OMDave

Freak accident delays inception of Dello Spliff's tenure at Ascoli. Agence France Presse, 16/7/04.

Just hours after Chairman Roberto Benigni had announced his appointment as the new manager of Ascoli Calcio 1898, the unfortunate Davide Dello Spliff was rushed to hospital after being struck in the face by a horse's hoof. Although his condition is deemed stable, it seems the 29-year-old is currently in a coma. Further tests are being carried out to determine whether any neurological damage was occasioned.



Dello Spliff returns to the dugout for Ascoli's first home game in Serie B. Reuter's, 16/9/04.

Days only after being released from the Instituto Medicale delle Marche, rookie manager Dello Spliff will be present on the sidelines when Ascoli take on Vicenza at Cino e Lillo del Duca, on 18th September. Upon his return to the team, Dello Spliff was somewhat perplexed to find that whilst several influential players had been sold, loaned out or returned to their clubs (Brevi, Agomeri, Micillo, Franchini, Eliakwu), only one had been brought in; José, a left-winger who signed from Salamanca for a pittance.

"Obviously I'm a little concerned at the lack of depth in the squad, and by the fact that we are now only allowed to sign players who are out of contract" he declared on his first day back in the job. "Nonetheless, if we stay out of trouble until this winter's transfer window, I feel that we are more than capable of matching both the board and the fans' expectations." These expectations, it is believed, would be fulfilled if Ascoli were to finish in the top eight this season.



Serie B results (Ascoli, 11/9 to 23/10). www.calcio365.it, 25/10/04.


11/9/04: v. Triestina (a.) 1-0 (De Martis 50).

18/9/04: v. Vicenza (h.) 3-1 (Bucchi 6, 40; Colacone 12).

25/9/04: v. Treviso (a.) 2-1 (Bucchi 21, 67).

[Ascoli sign two players on free transfers: Muamer Vugdalic (SLO, 27 caps, 27 yrs old, SW/D C) and Lubomir Talda (SVK, 2 caps, 29 yrs old, AM LC)]

29/9/04: v. Catanzaro (h.) 2-0 (Colacone 1, Biso 9).

2/10/04: v. Salernitana (a.) 1-2 (Speranza 53).

16/10/04: v. Piacenza (h.) 5-0 (Bucchi pen 34, 36, 38, pen 90; Capparella 86).

20/10/04: v. Perugia (h.) 2-1 (Bucchi pen 15, Colacone 56).

23/10/04: v. Torino (a.) 0-2.

kOZAK

Game up again at 7.45pm for the clan without top 3 finishers at the FMO award :eek:

ericdjembadjemba

jus saw you post koz and took a look at the shortlists, yeah bucket on the worst managers list! lol unlucky mate

ericdjembadjemba

Hey. i come with bad news. really bad news. im quiting the clan. im really sorry bout this, but other commitments have had to take priority over world clan, my commitments would mean only being able to make one session, sunday. as you all can apreciate this isnt enough to do my clan place justice. so sorry to say but im leaving with immediate effect. just a few thank yous before i go.

Koz - Thanks mate for getting in touch with me way back and letting me in the clan, ill never tire of hearing those immortal kozak words....ffs 0-1 i will relagate for sure now!! you my friend are a true gr8 of FMO.

Rav - Havnt seen you much this season but you challeneged me all the way in cm 03 04. thank god i cut your brakes causing that crash or i may of never won the league with celtic

Bucket - Scottish Ledgend!!! you are a good un. a decent bloke, will win a game in fm one day

Mika - Except for you not being there sunday (damn the swedish internet) i loved your hosting mate. terana will ome good for you if you hold on to frick.

Dave - Easily the funniest posts ive ever read from you mate. your a funny funny man.

NiteEye - Silent in the mirc room, deadly in the game. thank god i hardly got to play you......nah you were rubbish!!! joking mate

Alexis - Got me on form with my win over you last week, shame im off now.

Pav - Never actually played you to my knowledge, always one of us not there, or seperated by leagues in the old game, but a nice bloke and a credit to the clan

Simon tro er um, ok i cant spell your silly surname - but i love ya never the less


And To The Newbies - nice playing with u, especially u marcello, your knowledge of serie b was invaluable in pre season.



ok im done. thanks for the fun, and maybe one day if i can kick the rest of my activities out i may beg koz for my place back, but certainly from now till august i really couldnt do a gr8 clan justice.


Have Fun, let koz win a league....please....let bucket win a game lol


Damo

kOZAK

Bad news Damo as you was a member that almost always played . But probably you are not the boss in house, but your girlfriend is :p.

You can always come back and I hope we can get some new reliables in soon, but that is pretty hard.

PS. Simon and NiteEye is one and the same person and you forgot Kuky. I will miss my points with relegation fighter Cesena against you champions team.

ericdjembadjemba

**** man how did i not get kuky, maybe i got confused with simon as kukys real name, lol. you too kuky your a good bloke and a great manager, and as for you koz! the girlfriend doesnt control my house lol! if i can shake of my commitments i will be back for sure.

thanks again guys

Catenaccio

Thanks for playing Damo, you were great fun Read the stories and join us in mirc if you get chance mate, im sure there will be much more 'ffs'...
Couldnt make todays session as i've had big computer problems since sunday night couldnt make sunday as went out to celebrate madrid-mallorca. i hope to get my computer running in time for thursdays session and also to salvage update i had on my hdd

Niteeye

*sniff sniff* buhuuuuu *sniff*
you are leaving me?
buhuuuu *sniff*

OMDave

Sorry to hear you're leaving the clan, Damo. Good luck with your real life, and thanks for what I think was a compliment :thup:

Pavle there's no session Thursday as it's been moved to Friday.

OMDave

Ascoli hang on despite string of injuries.

A bright enough start to the Serie B league campaign saw Ascoli climb to third spot in early November, after earning a draw away to Catania (0-0) and beating rivals Genoa (1-0) at Cino e Lillo del Duca. The enjoyment was somewhat marred by the horrific injury sustained by left winger José in training that week, one that will see him away from pitches for at least eight months. José had been Ascoli's best player, and added to Vugdalic's two-month absence, it seemed sure to cause a few selection headaches for Dello Spliff, forcing him to put untried (and untalented) youngsters from the under-18s onto the team sheet.

But despite the 3-0 beating Ascoli took at the hands of Albinoleffe, they bounced back well in their next game, brushing Vicenza aside 2-0 thanks to a brace by top scorer -and local hero- Christian Bucchi. November ended with another away defeat, this time to promotion contenders Modena.

December was by far the team's best month so far, and saw Ascoli confirm their presence amongst the top three in Serie B. A 3-1 home win against Arezzo was followed by a tense game at Ternana, Ascoli eventually sneaking a 1-0 win thanks to a goal by (who else...) Bucchi. Another away victory, this time against struggling Cesena (2-1), put them level with Catania at the top of the table. The following week Ascoli obtained four poits from two home fixtures, a draw with Empoli (1-1) and a win over Verona (3-1).

An excellent run of results in the lead-up to the winter break, during which Ascoli will hope to add some depth to the squad. Two signings are scheduled for 1st January already, both of them on free transfers: Reynir Leosson, an Icelandic central defender, and Lars Kristian Eriksen, a versatile Norwegian who can play in any of the wide positions.