[FM11] From Urchins to Ultimates

[Wavelberry]

Database: 11.1 (large w players from top clubs from all continents)

Dafuge's challenge

Team: Afc Hornchurch.

Starting Dafuge's challenge these days one knows that they have a hell of a long way to go to emulate the man himself and his all conquering Tooting and Mitcham side. That being said it's time that footballing hotbed of Hornchurch was given a team worthy of their fandom. This is the story of AFC Hornchurch. This is from Urchins to Ultimates.

AFC Hornchurch. A team that was formed in 2005 after the orignal Hornchurch was obliterated in a blaze of greed and money, this Hornchurch wants to get to the top, but the right way. Cue hiring manager Wavelberry 'pon their promotion to the BSS.

Things don't look great for the team. Quality is lacking and they are predicted 22nd. Can they do any better? Let's find out.

[Wavelberry]

Pre-season saw me search desperately for someone, anyone to join the club as assistant manager. Eventually it didn't happen and I had to promote my 1st team coach to Ass Man status but let it be known that he will be replaced as soon as possible.

Acquisitions needed to be made to bring the squad up to BSS levels and the deadwood reserves were chucked out straight away. Big names include former Bradford PA defender Amjad Iqbal and midfielder Dwane Lee who was my first buy. After a pre-season that saw the team win all of their games (although the opposition wasn't much to write home about) the club were ready to face their first league game against promotion favourites Welling at the Kingfield Stadium.

[Wavelberry]

AFC Hornchurch August 2011 Update

So I was ready, with an excellent pre-season behind me, to come in and hold my own in the BSS and I was not disappointed. What a month I had!

The only thing keeping me sane right now is that we are 21st and not last (that honour belongs to the 'must sign everyone ever' boys at Tooting and Mitcham, Dafuge must be turning in his grave).

The season started well for Amjad Iqbal who scored 2 in 2 at the wrond end and in fact we scored 3 own goals this month. It's a sign of the times when I was happy that the own goal we scored against Thurrock wasn't scored by Iqbal.

In true Brit sporting style I'm gonna look for the positives. At least we scored at the right end at the end of the month.

Right now we suck. I'm hoping it's the fact that I signed lots of new playes and they're trying to gel. Gonna experiment with keeping it tight for the next month I think and hope we can grind out some results otherwise Hornchurch will be returning to oblivion quicker than you can say relegated.

[Wavelberry]

I didn't plan it like this but stupidly I forgot that I had one more game in August and it was against Tooting and Mitcham. The two promoted sides with no wins between them met in Morden and...

Thank bloody God. I know it was a pen, I know it was against possibly the only side ******* than we, but a win is a win is a win and I'll take it every bloody time.

[crouchaldinho]

Is that badge in the opening post big enough, do you think? Might want to make it a tad smaller.

Well, you got the first win under your belt, so I'm sure it will be all smooth sailing now! Fingers crossed, anyway.......

[hrbfcrule]

Thank you for losing to H&R. Hopefully your season picks up now after your 1st win.

[Wavelberry]

Is that badge in the opening post big enough, do you think? Might want to make it a tad smaller.

Well, you got the first win under your belt, so I'm sure it will be all smooth sailing now! Fingers crossed, anyway.......

I thought it could be bigger, but y'know...

Thank you for losing to H&R. Hopefully your season picks up now after your 1st win.

Bah. I just won against Staines as well, but it's weird. From my first 6 games I've picked up six points but if it were three draws and a win or six draws I'd probably be happier than losing four and winning two. Still cannot complain, but my ability to score own goals for absolutely no reason worries me greatly.

[Wavelberry]

AFC Hornchurch: September 2011 Update

Life took over just after release so has taken me a while to get back to this, but now hopefully you'll see some real progress here...

