Donners Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 April, 2024 Arsenal, Champions Cup Quarter Final, leg 1, Home With two high-scoring encounters against Arsenal – a 3-2 win and 2-3 loss – already this season, I wasn't sure they were the side I wanted to face at this stage of the Champions Cup. The other choices included Juventus, Porto or Real Madrid, so perhaps it's better the devil you know. Kang, Kotelnikov and Al-Mutlaq were off on international duty, Patten, Ferrante and Manske were ineligible and Vanderlei and Thomas were injured. Thankfully, Arsenal were missing Chinese striker Cao Bin, and offloaded Urugyan winger Gaston Camacho (₤12.75M to Napoli), Italian defender Fabio De Stefano (₤21.5M to Roma) and Scottish midfielder David Dixon (₤7.5M part exchange to Newcastle). That was the good news. Among their inclusions were left sider Scott Laxton (₤25M from Newcastle), speedy Albanian full back Migjen Deda (₤8M from Man U) and, worst of all, our nemesis Jason Inglis (₤37.5M from Barnsley, despite a terrible season with that club). They only started with one striker, French international Sebastien Munoz, who has 18 goals this season, leaving Inglis on the bench. After a quiet first few minutes, Bozkurt had to save a rocket from 35 yards, barely tipping it over. Arsenal had plenty of long-range shots with little effect. A greater threat was a close-range header in the 40th, and again Bozkurt had to tip it over. We had no chances in the whole first half. A counter-attack from Arsenal saw them score with a cross and header in the 60th. Marchal headed down for partner Gylfason in the 70th, who should have scored, but he put it wide. Marchal, Rakic and Sabev missed long shots, Johansson had one saved and we lost the first leg 0-1. Fulham, Premier League, Home Barely out of the relegation zone, Fulham sold Norwegian defender Sigbjorn Larsen for ₤7.5M to Roma, allowing them to bring in a number of cheaper players. Among them were Reading's Dutch defender Jen Arts (₤1.8M), veteran New Zealand left back Michael McGinlay (₤475K from Liverpool), Spanish midfielder Miguel Vila (₤2.5M from Zaragoza) and Greek forward Sakis Kyparissis (₤2.3M from Leeds). Sluggish but skilful Brazilian veteran Thiago was in the midfield, but leading striker Mark Harper was out injured. Ferrante played the strikers through in the 7th. Marchal's shot was parried and Siabanis couldn't get there to finish. A brilliant Goiria run and cross was cleared by the defence, but in the 36th, he did it again and Marchal headed home. A mazy run from Siabanis three minutes later made it 2-0 and ended his 16-hour drought. Patten charged forward in the 65th and crossed to Goiria for our third, and he only just failed to score again when Marchal headed him through. Ward missed a few sitters – taken like a true centre back – and 3-0 was the final score. Portuguese midfielder Carlos, “the next Deco”, made his senior début late in the game. Arsenal, Champions Cup Quarter Final, leg 2, Away Despite being totally outplayed in the first half of the home leg, we only lost 0-1. That left us with a faint hope of progressing to the semi final. We regained our Asian players, but they also got striker Cao Bin back and started him as the lone forward. He scored after just five minutes, all but ending our chances of progression. Or so it seemed. In the 14th, a loose pass across defence saw Marchal intercept and flick to Siabanis. He put it into the far corner of the net, giving us an away goal. Bozkurt made a fine save and Goiria was denied at the other end. Bozkurt saved a penalty, but it was only a momentary reprieve. Cao Bin showed why his goal tally is in the mid-30s, scoring twice in the second half to complete a hat-trick and knock us out of the Champions Cup. Bolton, Premier League, Away Sitting in the middle of the table, Bolton splashed out ₤12.5M on Ukranian left winger Vladislav Lepeshkin from Fenerbahçe and ₤2.5M on Argentinian midfielder Fede from Valencia. Two former Rushden players, Murray Kelly and Levan Pirtskhalava, made up their midfield. New signing Daniel Urso, a 23-year-old Italian defender, has been their best player, with 7 Man of the Match awards. Siabanis, playing on the right wing, passed to striker Gylfason, who blasted in from just inside the area in the 16th. Marchal twice hit the side netting before scoring in the 24th and again just a minute later. A lightning pass from Johansson saw Gylfason almost score a fourth before half time, just denied by the keeper. Kang got it from a free kick just after the break. They actually scored in the final moments for a 4-1 finish. That big win took us to 4th spot, one goal ahead of Arsenal. Cardiff, Premier League, Away I rested Marchal and Siabanis, bringing in striker Nermin Ristic for his début. Though he was mediocre with Blackpool in League One, he has raw talent and could be useful. We beat 8th placed Cardiff 2-0 last time, though their side has changed significantly since then. The biggest change was the ₤34.5M sale of Irish striker Sam Smith to Real Madrid, though midfielder Hugh O'Neill was also sold to Tottenham for ₤2.9M. Cardiff did not go on a spending spree, just getting ₤12M Swiss defender Bruno Dupupet from Newcastle, Polish midfielder Bogdan Majewski for ₤4.6M and Coventry's Welsh defender Ashley Pearson for ₤2.9M. Cardiff were by far the superior side in the first half, forcing Bozkurt to make no less than eight saves. Only a few minutes into the second half, they broke through. Ristic had the chance to equalise in the 57th, which he wasted with a wild header. A second goal to Cardiff put an end to any hopes of a comeback. Ristic was quickly returned to the reserves as we dropped back to 5th spot. Barnsley, Premier League, Away Recently the subject of a takeover from a fan group, Barnsley sit in the middle of the table. After our last-minute winner against them, they sold under-performing striker Jason Inglis for ₤37.5M, England keeper Christian Brookes to Chelsea for ₤13.5M and defender Adrian Moore to Valencia for ₤6.5M. Despite that healthy income, they didn't spent it all. Urugyan striker Raul Vargas cost ₤22M from Chelsea and Roma's defenders Scott Clifford and Stanislas Lejeune (who played 20 league game for Rushden over a decade ago) joined for ₤9M and ₤2.2M respectively. Early in the game, Ibarra passed to Marchal, who blasted a shot over the bar. In the 14th, the move was mirrored down the right – this time, Patten to Al-Mutlaq, who did manage to get his shot on target for his 50th Rushden goal. Bozkurt picked up a knock, and I brought on Moe at half time. Just twenty seconds into the second half, Manske intercepted the Barnsley kick off, and passed back to Moe. Far out of goal and outnumbered, he was beaten and a goal was scored into the open net. Oh dear. Suffice to say, this is Manske's last appearance in a Rushden jumper. Thankfully, the ever-impressive Ibarra restored our lead a few minutes later, but with just three minutes to go, Barnsley scored again. Injury or not, I should have left Bozkurt on. 2-2, and perhaps a wasted chance to finish in the top four. Manchester United, Premier League, Away The last thing I wanted after a disappointing result was a game against a side that has slaughtered us in the past. Clearly top of the table, United cleared out defenders Gordon Tosh for ₤10.25M and Migjen Deda for ₤8M, signing former Rushden winger Ahmed Adel for ₤12.5M (damn, where was the sell-on clause?). Bozkurt was right to play, but with the dreaded team of Martin and Moraes, I could have had BOTH Bozkurt and Moe in goal and we'd still let through a few. As if Man U weren't challenging enough, Michael Ward helpfully hacked down Dion Martin to be sent off after ten minutes. Unfortunately, Martin was not injured. United decided to show they didn't need a numerical advantage to beat us, having a player of their own sent off, then promptly scoring in the 14th after a Martin shot was parried. Martin scored himself ten minutes later, and we were looking at another belting. To be fair, we improved after that. Marchal slammed in a cross from Patten, and we really did have the chances to regain parity. Ibarra, Siabanis, Kotelnikov and Gylfason all had shots on target, to no avail. 1-2. Despite our poor finish to the month, Jose Carlos Ibarra was Player of the Month and James Johnson was Young Player of the Month, with loaned out striker Sergio Alarcόn runner-up at Birmingham after a brace against Everton! With two games left, we must battle to hold 5th place. 4th is unlikely given Arsenal have a game in hand, so we must hold off Middlesbrough and Chelsea. Middlesbrough play Man City and Newcastle, sides at opposite ends of the table, while Chelsea face Tottenham and Bolton – the bottom side and a mid-table one. We have Sunderland and Liverpool, one lowly, the other the runner-up. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Man Utd | | 36 | 24 | 5 | 7 | 61 | 26 | +35 | 77 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Liverpool | | 36 | 21 | 9 | 6 | 52 | 24 | +28 | 72 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Newcastle | | 35 | 19 | 9 | 7 | 45 | 26 | +19 | 66 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Arsenal | | 35 | 20 | 4 | 11 | 56 | 37 | +19 | 64 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Rushden | | 36 | 17 | 11 | 8 | 55 | 35 | +20 | 62 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Middlesbrough | | 36 | 19 | 5 | 12 | 47 | 38 | +9 | 62 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Chelsea | | 36 | 17 | 9 | 10 | 41 | 36 | +5 | 60 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Cardiff | | 36 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 43 | 36 | +7 | 58 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Aston Villa | | 36 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 36 | 27 | +9 | 57 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Barnsley | | 36 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 35 | 38 | -3 | 50 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Birmingham | | 35 | 12 | 7 | 16 | 34 | 34 | 0 | 43 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Bolton | | 36 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 34 | 40 | -6 | 43 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Wigan | | 36 | 12 | 6 | 18 | 35 | 44 | -9 | 42 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Reading | | 35 | 11 | 7 | 17 | 47 | 55 | -8 | 40 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Sunderland | | 36 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 37 | 50 | -13 | 39 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Fulham | | 36 | 8 | 9 | 19 | 25 | 43 | -18 | 33 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Man City | | 36 | 9 | 6 | 21 | 28 | 55 | -27 | 33 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Q.P.R. | | 36 | 9 | 5 | 22 | 32 | 58 | -26 | 32 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Everton | | 36 | 8 | 7 | 21 | 33 | 52 | -19 | 31 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Tottenham | | 36 | 8 | 7 | 21 | 27 | 49 | -22 | 31 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 May, 2024 Sunderland, Premier League, Away Sunderland knocked us out of the League Cup, though we beat them 2-0 in December. They bought Ivory Coast defender Ibrahima Diaby for ₤3.9M from Celtic in January. A loose defensive header from Kotelnikov saw Sunderland score early, and a demoralised Rushden showed little fight. It took a brilliant long ball from Siabanis for Marchal to score in the 58th but that was all. Middlesbrough won 3-1 over Man City, Chelsea beat Tottenham 2-0 and we are in trouble. Just for some added disruption, Stefan Johansson completed his ₤3M move to Betis and several bids from EPL sides came in for Adem Moe. I did re-sign James Johnson for another few years, at least. Liverpool, Premier League, Away Facing the league runners-up was not the way to end the season for a tired and demoralised side battling for a European spot. Ward was suspended and Gylfason injured. Vanderlei returned and Al-Mutlaq started on the pitch in his final Rushden game. They made no major changes to the side that beat us 1-2 in our last encounter. England striker Mark Brierly has 24 goals this season, 15 in the league, and Guatemalan midfielder Leonel Castaneda has been a top performer. Bozkurt made a few early saves and when beaten mid-way through the first half, the goal was disallowed. Middlesbrough and Chelsea both lost 2-0, leaving us with the chance of moving up to 5th. Kotelnikov came agonisingly close to doing that for Rushden, hitting the woodwork in the final minutes. 0-0 was the finish, leaving us stuck in 6th. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 The season in review Summary | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | ECC | Man Utd | | 38 | 25 | 6 | 7 | 62 | 26 | +36 | 81 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | ECC | Liverpool | | 38 | 22 | 10 | 6 | 54 | 24 | +30 | 76 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | ECC | Newcastle | | 38 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 53 | 28 | +25 | 73 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | ECC | Arsenal | | 38 | 22 | 5 | 11 | 62 | 38 | +24 | 71 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | EC | Middlesbrough | | 38 | 20 | 5 | 13 | 50 | 42 | +8 | 65 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | EC | Rushden | | 38 | 17 | 13 | 8 | 56 | 36 | +20 | 64 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | EV | Chelsea | | 38 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 43 | 37 | +6 | 63 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Cardiff | | 38 | 17 | 11 | 10 | 44 | 36 | +8 | 62 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Aston Villa | | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 39 | 31 | +8 | 60 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Barnsley | | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 39 | 39 | 0 | 53 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Bolton | | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 35 | 42 | -7 | 46 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Birmingham | | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 35 | 38 | -3 | 44 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Wigan | | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 37 | 46 | -9 | 44 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Reading | | 38 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 49 | 60 | -11 | 42 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Sunderland | | 38 | 10 | 10 | 18 | 38 | 55 | -17 | 40 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Fulham | | 38 | 8 | 10 | 20 | 25 | 44 | -19 | 34 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Tottenham | | 38 | 9 | 7 | 22 | 28 | 51 | -23 | 34 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | R | Man City | | 38 | 9 | 7 | 22 | 29 | 58 | -29 | 34 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | R | Everton | | 38 | 8 | 9 | 21 | 36 | 55 | -19 | 33 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | R | Q.P.R. | | 38 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 32 | 60 | -28 | 33 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pkd | Inf | Name | Apps | Gls | Ast | MoM | Pas | Tck | Drb | Sh T | Av Rat| | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Wnt | James Johnson | 44 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 63% | 4.41 | 0.39 | - | 7.20 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Unh | Sergey Karpov | 43 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 55% | 4.09 | 0.44 | 43% | 7.35 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Bid | Kang Chang-Keun | 41 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 61% | 3.76 | 0.32 | 56% | 7.44 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Bid | Laurent Marchal | 39 (3)| 21 | 12 | 5 | 63% | 0.16 | 1.27 | 63% | 7.05 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | Wnt | Giorgos Siabanis | 31 (9)| 7 | 8 | - | 70% | 0.56 | 2.10 | 50% | 6.90 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | GK | Slt | Nuri Bozkurt | 31 | - | - | 1 | 46% | - | - | - | 6.87 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | WBL | Wnt | Veselin Sabev | 28 (2)| 1 | 3 | - | 73% | 2.49 | 0.76 | 22% | 7.07 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | Wnt | Zeljko Rakic | 27 (3)| 1 | 3 | 1 | 73% | 3.85 | 0.63 | 42% | 6.93 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Slt | Michael Ward | 27 | - | - | 1 | 57% | 3.33 | 0.35 | - | 7.15 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | AML | Wnt | José Carlos Ibarra | 26 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 72% | 1.13 | 2.97 | 56% | 7.50 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | AMR | Bid | Tobias Bohman | 25 (3)| 3 | 3 | 2 | 72% | 0.79 | 3.09 | 34% | 7.29 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Ross Patten | 25 (3)| 1 | 4 | - | 67% | 2.48 | 0.42 | - | 7.04 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | WBR | Wnt | Vanderlei | 24 | - | 4 | 2 | 69% | 2.96 | 0.30 | - | 7.08 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Slt | Patrice Thomas | 19 (5)| 13 | 4 | 1 | 67% | 0.21 | 1.20 | 48% | 7.13 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Slt | Gunnar Gylfason | 18 (1)| 8 | 1 | 1 | 67% | 0.17 | 0.92 | 59% | 7.00 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | Wnt | Daniel Goiria | 17 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 76% | 0.54 | 2.46 | 40% | 7.35 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | Slt | Alexandr Kotelnikov | 14 (4)| - | 1 | - | 70% | 3.54 | 0.42 | 33% | 6.83 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Unh | Mohammed Al-Mutlaq | 14 (4)| 6 | 5 | - | 74% | 0.22 | 1.38 | 37% | 6.83 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Adam Sherwood | 10 (3)| 2 | 2 | - | 66% | 0.74 | 1.48 | 41% | 6.77 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Carsten Manske | 10 (1)| - | 1 | - | 63% | 1.25 | 1.87 | - | 6.73 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | Bid | Adem Moe | 7 (1) | - | - | - | 47% | - | - | - | 6.88 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | Wnt | Luigi Ferrante | 4 (1) | 1 | - | - | 73% | 2.52 | 0.56 | - | 6.80 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Chris Anderson | 4 | - | - | - | 76% | 0.28 | 1.66 | 18% | 6.25 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Trn | Nermin Ristic | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.00 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Unh | Dougie Noble | 1 | - | - | - | 67% | 10.00 | - | - | 8.00 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Carlos | 0 (2) | - | - | - | 86% | - | - | - | 7.00 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| A season that probably reflects our true position in the EPL, rather than the inflated expectations of our fans and board. Time and again we have been shown to be inferior to the likes of Man U and Arsenal James Johnson was third as Young Player of the Year, and both he and Kang made the Select side. Kang was English Footballer of the Year. Considering they came for ₤20K and ₤800K respectively, I reckon I got a bargain... Johnson and Karpov also made the Champions Cup dream team. Those awards reflect the strength of our defence. Indeed, our whole back half is great, with Bozkurt impressive and Moe stepping up when Simons left. Karpov was also good in defence, though he is becoming unhappy with his contract and the side's performance, and Ward filled in well. The midfield is a tricky area. Goiria and Ibarra were brilliant on the left wing, and I wish I could play them together. The right wing was a bit trickier, though Siabanis and Bohman (demanding a new contract) did okay. Manske was disappointing, and will be released. The centre of midfield is unresolved, with Rakic, Ferrante and Kotelnikov all rotating through without holding down the spot. Go further forward, and there's even more trouble. Marchal was clearly the stand-out, with 21 goals. With his height and power, he was a great presence up there. After that, things aren't so good. Thomas scored a decent 13 in 24 games, but missed a lot of games through injury. Gylfason was also out for long periods, scoring only four league goals, and Al-Mutlaq was disappointing as usual in his final season with the club. The reserves came well down the table, admittedly with at least a team out on loan. The Under-18s won their league, led by Tunisian Ali Selmi (21 goals) and “the new Michael Owen” (!) Ashley Winn (20). The board and fans still seem happy, perhaps thanks to the Champions Cup performance, but their expectations will wear me down eventually. Around the world: major awards and results Rushden Supporters’ Player of the Year: Laurent Marchal World Player of the Year: Josenildo da Silva Moraes (Man U) World Footballer of the year: Josenildo da Silva Moraes (Man U) England: Winner: Man Utd Relegated: Man City, Everton, QPR Promoted: Leicester, Brentford, Blackburn Spain: Valencia Italy Udinese Champions Cup: Real Madrid EURO Cup: Valencia Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 The Transfers Players In | Date | Person | From | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.6.2023 | Parizek, Jakub | Queensland | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14.6.2023 | Kilic, Sven | Cambuur | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2023 | Laakkonen, Matti | Recreativo | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2023 | Vargas, Pablo | Málaga | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2023 | Tahraoui, Mohamed Cherif | Amiens | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2023 | Ferrante, Luigi | Deportivo | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2023 | Hofman, René | NAC Breda | £85K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2023 | Eerhart, Thom | NAC Breda | £210K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2023 | Pucher, Mario | Rapid Wien | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2023 | Hofstra, Stefan | RKC | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2023 | Busch, Marcus | Pescara | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17.7.2023 | Anderson, Chris | Middlesbrough | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.7.2023 | Tapp, Drew | Middlesbrough | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22.7.2023 | Kuusisto, Heikki | MyPa | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9.11.2023 | Kloppenborg, Martin | FC Nordsjælland | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.12.2023 | Johansson, Jimmy | IFK Göteborg | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2024 | Olsen, Trond | Rosenborg | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2024 | Hauksson, Hermann | Keflavík | £5K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2024 | Vasas, István | Debrecen | £6K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 27.1.2024 | Fiori, Mario | Young Boys | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9.3.2024 | Mofokeng, Philani | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £300K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Players Out | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2023 | Brownlie, Steven | Portsmouth | £475K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2023 | Nuccioni, Gabriele | San Lorenzo | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4.7.2023 | Mercado, Sebastián | Espanyol | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4.7.2023 | Kovacevic, Troy | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4.7.2023 | Taylor, John | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4.7.2023 | Patterson, Harry | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4.7.2023 | Marone, Alex | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4.7.2023 | Pirtskhalava, Levan| Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10.7.2023 | Slade, Steven | Chelsea | £2.3M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.7.2023 | Aguilera, Fernando | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2024 | Albarrán, Gerard | Ipswich | £1M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3.1.2024 | Vargas, Pablo | Tenerife | £450K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9.1.2024 | Barbasso, Denis | Sheff Utd | £350K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17.1.2024 | Stansfield, Josh | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24.1.2024 | Simons, Roy | Tenerife | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6.3.2024 | Baker, Mark | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £4.6M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Loans Out | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18.6.2023 | Petit, Thomas | Hibernian | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4.7.2023 | Holmen, Kim | St. Johnstone | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8.7.2023 | Barnard, Lewis | Aberdeen | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12.7.2023 | Squillace, Marco | Atalanta | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14.7.2023 | Parizek, Jakub | Fiorentina | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15.7.2023 | Szczesny, Kamil | Q.P.R. | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 31.7.2023 | Alarcón, Sergio | Birmingham | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7.8.2023 | Kilic, Sven | Southend | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7.8.2023 | Cieslewicz, Maciej | Sheff Utd | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10.8.2023 | Busch, Marcus | Rangers | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10.8.2023 | Åberg, Stefan | Southampton | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11.8.2023 | Tijshen, Bobby | Gillingham | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12.8.2023 | Syla, Niklas | Watford | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12.8.2023 | Ristic, Nermin | Blackpool | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14.8.2023 | Tahraoui, Mohamed Cherif | Blackpool | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15.8.2023 | Ravasi, Piero | Fiorentina | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16.8.2023 | Koller, Szabolcs | Yeovil | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17.8.2023 | Ogris, Christian | Gillingham | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.8.2023 | Tapp, Drew | Everton | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22.8.2023 | Adamus, Damian | Falkirk | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23.8.2023 | Hofstra, Stefan | Huddersfield | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.9.2023 | Hofman, René | MK Dons | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16.9.2023 | Arvidsson, Filip | Chesterfield | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 26.10.2023 | Hendriks, Jeffrey | Stoke | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 27.10.2023 | Eerhart, Thom | Tranmere | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 26.11.2023 | Costantini, Lorenzo | Huddersfield | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3.12.2023 | Pucher, Mario | Plymouth | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15.12.2023 | Kloppenborg, Martin | Portsmouth | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 26.12.2023 | Hofman, René | Blackpool | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22.1.2024 | Cieslewicz, Maciej | Watford | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23.1.2024 | Kilic, Sven | Hartlepool | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 30.1.2024 | Gallagher, Frankie | Luton | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 31.1.2024 | Eerhart, Thom | Plymouth | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.2.2024 | Malichi, Eliran | Amkar | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4.2.2024 | Olsen, Trond | Swansea | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.2.2024 | Davids, Ronald | Burnley | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Youth In | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2023 | Jackson, Russell | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2023 | Baltazar | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2023 | McKenna, Callum | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2023 | Bahri, Othman | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2023 | White, Joe | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2023 | Franklin, Emile | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2023 | Winn, Ashley | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| As always, a massive turnover of reserve players, with only a few going into the seniors. Ferrante was disappointing, only playing a handful of games, albeit in a position I have well covered. Vargas also played a few games before I cashed in mid-season. Anderson was good in the reserves but did not impress when promoted. A number of senior players left. The mid-season transfers were just examples of cashing in before their contracts expired. I was certainly not made to regret any of the moves, and Johansson was the only one I really wanted to hold onto. Losing Simons was not a blow with the way Moe stood up. Pirtskhalava played a full EPL season without excelling, Nuccioni was a star in Argentina and Brownlie did well in League One. If I went through all the loans, I'd be here all day. Holmen was constantly slammed by the media in Scotland, Squillace, Ravasi and Parizek played a few Serie A games without impressing, Alarcόn scored just three goals for Birmingham, Busch was a regular for Rangers, Tapp played a few games for Everton and Costantini monstered Championship defenders. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 Pre-season, 24/25 Lots of interest in Rushden players. I off-loaded striker Nermin Ristic to Juventus for ₤2.5M, but rejected constant bids for Bohman (around ₤10M), Johnson (₤9M), Kang (over ₤20M), Ibarra (₤10M), Vanderlei (₤5M), Moe (₤3.5M) and young defender Rene Hofman. The board announced ₤13.25M would be paid out to shareholders, and the stadium would be expanded by 3000 seats. I chose a transfer budget of ₤35.5M with a wage cap of ₤1.6M. I set up a merchandising link with MLS side Chivas. We picked up ₤300K from Steven Brownlie's ₤1.5M move to Dundee. Despite his poor performance in Scotland, big bids from Newcastle and Juventus came in for wing back Kim Holmen. I rejected them, deciding to hang on for a little longer and re-signed him for four seasons. The free transfers saw reserve defender Bobby Tilshen go to Leyton Orient, Aldo Palumbo to Lazio, Al-Mutlaq to Zaragoza, Manske to Tottenham, Damien Adamus to Birmingham, Thomas Petit to Leicester and Ross Patten to Cardiff. Backup midfielder Jakob Parizek thwarted a ₤2.8M sale to West Ham by refusing their contract. Young Austrian Christian Ogris was sold to Man City for ₤1.8M and wing back Marcus Busch went to West Ham for ₤2M. I bought Italian wing back David Baudi for ₤375K, Scottish midfielder Andy Bell for ₤50K and snapped up Mexican striker Sergio Sánchez, Reunion international defender Oliver da Silva [hey, can he have a “reunion” with team mate Thomas? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Sorry.] and Danish international Morten Pedersen for free. We were rocked by contract demands from Karpov and Bohman, then the news Kang wants a new challenge. I just couldn't afford to keep an unhappy player at the club, and sold Kang to Real Madrid for ₤23.5M. His profile follows: ================================================================================================ Kang Chang-Keun - Rushden Career 29/8/20 - 15/7/24 ================================================================================================ Year Apps Gls Asts Yel Red MoM Av R ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2020/2021 42 (1) 0 2 8 1 2 7.05 2021/2022 36 0 4 1 1 5 7.33 2022/2023 40 3 6 3 0 3 7.35 2023/2024 41 5 5 5 0 5 7.44 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TOTAL 159 (1) 8 17 17 2 15 7.29 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DOB: 5/8/1997 Position: D LC Nationality: South Korean International Caps/Goals: 24/5 Total Career League Games: 245 Previous Clubs: Busan (133 games) Achievements: 13/05/24 - Named in English Players' Premier League Select 13/05/23 - Named in English Players' Premier League Select 21/02/21 - English League Cup runners up 07/11/20 - First international cap against Chinese Taipei aged 23 Named in Premier League Team of the Week: 6 times The hard job of replacing our top defender of the last four seasons began. I got a couple of long term prospects, Bulgarian Grigor Yordanov and Japanese defender Michiharu Moroe, and spent a bit of money. Irish defender Mark Nolan cost ₤30K, Scott Michael Wilson ₤1.1M, Niklas Segerström ₤120K and finally Sebastián Hontecillas ₤2.2M – a total of almost ₤3.5M, which is still just a fraction of what I got from the sale. Just before the start of the season, Cardiff snatched Adam Sherwood. I also sold uncontracted defender Dougie Noble to Bolton for ₤1.9M. Here's Sherwood's profile: ================================================================================================ Adam Sherwood - Rushden Career 1/1/15 - 6/8/24 ================================================================================================ Year Apps Gls Asts Yel Red MoM Av R ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2016/2017 32 (5) 0 5 3 0 1 7.11 2017/2018 27 (1) 2 2 3 0 1 7.14 2018/2019 12 (2) 3 3 2 0 1 7.21 2019/2020 18 (1) 2 2 1 0 1 7.00 2020/2021 31 (5) 5 3 7 0 1 7.06 2021/2022 30 (4) 7 4 0 0 0 7.15 2022/2023 24 (9) 4 6 1 0 2 7.09 2023/2024 10 (3) 2 2 2 0 0 6.77 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TOTAL 286 (5) 25 27 19 0 7 7.08 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DOB: 4/3/1997 Position: AM RLC Nationality: English International Caps/Goals: 4/0 Total Career League Games: 187 Previous Clubs: Notts County (24 games)* * = loan Achievements: [FM messes up achievements of loaned out players, so this is the best I can do] Named in English Players Premier Division Select 17/18 English Players' Young Player of the Year runner-up 2018 Championship Player of the Month March 2019 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 SEASON OVERVIEW 24/25 The Club Home Ground: Nene Park, Irthlingborough - capacity 23,650 (expansion of 3,000 seats 17/8/24) Rivals: Kettering, Northampton (fierce); Peterborough, Oxford, Luton Reputation: Continental Estimated Value: ₤65M Balance ₤117M Transfer Budget: ₤42M (₤59M remaining) Media Prediction: 5th Board Expectation: Qualify for Europe Fan Expectation: Win the Premier League! Staff Chairman: Barry Moss Assistant Manager: Michi Coaches: Scott Gemmill, Kevin Horlock, Mehdi Nafti, Stefano Di Girolamo, Mark McLaughlin, Simon Dawkins (General); Brad Swancott (GK); Physios: Eoin Jess, Michele Franco Scouts: Andy McWilliam, Julius Aghahowa, Alessio Baresi, Danny Russell, Leonel Nunez The Squad | Pkd | Inf | Name | No. | Squad Status | Cnt | Weekly wage | Expires | Value | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | | Laurent Marchal | 9 | First Team | F/T | £17,500 | 30.6.2028 | £11M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Wnt | Sergey Karpov | 5 | First Team | F/T | £10,000 | 30.6.2025 | £7.25M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | GK | Wnt | Nuri Bozkurt | 13 | First Team | F/T | £16,250 | 30.6.2026 | £4.4M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Wnt | James Johnson | 14 | First Team | F/T | £12,500 | 30.6.2028 | £6M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | Sus | Michael Ward | 4 | Rotation | F/T | £7,500 | 30.6.2026 | £2.8M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | Inj | Veselin Sabev | 20 | Rotation | F/T | £10,000 | 30.6.2025 | £3.4M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DMC | | Alexandr Kotelnikov | 34 | Rotation | F/T | £9,750 | 30.6.2025 | £4.4M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MR | Bid | Tobias Bohman | 15 | Rotation | F/T | £3,000 | 30.6.2026 | £9.75M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | Wnt | Vanderlei | 2 | Rotation | F/T | £10,000 | 30.6.2025 | £4.1M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | | Patrice Thomas | 11 | Rotation | F/T | £5,000 | 30.6.2025 | £4.