retired_jgirl87

Well, I vote for Jenny, so that means you'll have to decide or someone else will have to vote.

Excellent story as I've posted previously. :thup:

retired_jenny1970

Go for Kelly, she sounds more fun. Still a ood story.

retired_teju

Thanks a lot Spav, much appreciated, a 1-1 tie means I guess this is something I’ll have to decide myself! Hope your baby is doing well. My kids were 2 yesterday and it seems like only yesterday I brought them back from the hospital, so enjoy every minute mate!”

Later that same morning, Marjorie appeared in my office with a cup of tea.

”I’ve come to congratulate you on your Manager of The Month award with a nice cuppa,” she smiled.
”Yeah but you know I don’t drink tea.”
“Well then maybe I could sit down and drink it, and you can tell me what’s wrong with you lately?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. ”You’re a sly one aren’t you? Go on then. And how did you know there’s something wrong with me?”
“I’ve been round the block a few times. And you’re even more irritable than usual. Don’t get me wrong you’re a nice lad with a good heart, but you’ve got an evil temper.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“So is it that beautiful young BBC girl Kelly then?”
My shocked look told her everything, and she smiled again.
”Well yes…except that there is someone I met before that too. I like them both an awful lot. I’ve been a selfish git, and I don’t deserve either of them.”
“Well which one do you really want?”
“Hmm. Good question. Jenny…that’s the other girl…is fantastic. Then I met Kelly and there was just some sort of spark, which over time became increasingly impossible to resist.”
“Well you’ve just answered the question then,” she laughed getting up to leave. “I’ll be outside if you need anything.”
“Thank you Marjorie. I should have been born twenty years earlier and married you.”
“I’m quite happy with my Arthur thank you,” she smiled. ”You’re far too much trouble.”

Our little chat had certainly made things clearer. This would all have to wait though. Before my personal future could be sorted out, the future of this club came first. At least if my life went down the tubes outside the game, I was damn sure that this football club needed me. And I needed it.

The 1st of March was a Wednesday, and saw us head to Leeds for the cup replay. I had little expectation of a win, and cared even less. Just as well, since from a very poor clearance by Brecks, just about his first of the season, we conceded a goal. They deservedly led throughout, and when Beaumont gave away a late penalty, it looked all over. That was until Pedersen saved it, and just moments later Mornar was presented with a gift of a chance to equalize. He made a total mess of it, and with 2 minutes left, our exit was sealed. Not a tragedy by any means, though the trip to Chelsea would have been a nice bonus.

Leeds 1-0 Forest Att: 19373

With an away game at Barnsley on Saturday, I kept the lads in Yorkshire, much to the chagrin of Nigel, who called up wanting to know if I thought the club was “made of money”. “You’ve made plenty since I’ve been here, so shut up and let me get on with managing the team,” was my blunt response.

I took the lads for a day at the races, and we had a few betting pools just for small dough, which was good for team spirit. Of course they wanted golf as well on the Friday, which I allowed them, whilst Frank and I stayed back at the hotel drinking with the rest of the coaching staff.

Barnsley scored with their first kick of the game after some dreadful marking, and I started making some suggestive golf swings to the players during stoppages in play, making it clear that if they didn’t pull their finger out they’d not be seeing the course for a while. On the half hour, Bopp escaped down the right and crossed for and unmarked Tyson to tap in. I lied at the break, telling the lads they were unlucky not to be winning. Yet in the second half that was probably true. The home side were playing an almost suicidally high offside trap, which we constantly sprung, but were unable to finish off. In the end I settled for a draw. They were a useful side and it was one point nearer the title.

Barnsley 1-1 Forest Att: 11872

At last we had a full week between games, enabling me to tie up a little bit of business we had been contemplating for a while. On the 8th of March, Perchy signed a new deal till 2011 at 3.3K/week. He would have been out of contract at the end of next season, and I wasn’t going to risk it.

That certainly put me and him in good spirits for the visit of Chesterfield, who were struggling in 16th. There was another revenge motif in the air. Earlier in the season, their unexpected win over us had seen me storm off in a huff to Sevenoaks and refuse to return for several days.

The lads kept me waiting till 1st half injury time, before a Bopp corner was headed in by Holt. Things got a lot easier 3 minutes before the hour, when we won a penalty that was duly converted, sealing a fairly straightforward win.

