bigbelly

Chapter One: The Job At Hand

As I walked into the small reception at Ten Acres, the final words of the club’s chairman rang in my ears: “For the love of God, try and keep us up.”

I had no money to spend, and very little room in the wage budget to improve my squad. After offering contracts to key players to keep them at the club, I’d have even less. And I only had one goalkeeper. But I had my chance to impress, the chance I’d been waiting for. I was finally a manager, and Eastleigh was my new home.

After briefly meeting the club’s staff – all six of them, including the groundsman and receptionist – I set about my search for an assistant manager. As I was writing the ad for the job on the aging PC in my small office, there was a knock at the door. One of the players I had intended to keep, Nicky Banger, had come to introduce himself. He’d heard I was looking for an assistant and, being a qualified coach, wanted to put his name in. With the limited budget I had, it made sense to take him up on his offer, so I gave him the job on the spot. Now the task at hand would be finding a goalkeeper for the meagre gap I had in my wage budget.

By the time I signed goalkeeper Danny Knowles on a free from Gillingham, I was a long was over my wage budget. £687 per week, in fact. With Eastleigh having such a small stadium – 2300 was the capacity at Ten Acres – I was going to have to trim it by selling a couple of players. The trouble is, I had nobody that anybody could conceivably want, let alone £700 a week’s worth. Going into pre-season, I had to accept that perhaps this task would be harder than I thought.

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Chapter Two: Pre-Season Tweaking

By the time pre-season rolled around, my squad for the season was pretty much settled. Barring any loans I might scrounge up, it had to be with the financial situation at the club. I promised myself that if I saved the club from relegation, I’d make it my mission to make the club a success on and off of the field. But that was a long was off. I had a gruelling pre-season to face first.

Eastleigh 1-1 Hendon
Mark Peters (45)
Att: 99

Eastleigh 1-2 Staines Town
Neville Roach (89)
Att: 90

Eastleigh 0-0 Hampton & Richmond Borough
Att: 109

Eastleigh 1-2 Aylesbury United
Neville Roach (6)
Att: 96

Eastleigh 1-0 Chippenham Town
Mark Peters (40)
Att: 118

Eastleigh 1-0 Kingstonian
Nicky Banger(27)
Att: 73

A balanced pre-season left me strangely satisfied with my team for the season ahead. If we could maintain this kind of balance, then we’d probably finish in a safe mid-table position, which would be ideal for me to build on next season.

bigbelly

Chapter Three: August 2005

With pre-season out of the way, it was time to get down to the hard work. Out first game, on the thirteenth, was away at Maidenhead. I was missing a player, with Jamaican defender Bradley Thomas suspended. Otherwise I had a full squad to choose from and I was quietly optimistic about the task ahead.

Maidenhead 3-1 Eastleigh
Mark Peters (48)

This game was an unmitigated disaster. First we lost centre-back Lee Bright to injury three minutes in, then had a goal by Nicky Banger disallowed for offside. Maidenhead then took the lead, but we were able to fight our way back to equalize at 1-1. With things looking up, disaster struck again, as Danny Knowles’ schoolboy error allowed Maidenhead to get a second. Their third came from another Knowles error, and left me cursing my decision to rush him back from a midweek injury into the first team.

Eastleigh 3-1 Hayes
Steve Forbes (11)
Tyronne Bowers (13, 60)
Att: 160

The yo-yo effect continues with a complete turnaround in the results. My two wingers, Bowers and Matt Jones, turned in sterling performances on the flanks and combined with the front two to devastating effect. Although all the goals came from midfield, the strikers were inundated with chances that they were unlucky not to convert and the score could easily have reached double figures had it not been for the performance of the Hayes keeper.

Farnborough 0-0 Eastleigh

An away trip to Farnborough resulted in a bore draw as I was forced to rest some key players who were still tired from midweek. Under those circumstances I was happy to take home a point against one of the better teams in the division. A minor knock to Neville Roach caused concern, but I hoped he’d be fit for the next game. With only four strikers in the squad, a serious injury to my Cayman international striker would be a hard blow to take.