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Inj | Gunnar Gylfason | 30 | Rotation | F/T | £15,000 | 30.6.2025 | £7.25M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Luigi Ferrante | 18 | Rotation | F/T | £8,750 | 30.6.2025 | £3.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | | Zeljko Rakic | 7 | Rotation | F/T | £7,500 | 30.6.2025 | £4.9M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | Wnt | Giorgos Siabanis | 10 | Rotation | F/T | £12,500 | 30.6.2026 | £6M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | | Sebastián Hontecillas | 3 | Rotation | F/T | £7,500 | 30.6.2028 | £2.2M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | Int | José Carlos Ibarra | 23 | Rotation | F/T | £7,000 | 30.6.2027 | £12.25M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ML | Int | Daniel Goiria | 8 | Rotation | F/T | £2,500 | 30.6.2026 | £5M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Niklas Segerström | 24 | Rotation | F/T | £2,000 | 30.6.2028 | £120K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Jakub Parizek | 17 | Backup | F/T | £6,250 | 30.6.2026 | £2.8M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Shane Bayliss | 16 | Backup | F/T | £775 | 30.6.2025 | £2M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Unh | Adem Moe | 29 | Backup | F/T | £2,100 | 30.6.2027 | £2.6M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Morten Pedersen | 33 | Backup | F/T | £7,000 | 30.6.2026 | £2.2M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Int | Sergio Alarcón | 12 | Backup | F/T | £7,750 | 30.6.2027 | £5.75M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Int | Sergio Sánchez | 28 | Backup | F/T | £2,800 | 30.6.2027 | £5.25M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Michael Wilson | 22 | Backup | F/T | £4,200 | 30.6.2027 | £1.1M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Jeffrey Hendriks | 32 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £1,900 | 30.6.2025 | £2.2M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Chris Anderson | 26 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £2,500 | 30.6.2026 | £3.2M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Mario Pucher | 36 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £550 | 30.6.2026 | £1.8M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Matti Laakkonen | 25 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £3,400 | 30.6.2025 | £4.1M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Lorenzo Costantini | 35 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £1,400 | 30.6.2026 | £3.9M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Piero Ravasi | 31 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £1,000 | 30.6.2025 | £3.5M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Olivier da Silva | 37 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £2,800 | 30.6.2027 | £2.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Grigor Yordanov | 27 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £375 | 30.6.2027 | £1.5M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Felix Schulz | - | Youngster | F/T | £550 | 30.6.2025 | £450K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Frankie Gallagher | - | Youngster | F/T | £400 | 30.6.2025 | £2.5M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Marco Squillace | - | Youngster | F/T | £2,900 | 30.6.2026 | £3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Kamil Szczesny | - | Youngster | F/T | £500 | 30.6.2026 | £1.6M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Ronald Davids | - | Youngster | F/T | £2,200 | 30.6.2025 | £1.4M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Mohamed Cherif Tahraoui | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,900 | 30.6.2026 | £1.4M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Trond Olsen | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,300 | 30.6.2026 | £2.4M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Szabolcs Koller | - | Youngster | F/T | £775 | 30.6.2025 | £1.2M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Maciej Cieslewicz | - | Youngster | F/T | £250 | 30.6.2025 | £3.1M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Hermann Hauksson | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,700 | 30.6.2026 | £825K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Carlos | - | Youngster | F/T | £550 | 30.6.2027 | £2M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Joe Cotterill | - | Youngster | F/T | £100 | - | - | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Jimmy Johansson | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,000 | 30.6.2026 | £1.2M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Filip Arvidsson | - | Youngster | F/T | £200 | 30.6.2025 | £1.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Ali Selmi | - | Youngster | F/T | £600 | 30.6.2027 | £1.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Daniel Dicks | - | Youngster | F/T | £275 | 30.6.2025 | £500K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Mark Moore | - | Youngster | F/T | £275 | 30.6.2025 | £450K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | Lee Ward | - | Youngster | Yth | £110 | 30.6.2025 | - | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Vince Armstrong | - | Youngster | F/T | £230 | 30.6.2025 | £775K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | István Vasas | - | Youngster | F/T | £400 | 30.6.2026 | £875K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Thom Eerhart | - | Youngster | F/T | £210 | 30.6.2026 | £2.7M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Heikki Kuusisto | - | Youngster | F/T | £230 | 30.6.2026 | £2.7M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Mario Fiori | - | Youngster | F/T | £325 | 30.6.2026 | £1.1M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Mark Nolan | - | Youngster | F/T | £975 | 30.6.2027 | £30K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Wage Budget: £1,555,141 Total Weekly Wages at 3/8/24: £233,857 Senior Players: 18 Reserve Players: 39 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 Nuri Bozkurt [GK, TUR – 8 Caps, 180cm, 25] – 5, 99, 0 A good season for Bozkurt, left as the clear #1 with Simons gone. A couple of injuries did slow him down late in the season, but he was good enough and will again be an important player. European Championship Dream Team 2024 Adem Moe [GK, NOR – 2 Caps, 180cm, 21] – 2, 6, 0 Was thrown into the senior team suddenly with Simons gone and Bozkurt injured. Aside from one howler where he came out too far (a problem Bozkurt also suffers), he did well in major games and is attracting a lot of attention. Defenders Oliver da Silva [D C/DM, REU – 2 Caps, 176cm, 22] – 0, 0, 0 An international teammate of Patrice Thomas, da Silva cames on a free transfer from Niort. He's probably a better defensive midfielder than centre back, with great playmaking skills and little marking ability. He does work hard, though. Maybe a long-term prospect. Sebastián Hontecillas [D C/DM, ESP – capped at U19 level, 189cm, 21] – 0, 0, 0 A rare big purchase, Hontecillas cost ₤2.2M to move from Levante. Originally from Celta, he's a big man who has a presence in the air and great ball skills. His defensive skills could use work, and like da Silva, he may be a better defensive midfielder than centre back. James Johnson [D RLC, SCO – 7 Caps, 193cm, 21] – 4, 57, 1 Thankfully signed until 2008, though still attracting big bids. The awards below sum up his importance, which is even more clear with Kang gone. Premier League Young Player of the Month August 2022, October 2022, September 2023, April 2024; Premier League Young Player of the Year 2023, third placed 2024; Premier League Select 22/23, 23/24; Champions Cup Dream Team 23/24 Sergey Karpov [D C, RUS – 17 Caps, 189cm, 24] – 3, 70, 3 Another player who is crucial with Kang gone, but with an expiring contract and huge wage demands, a mid-season sale looms. Premier League Player of the Month February 2024; Champions Cup Dream Team 23/24 Mario Pucher [D C/DM, AUT – 4 U21 caps, 179cm, 20] – 0, 0, 0 In the same mould as da Silva and Hontecillas, Pucher was solid on loan at Plymouth but not ready for the senior team yet. Veselin Sabev [D/WB RL, BUL – 15 Caps, 180cm, 26] – 2, 38, 1 Did quite well last season, and may have an increased role with Johansson gone. Like Karpov, he has an expiring contract and big wage demands. Niklas Segerström [D C, SWE, 186cm, 21] – 0, 0, 0 Very much a pure defender, from Malmö for ₤120K. Sergey Karpov will train him. Mohamed Cherif Tahraoui [D C/DM, ALG – 13 Caps, 192cm, 23] – 1, 0, 0 A big man who is a tough and rather clumsy pure defender. He had run with Blackpool in League One last season and may go out again. Vanderlei [D/Wb R, POR – 14 Caps, 180cm, 22] – 2, 34, 0 Another player with an expiring contract, Vanderlei had another impressive season. With Patten and Albarrán out of the way, he has an important role. Michael Ward [D C, ENG – 5 U21 caps, 181cm, 24] – 2, 41, 0 Has done well for an Everton reject. Despite a suspension last season, he did well to fill holes at centre back, and will have to step up with Kang gone. Michael Wilson [D/Wb/M L, SCO – 2 U21 caps, 179cm, 19] – 0, 0, 0 An impressive young player from Aberdeen at a cost of ₤1.1M. He doesn't have great pace, so isn't an ideal counter-attacker, but is a superb passer. Grigor Yordanov [D/WB RL, BUL, 177cm, 18] – 0, 0, 0 A speedy full back with good skills, from Pirin 2001 on a free transfer. A prospect. Midfielders Tobias Bohman [AM RL, SWE – 22 Caps, 175cm, 23] – 5, 45, 4 Another unhappy player, who did have a good season. I would happily sell him for ₤14M, but just can't get a side to agree to that. In the meantime, he will be an important player. Scottish Young Player of the Month December 2021; Scottish Young Player of the Year third placed 2021 Carlos [M C, POR – capped at U19 level, 180cm, 19] – 4, 2, 0 A youth team product, formerly known as “the next Deco”. He has a total lack of pace, with good skills. Unlikely to break into the seniors. Maciej Cieslewicz [WB R/DM/M RC, POL – 10 Caps, 174cm, 20] – 2, 0, 0 Solid in the Championship on loan and will continue to develop. Luigi Ferrante [M C, ITA – 1 U21 cap, 183cm, 23] – 1, 5, 1 Has improved greatly skill-wise after a season training at Rushden, and broke back into the seniors late in the season thanks to his reserve form. Still may be in his last season here. Daniel Goiria [AM L, ESP – 3 U21 caps, 185cm, 20] – 2, 11, 2 I didn't even profile Goiria at the start of last season, and now he's attracting big bids. Signed for free from Mallorca, he dominated at Hearts last season and stepped up to be a great performer in the EPL. Though his pace is not great, Goiria has a lot of class and flair. Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month January 2023, April 2023; Scottish Young Player of the Year 2023; Named in Scottish Premier League Team of the Year 22/23 José Carlos Ibarra [AM LC, ESP – 5 Caps, 181cm, 21] – 2, 22, 2 I was disappointed and unimpressed with Ibarra at the start of last season. Now he is a Spanish international and one of our top players. His skills are astonishing and he is a capable scorer. Premier Division Player of the Month September 2023, April 2024 Alexandr Kotelnikov [DM, UKR – 48 Caps, 176cm, 26] – 3, 44, 3 A little flat last season, losing his spot in the middle to Rakic. This looks to be his last Rushden season. Jakub Parizek [DM, CZE – 11 Caps, 179cm, 28] – 1, 0, 0 Loaned out to Fiorentina after joining free from Queensland. He has never performed well on the pitch despite great pace and passing ability. I was willing to let him go, but a ₤2.8M sale to West Ham fell through. Morten Pedersen [M C, DEN – 13 Caps, 183cm, 25] – 0, 0 0 One of those players who looked good from afar, but is unimpressive up close. He has Serie A experience with Pescara but minimal talent. Zeljko Rakic [M C, SER – 8 Caps, 182cm, 23]– 2, 27, 1 Did play regularly last season despite a fair bit of competition. He has a lot of pace, unlike many of our midfielders, but it will be hard to re-sign him with his wage demands. Giorgos Siabanis [AM R/ST, GRE – 8 Caps, 174cm, 21] – 2, 52, 8 Unlike his first season, did a great job on the right wing, with eight league assists. He is continuing to improve and will be a valuable player. Premier Division Young Player of the Month September 2022 Forwards Sergio Alarcόn [sT, ESP – capped at U19 level, 178cm, 21] – 2, 0, 0 The former wonderkid was not entirely impressive at Birmingham, scoring just three goals in 17 games. One of those was a brace, and he certainly has skills. He will stay at Rushden and must work to get into the seniors. Chris Anderson [sT, ENG – 1 U21 cap, 180cm, 22] – 2, 2, 0 The former Middlesbrough player made it into the seniors after dominating the reserves, though he was quickly dropped back. With pace and shooting skill, he is useful but not well-rounded. Lorenzo Costantini [sT, ITA – 6 U21 caps, 183cm, 21] – 2, 0, 0 Looked better in the Championship with Huddersfield, scoring seven goals in 15 league games. He lacks pace but is a sharpshooter. Gunnar Gylfason [sT, ICE – 38 Caps, 179cm, 25] – 6, 74, 29 Missed a lot of games with injury last season and scored just four goals. Probably his final year here, though I don't have many other options. Matti Laakonen [sT, FIN – 7 Caps, 174cm, 21] – 1, 0, 0 Has not developed as I'd hoped, and may not be re-signed. Laurent Marchal [sT, FRA – 3 Caps, 178cm, 24] – 2, 51, 21 Brilliant last season, named as the fan favourite for the second time in as many seasons. He's so good in the air for his size and a powerful shot. A key player. Supporters' Player of the Year 22/23, 23/24 Piero Ravasi [sT, ITA – 1 U21 cap, 177cm, 20] – 2, 0, 0 Yet to establish himself in two seasons. He scored five Serie A goals on loan at Fiorentina and is very similar to Marchal skill-wise but may not be re-signed. Sergio Sánchez [sT, MEX – 2 U21 caps, 180cm, 19] – 0, 0, 0 Ignore the price tag – Sánchez has a lot of development to do. He scored 16 LIGA BBVA goals at Malaga, on loan from Sevilla, before joining us for free. Patrice Thomas [sT, REU – 3 Caps, 181cm, 26] – 3, 36, 16 A true goal poacher, Thomas' pace is especially valuable with Al-Mutlaq gone. I'm still not sure if I will re-sign him. Overview Again the wage bill has been slashed, and again there's a hell of a lot of depth. There's a log of players who look great on paper without performing. Some stood up last season, and I need more to do so again. Goalkeeping: Not a worry this season, barring terrible bad luck. Bozkurt and Moe are signed up and capable. Defence: The loss of Kang is massive, and Karpov could go in January. The new signings are unremarkable and through there's a lot of full backs, centre back is a major weakness. Midfield: Looks strong, with plenty of quality on the wings. There's a lot of options in the centre, but no standouts. Forward: Marchal is a star, Thomas, Siabanis and Gylfason can rotate through. There are a lot of unproven, but seemingly talented players after that. First XI I've had to make a few changes with Kang gone. It's a 4-1-3-2 formation, this time with a flat back four, defensive midfielder, flat three across the middle and two strikers. Effectively, I've moved a centre back to defensive midfield and pushed back the wing backs and attacking midfielders to flat lines. This may cut back on our counter-attacking ability but covers our loss of a centre back. GK: Nuri Bozkurt RB: Vanderlei LB: Veselin Sabev CB: James Johnson CB: Sergey Karpov DM: Alexandr Kotelnikov RM: Tobias Bohman LM: Daniel Goiria CM: José Carlos Ibarra CF: Laurent Marchal CF: Gunnar Gylfason Sub: Giorgos Siabanis Sub: Zeljko Rakic Sub: Patrice Thomas Sub: Sebastián Hontecillas Sub: Michael Ward Captain: Vanderlei Penalties: Luigi Ferrante Free Kicks: (L) Daniel Goiria, José Carlos Ibarra; ® Sergey Karpov, Gunnar Gylfason Corners: (L) José Carlos Ibarra, James Johnson; ® Giorgos Siabanis, James Johnson Throw Ins: (L) James Johnson, Michael Wilson; ® Jakub Parizek, Tobias Bohman Playmaker: Alexandr Kotelnikov, Tobias Bohman, José Carlos Ibarra Target Man: Laurent Marchal, Sergio Alarcόn Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 August, 2024 Tottenham, Premier League, Home Our side was very different to my planned First XI, with Sabev injured, Ward suspended, Gylfason tired and Goiria, Alarcon and Ibarra on international duty. Michael Wilson made his début at left back while Rakic, Siabanis and Thomas started on the pitch. Tottenham barely escaped relegation for the second year in a row, and are tipped to go down this season. They lost Japanese winger Tetsuhiro Isaka for free but got plenty of replacements. Several of those were free transfer bargains including our own Carsten Manske, former England midfielder Michael Woods and 35-year-old keeper Sergio Asenjo. Aston Villa's Irish defender Owen Collinge came for ₤3.5M. Our first goal of the season took 16 minutes, through a combination of defenders. Johnson sent a corner into the box, where Karpov headed in. Ten minutes later, Bohman passed into the area for Marchal, who scored our second from a tight angle. Vanderlei conceded a penalty late which gave us a bit of a scare, but we held on. In front of a club record crowd of 25,843 we opened the season with a win. Bolton, Premier League, Away Bohman was rested, meaning Johnson moved to left back, Wilson to the wing and Segerström came in at centre back. Mid-table for the last few seasons, Bolton only made a couple of signings. Rushden defender Dougie Noble (who joins Murray Kelly and Levan Pirtskhalava) cost ₤1.9M and Welsh midfielder Tim O'Brien came for free from Hibs. On the other hand, there were plenty of departures, including midfielder Richie Parkinson (₤4.1M), top Italian defender Denis Urso (₤4.3M to Liverpool) and young English forward Mick Oakley (₤3.2M to Newcastle) Vanderlei sent a few long passes into the area which were cleared. A long Rakic shot was saved as the first half ended with no goals and few shots. A dangerous late cross from Siabanis saw Gylfason just beaten to the ball by the keeper as the game finished scoreless. We continued to be rocked by off-pitch problems. Moe requested a transfer and Ibarra became upset when I rejected a bid from Barcelona for him. Karpov rejected contract offers and looks set to leave. Reading, Premier League, Home Reading dropped back to the middle of the table after a good 22/23, and are expected to finish there again. Having sold Belgian winger Guillermo de Jong (₤1.5M to Coventry and winger Robert Morrison (₤2.5M to Barnsley), they picked up Croatian midfielder Kristijan Crnjak and Uruguyan defender Pablo Alonso for free. Former Rushden players Heinonen and Hawe lined up against us. Sergio Alarcόn replaced Marchal for his début. A neat little pass back out of the area from Siabanis gave Ibarra a chance to drive in a shot, but he put it wide. The only other chance was a late shot from Gylfason, which also missed. Another scoreless draw. Unwilling to leave a disruptive player at the squad, I decided to sell Ibarra. I negotiated a bid from Barcelona to ₤17M, with a sell-on clause, and he was gone. Likewise, with Moe upset at not being allowed to leave, I sold him to Barcelona for ₤4M, again with a sell-on clause. It really hurt to lose two signed up players who were hugely talented, and the money was of little relevance. Still, having unhappy players at the club would only drag down morale, which is the last thing I need. Better to lose replaceable players than to have all the existing ones dragged down. Of course, this leaves us without a quality backup keeper, so I just have to hope Bozkurt can play out the season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 September, 2024 Middlesbrough, Premier League, Home Right-sided utility Maciej Cieslewicz came in for his first game. Though 5th last season, Middlesbrough aren't expected to match that feat again. Their biggest signing was Belgian left winger Albert Achterberg (₤4.2M from Man City), though they got Welsh keeper Pat Reeves from Bolton for ₤775K. In the 14th minute, Marchal won a contested header, nodding the ball forward for Alarcon to score his first Rushden goal. They made a good pair all game, winning the high balls and combining well. Still, Middlesbrough had a lot of the ball in their half, and it took great work from Bozkurt, Karpov and co to hold them out. A series of last-ditch tackles from Goiria and Johnson looked to have secured the win, only for Middlesbrough to score two minutes into second half injury time. Our third straight draw against a mid-table side. Saturn, EURO Cup 1st round, leg 1, Home Against a Russian opponent with no history of progressing beyond this point, I rested a number of players. Young reserve keeper Mario Fiori made his senior début and Chris Anderson and Luigi Ferrante came up from the reserves. Their only notable players were Lebanese international forward Gediminas Klimavicius and young Russian winger Vladislav Volkov, but neither posed much of a threat. The new defenders, Cieslewicz and Hontecillas, made errors in the early minutes, only saved by poor shots. At the other end, Anderson hit the side netting twice in the first ten minutes and Alarcon hit the post with a header. In the 15th, Anderson crossed to Alarcόn, and despite a deflection, the ball got through for the Spanish striker to score his second goal in as many games. The game quietened down after that. We avoided conceding an away goal but failed to add to our lead. Manchester United, Premier League, Home Morten Pedersen had the unfortunate distinction of making his début against a side which has belted us many times in the past. Champions again last season, United's usual stars like Martin and da Silva Moraes were joined by former Rushden winger Ahmed Adel in January. Their only notable loss was Portuguese defender Santos (to Cardiff on a free), and they have several new faces. Brazilian defender Neto (₤6.25M from Sevilla) is a ready-made senior player, while New Zealand international defender Nick Turner (₤3.1M from Barnsley), Cypriot forward Panagiotis Charalabous (₤6M from Olympiakos) and giant Uzbekistan defender Anvar Kurbanov (just ₤55K) will all be good players in the future. All four are under 22, so they're clearly paying attention to the future. We started fairly well, clearing a few United attacks and even having Marchal earn a corner when he intercepted a defensive pass. The first half was scoreless, which was a good result for Rushden. The second did not start off promisingly, with Marchal forced off injured and Bozkurt having to make three successive saves when outnumbered by attackers. I replaced Marchal with Kotelnikov, leaving Thomas as the lone striker. When he took the ball in the area, he had no partner to pass to, so had to go back out to Segerström. He flicked on to Bohman on the other side of the area, and with a neat twist and shot, he put Rushden ahead. United had a header at goal in the 85th, with the ball coming back off the crossbar before Bozkurt pounced on it. Man of the Match James Johnson held the fort as we got away with the three points. Liverpool, Premier League, Away Last year's runners-up have just four points from their first five games, though it's too early for that to mean anything. Marchal was missing with a slight injury, meaning Alarcόn got a run. They are without a key defender, German captain Gerhard Meier off to Udinese for ₤8.5M. Veteran Korean striker Kim Jong-Kyung was also deemed past his use-by date and Croatian striker Ante Delic walked out to join Real Madrid. Young Spanish striker Mikel Aragon and Scottish striker Jimmy Christie were bought for ₤11.25M and ₤8M respectively to try to cover their loss as partner to England international Mark Brierly. Italian international defender Denis Urso cost ₤4.3M from Bolton. Brierly missed an early header, then scored with a second attempt to put Liverpool ahead. Bohman made a similar run to the previous game, but this time his shot was saved. A foul just inside the area by Segerström gave Liverpool a second goal just before half time. Another foul against débutant Jakub Parizek saw a second penalty, and third goal, to Liverpool late in the game. Saturn, EURO Cup 1st round, leg 1, Away We only had a one-goal lead going into the away leg of our first EURO Cup tie. A knock to Alarcon meant Mexican striker Sergio Sánchez got his first senior start. Johnson badly misjudged a pass in the early minutes and only a desperate tackle from Ward avoided an early goal. Gylfason missed a few shots and had another two saved. The second, after a brilliant ball from Bohman, was from close range and should have gone in. Finally, a dangerous ball from Hontecillas got through the defence and Gylfason only had to flick it in for a 24th minute lead. He took only a minute to score again, with a good pass from Ward sending Siabanis out wide to cross to the Icelandic striker. Bohman missed a few chances to extend the lead, but Chris Anderson came off the bench and scored his first for the club, 3-0 for the game, 4-0 on aggregate. Sunderland, Premier League, Away Sunderland are contenders to go down, though they are far from the worst side in the league. They were 15th last season and sit in that position again. A number of players are gone, including Brazilian-born German midfielder Arthur, veteran Dutch forward Jesper van der Wal (both free) and defender Milos Malesevic (₤5.5M to Chelsea). Their best signing came for nothing, Italian forward Gabriele Maione, and they spent ₤2.9M on USA defender Ron Fisher. Bozkurt was put under early pressure by poor defending from Hontecillas, having to make two saves after possession was given away. In the 9th, Pedersen passed through the defence for Patrice Thomas to score his first of the season, after five scoreless games. Bohman switched sides with a cross for fellow winger Siabanis to make it 2-0 a few minutes later as Bozkurt continued to make excellent saves. Strikers Thomas and Sánchez each missed opportunities to extend the lead in the second half, but when a shot from the impressive Pedersen was parried in injury time, Thomas finished it off. 3-0. Hontecillas was third as Player of the Month and won Young Player of the Month, with James Johnson second. Bohman's goal against Man U was third as Goal of the Month. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 October, 2024 Birmingham, Premier League, Away Birmingham have done well this season, sitting in second spot – far above their mid-table efforts of the last six seasons. That's particularly good given they sold former Rushden winger Giorgos Samaras for ₤8.5M. Their only purchase was another former Rushden player, Alfred van Dijk, for ₤2.9M from Ajax. Alarcόn returned from injury and was busy in the opening minutes with three shots on goal. The first half was just a succession of wasted chances, finishing scoreless. The second half was no better, particularly with Wilson taking a Bohman cross unopposed in the area and sending it weakly to the keeper. Gylfason came off the bench and passed to Alarcόn near the box, but the keeper just beat him to it. 0-0. There was bad news, with Bozkurt put out for two months with a knee injury suffered at training. Backup Shane Bayliss, with just two cup games since joining the side in 16/17, came up to the seniors. Mario Fiori played a few games early this season, but has struggled in the reserves. FC Twente, EURO Cup Group F, Away Having not made it past this stage in my time, with 33-year-old Israeli midfielder Yoel Goldstein their best player, Twente are one of the weakest sides in the (rather weak) group. The others are Atletico, Boavista and GAK. An opponent was sent off for a late tackle on Gylfason after just seven minutes. Alarcόn headed a Ferrante cross into the post, but thankfully it rebounded straight to Gylfason, who scored. The Icelandic striker ran onto a long pass from Ward for his second before half time, and a couple of minutes later Alarcόn won an aerial battle for a Bohman cross for number three. Gylfason completed his hat-trick with a copy of his second goal, though this time from a Ferrante pass, and the two combined again for Gylfason to score his fourth in the 54th minute. I rested them both, as a second red card to Twente ensured we could cruise to a 5-0 win. Fulham, Premier League, Home After surviving their first season back in the EPL, Fulham will be looking to consolidate. They sold off defender Robin Thomas to Ipswich for ₤1.3M and young Norwegian midfielder Kent Jensen to Man City for ₤7.25M. They took a couple of young, cheap signings, with ₤3M Argentinian defender Nicolas Piaggio their only notable new face. Goiria had an early free and forced a parry from 35 yards. Fulham quickly broke on the counter-attack, and Johnson was easily nutmegged by his opponent. However, he chased hard and caught him before he got to the area. The clearance was quickly returned, and Bayliss had to make a point-blank save. In the 30th, a header from the in-form Ferrante was parried right to Bohman, who scored. An elbow to the face saw Fulham reduced to ten men in the second half. Bayliss was rarely challenged, thanks to Johnson in particular, and one goal was enough for maximum points. Stoke, League Cup 3rd round, Away A perennial fixture in the Championship, Stoke have hovered around the bottom of the table for many years now. I brought in plenty of lesser lights, such as Carlos, Sánchez, Cieslewicz and Parizek. A fumble from Bayliss gifted Stoke a goal in just two minutes, and another in the fifth. A third in the 15th was just embarrassing. Goiria showed a bit of spark, and Alarcon pulled one goal back late in the half. Carlos set up Sánchez, and the combination of two reserve players brought about our second goal. Stoke weren't done with, putting a header off the crossbar. Bayliss gathered the ball and set up a counter-attack with a great pass, which ended with Alcaron heading over the bar. Pedersen threaded a late pass through the defence, only for Sánchez to put it over. He tried again when sent through by Siabanis, this time only finding the keeper. We finished 2-3, ending our Cup run at the first hurdle thanks to 15 minutes of madness. Arsenal, Premier League, Away Sitting top of the table with just one loss in nine games, Arsenal are threatening the surprisingly lowly Man U this season. After finishing 4th last season, they offloaded ₤40.5M of players, including Libyan keeper Adnam Al-Madi to Milan for ₤13M, Ukranian defender Olexandr Zayats to Inter for the same amount, Peruvian defender Joel Portugal to Roma for ₤4.2M, Brazilian right back Ferreira to Sporting CP for ₤4.2M and Norwegian midfielder Jarle Odegaard to Verona for ₤6M. They signed just three players, but for the same total amount. Senegalese defender El Hadji Faye cost ₤22.5M, Newcastle defender Frankie Elliot ₤12M and Chelsea midfielder Mark Rosenior ₤9.75M. Oddly, that left them without a backup keeper, so they have one on loan from Bolton. Laurent Marchal returned from injury for Rushden. Rushden nemesis (one of many), Chinese striker Cao Bin, put Arsenal ahead in five minutes. Goiria caused some trouble with a curling free and Marchal had a couple of shots at goal but we never really looked like equalising. 0-1. Hontecillas was runner-up as Young Player of the Month. With Thomas and Marchal having just three goals between them for the season, we haven't done too badly. The loss of Bozkurt is a major problem, and I'm not sure Fiori and Bayliss can hold up against decent attacks. I have been busily going through my scout reports in search of new blood, and have already arranged two purchases – Spanish midfielder Juan Pablo Navarro for ₤3.3M and Venezuelan midfielder Jose Gregorio Ramirez for ₤2.5M. I had plenty of other targets who agreed terms, but were refused work permits. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Arsenal | | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 3 | +10 | 22 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Cardiff | | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 6 | +6 | 21 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Aston Villa | | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 7 | +8 | 19 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Chelsea | | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 3 | +8 | 17 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Birmingham | | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 17 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Man Utd | | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 8 | +7 | 16 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Rushden | | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 16 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Newcastle | | 10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 11 | +2 | 15 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Middlesbrough | | 10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 15 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Barnsley | | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 9 | +1 | 13 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Fulham | | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 8 | -1 | 13 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Liverpool | | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 12 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Leicester | | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 8 | -1 | 11 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Reading | | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 12 | -5 | 11 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Bolton | | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 14 | -3 | 10 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Blackburn | | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 13 | -5 | 10 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Sunderland | | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 18 | -7 | 10 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Wigan | | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 15 | -5 | 8 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Tottenham | | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 13 | -6 | 6 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Brentford | | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 24 | -19 | 2 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 November, 2014 Wigan, Premier League, Home Generally a lower-table side, Wigan have fallen into the relegation zone early. The loss of Scottish striker Jimmy Christie (₤8M to Liverpool) is a significant blow given that he has been their leading scorer for the past four seasons. Winger Dave Jenkins also left for Leicester, without any compensation. Wigan only managed to pick up mediocre Belgian winger Sebastien Mace on a free transfer, which does not cover those departures, and their three on-loan players look equally unimpressive. After a few wild shots from Thomas and Ferrante, a brilliant curling cross from Goiria got around the keeper and left Bohman with a tap-in. Just into the second half, Thomas took a Sabev throw on the edge of the area, spun and buried his shot with a powerful strike. An elbow saw Wigan reduced to ten men, and a two-footed tackle took them to nine. A simple 2-0 win. Apparently Bozkurt's time on the sidelines gave him time to contemplate his future, as he demanded a transfer. With no backup keepers, this was terrible news, but I listed him for ₤10M. Barnsley, Premier League, Home Just to rub in the irony of the Bozkurt news, Patrik Svensson was in goal for Barnsley after the former Rushden keeper's ₤6M move from Chelsea. They also had ₤10.5M Man City midfielder Andy Winter and ₤2.5M Reading defender Robert Morrison as changes to their mid-table side. Scottish winger Billy Grant (₤5.5M to Newcastle) and New Zealand defender Nick Turner (₤3.1M to Man U) were the major losses. Ferrante was impressive in the first half, first playing through Alarcόn for a shot which was saved, then having a header parried to the same player, who scored this time. A long counter-attacking pass from Kotelnikov saw the striker through again, and he made it 2-0 before the break. Ten minutes into the second half, Thomas raced into the area and fired off a shot. It was parried straight to Alarcόn, who completed his hat-trick. Bayliss again escaped unchallenged as we took another three points. Boavista, EURO Cup Group F, Home Another relatively weak side in our group, the Portuguese side at least has a history of getting beyond the group stage, though not to the latter parts of the competition. Russian international Kirill Tagirov is in goal, but with 35-year-old Australian Ryan McGowan in defence and 34-year-old Paraguayan Carlos Kiese up forward, they look less than impressive. Sánchez tested the keeper with a fine long-range shot while Ward missed a simple header in the 22nd. A sharp Siabanis pass found Alarcόn in the area, but his header was wide, while a close-range Sánchez shot was tipped over. All the chances went to Rushden, yet the game was scoreless at half time. Worse, we lost both Wilson and Goiria to injury. Finally, a soft touch from Ferrante saw Siabanis slip a shot past the keeper and into the goal. Hontecillas continued his fine start to his Rushden career with another Man of the Match award as we took a 1-0 win. Brentford, Premier League, Home Brentford have had a hard time of their first go at the Premier League, after finishing second in the Championship last season. Striker Paul Hoddle, who scored 24 Championship goals in 23/24, is sitting in the reserves as the side languishes in bottom spot. They wasted ₤4.4M on Doncaster winger James Tanner, compared to their far better and cheaper signings like midfielder Lee Walker (₤650K from Bolton) and teenage Dutch forward Guus Rijsbergen. Then again, considering they picked up two 35-year-old former internationals, (England's David Hillerby and American Chris Klinger), their transfers are quite terrible overall. Oddly enough, we were thoroughly outplayed in the first half. Our attacks were quickly broken down, and Brentford had several shots on goal – albeit mostly speculative ones. It took a deflected cross from Siabanis to put Pederson in a position to put us ahead with his first Rushden goal. A late header from Man of the Match Marchal put Gylfason through to seal it 2-0, though it was hardly convincing. GAK, EURO Cup Group F, Away An Austrian opponent with no history of making it past this stage offered little threat. We cruised through this game for the most part. A handful of half-hearted shots went wide and Karpov clipped the post before Gylfason put us ahead mid-way through the first half. After a huge number of wasted chances, Alarcόn unselfishly gave Gylfason his second goal to seal the win. I sold Norwegian winger Trond Olson to Queensland for ₤2.2M. He was not getting a game in the Championship, and I have two midfielders coming in January already. This has been a mixed season so far. Bozkurt is a major worry, out injured and wanting to leave. Backup Shane Bayliss has rarely been threatened and his reliability hasn't been tested. With his contract ending at the end of the season, he's not a contender for a long-term backup, let alone first-choice. I have also been unable to re-sign Karpov, Vanderlei, Gylfason and Sabev, among others. The good news is the form of some players, including Gylfason, with nine goals in eight games, Alarcon, with seven goals, and lesser lights like Ferrante, Ward and Hontecillas. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 December, 2024 Cardiff, Premier League, Home Second-placed Cardiff have been terrific this season, conceding just six goals in 14 games. That's particularly remarkable when you consider the transfers from the side which finished 8th last season. Turkish striker Usta Ferdi was sold to Sevilla for ₤13.75M, Chinese defender Wang Yao for ₤1.5M and Welsh striker Geoff Lewis for ₤1.7M. They got huge free transfer bargains with Brazilian international keeper Fabiano from Villareal, Portuguese international defender Santos from Man U and Rushden's Ross Patten and Adam Sherwood. Karpov had a free in the opening minute about 35 yards out, and went to the right of the area. Vanderlei took the ball and passed into the area for Siabanis, who volleyed it into the far side of the goal. Sabev sent a long ball into the area in the 21st, where Marchal bettered Siabanis' effort with a ripping first-time strike. We played well, with Siabanis and Pederson creating several chances. Cardiff got a late goal through a deflection as we recorded our fourth straight league win. Blackburn, Premier League, Away Back up despite finishing fifth in the Championship last season, Rovers are tipped to go straight back down. Young Scottish forward Roger Smith is finding the Premier League tougher after 40 Championship goals in two seasons and their reigning Fans' Player of the Year, 34-year-old winger Danny Welbeck, can't even make the seniors at this level. They only spent ₤1.2M on a handful of signings, with Cardiff's Welsh right winger Theo Irving the most expensive at ₤675K. Australian international striker Tony Hunt only cost ₤230K from Genk and Danish international Kim Larsen came for free from AaB. We had a few chances, with Vanderlei particularly creative with long passing. Unfortunately, Alarcon put several shots wide, Karpov headed over the bar and we finished scoreless. Newcastle, Premier League, Home Newcastle are looking good this season, though they are not yet as high as their third place last season. They lost a lot of quality, most notably England international defender Richard Bishop for a ridiculous ₤27M to Sevilla, another defender, Frankie Elliot, to Arsenal for ₤12M, Swedish midfielder Yann Peres to Roma for ₤13.25M and Egyptian wing back Hussein Hassan for ₤13M to Chelsea. Though that left them short quite a few defenders, Newcastle instead bought three young forwards who were promptly loaned out, then spent ₤5.75M on Scottish left winger Billy Grant and ₤9.25M on Greek right winger Vasilis Nikolaidis. Though French international Cedric Guiraud is brilliant and John Daly is an England international, their defence is otherwise unimpressive. The ball seemed to hang around the right side of Rushden's area for a lot of the first half without any real chances being created. Siabanis sent in a couple of crosses, but more often than not, the ball was locked up or cleared. It took a long Sabev free for Rushden to hit the lead in the 59th through a Hontecillas header over the keeper. He scored an almost identical goal ten minutes later, this time from a Karpov free. Bayliss made some good saves, then undid his work with a poor clearance, letting Newcastle score with a dozen minutes left. We held on for another win, with 189cm Hontecillas using his height and strength to win another Man of the Match award. Atlético Madrid, EURO Cup Group F, Home This game was not especially important, with Rushden already qualified. Atletico were fifth in the Spanish First Division last season, and feature stars such as Argentinian left winger Gabriel Garcia, Spanish keeper Patricio Lopez and Mexican striker Gustavo Salas. After a few Marchal shots were saved, Sánchez rose up to beat the keeper to a long Siabanis pass, heading us the only goal of the game. Aston Villa, Premier League, Home Remarkably sitting second in the league, Aston Villa are exceeding all expectations. They lost last season's best player, defender Alexander Nilsen, to Verona for ₤5.25M and also sold Irish winger Owen Collinge to Tottenham for ₤3.5M. However, they acquired Belgian winger Tarik Hoekstra for free from Lazio, Scottish keeper David Campbell from Reading for nothing, Irish keeper Ged Stevens from Ipswich for ₤2.9M and a player, and former Rushden defender Audrius Juodeikis from Lazio for ₤5M. The first half was mostly uneventful. A Bohman cross was intercepted by the keeper and Bayliss dived on a free after fumbling his initial save. In the second half, Alarcόn collected a pass in the area and took a shot after a bounce, somehow putting it well wide. That was it for the game, finishing scoreless. Leicester, Premier League, Away Leicester are in the relegation zone, despite winning the Championship last season. They made a few purchases, including Danish defender Soren Kristiansen (₤2.5M from Man City), English defender David Andrews (₤3.4M from Ipswich), Greek midfielder Ilias Gougoulias (₤2.6M from Stockport) and our own Thomas Petit for free. Marchal scraped the top of the bar twice in the first five minutes, and only terrible finishing kept Leicester from scoring at the other end. A beautiful pass from Hontecillas and sharp run from Siabanis in the 12th was only enough for a corner, which Ferrante headed wide. Free kicks from Leicester cost us dearly – first Wilson headed one into his own net, then they scored from a direct free. Marchal headed into the post late in the game, as we fell to a poor 0-2 loss. The game was even, but the scoreboard was not. Chelsea, Premier League, Away Yet again Chelsea are in the top half, but not the top few. They would still be smarting at losing Germany captain Ronny Fink for no compensation to Juventus, though they got ₤8.75M from Inter for defender Pasquale Saladino, ₤9.75M from Arsenal for Mark Rosenior and ₤6M for keeper Patrik Svensson to move to Barnsley. They made plenty of big signings, including Italian winger Jacopo Cristante for ₤15.75M from Juventus, ₤13M for Newcastle's Hussein Hassan, ₤9.5M for Spanish midfielder Eneko Punal and ₤15M on another three defenders. There were a remarkable few minutes in the first half. First, Chelsea looked to have scored from a header, but it was ruled out due to a foul in the battle to win the ball. At the other end, Marchal headed in himself, only to have it ruled offside, and dubiously so. Bayliss did well to save a free, then gave the ball straight back to Chelsea to see them take the lead. Sabev sent a long ball through the defence in the 54th. Gylfason raced the keeper and a defender to the ball, beat them both...and put his shot well wide. In the 59th, Marchal played him through, and despite a hand from the keeper, the ball trickled to the line...only to be cleared by a defender. Not even a late red card to Chelsea could see us come back. Italian forward Lorenzo Costantini made his début off the bench. Tottenham, Premier League, Home Tottenham barely escaped relegation in the last two seasons, and are a little more comfortable in the middle of the table this year. We beat them 2-1 in the first game of the season. Young striker Scott Haddow has done well, with 11 league goals, and former Rushden defender Peter Tóth has been a regular in their defence alongside Australian Peter Caton. Bohman worked hard with little result. His crosses saw Costantini miss and Sánchez hit the bar. Bayliss played a good game, saving a number of shots and looking composed. With just ten minutes to go, Ferrante collected a loose ball in the centre and sent it forward. Sánchez took the pass and slammed in a ripping goal. Not a convincing win, but a valuable three points. Bolton, Premier League, Home We had a scoreless draw in our last meeting with Bolton. Italian Rocco Pedrelli is a speedy threat, with a dozen league goals and Bulgarian Georgi Boshikyov has done well in defence. Terrible defending from Bolton saw an innocent Goiria cross knocked straight into the net. We cruised through most of the game, so when Bayliss gave Bolton a goal with an appalling clearance, there was no spark to launch another attack. Rakic came off the bench and sent in a great pass for Gylfason, who had his header tipped over. Two points wasted. Midfielder Luigi Ferrante has been the only player I've managed to re-sign. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 January, 2025 I released defender Ronald Davids to Brentford for free and signed two new players. However, the arguably biggest news was that I finally re-signed Karpov, on huge (for me) wages of ₤30K per week. Juan Pablo Navarro [AM RC, ESP, 181cm, 29] – 0, 0, 0 Navarro joins from Parma for a club record ₤3.3M, despite lacklustre performances for the last few seasons. However, he has terrific pace, balance and skill from both set pieces and general play. Most importantly, he will provide another option on the right wing, rather than forcing me to overplay young Siabanis. José Gregorio Ramírez [M C, VEN – 13 Caps, 178cm, 20] – 0, 0, 0 A ₤2.5M signing from Atletico Minero, Ramírez looks an excellent prospect. He has very good skills, though he lacks a bit of pace and fitness. Reading, Premier League, Away Navarro made his début on the right in the first game of 2025. Reading sit in the middle of the table after we had a scoreless draw with them at the start of the season. Former Rushden star Juho Heinonen has done well for them and pacey England international forward Chris Kerr is a top player. Karpov celebrated his new contract with a brilliant 35-yard free just five minutes in. Former Rushden striker Conall Hawe took only three more minutes to equalise at the other end though, bringing us back to square one. The game finished level, with one goal apiece. Stevenage, FA Cup 3rd round, Away A match against a League Two side was ostensibly a good chance to rest a few players. Of course, they scored within five minutes. Their keeper turned into Superman, saving a dozen shots, they scored again, and we were out of both domestic cups. Laughable. I sold striker Matti Laakkonen to Fulham for ₤500K and midfielders Niklas Syla to Sheffield United for ₤650K and Sven Kilic to Sunderland for ₤1.5M. Chelsea made a ₤5M bid for Vanderlei, who I'm yet to re-sign. They agreed terms, but I changed my mind and cancelled the deal, deciding I'd rather lose him for free than see him play for a title challenger. Middlesbrough, Premier League, Home We drew 1-1 last time we faced Middlesbrough, who now sit in the middle of the table. They have added Bulgarian international forward Georgi Stefanov for ₤525K from Red Star. For Rushden, Bozkurt made his return. Vanderlei managed to head in a corner, but unfortunately it was a Middlesbrough one. Twice our strikers managed to draw out the Middlesbrough keeper and get off a shot. Gylfason put his shot wide, while Marchal's trickled towards the goal and came back off the post. In the 71st, Hontecillas won the ball in the middle, and passed forward to Gylfason. With a quick turn and strike, he buried it from 30 yards. Bozkurt made a few good saves as we came away with a point. Manchester United, Premier League, Away We managed a 1-0 win in our last game against United, after a series of beltings at their hands. After a slow start, they sit second on the table and opened the transfer window with some staggering signings. To be fair, they did offload a few players, with young defenders Pat Gallen and Stuart McDonald off to Arsenal for a total of ₤10M, midfielder Lee Jin-Woo to Valencia for ₤6.25M, defender Martijn Hulshoff in a ₤5.5M sale to Milan and young Welsh striker for ₤8.75M to Cardiff. However, these were overwhelmed on the first day of the new year by the incoming players. Sevilla's Spanish international defender Pablo Cespedes cost ₤38.5M, Scottish defender ₤41.5M from Barcelona and German left winger Thomas Bauer ₤44M from Milan. Bauer is the only one who looks particularly impressive, though the others are capable – as you'd hope for that price. Johnson sent in a 9th minute corner which was cleared only as far as Vanderlei. With the area still crowded, the ball was passed around between Ward, Johnson, Hontecillas, and Ferrante before we found some run through Bohman. His pass got through to Gylfason, off a deflection, and he scored. Ten minutes later, Gylfason was almost through the defence when he was brought down by the last man. A straight red, though Navarro missed the free. We dominated the first half, with Bohman, Sánchez and Sabev all having chances to score. Just a minute into the second half, Gylfason again got through, and fired a low shot across the area. It was parried straight to Sánchez, who put us two goals up. Josenildo da Silva Moraes came off the bench with 20 minutes to go, and promptly earned a penalty when brought down by Johnson. This was Rushden's day, though, with Bozkurt making the save. Another win for Rushden against Man U. Liverpool, Premier League, Home Liverpool are way down in the middle of the table after their runner-up finish last season, despite beating us 0-3 (albeit with two penalties). They have picked up two Turkish players to improve their fortunes – midfielder Bektas Sertan from Lyon for ₤8.75M and defender Okan Ahmet from Real Madrid for ₤10.5M. Johnson took a corner in the 20th which he floated close to the keeper. As he did earlier in the season, 189cm defender Hontecillas rose up and headed in a goal. A Navarro cross caused danger for Liverpool, with the keeper barely beating Sánchez to the ball. Liverpool were undisciplined in the second half, first having a player sent off, then conceding a penalty which was put through by Ferrante. Sánchez capped off the win late in the game, heading in a long pass from Sabev. 3-0. I turned down a ₤7.5M Sporting CP bid for Bozkurt, and though I accepted a ₤15M bid from Verona for Bohman, the player rejected the move. I had arranged a ₤4.2M purchase of Greek midfielder Grigoris Kliafas from Rangers, but cancelled it after the Bohman sale fell through. Trying to resolve the goalkeeping problem, USA international Chris Riley came on loan from FC Bayern until the end of the season and I bought 22-year-old Russian Anton Grigoryan for ₤40K. Anton Grigoryan [GK, RUS – 1 Cap, 191cm, 22] – 0, 0, 0 Despite having just one cap, he got a work permit, and will be a regular in the seniors. Grigoryan is rather immobile for a keeper, which is a worry, and he has a habit of charging out. However, he comes recommended by my scouts as a future star, and is on significant wages, so he will get a run. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Arsenal | | 25 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 46 | 13 | +33 | 57 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Cardiff | | 25 | 14 | 6 | 5 | 28 | 17 | +11 | 48 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Chelsea | | 24 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 27 | 10 | +17 | 46 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Rushden | | 25 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 28 | 14 | +14 | 45 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Man Utd | | 25 | 13 | 4 | 8 | 36 | 20 | +16 | 43 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Newcastle | | 25 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 33 | 21 | +12 | 43 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Aston Villa | | 26 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 35 | 25 | +10 | 43 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Birmingham | | 25 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 29 | 25 | +4 | 37 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Middlesbrough | | 25 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 19 | 17 | +2 | 37 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Bolton | | 25 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 26 | 23 | +3 | 34 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Liverpool | | 25 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 28 | 27 | +1 | 33 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Sunderland | | 25 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 33 | 36 | -3 | 32 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Tottenham | | 25 | 9 | 4 | 12 | 21 | 25 | -4 | 31 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Reading | | 25 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 22 | 33 | -11 | 31 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Fulham | | 25 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 21 | 26 | -5 | 28 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Blackburn | | 25 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 17 | 29 | -12 | 26 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Barnsley | | 25 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 21 | 33 | -12 | 23 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Leicester | | 25 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 16 | 28 | -12 | 22 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Wigan | | 25 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 16 | 38 | -22 | 12 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Brentford | | 25 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 18 | 60 | -42 | 10 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 February, 2025 Sunderland, Premier League, Away Sunderland are sitting in a reasonably safe mid-table position, though we hammered them 3-0 last time. They have added Bradford wing back Oddbjorn Andersen on a free transfer and our own midfielder Sven Kilic for ₤1.5M. Former Dortmund and Torino goal poacher Gabriele Maione is their leading scorer, with a dozen league goals. Karpov made a crucial tackle on Maione early, while Sánchez was halted at the other end after a good counter-attacking run. Sunderland scored in the 17th but seven minutes later, Sánchez again got into the area. His shot was parried straight to Ferrante, who scored. Again in the 58th, a Sánchez shot was parried to a Rushden player. This time it was Bohman, who made it 2-0. Bozkurt made several saves, Johnson and Hontecillas were excellent in defence and we came away with a win. Birmingham, Premier League, Home Performing above expectations, Birmingham may be in the running for a European spot if they can maintain their form. They spent ₤3.8M on veteran Celtic striker Joe Darlington and released former Rushden midfielder Tony Edwards after our 0-0 draw earlier in the season. Gylfason passed to partner Marchal in the second minute. Marchal was brought down before he could shoot, earning a penalty and a red card for Birmingham. Ferrante's penalty was saved, but a minute later, Bohman headed in a Johnson corner. Birmingham rarely threatened for the rest of the game, and even then those chances came about through Rushden errors. One of those was a foul by Bohman on van Dijk with just two minutes to go just near the corner flag. Somehow a Birmingham player got free in the box to tap in the indirect free kick, leaving us no time to equalise. Two wasted points. Besiktas, Euro Cup, 1st knockout round, 1st leg, Away A slightly tougher opponent than the ones we ran into in the group stage, Besiktas still don't get past this stage often. ₤6.25M defensive midfielder Oscar Llorca is impressive and a threat from long range, keeper Jorge Acevedo is a USA international, Colombian winger Jose Garcia is lightning fast and striker Carlos Gonzalez is an aerial threat. Just 38 seconds in, Marchal passed through the defence for Gylfason. Though he rounded the keeper, he found the side netting. In the 7th, Besiktas scored when Bozkurt rushed out too early. Four minutes later, Siabanis hooked in a wild cross that evaded everyone. Marchal ran onto the loose ball and slammed it into the crossbar, where it rebounded to Siabanis. His shot was tipped aside, and both Marchal and Gylfason had shots tipped over. That was certainly better than Marchal's next effort, which was so wide of the goal it went out for a throw! It was from a throw that we finally scored though, with Siabanis finding Gylfason, who blasted in from the edge of the area. Bozkurt was left one-on-one after a counter-attack, but made the save. An elbow on Marchal reduced Besiktas to ten men before half time, though history has shown that doesn't help Rushden. The second half was much quieter than the first. In the 67th, Ferrante passed forward. The ball deflected off a defender and into the path of Marchal, who charged to the area and finally slotted in just his third goal of the season. Two important away goals for Rushden going into the second leg. Besiktas, Euro Cup, 1st knockout round, 2nd leg, Away That second leg was a week later. Ferrante missed badly with a shot in the seventh minute. Marchal continued his terrible season with four first half misses. Navarro came off the bench, and in the 75th he crossed pretty much to the goal line, where Gylfason walked it in. A 3-1 aggregate to see Rushden progress. Fulham, Premier League, Home Rushden dominated the first half with no real opportunities to score. It took a weak pass from Kotelnikov, which bobbed around in the area, for Marchal to put us ahead in the 60th. Marchal again got a shot off in the 68th, and it was parried straight to Ferrante for a tap-in. Fulham scored a consolation in injury time, but that was our ninth game on the trot without a loss. James Johnson was second as Young Player of the Month, as was I as Manager of the Month. Arsenal are runaway leaders and won't be caught, though second place is a distinct possibility. Then again, so is 7th... I failed to re-sign Vanderlei, and he has agreed terms with Palermo. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Arsenal | | 28 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 54 | 15 | +39 | 66 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Cardiff | | 28 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 31 | 18 | +13 | 53 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Rushden | | 28 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 33 | 17 | +16 | 52 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Chelsea | | 28 | 13 | 11 | 4 | 28 | 11 | +17 | 50 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Newcastle | | 28 | 12 | 12 | 4 | 37 | 22 | +15 | 48 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Aston Villa | | 28 | 15 | 3 | 10 | 43 | 30 | +13 | 48 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Man Utd | | 28 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 40 | 25 | +15 | 47 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Middlesbrough | | 28 | 9 | 12 | 7 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 39 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Liverpool | | 28 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 32 | 29 | +3 | 38 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Bolton | | 28 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 29 | 26 | +3 | 38 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Birmingham | | 28 | 11 | 5 | 12 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 38 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Tottenham | | 27 | 10 | 4 | 13 | 23 | 27 | -4 | 34 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Sunderland | | 28 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 34 | 41 | -7 | 32 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Blackburn | | 28 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 32 | -12 | 32 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Reading | | 27 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 37 | -14 | 32 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Barnsley | | 28 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 28 | 37 | -9 | 29 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Fulham | | 28 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 23 | 32 | -9 | 28 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Leicester | | 28 | 6 | 7 | 15 | 18 | 34 | -16 | 25 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Brentford | | 28 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 22 | 63 | -41 | 16 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Wigan | | 28 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 20 | 42 | -22 | 15 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 March, 2025 Arsenal, Premier League, Home Arsenal have the title all but sealed already. Chinese international Cao Bin has been in insane form, with 25 league goals – already just three short of the Premier League record. Add England defender David McHale, Senegal wing back El Hadji Faye and several other quality strikers including French international Sebastien Munoz and Swiss veteran Cyril Vairelles, they are an incredible side. January only enhanced that, with Man U pair Pat Gallen and Stuart McDonald coming for around ₤10M as mere backup defenders and Newcastle's Rudd van Gils as a backup keeper for ₤2.7M. Marchal won a header in the area from a Karpov free, but put it over. Goiria was dispossessed in the area, and a Hontecillas header was saved as we dominated the first twenty minutes without result. It was still scoreless at half time. A typical edge-of-the-area effort from Gylfason in the 49th was saved and he went off injured soon after. With Bozkurt saving a late Cao Bin effort, we got away with a scoreless draw. Hearts, Euro Cup, 2nd knockout round, 1st leg, Away After winning the Scottish Premier League in the last two seasons, Hearts are well down the table. Striker Will Smith is reasonably prolific and Welsh partner Geoff Lewis has some pace, but overall they are nothing special. Former Rushden reserve midfielder Terry Simmons is a regular in their side, as is on-loan wing back Kim Holmen. We took only a minute to take the lead, with Karpov heading in a corner from fellow defender Johnson. Hearts responded three minutes later and rammed another shot off the crossbar in the seventh. Alarcόn came close in the 11th, putting a counter-attacking shot wide. Things did not slow down, with Bohman off injured and Ferrante heading over. Alarcόn found the target in the 38th to put Rushden ahead. Siabanis missed a sitter in the 75th, and Hearts scored on the counter-attack to make it 2-2. That was the final score, and we lost Bohman for at least a month. Hearts, Euro Cup, 2nd knockout round, 2nd leg, Home Several times in the first two minutes, the ball was locked in a crowded area. In the third, it was finally cleared, meaning Kotelnikov's long ball to Goiria saw us score. Ferrante put through an injury time penalty for a 4-2 aggregate lead at the break Wigan, Premier League, Away Goalkeeper Anton Grigoryan made his début against relegation-threatened Wigan. They offloaded out of form defender Remco Nijhuis to Sampdoria for ₤2.9M and midfielder Andrew Tiffin to Ipswich for ₤2.2M. Coming in were Aberdeen defender Tim Smith for ₤5.25M, West Ham's Latvian defender Jevgenijs Sincins (₤2.2M) and Coventry striker Jonathan Grant (₤4.2M). No Wigan player has more than half a dozen goals for the whole season. Cao Bin has more than their entire squad... Grigoryan had to make a few early saves and Alarcon missed badly at the other end. It was only through fine work from Grigoryan that we went in at half time level. The second half started much better, with Navarro forcing a save. Goiria got through the defence in the 55th and though his shot was saved, a wild attempted clearance put it straight in anyway. Straight from the kick-off, Wilson intercepted a pass. He passed to Ferrante, who flicked on to Kotelnikov. His long ball sent Gylfason on a race which he won, leaving him to score our second in a minute. Karpov headed in a Kotelnikov corner six minutes later to suddenly make it 3-0, though Wigan did score one late. Leicester, Premier League, Home While there are two sides which are already all but relegated, Leicester is one of several sides fighting to avoid the final demotion spot. They made a few long-term signings over January, which indicates a bit of confidence. The only new players to be in their senior side were veteran Chinese defender Li Mingming (₤775K from Sporting CP), Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Jack Evans (₤1.5M) and Charlton's Hungarian forward Havard Hansen (₤1.2M). The defenders had to work hard in the first half to stop Leicester from getting any real shots at goal, but the ball seemed to be locked up towards their area. It took a terrible weak pass from Rakic deep in defence to gift Leicester a goal early in the second. He failed to make amends in the 67th, missing a header at goal. Sánchez came off the bench and made an immediate impact with a terrific run past four defenders before finally being halted. When Wilson hooked a long ball into the area, Sánchez was there to head in an equaliser with ten minutes to go. Johnson nearly got lucky with a long cross that was tipped over, and from the corner another substitute, Navarro, slammed Rushden into the lead. A lucky escape. I was offered a new four-year contract, with wages of ₤27.5K – an increase of ₤5K, but still far less than my counterparts. We finished March in second spot and are on a 13-game streak without a loss. April will be tough, with the EURO Cup quarter finals as well as several EPL games. It will still take only a few off results for us to fall as low as seventh. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Arsenal | | 31 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 60 | 18 | +42 | 70 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Rushden | | 31 | 16 | 11 | 4 | 38 | 19 | +19 | 59 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Cardiff | | 31 | 16 | 10 | 5 | 34 | 19 | +15 | 58 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Newcastle | | 31 | 15 | 12 | 4 | 45 | 24 | +21 | 57 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Man Utd | | 31 | 16 | 5 | 10 | 47 | 28 | +19 | 53 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Aston Villa | | 31 | 16 | 4 | 11 | 45 | 32 | +13 | 52 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Chelsea | | 30 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 31 | 17 | +14 | 50 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Liverpool | | 31 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 38 | 31 | +7 | 47 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Middlesbrough | | 31 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 42 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Bolton | | 31 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 31 | 32 | -1 | 41 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Tottenham | | 31 | 12 | 5 | 14 | 26 | 30 | -4 | 41 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Birmingham | | 31 | 11 | 7 | 13 | 31 | 32 | -1 | 40 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Reading | | 31 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 28 | 40 | -12 | 39 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Barnsley | | 31 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 30 | 38 | -8 | 34 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Blackburn | | 31 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 21 | 38 | -17 | 34 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Sunderland | | 30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 34 | 46 | -12 | 32 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Fulham | | 31 | 6 | 12 | 13 | 26 | 36 | -10 | 30 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Leicester | | 31 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 22 | 37 | -15 | 29 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Wigan | | 31 | 4 | 5 | 22 | 21 | 45 | -24 | 17 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Brentford | | 31 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 22 | 68 | -46 | 16 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 April, 2025 Tenerife, EURO Cup quarter final, 1st leg, Home Oddly enough, every one of our three EURO Cup runs has ended at this point (against Sevilla, Liverpool and Chelsea), as did our Champions Cup run (Chelsea again)! Bozkurt reclaimed the keeping spot, the former apprentice lining up against his master, Roy Simons, and Marchal replaced Alarcόn. Tenerife finished way down the league table last season, but won the Spanish Cup to qualify for this competition. Aside from Simons, their best players are starlet Marc Vazquez, a speedy Spanish striker, and Uruguay striker Fernando Vargas. 35-year-old Freddie Adu is also part of their squad. Marchal headed to Gylfason just outside the area in third, with his shot going well over, as did another shot from 30 yards. Goiria had a free tipped over by Simons in the 8th and a Marchal header was saved. Gylfason twisted around a defender and earned yet another corner as Rushden dominated the first half. The second was even more frustrating, with Gylfason hooking an effort across the face of goal and Marchal having one blocked on the line. We really should have won, and now must score away in order to progress. Barnsley, Premier League, Away After a few reasonably successful years, Barnsley have fallen down the table and are only two points away from relegation. Despite having plenty of money after a fan takeover last season, they made no January signings. Their leading scorer, 20-year-old Scottish striker Craig Ramsay, has already agreed terms with Liverpool. Former Rushden players Patrik Svensson and Stanislaus Lejeune were in their side. Siabanis twice came down the right to have a shot at goal from inside the area. The first was sent straight to the keeper, the second came off the far post and bounced clear. A lovely little pass from Goiria saw Alarcόn score in the 30th, and he barely missed with a header a few minutes later. Barnsley scored out of nowhere late in the second half, leaving Rushden only a few minutes to regain the lead. Ferrante missed with a close-range header, and we finished 1-1. Gylfason is our leading scorer, but has hit a terrible flat patch. Tenerife, EURO Cup quarter final, 2nd leg, Away Unlike the first leg, Tenerife had the majority of the chances in the first half. Ferrante had Rushden's only shot tipped aside, while Bozkurt did a great job to keep them from scoring. A terrific long throw from Wilson at the start of the second half gave Siabanis a chance, but his shot was at the keeper. In the 53rd, Bozkurt sent a long ball which was headed back by a defender. It didn't make it over the goal line though, with Goiria intercepting and squeezing in a tight shot...which went in! 1-0 to Rushden. That away goal meant Tenerife needed to score twice, and in the end, they couldn't even manage one. Brentford, Premier League, Home Brentford have been simply dismal this season, already relegated with six games to go. Their goal difference of -48 says it all. Just back from a loan spell at West Ham, Stefan Åberg made his senior début at the back. They made a bunch of signings over January, most notably Dutch defender Jean-Paul van der Ent for ₤575K and a player and our Ronald Davids for free, though it failed to save them. Sabev created several early chances with fine long passing. We had plenty of shots in the first half, though it took a terrible defensive pass to gift Sánchez a goal just before the break. Somehow, Brentford scored after half time, levelling the score. I switched to a 3-4-3 formation with Marchal coming off the bench, and it was his 68th minute header that sent Sánchez through for a quality second goal. It was certainly not an impressive win, but three points nonetheless. Blackburn, Premier League, Home Again we went into the game overwhelming favourites. Blackburn are a long way down the table, though not yet in the relegation zone. They have just 24 goals in 33 games, and even have a senior striker on loan from a Championship side! A handful of cheap and uninspiring January signings have done little to improve their side. Marchal scored a rare goal in the fifth minute thanks to a good long pass from Johnson. Two minutes later, Åberg and Ferrante combined to get the ball from defence to the Rushden area, where Goiria was brought down. Ferrante sent the penalty straight to the keeper, but he made amends with a soft touch in the 34th that saw Sánchez continue his scoring form. A kick on a Rushden player saw Blackburn reduced to ten men before half time. Marchal took advantage with his second, which proved valuable when Åberg gave away a goal in the 62nd. That two goal buffer remained at the final whistle. Cardiff, Premier League, Home Cardiff sit fourth on the table, though with such a tight group, they could easily overtake us in second. Irish defender Jonathan Ashworth is a top player and keeper Jean-Claude Roca is a French international, but they really lack strike power. Manchester United's Welsh striker Adam Smith joined for ₤8.25M in January, and he has four goals since then, and though they did lose defender Bruno Dupupet for ₤10.75M, their defence has held up. Cardiff pretty much ended this game as a contest in the first eight minutes, with two goals. Sánchez and Alarcόn missed sitters early in the second half which would have put us back in with a chance, leaving us to our first defeat in 19 games. That loss saw Cardiff climb ahead of us, leaving us third on the table. Juventus, EURO Cup semi final, 1st leg, Away We have actually faced Juventus before, finishing scoreless, back in the group stage of the EURO Cup in 2022. Juventus have been in mediocre Serie A positions for the last few seasons, not finishing above seventh. However, they have plenty of stars. Among them are German captain (and former Chelsea forward) Ronny Fink, Brazilian winger Rogerio, Spanish keeper Eduardi Ruiz and former Rushden winger Giorgos Samaras. They have also agreed terms with Bozkurt in a ₤10M deal. Hence, he did not play in this game. Alarcon had our best chance in the 23rd, coming down the left side of the area and firing off a shot that went over the keeper and cannoned straight back off the crossbar. The first half finished scoreless. Grigoryan was lucky in the first 30 seconds of the second half. He came out to punch clear a pass, and sent it straight to a striker while still out of position. A despairing dive knocked the resulting shot over the bar, and Karpov cleared the corner. A perfect pass saw Juventus score in the 50th, but a long ball into the Rushden area saw us win a penalty. Ferrante took it, and put it straight over the bar. A wasted chance for an away goal, perhaps costing us a EURO Cup final spot. Newcastle, Premier League, Home Another top side, Newcastle are fourth on the table, as expected. They made massive changes to their squad during the transfer window. Dutch midfielder Joop van der Zee went to Roma for ₤11.5M, England defender Michael Smith to Inter for ₤12M and young Dutch keeper Ruud van Gils to Arsenal for ₤2.5M. They snapped up two major signings from Chelsea – Scottish forward Danny Byrne (₤24M) and defender Adam Smith (₤13.5M) – as well as Russian defender Andrey Kiselev (₤6.5M from Real Madrid) and Italian wing back Giancarlo Marangio (₤8.5M from Valencia). With prolific Irish striker Jay Brennan and Mexican veteran Roberto Carlos Campuzano and awesome defender Cedric Guiraud, they are a dangerous prospect. There just isn't a lot to say about this game. It finished scoreless, with no notable events throughout. Cardiff also drew, leaving them one point clear of us with two games to go. We face Aston Villa and Chelsea, two top-half teams, while they play dismal Brentford and Newcastle. Goiria was runner up as Young Player of the Month. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 May, 2025 Juventus, EURO Cup semi final, 2nd leg, Home We needed at least one goal in order to make it to the final, and couldn't afford to concede. A 25-yard goal to Juventus in the 20th quickly ended any of those hopes. Hontecillas headed in a corner early in the second but it was never going to be enough. Aston Villa, Premier League, Away Villa sit seventh on the table. They bought England defender Richard Sims for ₤4.8M from Everton and already have quality Scottish defender Scott McDonald. The strike team of Calvin Simpson and Jamie Wiseman have over 30 goals between them. With second spot in sight, Rushden turned in one of the worst performances of the season. Villa scored twice in the first half and another time in the second, while Rushden didn't have a shot on target. A win to Manchester United saw us tumble to 5th spot. Chelsea, Premier League, Home Bozkurt was out injured and Vanderlei started on the bench in the final Rushden game of their time at the club. Kotelnikov, Rakic and Gylfason are also likely to be gone. Chelsea can rise above us to 5th on the table with a win. While they sold two top players to Newcastle in January, they made no senior signings, which is unusual. Again, this was a horribly frustrating game. Gylfason and Marchal had several shots saved, Chelsea snuck in with a late goal and we dropped to 6th on the table, having been second just a few weeks ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 The season in review Summary | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | ECC | Arsenal | | 38 | 24 | 8 | 6 | 69 | 22 | +47 | 80 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | ECC | Cardiff | | 38 | 20 | 11 | 7 | 42 | 21 | +21 | 71 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | ECC | Newcastle | | 38 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 53 | 29 | +24 | 70 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | ECC | Man Utd | | 38 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 54 | 29 | +25 | 69 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | EC | Chelsea | | 38 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 41 | 22 | +19 | 69 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | EC | Rushden | | 38 | 18 | 13 | 7 | 44 | 28 | +16 | 67 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | EV | Aston Villa | | 38 | 19 | 5 | 14 | 54 | 41 | +13 | 62 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Birmingham | | 38 | 16 | 8 | 14 | 41 | 34 | +7 | 56 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Liverpool | | 38 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 42 | 36 | +6 | 56 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Bolton | | 38 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 41 | 36 | +5 | 55 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Reading | | 38 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 31 | 44 | -13 | 48 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Barnsley | | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 40 | 43 | -3 | 47 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Middlesbrough | | 38 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 35 | -8 | 47 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Tottenham | | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 29 | 41 | -12 | 44 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | EC | Fulham | | 38 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 37 | 41 | -4 | 43 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Blackburn | | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 28 | 50 | -22 | 41 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Sunderland | | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 36 | 51 | -15 | 38 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | R | Leicester | | 38 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 50 | -21 | 36 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | R | Wigan | | 38 | 4 | 8 | 26 | 25 | 57 | -32 | 20 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | R | Brentford | | 38 | 4 | 6 | 28 | 25 | 78 | -53 | 18 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pkd | Inf | Name | Apps | Gls | Ast | MoM | Pas | Tck | Drb | Sh T | Av Rat| | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Wnt | Sergey Karpov | 43 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 64% | 3.38 | 0.35 | 45% | 7.47 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | Wnt | James Johnson | 38 | - | 6 | 3 | 67% | 3.10 | 0.43 | - | 7.11 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | Wnt | Veselin Sabev | 35 (1)| - | 5 | - | 76% | 2.98 | 0.57 | - | 7.11 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DMC | | Sebastián Hontecillas | 34 (1)| 4 | 3 | 5 | 76% | 2.23 | 0.24 | 50% | 7.37 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | Wnt | Luigi Ferrante | 34 (1)| 4 | 7 | 2 | 73% | 2.84 | 0.84 | 44% | 7.29 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | Trn | Vanderlei | 33 (3)| - | 1 | - | 69% | 4.02 | 0.45 | - | 6.97 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ML | Wnt | Michael Wilson | 30 (2)| - | 1 | - | 68% | 2.10 | 0.98 | - | 6.97 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Daniel Goiria | 30 (2)| 3 | 3 | 1 | 75% | 1.19 | 2.54 | 58% | 7.09 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Unh | Michael Ward | 30 | - | 1 | 3 | 62% | 3.23 | 0.24 | - | 7.30 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MR | | Giorgos Siabanis | 29 (7)| 3 | 4 | - | 66% | 1.44 | 2.02 | 44% | 6.81 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | | Laurent Marchal | 25 (3)| 6 | 4 | 2 | 67% | 0.13 | 0.88 | 54% | 6.89 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | | Gunnar Gylfason | 24 (4)| 14 | 1 | 1 | 69% | 0.27 | 1.07 | 46% | 7.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Bid | Tobias Bohman | 24 (1)| 5 | 4 | 3 | 73% | 1.11 | 2.71 | 42% | 7.40 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | Wnt | Sergio Alarcón | 23 (3)| 9 | 5 | 2 | 69% | 0.22 | 1.12 | 43% | 6.96 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Nuri Bozkurt | 23 | - | - | 2 | 54% | - | - | - | 7.30 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | | Alexandr Kotelnikov | 21 (3)| - | 5 | - | 75% | 2.04 | 0.23 | - | 7.04 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Sergio Sánchez | 20 (7)| 9 | 3 | 1 | 66% | 0.18 | 1.14 | 48% | 6.89 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Unh | Shane Bayliss | 19 | - | - | - | 52% | - | - | - | 6.84 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | | Juan Pablo Navarro | 13 (3)| 1 | 2 | - | 67% | 1.71 | 2.13 | 63% | 7.19 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Patrice Thomas | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 67% | 0.10 | 1.49 | 45% | 6.73 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | Wnt | Zeljko Rakic | 10 (8)| - | 1 | 1 | 74% | 2.55 | 1.19 | - | 6.61 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | GK | | Anton Grigoryan | 10 | - | - | - | 58% | - | - | - | 7.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | | Niklas Segerström | 9 (1) | - | - | - | 59% | 3.65 | 0.32 | - | 7.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Morten Pedersen | 8 (1) | 1 | 2 | - | 71% | 2.13 | 0.99 | - | 7.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Maciej Cieslewicz | 5 (3) | - | - | - | 68% | 2.78 | 0.69 | - | 6.63 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Stefan Åberg | 4 | - | - | - | 63% | 3.34 | 0.56 | - | 6.50 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Lorenzo Costantini | 2 (1) | - | - | - | 66% | - | 0.58 | - | 6.33 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Karpov was the only Rushden player to make the Select side. Considering we were second with only a few weeks left in the season, to fall as low as 6th is very disappointing. Our 18-game streak without a loss had to end at some point, but to finish the season with four losses and two draws was a disaster. Despite the early loss of a keeping backup and Bozkurt's unsettled state, the goalkeeping was not a problem. Bayliss was rarely challenged when he had to fill in and Grigoryan looked capable late in the season, despite the side's poor results. The defence was once again highlighted by Karpov, who thankfully re-signed. Johnson and Ward were sold, the latter even called up to the England squad, while Hontecillas had a brilliant start at defensive midfield before fading later in the season. Bohman was again a star on the wings, despite talk he wanted out. Ferrante was excellent in the centre of midfield, while Pedersen and Rakic offered decent backup. Wilson was okay and Siabanis a little disappointing. The strikers were a mixed bag. Marchal fell down after looking great last season, Thomas fell out of the seniors and Gylfason was quiet after starting the season on fire. Sánchez did show a bit of promise with a few goals, and there's plenty of talent in the reserves. Speaking of the reserves, they won their league, though top scorer Piero Ravasi is set to leave. The Under-18s were runners-up, with “next Michael Owen” Ashley Winn again excellent with a goal a game. Around the world: major awards and results Rushden Supporters’ Player of the Year: Sergey Karpov World Player of the Year: Dean Thomas (Inter) World Footballer of the year: Dean Thomas (Inter) England: Winner: Arsenal Relegated: Leicester, Wigan, Brentford Promoted: Everton, Ipswich, Man City Spain: Valencia Italy Milan Champions Cup: Manchester United EURO Cup: Inter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 The Transfers Players In | Date | Person | From | Fee | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2024 | Pedersen, Morten | Pescara | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2024 | da Silva, Olivier | Niort | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2024 | Baudi, David | Treviso | £375K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2024 | Sánchez, Sergio | Sevilla | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2024 | Bell, Andy | Falkirk | £50K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16.7.2024 | Wilson, Michael | Aberdeen | £1.1M | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.7.2024 | Segerström, Niklas | Malmö FF | £120K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.7.2024 | Nolan, Mark | Cork City | £30K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.7.2024 | Hontecillas, Sebastián | Levante | £2.2M | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21.7.2024 | Yordanov, Grigor | Pirin 2001 | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 27.7.2024 | Moroe, Michiharu | Free Transfer | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 31.8.2024 | Bogdanovic, Uros | Maribor | £110K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18.12.2024 | Mariani, Michele | Boca | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2025 | Ramírez, José Gregorio | Atlético Mineiro | £2.5M | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2025 | Navarro, Juan Pablo | Parma | £3.3M | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 28.1.2025 | Bergseth, Kenneth | Aston Villa | £4K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 28.1.2025 | Winther, Rolf | Brann | £16K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 29.1.2025 | Bourabia, Stéphane | Servette FC | £10K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 31.1.2025 | Grigoryan, Anton | Zenit Peterburg | £40K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £9.75M | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Players Out | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22.5.2024 | McKenna, Callum | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2024 | Ristic, Nermin | Juventus | £2.2M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2024 | Tijshen, Bobby | Leyton Orient | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2024 | Palumbo, Aldo | Lazio | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2024 | Patten, Ross | Cardiff | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2024 | Al-Mutlaq, Mohammed| Zaragoza | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2024 | Manske, Carsten | Tottenham | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2024 | Adamus, Damian | Birmingham | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2024 | Jones, Danny | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3.7.2024 | Petit, Thomas | Leicester | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7.7.2024 | Ogris, Christian | Man City | £1.8M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14.7.2024 | Cooke, Brian | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15.7.2024 | Kang Chang-Keun | R. Madrid | £23.5M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 29.7.2024 | Busch, Marcus | West Ham | £2M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6.8.2024 | Sherwood, Adam | Cardiff | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9.8.2024 | Noble, Dougie | Bolton | £1.9M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9.8.2024 | Cotterill, Joe | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 29.8.2024 | Ibarra, José Carlos| Barcelona | £17M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 30.8.2024 | Moe, Adem | Barcelona | £4M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 30.11.2024 | Olsen, Trond | Queensland | £2.2M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2025 | Parizek, Jakub | Ajax | £325K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2025 | Davids, Ronald | Brentford | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12.1.2025 | Laakkonen, Matti | Fulham | £500K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.1.2025 | Syla, Niklas | Sheff Utd | £650K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 28.1.2025 | Kilic, Sven | Sunderland | £1.5M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5.2.2025 | Malichi, Eliran | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9.4.2025 | Armstrong, Vince | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9.4.2025 | Ward, Lee | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £58M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Loans Out | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.7.2024 | Mofokeng, Philani | Amkar | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3.7.2024 | Holmen, Kim | Hearts | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4.7.2024 | Tapp, Drew | St. Johnstone | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5.7.2024 | Barnard, Lewis | Aberdeen | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 30.7.2024 | Moroe, Michiharu | Amkar | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5.8.2024 | Kilic, Sven | Colchester | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5.8.2024 | Kloppenborg, Martin | Hartlepool | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6.8.2024 | Åberg, Stefan | Sheff Wed | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6.8.2024 | Syla, Niklas | Swansea | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7.8.2024 | Baudi, David | St. Johnstone | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7.8.2024 | Hofman, René | Leeds | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8.8.2024 | Hofstra, Stefan | Colchester | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8.8.2024 | Bell, Andy | Wycombe | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17.8.2024 | da Silva, Olivier | West Brom | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.8.2024 | Gallagher, Frankie | Bristol Rovers | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.8.2024 | Arvidsson, Filip | Tranmere | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22.8.2024 | Yordanov, Grigor | Ipswich | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 29.8.2024 | Szczesny, Kamil | Reading | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 31.8.2024 | Olsen, Trond | Crystal Palace | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3.10.2024 | Bogdanovic, Uros | Boston Utd | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23.10.2024 | Eerhart, Thom | Bradford | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3.11.2024 | Koller, Szabolcs | Luton | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3.11.2024 | Pucher, Mario | Luton | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6.11.2024 | Hauksson, Hermann | Leyton Orient | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.11.2024 | Tahraoui, Mohamed Cherif | Southampton | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 26.12.2024 | Carlos | Watford | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 26.12.2024 | Nolan, Mark | Watford | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 27.12.2024 | Moroe, Michiharu | Amkar | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 27.12.2024 | Mofokeng, Philani | Amkar | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9.1.2025 | Åberg, Stefan | West Ham | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13.1.2025 | Fiori, Mario | Doncaster | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17.1.2025 | Anderson, Chris | Wigan | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24.1.2025 | Arvidsson, Filip | Crystal Palace | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 26.1.2025 | da Silva, Olivier | West Ham | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11.3.2025 | Bergseth, Kenneth | Crystal Palace | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Youth In | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.6.2024 | Hodges, Stafford | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.6.2024 | Montinari, Marco | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.6.2024 | Cook, James | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.6.2024 | Steele, Harvey | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.6.2024 | Ainsworth, Michael | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.6.2024 | Freeman, Shaun | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Plenty of signings, and many of them purchases which is quite unusual. Hontecillas was named Signing of the Season, which certainly justifies his ₤2.2M price tag. Wilson became a senior player, and is worth more than his ₤1.1M. Ramírez is yet to play a game, though he should play next season, while Navarro slotted in quickly but has a lot to do to justify his record price tag. Sánchez was quite a bargain, scoring seven senior goals, and Grigoryan will be the first choice keeper at a cost of just ₤40K. There were even more players gone. Ristic looks good, but not enough to make the sale for ₤2.5M unreasonable. Patten, Manske, Sherwood and Petit were pretty flat at their new EPL sides and Noble was on-sold for ₤4.3M to Sunderland. The two biggest sales, Kang and Ibarra, were poor at their new sides, though they may do better once settled. Despite the total purchases of ₤9.5M being unusually high, income of ₤58M covers that quite well. With two players lacking work permits, they had to be loaned out to Amkar. Mofokeng and Moore look promising, though I hope they get an EU nationality while still at the club... There was nothing unremarkable about the other loans, though Szczesny played regularly at Premier League level. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 Pre-season, 25/26 The board announced Nene Park would get undersoil heating and paid ₤20.5M to shareholders. We moved up the rankings to be #4 in Europe, despite falling to 47th on the financial table. A stack of bids came in for reserve defenders Grigor Yordanov, Mark Nolan, David Baudi, Kim Holmen and Rene Hofman, as well as senior players like James Johnson and Tobias Bohman. I rejected all, knowing I would be losing plenty of players at the start of July. Firstly, in came plenty of players. Fans were excited by Villareal left winger Oswaldo Castro, I spent ₤2.1M on Italian defender Luigi Cardin and even managed to get back defender Juho Heinonen, who made the league's Select side last season. We lost plenty, though, and for little compensation. Shane Bayliss to Brentford, Filip Arvidsson to Napoli, Daniel Dicks to Aberdeen, Piero Ravasi to Pescara,Frankie Gallagher to Leeds, Gunnar Gylfason to Real Sociadad, Vanderlei to Palermo, Szabolcs Koller to Leyton and Lewis Barnard to Middlesbrough, all for nothing. We did get ₤10M for Bozkurt's move to Juventus and ₤2.1M from the sale of Stefan Hofstra to Heerenveen, but that didn't compensate for all the talent we lost. Scout Julius Aghahowa was poached by Chelsea as well. A deal for Rakic fell through, Sabev rejected one contract offer and Thomas also remained on a rolling contract. I had to release Rakic and Kotelnikov, as their work permits expired with their contracts. Sabev eventually went to Juventus, joining Bozkurt. I cancelled our link with Jaén, since they can't have non-EU players in their squad. Rather pointless when I'm trying to send out players without work permits... I had arranged a loan deal for former Rushden keeper Adem Moe, but the player himself rejected the deal. My only success was in snapping up a few more coaches and scouts. We were given odds of 20-1 for the title, behind Arsenal, Man U, Cardiff and Newcastle, while equal with Chelsea. Finally, I re-signed Bohman on equal wages to Karpov, and also got Goiria re-signed for a slight increase. I also managed to get Verona agree to buy Michael Ward for ₤4M only when his contract expires at the end of the season. With his huge wage demands, I was going to lose him either way, so better to arrange it now and keep him for the season rather than risk losing him for free. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 SEASON OVERVIEW 25/26 The Club Home Ground: Nene Park, Irthlingborough - capacity 26,650 Rivals: Kettering, Northampton (fierce); Peterborough, Oxford, Luton Reputation: Continental Estimated Value: ₤80M Balance ₤142M Transfer Budget: ₤75M (₤78M remaining) Media Prediction: 5th Board Expectation: Qualify for Europe Fan Expectation: Win the Premier League! Staff Chairman: Barry Moss Assistant Manager: Michi Coaches: Scott Gemmill, Stuart Regan, Kevin Horlock, Mehdi Nafti, Mark McLaughlin, Simon Dawkins (General); Brad Swancott (GK); Physios: Eoin Jess, Michele Franco Scouts: Andy McWilliam, Alessio Baresi, Danny Russell, Leonel Nunez, Esteban, Uwe Herzig The Squad | Pkd | Inf | Name | No. | Squad Status | Cnt | Weekly wage | Expires | Value | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | | Laurent Marchal | 9 | First Team | F/T | £17,500 | 30.6.2028 | £10.5M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Wnt | Sergey Karpov | 5 | First Team | F/T | £30,000 | 30.6.2028 | £9M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | AMR | Inj | Tobias Bohman | 15 | First Team | F/T | £30,000 | 30.6.2029 | £11.5M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | Wnt | James Johnson | 14 | First Team | F/T | £12,500 | 30.6.2028 | £6.5M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | | Juho Heinonen | 20 | Rotation | F/T | £13,250 | 30.6.2027 | £1.7M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | | Juan Pablo Navarro | 17 | Rotation | F/T | £16,000 | 30.6.2026 | £3.2M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Trn | Michael Ward | 4 | Rotation | F/T | £7,500 | 30.6.2026 | £3.2M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | Bid | Luigi Ferrante | 18 | Rotation | F/T | £7,500 | 30.6.2027 | £4.7M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | Unh | Giorgos Siabanis | 10 | Rotation | F/T | £12,500 | 30.6.2026 | £6M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | GK | | Anton Grigoryan | 21 | Rotation | F/T | £11,000 | 30.6.2028 | £600K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DMC | Wnt | Sebastián Hontecillas | 3 | Rotation | F/T | £7,500 | 30.6.2028 | £4.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | | Sergio Alarcón | 12 | Rotation | F/T | £7,750 | 30.6.2027 | £6.25M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Luigi Cardin | 13 | Rotation | F/T | £11,000 | 30.6.2029 | £2M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | AML | | Daniel Goiria | 8 | Rotation | F/T | £10,000 | 30.6.2028 | £4.9M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Niklas Segerström | 24 | Rotation | F/T | £2,000 | 30.6.2028 | £1.1M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Thomas Hjelle | 29 | Backup | F/T | £11,750 | 30.6.2027 | £2.6M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Ctr | Patrice Thomas | 11 | Backup | F/T | £5,000 | - | - | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Kamil Szczesny | - | Backup | F/T | £500 | 30.6.2026 | £1.7M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Morten Pedersen | 33 | Backup | F/T | £7,000 | 30.6.2026 | £2.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | Wnt | Kim Holmen | 2 | Backup | F/T | £2,000 | 30.6.2028 | £3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Vincent Nduka | 30 | Backup | F/T | £2,500 | 30.6.2028 | £2.6M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Sergio Sánchez | 28 | Backup | F/T | £2,800 | 30.6.2027 | £6.25M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Stefan Åberg | 23 | Backup | F/T | £1,500 | 30.6.2026 | £2.4M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Michael Wilson | 22 | Backup | F/T | £4,200 | 30.6.2027 | £2.7M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Bid | Daniele Manfredi | 27 | Backup | F/T | £6,750 | 30.6.2028 | £3.