Forest 2-0 Chesterfield Att: 19886

Things got even better on Monday. Pedersen who was in the same contractual situation as Perchy had been, put pen to paper on a deal till 2011, at 3.6k/week. He’d been a much tougher sell, and insisted on a release clause, which after much haggling I managed to set at 6 million. He’s a cornerstone that we are delighted to tie up, if you’ll allow me to mix my metaphors.

Serge Makofo finally gets back into training too, after arriving badly injured in a January transfer.

Another very welcome 7 days between matches saw us arrive fresh as daisies in sunny Bradford. The home side were in 4th and well up for the game, resulting in a very tightly-contested 1st half. I was not satisfied, and angrily insisted that we assert ourselves over a side that are decent, but not as good as us. That was helped no end when one of their lot was rightly sent off for a professional foul, and Doriva whacked in the resulting free kick. From there we really piled it on, culminating in a 77th minute penalty from Beaumont that sealed our win. I was very happy with this performance. We played well against a useful side.

Bradford 0-2 Forest Att: 10543

Another week between games. This time it’s complicated by the loss of Ian Breckin, who has done his back in and will be unavailable for a few weeks. Swansea were the visitors to The City Ground, another playoff calibre team, another team who beat us handily in the return fixture and were deserving of some respect.

Fortunately, Bopp got us off to a good start, courtesy of a deflected shot after 19 minutes that would otherwise have been saved. Seven minutes later, Padula cut one back to the edge of the box, where Doriva was lurking, and the classy Brazilian curled in a wonderful shot. I was very satisfied with that, then they hit back 5 minutes after the interval to make it close again. It was cagey from there, until the visitors made the mistake of giving away a free kick outside the box. Doriva really had his shooting boots on, and pinged a great strike into the top corner (76). As if that wasn’t enough of a lesson, they gave away another one, and our star midfielder pinged this one in almost identically, except from even further out. ”What a display and what a player!" oozed the commentary, and I had to agree. Despite another Swansea goal with the last kick of the game, the lads were sensational.

Forest 4-2 Swansea Att: 26205

I didn’t tell them that in the dressing room, because after the game we all stayed on the pitch. Results were almost finalized and if things stayed as they were we’d be promoted. It was a carnival atmosphere, though different from other promotions I had managed, because it was so expected. Eventually the roar went up, huge but more satisfied than euphoric. The message was clear. We were up, and that was terrific. But this great club, twice champions of Europe, expected much more. So did I. I wouldn’t rest until we were Champions of Europe again.

There was a boozy party, which went from dressing room, to players bar, to nightclub. Before it started though, I had the task of negotiating the press conference and a seemingly endless round of interviews. I re-iterated that this was fantastic, but had to be seen in context. In the back of my mind, I also knew we would struggle in The Championship unless the squad was overhauled.

I left Nigel preening himself in front of the media to go and give one very important interview, to BBC Nottingham and Kelly Taylor. I hadn’t seen or even spoken to this object of my desire for several weeks, and we used the cover of promotion to kiss each other on the cheek without arousing suspicion. During the interview, she asked me one question, which I could see from her face was as much personal as professional.

”Well, now you’ve got the club promoted, what about you? Will you be staying here?”
Perhaps it was the heat of the moment, getting this club I love promoted, and seeing her again, I dropped the Mr Cool exterior, and said, ”I love this club. I’m staying, because there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.” Which all rather prejudiced the small matter of contract negotiations, which hadn’t even started yet. For all I knew, Nigel had just used me as a recognizable pawn to get us out of this division, and was planning to dump me for someone else. Saying what I did was worth it though, to see the look of delight on Kelly’s face.

The paper round next day was predictably favourable towards me, though I’m sure Nigel wasn’t too pleased that his part in it all was minimized to a reproduction of a board statement that said they were “very pleased”. Another Nigel, Nigel Clough paid tribute to my ice cool management of this high-pressure job. That meant a great deal, coming as it did from the “son of God”. I was just saddened that Cloughie Senior wasn’t around to see it. The supporters had a general theme, saying that I was “the sort of bloke who thrives on pressure”. That was true, since my personal life was usually in chaos it made managing Nottingham Forest seem like a piece of cake in comparison.

I came in on the 29th to a full in tray. Commons and Pedersen had both done groins and would be out 2-4 weeks, though I was left wondering if those injuries had occurred during the Saturday night high-jinks rather than during the match. They certainly hadn’t complained about it at the time.