Eastleigh 2-4 Thurrock
Steve Forbes (11)
Mark Peters (Pen 50)
Att: 197

An action-packed game at Ten Acres saw a fired up Thurrock side put a depleted Eastleigh side to the sword in a game that was much closer than the final score suggested. Lee Bright and Neville Roach were missing through injuries, while Danny Knowles wasn’t fit enough to risk having taken a knock the week before, so found himself replaced for the second time in a week by Wayne Shaw in goal.

shannon2007

Quite a nice start for this kind of story. :thup:

bigbelly

Thanks If you have any advice to make tings better I'm happy to take it on board.

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Chapter Three: September 2005

St. Albans 2-0 Eastleigh

We entered September with two injuries in the squad, with Danny Knowles still unfit and being replaced in goal by the inexperienced Wayne Shaw, and Neville Roach still struggling to recover from injury. And despite missing those two key players, we managed to turn in a respectable performance despite defeat in St. Albans. However, it was painfully clear that I was going to need to get those two fit soon or my season would suffer.

Eastleigh 3-0 Dorchester
Mark Peters (Pen 1)
Anton Robinson (68)
Andy Forbes (88)
Att: 259

An emphatic victory against Dorchester gave me more hope of a mildly successful season. Before the match we were 19th in the table – albeit after only 5 games – and I was a little worried by it, but this win would move us up the table to 11th and show me some of the strength my team had. Mark Peters scored his third league goal of the season, while team captain Anton Robinson, who was on a short term contract when I took over but I quickly tied down and handed the armband to, found the net to begin repaying my faith in him. Fourth-choice striker Andy Forbes came off the bench to round off the victory and send the 259 fans in the season-highest crowd home happy.

FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round
Eastleigh 0-0 Wooton Bassett
Mark Peters (Sent Off 47)
Att: 409

Another season-highest crowd saw our first foray into the FA Cup at home to Wooton Bassett and - despite fielding our strongest team - we struggled against our lower league opposition. The loss of Mark Peters just after half-time was a huge blow and a card-happy referee forced me to make substitutions that upset the balance of the team just to keep ten men on the pitch. More worrying was the suspension it would surely mean for Peters, leaving me grateful that Neville Roach was on the comeback trail and back in training following his injury.

FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round Replay
Wooton Bassett 1-0 Eastleigh

An embarrassing defeat against a very poor side left me disappointed in my players. Once again we went out full strength with every player available to choose from yet, despite overwhelming odds in our favour from the bookmakers, we found ourselves losing on our trip to Gerard Buxton Sports Ground. The problems we’re having finding consistency are beginning to worry me now and I know I’m going to have to do something in the transfer market before it’s too late.

retired_richcoble

Ouch, bad luck in the FA Cup there. This is a good story and a promising start, I'll be following this :thup:

retired_brianrt

I agree with PM and Wegason. Good start to the story KUTGW

bigbelly

Chapter Four: October 2005

Newport County 1-4 Eastleigh
Nicky Banger (9, 90)
Anton Robinson (57, 69)

After the disappointment of the FA Cup it was important for us to find winning ways again and – possibly more so – that we had leaders to step forward and inspire the others. And in our captain, Anton Robinson, and man of the match-winning Assistant Manager Nicky Banger our leaders did just that. A pair of braces was enough to take us past one of the best teams in the Conference South and up a place into tenth in the table. Our newest signing, Nigerian defender Magnus Okuonghae, made his first start for the club to add to two appearances from the bench and was largely impressive. Hopefully he can be the rock we need at the back and help lead us on to greater things. After the game, the chairman and the head of the supporters’ club made a point of telling me how happy they were with out start to the season. Despite being tipped to go down we were on a good run and in the top half of the table. But good enough for them at this stage isn’t good enough for me. I know there’s potential here at Eastleigh and I’m not going to be happy until the players are fulfilling it.

Eastleigh 3-0 Basingstoke
Nicky Banger (22, 58)
Magnus Okuonghae (90)
Att: 1184

Attendances keep rising and performances keep improving as our second victory by a three-goal margin on the bounce took place in front of another record crowd. Nicky Banger’s excellent form continued with another two goals and Okuonghae got off the mark late on in the game having replaced Banger up front for the last ten minutes. The other notable performance in this game was the debut of Finnish loan signing Toni Koskela, who joins up until the end of the season from Cardiff. Koskela, a right-winger, is extremely hard-working and brings with him the experience of having played at a higher level for the Bluebirds. On top of all of this, the victory moves us up to sixth in the Conference South.

