Donners

Thanks. I'm as surprised as anyone...

The season in review

Summary

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">1st in English League One| Pkd | Inf | Name | Apps | Gls | Ast | MoM | Pas | Tck | Drb | Sh T | Av Rat| | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Glenn Wilson | 43 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 63% | 4.01 | 0.37 | - | 7.05 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | PR | Jon Ashton | 40 | - | - | 4 | 69% | 4.00 | 0.20 | - | 7.55 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Unh | Dean Stamp | 36 (2)| 21 | 5 | 4 | 63% | 0.23 | 1.14 | 45% | 7.32 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Alex Bryant | 36 | - | - | 2 | 42% | - | - | - | 7.11 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MR | Inj | Ikechi Anya | 35 (2)| 1 | 9 | 1 | 66% | 1.46 | 1.49 | 50% | 7.24 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ML | PR | Gavin McCallum | 31 (2)| 5 | 12 | 4 | 68% | 1.48 | 1.52 | 46% | 7.30 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | PR | Michael Bostwick | 31 (1)| 3 | 2 | - | 65% | 3.13 | 0.25 | 50% | 7.13 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Yan Klukowski | 26 (4)| 4 | 4 | 5 | 65% | 2.83 | 1.58 | 28% | 7.40 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Inj | Graham Hart | 26 (2)| 12 | 11 | 2 | 71% | 0.27 | 1.26 | 52% | 7.14 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | Inj | Stewart Devine | 23 (2)| 1 | 5 | 1 | 67% | 3.60 | 0.86 | - | 7.24 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | PR | Frankie Artus | 23 (1)| 6 | 1 | 2 | 68% | 2.34 | 0.75 | 47% | 7.08 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | | Aaron Beech | 23 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 64% | 4.84 | 0.04 | - | 7.22 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Vitalijs Vilerush | 22 (5)| 7 | 5 | - | 68% | 0.37 | 1.11 | 35% | 6.96 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | | Kelvin Lomax | 22 (1)| 1 | 2 | - | 55% | 3.43 | 0.79 | - | 7.13 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | | Aaron Morgan | 21 (1)| - | - | - | 60% | 4.65 | 0.18 | - | 7.27 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Fred Murray | 20 (2)| - | 2 | - | 59% | 2.94 | 0.19 | - | 6.86 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Adam Legzdins | 17 | - | - | 1 | 43% | - | - | - | 6.65 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | | Ben Gill | 16 | - | 1 | - | 69% | 2.63 | - | - | 7.19 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Lee Tomlin | 15 (4)| 6 | 5 | - | 71% | 0.33 | 1.92 | 43% | 7.11 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Scott Gardner | 14 (1)| 1 | 1 | - | 62% | 2.63 | 1.84 | 36% | 6.67 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | Wnt | Anthony Grant | 14 | 2 | 1 | - | 67% | 3.13 | 0.22 | 23% | 7.29 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | | Vidar Helgerud | 13 (2)| 1 | 1 | - | 72% | 2.65 | 0.44 | 30% | 7.00 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Stanislas Lejeune | 10 | - | 1 | - | 62% | 4.17 | 0.53 | - | 7.10 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Alex Bolt | 6 (3) | - | - | - | 65% | 1.72 | 0.94 | - | 6.67 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Paris Cowan-Hall | 6 (1) | 3 | - | 1 | 64% | 2.40 | 2.22 | - | 7.57 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Req | Jimmy Phillips | 3 (1) | - | - | - | 59% | 2.99 | 1.66 | - | 6.75 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | David Greenwood | 3 | - | - | - | 63% | 0.36 | 2.91 | 40% | 6.00 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Lst | Keiran Walmsley | 2 (6) | - | - | - | 65% | 1.68 | - | - | 6.75 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Lars Roland | 2 (5) | 1 | 1 | - | 76% | 0.35 | 1.40 | 33% | 6.57 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Darryl Knights | 2 (4) | 1 | - | - | 62% | 0.33 | 2.31 | 50% | 6.67 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | Req | Jody Morris | 2 (2) | - | - | - | 58% | 1.62 | 0.32 | - | 7.00 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> Holders - Rushden| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | Rushden | | 46 | 25 | 11 | 10 | 75 | 42 | +33 | 86 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | P | Burnley | | 46 | 25 | 9 | 12 | 66 | 37 | +29 | 84 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Stockport | | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 69 | 53 | +16 | 81 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | P | Doncaster | | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 68 | 56 | +12 | 78 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | MK Dons | | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 69 | 53 | +16 | 73 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Wolves | | 46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 57 | 50 | +7 | 70 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Preston | | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 66 | 62 | +4 | 69 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Derby | | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 64 | 60 | +4 | 69 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Luton | | 46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 67 | 69 | -2 | 67 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Millwall | | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 67 | 47 | +20 | 66 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Swansea | | 46 | 14 | 20 | 12 | 73 | 55 | +18 | 62 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Walsall | | 46 | 14 | 20 | 12 | 55 | 50 | +5 | 62 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Nottm Forest | | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 61 | 58 | +3 | 61 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Lincoln | | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 51 | 49 | +2 | 61 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Chesterfield | | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 50 | 56 | -6 | 61 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Gillingham | | 46 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 69 | 59 | +10 | 60 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Tranmere | | 46 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 46 | 58 | -12 | 60 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Wrexham | | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 42 | 55 | -13 | 54 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Sheff Wed | | 46 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 46 | 67 | -21 | 53 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Northampton | | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 41 | 62 | -21 | 53 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | R | Scunthorpe | | 46 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 47 | 60 | -13 | 52 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | R | Mansfield | | 46 | 11 | 16 | 19 | 51 | 70 | -19 | 49 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | R | Bristol Rovers | | 46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 49 | 68 | -19 | 47 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | R | Brighton | | 46 | 6 | 7 | 33 | 38 | 91 | -53 | 25 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

Wow, what a season! The only real downside was our early Cup exits, but who cares about that when the ground is sold out every week and the team finishes on top of the league? The stunning form of the reserves was another positives. Not only did they win their league, they scored 33 more goals than any other club. Knights scored 17, Greenwood 26 and Roland 14.

