[FM09] Oh I do like to be beside the seaside....

Background: After finishing my 15 season Everton save I decided that I wanted to find a team that I could break new records with, the criteria was that they must not have played in at least the top 2 divisions in England, never won a trophy of any type, and not be favourites to win their current league.

After a lot of searching, Torquay jumped out, a team that has never been higher than the 3rd tier and so my journey begins:

EDIT: only started the story after 3rd season so those updates will only be brief

Season 1:

Expected finish: 23rd

Actual finish: 6th reached Playoffs lost 6-5 agg v Rotherham

Transfers in:

David De Gea £1k Ath Madrid - One for the future

Loans in:

Gael Kakuta from Chelsea (3 months) - Wanted to test him after all the scandal IRL

Davide Petrucci from Man Utd (season long) - Amazing AMC looking to get 1st team games

Seamus Coleman from Everton (12 months) - DR as short of cover - turned out to be 1st teamer

Lukas Jutkewicz from Everton (season long) - Potentially good Championship striker

Ross Wilkinson from Leeds (season long) -Sent by Leeds as part of Parent/Feeder agreement - Potentially good Premiership DC

Peter Kurucz from West Ham (3 months) - Sent by WHU as part of Parent/Feeder agreement

Players out:

Chris Hargreaves Free Dag and Red - 35 years old so couldnt expect consistancy for many games

Tom Sills £24k Chesterfield - Down pecking order due to loan signings - sold to reduce wage bill

Overall:

Won overacheivers at end of season, Scott Rendell leading scorer with a measley 12 league goals.

Season 2:

Expected finish: 14th

Actual finish: 8th 3 points from Playoffs

Transfers in:

John Irving £9k from Stockport - Wanted a backup for Lee Mansell

Nicolas Millan £50k from Colo Colo - Signed as one for the future

Ross Wilkinson Free unattached - Had excellent 1st season on loan here and was released by Leeds

Kieran Agard Free unattached - MOTM in trial day, signed to replace Jutkewicz who refused loan extension

Nir Mantsur Free unattached - Signed as backup to Kevin Nicholson

Ricardo Fernandes Free unattached - Rated as twice the player as current AMC

Vincent Van Den Berg Free unattached - Only had 1 fit MR so signed as competition

Karl Moore Free unattached - Had been playing Nicholson as ML so needed 1st choice ML

Darren Randolph Free unattached - Wasnt 100% happy with Bevan and De Gea not quite ready yet

Femi Orenuga Free unattached - Good backup for either wing

Dwight Yorke Free unattached - Good DMC backup and signed to help develop youngsters

Leigh Mills Free unattached - Highly rated DC from trial day

Loans in:

Hope Akpan from Everton (season long) - Needed to replace Petrucci who refused loan extension

Cody Arnoux from Everton (season long) - Was in last season with Everton so wanted to try before signing at end of season

Zavon Hines from West Ham (12 months) - Fast striker (18 Accel 17 Pace) who was unhappy at West Ham

Players out:

Martin Rice - Released on a free transfer to reduce wage bill

Overall:

Just missed out on Playoffs, bad defending caused a lot of dropped points (3rd highest goals conceeded in league) good attacking caused a lot of lucky points (highest goals scored in league)

Hines and Agard both finished season scoring 20 goals each (Hines won highest goalscorer in the league)

Arnoux was unfortunate that after 4 games he got injured for the whole season! Offered (and refused) Chesterfield job as they was bottom of league and I was trying to build my squad for promotion.

Season 3:

Expected finish: 12th

Current position: 14th 4 points from Playoffs (after 11 games played)

Transfers in:

Moses Barnett Free unattached - tried signing on loan last year from Everton but he didnt want to join

Oliver Norwood Free unattached - Trial day star player signed as replacement to Yorke who has announced his retirement at end of season

George Krenn Free unattached - Another DMC to compete against Norwood as first choice

Loans in:

Zavon Hines from West Ham (season long) - Fast striker managed to renew loan till end of season

Jake Bidwell from Everton (12 months) - Mantsur was a huge let down in his 1st season so signed to cover DL

Players out:

