Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 November, 2009 Wolverhampton, FA Cup 1st Round, Away Not the draw I was hoping for in the FA Cup, though at least it meant a gate receipt windfall. We held them off for 17 minutes before coming forward in a group attack. Stamp sprayed the ball out to the left and Anya ran the ball down the wing as the other players charged forward. He crossed into the area, Jackson took it and placed the ball into the top corner. The fairytale didn't last long – Wolves were level two minutes later, then scored twice more . Anya pulled us within a goal in the 40th, but again it took Wolves only two minutes to answer. Jackson kept the keeper very busy in the second half, but it only took one opportunity for Wolves to score their fifth past Jakobsen. The consolation is that the gate receipts for this game were equal to about 20% of last season's total. Though I'd been having some trouble re-signing players to date, our good recent form seemed to make things easier. Murray, Cousins and Mills all signed extensions to 2011, but I am a long way off agreeing terms with Jackson, who is demanding his wages be tripled. Bostwick signed for four years, but McCallum rejected an offer. Kidderminster, Conference, Home Stamp's fine form continued, heading in a cross from McCallum within ten minutes. Though Stamp, Jackson and Mills had plenty of shots, we couldn't score a second. The good news is that they couldn't get any on target, and we walked away with three points. York, Conference, Home This was a tight game for the first half, but a cracking long pass from McCallum gave Stamp a goal right on half time. York scored a mere 42 seconds into the second half. Stamp had a free in the 62nd, and since he was well within range, the wall focused on him rather than McCallum, who slipped free in the area, took a pass from Stamp and hit it in. Our fifth straight league win. Dwight Yorke came off the bench to become the oldest player to represent Rushden. | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Woking | 22 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 35 | 13 | +22 | 50 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Shrewsbury | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 32 | 20 | +12 | 44 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Chester | 22 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 45 | 26 | +19 | 41 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Torquay | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 39 | 22 | +17 | 40 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Cheltenham | 22 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 32 | 23 | +9 | 40 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Rushden | 21 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 32 | 19 | +13 | 39 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Aldershot | 21 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 38 | 22 | +16 | 38 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Bury | 21 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 30 | 27 | +3 | 38 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Exeter | 22 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 32 | 23 | +9 | 37 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Kidderminster | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 38 | 35 | +3 | 32 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Crawley | 21 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 28 | 30 | -2 | 30 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Forest Green | 22 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 31 | 36 | -5 | 29 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Cambridge | 21 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 28 | 34 | -6 | 29 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Dag & Red | 22 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 26 | 28 | -2 | 28 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Oxford | 21 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 21 | 26 | -5 | 26 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Gateshead | 22 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 25 | -7 | 26 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | York | 21 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 19 | 21 | -2 | 24 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Gravesend | 21 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 24 | 30 | -6 | 22 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Havant & W | 22 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 13 | 24 | -11 | 20 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Burton | 21 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 24 | 41 | -17 | 19 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Weymouth | 22 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 27 | -10 | 18 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | | Kettering | 21 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 14 | 26 | -12 | 18 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | | Stafford | 22 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 30 | -7 | 17 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | | Farnborough | 22 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 21 | 52 | -31 | 11 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 December, 2009 Aldershot, Conference, Away This was a frustrating game. We had 11 shots, but not one on target. Mackison went off with broken ribs and Aldershot scored once to end our winning streak. Weymouth, Conference, Home With wingers Gates, Gardiner and Mackison out injured, I brought in 19-year-old Paris Cowan-Hall to play on the left wing, with Anya switching to the right. Again we dominated but failed to break through in the first half. Again it was Stamp who made the breakthrough when Cowan-Hall's cross to Watts was only partially cleared. We only scored the one goal despite sixteen shots, but with three points and Cowan-Hall Man of the Match on debut, how can I complain? Gateshead, FA Trophy 1st Round, Away Not much to tell from this one – a first round exit for Rushden. Bryant conceded twice in the first half, and Watts was only able to pull one back. Dag & Redbridge, Conference, Home Lee Tomlin came up after good reserves form but watched from the other end as we went behind in just two minutes. Watts missed a few chances as usual, and we went into the break a goal down. It only took two minutes for that to change in the second half, with Paris Cowan-Hall firing in a free from just outside the area. Tomlin marked his return with a goal in the 54th, and two minutes later Bostwick met a Cowan-Hall cross with a diving header for a 3-0 lead. Tomlin and Watts had a few shots kept out, but a 30-yard free from Bostwick deflected off the net and in. 4-1. Gravesend, Conference, Away The last game of the year saw us attack hard in the first half. Jackson scored from a Cowan-Hall cross in the 30th and Jakobsen did well to deny Gravesend an equaliser. Tomlin missed a sitter shortly into the second half, but earned a penalty in the 63rd. Cowan-Hall put it through to end our year on a high. Kieran Walmsley played his first game of the season and was one of the best players on the pitch. We finished 2009 in 5th spot – barely in the playoff region, but only three points away from top spot. Though injuries have hit Rushden hard – Gardiner and Knights are only just coming back, Mackison, Gates, Yorke are still out – our depth has been proven. Players like Tomlin, Cowan-Hall and Murray have come up from the reserves and held onto senior spots through good performances. The problem is that the likes of Preece, Davies, Oyedele, Bonner, Shaw and Sinnon will probably soon get tired of being left out, and could start causing trouble. However, as long as the senior team keeps winning, the morale of the side should be good. I'll take this opportunity to profile some of the players who have become regulars in the senior side lately. Morten Jakobsen [GK, DEN – 1 U21 Cap, 178cm, 20] – 1, 11, 0 Came through Brondby's youth setup, but did not play a senior game. However, he was good enough to make the Danish Under 21 side, so I took the chance to sign him on a free transfer. He's kept six clean sheets in eleven games, and looks to be a real talent. He's very safe and dominant in the area, and tremendously balanced and agile. Fred Murray [D LC, IRE, 178cm, 27] – 1, 11, 0 I'd given up on Murray as a lost cause by the end of last season, with two bad Cup performances and no league games. However, he forced his way in through good reserves results, and is now challenging Cousins for the left back spot. He's a good defensive player and now that he's performing and re-signed, I have the luxury to release Cousins without major concerns if he won't agree terms. Paris Cowan-Hall [AM L, ENG, 179cm, 19] – 4, 4, 2 A product of our youth setup, Cowan-Hall set up many goals in the reserves and has shown signs of doing the same in the seniors. He has good pace and crosses well. I've just re-signed him until 2012. Jon Ashton signed a one-year extension and I tied up Legzdins until 2013. However, Jackson still refuses to re-sign. | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Woking | | 25 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 37 | 22 | +15 | 51 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Bury | | 25 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 40 | 31 | +9 | 50 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Cheltenham | | 25 | 16 | 1 | 8 | 37 | 24 | +13 | 49 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | Aldershot | | 25 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 45 | 25 | +20 | 48 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | Rushden | | 25 | 15 | 3 | 7 | 39 | 21 | +18 | 48 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | Shrewsbury | | 25 | 14 | 6 | 5 | 38 | 25 | +13 | 48 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | Torquay | | 25 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 44 | 23 | +21 | 47 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | Chester | | 25 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 48 | 28 | +20 | 47 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | Exeter | | 25 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 45 | 28 | +17 | 46 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | Crawley | | 25 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 36 | 34 | +2 | 37 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | Kidderminster | | 25 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 42 | 37 | +5 | 36 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | York | | 25 | 10 | 3 | 12 | 31 | 25 | +6 | 33 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | Oxford | | 25 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 27 | 32 | -5 | 33 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | Forest Green | | 25 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 36 | 41 | -5 | 32 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | Dag & Red | | 25 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 28 | 34 | -6 | 29 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | Cambridge | | 25 | 9 | 2 | 14 | 31 | 43 | -12 | 29 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | Gateshead | | 25 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 31 | -12 | 26 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | Gravesend | | 25 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 27 | 39 | -12 | 25 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | Havant & W | | 25 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 15 | 26 | -11 | 23 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | Burton | | 25 | 6 | 4 | 15 | 31 | 52 | -21 | 22 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | Kettering | | 25 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 16 | 34 | -18 | 21 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | Stafford | | 25 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 23 | 32 | -9 | 19 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | Weymouth | | 25 | 5 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 34 | -14 | 19 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | Farnborough | | 25 | 3 | 5 | 17 | 25 | 59 | -34 | 14 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 January, 2010 Cheltenham, Conference, Home Scott Gardiner returned to the senior side for just his third game of the season due to international games and injury. Darryl Knights also came back after a long injury layoff. Stamp looked to have scored his 10th of the season when he headed in a cross from McCallum, only to have the move ruled offside. Ten minutes later, though, he flicked on a long pass from Jakobsen to partner Knights, and the returning attacker put us ahead. A short cross from Stamp across the goal just before half time was inexplicably headed into the Cheltenham net by a defender. The other returning player, Gardiner, completed the 3-0 by scoring from a corner. Despite Fred Murray's fine form, I gave Scott Cousins a one-season extension on his contract to ensure our defensive depth. Chester, Conference, Away Chester had several early chances but were wayward with their shooting. Watts looked to have scored a great goal from 20 yards in the 13th minute, but it was ruled out. A fancy bicycle kick from Stamp was saved, and his volley a few minutes later went over. They took the lead in the 55th and added another ten minutes later. Clitnovich scored his first goal since 2007 with ten minutes to go, but we couldn't get a second. 1-2. Crawley, Conference, Home Defender Jamie Buchan had a rare shot on goal early in this one, but put it over the bar. A long clearance from Bryant, brought in after Jakobsen conceded twice in the previous game, was headed on by Jackson to Knights, who blasted in from 25 yards. That goal was almost identical to the one he scored against Cheltenham, except that it was Jackson as his partner rather than Stamp. A fine free kick from the impressive Walmsley was fired in by Gardiner for a 2-0 half time lead, and that was the final score. Cheltenham, Conference, Away Scott Gates returned on the left wing after a back injury, and though his 22nd minute cross was headed clear, he was able to regain the ball and pass to Lee Tomlin for the opener. Shrewsbury equalised ten minutes before the break and went ahead five minutes into the second when Edwards scored an own goal. A defensive error at the other end allowed Tomlin to score his second when Gardiner's pass went past a defender. Bryant held up well, and when Tomlin was taken out in the area with eight minutes to go, Cousins made no mistake from the penalty spot. As usual, a returning player hit through a goal - Gates knocking in a cross from right back Jon Ashton. 4-2 was flattering, but a good result. I made a sale after the game – striker Simeon Jackson, to Millwall for ₤30K. It was well under his true value in my opinion, but with Jackson refusing to re-sign, why not collect a bit of money now while I can? Knights, Stamp, Watts and Tomlin have looked pretty solid so far, and Yorke can always come back up from the reserves if needed. Jackson has certainly been one of our better players over the years – our leading scorer in my time at the club, a young international and Supporters' Player of the Year in 07/08 after his 23-goal season. His profile follows. ========================================================================================= Simeon Jackson - Rushden Career 1/6/06 - 29/1/10 ========================================================================================= No Year Apps Gls Con Asts Yel Red MoM Av R ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 2006/2007 28 (8) 10 0 4 2 0 2 6.69 12 2007/2008 36 23 0 7 2 0 3 7.14 12 2008/2009 32 11 0 4 2 0 1 6.75 12 2009/2010 14 (3) 5 0 5 0 0 2 7.18 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL 110 (11) 49 0 20 6 0 8 6.91 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DOB: 28/12/87 Position: ST Nationality: Canadian/Jamaican/English International Caps/Goals: 23/9 Total Career League Games: 121 Previous Clubs: None Achievements: 24/05/07 - First international cap against Costa Rica aged 19 01/09/07 - English Conference Player of the Month for August 19/06/08 - 2007/08 Rushden Supporters' Player of the Year 01/11/09 - English Conference Player of the Month for October Named in English Conference Team of the Week: 5 times Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 February, 2010 Stafford, Conference, Home For the second game in a row, Jon Ashton ventured up from defence and fired in a terrific cross. Lee Watts was there to show he can step up in the absence of Jackson, scoring our first. Walmsley had his 25-yard strike ruled out, but Gardiner made it 2-0 by half time. Again the referee denied us a goal, this time a Tomlin strike in the 72nd, but our relegation-threatened opponents had no answer. Cambridge, Conference, Away Paris Cowan-Hall returned to the line-up after an enforced absence due to injury. It took only give minutes for the first goal, with Tomlin's shot parried straight to Watts for a close-range finish. After having a goal ruled out last time, Kieran Walmsley put through another 25-yard free kick in the 35th, and this time it stood. Cambridge got one back, but it wasn't enough to prevent our fourth straight win, taking us to second place. I signed 21-year-old midfielder Frankie Artus on a free transfer after the game. He's been a solid player with Sutton Utd over the last few years, and has decent pace and ball skills. Woking, Conference, Home Frankie Artus started in the middle for his first Rushden game. Tomlin managed to squeeze between two defenders to be the first to get to a back pass in the second minute, and struck the ball home. Rushden dominated the match, and finally scored a deserved second through an unlikely source – Mike Edwards scored his first for the club in the 82nd from an Anya free. Oxford, Conference, Away A tame shot from Bostwick wasted an early chance, but a sharp strike from Knights after a cross from Gardiner gave us a first half lead. Stamp was incredible in the air, winning numerous high passes, bur unfortunately his headers were off target. One goal was enough – six straight wins. Burton, Conference, Away This loomed as something of a danger game, since we have had a habit of falling to minnows. Gardiner and Tomlin forced saves in the opening minutes, but it was new signing Frankie Artus who found space to collect a cross from Gardiner, turn and score. Stamp set up partner Tomlin for his fifth of the season a couple of minutes into the second half, then scored one of his own from an Anya free three minutes later. Jakobsen was never threatened. 3-0, and seven straight wins.. I was Manager of the Month while Gardiner was runner-up as Player of the Month and was named Young Player of the Month (with Bostwick runner-up). With a dozen games to go, we are sitting top of the table, on a record winning streak and looking comfortable. However, the reality is that we are only a few points ahead of second-placed Bury, and have actually played an additional game. There's only one automatic promotion spot, so finishing on top is definitely going to be my aim. Interestingly, Leicester is also topping the League One, so we may both be looking at promotion. We are fortunate to have pretty much the whole squad available, and while this means there are some unhappy players in the reserves (notably David Wood, Shola Oyedele and Connor Sinnott), I've been able to stick with a pretty consistent first team. Bostwick, Jakobsen, Stamp, Ashton, Edwards and Murray have been among our best regular performers across the season, and players like Tomlin, Cowan-Hall, Walmsley and Artus have recently broken into the side and are looking good. Can we keep it up? | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Rushden | | 34 | 23 | 3 | 8 | 59 | 26 | +33 | 72 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Bury | | 33 | 20 | 7 | 6 | 61 | 41 | +20 | 67 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Shrewsbury | | 34 | 20 | 6 | 8 | 56 | 38 | +18 | 66 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | Aldershot | | 34 | 18 | 11 | 5 | 58 | 33 | +25 | 65 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | Cheltenham | | 34 | 20 | 4 | 10 | 50 | 34 | +16 | 64 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | Torquay | | 33 | 17 | 10 | 6 | 60 | 33 | +27 | 61 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | Woking | | 34 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 45 | 36 | +9 | 61 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | Chester | | 34 | 18 | 6 | 10 | 58 | 39 | +19 | 60 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | Kidderminster | | 34 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 63 | 49 | +14 | 58 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | Exeter | | 34 | 16 | 6 | 12 | 56 | 42 | +14 | 54 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | York | | 34 | 14 | 5 | 15 | 43 | 39 | +4 | 47 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | Forest Green | | 33 | 13 | 5 | 15 | 48 | 51 | -3 | 44 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | Crawley | | 34 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 39 | 44 | -5 | 43 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | Kettering | | 33 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 31 | 38 | -7 | 43 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | Oxford | | 34 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 36 | 45 | -9 | 43 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | Cambridge | | 34 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 41 | 51 | -10 | 41 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | Dag & Red | | 34 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 38 | 45 | -7 | 40 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | Gateshead | | 33 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 27 | 38 | -11 | 38 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | Gravesend | | 34 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 40 | 54 | -14 | 32 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | Havant & W | | 33 | 6 | 12 | 15 | 20 | 34 | -14 | 30 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | Weymouth | | 33 | 7 | 6 | 20 | 25 | 42 | -17 | 27 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | Burton | | 33 | 7 | 4 | 22 | 38 | 72 | -34 | 25 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | Stafford | | 34 | 4 | 10 | 20 | 28 | 54 | -26 | 22 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | Farnborough | | 34 | 4 | 7 | 23 | 34 | 76 | -42 | 19 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 March, 2010 A surprise loss by Bury to Gateshead enhanced our chances of finishing on top, especially with our next game against cellar-dwellers Farnsborough. Farnsborough, Conference, Home It took us a long time to hit the back of the net, and even then Stamp's header was ruled out, leaving the scores 0-0 at the break. It was a very flat performance from Rushden, but Tomlin eventually scored and Gardiner sealed it after being left unmarked in the area during a Stamp free kick. Not convincing, but three points nonetheless. Torquay, Conference, Away This loomed as an interesting game. We'd won our last eight, but Torquay had gone a dozen games without a loss. One side's streak would come to an end at Plainmoor. A terrific exchange of passes despite a crowded situation saw Cowan-Hall, Artus and Stamp combine for the latter to take a shot from outside the area. It deflected off a defender and into the path of Ikechi Anya, who gave us the lead fifteen minutes in. Stamp extended the lead a few moments later when Cowan-Hall's shot was parried to him, but Torquay made sure the game was well and truly alive with a goal of their own before half time. Bostwick and Tomlin were denied by the keeper, but Jakobsen was unable to do the same at the other end when Torquay equalised with twenty minutes to go. Tomlin, Anya and even Mike Edwards had shots on goal in the remaining minutes, but Torquay held on. The end of our winning streak, and Shrewsbury are just a point behind us after a 3-1 win – albeit having played one more game. Bury, Conference, Home Another big game here. Though 4th placed Bury are a long way behind us on the table in terms of points, they are clearly one of the better sides in the division, and Shrewsbury are just waiting for the chance to move up. The good news is that the game was at Nene Park, where we've lost just one game all season, as opposed to seven away. Unfortunately, that fine record looked set to come to an end. We had a handful of attacks, but couldn't seem to put any shots on target. Bury just had the one shot on target themselves, but made it count – in the 88th minute. Just minutes to go, and we looked to have been robbed of a point. Ten seconds into injury time, the Rushden players charged forward. Bostwick passed to Watts, who pushed into the area but was forced wide by the defenders. On a tight angle, he passed across the goal, and partner Dean Stamp was there to salvage a point. Shrewsbury won their game 4-1, moving one point ahead of us on the table. Exeter, Conference, Home This game would bring us level with Shrewsbury in matches played (38), and even a draw would be enough to see us regain top spot. It was a very quiet first half and the second was little better. 0-0. Our 11th game without a loss, but just three points from as many games. Havant & W, Conference, Away This was a game we simply had to win against relegation candidates. It only took 45 seconds for Rushden to take the lead when Ashton's long pass into the area was headed in for an own goal. Jamie Buchan should have extended the lead in the 58th with a penalty, but it was saved. However, Stamp made it 2-0 a few minutes later anyway when the keeper knocked a back pass straight to him. Unconvincing, but three points. Shrewsbury defeated Chester 2-1 to remain behind only on goal difference. Gateshead, Conference, Home Back to Nene Park. Shrewsbury weren't playing at the same time as us, but the only result I could be comfortable with would be a win. It certainly seemed a long time coming, but we finally scored in the 60th minute when Stamp intercepted a defensive clearance. Three minutes later, Tomlin doubled the lead. He's really stepped up after starting the season in the reserves, and has ensured my sale of Jackson wasn't a mistake. It wasn't over though, with Gateshead scoring themselves in the 79th. Thankfully, Scott Mackison headed in a cross from opposite winger Scott Gates to restore the two-goal buffer. 3-1 in the end. The news got better, with Shrewsbury losing 0-1 to Woking. Kettering, Conference, Away Shrewsbury, now three points behind us, faced strugglers Burton while we took on a mid-table side. We fell behind after only eight minutes, but in the 31st minute Mills broke through a crowd of defenders to hit in a cross from Artus. At the same moment, Burton took a shock lead. The 40th minute was not so good for Rushden – Kettering scored their second, and Shrewsbury equalised. It only took four minutes into the second half for a tremendous cross from Anya to give fellow winger Artus our second. He may have been offside, but the goal stood. Shrewsbury scored a second, taking the lead in their game, and disaster struck when Kettering were awarded a penalty with just five minutes left. The Kettering player took the shot and the ball flew past Jakobsen...and back off the upright. We cleared the ball, and snuck away with a point. Shrewsbury held onto their lead, and closed the gap to just two points. Rushden offered me a new contract after the game. The three-year extension was on the same wages of ₤550 a week, despite our improvement. I really think we can get promoted this year, and want to be there to see the club in the league system. Hence, I had no hesitation signing the contract. Just five games to go, and we only have two points in hand. Even with the worst possible results, we'll still finish in a playoff spot (well, technically we could finish ninth, but let's be realistic here). We certainly have the form to be fairly confident in that situation, but anything can happen in this game, so it would be far preferable to finish on top. We face Forest Green, Kidderminster, York, Aldershot and Weymouth in the final five games. Kidderminster and Aldershot represent the two biggest challenges there, but the latter game is at home. It's also pleasing to finish the season against a lowly-placed team. Shrewsbury, our largest threat, face Farnborough, Oxford, Exeter, Torquay and Bury. That's perhaps slightly tougher than our draw, but that's balanced by Shrewsbury having three home games compared to our two. Chester have an easier draw, but are quite a few points further adrift. Five games to go – if all goes well. Can we finally make it back to League Two? | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Rushden | | 41 | 26 | 7 | 8 | 71 | 32 | +39 | 85 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Shrewsbury | | 41 | 26 | 6 | 9 | 69 | 43 | +26 | 84 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Chester | | 41 | 24 | 7 | 10 | 70 | 40 | +30 | 79 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | Bury | | 41 | 22 | 11 | 8 | 67 | 47 | +20 | 77 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | Aldershot | | 40 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 63 | 37 | +26 | 73 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | Kidderminster | | 41 | 21 | 9 | 11 | 74 | 55 | +19 | 72 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | Torquay | | 40 | 19 | 13 | 8 | 73 | 41 | +32 | 70 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | Cheltenham | | 41 | 21 | 7 | 13 | 56 | 44 | +12 | 70 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | Woking | | 41 | 20 | 10 | 11 | 52 | 43 | +9 | 70 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | Exeter | | 40 | 19 | 9 | 12 | 61 | 42 | +19 | 66 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | York | | 41 | 18 | 6 | 17 | 52 | 45 | +7 | 60 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | Kettering | | 41 | 15 | 11 | 15 | 39 | 43 | -4 | 56 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | Oxford | | 41 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 47 | 52 | -5 | 55 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | Forest Green | | 40 | 16 | 5 | 19 | 55 | 63 | -8 | 53 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | Cambridge | | 41 | 15 | 6 | 20 | 49 | 55 | -6 | 51 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | Crawley | | 41 | 11 | 15 | 15 | 47 | 54 | -7 | 48 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | Dag & Red | | 41 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 45 | 60 | -15 | 47 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | Gateshead | | 40 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 32 | 51 | -19 | 44 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | Gravesend | | 41 | 10 | 11 | 20 | 49 | 61 | -12 | 41 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | Weymouth | | 40 | 10 | 7 | 23 | 32 | 52 | -20 | 37 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | Havant & W | | 41 | 7 | 13 | 21 | 24 | 45 | -21 | 34 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | Burton | | 41 | 9 | 4 | 28 | 46 | 88 | -42 | 31 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | Farnborough | | 41 | 5 | 10 | 26 | 45 | 90 | -45 | 25 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | Stafford | | 41 | 4 | 12 | 25 | 32 | 67 | -35 | 24 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 April, 2010 Forest Green, Conference, Home Stamp was busy early, firing in a couple of frees from long range. Forest Green had a goal ruled out in the 22nd and missed an absolute sitter in an even, and scoreless, first half. Shrewsbury were having no such problems, ahead 3-0 at the break. If results stayed as they were, that would put them back on top of the table. The minutes just kept ticking away. A shot from Tomlin, a header from Gardiner, Walmsley's free...they were all denied by Forest's Man of the Match keeper. Fifteen games without a loss, but Shrewsbury's win put them a point ahead of us on the table. Kidderminster, Conference, Away Four to go, and probably the toughest challenge of them all – away to 7th placed Kidderminster. Lee Watts replaced Tomlin and was wayward as usual with his early shooting. He was on target with a header in the 35th, but it was kept out by the keeper. However, he was there when a shot from Cousins was repelled by the keeper, and tapped the ball straight in. Shrewsbury had a 1-0 lead over Oxford in their game at half time. We finished off well, with Jakobsen making a brilliant save and Stamp adding our second, but with Shrewsbury also finishing 2-0 winners, we remained a point off top spot. York, Conference, Away There was plenty of excitement at 3:15pm on April 10th for those following the Conference – goals for Exeter and York against the top two sides. A terrific long ball from Wilson in the 40th put Watts through on goal, and the often erratic striker made no mistake this time – 1-1. Moments into first half injury time, Fred Murray had the ball on the left wing. He came forward, turned around an opponent, backed off and fired a cross into the area. There to meat it was Dean Stamp with a splendid header. 2-1 at the break. We controlled the second half, and Stamp's second headed goal in the final minutes was well deserved. With our game over, the attention of the Rushden fans turned to the match between Shrewsbury and Exeter...just in time for news of an 89th minute goal. Had Shrewsbury managed to come away with a point? No. Two goals to Exeter, none to Shrewsbury, and we reclaimed the top position. Aldershot, Conference, Home Unfortunately, the in-form Dean Stamp was feeling the pressure of the public adulation following his fine performance in the previous game, and was further targeted by Aldershot's manager as the danger man. He put his first chance wide, but that wasn't nearly as bad as Watts' miss after getting one-on-one with the keeper. It was a frustrating first half, with Aldershot totally outplayed but all our shots off target. There was some consolation, though – Torquay took the lead against Shrewsbury with a 45th minute goal. Shrewsbury took only three minutes in the second half to regain parity in their game, while Watts and Stamp continued to miss everything. Torquay pulled back ahead of Shrewsbury in the 60th and I brought Lee Tomlin on for Watts to try and improve our finishing. Sixteen shots, two on target. For just the second time in the entire game, Aldershot had an attempt on goal of their own in the 88th minute. Somehow, it got through. 0-1. Sixteen shots to two, and they were ahead. I pushed players forward in a last-minute attempt to regain the point that was the absolute minimum we deserved, but we couldn't even get that. The end of a 17-game streak without a loss in a game we totally controlled until the final minutes. Shrewsbury went down 1-2, which made it even worse – we could have sealed the league title with even a point thanks to goal difference. Weymouth, Conference, Away The last game of the season....or was it? We took on 20th placed Weymouth, while Shrewsbury hosted 4th placed Bury. We were two points clear of Shrewsbury, so thanks to our 15-goal advantage on goal aggregate, even a draw would do. However, as the previous game proved, it would be dangerous to not worry about scoring ourselves and trust that we could hold the opposition scoreless. Captain Glenn Wilson was out with a minor knock, but other than that I had my full squad available. The lineup was as follows: GK: Morten Jakobsen RB: Jon Ashton LB: Fred Murray CB: Jamie Buchan CB: Michael Bostwick © RM: Scott Gardiner LM: Gavin McCallum CM: Frankie Artus CM: Matty Collins CF: Dean Stamp CF: Lee Tomlin Sub: Mike Edwards Sub: Kieran Walmsley Sub: Darryl Knights Sub: Lee Watts Sub: Ikechi Anya Knights hadn't played since February due to injury and the good form of our side. Walmsley was celebrating signing a new two-year deal. All the excitement was at the other game – Shrewsbury went ahead after only six minutes, then saw Bury pull level just two minutes later. The first real chance came in the 18th when Gardiner crossed into the box, but Tomlin's volley went wide. Stamp's long range free two minutes later was easily held by the keeper, and Gardiner had the ball taken off him when he ventured into the box in the 20th. He crossed to fellow winger McCallum two minutes later, and while the Canadian got his head to the ball, it slammed into the crossbar and bounced clear. Stamp put one wide late in the half, and the game was still scoreless at the break. Gardiner continued to threaten in the second half, crossing into the box in the 62nd. Matty Collins met the ball with a diving header, but it was straight to the keeper. In the 67th minute, Stamp made a mad dash to the sideline to gather the ball just before it crossed for a throw. He had plenty of space, but simply floated in a cross. It drifted over the head of a defender, over the keeper...and straight onto the head of Lee Tomlin. 