Next on the list was the news that we had resigned Doriva to a one-year contract extension on the same money. The deal had been in place while I dithered on whether he could cut it a level above at the age of 33. His stellar play and interest from Treviso had convinced me to pull the trigger, and he was happy to accept.

Finally, a phone call from Nigel summoned me to the boardroom. All the directors were there, and without any ado I was offered a 2 year contract worth 3.2K/week. As usual at Forest, there was no indication of any room for negotiation, although I was able to manipulate the budgets a little bit, to give me a million to spend next year. Chicken feed, but it would have to do. Only the board of this club could have you sign a new deal and leave the room feeling underwhelmed, though I was delighted when I got back to the office. A delight that was compounded when I discovered that yet again I was Manager of the Month, with Doriva scooping the players award. Now it was time to finish up this triumphant season, and look forward to what promised to be a much tougher ask next year. Finally I could also begin to look at my turbulent personal life; birds, booze, libel cases and all.

retired_teju

Thanks for your vote Hildtich, things will develop in the coming month if I can make my mind up

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | P | Nottm Forest | | 40 | 26 | 8 | 6 | 61 | 29 | +32 | 86 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Doncaster | | 40 | 19 | 11 | 10 | 68 | 58 | +10 | 68 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Bristol City | | 40 | 18 | 13 | 9 | 66 | 38 | +28 | 67 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Brentford | | 40 | 20 | 6 | 14 | 69 | 55 | +14 | 66 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Swansea | | 40 | 17 | 11 | 12 | 62 | 54 | +8 | 62 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Bradford | | 40 | 18 | 7 | 15 | 54 | 47 | +7 | 61 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Walsall | | 40 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 41 | 38 | +3 | 60 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Huddersfield | | 40 | 16 | 11 | 13 | 54 | 48 | +6 | 59 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Barnsley | | 40 | 16 | 11 | 13 | 49 | 50 | -1 | 59 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Blackpool | | 40 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 59 | 58 | +1 | 58 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | S****horpe | | 40 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 48 | 51 | -3 | 56 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Oldham | | 40 | 16 | 7 | 17 | 48 | 49 | -1 | 55 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Bournemouth | | 40 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 51 | 54 | -3 | 54 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Chesterfield | | 40 | 15 | 9 | 16 | 45 | 49 | -4 | 54 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Southend | | 40 | 14 | 9 | 17 | 36 | 44 | -8 | 51 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Colchester | | 40 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 47 | 52 | -5 | 50 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Swindon | | 40 | 10 | 18 | 12 | 50 | 46 | +4 | 48 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Hartlepool | | 40 | 13 | 9 | 18 | 44 | 46 | -2 | 48 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | MK Dons | | 40 | 13 | 8 | 19 | 43 | 55 | -12 | 47 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Tranmere | | 40 | 12 | 10 | 18 | 49 | 54 | -5 | 46 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Gillingham | | 40 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 62 | 62 | 0 | 43 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | | Yeovil | | 40 | 10 | 11 | 19 | 47 | 58 | -11 | 41 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | | Rotherham | | 40 | 10 | 9 | 21 | 38 | 65 | -27 | 39 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | | Port Vale | | 40 | 7 | 11 | 22 | 37 | 68 | -31 | 32 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

retired_teju

The board let me know how very pleased they are with me which is nice. They also let me know that we have posted a profit of 186K for the month. We’re playing on the 1st of the month again, this time away at Gillingham. Stiel and Bastians are drafted in to the starting line-up to cover for injuries.

It was a back and forth game till the 39th minute, when Tyson crossed for a totally unmarked Holt to score. Just two minutes later, Bastians released the same player down the middle, and he finished expertly. It was a microcosm of the entire game. We were outshot by them, yet ruthless efficiency in front of goal ensured that the result would never be in doubt.

Gillingham 0-2 Forest Att: 4249

The formality of securing the title had been achieved by this win, and already a journalist fired a question at me about next season. I should have told him to sod off. Instead I lied and said we were in great shape for The Championship. In hindsight I should have said we’d struggle. At least that might have encouraged Nigel to come up with some real dough, though that was surely a forlorn hope.

I also felt like telling the board to sod off, after they released a churlish statement about the title win. As well as claiming to be delighted, they then admonished me, saying “celebrations should be kept to a minimum in view of the challenges ahead”. As if I didn’t know that. Maybe if the cheap b***ards stumped up some cash, there wouldn’t be any challenges ahead. In the meantime why didn’t these a***holes just shut up and stop meddling. I ran the club better in one year than they had in the last ten, yet still I was being spoken to as if I was a schoolboy.