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | | José Gregorio Ramírez | 19 | Backup | F/T | £2,000 | 30.6.2029 | £3.1M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | Bid | Grigor Yordanov | 25 | Backup | F/T | £375 | 30.6.2027 | £3.5M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Chris Anderson | 34 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £2,500 | 30.6.2026 | £3.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Mario Pucher | 32 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £550 | 30.6.2026 | £1.6M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Oswaldo Castro | 26 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £6,750 | 30.6.2029 | £4.1M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Lorenzo Costantini | 35 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £1,400 | 30.6.2026 | £3.9M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Maciej Cieslewicz | 6 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £1,300 | 30.6.2027 | £3.2M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Olivier da Silva | 36 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £2,800 | 30.6.2027 | £2.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Bid | René Hofman | 16 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £700 | 30.6.2028 | £2.4M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Thom Eerhart | 31 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £500 | 30.6.2028 | £3.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Kenneth Bergseth | 1 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £1,800 | 30.6.2028 | £300K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Gavin Boyd | - | Hot Prospect | F/T | £500 | 30.6.2029 | £80K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Mario Fiori | - | Hot Prospect | F/T | £550 | 30.6.2028 | £2.2M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Rolf Winther | - | Hot Prospect | F/T | £775 | 30.6.2027 | £240K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Drew Tapp | - | Youngster | F/T | £2,400 | 30.6.2027 | £1.9M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Marco Squillace | - | Youngster | F/T | £2,900 | 30.6.2026 | £2.9M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Mohamed Cherif Tahraoui | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,900 | 30.6.2026 | £1.5M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Hermann Hauksson | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,700 | 30.6.2026 | £2.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Carlos | - | Youngster | F/T | £550 | 30.6.2027 | £1.6M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Uros Bogdanovic | - | Youngster | F/T | £450 | 30.6.2027 | £925K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wp | Philani Mofokeng | - | Youngster | F/T | £850 | 30.6.2027 | £3.7M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Bid | Jimmy Johansson | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,000 | 30.6.2026 | £1M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Ali Selmi | - | Youngster | F/T | £600 | 30.6.2027 | £1.5M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | István Vasas | - | Youngster | F/T | £400 | 30.6.2026 | £2.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Bid | Andy Bell | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,200 | 30.6.2027 | £1.1M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | José María Robles | - | Youngster | F/T | £3,300 | 30.6.2027 | £2.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | David Baudi | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,000 | 30.6.2027 | £1.4M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Martin Kloppenborg | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,200 | 30.6.2027 | £1.8M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Heikki Kuusisto | - | Youngster | F/T | £230 | 30.6.2026 | £2.1M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Russell Jackson | - | Youngster | F/T | £350 | - | - | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Baltazar | - | Youngster | F/T | £275 | 30.6.2027 | £275K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Othman Bahri | - | Youngster | F/T | £325 | 30.6.2026 | £925K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Joe White | - | Youngster | F/T | £275 | 30.6.2027 | £675K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Emile Franklin | - | Youngster | F/T | £775 | 30.6.2028 | £35K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Ashley Winn | - | Youngster | F/T | £275 | 30.6.2027 | £1M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Boris Gröbl | - | Youngster | F/T | £250 | 30.6.2028 | £1.3M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Slt | Michele Mariani | - | Youngster | F/T | £700 | 30.6.2028 | £1.6M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wp | Aníbal Molina | - | Youngster | F/T | £650 | 30.6.2030 | £3.1M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Michiharu Moroe | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,000 | 30.6.2028 | £1.2M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Mark Nolan | - | Youngster | F/T | £975 | 30.6.2027 | £1.1M | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Stéphane Bourabia | - | Youngster | F/T | £375 | 30.6.2028 | £275K | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Wage Budget: £2,117,367 Total Weekly Wages at 3/8/25: £280,249 Senior Players: 16 Reserve Players: 50! U-18 Players: 13 [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 Anton Grigoryan [GK, RUS – 3 Caps, 191cm, 23] – 1, 8, 0 Suddenly the first choice after the departure of Bozkurt, the ₤40K signing from Zenit Peterburg has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. He's an exciting and talented keeper who is still developing, and must stand up. Kenneth Bergseth [GK, NOR – 3 U21 caps, 189cm, 20] – 1, 0, 0 Taken from Aston Villa for just ₤4K and given a few games in the Championship on loan at Crystal Palace, Bergesth is now our backup keeper. Defenders Stefan Åberg [D C, SWE – 5 U21 caps, 181cm, 24] – 4, 8, 0 After playing four league games back in 21/22, Åberg was a regular in the Championship with Charlton, West Ham and Sheffield Wednesday before returning to the Rushden seniors late last season. A decent pure defender, he will be used as a backup. Luigi Cardin [D L, ITA – 5 U21 caps, 184cm, 21] – 0, 0, 0 Purchased for ₤2M from Parma, Cardin has experience in Serie B, albeit with mediocre results. He is regarded as having the potential to be a star, and has good pace and tacking ability. Juho Heinonen [D C/DM, FIN – 58 Caps, 184cm, 30] – 8, 226, 13 After departing to Reading three and a half years ago, Heinonen returns to Rushden. He made the Premier Division Select side last season, so this is by no means a nostalgic move. Heinonen still has the pace, size and skill to be a valuable player for Rushden. Rushden Supporters' Player of the Year 14/15, 20/21; League One Young Player of the Month September 2015, February 2016; Championship Young Player of the Month October 2016, November 2016; English Players' Championship Select 16/17, 18/19; English Players' Premier Division Select 19/20, 24/25 (Reading); English Players' Player of the Year third placed 24/25 (Reading) René Hofman [D/Wb R, HOL – 10 U21 caps, 183cm, 19] – 2, 0, 0 After time with MK Dons, Blackpool and Leeds on loan, Hofman is attracting huge amounts of attention from clubs like PSV, Chelsea, Roma and Real Madrid. I quickly re-signed him, and will include him in the seniors this season. He has superb pace with good scoring and passing ability, as well as solid defensive skills. The perfect replacement for Vanderlei. Kim Holmen [D/Wb R, NOR –2 Caps, 177cm, 24] – 4, 0, 0 Like Hofman, attracting huge attention from major clubs like Liverpool and Roma. He is not as skilled as Hofman but more developed mentally, with loan experience in the Scottish Premier League with Aberdeen, St Johnstone and Hearts. Sebastián Hontecillas [D C/DM, ESP – 1 U21 cap, 189cm, 22] – 1, 24, 3 After a brilliant start, Hontecillas faded a bit but still was one of our better players. His height makes him a threat at corners and he is good both offensively and defensively, making him a fine defensive midfielder. Attracting attention from Chelsea, Zaragoza and others. Premier League Young Player of the Month September 2024, January 2025 James Johnson [D RLC, SCO – 17 Caps, 193cm, 22] – 5, 86, 1 Still attracting a lot of attention from other clubs, despite being signed until 2028. There are no demands for increased wages yet, though from past history that seems inevitable. A key player until then. Premier League Young Player of the Month August 2022, October 2022, September 2023, April 2024; Premier League Young Player of the Year 2023, third placed 2024; Premier League Select 22/23, 23\24; Champions Cup Dream Team 23/24 Sergey Karpov [D C, RUS – 25 Caps, 189cm, 25] – 4, 91, 6 Re-signed on huge (for me) wages, Karpov responded by being our best player last season. A giant in defence and threat with frees offensively, he is a top player. Premier League Player of the Month February 2024; Champions Cup Dream Team 23/24; Premier Division Select 24/25; English Footballer of the Year third placed 2025; Supporters' Player of the Year 24/25 Niklas Segerström [D C, SWE – 5 Caps, 186cm, 22] – 1, 9, 0 Played a few games after a successful relationship with Karpov, and made his international début. Will hopefully replace Ward next season, so this is a year to settle into the side. Kamil Szczesny [D/Wb L, POL – 6 Caps, 177cm, 25] – 5, 0, 0 Has been at the club a long time without a senior game. However, he played 25 games each with QPR and Reading in the Premier Division over the last two seasons, so he is a decent backup. He works very hard and has decent defensive skills. Maybe a backup. Michael Ward [D C, ENG – 5 U21 caps, 181cm, 25] – 3, 60, 0 Called up to the England squad late last season after another impressive year with Rushden. His huge wage demands have forced me to arrange a ₤4M sale to Verona, though that won't occur until the end of the season. Grigor Yordanov [D/WB RL, BUL – 1 Cap, 177cm, 19] – 1, 0, 0 Has attracted an amazing amount of attention after his first season at Rushden, which was spent on loan at Ipswich. Bids of up to ₤7M have already come in from Man U and Milan, among others. His superb pace and ball skills will make him a quality backup to the seniors this season. Most importantly, he's a good penalty taker... Midfielders Tobias Bohman [AM RL, SWE – 26 Caps, 175cm, 24] – 6, 64, 9 Re-signed at long last, on the same huge wages as Karpov. Bohman had an excellent season, despite only missing out on a ₤15M move because he rejected a contract. He scored five goals despite poor finishing, and set up a few others. I will not hesitate to sell him if the right deal comes, though. Scottish Young Player of the Month December 2021; Scottish Young Player of the Year third placed 2021 Oswaldo Castro [AM L, MEX – 22 U21 caps, 175cm, 22] – 0, 0, 0 A lightning fast winger who still needs time to develop, but could be a good player. He played a few games in the Spanish First League with Villareal before his free transfer here. Goiria will train him. Maciej Cieslewicz [WB R/DM/M RC, POL – 13 Caps, 174cm, 21] – 3, 3, 0 A top player at reserve level, but just has not shown enough in the seniors to earn a spot. A sale is not out of the question if I get a decent bid. Luigi Ferrante [M C, ITA – 1 U21 cap, 183cm, 24] – 2, 27, 4 Like Hontecillas, had excellent form early before fading. His penalty miss in the EURO Cup semi final won't soon be forgotten, though I have re-signed him for a few more seasons. Is getting attention from fellow EPL sides. Daniel Goiria [AM L, ESP – 6 U21 caps, 185cm, 21] – 3, 32, 2 Re-signed on quite reasonable wages, Goiria was not as impressive as in 23/24 but did look decent. Like Bohman, he lacks shooting skills himself but is an excellent crosser. Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month January 2023, April 2023; Scottish Young Player of the Year 2023; Named in Scottish Premier League Team of the Year 22/23 Thomas Hjelle [AM L, NOR – 5 Caps, 179cm, 28] – 0, 0, 0 One of those signings that you look at when they arrive and wonder, “why?”. The answer is that he came highly recommended by a scout and was available on a free transfer from Celtic, but it looks a wasted move. Mediocre skills and pace will relegate him to the reserves. English Players' League Two Select 21/22 (Swansea); Scottish Premier League Team of the Year 2025 (Celtic) Daniele Manfredi [DM C, ITA – 5 U21 caps, 177cm, 20] – 0, 0, 0 A fairly promising player from Atalanta, who will be loaned out if possible. Juan Pablo Navarro [AM RC, ESP, 181cm, 29] – 1, 9, 1 For some reason, I only gave our club record purchase a 1.5 season contract. That means I will have to re-sign him quickly to avoid losing my investment. He looked good last season, and should be even better now he is settled. Vincent Nduka [AM C, NIG – 6 Caps, 181cm, 21] – 0, 0, 0 Quite a decent player aside from a lack of pace, Nduka was released by Leicester and quickly snapped up. He has decent skills and can score. Morten Pedersen [M C, DEN – 18 Caps, 183cm, 26] – 1, 7, 1 Pretty unimpressive last season, and even with Rakic gone is unlikely to play much. José Gregorio Ramírez [M C, VEN – 15 Caps, 178cm, 21] – 0, 0, 0 A ₤2.5M signing from Atlético Minero, Ramírez has terrific skills and playmaking ability. He's signed for four seasons on low wages, which could make him a fine bargain. Giorgos Siabanis [AM R/ST, GRE – 11 Caps, 174cm, 22] – 3, 78, 10 After so much promise in 23/24, Siabanis went backwards. He was involved in just three goals, down from 12, and was wildly inconsistent. With big wage demands, I will be looking to sell him before his contract expires. Premier Division Young Player of the Month September 2022 Michael Wilson [D/Wb/M L, SCO – 11 U21 caps, 179cm, 20] – 1, 21, 0 Quite impressive last season, attracting quite a bit of attention from other clubs. With a few reserve defenders moving up, a role on the left wing may be an idea. Forwards Sergio Alarcόn [sT, ESP – 1 U21 cap, 178cm, 22] – 3, 16, 5 Made it to the seniors and scored a few goals rotating with Marchal. He is a quality player and is attracting quite a few bids, especially from Chelsea, I will hang onto him though. Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month March 2023 Chris Anderson [sT, ENG – 1 U21 cap, 180cm, 22] – 2, 2, 0 Had a terrible spell on loan at fellow EPL side Wigan and will probably not play much at Rushden either. Lorenzo Costantini [sT, ITA – 13 U21 caps, 183cm, 22] – 3, 2, 0 Made it into the seniors for a few games without looking too special. After losing fellow Italian Ravasi for nothing, I might try to re-sign Costantini. Laurent Marchal [sT, FRA – 8 Caps, 178cm, 25] – 3, 72, 26 After such a great start to his Rushden career, was a major disappointment. He will have to fight Alarcόn and Sánchez for his spot and may even be sold if his form continues. Supporters' Player of the Year 22/23, 23/24 Sergio Sánchez [sT, MEX – 16 U21 caps, 180cm, 20] – 1, 16, 7 Not bad at all last season, considering I didn't expect him to play. He is a good finisher and strong in the air, just like all our strikers. A rotational player. Patrice Thomas [sT, REU – 5 Caps, 181cm, 27] – 4, 47, 19 Without a contract and coming off a poor season, Thomas is our only striker with decent pace. He's handy to keep around, but I won't be sorry to lose him. Ashley Winn [sT, ENG, 179cm, 18] – 2, 0, 0 “The next Michael Owen” finally makes it out of the under-18s. Well, Carlos was “the next Deco” and he did nothing last season, so I won't expect too much. Winn was prolific at under age level, and it will be interesting to see how he handles the reserves. Overview The wage bill has gone up, mostly thanks to Karpov and Bohman, yet there are holes in the squad. There's a stack of young talent, but history shows few of them make it to the seniors. Goalkeeping: A major concern. Grigoryan is unproven and there are no backups. There's raw talent, but is that enough at this level? Defence: Looking better with Karpov settled and Johnson and Ward consistent. Segerström needs to step up and the full backs are unproven, which could be a problem. Midfield: Not bad at all. There are plenty of options on the left wing, not so many on the right, and the centre can be filled easily. A lack of pace and scoring ability is the major flaw. Forward: We should have enough options to find a regular scorer. First XI Yet another change. I've decided to exploit the crossing ability of the wingers and cover the inconsistent but aerially good strikers by going with a 4-3-3 formation – a flat back four, defensive midfielder, two central midfielders, two attacking midfielders and a lone striker. GK: Anton Grigoryan RB: Kim Holmen LB: James Johnson CB: Michael Ward CB: Sergey Karpov DM: Sebastian Hontecillas CM: Juan Pablo Navarro CM: Luigi Ferrante RAM: Tobias Bohman LAM: Daniel Goiria CF: Sergio Alarcόn Sub: Giorgos Siabanis Sub: Laurent Marchal Sub: Juho Heinonen Sub: Grigor Yordanov Sub: José Gregorio Ramírez Captain: Daniel Goiria Penalties: Grigor Yordanov, Michael Ward, Luigi Ferrante Free Kicks: (L) Daniel Goiria; ® Sergey Karpov, Juho Heinonen, Juan Pablo Navarro Corners: (L) Michael Wilson, James Johnson; ® Giorgos Siabanis, Jose Grigorio Ramírez Throw Ins: (L) James Johnson, Michael Wilson; ® Juan Pablo Navarro, Tobias Bohman Playmaker: Tobias Bohman, Daniel Goiria, Sebastian Hontecillas Target Man: Laurent Marchal, Sergio Alarcόn Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 Premier League Overview I haven't done this since 17/18, so I thought it would be nice to summarise the sides we will be facing this season. I've mentioned where the side's current manager was at the start of the game where they weren't well-known. Arsenal Prediction: 2nd Manager: Steve McClaren Key Players: Cao Bin [sT, 27, CHI – 47 Caps, ₤26M], Scott Laxton [D/Wb/AM L, 26, ENG – 37 Caps, ₤22.5M], Dennis Pilgrim [AM RC, 27, ENG – 45 Caps, ₤13.75M, El Hadji Faye [D/Wb R, 28, SEN – 28 Caps, ₤22.5M], Greg Renton [AM L, 31, SCO – 72 Caps, ₤16.5M], Antonio Navarrete [M RC, 30, MEX – 99 Caps, ₤10.75M], Sebastian Munoz [sT, 29, FRA – 46 Caps, ₤10.5M], Ikechukwu Oliseh [D C, 26, NIG – 56 Caps, ₤12.75M], David McHale [D C, 25, ENG – 21 Caps, ₤11.5M] A truly awesome squad, with several England internationals and the greatest striker in the world. The reigning champions have not finished below fifth in my time, and will again be a major title challenger. Aston Villa Prediction: 8th Manager: Michael Ford [former Droylsden coach] Key Players: Eduardo Rodriguez [AM LC, 26, ESP – 1 Cap, ₤5.5M], Scott Dawson [M C, 26, ENG – 1 Cap, ₤4.8M], Massimiliano Bova [AM R, 28, ITA – 2 Caps, ₤4.4M], Richard Bowker [DM, 27, ENG – 11 Caps, ₤4.5M], Jamie Wiseman [sT, 21, ENG, ₤9.25M], Marcos Ramírez [AM L/ST, 20, ARG – 1 Cap, ₤17M], Scott McDonald [D C, 22, SCO – 3 Caps, ₤5.5M], Lars Grande [AM R/ST, 23, NOR – 16 Caps, ₤7.75M] Former Rushden players: Audrius Juodelkis Though Villa have been a fairly mediocre side for quite a while, the signing of Ramírez has greatly boosted expectations. Their side is well-balanced and quite young. Barnsley Prediction: 12th Manager: David Lowe [former Wigan coach] Key Players: Andy Winter [M C, 28, IRE – 40 Caps, ₤10.5M], Raul Vargas [sT, 29, URU – 40 Caps, ₤7.75M], Adolf Konig [sT, 26 AUT – 19 Caps, ₤6.25M], Scott Clifford [D C, 31, ENG – 19 Caps, ₤3.5M] Former Rushden players: Patrik Svensson, Stanislas Lejeune A side with several important players heading towards the end of their careers. They are, like Villa, a perpetual mid-table side, and without Villa's ₤17M signing, they look set to stay there. Birmingham City Prediction: 9th Manager: Nike Newell Key Players: Christer Undheim [D C, 31, NOR – 58 Caps, ₤3.7M], Marco Bergsma [sT, 28, HOL – 8 Caps, ₤5.75M], Carl Butcher [AM R, 29, ENG, ₤5.25M], Daishi Iwaso [sT, 27, JAP – 31 Caps, ₤4.4M] Former Rushden players: Alfred van Dijk A pretty poor side with only a few decent strikers and a 35-year-old keeper. The expected position of 9th looks ambitious Blackburn Rovers Prediction: 20th Manager: Greg Ameobi [former Margate assistant] Key Players: Tom Miles [D C, 31, SCO – 5 Caps, ₤1.7M], Roger Smith [AM/F C, 24, SCO, ₤4.2M] Former Rushden players: Justin Lomax A pretty awful side which barely escaped relegation last season, and should go down this year. At least it's not a side which relies on has-beens, but nor does it have any up-and-coming players. It's just a mediocre side. Bolton Wanderers Prediction: 10th Manager: Mirko Slomka [former Schalke manager] Key Players: Rocco Pedrelli [sT, 29, ITA – 2 Caps, ₤11.25M], Sean Brown [D C, 30, SCO – 42 Caps, ₤6.75M], Roger Griffiths [GK, 31, ENG – 12 Caps, ₤5.75M], Paul Cargill [DM, 32, SCO – 62, ₤4.4M], Vladislav Lepeshkin [AM L, 26, UKR – 32 Caps, ₤6.5M] Former Rushden players: Levan Pirtskhalava It's hard to see this side finishing below Birmingham with at least one quality player at each section of the pitch. Cardiff Prediction: 4th Manager: Neil Banfield (former Arsenal coach) Key Players: Fabiano [GK, 29, BRA – 29 Caps, ₤6.75M], Jonathan Ashworth [D C/DM, 27, IRE – 53 Caps, ₤11M], Anthony Hale [M C, 28, ENG, ₤7M], Eyuboglu Aydin [sT, 26, TUR – 24 Caps, ₤8.25M] Former Rushden players: Eamonn Bradshaw, Adam Sherwood, Veselin Sabev (on loan from Juventus) Such a good side they have a ₤9M French international as a backup keeper. Still, the gaps in the squad are made evident by the fact that they have three players on loan, which is remarkable for a side which finished second last season. Chelsea Prediction: 6th Manager: Isaac Mizrahi (former player at Necaxa) Key Players: Christian Brookes [GK, 30, ENG – 43 Caps, ₤11.75M], Stefan Johansson [sT, 26, FIN – 40 Caps, ₤18.75M], Jacopo Cristante [AM R, 28, ITA – 6 Caps, ₤15.75M], Stephan Berger [D C/DM, 30, GER – 42 Caps, ₤4.5M], Noberto Barrios [AM L, 29, ARG - 31 Caps, ₤8.5M], Chris Bowyer [D/Wb R, 29, USA – 56 Caps, ₤13M], Hussein Hassan [D LC/Wb L, 24, EGY – 51 Caps, ₤13M], Eneko Punal [M C, 23, ESP – 3 Caps, ₤9.5M] Former Rushden players: Vidar Helgerud, Nermin Ristic (on loan from Juventus) There's no doubting Chelsea's resources, with Berger getting ₤165K per week. Their squad is certainly expensive, yet still expected to finish off the pace. Curiously, they have a Rushden reject on loan to cover their lack of striking depth. Everton Prediction: 14th Manager: Mike Howard (former Bolton coach) Key Players: Jorge Gurrutxaga [sT, 30, ESP – 2 Caps, ₤6.75M], Stephen Hughes [GK, 28, ENG – 9 Caps, ₤5M], Paul Marfell [sT, 29, ENG – 1 Cap, ₤4.4M], Stefan Schrier [M RC, 31, HOL – 33 Caps, ₤4.8M], Martijn Gabriels [AM L, 29, HOL – 22 Caps, ₤3.6M], Diomidis Stathopoulos [D C, 29, GRE – 49 Caps, ₤3.1M] A quite old side which has bounced straight back from the Championship. They did collect a record 101 points led by Gurrutxaga, who has failed to impress in two EPL seasons. Their survival may depend on him finally stepping up. Fulham Prediction: 17th Manager: Shaun Gale (former Havant & W player, who managed that club for 28 days before moving to Fulham!) Key Players: Rodrigo Ledesma [D/WB RL, 29, ARG – 29 Caps, ₤7M], Mark Harper [sT, 28, ENG, ₤6.75M], Hugo Morales [GK, 25, CHI – 18 Caps, ₤4M], Ivan Mina [AM RC, 30, ECU – 49 Caps, ₤4.6M], Ron Fisher [D C, 28, USA – 38 Caps, ₤4.5M], Marco Priolo [AM R, 26, ITA – 2 Caps, ₤4.9M], Lukasz Sliwa [D C, 32, POL – 39 Caps, ₤2.1M] A pretty unremarkable side, with a few solid but unspectacular players. They've survived the last two seasons after winning the Championship, but will be in the lower half. Ipswich Town Prediction: 18th Manager: Teddy Sheringham Key Players: Des Hooker [sT, 32, WAL – 48 Caps, ₤6.25M], Andy Taylor [sT, 21, ENG, ₤7.25M], Grigoris Kliafas [AM LC, 24, GRE – 4 Caps, ₤4.3M], Jon Livermore [AM/F C, 19, WAL, ₤4M], Brian Swan [GK, 33, ENG, ₤2.5M], Lee Walker [AM C, 24, ENG, ₤3M] Former Rushden players: Steven Brownlie, Sebastian Rhazdis, Just up from the Championship, and tipped to return there. They did have a six-year stint in the EPL before being relegated in 22/23, and with a few quality young players, they could be a decent side in a few years if they do survive. Hooker was a star at Championship level, but scored just nine goals in three EPL seasons before their relegation. Liverpool Prediction: 7th Manager: Claude Makélélé Key Players: Mark Brierley [sT, 26, ENG – 17 Caps, ₤24.5M], Leonel Castaneda [DM, 26, GUA – 27 Caps, ₤8.75M], Zvonko Jozic [GK, 30, SLO – 52 Caps, ₤6.5M], Craig Ramsay [sT, 21, SCO – 9 Caps, ₤10.25M], Marc Kuijpers [AM RC, 30, HOL – 30 Caps, ₤14.75M], Rob Saunders [D/Wb L, 28, ENG – 6 Caps, ₤3.1M], Bektas Sertan [M C, 29, TUR – 32 Caps, ₤8.25M], Denis Urso [D C, 26, ITA – 5 Caps, ₤5M] A fairly good squad, highlighted by two class strikers. Their only real weakness is probably the midfield, with a few older players the mainstays. Liverpool will certainly be looking to improve on their 9th place last season. Manchester City Prediction: 16th Manager: Dean Smith (former Leyton Orient assistant) Key Players: Peter Karlsson [sT, 26, SWE – 18 Caps, ₤8M], Nikolay Terziyski [D L, 26, BUL – 7 Caps, ₤3.3M], Constantin Petre [D C, 32, ROM – 52 Caps, ₤2.6M], Kurt Jensen [M C, 22, NOR – 2 Caps, ₤7.25M], Benny Koman [GK, 34, HOL – 1Cap, ₤2.4M], Alan Ball [sT, 26, ENG, ₤6.25M], Miran Pavic [sT, 32, CRO – 55 Caps, ₤4.2M] Former Rushden players: Laurie Dalla Valle, Constantin Petre A quite decent side despite the low expectations after finishing third in the Championship last season. They have a few quality strikers and some good young players. Survival should be a minimum expectation. Manchester United Prediction: 1st Manager: Roy Keane Key Players: Dion Martin [AM/F C, 28, ENG – 35 Caps, ₤33.5M], Jack Oates [D C, 25, SCO – 39 Caps, ₤41.5M], Josenildo da Silva Moraes [sT, 32, ITA – 42 Caps, ₤6.75M], Thomas Bauer [AM L, 24, GER – 35 Caps, ₤44M], Pablo Cespedes [D/Wb R, 28, ESP – 32 Caps, ₤29.5M], Patrick Gruber [D C, 30, AUT – 61 Caps, ₤11M], Davide De Stefano [GK, 30, ITA – 43 Caps, ₤14.25M], Macit Ziya [M C, 29, TUR – 51 Caps, ₤13.25M], Borislav Stoyanov [DM, 27, BUL – 45 Caps, ₤10.25M], Yannick Kryzostoniak [sw/D C, 32, FRA – 81 Caps, ₤6M], Oscar Montero [AM/F C, 26, URU – 25 Caps, ₤36.5M], Adrien Davy [D LC/DM/M LC, 25, FRA – 31 Caps, ₤11.25M], Ben Canham [M C, 29, ENG – 53 Caps, ₤18.5M] An incredible squad, with brilliant players reduced to rotational roles (Davy in particular). Two-time World Footballer of the Year Moraes is thankfully nearing the end of his career, though Martin is just as decorated and having a ₤36.5M backup is not a bad situation to be in. It's hard to believe they didn't win the title last season, let alone finished 4th. Manager Stuart Pearce retired after 12 years in the job, leaving Old Trafford legend Roy Keane to return. Middlesbrough Prediction: 13th Manager: George Evans (former Barnet assistant) Key Players: Jesper Moller [sT, 27, DEN – 32 Caps], John Sturrock [sT, 24, SCO, ₤6.25M], Jessie Traore [AM LC, 24, BUR – 25 Caps, ₤5M], Keskin Dursun [D RLC/M RC, 29, AUT – 69 Caps, ₤3.8M], Lars Andersen [D C, 28, DEN – 33 Caps, ₤3.5M], Graham Kitchen [M C, 27, ENG, ₤4.7M] Former Rushden players: Andrew Makhanya, Lewis Barnard Not a bad squad, which has two good strikers ready to replace veteran Marc Smart after a few lean seasons. Their manager was sacked at the end of the last season, leaving Evans to consolidate this season. Newcastle United Prediction: 3rd Manager: Sinisa Mihajlovic (former Inter player) Key Players: Jay Brennan [sT, 25, IRE – 32 Caps, ₤28M], Danny Byrne [AM/F C, 21, SCO – 8 Caps, ₤22M], Lee Pollock [AM R, 25, IRE – 28 Caps, ₤16.75M], Steve Mooney [D RC/DM/M RC, 24, SCO – 18 Caps, ₤12.25M], John Daly [D/Wb L/M LC, 27, ENG – 40 Caps, ₤9.25M], David Dixon [AM C, 24, SCO – 24 Caps, ₤10M], Melky Jalil [AM L, 23, IND – 29 Caps, ₤7.25M], Lawrie Walker [D RC/Wb R, 25, SCO – 10 Caps, ₤11.75M], Pedro Pablo Guerrero [M C, 30, ECU – 33 Caps, ₤7.75M], Cedric Guiraud [sw/D C, 29, FRA – 38 Caps, ₤4.6M], Colin Brown [GK, 30, SCO – 61 Caps, ₤11.25M] I suppose the most remarkable thing about this squad is the number of UK players they have, especially considering they have a foreign manager! Newcastle have been thereabouts since their win in 19/20 and with such a deep squad (two England Under-23 stars as their striker backups, for instance) they will go far. Reading Prediction: 11th Manager: Paul Ince Key Players: Chris Kerr [AM/F C, 25, ENG – 17 Caps, ₤16.5M, Scott Martin [GK, 24, SCO, ₤2.9M], Mick Smith [D/Wb L/DM/M LC, 29, ENG – 3 Caps, ₤3.1M], Andy Maxwell [AM L, 27, IRE – 32 Caps, ₤4.1M], Dmitri Sarr [AM RC/F C, 21, EST – 22 Caps, ₤6M], Phil Brown [sT, 19, ENG, ₤7M] Former Rushden players: Conall Hawe Remarkably, despite Australian Matt Murphy being their third-choice keeper and uncontracted, they are paying him ₤72K per week! Guess Ince has yet to discover the “release player” option... With two of the most promising players in the world (Brown and Sarr), they have some talent, but only one real star (Kerr). Sunderland Prediction: 19th Manager: Adrian Boothroyd Key Players: Jack Brown [GK, 27, ENG, ₤2.9M], Danny Badnall [AM C, 25, ENG – 6 Caps, ₤6.75M], Frank Scholten [D/Wb/AM L, 27, BEL – 21 Caps, ₤4.5M], Andreas Albrechtsen [sT, 21, DEN – 3 Caps, ₤6.25M], Darren Blackburn [sT, 27, IRE – 8 Caps, ₤6M], Rob Stein AM RC/ F C, 26, ENG – 5 Caps, ₤4.3M] Former Rushden players: Dougie Noble, Sven Kilic Quite a good attacking side, and far better than that prediction suggests. I would be shocked if Sunderland went down with so much scoring power. Tottenham Hotspur Prediction: 15th Manager: Aeon Lattie (former Droylsden player) Key Players: Scott Haddow [sT, 22, ENG – 1 Cap, ₤22M], Peter Caton [D C, 24, AUS – 25 Caps, ₤4.7M], Giannis Apostolopoulos [AM L, 32, GRE – 41 Caps, ₤2.3M], Michael Woods [M C, 35, ENG – 41 Caps, ₤600K], Hugh O'Neill [M C, 31, NIR – 46 Caps, ₤2.6M], Rasoul Montazeri [D/Wb R, 33, IRA – 63 Caps, ₤600K], Sergio Asenjo [GK, 37, ESP, ₤2.2M] Former Rushden players: Alexandr Kotelnikov, Péter Tóth What can you say about a squad with an average age of 29? With only one promising young player and a host of others nearing the ends of their careers (pretty average ones in some cases), if ever a side deserved to go down, it's Tottenham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 August, 2025 Chelsea, Premier League, Away Bohman and Hontecillas missed the pre-season with injuries, so Siabanis and Heinonen came in. Holmen made his Rushden début at right back. Curiously, Chelsea had former Rushden striker Nermin Ristic, on loan from Juventus, starting on the bench. They sold off defender Lawrie Walker to Newcastle for ₤12.5M but spent ₤34M on new faces. Among them are Real Sociadad's American defender Chris Bowyer (₤14M), Newcastle midfielder Ian Shearer (₤4.7M), Danish defender Soren Kristiansen (₤3.2M from Leicester) and Irish winger Brian Saunders (₤4.3M from Sheffield United). Holmen made a crucial tackle in the Chelsea area in the 10th minute. Alarcon was injured by a challenge in the Rushden area mid-way through the half, yet there was no penalty. Grigoryan made a fine save in the 33rd and the half finished scoreless. A counter-attack in the 60th saw Siabanis come down the right, and send in a cross to Alarcon. He took a shot, but it was saved. Chelsea had a player sent off with twenty minutes to go, but there were no more chances and the game finished in a draw. Heinonen was Man of the Match in his return. Manchester United, Premier League, Home Ramírez came in for his first senior start and Sánchez took over the striking role. United are tipped to win the title back this season, but will have to do it with pretty much the same squad as last season. New Zealand defender Nick Turner was sold off to Milan for ₤8M (just a year after being bought for ₤3.1M). QPR striker Warren Walton was bought for ₤7.25M and immediately loaned out to Sunderland. The first half was very dull, with only the occasional loose ball in the United area to cause problems. Navarro finally made an impression with a long shot in the 54th which was tipped aside. With just two minutes to go, Ferrante broke through the defence and passed to Sánchez. His shot was parried back by the keeper. Ferrante got off a shot as the defenders converged, but it was deflected wide. A long ball from Heinonen looked to have sent Sánchez through in injury time, but he was ruled offside and we finished with a second straight scoreless draw. Arsenal, Premier League, Away Cardin had his first senior start at left back and Hontecillas and Segerström came in for their first games of the season in defence. This was our third straight tough game, this time against the reigning champion. Like United, they made few changes to their squad. Albanian defender Migjen Deda was sold to Sevilla for ₤11.75M and Greek winger Vasilis Nikolaidis was bought for ₤14M. Grigoryan was put under plenty of pressure, and it was Segerström's desperation to stop Cao Bin from getting to the ball that saw him head it into his own net. That 29th minute goal was the only one of the game, though Arsenal had plenty of shots. Just two points from our first three games. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 September, 2025 Barnsley, Premier League, Away Barnsley lost promising striker Craig Ramsay to Liverpool for ₤8.5M and replaced him by signing striker Gary West from St Johnstone for free. They are tipped to finish in the middle of the table once again. We hit the back of the net for the first time in the 10th, only for Siabanis to be ruled offside. Heinonen created a few chances with his long passing, with Ferrante and Alarcon having shots saved. Heinonen himself put one wide in yet another scoreless first half. Grigoryan made some sine saves at the start of the second half. I brought on a second striker and in the 72nd, Cardin won the ball on the left wing. He knocked it forward, and Goiria got to it just before it reached the goal line. He crossed in for Navarro to finally score. That was enough for our first win of the season. Slavia Prague, EURO Cup 1st round, 1st leg, Home A Czech side which rarely makes it past this point,, with no notable players, Slavia Prague offered little threat. Goiria took a free in the 24th, and played it across to Holmen. He ran into the area and touched it to Siabanis, who squeezed in a goal at the near post. I again brought on a second striker, and with a neat header, Alarcon put Sánchez through for our second. A cross from Goiria in the 77th saw the Mexican score again and Alarcon got one himself in injury time to complete a 4-0 win. The last two games have shown that we play much better with two strikers, albeit against inferior opponents. I hence switched back to my formation of last season, with four defenders, a defensive midfielder, two wingers, a central midfielder and two strikers. Bolton, Premier League, Away Yordanov came in for his first senior start and Marchal played his first game of the season. Bolton won their first three games of the season then drew their fourth, so they're already well ahead of us on the table. Their best signing was a free transfer, Lazio's Bulgarian striker Ivaylo Kyuchukov. They spent just ₤1.1M on six signings, including Bosnian defender Sebastian Zurawski for ₤675K from Sporting CP. Former Rushden defender Dougie Noble was sold to Sunderland for ₤4.3M (30% of which went to us), keeper Doug Johnston to Newcastle for ₤2.9M and Argentinian midfielder Fede to Ascoli for ₤2.5M. Marchal and Ramirez both missed shots in the first twenty minutes, the latter a particularly poor effort. A scramble in the area saw Bohman score in the 38th, with Bolton equalising through Pedrelli just before half time. Goiria came off the bench, and first set up Sánchez for a shot that went agonisingly close, then missed one himself. Another draw. Middlesbrough, Premier League, Away Middlesbrough weakened their squad depth with a series of sales. Among them were two to Man City (Bosnian defender Nikolay Terziyski for ₤3.4M and Irish forward Emmanuel Doran for ₤2.8M). Young winger Ken Hutton was bought from that club for ₤6.5M, Austrian defender Keskin Dursun from Sporting CP for ₤3.8M and Burkina Faso midfielder Jessie Traore for free. Our former defender Andrew Makhanya was also bought for ₤1.8M. After we sold him to Man U for ₤5.75M, he went to Inter for ₤21M then Palermo for ₤33.5M before his return to England. Goiria was involved in both of our rare chances in the first half. In the 21st, he put a shot over the bar and ten minutes later, he put Thomas through with a great header, only for it to finish with another high shot. Goiria losing the ball also opened up Middlesbrough's only attack, which was saved by Grigoryan and cleared by Segerström. Goiria was involved yet again in the 58th with a cross into the area, which saw Sánchez knocked over. Yordanov is a superb penalty taker, and made not mistake. Just two minutes later, he showed another skill with a fine long ball to Sánchez for our second. Sánchez set up Thomas for a 3-0 lead in the 66th, and though Middlesbrough scored one late, we were safe. Or so I thought. Another goal in the 83rd, and our lead was down to one goal. Thankfully, we held on for the crucial three points, though it was much close than it should have been. Slavia Prague, EURO Cup 1st round, 1st leg, Home Backup keeper Kenneth Bergseth came in for his first senior run, with a safe four-goal lead. Marchal extended that lead with a first half goal, and when a Heinonen free came back off the post, it was knocked into the goal by a defender. Segerström completed a 7-0 aggregate romp late in the game. Reading, Premier League, Away Reading only made one major signing, Irish left winger Andy Maxwell for ₤3.4M from Ipswich, and of course lost Juho Heinonen in his Rushden return. Sánchez came closest to scoring in a dull first half, just beaten to a Goiria cross by the keeper. Alarcόn missed a few pot-shots as the second half also finished scoreless. The EURO Cup games showed we are capable of scoring, but we just aren't doing it in the league. Michael Ward was runner-up as Player of the Month and Goiria won Young Player of the Month, with Yordanov second. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 October, 2025 Birmingham, Premier League, Away Birmingham are sitting in the top few of the table. With no major player losses, and the inclusion of Montenegrin midfielder Predrag Jovanovic (free from Heerenveen), Polish striker Grzegorz Wolczyk (₤4.5M from West Brom), winger Bogdan Majewski (₤4.9M from Cardiff) and playmaker Ilir Mustafa (₤2.9M from Benfica). We had three shots in the opening ninety seconds. Heinonen had one saved, Sánchez's effort was parried from close range and Bohman missed a follow-up. We suffered a blow in the 11th when Heinonen, as the last man, brought down an opponent. That left us to play almost all the game a man down. The defence were placed under constant pressure by Dutch striker Marco Bergsma, who had six shots. Thankfully, few were accurate, and Grigoryan handled those that were. Marchal played well for Rushden, having a few shots saved. Yet again the game trickled away for a scoreless draw. We have scored just five goals in eight games. There were two international débuts for Rushden players – Sebastian Hontecillas for Spain and Stefan Åberg for Sweden. That was tempered by bad news, with Alarcόn demanding a new contract and requesting a transfer when it was refused. Sunderland, Premier League, Away Like I suggested at the start of the season, Sunderland are significantly exceeding their low expectations. On-loan Manchester United striker Warren Walton has already scored five goals, as has England international forward Rob Stein. After last season, they sold off USA defender Ron Fisher to Fulham for ₤4.5M and made several signings. Several of them were free, including keepers Jack Brown (West Ham) and James Gilpin (Cardiff) and young Norwegian international midfielder Mathias Moller. Defender Marcallo Zago cost ₤3M from Nantes, former Rushden defender Dougie Noble ₤4.3M from Bolton and Celtic winger Christian Trotta ₤3M. An injury on international duty for Hontecillas and suspension for Heinonen left us without an obvious choice for defensive midfield. Cieslewicz came up to take over the role. Ramírez was also missing on international duty. Stein rammed a shot off the bar just five minutes in. Grigoryan had to make a couple of saves in the following minutes before Stein finally scored in the 38th. Just before half time, Thomas, in his second game of the season, broke through the defence and put a shot behind the keeper to level the scores. 1-1 at the break. A great ball from Bohman early in the second half saw Thomas again get through and score behind the keeper. Sunderland continued to threaten, but a quick pass from Thomas across the area saw Marchal seal a vital 3-1 win. Our best performance of the season by far. I re-signed Thomas at last on a ₤7K per week, three-year deal. Lazio, EURO Cup Group C, Away An unusually tough opponent to kick off the group stage. Though Lazio have struggled in recent seasons, falling as low as 17th in Serie A in 22/23, they do have a quality side. Cameroon keeper Buba Oumarou, veteran Dutch defender Etienne Burg, Ivory Coast playmaker Mohamed Toure and French midfielder Anthony Mourlon are all solid internationals, and Dutch forward Ryan Kooistra is an outright star. Former Rushden midfielder Trond Olsen also joined them after a brief stint at Queensland. Marchal had a great chance to score in the 8th, rounding the keeper, but put his shot wide. After that, everything seemed to go against us. A Goiria pass in the 13th somehow found the post, and at the other end, a parry from Grigoryan went straight to Kooistra, who scored. Four minutes later, another Lazio shot came in, deflected off Yordanov and went in. We were not without our chances after that – Sánchez in particular had three shots on goal – but were scoreless yet again and lost our first group game. Liverpool, Premier League, Home Liverpool are doing well this season, after a poor last season. They sold off plenty of players, including young Spanish striker Mikel Aragon to Roma for ₤31M and Steve Mooney and Lee Pollock to Newcastle for around ₤30M for the pair. Former Rushden forward Laurie Dalla Valle joined Manchester City for ₤500K. In came a few big names, such as veteran Dutch midfielder Marc Kuijpers (₤14.75M from Barcelona), German playmaker Jan Boateng (₤5M from Lazio), Cameroon striker Daniel Ateba (₤7.75M from America), Barnsley's young Scottish striker Craig Ramsay (₤8.5M), Tunisian winger Kivanc Ahmet (₤9.25M from Lens) and Swedish defender Oliver Toppmoller (₤6.25M from Duisburg) – all coming for less than those three sales! Cieslewicz was an unusually impressive figure in the midfield, while a scoreless first half saw the only decent chance – to Liverpool – ruled offside. Kim Holmen came off the bench when Yordanov picked up a knock, and was in the right spot to head in Johnson's 58th minute corner. Aside from a terrible Bohman shot and wild Liverpool cross, there were no more chances, and another valuable three points were collected. Sunderland, League Cup 3rd round, Home After our excellent 3-1 win only a few weeks ago, I hoped we could do even better against Sunderland at home. Sánchez wasted a great Wilson pass by putting it straight into the keeper's hands. Again Wilson sent in a cross in the 22nd, only for Alarcόn to head it into the crossbar. Somehow, a long Sunderland pass managed to avoid five Rushden players, and with ease they rounded Grigoryan to score. That finally woke our players up, and Alarcόn equalised a minute later. He missed a shot at an open goal just before the break, so we were still level at half time. Karpov started a move in the 58th that sent Siabanis down the right, and his cross found Sánchez, who buried our second. Well, until it was ruled offside. The ninety minutes finished without any more goals and after having three successive shots turned over the bar in extra time, and shots from Cieslewicz and Åberg miss, we went to penalties. I brought on Yordanov as a specialist penalty taker, and of course his first shot was saved. So were Ward's and Karpov's, and we went out despite 16 shots to 5. I signed young Colombian wing back José Luis Fuente on a free transfer. He comes with a work permit despite no international games, which is promising. Fulham, Premier League, Away Fulham are not doing too badly this season, helped by some big transfers. ₤7M bought Argentinian defender Rodrigo Ledesma from Racing Club, Sunderland's American defender Ron Fisher joined for ₤4.5M, Austrian midfielder Daniel Weiss cost ₤2M and there were a few other smaller purchases. Several free transfer signings, such as Malawi midfielder Miguel Howe and Dutch midfielder Willem Jogsma, have also become regulars. With so many new faces stepping straight into the team, one would have thought they were in the Championship last season, but this is Fulham's third straight year in the EPL. After Marchal forced an early save, Cardin was beaten for a header in the 10th, allowing Fulham to take the lead. Goiria grazed the bar and Thomas missed a header, and we went in behind. Marchal missed a shot, then earned a free 25 yards out shortly into the second half. Goiria took the free, and scored an equaliser. That was about it for Rushden, and Grigoryan made a few saves to get a point. Maccabi Haifa, EURO Cup Group C, Home Not quite as simple a game as it may appear. Haifa feature quality Scottish keeper Ewan MacFarlane and two internationals, South Korean midfielder Cha Kwang-Jin and Chilean striker Francisco Vasquez, and have made it past this stage before. We got off to a great start. Goiria's 4th minute shot deflected up and was headed in by Marchal. We enjoyed total dominance, with 19 shots – half on target, yet frustratingly did not manage another goal. A win nonetheless. James Johnson was runner-up as Player of the Month and I was third as Manager of the Month. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 November, 2025 Manchester City, Premier League, Home City are back from the Championship after just one year down, but are again in the relegation zone. Strikers Miran Pavic and Peter Karlsson were important in achieving promotion, though they did struggle at this level when the side was relegated. They lost promising winger Ken Hutton to Middlesbrough for ₤6.5M and Austrian defender Horst Siegl to Palermo for ₤2.7M, also releasing veteran keeper Kenneth Stenild. Two players were bought from Middlesbrough – Bulgarian defender Nikolay Terziyski and Irish forward Emmanuel Doran – for a total of ₤6.2M. Former Rushden forward Laurie Dalla Valle joined from Liverpool for ₤500K. Aside from a few corners, Rushden rarely attacked in the first half. Just before the break, Karpov took a free from well beyond 30 yards, and rammed it into the bar. A long Segerström pass got through to Thomas, who hit his shot at the keeper, and another Karpov free was saved. With a late Johnson shot tipped over, we looked headed for yet another scoreless draw, despite doubling our opponent's attempts at goal. With only seconds left, Hontecillas passed to Wilson on the left flank. Still outside the area, he had a go and put the ball right into the top corner. A lucky win, and another three points to take us to second on the table. Cardiff, Premier League, Home Suddenly a long way down the table, Cardiff are a surprise disappointment this season. To be fair, they did not make a single purchase and sold midfielder Bogdan Majewski to Birmingham for ₤4.9M. Still, they were runners-up last season and signed three decent players for free – Italian right back Francesco Gnecco from Monaco, Northern Ireland right back Neal Taylor from Rangers and Cameroon forward Bessala Essombe from Marseille. In addition, they have Brazilian forward Reinaldo, former Rushden defender Veselin Sabev and starlet Czech forward Vlastimil Horak on loan from Real Madrid, Juventus and Milan respectively. Two more former Rushden players, Eamonn Bradshaw and Adam Sherwood, lined up against us. Patrice Thomas put us into the lead within 90 seconds. Marchal was injured by a tackle in the 26th, but the good news for Rushden is that it occurred in the area. Yordanov was rested for this game, so Wilson took the penalty kick, and scored. A great cross from Wilson in the 30th found Marchal's replacement, Siabanis, who put it straight at the keeper. A perfect pass across the area from Åberg to Thomas made it 3-0 before half time, ensuring our ninth straight league game without defeat. There was a problem though, with Grigoryan suffering a knee injury which will put him out for the month. Tottenham, Premier League, Away Kenneth Bergseth came in to replace Grigoryan, and Alarcόn took over from Marchal, with both out injured. Again we faced former Rushden players, this time Alexandr Kotelnikov and Péter Tóth. Tottenham offloaded veteran defender Lee Dixon to Rangers for ₤200K, bringing in Spanish defender Javier Pérez from Real Madrid for ₤450K and Greek left winger Giannis Apostolopoulos for ₤2.2M from Juventus. Despite their ancient side, they are sitting in a fairly safe position. Wilson twice blasted wide from inside the area in the first twenty minutes. Alarcόn got through the defence late in the half but failed to round the keeper, while the most work Bergseth had to do was collecting a cross. We were again strong in the second half, but Tottenham scored in the 63rd. A corner two minutes later saw a response from Rushden – Åberg's header was parried to Thomas, who scored. And to think I was happy to let him go for free! It didn't matter in the end though, with a quick break from a throw-in seeing Tottenham score a second and end our unbeaten streak. Our lack of a quality backup keeper is a big problem. Ipswich, Premier League, Away Ipswich are sitting in the lower half of the table in their first season back from two years in the Championship. Veteran Welsh striker Des Hooker has not found scoring as easy at this level. Despite promotion, they sold off a few players, such as Irish left winger Andy Maxwell (₤3.4M to Reading), former Rushden defender Gerard Albarrán (free to Celta) and Welsh winger Kieron Perry (₤2.4M to Coventry). However, they spent ₤12.25M on new players, such as Rangers' Greek midfielder Girgoris Kliafas for ₤4.6M, Brentford midfielder Lee Walker (₤2.4M), former Rushden defender Steven Brownlie (₤1.5M from Dundee) and Portsmouth winger Alexis Karatzas (₤1.7M). 34-year-old Saudi Arabian midfielder Mohsen Al-Harbi joined on a free transfer. This game couldn't have started in more laughable fashion. As if it wasn't bad enough that Ferrante put a close-range shot into orbit, Holmen somehow managed, with no defender in sight, to put a back-pass behind Bergseth and into the goal. Goiria made a fine run in the 26th, having a shot turned aside. Sánchez had two shots before half time, and both were saved. Alarcόn put another shot wide in the 50th, before a 63rd minute free from Goiria saw Bohman head in an equaliser. Sánchez twice put shots wide in the final ten minutes, and a poor game saw us finish with just a point. AZ, EURO Cup Group C, Away Quite a strong side in an unusually tough group. They often get past this point, and even to the quarter final in 11/12 and 17/18. USA international forward Alex Rowland and Croatian international keeper Filip Kolic were notables in a fairly even side. We got off to a good start, with Ramírez having a free kick saved then Sánchez scoring after being sent through by a Goiria pass. Sánchez, Alarcόn and Bohman both missed shots and we took a single goal lead into the break. Disaster struck in the second half, with AZ scoring with their first two shots of the game. Suddenly, we were a goal down with only 40 minutes to play. We barely had a chance, and AZ even scored a third goal. We must now beat Besiktas, and hope Lazio get at least a draw with Haifa, in order to progress. Aston Villa, Premier League, Home Villa are in European contention, as expected. They sold off young Norwegian centre back Sven Sorum to Sevilla for ₤10M and veteran Irish keeper Ged Stevens to Celtic for ₤2.3M, which freed up a bit of cash. It was used on Japanese defender Kazumichi Yasunaga (₤2.7M from Tenerife) and Boca's Argentinian wonderkid forward Marcos Ramírez for a cool ₤17M. Former Rushden wing back Audrius Juodeikis was in their side, while we still had Bergseth in goal with Grigoryan not even back training yet. Our Ramírez was a good attacking player early, having a shot saved and swinging in a dangerous corner. Thomas had a shot parried in the 38th, and Goiria was there to finish. 1-0 at the break. Bergseth was put under a bit of pressure at the start of the second half, saving a free and a few shots from inside the area. Siabanis missed a shot, but most of the action was in Villa's control. Man of the Match Bergseth made another save in the 73rd as it looked like he would get us to the win. With just four minutes to go, star young striker Jamie Wiseman had a shot on goal from close range. Bergseth could only parry back to him, and while Ward got in the way of the follow-up, the only managed to deflect it past the keeper. Siabanis sent in an 89th minute cross which was headed clear. Holmen picked up the loose ball and ran into the area. He beat the keeper with his shot...and saw it come back off the crossbar. Sánchez dived on it, and put us back into the lead. The game went into injury time, and with seconds to go, a cross was sent into the Villa area. Belgian winger Tarik Hoekstra, a substitute, took the cross and put it past Bergseth. 2-2 – until the raised flag was noticed. The goal was ruled out, and we escaped with full points. Bohman was runner-up as Player of the Month, and Wilson was named Young Player of the Month. I was again third as Manager of the Month, despite our slump. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Arsenal | | 15 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 27 | 9 | +18 | 36 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Newcastle | | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 15 | +5 | 29 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Rushden | | 16 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 18 | 10 | +8 | 28 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Man Utd | | 15 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 19 | 9 | +10 | 24 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Aston Villa | | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 11 | +4 | 24 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Bolton | | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 11 | +4 | 24 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Sunderland | | 17 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 22 | 19 | +3 | 24 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Liverpool | | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 10 | +7 | 23 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Reading | | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 17 | +3 | 23 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Tottenham | | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 20 | -5 | 22 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Chelsea | | 13 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 6 | +3 | 21 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Birmingham | | 15 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 15 | -1 | 19 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Fulham | | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 12 | -1 | 17 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Barnsley | | 15 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 23 | 27 | -4 | 17 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Man City | | 17 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 16 | -4 | 17 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Ipswich | | 16 | 2 | 10 | 4 | 12 | 16 | -4 | 16 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Cardiff | | 16 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 18 | -8 | 16 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Everton | | 17 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 18 | -7 | 13 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Middlesbrough | | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 21 | -10 | 11 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Blackburn | | 16 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 30 | -21 | 7 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 December, 2025 Blackburn, Premier League, Away I described Blackburn as “pretty awful” in the preview at the start of the season, and eight points in 16 games, with goal difference of -21, reflects that. I rested a few players for this game, giving Polish defender Kamil Szcesny his first game. The first half was quite simple for Rushden, with Siabanis, Heinonen and Navarro (thrice) forcing saves. Alarcόn finally got one through the keeper for a 1-0 lead. The start of the second half continued our dominance, with Sánchez putting a header over the bar and Alarcόn scoring our second. With another shot from Heinonen saved, we were two goals up with half an hour to go, and looking comfortable. Suddenly, in two minutes of madness, the game turned around. Twice they headed in goals, and our lead was wiped out. Navarro had another shot saved, but with Blackburn closing the game down, 20 shots to 6 were not enough for more than one point. Newcastle, Premier League, Away Newcastle started this game just ahead of us in second spot on goal difference, though well behind the rampaging Arsenal. They had a lot of big transfers in and out after finishing 3rd last season. Teenage Canadian midfielder Alex Smith went to Sevilla for ₤9.5M, Norwegian winger Thomas Johansen to Valencia for ₤15M, Greek winger Vasilis Nikolaidis to Arsenal for ₤14M, right back Mike Bond to Liverpool for ₤3.3M and Scottish midfielder Ian Shearer to Chelsea for ₤4.7M. Five players came in, for a combined total of ₤49.5M. Two were from Liverpool – Scottish utility Steve Mooney (₤12.25M) and Irish right winger Lee Pollock (₤16.25M) – along with Chelsea's Scottish defender Lawrie Walker (₤12.5M), German international midfielder Christopher Weller (₤5M from Barcelona) and Bolton keeper Dough Johnston (₤2.9M). French defender Cedric Guiraud and young Scottish forward Danny Byrne have been their top performers. A beautiful through ball from Bohman sent Thomas in for our first goal, and a 16th minute lead. A similarly good pass at the other end saw Byrne score for Newcastle, and it was 1-1 from a single shot apiece. Bergseth made a good save to end the half level. Seven minutes into the second half, another pass from Bohman put a striker through. This time it was Alarcόn, who scored his fifth of the season. Newcastle continued to attack, and even got one-on-one with Bergseth, who made the save. A great pass from Ramírez set up Alarcόn for his fourth in two games, and we were 3-1 up in the 69th. A kick on Cieslewicz saw Newcastle reduced to ten men, and Rushden walk out with the three points. Besiktas, EURO Cup Group C, Home This was a must-win game, with Rushden sitting bottom of the table but just three points away from second spot on the table, with the top three progressing. The problem is that our goal difference is the worst, with -3 and just three points. Besiktas sit third (4 pts, +1), while Lazio (5 pts, +2) and Maccabi Haifa (3 pts, -2) face off, with AZ (7 pts, +2) already through. That means even a draw wouldn't take us to third, and a win would get us through. We beat Besiktas in each leg of our knockout round encounter last season, but they added ₤8M Angola winger Fernando Estrela since then. An early cross from Goiria was sent clear by the keeper. Karpov took the ball and flicked it back to Navarro who, still outside the area, blasted it in with a flashing strike. 1-0 after ten minutes. A chain of passes saw Bergseth beaten all too easily just two minutes later. 1-1. Navarro was again involved in the 25th, collecting a loose ball and passing forward. This time it was Sánchez who received it, and his strike was as good as Navarro's first. Just before half time, Holmen and Bergseth went for the ball together. After a horrible flashback to Holmen's own goal last month, I was relieved to see him collect the ball and run down the right. His long ball found Alarcόn in the area, and his shot was parried straight to Sánchez, for a two goal break. That was cut in injury time, with Besiktas scoring again. 3-2 at half time. With Lazio and Haifia scoreless, we were third on the table but four goals behind Lazio in second. Another long ball from Holmen to Alarcόn was cut off, with the defender passing back to his keeper. Sánchez snuck in brilliantly to squeeze in our fourth five minutes into the second half. A hat-trick for the Mexican, and another two-goal break. A pass from Heinonen in the 66th saw Sánchez score again and after an injury to Holmen, Cieslewicz came off the bench and headed in our sixth! A 2-0 win to Lazio meant we still finished third in the group, which was still enough to qualify. Everton, Premier League, Home This game marks the half-way point of the league season. Everton are deep in relegation trouble despite winning the Championship with a record 101 points. The key player in that success, Spanish striker Jorge Gurrutxaga, has just two goals for the season, after 20 league goals last season. Everton didn't lose a single important player and spent ₤14.5M on new ones, such as another Spanish striker (Jorge Rincon, ₤3.7M from Villareal), two defenders (Italian Francesco Pisano, for ₤3M from Roma, and Spaniard Manuel Aguinaga, for ₤2.3M from Real Sociadad) and Hull midfielder Richie Hinshelwood (₤2.3M). Bergseth made a good save in the 11th after Yordanov gave the ball away. An opportunistic shot from Thomas was barely tipped over, but we were constantly flooded by defenders when we attacked. A Goiria cross in the 52nd found Thomas right at the near post for a simple goal. Goiria overshot an open Bohman with a cross later in the half, but again Cieslewicz had an impact off the bench. Thomas' header from his cross came off the bar, leaving Alarcόn to tap in our second. That proved to be important, with Everton pulling one back late. Chelsea, Premier League, Home Grigoryan finally made his return from injury to take over the goalkeeping role. We had a scoreless draw when we met Chelsea in the first game of the season, though they now sit in the middle of the table. Scoring has been their major problem – aside from Stefan Johansson (8), no Chelsea player has more than three goals. In contrast, we have three – Alarcόn (8), Sánchez (9) and Thomas (8 from 10 games). After a few failed attacks, a little pass from Bohman got through the defence for Alarcόn to score in the 26th. Though Grigoryan made a few good saves, Chelsea had most of the play and scored in the 65th. A 1-1 draw. There were quite a few early bids coming in before the transfer window even opened. Several of around ₤6M were made for Yordanov, which were rejected. Real Madrid had a ₤10M offer for James Johnson turned down, while enquiries about Wilson, Bohman and young keeper Harvey Steele were deflected. Manchester United, Premier League, Away Always good to meet a big side before the transfer window opens. We also had a scoreless draw against United, and like Chelsea, they sit surprisingly towards the middle of the table, in 8th. Even more remarkably, star striker Josenildo da Silva Moraes is in the reserves. Dion Martin and Oscar Montero have 17 goals between them, and Turkish midfielder Macit Ziya is also a threat. Grigoryan saved a close-range Martin shot in the 8th. United had the majority of the first half play, though neither side had many shots. Martin got around Karpov to score in the 60th and though he had a second goal ruled out, that one was enough. Karpov was named Player of the Month and Yordanov Young Player of the Month. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 January, 2026 While I continued to reject offers for Holmen, Johnson, Yordanov and Hontecillas, there was no stopping Siabanis from agreeing terms with Udinese and Aberg with Pescara. Bristol Rovers, FA Cup 3rd round, Home A low-placed Championship side for an ostensibly easy start to the FA Cup, though we have lost against weaker sides. With the likes of 36-year-old Jamaican Ricky Sappleton as a first team regular, they shouldn't be much danger. Yordanov scored in just nine minutes, but unfortunately it was for Bristol. They suddenly developed a SuperKeeper, who kept out five straight shots from Marchal before Sánchez finally scored in the 37th. Poor shooting from Goiria and Marchal in the second half didn't help, though Bohman finally headed us into the lead from a Goiria free in the 68th. Arsenal, Premier League, Home By far the dominant side in the league, Arsenal look to have the title sewn up already. We only lost 0-1 to them last time, and they are missing a lot of players. World Footballer of the Year Cao Bin is out injured, along with ₤60M midfielder Antonio Navarrete, Nigerian defender Ikechukwu Oliseh and Scottish striker Jason Inglis. A long, floating free kick from Goiria made it to the box, and Hontecillas rose above the keeper to score in the 13th – before he was adjudged to have fouled the keeper. Thomas had a good chance to score in the 43rd, getting to the side of the keeper after beating the defence, but put his shot over. Segerström was beaten too easily just 30 seconds into the second half, allowing Arsenal to score through French striker Sebastien Munoz. Holmen almost gave away another with a terrible pass, only rescued by a save from Grigoryan. He made amends with a fine pass to Thomas in the 74th, who hit a low chip over the keeper and in for an equaliser. Thomas should have put us ahead with two minutes to go after a long pass from Bohman, instead heading it over. 1-1 was not a bad result against such a good side. Bolton, Premier League, Home This loomed as an interesting match. With Arsenal light-years ahead in top spot, Bolton sit just one point ahead of us in second spot. A win here would go some way to ensuring a Champions' Cup spot. Veteran Italian striker Rocco Pedrelli is once again their leading scorer and Sean Brown has been consistent in defence as usual. A terrific parry from Grigoryan, saved header from Johnson and wild shot from Siabanis were the only notable events of a first half which was mostly in Bolton's control. A wonderful shot out of nowhere from Siabanis squeezed between the keeper and near post for a 52nd minute goal. A powerful strike from Sánchez was tipped over and Alarcόn's header was held. With fifteen minutes to go, Pedrelli scored after the ball was left loose in the Bolton area. Despite claims of offside, the goal stood, and we were left with another 1-1 draw. Barnsley, Premier League, Away Unlike our last few recent opponents, Barnsley are a relatively small side in danger of relegation. A late Navarro goal got us the win against them last time, and they are 17th on the table now. Their situation has already prompted two big purchases – St. Johnstone teenage right winger Craig Henderson for ₤3.9M and the ₤10M 22-year-old Norwegian striker Pal Solberg, from Napoli. Former Rushden keeper Patrik Svensson has been good for them and Austrian striker Adolf Konig has nine goals. The ball bounced around the Rushden box like a pinball in the 6th, with Navarro, Marchal, Goiria and Sánchez all having a go at the keeper before the Mexican finally scored. Barnsley took a mere minute to reply, going from kick-off to the back of the net with three passes and a shot. Defenders Hontecillas and Segerström got forward to miss attempts at goal, while Grigoryan had to tip away a shot. With three minutes left in the half, an indirect free from Goiria went into the area, where Hontecillas headed us back into the lead. Just after half time, a pass from Sánchez sent Goiria into the area. He took a shot, and it came back off the crossbar. Sánchez wound up with an incredible six shots but just one on target, while Barnsley brought on substitute striker Gary West, who also had several shots. There was no change to the score though, and we won 2-1. I sold reserve midfielder Carlos, who played a handful of senior games, to West Ham for ₤1M. Though he showed some promise, he's just too slow to be a real prospect. Watford, FA Cup 4th round, Away Again we faced a Championship opponent in the FA Cup, with Watford in the lower half of the table. Their side is not terrible, with prolific striker Lee Naylor, Man U academy graduate Elliot Page and our own on-loan Finnish midfielder Heikki Kuusisto, but shouldn't be a challenge to our second-placed side. Tobias Bohman gave us the perfect start, getting through the defence to score in the second minute. Watford quickly came forward in response, and Grigoryan was kept busy collecting a series of crosses and making saves. Bohman was everywhere for Rushden, making several runs at goal and connecting to a Wilson cross with a diving header that was just tipped away. Late in the half, Yordanov collected a Watford clearance and passed back into the area, where Marchal collected and scored a good goal. Grigoryan again had to make a few saves in the second half, though a shove on Marchal saw Watford reduced to ten men. As always seems to happen, that was the cue for them to score, making it 2-1 in the 69th through Naylor. A nice flowing move saw from the kick-off saw Marchal, Ramírez and Holmen combine before a cross to Thomas in the area to restore the two-goal buffer. That was crucial, with Watford scoring in injury time to finish the game 2-1. Middlesbrough, Premier League, Away Middlesbrough are 19th and in deep trouble. They have made a few changes to their squad over the transfer window, not only clearing out deadwood, but also selling speedy Belgian international winger Albert Achterberg to Juventus for ₤10.75M. A few conservative purchases have arrived, such as Czech defender Zdenek Kadlec (₤2.2M from AEK), Italian defender Marco Metelli (₤2.1M from Atletico), Irish forward David Turner (an absolute bargain ₤950K from Coventry) and South Korean defender Kim Chul (₤4.7M from Cagliari). Since strikers Jesper Moller and John Sturrock each have over a dozen goals, this focus on defenders is probably a reasonable one, though most of those goals came in continental games. Man U's Cypriot forward Panagiotis Charalabous has also joined on loan. Rushden had the better of the first half, with Alarcόn and Sánchez missing a couple of chances, while Grigoryan made a save on the only occasion he was challenged. We lost Wilson to injury in the 30th. Holmen had to clear off the line when Grigoryan spilled a shot 45 seconds into the second half. We had plenty of chances in the 55th. First Bohman found space in the area for a shot, only to have it turned over. Sánchez was tackled cleanly in the area when he received the corner, then when the ball was passed back to him and he got past the keeper, he put the ball into the stand. A quick break from a goal kick saw Bohman pass to Sánchez down the left. He took a shot from the corner of the area, and saw it bounce off the bar. Thomas replaced Sánchez and missed a shot himself as we finished scoreless. Reading, Premier League, Home Reading are down in the bottom half but safe from relegation, as they have been for the last few seasons. They brought in veteran defender Darren McMahon from Bolton for ₤300K, but Estonian midfielder Dmitri Sarr has been the big revelation after breaking into the side from the reserves. The keeper only just beat Alarcόn to collect a header from Thomas in the 8th. Alarcόn had a couple of shots saved in the following minutes before we lost both Cieslewicz and Thomas to injuries. Substitute Sánchez came on and headed a Heinonen free over the bar and Holmen put a shot from a Wilson cross well wide. A Heinonen header floated over the keeper to Sánchez, who couldn't get past the defenders on the goal line. Alarcόn had a close-range shot saved before finally heading in a Ramírez corner with only five minutes to go. We should have won by more than one goal, and the win cost us Thomas for at least a month. With 10 goals in 14 games, that's a blow. Segerström was named Player of the Month, with Wilson runner-up as Young Player of the Month. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Arsenal | | 25 | 17 | 7 | 1 | 47 | 18 | +29 | 58 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Rushden | | 26 | 11 | 12 | 3 | 31 | 19 | +12 | 45 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Bolton | | 25 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 28 | 19 | +9 | 45 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Newcastle | | 25 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 34 | 32 | +2 | 42 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Chelsea | | 24 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 25 | 15 | +10 | 41 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Liverpool | | 26 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 32 | 22 | +10 | 38 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Birmingham | | 24 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 23 | 19 | +4 | 38 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Tottenham | | 26 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 26 | 32 | -6 | 35 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Man Utd | | 24 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 29 | 22 | +7 | 34 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Sunderland | | 26 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 34 | 30 | +4 | 34 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Aston Villa | | 24 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 23 | 22 | +1 | 34 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Reading | | 25 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 31 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Man City | | 25 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 23 | 27 | -4 | 30 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Ipswich | | 26 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 25 | 31 | -6 | 28 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Cardiff | | 25 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 20 | 29 | -9 | 28 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Barnsley | | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 36 | 44 | -8 | 27 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Fulham | | 25 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 18 | 27 | -9 | 26 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Everton | | 26 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 19 | 29 | -10 | 25 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Middlesbrough | | 26 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 19 | 37 | -18 | 21 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Blackburn | | 25 | 4 | 5 | 16 | 19 | 37 | -18 | 17 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 February, 2026 Birmingham, Premier League, Away Two of our most in-form players, Thomas and Segerström, were missing with injury. Former Rushden backup Steven Slade was in goal for Birmingham after his ₤700K move from Chelsea. 7th placed Birmingham only made a few minor purchases and sales, sticking with the side that has them in European contention despite scoring fewer goals than any of the top dozen sides. Bohman, Siabanis and Heinonen all had shots tipped over, and a close-range Navarro header was held. Siabanis went off injured at the start of the second half, with Sánchez coming on. However, it was partner Alarcόn with a goal, tapping in a Bohman cross. We controlled the game, so a sudden goal to Birmingham with just five minutes to go was a shock. Our failure to get an equaliser was not the only bad news – Siabanis was put out for the season with a hip injury. I did re-sign Navarro for another season, at least. Verona, EURO Cup 1st knockout round, leg 1, Home Quite a solid opponent, considering Verona won the Serie A in 22/23, were 2nd in 23/24 and 5th last season. Italian keeper Pierluigi Tundo (formerly of Everton) will be difficult to beat, and speedy Brazilian international forward Rogerio is a regular scorer at league level, with 33 in the last two seasons at Lazio. Add ₤6M Norwegian midfielder Jarle Odegaard and Portuguese forward Ribeiro, and you have a strong side. A fairly even first half saw Rushden waste the only real chances. Alarcόn should have scored with a header in injury time, putting it over the bar instead. Verona were reduced to ten men in the 58th, which tends to mean we will concede goals. A great swerving shot from Ramirez was saved, and Sánchez missed with a header. A dozen shots to two, and not a single goal to Rushden. Fulham, FA Cup 5th round, Away Grigoryan got a rest in this Cup game, with Bergseth taking over. We drew 1-1 with Fulham in our earlier encounter, though they now sit 18th on the table. They added six players to their struggling squad, including Valencia striker Dario Monteagudo (₤4.7M), veteran Turkish defender Aziz Yahya (₤1.3M from Sevilla), 32-year-old Finnish midfielder Jarno Heikkila (₤110K from Barcelona – a fair effort given they bought him for ₤34M) and Greek defender Platon Kyriazis (₤2.4M from AEK) Marchal had a couple of shots saved early in the half, before a free from Goiria put us ahead just on half time. Sánchez extended the lead in the 54th after being played through by Ramírez. Fulham pulled one back in the 74th when Bergseth failed to hold onto a save, but we held on for a deserved win. Verona, EURO Cup 1st knockout round, leg 2, Away Sánchez had a shot saved just 16 seconds in, but there was no stopping an effort from Ramirez in the 12th, which was buried in the top corner. He sent us straight forward seconds after the kick-off as well, with Alarcόn barely missing from long range. Grigoryan made a few saves as Verona started to attack, and we held the lead at half time. A beautiful exchange of passes between Ramirez, Heinonen and Bohman finished with Sánchez having a shot tipped away. He did better in the 82nd, flicking in a cross from Man of the Match Bohman to seal a 2-0 win. Sunderland, Premier League, Away Sunderland are in the middle of the table, having lost 3-1 to us at the start of the season but knocked us out of the League Cup on penalties. They sold England midfielder Danny Bagnall to Cardiff for ₤6.75M, bringing in Bosnian forward Savo Petakovic (₤2.3M from Zenit Peterburg) and Bulgarian defender Mario Georgiev (₤3.2M from Udinese). On loan Man U striker Warren Walton and young Danish striker Andreas Albrechtsen each have 11 goals this season. A counter-attack saw Sánchez force a save, but Ramirez proved a softer touch was more effective, playing through Marchal for a 20th minute goal. A cross from Bohman saw Sánchez score, just before he lost partner Marchal to a knock. Sunderland made it 2-1 in the 54th, then former Rushden midfielder Sven Kilic equalised six minutes later. Marchal's replacement, Alarcόn, twice blasted over shots and again we had to settle for a draw. A broken toe will put Marchal out for a month, which means we are missing three of our leading strikers, with Thomas and Siabanis also out. I did, at least, finally re-sign the unhappy Alarcόn for three seasons with a substantial wage increase – which prompted Sanchez to demand parity. Sigh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 March, 2026 Liverpool, Premier League, Away Segerström was back after missing over a month through injury. Liverpool sit a fair way down the table in 8th, and sold off some quality players like England wing back Rob Saunders (₤5.75M to Cardiff), Welsh keeper Mark Thomas (₤12.5M to Newcastle) and Turkish defender Okan Ahmet to Atlético for ₤11M. Former England international Chris Oldfield came in from Villareal for ₤475K as a stopgap measure and Ivory Coast defender Mamadou Toure was bought from America for ₤12.5M.They lack a big scorer this season, with England striker Mark Brierly only recording eight goals so far. Liverpool were wayward early while Alarcόn was too accurate, shooting straight at the keeper. Bohman was terrific, winning the ball several times, but when he got through the defence, he put his shot way over. Liverpool hit the lead just before half time, and while our two best players looked to have equalised, with Bohman crossing to Alarcόn, the goal was ruled out for an offside. That was our first league loss in eight games, sending us down to fourth position. Juventus, EURO Cup 2nd knockout round, leg 1, Away Juventus threaten to end our EURO Cup run, with a powerful and expensive squad. They knocked us out in the 2025 semi final and we drew with them in a group game in 22/23, so we're yet to win against Juventus. They have two of our former players, Ristic and Sabev, out on loan to EPL sides, but keeper Nuri Bozkurt was in goal and Giorgos Samaras was on the right wing. Israeli forward Roi Azarya is their star, though they also feature German captain Ronny Fink, Brazilian winger Rogerio, former Middlesbrough winger Albert Achterberg and Belgian striker Stefan van Eck. A poor pass from Holmen in the fifth minute was made to look much worse by a string of brilliant Juventus passes, which was only marred by the resulting goal being ruled out. Holmen did launch a counter-attack that saw Wilson pass to Sánchez in the area, but his shot was saved. Alarcόn wasted a Wilson cross in the 21st, heading over the bar, then when they reversed roles, Wilson's shot was saved. Again a chance was wasted when Sánchez put wide a great Holmen cross. Two minutes into first half injury time, Juventus broke free and scored. The second half didn't start well for Rushden, with Juventus hitting the crossbar early, but in the 56th, a little pass from Bohman found Alarcόn, and he equalised. Another brilliant Juventus move ended with a bad header, and we escaped with a tiny advantage from the 1-1 away draw. Reading, FA Cup 6th round, Away With so many forwards injured, I brought up Lorenzo Costantini to replace the unhappy Sanchez. With Newcastle the only other of the top ten Premier League sides left in the final eight of this competition, a cup win is a possibility if we can get past Reading. We beat them just a month ago, so it's a reasonable chance, but we're missing a lot of attackers. Cieslewicz, placed on the transfer list at his own request, crossed to Ramírez in the 8th, who put his shot wide. Wilson hit the bar from 30 yards, then Alarcόn had a goal ruled out. This did not look like being our day... Segerström pulled off a brilliant tackle to save the out-of-position Grigoryan before Costantini rammed another off the bar. Alarcόn came down the right in the 60th and made a fine pass to Costantini, who somehow collected the ball in heavy traffic, weaved clear then sent a weak shot to the keeper. At long last, with just three minutes to go, Alarcόn scored from a scramble in the area. He added another a minute later to seal it, albeit belatedly. Juventus, EURO Cup 2nd knockout round, leg 2, Home We had just the smallest of advantages going into the home leg, leading on away goals with a 1-1 aggregate. Karpov came agonisingly close to extending that lead, heading into the crossbar in the 7th. Bozkurt turned a Wilson header over later in the half, which finished without change to the score. A stunning strike from Wilson in the 65th changed everything, as it floated over the keeper and into the net from 25 yards. Heinonen replaced Sánchez to bolster our defence, leaving Juventus to try shots from long range. A tackle on Alarcόn as he broke towards the goal on the counter-attack saw a red card issued, though the free was just outside the area. It didn't matter, with Juventus unable to score and Rushden progressing to the quarter final. Fulham, Premier League, Home With no games after this for a fortnight, I did not need to rest anybody. Of course, Navarro, Thomas, Siabanis and Marchal were still out injured, so the side was still short of full strength, but you can't have everything. Fulham are just one point away from the relegation zone, despite their big spending over January (which I covered in our 2-1 FA Cup win a few months ago). The only new arrival to make a big difference has been Greek defender Platon Kyriazis, with ₤4.7M striker Dario Monteagudo having little impact. We were denied an early penalty despite Sánchez being taken down while contesting a corner, and Bohman missed a shot from inside the area. With the game still scoreless after 65 minutes, I switched to a more aggressive formation, simply pushing the wide players forward so that I had wing backs and attacking wingers rather than a flat formation. In the end, it was a defender who made the difference. Sánchez ran down the left and passed to Hontecillas. Still well outside the area, he turned and buried a wonderful long-range shot. 1-0. Manchester City, Premier League, Away City are in the middle of the table, having lost 1-0 to us earlier in the season. They added a few good players in January, including Valencia's Dutch international left winger Rob Doesburg (free), Spanish defender Andres Pradales (₤2.1M from Real Sociadad) and Russian midfielder Igor Valiev (₤2.5M from Club Brugge). They have no player with more than ten goals, though former Rushden defender Constantin Petre is doing well and Lauri Dalla Valle has scored a few times. An overhit cross from Yordanov almost went in for an opening-minute goal, barely tipped away by the keeper. That was, sadly, as close to scoring as we got for the whole game. They scored mid-way through the first half, and we did not have a shot on target. Yordanov was runner-up as Young Player of the Month and Hontecillas' goal was second-best. Rushden are still in with a shot at second place, though we have fallen a few points behind. There are three players demanding new contracts – Yordanov, Hontecillas and Segerström. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Arsenal | | 31 | 20 | 9 | 2 | 59 | 25 | +34 | 69 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Bolton | | 31 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 36 | 25 | +11 | 52 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Chelsea | | 31 | 13 | 12 | 6 | 30 | 25 | +5 | 51 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Rushden | | 31 | 12 | 14 | 5 | 35 | 24 | +11 | 50 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Newcastle | | 31 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 41 | 38 | +3 | 49 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Birmingham | | 31 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 30 | 29 | +1 | 47 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Man Utd | | 31 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 40 | 29 | +11 | 46 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Liverpool | | 31 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 40 | 31 | +9 | 45 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Aston Villa | | 31 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 32 | 30 | +2 | 45 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Reading | | 31 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 35 | 33 | +2 | 44 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Sunderland | | 31 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 39 | 32 | +7 | 41 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Man City | | 31 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 29 | 31 | -2 | 41 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Tottenham | | 31 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 34 | 39 | -5 | 41 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Cardiff | | 31 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 27 | 37 | -10 | 36 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Barnsley | | 31 | 8 | 9 | 14 | 40 | 48 | -8 | 33 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Everton | | 31 | 7 | 11 | 13 | 23 | 32 | -9 | 32 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Fulham | | 31 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 21 | 32 | -11 | 31 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Ipswich | | 31 | 6 | 12 | 13 | 26 | 38 | -12 | 30 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Middlesbrough | | 31 | 5 | 11 | 15 | 24 | 44 | -20 | 26 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Blackburn | | 31 | 5 | 7 | 19 | 24 | 43 | -19 | 22 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 April, 2026 Real Madrid, EURO Cup Quarter Final, leg 1, Away It's frustrating to go to the trouble of selling a player without letting him go to a fellow EPL side, only to run up against him in Continental competition. That was the case here, with Kang Chang-Keun lining up for Real Madrid against us. This was our first game against the Spanish giants, currently third in the Spanish First Division after finishing 5th last season. Among their numerous stars are veteran Spanish striker Manuel Jimenez, Slovakian playmaker Jan Bodnar, Belgian keeper Nicolas Saunier and tall French defender Alexis Noel. Naturally, it was a long ball from Kang which set up Real's first goal, through a powerful strike from fellow defender Daniel Pino. Rushden struggled to get forward but had a fair bit of the play. It was through an exchange of passes that we finally got the ball into the area, where Goiria was brought down. Yordanov put through the penalty, leaving the scores level at half time. With the score still 1-1 with just ten minutes to go, I hoped to take the same advantage as we had against Juventus into our second game. That was the cue for another sharp pass and strike from Real, giving them the lead. Navarro made his comeback late in the game, and connected to a header which took the ball over the keeper and dribbled wide of the post. 1-2, and a tough task in the home leg. Cardiff, Premier League, Away Cardiff have had a dismal season, 14th in the league after predictions of an European place and a runner-up finish last season. We hammered them 3-0 earlier in the season, and since then they sold French keeper Jean-Claude Roca to Inter for ₤18.75M. Coming the other way was Lithuanian defender Danis Timinskas (₤12M), and England internationals left back Rob Saunders (₤5.75M from Liverpool) and midfielder Danny Bagnall (₤6.75M from Sunderland) joined the squad. Scottish forward Andy Murphy was also loaned from Manchester United, their fourth player on loan. Grigoryan made a great early save and reserve striker Chris Anderson put us ahead in the 24th, with his first league goal since joining in 2023. Fellow reserve striker Lorenzo Costantini missed after Navarro played him through, then had a shot saved before half time. In the second half, Karpov put a free kick over and Anderson missed with a volley. A dubious penalty awarded against Karpov in the 73rd saw Cardiff equalise, and despite being the better side on the day, we failed to score again. Real Madrid, EURO Cup Quarter Final, leg 2, Home Our chances of a comeback were wiped out in under 30 seconds, with Manuel Jiminez scoring for Real Madrid after a terrible backpass from Bohman. That made the aggregate 1-3, with an away goal apiece, meaning we had to score twice just to get to extra time. Two minutes later, Heinonen got us on the path to that, sending in a shot which bounced off Kang and in for a goal. We never really looked like scoring again though, and another goal to Real Madrid seconds after the kick off, this time in the second half, sealed our exit. That is the fourth time of five attempts we've been knocked out of the EURO Cup in the quarter final. Everton, FA Cup Semi Final, Neutral This was our first game against Everton since our 2-1 win in December. Despite sitting close to relegation, they made just three free transfers of no-name players in January, none of whom have played a senior game. Striker Paul Marfell, who got them out of the Championship, has struggled at this level, and they have no really impressive players. Kenneth Bergseth came in to give Grigoryan a rest. We have been knocked out at Semi Final stage twice before. Strikers Alarcόn and Sánchez both missed early shots as the first half finished without any score. Bergseth made a great save from Marfel at the start of the second, then again in the 61st when a shot deflected off Karpov. Ramírez came forward in the 66th, and, noting the keeper off his line, went for a chip. The keeper raced after it, and tipped it over. Five minutes later, Sánchez was clean through on goal when he was brought down. A straight red for the professional foul, but Goiria missed the free. Heinonen headed over a late corner, forcing us into extra time. Sánchez again got through on goal in the 96th, forcing a save. A curling corner in the 103rd from Everton almost went straight in, with Bergseth having to knock it over. Everton had a second player sent off in the final moments, but another miss from Heinonen took us to penalties. I'd already replaced Yordanov, and Ward, Wilson and Ferrante – our next three penalty takers – were all out of the side. Goiria scored the first, with Bergseth giving us the early advantage with a save. The same was repeated with the second, this time Navarro scoring for Rushden. Segerström was successful with the third, and Bergseth completed a hat-trick of saves to take us to the Final for the first time in our history. Ipswich, Premier League, Away Bergseth held his place after his remarkable penalty performance. Patrice Thomas returned, and Chris Anderson got another go. Ipswich are in 18th place, though relegation is not certain. After our 1-1 draw, they brought in a few players including our own former winger Giorgos Samaras (free), Hibs defender Stian Eriksen (₤3.5M) and Chelsea midfielder James Hughes (₤1.9M). They sold right back Alan Flitcroft to Hull for ₤2.3M. The versatile Neil Saxton, who can play at either end of the pitch, has been their only decent player. A great run from Goiria in the 10th took him to the area, and his shot was parried to Thomas. He couldn't beat the keeper either. A wildly curling free from Ramirez was cleared off the line by a defender before Thomas headed in a high pass from Yordanov in the 24th. Bergseth almost let them score in the 36th when he came out too far, but the ball bobbled around the area and went wide. However, they did score in the 40th, then rammed a free off the post in injury time. Bohman was fouled by former Rushden defender Steven Browlie in the area while going for a Karpov free, and this time Yordanov was there to put it through. A long goal kick from Bergseth floated past everybody, and Anderson was the first to reach it. He got into the area and had a shot parried to Thomas, who scored his second to end the game 3-1. Blackburn, Premier League, Home Though we were playing the bottom side in the league, indeed, an already relegated side, I brought back Grigoryan, Alarcόn and Sánchez. Alarcόn is without a goal in over eight hours of play, so a chance against a weak side is a valuable way to regain form for the important games to come. Blackburn sit a dozen points clear of safety, which makes it remarkable that we drew 2-2 with them in December. A few cheap signings, such as Irish defender Mark Parr (₤450K from Tottenham) made no difference to their plight. A long banana shot from Yordanov quickly put Rushden in the lead and Alarcόn broke his drought by volleying in a Holmen cross eight minutes later. That was the end of the match as a contest, with the final score 2-0. With four games to go, we have 57 points, and hold fourth place. Chelsea and Bolton have 58 and 60 points respectively, with only three games to go each. Newcastle is just one point behind us from the same number of games. Tottenham, Premier League, Home This was a crucial game, which could see us move to anywhere from 2nd to 5th on the table. Tottenham are firmly in the middle, with a collection of Rushden retreads like Vilerush, Kotelnikov, Manske and Tóth. We lost 1-2 to them last time, and since then they picked up Cardiff defender Karl Clitheroe for free and Hibs' Welsh winger John Childs for ₤4.1M A neat chain of passes from Bohman, Ramírez and Sánchez saw Alarcόn take the ball in the area, but his shot was belted clear. Sánchez was ruled offside from a Goiria cross and failed to beat the keeper anyway, then headed over from close range in the 14th. Bohman walked the ball into the keeper two minutes later and Sánchez had another effort tipped away in the 19th. Six shots to none in the first 20 minutes. Bohman was pushed only slightly outside the area in the 31st, and Karpov missed the free. The second half was quiet, leaving us with just one point despite a clear dominance. Though we moved above Chelsea on goal difference, Newcastle leapfrogged us both with a win. Aston Villa, Premier League, Away After a big-spending start to the season, Villa only bought Scottish striker David Davidson from St Mirren over January for ₤2.4M. Thomas replaced Sánchez and immediately showed some spark, breaking through the defence and firing a shot that came back off the post. Yordanov was brought down outside the area in the scramble for the loose ball, resulting in a red card for a professional foul. Heinonen and Navarro had shots saved, then when an Alarcόn header was parried, Wilson scored the follow-up. We led at half time, yet despite Villa being reduced to nine men after suffering several injuries, they actually dominated the second half with a dozen corners and several saves from Grigoryan. I was runner-up as Manager of the Month. We are in 4th spot with two games left, and can finish anywhere from 2nd to 6th. We face Newcastle and Everton in our final two games, which is an interesting challenge – a game against the side directly above us, and a final one against a relatively lowly team, and both sides we beat in our first meeting this season. Newcastle play cellar dweller Blackburn, Bolton face mid-table duo Liverpool and Sunderland and Chelsea take on lower-half Tottenham and Cardiff. Obviously, we need to earn at least four points to get one of the best available finishes. There is also the FA Cup final against Newcastle to worry about. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | Arsenal | | 36 | 22 | 11 | 3 | 64 | 28 | +36 | 77 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Bolton | | 36 | 17 | 12 | 7 | 44 | 25 | +19 | 63 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Newcastle | | 36 | 18 | 8 | 10 | 50 | 40 | +10 | 62 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Rushden | | 36 | 15 | 16 | 5 | 42 | 26 | +16 | 61 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Chelsea | | 36 | 15 | 13 | 8 | 35 | 29 | +6 | 58 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Man Utd | | 36 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 48 | 33 | +15 | 55 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Reading | | 36 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 37 | 36 | +1 | 50 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Birmingham | | 36 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 31 | 37 | -6 | 50 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Aston Villa | | 35 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 34 | 33 | +1 | 49 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Liverpool | | 36 | 13 | 9 | 14 | 43 | 39 | +4 | 48 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Man City | | 36 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 33 | 34 | -1 | 47 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Sunderland | | 36 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 42 | 37 | +5 | 46 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Tottenham | | 36 | 12 | 9 | 15 | 37 | 43 | -6 | 45 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Cardiff | | 36 | 10 | 14 | 12 | 34 | 43 | -9 | 44 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Everton | | 36 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 27 | 36 | -9 | 40 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Barnsley | | 36 | 10 | 10 | 16 | 43 | 54 | -11 | 40 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Fulham | | 35 | 8 | 11 | 16 | 25 | 39 | -14 | 35 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Middlesbrough | | 36 | 7 | 14 | 15 | 30 | 46 | -16 | 35 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Ipswich | | 36 | 6 | 14 | 16 | 29 | 45 | -16 | 32 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | R | Blackburn | | 36 | 6 | 8 | 22 | 26 | 51 | -25 | 26 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 May, 2026 Newcastle, Premier League, Home This was certainly an important game. Not only are Newcastle fighting for the same European spots as we are, we face them again in the FA Cup final in a fortnight. Our task was made tougher by an injury to Ramírez, which ended his season. Newcastle are certainly challenging for a Champions Cup place, and made some huge transfers in January. Young forward Mick Oakley went to Man U for ₤16M, right winger Melvin Zevenbergen to Juventus for ₤6.25M, former Rushden defender Cedric Guiraud to Sevilla for ₤9.75M and another young English striker, Ryan Barnes, to Rangers for ₤6M. They did not have trouble spending that money, ₤22M and ₤6.75M for Roma's midfield pair Alessandro Pieri and Joop van der Zee (though they sold him to Roma for ₤11.5M a year ago, so go figure...), ₤12.5M on Liverpool's Welsh keeper Mark Thomas, ₤12.5M on Israeli right winger Fahad Al-Mutraf from Newcastle and ₤4M on Wigan's promising teenage Jamaican striker Peter Carr. Michael Wilson was involved in the only two chances of the first half. After missing a shot himself, he sent a long counter-attacking ball forward, where Alarcόn ran onto it and scored. As it turned out, that was the only goal of the game, with a meek Newcastle surrendering 3rd spot. Both Thomas and Wilson picked up knocks that will see them miss our final league game, and perhaps the FA Cup final. Everton, Premier League, Away Fourth was as low as we could finish regardless of the result of this game. With Bolton drawing 2-2 with Sunderland, we are equal with them on points, though two goals inferior on difference. They host Liverpool, while Newcastle (two points below us) are at home to Blackburn. Navarro joined Wilson, Ramirez and Thomas on the injured list, forcing a number of changes. Sánchez had a lot of the ball, without doing much. Hontecillas missed a long shot and Everton scored from absolutely nowhere with a curling 30-yard shot. Goiria lost the ball to a defender's tackle in the box and we went into the break a goal down. Alarcόn had two point-blank shots saved, while both Heinonen and Bohman were denied in the following minutes. Alarcόn tried to chip the keeper in the 50th, only to see it tipped over. Marchal returned from injury to join the list of players denied by SuperKeeper, Goiria missed a late free and with 17 shots to 3, we lost. Newcastle naturally beat Blackburn, pushing us down to 4th spot. Newcastle, FA Cup, Neutral Alarcόn was another injured player to join the list, with Marchal starting alongside Sanchez. Segerström lost the ball in the area early, saved only by a high shot. Karpov repeatedly left Brennan alone, leaving Grigoryan to make several saves. In contrast to the last game, we didn't have a single shot on goal in the first half. 30 seconds into the 2nd half, the ball was in Rushden's area with a 3-on-2 situation. Despite a blatant foul on Goiria, no penalty was awarded, and the ball was cleared. The ninety minutes finished without any score, leading to extra time. Goiria intercepted the ball straight from the Newcastle kick-off and passed to Marchal, who missed. Extra time finished without further incident, and we went to penalties. This time, Grigoryan was in goal, and Yordanov was the first spot kick taker. Naturally, Yordanov had his shot saved, Cieslewicz missed and Grigoryan was beaten the first two times, leaving us 0-2 down. Hontecillas was finally on target for Rushden, but Newcastle made it 1-3. Bohman kept us in the game with the fourth shot, and Grigoryan finally saved. Sanchez scored the fifth, leaving Newcastle to score to win Star Scottish defender Steve Mooney stepped up...and missed. 3-3, and sudden death. Goiria took the next kick, and slammed it into the bar. Again Newcastle had the chance to win, and this time they made no mistake. 3-4 on penalties. