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16th April Richard Jones returns from his lengthy injury lay-off, and in the words of the old cliche, it's like a new signing. He comes straight back in to MC for the next game.
19th April Bristol Rovers vs Notts County Nisja also comes back in at AMR for this one. The Pirates are all over us to start with, then Calliste scores a total fluke, when an aimless cross into the box is allowed to float, and goes in off the far post (10). I am low-key at half-time, and things drift until they score in the 71st minute. That's how it ends, and I am finding myself struggling for motivation a little right now. So maybe are the lads. We would have annihilated them earlier in the season.
Bristol Rovers 1-1 Notts County ATT: 7865
Port Vale and Scunthorpe are relegated. Not too bothered about the latter, since Brian Laws has always had far too much to say for himself.
Tandy finally returns to training, after his 2 months out with shoulder trouble.
26th April Notts County vs QPR Nisja slams in a great 20 yard free kick, which is something of a speciality with him, to give us a 2nd minute lead. Straight away, Calliste plays in The Big E for a simple goal to give us a cushion of 2 after only 4 minutes. The Rs fire back just before the half hour, but their route back into the game is damaged 30 minutes later when they have a player sent off. We sit back on our lead, then Calliste catches them out playing a high line, sprinting through to score a clinical 3rd for us. A nice performance, we enjoyed that one.
Notts County 3-1 QPR ATT: 10722
Reading secure the title, but so do our Under-18s in their respective title. Sadly, few of them look like being offered professional terms, if any. With our rubbish facilities, we're never going to produce a Michael Owen.
The club turns its usual profit of 131K.
3rd May Grimsby vs Notts County
I feel like I'm sleepwalking through this utterly unimportant game (for both teams). Pires plays MR out of sentiment. We put them under heavy presure, uncharacteristically missing a tonne of chances, until Hjalmar finally cashes one in after 47 minutes. He's not finished. Almost from the kick-off, he spins and finishes tremendously for 2-0. The home side respond with practically their first kick (50), and come much more into the game, creating some decent chances.
We hold out, then in the 88th minute, Rezek heads for the showers after his 2nd yellow, and Grimsby are unlucky not to get a point as they push forward. I shake Russell Slade's hand at the end and tell him that. Later on, him and me have a beer in his office, both relieved that the season is finally over.
Grimsby 1-2 Notts County ATT: 4377
5th May Jonathon D'Laryea complains about being in the reserves and not in the team. I tell him he's a back-up and will have to be patient, while secretly shopping him around. There are no takers, and the issue is unresolved as the players take off for the Summer. Though I am not jetting off on holiday yet myself, I leave everything in Riggy's
capable and workaholic hands, spending most of my time kicking around the house with my wife and kids, or sitting in the pub having a good drink. He doesn't mind, and it's all part of his managerial apprenticeship. Anyway, on the occasions I'm at the pub, he's always there with me.
16th May I haven't been totally lazy since the end of the season. Very occasionally, I drop into the office to look at scouting reports, and talk strategy with my assistant and the coaching staff. The result is our first major signing. Norwich's England Under-21 goalie Joe Lewis will be joining us next year for 600K compensation (we got him on freedom of contract). Rumours are flying around that Martin Fulop wants to stay at the club, but I reckon we shouldn't be worrying about him anymore. He's already said he wants to leave the club, what's to stop him doing it in the future? The staff are in full agreement, though if they weren't I'd just go ahead and do it anyway. This young keeper was too good to pass up, even if we decided to keep our Hungarian international. For now though, the big goalie can't leave. Due to a quirk in Lewis' contract, he doesn't join us till early October.
25th May Nothing much happens for the next week or so, then Riggy calls with some news on a player we're interested in. The agent for Mathieu Flamini, currently out of contract with Arsenal says the boy is pi**ed off and ready to join us for 4K a week and a biggish signing on fee. A few phone calls later, and this exciting youngster is our player...or will be on the 1st of July anyway. We are delighted with this one.
26th May A bombshell! Steve Thompson calls me and says that after a conversation with Sheffield United chairman Derek Dooley, he has given them permission to speak to me about becoming their new manager. In line with my policy of talking to any serious interested party, I discreetly travel to Sheffield that evening.
By the time I arrive, some prelimenary haggling has already been done. They offered me 2.5K over 3 years. I said double it, and I'll be interested. Dooley said he'd speak to ownership and get back to me.
