retired_w0lfpack1

Tuesday, 24th July, 2007.

We'd gotten good news Saturday morning just before the match, as Serbian international Ivan Gvozdenovic, a free agent, agreed to terms on a contract offer. Unfortunately, the defensive midfielder wouldn't be able to join the club until his application for a work permit was processed, and I'd never needed to learn the work permit rules.

Though the 28-year-old had 8 caps, he didn't meet either of the typical standards applied - he hasn't played in the required percentage of his country's international matches, and his country isn't in the top 70. The work permit was denied on Sunday, and my search for a defensive midfielder continued.

It may have ended Tuesday night, as at eleven p.m., I signed the final paperwork on a multi-part cash and player-exchange deal with Liverpool. The Reds had come in last week expressing interest for one of my summer signings, flexible defender/striker Martin Edwards. I rated him highly, myself, and I couldn't think of parting with him for a pure cash transaction. I drove what I thought would be an impossible bargain: the amount that they'd offered, plus 20% of his next sale, a home friendly, and defensive midfielder Danny Payne. To my shock, Liverpool manager Kevin Keegan agreed, and the deal was on!

D/DM RC Danny Payne, 20, England, uncapped: No appearances with Liverpool:
While I'd originally been attracted to Payne as a defensive midfielder, he also has everything it takes to play the right back position; with Deloumeaux injured I may shift him over for the duration. He's a good tackler, strong with his head, but most of all a composed player. He's got the ability to finish if added to the attack, and is especially adept at banging them in from long range. He looks like starting material, though his first touch is a bit weak, his concentration wanders, and he isn't as brave as I would like in a defensive midfielder.

If you compared their current ability, I certainly got the better of the deal in the short-term, but Liverpool can afford to play for the long term, and the fact that they immediately marked Edwards' value up to £1.7M may indicate that I sold him too cheaply!

retired_w0lfpack1

Wednesday, 25th July, 2007. Friendly, vs Gretna.

We would have our last three friendlies over just a four-day span. The first was against Gretna, a Scottish semi-pro team from the Third Division. Although they were rumored to have the support of a wealthy businessman a few years ago, who was going to buy their way to the First Division a.la Fulham, that really hasn't materialised for them, and the club is still mired in lower-division Scottish football.

I strung together a patchwork lineup to meet them. It wasn't so much that I had things I wanted to try as that I didn't have enough professional players to run out a real lineup for three games in such short time. Transfer-listed Phil Barnes got a second chance goal, with Darren Wrack at left back and young Keith McCormack at right back. Awful central defender Paul Morgan would start, partnered with an amateur player, Matt Alexander. Paul Thirlwell started at defensive midfielder. At left wing, I had hard-working trialist Kris Commons, whom I would really like to sign and so am rooting for in this match. On the right was another amateur, Michael Robinson. The attacking midfield was even more cobbled-together: transfer-listed striker Chris Coupe played out-of-position at one slot, with wily veteran Jack Lester at the other. At striker, 17-year-old Scotsman Darren Gibson made his Bramall Lane debut against his countrymen.

I was disappointed to find that strict Rob Styles was the referee: what I did not need was a red card making any of my players ineligible for the season opener. I gave the lads a word of caution about it as they trotted onto the pitch. The opening fifteen minutes were pretty quiet. Darren Wrack made a forward run that concluded with a half-volley from inside the area, but it was hit right to the keeper, and Gretna's best chance was Wayne Gibson's shot, which Phil Barnes caught without taking a step in either direction.

In the 17th minute, Paul Thirlwell cut out a speculative pass from the Gretna midfield, just as he's supposed to, but was then met with a crunching tackle by Brian Wake. Many referees would have given a yellow; with Styles in command, I was half expecting a straight red, but Wake got off without a warning. Thirlwell was unable to continue.

