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Five years is a long time. This time five years ago, I was about to start my first year of a Law degree. I was a big fan of CM 00/01, and, needing to fill in a bit of time over my holidays, I started a story based on my game with 3rd Division glamour club Rushden. It was ambitiously titled "Rushden and Diamonds - The Legend begins".
While my early writing seems crude in retrospect, I was blessed with loyal and patient readers. That little time filler grew into a 150,000 word odyssey and made the Hall of Fame. My two subsequent stories covered my continued journey at Rushden (70,000 words) and another tale of my time at Italian side Ancona (this time a CM 03/04 story, resulting in 200,000 words and the Story of the Year award).
Disappointed at the CM4 engine (I daresay half of those 200,000 words were spent complaining about bugs), overwhelmed by studies and worried that I would not be able to match the positive feedback of my previous works, I quietly withdrew from the CMS scene.
Time passed. I finished my degree, and picked up a great job. Though I was impressed by the FM 06 and 07 demos, regular casual work left me little time for playing, so I didn't purchase the games.
Now, with an ongoing illness that prevents me from working full-time and less casual work available than last year, I've finally picked up FM07, and I'm in the mood for another story.
I can't promise the same epic length of my previous stories, in case more work becomes available or the game simply doesn't work out, but I'll damn well give it a good shot.
The only question remains – which team to build the story around? I have never followed soccer much in the real world; only as much as I needed for playing purposes. 2005 and early 2006 featured a series of drought-breaking wins – England won the Ashes, Australia made the World Cup, Sydney won the AFL Premiership, there were two baseball sides that were champions after years of failures... I considered “Breaking the Drought” as a story topic about six months ago, but since I didn't have time to write, I couldn't get started on a story and the moment passed. I thought about playing in a league I wasn't familiar with, but attempts at the MLS and Spain on the demo just bored me. In desperation, I tried to look at the current state of the few teams I was familiar with for some inspiration.
Ancona's squad is utterly unrecognisable to me. Rushden, meanwhile, has lost everyone's favourite shoemaking chairman, Max Griggs; superstar Andy Burgess (see my original Rushden stories); a heck of a lot of money and even a place in the league system. That's quite a drop for the one-time glamour club of the lower leagues.
It's time to put things right. Time to revive the legend.
Let's hope for 200,000 words! The big problem on the forums in my view is people starting interesting stories and never satisfactorily finishing them, so here's hoping this is one we can all follow for a good while.
Ah, nothing like a bit of melodrama to kick off a story! For those who have been with me on my previous journeys, welcome back. Hopefully you will find in this story the elements that kept you reading those. For those who are new to my writing, thank you for giving me a chance. As noted, I've only just picked up the game, so forgive me if I feel my way through the early stages of this. I'm also not writing much further ahead of my playing, so apologies if there are delays between updates. Without further ado, let's get stuck into it...
Game Settings
Game Version: 7.0.2
Database: 7.0.2 Official
Leagues: England (Conference North/South, Playable)
U.S.A. (MLS, View Only)
Spain (LIGA BBVA, Playable)
France (First League, View Only)
Italy(Serie B, Playable)
Germany(First Division, View Only)
Australia (A-League, Playable)
Brazil(First Division, View Only)
Scotland (First Division, Playable)
I set a start date of June to give me plenty of time to get a feel for the club before the season kicked off. I'll give a quick overview of my first impressions the side as it looks at the moment, then give an idea of how I will go about handling them on the park once I've had a chance to play a few friendlies and possibly make a couple of signings.
Scott Tynan [GK, ENG, 22] – 1, 14, 0
Tynan is our most important player at this point. Not because he is the best player in the team, though he is one of the better ones, but because he is the only goalkeeper in the squad aged over 17. That is a heck of a lot of responsibility to place on one player, and I will look to rectify the situation. He is nonetheless a solid and capable keeper at this level, and I am satisfied with him as the first choice.
Defenders
Mark Albrighton [D C, ENG, 185cm, 30] – 0, 0, 0 On Loan from Boston Utd
Our only on-loan player, and an unimpressive one. He looks to be a solid worker, but lacks pace and skill. We aren't too bad at the back, so I may look to return him early.