Bryant, Wilson, Ashton, Anya and Stamp all made the League One select side. I was named Manager of the Year. All up, a very successful year. This time, it was not all down to one player. Indeed, our strikers were probably a bit disappointing overall. Instead, it was a solid defence, with Ashton a star, and an attacking midfield which won us games time and again.

There's no doubt things will get tough from here. Three promotions in three years is an incredible effort, especially when every one of them has come as a surprise. Survival will be the only focus next season.

Around the world: major awards and results

Rushden Supporters’ Player of the Year:
Dean Stamp

World Player of the Year:
David Villa (Valencia)

World Footballer of the year:
Tevlik Kose (Leverkusen)

England:
Winner: Arsenal
Relegated: Charlton, Hull, Everton
Promoted: Barnsley, Southampton, Ipswich

Spain:
Real Madrid

Italy
Palermo

Champions Cup:
Valencia

EURO Cup:
Napoli


The Transfers

Players In
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">18th in English ChampionshipTransfers| Date | Person | From | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2011 | Lejeune, Stanislas | Yverdon | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2011 | Hart, Graham | Bristol Rovers | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15.7.2011 | Phillips, Jimmy | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16.7.2011 | Devine, Stewart | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.12.2011 | Helgerud, Vidar | Viking | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2012 | Grant, Anthony | Morton | £60K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14.3.2012 | Morris, Jody | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £60K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

Players Out
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">18th in English ChampionshipTransfers| Date | Person | To | Fee | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11.5.2011 | Davies, Adam | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13.5.2011 | Oyedele, Shola | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2011 | Wood, David | Bournemouth | £2K | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2011 | Dalla Valle, Lauri | Sampdoria | £2.4M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2011 | Tynan, Scott | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2011 | Tidswell, Andrew | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2011 | Cousins, Scott | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2011 | McClory-Cuthbertson, T. J. | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2011 | Court, Carl | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2011 | Booth, Matt | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8.7.2011 | Mills, Gary | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15.7.2011 | Bonner, Tom | Exeter | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18.7.2011 | Collins, Matty | Sutton Utd | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.8.2011 | Lock, Lee | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £2.4M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

Youth In
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">18th in English ChampionshipTransfers| Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2011 | Gundelach, Craig | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2011 | Clapham, Andy | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2011 | Chamberlain, Ryan | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2011 | Kay, Ian | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2011 | Kean, Robert | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2011 | Brooker, Andy | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

Another good year for transfers. Though losing Dalla Valle was a blow, the money from the transfer was fair compensation, and we coped well without him. Tynan, Bonner and Collins became regulars at lower leagues, but would not have done anything in League One.

The players who came in were solid without having a big impact. Hart was certainly a valuable striker, but missed many games with injury. Lejeune and Devine rotated well at the back, and the former has attracted a fair bit of attention from other clubs. Grant repaid his transfer fee with a few handy goals and Helgerud is a player for the future. The only real disappointment was Phillips, who spent most of the season in the reserves.

Donners

I once again apologise for the delay between updates. I brought my story along to work...only to find I'd left it in OpenOffice format, and I only had Word available at work. The next day I brought the converted file along...and realised I didn't bring the squad table. Sigh. Here it is, at last.


Pre-season, 2012/2013

Naturally, I went nuts trying to sign up a host of new players to ensure our survival in the Championship. The likes of Mutu, Zat Knight and Freddie Adu unsurprisingly rejected us. However, I did make a number of signings. Former Ayr goalkeeper Mark McGeown signed on as goalkeeping coach. I bought right winger Barry Callaghan from Dundee for ₤3K and Australian striker Mike Tobin completed his previously arranged ₤4K move. Another Dundee player, wing back Casey Owen, joined for free, as did former PSV defender Levi Koopman. The most expensive signing, wage-wise, was Icelandic international Emil __. The biggest names to sign on were former Liverpool and Leeds midfielder Harry Kewell and Newcastle and Ipswich veteran Kieron Dyer. However, potentially the most important signing was Wolves keeper Wayne Henderson, since Bryant badly lacked backup last year.

To make room for them, Fred Murray, Darryl Knights, Scott Gardiner and Kieran Walmsley were released, along with a number of reserve players and goalkeeping coach Simon Miotto. I'm not going to write profiles on each of these players, since they were never really key parts of the side (and those little things take a hell of a lot more time to do than they look), but it's interesting to briefly contrast their careers. Gardiner and Knights were probably the two most talented of the group, yet could never cement a first team spot due to injuries and international duty (for Gardiner). Even when Gardiner was at his best as an attacking player, in 09/10 and 10/11, and should have been a key part of the side, he only played 13 and 15 games. Knights scored seven times in a dozen games in 09/10 but endured long droughts outside this. In contrast, Walmsley and Murray were pretty much abandoned after poor first seasons before they both broke into the seniors in 09/10. While Walmsley fell away again and returned to the reserves, Murray became a regular in the seniors. I thought hard before letting him go, but it's time for the side to move on.

