about his longevity of taking Exeter out of the conference, up to league one and back down to league two in 7 or 8 years and I speak to Kevin in general about life outside of the professional leagues on a shoe string budget.

I take the decision to return to Stirling, I keep an eye out on other jobs but it has to be the right one.

Scottish teams released 350 players in the close season, I give my scouts a challenge - I want reports on every single one of them.

Most of them are either only really good enough for the highland leagues so I'm not interested or they're so good they're not interested in Stirling.

But hidden amongst all the released players are a few diamonds that I feel I have to snap up

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Most of those players will be first choice, the only one I'm a bit dodgy on giving first choice to is Aitken, but he'll be in and around the team. Hopefully with CM strengthened, when Mr Hodge who is a ***** decides to get himself suspended, He'll be easily replaced if not displaced in the starting 11.

I also bring in two defenders on loan from Hearts and Celtic respectively.

To fund all these incomings? well I release enough players to fill a bus!

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The board then set their expectations for the year and its a bit daunting to be honest!

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I'll run through the first few fixtures now. I had my assistant take charge of all the friendlies as you can probably tell, I only used them to get some money into the club

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I was really happy with the Betfred cup, we beat all but one team and finished on 9 points and I was sure we'd qualify for the second round as one of the best placed 2nd place teams but sadly, that wasn't the case. Gutted.

We gave Ross County a very good game but sadly, penalties is a lottery.

The worst part of all this is Duggan the bloke I hope to plunder our goals is injured thanks to Hamilton so the first few matches maybe a bit hopeful!

But I feel prepared and ready for the new league season. Lets bring it on!
 
We start off away at Peterhead who we dominated in the play off semi finals last season.

I've got a good team who are better than last year, I'm sure they're much improved too.

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Honestly didn't think we deserved to lose this one, we were all over them most of the first half and part of the second and our defense was rarely troubled. The good news about this though is we scored and it was from open play and it wasn't Sean Dickson who I don't want to be relying on so much this season!

Next up we play Arbroath and welcome back a couple of injured players -Raif Malaga our back up RM comes onto the bench as Ryan Baptie our back up LB - though he starts as I've not been happy with what I've seen from Turnbal.

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We gain a nice 1-0 win, we were heavy favourites for the game but with the team still gelling, I'm happy for a 1-0 win with a clean sheet and someone who isn't Dickson scoring boding well at the moment. Duggan our first choice striker is due back in September.

We then travel to Elgin, a trip I am dreading. Last season this was the sort of team we'd play were we really should have flattened them but instead, lost 2, won 1 and drew 1 - this was the sort of game we need to win to make our title chances a reality.

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WE WON WE WON WE WON WE WON. I was expecting us to get flattened. But not only did we win, we actually controlled the game too. Sadly, one of my on loan defenders Deas has broken his leg and will be out for 10-12 months so I've had to send him back to Celtic.

From there we travel to Montrose, another one of our bogey teams from last season.

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The worst part about this? the scoreline flattered us. We were horrendous.

Next up we had a nice home tie against Berwick. I wanted another 3 points as I feel we have to turn the Forthbank into a fortress. With 18 games at home thats 54 points last year we only got 52 points in total. We get 90% of the points available at home and get 50% of the ones away we'll get Promotion.

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I'm very happy with this. We finish August with a win, 9 points out 15 and 6/6 from home.

5 different goal scorers combining to give us 7 goals and our defense only conceding 6 I feel the team is gelling well and we have a solid foundation to build on.

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As you can see, the league is very close. Edinburgh are doing amazing this season considering they finished last last season. Berwick have had an indifferent start. Stenhousemuir who were relegated from LL1 last season are still dropping whereas Peterhead are finding their feet.
 
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