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Post by coffers on Sept 19, 2006 13:14:20 GMT
Where was I? Oh yes, Barrow: Droylsden 0 vs 2 Barrow, LeagueA strange hard fought game, in which we had the only two on-target shots of the game, both went in. Mark Harwood scored the first 4 minutes from the break after a big hoof from our keeper sailed over the Droylsden defence and Palmer latched on, drew the keeper before squaring an easy chance to Harwood. The second came on 51, when again Palmer outstripped the defence to latch onto a long clearance, this time he crossed to the far post where Harwood had an easy tap in to make it two - nil. Barrow 3 vs 1 Redditch, LeagueWe controlled this game fairly easily but made a bit of a hash in the first half. We opened on 23 when Matthias Moller headed in a Bailey free kick at the far post, but controlling a game isn't enough, you have to stop the opposition from scoring. That's something we didn't do four minutes from the break; we sat back and watched Redditch do what they wanted with the ball including getting it into our area and scoring. :moop: A rocket at half time, a change in tictacs and we were back on track. On 57 Jonathan intercepted a pass on the halfway line and hit a first time ball through to Harwood, he took one step into the area and shot in off the left post. With three minutes left, Smith again won the ball in the centre circle, his mazy run ended with him slipping the ball through to Peter White, he struck it first time and it hit the net before the keeper moved. A nice win to keep us on track for promotion.
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Post by Moo on Sept 19, 2006 13:20:02 GMT
I preferred your Serbia story.
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Post by coffers on Sept 19, 2006 13:26:59 GMT
Naff Off.
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Post by coffers on Sept 19, 2006 14:00:01 GMT
Barrow 2 vs 2 Moor Green, LeagueA crap first half followed by a goal feast in the second period. On 52 a long ball from, full back, Wilkinson was picked up on the left by Harwood, he charged down the left and as he cut inside he squared to Palmer who had an easy tap in. On 69 the lead was doubled when our new signing Licka (from the Czech Republic), who plays on the right wing, hit a ball to the back post and Miller stole in to smack an angled shot into the net. Players were tiring badly on 77 so I made the last two substitutions and it turned the game. Our left back came off and his replacement Spearman turned out to be total shoite. Moor Green equalised on 82, they played a flowing ball from our left to our right and walked the ball into the net. The equaliser came on 86, a corner to the edge of the area was played back in, and Spearman allowed his man free reign to score from close range. :moop: It naffed me off no end as Moor Green were only just above the bottom 3 and in danger of relegation. Northwich Victoria 2 vs 3 Barrow, LeagueNicolas Guerin opened the scoring on 23 after being put through by Miller. We held control until Northwich got the ball around the back of our Right back and O'Brian steamed in to equalise on 55. It took us until the 77th minute to get the league back, their keeper dallied on the ball, Palmer tackled and Harwood slotted in the loose ball. On 79, Wilkinson hoofed a ball to the halfway line, White headed on and Harwood latched onto the ball, he strode towards the area and as the keeper charged out he dinked left and hit the ball just inside the left post, it looked as if we were home and dry. We weren't Northwich charged down-field straight from kick-off and before we woke up the ball was in the net, via a cross from the right and a stab at the far post. It gave Northwich some heart to battle to the end but we held out for a victory that was really what we deserved. That victory meant that we needed 5 points from 8 games to guarantee promotion. Stafford our nearest challengers were way behind but were matching us point for point in the run in. Gainsborough 2 vs 3 Barrow, LeagueAn evenly contested game with a draw looking like a good result smoldered into life on 35, when a bad back pass which looked as if it got held up in some mud was snatched by Harwood, lurking in the area, he turned and fired under the surprised keeper. On 50, Palmer collected a through pass from Dawe and smacked the ball against the left post, Harwood ran in and mopped up the rebound. To give them their due, Gainsborough didn't give up a deep cross on 59 was headed in from 6 yards by Ashcroft. Three minutes later another deep ball found Ashcroft, this time he lamped the equaliser from 15 yards. We were falling apart fast. instructions were shouted and I wanted three points not 1. It didn't look as if I'd get my wish, until 29 seconds into injury time Guerin floated a ball to the back post and centre half Matthews got on the end of it to head his first ever goal and the winner to boot. As I walked away from the bench the news filtered down that Stafford had been beaten and we had won promotion without having to play for the other points. The plaudits reigned down from every angle, I even got to be intervied by two local news papers rather than the usual one. No one could understand how Barrow had achieved promotion with the squad we had. I just put it down to sound tactics and ensuring we scored more than the opposition. The League Table:
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Post by Moo on Sept 19, 2006 14:11:44 GMT
Well as much as it pains me to say it... Well done.