6 Youth squad regens who didnt make the cut

Always seem to start badly but always seem to have a good run over Christmas that brings me back up the league

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Current overall record:

Time at Torquay: 833 days

Played:120

Won: 49

Draw: 30

Lost: 41

Goals scored: 201 (1.7 P/M)

Goals Conceeded: 195 (1.6 P/M)

Goal diff: 6

Total players bought: £60,000 (16 players)

Total players sold: £24,000 (2 players)

Total players released: 7 players

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October update

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19th October - 14th position before game

Bury v Torguay - W 1-0

Hines scores the winner in the 68th minute in an undeserved victory due to having a threadbare squad taking us up to 11th position.

23rd October - 11th position before game

Torquay v Luton - L 3-1

Expected defeat against league favourites with a flattering result for Luton. On a negative note, 3rd and 4th choice strikers both injured

FA Cup draw - 1st round away to League 1's Crewe Alexandra.

26th October - 13th position before game

Aldershot v Torquay - L 3-1

Disappointed at the 2nd consecutive 3-1 defeat, team didnt turn up until we went 3-1 down, then fought hard for a comeback but couldnt quite make the shots count. Can't really say im surprised though with 4 first team strikers unfit, 2 MC's unfit and my 1st choice DL also unfit.

30th October - 17th position before game

Torquay v Brentford - W 2-0

Great end to end game and only the 3rd clean sheet of the season. 6th choice striker had a good game but another injury to Moore will keep him out for 2 weeks.

Hines comes 2nd in young player of the month

November update

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6th November - 1st round FA Cup

Crewe v Torquay - L 3-0

Crewe have a good game against a young Torquay side with youth players taking up positions in place of the injured 1st teamers, Agard did play for 20 minutes and showed glimpses of his previous good form prior to the injury.

11th November - 17th position before game

Yeovil v Torquay - L 1-2

An offside goal brought Yeovil back to 1-1 and an 86th minute winner sealed victory over a superior Torquay side, Agard and Barnett also took a knock in this game, hopefully we will return to winning ways next week.

20th November - 17th position before game

Wycombe v Torquay - L 4-0

Both the previous games between these 2 sides have ended in a draw so this was quite a suprise to lose in such a manner. Not only was the result was a disappointment, but Moore and Agard but picked up further injuries during this game. Story of my season.

Due to the constant injuries to Kevin Moore, I decided to bring in backup so David Moreno from Almeria will be coming to the club on 1st January for a fee of £2,000.

23rd November - 18th position before game

Northampton v Torquay - D 1-1

This was a good result for us against an in-form side, we have many chances to win this and overall I was very happy with the way we played. Hines (MOTM) scored his first goal in 400 minutes and I had replaced my 1st choice keeper (Randolph) with De Gea who impressed me today (6.8 rating)

I'm hoping that the 2 week break now will help us get back to the top half of the league.

December update

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AMC Fredrik Johansson and DC Johan Davidsson both sign to add strength in depth for the squad. They will join up with their new team mates 1st January.

4th December - 17th before game

Torquay v Lincoln - D 1-1

Another late goal robbed us of out first win in 5. If I was to take a positive, its how strong we looked in the attack.

Mid week news tells me that Ricardo Fernandes has pulled up in training with a thigh strain and will be out for 3 weeks.

11th December - 17th position before game

Torquay v Tranmere - Fan Day - W 3-1

Good news before kickoff, Zavon Hines has agreed to join Torquay full time on a two year £2,000 a week contract, he also added me to his favourite personnel. When the loan was agreed, a future fee of £10,000 was added to the deal which we gladly took up. He then follows this up with a hattrick against recently relegated Tranmere, great result. Why cant we play like this every game? To cap it all, the fan day was a success with a "bumper" crown of 2,601.

18th December - 16th position before game

Hereford v Torquay - L 2-0

This was a tight game against a team fighting for promotion so cant really complain, to add salt into the wound though, Hines carried off injured!

The Torquay board have decided to change their manager with immediate effect.

Looks like im going to have to start job hunting!