Yeah right:

A creditable win against Staines was followed by a defeat to fellow newcomers Hastings where I had to play for most of the macth with ten men as my slightly unhinged striker Ashraf decided to Roy Keane a defender who beat him to the ball. Things hardly got better in the following match where bloody Brian Horton's (who has now become my nemesis) Welling beat us 3-1 at home. The team is just being dominated too much in midfield and my assitant manager is absolutely awful. While Steve McClaren got the unfortunate nickname 'Second Choice Steve' at least he was second choice. Ronnie Hanley was my 17th choice and after that Welling defeat I just lost it and sacked him. My mood was not improved by Brian Horton just slamming me in the press for no reason (hadn't said a word about him before). I gave it back to him and left work that day feeling ****ed off.

The game against Welling was followed up in true FM tradition with a cup against... yep, you guessed it, Welling. This time we won (thanks to a red card for them) and I let Brian Horton know it in no uncertain terms afterwards. This one's gonna run and run.

Overall a promising start to the month has been let down. We are really inconsistant and I haven't hit upon any type of system or form yet. A few players are starting to prove themselves decent, but after being overun in midfield for most of the month I ended it by singing some decent looking ones suggested by my scout and former Southampton Norwegian Internation Jo Tessem as player/assistant manager.

I'll post a table after October which starts with the visit of 20th placed Basingstoke...

[Wavelberry]

AFC Hornchurch: October 2011 Update

A difficult month were not much of much was achieved. It started awfully with a defeat at home to Basingstoke (although Taylor scoring two goals was a highlight) and then an absolute thrapping from fellow Essex dwellers Billericay. Amjad Iqbal may be club captain, but he is so error prone that after that result he is now dropped permenantly.

One of the other changes I made was to bring in Assistant Manager Jo Tessem and he has responded with some good performances. The month ended better with a good 1-1 draw away at Bishops Stortford and an annoying one against Boreham Wood at home which we should have won. We can't seem to hang onto a lead for love nor money and always seem to get hit directly after scoring. It's something that I'm going to have a look at as the months go on. I am pleased to be losing less and at the moment the team is outside of the relegation spots so I suppose it's job doing at the moment. Got a busy November ahead. I think I'll have more of a handle on what type of team we are afterwards.

[Maw74]

Lol what is Horton's problem?

He had a dig at me in my game as well for no reason.

You are finding it tough as well, hopefully you can find some good form.

[Wavelberry]

Lol what is Horton's problem?

He had a dig at me in my game as well for no reason.

You are finding tough as well, hopefully you can find some good form.

Yeah I'm hoping so. We're just conceding far too many goals, usually after we score. Horton's probably miffed about having to be in Welling and is taking it out on anyone he comes across.

[Wavelberry]

AFC Hornchurch: November 2011 Update

Now that was a difficult month...

A last minute defeat to Maidenhead was followed up by a creditable 1-1 draw against Farnborough who are one of the better teams in the league. I made two more signings given my poor centre-back and forward situation. Young French centre-half Tony Diagne and young striket Craig Arnott. They both made substituion debuts at Grays where we got a 0-0 draw and then made their first starts in the FA Trophy replay. When we went 3-1 down with Diagne giving away a penalty I feared the worse but Arnott showed his quality to get us back to 3-3. We went 4-3 up in extra-time and they were down to ten men, but scored from a corner (my set piece defending is awful) to take it to penalties. We lost obviously so our cup runs have ended both to teams from leagues below us.

After the FA Trophy we had a game against Dartford. We went 1-0 down early on before my winger Andy Dawson got us back into it after half time. All was fine and we were seconds from getting a point when in the 92nd minute Dartford forward Charlie Sheringham was on the edge of the area just getting to the ball with my centre-back. He pushed my centre-back over (proper barged him down) went through and scored. Needless to say I was absolutely livid and let fly at the press conference at the ref. Did the FA fine me? Did they balls. When your luck is out your luck is out. Finally we played Forest Green at home. A creditable point and our first clean sheet for what feels like forever, but I am worried by our form. Losing away and drawing at home is the sign of a relegation team and we need to improve.

