I've just joined the wonderful world of LLM. I have played mostly with LL teams but (please don't slaughter me) it was with teams like Rushden and Diamonds.
I thought I might try a new challenge and joined part timers Gravesend & Northfleet. The play just down the road so, what the heck.
Small stadium, modest finance (100K in the bank) and surprisingly good facilities this looked to be a good challenge.
At first look the squad was O.K. Mostly dead wood but unfortunatly quite small. Those not playing for the firsts would play for the reserves, subs and all.
I'll refer to players through squad numbers. Most of the midfield were dead wood with one good ML (23) and a couple of semi-decent DMC's. My AM/F R (22) was the only playable one so into the team he went.
I managed to pick up two free transfers. A DC (5) who is getting on a bit and a MC (20) who is 33. He doesn't play much. Good stats but very slow and keeps getting caught on the ball.
DC (5) is solid as a rock but can get caught out by pace but he has formed a nice backbone with the other first choice CB (4).
So, off to the first friendly and I'm not looking forward to it. We go the short trip through the Dartford tunnel to play Dagenham and Redbridge, by all accounts a very good Confrence side with some decent players. The friendly finishes 1 - 1 and I go away with a bit of a smile.
For some reason we toddle off up the A1, all the way up the A1 and pay a quick three match visit to Scotland, starting in Stirling where we lose 3 - 1 after taking the lead. I didn't expect the game to be a huge draw for the crowds but it was played in front of (wait for it).........seven (yes seven) people. Is this some kind of record for a first team match, even if it is a friendly?
The second game wasn't much better and we lost 2 - 0 to Elgin City, before heading to Glasgow and Hampden to play at Queens Park as a bit of a treat for the players before the league starts. 38 turn up to watch us win 2 - 0. (That's just 52462 empty seats!)
We picked up 3 loan signings after lots of negotiation and one SC (13) was to make quite an impact. He is great in the air and puts these great flick ons but the guy is a donkey on the ground.
I fear the worst in the first match of the season as we lose a 4th min goal against fairly local rivals Woking. The team doesn't panic though and FC (15) who is playing because he looks like the best of a bad bunch scores a cracking goal after beating three defenders. This player likes taking on defences single handedly, and in quite a few of the following games would do it rather effectivley.
The second game is at home and I have to pinch myself. DMC (6) has scored a free kick that Becks would have been proud of from 40yrds. I think I will be asking for a drug sample! We win 2 - 0 and have 4 points from the first two games.
$ straight wins puts us near the top of the table, including a win after DC (5) decides to boot an opposition attacker after 30 seconds of the match. Cheers mate!
Big donkey SC (13) is forming a good partnership with FC (15) and the donkey just scores his first goal while trying to put the ball over the bar from 2yds out. This started something because he has gone on to score 16 in 11 games. He's still a donkey though.
So after 11 league games the stats are
Pld: 11 W: 8 D: 3 L: 0 F: 28 Ag: 9 G.D: +19 Pts:27
We are sitting in second place, one point behind Yeovil. The next match is the F.A. cup qualifier against......Yeovil.....away!
Help mummy!
In front of 6064 FC (15) gathers another of donkey's flick ons, takes the **** out of the keeper and slots home. We seem to be cruising until in the 32min DC (18), who is filling in for DR (2) who is injured, goes AWOL and the score is made 1 - 1 from a tight angle. DC (18) worries me because he seems to pop up all over the pitch, just when you need him in the right position. The maniac has even been caught offside quite a few times, and I've even caught him playing in an attacking midfield role for about five minutes!!!!
The game becomes bogged down, with neither side really creating anything but Yeovil having a lot of pressure. This payed off for us. The ball was given away to FC (15) who turned and fed a ball to donkey who has more space than an episode of Star Treck. He runs in on goal, and just in time remembers what his feet are for and the ball trickles over the line with the keeper getting a bit too much hand to it.
This seemed to knock out Yeovils stuffing who just seemed to give up. 20K in the bank and a nice little gate added up to a nice day out. Well thats as far as I've got for the mo. I'm sure I'll get a couple of injuries to key players and it'll all go tits up, but here's hoping things stay as they are. Gravesend in the 3rd division next season?
New to LLM 
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