I was given a number of transfer/wage budget options, and selected ₤2.9M for transfers and ₤73K for wages. The squad is looking bloated again, so I doubt I'll be making any more signings.

I sought a feeder club as a way to clear out a few players from the squad. I had four options, and while the idea of a first option deal was interesting, it was only with minor Scottish club East Stirling. I eventually decided on a link with League Two side Notts County – amusingly, an opponent only a few seasons ago. Lars Roland, James McCraw and Ahti Oja were sent to them for the season.

The pre-season friendlies saw us beat Lewes 2-0 and Bognor Regis 5-0, but draw 1-1 with Hull.



AUSTRALIA vs HONG KONG, World Cup Qualifiers (Asia), 2nd round Group 4, Home
I was a little sneaky in this game, giving caps to Zac Tung and Franck Moussa, who had already appeared at youth levels for England and Belgium respectively.

Australia 6 (Kennedy 14, 41, 77; Visconte 30; Tung 57; Wesolowski 85) d. Hong Kong 0

Donners

Grr...Emil ____ is also known as Emil Hallfreðsson. Think that was a "fill this space when you get find the special character" that I didn't follow up on. Hope this second update makes up for the delay.



SEASON OVERVIEW 12/13

The Club

Home Ground: Nene Park, Irthlingborough (capacity 5782, 4270 seated – temporarily reduced)
Rivals: Kettering, Northampton (fierce); Peterborough, Oxford, Luton
Reputation: Regional

Estimated Value: ₤5M
Balance ₤7.25M
Transfer Budget: ₤2.9M

Media Prediction: 24th
Board Expectation: Fight bravely against relegation
Fan Expectation: Fight bravely against relegation

Staff
Chairman: Keith Cousins

Assistant Manager: Jack Reilly

Coaches: Will Weedon, Scott Gemmill, Geoff Evans, Kevin Horlock (General); Mark McGeown (GK); Liam Grieves (Youth)

Physio: Eoin Jess

Scouts: Antonio North, Andy McWilliam, Craig Graham

The Squad

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> 18th in English Championship| Pkd | Inf | Name | No. | Squad Status | Cnt | Weekly wage | Expires | Value | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | WBR | | Casey Owen | 10 | Key Player | F/T | £2,200 | 30.6.2016 | £230K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | | Graham Hart | 15 | Key Player | F/T | £1,300 | 30.6.2015 | £1.4M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | | Michael Bostwick | 32 | First Team | F/T | £1,200 | 30.6.2013 | £35K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | AML | Wnt | Gavin McCallum | 30 | First Team | F/T | £1,200 | 30.6.2013 | £75K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | GK | | Wayne Henderson | - | First Team | F/T | £3,000 | 30.6.2014 | £95K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | | Glenn Wilson | 2 | First Team | F/T | £1,500 | 30.6.2014 | £24K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DMC | | Anthony Grant | 21 | First Team | F/T | £2,300 | 30.6.2014 | £55K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | | Ikechi Anya | 16 | First Team | F/T | £1,100 | 30.6.2013 | £130K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | Wnt | Frankie Artus | 12 | First Team | F/T | £775 | 30.6.2014 | £60K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Barry Callaghan | 29 | First Team | F/T | £1,800 | 30.6.2014 | £3K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Emil Hallfreðsson | 7 | First Team | F/T | £3,500 | 30.6.2014 | £525K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Aaron Beech | 18 | First Team | F/T | £625 | 30.6.2014 | £35K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | | Aaron Morgan | 3 | First Team | F/T | £625 | 30.6.2014 | £35K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Mike Tobin | 33 | First Team | F/T | £750 | 30.6.2015 | £4K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | | Vidar Helgerud | 6 | First Team | F/T | £650 | 30.6.2014 | £1.6M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Vitalijs Vilerush | 25 | First Team | F/T | £1,100 | 30.6.2016 | £1.7M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Levi Koopman | 34 | First Team | F/T | £2,200 | 30.6.2016 | £130K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | AMC | | Harry Kewell | 31 | Rotation | F/T | £1,400 | 30.6.2014 | £14K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | | Jon Ashton | 4 | Rotation | F/T | £1,100 | 30.6.2013 | £65K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Bid | Alex Bryant | 1 | Rotation | F/T | £875 | 30.6.2014 | £900K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Ben Gill | 8 | Rotation | F/T | £975 | 30.6.2013 | £18K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | | Kelvin Lomax | 13 | Rotation | F/T | £875 | 30.6.2014 | £24K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Lee Tomlin | 14 | Rotation | F/T | £1,200 | 30.6.2014 | £60K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Yan Klukowski | 20 | Rotation | F/T | £425 | 30.6.2013 | £180K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Jimmy Phillips | 19 | Rotation | F/T | £1,000 | 30.6.2015 | £60K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | Unh | Dean Stamp | 11 | Rotation | F/T | £875 | 30.6.2013 | £300K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | Bid | Stanislas Lejeune | 17 | Rotation | F/T | £275 | 30.6.2014 | £850K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Kieron Dyer | 35 | Backup | F/T | £800 | 30.6.2014 | £3K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Jody Morris | 27 | Backup | F/T | £675 | 30.6.2014 | £12K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Stewart Devine | 5 | Backup | F/T | £550 | 30.6.2013 | £40K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Ahti Oja | 24 | Backup | F/T | £525 | 30.6.2013 | £30K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Lars Roland | 9 | Backup | F/T | £700 | 30.6.2013 | £100K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Adam Legzdins | 26 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £400 | 30.6.2013 | £10K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Lawrence Lambley | 28 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £180 | 30.6.2015 | £10K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Paris Cowan-Hall | - | Hot Prospect | F/T | £220 | 30.6.2015 | £40K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | David Greenwood | 23 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £275 | 30.6.2014 | £35K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Jamie McGhee | - | Youngster | F/T | £200 | 30.6.2014 | £14K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Alex Bolt | - | Youngster | F/T | £220 | 30.6.2014 | £22K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | James McCraw | - | Youngster | F/T | £85 | 30.6.2013 | £22K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | Matt Jameson | - | Youngster | F/T | £85 | 30.6.2013 | £3K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | Dave Irving | - | Youngster | F/T | £100 | 30.6.2013 | £3K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | Danny Shore | - | Youngster | Yth | £100 | 30.6.2013 | - | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | Tim Green | - | Youngster | Yth | £95 | 30.6.2013 | - | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Leigh McDonald | - | Youngster | Yth | £100 | 30.6.2013 | - | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | David Wilkinson | - | Youngster | Yth | £95 | 30.6.2013 | - | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | Kevin King | - | Youngster | Yth | £100 | 30.6.2013 | - | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Callum Reynolds | 22 | Not Needed | F/T | £180 | 30.6.2014 | £7K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Michael Lunt | - | Not Needed | F/T | £100 | 30.6.2013 | £5K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