1-0. The remaining minutes seemed to drag forever, but with a one-goal buffer and no further score between Shrewsbury and Bury, it seemed we had done it. With just two minutes to go, Gardiner fired in a powerful long pass. McCallum was on the end of it at the edge of the box, but his attempt to bring the ball down saw it spill free. A player was there to charge onto it though – Lee Tomlin. The 21-year-old fired in a shot and saw it slam into the back of the net. 2-0, and it was all over. It didn't really matter, with Shrewsbury held to a draw, but what a way to end the season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 The season in review Summary | Pkd | Inf | Name | Apps | Gls | Ast | MoM | Pas | Tck | Drb | Sh T | Av Rat| | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | | Jon Ashton | 31 | - | 4 | 4 | 65% | 2.48 | 0.16 | - | 7.23 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | Wnt | Fred Murray | 31 | - | 1 | - | 66% | 2.90 | 0.48 | - | 7.23 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | | Jamie Buchan | 30 (4) | 1 | - | 3 | 70% | 2.34 | 0.16 | - | 7.15 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | | Michael Bostwick | 30 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 69% | 3.93 | 0.24 | 50% | 7.40 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Wnt | Dean Stamp | 27 (2) | 17 | 11 | 4 | 69% | 0.40 | 0.84 | 41% | 7.41 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | GK | | Morten Jakobsen | 27 | - | - | - | 46% | - | - | - | 6.89 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | | Ikechi Anya | 26 (5) | 3 | 7 | 2 | 64% | 1.38 | 1.31 | 25% | 7.00 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Glenn Wilson | 25 (1) | - | 1 | - | 64% | 3.74 | 0.32 | - | 6.96 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | Wnt | Lee Watts | 25 | 13 | 4 | - | 73% | 0.18 | 1.68 | 49% | 6.96 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | Wnt | Mike Edwards | 23 (1) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 65% | 3.24 | 0.04 | - | 7.08 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Gary Mills | 22 (1) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 68% | 2.70 | 0.27 | 37% | 7.22 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Scott Mackison | 22 | 2 | 2 | - | 65% | 1.70 | 1.26 | 40% | 7.09 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Slt | Alex Bryant | 22 | - | - | - | 45% | - | - | - | 6.73 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | | Matty Collins | 20 (3) | 1 | 3 | - | 74% | 2.55 | 0.25 | 50% | 7.04 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Daniel Clitnovich | 15 (2) | 1 | 1 | - | 75% | 1.68 | 0.27 | - | 6.94 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Wnt | Lee Tomlin | 15 (2) | 9 | 5 | 2 | 69% | 0.25 | 1.52 | 42% | 7.29 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Scott Cousins | 15 (1) | 1 | 3 | 1 | 65% | 3.90 | 0.26 | - | 7.25 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | Loa | Keiran Walmsley | 14 (3) | 1 | 2 | - | 66% | 1.76 | 0.78 | 25% | 7.18 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MR | Inj | Scott Gardner | 13 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 63% | 1.12 | 1.52 | 42% | 7.38 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Slt | Scott Gates | 12 (1) | 2 | 3 | 1 | 73% | 1.03 | 2.06 | - | 7.00 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | | Frankie Artus | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 69% | 2.37 | 1.01 | 33% | 7.42 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Ben Gill | 11 (10) | - | 1 | 1 | 71% | 1.90 | 0.08 | - | 6.81 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ML | Wnt | Gavin McCallum | 11 (2) | 4 | 3 | 1 | 67% | 1.23 | 1.61 | 53% | 7.31 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Paris Cowan-Hall | 11 (1) | 2 | 5 | 1 | 65% | 1.00 | 2.37 | 21% | 7.25 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | | Darryl Knights | 9 (3) | 7 | - | - | 62% | 1.09 | 1.09 | 51% | 6.92 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | David Wood | 8 | - | 2 | - | 60% | 1.84 | 0.52 | - | 6.63 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Ret | Dwight Yorke | 7 (7) | 3 | 1 | - | 75% | 0.25 | 0.75 | 50% | 6.71 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Tom Bonner | 7 | - | - | - | 63% | 2.14 | 0.14 | - | 6.43 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Conor Sinnott | 2 | - | - | - | 59% | - | 0.67 | - | 6.50 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Req | Shola Oyedele | 1 | - | - | - | 62% | 1.00 | - | - | 7.00 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | Rushden | 46 | 29 | 8 | 9 | 78 | 34 | +44 | 95 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Shrewsbury | 46 | 28 | 7 | 11 | 76 | 49 | +27 | 91 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | P | Chester | 46 | 27 | 9 | 10 | 82 | 45 | +37 | 90 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Bury | 46 | 25 | 13 | 8 | 75 | 50 | +25 | 88 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Aldershot | 46 | 24 | 15 | 7 | 72 | 40 | +32 | 87 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Woking | 46 | 23 | 10 | 13 | 60 | 50 | +10 | 79 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Exeter | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 69 | 46 | +23 | 78 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Cheltenham | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 63 | 48 | +15 | 78 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Kidderminster | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 78 | 62 | +16 | 76 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Torquay | 46 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 79 | 53 | +26 | 75 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Forest Green | 46 | 20 | 7 | 19 | 66 | 68 | -2 | 67 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | York | 46 | 20 | 6 | 20 | 61 | 55 | +6 | 66 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Cambridge | 46 | 20 | 6 | 20 | 60 | 56 | +4 | 66 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Kettering | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 43 | 48 | -5 | 60 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Oxford | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 49 | 58 | -9 | 59 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Crawley | 46 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 54 | 57 | -3 | 55 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Dag & Red | 46 | 11 | 18 | 17 | 49 | 66 | -17 | 51 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Gateshead | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 37 | 63 | -26 | 49 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Gravesend | 46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 57 | 68 | -11 | 46 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Weymouth | 46 | 10 | 8 | 28 | 36 | 64 | -28 | 38 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | R | Havant & W | 46 | 7 | 15 | 24 | 25 | 54 | -29 | 36 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | R | Burton | 46 | 9 | 5 | 32 | 47 | 96 | -49 | 32 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | R | Stafford | 46 | 6 | 13 | 27 | 36 | 71 | -35 | 31 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | R | Farnborough | 46 | 6 | 12 | 28 | 48 | 99 | -51 | 30 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| The board, fans and media were all over the club after our “remarkable” title win. I did my best to suggest that I would stick with the current squad in our fight to avoid returning straight back to the conference. Part of that was pragmatism – with little cash available, I can't exactly go out and grab a bunch of (relatively) big-name players. However, I also believe that this result was representative of our squad's true ability. I've said for a while that this side was a good one, and that consistency was what we needed. Well, you can't get much more consistent than 17 games without a loss. Admittedly, many of the core players in the side that went out for our final game (and keep in mind Wilson was the only player out) were not in what I regarded as our best team at the start of the season. Jakobsen and Artus were signed during the season, and players like Walmsley, Murray and Tomlin came up from the reserves. Several others were new signings at the start of the season. As good as it was to see my new signings quickly validate my decision to bring them in, the rise of the reserve players also highlighted the excellent depth in the squad. Indeed, we won the reserves league this season. We improved all over the pitch. The highlight is that we now have two quality keepers, having really had none for the past few seasons. Though Tom Bonner had a dismal season and never regained his first team spot, Adam Davies didn't play at all and Oyedele and Wood also lost their places, Fred Murray and the new signings more than covered for him. The midfield was definitely one of our strongest areas, and despite a few injuries, the hardest part was deciding who to leave out – always a good sign. Even with the sale of Jackson, the forwards were fairly regular scorers, with Stamp outstanding and Tomlin playing his best season yet. The only problem is that we may have been promoted before we were ready. In some aspects it was about time, but the tepid early predictions and shock at our promotion wouldn't be entirely without basis. Around the world: major awards and results Rushden Supporters’ Player of the Year: Scott Cousins World Player of the Year: Thierry Henry (Arsenal) (again!) World Footballer of the year: Thierry Henry (Arsenal) (again!) England: Winner: Arsenal Relegated: Sunderland, Portsmouth, Derby Promoted: Fulham, Wigan, Southend Spain: Real Madrid Italy Roma Champions Cup: Real Madrid EURO Cup: Valencia 2010 World Cup Italy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 The Transfers Players In | Date | Person | From | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2009 | Yorke, Dwight | Peterborough | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2009 | Stamp, Dean | Shrewsbury | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2009 | Buchan, Jamie | Aldershot | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2009 | Collins, Matty | Wrexham | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2009 | Gill, Ben | Watford | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8.9.2009 | Beltman, Marco | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14.9.2009 | Jakobsen, Morten | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8.2.2010 | Artus, Frankie | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Players Out | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.12.2009 | Warner, Mark | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 29.1.2010 | Jackson, Simeon | Millwall | £30K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £30K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Promoted Youth | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2009 | Lock, Lee | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2009 | Booth, Matt | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2009 | McCraw, James | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2009 | Jameson, Matt | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2009 | Irving, Dave | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2009 | Lunt, Michael | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Quite a good season for transfers. Jakobsen was superb in taking the first choice keeper position despite his lack of previous senior experience and Stamp was our leading scorer. Artus secured a position in the midfield despite plenty of competition, Buchan did his job of adding solidity to the defence and Gill and Collins rotated through the middle with moderate success. Beltman didn't play a senior game, but looked good in our successful reserve team, setting up 10 goals and scoring 5 himself in 22 games. I guess Dwight Yorke didn't have a huge impact, but three goals from somebody on just ₤190 a week isn't a bad result. I had no cause to regret selling Jackson, since he would have left anyway and we easily covered his absence. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 Pre-season, 2010/2011 Our finances took an immediate hit upon promotion, with the wage bill jumping 25% thanks to promotion clauses. I did my best to suggest I would keep faith in the current squad to help us survive League Two, but naturally there had to be some changes. Due to our poor financial situation and the now-bloated wage budget, i had no transfer funds and little money to offer even for free transfer signings. The club's new sponsorship deal of a mere ₤12K per season wasn't exactly going to improve things. I received an offer from Chester for winger Scott Mackison, and decided to take the ₤30K offered, after tacking on a sell-on rider. Unfortunately, the deal fell through when they realised they didn't have the transfer funds. Luckily, I was able to make the deal on the same terms with Queen of the South. With Gardiner, Artus, Anya and McCallum all fighting for a spot on the right wing, I felt it was pretty safe to let Mackison go. There was one change I resisted, though. Wigan, Newcastle, West Ham and even Liverpool made inquiries about Morten Jakobsen, but were warded off by my ₤1M demands. Hey, he's contracted here for a while longer, and I think his value will only get higher as he gets more experience. Blackburn made a very interesting bid of ₤190K for midfielder Marco Beltman. That's a hell of a lot for somebody who hadn't played a senior game, which made me immediately suspicious. I rejected the offer, and will keep a very close eye on him in the future. The finances got a little better with news that we'd receive ₤230K for TV rights, and the board injected a further ₤169K. I cleared out a few players when their contracts expired, namely Mike Edwards, Connor Sinnott, Dwight Yorke, Tom Shaw, Daniel Clitnovich and a number of young players. Unfortunately, being fringe players, they weren't on much money, so that did little to improve the situation. I did make three signings, with two of those from Watford. They were defenders Aaron Morgan and Aaron Beech. The other player to join was Yan Klukowski. After the sale of Mackison, interest in all our players bar Jakobsen seemed to have died down, so I was prepared to move on with the squad I had. That lasted until 14 July, when Kilmarnock offered ₤280K for Lee Watts and Hartlepool bid ₤500K for Marco Beltman. I tried to bump up the price of the Watts offer, but chairman Keith Cousins decided the Beltman bid was too good to refuse, and accepted it on the club's behalf. It was an utterly stupid bid in my humble opinion, given he'd only played a handful of reserve games in his career without being truly exceptional, but that single-handedly wiped out our debt, and actually put us a fair way into the black. Kilmarnock came back with an offer of ₤400K for Watts, plus a 20% sell-on clause. I accepted, meaning that not only was the debt gone, we suddenly had nearly ₤1M in the bank. Though we now had plenty of money, there was little time left before the start of the season. I brought in a few diverse free transfer signings; Danish midfielder/striker Lars Roland and Estonian defender Ahti Oja. Due to the club's fairly small stature, large squad and my reluctance to spash the newly-gained cash – after all, it is not as if we have found a new stable source of income – I decided to hold off on other signings for the moment. Leicester again failed to send us any players, so the side will be fairly similar to last season. I did grab a new scout (Craig Graham) and coach (Northern Ireland international Kevin Horlock) and swapped physios (bringing in Scottish international Eoin Jess) at least. Australian coach Graham Arnold was sacked after Australia's winless effort in the group stages of the 2010 World Cup. Fortunately, there happened to be an Australian manager who had recently attracted a bit of attention after the shock promotion of his English club. I was offered the job, and chose to accept. Ironically, becoming Australian manager was one of the goals of my original Rushden story, but even when we were in the Premiership I couldn't get the job. There were actually a few friendlies amongst all these events. We took on some bigger sides in an effort to prepare for a tough season, losing 1-2 to Sunderland and Leicester before beating Notts County 3-1. Two easier games saw a 2-0 win over Newport County and a scoreless draw against Sutton Utd. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 SEASON OVERVIEW 10/11 The Club Home Ground: Nene Park, Irthlingborough (capacity 6441, 4641 seated) Rivals: Kettering, Northampton (fierce); Peterborough, Oxford, Luton Reputation: Local Estimated Value: ₤1M Balance ₤827K Transfer Budget: ₤6K (now ₤471K) Media Prediction: 23rd Board Expectation: Fight bravely against relegation Fan Expectation: Fight bravely against relegation Staff Chairman: Keith Cousins Assistant Manager: John Dreyer Coaches: Will Weedon, Scott Gemmill, Geoff Evans, Kevin Horlock (General); Simon Miotto (GK); Liam Grieves (Youth) Physio: Eoin Jess Scouts: Antonio North, Andy McWilliam, Craig Graham The Squad | Pkd | Inf | Name | No. | Squad Status | Cnt | Weekly wage | Expires | Value | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | | Gary Mills | 17 | First Team | F/T | £800 | 30.6.2011 | £22K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | Wnt | Michael Bostwick | 32 | First Team | F/T | £750 | 30.6.2013 | £24K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Inj | Jon Ashton | 4 | First Team | F/T | £725 | 30.6.2011 | £18K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | Loa | Glenn Wilson | 2 | First Team | F/T | £625 | 30.6.2011 | £14K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | Inj | Frankie Artus | 12 | First Team | F/T | £500 | 30.6.2014 | £40K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | | Aaron Beech | 18 | First Team | F/T | £100 | 30.6.2015 | £16K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Aaron Morgan | 3 | First Team | F/T | £100 | 30.6.2013 | £16K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | GK | Wnt | Morten Jakobsen | 38 | First Team | F/T | £425 | 30.6.2012 | £210K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | Wnt | Fred Murray | 35 | Rotation | F/T | £350 | 30.6.2011 | £10K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | Inj | Darryl Knights | 10 | Rotation | F/T | £160 | 30.6.2012 | £18K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Wnt | Jamie Buchan | 27 | Rotation | F/T | £425 | 30.6.2011 | £6K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ML | Wnt | Gavin McCallum | 30 | Rotation | F/T | £550 | 30.6.2010 | - | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Adam Davies | 31 | Rotation | F/T | £450 | 30.6.2011 | £4K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Matty Collins | 6 | Rotation | F/T | £300 | 30.6.2011 | £26K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | | Scott Cousins | 15 | Rotation | F/T | £300 | 30.6.2011 | £4K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Slt | Alex Bryant | 1 | Rotation | F/T | £550 | 30.6.2014 | £140K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Req | Shola Oyedele | 29 | Rotation | F/T | £400 | 30.6.2011 | £9K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Ben Gill | 8 | Rotation | F/T | £625 | 30.6.2013 | £14K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MR | Wnt | Scott Gardner | 7 | Rotation | F/T | £180 | 30.6.2012 | £28K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | | Ikechi Anya | 16 | Rotation | F/T | £725 | 30.6.2011 | £24K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | David Wood | 5 | Rotation | F/T | £220 | 30.6.2011 | £8K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | | Lee Tomlin | 14 | Rotation | F/T | £375 | 30.6.2011 | £70K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Slt | Scott Gates | 13 | Rotation | F/T | £550 | 30.6.2013 | £30K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Yan Klukowski | 20 | Rotation | F/T | £100 | 30.6.2012 | - | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Req | Dean Stamp | 11 | Rotation | F/T | £550 | 30.6.2013 | £75K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Lars Roland | - | Rotation | F/T | £450 | 30.6.2013 | £45K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Jamie McGhee | - | Backup | F/T | £130 | 30.6.2011 | £7K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Tom Bonner | 19 | Backup | F/T | £525 | 30.6.2012 | £10K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Keiran Walmsley | 36 | Backup | F/T | £210 | 30.6.2012 | £3K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Alex Bolt | 34 | Backup | F/T | £140 | 30.6.2011 | £10K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Paris Cowan-Hall | 39 | Backup | F/T | £130 | 30.6.2012 | £24K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Ahti Oja | - | Backup | F/T | £350 | 30.6.2013 | £16K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Adam Legzdins | 26 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £250 | 30.6.2013 | £9K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Marvin McDonald | 9 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £130 | 30.6.2011 | £2K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Slt | Lawrence Lambley | - | Hot Prospect | F/T | £130 | 30.6.2011 | £3K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Callum Reynolds | 22 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £130 | 30.6.2012 | £4K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Iain Thomas | - | Hot Prospect | F/T | £95 | 30.6.2012 | £2K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | T. J. McClory-Cuthbertson | - | Youngster | F/T | £130 | 30.6.2011 | £5K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Mark Preece | - | Youngster | F/T | £375 | 30.6.2011 | £5K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Andrew Tidswell | - | Youngster | F/T | £130 | 30.6.2011 | £3K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Gary Harrison | - | Youngster | F/T | £95 | 30.6.2012 | £2K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | David Greenwood | - | Youngster | F/T | £80 | 30.6.2011 | £24K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Ctr | Brian Whittaker | - | Youngster | F/T | £110 | - | - | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Ricky Booth | - | Youngster | F/T | £70 | 30.6.2012 | £2K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Carl Court | - | Youngster | F/T | £80 | 30.6.2011 | £2K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Lst | Scott Tynan | - | Not Needed | F/T | £350 | 30.6.2011 | £3K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Wage Budget: £18,872 Total Weekly Wages at 3/8/10: £15,938 Senior Players: 26 Reserve Players: 20 U-18 Players: 12 [Note that players classed as Backup, Prospect or Youngster will not be profiled, and are regarded as reserve players] Player [Pos, Nationality, Height, Age] – Rushden Seasons, Rushden League Games, Rushden League Goals Goalkeepers Alex Bryant [GK, ENG, 175cm, 25] – 4, 55, 0 Just when he looked to have sealed a first-team spot, along came Jakobsen to snatch it from him. Bryant still looks to be a quality player, and will remain part of the squad, but his role will certainly be lessened. Adam Legzdins [GK, ENG, 176cm, 23] – 3 25, 0 Kept as a long-term option and third-choice backup, Legzdins will stay in the reserves for most of the season. Morten Jakobsen [GK, DEN – 1 U21 Cap, 78cm, 21] – 1, 26, 0 Made a fine impression after being signed part-way through the season. Despite having no previous senior experience, he slotted right into the side, and will be a key player this season. Defenders Jon Ashton [D RC/DM, ENG, 188cm, 27] – 4, 99, 2 Now moving into the veteran stage of his career, which is useful with Edwards gone. Ashton had a good season in 09/10, and it will be interesting to see if he can handle the higher level. He was a regular in League Two with Oxford when he was younger, so I don't see why not. Aaron Beech [D C, ENG, 181cm, 20] – 0, 0, 0 One of few new signings, Beech is yet to play a senior game after coming through Watford's youth setup. He's pretty strong in the air and could be a decent defender. Tom Bonner [D C, SCO, 183cm, 22] – 4, 73, 0 Virtually no impact last season, and will struggle to make it back into the side. Conference Young Player of the Month October 2007, April 2009 Michael Bostwick [D/M C, ENG, 188cm, 22] – 4 104, 8 A very important player at the club due to his ability in both defence and midfield. That may make him an ideal bench player, but he has started on the pitch regularly due to his ability. Jamie Buchan [sw/D/M C, SCO – 13 U21 Caps, 178cm, 33] – 1, 32, 0 Did his job well, adding experience to our back four and playing consistently. This will probably be his final year at the club, so I will try to phase him out to some extent. 2010 Conference Players' Select Scott Cousins [D/WB L, ENG, 178cm, 26] –3, 65, 5 Went from being Supporters' Player of the Year to second choice between a player I'd expected to release. Cousins still played fairly well and was particularly dangerous from set pieces, but his lack of versatility means he will play irregularly. Supporters' Player of the Year 08/09 Adam Davies [D RC, WAL – 6 U21 Caps, 188cm, 23] – 2, 14, 2 Wound up spending the whole of last season in the reserves. There's too much competition for him to get much of a go without exceptional reserves performances. Aaron Morgan [D C, ENG, 188cm, 20] – 0, 0, 0 Rather confusingly, this is the second central defender named Aaron signed from Watford. He is also pretty good in the air and solid in the defensive skills, and has had some first team experience on loan at Denizlspor. Fred Murray [D LC, NIR, 188cm, 28] – 3, 28, 0 Proof that determination and bravery can sometimes make up for a lack of skill, Murray was one of the success stories of our championship season. Given that we will be one of the weaker sides in the league, those values may continue to make him an important player in the team. Shola Oyedele [D RC/AM RC, NIG, 181cm, 25] – 2, 28, 0 Fell out of the side and never looked like getting back in. Versatile and talented enough to get another chance, but needs to impress in the reserves first. Glenn Wilson [D RC, WAL, 186cm, 24] – 4, 80, 1 Finally had a relatively injury-free season and was valuable as both a defender and leader. Hopefully he can do the same again. David Wood [D RLC, ENG, 180cm, 20] – 2, 22, 0 Another who spent most of the season in the reserves after being dropped early. It will take injuries or very poor form for him to get much of a go. Midfielders Ikechi Anya [AM RL, SCO, 170cm, 22] – 2, 66, 5 Fought back well after a disappointing 08/09 to be a regular despite the competition for spots on the wings. He's still young and continuing to improve, so could be a very handy player for us. Frankie Artus [AM RC, ENG, 179cm, 21] – 1, 12, 2 Signed very late last season but became a regular member of the side. He has good pace, attacks the ball and can finish well. Matty Collins [M C, WAL, 182cm, 24] – 1, 21, 1 A player who performed his role exactly as expected last season. Collins was a solid, unspectacular workhorse in the midfield who produced decent performances. Scott Gardiner [AM R, LUX – 17 Caps, 180cm, 22] – 2, 21, 4 Seems to miss a lot of games through international duty and lack of fitness, but performed well when he got the chance last season. He's good from set pieces and crosses well. Conference Young Player of the Month, February 2010 Scott Gates [AM L, SCO – Capped at U19 level, 177cm, 21] – 2, 38, 7 Struggled to get a regular run, missing three months through injury and facing plenty of competition, but did fairly well when he did play. Ben Gill [DM, ENG, 181cm, 22] – 1, 20, 0 Found himself as a rotational player, mostly off the bench, and did little to stand out. With so many midfielders around, he's in danger of falling out of the side. Yan Klukowski [M C, SCO, 186cm, 23] – 0, 0, 0 Formerly of Nairn County, Klukowski looks to be a natural athlete with incredible pace, but I have doubts over his skill. May get a chance. Scott Mackison [AM R, SCO, 175cm, 22] – 1, 19, 5 I described Mackison as “slow and not particularly talented” at the start of last season, but while that doesn't seem to have changed, he was a useful scorer last season. I hope he can do the same again. Gavin McCallum [AM RL, CAN – 16 caps, 176cm, 22] – 3, 59, 11 Missed a fair chunk of last season through injury and international duty. In the games he did play, he was a regular contributor, especially from set pieces. Conference Player of the Month, April 2008 Gary Mills [M C, ENG, 175cm, 29] – 11, 240, 14 Continuing to perform above his ability, Mills has the tenacity and toughness to still be useful at this level. Kieran Walmsley [D R/M C, ENG, 178cm, 26] – 2, 19, 1 Like Murray, I'd all but released Walmsley, but strong reserves performances saw him break into the first team squad and stay there for the rest of the season. His free kicks and corners are exceptional. Forwards Darryl Knights [AM/F C, ENG, 177cm, 21] – 2, 24, 7 After a poor first season, Knights managed to score seven goals in a dozen games despite a series of injuries. His pace will make him a threat. Lars Roland [AM L/ST, DEN, 181cm, 18] – 0, 0, 0 A new signing, this is actually Roland's first club. He's not very quick or big, but uses the ball well when he gets it. Dean Stamp [sT, ENG, 182cm, 21] – 1, 26, 17 A real success story, becoming our leading scorer in his first season at the club. Stamp was superb with free kicks and was a threat when receiving a corner. In the absence of Jackson and Watts, he will need to play a major role. Conference Player of the Month, October 09; Supporters' Player of the Year 09/10 Lee Tomlin [sT, ENG, 183cm, 21] – 5, 73, 19 Started last season in the reserves but came up to score nine goals in seventeen games. He works hard and is pretty quick. Overview This is going to be another season for players to prove themselves, with 24 having expiring contracts. I'm pretty happy with the squad. We have two credible options for the keeping spot, a stable back four with backups for each position and plenty of competition for sports in the midfield. We're perhaps a little thin up forward - if any of Knights, Tomlin or Stamp go down, we'll have to turn to an untried player. Overall, the team really only needs to survive. The finances are secure at last, and it's really only come at the expense of one senior player. The new signings this season are not expected to have as much of a role as they did last season, which is probably a positive from the perspective of consistency and unity within the team. I'd be happy with a spot towards the lower part of mid-table. First XI I'm sticking with 4-4-2, but that may change if we lose a striker for an extended period. There'll be plenty of rotating, particularly in midfield. GK: Alex Bryant RB: Glenn Wilson LB: Fred Murray CB: Jamie Buchan CB: Jon Ashton RM: Scott Gardiner LM: Gavin McCallum CM: Gary Mills CM: Frankie Artus CF: Dean Stamp CF: Lee Tomlin Sub:Scott Cousins Sub: Aaron Beech Sub: Darryl Knights Sub: Ikechi Anya Sub: Michael Bostwick Captain: Glenn Wilson Penalties: Scott Cousins, Dean Stamp, Darryl Knights Free Kicks: (L) Dean Stamp, Scott Cousins; ® Gavin McCallum, Scott Gardiner Corners: (L) Gavin McCallum, Scott Cousins; ® Scott Gardiner, Kieran Walmsley Throw Ins: (L) Scott Cousins, Ikechi Anya; ® Glenn Wilson, Frankie Artus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 August, 2010 Oddly, we were given odds of 25-1 for promotion, which is pretty impressive for a newly-promoted team. I think the board and fan expectations of simply battling against relegation are more realistic. Sutton Utd, League Two, Away Our first game in League Two was against a side we faced in the Conference in 07/08 and 08/09. Artus and Ashton were out through injury, with Bostwick and Collins replacing them. Stamp fired in our first shot in only 20 seconds and a few minutes later partner Tomlin put one over the bar. Sutton hit the crossbar from a free, Stamp put another shot over and the first half ended scoreless. Darryl Knights came off the bench to add some pace to a tiring side, and in a mad scramble in our area, he was able to take the ball, close on the keeper and put through our first goal of the season. Sutton had their chances, but that one goal was enough for the three points. Stevenage, League Two, Home Another former Conference opponent, this one from 06/07 to 08/09. The players were exhausted from the previous game, so it was a very different side than the one that faced Sutton Utd. The two Aarons, Morgan and Beech, debuted in defence. Though it was a weaker side, we took the lead after 18 minutes when Tomlin headed in a free from McCallum. Knights scored his second in as many games after again intercepting a defensive pass for a 2-0 half time lead. Jakobsen did well to withstand an assault in the second half before Cousins sealed it with a penalty in the final minutes. The ₤60K in gate receipts from the 5,184 people in attendance at Nene Park was a new club record. Macclesfield, League Two, Away At last a side we hadn't played before! Alex Bryant was tested early, but when a corner from Gardiner almost went straight in, the scramble in the box saw Michael Bostwick give us a 7th minute lead. Macclesfield scored two minutes into injury time. Stamp put a header off the post in the second half while Macclesfield were denied by both poor finishing and good work from Bryant. 1-1 was a good result. Blackpool, League Two, Home* This was probably our toughest opponent so far, so it was frustrating to see Gill miss a header in the early minutes. However, we continued to attack, and earned a 9th minute penalty. Stamp made no mistake, but was forced off through injury shortly after. I had to use McCallum as a makeshift forward, with Gardiner coming off the bench to take his spot on the right wing. The move worked, though not as I anticipated, with Gardiner hitting in a free from 20 yards. A cross from Gardiner in the final minutes bobbled into the net for a 3-0 win. Unfortunately, it was not all good news. A thigh strain put Gardiner out for a month, while Stamp was set to miss up to two months with a sprained ankle. The one thing I worried about in the pre-season – losing one of our few strikers to injury. Again we set a new record for gate receipts. Blackpool, League Cup Round 1, Home With the reserves yet to play a game, I had difficulty finding a player to replace Stamp for this game against a Championship opponent. I eventually paired up Knights and Tomlin, with Artus and McCallum on the bench as potential makeshift strikers. Jakobsen made a great early save. In the 40th minute, we broke on a counter-attack and Tomlin charged with the ball down the right wing. He avoided a couple of opponents, crossed into the box...and Knights finished it off. Brilliant move, and a 1-0 lead over a Championship opponent. Things took a downwards turn five minutes into the second half, with Knights forced off injured. Rather than play somebody out of position, I brought on Collins to allow us to switch to a 4-1-4-1 formation to defend the lead. Despite playing alone, Tomlin managed a few shots on goal, but put them wide. Gates, Mills and Anya forced saves after that. Bristol charged forward to attack constantly, but when their keeper came up for a corner, Tomlin broke away with the clearance and fired from no less than sixty yards. The ball looped high as the keeper tried to race back to his area. He got there just in time to see it bounce in – 2-0 in the final minutes. A terrific win, but it came at a huge cost – Knights had suffered a broken ankle, and would miss three months. With less than a week left for transfers, was there anything I could do? I had a look at players available for free, like Malcolm Christie, Brett Ormerod and former Scottish international Andy Gray. While they were willing to join, it was on large wages, and I didn't want to blow my budget. I made loan offers for all four of Leicester's reserve strikers, but each one of them rejected the move. Fed up, I decided to spend some of the cash I had earned from the sales of Watts and Beltman. While I was looking at short-term solutions with the free transfers and loans, I decided that it would be better to spend a bit and get a longer-term solution, since clearly three first team strikers were not enough. Most of the young locally-based strikers were either listed far above their value or unwilling to move to Rushden. I eventually came across a Finnish Under-21 international who looked versatile and had great club form. Better yet, his contract had expired. Though I initially baulked at the ₤170K fee imposed, we'd set gate record receipts in each of our home games and had progressed in the Cup, so we weren't doing too badly financially. Better yet, the player agreed to a five-year contract on pretty small wages. With the transfer window about to close, I bit the bullet and made the deal. Lauri Dalla Valle [AM/F C, FIN – 2 U21 Caps, 180cm, 18] – 0 0, 0 My first real purchase, with the only other one the ₤1K for Legzdins. Dalla Valle was a star player for Finnish club JIPPO over the past five seasons, which is a fair effort given he would have started playing around 13. He can play anywhere across the midfield as well as forward and possesses decent pace, good ball skills and a great work ethic. Set pieces and football intelligence are his only major weaknesses, but hopefully the coaches can work on that. Halifax, League Two, Away Dalla Valle debuted alongside Tomlin, while Artus played his first game of the season on the right wing. McCallum took a free in the 15th minute and despite being 40 yards out, blasted it at the goal. The keeper barely managed to keep it out, and there for the rebound was Dalla Valle. 1-0, and a goal on debut. Halifax scored to draw level in the 30th and there was no fairytale for Dalla Valle. He missed a second half shot and Halifax put a second on the board, leaving us with our first loss of the season. Quite an impressive month. We already have a few wins on the board – vital in a season where survival is the goal – and made an unexpected progression in the League Cup. New defender Aaron Morgan was one of our top players, and came third in the league Player of the Month award. The only player I managed to re-sign was Glenn Wilson. I finally realised that Gavin McCallum's contract had expired at the end of last year and offered him a new deal, but he is yet to accept it. Tomlin and Ashton rejected new deals. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 September 2010 Boston Utd, League Two, Home* There was bad news before this game – Alex Bryant suffered an injury at training...just as Jakobsen was called up for an Under-21 international. Dalla Valle was also unavailable. Legzdins came up to fill in between the posts and McCallum partnered Tomlin. Frankie Artus was very dangerous throughout the first half, and in the 38th minute he set up McCallum to give us the lead. Legzdins had a fine game in goal, and in the 55th it was his great long clearance that put Tomlin through on goal for our second. 