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It's Just a Coincidence (The Brian Clough Challenge)
Well, the bags are packed, the passport’s been checked and the paperwork’s been completed. In less than 24 hours, I’ll be in England; Hartlepool to be exact.
It’s funny – most of my close friends were a little surprised to hear I was going to work in a town that they’ve never even heard of. They went on the Internet, checked out stuff about the town, then came back and still couldn’t comprehend why on earth I’d want to work there. Still, they understood that it was a dream job opportunity – managing a soccer (henceforth to be known as football to not confuse anyone reading this account, although I’d think people would be smart enough to know the difference aside from a few Americans) team. Considering how many of them act as armchair coaches and general managers for the Montreal Canadiens or Toronto Maple Leafs, you can imagine how jealous they were about my opportunity.
Even though it’s in Hartlepool.
It’s funny though; a few of my friends who know a lot about the sport kept telling me, “Oh, so you’re going to be the next Brian Clough, right?” I knew that Clough was a hell of a manager in his day, but I certainly didn’t think I’d be capable of measuring up to the man during my career. Hell, it’s only just starting anyways. But they brought up the fact that he was once in charge at Hartlepool, and that’s where he started to work his way up the managerial ladder. I merely laughed it off and said that it was just a coincidence that I had been chosen to start my career the same way he started his – nothing more than that.
...Of course, the fact remained that despite my ambitions of earning a living as a football manager, I was still going to Hartlepool. Like it or not.
01-04-2005, 06:16 AM
It's Just a Coincidence (The Brian Clough Challenge) Post #2
Of course, this is the first FMS Challenge for 2005, and it’s a worthy winner. I didn’t vote for it, but it’s still good and at least I’m going to give it a go and see how long it takes before both my stories get sidetracked by school.
FM 2005, Large DB, all English leagues active. Nothing more needed.
01-04-2005, 01:34 PM
It's Just a Coincidence (The Brian Clough Challenge) Post #3
When a football fan is asked about Hartlepool United, the term “mediocre” will usually spring to mind. Throughout their long history, the club simply hasn’t done too much of note; bear in mind that the team was officially founded in 1908 and you’ll have an idea how painful it must be to call oneself a fan of the club.
You’d have to go to 1955 to see Hartlepool’s first brush with success, as they managed to make it to the FA Cup 4th Round, knocking off Chesterfield, Aldershot and Darlington along the way before losing to Nottingham Forest. They finally were promoted from the old Fourth Division after their 67/68 campaign, but their stay in the Third Division would only last one season.
Then for a long time nothing happened. Poor league performances, early cup exits, the usual.
Finally, in 1991 they went back up to the old Third Division, and actually stayed there for a couple of seasons before going back down. The names of the main English divisions changed at this time, meaning that Hartlepool were now in the new Third Division, although that didn’t matter; the team still stunk up the place for the next five seasons. The best they’d finish during this time was 17th, which tells you that they were extremely lucky to stay in the league system.
The team would eventually gel together; of course, when you’ve been in the league for 90 years, that has to happen at some point. They finished in 7th during the 99/00 campaign, but lost in the playoffs. The following year, they were 4th but suffered another playoff loss. They completed the trifecta the following season – three straight appearances in the playoffs, three straight losses.
Obviously some high-ranking official in the team figured out that Hartlepool United was destined for failure if they finished anywhere between 4th and 7th, so the obvious solution was to earn outright promotion – which they did in the 02/03 season, finishing 2nd and finally heading to the Second Division.
Surprisingly, the team had an excellent run during last season’s campaign. They managed some success for once in the FA Cup; of course, they played non-league sides Whitby Town and Burton Albion, so it wasn’t surprising that they made it to the Third Round. Sunderland would be their opponents, and despite a brave performance, a 1-0 defeat would be the result on this day. Hartlepool focused on the league after that, and some good performances allowed them to finish 6th in their first season up; of course, that meant the playoffs, and the team sucks in playoffs so it was no surprise that they’d stay put.
Hartlepool United now reside in League One, which means that they’ve gone from the Fourth Division to League One in a 10-year span with only one promotion. You figure that one out.
01-08-2005, 06:18 AM
It's Just a Coincidence (The Brian Clough Challenge) Post #5
My task is simple; to finally get Hartlepool United to the second level of English football, now known as the Championship. *sighs* Doing so would be a monumental feat, given that the team’s never really enjoyed that kind of success before. Of course, that won’t be easy. Although I have some funds to spend (£17,000 to be precise), Hartlepool United is, in essence, bankrupt. Oh, the team’s not in debt or anything, but the bank is rather insistent that a £3,000,000 debt be repaid by September of 2006, at the tune of £90,000 a month. That’s not going to make the job any easier.