Wage Budget: £74,853
Total Weekly Wages at 25/7/12: £41,405

Senior Players: 27
Reserve Players: 21
U-18 Players: 12

[Note that players classed as Backup, Prospect or Youngster will not be profiled (with a few exceptions), and are regarded as reserve players]

Player [Pos, Nationality, Height, Age] – Rushden Seasons, Rushden League Games, Rushden League Goals

Goalkeepers

Alex Bryant [GK, ENG, 175cm, 27] – 6, 104, 0
Having established himself as a first team player, Bryant again finds his spot under pressure thanks to a new signings. He was a fine player last season, and we really missed him when he was out injured, but has never really lived up to his potential.
English Players' League One Select 11/12

Wayne Henderson [GK, IRE – 2 caps, 180cm, 28] – 0, 0, 0
A late signing in the pre-season due to our problems when Bryant was out last season. He's on pretty big wages (relative to the rest of the squad), but he will fill an important role as first choice keeper. Henderson has experience at this level with Crewe and Brighton, and was bought by Wolves only a couple of seasons ago for ₤850K

Adam Legzdins [GK, ENG, 176cm, 25] – 5, 49, 0
Let through far too many goals when given a chance, and will only be called up if things go terribly wrong.

Defenders

Jon Ashton [D RC/DM, ENG, 188cm, 29] – 6, 157, 2
One of the best players in League One, which is a fine effort for a player who's been with us since the Conference. Whether he can continue to perform at an even higher level is a big question, but I really hope he can continue to be a valuable player.
English Players' League One Select 11/12

Aaron Beech [D C, ENG, 181cm, 22] – 2, 45, 3
Fractured ribs caused Beech to miss plenty of games, but he still looked solid when he did. He may not have the talent for his level, but his aerial ability is unquestioned.

Michael Bostwick [D/M C, ENG, 188cm, 24] – 6, 156, 12
Developing into quite a quality player, and seems to be keeping up with the rise in leagues. If Ashton and Beech can't step up, he will be even more valuable in defence, but his leadership makes him always useful.

Stewart Devine [D L, SCO, 178cm, 28] – 1, 23, 0
A good effort from the counter-attacking defender last season, setting up five goals. Unfortunately, his lack of defensive skills make him a real risk at this level, so I'll be reluctant to play him too much.

Levi Koopman [D C, HOL, 180cm, 21] – 0, 0, 0
A fairly average-looking defender who does not seem to stand out in any way. He came through PSV's youth setup, but only has seven on-loan lower league games to his credit. Signing him sight-unseen on pretty big wages may prove to be an error.

Stanislas Lejeune [D RL, SWI – Capped at U19 level, 181cm, 19] – 1, 7, 0
I described him as a long-term prospect, and since he showed enough to attract the likes of Aberdeen and Bolton, the early signs are pretty good. He'll spend most of the season in the reserves, but good form will see him back in.

Kelvin Lomax [D RL, ENG, 181cm, 25] – 2, 28, 1
One of our better defenders last season, and with Murray gone he will be the first choice for left back.

Aaron Morgan [D C, ENG, 188cm, 22] – 2, 35, 0
Continued to match the progress of Beech in that he also missed quite a few games through injury. However, Morgan looks better developed as a player, and will be a regular.