Welling 1-2 Eastleigh
Mark Peters (29)
Tyronne Bowers (45)

An inspired performance saw us come back from behind to take a victory home from Park View Road. That’s four victories in a row and now we seem to be gathering momentum. Today saw debuts for our new Thai international goalkeeper Jamie Waite - with the 19 year old signing on a free transfer after being released by Conference National side Cambridge – and striker Jonny Dixon, who came off the bench to make his debut after signing on a free from Wycombe in midweek. My coaching staff urged me to start the youngster up front for this game, but with the recent form of Banger I had to stick with my assistant manager to partner Mark Peters. I’m reassured by having so much competition for places in attack though and having five strikers ready and able to perform well at this level, though it might become a headache later on in the season, means that we should never be without an attacking threat. Even with limited options until now, we’ve done well. This victory takes us to fourth in the Conference South.

Eastleigh 4-2 Weymouth
Martin Thomas (Pen 9)
Jonny Dixon (45, 89)
Ryan Ashford (81)
Att: 1686

Still the crowds rise, still the ball rolls. We now had five victories in a row despite my taking a gamble with my line-up by starting my two new strikers, Jonny Dixon and Dean Crowe. Dixon repaid me with a man of the match award and two goals, while the former Stoke man Crowe was an able partner for him up front. Former Fulham man Martin Thomas opened the scoring for us with a penalty early on, while our left back Ryan Ashford also got on the score sheet after delivering the kind of performance that once saw him play for Southampton. With two new signings yet to appear - we had signed left winger John Mousinho on a Bosman from Brentford and central midfielder Rob Hughes, recently released by Oxford – I was fairly convinced we had a strong enough squad now to really make a promotion push. Things were definitely looking up on the South Coast. Now in fourth place and considered by the pundits to be firmly involved in the title race having just beaten the leaders, I hoped we could maintain this form for the rest of the season.

Havant & Waterlooville 1-4 Eastleigh
Martin Thomas (Pen 21)
Dean Crowe (37, Pen 67)
Jonny Dixon (87)

It was an away derby game we were never supposed to win, yet my unchanged side managed to upset the odds and firmly put our South Coast neighbours and rivals to the sword. By the time our opponents got into the game (and our net) it was too late, they were 3-0 down and sinking fast thanks to a superb all-round performance. By the time Jonny Dixon got his second goal for the club there was no doubt who the best team in Hampshire was. Well, not including Southampton and Portsmouth, obviously. Or Bournemouth. But there was certainly no doubting who the fourth best team in Hampshire was. We were also the second best team in the Conference South, behind Weymouth. And I knew we had their number already.

bigbelly

Chapter Five: November 2005

Eastleigh 2-0 Histon
Tyronne Bowers (26)
Jonny Dixon (42)
Att: 1756

The hits keep on coming as November started the same way October finished. Still the new Dixon-Crowe partnership is bearing fruit, and today they were being supplied by a new look midfield that saw Matt Jones move inside from the left to be replaced by new-signing John Mousinho, a change which gave us far more balance in the final third, especially by having a left-footer on the left wing. Anton Robinson won man of the match once again and Martin Thomas picked up a slight knock, but I expect him to start our next game as usual. And from a financial point of view, more good news as the attendance rises again. I may have gone way over budget on the wage bill (with permission on the condition I can get us up *gulp*) but the crowds are coming to see us play and we’re making the money back. We’re also now only three points behind Weymouth and in far better form.

FA Trophy 2nd Qualifying Round
Alfreton 0-4 Eastleigh
Jonny Dixon (34)
Dean Crowe (58, Pen 85)
Own Goal (76)

After disappointment in the FA Cup, we made up for our mistake with an emphatic victory in our first game in the FA Trophy away at Conference North side Alfreton. Dixon and Crowe again ran the show by leading us onward from the front, Crowe Took home two goals and man of the match, while Anton Robinson was, as usual, the dynamic force in our midfield. With Martin Thomas having failed to pass fit, he was replaced at right back by Chris Collins and Mousinho, still barely match fit, being replaced by Steve Forbes. With Waite and Bradley Thomas away on international duty for Thailand and Jamaica respectively, they were replaced by Danny Knowles and Magnus Okuonghae.

