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Better than Brian Clough?


Northernpilgrim

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Hartlepool United Football Club is an English association football club based in Hartlepool, England. The club has played in League One since winning promotion in the 2006–07 season. Hartlepool play their home games at Victoria Park, which is situated on Clarence Road, Hartlepool. The club was founded in 1908 as Hartlepools United Football Athletic Company. Their main local rivals are Darlington F.C., who have historically been in the same league as Hartlepool United.

Hartlepool is known for its association with Brian Clough who began his managerial career at the club in 1965 and is widely considered to be one of the greatest English football managers of all time. Under Cyril Knowles' management the club won promotion to the Third Division in 1990. Hartlepool's greatest moment occurred in 2005 when they narrowly missed promotion to the The Championship.

The club has received media attention in recent years when the team mascot "H'Angus the Monkey" was elected mayor during the 2002 Hartlepool Council election. The club also receives popular attention due to its vocal support from the presenter of Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday, Jeff Stelling.

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Promotion to the Championship for the first time in the club's history wasn't on the agenda, but a stonking 35 goals in the league from James Brown, 42 in all competitions, kept us in contention for the title from the off. Massive changes for the Championship, because I felt the squad had too many passengers and not enough quality.

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So, a bit about my plan for this career. My plan is to replicate the path taken by Brian Clough, and to have exactly the same number of games in charge of each club. I will resign and wait for the relevant job to become vacant if it's not available, but will put pressure on the manager through the media and expressing an interest if he looks vulnerable. I aim to achieve everything Brian Clough did in his career, but if I'm offered an international job, or I get sacked without reaching the right length of time, it'll turn into a 'what might have happened' career. Enjoying life at Hartlepool, but know I'll be leaving them this season, one way or another, as BC only managed them for 84 games. So, 38 Championship games to get the 9 wins and 4 draws I need to emulate the great man. But as I'm chasing the Derby County job, I'll need to do rather better than that!

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My record with Hartlepool is far better than his was. Not that that says anything, but my challenge is about beating his record at each club in terms of games won from the same number of maches, as well as winning the same trophies he did. So far, so good. I'm ahead of schedule on matches won at Hartlepool, and have a promotion which he didn't get. Cloughie was a legend, and if I can get anywhere close to his career I'll be delighted. I actually think the spell at Derby is going to give me the most trouble, as he achieved a lot in a short time, whereas at Forest he was there 18 years.

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Thanks for the kind words SRL. Coventry are struggling in the league, but away form has been an issue, so am delighted with the result there. More than halfway to the 9 wins required from 38 games, and only 17 played. 4 from the next 16 will take me past Clough's record. Brighton and Huddersfield both in good form, so pleased to get 2 more wins there.

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What should happen now then? If the Derby job becomes available before 84 games, should I apply? Or would that be against the spirit of the challenge? Personally, as my objective was to get more points (counting his as if they were 3 points for a win) than he did, and I've done that already, I'd have no issues moving early. Not sure what I think about the reverse though, getting to 84 games without the job being available? Who would stay with Hartlepool, who would resign and remain unemployed until Derby offer the job, and who would take another job entirely?

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A great start. I think sticking with the team until the other becomes free is best option. As long as you complete your objective you could leave when the next team becomes open.

And would creating the vacancy by installing a human manager and resigning them immediately constitute cheating?

May be only option as could take a very long time otherwise. I wouldn't call it cheating but enabling the challenge to continue.

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A great start. I think sticking with the team until the other becomes free is best option. As long as you complete your objective you could leave when the next team becomes open.

May be only option as could take a very long time otherwise. I wouldn't call it cheating but enabling the challenge to continue.

A very good point. I will take the Derby job if offered it before the 84 game mark, but will create the vacancy only at 84 games to continue the challenge.

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My record with Hartlepool is far better than his was. Not that that says anything, but my challenge is about beating his record at each club in terms of games won from the same number of maches, as well as winning the same trophies he did. So far, so good. I'm ahead of schedule on matches won at Hartlepool, and have a promotion which he didn't get. Cloughie was a legend, and if I can get anywhere close to his career I'll be delighted. I actually think the spell at Derby is going to give me the most trouble, as he achieved a lot in a short time, whereas at Forest he was there 18 years.

Beating his points total at his early clubs will be easy, since three points for a win didn't come into place until 1981.

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Quick note, due to a disagreement with the ref over his decision not to award Hartlepool a penalty in the Leeds game, I've been given a 1 match ban. Will be interesting to see whether my Assistant is a capable replacement or not, and it will also provide me with some food for thought as to whether I should take him with me when he time comes to head to Derby.

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How the hell can I have a reputation of 'Regional', after getting a Hartlepool side predicted 15th in League 1 automatic promotion, then sitting 10th in The Championship after 34 games, despite being predicted a 24th placed finish. Given we've busted through the 50 point barrier already, if we finish in 24th this season I'll walk the 200 or so miles to Hartlepool in a monkey suit if it happens.

JamieSheehanOverview_Profile.png

npowerChampionshipOverview_Stages-2.png

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I'm starting to find this season a chore. We're never going to challenge for the playoffs, with a capacity of not much over 7k I'm not generaing the revenue. I'm just waiting for the 84 games to be up, then resign and wait to see if Derby come calling.

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I decided to risk forcing the Derby vacancy by replacing Gordon Strachan with a human version of himself and resigning immediately, and THIS happened:

JamieSheehanNews_Inbox-2.png

And the league table showing the positions of my old and new clubs.

npowerChampionshipOverview_Stages-3.png

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I won't post an end of season update this time, but instead will concentrate on using the remaining 5 games to work out what needs to happen with my squad, as well as bringing in my backroom team, most of whom left Victoria Park the same day I did.

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I think the promotion to the Championship, and then consolidating in the top ten until the end of January was too much for the Derby board. I toyed with the idea of trying to stay with Hartlepool, but I knew when I holidayed the game and we got hammered twice, that I was getting the team to over achieve. It looks like I'll have to do that at Derby too, as the finances are desperate, the squad is very large but short of quality. That said, the first XI are a bunch I'd expect to be in the hunt for promotion, there is just absolutely no backup. I've decided not to use my tried and trusted formaion in the last few matches this season, I don't want the AI getting too long to have a peek at it!

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I decided to risk forcing the Derby vacancy by replacing Gordon Strachan with a human version of himself and resigning immediately

Doing things like that makes me lose all interest in your save.

It is your game so you can play as you please but that doesn't hold any interest for me personally.

Good luck with the rest of your game.

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The point was to see whether I could match Brian Clough's achievements in terms of win percentages, honours won etc at each of his clubs over exactly the same number of games. The Derby board were no likely to get rid of their manager, as they changed him only at the start of the season, and the finances mean they don't expect much above survival. The fact that they gave me the job says that I deserve the chance. If I can't match Clough's achievement of winning the league within 6 years, my save will come to an end. Everyone is entitled to their view, and thankyou for yours, but I sought people's opinions before doing it, and you didn't object then.

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Thanks Welsh Wizard. My aim for this season is promotion by any means possible. To complete my Derby section of the challenge, I need to win the title no later than 5 seasons in, as Brian Clough led them to a European Cup Semi Final before his departure.

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Thanks Welsh Wizard. My aim for this season is promotion by any means possible. To complete my Derby section of the challenge, I need to win the title no later than 5 seasons in, as Brian Clough led them to a European Cup Semi Final before his departure.

European semi final will be very hard to reach but I see getting promotion the hardest bit Prem money will ease the rest but still going to be tough good luck.

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