2-0, despite the absence of several key players. Ikechi Anya and Gavin McCallum signed new deals after the game. Young defender Ahti Oja made his international debut for Estonia. Hartlepool, League Two, Away* Jakobsen and Dalla Valle returned for this game, and we went ahead after a fine cross from Gates and great finish from Artus. Hartlepool pulled level just before the break. It was only through great work at the back from Buchan and Morgan that we held on for the draw. Grays, League Two, Home* Dalla Valle looked to have scored in only a couple of minutes, but it was ruled out. Grays did not have the same problem in the 17th minute. We dominated the first half but with Tomlin and Artus denied by the keeper, we went into the break a goal down. Grays continued to ride their luck with a goal early in the second, which finally sparked our players into action. We went forward immediately from the kick-off. Gates ran down the left and crossed into the box. Dalla Valle broke from the defence with perfect timing to strike it in. 1-2. Tomlin intercepted a weak clearance from the keeper in the 70th, and while his shot was parried, partner Dalla Valle was there for the finish. A brace for the new signing. The minutes ticked away, and it looked as if we were set for a disappointing, but acceptable draw. Four minutes into injury time, with surely seconds until the referee blew his whistle, Glenn Wilson intercepted a cross and passed forward for Dalla Valla. Breaking clear of three defenders, the Finnish forward charged ahead, broke into the box, fired it at the top corner...and scored. A hat-trick in just his third game for the club, and a last-gasp 3-2 win for Rushden. The ₤170K already looks well-spent. Chester, League Two, Away* I gave Legzdins a second game in goal against the bottom side. Disastrously, he conceded after only two minutes. However, he made a few fine saves after that, and a great ball from Artus put Dalla Valle through the defence to score. In the 33rd, a cross to the Finnish striker from Tomlin was knocked in for an own goal, and we were back on track. Jamie Buchan gave us a scare when his errant elbow left us a man down with half an hour to go, but we lasted those final minutes. They were highlighted by a mazy 60-yard run from Gates that resulted in Artus putting the ball off the bar. West Brom, League Cup, round 2, Away* A chance to make a name for ourselves – or at the very least, plenty of money from gate receipts. It was a long throw that saw our Championship opponents break through, scoring in the 15th. Jakobsen did well to hold them off, but West Brom were clearly the better side. Five minutes before half time, Glenn Wilson had a throw fairly close to the area. He threw it straight in, and there to meet it was Dalla Valle, who danced around Welsh international Jason Koumas to score. Poor finishing from Mills denied us the lead when he was put through by McCallum, and West Brom scored a second in the 66th. Ten minutes later, Dalla Valle came down the left. As he approached the area, he passed to the right. Partner Tomlin broke free of his defenders and struck it home 2-2. Ashton cleared a couple of attacks, and with just ten minutes to go, a long ball from Jakobsen put Tomlin through on goal. He tried to repay the favour from his partner, passing to Dalla Valle. The Finnish Under-21 international made it into the area, but was brought down by keeper Stuart Taylor. The professional foul was spotted – a red card, and a penalty. With the first four choices for penalties out (Cousins, Stamp, Knights and Gardiner), it was winger Scott Gates who stepped up to the spot, with the chance to give us perhaps the best win in Rushden history. He fired in the shot...which sailed over the bar. 2-2 after 90 minutes. The first half of extra time was utterly uneventful. Penalties were looking distinctly unattractive. While West Brom were missing their first choice keeper thanks to the red card, we were missing, as I noted, all our preferable spot kick takers. Artus put the only shot of the remaining minutes over the bar, and the game indeed went to the spot. This time it was Aaron Morgon who took the first kick, but he sent it straight at the keeper. West Brom scored their first, and McCallum missed to have us potentially two down already. Jakobsen saved the next one, while Gates finally put us on the board. West Brom made it 1-2 through Harry Kewell, and when Dalla Valle missed our fourth shot, they scored again to end the game. 1-3 on penalties, and a potentially great win went missing. Rochdale, League Two, Home* I gave Tomlin and McCallum much-needed breaks for this game, with Anya partnering Dalla Valle as a makeshift forward. A great long ball from Artus saw Dalla Valle continue his fine run with a 14th minute goal, and it was Dalla Valle's cross that set up Gates for our second after 52 minutes. Anya was gifted a goal with Dalla Valle's strike coming straight back off the crossbar with 20 minutes to go. 3-0, with our new signing involved in every goal. Carlisle, League Two, Home* Aaron Beech was rounded far too easily for our 20th placed opponents to take a tenth minute lead, and when they scored again in the 32nd, it looked like our first loss of the month was about to be recorded. It was only through good work at the back from Ashton that we avoided conceding a third in the remainder of the first half. A nice centre from Tomlin saw Gates head in our first, but we were still a goal down at the break. Matty Collins had a shot saved and Tomlin put a couple wide early in the second half. A free from McCallum saw a surging run straight down the middle from Mills, and the usually unfashionable midfielder finished it off with a great 25-yard strike. 2-2, and that was the final score. Not the result we wanted against a lowly-placed side, but good enough given we conceded twice in the first half. Astonishingly, we finished the month top of League Two. Not bad for a side expected to finish mid-table in the Conference just over a year ago. Dalla Valle has been the star, and was named Player of the Month. Tomlin was third as Young Player of the Month, but unfortunately he still refuses to sign a new contract. Murray, Morgan, Buchan and Ashton have been great in defence, Mills and Gill have led the midfield and Tomlin and Dalla Valle have finished it all off well. When we get Stamp, Knights and Bostwick back, we should be almost unstoppable if our form so far is any guide. | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Rushden | | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 9 | +13 | 24 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Stockport | | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 12 | +11 | 24 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Wrexham | | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 20 | 10 | +10 | 22 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | Darlington | | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 20 | 11 | +9 | 22 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | Grimsby | | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 11 | +8 | 22 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | MK Dons | | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 19 | 8 | +11 | 21 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | Notts Co | | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 14 | +4 | 18 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | Morecambe | | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 12 | +2 | 17 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | Port Vale | | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 17 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | Wycombe | | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 15 | +4 | 16 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | Rotherham | | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 13 | +1 | 16 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | Sutton Utd | | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 9 | +2 | 15 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | Leyton Orient | | 11 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 8 | +4 | 14 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | Halifax | | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 17 | -5 | 14 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | Peterborough | | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 12 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | Boston Utd | | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 18 | -6 | 12 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | Blackpool | | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 13 | -8 | 12 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | Grays | | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 20 | -7 | 11 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | Carlisle | | 11 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 16 | -3 | 9 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | Stevenage | | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 17 | -8 | 9 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | Macclesfield | | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 22 | -10 | 9 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | Rochdale | | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 13 | -8 | 7 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | Chester | | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 23 | -10 | 6 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | Hartlepool | | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 21 | -10 | 6 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 October, 2010 Peterborough, League Two, Home* Dalla Valle's exceptional form continued with a headed goal from Gardiner's corner in the 16th. Aside from an audacious bicycle kick from Gates, there were no real chances for the rest of the game, and our one goal was sufficient. Port Vale, League Two, Away* Dalle Valle and Gardiner missed this one due to international duty. Rather than play someone out of position as a striker, I gave youth product David Greenwood his first senior game. Despite not having a single shot on target all game, we almost took the three points. Four Port Vale defenders somehow contrived to put a cross into their own net in the first half. Despite our continued failure to put shots on target, we almost escaped with the three points, but a late goal to Port Vale left us with a reasonable 1-1 finish. AUSTRALIA vs JORDAN, Asian Cup Qualifiers, group D, Neutral My first international game! This was quite a different Australian squad, with the likes of Schwarzer retired from international football and players like Viduka and Kewell in the twilight of their careers. I went with the following side: GK: Andrew Downes (Sydney FC) RB: Lucas Neill (West Ham) LB: Adrian Leijer (Vitesse) CB: Patrick Kisnorbo (Napoli) CB: Jonathan McKain (Levante) RM: Brett Emerton (Blackburn) LM: Ryan Griffiths (Charleroi) CM: Jason Culina (Napoli) CM: Vincenzo Grella (Parma) CF: Nathan Burns (Deportivo) CF: Joshua Kennedy (Rimini) Sub:Tando Velaphi (Central Coast) Sub: Eddie Bosnar (Cottbus) Sub: Mark Byrnes (Lorient) Sub: Josip Magdic (Marseille) Sub: Tim Cahill (Everton) Sub: Mark Bridge (Newcastle Jets) Sub: Brett Holman (Espanyol) Australia 4 d. Jordan 0 Burns (4); Culina (35); Neill (50); Cahill (62) AUSTRALIA vs INDIA, Asian Cup Qualifiers, group D, Neutral Grella missed this one after suffering a bad hamstring injury in the previous match. He was replaced by West Brom's Harry Kewell, and Luke Wilkshire of Panathinaikos replaced Adrian Leijer. Australia 2 d. India 1 Burns (27, 40) Stockport, League Two, Home* Dalla Valle was back for this game, and Alex Bryant started in goal after a long absence due to injury. Anya crossed into the box with both Dalla Valle and Tomlin in attendance, and then the former's shot was parried, the latter was there to finish it off. A long pass from Gill was headed over the keeper for Tomlin's second before half time. Aaron Morgan was sent off after a second yellow card, leaving us a man down with half an hour to go. Bryant held up well against an assault, but was denied a clean sheet by a 90th minute goal to Stockport. Nonetheless, we took the three points, thanks to Tomlin's brace. AUSTRALIA vs TURKMENISTAN, Asian Cup Qualifiers, group D, Neutral Mille Sterjovski (Nancy) and Christoph Teinert (Mainz) were the new additions to the side. Australia 3 d. Turkmenistan 0 Emerton (17); Burns (67); Teinert (84) Grays, Johnson's Paint Trophy South 1st round, Home* Exceptional reserve form saw Paris Cowan-Hall called up for this game. Despite a dominant first half hour, we were scoreless thanks to poor finishing from Tomlin and Mills. Dalla Valle was on target with a header though, putting in McCallum's corner. Dalla Valle had a second goal disallowed in the 40th, and we were unlucky to only be one up at the break. Grays came out harder in the second half, and actually put one off the crossbar in the 50th. Mills missed a number of chances, but Grays didn't waste one of their rare ones, making it 1-1 in the 61st. It looked offside, but was allowed to stand. Just six minutes later they did it again, but this time, thankfully, they officials were awake to Grays' tactics and spotted the offside. Still, we were in danger of going to penalties in a game we'd controlled for the first hour. Tomlin had one shot turned away as the final whistle came closer, but in then85th minute McCallum sent in a wonderful cross to Cowan-Hall. With the keeper closing on him, the young winger unselfishly flicked the ball across to Tomlin, who struck it home. 2-1. Darlington, League Two, Away* This loomed as a tough challenge – away to the fourth-placed side. Nonetheless, we looked pretty good in the first half. Jakobsen saved their only shot and Dalla Valle skimmed the crossbar with one shot. The second half was a different story. Darlington attacked regularly, and wound up scoring twice in ten minutes. We got a chance when Dalla Valle was brought down by the keeper in the area, resulting in a penalty and red card. Gill put the penalty in, but we could not find a second goal in the final twenty minutes. Cowan-Hall was fantastic, but unfortunately could only manage to hit the bar with a late shot. The end of a ten-game streak without a league loss. AUSTRALIA vs INDIA, Asian Cup Qualifiers, group D, Neutral Mark Bresciano (Leeds) returned for this game. Australia 2 d. India 0 Bresciano (7); Joshua Kennedy (31) AUSTRALIA vs TURKMENISTAN, Asian Cup Qualifiers, group D, Neutral Australia 3 d. Turkmenistan 1 Culina (28); Burns (38); Emerton (43) AUSTRALIA vs JORDAN, Asian Cup Qualifiers, group D, Neutral Australia 1 drew Jordan 1 Kewell (63) An undefeated qualification for the Asian Cup from Australia. A fair effort given we were missing many regulars including David Williams, Vince Grella, Rhys Williams and Nathan Coe. Rotherham, League Two, Home* Once again it was the deadly team of Tomlin and Dalla Valle combining to make the difference – the former crossing for the latter to score. That was all it took. Frankie Artus made his return from injury off the bench. Though we finished the month in second spot, we are equal with four sides on points. It will be a tight season, and every point will count. 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Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 November, 2010 Peterborough, Johnstone's Paint Trophy 2nd round, Home* Tomlin took a break for this game, with David Greenwood partnering Dalla Valle. Jakobsen, Morgan and Mills also took a much-deserved break. The strikers alone had ten shots between them, fed well by Artus and Collins in the middle, yet somehow we were denied time and again. The final whistle drew ever closer, and still we could not break through. The game eventually went to penalties, which was not what I wanted when we were still missing several of our best penalty takers. To get knocked out of the Trophy after such a dominant performance would be a cruel result. Alex Bryant got us off to a good start by saving Peterborough's first shot, and McCallum put us ahead. Bryant then saved the second, with Buchan putting us 2-0 up. Bryant managed an incredible third save, and Beech completed a 3-0 clean sweep on penalties. Wycombe, League Two, Home* Jakobsen made a series of saves from an early Wycombe assault, and unlike our previous game, Tomlin took advantage of a rare chance to put us ahead. Wycombe scored from a clear offside only a few minutes into the second half. 1-1 was a reasonable result given Wycombe looked the better side. Walsall, FA Cup, 1st round, Away* Artus missed an early shot, but it was his fine pass that put Dalla Valle through for the first and only goal of this game. We played well against our League One opponents, and look to have an easier second round opponent. Leyton Orient, League Two, Away* Dalla Valle had two shots saved and Buchan put one off the bar before a defender misjudged a Gates cross, leaving Tomlin unopposed to head is unto a 34th minute lead. Jakobsen made some great saves, and Dalla Valle scored at the other end to give us a two goal buffer. That proved valuable, with Leyton Orient scoring seconds after their kick-off. 2-1 in the 50th. Dalla Valle moved with perfect timing to strike in a fine pass from Tomlin to restore our two-goal lead, and the Finnish star's brace gave us a 3-1 win. Grimsby, League Two, Home* An important game here against the third-placed side. Tomlin had a few shots early, but yet again it was Dalla Valle in the right spot for a cross from Anya. He hit the post in the 38th, then collected the rebound himself to slot in his fifteenth of the season. We looked in control of the game, but a sudden burst of two goals in five minutes left the score at 2-2 with half an hour to go. That was the score at the final whistle. I re-signed Fred Murray, Jon Ashton and Lee Tomlin on new deals, with only Tomlin getting a pay rise (from ₤325 to ₤750). Aaron Beech came second as Young Player of the Month. We only had three league matches that month, but managed to progress in both the Trophy and Cup. Dalla Valle is in astonishing form, with 15 goals in 17 games, and the rest of the side is playing solidly. Stamp, Bostwick, Knights and Gardiner are all set to resume after injuries, so the hard part is deciding who to leave out for them. | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Stockport | | 19 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 37 | 21 | +16 | 41 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Rushden | | 19 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 34 | 17 | +17 | 39 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Grimsby | | 19 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 32 | 17 | +15 | 39 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | MK Dons | | 19 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 31 | 14 | +17 | 36 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | Darlington | | 19 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 37 | 24 | +13 | 35 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | Notts Co | | 19 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 35 | 26 | +9 | 34 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | Sutton Utd | | 19 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 21 | 12 | +9 | 33 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | Wycombe | | 19 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 32 | 25 | +7 | 31 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | Wrexham | | 19 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 29 | 24 | +5 | 27 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | Port Vale | | 19 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 19 | 20 | -1 | 26 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | Stevenage | | 19 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 21 | 26 | -5 | 25 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | Blackpool | | 19 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 14 | 21 | -7 | 24 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | Rotherham | | 19 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 22 | 26 | -4 | 23 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | Halifax | | 19 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 19 | 28 | -9 | 22 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | Morecambe | | 19 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 23 | -5 | 21 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | Grays | | 19 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 21 | 28 | -7 | 21 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | Carlisle | | 19 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 23 | 26 | -3 | 20 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | Hartlepool | | 19 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 20 | 35 | -15 | 20 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | Peterborough | | 19 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 22 | -7 | 19 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | Boston Utd | | 19 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 18 | 29 | -11 | 18 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | Macclesfield | | 19 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 31 | -6 | 17 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | Chester | | 19 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 25 | 34 | -9 | 16 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | Leyton Orient | | 19 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 17 | 26 | -9 | 15 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | Rochdale | | 19 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 12 | 22 | -10 | 14 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 December, 2010 Brighton, Johnstone's Paint Trophy South Quarter Final, Home* A lovely flicked-on header by Dalla Valle from a McCallum free saw Anya hit in the first goal, and a defender knocked in a cross from Anya in first half injury time. Dalla Valle headed in a corner from McCallum in the second half, and Brighton only managed a goal from a dubious penalty in response. Both Bostwick and Knights played their first games after several months out through injury. I reached mutual agreements with reserve defender Mark Preece and striker Marvin McDonald to release them from their contracts. Boston Utd, FA Cup, 2nd round, Home* Despite our good form, I decided to switch the side around to give a few players a run. Scott Gardiner returned from injury, Alex Bryant came back in and Ahti Oja and Yan Klukowski came in for their debuts, having being signed at the start of the season. Klukowski was heavily involved in our opening goal after just two minutes, firing in a shot which was parried straight to Gardiner. Dalla Valle broke through the defence to make it 2-0 after six minutes, and we had nine shots in the opening dozen minutes. Boston scored with their first shot of the game, but Tomlin restored the two-goal gap by heading in a 16th minute Gardiner cross. Boston continued to make the most of their chances, scoring a second in the 40th. 3-2 at half time. Six minutes into the second, Gardiner sent a free kick into the box, and it bounced through for Dalla Valle to strike home. Seven minutes later, Tomlin crossed to his partner, and Dalla Valle had his hat-trick. Michael Bostwick came off the bench, and in the 62nd Dalla Valle gave him a perfect cross. 6-2! A hat-trick to Dalla Valle, a goal and two assists to Gardiner on his return. The only bad news was an ankle injury that would put Tomlin out for at least a month, but with Knights and Stamp coming back, that shouldn't be a problem. Then again, it's not like Dalla Valle needs much help at the moment... Morecambe, League Two, Home* Both Stamp and McCallum hit the woodwork in the first half, but Stamp managed to get one into the net in injury time. Dalla Valle made it 2-0 with a 20-yard chip over the keeper. Ikechi Anya was sent off for a two-footed tackle with fifteen minutes to go, but Jakobsen held onto a clean sheet. Dalla Valle was Man of the Match for the ninth time this season – a new club record. MK Dons, League Two, Home* With Dalla Valle out with a minor knock and Dean Stamp exhausted, I was left with a makeshift forward pairing of Gavin McCallum and young debutant Lars Roland. Dons could easily have scored two or three goals during an outright assault in the first twenty minutes of the second half, but Jakobsen played the game of his life to keep the ball out. It looked to have paid off when we received a penalty in the 80th and Yan Klukowski put us ahead, but Jakobsen conceded a penalty of his own moments later to let Dons equalise. With only two minutes to go, former Leicester striker (and Rushden loanee) Andy King struck through Dons' second, and our five-game streak without a league loss came to an end. After the game, Manchester United came in with a ₤925K bid for goalkeeper Morten Jakobsen. I had no intention of accepting it, intending to hold out for at least ₤2M, but for the second time in six months, chairman accepted the offer on behalf of the club. This was rather irritating – I could understand accepting the offer for Beltman, given he hadn't played a single game and the club was in debt, but Jakobsen has been a key player, and the debt is well and truly gone. Wrexham, League Two, Away* I stuck with Jakobsen despite his impending transfer. Dalla Valle was still out, but Stamp returned to partner Roland. Wrexham took only four minutes to snatch the lead, but Roland crossed for Stamp to equalise in the 9th. Ten minutes later, Stamp returned the favour, and Roland had his first goal for Rushden. Wrexham attacked relentlessly, and scored again in the 31st. By half time, they were ahead again. Stamp made it 3-3, heading in a cross from Wilson just after the break, but it took only eight more minutes for Wrexham to pull ahead yet again. Three goals was a fair effort given that we were without Knights, Tomlin and Dalla Valle, and unfortunately a fourth proved out of reach. Two straight losses. Notts County, League Two, Home* Dalla Valle was back for this one. However, Aaron Beech was the unlikely first scorer, hitting in a Glenn Wilson free after a dozen minutes. Mills doubled the lead five minutes later when a shot from Dalla Valle was parried to him. Notts County got one back before half time, but Jakobsen held on well and Dalla Valle sealed a 3-1 win in injury time. Sutton Utd, League Two, Home* This would be Morten Jakobsen's final game for Rushden. He was not put under any pressure in the first half, and we led 2-0 thanks to an own goal and strike from Dalla Valle. Knights came off the bench at half time for his first senior game in several months, and after just eight minutes he ran from half-way, past a defender and into the area to slam home a superb goal. A fine send-off for Jakobsen. Knights' goal was the Goal of the Month, and Dalla Valle was named Player of the Month. Losing Jakobsen is definitely a blow, but Alex Bryant has looked solid enough in recent times to suggest that he is capable of resuming the number one keeping role. I'm not sure what I'll do with the transfer funds. We now have over ₤2M in the bank, but I can't see an area I desperately want to improve. Our strikers are looking quite dangerous, with Stamp and Knights now back, Tomlin not far away and , of course, Dalla Valle in astonishing form and on the rest of the pitch, the hardest decisions are choosing who to leave out. I will keep my eyes open, but have no set targets in mind. | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Stockport | | 24 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 45 | 25 | +20 | 52 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | MK Dons | | 24 | 13 | 10 | 1 | 42 | 16 | +26 | 49 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Grimsby | | 24 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 19 | +17 | 49 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | Rushden | | 24 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 46 | 24 | +22 | 48 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | Darlington | | 24 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 45 | 29 | +16 | 45 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | Wrexham | | 24 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 41 | 30 | +11 | 40 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | Sutton Utd | | 24 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 25 | 17 | +8 | 39 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | Notts Co | | 24 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 40 | 36 | +4 | 38 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | Wycombe | | 24 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 36 | 34 | +2 | 33 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | Port Vale | | 24 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 25 | 24 | +1 | 33 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | Grays | | 24 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 26 | 31 | -5 | 31 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | Blackpool | | 24 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 21 | 30 | -9 | 31 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | Morecambe | | 24 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 25 | 28 | -3 | 30 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | Rotherham | | 24 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 31 | 36 | -5 | 28 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | Halifax | | 24 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 27 | 36 | -9 | 28 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | Hartlepool | | 24 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 23 | 39 | -16 | 27 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | Stevenage | | 24 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 24 | 36 | -12 | 26 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | Macclesfield | | 24 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 34 | 37 | -3 | 24 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | Carlisle | | 24 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 27 | 34 | -7 | 24 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | Peterborough | | 24 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 29 | -10 | 23 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | Boston Utd | | 24 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 35 | -12 | 23 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | Leyton Orient | | 24 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 24 | 34 | -10 | 22 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | Rochdale | | 24 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 30 | -11 | 21 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | Chester | | 24 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 26 | 41 | -15 | 19 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 January, 2011 Stevenage, League Two, Away Bryant started in goal in our first game after the loss of Jakobsen. While the defence was solid, it was Dalla Valle who contributed most to relieving the pressure on the keeper with a first-half brace. That took him to 24 goals for the season – a new club record. Partner Dean Stamp decided to match that effort in the second half as we cruised to a 4-0 win. Dalla Valle made his senior international debut for Finland after this game. Macclesfield, League Two, Home This game was just two days after the previous match, so I made a number of changes to the team. Dalla Valle was one of a few who retained his spot, and repaid my faith by hitting in a McCallum cross after 10 minutes. He volleyed in another two minutes later. Macclesfield put one past stand-in keeper Adam Legzdins, but we were still a goal up at half time. Fred Murray came off the bench at the break and somehow managed to pick up two yellow cards in 20 minutes, leaving us to defend a one-goal lead a player down. Unfortunately, we went quiet in the second half, and Legzdins was beaten a second time with eight minutes to go. 2-2. Aston Villa, FA Cup, round 3, Away We'd managed to hold our own in games against some opponents from higher divisions like Wolves and West Brom, but this was a very different story. Aston Villa were not only sitting mid-table in the Premier League, they came out for this game with a team including the likes of John O'Shea, Gareth Barry, John Carew, Frederic Kanoute, Denilson, Steed Malbranque and Ryan Babel (bought for over ₤10M). The only good news and England internationals Luke Moore , Anton Ferdinand and Stewart Downing were left out. As expected, we were put under pressure. Wilson had to concede a corner in the opening minutes, and if not for a timely interception from Aaron Beech, we would have been a goal down from the resulting cross. Darryl Knights came forward with our first attack in the 9th, but was brought down and injured by O'Shea. Bryant saved a Carew shot and sent us on the counter-attack with a long clearance. Dalla Valle beat O'Shea to a header and nodded down for Artus. He passed through the defence for winger Scott Gates, who came forward into the area through the teeming rain, dodged O'Shea...and SCORED! 1-0 to Rushden in the 11th, but there was a long time to go. Villa had started pretty aggressively, but that was nothing compared to their response to the goal. Within minutes, O'Shea, Barry, Malbranque and Carew had taken shots at the goal. Luckily for us, the first three missed and the fourth was tipped over by Alex Bryant. He was forced to make four more saves before the half was over, with Cousins clearing another few. We'd survived to half time, but how much longer could we hold on? They came forward straight from the kick-off. Wilson cleared the initial attack, and Kanoute's attempt at a follow-up hit the side netting. Artus put Dalla Valle through at the other end, but he did the same as Kanoute. Shame – 2-0 with half an hour to go would have been pretty defensible,but a single goal looked a lot tougher to protect. They kept coming, only to be denied at every turn. Cousins put one behind, Wilson got a clearance, Beech intercepted a clearance, Bryant fisted a cross away, a striker was called offside... The final whistle was drawing closer, but the game was almost entirely played in Villa's half. Carew missed a header in the 80th, and Bryant made yet another save in the 84th. Dalla Valle got the ball on the counter-attack and passed for Dean Stamp, but the pass was deflected and cleared. A fine Stamp free was barely turned away, but at the other end, Villa had a corner with three minutes to go. The corner was met by a ferocious strike from Liam Ridgwell, but Bryant turned it away – his tenth save. Aaron Beech cleared one attack, another was ruled offside, and it was all over. 1-0 against a Premier League side – the club's best win in my five years. Boston Utd, Johnstone's Paint Trophy, South Semi Final, Away I hoped the players had sufficiently recovered from their celebrations to be ready for this Trophy game. Dalla Valle, who was relatively quiet against Aston Villa, put through a brace in the first half hour. Boston scored once on either side of the break to level the game, but Dean Stamp completed a Man of the Match performance by heading in a corner from Anya. 3-2, putting us into the final. Wimbledon signed my assistant, John Dreyer, as their manager, leaving me with ₤7K compensation and the need to find a new assistant. Halifax, League Two, Home Despite being one of the bottom sides in the league, Halifax are one of the few sides to have beaten us this season. They had a player sent off in the opening minutes, but despite our advantage in numbers, a combination of poor finishing and decent keeping denied us the opening goal. It took something special – a banana shot from the edge of the area – for Dean Stamp to put us into the lead. Halifax never looked like scoring themselves Blackpool, League Two, Away We had a multitude of chances, but Dalla Valle missed several attempts and Cousins hit the bar. Dalla Valle scored in the 16th, but the chances seemed to dry up after that. We lost no less than three players – Murray, Gates and McCallum, to injury, but still managed to force two saves through an Ashton header and Dalla Valle strike. It looked like we'd come away with the three points, but a weak header from Oja and Ashton's failure to clear left Blackpool with a simple goal in the90th minute. There were only two minutes of injury time, but that was enough for Blackpool to score again. 