We get down to business, and the first thing Dooley says is that the contract offer is final, which I am not pleased about. Then I start to go through the books, and despite the fact that this is a very big club, with great facilities, they're in financial trouble with a high wage bill, and leading players who all want to leave. I tell them that unless they make it worth my while, I'm not coming. Dooley looks uncomfortable, and I tell them we'll stop messing around. I'm not taking the job.
Riggy is on the phone like a shot when I get home, so too Steve Thompson. Neither wanted me to leave, although Steve and I have a gentleman's agreement about other jobs. I tell them both to forget about it. I'm staying for another season at least, and let's get down to plotting another successful campaign.
28th May I reject a laughable bid from Stoke for Hjalmar and the month closes with a loss of 178K.
4th June I'm all set to go on holiday in a few days, when another bomb drops. Somebody calls the house claiming to Mohammed Al Fayed, offering me the vacant Fulham job. Since my chairman hasn't called me first, I assume it's a wind up, possibly from one of those very tired "practical joke" DJs.
"Don't be so f**king stupid!" I snarl, and put the phone down. Next thing Steve Thompson is on the phone, saying that he'd given permission for them to speak to me and that Al Fayed would be on the phone shortly.
"He's already called," I say sheepishly. "I thought it was a wind-up and I told him to f**k off."
Apparently Al Fayed had jumped the gun. Steve goes back and smoothes over the misunderstanding and the Egyptian calls me again to make his pitch. He's offering a 6.75K/week rolling contract. I like the 6.75K part, but not the rolling part.
The club is in a terrible state. Just relegated from the Premiership, haemorraging cash and close to bankruptcy, with a 400K A WEEK WAGE BILL!! I tell Al Fayed to give me a 3 year deal at the 6.5K per week, and I'll think about it. He refuses, and negotiations end there. I'm not bothered at all. Would you really want to work for Mohammed Al Fayed? No, I thought not.
9th June Ramon Calliste has been moaning about his contract. I had originally told him to wait, but faced with the prospect that this palaver could interrupt my family holiday, I sanction a 3K per week extension till 2013. Everybody's delighted, especially me as I head for the airport.
19th June I'm confident enough to be on holiday this year when the budgets are negotiated. Over the phone, I arrange a 1.2M transfer fund, and a 55K/week wage structure, which I think should be sufficient. We're only projected at 35K/week at the minute. The directors expect us to battle bravely against relegation.
"F**k that!" I shout down the phone. "I'm aiming for top half at least lads." Potentially a hostage to fortune saying that to the board of directors, but I reckon I've got them well under the thumb.
29th June Wales lose in the Euro final to Germany. Maybe I should have taken that job after all! Sven Goran Erickson is kicked out after England's poor showing in the tournament, and I immediately apply for the position.
The club turns a very handy profit for the month of 431K.
1st July Flamini completes his move from The Gunners, and Biruk heads to Bolton for 1.2M plus 20% sell-on clause, good business for a player that cost us nothing, and who ironically we beat out Bolton to sign in the first place.
2nd July Nathan D'Laryea, our very game utility defender heads off to Rochdale for 100K. He served us very well, but was irritated about first team opportunities. He's a nice lad, and a good player, but he had no guarantees here.
9th July It's a busy day in the transfer market for us. Philip Briland, who despite being only 19 has played 11 times for Sweden, is on his way to us for the princely sum of 160K. We'd been tracking him for a while, and matters came to a head when we made an organisational decision to sell Fulop. Lewis looks a sure thing in goal, but the young Swede will be a sensational back-up, and could easily be Number 1. We look immensely strong in the goalkeeping department right now.
Next up is DLC Goncalo Brandao a Portugese defender on a free transfer from Maritimo. He's kicked around the Portugese leagues for a few years, and has been denied real opportunities. We reckon he's a top-line prospect, and will be a serious threat to his countryman Nuno Morais' position in the team. Me and Riggy are quietly excited about this guy.
14th July Another ruthless decision which has to be made reminds me of why it's tough to be the boss sometimes. I have to say that since the middle of last season I had been trying to sell Andreas Johansson, which looks a strange decision considering the season he had. However, he has just turned 30, he's out of contract next Summer, and I managed to persuade QPR to pay 600K for him. We're spoilt for choice in midfield, with younger, cheaper alternatives champing at the bit. It sounds horrible, but he's served his purpose and it's time to move on.
The guy himself is livid, and I don't blame him. I call him personally but he doesn't want to talk about it, which makes me feel worse. The decision goes down like a lead balloon at the club as well. Still, I feel it's the right decision for the organisation, and that's the bottom line. You can't be successful unless you know when it's time to move on.
