[FM10] In the Clear Blue Skies over Edgeley

Following on from my FM09 career with SCFC, I'm doing this one on FM10

Leagues Loaded: England to BSN/S

Edits Made: None

Team Selected: Stockport County (League One)

Having spent the summer in administration, not a lot was expected of County when I took over following the redundancy of Jim Gannon, who has now gone on to be Motherwell manager. The squad looks like this (first choice before any transfer dealings in bold)

Transfer budget: £10K

Season Expectations: Attempt to avoid relegation

Goalkeepers:

Owain Fon Williams

Paul Gerrard

Lloyd Rigby

Defenders:

Johnny Mullins

Michael Rose

Michael Raynes

Andy Halls

Gianluca Havern

Midfielders:

Paul Turnbull

Liam Bridcutt (on loan from Chelsea until Jan)

James Vincent

Greg Tansey

Carl Baker

David Poole

Matty Mainwaring

Danny Pilkington

Adam Griffin

Attackers:

Peter Thompson

Oli Johnson

Nicholas Bignall (on loan from Reading until Jan)

Post reserved for future use

Summer Transfers:

In:

Peter Gilbert (Sheff Wed - Free)

Mark Fotheringham (Norwich - Free)

James Collins (Aston Villa - Loan to Jan)

John White (Colchester - Free)

Oliver Gill (Man Utd - Free)

Tom Williams (Peterborough - 3 Month Loan)

Out:

Michael Rose (Chesterfield - Loan)

Michael Raynes (Peterborough - £250K)

Squad now looks like this:

1. Owain Fon Williams

2. Johnny Mullins (capt)

3. Peter Gilbert

4. Paul Turnbull

5. Liam Bridcutt

6. Oliver Gill

7. James Vincent

8. Greg Tansey

9. Peter Thompson

10. Carl Baker

11. Oli Johnson

14. Adam Griffin

15. David Poole

16. Adam Griffin

17. Danny Pilkington

18. Andy Halls

19. Declan Edwards

20. Gianluca Havern

21. Craig Roberts

22. Danny Rowe

23. Lloyd Rigby

24. Nicholas Bignall

25. Mark Fotheringham

26. James Collins

27. Tom Williams

28. John White

Strongest side (4-4-2):

GK: Fon Williams

DL: Gilbert

DR: Mullins

DC: Gill

DC: White

ML: Williams

MR: Baker

MC: Bridcutt

MC: Fotheringham

ST: Collins

ST: Thompson

Pre-Season 2009

August 2009

Apologies for the slight bug with the FM10 default skin that means you can't see the bottom team. I'll use a skin that doesn't have this problem as soon as I find one that I like, but for now I'll just post the bottom team separately

Southampton are bottom with 0 points (10 deducted)

I was delighted with the 2-0 win at Oldham on the opening day, which included substitute Peter Thompson scoring a 40 yard stunner to seal the points. Thompson also scored in the League cup win over Bury. That was followed by a goalless draw at home to Bristol Rovers which preceded a Mark Fotheringham inspired win over Carlisle at EP, the scottish midfielder scoring both goals. A surprise defeat at Brighton where they shocked us with two goals in the first 10 minutes was disappointing as was just rolling over at Vicarage Road in the Carling Cup. We battled hard against Southampton and deserved a point, but a late defensive lapse cost us, as young Jamie White scored his first goal for the Saints.

Nice to read about, rovers are 4th!!! and now you got the man lambert to hate at southampton! :L, im gettin fm10 soon, keep it up.

Nice to read about, rovers are 4th!!! and now you got the man lambert to hate at southampton! :L, im gettin fm10 soon, keep it up.

Rovers should have beaten us tbh. Darrl Duffy missed a hatful of chances. Lambert was injured when we played Saints. I'm sure he'll play against us at St. Mary's though in January.

September update coming soon

That's a pretty confident start with a side that you've made with Stockport. You've also managed to add a little quality to your squad. I see no reason why you can't hold your own in midtable.

That's a pretty confident start with a side that you've made with Stockport. You've also managed to add a little quality to your squad. I see no reason why you can't hold your own in midtable.