The half-hour came and went, and Gretna nearly took a lead when Stephen Cosgrove put one inches wide from the eighteen. I shouted at our defense to close him down earlier: that was exactly the sort of move Thirlwell is so good at sniffing out. Gretna were getting the better of it now, and in the 40th minute Wake had a quick break into the box. I covered my eyes as Paul Morgan went in for the challenge, but he made a clean tackle to clear without conceding a penalty.

It was still scoreless at halftime. We hadn't looked particularly good, and I tried to settle the troops over the intermission. It seemed to work, as we came out to start the second half looking like a different side. In the 48th minute, Darren Gibson reached the end-line, and found a diagonal pass to Kris Commons in the area. Commons blasted it over from 12 yards out - not the way to impress your potential new manager!

We created a number of dangerous moments in next 3 minutes, finally culminating with Gibson in the box again. He passed to Chris Coupe just as fullback Daniel Stratford arrived, and I expected Styles to blow for a penalty. Coupe had his back to goal, about 13 yards out, and managed to turn and fire, a shot which Gavin Skelton tried to stop but could only deflect into the net for an own goal. Styles had the whistle to his mouth, and I think had been planning on awarding the penalty, but either way it was 1-0 now.

In the 60th minute, Commons showed his crossing ability with a pinpoint precision effort to the head of Jack Lester, and only a fine save from Greg Fleming denied them. In the 69th, Gibson, clearly recovered, outran the tiring Gretna defense to the 18, and his hard shot was tipped over by Fleming. In the 72nd, Fleming made another good stop to keep out amateur Gavin Atkinson's blistering 20-yard effort. We were absolutely piling on the pressure, and the crowd of 2,002 were revelling in it.

For a twenty minute span, Gretna were held without a shot and almost couldn't clear it out of their own half. They finally got a shot off, by Robert Nicol in the 87th, but he put it wide, and then it was right back down to the other end. Finally, in injury time, Wrack, finishing the match in an attacking midfield role, blasted a 25-yarder into the top-right corner, making it 2-0 just before the full-time whistle.

Sheffield United 2, Gretna 0
Skelton o.g. 51, Wrack 90; ----
MoM: Fleming (Gretna GK)

It had been a bit of a Jekyll-and-Hyde performance; if we're going to compete in the Championship, we have to be better than a Scottish Third Division side. However in the first half we'd shown nothing, while in the second half only a fine performance from Gretna goalkeeper Greg Fleming had kept it close.

retired_w0lfpack1

Thursday, 26th July, 2007.

I threw the newspaper down in disgust. I'd almost forgotten the poisonous tongue of Sheffield Star columnist Rupert Wormwood.

Stuart McCall shook his head, looking at me. "Ignore it, lad," he said - he calls me "lad" if we have the privacy of closed doors, but never in front of my players.

"He's been writing drivel like that for years. He's very clever: notice how he's managed to rip just about everything you've done in a mere three paragraphs, but he's also set Wednesday up. If they don't earn promotion this year, he'll write it off as an 'abject failure' for failing to achieve the predicted results, and if we do well he's got 'exceeding all expectations' to fill columns with all season long."

The conversation might have continued, but Dennis Pettitt poked his head in then. "Paul's okay," he told me, speaking of Paul Thirlwell. "He strained a wrist when he fell, but he'll be fine by opening day."

That was a relief - I'd already been talking with Liverpool about the possibility of loaning in a 19-year-old right back, which would let me swing Danny Payne into the defensive midfield role. I might still make that deal, but at least it would be because I wanted to, not because I'd lost another veteran.

Instead, Thursday night we added a left back: Scottish fullback Sean Dillon joined us from Motherwell for £200,000.

D L Sean Dillon, 22, Scottish, 5 U-21 caps: 39 games, 1 goal, 4 assists, 2 MoM, 6.82 with Motherwell:
A natural leader, enthusiastic and determined, with very good teamwork, marking, and defensive positioning, this determined fullback has the pace I expect in a quality defender, and is excellent in the air. His concentration and composure leave a bit to be desired, and he lacks agility and balance, but overall I'd think of him as a solid competitor with Joe Keenan for the left back slot. That gives us a lot of positional freedom, as Keenan can cover a number of different positions at need.