With a week till the next game, I tried to sort out some club business. The coaching staff were nearly all out of contract, and I offered them the same money as they had before. They were outraged, all demanding nearly a grand a week, and I came straight out and said they weren’t worth it. There was a bit of a row in the meeting, and I told them firmly that it was a final offer. If they were that valuable I was sure offers would come flooding in from other clubs. It was a sour note towards the end of the season but I am not going to hand out nice contracts to people just because they were hanging around during our promotion season.

I took a quick run down to the physios room (they had all resigned en bloc to reasonable contracts) to find out that Turner and Bennett would miss the rest of the season with ankle injuries.

Then it was back to the office to arrange an appointment with my lawyers, who said there had been some developments in the libel case. They were a bit busy, and wanted me to come in next Monday. I reluctantly agreed, since my appointment there would be both personal and professional, having not seen Jenny since shortly after Christmas. We’d spoken on the phone, but she made it clear that she didn’t want to see me until I was prepared to “get serious”.

Saturdays visitors to our place were Oldham and I decided to try Weir Daley up front with Holt. Clingan had been having a good season for the reserves, and replaced the injured Beaumont in midfield. Bignot started his first game at centre half. The debutant striker set up Holt after 15. We effectively strangled the life out of the game from there, until the two strikers teamed up for an almost identical goal on the hour. It was more than enough, and all the youngsters performed very well, especially Bignot

Forest 2-0 Oldham Att: 19870

Monday was a big day in many senses. I arrived at my solicitors to receive the first of two shocks. I’d been all hyped up about seeing Jenny behind the desk, and walked in heart in mouth, only to see her chair occupied by someone who looked more like my secretary, Marjorie. What the hell was going on? I asked this new dragon where she was, and her reply was curt.

”She doesn’t work here anymore,” she said, and my heart sank.

Shock number two came when I was ushered in to see Jeremy Whitlow, and he finished congratulating me on promotion. The News of The World, inexplicably in my view, had decided to go to trial.

”It’s like I said,” Jeremy shrugged. ”You’re asking for 250K damages, and to them, the amount of publicity they’ll garner is worth it. I have to ask what I ask all my clients. Can you afford to lose? Never undertake libel proceedings if you can’t afford to lose.”
”I can afford it, besides which we’ll win. It’ll be the easiest 250 grand I’ll ever make.”
“Yes. In my opinion, you’ll win easily. They’ll make it dirty though.”
“I’ll just have to wear that I’m afraid.”
“Ok. The trial has been set for late May, the judge having considered that as convenient for you, being as it is out of the football season. Any objections?”
“No let’s get it done.”
Jeremy smiled. ”I know libel is a bit of a trial if you’ll excuse the pun. Relax, you’re in good hands.”

In reality, I didn’t so much give a f**k about the libel trial. I was more shocked by the news about Jenny. I called her home number. The phone had been disconnected. I called her cell. She answered, and I could tell she was on a train.

”Where the hell are you? I asked rather selfishly.
”Getting on with my life. Congratulations by the way…on winning the title and losing me.”
“That’s a bit dramatic isn’t it? I thought we were just taking a break?”
“Well we’ve had a break. Now I’m going back to university. To finish my legal studies. You do remember I have a career too?”
“I know. Look I need to talk to you.”
“I can’t really talk to you now. I’ll text you my new address. If you want to talk to me, you can do it to my face. I think I’m owed that.”
“Yes you are.”
“The season’s all but over now. You’ve no excuses.”
“Yes. Except my libel trial is coming up next month.”
She sighed. ”More excuses. Goodbye.”
“No wait! At least it’ll be in London. At the High Court. I’ll see you then. Or maybe sooner.”
“Whatever. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”

I felt mixed emotions. The human being in me was sad, the d***head in me said the field was clear to take up with Kelly full time. I felt like a drink, which was a bad sign. I couldn’t bury myself in football, since all we were playing for was a target of 100 points for the season and a chance to look at our youngsters. Being off the leash was never a good idea for a debauched character like me.