Yep, Oli Gill is an excellent young defender, snatched on a free to replace Raynes who I got £250K for:D

White is a bit dodgy at times and has cost me a few goals, so I might start looking for something a bit better, but Fotheringham and Gilbert is class, and Collins is a good forward alongside Thompson too, so things are looking good.

Team will change dramatically once I get some bosmans in the summer though

September 2009

24. Gillingham (4 pts)

It was a second string side that lost to Bury in the JPT on penalties, and then Leeds were too hot to handle at Elland Road the following weekend. Two goals from loan striker James Collins earned all 3 points at Huish Park against Yeovil before Leyton Orient parked the bus at EP. The ball would go anywhere but the net. A great win at Huddersfield, James Collins scoring with 25 mins to go, but we were able to see out the win, preceded disappointment at home, as we battered Hartlepool, but couldn't find the net, James Brown punishing us in stoppage time

And Norwich is 12th!! This game is so unrealistic sometime

Great Work ism-scfc What are you expecting this season?

And Norwich is 12th!! This game is so unrealistic sometime

Great Work ism-scfc What are you expecting this season?

ooo...we play Norwich soon. Wonder if the virtual Lambert cheats like the real one?

I'm expecting mid-table stability tbh. Nothing more as we don't have the consistency to mount a play off charge. Only Collins (and Thompson in August) seems to know that the goal is the big white thing at each end of the pitch, and that you're supposed to put the ball in it:mad:

ooo...we play Norwich soon. Wonder if the virtual Lambert cheats like the real one?

I'm expecting mid-table stability tbh. Nothing more as we don't have the consistency to mount a play off charge. Only Collins (and Thompson in August) seems to know that the goal is the big white thing at each end of the pitch, and that you're supposed to put the ball in it:mad:

Thats right, we beat you guys 3-1 just this weekend!

Thats right, we beat you guys 3-1 just this weekend!

every time I see the dive for that pen, it makes me want to punch the cheating **** you call your manager:mad:

October 2009

24. Gillingham (6 points)

Poor start to the month, throwing away another point with a last minute Southend winner from Francis Laurent, before an excellent 2-0 success at Prenton Park, a Liam Bridcutt strike and a Carl Baker penalty earning us the points. We lost 2-0 to a very good Millwall side and then got a battling point at Griffin Park, Oli Johnson scoring an 89th minute equaliser. The last game of the month against Norwich was a treat. We went behind to a Cody McDonald penalty before Oli Johnson levelled things before half time. On the hour mark, two Peter Thompson goals in 2 minutes earned us the win despite McDonald heading in his second of the game. Some very kind Norwich defending on the 2nd and 3rd goals helped greatly. We have Tranmere away in FA Cup, so to go somewhere we've won already this season is nice, although a non-league club would have been better.

November 2009

24. Gillingham (9 points)

A good away trip to Tranmere started the month, Oli Johnson scoring both goals in a 2-1 win, our second Prenton Park victory of the season. A thrilling game at Walsall followed, 3-0 down after 20 minutes, fighting back to 4-3 only to miss a glorious last minute chance to claim an unlikely point. We were trailing 2-1 to Exeter thanks to two penalties from substitute Richard Logan before a stunning Peter Gilbert free kick and a distictly offside looking goal from Oli Johnson pulled us in front. Colchester twice took the lead in Essex before two Peter Thompson equalisers, the first of which was an excellent pass and move goal and the second was in the 92nd minute earned us a point before we crashed out of the cup having missed a hatful of chances including two open goals (!), allowing Southend to come back in the game. It was Oli Gill who made the mistake allowing Lee Barnard to finish off our cup chances. Bring on december, see if we can mount a play off charge

You are doing good but you grant lot of goals, with more defensive consistence you can reach to play-offs.

Good luck, i will folow you.

Leonine greetings.

You are doing good but you grant lot of goals, with more defensive consistence you can reach to play-offs.

Good luck, i will folow you.

Leonine greetings.