I can't say I've taken much interest in this story (what with the Serbia one being sooo much better), but it appears that you've done OK.
And don't take anything I say to heart, you know it's a jealousy thing. KUTGW!
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Post by coffers on Sept 20, 2006 9:03:04 GMT
Vauxhall Motors 0 vs 2 Barrow, LeagueWe celebrated winning the League Title by going away to Vauxhall Motors and dishing out an easy 2-0 win. Matthias Moller scored the first from the spot after Palmer had been pushed whilst jumping for a cross in the area. Guerin slotted the 2nd from 17 yards after being put through by a great ball from Jonathan Smith. Steve Booth a MC and new free signing from Chipping Norton played a decent part in the game today and took the MOM award with a rating of 8. I take a new 2 year contract at £325 per month part time, the transfer budget is set at £16k for next season but I'm told to get the salary bill down from £22k per month to £16.75k per month. Ha, I'll bet they change their tune a bit in the close season. having said that we do need to dump a lot of dross and whingers. Barrow 2 vs 0 Worksop, LeagueAnother easy enough win, Worksop only had one on target shot all game. We took the lead on 31 when Matthias Moller headed in a deep cross from Vaughen from 8 yards. The lead was doubled on 61 when Moller scored from the spot, after Palmer had been held back in the area from advancing on goal. The Worksop player saw red for that offence. Another new signing, Bjorn Sundstrom, a MC/ST, signed from Hultsfred for £2k, made a quiet debut as a sub late in the game. Kettering 1 vs 1 Barrow, LeagueKettering will be kicking themselves after this game, they gave us a right going over but we stole a point from them. Sundstrom scored his first goal for the club on 29 minutes, when Harwood broke down the left and crossed to give the Swede and easy 6 yard tap in at the far post. Kettering walked the ball into the net for an equaliser on 33 minutes. We were fairly subdued for the rest of the game and I'm not quite sure how we managed to hold on to the point. Barrow 3 vs 0 Leigh RMI, LeagueAnother new player debuted today, Sergio a 19yo Portuguese D/WBR signed on a free from La Vitreenne, he was found by a new scout who was sent to Central Europe to find new players. So much for reducing the wage bill. Anyhow Leigh were battered, Guerin opened on 9 with a 3 yard header following a Dawe cross to the far post. The lead was doubled on 36 when Dawe delivered a free kick to the same spot Guerin had scored from, this time Moller got his head to the ball. The rout was complete on 70 when Booth hit a great ball into the area and Guerin hammered a rising shot past the keeper. That gives us 97 points with three games remaining, three more for the hundred. Stalybridge Celtic 1 vs 1 Barrow, LeagueThe hundred club party is delayed by bottom of the league and already relegated Stalybridge, wouldn't you know. They even had the cheek to take the lead on 4 minutes from the penalty spot, Lee Black having tripped brown in the area. :moop: It was their only on target shot all game. Moller headed the equaliser on ten minutes from a Booth corner. That was it game over, the game was crap and we couldn't find a way past the massed defence. We still need 2 points from 2 games to get to the hundred point mark. Our last two games are home to Hucknell and away to Alfreton.
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Post by Moo on Sept 20, 2006 9:27:47 GMT
How many points?!?!??!?!? Dear me, Coffers, itdl take me three seasons to get that many. Poof!
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Post by coffers on Sept 20, 2006 12:48:39 GMT
And finally to the last two games of the season: Barrow 2 vs 0 Hucknall, LeagueThe first half was a real struggle as Hucknall did everything they could to stop us scoring, on 61, Sundstrom was pushed in the area for the very same objective. It stopped Sundstrom from scoring but Moller made it 1-0 from the resulting penalty. On 72, Matthews made a long clearance, the keeper rushed out of his area and kept going as the ball sailed past him, Harwood ran onto it and struck a 23 yard shot into the empty net. Yay! We'd passed the one hundred point barrier. Alfreton 1 vs 3 Barrow, LeagueWe started badly allowing Alfreton to pass the ball about at will, in the 4th minute they strolled into the area, one pass took a deflection off Sergio, leaving Porter in the clear to put Alfreton into the lead. I immediately changed to a more direct approach and it paid dividends fast. On 14 we got the ball quickly down the left, Miller crossed to the far post and Sundstrom stabbed the ball in from 6 yards. On 29 Sundstrom was pushed in the area as he went for an innocuous ball on the right, Moller completed the formality from the spot-kick. On 83, Robertson's deep cross to the near post found Miller unmarked, he head across the face of the goal and jumped for joy when the ball went in off the right hand post to complete the days action. The Final League Table:Stafford beat Worksop 1-0 in the play-off final to claim the other promotion slot. Chelsea do the Premier League and FA Cup double. Charlton beat Tottenham on penalties in teh League Cup Final. Werder Bremen beat Roma on penalties in the EURO Cup final. Juventus beat Manchester United 3-0 in the Champions Cup Final.
