Peacemaker7

Nice start Welwyn, good to see you taking the plunge :thup:

Welwyn

26th & 27th February
My Birthday-Barcelona

After meeting my parents on the Monday (25th). On Tuesday, I met up with 'Bravo' & my old high-school mate Kevin Downes & flew back out to Spain, only to take a detour in Barcelona!

It was a great birthday & but for the fact I'm the youngest on the 3, I would've felt old about turning from 26 to 27! It was a great night out too, Barcelona is brilliant for that... now, if only it wasn't for....

The Girl

Her name was Toni Branagh, a model from back in the U.K., doing a job in Barcelona. She was a stunner, 6"1-2, long blonde hair, slim & in a slinky black number that made her look as if she'd come straight off the catwalk. For the first time since Laura had died, a girl had stopped me in my tracks. I must admit, I was slightlty sozzled & well one thing led to another & I woke up the next morning having done things I never thought I'd do again.

It bothered me though, when I woke up I regretted it. I didn't feel right, as if Laura was haunting over me & I'd cheated on her in some way, despite the fact she'd been dead for... well, you get the picture.

What should I have done? Talk to Toni about how I was feeling & probably see a psychatrist back in Valencia.

What did I do? Take the cowards way out as always. Take her number & promise to call her in the week.

'STEVE YOU ******* IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

Welwyn

March '08

Betis (H)

Well, I bet the Spanish TV viewers had all turned off that tripe! An awful game with no chances & the only goal was when a cross was turned into his own net by Lee Peltier. So we lost 1-0, we've slipped to 19th & although we're only a point of the line we are now the wrong side of it. The only other problem is only a small one, that our next two games are against Barcelona & Real Madrid. :eek:

Barcelona (H)

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were brilliant, we were awesome, we weren't outplayed & we won 1-0. Anthony Grant was Man of the Match & we are back out of the relegation zone. It's days like this I love in football & it's a performance like that from a young free transfer I brought in like Grant that proves to me that nor only can I be a football manager, I can be a very good one.


A couple of days later, I got a phone call from Toni:

TONI: 'Steve,'
ME: 'OH! Hi Toni, I've been meaning to ring.' (Or rather avoiding the issue)
TONI: 'Yeah, it's been a week & a half.'
ME: 'Well look Toni,....' (This is it Steve, tell her your not ready yet, tell her about Laura) '...I've got a shedload of games coming up, so do you want to meet up in London during the 1st week on April?' (D'OHHHHHHHHHH, YOU IDIOT!)

So we arrange to meet in London on the Wednesday after the Xerez game. I don't believe I've been weak enough to do that.

Real Madrid (A)

It was a good effort but, it couldn't happen 2 weeks in a row. 3-1 isn't a bad result. Yes we are in the relegation zone, but we've played the hardest games now & we are only behind by one goal on goal difference.

Athletic (A)

ME: 'We can't afford to continue to lose these sorts of games 1-0. We played as well as them & ended up losing. We can't keep doing it.'
MICK: 'Steve, Numancia lost 2-0 @ Betis.'
ME: 'So what, if we'd have got a point we now be out of the relegation zone.'

Friday Morning
MICK: 'Steve, it's looking like Ulises is getting a bit uppety about his lack of 1st team footy.'
ME: 'If De La Cruz wants to make a point of it, he should come to me. If he does, I'll tell him that Peltier is keeping him out the team and that's the end of the issue.'

Afternoon

*Phone Rings*
ME: 'Hello?'
PEDRO: 'Hi Steve, just ringing to let you know that the takeover's gone through and I'm handing over to Diego, who as you know will be chairman on behalf of the supporters club, later on this evening, after siesta.'
ME: 'Thanks a lot Pedro, for all the support you've given me.'

Deportivo (A)

Never at the races, outplayed, murdered down the flanks & deservedly thrased 4-0 and what's worse was that Numancia drew! We are now a point behind as we go into the most important stage of our season so far....Bottom side Xerez at Home, 12th placed Getafe away & then Numancia themselves come to Valencia. With a new chairman to impress as well!

Xerez (H)

I don't care that the ref spoilt the game by sending us down to 9 & Xerez to 10....WE WON 2-0!!!!! We got the job done, we are also outside the relegation zone going into April & De La Cruz's ball to Sibierski for the 2nd was sheer magic!

Welwyn

April '08

So I went back to the U.K. to see Toni...

...I'd forgotten how absolutely stunning she is. However, I need to sort out this mess I'm in. No matter how beautiful she is and how much I want to take it further, I know I'm not ready for a sexual relationship but I'm also scared that my cowardice will get the better of me and I'll leave myself in this situation for even longer.

