Brandon M

August 2006
Game 1 v Histon away
0:0
A record crowd had turned up in curiosity rather than interest to Histon’s Bridge Road and left after the match probably in much the same mind set.
A dull lacklustre performance from WSM had the press asleep in the press box and local headlines that followed – Mark’s Western ‘SuperNight’ Mare

Game 2 v Bedford away
2:2
Worse was to follow for WSM.
After a very promising pre-season, life on the league road was bumpy.
Bedford were 2 up at ½ time and looking comfortable.
Mark waited for the team to trudge back into the dressing room.
A few choice words and a flea in the ear for the midfield quartet saw a light at the end of the tunnel appear. Two goals in a flurry of second activity earned WSM a draw but could have been more but for the red card for right winger Darren Hawkins.
Both strikers off the mark and running and WSM who always started the every season at the very bottom of the league were moving upwards.

Game 3 v Havant home
1:0
A win! 1:0 was hardly inspiring for a first home game and a sellout match crowd wise too! How many of those fair weather fans would return in the future would be determined by the quality of football on show. Probably 1 or two at best…..
A few famous faces in the crowd certainly added to the afternoon’s event.
The whole of the Strictly Dancing crew had turned up and were pictured wearing the white shirts of WSM.
The team had frozen in the madness of the day but fortunately Matthew Rose one of the elder statesmen of the team had hit a 30 yard screamer in the 79th minute to end Havant’s rearguard action. He deserved his mom award.

3 games and 5 points were a promising start for this team despite the performances on display. At least the team is difficult to breakdown thought Mark as he watched the tape of the match that evening. However the team understood the key tactics required to deliver the style of play Mark wanted to create.

Game 4 v Braintree home
6:0
Fellow relegation fodder Braintree must have wondered what time the hurricane had hit WSM.
A record midweek turnout for WSM and had seen another sellout crowd, this time with no distractions off field the team were the only show in town.
2 nil up after ten minutes, 3 by ½ time and a similar number second half had destroyed Braintree.
The pleasing point of view for Mark especially was that all of the goals were scored by the front 6 – six again! And six goals.
Scot Walker had a blinder on the left wing creating 3 of the goals and of course grabbing one for himself fully deserving his mom award.

Brandon M

Game 5 v Dorchester away
0:0
A night when both teams couldn’t shoot fish in a barrel.
Dorchester were one of the pre-season favourites for promotion and both teams pretty much cancelled themselves out. Two positives for Mark and his team as they rode home on the team bus, unbeaten in 5 games and left back Michael Gillan picked up the mom.

Game 6 v Fisher home
1:1
The final game for the month had seen WSM pound ‘Fish’er but couldn’t find the net more than once. The second ½ battering was a delight for Mark but Fisher themselves on an unbeaten run of 4 games held out for a deserved draw. 16 shots at goal and just one goal for their efforts the team were pretty despondent at the scoreline but Mark was glad to keep the run going. Central defender Lee Jarman picked up the mom. The crowd had dropped to 1800 from the heady heights of 3000 at least an improvement of the 400 odd that watched last season Paul Bliss had commented to Mark.
At least the finances were looking up.

So 6 matches completed in August with the club 6 six games unbeaten and the club lying 6th in the league even the local tv station got in the act with a ‘mark of the devil’ quote.
Throw in the 6 nil drubbing of Braintree for added good measure.

Brandon M

How do you get the league table into the message? Can someone let me know.. thanks

Brandon M

September 06

Paul Bliss sat anxiously at the head of the board room table listing to the September performance review.
He was listening to Mark and the key staff discussing the key fixtures for the month ahead and where if possible the opportunities lay for points.
But in all honesty he was waiting to here Mark’s assessment of the club and some reassurance that the ex-Chelsea man was here to stay.
Home fixtures against Farnborough and Basingstoke and Away fixtures against Cambridge, Lewes, Hayes with a cup match to finish off September at Workington.

WSM were performing were punching well ahead of their weight but he was still concerned that this precarious deck of cards could deal him a bad hand.
Unless of course he could lock Mark into something resembling a contract.
The subject had been broached several times in recent days the likelihood seemed even more remote.
Press speculation seemed to suggest that Mark’s early performance had sparked off a frenzy of interest that would lead him to accept a ‘real job’ at a much higher level.
All of this making Paul’s stress level rise and not helping his blood pressure.

Mark summed up the player performance man for man.
The message remained exactly the same.
As if carved through a stick of rock – no changes, no new players!

Paul had to admit this was a breath of fresh air.
The last two managers he had at the club were always looking for the next man who could offer make the team really competitive. There was never an end in sight, just another price tag for the next dream purchase.

Mark and Paul had driven home in the car from a recent match spying future opposition.
Paul wanted to know why Mark was so insistent on no new players just yet.
Whilst everyone knew there was no transfer kitty the opportunity to sign free agents was still an option for the club.