Weston-Super-Mare 1-4 Eastleigh
Dean Crowe (24, 79)
Jonny Dixon (69, 87)

Another victory makes it 8 on the trot in the league - nine if you include the FA Trophy - and we don’t look like slowing down any time soon. Crowe and Dixon find themselves a brace each and our march towards promotion continues. Bradley Thomas and Jamie Waite returned from international duty, forcing a disgruntled Danny Knowles back to the bench with Magnus Okuonghae.

FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round
Wealdstone 2-3 Eastleigh
Dean Crowe (Pen 51)
Anton Robinson (76)
Jonny Dixon (87)

A sensational comeback kept us in the FA Trophy as we clawed our way back from being two-nil down to snatch victory in the closing stages of the game. Until we scored our second, it didn’t look like we stood much of a chance of staying in the competition and that another embarrassing cup exit was on the cards, but a couple of substitutions turned things around and we lived to fight another day. Martin Thomas made his return to the side as well following injury, but he found himself lacking in match fitness and was one of those replaced as we turned things around.

Eastleigh 2-0 Yeading
Jonny Dixon (3, 60)
Att: 1762

This victory means we’re now eleven games unbeaten and have gone all of November without tasting defeat. Jonny Dixon was once again on form and managed to get himself into double figures for the season. He’s now scored ten in eight appearances. In an attempt to appease him, Danny Knowles was restored in goal. I’m desperately trying to get back on his good side again so he’ll sign a contract extension. At the moment, his deal runs out at the end of the season and he’s far better than every other keeper in the division (with the exception of Jamie Waite) which is why I want to keep him. In other news, Danny Rofe picked up a minor knock after coming on as a sub but will hopefully return to action soon.

bigbelly

Chapter Six: December 2005

Eastbourne Borough 1-0 Eastleigh

December began with the end of our unbeaten run away to Eastbourne, the result of a fairly lethargic performance in which the one stand-out performance for the Spitfires came from one of our newer players, Danny Clay. Otherwise, there’s not a lot to say about the game. Our performance as a team was uninspiring and we crumbled to defeat in a game we should have won.

Eastleigh 2-0 Lewes
Ryan Ashford (68)
Anton Robinson (72)
Att: 1627

A return to Hampshire renewed my faith in the team. Hopefully Eastbourne was just a bump in the road, a reality check, and normal service would resume. This time we turned in a good all-round performance with the defence battling for every ball and looking solid throughout. Team-wise, an injury to Jonny Dixon meant that Mark Peters got his first start up front in several games, and played well without really setting the world on fire.

FA Trophy 1st Round
Eastleigh 0-1 AFC Telford
Att: 170

It seems normal service has resumed. We’re a yo-yo team again, and we’ve lost to inferior opposition in the cup for the second time this season, this time at home. Our lacklustre performance meant that we got nothing more than we deserved on the night, however, and Telford looked good for their win. I was disappointed with such a small crowd for a cup game though. In other news, we’ve lost Nick Buxton to injury as a result of this match.

Eastleigh 7-0 Carshalton
Jonny Dixon (62. 43, 75)
Dean Crowe (Pen 45, Pen 55, 90)
Tyronne Bowers (77)
Att: 1527

My team responded to my anger at our FA Trophy defeat in the best possible manner, with this demolition of Carshalton. Hat-tricks from Dean Crowe and the returning Jonny Dixon combined with a classic solo effort from Tyronne Bowers to produce a display that was more than enough to send the Eastleigh fans home happy. The game also marked the debut of new signing Michael Murray, with the versatile defender signing on a free from Rochdale in midweek and covering for Martin Thomas, who was missing with the flu.

Bishop’s Stortford 2-3 Eastleigh
Danny Clay (33)
Dean Crowe (36)
Jonny Dixon (70)

An excellent performance in the first half cemented this win for me, even though the victory was tainted by conceding two second-half goals, both scored by one of the Stortford substitutes. Dean Crowe also took home man of the match. In team news, Chris Carruthers, a new signing from Bristol Rovers, made his debut at left back, with Ryan Ashford moving forward to replace Matt Jones on the left wing. 38 year old Mark Blake came off of the bench to make only his fourth appearance of the season. If it wasn’t for my severe lack of central defenders he’d never play, and will probably be let go at the end of the season.