Dillon was very excited at the move, calling it 'the best moment of his life' at the press conference Thursday evening when we announced it together. He said he hopes to get his chance as soon as possible, and to make himself a favorite among the fans. Its good to see a youngster so ambitious, and if he can develop into his potential to match his personality, he may become a real force at Bramall Lane.

We had also sold Chris Coupe to Tottenham for £130,000. With the addition of younger strikers in Darren Gibson and Chris Gray, he was surplus to requirements here, and hoped he'd have a better opportunity at White Hart Lane. For his sake, I hope that's not true: if Spurs need to use him at the Premier level, the team won't be doing very well.

retired_w0lfpack1

Friday, 27th July, 2007. Friendly, at Worksop Town.

Worksop Town have been a member of the Conference North since its inception in the 2004/05 season, when they placed second but were unable to earn promotion. They've slipped steadily down the ladder, placing 13th last year, in part because they sold their leading scorer, Dene Cropper, to Sheffield United. United were in the throes of an injury crisis up front, and needed anybody. Cropper, from a local team, caught the eye of Stuart McCall, and part of the terms of the deal included a match at Babbage Way this summer. Later, we had sold Dominic Roma to them, and he would be in the starting lineup at right back.

The terms didn't state that I had to start my top players, and with a match the next day against Leeds, everybody knew I wasn't about to. Instead, it was Dean Bond in goal, with the defense numbering newly-signed Brian Holmes at left back, Jamie Cooper and Paul Morgan in central defense, and Rory Beanes on the right. Trialist Gavin Atkinson was the defensive midfielder, and another trialist, Robbie Poole, was on the left wing. Graham Allen on the right, and John Melligan and Joe Newell in the attacking midfield, provided some semblance of legitimacy to the lineup. Aerial specialist Noel Hunt was the target man. I expected an easy time of it, and just wanted to escape without injury.

I was disabused of that notion a mere 56 seconds into the match, as Worksop left wing Matty Caudwell managed to break into the corner, and sent a cross which seemed to carry over everyone, but Paul Lawson was there at the far post for a close-range header. It went just over, but certainly served as a wake-up call!

By the 15th minute, though, we looked settled and in control, and I started pushing players forward, looking to put the Conference North side back on their heels. In the 28th captain Rory Beanes looked to have found the killer long ball, a pass into the run of Noel Hunt, but the striker, like Cropper, is notoriously better in the air than at feet. He wasted the opportunity, putting it over from eighteen yards out.

Hunt belied that reputation four minutes later with an incredible 40-yard dribble, and this time his shot was aimed straight for the inside of the post, but goalkeeper Nick Wilson made the save. At the 42nd minute, we looked to have a great chance, but Graham Allen's cross for a wide open Joe Newell was cut out by the head of the last defender. Gavin Atkinson, trailing the play, held it in the Worksop half, and as we built the attack again, Newell fed Hunt who was open in the box but put the shot embarassingly wide.

It felt like we'd been in complete control, but as halftime approached we let our guard down again. Somehow, Worksop snuck not one but two players into the box unmarked, and central midfielder Antonio Murray picked them out with a long cross. Caudwell controlled it, and fed it to John Douglas, ten yards from goal with defenders desperately trying to close the gap to no avail. Goalie Dean Bond made a phenomenal save to tip it wide. It was halftime, and I was disappointed: we'd outshot them two to one, but they'd had the better chances, and a Championship side would have held a two-nil lead over us - we were lucky it was still scoreless, I told them, but they shouldn't count on that luck holding.

Unfortunately, they weren't listening, and Worksop remained the better side in the second half - if it weren't for Atkinson's tackle in the box after a corner kick, Caudwell might have scored, and then Bond barely managed to parry the 18-yard shot of John Douglas.