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Post by Moo on Sept 20, 2006 12:57:56 GMT
Nice round up there and a fantastic season. Obviously Barrow are a really easy team to manage with loads of quality players. Didn't you think about managing a more difficult team?
:cab:
Jeez, over a hundred points..... You are Steve Coppell.
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Post by coffers on Sept 20, 2006 13:00:38 GMT
They weren't a quality team when I started. A few key additions throught the season kept them improving. As Stu said with his St Albans game, the key to getting into the conference is stopping the other team from scoring and nicking goals for your own team. It's going to be harder next year though.
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Post by Moo on Sept 20, 2006 13:19:38 GMT
Not for you, Coffers, we know what you're like.
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Post by Sonic on Sept 21, 2006 0:36:11 GMT
Well done, even if it took you months to achieve this. Slow Poof
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Post by coffers on Sept 21, 2006 12:28:56 GMT
Last seasons Fans Player of the year award was won by Mattias Moller, who played the season as a DMC, it looks as if he could move into a centre back position this coming year though. There were lots of comings and goings during the close season, including a lot of paying up of contracts in order to lower my wage bill but by the end of it all we are still £6k per month over budget. England beat Brazil in the World Cup final by a rather surprising 5 goals to 1. A overhaul of our coaches saw our training levels leap to 4 stars in everything but Set Pieces and shooting, which remained at 3 stars in both cases. Then came a load of friendlies, many of which were organised by the Ass-man, but I set up a tour of Wales and a final friendly against a Faroe Island outfit, just in case we needed a morale boost before the season started. The Tour Of WalesBridgend 0 vs 0 Barrow: dreadful to watch. Connah's Quay 0 vs 0 Barrow: another dreadful game. Mold Alex 0 vs 1 Barrow: pitiful but we did managed to score on 82, midfielder Steve Booth lamped a shot from the edge of the area. The Other Friendlies:Barrow 1 vs 0 Northampton: Steve Booth got the only goal on 75, heading in a Palmer cross from 7 yards. Biddulph 1 vs 1 Barrow: Sundstrom opened on 42 seconds after being put through by Harwood. Biddulph equalised on 74, another dreadful game. Barrow 0 vs 0 Hartlepool We were battered by Championship side Hartlepool but managed to cling on to the 0-0 draw. Barrow 0 vs 1 Lincoln: An even game that we were unlucky to lose by a 78th minute penalty after Brush had pushed in the area. Barrow 2 vs 3 Exeter: Exeter took the lead on 3 with penalty after a May push. We equalised on 13 when summer signing Hedlund smashed a 15 yards shot into the right hand corner of the net. Exeter regained the lead on 19 following a corner from their right wing. Moller equalised from the spot on 47 after Sundstrom was obstructed in the area. Exeter took the game with a penalty on 67 when Matthews tripped Kamara. On possession Exeter deserved the win, but we had just as many shots as they did. A good effort. Barrow 2 vs 1 Watford: A fine game against a young Watford side. We opened on 26 when Craig Rae headed a May cross into his own net. Watford equalised on 33 with a fluky cross that sailed into the net untouched by anyone. The winner came on 37 when Steve Booth hit a 30 yard thunderbolt that was still rising as it hit the net. Great result. Barrow 2 vs 0 B68: We won this fairly comfortably with goals on 15 from Graeme Murray and on 85 from Petter Hedlund. In the run up to the opening league fixture the scouts continue to highlight a pile of absolute garbage which in the main I am tending to ignore.