I have a feeling that the squad is kind of there and go0od enough to survive but stupid mistakes and set-piece goals are really letting us down. I'm hoping that we can start to click if we go into December. If we can then we'll be comfortable I think; however, if it just doesn't happen for us we could be in huge trouble. At the moment we're 19th, 1 point ahead of the relegation zone.

[Wavelberry]

Nearly at the end of December and one worrying thing is that my top scorer only has 5 goals. What is interesting about him though is that he is a 16 YO kid who wasn't rated at the beginning of the game, but suddenly they're saying he could be a league 2 player. That's quite heartening.

[Wavelberry]

AFC Hornchurch: December 2011 Update

In a month that did no good for my blood pressure and saw me still try to plug the gaps in the squad Hornchurch might have just started to get a little foothold in the BSS.

A month that started with defeat after a difficult away trip to Lewes had me worried especially when the next match was against Bath. The team surprised me however with my young prodigy Weston grabbing one and the best (according to my coaches anyways) striker at the club Smith scoring his first goal.

After a poor start to Smith's career I dropped him to the resereves where he had been ripping it up so maybe now after this he was ready for the first team? The next matches against Havant and Salisbury disuaded me of this as he reverted to very crap type. Against Havant we were nowhere near and lucky to get beat by two; Salisbury, however, was a different story.

They took an early lead but in the 28th minute they had a man sent off. We pressed and pressed but couldn't break them down and then 40 minutes later my Assistant Manager Tessem gets himself sent off. I'm just about to go mental when young Weston grabs a 79th minute equaliser. We push for the winner as we're at home and then in the 91st minute Ade Akinbiyi, yes that's right ADE FRICKING AKINBIYI grabs a close range winner. Sickner and with 20th places Staines only 2 points behind us I began to fear the worse for us.

Eastleigh were next and and a ding dong game against them. They took a 31st minute lead and we played poorly first half. A half-time rocket saw the team come out fired up and young Weston grab another goal to make it 1-1. I immediately go back to a countering defensive strategy and what happens? Well Richard Gillespie carries the ball to about 35 yards out (allowed by my defence to just walk straight towards them) and then unleash a thunderbolt. 2-1 to Eastleigh and all the good work is undone, but luckily for me this team does have some cojones. Arnott had given Weston his goal on a plate so it was only right that the younster repaid the favour. 2-2! This time we did hold till the final whistle to take another important point, but we still needed more wins.

It wasn't gonna come with table topping Ebbsfleet visiting Bridge Avenue was it? Oh yes it bloody well was. We kept it tight (for once), we played stodgy containing football and when we got our chance (a penalty won by, who else, Weston) we took it. 1-0 against the league leaders and a good solid end to the month and the Christmas period.

While the month was a rollercoaster I don't feel that much nearer to cracking this yet. The Weston/Arnott partnership up front seems to be gelling well, but too many of my midfielders and defenders have off days. The squad was strengthened by 3 new faces in the month. A Scottish right-back (a problem all season for us. I scouted him and he was instantly a 5* player), A Norwegian left-back (equal to my first choice which is good coz he gets injured a lot) and a Greek centre-mid. All of them player their part over the busy Chritsmas period and hopefully they will continue to do so as we go on into January.

So what about Anthony Weston I hear you ask? Well here's his profile and here is the coach report. I've never had a youth player come through in the first season like this on Dafuge's challenge so I am very excited. He'll be singing a contract as soon as he is 17 and I'm hoping he is the guy who can lead this club on. His goals this month have been invaluable already.

So at the half-way stage I'm 5 points clear of Staines and relegation. I'm hoping it can stay that way!

[Wavelberry]

Into January and I'm getting linked with a shedload of BSS jobs. Don't theys know I is Urchinz 4 life?

[Wavelberry]

AFC Hornchurch: January 2012 Update

With the busy Christmas period coming to an end and a January packed with some difficult away fixtures my main aim was to keep the team as far away from the relegation zone as possible. Here's how we did.