Jon Ashton [D RC/DM, ENG, 188cm, 23] – 0, 0, 0
Tall, but otherwise unremarkable apart from his tight marking. He should be decent enough at this level to play a regular role at the back, but don't expect anything special.
Tom Bonner [D C, SCO, 183cm, 18] – 0, 0, 0
Clearly not ready for first team football, Bonner shows some hint of ability but is unlikely to get a run at this point.
Jason Goodliffe [D C, ENG, 183cm, 32] – 0, 0, 0
Looking as much like a bouncer as a footballer, Goodliffe has spent his entire career in the Conference. He is tough but not especially aggressive and very slow. A rotational option at best.
Wayne Hatswell [D LC, ENG, 186cm, 31] – 1, 17, 1
Notable for his shock of white hair, Hatswell is a natural leader and a solid choice for centre back due to aerial ability.
Chris Hope [D C, ENG, 185cm, 33] – 0, 0, 0
A veteran of the Championship with Gillingham in recent years, Hope is probably our best pure defender. He is neither skilful nor quick, but can close down an opponent well. A clear choice as captain.
Paul Watson [D RL, ENG, 31] – 0, 0, 0
A veteran of the lower leagues, who was a mainstay at Brighton for many seasons. Watson is strong from set pieces but otherwise unremarkable. He should be solid enough to hold down a side of defence.
Glenn Wilson [D RC, WAL, 186cm, 20] – 0, 0, 0
A youth player from Crystal Palace, Wilson is enthusiastic and strong in the air. He has the makings of a quality defender and will certainly be one to keep an eye on.
Midfielders
Tyrone Berry [AM R, ENG, 173cm, 19] – 2, 20, 0
Lightning fast on the right wing, but unfortunately pretty inept with the ball. He might be able to go on some good runs, but I don't think he can do much to finish them off.
Michael Bostwick [D/M C, ENG, 188cm, 18] – 0, 0, 0
Due to our many options at centre back and his reasonable pace, Bostwick is more likely to get a run in the midfield. He has a bit of ability for his age, and will hopefully improve. A good long-range shooter.
Jamie Cook [AM L/ST, ENG, 178cm, 26] – 0, 0, 0
An unimpressive player, lacking pace, height and really anything that would make him much of a threat. Can't see him having much of a role, and he may well be released when his contract ends in 3 months.
Marcus Kelly [AM L, ENG, 170cm, 20] – 3, 60, 3
A good runner, but lacking a bit in ball skills. Probably a better option than Berry for a wing, and should get a regular go.
Dino Maamria [AM/F C, TUN, 183cm, 35] – 0, 0, 0
Definitely has the best name in the squad, and looks to be a solid player. Quite strong and able to both score and set up goals. Indeed, he's been a regular scorer at this level, but given our lack of good passers, he may play in the midfield a bit. He's extremely aggressive, and has been known to upset opponents, officials and even fans.
Gary Mills [M C, ENG, 175cm, 25] – 7, 124, 2
Returning to his old club after a brief stint at Crawley, Mills is a hard-working and fairly talented centre who will play a core role in the team.
David Perpetuini [D/WB/M L, ENG, 175cm, 26] – 0, 0, 0
Another former Gillingham player, with average pace and skills. Probably a rotational option.
Dave Savage [M RC, IRE – 5 caps, 0 goals, 188cm, 32] – 1, 32, 2
Mostly a lower league player, despite some time at Millwall, Savage is past his best but retains enough ability and works hard enough to provide a solid midfield option.
Tom Shaw [M C, ENG, 183cm, 19] – 3, 1, 0
Looks about 12 years old, but has been around the club for a while. Shaw is talented for his age with a fondness for dangerous passes, and he could be a pretty good prospect. I will try to give him a bit of a run this season.
Forwards
Chris Beardsley [ST, WAL, 183cm, 22] – 0, 0, 0
A pretty unremarkable mid-size forward, with decent pace and size, and the ability to score on occasion. He's known to wind up opponents, which may earn us a few frees close to goal.