In the 59th minute, right back Rory Beanes got trapped in the corner on the the sideline, and rather than putting it safely out of play, he tried to dribble his way out of trouble. Adam Muller stole it, and played it right 25 yards for the unmarked Antionio Murray, who let it drop before hitting a spectacular 30-yard volley. Sixty minutes in, and we trailed 0-1.

In disgust, I made 8 substitutions, and glowered at the uninspired lot who came off. Unfortunately, the bench I'd selected was very weak: youth, amateur, and trialist players. Still, they looked a likelier lot than the previous group, with more in their legs and more heart showing in the next ten minutes than anything we'd put up earlier.

In the 71st minute, 16-year-old goalkeeper Colin Hatton played a long kick over the top of everyone, and substitute striker Billy Sharp was kept onside by left back Rob Atkinson. He broke free after it, and it was one-on-one with the Worksop goalkeeper. Just as Wilson started charging out to meet him, Sharp hit a laser 18-yarder with his right foot to the lower-left corner, and it was all equal... and only then did I hear the whistle - the crowd of 220 let out a cheer, as referee Graham Salisbury was calling him offsides.

The goal wouldn't stand, and I couldn't believe it. Sure, Sharp had been five yards behind the central defenders, but didn't they see Atkinson just standing there? I was yelling and screaming from the touch-line, and finally the fourth official warned me to silence myself. While we were still reeling, Mark Jeffrey made a fine cross from well up the right sideline, long and into the box, where Hatton plucked it out of the air, and then punted it upfield. But, no! Salisbury had blown the whistle, and was pointing at the spot. Lee Workman had, in a fine piece of method acting, gone down as obviously as he could after the aerial challenge, and Salisbury had awarded a penalty, ruling that Hatton had pushed Workman while going for the catch.

I raged onto the pitch, arguing that Hatton had had both hands up in the air going for the catch the whole time, and how could you make that call? I drew a formal warning for my outburst, but Salisbury was not about to change his mind. Workman himself stepped up to take the penalty, and converted easily to put us down 0-2.

I tried our desperation offense in the final minutes, but the Worksop defense held firm, not letting a single shot off in the final two minutes, and the injury time was lightning quick, barely more than a minute it seemed, though the linesman had signalled for two.

Worksop 2, Sheffield United 0
Murray 59, Workman pen 76; ----
MoM: Wilson (Worksop GK)

I was livid at just about everyone: my players for letting a lowly Conference North side hang around like this, at the referees for two of the worst calls I've seen as a manager, at previous management for agreeing to schedule this game. I lit into my players, seething rage rather than violent anger.

"Even though those calls went against us," I told them, "We'd had seventy minutes before either call to put this game away. It could have been 3-0 by halftime, and we took only one? ONE? shot the entire second half? No, we can't claim we were victimized by the referees: we deserved this loss, and I'm ashamed, ASHAMED! of this. This was a disgrace, to the name, to the uniform, to the city..."

retired_ariesgoddess77

Brilliant story Amaroq. I never dreamed I would become addicted to a story about an American manager's computer generated career. Keep it up.

retired_w0lfpack1

Thanks, soupaman - that compliment gave me a real belly laugh this morning!

retired_w0lfpack1

Saturday, 28th July, 2007.

"You don't want to read it," Stuart McCall warned me, keeping the newspaper rolled up as though to hide it from me. I shook my head - with the inevitability of a man looking at a train wreck, I had to read Rupert Wormwood's next article.

Certain words and phrases jumped off the page, and they just served to rekindle the rage I'd felt last night.

I hadn't been able to sleep, tossing and turning as I replayed the match - and some of the awful questions from the post-match interview - over and over in my memory, until I was up until almost five a.m. Finally three or four hours, snatches of a nap really, had left my stomach filled with bile and acidic, which I'd made worse by drinking coffee this morning. It was ..

