I can't be a Diamond, but my career can.

Welcome to my first career thread. Now normally in FM i am my favourite club, Rushden and Diamonds but saly that is now not possible so i am looking to start a new career in the Blue Square Bet Premier. My aim is to start out as a 28 year old 'Sunday League' manager and getting myself to the top of the English game.

I have chose the club i have mainly down to the fact that when i followed RDFC home and away we always seemed to get great results away to Hayes, hence making it an enjoyable day out. Times have changed since then and Hayes has joined with Yeading, something else common with my former team.

Im sure you can see i have a tough challenge on my hands.

My hopes for the coming season are:

League: 20th or higher, i want survive

FA Cup: First round away to one of the Sheffield side would be good finanically

FA Trophy: 3rd round

They are modest targets but given the current squad and future income i would settle for a modest first year.

Good luck mate .

Well my first pre season has been and gone. Had to put in some hard work with the players to prepare them for what could be a long season. Decided on three friendlies and was using the games to give all of my squad a run out.

Overall im pleased with how it went. The draw at home to Brentford was pleasing statistically and i believe my forwards have the firepower to see us well this season.

They next two games featured mainly my second string players with many subs so i am not too upset with the results. Going to Mansfield on the opening day of season with a fully fit squad to choose from.

The end of Auguest comes round quickly. Its been a quiet time on the transfer front, one out and two in, although one is a one month long deal.

As for the first 6 results, very even W2, D2, L2

The draw at Mansfield was well deserved, an even game all round but hosting Luton was a total mis-match. My tip that the Hatters will win the league is looking good!! A disappointing defeat to Bath was made worse by the fact that they had a man sent off after just 16minutes. Things look to turn around at home to Kettering, we lead the game three times but each time defensive mis-haps cost us. We follow this with back to back 1-0 wins, looking solid at the back but injuries are starting to take the toll on the already small squad.

Pretty much mid-table after the 6 games and im a happy bunny so far.

So September brings me a month of two home games and three away.

The month started badly with an awful away defeat to Darlington. Despite having great possesion we did nothing with it apart from conceding 3 times and having my RB sent off. Next up was a trip to Newport where a fantastic forst half performance put us 2-0 up beofre a two footed horror tackle from top scorer Richard Pacquette left us down to ten men. We managed to cling on, somehow, for a valuable 2-1 away win. The arm chair fans where then treated to a televised game at home to York where we had to rely on an o.g from the York keeper for a point. Another home game without a win followed vs Gateshead where i am forced to play a winger upfront through injuries and suspension. My 4th choice forward Tom Collins scores to give us a point. Septmeber ended with a trip to Lincoln, losing two midfielders just before the game to 'flu' means i put my CB Bentley in CM for today and what an inspired move. A hat trick follows and a great 4-1 away win helps the goal difference.

Eleven games in and im 7points clear of the drop zone and looking like getting back to a full strength squad. Im trying hard to bring in a new loan player in a couple of positions just to help my squad.

Looking forward to October, some winnable games plus the FA Cup comes into play.

Decent start so far and a comfortable position above the relegation places .

Made a solid start so far,hope you can achieve your goal of survival.

A good start to your career - certainly, survival looks like a viable option. Surprised you only brought in 2 players, though!

Thanks guys.

I only signed two players as im happy with most of players i have. I also tend to find better players avaliable in January than in July so looking to use loans until transfer window opens. It has worked in the past for me so fingers crossed.

Well i ended my September post saying that i was looking foward to October and there are some winnable games coming up.

HOW WRONG WAS I. CAN THIS GAME SEE MY CONFIDENCE?

A month to forget. A month to move on for.

It started off with a home game v Forest Green. Winnable? Yes. We have had a poor season at home so no suprise we slip to a defeat. An early strike and a late o.g do for us. Next up was a trip to Kidderminster. 2-0 which turns to 3-2 down, the second goal being another o.g. Trying to recover from this we host AFC Telford and lightning strikes, 2-0 up! Quickly back to 2-2, with yet another o.g. Not to give up tho we force in a 3rd goal, the tide has turned. NO IT HASN'T. We go on to concede three more and results in a 5-3 defeat. The next two are trips to Tamworth and Cambridge which result in two more defeats, 3-1 and 4-0. Unsuprisingly one of the Tamworth goals in an o.g. Thats now 5 o.g in just 16 games.