But I did it. I told her everything, my life story, Laura, everything. The best thing about it was that she was sympathetic and understanding about it all. Which, on the other hand, makes it all the harder for me to tell her that I don't want to have that sort of relationship with her.

Getafe (A)

Well, we gave it a shot, we lost 2-1 although our goal forced a hairy scary last 10 minutes...

It's gonna be a hairy scary last 8 games too. Xerex are as good as down & that leaves Numancia & Almeria on 26 points, us on 27 points & Espanyol on 28. 2 of us are going down. If we can beat Numancia next week back in Valencia it would be SOOO vital.

West Brom V Luton (Wembley)

You'd think that the day before such a massive relegation clash I'd be intendly watching video's, training the boys & instilling tactics into them. Not when Mike Newell has taken mine, Mick's & Bravo's beloved Hatters to an F.A. Cup Semi at Wembley! Where the hell do you think we'd be!

I'd actually went to see Toni the day before too and to meet up wit her purely as a friend felt really quite good. It felt like I had a lifted the world off my shoulders and it felt brilliant.

Although going to the game didn't seem like such a good idea when Ellington had slotted home after 6 minutes & we were awful & lucky to only be one down at the half......

....Then Stephen O' Leary battled and won the ball, played it sideways to Matty Spring 30 yards away from the goal in front of us & we could see it open up for him, as did 35,000 other Hatters who all shouted 'SSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTT' So he did, it flew in the TOP CORNER!!!!!!!!!!

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!

30 Minutes to go & the rest of the game was as cagey as anything you'd expect. It's going to extra time. Which is a darn sight better than against Chelsea 14 years ago (2-0). It's injury time and Stephen O' Halloran has just hoofed one downfield in the vain hope that it finds Sam Parkin... Hold Up, Clement's put it out for a corner....

Right in front of our fans to our right everyone is rising to their feet to lift O' Leary for one last corner... It's a deliberatly long one, deep beyond the far post, Coyne heads it back across & it's BRRRRRKKKKKKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVIIIIIIICC!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's an overhead kick special from the Croatian Sensation & WE ARE IN THE CUP FINAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Numancia (H)

If that wasn't good enough for a weekend, beating Numancia 2-0 in such a vital game, with everyone stepping up to the mark, with Felix Dja Ettien playing like well, Scotty Oakes at his best! (I know you non-Luton fans won't know who the hell he was but trust me he was very, very good).

Oh, there was some bad news...Although they took the lead, Northampton lost to Man Utd 3-1 in the other Semi so it's Luton V Man Utd. Final.

Recreativo (A)

ME: 'That was an unbelievable result. 3-0, totally superb! I think we may have to agree that we've both got it wrong with Felix, he's been brilliant, top draw! Like Kingsley Black in his pomp.'
MICK: 'True mate, Although Felix doesn't quite the same ability of crosses that I used to gobble up from Kingsley! *Laughs*. Don't forget Chiguy Lucau either, two more today, looking lethal in the hole behind Sibierski, like his early season form.
ME: 'Totally, now 14th, Brilliant stuff.'

Espanyol (H)

Not our best performance, but hard-working and with a rather large part played by Ivan Cuellar between the sticks a decent 0-0.

Sevilla (H)

90th Minute

ME: This has been a really good, hardfought point, another good grafty 0-0.
MICK: Hold it up Steveo, Felix is round the back....
ME:.....YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S.: We are now 14th & 9 points away from the relegation zone with only 4 games to play.

danny.harv

Great Start.

KUTGW :thup:

Welwyn

May '08

Athletico (A)

*At Referee*
ME: 'What the hell are you playing at Ref! Call that a Penalty, not on your life mate! You've cost us the game & not only that... Alexy (Baumjohann) was crocked and will miss the rest of the season & what do you do to the culprit? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING YOU IDIOT!

Real Sociedad

ME: 'That was an absolutely dire game Mick!'
MICK: 'What does it matter though!'
ME: Too right, 0-0 enough to keep us up with 2 games to spare.'

*Phone Rings*

ME: 'Hello?'
DIEGO: 'Hi, it's Diego, I'd like to discuss a new contract with you.'

So we thrashed out a new deal. Doubling my Wages to the equlivalent of £15k/year. He even offered me almost £500k transfer kitty, however I asked him to drop that down in favour of an increased wage budget so I could raid the Bosman's. We shook on it and it was sorted & I could plan for next season.