Well, I understand why even the youngest of managers at the big clubs has grey in his hair now.

Thus wrecked by the events of the previous day, I had to refocus the squad on today's match, against Leeds United. I'd saved all of my 'A' lineup for this, their last preseason match, and I was hoping to get eighty to ninety minutes from all of them.

We would be reinforced by the addition of Ben Hammond, an 18-year-old central defender whom I'd pried away from Rotherham for £450,000. The deal was signed and delivered at eleven o'clock last night, and at the press conference Saturday morning as we announced the deal, he was very optimistic, stating that "I hope that if I get my head down and work hard, Mister Richards will reward me with a first-team place."

D C Ben Hammond, 18, English, uncapped: 23 games, 0 goals, 6.83 with Rotherham in League Two:
This promising centre-back is fast, with reasonable ability in the air. He tackles well, and is a very good marker. He makes good decisions, shows composure, and in general he does everything I would want from a defender. I hope he's the next Jamie Cooper, and will settle in well; if he can improve steadily, he'll be a fantastic central defenseman. He's already competent enough that I wouldn't worry if I had to play him, and honestly his only weaknesses seem to be in areas I could hardly care about - so he doesn't take the best penalty, and I wouldn't ask him to take a corner. Who cares?

Frankly, I couldn't help but equate it as close to a straight trade: in return for Martin Edwards, who was promising, I'd gotten an even more promising centre-back plus Danny Payne - a definite upgrade by any measure.

retired_w0lfpack1

Saturday, 28th July, 2007. Friendly, vs Leeds United.

Leeds United is a local rival, from the larger city a few miles north up the M1 from Sheffield. They are a side with a long and storied tradition that includes a 10-season run from 1964/65 through 1973/74 where they were never lower than fourth in the old First Division, taking the title twice in 1968/69 and 1973/74, as well as lifiting the FA Cup and League Cup once each during that run. They captured the first Division again in 1991/92, and were, like us, founding members of the Premier League, with seven top-five finishes in its first ten years.

Then they stumbled, relegated to the Championship in 2003/04. Their first season down, they battled for promotion, placing fourth but losing in the playoffs. The next season was a disaster, with 25 defeats, the most they'd suffered since 1946/47, and 23rd place. Manager Javier Clemente was fired by December, and former Danish international Jan Mølby took over to rebuild. He was unable to save them from relegation to League One, but last year rebounded with 95 points on an easy run to the League One title. In the past three years, we've been in the same division as them each time, so the sides have played six competitive matches, of which we've won four, including a 3-0 win at home each of the past two seasons.

There had been some shakeups in my starting XI this week, especially in defense. Allan McGregor remained in goal, while newly signed Sean Dillon made his first showing at left back. Steve Foster and Chris Morgan remained the central defenders, though I had Hammond available to come in off the bench around the 60th minute. Danny Payne made his first start at right back, and Joe Keenan had been moved to defensive midfielder. Jonathan Forte and Chris Sedgwick remained the wingers. Up front I paired Marc Bridge-Wilkinson with veteran Jack Lester for the first time, and Peter Weatherson was my striker.

Recently signed fullback Sean Dillon ranged adventurously forward up the left wing twice in the first six minutes, and I was enjoying his energy and creativity as he overlapped with left winger Jonathan Forte. It made me quite glad to have signed him, and when Marc Bridge-Wilkinson hit side netting from 20 yards on the sixth minute, and then launched a fantastic 35-yard effort on the 17th, I was flying high. The latter shot was curling goalward, but was saved at the post by Leeds United keeper Brian Jensen.

At the half-hour, Jensen sent a goalkick straight upfield, and it was met by my other recently signed fullback, Danny Payne, who launched a 40-yard header back up the park from just about the midfield stripe. It picked out Paul Weatherson, unmarked at the eighteen, and the striker looked certain to score, but shot just wide.