Leo Fortune-West [ST, ENG, 193cm, 35] – 0, 0, 0 On Loan to Stevenage
Rather uselessly on a season-long loan out of the club, the giant striker would be a handy option – though with our lack of quality wingers, he is probably better off at another club for now.
Simeon Jackson [ST, ENG, 178cm, 18] – 3, 16, 5
Not a bad player for his age, with a few games already under his belt. Jackson is determined and shows quite a bit of promise. Definitely better on the run than in the air, which as noted above, is probably better for our side. Will get a go.
Michael Rankine [ST, ENG, 188cm, 21] – 0, 0, 0
A big man, but surprisingly agile. Lacks a bit of class with the ball, but could cause defences some problems at this level.
Lee Tomlin [ST, ENG, 181cm, 17] – 1, 21, 0
Another young player with a surprising number of games under his belt, Tomlin is quick and relatively skilful. He shows definite room for improvement, but could be an option even at this early point in his career.
Well, there you have it. A heck of a lot of players are new to the club, which means the early days of my management will be even tougher than they would have been at a more settled team.
My immediate priority will be to sign a backup keeper. Tynan looks solid enough as a first choice, but having two 17-year-olds on youth contracts as my only backup for such a crucial position is an unacceptable situation. A loan is a possibility, but with Tynan's contract ending in 2007, a signing may be the safest bet.
I'm leaning towards a 4-3-1-2 formation at this point, given our lack of quality wingers and a big striker. Maamria is seemingly the only option for the attacking midfield role though, so I may have to look for a signing in that position or see if one of the current squad can be shifted there.
The development of young players like Wilson, Shaw, Bostwick, Jackson and Tomlin will be very important for our future. No player is signed beyond 2008, but I will be looking to grab hold of some of these players if they show a bit of promise in the seniors.
A few more staff members would be helpful, as this is an area I place great importance on, and our present staff are rather unimpressive. However, with the wage budget so tight, I doubt I'll have much room for any additions at this point.
This will definitely be a transitional year as I look to firstly get a feel for the current squad, then build it to my tastes. The expectation of a challenge for the title does put a bit of pressure on. I think promotion would be a bad result, as with so many new players already at the club, and only a short time for myself to adapt to it, I don't think we are ready for a higher level. I think a finish of 5th to 10th would be enough to keep the board and fans happy while giving me enough time to build the squad for a run at promotion in my second season.
As if to underline the validity of the concerns I expressed earlier, Scott Tynan was put out for the first few weeks of the pre-season with a knee injury. Gary Mills, Jason Goodliffe and Wayne Hatswell also spent the early period with the physio rather than out on the training track.
I immediately went after a number of uncontracted players, offering them trials due to my lack of a quality scout. Being of Australian nationality doesn't help me much, as most of the players I know of are unable to come over without a work permit – and at this level, signing an Australian international is unlikely.
Before any of them could arrive, we had our first friendly, against Sheffield Wednesday. Despite missing the injured players, we picked up a 1-1 draw thanks to a neat exchange from substitute strikers Lee Tomlin and Chris Beardsley. Having made a substantial financial loss already this season, the ₤30K gate receipts were also handy.
I was also able to set up a parent club for Rushden. I was offered the choice of Peterborough United, MK Dons and Leicester, and with both Dons and Leicester geographically close, I went for the Championship side. After all, it would be no good having a parent club in the division above us when we are a chance for promotion. The deal was sealed, with Leicester our new parent club. Not only do we get to host a friendly every season, they will pay us ₤22K a year. Not a huge amount, but hey, at this level, that's an average player's wages for the season.
Better yet, Leicester immediately sent us two players on loan.
Louis Dodds [ST, ENG, 181cm, 19] – 0, 0, 0 On Loan from Leicester
Though we don't lack strikers, Dodds is a quality addition to the squad. He is well-rounded and looks to have plenty of potential. Doesn't have any first-team experience – hence the loan, I suppose – but should play a bit here. He has a bit of ability as a midfielder, but will probably stick up forward.
