If At Firs You Don't Succeed ...

Mister Flea · 10-15-2004, 02:13 PM

Good job so far. Good luck from now on! :thup:

Bryce Barnes · 10-18-2004, 08:58 AM

Season 07/08

A season of utter frustration. So near but so far.

Beaten Challenge Cup Finalists. Beaten League Cup Finalists. Beaten FA Cup Finalists. Now see if you can guess where we placed in the league?

Runner-up for the second season in a row. This time by just 3 points. Don't think I've ever had a season like it. So good, but not quite good enough on all fronts.

Maybe I should have taken the offer of the Aberdeen or Hearts jobs? At least I'd be in the SPL now.

Ah well. A close season in which to consider rebuilding as many of the squad want away, or are getting old. I'll give it one more season at getting up. After that, i'm not sure I have the heart for it.

mkus · 10-18-2004, 10:23 AM

Jesus, you're no Dario Gradi/Guy Roux.

Stick at it. (Mind you FM2005 will be very nearly out by the time you come to the end of the season).

Bryce Barnes · 10-18-2004, 11:15 AM

I'll stick it out. I wrote the update whilst still in the foul mood caused by finishing second again. I think it's worse being close and failing than it is when you're just crap all season. Surviving a relegation battle feels great in comparison just just missing a promotion.

That's just human nature I guess.

The game will end when FM 2005 comes out I imagine. Can't wait to tackle the Conference N/S.

Bryce Barnes · 10-23-2004, 09:36 AM

Season 08/09

Oh dear. This is the season the wheels came off that SPL bound train. Playing the second stringers in the cups backfired, with us losing in the early rounds of all 3. (Worst result being a 4-0 battering by Gretna!)

But the league season was utterly lamentable. Having brought in a half dozen more experienced ex SPL players, I was hopeful that this time we would win the division.

Wrong! We lost 5 of the first 6, and just never got going. The board only ever expected us to fight bravely against relegaion, so my actual job was never threatened, and the fans still love me. Even so, i personally was very dissapointed to finish a measly 6th. By Christmas our form had picked up sufficiently to stave off any real relegation concerns, but we were never in the title race at all.

The rotation of my usually solid tactics just didn't work this season. Maybe I need a different style of play to progress the club. we shall see. Another rebuilding summer awaits.

mkus · 10-25-2004, 10:10 AM

I'd be wary about a massive rebuilding. I often find that bringing in loads of new players plays havoc with results at first. You said yourself that you lost 5 of the first 6. If your form in the second half of the season was decent I'd be tempted to do minor tinkering only. [/boderline tipping]

bigpants · 10-25-2004, 10:42 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mkus:
I'd be wary about a massive rebuilding. I often find that bringing in loads of new players plays havoc with results at first. You said yourself that you lost 5 of the first 6. If your form in the second half of the season was decent I'd be tempted to do minor tinkering only. [/boderline tipping] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'd have to agree, everytime I make massive changes all my players turn in to moaning gits, everyone gets the hump and results go down the pan.

Then again evenif I don't make massive changes the same thing happens

Bryce Barnes · 10-31-2004, 01:50 PM

Season 09/10

At last! At last! East Stirling are finally SPL bound. I decided to not repeat the mistakes of the previous season, and changed as few of the playing staff as possible. I lost 2 to retirement, but replaced them with younger versions, both of whom ended the season in the Scottish u-21 squad.

We won the division by a clear 10 points, as well as making the semi-finals of both major cups before falling to the 2 old firm giants. The kids and reserves lost in the second round of the challenge cup though.

The fans think I'm the new messiah, and the board are delighted. Now my only worry is the financing of the stadium expansion that is promised. It might weigh me down somewhat. I also suspect that most of the squad will want a rise on their average wages of £70 pw.

Surviving next season in the SPL is the sole goal in my mind.