BarryLFC

Author's Note: since this portion of the challenge demands only that Clogh captures an FA Cup, it is on that particular competition that I shall focus, with league updates forming only a supporting role.

BarryLFC

fs, what a shyte page topper! I've not even spelled Clough properly

BarryLFC

QPR v Brighton, FA Cup Round 3, 5/01/08

The waiting was over. After six long months the FA Cup was back and Clough was ready. Or almost ready, if it weren't for his only passable goalie being injured and his top scorer demanding a transfer. Still, the team were a solid ninth in the Championship with an 11-2-13 record. Still, eleven intrepid players stepped forth as the Cup returned:

Ben Roberts started in goals due to the injury to Andrea Guatelli, one of the biggest successes so far this season. Two league games were not great preparation, but needs must.

Martyn Corrigan was the right back of choice. Now aged 30 he'd never really hit the heights he's promised as a youth, but he was a Brighton stalwart and determined as any.

Gregor Robertson made the left back role his own the first time Daniel Harding got hurt. Harding is again unavailable, but wouldn't have played in any case.

Gonzalo RodrÃ*guez and Danny Cullip have been outstanding in defence so far this year for Brian and would take great pride in a clean sheet on this occasion.

Ivar Ingimarsson and Talal El Karkouri have eight goals between them from defensive midfield positions and are key men in the interchange between defence and attack.

Darel Russell has been nothing short of sensational all year and will not think twice before tearing QPR to shreds, given half a chance.

Kevin Byers has been dependable in an attacking midfield role since his £20,000 move from Hartlepool and looks to add to his four goals from thirteen games today.

Dean Whitehead starts in an unfamiliar attacking midfield role with other options, such as five-goal Simon Lappin, not in the best of form. Whitehead arrived late in an £80,000 move from Sunderland and has worked hard for the team.

Quincy Owusu Abeyie has nine goals on the season, but is coming out of contract and wants away. Rumour has Coventry set to swoop and a 75% off £1m deal may be the best Brighton can hope for.

Stephen Heath a striker on loan from Chelsea, Bobby Wood who doesn't really exist, James Biggins a defender on loan from Southampton, Leon Knight, who has jsut extended his contract and the aforementioned Simon Lappin completed the matchday squad, which was deprived by injury only of Guatelli and Harding, with no suspensions.

The stage was set, the hour had come. Brighton marched out to boos and jeers, but this was the FA Cup and anything could happen...

BarryLFC

It was the home side who got out of the gates quickest and Malcolm Christie looked dangerous in the opening exchanges, but no real clear-cut chances emerged and Brighton looked to have ridden out the early storm. Indeed the visitors, urged on by their elderly manager, went close themselves from a corner, but a goalless first half was not unsatisfactory.

For the heavily favoured hosts this was not the scenario they'd envisioned just three weeks after a comfortable 1-1 draw at Brighton. Haydn Zaccaria, much hyped, was playing like a diddy and Ben Roberts didn't seem to be the stiff that they had been led to believe he was.

Ivar Inginmarsson was denied a clean run at goal by virtue of having no discernible pace whatsoever, but on the hour was finally put in with a perfectly weighted pass. He fired straight at the keeper though and the chance was gone. Moments later the first Brighton substitution, two minutes after a frontline shift saw Murphy and Surman replace Christie and Zaccaria for Rangers, introduced Simon Lappin, the Whitehead experiment having failed.

Marc Bircham from 20 yards and a Surman freekick troubled Roberts, but with twenty minutes to play a strong move down the Brighton left saw Lappin square to Abeyie eight yards out and the Dutchman needed no second invitation to slot home the opener.

Wit the Brighton defence looking inpenetrable the home side were running out of ideas. That was until momentum shifted with an injury to Ingimarsson five minutes from time. Byers slotted into midfield with Knight asked to fill his previous slot. It was not ideal, but a killer 90th minute counter attack sealed the tie. Abeyie moved down the right before passing inside to Byers. The Scot took his time and fed the substitute Lappin who calmly passed the ball across Chris Day and into the net.

Moments, which seemed like hours, later the referee brought an end to the contest and Albion had done it. Danny Cullip took the sponsors' champagne, but it had been a true team effort. Clough almost smiled, but then he remembered the exquisite skill involved in the second goal and fined the whole team a week's wages.

BarryLFC

Liverpool v Brighton, FA Cup Round 4, 19/01/08

With El Karkouri potentially blotting his copybook irredeemibly by jetting off on international duty and Ivar Ingimarsson injured it fell to the unheralded duo of Brian Gilmour and Dean Whitehead to hold the team together at New Anfield as Liverpool played host in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. On the plus side the goalkeeper was back, and had played and kept a clean sheet in the one league game since QPR were dismissed, a 1-0 home win over Cardiff, Zalayeta and all. The eleven men who kitted up for action at Liverpool were:


Andrea Guatelli, who has played out of his skin most of the year.