Alan Sheehan [D LC, IRE – 1 U21 cap, 0 goals, 181cm, 19] – 0, 0, 0 On Loan from Leicester
A young player with a few Championship games already, Sheehan looks a great addition to our defence. He is a superb free kick taker – certainly first choice in this side – and has the defensive skills to be a regular at the back.
With the addition of Sheehan, I cancelled Mark Albrighton's loan, since we were paying his wages while he was at the club.
Dino Maamria scored from a deflection in a 1-0 win over Stockport where the new loanees looked quite good. Scott Tynan played his first game in a friendly against Fulham Reserves and conceded three goals, while we did not manage any. We also failed to score against W.B.A., but did reasonably well for a Conference side to only concede two goals, both to Kevin Phillips.
Of the seven players I brought in on trials, I only wound up signing two – partly due to the tight finances, partly because most simply weren't very impressive.
Alex Bryant [GK, ENG, 175cm, 21] – 0, 0, 0
Signed due to my concern over a lack of backup for Tynan, Bryant came through Brighton's youth setup but did not manage a game there. He is certainly nothing remarkable, but is a better option than a 17-year-old. Signed for four years, but on minimal wages.
Daniel Clitnovich [AM C, AUS, 172cm, 24] – 0, 0, 0
A backup for my other concern, attacking midfield. Clitnovich has a Romanian passport, so there are no work permit issues, and he possesses enough ball skill to be a very capable player. Indeed, since Maamria can play in the centre midfield while Clitnovich is a specialist attacking midfielder, I may use him there with Maamria in the middle.
Our final friendly saw not only another loss – 2-0 to Wycombe – but 4-week injuries to midfielders David Perpetuini and Dave Savage. Gary Mills had his first run of the pre-season, but Jason Goodliffe couldn't even make it onto the pitch at all.
We were given odds of 10-1 for the title, which is more indicative of the upper mid-table finish I want.
First XI
I will indeed go with a 4-3-1-2 formation, which I used throughout the pre-season. I'm reasonably satisfied with the squad, particularly having capable backups for every position. I would like a lot more skill in the midfield, particularly some wingers, but for now we'll have to be satisfied with a workmanlike side.
GK: Scott Tynan
RB: Glen Wilson
LB: Alan Sheehan
CB: Chris Hope
CB: Wayne Hatswell
CM: Dino Maamria
CM: Gary Mills
CM: Dave Savage
AMC: Daniel Clitnovich
CF: Simeon Jackson
CF: Louis Dodds
Sub: Chris Beardsley
Sub: Tom Shaw
Sub: David Perpetuini
Sub: Michael Bostwick
Sub: Paul Watson
Captain: Chris Hope
Penalties: Paul Watson, Dino Maamria, Chris Hope
Free Kicks: (L) Alan Sheehan, Wayne Hatswell; (R) Paul Watson, Louis Dodds
Corners: (L) Paul Watson, Alan Sheehan; (R) Glenn Wilson, Dave Savage
Throw Ins: (L) Paul Wilson, Michael Rankine; (R) Glenn Wilson, Tyrone Berry
Playmaker: Daniel Clitnovich
At last, our first real match of the season! We were missing Dave Savage and David Perpetuini from the first team due to injury, and backup defender Jason Goodliffe was suspended. Michael Bostwick came into the middle, but otherwise the First XI was intact. Unfortunately, it took less than three ,inutes for Rushden to concede the first goal of the season through a cross and header. Four more minutes, and an identical goal. 0-2. Tynan managed a save from the third attempt, but only managed to tap it straight to a striker. 0-3 after 35 minutes. A lucky deflection from a Maamria pass into the box gave Mills our first of the season, but it was minimal consolation as we sank to a 1-3 loss. Perhaps the worst part is that no player seemed to perform particularly badly. The defenders were not beaten for headers, suggesting positioning was a problem.
