retired_google

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bedford_Bulldog:
However the FA Trophy was another story, and I took my first piece of silverware as a true LLaMa [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

TG! KUTGW! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]

retired_seabury

A quick update on the progress of the Poppies. Four pre-season friendlies and four wins. The start of the season was pretty much the same as usual, a 1-1 draw at Kidderminster, followed by a 3-1 home defeat to Morecambe. However a good run of five wins in the next five games, including a 5-0 thrashing of Burscough, saw Kettering sitting on top of the Conference for the first time in my managerial reign. I know they say pride comes before a fall, but I am proud of my squad at this moment in time.

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">********************************************* ************************************************** * English Conference - Saturday 6th September 2003********************************************** ************************************************** ================================================== ============================================== 2003/4 Table============================================= ================================================== =Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag Won Drn Lst For Ag Pts--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1st Kettering 7 3 0 1 7 4 2 1 0 8 1 16 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2nd Scarborough 7 2 0 1 4 2 3 1 0 8 3 16 3rd Morecambe 7 3 0 1 11 6 2 0 1 5 4 15 4th Kidderminster 7 3 1 0 8 5 1 2 0 5 4 15 5th Nuneaton Borough 7 3 0 1 6 3 2 0 1 5 6 15 6th Farnborough 7 2 0 1 8 7 2 1 1 6 6 13 7th Hereford 7 1 2 1 3 4 2 1 0 5 2 12 8th Southport 7 1 1 1 4 2 2 1 1 10 8 11 9th Newport 7 2 1 1 9 7 1 1 1 5 4 11 10th Barnet 7 2 2 0 8 6 1 0 2 2 2 11 11th Stevenage 7 0 1 2 4 6 2 2 0 9 7 9 12th Dag & Red 7 2 0 1 5 4 1 0 3 6 8 9 13th York 7 1 1 1 4 5 1 2 1 3 3 9 14th Chester 7 2 0 1 7 6 1 0 3 3 7 9 15th Stalybridge 7 0 2 2 2 4 2 0 1 7 5 8 16th Margate 7 0 2 2 7 10 1 1 1 5 4 6 17th Enfield 7 1 1 1 3 4 0 2 2 4 6 6 18th Telford 7 2 0 2 4 4 0 0 3 2 6 6 19th Northwich Vics 7 0 1 2 1 4 1 1 2 6 7 5 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------20th Dover 7 0 0 3 3 8 1 1 2 3 5 4 21st Burscough 7 0 1 3 2 9 1 0 2 1 3 4 22nd Halifax 7 0 2 1 2 4 0 1 3 6 11 3 </pre>


In terms of the squad, I had a look at the regular first team of choice at the moment, and the oldest player is 27. I have managed to get a 22 year old MC on loan from Blackburn, who has really impressed, an a young SC who I got on a free during the first season, is now knocking goals in for fun, with 7 in the last 5 games (he didn't start in the first two). The DMC slot has been filled by a youth signing who is looking the business [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG]

Here's to what I hope is a successful season [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif" alt="cool[/IMG]

retired_boombalabutt

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Siôn Corn:
Aye, KUTGW. How have Bedford been doing in the FA Cup/Trophy?

Its probably an indication of how likely they are to be promoted. Then again its probably not.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Lol, nice and decisive [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG] [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]

And KUTGW BB [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG] !

retired_seabury

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Siôn Corn:
Aye, KUTGW. How have Bedford been doing in the FA Cup/Trophy?

Its probably an indication of how likely they are to be promoted. Then again its probably not.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Last season they made the first round proper of FA Cup, but weren't in the 2nd round of the FA Trophy. This season they have just drawn in qualifying round of FA Cup (against Vauxhall Motors [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="roll eyes[/IMG] )

I am keeping their profile as high as possible, by playing a pre-season friendly against them every year.

retired_boombalabutt

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bedford_Bulldog:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Siôn Corn:
Aye, KUTGW. How have Bedford been doing in the FA Cup/Trophy?

Its probably an indication of how likely they are to be promoted. Then again its probably not.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Last season they made the first round proper of FA Cup, but weren't in the 2nd round of the FA Trophy. This season they have just drawn in qualifying round of FA Cup (against Vauxhall Motors [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="roll eyes[/IMG] )

I am keeping their profile as high as possible, by playing a pre-season friendly against them every year.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Was it ever proven that this had an effect on whether a team got promoted or not?

retired_seabury

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dave Vessey:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bedford_Bulldog:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Siôn Corn:
Aye, KUTGW. How have Bedford been doing in the FA Cup/Trophy?

Its probably an indication of how likely they are to be promoted. Then again its probably not.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Last season they made the first round proper of FA Cup, but weren't in the 2nd round of the FA Trophy. This season they have just drawn in qualifying round of FA Cup (against Vauxhall Motors [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="roll eyes[/IMG] )

I am keeping their profile as high as possible, by playing a pre-season friendly against them every year.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Was it ever proven that this had an effect on whether a team got promoted or not?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't know, but I'll try anything to ensure they get promoted, as long as it is within LLM rules and guidelines [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]

retired_seabury

Anyway, back to the real job at the moment - getting Kettering promoted.

Having reached the top of the tree, the squad have managed to keep themselves in first or second right the way through to Christmas and the New Year. Only one point clear, but should have been six, as I managed to drop five points in three home games over Xmas [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif" alt="mad[/IMG]

Lost on penalties in the FA Cup second round to Grimsby, and lost away to Shrewsbury in the Vans Trophy. Still in the FA Trophy after a 2nd round win at Hayes.

Had to sell my best DC to Macclesfield [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif" alt="frown[/IMG] , cos they met his minimum release clause, but I got a DC off my short list in return. One AM RL and one SC are being chased by any number of clubs, but both have still been happy when I have turned down bids for them. This is obviously the price of success - players who would have brought in a tidy sum when you needed it, are only wanted by other clubs when you don't need to sell them to make ends meet [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="roll eyes[/IMG]

What's the betting - Kettering get promoted and Bedford Town make it into the Conference come the end of the season - real dilemma [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG] [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG] . But with my track record in the Conference, it probably won't come to that [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]

retired_seabury

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Muss the Rednosed LLaMa:
But a dilemma you could live with I'm sure BB - KUTGW getting the Poppies promoted and getting Bedford into the league [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I know - the point being if I got Kettering promoted, it would be the first promotion from for the Conference for me, and would feel obliged to go on with the Poppies - yet with Bedford being correctly in the Isthmian (Ryman) Premier on the new update, there is much more chance of them being promoted.

A bridge to cross when I come to it - this is me in charge we are talking about, and who can forget my major successes with San Marino and Enfield [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG] [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]

retired_seabury

Well, no dilemma - after dominating the early part of the Conference season the Poppies managed to hit the self-destruct button and end up in 3rd place, and also lost (on penalties [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif" alt="mad[/IMG] ) to York in the FA Trophy semi-finals.

I was gutted - Barnet won the Conference, Scunthorpe were relegated from D3, and Hayes, Halesowen (I think) and Bradford Park Avenue were promoted to the Conference.

Despite having an ever improving squad and obviously a good chance to challenge for the Conference title, the job at Bradford Park Avenue was available, so I applied and got it. A 5000 capacity stadium, about £16K in the bank, and 6 players, 1 coach, 1 (half-decent) scout and a physio.

So its goodbye to Rockingham Road, and hello to the sunny climes of West Yorkshire [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]

retired_boombalabutt

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Siôn Corn:
Good luck with BPA B_B, I only know of one other person thats managed them.. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Do tell [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG] [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]