Valencia (H)

ME: O.K. Mick, maybe you were right about David Karanka, seeing as he hasn't had much of an impact but he'll be a Levante legend now, winner in the derby!
*Laughs all round*

I saw Lassana Diarra on the Bosman list & felt that he has to be an option to be taken up. Amazingly, he was quick to snap it up & he'll be a Levante player next year & it allows me to get rid of Sylvain N'Diaye for £250k because he simply isn't going to get 1st team football with the guys ahead of him. However, he rejected the contract from the team that wanted him!

Oh & by the way, we finished 14th!

So, just before we left for the Cup Final, me & Mick had a discussion about where we need to improve. We felt that the key area was up front... 9 goals scored by your top scorer, even if two of them reached it (Sibierski & Lucau). The number one need was a new target man as nobody could fill the role of the ageing Sibierski, and we need someone who can be lethally dangerous behind the target man if Lucau is injured.

In the target man role we saw that both David Nugent & Billy Sharp's contracts were up soon & we placed offers in for them & for the role behind them, Harford recommended Roberto Batres from Athletico, who caused havoc on the last day against us playing for relegated Almeria's in their 4-0 thumping of us.

Man Utd. V LUTON (Wembley) {F.A. Cup Final}

So what if it was 2-0 and comfortable. So what if we didn't create a chance, we had the best day out of our lives. Luton in the Cup Final at Wembley. We had the best laugh of our lives! Plus Luton in Europe next year!

'MIKE NEWELL'S BARMY ARMY!!!!!!'

Anyway, before the game, David Nugent's agent rung me to say that there is absolutely no chance of him signing for Levante so I left for Scunthorpe desperate to get the Sharpy! 3 Hours later, I left for Manchester Airport having got my man's signature on a contract. Billy Sharp was going to be playing for Levante next year! Having said that I got some bad news whilst at the Airport where I received news that Batres had signed a new deal at Athletico.

So it was time to draw up a list of guys to back up Lacau. Benjamin Lauth was the man we wanted but eventually he turned us down, so it was back to the list. On the other hand, Mick told me that he felt Laurent Robert was now past it at this level & to be honest I was thinking that when I joined the club 12 months ago, he provided decent service for a season but it was time to go out & replace him on the left wing.

Welwyn

Summer 2008

I spent most of the summer busy, not on football matters half the time either! When I’d been in the start of my rehabilitation process, I spent a couple of summers working at an English foreign language in East London and my boss for one of the years was the good Doctor, Chris Smith. What he has a doctorate in, I still don’t know but he is a top-class rugby referee and was able to get me tickets for the Wales-Ireland grand slam game in 2005. Now, knowing that I owe him one for it, I couldn’t really ignore him when he called me up saying he was desperately short of staff & could I help out for a couple of weeks. I was in the country on the heels of Bobby Convey, on a free from Reading anyway, so it wasn’t too much out of my way anyway.

Whilst there, I did a few things that I think I had always needed too. I rode on a red London bus, the object of my hatred for it’s part in Laura’s death, and I went to see ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ for the first time since the day that I proposed to Laura.

I also met someone who I thought I’d never see again; Jahiya Safina & I had met when she was a student the previous time I was working for Embassy CES. This time she was a co-worker and we relived old times, good laughs we’d had and we were having a good time.

Then, with the Bobby Convey deal sorted that afternoon, we all went out for a few drinks on a Friday night with all the co-workers, we all got drunk, enjoyed ourselves & before I knew it, me & Jahiya were curled up in bed, snogging, her beautiful thighs pressing up against me inviting me, almost teasing me to take it further. So I did, we enjoyed ourselves & we spent the rest of our nights in London, having what we termed ‘Long-term Casual Sex’. I think we could safely say that, although I would never forget Laura, I am at least over her enough to move on relationship-wise. Or at least, that’s what Toni said, along with the rider ‘I only wish you’d done that when you were with me!’ To which I could only say ‘Sorry’.

I went back to Spain, signed a very decent back-up to Lucau in Oskitz from Sociedad. Sold Kike Mateo for $500k, I also released N’Diaye & Laurent Robert, who, like I have previously mentioned were now surplus to requirements. Near the end of July, I went to the End of Season presentation evening that was organised by the Levante supporters’ trust that now has majority control of the club. For those interested:
Fans Player of the Year: Chiguy Lucau
Staff Player of the Year: Chiguy Lucau
Player’s Player of the Year: Mario Tokic
Young Player of the Year: Anthony Grant

I was not entirely there though, I was really thinking about my upcoming ‘scouting trip’ to Moscow!

Welwyn

August 2008

The month started really relaxed. I got back from Moscow, albeit having not watched any football! There was nothing to do for the first week. Then suddenly, I was inundated with a load of meetings in the second week.