1-2, despite it looking like a one-goal win to Rushden within minutes of the final whistle. Gates, McCallum and Murray were each put out for around a month. Boston Utd, League Two, Away Dalla Valle forced an early save, but it was Dean Stamp who hit in a pass from Anya after a dozen minutes. Bryant had to made three saves in a row in the 19th, then set up a counter-attack which again saw Anya and Stamp combine for the striker to score his 10th of the season. Bryant made a couple more saves before conceding for the first time in the 35th. Another attack from Anya in the 42nd earned us a corner, and Wilson's curling ball was headed in by Stamp for a hat-trick before half time. Cowan-Hall earned a free three minutes after half time, and with Stamp in such fine form, who could deny him the chance to take it? He fired it in, and there was goal number four – a new club record. Stamp completed a virtually flawless game by setting up Artus to seal a 5-1 win. Chelsea, FA Cup, 4th round, Home Yep, you read that right. AS if we weren't unlucky enough to draw Aston Villa in the previous game, we wound up with Chelsea. Worse yet, the game was at Nene Park, with a capacity of barely 6,000, so we couldn't even get much out of the game in gate receipts. Chelsea naturally rested a number of players, but still featured the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Serdar Tasci, Rodrigo Palacio and Lucho Gonzalez. I started trying to add up the valure of their side, and stopped at ₤100M – and that was just the players out on the park! The only good news is that players such as Petr Cech, Arjen Robben, Andiry Shevchenko, Michael Ballack and ₤25M signing Vedran Corluka were left out. Chelsea seemed to be everywhere in the opening minutes. Each of the four defenders, Wilson, Beech, Cousins and Ashton, were put under heavy pressure, and we conceded three corners in the first seven minutes. Bryant parried a diving header from Israeli international striker Ben Sahar, then set up a counter-attack which saw Dalla Valle head the ball down to Dean Stamp. With his confidence up on the back of a four-goal effort, he broke the offside trap and was clean through on goal, but his shot was just barely tipped away. Bryant made another save in the 21st and Wilson was luckily in position to block a follow-up shot. They missed another couple of shots before Lampard was denied by a Bryant save in the 31st. If we could hold on for a draw, we could get a fair bit in gate receipts from the replay. Dean Stamp had a better idea. When Dalla Valle was shoved over 25 yards out, he took the free...and put it into the top corner. Rushden 1, Chelsea 0. Two interceptions from Ashton, another save from Bryant, and we went into the break a goal up. Chelsea came forward straight after the kick-off, and Beech conceded a free from about the same distance as Stamp's goal. German international Tasci took the kick, and Bryant was finally beaten 1-1, and we still had to hold on for 43 more minutes just for a draw. Sahar blasted past Beech in the 56th, but put his shot over the bar. Anya crossed to Stamp in the 62nd, but while the striker won a contest for the header, he too put the ball over. In the 68th, Dean Ashton again tried to find Stamp. This time he was beaten in the air, but Anya was able to collect the loose ball. He came down the left and crossed into the box. There on his own was Laurie Dalla Valle, and the Finnish international made no mistake from close range. His 30th of the season, and a 2-1 lead to Rushden. Chelsea exploded after that. Both Lampard and Sahar put shots wide, and we'd made it into the final twenty minutes. However, as the game against Blackpool showed, you cannot think a game is over until the final whistle blows. John Terry should have been sent off in the 72nd for a dangerous two-footed tackle, but was only shown a yellow card. A brutal drive from Sahar was barely tipped away by Bryant in the 79th, as was a volley from Cole moments later. Cousins finally cleared the ball, but within moments Chelsea had another shot..which went wide. The ninetieth minute, and it was still 2-1. Just three minutes away from Rushden's greatest ever win. It was nearly taken away from us in mere seconds, when Sahar took a cross in the box, but Cousins got there in time to make a clean tackle and clear the ball. Chelsea's next attack was called offside, and there were just two minutes to go. Ashton, Beech and Wilson took turns to clear the ball from subsequent attacks but a poor pass from Wilson was taken and curled back into the box. Ben Sahar was there to meet it, but for the sixth time, he put his shot wide of the goal. Bryant took his time with the goal kick, and Cowan-Hall was able to tie the ball up on the wing. The final whistle blew, and it was all over. Rushden 2, Chelsea 1. That was a wonderful way to end the month. Though our league performance was not the best, with a draw and a loss, we defeated two Premier League sides – Aston Villa and then Chelsea – in the FA Cup. Ikechi Anya was named Player of the Month, with Dean Stamp third, and Dalla Valle was runner-up as Young Player of the Month. He now has 30 goals in as many games. I sold Scott Gates to Morton for ₤40K, with an additional 40% of a future sale. He was a decent player, but Cowan-Hall has held down the left wing well and his contract was set to expire at the end of the season. I didn't make any signings – none of the players I was interested in wanted to come to Rushden, and I was not hugely interested in those who did. I still need to find an assistant manager, and have put out an advertisement to that effect. | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | MK Dons | | 30 | 17 | 12 | 1 | 53 | 20 | +33 | 63 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Stockport | | 30 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 52 | 30 | +22 | 62 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Grimsby | | 30 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 43 | 28 | +15 | 59 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | Rushden | | 29 | 17 | 7 | 5 | 59 | 29 | +30 | 58 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | Darlington | | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 51 | 40 | +11 | 52 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | Wrexham | | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 47 | 35 | +12 | 49 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | Sutton Utd | | 30 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 28 | 19 | +9 | 48 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | Wycombe | | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 50 | 45 | +5 | 43 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | Morecambe | | 30 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 37 | 34 | +3 | 43 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | Notts Co | | 30 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 48 | 49 | -1 | 43 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | Blackpool | | 30 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 33 | 40 | -7 | 41 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | Port Vale | | 30 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 31 | 34 | -3 | 38 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | Hartlepool | | 29 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 30 | 41 | -11 | 38 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | Rotherham | | 30 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 36 | 38 | -2 | 36 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | Grays | | 30 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 31 | 41 | -10 | 35 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | Carlisle | | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 38 | 42 | -4 | 34 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | Halifax | | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 31 | 40 | -9 | 34 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | Boston Utd | | 30 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 37 | 50 | -13 | 33 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | Macclesfield | | 30 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 42 | 45 | -3 | 31 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | Peterborough | | 30 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 23 | 36 | -13 | 28 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | Stevenage | | 30 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 28 | 48 | -20 | 28 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | Leyton Orient | | 30 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 29 | 41 | -12 | 27 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | Chester | | 30 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 31 | 47 | -16 | 25 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | Rochdale | | 30 | 5 | 9 | 16 | 24 | 40 | -16 | 24 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 February, 2011 Bristol Rovers, Johnstone's Paint Trophy South Final, leg one, Away I rested Dalla Valle for this game, hoping to save him for the final league games. Dean Stamp took advantage and stepped up with a fine goal in the 10th. Rovers got one in the 33rd, and should have been ahead when Ashton conceded a penalty. However, Bryant continued his fine form against spot kicks, saving the shot and pumping his fist in celebration. Stamp took a free kick mid-way through the second half, and rather than firing it straight at the goal, he passed to the edge of the area. Frankie Artus was unmarked, and charged forward to slam it home. A 2-1 win on the away leg, but remember what happened last time we had a big lead on an away leg... I signed Southampton youth coach Jack Reilly as my new assistant. Rochdale, League Two, Home A fresh Dalla Valle returned for this game, and crossed into the box for Yan Klukowski to put us ahead. Stamp orchestrated a goal for Dalla Valle moments after the break and three minutes later Stamp himself put in a corner from Klukowski. Dalle Valle set up Stamp for his second in the final minutes to complete a 4-0 rout. Hartlepool, League Two, Home Luck seemed against us in the opening minutes of this game, with both Cowan-Hall and Stamp hitting the woodwork. As usual, it was Dalla Valle who was on target to give us a 24th minute lead. Beech scored from outside the area thanks to a huge deflection of a defender, and this proved valuable when Hartlepool scored their first moments later. Well, perhaps not as valuable as I first thought – Klukowski restored the two-goal buffer within a couple of minutes. The second half was a lot quieter, but Hartlepool again pulled within a goal in the final ten minutes. Two late saves from Bryant ensured we retained our lead, and took the three points. I signed full back Kelvin Lomax after the game. Kelvin Lomax [D RL, ENG, 181cm, 24] – 0, 0, 0 Lomax spent much of his career at Oxford before moving to Boston Utd and Barnet. He was actually part of a promotion-winning side with Barnet, which may be a good omen. He's pretty quick and decent defensively. Carlisle, League Two, Away Just for something a little different, I played Dalla Valle in the midfield with Stamp and Knights together up forward. The two strikers had a handful of chances, but it took a stroke of luck – a pass from Artus which deflected off a defender – to put Smith through for our first and only goal in the 40th. Adam Legzdins held onto a clean sheet, but we unfortunately lost Dean Stamp with a calf injury. Bristol Rovers, Johnstone's Paint Trophy South Final, leg 2, Home We took a 2-1 lead into this home leg. With Stamp out, Dalla Valle returned to the forward pair to partner Knights. When Cowan-Hall crossed into the box in the 30th, who else but Dalle Valle would be there for the finish? 3-1 on aggregate, but remember that this is the side that lost a 4-1 lead. Bristol didn't even get a shot on target in the second half, so 3-1 was the final aggregate result. Southampton, FA Cup 5th round, Home Another big opponent in the Cup, but after beating Aston Villa and Chelsea, and with Southampton ravaged by injury and suspension (five and three players out respectively), we had every chance to get a win. A draw wouldn't really be good enough, as they would regain those three suspended players. The first half saw just three shots, with Dalla Valle missing one and having the second saved, while Legzdins made a save at the other end. The second half started pretty even, but took a dramatic turn when Aaron Beech was shown a second yellow card in the 73rd minute. I brought on Jamie Buchan for Darryl Knights, abandoning my initial plan to go for a win to simply ensure survival. Nonetheless, it took just four minutes for Bradley Wright-Phillips to break the deadlock, putting the Championship side into the lead with thirteen minutes to go. Those minutes passed all too fast, and when Scott Cousin's long, high pass into the area was headed out, in the 90th minute, it looked all over. However, Frankie Artus got on the end of it, and rather than running into the crowd, he simply fired in a wonderful curling shot that went past the keeper and into the goal. 1-1, and the final whistle blew. We will face a tougher Southampton side in the replay, and it will be away, but the gate receipts alone should make it worthwhile. Chester, League Two, Home Lee Tomlin and Scott Gardiner both returned from injury as we took on the bottom-placed side. It took a long time, but we finally scored in the 58th when a shot from Dalla Valle from the corner of the area took a huge deflection off a defender and went past the keeper. Frankie Artus scored a remarkably similar goal to the previous game – this time, it was Gardiner's long ball that was headed clear, and he curled it straight into the net from outside the area. 2-0. Peterborough, League Two, Away Our next opponents were also cellar-dwellers, but this time it just took two minute for us to score, albeit in odd fashion. The Peterborough keeper came a fair way out of his area to pass the ball, and Dalla Valle was able to get to it first and find the goal from 40 yards out. Peterborough caught us off guard with a goal of their own in the 33rd, and our players suddenly seemed incapable of putting shots on target. As usual, it was Dalla Valle to the rescue, squeezing one in from a tight angle in the 54th. Klukowski came off the bench and created numerous chances, but Darryl Knights passed 700 minutes without a goal, despite playing as a striker. Dalla Valle, in contrast, has 36 in 37 games. Yan Kowalski was named Player of the Month, with Dean Stamp third. Dalla Valle was runner-up as Young Player of the Month, and I was Manager of the Month after we won five of five for February. With 11 games to go in the season, we are a fair way clear of the third-placed side, and look set for promotion. | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Rushden | | 34 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 71 | 32 | +39 | 73 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | MK Dons | | 35 | 20 | 13 | 2 | 66 | 27 | +39 | 73 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Stockport | | 35 | 19 | 9 | 7 | 57 | 37 | +20 | 66 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | Grimsby | | 35 | 20 | 6 | 9 | 49 | 33 | +16 | 66 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | Darlington | | 35 | 17 | 8 | 10 | 59 | 46 | +13 | 59 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | Wrexham | | 35 | 15 | 12 | 8 | 54 | 38 | +16 | 57 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | Notts Co | | 35 | 15 | 8 | 12 | 59 | 54 | +5 | 53 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | Sutton Utd | | 35 | 14 | 9 | 12 | 31 | 26 | +5 | 51 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | Wycombe | | 35 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 54 | 50 | +4 | 50 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | Morecambe | | 35 | 14 | 8 | 13 | 43 | 39 | +4 | 50 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | Rotherham | | 35 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 46 | 47 | -1 | 48 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | Blackpool | | 35 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 35 | 43 | -8 | 46 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | Hartlepool | | 35 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 36 | 47 | -11 | 46 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | Port Vale | | 35 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 38 | 40 | -2 | 45 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | Grays | | 34 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 37 | 52 | -15 | 41 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | Carlisle | | 35 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 42 | 47 | -5 | 40 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | Halifax | | 35 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 37 | 47 | -10 | 40 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | Boston Utd | | 35 | 10 | 9 | 16 | 41 | 57 | -16 | 39 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | Macclesfield | | 35 | 8 | 12 | 15 | 50 | 54 | -4 | 36 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | Stevenage | | 35 | 9 | 9 | 17 | 32 | 51 | -19 | 36 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | Rochdale | | 35 | 8 | 10 | 17 | 29 | 44 | -15 | 34 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | Leyton Orient | | 35 | 8 | 9 | 18 | 38 | 51 | -13 | 33 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | Peterborough | | 35 | 6 | 12 | 17 | 26 | 46 | -20 | 30 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | Chester | | 35 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 33 | 55 | -22 | 28 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 March 2011 Southampton, FA Cup 5th round replay, Away Southampton did indeed regain a few players for this game, including striker Daniel Nardiello. However, it was Rushden with four shots in the first ten minutes. Unfortunately, Knights' drought continued, but when he failed to collect a cross from Anya in the 13th, Dalla Valle was there to recover and put it through from close range. Southampton had a player sent off in the 27th. We dominated the first half, and when Knights ran onto a pass from Anya in the 49th and finally hit the back of the net, it was all over. 2-0, the end of Knights' drought and another financial windfall for the club. We will now face Arsenal in the 6th round Port Vale, League Two, Home Having dominated a Championship side in the previous game, it felt odd to be hammered by a mid-table League Two side. Whatever the reason, we never looked in the game, and went down 0-2. Grays, League Two, Away After such a poor effort in the previous game, it was good to see Klukowski get onto a pass from Artus, swing around and hit it in after only two minutes. A free from Cousins was knocked in for an own goal in the 23rd , but Grays scored one of their own in the 37th. They scored again on the other side of the break, and despite having 17 shots to 5 for the game, we could only draw 2-2. Arsenal, FA Cup 6th round, Home We've certainly come up against some tough sides in the FA Cup, and this was no exception. The likes of Robert Enke, William Gallas, Philippe Senderos, Robin van Persie, Marcell Jansen, Gilberto Silva and ₤10M+ purchases Aliaksandr Hleb and Andres Guardado were lined up against us in our first televised game of the season. We actually managed to earn a couple of early corners, but did nothing with them. Cousins took a free kick in the 11th and was on target, but Enke made the save. Van Persie missed a couple of shots mid-way through the half, and in the 32nd had a fantastic chance to score thanks to a pinpoint pass into the area. However, Alex Bryant was up to the task, and made the save. We made a counter-attack, with Anya heading the ball down to Yan Klukowski. Klukowski tried to pass back to him, but the ball bounced off a defender. Klukowski took the loose ball himself and fired in a shot from the edge of the area, skimming the bar. Dalla Valle was shoved during a heading contest, resulting in a Rushden free in midfield. Kelvin Lomax took the kick and sent the ball forward to Cowan-Hall. The winger was knocked aside by Jansen, but recovered the ball and used his exceptional pace to break past the defender and into the area. The 20-year-old paused, fired...and SCORED! 1-0 to Rushden. Arsenal immediately made an attacking substitution to try and ensure our lead did not last long. Bryant made a fantastic save from a late Hleb shot to end the half. Hleb continued to cause us trouble, crossing in for Carlos Vela a few minutes into the second half. Vela's shot went wide, but when Klukowski brought down Hleb in the area in the 56th, Vela put the penalty in. 1-1. Tomlin took the unusual step of passing the kick-off all the way back to Bryant. He passed to Artus, who exchanged a few passes with Klukowski. The latter, wanting to make up for conceding the penalty that cost us the lead, charged forward and passed into the area. Tomlin broke free of the defence, drove it in low...and got it in. 2-1, and it took just a minute for the lead to be restored. Arsenal brought Thierry Henry off the bench to add to their attacking options, and he immediately caused us problems. He fired a shot wide in the 75th, then had one just barely tipped away by Bryant. Bryant punched a free kick clear in the 80th, and we only had to survive ten more minutes. A cross from Anya to Dalla Valle in the 81st gave us a chance, but the Finnish international's header went over. On the counter-attack, Henry fired in a shot, with Bryant spilling it towards the goal. Michael Bostwick cleared it off the line. Again they came forward with five minutes to go, with Vela skipping past Beech, but despite being left one-on-one, Bryant turned it away again. Henry took a shot from a free with just two minutes to go, but scooped it over. Bryant launched the Agoal kick 60 yards, but Tomlin was beaten by Gallas for the high ball. Despite being 33 years of age, Henry beat Cousins to Gallas' long ball, got into the area and using all his experience, put the ball past Bryant. 2-2, with just moments to go. The three minutes of injury time passed without incident, and we will again have to try and get a win in the replay. Stockport, League Two, Away After a pretty even start, Laurie Dalla Valle put us in the lead with a sharp drive in the 37th. A defensive error gifted him a second moments into the second half and when a Klukowski shot was parried, Cowan-Hall was there to complete a 3-0 win. Darlington, League Two, Home Though this was going to be a challenging match, against the 6th placed side, I rested a number of players to prepare for our FA Cup replay. Lars Roland, replacing Dalla Valle, scored in the 20th, only to see Darlington respond two minutes later. They put another past Bryant before the end of the half. Roland was again in the right spot at the right time in the 59th, taking a shot from Bostwick which was deflected, and putting it past the out-of-position keeper. Darlington didn't take long to score a third, and this time we could not score. After such great success trawling through Under-21 sides last time, namely Dalla Valle, I made another signing through this process. Vitalijs Vilerush [sT, LAT, 186cm, 19] – 0, 0, 0 With Knights struggling to score and Dalla Valle actually better suited to the midfield than a striking position (now that's scary – he can actually be MORE effective?), I've signed Vilerush to give us another option. He lacks fitness and isn't as fast as some of our players, but is a sharpshooter and has a fine scoring record at Metalurgs despite his youth. He's already quite tired from his season so far, so I won't throw him into the seniors straight away. Arsenal, FA Cup 6th round replay, Away Arsenal manager Didier Deschamps identified Dalla Valle as the threat in this game, despite our 30-1 odds, and of course he was the first player chosen. The good news is that they were missing both Gilberto and Hleb through injury, though that still left them with a pretty intimidating side. Van Persie scored in just three minutes with a curling shot from an incredibly tight angle. The half was pretty even after that, but in the 37th Klukowski used his remarkable pace to break down the right and send in a cross. Enke beat Tomlin to the ball and punched it away, but only as far as Dalla Valle. He put it straight in – 1-1. The half ended even, but Arsenal came out hard after the break. No less than seven shots went wide of the mark, with Bryant saving another two. He also saved a shot from Henry in the 76th, but could only parry it and Vela was there for the finish. 1-2, with only 14 minutes to go. Arsenal closed the game down from there, and the fairytale was over. Leyton Orient, League Two, Home Dalla Valle and beech both needed to be rested for this one, while Gardiner and Vilerush were on international duty. Orient scored in 18 minutes, but we responded just two minutes later when Stamp flicked on Cousins' long throw for Anya to score. Stamp made it 2-1 before the break thanks to an intercepted kick from the keeper. Roland and Stamp missed sitters in the second half, making me long for Dalla Valle, but we held on for the three points. Vilerush made his international début for Latvia. That was a slightly disappointing month for Rushden, with two league losses and the end of our FA Cup dream. However, we are still on top of the League Two table, and have most of our side intact. Dalla Valle needs a break, and since we've already made the playoffs, I will try to give him a few of our last seven games off. Roland has looked a capable replacement and Stamp and Tomlin have been pretty good, so we should be able to survive without him...for a couple of games, at least. | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Pl | Rushden | 39 | 24 | 8 | 7 | 80 | 40 | +40 | 80 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Pl | MK Dons | 39 | 21 | 15 | 3 | 70 | 31 | +39 | 78 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Stockport | 39 | 21 | 10 | 8 | 60 | 41 | +19 | 73 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Grimsby | 39 | 22 | 7 | 10 | 57 | 38 | +19 | 73 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Darlington | 39 | 20 | 8 | 11 | 66 | 51 | +15 | 68 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Wrexham | 39 | 17 | 14 | 8 | 58 | 39 | +19 | 65 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Morecambe | 39 | 16 | 8 | 15 | 48 | 43 | +5 | 56 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Rotherham | 39 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 51 | 53 | -2 | 55 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Sutton Utd | 39 | 15 | 9 | 15 | 34 | 30 | +4 | 54 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Wycombe | 39 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 56 | 53 | +3 | 54 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Port Vale | 39 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 45 | 44 | +1 | 54 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Notts Co | 39 | 15 | 8 | 16 | 63 | 64 | -1 | 53 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Blackpool | 39 | 14 | 11 | 14 | 41 | 46 | -5 | 53 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Hartlepool | 39 | 14 | 11 | 14 | 42 | 51 | -9 | 53 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Boston Utd | 39 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 49 | 62 | -13 | 47 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Carlisle | 39 | 12 | 10 | 17 | 46 | 50 | -4 | 46 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Grays | 39 | 12 | 9 | 18 | 44 | 62 | -18 | 45 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Rochdale | 39 | 11 | 11 | 17 | 34 | 46 | -12 | 44 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Halifax | 39 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 42 | 54 | -12 | 43 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Macclesfield | 39 | 9 | 12 | 18 | 53 | 60 | -7 | 39 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Peterborough | 39 | 9 | 12 | 18 | 31 | 48 | -17 | 39 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | | Stevenage | 39 | 10 | 9 | 20 | 37 | 59 | -22 | 39 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | | Leyton Orient | 39 | 8 | 10 | 21 | 41 | 58 | -17 | 34 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | | Chester | 39 | 9 | 7 | 23 | 38 | 63 | -25 | 34 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 April 2011 Tranmere, Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final, Neutral Despite this being the final, I gave Dalla Valle a break, preferring to focus on the league. It was a flat performance from Rushden coming off our FA Cup exit, and we never looked in the game. Two first-half goals to Tranmere were the difference. Grimsby, League Two, Away The first half of this game, admittedly against the third-placed side, saw another awful performance from Rushden. We conceded twice and not even Dalla Valle could put a shot on target. Tomlin got one goal back in the second, but it was only a consolation. Rotherham, League Two, Away Dalla Valle forced a number of saves in the opening minutes, and it was from one of these that Tomlin was able to poach a goal for a 17th minute lead. We were fortunate to see a Rotherham goal disallowed, and Tomlin took advantage at the other end, heading in a Wilson corner to extend the lead. Vilerush came on for his début, and set up a move that saw Yan Klukowski score from a penalty. Artus scored our forth, and the only bad news was that Tomlin had his hat-trick denied by a late call of offside. Wycombe, League Two, Home As he has done often this season, Klukowski used his pace to break through the defence, giving us a third minute lead. Wycombe didn't take long to respond though, and I'm really missing Jakobsen. A harsh free against Beech saw Wycombe put through a second, but we responded in identical fashion at the other end – Stamp with the successful free in the 35th. Dalla Valle was oddly flat all game, and we did not look like scoring again. Nor did Wycombe, and we fell to second spot with the 2-2 draw. Morecambe, League Two, Away With Bryant leaking goals, I brought back Adam Legzdins. Dean Stamp put us ahead early thanks to a fine interception from Scott Gardiner – his 20th goal of the season. Tomlin put through his 15th of the season with a spectacular diving header. Beech was Man of the Match as part of a solid defence and Legzdins held onto a clean sheet. MK Dons, League Two, Away The biggest game of those remaining came against the league leaders, MK Dons. Dalla Valle returned to partner Stamp, but it was the latter with a goal from a 30-yard free after just three minutes. Legzdins conceded after a scramble in the box two minutes into first half injury time, and then again shortly after the break. Another fine free from Stamp gave Dalla Valle a chance, but his shot was tipped over the bar. Stamp's late shot went over, leaving us 1-2 losers. However, with third-placed Stockport also losing, we were left with a definite finish in the top three, ensuring promotion. For the second year in a row, we were congratulated for the “unbelievable” achievement. I think after two such promotions, things will begin to catch up with us, and it will take a hell of a lot of work just to survive next season. Still, that can wait – the season is still not over. Wrexham, League Two, Home With promotion assured, I gave the likes of Roland, Walmsley and Vilerush a run, with youngster Lawrence Lambley making his senior début after fine reserve form. Evidently the players had been busy celebrating our success, because it was a poor performance from Rushden. We let through a goal in the first half, and struggled to get back in the game. With eight minutes to go, Klukowski burst through the middle and passed through the defence for Lambley, who scored on début. That was enough to secure second spot. Tomlin was named Player of the Month, and Beech was runner-up as Young Player of the Month. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 May 2011 Notts Co, League Two, Away The season finally concluded with this game. Again I gave a few lesser lights a run. After a flat first half, Scott Gardiner put us ahead with a header from Walmsley's corner in the 58th. Notts scored twice late and Lambley missed a number of chances, but the 1-2 loss meant nothing in the context of the season. I started to clear out some deadwood, releasing Adam Davies and Shola Oyedele with mutual transfers. The inevitable happened, with Laurie Della Valle attracting attention from a number of major clubs. He became upset when I rejected a ₤1.2M bid from Aston Villa, and when Rangers and Sampdoria came in with ₤2.4M bids, I negotiated to add on a 40% sell-on clause and accepted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 The season in review Summary | Pkd | Inf | Name | Apps | Gls | Ast | MoM | Pas | Tck | Drb | Sh T | Av Rat| | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Lauri Dalla Valle | 47 | 40 | 15 | 14 | 67% | 0.17 | 1.88 | 62% | 7.62 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Trn | Glenn Wilson | 43 | - | 9 | 1 | 68% | 3.32 | 0.46 | - | 7.23 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Aaron Beech | 42 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 68% | 4.50 | 0.05 | - | 7.10 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Frankie Artus | 39 (4)| 6 | 7 | 1 | 69% | 2.36 | 0.57 | 37% | 7.14 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | | Michael Bostwick | 32 (3)| 2 | - | 2 | 67% | 3.64 | 0.19 | 15% | 7.03 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Tut | Lee Tomlin | 30 (1)| 15 | 10 | 2 | 65% | 0.31 | 1.27 | 50% | 7.32 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | | Jon Ashton | 29 (2)| - | - | - | 66% | 3.39 | 0.20 | - | 7.23 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Ikechi Anya | 28 (4)| 3 | 10 | 1 | 65% | 1.68 | 1.82 | 42% | 7.06 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ML | Wnt | Paris Cowan-Hall | 28 (1)| 2 | 5 | 1 | 63% | 1.04 | 1.82 | 25% | 7.17 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | | Scott Cousins | 27 (1)| 1 | 2 | 2 | 64% | 3.05 | 0.52 | - | 7.11 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | Lst | Alex Bryant | 27 | - | - | - | 49% | - | - | - | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Slt | Gary Mills | 26 (1)| 2 | 2 | 2 | 66% | 2.55 | 0.61 | 14% | 7.22 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | Wnt | Matty Collins | 24 (3)| - | 2 | - | 74% | 2.22 | 0.24 | 35% | 7.19 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Gavin McCallum | 24 (3)| 1 | 6 | - | 67% | 1.43 | 1.24 | 33% | 7.07 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | | Yan Klukowski | 24 (2)| 6 | 7 | 2 | 67% | 2.52 | 1.44 | 45% | 7.42 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Ret | Jamie Buchan | 24 (2)| - | - | 2 | 71% | 2.08 | 0.17 | - | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Dean Stamp | 23 (4)| 21 | 11 | 7 | 63% | 0.27 | 1.19 | 54% | 7.37 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | Wnt | Fred Murray | 22 (2)| - | - | 1 | 62% | 3.99 | 0.31 | - | 7.21 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Wnt | Aaron Morgan | 17 (2)| - | 2 | 2 | 66% | 4.02 | 0.17 | - | 7.16 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Ben Gill | 16 (3)| 1 | 2 | - | 68% | 2.01 | 0.31 | - | 7.11 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MR | Wnt | Scott Gardner | 14 (1)| 3 | 7 | - | 63% | 1.93 | 1.70 | 41% | 7.20 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Darryl Knights | 13 (4)| 5 | 1 | - | 68% | 0.23 | 1.14 | 50% | 6.94 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | GK | Wnt | Adam Legzdins | 13 | - | 1 | - | 42% | - | - | - | 6.69 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Ahti Oja | 10 (1)| - | - | - | 77% | 1.92 | 0.19 | - | 6.91 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | Wnt | Kelvin Lomax | 10 | - | 1 | - | 56% | 4.59 | 0.92 | - | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Lars Roland | 8 | 3 | 1 | - | 66% | - | 0.64 | - | 6.88 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | Wnt | David Greenwood | 2 (3) | - | - | - | 66% | 1.24 | 1.66 | 60% | 6.40 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Inj | Vitalijs Vilerush | 2 (2) | - | - | - | 64% | 0.67 | 1.33 | 50% | 6.50 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Wnt | Lawrence Lambley | 2 | 1 | - | - | 71% | 0.50 | 3.00 | 57% | 6.50 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | Lst | Keiran Walmsley | 2 | - | 1 | - | 55% | 2.50 | - | - | 6.50 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Trn | David Wood | 0 (2) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | MK Dons | 46 | 25 | 18 | 3 | 79 | 35 | +44 | 93 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | P | Rushden | 46 | 26 | 10 | 10 | 92 | 49 | +43 | 88 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | P | Stockport | 46 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 72 | 50 | +22 | 85 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Grimsby | 46 | 25 | 8 | 13 | 68 | 49 | +19 | 83 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Darlington | 46 | 23 | 10 | 13 | 79 | 61 | +18 | 79 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | P | Wrexham | 46 | 19 | 18 | 9 | 64 | 44 | +20 | 75 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Sutton Utd | 46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 45 | 37 | +8 | 68 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Wycombe | 46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 65 | 58 | +7 | 68 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Notts Co | 46 | 19 | 9 | 18 | 79 | 77 | +2 | 66 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Port Vale | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 56 | 54 | +2 | 65 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Blackpool | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 47 | 55 | -8 | 61 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Hartlepool | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 49 | 58 | -9 | 61 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Morecambe | 46 | 17 | 8 | 21 | 55 | 58 | -3 | 59 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Rotherham | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 54 | 64 | -10 | 59 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Grays | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 61 | 70 | -9 | 57 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Boston Utd | 46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 56 | 72 | -16 | 56 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Carlisle | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 54 | 58 | -4 | 54 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Peterborough | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 41 | 54 | -13 | 51 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Rochdale | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 40 | 59 | -19 | 50 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Halifax | 46 | 11 | 16 | 19 | 48 | 63 | -15 | 49 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Chester | 46 | 14 | 7 | 25 | 53 | 70 | -17 | 49 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | | Stevenage | 46 | 12 | 10 | 24 | 44 | 72 | -28 | 46 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | R | Leyton Orient | 46 | 10 | 12 | 24 | 55 | 71 | -16 | 42 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | R | Macclesfield | 46 | 10 | 12 | 24 | 61 | 79 | -18 | 42 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Another shock promotion, and unlike last season, this one was as much of a surprise to me as the fans and board. Our FA Cup performance was also outstanding, and there was a point where I truly thought we had a chance of going all the way. We also won the Under-18 league, and were runners-up in the reserves. A hell of a lot of the credit must go to Della Valle, but it was not all down to one player. We created plenty of chances thanks to an attacking, pacey midfield led by the likes of Klukowski and Artus, and managed to shut down opposition sides. We did look a bit weaker after the loss of Jakobsen, but the defenders still held up very well. Around the world: major awards and results Rushden Supporters’ Player of the Year: Lauri Della Valle World Player of the Year: Fernando Torres (Man U) World Footballer of the year: Michael Owen (Newcastle) England: Winner: Arsenal Relegated: Watford, Southend, Wigan Promoted: Sunderland, Hull, Everton Spain: Zaragoza Italy Palermo Champions Cup: Roma EURO Cup: Chelsea Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 The Transfers Players In | Date | Person | From | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2010 | Morgan, Aaron | Watford | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2010 | Beech, Aaron | Watford | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10.7.2010 | Klukowski, Yan | Nairn County | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.7.2010 | Roland, Lars | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 26.7.2010 | Oja, Ahti | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 28.8.2010 | Dalla Valle, Lauri | JIPPO | £170K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11.2.2011 | Lomax, Kelvin | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21.3.2011 | Vilerush, Vitalijs | Metalurgs | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £170K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Players Out | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2010 | Jackson, Darren | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 28.6.2010 | Mackison, Scott | Queen of Sth | £30K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2010 | Sinnott, Conor | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2010 | Yorke, Dwight | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2010 | Edwards, Mike | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2010 | Shaw, Tom | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2010 | O'Keefe, Sean | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2010 | Clitnovich, Daniel | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2010 | Davies, Tom | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2010 | Udoji, Ugo | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2010 | Roberts, John | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2010 | Keeley, Lee | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2010 | McKenzie, Bob | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2010 | McLean, Gordon | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17.7.2010 | Beltman, Marco | Hartlepool | £500K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 27.7.2010 | Watts, Lee | Kilmarnock | £400K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.12.2010 | Preece, Mark | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.12.2010 | McDonald, Marvin | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2011 | Jakobsen, Morten | Man Utd | £925K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 28.1.2011 | Gates, Scott | Morton | £40K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11.5.2011 | Davies, Adam | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13.5.2011 | Oyedele, Shola | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £1.9M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Promoted Youth | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2010 | Shore, Danny | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2010 | Green, Tim | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2010 | Heath, John | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2010 | McDonald, Leigh | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2010 | Wilkinson, David | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2010 | King, Kevin | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| The fact that Dalla Valle and Klukowski were named as the league's two best signings pretty much sums up our success here. Dalla Valle was an absolutely dominant figure in the league, scoring at almost a goal a game throughout the season. Morgan and Beech were regulars in our strong defence, and Roland, Oja and Lomax all showed signs when given opportunities. We did lose a large number of players, making quite an impressive profit along the way. Lee Watts was the only one to go on and have any impact at another club, but Jakobsen was a big loss for us. We never looked as stable as we did with him in goal. All up, though, it was a very good year for transfers, with many quality players coming in and a good profit made from those who left. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 Pre-season, 2011/2012 There was a bit of a surprise, with Leicester ending their relationship with us due to our new-found wealth. I asked the board for a new parent club, but they could not find a suitable option. A number of players were cleared out, with David Wood sold for ₤2K and others, including Scott Tynan, Gary Mills and Scott Cousins, released. Dalla Valle agreed terms with Sampdoria and joined them for ₤2.4M. The fans were understandably quite upset to see him go, but I figured it was better than having an unhappy player at the club in a season where we need to focus. I also released Tom Bonner to Exeter and Matty Collins to Sutton Utd, but warded off inquiries about Lars Roland. I had a lot of trouble signing new players despite a large transfer budget. I focused on players whose contracts had expired, but found few willing to join regardless of our recent progress. I thought I'd grabbed a great bargain with Trinidad & Tobago international Akil Murray agreeing to join, but despite 5 international caps, he was denied a work permit. The only players I could get were Swiss defender Stanislas Lejeune, Irish striker Graham Hart and Norwegian midfielder Vidar Helgerud – and he won't even join until December. Very late in the pre-season, I grabbed winger Jimmy Phillips and defender Stewart Devine. We also picked up ₤150K, as 20% of Marco Beltman's ₤725K move from Kilmarnock to Dunfermline Athletic. I had been a bit concerned about the bloated size of the squad, despite our drastically improved finances, because I simply couldn't give senior players a go. That should no longer be a problem, but I am a little concerned about our depth now. We had pretty good results in the friendlies. A slow start saw a 1-1 draw with QPR and 1-2 loss to Luton, but we then hammered Dundee 5-0, with a hat-trick to new striker Hart. We then beat Leicester 2-1, with another goal to Hart. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 Australian Asian Cup squad | Name | Club | Caps | Goals | U21 | U21 Gls | Value | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Andrew Downes | Troyes | 8 | - | 5 | - | £1.5M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Tando Velaphi | Bochum | 5 | - | 6 | - | £2M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Michael Thwaite | Panathinaikos | - | - | - | - | £300K | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Patrick Kisnorbo | Napoli | 39 | 1 | - | - | £2.3M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Jonathan McKain | Levante | 25 | - | 9 | - | £950K | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Rhys Williams | Leyton Orient | - | - | 7 | - | £1.4M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Lucas Neill | West Ham | 63 | 4 | - | - | £1M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Luke Wilkshire | Hull | 41 | 3 | - | - | £550K | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Brett Emerton | Blackburn | 81 | 20 | - | - | £2.1M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Vincenzo Grella | Parma | 32 | 1 | - | - | £2.5M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | James Wesolowski | Leicester | 1 | - | 7 | - | £2M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Mark Bresciano | Leeds | 39 | 8 | - | - | £2M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Harry Kewell | West Brom | 45 | 11 | - | - | £45K | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Tim Cahill | Everton | 48 | 17 | - | - | £4M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Nathan Burns | Fürth | 10 | 7 | 10 | 7 | £3.8M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Jason Culina | Napoli | 42 | 8 | - | - | £2M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Scott McDonald | Leeds | 7 | 1 | 8 | - | £2.1M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | David Williams | Sampdoria | 6 | 1 | 4 | 3 | £5.25M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Brett Holman | Espanyol | 3 | - | - | - | £2.3M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Joshua Kennedy | Rimini | 15 | 3 | - | - | £3M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Jay Lucas | Brentford | 2 | - | - | - | £1.8M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Christoph Teinert | Mainz | 17 | 3 | - | - | £1.2M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| AUSTRALIA vs UZBEKISTAN, Asian Cup, group A, Neutral Australia 1 (Grella 45) drew Uzbekistan 1 (66) AUSTRALIA vs QATAR, Asian Cup, group A, Neutral Australia 3 (Williams 44, 59, 81) d. Qatar 1 (42) AUSTRALIA vs UAE, Asian Cup, group A, Neutral Australia 4 (Burns 9; Williams 57, 60; Emerton 90) d. UAE 0 AUSTRALIA vs IRAQ, Asian Cup, Quarter Final, Neutral Australia 1 (Williams 77) d. Iraq 0 Profiles for Cousins, Tynan and Mills follow: ====================================================================================== Scott Cousins - Rushden Career 11/6/07 - 2/7/11 ====================================================================================== Year Apps Gls Asts Yel Red MoM Av R -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2007/2008 18 1 2 2 0 0 6.89 2008/2009 35 3 4 1 0 2 7.00 2009/2010 15 (1) 1 3 2 0 1 7.25 2010/2011 27 (1) 1 2 1 0 2 7.11 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL 95 (2) 6 11 6 0 5 7.05 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DOB: 12/7/83 Position: D/WB L Nationality: English International Caps/Goals: 0/0 Total Career League Games: 150 Previous Clubs: St ALbans (31 games) Achievements: 24/04/10 - English Conference National Champions 20/06/09 - 2008/09 Supporters' Player of the Year Named in English Conference Team of the Week: 2 times Named in English League Two Team of the Week: 1 time ====================================================================================== Gary Mills - Rushden Career 2006 - 8/7/11 ====================================================================================== Year Apps Gls Asts Yel Red MoM Av R -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2006/2007 2007/2008 18 1 2 2 0 0 6.89 2008/2009 35 3 4 1 0 2 7.00 2009/2010 15 (1) 1 3 2 0 1 7.25 2010/2011 27 (1) 1 2 1 0 2 7.11 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL 95 (2) 6 11 6 0 5 7.05 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DOB: 20/5/81 Position: M C Nationality: English International Caps/Goals: 0/0 Total Career League Games: 261 Previous Clubs: None Achievements: 24/04/10 - English Conference National Champions Named in English Conference Team of the Week: 11 times Named in English League Two Team of the Week: 4 times ====================================================================================== Scott Tynan - Rushden Career 2006 - 2/7/11 ====================================================================================== Year Apps Con Cln Yel Red MoM Av R -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2006/2007 48 62 12 0 0 1 6.58 2007/2008 6 10 2 0 0 0 6.83 2008/2009 11 15 3 0 0 0 6.36 2009/2010 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 2010/2011 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL 65 87 17 0 0 1 6.57 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DOB: 27/11/83 Position: GK Nationality: English International Caps/Goals: 0/0 Total Career League Games: 104 Previous Clubs: Barnet (35 games) Achievements: None Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 SEASON OVERVIEW 11/12 The Club Home Ground: Nene Park, Irthlingborough (capacity 6441, 4641 seated) Rivals: Kettering, Northampton (fierce); Peterborough, Oxford, Luton Reputation: Local Estimated Value: ₤1.9M Balance ₤5.75M Transfer Budget: ₤2MK (now ₤3.5M) Media Prediction: 24th Board Expectation: Fight bravely against relegation Fan Expectation: Fight bravely against relegation Staff Chairman: Keith Cousins Assistant Manager: Jack Reilly Coaches: Will Weedon, Scott Gemmill, Geoff Evans, Kevin Horlock (General); Simon Miotto (GK); Liam Grieves (Youth) Physio: Eoin Jess Scouts: Antonio North, Andy McWilliam, Craig Graham The Squad | Pkd | Inf | Name | No. | Squad Status | Cnt | Weekly wage | Expires | Value | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | | Graham Hart | - | Key Player | F/T | £1,000 | 30.6.2015 | £130K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | PR | Michael Bostwick | 32 | First Team | F/T | £925 | 30.6.2013 | £30K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ML | Wnt | Gavin McCallum | 30 | First Team | F/T | £800 | 30.6.2012 | £35K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | | Jon Ashton | 4 | First Team | F/T | £900 | 30.6.2012 | £20K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | | Kelvin Lomax | 13 | First Team | F/T | £725 | 30.6.2012 | £16K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | | Glenn Wilson | 2 | First Team | F/T | £775 | 30.6.2012 | £24K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | | Ikechi Anya | 16 | First Team | F/T | £900 | 30.6.2012 | £28K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | | Frankie Artus | 12 | First Team | F/T | £625 | 30.6.2014 | £45K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Wnt | Lee Tomlin | 14 | First Team | F/T | £925 | 30.6.2014 | £95K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | | Aaron Beech | 18 | First Team | F/T | £130 | 30.6.2015 | £26K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | | Aaron Morgan | 3 | First Team | F/T | £130 | 30.6.2013 | £18K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Fred Murray | 35 | Rotation | F/T | £425 | 30.6.2012 | £12K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | GK | | Alex Bryant | 1 | Rotation | F/T | £700 | 30.6.2014 | £170K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | | Ben Gill | 8 | Rotation | F/T | £775 | 30.6.2013 | £16K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MR | Wnt | Scott Gardner | 7 | Rotation | F/T | £220 | 30.6.2012 | £30K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | Wnt | Yan Klukowski | 20 | Rotation | F/T | £130 | 30.6.2012 | £55K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Jimmy Phillips | - | Rotation | F/T | £800 | 30.6.2015 | £35K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Wnt | Dean Stamp | 11 | Rotation | F/T | £700 | 30.6.2013 | £75K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Stanislas Lejeune | - | Rotation | F/T | £200 | 30.6.2014 | £110K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Vitalijs Vilerush | 25 | Rotation | F/T | £220 | 30.6.2014 | £1.1M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Lars Roland | 9 | Rotation | F/T | £550 | 30.6.2013 | £75K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Darryl Knights | 10 | Backup | F/T | £200 | 30.6.2012 | £26K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Lst | Keiran Walmsley | 36 | Backup | F/T | £275 | 30.6.2012 | £4K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Stewart Devine | - | Backup | F/T | £450 | 30.6.2013 | £9K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Paris Cowan-Hall | 39 | Backup | F/T | £160 | 30.6.2012 | £40K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Ahti Oja | 24 | Backup | F/T | £425 | 30.6.2013 | £40K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Adam Legzdins | 26 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £300 | 30.6.2013 | £9K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Lawrence Lambley | 28 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £150 | 30.6.2015 | £5K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Callum Reynolds | 22 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £160 | 30.6.2012 | £5K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Iain Thomas | - | Hot Prospect | F/T | £120 | 30.6.2012 | £2K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | David Greenwood | 23 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £210 | 30.6.2014 | £12K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Jamie McGhee | - | Youngster | F/T | £160 | 30.6.2014 | £10K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Alex Bolt | 34 | Youngster | F/T | £180 | 30.6.2014 | £9K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Gary Harrison | - | Youngster | F/T | £120 | 30.6.2012 | £2K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Brian Whittaker | - | Youngster | F/T | £120 | 30.6.2012 | £2K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Ricky Booth | - | Youngster | F/T | £95 | 30.6.2012 | £2K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Lrn | James McCraw | - | Youngster | F/T | £65 | 30.6.2013 | £20K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Matt Jameson | - | Youngster | F/T | £65 | 30.6.2013 | £2K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Dave Irving | - | Youngster | F/T | £70 | 30.6.2013 | £2K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Michael Lunt | - | Youngster | F/T | £70 | 30.6.2013 | £3K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Wage Budget: £48,423 Total Weekly Wages at 2/8/11: £16,865 Senior Players: 22 Reserve Players: 18 U-18 Players: 12 [Note that players classed as Backup, Prospect or Youngster will not be profiled, and are regarded as reserve players] Player [Pos, Nationality, Height, Age] – Rushden Seasons, Rushden League Games, Rushden League Goals Goalkeepers Alex Bryant [GK, ENG, 175cm, 26] – 5, 72, 0 Left as the number one keeper by default after Jakobsen departed, Bryant looked okay at times but is not in the class of Jakobsen. I am concerned as to how well he can stand up to playing at this higher level. Adam Legzdins [GK, ENG, 176cm, 24] – 4, 35, 0 Like Bryant, Legzdins has moved up a spot with the loss of Jakobsen. I will try to give him a game on occasion, but he will be second choice. Defenders Jon Ashton [D RC/DM, ENG, 188cm, 28] – 5, 121, 2 Had another strong season, as he has for many years. He may start to get found out out this higher level. Aaron Beech [D C, ENG, 181cm, 21] – 1, 29, 2 A good first season for the young defender. He is good enough in the air to still be valuable against quality strikers, and will be an important player. Michael Bostwick [D/M C, ENG, 188cm, 23] – 5, 128, 9 Not quite as dominant last season as in previous years, but his leadership and versatility are valuable. Stewart Devine [D L, SCO, 178cm, 27] – 0, 0, 0 I don't often recruit older players, and Devine does not exactly have a great resume, having played averagely at the likes of Livingston, Exeter and Wrexham. He's a great counter-attacking defender, but lacks the defensive skills needed to close down a striker. Stanislas Lejeune [D RL, SWI, 181cm, 18] – 0, 0, 0 A very young player with no senior experience, Lejeune is a long-term prospect. He reads the ball well and works hard, but has a lot of improvement to make before becoming a regular. Kelvin Lomax [D RL, ENG, 181cm, 24] – 1, 6, 0 An attacking defender, in that he has good pace and set piece ability, Lomax will get a regular go in defence. Aaron Morgan [D C, ENG, 188cm, 21] – 1, 16, 0 Didn't play as many games as Beech, but with his height, is an imposing presence in the defence. He will be an important part of the back four. Fred Murray [D LC, NIR, 188cm, 29] – 4, 46, 0 Again performed above his ability last season, but his lack of skill could be really exposed in League One. Glenn Wilson [D RC, WAL, 186cm, 25] – 5, 104, 1 Got through last season unscathed, which was seemingly an unobtainable goal in the first few years of my reign. He picked up a few too many cards for my linking, but was one of our best defenders all year, and will again be required to play a regular role at right back. Midfielders Ikechi Anya [AM RL, SCO, 170cm, 23] – 3, 91, 7 Still improving, and despite being relatively slow for a winger, he has been a pretty good player. He has no defensive skills whatsoever, but as a pure attacker, he can be a threat. Frankie Artus [AM RC, ENG, 179cm, 22] – 2, 41, 6 Was a regular in the midfield, and though he is best suited to the right wing, Artus did a pretty solid job in centre midfield. With Mills and Collins gone, he will probably have to do the same again. Paris Cowan-Hall [AM L, ENG, 180cm, 20] – 5, 30, 3 A pacey midfielder who performs above his ability, Cowan-Hall could get a run as an impact player if we lose a few players to injury. Scott Gardiner [AM R, LUX – 17 Caps, 180cm, 23] – 3, 34, 6 Still struggles to actually get out on the park due to fitness and international issues. If I can get Gardiner out there, he can be useful. Conference Young Player of the Month, February 2010 Ben Gill [DM, ENG, 181cm, 23] – 2, 37, 0 Managed to stay in the first team squad with consistent performances, and is now more important with two central midfielders gone. He's probably not suited to a defensive role, so centre midfield looks most likely. Yan Klukowski [M RC, SCO, 186cm, 24] – 1, 18, 6 A real surprise packet last season, attracting plenty of attention over the off-season. I've retrained him to play on the right wing, where he can use his incredible athletic ability. He still lacks ball skill, but his physical attributes are remarkable. Gavin McCallum [AM RL, CAN – 16 caps, 176cm, 23] – 4, 79, 12 Continued to miss a lot of games through injury. He's so good from set pieces that I want to give him a regular run, but he's a bit too slow for my liking. Conference Player of the Month, April 2008 Jimmy Phillips [AM R, ENG, 177cm, 21] – 0, 0, 0 One of just a handful of new signings this season, Phillips played just three games with Lincoln in League One last season, after not playing at all in several seasons at Stoke. He loves to run and is a very creative passer, and could be useful. Forwards Graham Hart [sT, IRE, 183cm, 20] – 0, 0, 0 Has played a handful of games at Dundalk and Bristol Rovers with minimal impact, but I can see some promise in him. He's a great finisher and controls the ball very well. Hart could be a very dangerous poacher. Darryl Knights [AM/F C, ENG, 177cm, 21] – 3, 35, 10 Fell out of the seniors last season, and will start in the reserves. He doesn't have the ball skill to play as a midfielder, and doesn't score enough to be a forward. Lars Roland [AM L/ST, DEN, 181cm, 19] – 1, 7, 3 Stepped into the senior side after great reserve form, and repaid my faith with some strong performances. He has the ball skills of a midfielder and finishes well. Dean Stamp [sT, ENG, 182cm, 22] – 2, 46, 35 A surprisingly regular scorer given that he doesn't really look all that talented. This level may expose him, but I'll give him a chance. Conference Player of the Month, October 09; Supporters' Player of the Year 09/10 Lee Tomlin [sT, ENG, 183cm, 22] – 6, 96, 29 Played well last season, with 10 goals in 23 games, but missed a few games through injury and looks to have struggled in the pre-season. I had to work hard to re-sign him, but he may have to fight to hold his spot. He is training young forward James McCraw. Vitalijs Vilerush [sT, LAT – 2 caps, 186cm, 19] – 1, 4, 0 It would be asking too much to expect him to be the new Dalla Valle, but like Hart, Vilerush is a good goal poacher. Overview I'm a bit concerned with this side. None of our players are proven at this level, and while they may have done well last season, that was with the huge morale boost of a striker who was good for a goal a game and a quality keeper (at least for the first half of the season). The new signings are designed to provide other options, but won't have a huge impact. Survival is definitely the key this year, and every point will be crucial. I think we have a good counter-attacking side, and could score some goals, but just hope we don't concede too many in the process. First XI I'm again sticking with 4-4-2, though I think the squad is better suited to 4-3-3 due to our glut of strikers. I just don't think we're good enough to play three forwards. I also thought about playing five defenders, and may give that a go at some stage. GK: Alex Bryant RB: Glenn Wilson LB: Kelvin Lomax CB: Aaron Beech CB: Aaron Morgan RM: Scott Gardiner LM: Gavin McCallum CM: Michael Bostwick CM: Frankie Artus CF: Dean Stamp CF: Lee Tomlin Sub: Ben Gill Sub: Jon Ashton Sub: Yan Klukowski Sub: Ikechi Anya Sub: Graham Hart Captain: Michael Bostwick Penalties: Dean Stamp, Darryl Knights, Scott Gardiner Free Kicks: (L) Dean Stamp, Kelvin Lomax; ® Gavin McCallum, Scott Gardiner Corners: (L) Gavin McCallum, Yan Klukowski; ® Scott Gardiner, Glenn Wilson Throw Ins: (L) Ikechi Anya, Frankie Artus; ® Glenn Wilson, Frankie Artus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 August, 2011 AUSTRALIA vs IRAN, Asian Cup, Semi Final, Neutral Though Australia looked great in the group games and quarter final, we lost Emerton, Bresciano, Cahill and Kisnorbo to injury, leaving us looking very thin for the last couple of games. I knew I shouldn't have selected so many attackers... I went with a 4-3-3 formation for the next game, simply because I only had three midfielders left! Australia 2 (Culina 74 – pen; Burns 89) d. Iran 0 AUSTRALIA vs SOUTH KOREA, Asian Cup, Final, Neutral Australia 1 (Culina 72) lost to South Korea 2 (11, 12) Lucas Neill retired from international football after this game. Walsall, League One, Away This match was at the same time as Australia's loss in the Asian Cup final. We were at full strength, and both sides had a few chances early. McCallum had a free tipped away and Stamp put another shot over the bar. However, he made no mistake from the penalty spot, for a 42nd minute lead. Walsall missed a few late shots, allowing us to grab a valuable three points. Chesterfield, League One, Away The side was exhausted with this game occurring just a few days after the season opener. I swapped out pretty much the whole team, going with a virtual Second XI. A fantastic long ball from Stewart Devine, who I identified as a great counter-attacker, saw Graham Hart score just four minutes into his Rushden career. Legzdins conceded a few minutes later, but a sharp pass from Klukowski into the area gave us another chances. Vilerush's powerful shot from the edge of the area was parried, but Anya was there to tap it in. Legzdins made some good saves, McCallum (the only First XI player to remain) dominated the midfield and we already have six points. Sheffield Wednesday, League One, Away Again we scored early, with Lars Roland tapping in after Ikechi Anya's shot was parried in the second minute. Oddly enough, we then conceded minutes later, just like the previous game. This time, though, Sheffield scored twice more before half time, and went in with three goals – from just as many shots. In contrast, Hart could not score from six attempts, and we recorded our first loss of the season. Preston, League One, Home In front of a club record crowd, Preston attacked a number of times before scoring in the 23rd. Graham Hart brought us level by following up on a rebound from his own shot just after the break, and we dominated the second half. Stamp, Knights and McCallum all forced saves, and it looked like we'd come away with a point from a pretty even match. However, with just a minute to go, McCallum had a free just outside the area. He crossed for Vilerush, who brought the ball down, spun and fired in a great shot. 2-1. Brentford, League Cup 1st round, Away After our efforts last year, I fancied our chances against our Championship opponents. We were again outplayed in the first half, with only a brilliant Bryant save keeping out a free kick. Much like the previous game, we improved in the second half and scored when McCallum beat the keeper to a high ball to head it in. Bryant put in a Man of the Match performance to come away with a clean sheet as we progressed to the second round. Gillingham, League One, Away This game was actually a bit more even in the first half than the last couple, but we still went into the break a goal down. This time, though, there was no comeback. We conceded another two goals, and only got one late consolation through Hart. At least there's no doubt we have some scoring potential in reserve – the reserve side won their game 7-3. Three league wins from five games is a good way to start a season in which survival is the only focus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 September, 2011 AUSTRALIA vs USA, Friendly, Home Australia 0 lost to USA 1 (28) Doncaster, League One, Away Gardiner and Vilerush missed this one with international duty, while Stamp was out injured. Tomlin missed a couple of early shots, but weaved around three defenders to fire over the keeper in the 31st. Doncaster scored just 19 seconds into the second half and it was only through incredible work from Bryant that we didn't go behind. He made at least seven saves in half an hour, and was responsible for earning us a point from a game we could easily have lost. Incidentally, the reserves continued their great scoring run with a 5-0 win. Millwall, League One, Away Bryant was again placed under pressure, and conceded within five minutes. We really struggled to have a shot, and looked set to suffer our third loss of the season. However, Kelvin Lomax took a free kick from 25 yards out, directly in front, and blasted it straight in. Millwall attacked hard after that, but only managed to give us all opportunities. Unfortunately, Roland and McCallum could not score from numerous shots, but a draw was all we really deserved. Nottingham Forest, League One, Home This was a pretty flat game, with only a handful of chances for each side. Bryant pulled off one save, Hart missed a few shots and it finished 0-0. AUSTRALIA U-23s vs LEBANON U23s, Olympic Qualifiers (Asia), Round 2 Leg 1, Home Australia U23s 5 (Tobin 2, 43, 57, 76; Wardle 21)) d. Lebanon U23s 0 Wrexham, League One, Away Vilerush was put out for a month with a broken jaw, so Roland partnered Hart. The latter missed a chip and forced a save in a dull first half. Wrexham scored twice in the second half and we had no answer. Gillingham, League Cup 2nd round, Away With the side's morale down after some flat efforts and an opponent who beat us comprehensively a few weeks ago, we faced a difficult challenge to stay in the League Cup. Rushden had a lot of the early play, and Hart sent in two shots within the first ten minutes. While good defending and poor shooting held Gillingham off for a while, they eventually scored the first of the game in the 31st minute. We should have scored in the 35th, with both Hart and Gardiner open against the goalkeeper, but Hart's shot was parried and Gardiner's follow-up was blasted over. The second half saw us again placed under pressure, with Ashton clearing off the line and Bryant punching another three attacks clear. However, in the 68th, Murray sent a long pass to Hart. He headed forward to partner Stamp, who put it through to draw level. Five minutes later, Stamp was again through on goal, but this time he centred the ball for Yan Klukowski, who used his incredible pace to close on the goal and score our second. We did enough in the final minutes to hold Gillingham off, and were perhaps unlucky to score a third. AUSTRALIA U-23s vs LEBANON U23s, Olympic Qualifiers (Asia), Round 2 Leg 2, Away Australia U23s 3 (Troisi 21 – pen; Tobin 67, OG 73) d. Lebanon U23s 0 [aggregate 8-0] Lincoln, League One, Home Both sides had plenty of chances early on, but it took something spectacular for us to break through in the 31st. The ball was played back from the midfield to Lincoln's keeper on the edge of the area, but Knights got there just before he did. He fired in a half-volley and put it in the back of the net from 30 yards. The game could have gone either way, but a late goal from Hart from an Artus cross sealed it 2-0. Incidentally, the reserves continued their stunning form with a 5-0 win. Luton, League One, Away This was another game which could have gone either way. Both keepers did well in the first half to keep it scoreless, but Hart finally broke through in the 68th. Alex Bryant was spectacular, keeping out a number of shots. However, there was no saving a shot which took a huge deflection off Jon Ashton, levelling the scores with 13 minutes to go. In the 81st, Fred Murray crossed to Lee Tomlin, and in his haste to head the ball away, a Luton defender put the ball into his own net. Scott Gardiner sealed the game in the final minutes with a diving header – 3-1. Though we started the month slowly, with three draws and a loss, our impressive win in the League Cup set us on the right track. Two league wins to end the month leaves us in 5th spot, and though there is a very long way to go, having 18 points on the board already is an excellent result. Yan Klukowski was runner-up as Player of the Month, which is a great result for a player who doesn't really look good enough for this level. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 October, 2011 Tranmere, League One, Home With the side in good form and high spirits, it was no surprise to see Dean Stamp break into the area and score after eight minutes. A great run and cross from McCallum set up Frankie Artus for our second just before half time and Klukowski picked up a loose ball after Stamp was tackled to make it 3-0 after 53. Artus made it a brace from a McCallum corner to complete a 4-0 rout. Derby, League One, Away This would be an interesting test of just how good we were, as we faced the second-placed side. Derby scored twice in the first 15 minutes, but Bostwick got us back in the 17th with a goal of his own. Rushden had a multitude of chances after that – seven shots to Tomlin alone. However, we had just two shots on target, and lost the game. AUSTRALIA vs SERBIA, Friendly, Away Australia 0 lost to Serbia 1 (71) Northampton, League One, Home Another highly-placed opponent posed a challenge We controlled the first half, but failed to score from 10 shots. Stamp finally put us ahead shortly into the second half with a free from the edge of the area , then sealed it with a second in the 76th. Grays, Johnston's Paint Trophy south, round 1, Away Knights had four shots in the opening twenty minutes, but it was Rushden a goal down after a Grays shot took a big deflection off Bostwick. A header from Beech in the 23rd also took a huge deflection, and was given as an own goal. A McCallum goal just after the break was ruled out, but though he was again offside when Tomlin flicked on a pass to him in the 77th, this one stood. A 2-1 finish, and I re-signed Klukowski for another season and Man of the Match Jon Ashton for two after the game. Wolves, League One, Away Wolves dominated the opening minutes only to see Artus score from a Hart cross. A loose defensive header gifted Hart our second and Artus scored again late to complete an excellent 3-0 win. Watford, League Cup, 2nd round, Away With our form and record in cups, I gave us every chance of winning this one. Unfortunately, we were a goal down after only two minutes, and had conceded a second by the 20th. A third after half time booted us out of the League Cup. Mansfield, League One, Home Vilerush finally returned to the side after a long absence through injury. Mansfield took an early lead. An incredible 45-yard pass from Artus put McCallum through on the left corner of the area, and he crossed to Bostwick who finished powerfully. However, Mansfield regained their lead after only a few minutes. Things got worse in the second half, with Alex Bryant suffering a thigh injury and Mansfield scoring a third goal. Aaron Morgan came third as Player of the Month. We will face a tough challenge in November, with Bryant out for the month and the side in a bit of a slump after two straight losses to end the month. The reserves won their last game 7-0, and have 35 goals in 10 games, so it's probably time to make some changes. | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Burnley | | 16 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 24 | 11 | +13 | 33 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Gillingham | | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 28 | 16 | +12 | 28 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Derby | | 16 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 25 | 20 | +5 | 28 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | Rushden | | 16 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 25 | 18 | +7 | 27 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | Stockport | | 16 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 22 | 18 | +4 | 27 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | Preston | | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 25 | 20 | +5 | 26 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | MK Dons | | 16 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 25 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | Wolves | | 16 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 14 | +3 | 23 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | Wrexham | | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 18 | +2 | 23 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | Tranmere | | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 21 | -3 | 23 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | Chesterfield | | 16 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 20 | 25 | -5 | 23 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | Millwall | | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 25 | 18 | +7 | 22 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | Swansea | | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 22 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | Northampton | | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 21 | -1 | 22 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | Luton | | 16 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 21 | 25 | -4 | 22 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | Sheff Wed | | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 17 | 21 | -4 | 22 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | Lincoln | | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 18 | 17 | +1 | 21 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | Bristol Rovers | | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 24 | 25 | -1 | 21 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | Doncaster | | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 18 | 23 | -5 | 21 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | Nottm Forest | | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 18 | 19 | -1 | 20 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | Mansfield | | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 21 | 24 | -3 | 20 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | Walsall | | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 23 | -5 | 14 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | Scunthorpe | | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 15 | 26 | -11 | 14 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | Brighton | | 16 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 16 | 32 | -16 | 9 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 November, 2011 Plymouth, Johnstone's Paint Trophy south, 2nd round, Away Adam Legzdins, filling in for the injured Bryant, conceded to a shot from 30 yards after only seven minutes. We had few chances after that, and it took a great 45-yard pass from Murray into the area to put Stamp through for a 76th minute equaliser. The match went to penalties, and while Legzdins saved two shots, McCallum, Morgan and Bostwick missed three of our five, and we were knocked out of another competition. Scunthorpe, League One, Away We needed to get back in winning form, and what better way to do it than against the bottom-placed side? Naturally, that was our cue to go a goal behind after a dozen minutes. A great pass from Lejeune set up Vilerush to score an equaliser in the second half, but Legzdins let through another 73rd. Both strikers were forced off with injury, and we looked unlikely to regain parity. A free kick from Stewart Devine was sent into the right hand corner of the area. Glenn Wilson was there to meet it, and the defender hit in a great goal from a tight angle. 2-2 was not a great result, but it was better than we deserved. The injuries to the strikers were minor, but we lost Frankie Artus for two months with a knee injury. Worried about the senior team's form, and impressed by the reserves', I dropped Roland, Knights and Phillips, bringing up Keiran Walmsley (one of our better players in 09/10), Alex Bolt (a midfielder who got a few senior games as a youth, and was trained by Gary Mills), winger Paris Cowan-Hall and impressive forward David Greenwood. Havant & Woodend, FA Cup 1st round, Away Having just dropped a few senior players, I brought them back for a game which we should win easily. Stewart Devine scored with a nice strike from outside the area, but disturbingly that was our only goal for the game. 1-0 was enough, but we really should have won by a lot more. AUSTRALIA vs SPAIN, Friendly, Away Australia 0 lost to Spain 3 (20, 46, 89) Stockport, League One, Away Bryant still hadn't recovered, so Legzdins got another go. David Greenwood started alongside Stamp, and Bolt lined up in the midfield. Stockport scored in the 33rd and again from a free just after the break. We never looked like getting back in it, and eventually went down 0-3. Scunthorpe, League One, Away Thankfully, Bryant returned to the side. If I learn nothing else out of this season, I know I need a backup keeper. It was good to return to Nene Park after four straight away games, and a great run saw Stamp get past two defenders to score in front of the home fans. Unfortunately, veteran Jay Bothroyd denied Bryant a clean sheet with a late goal, and we had to settle for a draw. As expected, that was a tough month. Not a single league win, and one big loss. However, that was not too bad given we had our keeper and one of our best midfielders out for the month. Things should pick up with Bryant back in, and though we've fallen to ninth on the table, a top-half finish is certainly not out of reach, The reserve players who have been promoted will get a few more games next month, and we'll see how they go. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 December, 2011 I got a bit of a surprise at the start of the month, having forgotten I had a signing due to arrive at the beginning of December. Vidar Helgerud [M C, NOR – 2 U21 caps, 184cm, 18] – 0, 0, 0 A genuine playmaker, with superb ball skills for his age. I probably won't play him too much given his youth, but he has the talent to have a real impact when given a chance. Helgerud played well at Viking, and should be similarly effective here. Swansea, FA Cup 2nd round, Away Helgerud made his début in this game and watched us go behind in just a couple of minutes. A second goal meant we had been knocked out of all cup competitions, and it's only December. So much for our giant-killing efforts of last season... Brighton, League One, Home Though Brighton looked the better side, Hart had a few early shots. The closest he came from three attempts in the first fifteen minutes was one which grazed the crossbar, but in the 31st he was on target with a volley from an Anya pass. That effort was saved, but Cowan-Hall was there to tap in the loose ball. Bryant held out a few shots and defender Aaron Beech scored with a sharp strike from outside the area mid-way through the second half. That proved quite valuable, as he then scored his second goal in a few minutes – this time at the other end! Stamp headed in an Anya corner in the final minute to seal a 3-1 win. David Greenwood was sent back to the reserves. Swansea, League One, Away Having just been knocked out of the FA Cup by Swansea, it was pleasing to see Stamp put us ahead in the 10th on the counter-attack. That was the only goal of the 1-0 win, which was soured by the loss of defender Aaron Beech with fractured ribs. After the win, I received my first club offer – from my home town club, Melbourne Victory. The prospect of a transfer budget of ₤21M and wage budget of ₤50K was certainly attractive, as were my own wages (₤4K as opposed to my current ₤550) and a squad including Archie Thompson, Bruno Berner and Dennis Rommedahl. However, I started this story with a goal, and intend to pursue it, so I rejected the offer. Burnley, League One, Home This was a big game against the league leaders. We were carved up in the first half, and were very lucky not to go in a goal behind. Just two minutes into the second half, Cowan-Hall repeated his effort from the game against Brighton, tapping in after a Hart shot was saved. Eight minutes later, Bostwick headed a Gardiner free over the keeper for our second. 