Glenn Wilson [D RC, WAL, 186cm, 26] – 6, 142, 4
Another stalwart from the Conference days, Wilson was not only a strong defender, but added another string to his bow with three league goals for the season. He's a hard worker and inspirational figure at the back.
English Players' League Two Select 10/11; English Players' League One Select 11/12


Midfielders

Ikechi Anya [AM RL, SCO, 170cm, 24] – 5, 125, 8
Despite a good season last year, it's crunch time for Anya. There's a lot of challengers for midfield positions, and his skills development seems to have stalled. His lack of pace and defensive skills could be costly at this level. He will have to fight for a spot.
English League Two Player of the Month, January 2011; English Players' League One Select 11/12

Frankie Artus [AM RC, ENG, 179cm, 23] – 3, 62, 12
Despite missing a few games through injury, Artus was a valuable contributor with half a dozen goals from midfield. He will be challenged on the right wing by a few people, but has the ability to at least be in contention for a spot.

Barry Callaghan [WB R AM R, SCO, 178cm, 25] – 0, 0, 0
An interesting new signing. Callaghan has spent his entire career at Dundee, with mixed success. He has great pace and is a superb leader and hard worker. However, his ball skills leave a bit to be desired. Scout Andy McWilliam highly recommended him, and he is my best scout, but he'll need to prove himself before becoming a regular.

Paris Cowan-Hall [AM L, ENG, 180cm, 21] – 6, 36, 6
A stellar run of three goals in six games was cut short by a serious muscle injury which ended his season in December. He'll have to work very hard to get back in.

Kieron Dyer [AM RC, ENG – 28 caps, 173cm, 33] – 0, 0, 0
In hindsight, probably not a great signing. Though he has experience at Championship and Premier Division level with Newcastle and Ipswich, he has played little at the latter in the last few seasons. Though perhaps a decent playmaker, he doesn't have the pace and determination to be a senior regular.

Ben Gill [DM, ENG, 181cm, 24] – 3, 52, 0
Upset by not being a senior regular, Gill is probably on the way out of the side despite solid form last season.

Anthony Grant [DM C, ENG, 178cm, 25] – 1, 14, 2
Had an impact after his ₤60K move to Nene Park, scoring a couple of good goals and definitely passing Gill in the fight for a central midfield spot. His good defensive and leadership abilities will make him valuable.

Emil Hallfreðsson [AM L, ICE – 25 caps, 185cm, 28] – 0, 0, 0
A big signing, though he's spent the last few seasons in League Two with Carlisle after a ₤700K move. He performed well for Plymouth and spent a bit of time at Tottenham before that. Hallfreðsson has good ball skills and has superb team work skills.

Vidar Helgerud [M C, NOR – 2 U21 caps, 184cm, 19] – 1, 14, 1
Despite his youth, Helgerud is looking like a real class midfielder. His passing skills are remarkable, and he will be our playmaker. I'll have to try not to overplay him due to his youth, but he will be a major presence when he is out there.

Harry Kewell [AM LC, AUS – 49 caps, 181cm, 33] – 0, 0, 0
Signed on relatively low wages for a player of his stature, Kewell has struggled to get a game at West Brom over the last two seasons but has experience at Leeds and Liverpool. His pace has dropped away, but he still has plenty of class.

Yan Klukowski [M RC, SCO, 186cm, 25] – 2, 45, 9
Again stepped up at a time when it looked like he would be badly outclassed. Though his skills are still terrible, blistering pace can get through any defence.
English League Two Player of the Month, February 2011; English League One Player of the Month, February 2012

Gavin McCallum [AM RL, CAN – 17 caps, 176cm, 24] – 5, 106, 15
Like Anya, under pressure to hold his place, though he at least has the advantage of superior set piece ability.
Conference Player of the Month, April 2008

Jody Morris [AM C, ENG – 7 U21 caps, 166cm, 33] – 1, 4, 0
Looked okay in a handful of games last season, but will struggle to get a regular role.

Casey Owen [WB R, ENG, 180cm, 21] – 0, 0, 0
Oddly, a specialist in the right wing back position, which is a bit unfortunate since I don't play with a right back... He's a great passer and has a tremendous understanding of the game, but will have to play out of position if he is to get a game.

Jimmy Phillips [AM R, ENG, 177cm, 21] – 1, 3, 0
A big disappointment last season, spending most of it in the reserves. With even more competition there, he'll struggle to get in.


Forwards

Graham Hart [ST, IRE – Capped at U19 level, 183cm, 21] – 1, 24, 12
A regular scorer last season, and we really missed his presence when he was injured. A crucial player this season.

Lars Roland [AM L/ST, DEN, 181cm, 20] – 2, 13, 4
Again dominated the reserves, but this time failed to perform in the seniors. He will have to prove himself before breaking in again.

Dean Stamp [ST, ENG, 182cm, 23] – 3, 80, 54
Was again our leading scorer, albeit thanks mostly to Hart's injury. He did actually have an 11-hour drought late in the season, but came back in spectacular fashion with back-to-back hat-tricks. He's demanding a huge pay increase, but won't get it, meaning a transfer may be my best bet.
Conference Player of the Month, October 09; Supporters' Player of the Year 09/10, 11/12; English Players' League One Select 11/12

Mike Tobin [ST, AUS – 3 U21 caps, 178cm, 20] – 0, 0, 0
Just call me Terry. Well, I'm not going after Australians quite as much as Venables (or another English-based Australian coach from the mid-90s whose name escapes me for the moment), but after he put through a hat-trick in my Olympic Qualifiers side, I couldn't resist signing him. He is a goal machine at lower levels, with 25 goals in 33 games for Ayr, and even has two in two in the Championship with Norwich. One to watch.