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Post by Moo on Sept 21, 2006 12:57:51 GMT
A very good set of friendly results there, fella. I see your "must scout scandiland" mantra is still in effect. You'll have to change that mantra for FM07, so be warned. KUTGW! :thumb:
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Post by coffers on Sept 21, 2006 13:34:24 GMT
The 2nd season starts here: Barrow 1 vs 1 Cambridge United, National Conference LeagueIt was a game we should have won easily, our midfield of Guerin, Booth and Walsh was buzzing, the defence did a sturdy job in general, but the forwards missed too many chances. We opened on 35 when hedlund headed on for Ward (a close season signing from Notingham Forest) to run down the left, he squared inside for Guering to slot the ball past the keeper from 16 yards out. Cambridge equalised with the stupidest of goals on 75, Left back may tried to hit a long ball back to our keeper from mid-way inside their half, only the ball reached their striker Ross who chipped the advancing keeper from 35 yards. I was bloody livid. We still had chances to take the game in the time remaining but wasted every one. We had 53% of the possession and a shot count of 19/9 compared to their 6/4. If we can continue like this we should do OK, but I want to see an improvement in the goals for column. The media summed it up: Barrow supporters will have been frustrated to see their side only achieve a draw, after being the dominate team for most of the match. Barrow 3 vs 1 Cambridge City, National Conference LeagueThis was more like it a shot rate of 22/11 gave us a much better strike rate. We opened with a penalty on 21, when Guerin was brought down in the area chasing a Sundstrom cross, Moller converted. On 36 it was 2-0, Hedlund squared to Sundstrom and the Swede slammed the ball in gleefully from 8 yards. On 42 Sundstrom struck a delightful free kick from the right corner of the penalty area and it curled around the wall and away from the keeper to loop into the far corner of teh net, for number 3. Cambridge struck back 2 minutes later when a cross to the near post from their right was clipped in by Gary Robson. It was their last meaningful contribution. Tiredness played a big part in the second period remaining goal-less, but it wasn't for teh want of trying. The directors were delighted and the media admitted that we could have won by a lot more than we did. It's a good start to our first season in the Conference and it leaves us in 5th place after two games. There's a long way to go yet, but I'm encouraged by the start.
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Post by coffers on Sept 21, 2006 13:36:04 GMT
A very good set of friendly results there, fella. I see your "must scout scandiland" mantra is still in effect. You'll have to change that mantra for FM07, so be warned. KUTGW! Why is Scandiland being bombed out of existance, or are they downgrading players dramatically? Mental note: read up on the new scoouting system for FM07.
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Post by Moo on Sept 21, 2006 15:29:33 GMT
From what I have read and deduced from the content, teams just sending their scouts all over the shop won't happen. The board can block staff being brought in if they deem it excessive and can also restrict where you can send scouts if they think it too expensive. It's all to do with reputation I think. All will come out in the fullness of time, of course (and I may have misinterpreted the above), but I think they're trying to make the GR side of it a little more restrictive and realistic.
Realistic? FM? Are you sure?
Anyhoo, a good start to the Conference Nationsl season there, Coffers, two good performances it seems. :thumb:
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Post by coffers on Sept 21, 2006 15:49:30 GMT
Sounds a reasonable system, but I bet they don't take into account club contacts with agents abroad via British agents etc. If they are going to restrict the scouts out of hand, then they have to somehow readdress some of the balance, because lower league clubs do get their hands on foreigners whatever Sping may think. Wigan had 2 Spanish players in their first team when they were playing in what was the 3rd division in the 1990's IIRC. They may be sacrificing fun by going over the top with realism. They should have a tick box in the options so you can pick the level of realism that you want to play at. having said that the scouts are restrictive to some exten t anyway in this incarnation. They find nowt worth having.
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Post by coffers on Sept 21, 2006 22:33:15 GMT
Canvey Island 1 vs 4 Barrow, ENC LeagueWe got off to a cracking start as Hedlund looked to break away in 2, a tackle went in but the ball fell loose to Sundstrom, he broke instead and rounded the keeper to slot in from a narrow angle. Canvey equalised on 12 when a near post cross was bundled in by Warren. The game was pretty even for the rest of the half but 2 minutes into first half injury time, Sundstrom picked up a half clearance around 30 yards out, he dribbled into the area and passed the ball into the left side of the net from around 5 yards. On 63 Sundstrom claimed his hat-trick when his header from a Booth corner was mishandled by the keeper the ball fell back to him and he prodded home from 2 yards. With a minute of the game remaining Sundstrom played a short ball to the edge of the area, Harwood beat the defence to it and stroked in a fine goal from 17 yards. The Canvey Island manager locked his team in the dressing room after the game and gave them a right old rollocking. It has to be said that our midfield seems to be very feisty, they're getting stuck in, at every opportunity, in a