Mark was clear and concise with his reply.
“Every new club manager goes out immediately and buys the next piece of jigsaw hoping to have a perfect fit. When it doesn’t work he buys another piece of jigsaw and then are surprised to find the next piece doesn’t fit either – And so it goes on………..”

“I believe in this team and with the coaches doing the business I will spend time with key individuals giving them time and some of my experience and knowledge.
If it works, I’ll save you a fortune in wages, unearth some talent and maybe just maybe get this club higher than mid table.”

But, I will scour the country for talented lads who can add something to this team. If I’m honest I will add to the squad in December or early January but this will be essentially to give the players here now a lift, arrest and to ensure their confidence remains high.”

Paul had heard the words December and this was the most positive sign he would get to confirm that Mark would be around for some months ahead.

retired_amyslack

Use print screen in FM to print the table to a text file and then post that between CODE tags i.e. {code} your table {\code} expect use square brackets and not curly ones. Hope that was clear.

Brandon M

The car door opened and Mark quickly got out of his Porsche and after unscrewing the petrol cap quickly started to fill the car with fuel. The Asda petrol station on the outskirts of Weston Super Mare was ideally located and was now a regular refuel point for his journey home to Exeter.

Whilst he often got asked for his autograph whilst at the garage, which was difficult when trying to fill up the tank at the same time, most of the fellow petrol station customers gave him a friendly nod. Sometimes the odd camera phone photo opportunity. But most people knew exactly who he was but were courteous enough to just let him get on with the basics in life.

Refuelled and a can of diet coke purchased his car re-entered traffic and he was soon on the M5 heading home.
The music from his ipod streamed through the car speaker system which today featured some old 80’s classics was interrupted by a phone call on his mobile. The on screen display identified the caller as his agent.

Mark clicked the connect button on his steering wheel and heard the dulcet tones of Carolyn Smith. After some initial banter and to check he was alone she got down to the reason for her call. “Mark I’ve got some interest from the Premier league, no concrete details as of yet but there are several chairmen interested enough to sound out your availability? Big name ex-players ‘are so’ in right now you realise – darling! ”

Mark laughed at her final line a thruway comment from Absolutely Fabulous “Carolyn thanks for the information but I’m really not ready for all of the hassles that go with a job of that profile. Things might change in the medium to longer term but right now I’m happy with the current position and the freedom of not having a contract despite Paul’s concern is a ‘brucie bonus’ for me.
However I hereby solemnly declare not to sign any contract until you have had first perusal...”

Carolyn laughed “Mark you are as mad as a box of snakes. No wonder Paul Bliss despairs so.
Any contract with WSM would have clauses in ensuring that the club gets money if and when you should decide to move on.
It’s like having ‘safe sex’ darling - got to have protection!

I will take your promise as read but think on as to what you want to do in 1 year or 5 years. And just before I go what are your thoughts towards your home town club. They are looking for a manager. I have told them no, zip chance but it’s you call.”

“Carolyn it’s nice to hear of the interest from whatever direction but in all honesty I’ve only been involved at Weston for a handful of games and I’m not convinced this is a healthy career choice let alone a long term option.
Anyway I might surprise you yet and take the 50k from Big Brother 6. I’d love to meet Jermaine Jackson....”

Brandon M

The call ended and Mark turned on radio 5 for the remainder of his journey home. The sports news at 6.30pm commenting on a Torquay Utd take over and that the club were now looking to appoint a director of football.
Home town club or not the idea just didn’t grab him.

Brandon M

:thup:Thanks for the tip bobbev - I'll give it a go!

Brandon M

Mark spent time 'significant time' on the training ground with the strike force.
Each visit was to detail for each of them the type of runs he expected them to make in order to create room for the midfield and the chance for a shot on target by one or all of them.

The later autumn sun remained hot and he enjoyed the sessions partly because they reminded him of the Kevin Keegan soccer skills tv show from his childhood and partly as each of the players involved were dramatically showing improvements in performance week on week. The hot sunshine eased the pain in his knee so further benefits for all were found


Game 7 v Cambridge away
2:0
Time spent on the training ground was instantly rewarded with a comfortable win. Two early first half goals secured the win – Newbold & Mcgregor grabbing a goal a piece. Excellent runs were rewarded with clincial finishing. Both ran back to Mark in the dugout to celebrate showing they appreciated the support he had given them during the week. Lee Jarman collected the mom and was magnificent in leading the defence in repelling all meaningful Cambridge attacks.
The second half was dire in comparison to the first period and Mark knew that much work was to be done to ensure that teams were killed off not just toyed with…

Brandon M

Game 8 v Farnborough home
4:1
Farnborough were still in shock at the 10 point deduction incurred for going into administration in the previous season. Matters on the pitch were just as bad for a demoralised team made much worse by a rampant WSM determined to prove they could perform for 90 minutes. 2 goals in each half were cheered home by 1400 fans.
Marc McGregor picked up the mom award as much for the performance as the 20 yard shot which flew through a crowded box into the back of the net.