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Trials and Tribulations of a Maidenhead United Manager.
Season 04/05
Finally, the challenge of a Lower league game was too much to resist, and I decided to start an Unemployed game in England, and take over the first Conference South/North job that becomes available.
After only 3 months into the season, the Maidenhead United job became available, and within days, Greg Simkins had been unveiled as the new manager of Maidenhead Town.
With a significant section of the season already elapsed-my chances of gaining promotion were very slim, and a mid table finish was very much on the cards.
The signing of loan players strengthened my cause, and I was able to finsh 13th in league, amassing 53 points-with an almighty 20 draws from 42 games!
Extra revenue from Cup games didn't pour into the club this season, with the club only being able to reach the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, and the 4th Round of the FA Trophy.
Admittedly, the transfer budget of 0k was not overly helpful, neither was the extremely small wage limit.
However, managing to save Maidenhead from relegation was the main aim of the season, and having successfully achieved that, i began to prepare for the next season.
01-07-2005, 12:35 AM
Trials and Tribulations of a Maidenhead United Manager. Post #2
Despite the non-existent transfer budget, extremely low wage budget and the prediction of a safe mid-table finish, I took Maidenhead into the 05/06 season full of optimism, due to the capture of a number of free transfers during the pre-season.
However, the reality of my team's ability hit me very quickly, and promotion soon became a pipe dream. In spite of a late run of good form, i missed out on the play offs, although, in retrospect-an 8th placed finish was very encouraging-especially considering the 18 wins.
Strengthening the strike force soon became a priority, as the 2nd best defence in the league was not enough to scure me a play off spot-due to the inability of my strikers to find the net on a regular basis.
A FA Trophy First Round exit did little to soften the blow of missing out on promotion-but a money-spinning third round FA Cup tie at Premiership Southampton was extremely beneficial to the club's bank balance-which i expected would increase my transfer budget for the following season.
Closing thoughts for the 05/06 season were positive, and i believed that by bringing in a few experienced football league players-i may well be able to bridge the quality chasm and gain promotion to the National Conference.
01-07-2005, 12:52 AM
Trials and Tribulations of a Maidenhead United Manager. Post #4
With an entirely new set of backroom staff, I began to believe that the key to long term success at Maidenhead. Finances were quite positive after last seasons cup run-but my transfer budget of 4k was a joke that I failed to see the funny side of. However, I now began to receive 15% of all player sales-as opposed to the 10% I had been receiving in previous seasons.
The happiness that followed as a result of this was only slightly dampened when I remembered that I had yet to sell a player for money-thus making this minor change very inconsequential.
The signing of 4 veteran league players was aided strongly by the increased wage budget. Among these players, 2 strikers joined on long term conracts-hopefully to propel Maidenhead Town to the heights of National Conference football.
The season started extremely promisingly-with an unbeaten run of 18 games taking Maidenhead to the top of the league. Not even the defeats in qualifying round 3 of the FA Cup and the First round of the FA Trophy were able to dampen my spirits, as I predicted a Title Winning Season. Just when it looked like I was all set to run away with the league, I lost my best player through injury, and following a few draws, I proceeded to lose my next 6 games. My first win in 9 was a great relief, but instead of helping me up the league, it merely sparked another collapse, with another winless stretch following.
The team regained their form towards the latter end of the season in great fashion-finishing the season in 2nd place, with 23 wins and 93 goals. The form of the team was evident in the Conference South playoffs-and I stormed to victory in the final, in order to set up a clash with Harrogate Town. The prize-a place in the National Conference.
Regardless of the score, I knew that I could consider this season a success, and when Maidenhead were able to comfortably see off Harrogate-I felt that the God's were smiling down upon me.
With exception to the sudden, unexplained loss of form, this season has definitely been a good one for me-with promotion to the Conference being the ultimate reward. However, i knew that the standard of the National Conference was a step higher than what I was used to, and decided to scout the market for a number of free transfers who would help me survive in the higher league. The increased revenue from the conference would hopefully help me gain larger transfer and wage budget's-which I hoped would allow me to attract players of a higher calibre to the Maidenhead Town cause.
01-07-2005, 01:21 AM
Trials and Tribulations of a Maidenhead United Manager. Post #6
The next season was the most surprising season yet for me. Although i began the season by signing a small number of decent quality players(with a transfer budget of 50k), in addition to four good young premiership long term loaness, i never expected this season to be so fruitful.
By the new year, Maidenhead were comfortably perched atop of the conference, having lost only once-in addition to having reached the 3rd round of the FA Cup. But in true Maidenhead fashion, the good form couldn't continue, and another loss of form soon followed.
A fall from grace was imminent, and Maidenhead moved out of the automatic promotion places, lost in the FA cup and were sitting 4th in the league. Fortunately, a large gap had developed between the top 4 and the rest of the league, meaning that my indifferent form was not too fatal, and I managed to scrape fourth place in the league-putting me in the play offs. By this time, I thought I had won my first trophy, only to be denied by losing in the FA Trophy Final.
The indifferent form was apparent in the play-offs, with hopes of successive promotions dashed. However, finishing 4th in my first season in the conference inspires me greatly-even though it was only due to the loan signings! With finances still comparatively low, I believe that a realistic target for next year is to try and make the play offs again.
01-09-2005, 02:30 PM
Trials and Tribulations of a Maidenhead United Manager. Post #10
Trials and Tribulations of a Maidenhead United Manager. 
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