[Curvature]

After the demise of the clan formerly known as EFB and former leader Andy_H now too busy locking thread all over the board to start a new game
Now members of EFB old and new have banded together to form il grouppo senza il nomo (the group with no name). The game will commence on Tuesday 29th November 2006 at 9pm GMT.

The current player list at present :

Rob Perry : host
Steff Browning
David Johnston
Sandy Pettigrew
Paul Rouch (subject to confirmation)
Tony Hall (subject to confirmation)


We are not looking for anymore players currently so please do not post in this thread asking to join or we’ll set Andy_H on you, and trust me, you wouldn’t like that.

The game will be played on FM2007 and we are all looking forward to getting down to business, all of the players involved in this game have proven themselves as committed dedicated players through the previous incarnations of EFB.


Since we are a new clan it’s obvious we aren’t an established clan, but hopefully this will change in the future.

[Curvature]

let the games begin.......

[retired_abubaker]

I feel left out now.

Good luck lads, I know this clan will be around for awhile. :thup:

[retired_calliecan]

Rumours about Redknapp quitting prove true - Portsmouth make shock appointment!


With rumours swirling around the football world that Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp was about the quit the game and bugger off to the East London to run a dodgy second hand car lot, speculation was mouting as to his successor should he choose to leave the club.


The answer was given today as amind great fanfare Steff Browning was unvield as the club's new manager.

With no previous mangerial experience Browning is going to have a massive job on his hands trying to keep Portsmouth in the Premiership.


Here's what the man himself had to say shortly after his appointment:

Reporter : So, Steff how did your appointment come about?

Steff : Well as you know I've just recently passed my coaching badges and on the morning in question I was hanging around Celtic's Barrowfield training ground trying to badger wee Gordon into giving me a job at Celtic, after being told in no uncertain terms that I wasn't wanted and to maybe try Hearts as no doubt they'd be looking for a new manager soon, I was making my way back to car when suddenly I felt a searing pain in the back of my head just then everything went black

Reporter : Thats all fine and well but what does this have to do with your new job?

Steff : Yeah, I'm getting to that, don't interupt me again or you won't find out, ok?
Good, now when I came to I still couldn't see, it took a few seconds for it to dawn on me that I was hooded and handcuffed to a chair.

"Mr Browning" a voice boomed, it was obvious to me straight away that my captor spoke with a Russian accent

"what the hell do you want with me" I demanded to know.

"we hear you have been desperate to get into this football management/coaching thing, you've been gaining quite a reputation as a persistant little bastard"

"Well I am sorry if I've upset any of your friends, I'm just trying to get my start in the game!" I protested, feeling really nervous now.

"No no Mr Browning you misunderstand, we have come to you with a job offer!"

At this point I couldn't contain myself, what club with Russian connections could want little old me?
All that came to my mind was, no surely not?
Surely Chelsea wouldn't want anything to do with me? yes it must be!
You can only imagine my disappointment with what was said next

"We are acting on behalf of Comrade Alexandre Gaydmak the chairman of Portsmouth football club, our current manager has left us in the lurch by going to sell lada's and quittig football all together, Comrade Gaydmak would like to offer you this opportunity to become our new manager, what do you say?

"I'd be delighted I shreeked!, but guys, why the whole kidnapping thing?"

"We are very sorry if we offended, but this is just how business is conducted in mother Russia, anyway we must leave now be at Fratton park first thing Tomorrow morning"

And with that I was bundled out of a side door.


Reporter : Well that certainly is an interesting story, but tell us, now that your here what are your plans for the club?

Steff : Well that chairman has been good enough to furnish me with a heafty transfer budget, so look out for a few new faces at the club before the transfer window closes.

Reporter : You are many pundits pick for relegation this season, where do you see the club finishing the season?

Steff : Relegation? I really beleive this team has what it takes to finish in the upper echelons of the table, and a european place isn't outwith our grasp!


Reporter : Well good luck with your new job.

Steff : Thank you very much.


Browning has made some grand promises and his board and fans will be hoping he has what it takes to live up to them!

[Curvature]

Today Daniel Levy has announced that Martin Jol has left his position as Tottenham manager to return home to Holland for family reasons and they are on the lookout for a new manager, after scouring the globe for this man they have hired Rob Perry a unknown english manager who more recently has been living in America coaching the National U20 side coaching some fantastic talent, He took the job after many hours of negotiations with his agent,I think Rob can take us to the next step and get into the champions league something Martin failed to do in the time he was at the club.

