Jump to content

Tomtuck's First FM Career Adventure


tomtuck01

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 2.5k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Given that I have only been in charge of Bristol Rovers for the last thirteen games of the opening season, I won't be doing a full review of how the side went on this season. Instead I will just do the April/May update now to finish off the end of the season. My March update can be found towards the bottom of the previous page.

------------------------------------------

125px-Brist_Badge.png

Thomas Lewis' Career - April/May 2012 - Bristol Rovers FC

League 2

Heading into April we had six games remaining and we sat in 7th place, but just two points off 3rd place and the automatic promotion spots. Here how the season finished;

league2aprilandmayfixtu.png

finalleague2table.png

(Plymouth were the side to go up via the playoffs)

We did it! We may have stuttered over the line, but we did it!

Throughout April we didn't have a decent run, taking just five points from a possible twelve. The defeat against Swindon was as deflating as it was damaging, and against Barnet we really didn't put in a performace. We got a very good draw at Northampton, who prior to the game were just below us in fourth. That gave us a chance heading into the final game of the season.

Heading into the last game against Morecambe we were a point behind Swindon. We had to better their result at AFC Wimbledon, who themselves were fighting for their football league survival at the other end of the table.

After just ten minutes things got very hard for us when we went down to ten men following a poor challenge from midfielder Pavel Besta. At the same time though AFC Wimbledon went ahead against Swindon! When we got the breakthrough via a penalty after 36mins thanks to Wayne Brown, we were in the box seat. However we couldn't find a second and in the 79th minute Swindon equalised in their game, meaning they needed just another goal to take third spot - ensue squeaky bum time! Swindon though conceded again in the 87th minute and they finished up 2-1 losers, and in the 90th Joe Anyinsah made it 2-0 to us and the points, and the third promotion spot, were safe.

Cue jubilant scenes at the Memorial Ground!

During my thirteen games with Bristol Rovers we had a strange record. We won only five times, and drew seven, but lost just once. We took 22pts from a possible 39 altogether, and though that wasn't a great return, it was, thankfully, just enough for automatic promotion.

What Next

Honestly I am considering leaving. I don't feel that the club would be able to survive in League One with the club in its current financial position. It really isn't great;

bristolroversfinances.png

Also some decent jobs may well becoming available following the end of the season. What to do, what to do..............

Link to post
Share on other sites

Great achievement by getting promotion. Well done!!!

I would consider leaving as well. £1m+ for a Football League club is tough to get out of. I struggled with Darlington doing so but when I got into the Championship it sorted itself out. Are there any jobs currently out there availabe?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Great achievement by getting promotion. Well done!!!

I would consider leaving as well. £1m+ for a Football League club is tough to get out of. I struggled with Darlington doing so but when I got into the Championship it sorted itself out. Are there any jobs currently out there availabe?

Thanks. :thup: As I said, we may have stumbled over the line, but getitng there is all that matters!

Right now the Peterborough job is available after they were relegated from the Championship. Besides that there are some other League 1/League 2 jobs free. The problem may be that my reputation has gone down from 'National' to 'Regional'. :p

Link to post
Share on other sites

Great work on the promotion. I wouldn't stay either unless you think you could reach the Championship and sort the funds out.

I don't see it happening at all. If anything the finances will only get worse as a fair few of the players have wage increases for promotion in their contracts.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, the same has happended with Bristol Rovers as happened when I was at Seoul;

bristolroversultimatum.png

However this time I wasn't going to apologise;

resignedfrombristolrove.png

Lord knows how soon I will get another job, but I won't have people issuing me ultimatums like that. I got the team promoted, and if I want to better myself at another club then I have very right to.

Sod them and their debt!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Looks to be the right call - good luck finding a club!
Hopefully you pick a job up in the off season.

Well it really doesn't look like happening at the minute.

I mean Peterborough just laughed off my interest. I've won a league title, a cup, and had a promtion in less than a year of game time. Yet no one decent seems to want me.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well it really doesn't look like happening at the minute.

I mean Peterborough just laughed off my interest. I've won a league title, a cup, and had a promtion in less than a year of game time. Yet no one decent seems to want me.

I probably came too late but I would have stayed with Rovers. (Heck I would have stayed with Seoul! :D) If you said your rep actually went down its highly unlikely you will get a job than with Rovers (although I guess a club in the same league with less/no debt would be a plus for you).

You might end up with a sideways movement in your managerial career right now...but good luck with your job search. :thup:

Link to post
Share on other sites

I probably came too late but I would have stayed with Rovers. (Heck I would have stayed with Seoul! :D) If you said your rep actually went down its highly unlikely you will get a job than with Rovers (although I guess a club in the same league with less/no debt would be a plus for you).

You might end up with a sideways movement in your managerial career right now...but good luck with your job search. :thup:

Well I left Seoul for all the right reasons - taking them further didn't seem very possible. I mean when after 24 games in charge you've won a league and a cup, there isn't much more to do! With Rovers I may have been a bit hasty, but in all honesty the debt for a club at that level was pretty horrific.

I just want a job, I have bills to pay! :(

Link to post
Share on other sites

Are you going to take it or hold on for a bit longer?

I decided to take it. Will be a challenge as they are one of the favourites to get relegated.

Doesn't look like much

As above. I like a challenge. (On the field of course, sod financial challenges).

You planning to stay in England or go abroad? Worse case you can load the lower leagues in Italy and Spain and see if a job pops up for you.

I've got a few leagues loaded, but I'm happy to stay in England at the minute.

Over budget. Would be hard to get it on track without taking the team apart most likely.

Over budget? I think you've mis-read!

After everything youve done so far you get offered BOSTON :L

I know, but nevermind. Reckon my reputation has gone down because of my record with Rovers. Although I got them promoted I did only win five from thirteen games.