So October brings ZERO points and a plunge down the table

Now for the FA Cup. The draw has been ok, a trip to BSBS side Tonbridge. Due to the games coming up and the recent poor form i switch my team around a little and decide i need to concentrate fully on the BSBP. Good job too. The players i put in decided they didnt want to continue in the FA Cup and we getting a beating!

Im now going to try the opposite to last month!

NOT looking forward to Novmember, there are NO winnable games!

Ouch!!!

Talk about a kick in the balls.

Looks like things will get worse before they get better, but they should soon.

Well November has been and gone. Still not a great month put got some points and climbed out of bottom four so reasons to be cheerful.

First up in November was home game with Wrexham. The Red Dragons are going ok in the league and just been part of a takeover by their fans so i was delighted with a goal less draw. Ends our run of awful defeats if nothing else. Next up at Kingfield stadium is the leaders Fleetwood. This to me is a bonus match, anything we get will be a bonus. We get nothing except a 5-2 defeat. Improvement is needed for the trip to Grimsby but the players are tired and morale is dropping. I opt to play a few reserve players and it shows with a 4-0 defeat. Over the last three weeks i have had the players learning a new formation and tinkering with the tactics ready for now, at home to Barrow, fellow relegation zone occupants. I move into the free transfer market and pick up 3 players until end of season.

All three start to add an experienced spine to my team and bingo, it works, Barrow are destroyed 3-0. This is where the hard work starts as me climb a couple of places. The final game of the month is Ebbsfleet away, a side currently 7th. Fitness catches up with my new players and we lose 3-2, never really being in the game.

And the table:

December see the start of the FA Trophy for us and a trip to Carshalton is coming shortly along with homes games against the current bottom two. Looking a month ahead i am in talks with four players about joining and hoping to relieve myself of two or three players.

A much needed win over Barrow.

Pablo Counago .

Well the month of December left my fans with a bit extra to spend at Christmas. The first game of the month at home to bottom club Southport was postponed, as was the last game of the month at home to Bath. Due to this wek played just three league games and our FA Trophy match.

It was a mixed bag in the league, a 2-0 win at home to 23rd place Braintree, a 3-0 defeat to playoff chasing Luton and a creditable 1-1 draw with Mansfield

Overall happy with the month, despite dropping a couple of positions were are 6 points clear of relegation zone with at least one game in hand and next two games are vs teams in bottom four.

As for the FA Trophy we managed to sneak a 1-0 away victory which was just about deserved. The draws in the cup have not been great financially as again we are drew away, this time to Enfield so i fully expect to reach round three.

On the transfer front i have nobody joining straight away but the club have sold Jamie Hand to Luton for £4k.

Apologies for the skip here but the season contiuned in very much the same vain. Winnng around one in five and scoring far too many own goals. Lost both my keepers and my captain for remainder of season just four days after the free transfer deadline expired hit my side hard. Coupled with a great second half of the season by Braintree left it likely that two out of three would go down from Hayes and Yeading, Braintree and Kettering. After 44 games Kettering finally gave up the ghost and were relegated. Week 45 brought around an away win for myself at Southport and an away draw for Braintree meaning the final game of the season Braintree held a 2 point lead over my boys.

If you have not seen where this was going here it is, final game of the season BRAINTREE VS HAYES AND YEADING!

I must admit was very nervous ahead of the game, who to pick? which formation? OMG...

I opt for the same eleven that beat Southport in previous game and off we go RELEGATION 6 POINTER!!

The game is even steven going into the 39th minute when Braintree strike. Before i could get too upset my freebie signing Pablo Counago puts us level just on half time. The second half starts, all i need is one goal and dont concede. The players are told to relax, they playing well. As we approch the 80th minute i have already been forced into 2 changes through injury i bring on my final sub, go attacking formation as i need a goal....

And then bang, its a goal, 82 minutes, Jamie Guy, a sub, he has scored!!! I wont lie, it was not a 35 yarder, it was a right wing cross, keeper tips header up and Guy heads in from 2 yards.

But a goal is a goal. I will be honest, i missed the 3rd goal, just four minutes later - 3-1!

GAME OVER

SEASON OVER

JOB OVER

Yes thats right, Jamie Guy isnt my striker, he wasnt my sub - HE PLAYS FOR BRAINTREE.

Following our last day relegation the chairman Derek Goodhall decides its best if i leave, so i do.

Luckily for me, im not unemployed for long when along came:

It my chance now to rebuild and hopefully turn around the fortunes of this proud sleeping giant. The holiday is cancelled, im off to scout!

Unlucky with relegation on the last day, ouch!