Lee Tomlin [ST, ENG, 183cm, 23] – 7, 114, 35
Hangs around the fringes of the side without ever really cementing a spot. The increased competition will make it even harder for him, so this could be a make-or-break year.

Vitalijs Vilerush [ST, LAT – 3 caps, 186cm, 20] – 2, 28, 7
Scored a handful of goals, but not really enough for what we needed. Will have to fight for a spot.

Overview

Welcome to the new-era Rushden Four-figure wages and Championship/Premier Division experience are the features of most of our new players. This is definitely a transitional phase for the club as we look to progress from being a lower-league side to one that will play regularly with the big boys.

I have a difficult balance to maintain, trying to get players already in the squad to show they are capable at this level while also bringing in new players who are experienced at this level without disrupting the squad. I'll have to make a lot of hard decisions on players regarding whether they are good enough to be regulars, as chopping and changing the side every week will completely throw us off, as it did in my first few years at the club.

Even my assistant is telling me we have no chance of staying up, so this will be a tough year.

First XI

It's probably not a good sign when my first thought of a way to introduce my tactic is, “Don't laugh.� What I've decided on is, in Biggles' terminology, a “right wing low� formation. In other words, I'm playing with a right wing back and left attacking midfielder, with five midfielders, four defenders and a sole striker.

I am not confident in my forward or defensive depth, but think we have plenty of quality midfielders. Hence, it makes sense to try and cover both weaknesses with our strength.

Think of it as a filled rhombus – left attacking midfield, central attacking midfield, central midfield, central defensive midfield and right wing back. I'll look to clear the ball to the right, then switch play to the left for attacks.

It's just so strange it may work...or blow up in my face. If it doesn't work, I'll probably go with a 4-5-1 with attacking and defensive midfielders, but we'll give this a go first.

GK: Wayne Henderson
RB: Glen Wilson
LB: Kelvin Lomax
CB: Jon Ashton
CB: Aaron Morgan
WBR: Casey Owen
DM: Anthony Grant
CM: Vidar Helgerud
AML: Gavin McCallum
AMC: Harry Kewell
CF: Graham Hart

Sub: Aaron Beech
Sub: Michael Bostwick
Sub: Frankie Artus
Sub: Ikechi Anya
Sub: Dean Stamp

Captain: Michael Bostwick
Penalties: Dean Stamp, Harry Kewell, Aaron Morgan
Free Kicks: (L) Dean Stamp, Kelvin Lomax; (R) Gavin McCallum, Casey Owen
Corners: (L) Gavin McCallum, Yan Klukowski; (R) Kelvin Lomax, Glenn Wilson
Throw Ins: (L) Ikechi Anya, Frankie Artus; (R) Glenn Wilson, Frankie Artus
Playmakers: Vidar Helgerud, Harry Kewell

BenArsenal

Dyer as an 800p/w backup. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Good luck!

Donners

We'll certainly need it...


August, 2012

Stoke, Championship, Away
Stoke's manager tried to play mind games early, identifying Dean Stamp as the player who was the biggest threat, but that was unlikely to have much effect given he was on the bench. We lost McCallum to a training injury for the month, so Hallfreðsson got the chance to make his début, as did Henderson in goal, Kewell on the left wing and Owen at right back.

63 seconds. That's all it took for our first Championship goal. Hart stole the ball on the right wing and centred for Helgerud. He passed to the left corner of the area for Hallfreðsson, who put it past the keeper. Henderson made a couple of fine saves and though Stoke looked the better side, we had the half time lead. Stoke's multitude of chances made an equaliser inevitable, and they got it in the 60th. We looked to have scraped away with a point, but two minutes into injury time, Owen gave away a free which led to a Stoke goal. They deserved to win, but it was a shame to lose a point so close to the end.

Watford, Championship, Home
Owen, Wilson and Kewell took a break for this one, replaced by Lejeune, Callaghan and Artus respectively. Henderson took only ten minutes to concede this time, and did again in the 33rd. And the 39th. And the 40th. Stamp came off the bench and added a little bit of aggression, finally scoring in the 75th when a Morgan header set up a counter-attack. Still, 1-4 was a bad result.

Cardiff, Championship, Away
Bryant replaced Henderson in goal, and was given an early buffer when Hallfreðsson and Kewell combined to give Vilerush a 4th minute opener. We had much of the play and really should have walked out winners, but Cardiff scored in the 83rd and again the points went missing. I rejected a ₤2M bid from Leicester for Helgerud after the game.

Southend, Championship, Home
A harsh penalty against us was the last thing we needed, but thankfully Bryant saved it. Three minutes later though, he conceded a goal, leaving us down after only nine minutes. Another just after half time seemingly ended our game, but Kewell and Hallfreðsson continued to attack. The Icelandic international scored in the 62nd , but just couldn't do it all himself. Tobin and Koopman made solid debuts, but one point in four games is a worry.

As has happened a few times, I got a bit of a surprise when a signing I'd arranged months earlier suddenly arrived.

Kent Hansen [D L, DEN – 2 U21 Caps, 172cm, 20] – 0, 0, 0
Coming over after one season at Silkeborg, where he didn't play a senior game, Hansen looks a raw talent. He has good football sense and could be a decent attacking defender, but needs a bit more training and experience before becoming a regular.

Wycombe, League Cup 1st round, Home
Hansen got the chance to make his début and a few others got a rare run in this cup game. Artus put us ahead after two minutes and had a brace after five. He poached a third in the 35th, completing a first-half hat-trick. Mike Tobin unluckily had his first goal for the club ruled out, but thanks to Artus we easily progressed.