First of all, Chairman Diego asked for me to come upstairs for ‘a chat’. My mind really did start racing, I remembered how the Santander Ultras got rid of my a year ago. Surely not again! But no, apparently a member of the supporters had won the Spanish National Lottery, or something like that and had ploughed a few million into the club & it meant I now had the equivalent of £2.5 million afforded to me as a transfer budget. I don’t really want to use it, but it’s a useful safety net.

Midweek, Mick came in with the list of the players that had now under a year on their contract. Most of those who I was desperate to avoid a Bosman pinching were extremely happy to discuss a new contract & dealing with them was simple, easy & almost a pleasure. Then came my lynchpin, club captain & leader Mario Tokic:

ME: ‘Hi Mario, look, you’re vital for this club & I’d like to extend your stay at the club beyond the next year.’
TOKIC: ‘Well, if I’m brutally honest with you, I want to look at all the possible avenues that are available to me for next season & I don’t want to get into contract discussions just yet.’
ME: ‘Well, like I say, your vital for this club, I’ve sent a contract offer to your agent that I’m sure he’ll agree reflects how vital we feel your are to this club. Give it some thought mate…Seriously.’
TOKIC: ‘Will do boss.’

Somehow, I didn’t fancy the chances of us getting his signature on that. Scum of the earth agents, most of them anyway. Mario’s is definitely playing him like a fiddle, he loves this club, he wants to stay but his agent is not letting him think for himself.

A couple of days later, Mick came up to me saying that Ryan Garry asked him if he could come up to the office after training. With the way he had failed to settle into Spanish life off the field last year, despite his good form on it, I suspected that he wanted to go home. I couldn’t blame him; Spain isn’t exactly North London is it!

*Tentative knock at the door*
GARRY: ‘It’s Ryan Garry.’
ME: ‘Sure mate, come in. Doors open, I’m not doing anything I shouldn’t be!’
GARRY: *Stifled laughter as he comes in*
ME: ‘Have a seat Ryan. How’s it going? I appreciate you’ve not found Spain that easy.’
GARRY: ‘Well boss, I feel a lot better. I went home for a few weeks this summer, came back and I’m starting to settle in here. The language lessons are going better & to be frank boss. I want to stay here longer now.’
ME: ‘That’s an inventive way of asking for a new contract!’*Laugh* ‘Only joking mate. That’s brilliant. You’ve been good on the field & although I think we should wait & see how it goes with view to a longer contract, I’m ecstatic with the news.’

I gave Mario a week before calling him back in:

ME: ‘So, what do you think?’
TOKIC: ‘I’m not saying anything until my agent gets here.’
ME: ‘Let’s sort this out like adults, either you want to sign or not.’
TOKIC: ‘I said, I’m not saying anything until my agent gets here.’

So we wait for an hour & 15 minutes until this small, fat bloke waltzes in smoking a huge Cuban cigar. Looking like a right Eastern-European Eric Hall.

‘For starters, in my office there’s no smoking, so you can put that awful thing out straight away!’

We then proceeded to have a 5-minute argument about his cigar followed by a 40-minute one about why he wouldn’t let him sign a new contract despite the fact that he likes it here & there are huge terms on the table. The end result was the idiot walking out when it was clear he didn’t have a negotiating leg to stand on & Mario following him out the door.

After all that, it was almost time to actually play some competitive football!

Osasuna (A)

Before the game I discussed with Mario about how contracts & politics were off the field issues & he’s still a key member & leader of this side.

He did listen, not that we played very well. Defensively we were fine but we were awful going forward. 1 shot on target & thank god we kept a clean sheet, cause I dread what to think should our defense not turn up one week with our attack playing as it is!

Celta (H)

So we lost 2-1. Oh well, all I can say is that after the cheap penalty, which Sharpy put away for his first Levante goal. They scored with a brilliantly slick team move & one mistake at marking a cross. The positives are, in the second half, we actually started to look half-threatening going forward.

Welwyn

September 2008

After the relaxation of an international weekend & a fairly comfortable monthly board meeting it only took until the 3rd for things to take a turn for the worse. Lassana Diarra was feeling his shins in training. So I told him to get it looked at by the club doctor & the news was awful. He’s got shin splints & he needs to see a specialist. Meaning he’ll be out for a month. To top that off, Lucau is off playing for Congo so will miss the Betis game!

Betis (A)

To top that off, keeper Iván Cuéllar stubbed his finger on Thursday & although declared fit to start, certainly didn’t look 100%. I dropped him to the bench for Josu as a result.