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Current overall record:

Time at Torquay: 893 days

Time unemployed: 1 Day

Played:130

Won: 52

Draw: 32

Lost: 46

Goals scored: 212 (1.6 P/M)

Goals Conceeded: 213 (1.6 P/M)

Goal diff: -1

Total players bought: £60,000 (16 players)

Total players sold: £24,000 (2 players)

Total players released: 7 players

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Will report back when I'm back in work!

End of Season 3 update

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After being sacked by Torquay (ungrateful so-and-so's) I decided that I just wanted to get back into management at any level so started applying for any jobs that came available. After 2 succesful seasons fighting for a playoff place when we was predicted to fight relegation I was favourite to replace the Gillingham manager so I declared my interest in that job but didnt get it.

Rejection letters came thick and fast, first Gillingham, then Northampton, Lincoln, Derby, Bosnia, and even Torquay!

A few months later, relegated Doncaster Rovers offered me a 2 year contract with a £250,000 budget to gain immediate promotion back to the 1st Division. 6 first teamers had jumped ship on Bosmans (including my star player, James Coppinger, who went to Kilmarnock), and every other first teamer (bar 3) were at the end of their current contracts. The whole team was unhappy and a lot of players had asked for transfers.

My first task was to arrange a friendly with Torquay to show them what a mistake they made in firing me (bitter? HELL YES!). I spent £30,000 bringing Ricardo Fernandes from Torquay and as I had no 1st team goalkeeper a further £1,000 was spent to bring David De Gea to Doncaster. Lee McArdle was released from Everton so I quickly snapped him up to shore up my new leaky defence (most goals conceeded last season.)

I have very high hopes for my regen striker who has just arrived in my youth squad, high pace and acceleration, high finishing and dribbling, definatly a star for the future, have renamed him (and will continue to know him as RG1)

I also brought in 3 scouts with good stats and was ready for pre-season.

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Torquay record:

P 130 W 52 D 32 L 46 GF212 GA213

Time at club: 893 days

Doncaster record:

P 0 W 0 D 0 L 0 GF 0 GA 0

Time at club : 58 days

Current overall record:

Played: 130

Won: 52

Draw: 32

Lost: 46

Goals scored: 212 (1.6 P/M)

Goals Conceeded: 213 (1.6 P/M)

Goal diff: -1

Total players bought: £90,000 (19 players)

Total players sold: £24,000 (7 players)

Total players released: 14 players

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About to play 1st game against Torquay so will report back at end of pre-season

Pre Season 4 update

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The grudge match

Torquay v Doncaster - D 0-0 (L 4-2 pens)

I know you wont believe this, but I was more impressed with keeping a clean sheet than the actual result, yes, I wanted a win, but the way we played was commendable, I didnt really know my squad and I tried out a few youth players in the 2nd half, its a good sign for the coming season against a team tipped to finish in or around the playoffs this year (thanks to the players I brought in ) Cooper scored his pen which was pleasing.

A tricky home draw against Norwich in the 1st round of the League Cup.

Wanting to get the season started as soon as possible, I decided to let me assman take control of friendlies.

Doncaster v Charlton - L 2-0

Doncaster v Biringham - L 2-0

Signed Ryan Bennett on a free transfer after he was released by Yeovil Town.

Applied for position of Newcastle manager and the next day received a memo from the chairman telling me he was giving me the opportunity to resign before he sacked me! Called a board meeting and asked for more time to build the squad which was accepted by the board. I will probably stay with Doncaster for the season then look elsewhere.

Doncaster v Porto - L 4-1

Didnt win a single pre-season game, only scored 1 goal but despite this, our fans are still happy with the level of how we played. Another positive is Zeli from Wolves has signed in a £90,000 deal. This should be the last main signing of the August transfer window, although we are looking for a backup goalkeeper in case De Gea takes a knock.

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Torquay record:

P 130 W 52 D 32 L 46 GF212 GA213

Time at club: 893 days

Doncaster record:

P 0 W 0 D 0 L 0 GF 0 GA 0

Time at club : 86 days

Current overall record:

Played: 130

Won: 52

Draw: 32

Lost: 46

Goals scored: 212 (1.6 P/M)

Goals Conceeded: 213 (1.6 P/M)

Goal diff: -1

Total players bought: £180,000 (21 players)

Total players sold: £24,000 (7 players)

Total players released: 14 players

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Next up: Hereford away

August update

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Hereford v Doncaster - L 1-0

League position: 19th

A game in which we dominated, we just need to find that killer goal.