Good to see you at Stockport, hopefully you can push on for promotion next year.

That was a painful way to end at Hayes and Yeading.

Season 2012/2013

Stockport County

Blue Square Bet Premier

Been a busy pre-season at my new club. Lost all my backroom staff so brought in my own guys and many players out of contract. Instead of giving these guys new contracts have managed to get the wages down alot and still have a quality squad.

Been busy bringing in new players but not touched the £130,000 given to me to spend as the club £350,000 in debt. Intead i sold Timlin for £30,000 and re-invested that money on a couple of players.

On the back of three wins out of four am looking forward to the four league games August brings.

Have managed to get Bolton as a parent club so watching a few reserve games to find a gem to bring on loan hopefully.

The new harry Redknapp (Del Boy)wheeling and dealing

The new harry Redknapp (Del Boy)wheeling and dealing

After my first season and only siging eight players, most on loan i didnt want to make the same mistake. Once i saw the quailty of some of the availble players i had no option either, fantastic looking keeper in Karius, some good firepower with Spencer and Connell to add to last seasons top scorer Elliot. Hopefully some creativity on the wings from Shroot and Atkinson!

August 2012

No problems at all with my new players needing to gel together. An unbeaten start

So far conceded just the one, which was an o.g by my goalkeeper and 4 of the 5 goals scored my new signings. The second of Spencer's strike helped him to tihs:

Sadly the nice start only puts us 4th as Luton and Tamworth have 100% record.

One of the most pleasing parts of the start to season is attendance wise. Already beaten last years highest attendance in both our home games our average is well up also. This can olny be good for a side with a growing debt.

September 2012

After a decent start to the season i am hopeful the next month will run just as smoothly. Its starts well enough with a comfortable win over AFC Telford whic is followed by sucessive 1-1 draws, about fair results. Next up was a trip to leaders Tamworth without forward James Spencer who managed to pick up 5 yellow cards in just 8 games! But no bother, a 2-1 win continues our unbeaten start to the season.

That has now well and truely gone following three woeful performances. Just one point gained is not good enough but we have reached eleven games now so i can see which of my summer signings are not worth the ink the contract was signed with.

Still a decent start but foing on last seasons table if we continue picking up 19 points from 11 games we will miss the play-offs by one place and one point!

Another happy point for the referees favourite player James Spencer is yet another Goal of Month 2nd place

October 2012

You can see from the previous two months we are struggling to score goals, and that was my fear for October. Fears that were wrong.

A brillaint month, where in just four league games we almost double our goals for tally for previous 11 games.

When you have a month a like that you expect some plaudits are here are a couple for me and my team

October brings excitment too as the FA Cup 4th Qual comes around and we are drawn away to a lower league side. Worrying for me as last season my Hayes and Yeading side were thrashed 5-0 in the cup away to lower league side.

Not this time though, our goalscoring good form continues

And the draw for the first round is again away but this time to BSBP rivals,

Definitely firing now.

As with Hayes andYeading last season an awful run leading upto christmas

left me stuck in mid table and scratching my head at the problems. As the window opened for transfers i decided that my forward line needed sorting so out went my three big earners and in came two new players. That incuded Danny Kedwell who hit 8 goals in 15 games before a hip injury ended his season.

My results continued to be up and down so i decided to just ditch this season and play many younsters and try two new formations and styles of play. It led to an incosistant end to the season but happily we finshed one place better than year

I felt i had the main part of the squad ready for the new season and was offered a new one year deal which i accepted. My joy was cut short quickly as the board cut my wage budget from 22.5k to just 15k. Although to many people this is not a major cut for a club my size it is. I am spending 17k currently meaning i cannot buy players until i sell as i can only pay upto £250 pw.

This has meant i have missed out on three of my five summer targets and have lost my main MR on a free as his contract expired. So currently my onyl 4 transfer window signings are ypung prospects aged 15,15, 16 and 16! Not exactly setting the fans hearts racing!

Off i go as pre-season is just starting, this could be a long 6 weeks before the transfer window shuts.

Not a bad season there with the best club in the world! This club expects to be in the football league really though so best find a way to make it happen!

Season 2013/14

August and September Report:

Well pre season is its normal entertaining self. The players are walking around not knowing who, if anyone is leaving the club to help balance the books. After an unsuccessful season last year and the year before that with Robert Kelly in charge my boss Peter Snape decides to stop wasting his money and cuts both budgets leaving us all in a daze.