We seemed in complete control of a club I'd expected would be our betters, but in the 40th minute referee Phil Crossley blew the whistle. Joe Keenan, in the defensive midfielder role, had outjumped Simon Johnson to head a ball clear just outside the penalty arc, but Crossley adjudged him to have pushed Johnson. It was a very questionable decision, and Keenan could hardly believe it. The Bramall Lane crowd - by far our largest attendance of the preseason - heaped abuse on Crossley, but he turned a stoic ear. Darren Williams lined up to take the kick, and fired straight on goal. The shot took a nasty deflection off the wall, caroming in at the post just beyond the desperately outsretched hands of Allan McGregor. Cruelly against the run of play, we trailed, 0-1.

Following the defeat to lowly Worksop Town, such a cruel goal could have been very disheartening, and I was already mentally composing a half-time speech to combat that. Apparently I need not have bothered, as captain Steve Foster gave them a bracing pep talk, and it seemed to turn the trick: we came out attacking in the final five minutes of the half, and in the 45th minute, Weatherson had the ball on the right side about 25 yards out with the Leeds defense set up. He sent a square pass from the diagonal run of Bridge-Wilkinson at the arc, and the stellar attacking midfielder touched it only twice. The first settled, while the second was a vicious 19-yard strike to the top-right corner which sent 11,735 fans into a frenzy: it was all level at 1-1!

Bridge-Wilkinson nearly added another before the break, as Weatherson and amateur Kevin Hutchinson (on due to an injury to Jack Lester) made a fast break, with Hutchinson feeding Bridge-Wilkinson as they reached the last man. His shot was partially blocked, which utterly wrong-footed Jensen, but the goalkeeper recovered to dive on it just inches from the goal line, getting it under control just moments before the opportunistic Weatherson arrived.

We continued our domination in the early part of the second half, and the Lilywhites were having trouble getting any shots even on target, as most of their attempts were from long range. At the hour-mark, both sides made numerous changes, including an all-new attacking lineup in Sheffield's red and white. This paid immediate dividends, as John Melligan knocked a lovely ball into space for striker Chris Gray, who outran Michael Duberry to it. Gray took control just outside the Leeds area, and from 16 yards placed a gentle precision shot which threaded a narrow opening between Jensen and the near post to make it 2-1.

Just as every Sheffield United fan was willing to annoint Gray the greatest thing since beating Wednesday in the playoffs last season, he had two more great chances in the 68th and 71st minutes, but put both shots well wide of target. Still, the fans were enjoying the chance to jeer at the Leeds players, and Allan McGregor had yet to touch the ball save a few goal kicks and the one unlucky free kick. I had the players falling back to defend, and in the 80th minute that set up the classic counterattack, with Melligan and Gray combining to do most of the work. As the last defender tracked Gray down just outside the area, he fed it left to Joe Newell on a run into the box, but the 17-year-old was unlucky to shoot wide.

The final ten minutes showed the intensity you might expect of two local rivals, neither one willing to give an inch in their final tune-up before the regular season, and even though it was the second string for both sides, they put on a very good show. Neither side could score, and our lads closed out their pre-season with a solid win.

Sheffield United 2, Leeds United 1
Bridge-Wilkinson 45, Gray 63; Williams 40
MoM: Carson (Leeds GK)

It was a bit of a shame that the newspaperman thought Leeds reserve keeper Scott Carson was the Man of the Match, as I'd felt that Gray, Bridge-Wilkinson, Melligan, or even trialist left wing Kris Commons had deserved the honor. Still, our lads were very pleased of the victory, especially if it could plant the seeds of doubt for our nationally televised encounter against Leeds on September 8th.

retired_w0lfpack1

Tuesday, 31st July, 2007.

With the pre-season complete, it was time to analyze my trialist players. Some of the younger trialists are demanding wages so slight that it is a non-question - at that price I can afford to give them time with the youth team to see if they develop.