Martyn Corrigan, Gregor Robertson, Gonzalo RodrÃ*guez and Danny Cullip remain our first choice back four.

Dean Whitehead and Brian Gilmour have a lot riding on them. Both have performed utility roles this season and both must be at their best if Clough's side are to avoid humiliation on national TV.

Darel Russell plays despite being in negotiations for a move to Fulham.

Kevin Byers and Simon Lappin resume their partnership behind

Quincy Owusu Abeyie who has eleven goals and a fat new contract to boot.

Stephen Heath, Ben Roberts, James Biggins, Leon Knight and new signing, Jack Watkins, a striker, made up the bench.

The stage was set, the hour had come. Brighton marched out to boos and jeers, but this was the FA Cup and anything could happen...

shannon2007

Yeah anything could happen. But it wont :p

BarryLFC

A fourth minute Kim Källström goal looked to have ended the game, but Quincy Owusu Abeyie made certain by getting himself sent off after only ten minutes of play. Jack Watkins replaced Lappin, but Diomansy Kamara's goal was followed by a Dimitar Berbatov strike and Brighton's brave, some would say heroic, cup run was at an end.

Three down at the interval, it was hardly worth Brighton showing up for the second period. So they didn't really. RodrÃ*guez still managed to pick up a second yellow and be dismissed, Biggins and Knight came on to play wherever they wanted really. It was an embarrassment, and Clough had a murderous look in his eyes when Don Ouwens made it 4-0 with fifteen minutes to go.

Fortunately Liverpool weren't really trying any more, in fact they probably hadn't been for some time, so the game petered out to a 4-0 mauling. This was going to take some time to live down and the only hope amongst the Brighton fans was that the slide wouldn't turn their successful league season into a relegation battle.

BarryLFC

Defeat was not in Brian's plan. He contemplated suicide, then realised it was the PLAYERS' FAULT!

Some corrective instruction was put in place and next year the LOSERS would not be back. Nor would they be able to walk.

BarryLFC

Everton v Brighton, FA Cup Round 3, 03/01/09

Yet again Clough and his side watched in dismay as the gormless fools drawing the balls for the Third Round of the FA Cup handed Brighton a lengthy road trip to negotiate. Everton lay in wait and with top scorer Leon Knight released by mutual consent over a disciplinary matter the day before (the board were not best pleased at writing off a £3,000,000 asset) the team was verging on disarray.

Players new this year, following an acceptable 17th place finish last time, included the injured Souleymane Camara, Francesco Coco, Gianfranco Labarthe Tome and Ian Westlake. Darel Russell was in the doghouse and Gonzalo RodrÃ*guez out of form. Darren Huckerby was a healthy scratch. That left:

Arni Gautur Arason in goals. The sale of Guatelli to Swindon, without Clough's consent, outraged the manager, but the Icelander is a solid citizen.

Talal El Karkouri was pressed into action as an emergency right back after an injury to Martyn Corrigan.

Quinton Fortune was in at left back after Burnley made offers that couldn't be refused for Gregor Robertson and Ivan Ingimarsson totalling almost £300,000.

Andy Webster and Zatyiah Knight have ousted Cullip and RodrÃ*guez from the team for the time being and start in the heart of defence.

Christian Karembeu at 38 and Nicky Butt were marquee signings and will be expected to hold the midfield together whilst

Nigel Reo-Coker fills the void left by Russell's malcontent.

Kevin Byers remains in situe with

Marco Ferreira playing out his days alongside in support of

Facio Malerba who signed from Juventus, and who's wages are mostly paid out of the bonanza received from Liverpool for Abeyie.

Michael Ricketts, the veteran keeper Ben Roberts, Thordur Gudjonsson, Danny Cullip and former Manchester United prodigy Dong Fangzhuo rounded out a dramatically altered squad.

The stage was set, the hour had come. Brighton marched out to boos and jeers, but this was the FA Cup and anything could happen...[/QUOTE]

BarryLFC

A tense opening was encouraging for Clough insofar as none of his players were sent off. Everton featured the likes of Shaun Wright-Phillips and James McFadden but at half time made their second and third substitutions as manager David Platt looked to find a way past Clough's plucky underdogs, sitting just 17th in the Championship, far worse than at the same stage a year ago.

For all that it was scoreless, Everton were clearly the stronger side and time after time Arason was called into action, admittedly primarily to wave as another shot sailed wide, but just before the hour the inevitable happened as a loose ball in the six yard box was prodded home by Wright-Phillips.

With ten minutes remaining however it was still just that single strike seperating the sides and Clough sensed an opportunity was presenting itself. Not that it materialsied on the pitch though as Everton took a stranglehold of possession, ran out the clock and advanced to the next round. Brighton were out once again.