I decide to go with the squad i have, albeit a couple of players light and we head off for the first of four friendlies. THe fans turn up at Histon and with the sun shinning bright both sides battle out a 1-1 draw. On the full time whistle i am happy with the efforts given its the first game and set my mind to the next three games. Rather upsetting though was the reaction by one fan to Danny Hutchins who took exception to him coming off with a damaged elbow. It cannot be confirmed but the 'fan' was an Edgeley Park regualr ism-scfc.

We put that unsavoury incident behind us and win two of the remaining three games and head into the new season full of optimism. We have a difficult looking start with three of our first four games against sides that finished in the top 7 last year.

I have more fans on my back despite beating Wrexham, Darlington and Chelmsford we lose both derbies with Macclesfield and Crewe. September brings around 3 wins. 1 draw and 2 defeats meaning after 11 games we have exactly the same points as last year, 19.

My stand out performer so far has been January signing Jeff Hughes who from left wing has scored 7 goals in 11 games and although my other winger Will Atkinson has yet to score he has 5 assists to his name.

Struggling this season is the man i put my goalscoring hopes on Danny Kedwell. After 10 games without a goal i relegate him to the bench, making way for loan signing from Barnsley Jordan Clark. This tactic works as Kedwell steps off the bench to score the third and final goal vs Barrow.

October brings tough games against two of the current playoff teams and we have the FA Cup at the end of month where i hope to debut my four summer signings.

I decide to go with the squad i have, albeit a couple of players light and we head off for the first of four friendlies. THe fans turn up at Histon and with the sun shinning bright both sides battle out a 1-1 draw. On the full time whistle i am happy with the efforts given its the first game and set my mind to the next three games. Rather upsetting though was the reaction by one fan to Danny Hutchins who took exception to him coming off with a damaged elbow. It cannot be confirmed but the 'fan' was an Edgeley Park regualr ism-scfc.

Love it!

Keep going, the wins will start to come!

Season 2013/14

October and November Report:

The month started with two games against sides in the play-offs and the players did not let me down. 2-0 and 1-0 wins pushed us into the play-offs and the mood was happy. That soon changed when star man Hughes was injured in the next game, a defeat, to Newport and was out for 4 to 6 weeks with a twisted ankle. On the back of that we won just one of next seven in the league but amazingly stayed around play-off picture. The top three sides are now well clear of the chasing pack, 10points and the next 11 places are seperated by just 5 points. Leads us to a massive December.

The main joy of the last two months was an FA Cup home win vs Mansfield and then the first round drew local rivals Bury at home. Not only dod we dominate we won 2-0 and picked up much needed gate reciepts to the tune of £140,000. Excitement met the 2nd round draw and we have a tough trip to League 1 strugglers AFC Wimbledon.

My plan to use my new youngsters in the cup was put on hold due to the poor league form but one lad, Aron Hulse, a 17 year old forward signed from Colwyn Bay has come in to a mis-firing strikeforce and hit 2 goals in 6 games.

If we are to keep up the good season i need to get more from my forwards as they just cannot get the ball in the net. Spencer has 5 in 20, Kedwell has 1 in 19, i have mentioned Hulse already, Hughes-Mason has 1 in 9 and finally Balogh has 1 in 7 (a pen).

December brings us the FA Cup trip, the FA Trophy kicks off also and we have fixtures featuring 1st, 3rd and 6th place teams.

No major plans for transfer window as again i need to sell before i buy but considering ditching my two main forwards and bringing in replacements. Thoughts anyone??

Season 2013/2014

December and January Report:

December was an ok month for us, win over the leaders Crewe despite having two men sent off followed sucessive draws with high flying Wrexham and Mansfield. The problems are off field finances. Three times this month the club has replied on the chairman injecting some cash into the club but during December he injected far less than before which led me to ditch three of the higher earners in the squad.

As soon as the transfer window opened mis-firing forwards Kedwell and Spencer left for Telford and Gateshead while injured midfielder Cregg has released. This dropped the morale a little and led to January starting badly. Just two points from four games before a final game of January vs 6th place Macclesfield. A fantastic defensive display kept Macc quiet and late on my star performer at the moment Will Atkinson popped up with a bullet header. It leaves us down in 9th, five points from from the play offs with a game in hand.

To conpensate losing three players i have loaned in former loanee Jack Sampson from Bolton who was a hit with fans during a 28 day loan spell last year. Joining him upfront is Chesterfield forward Jordan Bowery. Defensive injuries have hit us hard during the last few weeks so youngster Ben Battersby has stepped up from the u-18's to cover.