News Confrence

BBC SPORTS : So why would you come back to England to manage instead of staying in America ?
ROB : Well I thought about it long and hard and decided if I wanted to make a name for myself really english football was where it was going to be or hopefully anyway.
BBC SPORTS : I heard you are letting Edgar Davids leave... why ?
ROB : I just feel his legs have gone and with Huddlestone fast approaching the England set up I wanna give the lad a chance.
SKY SPORTS : Any other members of the present squad you have decided to get rid of ?
ROB : Mido
SKY SPORTS : The fans arent going to be happy about that are they ?
ROB : I never saw anything from the lad that makes me feel hes a premiership quality player, no offence to the lad I just dont rate him.
BBC SPORTS : What plans have you got as far as pre season go ? do you have a tour set up yet ?
ROB : Obviously Im trying to set up a tour of the US maybe play my old U20 team but we'll see, I must go now training is about to start and Ive got a lot to look at before the season starts, thanks for coming.
BBC SPORTS : Thanks for talking with us and good luck in your new job.
SKY SPORTS : Yeah thanks and good luck to you and Tottenham for the season.

[retired_lilylovesyou10]

Man City to replace a Psycho with a ****** at the City of Manchester Stadium

After only managing a 15th place finish in his first season at the club, Psycho Stuart Pearce has been given the boot. Rumour has it City Chairman John Wardle is looking to recruit the relatively unknown David Johnston to take the club to success and fortunes. Johnston has been out of football management for a number of years now, previously having managed the Bristol Titties gaining promotion to the English Championship in the process.

Our reporters have had a torrid time trying to track down the ex-Titties man, who is rumoured to have spent the last 2 years at the bottom of a whisky bottle in some bar in Maryhill, rueing the day he ever announced his interest in moving to a premiership club while in the middle of the season with Bristol. Shortly after this statement Johnston was called to the chairman's office and promptly issued with his marching orders. Fans and pundits alike are already wondering what Wardle is thinking, and this is what he had to say:

Reporter: Mr. Wardle, first of all could you tell us why you decided to terminate Psycho's contract after only one season?

Wardle: Well we discussed it long and hard and decided that despite Stuart keeping us in the Premiership last season, the future of the club should lie in the hands of someone with a bit more drive and ambition. European football is the aim for us.

Reporter: And you think a drunken Glaswegian is the man to achieve this?

Wardle: I followed Dave's career closely while he was in Bristol and I thought he did an excellent job. He established them as a strong contender in the Championship and also uncovered a few gems. We have an excellent youth setup here in Manchester and we are looking for someone to use that to build a strong team.

Reporter: But Johnston hasn't been involved in football for years, after angering the fans by declaring his interest to move to another club.

Wardle: That was an unfortunate incident that I feel was blown out of all proportions by the media. I admire Dave's ambition. I think all managers dream of one day managing one of the elite European teams and Dave was just unfortunate that the press twisted his words and turned the fans against him. I feel that once he joins us here in Machester and begins working with some of our youngsters, he will agree that we have a great future ahead of us and will do his best to help us challenge for a European spot.

Reporter: So there you have it, Chairman John Wrdle is full of confidence that Johnston will be able to kick his drinking habit and develop Man City into a formidable European force.

As the preseason draws near our reporters have finally managed to track a surprisingly clean-shaven and well-dressed Johnston down.

Reporter: Well Mr. Johnston you certainly looked to have got your life back on track?

Johnston: Losing my job in Bristol certainly hit me hard and I feel ashamed of myself that I took to the drinking so hard. But I am so grateful to Mr Wardle for handing me a second chance. And I am delighted that he has publicly announced his confidence that I am the man for the job. I have great plans for the club, we have an unbelievable youth setup here and mixed with the experience of players such as Didi Hamann, I really think we have a chance to do well.

Reporter: You will have the great fortune now of managing a player touted as a potential World Player of the Year, what do you think your chances are at keeping Micah Richards here in Manchester?

Johnston: Micah has unbelievable talent for his age, he and a number of others in our youth team. But I know that he is already being chased by some of the bigger names and I will have to work hard to keep him here. I have already spoken to the lad and I feel he loves this club and has a great deal of loyalty. As long as we can achieve the kind of success I am planning on then I believe we will have no problem keeping him here. Like all players he wants to win trophies, and I aim to provide him with that chance right here. Micah is an indication of the things to come from Man City, we have a few other lads in our youth setup who have similar ability, and I plan to get them into the action soon enough too.

Reporter: Well Dave, you certainly seem to have your plans well laid, and the fans will be glad to learn of you confidence and ambition. All of us here wish you a great success, and I'm sure we will be talking moreas the season progresses.

Johnston: Thanks.

So there you have it, Johnston has great plans for the season and the fans are excited at the prospect. For those who are unaware of Johnstons footballing history, here is a brief outline of his playing career.