Forest Green, Conference, Home
Scorer Mills and striker Dodds were rested for our home debut. Our attacking midfielders had the crowd on their feet, with Clitnovich scoring from 30 yards in the 8th minute and Maamria hitting one in from the edge of the box after a pass deflected off a defender and caught the keeper off guard. A terrific pass from the left wing from Michael Rankine set up strike partner Simeon Jackson for a spectacular diving header and a 3-0 lead by half time. Forest Green pulled one back soon after the break, but Maamria set Jackson up for his second, and our fourth. Bostwick scored from a deflection to make it 5-1, then was beaten at the other end for a header to give Forest their second. Quite an astonishing start to my time at the club, and I think it's safe to say the defence could use some work.
York, Conference, Away
I hoped to regain some normalcy against York. Ashton and Watson made their first starts of the season at either side of defence, while Hope and Hatswell remained in the middle due to good performances despite our many conceded goals. Hope and Watson did some good work early, and we took the lead when a long ball from Hatswell out of defence found Jackson in space. We looked pretty good at half time, but in the 62, York equalised when a Tynan parry fell to a forward. A long throw into the box two minutes later saw Hope caught behind his opponent, and with a sharp strike, York had the lead. It got worse in the 70th minute, with Clitnovich bringing down an opponent in the area. No mistake from the spot – 1-3. A fourth in injury time completed our second loss.
Weymouth, Conference, Home
With Tynan having conceded nine goals in three games, Alex Bryant got the chance to make his debut in goal. Daniel Clitnovich sent in an early cross for Jackson, and his opponent was so hasty to make a clearance that he put it into his own net. A perfect corner from young Glen Wilson, returning to the side, gave fellow defender Alan Sheehan a simple header for our second, and Sheehan did it all himself in the 41st with a rocket of a free kick from outside the area. 3-0 is how it remained as we again dominated at Nene Park. Clitnovich was outstanding, and looks to be a fine signing. It was certainly an improvement to not concede a goal, though Bryant had little to do.
Stevenage, Conference, Away
Dodds and Mills again needed a rest, which raises questions over their fitness. Stevenage dominated the first half, scoring in the 15th after Hope was rounded far too easily. We lost striker Simeon Jackson to a broken wrist and were lucky not to concede a second goal – only saved by a belated offside call. We never really had a chance at an equaliser, and lost our third straight away game.
Quite a mixed month. We won both our home games comfortably but lost all three away matches. Alan Sheehan has looked particularly good at the back, and his two-goal performance against Weymouth was impressive. Tom Shaw and Daniel Clitnovich have been very solid in the middle, while Simeon Jackson is our leading scorer. Unfortunately, he will be out for the next month with a broken wrist.
The major concern is certainly at the back. We conceded seven goals in our first two away games. It's hard to pinpoint a specific weakness at this point. The central defenders, particularly Hope, were rounded easily a few times, while others were also caught out of position from crosses. It was obvious our bigger defenders like Hope lacked pace, but if I go for smaller options, do i then open us up for more goals? At this point, I'll leave things as they are for at least a few more games. Goalkeeping is also an issue. I thought Tynan would be a capable keeper at this level, but I've already been forced to go to his backup. Bryant will get a few more games as I try to pinpoint just where our problems are.
It's only early days, and I'm reasonably pleased to at least have a couple of wins on the board. We're certainly capable of scoring, and look to have a few talented individuals.
Crawley, Conference, Home
Dave Savage and Jason Goodliffe came in for their first games of the season against strugglers Crawley. Goodliffe was slow to mark a charging striker to give them the lead in the 16th, and then was beaten for a header to leave us 0-2 down after 25. I replaced him with Tom Bonner mid-way through the half, but the damage was already done – a big deficit to a side we were expected to hammer. I blasted the team at half-time, but we barely managed a shot in the second half. A disgraceful performance. Tyrone Berry complained to the media about his lack of games in the first team, but I have more important things to worry about. I released Jamie Cook at the end of his contact after two mediocre senior games. Michael Rankine joined fellow striker Simeon Jackson on the sidelines with a back strain, leaving us two strikers down for the month.
Stafford, Conference, Away
Jason Goodliffe was dumped after his dismal showing last game, while Tynan returned in the goal. We looked fairly solid in the first half, with Maamria and Mills particularly good in the middle, but didn't have a goal to show for it. Dodds forced a save in the second half, but neither side really looked like scoring. Wilson and Hope were strong at the back for Rushden.