The last four games were against Colchester away (an easy 2-0 win with goals from Weir Daley and Doriva. S****horpe at home (another easy win, this time 3-1 with a first goal for the ever more impressive looking Sammy Clingan). A 1-1 draw at Walsall, a match which they clearly deserved to win. And a 2-1 victory at 3rd placed Doncaster, in which we started sluggishly, then overpowered them in the 2nd half. We ended the season on a 24 match unbeaten league run, and while that may not impress people outside of League One, it bloody well impressed me. It’s the longest streak I’ve ever had as a manager, though I can’t think it’ll be extended very far in The Championship

In between times, I managed to sell Patrick Agyemang to Hartlepool for 85K. He was never going to have a future here, now that I’m looking to sign class players, and he couldn’t even get near the side as it is.

I picked up my usual Manager of the Month gong, and Paul Bignot was the surprise recipient of the player award. Frank confirmed to me what I suspected, by reporting that he is an “immense talent, who should be nurtured to get the best out of his fantastic ability”. I really stole that boy from Crewe. A star in the making.

Nathan Tyson demanded a bigger contract, and to be honest he probably deserves more than 1500 a week. I don’t know though, and I fobbed him off till the end of the season. If he gets greedy, he’ll be out the door for a big fee. I know Frank isn’t a big fan of his attitude, and thinks we should cash in. With Nigel tighter than a camel’s a**e in a sandstorm, it’s probably the only way we’ll get a decent transfer budget.

retired_teju

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | Nottm Forest | | 46 | 31 | 9 | 6 | 73 | 33 | +40 | 102 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | P | Brentford | | 46 | 24 | 7 | 15 | 78 | 63 | +15 | 79 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Pl | Doncaster | | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 79 | 70 | +9 | 75 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | Pl | Bristol City | | 46 | 19 | 16 | 11 | 74 | 46 | +28 | 73 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | Pl | Barnsley | | 46 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 61 | 55 | +6 | 73 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | Pl | Bradford | | 46 | 21 | 9 | 16 | 64 | 53 | +11 | 72 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Swansea | | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 70 | 61 | +9 | 69 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Chesterfield | | 46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 59 | 53 | +6 | 67 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Walsall | | 46 | 16 | 18 | 12 | 49 | 47 | +2 | 66 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Huddersfield | | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 61 | 56 | +5 | 65 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | S****horpe | | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 55 | 60 | -5 | 65 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Blackpool | | 46 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 68 | 68 | 0 | 64 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Oldham | | 46 | 18 | 7 | 21 | 56 | 63 | -7 | 61 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Colchester | | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 53 | 58 | -5 | 59 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Bournemouth | | 46 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 54 | 63 | -9 | 58 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Southend | | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 44 | 55 | -11 | 57 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Swindon | | 46 | 12 | 20 | 14 | 57 | 53 | +4 | 56 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Tranmere | | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 58 | 60 | -2 | 54 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Hartlepool | | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 49 | 53 | -4 | 53 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | MK Dons | | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 49 | 63 | -14 | 53 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | R | Gillingham | | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 70 | 71 | -1 | 51 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | R | Yeovil | | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 50 | 61 | -11 | 49 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | R | Rotherham | | 46 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 44 | 77 | -33 | 43 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | R | Port Vale | | 46 | 9 | 13 | 24 | 41 | 74 | -33 | 40 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

Our half season unbeaten run really destroyed the opposition, and to get 100 points in any of the divisions is a hell of an achievement. Now for the player ratings.

