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WSM 2006 English, Scottish, Northern Irish Leagues in full detail.
I wanted to call this story "Revenge is a dish best served in Nottingham" to paraphrase the old Klingon proverb (no I'm not a trekkie), but it wouldn't fit very well on one line, so "Revenge in Nottingham" it is.
After my stormy 18 months in charge of Nottingham Forest (see Forest of Mediocrity), during which I had more fights with the board than John Wayne had with Indians, I was still seething at my dismissal from the club I loved.
At first, I considered going back to my hometown team, Carrick Rangers in the Irish League. But with no money, and a list of players with ability ratings in single figures, that seemed a step too far.
So like a jilted lover, flauting new found happiness under the nose of his former belle, I decided to take up the reins at Notts County. If Forest didn't want me to make them the biggest club in the Midlands again, then I'd work the oracle for Notts County.
I'd never been inside Meadow Lane, though I'd walked round the outside of the place once, when I was at Trent Bridge for an England Test Match. The relative luxury of the stadium was one of the attractions, a 20,000 seater in League Two was hardly the norm. I guess I had gone from the biggest club in League One (Forest) to the biggest in League Two.
I knew I'd made a sound decision as soon as I took over. The atmosphere was far less jumpy and anal than it had been at Forest. Here was a club in the doldrums that had accepted it was in the doldrums. A safe mid table finish was all the chairman asked me for. I was sure I could deliver that.
I was nervous about my well-known Forest connections of course. The media tried to make a big deal out of it, but I tried to do a Jose Mourinho, joking that "you can still be in love with your ex-wife and get maried again". I hoped that would be the end of it, and the fans received me well, possibly seeing me as an underdog who had been treated despicably by Forest. And anyway, it was hardly Rangers and Celtic, though I knew if I made a pig's ear out of it I'd be hearing comments to the effect of "he's one of that lot up the road, what do you expect?"
With all the holding up the scarf for the cameras bulls**t out of the way, it was time for business. I had to start earning my 600 quid a week, and earning a long extension to that if I could. It was meet the players and staff time.
Shaun Marshall GK An ordinary looking back-up. Competent in case of injury to...
Kevin Pilkington Yet another of that Giggs/Beckham Man Utd youth team era that drifted downwards. Still handy though, and will be a solid number one man.
Brian O'Callaghan DRC A 24 year-old aggressive Irish defender. Has a chance.
Kelvin Wilson DRC Apparently our best player, a composed defender, just 19.
Rob Ullathorne DL Very familiar face from the excellent Norwich team of the early 90s. Now 33, he will provide vital experience from a much higher level.
Mike Whitlow DLC 37 year old defensive hardman, also a coach. Always liked him at Leicester, could play a little.
Dan Martin DLC/DM Free transfer from Derby, this 18 year old Welshman looks good.
Julien Baudet DC/DM The 26 year old started at Tolouse and arrived at Meadow Lane via Oldham and Rotherham.
Mike Edwards D/M/C Another useful looking utility man.
David Pipe D/AMR Equally at home in defence or midfield, the 21 year old Taffy is very much in my plans. Good ratings in flair, fitness and determination.
Chris Palmer WB/M/L Looks like a useful squad player.
Matthew Gill DMC One of the weaker members of the squad.
Lewis McMahon MC This 20 year old up and down midfielder looks a handy prospect.
Stacy Long MC Virtually a carbon copy of McMahon.
Jake Sheridan AMRL Not overly impressed by this guy. Could be on his way.
Tony Scully AML This 29 year old former QPR winger has lots of experience, and may have a significant part to play.
Matty Williams FC Unimpressive young forward. Borderline professional player.
Gavin Gordon ST This 26 year old striker has made stops in Cardiff, Oxford and Lincoln, and not scored goals in any of them. No sort of answer in the long term.
Glynn Hurst ST Now 29, the former Wolves man still has a chance to forge a good career as a lower league goal scorer.
Andy White ST Not prepared to write this youngster off yet, though his goalscoring record is similar to Gavin Gordon's.
There are three total stiffs in the reserves, and my assistant warns me that the squad is not big enough to deal with major injuries. I can see that for myself, and this is something that will be addressed.
Oddly enough, the entire teams' contracts expire at the end of the season. That gives me plenty of flexibility.
The coaching staff wasn't really an issue. They were retained en bloc, because they were too expensive to get rid of, and it wasn't as if Carlos Quieroz was about to offer to be my assistant. That would be Ross MacLaren, a competent lower league man.
13th July I shore up the squad by signing the highly rated young Chelsea winger Felipe Morais. He is the highest valued player willing to come on loan to us, so I pluck him for the season.
With all my useless friendlies cancelled, we await the visit of West Ham
22nd July Notts County vs West Ham
In consultation with Ross, I pick my first team: PilkingtonPipeUllathorneWilsonMartinMoraisPalmerMcMahonLongGordonHurst
We go with my usual style, 4-4-2 short passing hard tackling attacking. And the lads respond very well, looking good and holding the Hammers till the 61st minute. A 1-0 loss, but very encouraging
Notts County 0-1 West Ham ATT: 9120
28th July I sign American striker Kenny Cooper on a season long loan from Man Utd. He has to be better than what we've got.
