14/15 Conf. Nat.
Media, 24th; Board & Fans, struggle bravely; Title odds, 40-1.
Well I'm stunned! :eek:
The club goes professional, allows scouting within UK & Ireland and I get £5k/wk extra for wages (which just about keeps me level). I sell our best player to Lge. 1 Oldham for £65k & bring in 3 free prospects (2 in the vacated position as otherwise I'm relying on a 35yr old who spent last season in the reserves). With no other changes we go off on a 10 match unbeaten run which surprises the life out of me. Form holds thereafter, if not so spectacularly, & we're consistently top through 1st half of season. Has to be said that the stronger teams seem to be handing it to us, particularly when playing against us. Defence in particular is fantastic but nobody seems to offer them much threat. We hold on to top spot (but only just) until, with 7 to play, we come up against Rushden who have stormed up the table in the 2nd half of the season & now lie in a close 2nd. A close fought match sees us lose 3-2 and slip to 3rd.
At this point I realise that I've forgotten to renew my staff's contracts as Oldham steal my Nationally rated assman (probably on advice from the AML I sold them at the start -
Traitor!!
) for a paltry £1k. I immediately promote my Nationally rated coach to assman and renew all contracts. I now know the secret of my success - all my staff came in as unemployed & obscure in the 1st couple of seasons, now have reputations between Regional & National; whereas my reputation remains resolutely Local.
So, it's between Rushden, Woking & Fisher and we all have a tough run-in. We stay 3rd but in touch until penultimate game against 2nd place Woking, against whom we grind out a good draw; and it's
as you were with one to play. Rushden play already relegated underachievers Peterborough, Woking have the toughest game against Barnet & we play lower mid-table Carshalton: I watch the game via the live league table & latest scores screen. Peterboro' finally play up to expectations and go 2-1 up; Rushden pull level but early in the 2nd half they concede a 3rd & never recover. Woking go one up early & head the table but Barnet equalise in the 65th minute & Rushden are back on top. We huff and puff to no effect, never looking like either conceding or hitting the target, until the 70th minute when my McAMR (captain & most appearances for club) scores from a narrow angle from an indirect free-kick & we're top. And that's how it finishes \0/. We are on equal points with 2nd & 3rd places; +2 goal difference over Rushden and +15 over Woking. What a finish :phew!! As we hit the last few matches I was pretty much resigned to losing in the play-offs and I assume we would have done as neither of the others got past the semis, not surprising as in 4th & 5th spots were Barnet & Lincoln, the latter gaining promotion.
P46 W21 D18 L7 F57 Ag26 GD+31 Pts.81
Cups: sucked
Players In 3 (£0k), Out 4(£65k)
Top Scorer: Left-footed FC 14
Top rated: Same CB 7.27
Ave Att: 2338
End of season finances: -£305k (
not requiring cash injections
)
I tell the media that this squad are good enough for Lge 2 and send my scouts off in search of replacements.
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