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> | Pkd | Inf | Name | Apps | Gls | Ast | MoM | Pas | Tck | Drb | Sh T | Av Rat| | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | Ret | Jörg Stiel | 3 | - | - | 1 | 81% | - | - | - | 8.33 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Michael Turner | 4 (1) | - | 1 | - | 73% | 3.21 | 0.46 | - | 7.60 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Bid | Paul Bignot | 5 (4) | - | 2 | 1 | 68% | 3.43 | 0.43 | - | 7.56 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | | Doriva | 21 (1) | 9 | - | 2 | 78% | 3.68 | 0.24 | 68% | 7.50 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Paul Evans | 3 | - | 1 | - | 68% | 1.51 | 0.38 | - | 7.33 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Ian Breckin | 44 | - | - | 4 | 74% | 4.35 | 0.16 | - | 7.30 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ML | | Kris Commons | 41 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 71% | 2.36 | 3.91 | 46% | 7.22 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Inj | Wes Morgan | 55 | - | - | 4 | 74% | 3.98 | 0.29 | - | 7.18 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | | Gino Padula | 46 | - | 8 | 3 | 71% | 3.21 | 0.87 | - | 7.17 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | | Sammy Clingan | 5 (1) | 1 | - | - | 78% | 2.36 | 0.73 | - | 7.17 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | GK | | Rune Pedersen | 43 | - | - | 1 | 77% | - | - | - | 7.14 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | | Nathan Tyson | 50 (1) | 18 | 14 | 5 | 72% | 0.76 | 2.76 | 50% | 7.14 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | James Perch | 40 | - | 2 | - | 69% | 3.61 | 1.12 | - | 7.05 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Trn | Grant Holt | 26 (12) | 19 | 9 | 4 | 74% | 0.64 | 1.42 | 55% | 7.05 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | James Beaumont | 50 (1) | 11 | 3 | 2 | 76% | 2.16 | 0.63 | 44% | 7.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MR | Inj | Eugen Bopp | 55 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 64% | 2.13 | 3.56 | 47% | 7.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Trn | Patrick Agyemang | 0 (3) | 1 | - | - | 78% | - | 4.03 | - | 7.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | | Ivica Mornar | 3 (9) | 2 | 2 | - | 75% | 1.15 | 4.22 | 55% | 6.92 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Felix Bastians | 9 (9) | - | 6 | - | 65% | 2.06 | 1.52 | - | 6.89 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | | John Curtis | 16 (2) | - | - | - | 67% | 3.61 | 1.03 | - | 6.89 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | | Ross Gardner | 12 (9) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 77% | 2.36 | 0.37 | 60% | 6.86 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | Bid | Alan Rogers | 8 (2) | - | 1 | - | 68% | 3.99 | 0.94 | - | 6.80 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Julian Bennett | 2 (2) | - | - | - | 71% | 2.73 | 1.56 | - | 6.50 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | | Spencer Weir-Daley | 4 | 1 | 3 | - | 72% | - | 0.67 | 27% | 6.50 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Serge Makofo | 0 (1) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

There's a core of 6-8 class players, whom I have no doubt can do a good job in the division above. The problem is that's simply nowhere near the numbers required for a long season. We're certainly 4 or 5 players short, together with a similar number of players who aren't good enough and are getting paid too much. There will be a high turnover during the Summer. First I will cut out the dross, then look to sign people of the required quality

retired_teju

An off-season to remember – A libel trial and signings galore

BBC 6 o’clock News 16th May

Huw Edwards: Now then, heard the one about the BBC football pundit and the massage parlour? Nottingham Forest manager Regan Robinson has, and he’s not amused. He’s suing the News Of The World for libel, and the trial began today. For more on this, here’s our media correspondent…

I had expected there to be a little bit of media interest in the trial, yet there were cameras everywhere as we arrived at the High Court. I wasn’t surprised to see Sky TV since they were from the same stable as my tormentors, and would no doubt be under instruction to try and assassinate my character. It was surprising to see the BBC and ITV. They always try to pretend they aren’t interested in the salacious stuff. All journalists are.

I had only met my barrister, Brian Smouha QC the previous day. His odd surname came courtesy of a Father who had escaped from Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia. His reputation was very good, and that’s all I cared about. We got on pretty well from the start, although barristers are pretty expert at small talk with clients.

After we had all settled down in the courtroom, Brian made his opening remarks:

In totally denying these outrageous allegations, my client is not suggesting he is a saint. He enjoys a drink, enjoys the company of women. No more so than any normal man. Counsel for the newspaper will try and cloud your judgement by suggesting that since my client is not a saint, he therefore must be guilty of anything that they choose to print about him. I urge you strongly to focus completely on the facts. The facts are that this allegation is totally and completely false. Once this is proven, as I promise to you I will, there can only be one conclusion. That my client has been viciously and gratuitously libeled.

Their barrister, a fellow called James Bartlett QC cunningly tried to do exactly what my brief said he would:

I know Mr Robinson as you probably all know him, having enjoyed his witty and highly entertaining performances on BBC’s soccer coverage. Yet sadly, as we will show, there is a dark side to him. A debauched secret life, so disappointingly removed from the popular figure we see on our TV screens.

What a sod. I was having to bite my tongue and the trial had only been going half an hour. On top of all that I still had club business to run, adding to the stress. The day before the trial began I had agreed to sell Julian Bennett to Walsall for 20K plus a 20% sell-on. I didn’t see him as being a long term option for us, though it left us without any cover at left back.

That day was very busy and tested my patience. Tyson had brought his agent in to demand a new contract. I thought we had been very fair in re-negotiating his contract at all, never mind the fact that we offered to triple his wages and give him a signing-on fee. The slimy little toad representing him laughed at our offer, then made the mistake of trying to lecture me on how inadequate the offer was, hinting at how inadequate the people in charge of the club were. That was enough. I simply stood up while he was talking, and walked to the door and opened it.