Dover proved to be a bridge too far after our good Christmas period and we started the new year with a loss albiet with Arnott missing a penalty. It proved to be the only loss of the month though as the side toughed it out against Woking, Hampton and Richmond and Thurrock (who all beat us easily in August). The draw against Tooting and Mitcham at home at the end of the month was slightly disappointing but scoring goals has proven to be a bit of an issue with Arnott my top scorer with 6 goals. Weston, as promising as he is, isn't a starter yet but I'm pleased with the resilience of the team this month.

The big problem with these sorts of runs is that a couple of defeats can render them a bad run of form. At the moment we're 6 points clear of Staines in 20th which is better than December (by a point).

My next game? A trip to Staines which could very well define the rest of our season.

[Wavelberry]

AFC Hornchurch: February 2012 Update

Well the month started with a huge clash against Staines and some tough away fixtures too. Here's how it went.

We won the big one with two good goals for Craig Arnott. Will he make ten for the season? Maybe. The next two games were an 'After the Lord Mayor's Show' affair against Hastings (who were lucky) and Welling (who were not). The main problem is that this team can only play containing football and nick goals every now and then. I tried to be a little more expansive after my good run of form but this team can only play one way. I went back to that way for the last two games of the month and we drew the last two. I'm already thinking that aside from my 1st choice defence which is quite good now I will pretty much need a whole new team. That is, of course, if we survive.

Still 5 clear but Boreham Wood are entering some form. I just hope we can keep it tight and nick enough results to stay up.

[Wavelberry]

AFC Hornchurch: March 2012 Update

With seven games in March this run of fixtures was always gonna push my Hornchurch side to its limits.

An away defeat to Farnborough kicked off our month and we were poor. This took Boreham Wood to within four points of us and it was them we played next. We dominated them from start to finish and it was only an 89th minute penalty that stopped us from keeping a clean sheet.

Then came the craziest game of the season at home to Maidenhead. Suddenly morale was sky high. Weston scored an absolutely beautiful solo goal and we went 2 up thanks to Dormer. What followed next was a nerve shredding affair. First my Keeper gets injured and I never have a back-up on the bench so McGarry my back-up defender takes over. Then Tait my RB gets sent off for a professional foul and we're down to 10 men. Game over? Nah, Maidenhead couldn't make it count and when my LB scored the 3rd I felt that we could finally start to breathe a little easier. Football Manager had other ideas.

We followed this up with a really gutsy display at Forest Green and did not deserve to lose that game. We dominated it, but came away with a defeat and suddenly morale was low. Dartford thumped us at home and it seemed that Boreham Wood were on the up again with them winning their two games after defeat us to be just a two points behind us.

After Dover we travelled to sixth place Bath and put in a good showing to grab a point. Then we finished the month at home to Lewes with a late win, but unfortunately for us Boreham Wood matched our results and are still only two points behins with four to play.

So this is how the table stands:

And these are the last four fixtures for the two clubs:

Hornchurch:

Boreham Wood:

As you can see it does not look good. While Boreham Wood get to play already relegated Tooting and Mitcham and pretty much relegated Staines as well as bottom half Hastings and Hampton who have nothing to play for we have to away to go to Champions elect Sailsbury and play-off position chasing Ebbsfleet and Havant before finsihing off at home to Eastleigh.

For the first time I am very worried that this team is going to go down. Boreham Wood have the bit between their teeth while we're still struggling with inconsistency and scoring enough goals. It's gonna be a squeaky bummed Apri that is for sure.

[Wavelberry]

AFC Hornchurch: April 2012 Update.

So it had come to this. With just two points seperating us and Boreham Wood at the beginning of the month we were to visit the top two as well as play-off chasing Havant and then play Eastleigh at home while Boreham Wood were playing two sides already relegated and two bottom half sides too. It didn't look good and in the interests of spinning out a yarn I'll take it a result at a time:

Havant and Waterlooville 0-0 AFC Hornchurch/Hampton and Richmond 1-1 Boreham Wood

A creditable battling draw against play-off chasing Havant was unfortunately matched by Boreham Wood getting a 1-1 draw away at Hampton and Richmond. We looked defensively quite solid which was important as up next were the Champions for us while Boreham Wood were slated to play bottom side Tooting and Mitcham. Still two points seperating the two sides.