On the flip side, the squad itself is pretty good by League One standards; both the board and the fans would like the team to put in a respectable performance on the field, and that shouldn’t be too much of a problem. It will likely take some work to earn promotion during my first season in charge, but we shouldn’t be in for a long struggle either. Besides, the team’s used to mediocrity so odds are the fans wouldn’t be disappointed with a mid-table finish. If nothing else, my goal is to make a good first impression and to hopefully strengthen the squad in preparation for a serious challenge, either this season or next.
Penpix of the first-team squad:
Goalkeepers
Jim Provett (ENG, 21): He’s young but looks to have a bright future ahead of him. A Hartlepool boy since his debut, he could become a cornerstone in the team’s drive for success. Dimitrios Konstantopoulos (GRE, 25): The backup to Provett. He joined Hartlepool last year and hasn’t had much of a chance to shine, but he’s capable of filling in if Provett goes down to injury.
Defenders
Jack Ross (SCO, 28): One of four Scots on the team, Ross has just joined from Clyde, where he’s spent the last 5 seasons. He can cover either the left or right flank and looks to be in tremendous physical shape. Michael Barron (ENG, 29): A long-time member of the squad, Barron isn’t as good as Ross and could lose out on a spot if Ross ends up getting slotted in the right flank. He’s a hard worker, but he’ll have to prove that he deserves £1,100 a week. Hugh Robertson (SCO, 2 U21 caps, 29): OK, so his international career didn’t pan out, but Robertson is a fine player despite his nationality. Not only is he a solid defender, but he also seems to have a knack at set pieces as well. Michael Nelson (ENG, 21): A youngster who came from Bury last season, Nelson still has some way to go before he can achieve his true potential, but he’ll definitely see his share of first team action; that is, after he recovers from his groin injury. He’s out until the end of September at least. Chris Westwood (ENG, 27): He’s been at Hartlepool for a while, but Westwood seems to be getting on in years; indeed, his best football may be behind him. He’s still a good backup and I feel he’ll have his chance to shine. If nothing else, he came to the first training session in tip-top shape. John Brackstone (ENG, 19): Not a bad player considering his age. Brackstone still needs to develop as a player, but he wouldn’t be a liability to toss out there in a pinch. He’ll see some playing time throughout the year. Andy Jordan (SCO, 3 U21 caps, 24): I’m shocked that we have three decent Scots in the lineup. Jordan’s the worst of the three so far, granted, but he’s played for the Scottish U21 squad and seemed to get along well with the lads in the locker room. If he can put together some strong showings and impress me, he may well be rewarded.
Midfielders
Richie Humphreys (ENG, 3 U21 caps, 26): After failing to impress at Cambridge, Humphreys came to Hartlepool and has come into his own as a player. He makes a whopping £1,500 a week, but if he builds on his form last season he could be a powerful asset for us – as well as a potential transfer target. Mark Tinkler (ENG, 29): It’s pretty sad when you’re 29 and considered “old” on the team. Tinkler is certainly a capable midfielder, and has played well for the team ever since he was signed on a free transfer after leaving Southend United. He’ll certainly add sorely-needed experience to the squad. Darrell Clarke (ENG, 26): Signed on a free transfer a few years ago from Mansfield Town, Clarke prides himself on his rigorous pre-season training regiment; however, he’ll need to produce the goods on the pitch if he wants a spot on the squad. Gavin Strachan (SCO, 8 U21 caps, 25): Another pickup from Southend, Strachan never could live up to his potential as part of the Scottish U21’s; regardless, he’s an extremely intelligent player and should figure into my plans provided he stays healthy. Antony Sweeney (ENG, 20): He’s young, granted, but the coaches say that he exhibits a great deal of potential; he won’t see too much action at first but if he works hard, he could figure into the first team by the end of the season. Matty Robson (ENG, 19): One of those players who’s “nearly there” in every aspect of his play but hasn’t quite perfected his skill yet. Robson will likely bounce between the first team and the reserves, but he’s a prime prospect.
Forwards
Adam Boyd (ENG, 22): After a successful loan stint at Boston United last year, it seems that Boyd is ready to be an important part of the campaign this year. If we can hold on to him, he could put a lot of goals in for us throughout the next 10 months. Eifion Williams (WAL, 2 U21 caps, 28): He’s known as a lethal finisher, but Williams doesn’t seem to have the same qualities that Boyd does; an important player, definitely, but he’ll need to improve on last season’s 13 goal showing. Joel Porter (AUS, 4 caps/5 goals, 25): Roughly equal in skill to Williams, Porter brings with him some international experience, having appeared for Australia a few times. Hopefully, that experience translates into a breakout season for him. Jack Wilkinson (ENG, 18): Opinions on young Jack vary; some in the squad think that he could become great, others think that he’ll be nothing more than a League Two or Conference player. I’ll give him a chance, but if he fails to impress he may be on his way out.