Colchester, Championship, Away
Kewell put Hart through early, but his shot was saved. We were the better side in the first half, but despite good set-ups from Kewell and Hallfreðsson, Hart couldn't break through. Lejeune, who was the subject of an inquiry from Chelsea, picked up two yellow cards in the 89th minute, but we held on for the point.

We picked up the grand total of ₤1K as our 25% of Kyle Storer's move from Morton to Hereford. Two points in five games is not a great result for our first month in the Championship, though it isn't all doom and gloom. We have only really been totally outplayed once (against Watford), and could probably have picked up at least one win and another draw with some luck. Kewell and Wilson have been our most impressive players so far. Lejeune has struggled badly for someone attracting so much attention and Hart has failed to take advantage of good midfield work. Henderson's performance against Watford is a major concern, but he will get another go.

Donners

September, 2012

Huddersfield, Championship, HomeÂ*
We lost Owen, McCallum and Hallfreðsson to international duty and Lejeune to suspension, forcing a number of team changes. Wayne Henderson returned in goal. Huddersfield attacked relentlessly, but a centring ball from Artus gave Hart his first goal of the season late in the first half. Rushden had most of the play after that, and Henderson did not have to make a single save – Huddersfield missed a dozen shots. It took a bit of luck, but it was our first win in the Championship.

Doncaster, Championship, AwayÂ*
Doncaster had the early play and scored after 14 minutes. A second was disallowed mid-way through the first half, but they got another a few minutes later that stood. Two more on either side of the break meant Henderson had conceded four for the second time already this season.

Coventry, Championship, AwayÂ*
Bryant came back and had to make a few early saves. Hallfreðsson went off injured in the first half, costing us a good deal of attacking flair. Bryant did well to hold out for most of the game, but Koopman conceded a penalty in the 67th that wound up costing us the game.

AUSTRALIA vs YEMEN, World Cup Qualifiers (Asia), 2nd round Group 4, Home

Australia 4 (McDonald 13, 14; Cahill 17; Kennedy 55) d. Yemen 0

Brentford, Championship, HomeÂ*
Gavin McCallum came in for his first game of the season as a lucky deflection left Harry Kewell with a simple finish to score in the 8th. Brentford equalised eight minutes later and scored again in the 41st. Frankie Artus stole the ball from a Brenford midfielder and went all the way to the area to score a great solo effort. That was enough for a point in our first televised match of the season.

Woking, League Cup 2nd round, AwayÂ*
Our League Two opposition gave me a chance to rest a few regulars, and like our previous Cup game, Frankie Artus put us on the board. Klukowski scored in the final moments of the game, and though 2-0 was a solid win, it should have been a lot more. Hart was badly off target, and has been a major disappointment so far. Artus used his good recent form to demand a new contract with wage demands five times his current amount.

Norwich, Championship, HomeÂ*
Having just complained about Hart, he scored with a powerful volley nine minutes into this game – albeit mostly thanks to a brilliant long ball from Owen. Kewell created many chances, including a cross to Klukowski which was headed just wide. Klukowski dominated the second half, but just three minutes from time Norwich scored a dubious-looking goal. We deserved the three points, and were again left frustrated. Artus was put out for the next couple of months with a dislocated shoulder.

Oldham, Championship, AwayÂ*
Oldham controlled the first half and led 0-1 at half time. It wasn't until the final 25 minutes that Rushden finally woke up and started playing some attacking football. Hallfreðsson and Kewell initiated a number of attacks, but it took a long pass from Hansen to set up Helgerud for an equaliser.


It's still hard to get a feel for how we're going. It's almost a quarter of the way through the season, but there's only four points between 16th and 24th. We're sitting in 20th, but with a little bit of luck could be towards the middle of the table. It's getting to a point where I'm going to start dropping players to the reserves, so the next few games will determine the fate of a number of players.

Donners

October, 2012

The expansion of Nene Park was finally completed, adding an additional 1,273 seats. That took us to a still-tiny 7,714 (5,914 seated), but since we've only been able to fit in under 6,000 this season, that is a bit of an improvement.

Wigan, Championship, HomeÂ*
A series of free kicks given away by Ashton and Koopman gave Wigan plenty of early chances in front of a record Nene Park crowd of 7,699. Bryant held them off, and we looked to have taken the lead when Hart hit the back of the net, only to have it disallowed. Wigan scored in the 29th and sealed it in second half injury time.

Sheffield United, Championship, AwayÂ*
Vilerush was forced off with an injury just seven minutes in. We had no attacking flair and conceded in the 20th. An interception from Helgerud just a few minutes into the second half saw Kewell hit the ball ahead for Hart, Vilerush's replacement, and he put it through. Bryant did well to keep out a few shots, but the task got harder when Owen was sent off late in the game. Almost all the Sheffield players came forward for the free, which was hit straight at Aaron Beech. He smashed it forward 50 yards before Sheffield had a chance to react, and Hart was suddenly one-on-one with the keeper. He scored his second of the game, and the final whistle blew moments later. Our second win of the season.

AUSTRALIA vs HONG KONG, World Cup Qualifiers (Asia), 2nd round Group 4, Away

Australia 2 (Burns 26, 34) d. Hong Kong 0

Burnley, Championship, Home
Burnley went ahead after just 90 seconds and made it two from two shots later in the half. Bryant managed a few saves in the second half but also let through a third goal. A bad result.