Thank you

I know I'm conceding a lot of goals but there's nothing I can do about it until the end of the season. I've brought in Chelsea defender Sam Hutchinson until the January, so hopefully that will stem the flow slightly

December 2009

What a disaster of a month! Just 2 points from 6 games started well, with a good 1-1 draw at home to Swindon. Peter Thompson gave us the lead on the stroke of half time, but Billy Paynter got the Robins' equaliser against the run of play. We then lost away at struggling Wycombe, Michael Duberry given a free header just after the break to score the only goal of the game. We gave Charlton a good test but Lukas Zelenka's early goal was enough to earn them the points; Liam Bridcutt sent off for a second yellow towards the end. Robbery of the Century occured at the Priestfield. Both Carl Baker and Peter Thompson scored legitimate goals, only for the liner to chalk them off. Just after Baker did put County ahead at last, Gills got an offside goal of their own, Simeon Jackson a clear 3 yards ahead of the last defender, but this time, he decides not to put his flag up, so we had to settle for a point. As our fans would say - You cheating southern b*****ds! Mathias Doumbe scored the only goal at stadium:mk as MK Dons took the points against us, and then Leeds did the same at EP. We had the better of the game, but Leeds took the points through another free header from a centre half - this time Richard Naylor. Four defeats in December - all of them 1-0!!!!

January 2010

2010 began as 2009 ended - badly! Carl Baker missed an 85th minute penalty, only for Vladimir Ivanov to send a looping free kick over the wall and past Owain Fon Williams for a stoppage time Brighton winner. It was a bit better at Bristol Rovers - we went 2-0 down, but Peter Thompson did pull one back, but not enough to save a point. It got much better against struggling Oldham. Deane Smalley gave the Latics the lead, but then two from James Collins and a Mark Fotheringham strike finally earned us a win. We hadn't won since November, but now we won two in a row, as we went to Carlisle and took the points back down the M6. Peter Thompson gave us the lead, but Scott Dobie equalised for the home side, before an Oli Johnson double took the points back to Cheshire. The month finished with an unfortunate defeat to Southampton at St. Mary's, but it did include a goal for debutant Rene Howe.

January saw four new faces enter the club - three from Peterborough United. Midfielder Sergio Torres and Striker Rene Howe both signed 18 month deals, and Winger Dominic Green came in on a month's loan. We also brought in Leicester defender Harry Worley on a month's loan, a product of our own youth system, who had left the club for Chelsea when he was 16

February 2010 - March 2010

Best Eleven 2009/10

I'm pleased with the first season. We trailed off towards the end, but it was a brilliant start and a good 17th place. Now for the pre-season:

Released:

Danny Pilkington (Southport)

Paul Gerrard

Michael Rose

Adam Griffin

Gianluca Havern

Declan Edwards

Greg Tansey

Matty Mainwaring

Signed:

George Friend (Wolves)

Leon Johnson (Wycombe)

Romain Gasmi (Strasbourg)

Dominic Green (Peterborough - Season Long Loan)

Ben May (Scunthorpe)

Nikki Bull (Brentford)

Connor Devlin (Man Utd)

Joshua King (Man Utd)

Loans out:

Sam Barnes (Southport)

Squad List:

1. Owain Fon Williams

2. Johnny Mullins

3. Peter Gilbert

4. Leon Johnson

5. George Friend

6. John White

7. Romain Gasmi

8. Mark Fotheringham

9. Peter Thompson

10. Carl Baker

11. Dominic Green

13. Connor Devlin

14. Nikki Bull

15. Oliver Gill

16. James Vincent

17. Oli Johnson

18. Paul Turnbull

19. Tom Fisher

20. Rene Howe

21. Steven Murty

22. Sergio Torres

23. Luke Bradley

24. Danny Rowe

25. John Disney

26. Matty Kosylo

27. Louis Barnes

28. Sam Barnes

29. Andy Halls

30. Ben May

31. Joshua King

Player of the Season 2009/10: Mark Fotheringham

Top Goalscorer 2009/10: Peter Thompson (21 League Goals)

Top Youth Prospects: Peter Corbett (FC), Adrian Smith (MC)

Opening Fixture 2010/11

Watford (A)

Down from Championship:

Derby

Plymouth

Watford

Up from League 2:

Notts Co

Rotherham

Port Vale

Crewe (Play offs)

Friendlies:

GH Academy W1-0

Stoke L2-0

Dirty Inbreds L3-0

Tottenham L1-0

Birmingham D2-2

Man Citeh L3-0