Well the campaign is upon us and even I can’t defend how badly pre-season has gone, my decision to transfer list the entire squad had the desired effect, they all went and now I had actually money to spend but while in real life the lure of Scarborough Athletic would surely be too tempting for most, in this game it seemed no one would join.
I decide to stop looking for the long-term and instead go for those who would join just for now, the joy of offering non-contract terms comes into full force here, 42 year old Glen Crowe is my new star signing, I also decide to sign a load of re-gens on those terms as I quickly realise I’ve messed up.
August:
The season starts with a home game against Darlington, optimism is high, the squad is full of players no one will have heard of and Glen Crowe and then it happens, GOOOALLL, the Seadogs are in-front with five minutes gone, I start to wonder whether I am a genius, I’ve sold the entire team for profit, brought in only one real player, no-one is on contract and we are beating Darlington, by the 18th minute I realise the plan is not working and it is 3-1 to the visitors, it ends 4-1, I berate the squad and they are all confused…
To my better judgement I decide to give them another chance (mainly due to only having three days to get anyone else), Hereford away and at half-time, it’s 0-0, my goodness me, a point away from home, of course as you can see we lose 1-0, I berate the players, they are now frustrated and so am I!
The main issue I have with transfers is, they all want promises about where we will finish this season, the play-offs!! A team that has just gone up, sold their entire squad and you want me to guarantee, a top seven finish, not a chance, realistically I know playing 5-4-1 with Crowe up front on his own is the only option for the next game.
Curzon at home was the definition of why you throw you computer out the window and immediately regret your decision, we go 1-0 up just before half-time, then I kid you not, have a total of 17 shots, 12 on target, miss a penalty, their keeper Cam Mason plays a blinder, 90 minutes gone and then the inevitable happens, goal. I sympathise with the team I again build up this thought that the team may not be that bad after all.
Chorley is the last game and it almost feels like a must not lose kind of match, in real life that first month is such a crucial time, a new manager basically has to have shown some kind of impact, we lost 1-0, it should have been three or four and so ends the month.
Bottom of the table, a point gained, two goals scored, three points still elusive for this team, I have the money but won’t promise the earth if I can’t deliver it, as you will see that plan eventually has to change.
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