The story of the greatest match of my FM life

Let me, if you will, tell you this story of a miserable and rainy afternoon in Stalybridge. It's raining the proverbial cats and dogs, as it so often does in Manchester, and there's a tiny crowd gathering in the rickety old stands of Bower Fold ( I don't know if they're really rickety...that's added for dramatic effect). This could be a David versus Goliath, but it's probably never going to be billed as that. My Kettering Town team are hovering around the play offs of the Blue Square North and Stalybridge Celtic are bottom, adrift. I've told the players we should win, and they even know it themselves. Stalybridge have shipped 43 goals to 4-4-2s in 18 games and the press have them shipping a few more today.

Of course being football it all gets off to a disasterous start for the Poppies. The Celtic midfielder, Phil Marsh, is put clean through on a goal thanks to our shocking inability to clear a ball. He duly slots the ball home and I'm starting to fear the worst. One minute before half time and it might as well be over, or at least that's what the faithful travelling Poppies fans are whispering. Patrick Noubissie piledrives into the Stalybridge left winger right on the edge of the box. The referee quite rightly points to the spot and Phil Marsh tucks the ball away.

So it's half time, we're away at bottom of the table Stalybridge, we should be winning and we're 2-0 down. I'm not nice to the players. Noubissie has had a shocker and he's off, to be replaced by Phil Ifil. The rest of the lads get a boot in the forehead and a barrage of expletives. "I expect better," I tell them. They know it.

All respect to them because the second half is a different game. Within 11 minutes we have a goal back; Lloyd Ellams slotting home an own goal when the ball was on its way out. We were thankful for a slice of luck and had a glimmer of a comeback in our eyes. It went quiet for a while after that, and I was beginning to think we'd had our chance and were going home with a poor defeat. I took off my underperforming striker and pushed forward my winger, come striker, Jean-Paul Marna. It worked a treat and Marna was causing havoc around their box. His trickery allowed Ashikodi to break free down the right in the 73rd minute. He put in a beautiful cross for recent substitute Craig Dobson to tuck away.

We were all out attack now, as we had been for much of the second half. I could sniff a win and knew it was within our grasp. Sadly it began to look like it wasn't going to come. The game had started to peeter out by the 90th minute and I was convinced I would have to settle for a draw. Queue Dobbo again. Running down the left he put in a hopeful cross that went off a Celtic leg for a late, late corner. There was 93 minutes on the clock when Marna swung the corner in...

...and it was a corner that looked like it would be headed clear as easy as the half time pies were scoffed down. It hung for what seemed an eternity. No one seemed willing to attack the ball. The Celtic players seemed hypnotised by the flight of this drifting corner. Then, magic...up stepped my right winger, Federico, to nod home unmarked in the center of the six-yard box. 3-2 Kettering and game over. There was barely time to kick off again.

I couldn't believe that game. When we went 2-0 down I thought this was my luck; always lose to the dire teams. I'd just beaten Bishop Stortford 4-0 away in the Trophy so I didn't expect to lose at Stalybridge. It might not sound special to everyone who reads this post; it's the Conference North for one thing, but that's the first time in years of playing FM that I've had a moment like that. That's the honest truth. I've had great wins and I've had comebacks, but never had I looked so dire in one half only to go on and win on 93 minutes. I just needed to tell someone. I thought of phoning me Mum, but I was sure she'd say "yes, dear, very nice dear" and not know what I was on about. I could have told the squirrel that comes to my window for peanuts, but (s)he's only after me for my nuts. So I've told you guys. I hope you don't mind. It was the step that followed dancing around my room like a crazy man. I did...I really did. I nearly tripped over my chair.

Here's the highlights package of my glorious trip to the Mancunian suburb of Stalybridge. We're in red. I wanted to add David, 18 by Thoughtforms as a backing track, because that's what was playing when the last minute drama happened, but I couldn't. I shall forever associate that song with this win. Look it up.

[video=youtube;zAXu2mb_Tbg]

I'm loving this game this year. I'm so addicted at the moment that I can't even find time in my busy holiday schedule of sitting around to play Skyrim.

And you even picked up an achievement on the way too!

Sounds like a great game, wish I had that sometimes:(

And you even picked up an achievement on the way too!

Sounds like a great game, wish I had that sometimes:(

Yeah, I did get the great comeback achievement. It was about time I got another one.

There's an amazing match waiting around the corner for us all, neushoorn. It'll come.

Haha thanks for encouragement buddy.

Good story, mate:thup:

Nice story

The locals won't like you referring to Stalybridge as a Manchester suburb! Bower Fold is a very old fashioned ground, but it's tidy enough. In real life they've got a bit of money behind them and will probably be in the Conference National before long. Unlike Kettering, who are in desperate financial straits.

The opening post was fantastic. Love this kind of thread.

Thanks guys.

The opening post was fantastic. Love this kind of thread.

I don't think it'll turn in to anything long term. I'd played that match about 5pm today and it was nearly 8pm by the time I'd posted the story of it. I do like the idea of a story thread of my career, and I've started them before. I just don't have time to enjoy the game and keep up with writing about it.

Sadly once Star Wars the Old Republic goes live I'm going to lose a lot of time for FM too. It can't be helped there. Bad, I know, but what can I say?

Congrats mate! Well done Love stories like that!

cool story bro