29th July Julian Baudet has torn his groin, and won't be available for 1-3 months.
July ends with a handy profit of 79k. Our transfer budget remains at 6.5k for the season. I'm ok with that, I understand I'm not going to have money to spend for the foreseeable future.
hi nbrocky, no I decided to start from scratch, I thought re-creating myself was cheating a bit, I am just taking my Forest grudge with me into this game! I fully intend to take over from Forest as the biggest club in Nottingham, then start a different game and do Forest again in the future.
Hey Berrers, Cooper has been all right for me so far, though he's injured at the minute. I signed another striker on loan (update to come) and they are lethal together. Though you're right Cooper misses a few, but not quite in the Andy Cole league
Hi all, will be updating over the course of the day, here's August.
3rd August Tottenham striker Lee Barnard joins us on loan for the season. He looks well useful, although he is unwanted by them. If I had the money I would have signed him straight up.
In other news, the bookies make us a 40-1 shot for the Championship. Not the worst punt ever. We are actually considered relegation candidates, and while we don't expect to win the title, we certainly don't expect to get relegated.
6th August Notts County vs Cheltenham
We select Pilkington Pipe Ullathorne Wilson Martin Morais Palmer Long McMahon Barnard Cooper
It stars out even, then Palmer picks out a great cross for McMahon to score on 51. An identical move, this time with Barnard on the end, gives us a 2-0 cushion in the 66th. A handy performance first-up.
Notts County 2-0 Cheltenham ATT: 5048
Not surprisingly, I tell the lads I want them to play like this every week.
9th August Kelvin Wilson signs a new 3 year deal at900 per week.Pipe signs for the same term at 900. Pilkington gets a two year extension at 900 and Dan Martin signs for three at 625 quid.
10th August Chester vs Notts County
We don't get a sniff up till half-time, and they go in leading by one. I tell the lads they're clueless. Our 2nd half fightback culminates in a 2nd half sub Glynn Hurst finding an 87th minute equaliser, which we fully deserved. Morais was excellent right through.
Chester 1-1 Notts County ATT: 2488
For what it's worth, we're in 7th place after two games.
13th August Notts County vs Rushden Kenny Cooper gives us a good start in the 20th minute, tapping in after Barnard hit the post. Cooper returns the favour for his strike partner on 32. A Rushden goal in the 60th minute makes us sweat to hang on, but hang on we do.
Notts County 2-1 Rushden ATT: 5040
We're now 4th, with 7 points from 3 games.
20th August Barnet vs Notts County
Our again unchanged team is killed in the 1st half, lucky to go in only 1-0 down. Not a single shot for us. Barnard heads in straight after the interval, scores again on 70 minutes. Then following a Barnet equaliser he misses an 81st minute penalty, before they get all three points with a last gasp winner.
Barnet 3-2 Notts CountyATT: 2481
During the week, I bring in some bodies. Northern Ireland U-19 midfielder Darryl Smilie arrives for free from Man City
along with AML James Tandy, also a freebie. Right full-back Dean Smith joins for nothing from Chelsea's youth team. And Chris Cottrill another central midfielder joins up from Birmingham. They're all good youngsters, unwanted by their clubs, so they can come here and flesh out my squad.
23rd August Notts County vs Bristol City
The second string players and new signings fight hard in this League Cup game, but we go down 3-2. Not bad against a team a division up.
Notts County 2-3 Bristol City ATT:5351
I transfer list Matty Williams and Andy White. A host of clubs make offers.
27th August Notts County vs Boston
The regulars are all back for the visit of 3rd placed Boston, with Cottrill retained in midfield. Morais puts us up 1-0 up with a great free kick after 32, then Hurst trumps their second half equaliser with a 77th minute winner.
Notts County 2-1 Boston ATT: 4997
We're 5th, with 10 points from 5 games.
On the Sunday, we sell White to Carlisle for 16K and receive 30k from a sell-on clause involving a player we sold a while back, which is nice.
29th August Macclesfield vs Notts County
We're all over them in the first 15, and a deflected shot rebounds to Barnard who fires in the opener (24). A Pilkington balls-up gifts them an equaliser 7 minutes later, before Barnard restores our lead with the last kick of the first half. we have 14 shots to their 4. On the hour, the Tottenham man completes his hat-trick. Then we are undeservedly made to sweat again after another goal from them, but in a game where we had 25 shots, we deservedly win.
Macclesfield 2-3 Notts County ATT: 3617
The board are impressed with that performance, but Matty Williams isnt, when I farm him out to Hinckley for 8k later that evening. Reserve team hit man Steve Scoffham is promoted to play with the big boys.
I have a busy weekend, signing D/M/C Lee Grant from Villa on a three month loan. Gary Harkins a talented midfielder from Chilly Jocko Land joins for 10K plus 25% sell-on from Blackburn That seems a fair deal, and I am happy just to sign him.
30th August Chris Palmer signs a 2 year extension at 400 a week, with Matthew Gill doing likewise for 600 sheets.
The board are encouraged by my start as manager, and even more so by the 118k profit for the month. Say what you like about my management style, but I always deliver the cash. I just wish I got the opportunity to spend it now and then...
Revenge in Nottingham 
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