1987 - 1991 Rob Roy Football Club (Kirkintilloch) Played 108 Scored 65
1991 - 1997 Partick Thistle Played 149 Scored 105
1997 - 1999 Liverpool Played 0 Scored 0
1999 - 2000 Tranmere Rovers Played 5 Scored 0
2000 - 2002 Torquay Played 36 Scored 5
2002 - 2003 Partick Thistle Played 5 Scored 3

Strating his career as a young lad at his local team Rob Roy, Dave attracted a lot of interest due to his natural goal scoring ability. However his love for Partick Thistle was so great that he turned down an early move to England and instead became a star for his favourite team. Playing there for 6 years Johnston managed to rack up over 100 goals and eventually (to a lot of people's surprise) gained a trial at Liverpool.

Dave performed very well during his trial at Liverpool and was offered a full contract which he had no problem accepting. However during his first training session he was heavily tackled by a team mate and his knee was destroyed. An injury that would eventually end his playing career.

After recovering from his injury Dave couldn't find his composure in front of goal and was never handed his dream debut at Anfield. Instead he was shipped of to Division 1 Tranmere Rovers where he only managed a handful of games and no goals. After this it was down to division 3 where he managed 36 games for Torquay with 5 goals.

Finally facing the fact that his knee would just not allow him to continue playing Dave headed back North for 1 final season with the Jags. Managing a few starts but not scoring any goals Dave's final game came against Rangers in a Scottish Cup game at Ibrox. Determined to leave his mark on the game Dave started with a desire to score against the team he has always hated. Unbelievably he managed a hat-trick that day before being stretchered off because of his knee. Thistle won 5-1.

Dave never played again but instead took up coaching and eventually gained his job with Bristol, the rest as they say is history.

Let the games begin.

[retired_lilylovesyou10]

Can't believe my headline got starred out, for those who want to know what it was supposed to say, it begins with r and ends with d and has etar in the middle.

[Curvature]

nice intros lads well done

[Curvature]

Tony has joined and picked Newcastle

[retired_bigmamma]

Newcastle Sack Glenn Roeder and appoint Tony Hall as their New Manager

Kelly Dalgliesh: "In a surprise move today have sacked manager Glenn Roeder after a board room bust up between Roeder and Chairman Freddy Shepherd. However it hasn't taken the Chairman long to appoint a replacement as he has drafted in former Reading Manager Tony Hall who took the Royals to two Play-off semi finals. We go now to the press conference"

Newcastle Conference Room

Freddy Shepherd: "I welcome you all to the press conference and firstly I would like to thank Glenn Roeder for the work he put into this club but today we must move on. Secondly I'd like to introduce you all to the new manager of Newcastle Football Club, Tony Hall"

Reporter: "Why have you chosen Tony Hall?"

Freddy Shepherd: "We chose Tony because he is a great upcoming manager who could well one day manage England. He has a great vision for Newcastle and he won't accept failure and he will stop at nothing to bring success, I'll let Tony speak to you now and answer a few questions"

Tony Hall: "Good afternoon to you all, firstly I'd like to thank Mr Shepherd for giving me the responsibilty of leading Newcastle into a new era of success and secondly I would like to assure the fans that I will do my very best to bring Newcastle back to where they belong and that is the top half of the table. I would also like to ask for teh fans patience as alot of work is going to have to be performed to strengthen our side"

Reporter: "When you say alot of work to strengthen the side, do you mean finding cover for the absence of Michael Owen who is probably not going to play this season due to the injury he suffered in the World Cup, also have you already looked at possible transfer targets?"

Tony Hall: "Well obviously the loss of Michael Owen is a big blow to the club but I am not going to speculate on how long he will be out for, I'm hoping he will make some sort of impact before the season is over but I am not going to rush him back onto the pitch until I am sure he is fit, as for finding cover for his absence I am going to be looking at what Players I have here before I look at the market. As for transfer targets I have been looking and have already informed the chairman of who I would like to bring in"

Reporter: "There is a rumour that new Spurs Coach Rob Perry could be looking to sell Robbie Keane, would you be interested in buying him?"

Tony Hall: "I think any premiership manager would be interested in buying Robbie Keane, he is a good player to have, I would be foolish not to be interested but it depends on how much Spurs would be willing to let Robbie go for"

Freddy Shepherd: "This concludes the conference gentlemen, our press officer will handle any other question"

Back to the studio

Kelly Dalgliesh: "That was Freddy Shepherd and new Newcastle Manager Tony Hall speaking earlier today, Tony Hall first task will be to ensure Newcastle qualify for the UEFA Cup this season which will be a big task for a side who under performed last season under Glenn Roeder following Graeme Souness's departure and Tony Hall will be wanting to get rid of the revolving door nickname that has shrouded Newcastle past with a long list of managers who failed to bring silverware for teh first time in 50 years."