hard but fair way and the players are getting noticed by bigger teams than us. Stafford 0 vs 3 Barrow, ENC LeagueFollow promotees Stafford were no match for us this season. Hedland opened the scoring on 11 minutes when Guerin won the ball in midfield and played him in one-on-one with the keeper. Stafford battled but couldn't break us down. We doubled the lead on 65, again Guerin played a great ball into the area and Hedland placed a neat shot inside the left post from around 8 yards. Three minutes later Guerin again put a great through ball into the area for Harwood to finish clinically from near the penalty spot. I'm beginning to feel that we have assembled a really decent squad which is capable of challenging for the title already. Other teams are looking to break us up though as Wrexham bid for Mattias Moller, thankfully they baulk at the £159k asking price plus extras. Nimes weigh in with a bid of £240k plus extras for Guerin but I knock them back and slap a £700k price tag on him. Booth, Hedlund and Sundstrom also are attracting interest and have hefty fees placed on their heads along with hands off warnings. Barrow 4 vs 1 York, ENC LeagueYork are odds on favourites to do us over and start at a sprint, they win a penalty for a Brush push on 5 but Rose in goal heroically saves from Hatton. Within four more minutes we have plundered a lead, playing the ball around the defence Booth gets clear and crosses low to the far post, Sundstrom charges in and claims another to his tally. On 24 York equalise, Hatton heading in a deep cross from 7 yards out. We're back in the lead two minutes later, Guerin plays a ball forward, Booth collects outside the area and dribbles around his marker before firing in from 17 yards. On 31 Moller converts a spot kick after Sundstrom is pushed over in the area. The game is dead and buried on 44:08 as Sundstrom plays a pass inside for Moller to slam a 30 yard shot into the net. York are shell-shocked but make a harder game of it in the goal-less second period. Northampton ask about Guerin and are told to naff off, Lincoln offer £450k plus 40% for Guerin and are told we want £500k plus £250k over 6 months plus 50% of any future transfer, whilst they are thinking of it the transfer window closes and their offer collapses for now. Sundstrom is named Player of the Month for August, Moller comes 2nd. In teh Young Palyer of the Month award, Guerin comes out on top and our Right Back Sergio makes 2nd place. Sundstrom claims the Goal of the Month award with his free-kick against cambridge City, Moller claims 2nd place with his 30 yarder against York. I manage second place in the Manager of The Month Awards, The Woking manager takes 1st place as they are top at this point. Woking 1 vs 3 Barrow, ENC LeagueThis was a fairly even game to be honest, but our finishing was on a different level to Woking's. On 13 Booth played a ten yard pass into the area, Sundstrom rounded the defender and struck home from 15 yards. Four minutes later Woking got the ball to our near post and a swivel and volley saw the ball end up in our net to level. We regained the lead on 26 when a shcking cossfield backpass was headed back and down by Hedlund, Sundstrom latchd on and strode into the area to hammer in from 16 yards out. Woking battled defiently on from that point but to no avail. Hedlund put the final nail in Woking's coffin on 82 when Licka got around the defence and crossed to the far post to present Hedlund with a tap in from 6 yards. Our midfield is playing like they have been together for year, they are an awesime unit at the moment but the bigger tests are yet to come, starting with the next game at home to recently relegated Peterborough, it's televised too. The League Table After 6 Games:
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Post by Moo on Sept 22, 2006 8:22:24 GMT
You're in front of Weymouth? Jeez, they're supposed to be the dog's danglies in the first couple of seasons. Fantastic start to the season there, KUTGW!
I may have read too much into the scouting bit, Coffers, but I have definitely seen that the board can refuse to fund new staff if they deem it unnecessary. They can also accept bids over your head too, so that 240k+ bid from Nimes for Guerin may have been accepted. it wuold be extremely annoying, I know, but one of those things.
I don't know hom much the "Experience" option on the manager set-up influences things within the game. My feeeling is that it just gives you starting values for things like coaching abilities and reputation, but there may be other things too, we'll have to wait and see.
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Post by Sonic on Sept 22, 2006 9:07:15 GMT
Very nice start tot he season, and it looks like you've recruited well. Nice table too
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Post by Moo on Sept 22, 2006 10:27:06 GMT
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Post by coffers on Sept 22, 2006 10:34:50 GMT
Cheers Moo, I'll read up on that when I get a mo.
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Post by coffers on Sept 22, 2006 11:44:31 GMT
The shots look interesting and at least you will get a better idea of what the scout actually knows about the area you are sending him to. I like the scout report card too. A fair bit more info is availabe.
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Post by Moo on Sept 22, 2006 12:02:12 GMT
If the board are going to restrict the number of staff you can have, that might, nay, will harm your chances of improving your yoof to any sort of decent level, as you won't be able to get a shedful of four star coaches in. It'll make it harder and I don't mind that. Not that I find the game easy, mind you.
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