”F**k off,” I said curtly, waving the oily creep out of the door. He looked at Nigel, as if to go over my head. For once the chairman backed me to the hilt, and if I hadn’t have had my game face on, I’d have burst out laughing.
”You heard what he said,” Doughty smiled. ”F**k off.

A rather more pleasant negotiation had seen us sign up Jorg Stiel as goalie coach. I was determined to get him back as a player, but he was adamant. He would only entertain a coaching position.

The day after the opening arguments was busy too, and my mobile phone company were certainly making plenty of money off my account. Paul Evans was pedaled to Hartlepool for 70K, in a move that was right for both club and player. In consultation with Nigel we extended Tyson a slightly improved offer, making it clear it was final. The rejection was not a surprise when it came. We were poles apart.

In response to Stiel’s decision, we signed two goalies. Julian Speroni was recruited from Crystal Palace for 120K on a 5k/week deal. The Argentine stopper will be a legitimate challenger for Pedersen. Our back-up plan Lenny Pidgeley arrived on a Bosman from Chelsea. He’s also a challenger, though one for the future more than the present.

The next few days at the trial were tied up mainly with procedural stuff before the evidence actually began. I manged to find the time to bring my powers of persuasion to bear on two fronts. Francis Jeffers signed on a Bosman from Arsenal, a 3 year deal at 5K/week with a 75K signing on fee. There wasn’t a huge amount of interest in a guy who had once cost 10M quid. I reckoned I could salvage something from him, since he was still only 25.

The second front involved Jenny. She’d been living in London and I couldn’t resist seeing her again. It also weighed on my mind that I didn’t want to part on bad terms. She was resistant at first, until I managed to persuade her to have dinner with me. After an awkward start, I was able to steer the conversation away from the heavy stuff, and it became an entertaining evening. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, one thing led to another, and I spent the night at her place. Stupid and reckless, especially in the middle of a libel trial, but these things happen. I promised to see her again during proceedings, though she wondered if she’d made a mistake, which she probably had.

On the 25th of May, Alan Rogers joined Barnsley for 28K, but that was knocked off the front pages by rather more exciting events at my libel trial. Brian Smouha had set about demolishing the witnesses for The News of The World, although in fairness they took about as much demolishing as a Brazilian shanty town in a mudslide. The first desperate character was an old boy called Barry Tattersall, who spent his dotage outside the chip shop below the massage parlour, and had claimed to have seen me going in there, positively identifying me to a reporter as “that bloke off the telly.” When asked to name me he started getting doddery, then couldn’t pick me out of a photograph of BBC football pundits, instead selecting Mark Lawrenson. After I had got over the indignity, I realized that our case was in good shape.

Suzy Chung was the massage parlour madam who was said to have performed all manner of lewd acts upon me. She was a right ugly tart, a failed asylum seeker from Taiwan, who buckled when Brian quizzed her about being paid 5000 quid, as he said, “to concoct this tissue of lies”. Together with the threat of several witnesses, including Alan Hansen, who could place me hundreds of miles away, the opposition hurriedly requested a recess, which the judge granted.

We sat in the hallway outside, watching the two legal teams go at it. Eventually Brian walked towards me with a sly smile on his face.

”They’ll settle for the original demands, 250K plus all legal costs.”
“Plus full page apology,” I reminded him.
”Oh yes. Plus full page apology.”

By the time Jeremy, my solicitor, was on the steps of the court addressing the media about how I’d been totally vindicated, I had already had a few drinks in a pub opposite the law courts, with Brian and Alan Hansen, who had come down but in the end hadn’t been called upon to give evidence.

On the news later, I saw that I was spending the evening at “a secret address”. In fact I was at Jenny’s house, giving her ten rounds. A journalist asked Jeremy on the steps of the courthouse whether I would be donating the money to charity. If only I’d been there, I’d have told him that charity begins at home.

The month of May was a successful one on just about every front. It ended with me being named Manager of the Year, with Padula, Commons, Breckin and Tyson named in the team of the year. The club lost 646K for the month. My profit for the month was 250K, thanks to The News Of The World. Now it was time for more squad building for the challenge ahead.

retired_teju

At the start of June I went away on holiday to New York for two weeks, where I could be debauched in anonymity. Nigel was upset, complaining that I was spending less and less time at the club, yet I countered that once the serious business started I was always there. Besides which, I could co-ordinate events over the Summer without actually being sat on my backside in the office.