2-0 was a good result given how we were out-played in the first half. Cowan-Hall has done well since coming up to the seniors. After this win, I was mentioned alongside Steve McClaren and Ian Holloway as a possible candidate for the Nottingham Forest job, but denied any interest in the job. Bristol Rovers, League One, Away We were again outplayed in the first half, but the game opened up when Bristol had a player sent off in the 40th. Again a saved Hart shot resulted in a follow-up goal, with Stamp tapping in. A great ball from Anya into the area was headed across by Hart in the 70th, and Cowan-Hall completed a 2-0 win. Chesterfield, League One, Away Unfortunately, we lost the in-form Cowan-Hall to an injury after only eight minutes, but Vilerush set up Stamp for a goal in the 20th. Chesterfield scored in the 55th, ending our four-game winning streak with a 1-1 draw. There was worse news after the game, with Cowan-Hall out for five months with a torn calf muscle. That was a disappointing way to end an otherwise excellent month. Though the FA Cup exit was very frustrating, our league performance was superb. Despite coming against some of the top sides in the league, we finished with four wins and a draw. I was named Manger of the Month, and Ashton was second as Player of the Month. It's half way through the season, and an incredible three promotions in three seasons is not out of the question. Though the loss of the impressive Cowan-Hall is a blow, the rest of the side is looking pretty good. Stamp is our leading scorer by some way, but there are solid contributors all over the pitch. Stewart Devine, Yan Klukowski, Michael Bostwick and Jon Ashton are among the standouts. Contract-wise, there aren't any major concerns. Gavin McCallum is the only player I really want to sign up who I haven't secured yet. I just re-signed Cowan-Hall after his short burst of fine form, and most other senior players are secured for at least another season. If we are to be promoted three times in three seasons, I'll really need to clear out some players to ensure we're at the right standard. | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Burnley | | 24 | 15 | 1 | 8 | 32 | 17 | +15 | 46 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Stockport | | 24 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 39 | 28 | +11 | 44 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Rushden | | 24 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 37 | 26 | +11 | 42 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | Luton | | 24 | 13 | 2 | 9 | 33 | 29 | +4 | 41 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | Chesterfield | | 24 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 31 | 30 | +1 | 40 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | Gillingham | | 24 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 38 | 28 | +10 | 38 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | Wolves | | 24 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 30 | 23 | +7 | 37 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | MK Dons | | 24 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 33 | 29 | +4 | 37 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | Doncaster | | 24 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 30 | 35 | -5 | 37 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | Derby | | 24 | 11 | 3 | 10 | 34 | 31 | +3 | 36 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | Tranmere | | 24 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 26 | 28 | -2 | 36 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | Preston | | 24 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 35 | 33 | +2 | 35 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | Lincoln | | 24 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 32 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | Millwall | | 24 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 39 | 29 | +10 | 31 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | Sheff Wed | | 24 | 9 | 4 | 11 | 26 | 34 | -8 | 31 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | Bristol Rovers | | 24 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 34 | 37 | -3 | 30 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | Swansea | | 24 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 35 | 36 | -1 | 29 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | Walsall | | 24 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 33 | 34 | -1 | 29 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | Wrexham | | 24 | 8 | 5 | 11 | 26 | 30 | -4 | 29 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | Mansfield | | 24 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 30 | 37 | -7 | 28 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | Scunthorpe | | 24 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 26 | 33 | -7 | 28 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | Northampton | | 24 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 27 | 35 | -8 | 28 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | Nottm Forest | | 24 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 26 | 32 | -6 | 25 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | Brighton | | 24 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 48 | -26 | 10 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 January, 2012 The month began with a job offer. This was from the financially challenged Sheffield United, and with only a rolling contract and no transfer funds, I had no difficulty in rejecting the offer. I completed the signing of midfielder Anthony Grant from Morton for ₤60K – a rare purchase for me. Anthony Grant [DM C, NOR – 2 U21 caps, 184cm, 18] – 0, 0, 0 Probably the first of the “new era” signings at Rushden, in that he is on four-figure weekly wages and comes with a fair bit of senior experience. If we are to play in the upper leagues of England, I will need more players like this. Grant started his career at Chelsea before moving to Coventry. He got senior experience at clubs such as Wycombe and Oldham before being bought by Morton, where he's spent the last two seasons. He's physically strong, good defensively and reasonably good with the ball. Sheffield Wednesday, League One, Home Grant made his début in our first game of the new year. He was forced off with a knock mid-way through the first half, but we took the lead when McCallum headed in a cross from opposite winger Anya. Bryant didn't have to make a single save, and we won 1-0. I re-signed both Anya and McCallum for another season after the game. Walsall, League One, Home Grant recovered to start in this match, but Aaron Morgan joined fellow defender (and fellow Aaron, for that matter) Beech on the sidelines with an injury. Hart had a goal ruled out after ninety seconds and despite an unusually dominant first half, we did not score. Stamp set the tone by hitting the woodwork with an open goal in front of him. Walsall had a player sent off shortly after half time, yet not only did we fail to score, Michael Bostwick was sent off for a professional foul in the final minutes. Preston, League One, Away With Bostwick now out, our centre of defence was looking very thin, with no options in the reserves. The good thing about having a few options for left and right back is that it gave me the freedom to move Wilson to the middle to partner the in-form Ashton. A great pass from Anya set up Stamp for a 12th minute goal, but Tomlin was denied his second of the season due to an offside. He got his revenge when a Stamp pass was deflected to him late in the game and a Man of the Match performance from Bryant ensured the win. Gillingham, League One, Home I gave Legzdins a run to keep him fit in case Bryant went down late in the season, but it was Hart with a stunning strike from the left corner of the area who attracted attention, putting us ahead after six minutes. A long pass from Klukowski, a neat spin around a defender and he had a brace in 20 minutes. The 2-0 win came at a cost, with Hart out for a month with broken ribs. Doncaster, League One, Away With a mounting injury list, it was no surprise we went behind after only four minutes. A terrific long ball from Gill caught the defence off guard and gave Vilerush an equaliser but it was only through sheer luck that we weren't behind at the break. Our luck lasted until the final ninety seconds, when Doncaster finally regained the lead. They did deserve to win, ending our eleven game unbeaten streak, but it was annoying to fall that close to the end. Millwall, League One, Home Vidar Helgerud made his first real impact for the side, sending through a fine pass for Stamp to score in the 23rd.. Legzdins did well to keep a clean sheet and Helgerud set up Vilerush in the final minutes to complete the 2-0 win. Hart was runner-up for Goal of the Month for his strike against Gillingham, Ashton was third as Player of the Month and I was third as Manager of the Month. With my attempt to sign 18-year-old South African defender Andrew Makhanya denied due to work permit issues, I made no other transfers during the window. With four wins, a draw and a loss in January, we are amazingly sitting on top of the League One table, and are a fine chance for a hat-trick of promotions. Burnley have played three games less than us, and there is still quite a while to go in the season, but this is a remarkable turnaround from a side which looked stuck in the Conference. Injuries are starting to hit us hard, but a few players should be back by next month. | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Rushden | | 30 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 45 | 28 | +17 | 55 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Wolves | | 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 41 | 29 | +12 | 51 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Burnley | | 27 | 16 | 2 | 9 | 38 | 22 | +16 | 50 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | Stockport | | 30 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 47 | 39 | +8 | 50 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | Derby | | 30 | 15 | 4 | 11 | 48 | 40 | +8 | 49 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | Luton | | 29 | 15 | 4 | 10 | 45 | 38 | +7 | 49 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | MK Dons | | 30 | 15 | 4 | 11 | 43 | 36 | +7 | 49 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | Chesterfield | | 30 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 38 | 37 | +1 | 48 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | Doncaster | | 29 | 14 | 6 | 9 | 40 | 42 | -2 | 48 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | Tranmere | | 30 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 36 | 36 | 0 | 46 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | Gillingham | | 29 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 41 | 35 | +6 | 41 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | Preston | | 29 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 40 | 39 | +1 | 40 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | Millwall | | 29 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 44 | 33 | +11 | 39 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | Walsall | | 30 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 41 | 38 | +3 | 39 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | Wrexham | | 29 | 11 | 6 | 12 | 31 | 36 | -5 | 39 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | Sheff Wed | | 30 | 10 | 6 | 14 | 30 | 41 | -11 | 36 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | Lincoln | | 29 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 32 | 34 | -2 | 35 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | Scunthorpe | | 30 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 35 | 40 | -5 | 35 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | Swansea | | 29 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 43 | 42 | +1 | 34 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | Bristol Rovers | | 29 | 9 | 7 | 13 | 38 | 44 | -6 | 34 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | Nottm Forest | | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 34 | 43 | -9 | 34 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | Northampton | | 30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 31 | 46 | -15 | 32 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | Mansfield | | 30 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 38 | 48 | -10 | 31 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | Brighton | | 30 | 2 | 5 | 23 | 26 | 59 | -33 | 11 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 February, 2012 Nottingham Forest, League One, Away Bryant returned, with Legzdins out for the month with a hamstring injury. I just hope Bryant doesn't go down... Vilerush took only a couple of minutes to give Rushden the lead from a move started at the back by Lomax. Forest came out stronger in the second half, but we held on to win. Wrexham, League One, Home Our opponents hadn't let through a goal in five games, but we had Frankie Artus returning for his first senior game in quite a while. Rushden controlled the game yet couldn't get a shot on target, leaving us with a scoreless draw. Lincoln, League One, Home Michael Bostwick joined our injury list with a hamstring strain, so Wilson and Ashton moved to centre back with Devine and Lomax on either side. It was Devine who was responsible for our 10th minute lead, intercepting a defensive ball and sending a great pass through for Lee Tomlin to score a rare goal this season. Fellow defender Glenn Wilson headed in a corner and midfielder Anthony Grant scored his first goal for the club with a sharp strike from just inside the area. 3-0 at half time and the final whistle. Luton, League One, Home A very odd first half saw knocks to Gill and Vilerush, a red card and disallowed goal for Luton and goals to Klukowski and Vilerush in injury time. Klukowski's stellar form continued with a second goal in the final minutes of the game, set up by a great pass from Helgerud. AUSTRALIA vs JORDAN, World Cup Qualifiers (Asia), 2nd round Group 4, Home Top players David Williams and Nathan Burns were out for this game, but wingers Emerton and Bresciano dominated and Leeds striker Scott McDonald sealed a comfortable win. Australia 3 (Milicevic 19; McDonald 51, 81) d. Jordan 0 Tranmere, League One, Away Aaron Morgan finally returned to the side, but Tranmere took an early lead when Anya was outpaced by his opponent. We had a few chances but ended the half without a goal. Klukowski sent in a cross five minutes into the second half, which was punched outside the area. David Grant sent the ball straight back in, scoring from 25 yards. Vilerush, Stamp and Tomlin are not really covering Hart's absence well, so it's good to see midfielders like Klukowski and Grant stepping up. AUSTRALIA U-23s vs QATAR U23s, Olympic Qualifiers (Asia), Group A, Home With a few Under-23s already in the main squad and some injured, with a few previous stars now too old, we faced a bit of a battle in our first group game, having got there with an 8-0 aggregate win over Lebanon. An early goal to Qatar made our job even harder, and only a goal to Norwich striker Mike Tobin got us a point. Australia U23s 1 (Tobin 43) drew Qatar U23s 1 (3) Yan Klukowski was named Player of the Month for his superb form in a month which saw Rushden undefeated. We only conceded a single goal in five games, and managed two three-goal efforts despite the absence of Hart. Morgan, Beech and Legzdins are now back, so the only players of importance still out are Hart, Bostwick and Cowan-Hall. We're looking pretty secure on top of the table, and promotion now seems more likely than not. I'll worry about the consequences of that later – for now, let's just see if we can get the title. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Rushden | | 35 | 19 | 9 | 7 | 53 | 29 | +24 | 66 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Stockport | | 35 | 18 | 9 | 8 | 55 | 43 | +12 | 63 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | MK Dons | | 35 | 18 | 5 | 12 | 54 | 40 | +14 | 59 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Wolves | | 35 | 17 | 8 | 10 | 48 | 35 | +13 | 59 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Burnley | | 33 | 18 | 4 | 11 | 43 | 25 | +18 | 58 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Doncaster | | 34 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 51 | 48 | +3 | 58 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Millwall | | 34 | 15 | 9 | 10 | 55 | 35 | +20 | 54 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Derby | | 35 | 16 | 6 | 13 | 52 | 46 | +6 | 54 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Luton | | 34 | 16 | 6 | 12 | 51 | 49 | +2 | 54 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Tranmere | | 35 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 41 | 41 | 0 | 52 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Chesterfield | | 34 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 41 | 41 | 0 | 51 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Preston | | 35 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 47 | 51 | -4 | 49 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Swansea | | 35 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 56 | 47 | +9 | 46 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Walsall | | 35 | 10 | 15 | 10 | 44 | 41 | +3 | 45 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Wrexham | | 35 | 12 | 9 | 14 | 33 | 39 | -6 | 45 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Gillingham | | 34 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 48 | 47 | +1 | 43 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Lincoln | | 34 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 38 | 41 | -3 | 40 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Nottm Forest | | 35 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 43 | 49 | -6 | 40 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Northampton | | 35 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 35 | 49 | -14 | 40 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Sheff Wed | | 35 | 11 | 6 | 18 | 36 | 53 | -17 | 39 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Mansfield | | 35 | 8 | 13 | 14 | 43 | 55 | -12 | 37 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | | Bristol Rovers | | 35 | 9 | 9 | 17 | 44 | 57 | -13 | 36 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | | Scunthorpe | | 35 | 8 | 11 | 16 | 36 | 50 | -14 | 35 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | | Brighton | | 35 | 3 | 7 | 25 | 29 | 65 | -36 | 16 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 March, 2012 Derby, League One, Home We were clearly the better side in this encounter, but before a club record crowd of 6,433 (though we're averaging 6,397 – think it's time for a stadium upgrade) we failed to score and had to settle for a single point. Northampton, League One, Away Though Northampton are among the weaker sides in the league, they are our rivals, so a win was important. Stamp came close a couple of times in the scoreless first half. Despite our dominance, we failed to score, and incredibly let through a goal two minutes into second half injury time. A loss to a rival, the end of an eight-game unbeaten streak and a waste of valuable points at such a late stage in the season – leaving us level with two other clubs. Stamp made it ten hours without a goal, but thankfully Bostwick and Hart returned to full training. I made a rare veteran signing after the game, picking up midfielder Jody Morris. Jody Morris [AM C, ENG – 7 U21 caps, 166cm, 33] – 0, 0, 0 Recently released by Doncaster, the diminutive midfielder has lost a lot of pace but still has pretty decent ball skills. More importantly, he has Premier Division and Championship experience with the likes of Chelsea, Barnsley and Millwall, which could prove valuable with our impending promotion. He's officially only a backup, so may serve a role training young midfielders. AUSTRALIA U-23s vs Japan U23s, Olympic Qualifiers (Asia), Group A, Home Australia U23s 0 lost to Japan U23s 1 (86) Wolves, League One, Away Morris actually made his début in this game which saw us fall behind after only six minutes. Tomlin and Vilerush both forced saves before the former headed in a long pass from Anya to equalise in the 20th. McCallum had a free on the side of the area in the 31st, and stand-in captain Glenn Wilson put it through. McCallum scored one of his own, again set up by Anya, for a 3-1 lead at the break. As often happens after a high-scoring first half, the second was quiet. With the sides level on points with us suffering a loss and draw respectively, we again pulled clear on top. AUSTRALIA U-23s vs KUWAIT U23s, Olympic Qualifiers (Asia), Group A, Home Australia U23s 3 (Tobin 3, 22, 90) d. Kuwait U23s 1 (11 – pen) Mansfield, League One, Away We needed an early goal against our relegation-threatened opponents and got it when Vilerush scored from an incredibly tight angle. Mansfield rarely threatened and that one goal was the final margin. Hart returned in the second half, and though he had little impact, it was good to see him back. Stockport, League One, Home Our last meeting with Stockport was a 0-3 loss, so I was determined to get a better result here. We had a scoreless first half despite a few shots before a pass from Vilerush deflected perfectly into the path of Vidar Helgerud for a simple finish. It looked as though the points had been stolen away from us a minute into injury time when Stockport scored, but it was ruled offside With six games to go, we are a fair way clear on top, and promotion seems certain. The focus now must be on taking the title, which we failed to do last season. I will also keep my eye out for signings with which to strengthen the side. Following his hat-trick in an Olympic Games qualifier, I purchased Australian striker Mike Tobin, with the 19-year-old set to join at the end of the season for ₤4K. I re-signed all staff with expiring contracts and also secured defenders Glenn Wilson and Kelvin Lomax. Fred Murray and Darryl Knights look set to be released. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Rushden | | 40 | 22 | 10 | 8 | 58 | 31 | +27 | 76 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Burnley | | 39 | 21 | 6 | 12 | 53 | 30 | +23 | 69 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Doncaster | | 40 | 20 | 9 | 11 | 63 | 54 | +9 | 69 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | MK Dons | | 40 | 20 | 8 | 12 | 59 | 43 | +16 | 68 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Stockport | | 40 | 19 | 10 | 11 | 60 | 49 | +11 | 67 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Wolves | | 40 | 17 | 11 | 12 | 52 | 42 | +10 | 62 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Preston | | 40 | 18 | 7 | 15 | 57 | 54 | +3 | 61 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Derby | | 40 | 18 | 7 | 15 | 57 | 55 | +2 | 61 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Chesterfield | | 40 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 48 | 46 | +2 | 60 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Luton | | 40 | 17 | 9 | 14 | 59 | 60 | -1 | 60 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Millwall | | 40 | 16 | 11 | 13 | 61 | 42 | +19 | 59 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Walsall | | 40 | 13 | 16 | 11 | 50 | 45 | +5 | 55 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Swansea | | 40 | 12 | 17 | 11 | 65 | 50 | +15 | 53 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Nottm Forest | | 40 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 52 | 51 | +1 | 53 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Gillingham | | 40 | 12 | 16 | 12 | 61 | 52 | +9 | 52 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Tranmere | | 40 | 14 | 10 | 16 | 42 | 54 | -12 | 52 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Lincoln | | 40 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 42 | 46 | -4 | 48 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Wrexham | | 40 | 13 | 9 | 18 | 37 | 47 | -10 | 48 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Northampton | | 40 | 12 | 11 | 17 | 38 | 56 | -18 | 47 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Sheff Wed | | 40 | 13 | 7 | 20 | 40 | 57 | -17 | 46 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Scunthorpe | | 40 | 10 | 14 | 16 | 41 | 51 | -10 | 44 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | | Bristol Rovers | | 40 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 47 | 59 | -12 | 43 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | | Mansfield | | 40 | 8 | 14 | 18 | 44 | 65 | -21 | 38 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | R | Brighton | | 39 | 3 | 7 | 29 | 30 | 77 | -47 | 16 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 April, 2012 AUSTRALIA vs YEMEN, World Cup Qualifiers (Asia), 2nd round Group 4, Away Australia 4 (McDonald 20, 22, 69; Kennedy 29) d. Yemen 0 MK Dons, League One, Away Our chances for the final six games were dealt a blow when keeper Alex Bryant was ruled out for the month with a hamstring injury. Legzdins came in, and conceded a goal within 16 minutes. Hart and Helgerud forced saves, but Legzdins let through two more before half time. Dons had a player sent off, yet scored a fourth and fifth goal to complete a humiliation of Rushden. McCallum's injury time score from a free was irrelevant. Scunthorpe, League One, Home After such a dismal previous game, it was a relief to see Stamp head in a Klukowski cross after only a dozen minutes. Stamp added a second through a penalty before Tomlin struck a brace in three minutes. Stamp headed in a McCallum corner for a hat-trick and 5-0 lead after 45 minutes. The second half was far less pleasing. Though Legzdins actually managed some saves for a change, Klukowski was put out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury and Wilson was sent off for a professional foul. Still, 5-0 was a remarkable turnaround from the previous game. AUSTRALIA U-23s vs QATAR U23s, Olympic Qualifiers (Asia), Group A, Away Australia U23s 0 lost to Qatar U23s 1 (10) Brighton, League One, Away A game against the bottom-placed side was a great chance for another hammering. Stamp scored a penalty after 12 minutes then added a second three minutes later, but this time our opponents actually put up a fight. They scored in the 28th, we had a goal disallowed and Ashton sent one straight past Legzdins to suddenly make it 2-2. Thankfully, a long pass from Bostwick – having a rare go in the midfield – set up Hart for his first goal since returning from injury. It was 3-2 at half time, and Hart added another just after the break to extend the lead. Two minutes later, he crossed to Stamp for his second hat-trick in as many games, and a 5-2 lead after 47 minutes. Our nearest rival, Burnley, had a scoreless draw, leaving us five points clear with three games to go. Swansea, League One, Home Despite sitting in the middle of the table, Swansea hadn't lost in their last seventeen games. Ninety seconds in, Vilerush and Stamp both had close-range shots saved, but it was third time lucky for Frankie Artus. Artus scored another tap-in in the 25th before they got one back just before half time. Swansea scored again in the 70th, and with a late bicycle kick from Vilerush going wide, we contributed to their amazing unbeaten streak. Burnley won their game, cutting out lead to three points. AUSTRALIA U-23s vs JAPAN U23s, Olympic Qualifiers (Asia), Group A, Home Australia U23s 1 (Howe 71) lost to Japan U23s 2 (14, 90) Burnley, League One, Away We had the chance to seal the title here, with a win to make certain of it and a draw to make it likely. Rushden had a spot of luck, with a 6th minute goal to Burnley disallowed, and when their keeper came out in the 30th, Hart stole the ball from him and struck it in. 1-0. The game was pretty even, but a 75th minute free to Burnley saw a tap-in from a blatantly offside striker. With 45 seconds to go in the game, they did it again. A long pass, an offside striker, and another goal. 1-2, with no time to get back. That was a very frustrating way to end the month. We are now on top only through goal difference. Stamp was runner-up as Player of the Month, Hart was runner-up as Young Player of the Month and Tomlin got the Goal of the Month (his lob against Scunthorpe), but with two losses and a draw from five games, April was ultimately disappointing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 May, 2012 Bristol Rovers, League One, Home The last game of the season was preceded by a couple of bits of positive news. Not only did the reserves win 8-0 (they have 103 goals in 33 games), Alex Bryant resumed full training. Unfortunately, he was not fit enough for our final game, so Legzdins was in goal against the already relegated Bristol Rovers. Burnley, level on points and just one goal behind us, were facing 12th placed Walsall away. Walsall took an 11th minute lead, but Burnley were back level by the 23rd. There was good news at Nene Park though, with a Rovers player sent off for a professional foul. Stamp scored the penalty, and Hart added another goal before half time. With Rushden still ahead 2-0 and Burnley stuck 1-1 in the final minutes, the title was ours. Stamp capped off an incredible season with an injury time header. 3-0, and the League One title. Glenn Wilson and Adrian Grant were generous in the praise for our third straight “unbelievable” promotion. Dean Stamp demanded a new contract, but I refused for the time being – he was requesting more than five times his current wages. Vilerush also requested an improved deal, and received it. Bolton expressed interest in defender Stanislas Lejeune, but were warded off by a seven-figure asking price. The board announced the stadium would be expanded by a mere 1,273 seats, despite being sold out every week in League One. AUSTRALIA U-23s vs KUWAIT U23s, Olympic Qualifiers (Asia), Group A, Home Australia U23s 4 (Bozanic 22; Nicholls 41, 90; Spiranovic 71) d. Kuwait U23s 0 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 The season in review Summary | Pkd | Inf | Name | Apps | Gls | Ast | MoM | Pas | Tck | Drb | Sh T | Av Rat| | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Glenn Wilson | 43 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 63% | 4.01 | 0.37 | - | 7.05 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | PR | Jon Ashton | 40 | - | - | 4 | 69% | 4.00 | 0.20 | - | 7.55 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Unh | Dean Stamp | 36 (2)| 21 | 5 | 4 | 63% | 0.23 | 1.14 | 45% | 7.32 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Alex Bryant | 36 | - | - | 2 | 42% | - | - | - | 7.11 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MR | Inj | Ikechi Anya | 35 (2)| 1 | 9 | 1 | 66% | 1.46 | 1.49 | 50% | 7.24 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ML | PR | Gavin McCallum | 31 (2)| 5 | 12 | 4 | 68% | 1.48 | 1.52 | 46% | 7.30 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | PR | Michael Bostwick | 31 (1)| 3 | 2 | - | 65% | 3.13 | 0.25 | 50% | 7.13 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Yan Klukowski | 26 (4)| 4 | 4 | 5 | 65% | 2.83 | 1.58 | 28% | 7.40 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Inj | Graham Hart | 26 (2)| 12 | 11 | 2 | 71% | 0.27 | 1.26 | 52% | 7.14 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | Inj | Stewart Devine | 23 (2)| 1 | 5 | 1 | 67% | 3.60 | 0.86 | - | 7.24 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | PR | Frankie Artus | 23 (1)| 6 | 1 | 2 | 68% | 2.34 | 0.75 | 47% | 7.08 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | | Aaron Beech | 23 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 64% | 4.84 | 0.04 | - | 7.22 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Vitalijs Vilerush | 22 (5)| 7 | 5 | - | 68% | 0.37 | 1.11 | 35% | 6.96 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | | Kelvin Lomax | 22 (1)| 1 | 2 | - | 55% | 3.43 | 0.79 | - | 7.13 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | | Aaron Morgan | 21 (1)| - | - | - | 60% | 4.65 | 0.18 | - | 7.27 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Fred Murray | 20 (2)| - | 2 | - | 59% | 2.94 | 0.19 | - | 6.86 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Adam Legzdins | 17 | - | - | 1 | 43% | - | - | - | 6.65 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | | Ben Gill | 16 | - | 1 | - | 69% | 2.63 | - | - | 7.19 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Lee Tomlin | 15 (4)| 6 | 5 | - | 71% | 0.33 | 1.92 | 43% | 7.11 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Scott Gardner | 14 (1)| 1 | 1 | - | 62% | 2.63 | 1.84 | 36% | 6.67 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | Wnt | Anthony Grant | 14 | 2 | 1 | - | 67% | 3.13 | 0.22 | 23% | 7.29 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | | Vidar Helgerud | 13 (2)| 1 | 1 | - | 72% | 2.65 | 0.44 | 30% | 7.00 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Stanislas Lejeune | 10 | - | 1 | - | 62% | 4.17 | 0.53 | - | 7.10 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Alex Bolt | 6 (3) | - | - | - | 65% | 1.72 | 0.94 | - | 6.67 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Paris Cowan-Hall | 6 (1) | 3 | - | 1 | 64% | 2.40 | 2.22 | - | 7.57 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Req | Jimmy Phillips | 3 (1) | - | - | - | 59% | 2.99 | 1.66 | - | 6.75 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | David Greenwood | 3 | - | - | - | 63% | 0.36 | 2.91 | 40% | 6.00 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Lst | Keiran Walmsley | 2 (6) | - | - | - | 65% | 1.68 | - | - | 6.75 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Lars Roland | 2 (5) | 1 | 1 | - | 76% | 0.35 | 1.40 | 33% | 6.57 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Darryl Knights | 2 (4) | 1 | - | - | 62% | 0.33 | 2.31 | 50% | 6.67 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | Req | Jody Morris | 2 (2) | - | - | - | 58% | 1.62 | 0.32 | - | 7.00 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | Rushden | | 46 | 25 | 11 | 10 | 75 | 42 | +33 | 86 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | P | Burnley | | 46 | 25 | 9 | 12 | 66 | 37 | +29 | 84 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Stockport | | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 69 | 53 | +16 | 81 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | P | Doncaster | | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 68 | 56 | +12 | 78 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | MK Dons | | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 69 | 53 | +16 | 73 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Wolves | | 46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 57 | 50 | +7 | 70 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Preston | | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 66 | 62 | +4 | 69 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Derby | | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 64 | 60 | +4 | 69 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Luton | | 46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 67 | 69 | -2 | 67 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Millwall | | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 67 | 47 | +20 | 66 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Swansea | | 46 | 14 | 20 | 12 | 73 | 55 | +18 | 62 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Walsall | | 46 | 14 | 20 | 12 | 55 | 50 | +5 | 62 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Nottm Forest | | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 61 | 58 | +3 | 61 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Lincoln | | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 51 | 49 | +2 | 61 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Chesterfield | | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 50 | 56 | -6 | 61 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Gillingham | | 46 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 69 | 59 | +10 | 60 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Tranmere | | 46 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 46 | 58 | -12 | 60 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Wrexham | | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 42 | 55 | -13 | 54 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Sheff Wed | | 46 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 46 | 67 | -21 | 53 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Northampton | | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 41 | 62 | -21 | 53 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | R | Scunthorpe | | 46 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 47 | 60 | -13 | 52 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | R | Mansfield | | 46 | 11 | 16 | 19 | 51 | 70 | -19 | 49 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | R | Bristol Rovers | | 46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 49 | 68 | -19 | 47 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | R | Brighton | | 46 | 6 | 7 | 33 | 38 | 91 | -53 | 25 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Wow, what a season! The only real downside was our early Cup exits, but who cares about that when the ground is sold out every week and the team finishes on top of the league? The stunning form of the reserves was another positives. Not only did they win their league, they scored 33 more goals than any other club. Knights scored 17, Greenwood 26 and Roland 14. Bryant, Wilson, Ashton, Anya and Stamp all made the League One select side. I was named Manager of the Year. All up, a very successful year. This time, it was not all down to one player. Indeed, our strikers were probably a bit disappointing overall. Instead, it was a solid defence, with Ashton a star, and an attacking midfield which won us games time and again. There's no doubt things will get tough from here. Three promotions in three years is an incredible effort, especially when every one of them has come as a surprise. Survival will be the only focus next season. Around the world: major awards and results Rushden Supporters’ Player of the Year: Dean Stamp World Player of the Year: David Villa (Valencia) World Footballer of the year: Tevlik Kose (Leverkusen) England: Winner: Arsenal Relegated: Charlton, Hull, Everton Promoted: Barnsley, Southampton, Ipswich Spain: Real Madrid Italy Palermo Champions Cup: Valencia EURO Cup: Napoli Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 The Transfers Players In | Date | Person | From | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2011 | Lejeune, Stanislas | Yverdon | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2011 | Hart, Graham | Bristol Rovers | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15.7.2011 | Phillips, Jimmy | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16.7.2011 | Devine, Stewart | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.12.2011 | Helgerud, Vidar | Viking | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2012 | Grant, Anthony | Morton | £60K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14.3.2012 | Morris, Jody | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £60K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Players Out | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11.5.2011 | Davies, Adam | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13.5.2011 | Oyedele, Shola | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2011 | Wood, David | Bournemouth | £2K | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2011 | Dalla Valle, Lauri | Sampdoria | £2.4M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2011 | Tynan, Scott | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2011 | Tidswell, Andrew | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2011 | Cousins, Scott | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2011 | McClory-Cuthbertson, T. J. | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2011 | Court, Carl | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2011 | Booth, Matt | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8.7.2011 | Mills, Gary | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15.7.2011 | Bonner, Tom | Exeter | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18.7.2011 | Collins, Matty | Sutton Utd | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.8.2011 | Lock, Lee | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £2.4M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Promoted Youth | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2011 | Gundelach, Craig | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2011 | Clapham, Andy | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2011 | Chamberlain, Ryan | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2011 | Kay, Ian | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2011 | Kean, Robert | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2011 | Brooker, Andy | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Another good year for transfers. Though losing Dalla Valle was a blow, the money from the transfer was fair compensation, and we coped well without him. Tynan, Bonner and Collins became regulars at lower leagues, but would not have done anything in League One. The players who came in were solid without having a big impact. Hart was certainly a valuable striker, but missed many games with injury. Lejeune and Devine rotated well at the back, and the former has attracted a fair bit of attention from other clubs. Grant repaid his transfer fee with a few handy goals and Helgerud is a player for the future. The only real disappointment was Phillips, who spent most of the season in the reserves. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 Pre-season, 2012/2013 Naturally, I went nuts trying to sign up a host of new players to ensure our survival in the Championship. The likes of Mutu, Zat Knight and Freddie Adu unsurprisingly rejected us. However, I did make a number of signings. Former Ayr goalkeeper Mark McGeown signed on as goalkeeping coach. I bought right winger Barry Callaghan from Dundee for ₤3K and Australian striker Mike Tobin completed his previously arranged ₤4K move. Another Dundee player, wing back Casey Owen, joined for free, as did former PSV defender Levi Koopman. The most expensive signing, wage-wise, was Icelandic international Emil Hallfreðsson. The biggest names to sign on were former Liverpool and Leeds midfielder Harry Kewell and Newcastle and Ipswich veteran Kieron Dyer. However, potentially the most important signing was Wolves keeper Wayne Henderson, since Bryant badly lacked backup last year. To make room for them, Fred Murray, Darryl Knights, Scott Gardiner and Kieran Walmsley were released, along with a number of reserve players and goalkeeping coach Simon Miotto. I'm not going to write profiles on each of these players, since they were never really key parts of the side (and those little things take a hell of a lot more time to do than they look), but it's interesting to briefly contrast their careers. Gardiner and Knights were probably the two most talented of the group, yet could never cement a first team spot due to injuries and international duty (for Gardiner). Even when Gardiner was at his best as an attacking player, in 09/10 and 10/11, and should have been a key part of the side, he only played 13 and 15 games. Knights scored seven times in a dozen games in 09/10 but endured long droughts outside this. In contrast, Walmsley and Murray were pretty much abandoned after poor first seasons before they both broke into the seniors in 09/10. While Walmsley fell away again and returned to the reserves, Murray became a regular in the seniors. I thought hard before letting him go, but it's time for the side to move on. I was given a number of transfer/wage budget options, and selected ₤2.9M for transfers and ₤73K for wages. The squad is looking bloated again, so I doubt I'll be making any more signings. I sought a feeder club as a way to clear out a few players from the squad. I had four options, and while the idea of a first option deal was interesting, it was only with minor Scottish club East Stirling. I eventually decided on a link with League Two side Notts County – amusingly, an opponent only a few seasons ago. Lars Roland, James McCraw and Ahti Oja were sent to them for the season. The pre-season friendlies saw us beat Lewes 2-0 and Bognor Regis 5-0, but draw 1-1 with Hull. AUSTRALIA vs HONG KONG, World Cup Qualifiers (Asia), 2nd round Group 4, Home I was a little sneaky in this game, giving caps to Zac Tung and Franck Moussa, who had already appeared at youth levels for England and Belgium respectively. Australia 6 (Kennedy 14, 41, 77; Visconte 30; Tung 57; Wesolowski 85) d. Hong Kong 0 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 10, 2008 Author Share Posted August 10, 2008 SEASON OVERVIEW 12/13 The Club Home Ground: Nene Park, Irthlingborough (capacity 5782, 4270 seated – temporarily reduced) Rivals: Kettering, Northampton (fierce); Peterborough, Oxford, Luton Reputation: Regional Estimated Value: ₤5M Balance ₤7.25M Transfer Budget: ₤2.9M Media Prediction: 24th Board Expectation: Fight bravely against relegation Fan Expectation: Fight bravely against relegation Staff Chairman: Keith Cousins Assistant Manager: Jack Reilly Coaches: Will Weedon, Scott Gemmill, Geoff Evans, Kevin Horlock (General); Mark McGeown (GK); Liam Grieves (Youth) Physio: Eoin Jess Scouts: Antonio North, Andy McWilliam, Craig Graham The Squad | Pkd | Inf | Name | No. | Squad Status | Cnt | Weekly wage | Expires | Value | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | WBR | | Casey Owen | 10 | Key Player | F/T | £2,200 | 30.6.2016 | £230K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | | Graham Hart | 15 | Key Player | F/T | £1,300 | 30.6.2015 | £1.4M | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | | Michael Bostwick | 32 | First Team | F/T | £1,200 | 30.6.2013 | £35K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | AML | Wnt | Gavin McCallum | 30 | First Team | F/T | £1,200 | 30.6.2013 | £75K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | GK | | Wayne Henderson | - | First Team | F/T | £3,000 | 30.6.2014 | £95K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | | Glenn Wilson | 2 | First Team | F/T | £1,500 | 30.6.2014 | £24K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DMC | | Anthony Grant | 21 | First Team | F/T | £2,300 | 30.6.2014 | £55K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | | Ikechi Anya | 16 | First Team | F/T | £1,100 | 30.6.2013 | £130K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | Wnt | Frankie Artus | 12 | First Team | F/T | £775 | 30.6.2014 | £60K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Barry Callaghan | 29 | First Team | F/T | £1,800 | 30.6.2014 | £3K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Emil Hallfreðsson | 7 | First Team | F/T | £3,500 | 30.6.2014 | £525K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Aaron Beech | 18 | First Team | F/T | £625 | 30.6.2014 | £35K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | | Aaron Morgan | 3 | First Team | F/T | £625 | 30.6.2014 | £35K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Mike Tobin | 33 | First Team | F/T | £750 | 30.6.2015 | £4K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | | Vidar Helgerud | 6 | First Team | F/T | £650 | 30.6.2014 | £1.6M | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Vitalijs Vilerush | 25 | First Team | F/T | £1,100 | 30.6.2016 | £1.7M | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Levi Koopman | 34 | First Team | F/T | £2,200 | 30.6.2016 | £130K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | AMC | | Harry Kewell | 31 | Rotation | F/T | £1,400 | 30.6.2014 | £14K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | | Jon Ashton | 4 | Rotation | F/T | £1,100 | 30.6.2013 | £65K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Bid | Alex Bryant | 1 | Rotation | F/T | £875 | 30.6.2014 | £900K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Ben Gill | 8 | Rotation | F/T | £975 | 30.6.2013 | £18K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | | Kelvin Lomax | 13 | Rotation | F/T | £875 | 30.6.2014 | £24K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Lee Tomlin | 14 | Rotation | F/T | £1,200 | 30.6.2014 | £60K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Yan Klukowski | 20 | Rotation | F/T | £425 | 30.6.2013 | £180K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Jimmy Phillips | 19 | Rotation | F/T | £1,000 | 30.6.2015 | £60K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | Unh | Dean Stamp | 11 | Rotation | F/T | £875 | 30.6.2013 | £300K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | Bid | Stanislas Lejeune | 17 | Rotation | F/T | £275 | 30.6.2014 | £850K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Kieron Dyer | 35 | Backup | F/T | £800 | 30.6.2014 | £3K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Jody Morris | 27 | Backup | F/T | £675 | 30.6.2014 | £12K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Stewart Devine | 5 | Backup | F/T | £550 | 30.6.2013 | £40K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Ahti Oja | 24 | Backup | F/T | £525 | 30.6.2013 | £30K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Lars Roland | 9 | Backup | F/T | £700 | 30.6.2013 | £100K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Adam Legzdins | 26 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £400 | 30.6.2013 | £10K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Lawrence Lambley | 28 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £180 | 30.6.2015 | £10K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Paris Cowan-Hall | - | Hot Prospect | F/T | £220 | 30.6.2015 | £40K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | David Greenwood | 23 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £275 | 30.6.2014 | £35K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Jamie McGhee | - | Youngster | F/T | £200 | 30.6.2014 | £14K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Alex Bolt | - | Youngster | F/T | £220 | 30.6.2014 | £22K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | James McCraw | - | Youngster | F/T | £85 | 30.6.2013 | £22K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | Matt Jameson | - | Youngster | F/T | £85 | 30.6.2013 | £3K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | Dave Irving | - | Youngster | F/T | £100 | 30.6.2013 | £3K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | Danny Shore | - | Youngster | Yth | £100 | 30.6.2013 | - | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | Tim Green | - | Youngster | Yth | £95 | 30.6.2013 | - | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Leigh McDonald | - | Youngster | Yth | £100 | 30.6.2013 | - | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | David Wilkinson | - | Youngster | Yth | £95 | 30.6.2013 | - | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | Kevin King | - | Youngster | Yth | £100 | 30.6.2013 | - | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Callum Reynolds | 22 | Not Needed | F/T | £180 | 30.6.2014 | £7K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Michael Lunt | - | Not Needed | F/T | £100 | 30.6.2013 | £5K | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Wage Budget: £74,853 Total Weekly Wages at 25/7/12: £41,405 Senior Players: 27 Reserve Players: 21 U-18 Players: 12 [Note that players classed as Backup, Prospect or Youngster will not be profiled (with a few exceptions), and are regarded as reserve players] Player [Pos, Nationality, Height, Age] – Rushden Seasons, Rushden League Games, Rushden League Goals Goalkeepers Alex Bryant [GK, ENG, 175cm, 27] – 6, 104, 0 Having established himself as a first team player, Bryant again finds his spot under pressure thanks to a new signings. He was a fine player last season, and we really missed him when he was out injured, but has never really lived up to his potential. English Players' League One Select 11/12 Wayne Henderson [GK, IRE – 2 caps, 180cm, 28] – 0, 0, 0 A late signing in the pre-season due to our problems when Bryant was out last season. He's on pretty big wages (relative to the rest of the squad), but he will fill an important role as first choice keeper. Henderson has experience at this level with Crewe and Brighton, and was bought by Wolves only a couple of seasons ago for ₤850K Adam Legzdins [GK, ENG, 176cm, 25] – 5, 49, 0 Let through far too many goals when given a chance, and will only be called up if things go terribly wrong. Defenders Jon Ashton [D RC/DM, ENG, 188cm, 29] – 6, 157, 2 One of the best players in League One, which is a fine effort for a player who's been with us since the Conference. Whether he can continue to perform at an even higher level is a big question, but I really hope he can continue to be a valuable player. English Players' League One Select 11/12 Aaron Beech [D C, ENG, 181cm, 22] – 2, 45, 3 Fractured ribs caused Beech to miss plenty of games, but he still looked solid when he did. He may not have the talent for his level, but his aerial ability is unquestioned. Michael Bostwick [D/M C, ENG, 188cm, 24] – 6, 156, 12 Developing into quite a quality player, and seems to be keeping up with the rise in leagues. If Ashton and Beech can't step up, he will be even more valuable in defence, but his leadership makes him always useful. Stewart Devine [D L, SCO, 178cm, 28] – 1, 23, 0 A good effort from the counter-attacking defender last season, setting up five goals. Unfortunately, his lack of defensive skills make him a real risk at this level, so I'll be reluctant to play him too much. Levi Koopman [D C, HOL, 180cm, 21] – 0, 0, 0 A fairly average-looking defender who does not seem to stand out in any way. He came through PSV's youth setup, but only has seven on-loan lower league games to his credit. Signing him sight-unseen on pretty big wages may prove to be an error. Stanislas Lejeune [D RL, SWI – Capped at U19 level, 181cm, 19] – 1, 7, 0 I described him as a long-term prospect, and since he showed enough to attract the likes of Aberdeen and Bolton, the early signs are pretty good. He'll spend most of the season in the reserves, but good form will see him back in. Kelvin Lomax [D RL, ENG, 181cm, 25] – 2, 28, 1 One of our better defenders last season, and with Murray gone he will be the first choice for left back. Aaron Morgan [D C, ENG, 188cm, 22] – 2, 35, 0 Continued to match the progress of Beech in that he also missed quite a few games through injury. However, Morgan looks better developed as a player, and will be a regular. Glenn Wilson [D RC, WAL, 186cm, 26] – 6, 142, 4 Another stalwart from the Conference days, Wilson was not only a strong defender, but added another string to his bow with three league goals for the season. He's a hard worker and inspirational figure at the back. English Players' League Two Select 10/11; English Players' League One Select 11/12 Midfielders Ikechi Anya [AM RL, SCO, 170cm, 24] – 5, 125, 8 Despite a good season last year, it's crunch time for Anya. There's a lot of challengers for midfield positions, and his skills development seems to have stalled. His lack of pace and defensive skills could be costly at this level. He will have to fight for a spot. English League Two Player of the Month, January 2011; English Players' League One Select 11/12 Frankie Artus [AM RC, ENG, 179cm, 23] – 3, 62, 12 Despite missing a few games through injury, Artus was a valuable contributor with half a dozen goals from midfield. He will be challenged on the right wing by a few people, but has the ability to at least be in contention for a spot. Barry Callaghan [WB R AM R, SCO, 178cm, 25] – 0, 0, 0 An interesting new signing. Callaghan has spent his entire career at Dundee, with mixed success. He has great pace and is a superb leader and hard worker. However, his ball skills leave a bit to be desired. Scout Andy McWilliam highly recommended him, and he is my best scout, but he'll need to prove himself before becoming a regular. Paris Cowan-Hall [AM L, ENG, 180cm, 21] – 6, 36, 6 A stellar run of three goals in six games was cut short by a serious muscle injury which ended his season in December. He'll have to work very hard to get back in. Kieron Dyer [AM RC, ENG – 28 caps, 173cm, 33] – 0, 0, 0 In hindsight, probably not a great signing. Though he has experience at Championship and Premier Division level with Newcastle and Ipswich, he has played little at the latter in the last few seasons. Though perhaps a decent playmaker, he doesn't have the pace and determination to be a senior regular. Ben Gill [DM, ENG, 181cm, 24] – 3, 52, 0 Upset by not being a senior regular, Gill is probably on the way out of the side despite solid form last season. Anthony Grant [DM C, ENG, 178cm, 25] – 1, 14, 2 Had an impact after his ₤60K move to Nene Park, scoring a couple of good goals and definitely passing Gill in the fight for a central midfield spot. His good defensive and leadership abilities will make him valuable. Emil Hallfreðsson [AM L, ICE – 25 caps, 185cm, 28] – 0, 0, 0 A big signing, though he's spent the last few seasons in League Two with Carlisle after a ₤700K move. He performed well for Plymouth and spent a bit of time at Tottenham before that. Hallfreðsson has good ball skills and has superb team work skills. Vidar Helgerud [M C, NOR – 2 U21 caps, 184cm, 19] – 1, 14, 1 Despite his youth, Helgerud is looking like a real class midfielder. His passing skills are remarkable, and he will be our playmaker. I'll have to try not to overplay him due to his youth, but he will be a major presence when he is out there. Harry Kewell [AM LC, AUS – 49 caps, 181cm, 33] – 0, 0, 0 Signed on relatively low wages for a player of his stature, Kewell has struggled to get a game at West Brom over the last two seasons but has experience at Leeds and Liverpool. His pace has dropped away, but he still has plenty of class. Yan Klukowski [M RC, SCO, 186cm, 25] – 2, 45, 9 Again stepped up at a time when it looked like he would be badly outclassed. Though his skills are still terrible, blistering pace can get through any defence. English League Two Player of the Month, February 2011; English League One Player of the Month, February 2012 Gavin McCallum [AM RL, CAN – 17 caps, 176cm, 24] – 5, 106, 15 Like Anya, under pressure to hold his place, though he at least has the advantage of superior set piece ability. Conference Player of the Month, April 2008 Jody Morris [AM C, ENG – 7 U21 caps, 166cm, 33] – 1, 4, 0 Looked okay in a handful of games last season, but will struggle to get a regular role. Casey Owen [WB R, ENG, 180cm, 21] – 0, 0, 0 Oddly, a specialist in the right wing back position, which is a bit unfortunate since I don't play with a right back... He's a great passer and has a tremendous understanding of the game, but will have to play out of position if he is to get a game. Jimmy Phillips [AM R, ENG, 177cm, 21] – 1, 3, 0 A big disappointment last season, spending most of it in the reserves. With even more competition there, he'll struggle to get in. Forwards Graham Hart [sT, IRE – Capped at U19 level, 183cm, 21] – 1, 24, 12 A regular scorer last season, and we really missed his presence when he was injured. A crucial player this season. Lars Roland [AM L/ST, DEN, 181cm, 20] – 2, 13, 4 Again dominated the reserves, but this time failed to perform in the seniors. He will have to prove himself before breaking in again. Dean Stamp [sT, ENG, 182cm, 23] – 3, 80, 54 Was again our leading scorer, albeit thanks mostly to Hart's injury. He did actually have an 11-hour drought late in the season, but came back in spectacular fashion with back-to-back hat-tricks. He's demanding a huge pay increase, but won't get it, meaning a transfer may be my best bet. Conference Player of the Month, October 09; Supporters' Player of the Year 09/10, 11/12; English Players' League One Select 11/12 Mike Tobin [sT, AUS – 3 U21 caps, 178cm, 20] – 0, 0, 0 Just call me Terry. Well, I'm not going after Australians quite as much as Venables (or another English-based Australian coach from the mid-90s whose name escapes me for the moment), but after he put through a hat-trick in my Olympic Qualifiers side, I couldn't resist signing him. He is a goal machine at lower levels, with 25 goals in 33 games for Ayr, and even has two in two in the Championship with Norwich. One to watch. Lee Tomlin [sT, ENG, 183cm, 23] – 7, 114, 35 Hangs around the fringes of the side without ever really cementing a spot. The increased competition will make it even harder for him, so this could be a make-or-break year. Vitalijs Vilerush [sT, LAT – 3 caps, 186cm, 20] – 2, 28, 7 Scored a handful of goals, but not really enough for what we needed. Will have to fight for a spot. Overview Welcome to the new-era Rushden Four-figure wages and Championship/Premier Division experience are the features of most of our new players. This is definitely a transitional phase for the club as we look to progress from being a lower-league side to one that will play regularly with the big boys. I have a difficult balance to maintain, trying to get players already in the squad to show they are capable at this level while also bringing in new players who are experienced at this level without disrupting the squad. I'll have to make a lot of hard decisions on players regarding whether they are good enough to be regulars, as chopping and changing the side every week will completely throw us off, as it did in my first few years at the club. Even my assistant is telling me we have no chance of staying up, so this will be a tough year. First XI It's probably not a good sign when my first thought of a way to introduce my tactic is, “Don't laugh.” What I've decided on is, in Biggles' terminology, a “right wing low” formation. In other words, I'm playing with a right wing back and left attacking midfielder, with five midfielders, four defenders and a sole striker. I am not confident in my forward or defensive depth, but think we have plenty of quality midfielders. Hence, it makes sense to try and cover both weaknesses with our strength. Think of it as a filled rhombus – left attacking midfield, central attacking midfield, central midfield, central defensive midfield and right wing back. I'll look to clear the ball to the right, then switch play to the left for attacks. It's just so strange it may work...or blow up in my face. If it doesn't work, I'll probably go with a 4-5-1 with attacking and defensive midfielders, but we'll give this a go first. GK: Wayne Henderson RB: Glenn Wilson LB: Kelvin Lomax CB: Jon Ashton CB: Aaron Morgan WBR: Casey Owen DM: Anthony Grant CM: Vidar Helgerud AML: Gavin McCallum AMC: Harry Kewell CF: Graham Hart Sub: Aaron Beech Sub: Michael Bostwick Sub: Frankie Artus Sub: Ikechi Anya Sub: Dean Stamp Captain: Michael Bostwick Penalties: Dean Stamp, Harry Kewell, Aaron Morgan Free Kicks: (L) Dean Stamp, Kelvin Lomax; ® Gavin McCallum, Casey Owen Corners: (L) Gavin McCallum, Yan Klukowski; ® Kelvin Lomax, Glenn Wilson Throw Ins: (L) Ikechi Anya, Frankie Artus; ® Glenn Wilson, Frankie Artus Playmakers: Vidar Helgerud, Harry Kewell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 10, 2008 Author Share Posted August 10, 2008 August, 2012 Stoke, Championship, Away Stoke's manager tried to play mind games early, identifying Dean Stamp as the player who was the biggest threat, but that was unlikely to have much effect given he was on the bench. We lost McCallum to a training injury for the month, so Hallfreðsson got the chance to make his début, as did Henderson in goal, Kewell on the left wing and Owen at right back. 63 seconds. That's all it took for our first Championship goal. Hart stole the ball on the right wing and centred for Helgerud. He passed to the left corner of the area for Hallfreðsson, who put it past the keeper. Henderson made a couple of fine saves and though Stoke looked the better side, we had the half time lead. Stoke's multitude of chances made an equaliser inevitable, and they got it in the 60th. We looked to have scraped away with a point, but two minutes into injury time, Owen gave away a free which led to a Stoke goal. They deserved to win, but it was a shame to lose a point so close to the end. Watford, Championship, Home Owen, Wilson and Kewell took a break for this one, replaced by Lejeune, Callaghan and Artus respectively. Henderson took only ten minutes to concede this time, and did again in the 33rd. And the 39th. And the 40th. Stamp came off the bench and added a little bit of aggression, finally scoring in the 75th when a Morgan header set up a counter-attack. Still, 1-4 was a bad result. Cardiff, Championship, Away Bryant replaced Henderson in goal, and was given an early buffer when Hallfreðsson and Kewell combined to give Vilerush a 4th minute opener. We had much of the play and really should have walked out winners, but Cardiff scored in the 83rd and again the points went missing. I rejected a ₤2M bid from Leicester for Helgerud after the game. Southend, Championship, Home A harsh penalty against us was the last thing we needed, but thankfully Bryant saved it. Three minutes later though, he conceded a goal, leaving us down after only nine minutes. Another just after half time seemingly ended our game, but Kewell and Hallfreðsson continued to attack. The Icelandic international scored in the 62nd , but just couldn't do it all himself. Tobin and Koopman made solid debuts, but one point in four games is a worry. As has happened a few times, I got a bit of a surprise when a signing I'd aranged months earlier suddenly arrived. Kent Hansen [D L, DEN – 2 U21 Caps, 172cm, 20] – 0, 0, 0 Coming over after one season at Silkeborg, where he didn't play a senior game, Hansen looks a raw talent. He has good football sense and could be a decent attacking defender, but needs a bit more training and experience before becoming a regular. Wycombe, League Cup 1st round, Home Hansen got the chance to make his début and a few others got a rare run in this cup game. Artus put us ahead after two minutes and had a brace after five. He poached a third in the 35th, completing a first-half hat-trick. Mike Tobin unluckily had his first goal for the club ruled out, but thanks to Artus we easily progressed. Colchester, Championship, Away Kewell put Hart through early, but his shot was saved. We were the better side in the first half, but despite good set-ups from Kewell and Hallfreðsson, Hart couldn't break through. Lejeune, who was the subject of an inquiry from Chelsea, picked up two yellow cards in the 89th minute, but we held on for the point. We picked up the grand total of ₤1K as our 25% of Kyle Storer's move from Morton to Hereford. Two points in five games is not a great result for our first month in the Championship, though it isn't all doom and gloom. We have only really been totally outplayed once (against Watford), and could probably have picked up at least one win and another draw with some luck. Kewell and Wilson have been our most impressive players so far. Lejeune has struggled badly for someone attracting so much attention and Hart has failed to take advantage of good midfield work. Henderson's performance against Watford is a major concern, but he will get another go. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 10, 2008 Author Share Posted August 10, 2008 September, 2012 Huddersfield, Championship, Home We lost Owen, McCallum and Hallfreðsson to international duty and Lejeune to suspension, forcing a number of team changes. Wayne Henderson returned in goal. Huddersfield attacked relentlessly, but a centring ball from Artus gave Hart his first goal of the season late in the first half. Rushden had most of the play after that, and Henderson did not have to make a single save – Huddersfield missed a dozen shots. It took a bit of luck, but it was our first win in the Championship. Doncaster, Championship, Away Doncaster had the early play and scored after 14 minutes. A second was disallowed mid-way through the first half, but they got another a few minutes later that stood. Two more on either side of the break meant Henderson had conceded four for the second time already this season. Coventry, Championship, Away Bryant came back and had to make a few early saves. Hallfreðsson went off injured in the first half, costing us a good deal of attacking flair. Bryant did well to hold out for most of the game, but Koopman conceded a penalty in the 67th that wound up costing us the game. AUSTRALIA vs YEMEN, World Cup Qualifiers (Asia), 2nd round Group 4, Home Australia 4 (McDonald 13, 14; Cahill 17; Kennedy 55) d. Yemen 0 Brentford, Championship, Home Gavin McCallum came in for his first game of the season as a lucky deflection left Harry Kewell with a simple finish to score in the 8th. Brentford equalised eight minutes later and scored again in the 41st. Frankie Artus stole the ball from a Brenford midfielder and went all the way to the area to score a great solo effort. That was enough for a point in our first televised match of the season. Woking, League Cup 2nd round, Away Our League Two opposition gave me a chance to rest a few regulars, and like our previous Cup game, Frankie Artus put us on the board. Klukowski scored in the final moments of the game, and though 2-0 was a solid win, it should have been a lot more. Hart was badly off target, and has been a major disappointment so far. Artus used his good recent form to demand a new contract with wage demands five times his current amount. Norwich, Championship, Home Having just complained about Hart, he scored with a powerful volley nine minutes into this game – albeit mostly thanks to a brilliant long ball from Owen. Kewell created many chances, including a cross to Klukowski which was headed just wide. Klukowski dominated the second half, but just three minutes from time Norwich scored a dubious-looking goal. We deserved the three points, and were again left frustrated. Artus was put out for the next couple of months with a dislocated shoulder. Oldham, Championship, Away Oldham controlled the first half and led 0-1 at half time. It wasn't until the final 25 minutes that Rushden finally woke up and started playing some attacking football. Hallfreðsson and Kewell initiated a number of attacks, but it took a long pass from Hansen to set up Helgerud for an equaliser. It's still hard to get a feel for how we're going. It's almost a quarter of the way through the season, but there's only four points between 16th and 24th. We're sitting in 20th, but with a little bit of luck could be towards the middle of the table. It's getting to a point where I'm going to start dropping players to the reserves, so the next few games will determine the fate of a number of players. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 10, 2008 Author Share Posted August 10, 2008 October, 2012 The expansion of Nene Park was finally completed, adding an additional 1,273 seats. That took us to a still-tiny 7,714 (5,914 seated), but since we've only been able to fit in under 6,000 this season, that is a bit of an improvement. Wigan, Championship, Home A series of free kicks given away by Ashton and Koopman gave Wigan plenty of early chances in front of a record Nene Park crowd of 7,699. Bryant held them off, and we looked to have taken the lead when Hart hit the back of the net, only to have it disallowed. Wigan scored in the 29th and sealed it in second half injury time. Sheffield United, Championship, Away Vilerush was forced off with an injury just seven minutes in. We had no attacking flair and conceded in the 20th. An interception from Helgerud just a few minutes into the second half saw Kewell hit the ball ahead for Hart, Vilerush's replacement, and he put it through. Bryant did well to keep out a few shots, but the task got harder when Owen was sent off late in the game. Almost all the Sheffield players came forward for the free, which was hit straight at Aaron Beech. He smashed it forward 50 yards before Sheffield had a chance to react, and Hart was suddenly one-on-one with the keeper. He scored his second of the game, and the final whistle blew moments later. Our second win of the season. AUSTRALIA vs HONG KONG, World Cup Qualifiers (Asia), 2nd round Group 4, Away Australia 2 (Burns 26, 34) d. Hong Kong 0 Burnley, Championship, Home Burnley went ahead after just 90 seconds and made it two from two shots later in the half. Bryant managed a few saves in the second half but also let through a third goal. A bad result. It was time to bite the bullet, and I switched to a conventional 4-4-1-1 formation. Lomax, Stamp, Callaghan and Hansen were sent down to the reserves. Coming up were Stewart Devine and David Greenwood – who had 17 goals in 9 games. Stoke, League Cup 3rd round, Home At least there was some improvement – it took 24 minutes before we went behind. Unlike the previous game, we didn't totally give up. Kewell, Grant and Anya missed shots, Tobin had a few saved and we were knocked out of the League Cup. Hull, Championship, Home This time, we didn't need to concede a goal before waking up. We attacked early, and in the 12th David Greenwood sent a perfect pass across the goal to the charging Kewell for our opener. Kewell scored again from the spot in the 27th and when he had a shot saved in the 53rd, Greenwood was left with a tap-in. Henderson kept a rare clean sheet as the 3-0 win saw us jump from 23rd to 19th. Charlton, Championship, Away A fairly promising first few minutes against the second-placed side were wiped out by a two-goal burst early in the first half from Charlton. We actually played quite well overall, but had our chances of a comeback dented by a red card to Klukowski just after the break. Hart came off the bench and scored a late goal, but a second was out of reach. Three months in, and we're looking a bit more stable at least. I was a little reluctant to dump my rhombus formation, but really, it was mostly designed for Owen, and you can't put the side out for just one player. My signings have been far less impressive than previous seasons, with Henderson leaking goals, Hallfreðsson having little impact, Hansen and Callaghan dropped and Dyer yet to play a senior game. Koopman is finally settling in after a slow start and Kewell has been excellent, but I normally do a lot better in this regard. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Southend | | 16 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 27 | 14 | +13 | 36 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Charlton | | 16 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 35 | 17 | +18 | 35 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Cardiff | | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 16 | +11 | 33 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Everton | | 16 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 33 | 15 | +18 | 31 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Norwich | | 16 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 30 | 21 | +9 | 29 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Leicester | | 16 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 32 | 16 | +16 | 27 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Doncaster | | 16 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 26 | 17 | +9 | 27 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Hull | | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 18 | 13 | +5 | 26 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | West Brom | | 16 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 17 | +2 | 25 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Coventry | | 16 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 18 | 16 | +2 | 25 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Burnley | | 16 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 15 | +2 | 24 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Stoke | | 16 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 15 | 13 | +2 | 23 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Portsmouth | | 16 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 22 | 21 | +1 | 22 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Sheff Utd | | 16 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 21 | 25 | -4 | 22 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Brentford | | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 23 | -3 | 20 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Wigan | | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 26 | -6 | 20 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Q.P.R. | | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 26 | 39 | -13 | 16 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Watford | | 16 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 15 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Bristol City | | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 15 | 25 | -10 | 14 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Rushden | | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 15 | 26 | -11 | 14 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Colchester | | 16 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 18 | 31 | -13 | 13 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | | Oldham | | 16 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 23 | 33 | -10 | 12 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | | Bradford | | 16 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 12 | 29 | -17 | 11 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | | Huddersfield | | 16 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 16 | 37 | -21 | 9 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 10, 2008 Author Share Posted August 10, 2008 November, 2012 Everton, Championship, Home In a nice little bit of irony, one of my star Australian players, Tim Cahill, put Everton ahead after only four minutes. Playing on the wing, Owen got forward in the 24th and was in perfect position to take a 50-yard ball from recently promoted reserve player Stewart Devine, levelling the scores. Cahill put us behind again ten minutes later. Rushden actually looked a chance to get back into it for a while, but an own goal from Beech was followed by a fourth to Everton. Glenn Wilson was then sent off for a second yellow. Somehow we weren't finished yet, with Hallfreðsson coming off the bench and scoring from an impossible angle...and then heading in a free from McCallum in the 83rd. All of a sudden, despite being a man down, we were 3-4. That was, unfortunately, as close as we could get, but it was a hell of an effort against a promotion favourite. QPR, Championship, Home We were missing a few players for this, with Klukowski and Wilson suspended, Hart on international duty and Artus still out injured. Rushden had the first few attacks, yet conceded to QPR's first foray forward. A corner from McCallum was headed in by Koopman to leave us level at half time. QPR pulled ahead again in the 60th and sealed with two more in the final ten minutes. AUSTRALIA vs JORDAN, World Cup Qualifiers (Asia), 2nd round Group 4, Away Australia 3 (Cahill 4; McDonald 66, 68) d. Jordan 1 (22) Leicester, Championship, Away Despite the early loss of Koopman to injury, we dominated the opening minutes and really should have scored. Kewell and Greenwood both missed shots and Owen had a header saved. Leicester scored totally against the run of play just after half time and again before the final whistle, leaving us with an unfair 0-2 result. QPR, Championship, Home Having lost every game this month, things were starting to get a little desperate. Losing Owen and McCallum to injury made things even worse, but a pass from Klukowski set up Mike Tobin for his first Rushden goal. Bristol scored a few minutes into the second half and scored from a clear onside with just two minutes to go. We were robbed of a point, and our losing streak continued. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 11, 2008 Author Share Posted August 11, 2008 December, 2012 Bradford, Championship, Away December got off to a dram start, with a cross from McCallum punched straight to Michael Bostwick for a goal after 90 seconds. Bradford had a goal ruled out a few minutes later, but their strike in the 61st stood, levelling the scores. Anya replaced Kewell as attacking midfielder with 20 minutes to go, and in the 84th sent a cross into the area. Hart got between two defenders and somehow found the time to turn and score. As injury time reached the third minute, the three points looked sewn up. Naturally, that was the cue for Bradford to break down the left and send a cross in. The resulting shot was parried by Henderson straight to a striker. A 93rd minuet equaliser to Bradford, and we didn't even have time to kick off. West Brom, Championship, Away Another great start, this time a perfect break from Hart and great pass from Bostwick for a second minute lead. This time, though, we followed up with Helgerud heading in an Owen cross in the 12th. West Ham scored in the 27th but Devine prevented a second by clearing off the line. Bryant and Beech did brilliantly to hold off attack after attack in the second half, but a free from just outside the area in the 84th gave them a second. Surely we weren't going to be robbed of points yet again. A throng of Rushden players charged forward straight from the kick-off. Hallfreðsson got into the area and fired in a shot which was parried straight back to him. He was dispossessed, but Ikechi Anya was there to collect the ball and hit it in. At last we held on for the 3-2 win. Stoke, Championship, Home Kieron Dyer came up to make his début with Artus, Klukowski and Grant out, but could only watch as we conceded a goal within five minutes. The closest we came was a few frees from McCallum which were saved. Watford , Championship, Away We conceded four goals the last time we played Watford, and were one down after only ten minutes here. Helgerud took it upon himself to turn things around, and after having a long curling shot saved, he ran to the edge of the area and set up Anya in the 60th. Watford took only a few minutes to hit back and regain the lead. 1-2 was the finish. Portsmouth, Championship, Home Our injury list continued to grow, with Wilson and Hallfreðsson out for the month, joining Grant, Devine, McCallum and Vilerush on the sidelines. The only good news was that Frankie Artus returned. In the 12th, Jon Ashton put David Greenwood through with a long pass. The striker ran straight into the keeper, but there to collect the loose ball was Kieron Dyer, who slotted through his first for Rushden. Though the game was quite even, Portsmouth eventually scored an equaliser in the 63rd. Bryant did well to keep out another, and Owen took the ball forward on the rebound. His sharp pass across the pitch reached Anya, who spun and centred the ball for Harry Kewell. The veteran made no mistake and doubled his tally in the final minute. 3-1. Cardiff, Championship, Home We fell behind after only seven minutes, but a header from Dyer into the area gave Hart a 17th minute equaliser. Five minutes later, Cardiff were back ahead and after half an hour it was 1-3. The game was pretty even after that, but we failed to score even once. Southend, Championship, Away Yet again we conceded an early goal, and were 0-2 down after a dozen minutes. A few wild shots were the best we could manage. Our first six months in the Championship have been less than impressive, but probably not too surprising. A hat-trick of promotions will inevitably leave you with a lot of deadwood, and quite a few players are being exposed at the higher level. Furthermore, my signings have not has as much impact as they have in the past, which has really left us with a few glaring deficiencies. Survival is certainly possible, but I honestly don't think relegation will be such a bad result. Either way, it will give me time to build the squad, it's just one way we'd spend a season cruising at the top of League One, and the other we'd be fighting towards the bottom of the Championship. I managed to re-sign Jon Ashton, but the other players with expiring contracts will prove more difficult with the likes of Bostwick, Stamp and McCallum demanding big wage rises. Money will certainly not be an issue though – just before the end of the year, I agreed to sell Stanislas Lejeune to Aston Villa for ₤2.4M. While he looks talented, he hadn't done especially well this season, and I have plenty of full backs already around. With the side struggling at the moment, I'd rather focus on players who are already ready to play rather than trying to develop a 19-year-old like Lejeune. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Everton | | 27 | 18 | 3 | 6 | 56 | 27 | +29 | 57 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Cardiff | | 27 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 46 | 31 | +15 | 54 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Southend | | 27 | 16 | 4 | 7 | 44 | 27 | +17 | 52 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Leicester | | 27 | 13 | 10 | 4 | 54 | 28 | +26 | 49 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Charlton | | 27 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 55 | 33 | +22 | 49 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Doncaster | | 27 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 48 | 41 | +7 | 43 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Norwich | | 27 | 12 | 5 | 10 | 44 | 37 | +7 | 41 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Q.P.R. | | 27 | 12 | 5 | 10 | 48 | 54 | -6 | 41 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Stoke | | 27 | 9 | 13 | 5 | 27 | 23 | +4 | 40 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Brentford | | 27 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 44 | 39 | +5 | 39 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Burnley | | 27 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 29 | 28 | +1 | 39 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | West Brom | | 27 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 39 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Hull | | 27 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 34 | 31 | +3 | 37 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Coventry | | 27 | 11 | 4 | 12 | 27 | 28 | -1 | 37 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Sheff Utd | | 27 | 11 | 2 | 14 | 40 | 46 | -6 | 35 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Colchester | | 27 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 41 | 49 | -8 | 34 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Wigan | | 27 | 9 | 6 | 12 | 38 | 49 | -11 | 33 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Portsmouth | | 27 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 38 | 43 | -5 | 32 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Watford | | 27 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 41 | 44 | -3 | 28 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Bristol City | | 27 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 32 | 44 | -12 | 26 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Oldham | | 27 | 6 | 7 | 14 | 43 | 54 | -11 | 25 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | | Rushden | | 27 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 30 | 51 | -21 | 21 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | | Huddersfield | | 27 | 6 | 3 | 18 | 32 | 56 | -24 | 21 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | | Bradford | | 27 | 5 | 4 | 18 | 23 | 51 | -28 | 19 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 11, 2008 Author Share Posted August 11, 2008 January, 2013 Colchester, Championship, Home Paris Cowan-Hall and Dean Stamp came up after fine form in the reserves. The match went back-and-forth, and seemed set for a draw until a harsh penalty call against Ashton in the 69th. However, Bryant pulled off a fine save, and kept out several more shots in a Man of the Match performance to get us a point. West Ham, FA Cup 3rd round, Home Just our luck to draw a Premiership side... Surprisingly, it was Rushden with the early attacks, and when Cowan-Hall crossed into the box in the 20th, Casey Owen was there to head it home. The Hammers scored against the run of play in the 24th, but a free from Dyer set up Helgerud to put us back ahead just before the break. It only took 19 seconds of play in the second half for West Ham to again regain parity, but they had Australia's Lucas Neill sent off a few minutes later. This time, we could not take advantage of our chances despite a number of shots from Kewell, Cowan-Hall and Hart, and had to settle for a 2-2 draw. I made a signing after the game, the first of several diverse new players signed up with thanks to knowledge gained from my international job and the club's link with Notts County, which has a great deal of knowledge of Sierra Leone through manager Leroy Rosenior. Constantin Petre [D C, ROM, 176cm, 20] – 0, 0, 0 A solid defender from Romania, signed on a three-year deal. He already has good defensive skills but will be given time to adapt to England before being brought up to the seniors. Huddersfield, Championship, Away Given that Huddersfield are one of the few sides we've beaten, this was a fine chance to grab three points. However, we went a goal behind after 28 minutes from what turned out to be their only on-target. That was still better than we managed. West Ham, FA Cup 3rd round replay, Away In contrast to our previous meeting, West Ham dominated from the start and soon took the lead. It was 0-3 by half time. Stamp got a late consolation only to see West Ham make it 1-4 in the final moments. Doncaster, Championship, Home Having slipped to second-last, any points we could eke out would be valuable. We came up against former Rushden striker Lee Watts, on loan from Leeds. They scored moments before the half time whistle and with Hart missing everything and Cowan-Hall sent off, we lost 1-2 – scoring only through a 30-yard free from substitute Stamp. Brentford, Championship, Away With a goal in each of the last two games, Dean Stamp got the chance to start. Australia's Jay Lucas put Brentford ahead mid-way through the first half. Rushden rarely looked like scoring until a free kick from Lomax in the 81st took a big deflection off the wall and beat the keeper. A valuable point from a game we nearly lost. Stamp was put out for a month with a hamstring injury. With the side sitting on the bottom of the table, I made another signing. Beno Jenes [DWB RL, SLV – 7 caps, 177cm, 24] – 0, 0, 0 Signed by Blackburn after strong form with Maribor, but released after only a few months with no senior games. Jenes is strong defensively, reads the play well and could set up a few moves. He will rotate through the senior side. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Everton | | 31 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 60 | 30 | +30 | 63 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Leicester | | 31 | 17 | 10 | 4 | 64 | 32 | +32 | 61 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Cardiff | | 31 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 50 | 36 | +14 | 58 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Southend | | 31 | 17 | 5 | 9 | 50 | 38 | +12 | 56 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Charlton | | 31 | 16 | 7 | 8 | 63 | 39 | +24 | 55 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Doncaster | | 31 | 15 | 8 | 8 | 55 | 43 | +12 | 53 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Norwich | | 31 | 15 | 5 | 11 | 53 | 41 | +12 | 50 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | West Brom | | 31 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 40 | 35 | +5 | 49 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Coventry | | 31 | 14 | 4 | 13 | 33 | 30 | +3 | 46 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Hull | | 31 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 40 | 35 | +5 | 44 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Q.P.R. | | 31 | 13 | 5 | 13 | 54 | 63 | -9 | 44 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Stoke | | 31 | 10 | 13 | 8 | 29 | 27 | +2 | 43 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Brentford | | 31 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 49 | 46 | +3 | 42 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Burnley | | 31 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 42 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Portsmouth | | 31 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 45 | 49 | -4 | 39 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Colchester | | 31 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 45 | 53 | -8 | 39 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Wigan | | 31 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 44 | 54 | -10 | 38 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Sheff Utd | | 31 | 12 | 2 | 17 | 43 | 54 | -11 | 38 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Watford | | 31 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 51 | 52 | -1 | 34 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Oldham | | 31 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 45 | 61 | -16 | 29 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Bristol City | | 31 | 6 | 8 | 17 | 34 | 53 | -19 | 26 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | | Huddersfield | | 31 | 7 | 5 | 19 | 34 | 59 | -25 | 26 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | | Bradford | | 31 | 7 | 4 | 20 | 25 | 53 | -28 | 25 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | | Rushden | | 31 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 32 | 55 | -23 | 23 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 11, 2008 Author Share Posted August 11, 2008 February, 2013 Coventry, Championship, Home Beno Jenes made his début in this game. Rushden were surprisingly the aggressors in the first half, yet not only did we fail to score, Clive Owen was sent off in injury time. Chris Kirkland was unbeatable in Coventry's goal, making no less than eight saves. Still, at least we got a point from our dominant performance, right? Well, that's what it looked like when it was still 0-0 two minutes into second half injury time. Naturally, Coventry then scored despite a clear offside. Not even one lousy point. Wigan, Championship, Away A pretty uneventful first half finished scoreless. Klukowski's ripping 30-yard free made it into the corner of the net in the 69th and for once we didn't concede in injury time. A much-needed win. AUSTRALIA vs UZBEKISTAN, World Cup Qualifiers (Asia), 3rd round Group A, Away Australia 3 (Griffiths 8; Cahill 36, 49 – pen) d. Uzbekistan 0 Oldham, Championship, Home Our season suffered yet another blow with Harry Kewell out for two months with a broken collarbone. A win here against a fellow relegation candidate would be crucial, but instead we conceded a goal mid-way through the first half. Hart missed numerous chances before Klukowski again came to the rescue with a free from just outside the area in the 62nd.. Wilson nearly cost us a point with a terrible backpass, but Henderson made the save and we at least got something from the game. Sheffield United, Championship, Home Anthony Grant finally returned from his groin injury, and opened the scoring in the 9th after a neat cross across the area from Artus. Hart hit the woodwork with a free but Klukowski sealed it with his third in as many games. Norwich, Championship, Away Gavin McCallum was another to return from injury. He did not have the same impact as Grant, and with Hart again missing repeatedly, Norwich got the win with three second half goals. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Everton | | 36 | 23 | 6 | 7 | 75 | 36 | +39 | 75 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Leicester | | 36 | 20 | 11 | 5 | 76 | 37 | +39 | 71 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Charlton | | 36 | 20 | 8 | 8 | 73 | 43 | +30 | 68 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Cardiff | | 36 | 18 | 11 | 7 | 56 | 41 | +15 | 65 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | West Brom | | 36 | 17 | 9 | 10 | 47 | 37 | +10 | 60 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Southend | | 36 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 55 | 47 | +8 | 60 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Norwich | | 36 | 16 | 6 | 14 | 58 | 49 | +9 | 54 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Doncaster | | 36 | 15 | 8 | 13 | 59 | 55 | +4 | 53 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Q.P.R. | | 36 | 16 | 5 | 15 | 61 | 69 | -8 | 53 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Burnley | | 36 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 41 | 36 | +5 | 52 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Hull | | 36 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 46 | 39 | +7 | 49 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Brentford | | 36 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 57 | 54 | +3 | 49 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Stoke | | 36 | 11 | 16 | 9 | 32 | 31 | +1 | 49 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Coventry | | 36 | 15 | 4 | 17 | 37 | 41 | -4 | 49 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Portsmouth | | 35 | 11 | 14 | 10 | 51 | 53 | -2 | 47 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Colchester | | 36 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 54 | 63 | -9 | 45 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Wigan | | 36 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 46 | 58 | -12 | 44 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Sheff Utd | | 36 | 13 | 2 | 21 | 47 | 66 | -19 | 41 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Bristol City | | 36 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 46 | 60 | -14 | 39 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Watford | | 35 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 55 | 61 | -6 | 38 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Oldham | | 36 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 50 | 70 | -20 | 34 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | | Bradford | | 36 | 9 | 5 | 22 | 39 | 62 | -23 | 32 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | | Rushden | | 36 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 36 | 60 | -24 | 30 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | | Huddersfield | | 36 | 8 | 6 | 22 | 40 | 69 | -29 | 30 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 11, 2008 Author Share Posted August 11, 2008 March, 2013 Burnley, Championship, Home A forgotten man of the side, Vitalijs Vilerush, returned to replace the out-of-sorts Hart. Burnley scored deep into first half injury time and got another in the second half. Another of my diverse January signings arrived. François Guichard [D C, SWI, 185cm, 19] – 0, 0, 0 A long-term prospect from Aarau, Guichard is a big player who reads the game well. Glenn Wilson will mentor him. Charlton, Championship, Home David Greenwood returned to the seniors after his usual stunning reserve form. Again though, it was Klukowski with a goal thanks to a cross from Jimmy Phillips, also promoted. As so often happens, we conceded in injury time. Wilson took a free in the 53rd, sending it into the area where Klukowski continued his incredible scoring run with his second. That gave us the lead against the 2nd placed side, with 20 minutes to go. As expected, Charlton came forward in injury time, but they missed a last-minute shot as we picked up the three points. Charlton manager Alan Curbishley suggested we could avoid the drop, but I'm not convinced. Everton, Championship, Away After just beating the second-placed side, we faced the league leaders. Klukowski missed an early header and they took the lead. Rushden's wall deflected in a second in the 35th and though a third to Everton was answered by Hallfreðsson, they soon made it 1-4. AUSTRALIA vs IRAN, World Cup Qualifiers (Asia), 3rd round Group A, Away Australia 0 lost to Iran 2 (46 – pen, 53) West Brom, Championship, Home Another promotion-challenging opponent. Grant and Klukowski had a few shots in a first half dominated by Rushden The second half was much the same, and though we dodged a bullet with a West Brom goal ruled out, we should have done a lot better than 0-0 given we had 11 shots to 4. With only six games to go, relegation looks a very real possibility. We are still quite a few points short of safety with Kewell remaining on the sidelines and the strikers out of form. I also look set to lose a lot of players and at least a few coaches, so the next month could be a real mess. The only good news is that I signed a new four-year deal with Rushden. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Pl | Everton | | 41 | 26 | 7 | 8 | 87 | 42 | +45 | 85 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Pl | Charlton | | 41 | 24 | 8 | 9 | 85 | 48 | +37 | 80 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Leicester | | 41 | 22 | 12 | 7 | 86 | 46 | +40 | 78 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Cardiff | | 41 | 20 | 12 | 9 | 61 | 46 | +15 | 72 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | West Brom | | 41 | 18 | 12 | 11 | 52 | 42 | +10 | 66 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Southend | | 41 | 20 | 6 | 15 | 62 | 54 | +8 | 66 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Q.P.R. | | 41 | 19 | 6 | 16 | 67 | 73 | -6 | 63 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Doncaster | | 41 | 18 | 8 | 15 | 63 | 60 | +3 | 62 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Brentford | | 41 | 16 | 13 | 12 | 67 | 61 | +6 | 61 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Burnley | | 41 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 45 | 41 | +4 | 57 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Coventry | | 41 | 17 | 6 | 18 | 50 | 50 | 0 | 57 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Portsmouth | | 41 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 63 | 64 | -1 | 57 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Norwich | | 41 | 16 | 6 | 19 | 63 | 62 | +1 | 54 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Stoke | | 41 | 12 | 18 | 11 | 36 | 36 | 0 | 54 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Watford | | 41 | 14 | 11 | 16 | 68 | 69 | -1 | 53 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Hull | | 40 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 52 | 49 | +3 | 52 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Colchester | | 41 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 62 | 72 | -10 | 52 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Wigan | | 41 | 13 | 9 | 19 | 50 | 67 | -17 | 48 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Bristol City | | 41 | 12 | 10 | 19 | 54 | 68 | -14 | 46 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Oldham | | 41 | 12 | 10 | 19 | 59 | 74 | -15 | 46 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Sheff Utd | | 41 | 13 | 4 | 24 | 54 | 79 | -25 | 43 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | | Bradford | | 41 | 11 | 5 | 25 | 49 | 72 | -23 | 38 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | | Rushden | | 40 | 8 | 10 | 22 | 39 | 67 | -28 | 34 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | | Huddersfield | | 41 | 8 | 8 | 25 | 47 | 79 | -32 | 32 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 11, 2008 Author Share Posted August 11, 2008 April, 2013 QPR, Championship, Away Yet another top-10 side, and we fell behind in the 12th. A cross from McCallum gave Greenwood a rare senior goal in the 17th . QPR regained the lead before half time but we weren't done yet – Phillips crossed to Klukowski for our second equaliser. Beech had a free in the centre circle in the 90th minute. He sent it to the right hand corner of the area, where Phillips headed it into the box. There to meet it was David Greenwood, with his second goal of the game. 3-2, and three vital points for Rushden. AUSTRALIA vs SAUDI ARABIA, World Cup Qualifiers (Asia), 3rd round Group A, Away Australia 2 (Williams 5; Wilkshire 83 – pen) drew Saudi Arabia 2 (3, 35) Leicester, Championship, Home A poor header from Casey Owen gave Leicester a simple goal and a second later in the game sealed it. Hull, Championship, Away This game would bring us level on matches played with the sides around us. We had our chances to score, but poor finishing from Greenwood and a few saves of Helgerud's efforts meant we only came away with a point. With three games to go, we are three points behind 22nd placed Bradford and six behind Sheffield United in 21st. Bristol City, Championship, Away Harry Kewell finally returned from a broken collarbone, but was it too late? Bristol scored a minute into first half injury time to ensure our relegation. Bradford, Championship, Home Nothing to tell here, a simple 0-1 loss. I released Jody Morris by mutual consent after the game. Portsmouth, Championship, Away 1-1 this time, with a late equaliser from Stamp. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 11, 2008 Author Share Posted August 11, 2008 The season in review Summary | Pkd | Inf | Name | Apps | Gls | Ast | MoM | Pas | Tck | Drb | Sh T | Av Rat| | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Aaron Beech | 35 (2) | - | 2 | 2 | 66% | 4.08 | 0.23 | - | 7.00 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Levi Koopman | 34 | 1 | - | 4 | 62% | 4.78 | 0.40 | - | 7.12 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Tut | Glenn Wilson | 33 | - | 2 | 1 | 67% | 3.28 | 0.50 | - | 6.82 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Harry Kewell | 32 (1) | 5 | 3 | 3 | 76% | 0.67 | 1.43 | 40% | 6.97 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Vidar Helgerud | 31 (2) | 3 | 4 | - | 76% | 2.12 | 0.26 | 36% | 6.79 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Casey Owen | 30 (3) | 2 | 3 | 1 | 66% | 2.28 | 1.87 | 35% | 6.97 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Wayne Henderson | 30 | - | - | 2 | 54% | - | - | - | 6.83 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Michael Bostwick | 28 (2) | 1 | 1 | - | 69% | 2.85 | 0.21 | 28% | 6.90 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Emil Hallfreðsson | 27 (2) | 5 | 2 | - | 67% | 1.01 | 2.69 | 51% | 6.86 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Unh | Frankie Artus | 25 (1) | 5 | 3 | 2 | 74% | 1.33 | 1.63 | 44% | 7.08 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Graham Hart | 24 (4) | 8 | - | 1 | 65% | 0.25 | 1.72 | 43% | 6.64 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Yan Klukowski | 22 (5) | 7 | 4 | 3 | 71% | 2.27 | 0.96 | 30% | 7.19 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Anthony Grant | 21 | 1 | - | - | 72% | 1.71 | 0.14 | 30% | 6.86 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Unh | Alex Bryant | 21 | - | 1 | 2 | 45% | - | - | - | 6.76 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Jon Ashton | 19 (1) | - | 2 | - | 67% | 2.86 | 0.42 | - | 6.90 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Aaron Morgan | 17 (1) | - | 1 | - | 69% | 3.47 | 0.11 | - | 6.94 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Stewart Devine | 14 | - | 1 | - | 70% | 3.36 | 0.71 | - | 6.64 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Gavin McCallum | 13 (1) | - | 3 | - | 73% | 1.53 | 1.93 | 31% | 7.00 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | David Greenwood | 13 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 69% | 0.33 | 1.49 | 37% | 6.85 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Kieron Dyer | 12 (1) | 1 | 2 | - | 68% | 1.57 | 0.25 | - | 6.92 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Ikechi Anya | 11 (13) | 2 | 4 | - | 70% | 1.05 | 1.75 | 33% | 6.79 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Kelvin Lomax | 8 (1) | 1 | - | - | 67% | 2.46 | 0.49 | - | 6.67 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Beno Jenes | 8 | - | - | - | 73% | 3.63 | 0.50 | - | 6.75 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Kent Hansen | 7 | - | 1 | - | 70% | 3.57 | 0.43 | - | 6.71 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Unh | Jimmy Phillips | 7 | - | 3 | - | 62% | 1.03 | 2.35 | - | 6.86 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Slt | Barry Callaghan | 7 | - | - | - | 60% | 3.57 | 0.29 | - | 6.57 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Dean Stamp | 6 (6) | 4 | 1 | - | 61% | 0.60 | 2.24 | 56% | 6.75 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Vitalijs Vilerush | 5 | 1 | 1 | - | 65% | 0.51 | 1.26 | 40% | 6.60 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Mike Tobin | 4 (4) | 1 | 2 | - | 70% | - | 0.97 | 33% | 6.50 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Paris Cowan-Hall | 4 | - | 1 | - | 68% | 1.54 | 2.31 | - | 6.50 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | Leicester | | 46 | 26 | 13 | 7 | 95 | 49 | +46 | 91 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | P | Charlton | | 46 | 27 | 8 | 11 | 95 | 52 | +43 | 89 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Everton | | 46 | 26 | 10 | 10 | 89 | 46 | +43 | 88 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | P | Cardiff | | 46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 66 | 49 | +17 | 80 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Southend | | 46 | 24 | 7 | 15 | 72 | 59 | +13 | 79 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | West Brom | | 46 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 62 | 50 | +12 | 73 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Brentford | | 46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 75 | 65 | +10 | 72 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Doncaster | | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 70 | 66 | +4 | 69 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Q.P.R. | | 46 | 20 | 6 | 20 | 72 | 90 | -18 | 66 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Portsmouth | | 46 | 15 | 19 | 12 | 72 | 69 | +3 | 64 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Norwich | | 46 | 19 | 6 | 21 | 72 | 67 | +5 | 63 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Watford | | 46 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 77 | 76 | +1 | 63 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Hull | | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 60 | 54 | +6 | 62 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Burnley | | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 49 | 47 | +2 | 61 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Coventry | | 46 | 18 | 7 | 21 | 57 | 59 | -2 | 61 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Stoke | | 46 | 13 | 18 | 15 | 39 | 45 | -6 | 57 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Wigan | | 46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 54 | 71 | -17 | 56 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Colchester | | 46 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 66 | 82 | -16 | 55 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Bristol City | | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 58 | 74 | -16 | 51 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Oldham | | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 65 | 82 | -17 | 51 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Bradford | | 46 | 15 | 5 | 26 | 55 | 75 | -20 | 50 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | R | Sheff Utd | | 46 | 14 | 5 | 27 | 63 | 90 | -27 | 47 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | R | Rushden | | 46 | 9 | 12 | 25 | 43 | 74 | -31 | 39 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | R | Huddersfield | | 46 | 9 | 9 | 28 | 51 | 86 | -35 | 36 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| After a hat-trick of promotions, the fairy tale had to end somewhere. Though relegation is normally a terrible thing, I really don't think it will hurt at all. My job is not under threat thanks to the previous three seasons, and we are certainly in no financial difficulty. Whether we stayed in the Championship or not, I would have had to overhaul the squad. This way, I can give a few younger players a run without having to constantly worry about survival. When looking for reasons for our disappointing finish, the strikers are an obvious target. Admittedly, I only played one on the pitch at a time, but having a midfielder (Klukowski) as the leading scorer is a bad sign. Hart was a major flop this season from a player who looks capable of so much more. Both Bryant and Henderson leaked goals at times. I don't think tactics are wholly to blame – indeed, I think we did better with the rhombus formation than a more conventional one. It was just a case of the squad being caught out by too many unexpected promotions. The Reserves once again dominated their league, winning 31 of 34 games and scoring 138 goals – 61 more than the next best! Greenwood got 31 in 18, Tobin 13, Tomlin 15 and Stamp 19.Bolt, Cowan-Hall, Phillips, Hansen and Devine were among the stars. Around the world: major awards and results Rushden Supporters’ Player of the Year: Harry Kewell World Player of the Year: Carlos Vella (Arsenal) World Footballer of the year: Fernando Torres (Man U) England: Winner: Arsenal Relegated: Reading, Ipswich, Southampton Promoted: Leicester, Charlton, Cardiff Spain: Real Madrid Italy Inter Champions Cup: Sporting CP EURO Cup: Real Madrid Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 11, 2008 Author Share Posted August 11, 2008 The Transfers Players In | Date | Person | From | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2012 | Callaghan, Barry | Dundee Utd | £3K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2012 | Tobin, Mike | Norwich | £4K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2012 | Owen, Casey | Dundee | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2012 | Kewell, Harry | West Brom | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2012 | Koopman, Levi | Cartagena | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3.7.2012 | Dyer, Kieron | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10.7.2012 | Hallfreðsson, Emil | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16.7.2012 | Henderson, Wayne | Wolves | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.8.2012 | Hansen, Kent | Silkeborg | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6.1.2013 | Petre, Constantin | Ceahlãul | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 31.1.2013 | Jenes, Beno | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4.3.2013 | Guichard, François | Aarau | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £7K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Players Out | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2012 | Knights, Darryl | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2012 | Gardner, Scott | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2012 | Walmsley, Keiran | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2012 | Murray, Fred | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2012 | Thomas, Iain | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2012 | Harrison, Gary | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2012 | Whittaker, Brian | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2012 | Booth, Ricky | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2012 | Heath, John | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2013 | Lejeune, Stanislas | Aston Villa | £2.4M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6.5.2013 | Morris, Jody | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £2.4M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Loans Out | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 28.7.2012 | Roland, Lars | Notts Co | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 28.7.2012 | McCraw, James | Notts Co | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 29.7.2012 | Oja, Ahti | Notts Co | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.11.2012 | McGhee, Jamie | Notts Co | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Promoted Youth | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.6.2012 | Farley, Alan | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.6.2012 | Nurse, Chris | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.6.2012 | McDonald, Carlos | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.6.2012 | Welsh, Rene | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.6.2012 | Cunningham, Wes | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.6.2012 | Todd, Scott | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Certainly a much worse season than usual for moves. Though Harry Kewell was the Supporters' Player of the Year and Owen, Koopman, Hallfreðsson and Henderson were senior regulars, none of them really stood out. Indeed, it is the young prospects – Hansen, Petre and Guichard – who look like the best signings, but that remains to be seen. Dyer and Tobin spent most of the season in the reserves and Jenes had minimal impact. The ₤2.4M fee for Lejeune was handy, though he could easily become worth more than that in the future. Though all four players loaned out to Notts County played regularly, Lars Roland was the only one to have a major impact. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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