Making a decision about Kris Commons was proving exceptionally difficult. The 23-year-old left wing is about even with the younger Jonathan Forte, but would provide a lot of depth at that position. Unfortunately, he is so weak in the air as to be a pushover at this level of competition. He has good pace and crossing, but his decisions are mediocre and he's pretty weak defensively. He's asking a lot, both in playing time and in wages, more than I felt he was worth. After a final conversation with his agent, I left him an offer - exactly what I think he's worth, and not a penny more - and told him to take it or leave it.

We did sign three trialists, however. Gavin Atkinson, a 17-year-old central midfielder whom I will probably train to defensive midfield, looked the likeliest of the lot, while two 19-year-old left wings, Nicky Thomson and Robbie Poole, added cover but little else.

M C Gavin Atkinson, 17, England, uncapped: 6 games, 0 goals, 6.00 with Cinderford Town over the past two seasons:
When a player is released on a free by a non-League side few people have ever heard of, that is usually cause for the immediate cessation of his career and seeking of new employment elsewhere, so Gavin was over the moon at resucitating his career with a 3-year deal here. My scouts like him, my coaches like him, and if he isn't quite of the standard that I'd like, he's in surprisingly good shape for a 17-year-old. He lacks any truly standout characteristics, but if he can show steady improvement for about three years, he'll be a reasonable backup player at the Championship level.

M L Nicky Thomson, 19, England, uncapped: 10 games, 0 goals, 6.40 with Halifax in the Conference National:
A one-time product of the Liverpool youth system who was let go this off-season after an unimpressive campaign in the Liverpool Under-18s and on loan to Halifax, Thomson's most noticeable attribute is his speed, but even that fails to live up to the standard of a Thierry Henry. In other respects, his game lacks considerable polish, from poor passing to poor decisions, from lack of composure to bad off-the-ball runs. His first touch is execrable, and honestly I doubt that he is going to develop into anything more than a Reserve player, but at the cheap wages he wants it is nice to provide a bit more depth to the side - God help us if we ever need to play him, though.

M L Robbie Poole, 19, England, uncapped: 0 senior games, 16 U-18 appearances, 5.75 with Leicester:
Released on a free by fellow Championship side Leicester City, Poole is a bit more in the Atkinson mould than the Thomson mould, reasonably competent at many things but a standout at none. Worse, he really seems to struggle with the two basic concepts I want from a winger: dribbling, and sending in a cross. Another one who is filling out the side, but whom I hope never to see at the senior level, honestly.

If it doesn't make sense for me to be signing two left wings whom I don't honestly think are likely to develop into anything impressive, consider this: until today, the only left wing on the payroll was Jonathan Forte. I needed cover, and badly.

On Tuesday evening, Stuart McCall dropped a newspaper on my desk. I was expecting another unfortunate column from my nemesis, Rupert Wormwood, but there was nothing. In fact, I couldn't spot the article he wanted me to see.

"Look in the back," he told me. "Odds for promotion."

There was, in fact, a spread containing the bookmaker's odds of promotion to the Premier League, sorted by team: Everton 7-4, Coventry 7-4, Q.P.R. 5-2, Crystal Palace 3-1, W.B.A. 6-1, Nottingham Forest 6-1... Leeds United tipped in at 20-1... and there, in bold near the bottom of the table, was local club Sheffield United, at 50-1. At least we weren't dead last, that honuor going to Hull City, who had won successive promotions from League Two and League One in 2003/04 and 04/05, and had escaped relegation by a single point on the last day of the season last year.

"Looks like they figure we should be more concerned with avoiding relegation," McCall said with a laugh. He looked full of confidence, almost as though I'd instilled even him with a sense that we might be better than outside prediction would have you believe.

Bring on the regular season!

retired_charytine

Good Luck in the new season :thup: Pre season was good reading :thup: Even if it was rather long