Doncaster v Norwich - Carling Cup 1st round - L 3-1 (Ricardo Fernandes)

We played well today and did not deserve to conceed 3 goals against a Championship team. We do need to return to winning ways though....and very soon. Wolfenden picked up a neck injury and will be out for 2 weeks and debutant right back, 17 year old Lewis Lee took a knock but should be ready for Chester.

Sol Campbell has agreed to join the club as a player/coach on a 2 year £4,400 a week deal and should be ready to start against Chester. Unfortunatly, Brian Stock agreed terms with Aberdeen after rejecting a contract to become our highest paid player.

Doncaster v Chester - D 1-1 (Sam Parkin)

League position: 17th

This was a bad game to drop points in, De Gea was rooted to the spot for the equiliser, Campbell missed his game as he wasnt 100% but another debutant, Luxemburg international, Claude Hoffman came off the bench and did well.

Doncaster v Brentford - W 2-1 (Oscar Gobern 2)

League position: 12th

Brentford were top of the league, conceeded 0 goals and in a rich vein of form so I went into this game not expecting much. We changed our formation to a direct 442 and gave Sol his first start of the season. Gobern was moved in from the wings to the centre of the field and repaid us with 2 goals in his MOTM appearance.

Just been looking through my squad and it seems like Charlton are looking at all my key players! Signed Lars Stubhaug on a 12 month loan deal as backup to De Gea.

Bury v Doncaster - W 3-2 (Stuart Elliott, Sam Parkin, Andrew Whing (OG))

League position: 6th

After we lost our captan Adam Lockwood, and then went 2-1 down, I was expecting to lose this one, but credit to the lads, we went on the offensive and managed to pull the game back and then actually win it against a good Bury side who started the game in 2nd position.

Oscar Gobern came 3rd in young player of the month.

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Torquay record:

P 130 W 52 D 32 L 46 GF 212 GA 213 GD -1

Time at club: 893 days

Doncaster record:

P 5 W 2 D 1 L 2 GF 7 GA 8 GD -1

Time at club : 119 days

Current overall record:

P 135 W 54 D 33 L 48 GF 219 (1.6 P/M) GA 221 (1.6 P/M) GD -2

Total players bought: £180,000 (22 players)

Total players sold: £24,000 (8 players)

Total players released: 14 players

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September update

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The Johnstone's Trophy 2nd round was drawn today and we have been matched with Morcambe

Doncaster v Rochdale - W 3-0 (Oscar Gobern, James Hayter 2)

League position: 4th

With Lockwood out injured, Ryan Bennett made his debut and he gave a good performance today. This was a good result against 4th place and we kept a clean sheet due to our back 4. The result was made all that sweeter as Rochdale manager, Keith Hill, tried causing issues by saying he would beat us before the game.

We have agreed a deal with PSV to bring in highly rated goalkeeper Gregory Van Nooten for an initial £50,000 on January 1st on a £1,000 a week deal.

Hartlepool v Doncaster - D 1-1 (Stuart Elliott)

League position: 6th

Doncaster v Tranmere - D 0-0

League position: 6th

Doncaster v Accrington Stanley - W 1-0 (Matty Wolfenden)

League position: 5th

Both Bennett and Bates were taken off injured during this hard fought victory, unbeaten all month shows good progress following our weak start to the season.

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Torquay record:

P 130 W 52 D 32 L 46 GF 212 GA 213 GD -1

Time at club: 893 days

Doncaster record:

P 9 W 4 D 3 L 2 GF 12 GA 9 GD 3

Time at club : 149 days

Current overall record:

P 139 W 56 D 35 L 48 GF 224 (1.6 P/M) GA 222 (1.6 P/M) GD 2

Total players bought: £180,000 (23 players)

Total players sold: £24,000 (8 players)

Total players released: 14 players

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