Link to post
Share on other sites

bostonhireme.png

It just seems I can't win! I get very few job offers from clubs of any kind of reputation, (the only offer I got was FC United Of Manchester in Blue Square Bet North), and then I choose to drop down a division or two to Boston and the press give me stick!

Unbelievable.

Link to post
Share on other sites

200px-Boston_United_FC_logo.svg.png

Thomas Lewis' Career - New Club - Boston United FC

Name: Boston United FC

Nickname: The Pilgrims

Year Founded: 1933

Stadium: York Street (6,643 - 1,826 seated)

Status: Professional

bostonbackground.png

Well after guiding Bristol Rovers to automatic promotion to League 1, I left because of the dire financial position of the club. After a couple of months applying for jobs and getting rejected, I decided to take on the Boston United job. Despite them getting promoted to the Blue Square Bet Premeir, their manager retired, leaving the post free.

A step down? Yes. But I like a challenge.

Board Expectations

Blue Square Bet Premier: Stay Clear Of Relegation

FA Cup: Reach the 1st Round

FA Trophy: Reach the 3rd Round

Personal Expectations

Blue Square Bet Premier: If we finish five places or more above the relegation zone I'll be delighted

FA Cup: Reach the 1st Round

FA Trophy: Just to have a go - semi finals wuld be brilliant

Budget:

Transfer: £7,255

Wages: £6,258 (Currently spending £4,596)

Balance: £43,240

Squad

bostonsquadupontakingov.png

Of course I need to strengthen as best as I can. Time to get searching for freebies!

I won't bother listing any 'Key Players' at the minute as right now I'm not sure who will be around come the start of the campaign.

Link to post
Share on other sites

200px-Boston_United_FC_logo.svg.png

Thomas Lewis' Career - Preseason 2012/13 - Boston United FC

Transfers

transfersboston2012.png

As you can see there was alot of acrtivity over the course of the summer, though it must be said not all of it was not my doing. You may also see that one player came and went over the summer; Drew Broughton. Signed on a free before I arrived, he fell out with me when I warned him over an awful performance in a preseason friendly. I thought "sod him", and off went on a mutual terination at the cost of £3,000.

I won't bother posting screenies of all my signings, just three key ones, who also happen to be my three key players;

Marvin Andrews

By far and away my best centre back. At 36 he's not the quickest, but for this level he has some good mentals and technicaldefensive qualitites.

Andre Boucaud

My midfield passer, he'll keep things ticking over in the middle of the park. His stamina is good for this level aswell.

Aaron Charity

A great player for this level in my opinion. He has some superb mentals, and some really good physicals for this level. Could be smething special in this this league.

Pre Season

preseasonf.png

I'm never oen for playing loads of preseason friendlies, just a couple usually do to get the players fit enough for the first game of the season. Results weren't superb, but the fitness was all important. Given that my squad is very small, I didn't want to be picking up an injuries at the start of what could be a long hard season!

------------------------------------------

Well time to get on with the season. We're predicted to finish 21st and therefore be one of the relegated sides at the end of the season. Basically we have nothing to lose, so come on the Pilgrims, lets have a go!

Link to post
Share on other sites

200px-Boston_United_FC_logo.svg.png

Thomas Lewis' Career - August 2012 - Boston United FC

Blue Square Bet Premier

augustfixtures2012.png

bsbptableaugust2012.png

A super start for us. Last term 46pts was enough to stay up, and we've already made great strides towards getting to that tally. Some of my new signings have really performed so far, most notably Aaron Charity. He looks like he'll be fantastic in this league. The draw at the end of the month against Aldershot, though frustrating, was hugely credible as they were one of the sides to come down from League 2 last season.

On with September it is then, and we have some fixtures coming up against Crawley Town and Newport County inparticular.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Ah good, been weeks since someone was last there, been too long.

Haha I take it a few in te careers thread end up being Boston?!

Good luck with Boston dude.

Thanks. :thup:

3 clubs already?! That's pretty impressive! Good luck with The Pilgrims :thup:

Impressive or apalling, I'm not sure! I have left my previous clubs for the right reasons though.

Hopefully you can stave off relegation and start building your reputation up.
Nice start Tom. Hope you can keep it up!!

Well if we keep going throughout the campaign with how we have started it, then it could be even better for me and the club!

Link to post
Share on other sites

200px-Boston_United_FC_logo.svg.png

Thomas Lewis' Career - August 2012 - Boston United FC

Blue Square Bet Premier

septemberfixtures2012.png

bsbptableseptember2012.png

An up and down month really. We started it really well with three wins from three, but then in the second half of the month we won just one from four, and in the last game of the month we suffered our first defeat of the campaign against York. On the bright side though we continue to score goals - we've hit the nack of the net in every game so far this season.

Looking at how we have gone thus far, it looks like our season is going to hinge on Aaron Charity, and also if we can improve defensively. Charity is excellent, but the fact that we can't seem to defend most of the time is letting us down alot, especially in recent games.

Also a big hit to ou finances last month when we were fined £90,000 by the FA for collecting six yellows in one game. To say our balance is now a mess is underestimating things hugely.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I find that in the lower leagues, the most important thing is the strength of your GK and your strikers, and Charity is definitely getting the job done!

Thanks for the tip. I've never played in the lower leagues before really, (the lowest being League 2 if I remember correctly), so that will come in handy. :thup:

------------------------------------------

Anyway there won't be an update until midnight at the earliest this evening as I'm heading to Manchster very soon.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Looking pretty competitive early on.

Cheers. I must say I'm surprised to be honest.

------------------------------------------

Anyway, no update tonight - it's late and I can't be bothered. Probably won't be one tomorrow either as I'm busy msot of the day/evening. :(

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...