The FA Cup dream is over for another year, beaten 2-0 at AFC Wimbledon but the performance was good and at 0-0 Jeff Hughes blazed a penalty high and wide. The FA Trophy is a real aim as we got good results, and performances at Chester and FC Halifax, both flying high in Blue Square Bet North. Up next is a home time with league rivals Southport.

Season 2013/2014

February and March Report:

These two months have brought around game after game after game. Seventeen in total, 12 league games and five in the cup. At this stage of the season every side chasing a promotion place is after an unbeaten run and thats exactly what we are on. Its currently nine unbeaten for my team but sadly for me and our fans seven of them have been draws meaning our playoff push has faded quickly. We are down to just five games remaining and are ten points off the pace so now its about money saving. My big earners are on the way out and going to give youth a chance, see if any kids want a chance for next season.

A good cup run has kept the fans spirits up and we did well before losing both legs of the FA Trophy to league leaders Wrexham.

Now we get to the last few games and my future at the club is a regular topic in the press. Myself i want to stay, im enjoying my job. The other hand, im expecting another cut to budget and more of my top players are set to leave. Its a real juggling act as i cant bring myself to rip up my decent defence and midfield. The last two seasons we have just missed that someone to put the ball in the net.

If i sell my players i have been told by Mr Chairman that i will get 0% to re-invest in new players, i cant bring players in until some have left so that will leave me unable to build a squad until late in pre season - not ideal.

Well the last five games gave us a brilliant platform for next season.

15 points from 15 meant we have won 6 in a row and are unbeaten in 14 games in the league. This happiness is tinged slightly by the fact we went into the final game of season needing a win and Crewe and Ebbsfleet to both lose or draw and we would make the play-offs.

Sadly Ebbsfleet won but Crewe could only draw meaning we clinch 6th place in the table, missing out by just 2 points.

The run we have been on has led to my non-contract forward Gareth Seddon requesting i am given a new contract and the press are linking me to two League Two jobs, Plymouth and Kidderminster.

This is going to be an interesting off season, one way or another.

Brave effort, just not quite enough as you didn't really come good until too late

Keep at it and you'll take us up next season I'm sure!

Unlucky on avoiding a play-off place mate!

Well that fantastic run at the end of the season made my mind up to accept any offer Mr Chairman would make to me and i did. A new 12 month contract was signed and as expected my wage budget was cut yet again, this time to £13,824 p/w.

The transfer window was quiet all round, three players left and they were re-placed by three loanees, including Bolton forward Jack Sampson who is back for his third spell on loan with us. A massive thanks needs to go to winger Jeff Hughes who accepted a new contract with his wages dropping from £1,600 to £975. Fantasic gestures by himself and three or four others meant i could keep most of the squad together.

Amazingly the chairman has decided he wants a title challenge this season depsite all the money problems and our resolve will be tested in the first month with matches against both relegated clubs from the football league, Crawley and Hartlepool.

Pre-season has been decent again with our only defeat to a strong Bolton side (4-3) and two wins from the other three. Leads me to be confident of a decent start but i am assuming i will have 19 points from 11 games as both years at Stockport has brought that.

Sampson was a beast for me in my Tamworth save, surprised Bolton still have him on a contract.

Season 2014/2015

August and September Report:

The board want the title. The media think 5th. Wage wise we are the 6th highest in the league. For me a play-off place will be good, very good so off we go, on the back of 14 unbeaten at the end of last year.

Game one v Darlington, Sampson scores after 23 seconds! Fantastic start. He goes on to claim a hat-trick and confidence is high as we travel to Bath, who lost 6-0 on the opening day.

BUMP!

1-0 Defeat. Worst performance in over a year. Next two games bring draws vs team relegated from League 2. In both games we score o.g's. Are we trying to give games away?

We are super incosistant over next 7 games. 2 wins, 3 draws, 2 defeats.

Gareth Seddon has announced he will retire at end of season and starts to muck around,twice not turning up for training. As a non-contract player this is unacceptable so i release him after picking up George Donnelly on loan from Fleetwood. I am hoping this will give everyone a buzz as we are in danger of slipping off the pace. Next four games, three are against top 7 teams so its looking like win or bust already.

Season 2014/2015

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October and November Report:

What a couple of months it has been!! It started the day before our trip to Aldershot.The press ran a story caliming i was under pressure, one poor result from the sack. Harsh i thought. Well we picked up a hard earned point but i feared for my job still. I survived the week and ahead of the home clash with Alfreton the story was re-released. I really thought this was it, end of the line....how wrong i was

A great run of results eased the pressure and moved us up the table

Sitting just ouside the play-offs with games in hand. Loanee Sampson hitting some scoring form, roll on Xmas...