As for the reserves and U18 squads... some players were listed, others will get to stay on so I can see what they’re made of. There’s a few good youngsters in the bunch, but I don’t know if anyone will be able to crack the starting 11 for the start of the season.
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Loa | David Foley | S C | ENG | 17 | £14K | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Loa | Steven Istead | AM R | ENG | 18 | £14K | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|| Lmp | Graham Low | D C | ENG | 17 | £3K | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|| Lmp | James Winter | GK | ENG | 18 | £3K | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|| Lmp | Neil Wilkinson | D C | ENG | 18 | £3K | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|| Lst | Karl Richards | AM L | ENG | 18 | £3K | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|| Lst | Daniel Fox | M C | ENG | 18 | £3K | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|| Loa | Darren Craddock | D RC | ENG | 19 | £3K | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|| Lst | Andrew Appleby | S C | ENG | 18 | £3K | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------||--------------------------------------------------------------------------|| Lmp | Stephen Turnbull | M C | ENG | 17 | £3K | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------|| Lmp | Philip Turnbull | M C | ENG | 17 | £3K | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------|| Lmp | Neil Muckles | D R | ENG | 17 | £3K | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------|| Lmp | Michael Maidens | AM/F C | ENG | 17 | £3K | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre>
01-08-2005, 06:20 AM
It's Just a Coincidence (The Brian Clough Challenge) Post #6
Oh, you want to know about how the preseason went... well... it was crap, to be perfectly honest. The players seemed to take a while to get used to my system, and as a result the performances on the pitch suffered. A loss to Gloucester City was a terrible way to start, and it all went downhill from there. Two blowouts, one to lowly Exeter City, had the fans a bit steamed as to how the team would do during the season – of course, I handled the early criticism well and said that I won’t forgive the players if they turn in performances like these starting in August.
Of course, after I said that Derby County throttled us in our last warm-up, 4-1.
Absolutely nothing happened on the transfer market, although I did try to get Ryan Garry and John Spicer (both from Arsenal) on loan. Didn’t work out.
July 14: Gloucester City 2–0 Hartlepool United July 17: Southport 1–1 Hartlepool United (Porter) July 21: Hartlepool United 0–2 Stoke City July 24: Exeter City 4–1 Hartlepool United (Strachan) July 27: Hartlepool United 0–2 Millwall August 3: Hartlepool United 1–4 Derby County (Boyd)
01-08-2005, 06:53 AM
It's Just a Coincidence (The Brian Clough Challenge) Post #7
The League Cup draw took place on the eve of our first league match, and we found out that Burnley would be our opponents at home. Not an ideal draw, but it could have been a lot worse.
The season started off innocently enough with a fine performance at home against Bradford City, easily breezing past the troubled team 2-0. A harsh loss to Tranmere Rovers followed in midweek, Provett looking very shaky in net during the contest. We then proceeded to throw away a decision against Huddersfield Town, giving up a late goal to Pawel Abbott to only earn a point. Things seemed to look up when Blackpool visited Victoria Road, but a late penalty by Leam Richardson spoiled our prospects of a point.
Following that was our League Cup tie against Burnley, which didn’t go according to plan. Of course, given that we were Hartlepool United, cup success is a bit of a foreign term for us. We were down 1-0 at the break and could never really get going, crashing to a heavy 3-0 defeat. A boring nil-nil result at Swindon Town followed, before we managed to add a bit of shine to a lackluster first month by edging past Colchester United at the death. Although we finished the month in 11th place, that’s still only 3 points off the drop zone; of course, the season’s just begun.
Transfers that took place at the end of the month:
In: Daniel Westenhöfer (Lauda, £0), Owen Morrison (Stockport County, loan) Out: Daniel Fox (Hednesford Town, £2,000)
Morrison gives us cover on both flanks in midfield, which we desperately need with our injury situation and squad makeup. He’s Northern Irish and was capped 7 times for the U21’s – he’s now 22. In Westenhöfer, we get a young 20 year old German player who can defend on both flanks and has potential; he’s signed until 2008.
Jim Provett was surprisingly called up to the England U21 squad at the end of the month to play (well, I have a feeling he’s the third keeper, but still) Austria and Poland.