15th July England appoint Alan Pardew as manager. No real comment on that, apart fromt he fact that I wanted it and I didn't get it. It doesn't keep me awake at night though.
16th July The board agree to upgrade our facilities to the maximum level. I had been a bit ****ed off at the calibre of players we could attract, and asked them to do the needful. I guess my stock is high enough (and so are the finances) that I can get my way on most things now.
I sell Jon D'Laryea to Rochdale for 40K, where he joins his brother. I forgot to mention that these two are actually twins! As a Father of twins myself (in real life) I am only too happy to accomodate the request, and not be a sh**e about it.
Meantime, our first friendly of the season has come around, a glamour match-up at home to Bayern Munich. Here's my re-vamped line-up.
Briland, Pipe, Lloyd, Brandao, Morais, Flamini, Nisja, Jones, Ebanks, Calliste, Rezek.
They are all over us to start with, and take the lead (7). We improve a bit, but still look worlds apart, and they add to their lead on 33. I encourage the lads at the half, and make 9 substitutions, also pushing Rezek up front. Dividends are paid when Calliste finishes a move worthy of our illustrious opponents with a powerful header (67). Calliste surprised me with that one, then shocks me with an equaliser 7 minutes from time, a deflected shot that leaves the German goalie stranded. Sensational stuff from the lads, and though we were outshot 18-9, the second half belonged to us. Fulop, O'Hara, Sparv and Morais were all outstanding.
Notts County 2-2 Bayern Munich ATT: 11414
More transfer stuff happens after the game. We've been tracking former Italy U-21 DC Luca Vitale, formerly with Inter, now without a club. I'm signing this guy on pedigree, which is what I've done right from the start of my career here. Some might say we have enough centre backs, but I am loading up for the start of this campaign, then I'll separate the wheat from the chaff come January.
Middlesbrough bid 150K for the transfer-listed Fulop, but I'm not having that. The asking price is 2.5 million.
21st July Notts County vs Werder Bremen
The second half of a German double header. Fulop, Vitale, Sparv, and O'Hara come in, with Rezek moving up front. Filipe Morais also starts on the right of midfield. A surprisingly even-ish start, then Sparv and Morais set up Calliste for a tidy finish (29). The visitors respond 4 minutes later, and it's a even tussle from thereon in. On 79 minutes, Nisja crosses for sub Ebanks to head in, then as they push forward, Saritama finishes a counter attack with a low shot into the bottom corner. Sensational stuff from the lads. I tell them they were just fantastic.
Notts County 3-1 Werder Bremen ATT: 9554
22nd July The high gets higher next day when news comes through that we have signed a phenomenal prospect. 19 year-old Diego Ochoa DC of Velez is one of the stars of the Argies' U-21 set-up, and arrives for compensation of 300K. The Home Office turned him down for a work permit originally, and I was so furious I called in our local MP. Once the bureaucrats looked sensibly at it, the deal was done. Yet another centre back, but this guy has class written all over him. A real coup for the club.
In other developments, Frazer Richardson signs a contract extension till 2013 at 2K per week, 300 a week lower than his current contract. That's all I was prepared to offer, and I think he knew he might be sold if he didn't take it.
26th Wrexham vs Notts County
I arranged this one as a tune-up against British opposition before the season started. Brandao, Ochoa, and Morrison come in. After they take a shock 27 minute lead, I bollock the lads and they respond with a real demolition job. Ebanks scores, then Hjalmar produces a 15 minute hat-trick to completely overpower them in the 2nd half. A journalist comments afterwards that the 2nd half show was "a joy to behold".
Wrexham 1-4 Notts County ATT: 7705
28th July Guatelli and Lloyd sign new deals for the same money. A bit disingenuous of me to re-up with our Italian goalie though. I am only doing it so I can sell him later without him leaving on a Bosman.
Crewe enquire about man of the moment Hjalmar and I say 2.5 million, convinced this will scare them off. I am taken aback when they say yes, and tell them he's not for sale.
29th July The bookies rate us a 40-1 shot for promotion (generous odds as usual). A journalist from one of the nationals asks me about the pundits saying we are relegation certainties. I laugh it off. "Ok, I'm not expecting miracles," I reply, "but we 'aint getting relegated with the players we've got."
thanks so much rednwhites, I am hoping to update some more today, as I have played on a lot further.
The old story was called "Forest of Mediocrity" I'm sure if you type it into search it is still knocking around somewhere.
Sadly, in real life, our beloved Forest are still in a mess, still the biggest club outside the top two divisions. If only I could win the lottery and take over, I couldn't do any worse!
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