To add to the league form we had a mini adventure in the FA Cup.

A 4th Qual. win away to Droylsdon was rewarded with a trip to League 1 Bristol Rovers.

A well needed replay gave us the chance to bring in needed money and i feel we have a decent chance of making it through to round 2

Sadly our run was ended away to League 2 Fleetwood. Fitness was catching up with a few players so played a mainly second string side.

Hopefully we can be sucessful in the FA Trophy that kicks off soon.

Unlucky in the CUP! Concentrate on the league I say!

Season 2014/2015

December and January Report:

This is normally the part of the season where the wheels come off our push for promotion and that is exactly what happened in the first gaem of December. Forest Green at home - we got battered for 96 minutes and were lucky to lose 2-0. Next up was leaders and rivals Crewe. After blowing my top at the players and the media i got the response i was looking for with a 2-0 win.

Over the two months 19 points where picked up and we moved comfortably into the playoffs.

As you can see we have made hard work of the FA Trophy but a trip to Solihull Moors next will hopefully see us into the QF.

The transfer window came and went and to be honest i hardly noticed it. The only action was to extend George Donnelly loan until the end of season.

The problem of the last few years seems to be gone and goals are coming easily at the moment and nicely the goals are spread about

Season 2014/2015

February and March Report

In terms of the league a poor start to the month. A home defeat to play-off rivals York and an away loss to 2nd place AFC Telford. Six points were collected in the other two games of the month which leaves us well placed still but games in hand on the rest.

March was a fabulous month for us. five wins and 2 draws have propelled us upto second, behind Crewe who happens to be our final away game of the season. Only one win needed to give ourselves a play-off place!! Not bad for a boss on the verge of sacking in October.

Our cup run has happily come to an end. We are playing twice a week for every week until the end of the season so a battering at home to Aldershot was a result i was pleased with or too many games could ruin our hopes of promotion.

We have not been great in the FA Trophy anyhow with replays needed three times.

So off we head into April with a mouth watering tie at the end of the month. Leaders Crewe v 2nd place Stockport. Its not all easy as we also play threemore of the top nine but hopefully a run of results can get us to League 2, get me a new contract and fix some money worries. UP THE HATTERS!

Well it the end of the season and WE ARE CHAMPIONS........

I dont know what else to say, what a season. Low budget, no money, no chance. Thats what i thought at the start of season.

Nearly sacked in October!! hahahaha

I have been rewarded with a new one year contract, no payrise though!

No a big fan of loan players bu my main forwards were both on loan and scored 35 goals between them, helped by my wingers Atkinson and Hughes who scored 11 each. Much praise to my young keeper Karius, played all but 6 league games in 3 years i have been with the club. Fantastic free signing.

Season 2015/2016

Pre-Season

Not been overally busy during pre-season. The club have lost 5 players, all 19 years old, not one a first teamer and the loanees from last year have gone back.

On the signings front we have signed:

George Donnelly: On a free transfer from Fleetwood the 27 year old forward spent most of last season on loan with us scoring 10 in 28 with 9 assists.

Bradley Jordan: Another loanee from last year has joined on a free from Charlton. Used mainly from the bench the midfielder who can play across the middle of the park making him a good squad player. He appeared 21 times, ten from the bench though, scoring just the once in the final game vs Blyth.

Matthew Ball: A central midfielder signed on a free from Norwich as already enraged the fans by claiming Stockport 'is a stepping stone to better things'. A player with League 2 experience after playing 38 times on loan at lge 2 Ebbsfleet last season.

Martin Riley: A 28 year old central defender released by Lge 2 Stevenage joins us in a position we are a little short of numbers. I am hoping to use his experience to influence my younger players as he joins being my third choice CB

Reece Stauntson: My final signing is a loanee from Peterborough who has big shoes to fill. After a failed attempt to bring Jack Sampson back to the club (he has joined Championship side Reading for £50,000) i turned to 18 year old Reece who spent last season in the Blue Square Bet North with Histon, scoring 11 goals in 34 games. A hot prospect who brings youth and hard working ethics to my forward line.

The League Cup draw has not been too kind, a trip to Championship side Rochdale. Results have been positive win two wins and a draw from three with just Northwich away before the league kicks off away to Accrington.