Salisbury 3-0 AFC Hornchurch/Boreham Wood 1-0 Tooting and Mitcham

The worst possible outcome (although probably the most obvious). We got battered by the Champions (although we kept it tight for 34 minutes) while Boreham Wood dispatched the bottom side. For the first time in a long time we'd dropped back into the relegation zone and, with only two games to go, at the most vital point of the season. Boreham Wood moved a point ahead of us.

Ebbsfleet United 1-0 AFC Hornchurch/Hastings United 3-0 Boreham Wood

Hastings did us a massive favour and we did ourselves no favours at all. We were pretty much in this game throughout and it was a bitter blow when Sharman scored for Ebbsfleet 67 minutes in. Even worse was when Assistant Manager Jo Tessem missed a 79th minute penalty which would've put us level on points with one to play. Instead we remained a point behind with Eastleigh at home the final fixture while Boreham Wood were entertaining already relegated Staines. We looked doomed.

So with one game to play the table looked like this:

| Pos | Inf |Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts |

| 19th | | Boreham Wood | | 41 | 10 | 8 | 23 | 38 | 62 | -24 | 38 |
| -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
[b]| 20th | | AFC Hornchurch | | 41 | 8 | 13 | 20 | 35 | 56 | -21 | 37 | [/b]

It did not look good... Predictions?

[Wavelberry]

The season is now finished... Update shortly

[Droogie11]

Oh boy, you needed a miracle in that final match I hope you got it.

Really like your presentation (although you gave yourself 38 instead of 37 points in your latest table )

[Wavelberry]

Yes, I did. Thanks for that.

[Wavelberry]

AFC Hornchurch: April 2012 Update

A difficult final month with 3 away trips against the top 2 and 7th and a home game against Eastleigh to try and stay in the BSS. Here's how it went:

The away games I've already dealt with so it was just the home game against Eastleigh. We really needed to win to give ourselves any chance of staying up especially with Boreham Wood at home to already relegated Staines. We started well enough with Arnott grabbing an early goal but as so often this season we struggled to score another and when Eastleigh grabbed an equaliser just before half-time a sinking feeling overtook the fans at Bridge Avenue. We battered away in the 2nd half but could not score and eventually we had to settle for a point. A lowly point. The question is was it enough? Was my AFC Hornchurch dream going to die before it had begun? All will be revealed in the season update.

[Wavelberry]

AFC Hornchruch: Season 2011/12

Blue Square Bet South: 19th (try to avoid relegation)

FA Cup: Third Qualifying Rd (4th QR)

FA Trophy: Second Qualifying Rd (Enjoy it)

I survived!!!!!!!!

It was manic, it was crazy. As we were playing Eastleigh I kept checking the scores and wouldn't you know it Staines were only bloody beating them 2-1. It got to 85 minutes and I decided to settle for the points and as I did Staines scored a 3rd. We were staying up. On GOAL DIFFERENCE! Amazing. I've never had a season like it and I'll be honest, I don't want one again for a long time.

Blue Square South:

Final Table and Position graph

As you can see we were hardly out of 19th spot all season and it is ultimately where we finished. A very difficult first season marred by inconsistency and some really rubbish players. I had to keep strengthening throughout the season (as you will see) which probably led to the inconsistent nature of the team. Still we survived and that was the big, big thing.

FA Cup:

A win against Horton's Welling in QR2 was nice, especially after all the stick he'd been giving me, but Grays battered us in QR3 and we went no further.

FA Trophy:

A competition to forget as lower-league Billericay battered us 4-0 in our first match.

The Team:

Transfers

Lots of deadwood, lots of rubbish and half of it was brought in by me. At the beginning I couldn't sign anyone so just went for whoever. Luckily as we established ourselves in the division more players wanted to come to us and in the end I had a squad with just enough quality to stay up. As far as going forward is concerned the team has a solid backline, but my Keeper is awful. We need a new one of those, new wingers and a striker or two who can actually score.