A number of transactions were set in train. On the 5th June, former England international Matt Jansen joins us on a free transfer from Blackburn. A 2 year deal at 4.7K/week was a bit of a comedown, yet his career had been de-railed by injuries and a bad run of luck. Still only 28, I was sure he could turn things around here.

Exactly a week later, Neil Harris returned from his loan spell. He already knew that he had no future at the club, and I organised a free transfer to Oldham for him.

On the 18th, Nigel casually announced that the improvements to the training facility had been completed. We now had a youth academy and top facilities for the players. I didn’t even know we were doing that. I’d seen a bit of scaffolding at the training ground once or twice, but didn’t think to enquire what was going on. Nigel suggested that if I actually went to training more than once in a blue moon I would know these things. Touché.

I also discovered that next year’s transfer budget was unchanged at 1M pounds, that the board expected us to achieve a respectable league position, and that Nathan Tyson had been voted the fans player of the year.

Before the month was out, I had spent half the transfer kitty, or more precisely 525K on Danny Murphy from Charlton, fending off interest from Hearts. A 2 year deal at 6.25k/week represented a large pay cut for the lad, and I am delighted at getting the 29 year old here. He’s the sort of experienced quality that we really need.

Ivica Mornar is on his way out the door though, to Walsall on a Bosman. It’s a shame really because he showed flashes of great ability, but he was injured too often here to get an extended contract.

June closes with a loss of 633K, mainly accounted for by Murphy’s fee.

retired_yolanda

Great story so far, KUTGW! :thup:

Oh, and choose Kelly

retired_teju

Thanks a million gil for your kind words, it helps keep me motivated to carry on every time someone makes a comment.

1st July My new signings arrive en bloc, in the shape of Foy, Speroni, Pidgeley, Jansen, Murphy and Jeffers. The last of these men, in true Scouser fashion, has plenty to say upon his arrival. I don’t mind a bit of arrogance, as long as it’s backed up by results. So I’ll be looking forward to the lad making good on his boasts to leave us in awe of his ability.

With several days left before the players return to pre-season training, I am still very much in the market. A minor signing comes on the 4th, when we pick up a player I like, Abdeltareck Sakali, who had just left Blackburn, on a freebie. He remarks upon arrival that he’s very much looking forward to working with me, though for now he’ll be in the reserves, so he better be looking forward to working with Frank as well.

Just a day later we pick up what might be construed as a major signing. Steve Finnan left Liverpool after his contract expired, and I snapped him up on a 2 year pact at 6.25K/week. I guess he’s being signed because he played for Liverpool more than anything else, rather than any great affection I have for him as a player. I am banking on him to be solid, having played at a much higher level, though things don’t always work out like that. He’s very versatile too, which is much needed.

Pre-season training goes much according to plan, the only interruption coming on the 13th of the month when I offload John Curtis to Doncaster for 300K. With various signings and emergence of other players casting him somewhat into the shadows, together with the upward pressure on the wage bill, he had become surplus to requirements.

That was all that would happen before our first pre-season friendly at Sheffield United. We went behind twice in the game, before two second half strikes from Jeffers gave us the win. The defence, Brecks in particular, looked exposed, which was worrying. Our Scouse striker did the business all right, though it has to be remembered that this a guy who is notoriously inconsistent. When he puts 15 or 20 league goals on the board, and meaningful ones at that, I’ll be happy.

On the 25th I take a wild punt and sign Dutch under-21 striker Nick Van De Velde on a freebie. It’s a 4.6k/week deal till 2009, and is based solely on potential, ratings, and his successful junior international career.

The month closes out with a friendly away at MK Dons. We dominate the game and Jeffers has his shooting boots on again, though his goal is rather undeservedly cancelled out in the 92nd minute.

After the match, I complete a very significant signing I had been working on. Lee Bowyer will be joining us on loan for the rest of the season, at 10% of his pay (3.3K). I know he’s a nasty piece of goods, yet I only care what he can do on the pitch, and at this level that could be a very significant contribution indeed. If he causes any trouble, I'll kick his a**e straight out of our club.

Nigel informs me that the board are still delighted with my performance and that we managed to reap a 1.27M profit for the month. Now the hard work of the season is nearly upon us, and if they are still delighted with me by this time next year then we’ll really be in business.