It was time to bite the bullet, and I switched to a conventional 4-4-1-1 formation. Lomax, Stamp, Callaghan and Hansen were sent down to the reserves. Coming up were Stewart Devine and David Greenwood – who had 17 goals in 9 games.

Stoke, League Cup 3rd round, Home
At least there was some improvement – it took 24 minutes before we went behind. Unlike the previous game, we didn't totally give up. Kewell, Grant and Anya missed shots, Tobin had a few saved and we were knocked out of the League Cup.

Hull, Championship, Home
This time, we didn't need to concede a goal before waking up. We attacked early, and in the 12th David Greenwood sent a perfect pass across the goal to the charging Kewell for our opener. Kewell scored again from the spot in the 27th and when he had a shot saved in the 53rd, Greenwood was left with a tap-in. Henderson kept a rare clean sheet as the 3-0 win saw us jump from 23rd to 19th.

Charlton, Championship, Away
A fairly promising first few minutes against the second-placed side were wiped out by a two-goal burst early in the first half from Charlton. We actually played quite well overall, but had our chances of a comeback dented by a red card to Klukowski just after the break. Hart came off the bench and scored a late goal, but a second was out of reach.

Three months in, and we're looking a bit more stable at least. I was a little reluctant to dump my rhombus formation, but really, it was mostly designed for Owen, and you can't put the side out for just one player. My signings have been far less impressive than previous seasons, with Henderson leaking goals, Hallfreðsson having little impact, Hansen and Callaghan dropped and Dyer yet to play a senior game. Koopman is finally settling in after a slow start and Kewell has been excellent, but I normally do a lot better in this regard.

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Holders - Barnsley| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Southend | | 16 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 27 | 14 | +13 | 36 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Charlton | | 16 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 35 | 17 | +18 | 35 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Cardiff | | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 16 | +11 | 33 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Everton | | 16 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 33 | 15 | +18 | 31 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Norwich | | 16 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 30 | 21 | +9 | 29 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Leicester | | 16 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 32 | 16 | +16 | 27 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Doncaster | | 16 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 26 | 17 | +9 | 27 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Hull | | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 18 | 13 | +5 | 26 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | West Brom | | 16 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 17 | +2 | 25 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Coventry | | 16 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 18 | 16 | +2 | 25 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Burnley | | 16 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 15 | +2 | 24 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Stoke | | 16 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 15 | 13 | +2 | 23 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Portsmouth | | 16 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 22 | 21 | +1 | 22 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Sheff Utd | | 16 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 21 | 25 | -4 | 22 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Brentford | | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 23 | -3 | 20 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Wigan | | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 26 | -6 | 20 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Q.P.R. | | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 26 | 39 | -13 | 16 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Watford | | 16 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 15 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Bristol City | | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 15 | 25 | -10 | 14 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Rushden | | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 15 | 26 | -11 | 14 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Colchester | | 16 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 18 | 31 | -13 | 13 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | | Oldham | | 16 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 23 | 33 | -10 | 12 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | | Bradford | | 16 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 12 | 29 | -17 | 11 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | | Huddersfield | | 16 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 16 | 37 | -21 | 9 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

Big_Wilm_MCFC

Just out of the relegation...Hope you can keep these up Great so far

Good Luck!

Donners

As I said, we need all the luck we can get, but it doesn't seem to be working out that way...

November, 2012

Everton, Championship, Home
In a nice little bit of irony, one of my star Australian players, Tim Cahill, put Everton ahead after only four minutes. Playing on the wing, Owen got forward in the 24th and was in perfect position to take a 50-yard ball from recently promoted reserve player Stewart Devine, levelling the scores. Cahill put us behind again ten minutes later. Rushden actually looked a chance to get back into it for a while, but an own goal from Beech was followed by a fourth to Everton. Glenn Wilson was then sent off for a second yellow. Somehow we weren't finished yet, with Hallfreðsson coming off the bench and scoring from an impossible angle...and then heading in a free from McCallum in the 83rd. All of a sudden, despite being a man down, we were 3-4. That was, unfortunately, as close as we could get, but it was a hell of an effort against a promotion favourite.

QPR, Championship, Home
We were missing a few players for this, with Klukowski and Wilson suspended, Hart on international duty and Artus still out injured. Rushden had the first few attacks, yet conceded to QPR's first foray forward. A corner from McCallum was headed in by Koopman to leave us level at half time. QPR pulled ahead again in the 60th and sealed with two more in the final ten minutes.

AUSTRALIA vs JORDAN, World Cup Qualifiers (Asia), 2nd round Group 4, Away

Australia 3 (Cahill 4; McDonald 66, 68) d. Jordan 1 (22)

Leicester, Championship, Away
Despite the early loss of Koopman to injury, we dominated the opening minutes and really should have scored. Kewell and Greenwood both missed shots and Owen had a header saved. Leicester scored totally against the run of play just after half time and again before the final whistle, leaving us with an unfair 0-2 result.

QPR, Championship, Home
Having lost every game this month, things were starting to get a little desperate. Losing Owen and McCallum to injury made things even worse, but a pass from Klukowski set up Mike Tobin for his first Rushden goal. Bristol scored a few minutes into the second half and scored from a clear onside with just two minutes to go. We were robbed of a point, and our losing streak continued.

Damien77

Best of luck for the reminder of the campagin...keeping fighting...results would come your way