Best XI

Fans player of the year was Craig Arnott who top scored with 9 goals and was probably our best player.

My player of the year was Barry Quinn. The centre-back was no way first choice but established himself and ended up being the rock that helped keep our Goals Against column low and ultimately helped keep us up.

Oh and here is my profile too.

Moments of the Season:

Best Moment: The 3-0 home win against Maidenhead. A defender playing in goal and down to 10 men after 60 minutes. We were 2-0 up and I expected us to blow it. Instead Deeney scored an outrageous 3rd and we won it easily. And my defender kept a clean sheet.

Worst Moment: The 2-1 defeat to Dartford in November. We were all set for a well earned point when a Dartford striker properly pushed my CB over outside of the box. He was the last man so the striker then sloted home. Livid doesn't even cover it and the ref didn't see it. Pretty much summed up the early part of the season.

Aims:

Improve the squad nearly everywhere except the back which is fairly strong.

Try and earn some money in order to boost finances (especially important as the board have slashed my wage bill by £1000)

Don't be anywhere near a relegation dog fight come the end of the season.

Career Overview

Season     League                   Position  Achievements
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2011/12    Blue Square South        19th   Avoided relegation

[Wavelberry]

AFC Hornchurch: Pre-season 2012

A busy pre-season saw quite the squad overhaul with many faces coming in and leaving the club as we looked to push on from last season's escape from relegation.

Ins/Outs

I made four big singings that I feel can push this club up the table. Three of them are ex-Charlton academy players

Alex Stavrinou: Ball winning DM who looks a cut above for this level. We lost out in midfield a lot last season and this should keep us competative.

Carl Jenkinson: Finnish CB/RB who will start the season at RB for me. While my first choice last season was good I had no back-up so when the chance to sign this guy who was better came along I snapped at it. He can also play CB should injuries allow which should help to shore up what was beginning to look like a decent defence at the end of last season.

Tamar Tuna: Striker aged 20. While last season Craig Arnott did a goodish job he only scored 9 goals in the league. We needed goalscorers and he is one rated good for the BSP. A definite upgrade.

These seemed like quality acquisitions but when I saw that former Morecambe hotshot Danny Carlton was available I snapped him up too. Not only is he good for this level, but at 28 he brings some much needed experience to the front line.

With these additions I'm looking forward to a decent season and hopefully can begin to push up the league.

Pre-season was good, but now the BSS awaits for us once more. We kick off the season away to newly promoted Sutton Utd and it's gonna be important to lay down a good marker. The media predict us to finish bottom. What awaits?

[Wavelberry]

AFC Hornchurch: August 2012 Update

Last August we suffered defeat in all four of our league games which showed us how difficult the season would be.

An excellent start to the season all round. I knew we had to lay down a marker away at newly promoted Sutton and we did so toughing out a close first away game and emerging victorious. What I wasn't expecting next was the complete demolition of Braintree.

The team had started the season on fire but unfortunately next came defeat at Havant and Waterlooville. We deserved a draw and only a 30 yard screamer stopped us from claiming it bringing us back to reality.

The last game of the month saw Maidenhead visit Bridge Avenue. This was a big one after our defeat to Havant and we pretty much dominated. It should've been four, but after the August I had last year I am not complaining.

The most heartening thing is not the form of Danny Carlton (although he has been immense so far), but of Craig Arnott. Last seasons top scorer has responded to the competition for places in style scoring a third of the goals he scored last season in the first month of this one. Tamar Tuna had started up front with Carlton, but a poor first forty-five minutes against Sutton saw Arnott take his chance and the rest is history.

The main sour point of the month is our inability to keep a clean sheet. My new goalie Grant Adam had three poor games scoring 5.5 in two of them. I had a go at him for this and he went mental so now he is on the transfer list and my back-up is in play. Adam is a decent goalie so if he aplogises he has a future, if not he'll be no great loss and he can go.

Overall though a cracking month and maybe the start of something special? Let's hope so.