August 7: Hartlepool United 2–0 Bradford City (Williams, Boyd) August 10: Tranmere Rovers 2–0 Hartlepool United August 14: Huddersfield Town 2–2 Hartlepool United (Tinkler, Williams) August 21: Hartlepool United 1–2 Blackpool (Williams) August 25: Hartlepool United 0–3 Burnley (League Cup First Round) August 28: Swindon Town 0–0 Hartlepool United August 30: Hartlepool United 1–0 Colchester United (Clarke)
September didn’t look like it would be kind to us early, as despite a dominating performance by the side, Barnsley ran out of Victoria Park 1-0 winners. A draw against Oldham Athletic followed, as we once again threw away what should have been a guaranteed win. Things looked up near the end of the month however. We first managed to sneak past Torquay United in front of a large home crowd, then came from behind for the first time this season to humble Wim... er… Milton Keynes Dons by a rather flattering 3-1 scoreline. That allows us to finish the month just one point shy of the playoffs, which is more of a curse than a blessing.
I’m the type of manager who puts a lot of stock into cup competitions, so a full-strength team traveled to face a strong Barnsley team in the First Round of the LDV Vans Trophy; the North section, of course. The score was 1-1 early and stayed that way until extra time, where despite our best efforts, we fell to a 119th minute goal; we also lost Williams with an ankle injury for a month, which is a shame as he’s been one of our most consistent performers up to this point. If nothing else, at least we won’t have fixture congestion barring a FA Cup run.
September 4: Hartlepool United 0–1 Barnsley September 11: Oldham Athletic 2–2 Hartlepool United (Westwood, Williams) September 18: Hartlepool United 1–0 Torquay United (Boyd) September 25: Milton Keynes Dons 1–3 Hartlepool United (Clarke, Boyd 2) September 28: Barnsley 2–1 Hartlepool United (Tinkler) (LDV Vans Trophy First Round)
High-flying Hull City were our first opponents of the month, and for a long time it looked like we were heading to certain defeat until Strachan converted a... shall we say, slightly dubious penalty decision to snatch a point away. Despite missing another penalty in the following match, we still captured victory at Luton Town, although the draw would have been fair for both teams. An ill-tempered match at home to Chesterfield followed, and despite Robertson being sent off we cruised to a 2-0 win; of course, it helped that the sending off came late in the match, while Chesterfield played most of it with 10 men. Our good run of form had to come to an end, but I certainly didn’t expect Brentford to get 5 goals past us; Boyd had mouthed off to the ref to get ejected, but that didn’t justify such a thumping. The following trip to Peterborough was strange, as we stormed to a 3-1 lead through Porter’s hat trick, only to see him go down to injury not long after completing it; luckily, he was fine and we held on for the 3 points. Finally, the month ended with us going down to defeat at Victoria Park to Port Vale, thanks to a late penalty decision that didn’t go our way. What goes around, it seems, comes around.
We made a few signings following the Port Vale match:
In: Manuel Nischi (free transfer), Bruno (free transfer)
Nischi is a young 21 year old Italian keeper that looks like a third-stringer I can at least put my faith in. Bruno, 20 years of age, is an Andorran midfielder who, unlike most Andorran players, actually looks like he has some skill. Hopefully he can earn some experience playing for the national team.
October 2: Hartlepool United 1–1 Hull City (Strachan pen) October 8: Luton Town 0–1 Hartlepool United (Porter) October 16: Hartlepool United 2–0 Chesterfield (Porter, Morrison) October 19: Brentford 5–0 Hartlepool United October 23: Peterborough United 2–3 Hartlepool United (Porter 3) October 30: Hartlepool United 0–1 Port Vale
(Well, at least I can say the finances aren't that deep into the red at this point.)
November 2004
The month began with good news and bad news; Porter would be going to play for Australia against Guam and Austria in a pair of friendlies later in the month, while we drew Torquay away in the FA Cup First Round. Before that, we had to host Doncaster Rovers, which turned out to lead to a rather embarrassing defeat; no shots on target for us equaled a 2-0 defeat. Then it was time for the big match, and we fell behind early in the second half before Morrison converted a timely penalty. Sadly, we couldn’t hold on for the coveted replay and now only have the league to play for. We scurried off from there to play Sheffield Wednesday and won a spectacular match 6-3... That is, if yellow cards counted as goals. The real score was 5-1 for Wednesday as our confidence was at an all-time low. We finished the month hosting Bournemouth, and the less said about that game, the better. The fact that 3 players earned suspensions due to yellow cards says a lot about our discipline as of late. All in all, a disastrous month that really put a dent in our promotion hopes.
November 6: Hartlepool United 0–2 Doncaster Rovers November 13: Torquay United 2–1 Hartlepool United (Morrison pen) (FA Cup First Round) November 20: Sheffield Wednesday 5–1 Hartlepool United (Collins o/g) November 27: Hartlepool United 0–3 AFC Bournemouth
It's Just a Coincidence (The Brian Clough Challenge) 
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