Not that he could’ve done anything about the fact we didn’t wake up until 10 minutes in. By which time, Ziegler had scored a free header. The lads deserve some credit though, when they did wake up, they gave as good as they got. The reward came in strange circumstances at the end of the 1st half when Josu’s long punt was missed by Oskitz & the Betis defender, everybody stopped except Billy Sharp & suddenly, we were level.

Full Time

‘Oi, Lino! What the hell are you playing at! How is a guy, minding his own business in the middle of the box, interfering with play when the ball went in straight from the left wing…NOWHERE NEAR FLIPPING SIBIERSKI! You’ve cost us a point you little twerp! That was a perfectly good equalizer!’

Oh, it gets worse too, after losing that game 2-1 to Betis…It’s Real Madrid next.

Luton V FC Twente (UEFA Cup 1st round, 1st leg)

Before that though, it was back home to see our boys 1st foray into Europe. Not that it was a good idea. Typical old-school Hatters, we dominate, concede the softest of goals, have one disallowed & lose 1-0.

Real Madrid (H)

‘Nothing to lose lads…they’re expected to turn us over, we literally have everything to gain.’

We only did gain everything as well….WE ONLY BLOODY DONE IT!

One set piece, one time Madrid don’t mark properly, one time Oskitz is unmarked at the back stick. One cool finish, ONE FLAMING NIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got some pleasing comments from Capello after the game too. Which is always good to receive from such a successful & experienced manager. All that really matters is we finally got 3 points.

Deportivo (H)

‘Ref! 2 Head injuries, caused by 2 awful fouls, with 2 of my players crocked…YET YOU DON’T EVEN BOOK ANYONE! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PLAYING AT!’

Still, we got a hard earned 0-0 draw & the injuries aren’t serious but it’s the principle of it that bothers me because they were 2 diabolical ‘challenges’.

Espanyol (A)

‘NOW THAT LADS!….. Well, I don’t know what to say but we were diabolical. I’m…errrrrr…lost for words & how we only lost 2-0 I don’t know.’

It’s true though, we were really awful. Our goal was a flukey one & a fair result would’ve been 3 or 4-0. On top of that, for my sins, I’m of to Holland in the faint hope Luton go to Enschede & win!

FC Twente V Luton (UEFA CUP 1st Round, 2nd Leg)
It gets worse too, I get a phone call whilst in Holland telling me Mathieu Berson has pulled his hamstring. DAMN & BLAST IT!

Luton lost 1-0 too, things have not gone well this week!

Athletic (H)

ME: ‘Another Ref is gonna cost us a ******* point!’
MICK: ‘Too right, that was never a penalty, but there’s still 5 minutes le….
JOINT: ‘YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!! !!!!’ ME: ANTHONY GRANT YOU BEAUTTTTYYYYYYY!
MICK: ‘What a goal that was.’
ME: ‘Brilliant, we’ve popped in two crackers today…from our so called ‘Defensive’ Midfielders!’

Welwyn

October (start) 2008

Mallorca (A)

Well, it’s away from home & it’s a point, which I would’ve taken beforehand. However, if only we could’ve finished! We totally outplayed them but 0-0.

Now the bleeding press is talking about 3 games without a win. This is despite the fact that 3 of them are draws & our win before that was at home to Real ******* Madrid.

Now, another international week & 11 days before our next game. So I went back to the U.K. to talk to Toni about something that was really troubling me, something that is more important than football. I’d been worried about my relationship Jahiya & the fact that it was just sex. It meant, that despite the obvious distance between us that could attribute to why I didn’t engage it into a more serious relationship, I felt guilty & that I was just using her.

I got a huge shock when we met up though. I don’t know how they met, but Toni was sitting there talking to, of all people, ELIZABETH DAWBER! One of my oldest friends & the first person I ever told about Laura’s death. I hadn’t talked to her in what, 3-4 years, ever since she went to work in Thailand for a year.

She was my greatest friend in the years of what I could well consider my depression; she desperately tried to help me no matter how much of a hopeless case I must have seemed. Even if she could never work out whom she was. Lizzie one week, Beth the next. Straight one week, Lesbian the next! True, that’s what funny things Uni can do to change you. Still, she’s sorted now, married with a kid! Not that it was her love life we were there to talk about but still, it was good to catch up after all these years.

We talked about, well, everything. Afterwards I think we realized my problems actually run a lot deeper, I don’t know why we ever thought they weren’t. They always were before. Although, the distance is an issue we discussed, that’s not it, I certainly shouldn’t be guilty about Jahiya, because she’s fine with the terms of our relationship. It’s all about Laura & me again!