[b]Tamworth, Conference, Home[/i]
The first half of this game was incredibly frustrating. Beardsley and Shaw had shots comfortably saved, while Mills put the ball over the bar no less than three times. A long, floating pass into the Tamworth box saw Chris Hope beaten to the ball by an opponent yet again, and they scored from their first chance. Perpetuini came on for his first run of the season in the second half and set up Maamria for a shot, but it was held by the keeper.
Woking, Conference, Home
I put Bonner and Bostwick in the centre back positions Bostwick did manage to get to the ball first when it was passed into the box in the 27th, but only succeeded in tapping it straight to a striker for a simple finish. Again we failed to score – five games in a row without a single goal. TO make matters worse, Chris Beardsley went off with broken ribs, leaving us with three strikers on the sidelines.
Kidderminster, Conference, Home
A televised game, exposing a woefully out-of-sorts Rushden to a large audience. Bostwick was forced into the midfield, with Maamria joining Dodds as a striker, but Bonner kept his place at the back. It took just three minutes for our drought to be broken, with a Clitnovich shot parried directly to Gary Mills. For once, he kept the shot down. Two minutes later, another bit of luck. A free kick from Alan Sheehan found Shaw in the area, and his shot was deflected in for an own goal. A penalty from Maamria in the 20th, and at last we looked to have three points on the board.
Oxford, Conference, Away
With such dismal away form so far, I hoped our performance against Kidderminster would carry over to some extent. In the 7th minute, Paul Watson sent a long throw into the box. The ball was hastily cleared by a defender, but Tom Bonner intercepted and passed the ball back into the danger area. Louis Dodds was on the receiving end, and chipped the keeper perfectly for his first goal for Rushden. We were lucky to hold onto the lead with Tynan punching a free kick over the bar and Watson clearing the ball off the line a few minutes later. Unfortunately, in the 40th, an Oxford corner saw both Hope and Perpetuini beaten for a header, leaving the score 1-1 at half time. Just three minutes into the second, Dodds took a free kick on the right wing and fired it into the box. Clitnovich was on the receiving end, and he dodged around a defender and squeezed in a ripping goal from a tight angle. A cross came into the Oxford box a few minutes later, and though Hope was closely marking his opponent, former Rushden striker Robert Duffy, he was only able to deflect the resulting shot past Tynan and into the net. They missed a free kick shortly after that, while Maamria's header in the 60th grazed the top of the crossbar. Tynan made a couple of saves before we raced forward on the counter-attack in the 70th. Perpetuini and Maamria exchanged passes down the left flank before the latter hooked in a floating cross. Young midfielder Tom Shaw read it perfectly, and headed home for the 3-2 lead. We held on for our first away win of the season. Bonner was a rock at the back, with no less than 14 interceptions. I didn't rate him at the start of the season, but he has really impressed lately.
Altrincham, Conference, Away
A scoreless first half saw Clitnovich put the ball over a couple of times. Altrincham had the better of the first half, but also wasted their opportunities. Dodds put one shot over, but in the 70th, his 30-yard free deflected off the wall and into the net for our opener. Three minutes later, Watson crossed the ball towards the scorer, and another deflection saw the ball into the net again, this time for an own goal. Not quite as convincing as the previous game, but a good result nonetheless. Simeon Jackson came off the bench after a long absence due to injury.
It's a bit of a concern to already have six losses on the board, and our streak of five games without a win or even a goal was a big worry. However, we at least have some away wins now, and some players are showing promise. Tom Bonner was named 3rd as Player of the Month and 2nd as Young Player of the Month, showing how quickly he has advanced from fringe player to important defender. Dodds has finally put some goals away, while Mills and Shaw look terrific in the middle. Perpetuini is at least back on the park now, and has looked okay. Dave Savage has been very disappointing for someone I thought would be a key player, and Tynan still doesn't look solid in goal. Our spate of injuries to the strikers is also a concern, though Jackson is now back and Rankine isn't far away. Hopefully next month will see our form of recent games continue.
Reviving the legend 
A return to Rushden is welcome indeed...
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