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 The season in review Summary | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | ECC | Arsenal | | 38 | 24 | 11 | 3 | 68 | 28 | +40 | 83 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | ECC | Bolton | | 38 | 17 | 14 | 7 | 46 | 27 | +19 | 65 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | ECC | Newcastle | | 38 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 53 | 41 | +12 | 65 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | EC | Rushden | | 38 | 16 | 16 | 6 | 43 | 27 | +16 | 64 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | EC | Chelsea | | 38 | 17 | 13 | 8 | 37 | 29 | +8 | 64 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | ECC | Man Utd | | 38 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 51 | 34 | +17 | 59 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | EC | Birmingham | | 38 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 34 | 38 | -4 | 56 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | EV | Reading | | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 40 | 38 | +2 | 53 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Aston Villa | | 38 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 38 | 38 | 0 | 51 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Sunderland | | 38 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 46 | 40 | +6 | 50 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Liverpool | | 38 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 44 | 40 | +4 | 50 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Man City | | 38 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 34 | 37 | -3 | 48 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Cardiff | | 38 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 35 | 44 | -9 | 47 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Tottenham | | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 37 | 46 | -9 | 45 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Everton | | 38 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 28 | 37 | -9 | 43 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Barnsley | | 38 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 44 | 55 | -11 | 42 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Fulham | | 38 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 27 | 42 | -15 | 39 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | R | Middlesbrough | | 38 | 7 | 14 | 17 | 31 | 49 | -18 | 35 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | R | Ipswich | | 38 | 6 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 50 | -18 | 33 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | R | Blackburn | | 38 | 6 | 9 | 23 | 26 | 54 | -28 | 27 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pkd | Name | Apps | Gls | Ast | MoM | Pas | Tck | Drb | Sh T | Av Rat| | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | GK | Anton Grigoryan | 45 | - | - | 4 | 51% | - | - | - | 7.09 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Sergey Karpov | 44 (1) | - | 1 | 7 | 65% | 3.69 | 0.20 | 37% | 7.29 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | Grigor Yordanov | 40 (4) | 4 | 4 | - | 76% | 3.22 | 0.48 | 46% | 7.09 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Sergio Alarcón | 37 (3) | 15 | 2 | 2 | 69% | 0.24 | 1.36 | 51% | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | José Gregorio Ramírez | 36 (3) | 1 | 9 | 2 | 73% | 2.41 | 1.02 | 36% | 7.18 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | Juho Heinonen | 36 (2) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 74% | 2.00 | 0.25 | 41% | 7.05 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | Kim Holmen | 35 (4) | 1 | 7 | 1 | 72% | 3.56 | 0.55 | 23% | 7.03 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | James Johnson | 35 (1) | - | 2 | 2 | 70% | 3.40 | 0.40 | 41% | 7.31 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ML | Daniel Goiria | 34 (4) | 3 | 9 | 2 | 71% | 1.28 | 2.72 | 28% | 7.18 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Sergio Sánchez | 33 (6) | 13 | 5 | 2 | 72% | 0.26 | 1.03 | 49% | 6.82 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MR | Tobias Bohman | 30 (3) | 5 | 8 | 6 | 72% | 1.50 | 3.62 | 53% | 7.39 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Niklas Segerström | 30 (1) | 1 | - | 2 | 66% | 3.43 | 0.13 | - | 7.48 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Juan Pablo Navarro | 25 (2) | 2 | 1 | - | 71% | 1.80 | 1.89 | 48% | 7.15 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DMC | Sebastián Hontecillas | 24 (3) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 77% | 2.28 | 0.24 | 38% | 7.26 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Michael Wilson | 21 (2) | 4 | 3 | 2 | 75% | 1.38 | 2.28 | 57% | 7.26 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Patrice Thomas | 17 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 74% | 0.38 | 1.19 | 56% | 7.24 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Laurent Marchal | 14 (1) | 5 | 3 | 2 | 63% | 0.31 | 0.92 | 56% | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | Maciej Cieslewicz | 12 (17) | 1 | 3 | - | 68% | 1.94 | 0.58 | - | 6.79 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | Giorgos Siabanis | 12 (7) | 2 | - | - | 68% | 1.84 | 2.35 | 60% | 6.95 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Kenneth Bergseth | 12 | - | - | 1 | 59% | - | - | - | 6.92 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Luigi Cardin | 11 (3) | - | - | - | 74% | 3.54 | 0.45 | - | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | Stefan Åberg | 11 (1) | - | 1 | - | 61% | 3.43 | 0.26 | - | 7.17 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Luigi Ferrante | 10 (3) | - | - | - | 74% | 2.63 | 1.31 | - | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Lorenzo Costantini | 3 (4) | - | - | - | 82% | 0.24 | 0.48 | - | 6.57 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | Chris Anderson | 3 (1) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 79% | 0.32 | 1.91 | - | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Grigoryan, James Johnson and Karpov made the Select side, with Johnson third as English Footballer of the Year. Fourth is our equal best finish, with just one fewer point than 22/23, though we actually got three more points last season when we finished 6th. To finish the season on a low note, after having the chance to finish second and take the FA Cup, is quite frustrating. Still, it was a positive year. It was the young players who did a lot of the work. Grigoryan and, when needed, Bergseth, allayed my fears with a solid showing in goal. The experienced Ward, Karpov and Johnson were outshone by newcomers like Segerström, Holmen and Yordanov. Wilson was more than useful as a utility, Ramirez and Goiria dominated the midfield and Alarcόn and Sanchez were our leading scorers. With those players in their early 20s, that's a promising sign. I think striking was our biggest weakness, with Thomas and Marchal missing a lot of games and Sanchez and Alarcόn experiencing long droughts. The reserves won their league for the second straight season, despite many players being out on loan. They will again lose their leading scorer, Chris Anderson, and Costantini may also be on his way out, along with many other reserve players. Around the world: major awards and results Rushden Supporters’ Player of the Year: Daniel Goiria World Player of the Year: Cao Bin (Arsenal) World Footballer of the year: Cao Bin (Arsenal) England: Winner: Arsenal Relegated: Middlesbrough, Ipswich, Blackburn Promoted: Wigan, West Brom, Leicester Spain: Barcelona Italy Roma Champions Cup: Manchester United EURO Cup: Real Madrid 2026 World Cup France Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 The Transfers Players In | Date | Person | From | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Hjelle, Thomas | Celtic | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Gröbl, Boris | Ried | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Boyd, Gavin | Hearts | £80K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Castro, Oswaldo | Villarreal | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Robles, José María | Milan | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Heinonen, Juho | Reading | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Cardin, Luigi | Parma | £2.1M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6.7.2025 | Manfredi, Daniele | Atalanta | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13.7.2025 | Molina, Aníbal | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15.7.2025 | Nduka, Vincent | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.10.2025 | Díaz, Juan | Huachipato | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18.10.2025 | Fuente, José Luis | Júnior | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23.12.2025 | Miguel, Daniel | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £2.2M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Players Out | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 27.6.2025 | Hofstra, Stefan | Heerenveen | £2.1M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Vanderlei | Palermo | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Bozkurt, Nuri | Juventus | £10M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Arvidsson, Filip | Napoli | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Bayliss, Shane | Brentford | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Dicks, Daniel | Aberdeen | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Ravasi, Piero | Pescara | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Koller, Szabolcs | Leyton Orient | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Gallagher, Frankie | Leeds | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Gylfason, Gunnar | R. Sociedad | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Barnard, Lewis | Middlesbrough | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Hendriks, Jeffrey | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Schulz, Felix | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2025 | Moore, Mark | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6.7.2025 | Rakic, Zeljko | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13.7.2025 | Sabev, Veselin | Juventus | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13.7.2025 | Kotelnikov, Alexandr | Free Transfer | Free | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.1.2026 | Szczesny, Kamil | Reggina | £250K | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23.1.2026 | Carlos | West Ham | £1M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10.5.2026 | Ward, Michael | Verona | £4M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £17.25M | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Loans Out | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21.6.2025 | Fiori, Mario | Hearts | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14.7.2025 | Kloppenborg, Martin | Hearts | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17.7.2025 | Molina, Aníbal | Amkar | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21.7.2025 | Squillace, Marco | Livorno | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 25.7.2025 | Tahraoui, Mohamed Cherif | Gueugnon | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4.8.2025 | Eerhart, Thom | Brentford | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10.8.2025 | da Silva, Olivier | Charlton | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11.8.2025 | Baudi, David | Wigan | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12.8.2025 | Bogdanovic, Uros | Hartlepool | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13.8.2025 | Pucher, Mario | Stoke | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.8.2025 | Carlos | Leyton Orient | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21.8.2025 | Manfredi, Daniele | Pescara | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24.8.2025 | Johansson, Jimmy | Leeds | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24.8.2025 | Nolan, Mark | Southampton | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 29.8.2025 | Hofman, René | Rangers | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.9.2025 | Bell, Andy | Lincoln | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3.9.2025 | Hauksson, Hermann | Leeds | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7.9.2025 | Kuusisto, Heikki | Watford | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16.12.2025 | Mariani, Michele | Independiente | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 26.12.2025 | Moroe, Michiharu | Amkar | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 26.12.2025 | Mofokeng, Philani | Amkar | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 28.12.2025 | Molina, Aníbal | Amkar | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4.1.2026 | Miguel, Daniel | Ejido | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8.1.2026 | Díaz, Juan | Ejido | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17.1.2026 | Pucher, Mario | Watford | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17.1.2026 | Boyd, Gavin | Gillingham | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22.1.2026 | Baudi, David | Pescara | Loan | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Youth In | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2025 | Kerr, Alex | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2025 | Holland, Phil | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2025 | Trabelsi, Khaled | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2025 | Bell, Gary | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2025 | Fina, Giuseppe | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2025 | Palavecino, Osvaldo| Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2025 | Southern, Nick | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Not a great deal of success from the transfers this season. Hjelle was a mistake, and I don't know why I even signed him. Cardin showed a few signs and Heinonen was solid, but the others were really unremarkable. Most of our transfer income came from Nuri Bozkurt's move to Juventus, where we naturally ran into him. He was one of the top players in Serie A, and worth more than ₤10M. Kotelnikov, Sabev (on loan) and Barnard all wound up playing full EPL seasons, Gallacher and Bayliss were good in the Championship and Vanderlei was also good in Serie A. There were so many players out on loan that I won't assess them all. Fiori was a solid keeper in thte Scottish Premier League, Squillace scored 10 Serie A goals, Hofman was good in the SPL, Nolan okay at Championship level and David Baudi played a few Serie A games as well. The players without a work permit at Amkar and Ejido are talented, but will not be eligible for a few more years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 Since that ends my 20th season, it's probably time for a bit of a retrospective. As tends to happen with FM, my History is royally stuffed up (apparently, being sacked from a national job messes it up just as sending a player out on loan does to theirs), so I've pieced things together as best I can. Here is my manager profile: | Manager Statistics | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Highest fee spent | £3.3M for Juan Pablo Navarro on 1.1.2025 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Highest fee received | £23.5M for Kang Chang-Keun on 15.7.2024 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Time at Rushden & Diamonds | 7358 days | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Number of awards won | 22 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Number of players bought | 260 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Number of players sold | 150 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Number of players released | 203 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Total value of players bought | £23,000,000 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Total value of players sold | £207,000,000 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Number of teams managed | 1 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Number of nations managed | 1 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Match Stats | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | League wins | 4 | Games won | 540 | Goals scored | 1665 ( 1.5 p/m ) | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Cup wins | 1 | Games drawn | 296 | Goals conceded | 1156 ( 1.0 p/m ) | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Games played| 1132| Games lost | 296 | Goal difference | 509 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------| Here is an assortment of top-10 tables: GAMES – CAREER ================================================================================================ Games: July 2006 - July 2026 ================================================================================================ Pos Player Era Apps Yrs Ave ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st Glenn Wilson 01/07/06 - 01/07/20 375 (10) 13 29.6 2nd Juho Heinonen 28/08/14 - 26/12/21 322 (7) 9 36.6 3rd Michael Bostwick 01/07/06 - 28/07/13 200 (15) 7 30.7 4th Adam Sherwood 01/01/15 - 06/08/24 184 (30) 9 23.8 5th Jon Ashton 01/07/06 - 01/07/14 195 (10) 8 25.6 =6th Rasmus Dudek 28/08/14 - 06/08/21 196 (5) 7 28.7 =6th Roy Simons 01/07/16 - 24/01/24 195 8 24.4 =6th Sergey Karpov 01/01/22 - ???????? 186 (3) 5 37.8 9th Wayne Henderson 16/07/12 - 01/07/19 186 (2) 7 26.9 10th Nuri Bozkurt 13/07/07 - 01/07/25 178 6 29.7 GOALS – CAREER ================================================================================================ Goals: July 2006 - July 2026 ================================================================================================ Pos Player Era Apps Gls Ave ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- =1st Lars Roland 20/07/10 - 20/07/19 111 (48) 63 0.40 =1st Dean Stamp 01/07/09 - 28/07/13 92 (14) 63 0.59 3rd Gunnar Gylfason 27/08/18 - 01/07/25 129 (17) 60 0.41 4th Conall Hawe 22/01/16 - 26/12/21 108 (30) 55 0.40 5th Mohammad Al-Mutlaq 01/07/20 - 01/07/24 100 (16) 50 0.43 =6th Simeon Jackson 01/07/06 - 29/01/10 110 (11) 49 0.40 =6th Lee Tomlin 01/07/06 - 25/07/14 112 (13) 49 0.39 8th Salvatore Foti 01/07/15 - 01/07/18 99 (5) 48 0.46 9th Laurent Marchal 01/07/22 - ???????? 107 (12) 46 0.35 10th Graham Hart 01/07/11 - 07/07/15 118 (10) 45 0.39 GOALS - SEASON ================================================================================================ Season Goals: July 2006 - July 2026 ================================================================================================ Pos Player Season Div Apps Gls Ave ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st Laurie Dalla Valle 2010/2011 L2 47 40 0.85 =2nd Mohammad Al-Mutlaq 2021/2022 PL 34 (1) 23 0.66 =2nd Simeon Jackson 2007/2008 CN 36 23 0.64 =4th Dean Stamp 2010/2011 L2 23 (4) 21 0.78 =4th Lars Roland 2015/2016 L1 24 (11) 21 0.60 =4th Dean Stamp 2011/2012 L1 36 (2) 21 0.55 =4th Laurent Marchal 2023/2024 PL 39 (3) 21 0.50 8th Salvatore Foti 2015/2016 L1 39 (1) 19 0.48 9th Conall Hawe 2020/2021 PL 37 (7) 18 0.41 10th Dean Stamp 2009/2010 CN 27 (2) 17 0.59 ASSISTS – CAREER ================================================================================================ Assists: July 2006 - July 2026 ================================================================================================ Pos Player Era Apps Ast Ave ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st Ikechi Anya 13/07/07 - 28/07/13 138 (29) 39 0.23 =2nd Conall Hawe 22/01/16 - 26/12/21 108 (30) 33 0.24 =2nd Gavin McCallum 01/07/07 - 28/07/13 122 (18) 33 0.24 4th Murray Kelly 01/07/15 - 09/07/21 124 (9) 31 0.23 5th Salvatore Foti 01/07/15 - 01/07/18 99 (5) 30 0.29 =6th Lee Tomlin 01/07/06 - 25/07/14 112 (13) 29 0.23 =6th Yan Klukowski 10/07/10 - 01/07/15 140 (11) 29 0.19 =8th Dean Stamp 01/07/09 - 28/07/13 92 (14) 28 0.26 =8th Glenn Wilson 01/07/06 - 01/07/20 375 (10) 28 0.07 10th Juho Heinonen 28/08/14 - 26/12/21 322 (7) 27 0.08 ASSISTS – SEASON ================================================================================================ Season Assists: July 2006 - July 2026 ================================================================================================ Pos Player Season Div Apps Ast Ave ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- =1st Salvatore Foti 2015/2016 L1 39 (1) 17 0.43 =1st Lewis Dodds 2006/2007 CN 44 (1) 17 0.38 3rd Laurie Dalla Valle 2010/2011 L2 47 15 0.32 4th Andy King 2008/2009 CN 44 13 0.30 =5th Murray Kelly 2007/2008 CN 27 (3) 12 0.40 =5th Conall Hawe 2016/2017 CH 28 (3) 12 0.39 =5th Gavin McCallum 2011/2012 L1 31 (2) 12 0.36 =5th Murray Kelly 2020/2021 PL 36 (3) 12 0.31 =5th Mohammed Syarifudin 2020/2021 PL 38 (4) 12 0.29 =5th Laurent Marchal 2023/2024 PL 39 (3) 12 0.21 MAN OF THE MATCH – CAREER ================================================================================================ Man of the Match: July 2006 - July 2026 ================================================================================================ Pos Player Era Apps MoM Ave ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st Salvatore Foti 01/07/15 - 01/07/18 99 (5) 31 0.30 2nd Sergey Karpov 01/01/22 - ???????? 186 (3) 24 0.13 3rd Juho Heinonen 28/08/14 - 26/12/21 322 (7) 23 0.07 4th Yan Klukowski 10/07/10 - 01/07/15 140 (11) 17 0.11 5th Roy Simons 01/07/16 - 24/01/24 195 16 0.08 =6th Dean Stamp 01/07/09 - 28/07/13 92 (14) 15 0.14 =6th Kang Chang-Keun 29/08/20 - 15/07/24 140 (11) 15 0.09 =6th Glenn Wilson 01/07/06 - 01/07/20 375 (10) 15 0.04 9th Laurie Dalla Valle 28/08/10 - 01/07/11 375 (10) 14 0.30 10th Levi Koopman 01/07/12 - 01/07/16 322 (7) 13 0.09 MAN OF THE MATCH – SEASON ================================================================================================ Season Man of the Match: July 2006 - July 2026 ================================================================================================ Pos Player Season Div Apps MoM Ave ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st Salvatore Foti 2015/2016 L1 39 (1) 15 0.38 2nd Laurie Dalla Valle 2010/2011 L2 47 14 0.30 3rd Ruben Ramos 2019/2020 PL 29 (1) 9 0.30 =4th Salvatore Foti 2017/2018 PL 29 (2) 8 0.26 =4th Salvatore Foti 2016/2017 CH 31 (2) 8 0.24 =4th Sergey Karpov 2024/2025 PL 43 8 0.19 =4th Andy King 2008/2009 CN 44 8 0.18 =6th Dean Stamp 2010/2011 L2 23 (4) 7 0.26 9th Sergey Karpov 2024/2025 PL 44 (1) 7 0.16 BIGGEST SALES ================================================================================================ Biggest Sales: July 2006 - July 2026 ================================================================================================ Pos Player Date To Price Orig. Cost ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st Kang Chang-Keun 15/07/24 Real Madrid £23,000,000 £800,000 2nd Jose Carlos Ibarra 29/08/24 Barcelona £17,000,000 FREE 3rd Nuri Bozkurt 01/07/25 Juventus £10,000,000 FREE 4th Manuel Arevalo 01/01/25 Real Madrid £ 7,500,000 £ 80,000 5th Matti Vatanen 14/01/19 Arsenal £ 6,500,000 £ 35,000 6th Andrew Makhanya 11/01/15 Manchester United £ 5,750,000 £325,000 =7th Ahmed Adel 07/07/22 Inter Milan £ 5,000,000 FREE =7th Vidar Helgerud 09/07/13 Inter Milan £ 5,000,000 FREE 9th Pavlin Mihaylov 01/07/17 AC Milan £ 4,700,000 FREE =10th Patrik Svensson 30/01/20 Barcelona £ 4,000,000 FREE =10th Adem Moe 30/08/24 Barcelona £ 4,000,000 FREE =10th Michael Ward 10/05/26 Verona £ 4,000,000 FREE BIGGEST PURCHASES ================================================================================================ Biggest Transfers: July 2006 - July 2026 ================================================================================================ Pos Player Date From Price Games ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st Juan Pablo Navarro 01/01/25 Parma £3,300,000 43* 2nd Emiliano Vecchio 01/07/17 Deportivo £2,900,000 84 3rd Jose Grigorio Ramirez 01/01/25 Atletico Mineiro £2,500,000 39* =4th Giorgos Siabanis 30/08/22 Cardiff £2,200,000 124 =4th Sebastian Hontecillas 20/07/24 Levante £2,200,000 62* 6th Luigi Cardin 01/07/25 Parma £2,100,000 14 =7th Ricardo Perez 01/07/18 Espanyol £1,100,000 76 =7th Michael Wilson 16/07/24 Aberdeen £1,100,000 55* 9th Kang Chang-Keun 29/08/20 Busan £ 800,000 160 10th Muhammad Syarifudin 01/02/19 Lokomotiv Moscow £ 700,000 79 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 The Rushden and Diamonds “Dream Team” There was plenty of thought required to select this side – there have been plenty of first team players over the past twenty seasons (211 by my count) and it has been in five different divisions). I have given some weight to the league in which we played, but primarily focused on how much impact the players had on the side. I based my selection method on that of the AFL All Australian selectors, picking not just the best players, but the best team. This way, if I had two great left wingers (if only I did…) I would not slot one into the centre of midfield simply because he was one of our best 11 players, but not quite as good as the player already on the left wing. Hopefully that will help you to understand my selections a little better. There is a minimum of three seasons to be eligible, so no Laurie Dalla Valle or Ruben Ramos... I've been through plenty of formations over the years, but decided on a standard 4-4-2 for this team. Note that when I cite the player’s caps, it is only as they stood when they left the club. Without further ado, allow me to introduce the members of Rushden and Diamonds’ “Dream Team”: Goalkeeper: Nuri Bozkurt Signed 1/1/2020 from Genclerbirligi for Free, Sold 1/7/2025 to Juventus for ₤10M Turkish, 21 Caps. GK 178 games, 172 goals conceded, 73 clean sheets, 11 Man of the Match awards, Average Rating: 7.00 #9 most Rushden Games European Championship Dream Team 2024 Perhaps a controversial selection. We have had plenty of prominent keepers, such as Roy Simons (195 games), Wayne Henderson (188) and Alex Bryant (167). Their records were pretty much even, albeit through different divisions, but it was Bozkurt who stepped up when we returned to the Premiership, and ensured that we stayed there. Left Back: James Johnson Signed 22/8/2020 from Dundee Utd for ₤20K, current squad member Scottish, 22 caps, 0 goals. D RLC 160 games, 2 goals, 13 assists, 10 Man of the Match awards, Average Rating: 7.21 Premier League Young Player of the Month August 2022, October 2022, September 2023, April 2024 Premier League Young Player of the Year 2023, third placed 2024 Premier League Select 22/23, 23/24, 25/26 Champions Cup Dream Team 23/24 English Footballer of the Year third placed 2026 An absolute bargain who has been loyal to the side despite numerous offers. After mediocre spells on loan, he was given a chance in the seniors in 22/23, and has been a regular ever since. His size and mobility have been valuable assets. Centre Back: Kang Chang-Keun Signed 29/8/2020 from Busan for ₤800K, Sold 15/7/24 to Real Madrid for ₤23.5M South Korean, 24 Caps, 5 Goals. D LC 160 games, 8 goals, 17 assists, 17 Man of the Match awards, Average Rating: 7.29 Premier Division Select 22/23, 23/24 2024 English Footballer of the Year #7 best Rushden Average Rating Our biggest ever sale, who came with big raps and was a dominant figure at the back for four seasons. Along with Johnson and Karpov, he formed a defence that allowed us to firstly stay in the Premier Division and then secure European qualification. Centre Back: Sergey Karpov Signed 1/1/2022 from CSKA Moscow for ₤40K, Current squad member Russian, 31 Caps, 1 Goal. D C 189 games, 9 goals, 10 assists, 14 Man of the Match awards, Average Rating: 7.31 Premier League Player of the Month February 2024, December 2025 Champions Cup Dream Team 23/24 Premier Division Select 24/25, 25/26 English Footballer of the Year third placed 2025 Supporters' Player of the Year 24/25 #4 best Rushden Average Rating Another giant of our defence, constantly repelling high passes during our Premiership run and forming a great partnership with the above two defenders in this side. Right Back: Rasmus Dudek Signed 28/8/2014 from Silkeborg for Free, Released 6/8/2021 to Fiorentina for Free Danish, 25 Caps, 0 Goals. D RC 201 games, 6 goals, 2 assists, 9 Man of the Match awards, Average Rating: 7.26 League One Young Player of the Month November 2015, April 2016 Championship Young Player of the Month September 2016, January 2017 Premier Division Player of the Month December 2017 #9 best Rushden Average Rating #6 most Rushden Games Unlike the other defenders in this side, Dudek was there as we moved up the table. He was a key part of the side which gained promotion in 16/17 and was our best defender when we were relegated the next year – even named Player of the Month in that season. Dudek was again a key performer in 20/21 when we finished 5th. Left Winger: Tobias Bohman Signed 1/12/2019 from Malmo FF for Free, current squad member Swedish, 30 caps, 1 goal. AM RL 127 games, 16 goals, 18 assists, 11 Man of the Match awards, Average Rating: 7.26 Scottish Young Player of the Year third placed 2021 Scottish Young Player of the Month December 2021 #5 best Rushden Average Rating We've had a few wingers over the years, but Bohman has stood out at the top level. He had to earn his spot, spending three seasons on loan, and has been a regular in the side since then. Classy passing is a key feature of his game. Centre Midfielder: Yan Klukowski Signed 10/7/2010 from Nairn County for Free, Released 1/7/2015 to West Brom for Free English, No Caps. M C 151 games, 24 goals, 29 assists, 17 Man of the Match awards, Average Rating: 7.39 English League Two Player of the Month February 2011 English League One Player of the Month February 2012 #5 best Rushden Average Rating #6 most Rushden Assists #4 most Rushden Man of the Match Awards An incredibly valuable player as we tried to push for the Championship. He was actually our second-highest scorer when we got there in 12/13 despite playing in the centre of midfield and was an architect of goals in League One when our chances were rare. Centre Midfielder: Juho Heinonen Signed 28/8/2014 from MyPa for Free, Released 26/12/2021 to Reading for Free, Re-signed 1/7/2025 from Reading for Free, Current squad member Finnish, 64 Caps, 9 Goals. D C/DM 329 games, 22 goals, 27 assists, 23 Man of the Match awards, Average Rating: 7.22 Rushden Supporters' Player of the Year 14/15, 20/21 League One Young Player of the Month September 2015, February 2016 Championship Young Player of the Month October 2016, November 2016 English Players' Championship Select 16/17, 18/19 English Players' Premier Division Select 19/20 #2 most Rushden Games #10 most Rushden Assists #3 most Rushden Man of the Match Awards A vital figure in our rise from League One to the Premier League – we were promoted twice in his first three seasons, and he made the Select side in the first season of our second run at the Premier Division. After continuing his fine career at Reading, Heinonen has returned to finish his career at Rushden. Right Midfielder: Franck Moussa Signed 1/7/2015 from St Mirren for Free, Released 17/8/2019 to Ipswich for Free Australian, 31 Caps, 3 Goals. AM RC 121 games, 11 goals, 23 assists, 5 Man of the Match awards, Average Rating: 7.19 Named in English Players' League One Select 15/16 Named in English Players Premier Division Select 17/18 English Players' Player of the Year 3rd placed 2018 One of our standout players in our abortive first attempt at the Premier Division, Moussa was a dangerous player at the lower levels and became quite a good playmaker when we were promoted. Had a major impact in his four seasons. Striker: Dean Stamp Signed 1/7/2009 from Shrewsbury for Free, Released 28/7/2013 for Free English, No Caps. ST 106 games, 63 goals, 28 assists, 15 Man of the Match awards, Average Rating: 7.29 Conference Player of the Month, October 09 Supporters' Player of the Year 09/10, 11/12 English Players' League One Select 11/12 =#1 most Rushden Goals =#8 most Rushden Assists =#6 most Rushden Man of the Match Awards The man who helped us finally get out of the Conference with a 17-goal season in 09/10, then added another 21 in League Two and League One to send us straight to the Championship. Unfortunately, he was just not up to that level, but his influence in getting us there should not be forgotten. Striker: Salvatore Foti Signed 1/7/2015 from Sampdoria for Free, Released 1/7/2018 to Middlesbrough for Free Italian, No Caps. ST 104 games, 48 goals, 30 assists, 31 Man of the Match awards, Average Rating: 7.57 English League One Player of the Month April 2016 English Championship Player of the Month March 2017 English Players' League One Select 15/16 Supporters' Player of the Year 15/16, 16/17, 17/18 English Premier Division Player of the Month February 2018 English Players' Player of the Year 2018 English Players' Premier Division Select 17/18 #8 most Rushden Goals #5 most Rushden Assists #1 most Rushden Man of the Match Awards #1 best Rushden Average Rating Unlike Stamp, Foti managed to step up with each promotion, named Supporters' Player of the Season in every one of his three years in three different divisions. Despite our relegation in 17/18, he was still named Players' Player of the Year, cutting an imposing figure with his height and power. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 Pre-season, 26/27 The board announced a further expansion of Nene Park by 3,000 seats, paid out ₤13M to shareholders and announced a transfer budget of ₤63M (originally ₤96M, but I negotiated it down). We fell to 5th in the European club rankings, but rose to 26th on the rich list. The bids came flying in, with offers for Segerström (₤8M from Real Madrid), Bergseth (₤1.8M from Arsenal and Man U), Hontecillas (₤7.5M from Barcelona), Hofman (₤6.5M from Man U), Baudi (₤6M from Barcelona), Fiori (₤6.5M from Arsenal), Thomas (₤2.5M from Fulham), Holmen (several ₤5M and ₤10M offers) Cardin (₤3.5M from Palermo) and Johnson (₤6M from Juventus). I re-signed Yordanov until 2031 and Holmen and Segerström until 2030. I sold midfielder Thom Earhart to Aston Villa for ₤2.4M and released winger Thomas Hjelle to West Brom for free. Defender Luigi Cardin was sold to Palermo for ₤5M, a nice profit on the ₤2.1M we paid for him. Michael Ward went to Verona for ₤4M as planned. Then came the free transfers. Our reserves were pillaged, with Chris Anderson (Sunderland), Othman Bahri (Ipswich). Mario Pucher (Austria Wien), Istvan Vasas (Crystal Palace) and Heikki Kuusisto (Aston Villa) all leaving, in addition to senior players Giorgos Siabanis (Udinese), Stefan Åberg (Pescara) and Morten Pederson (Ascoli). Marco Squillace and Mohamed Cherif Tahraoui walked out. There were mixed reactions for our new players, with adulation for Portuguese defender Ferreira but consternation over Belgian Robin Grunholz. I sold Colombian striker Daniel Miguel to Roma for ₤4.4M, rather than waiting three more years for him to get a work permit. Italian midfielder Nicola Placidi came with some of that money - ₤875K – from Ternana. Sevilla came in with a huge bid for Yordanov – a ₤10M 21-year-old defender and ₤12M cash. I accepted it, but Man U made a bid for the player at the same time, and when he accepted their contract, the deal for Yordanov fell through. We did make plenty of money though - ₤9.75M, which was 35% of Nuri Bozkurt's ₤27M move to Arsenal. And to think I only sold him for ₤10M. I rejected a job offer from Mexico. Annoyed at yet another contract demand, Sergio Sanchez was sold off to Sevilla for ₤4.8M. That leaves us a little short on striking power, with Siabanis, Squillace and Anderson gone as well, and no new forward signings. Naturally, Marchal then demanded a new contract himself, and was transfer listed when I refused. After being flooded with bids, I let 22-year-old backup keeper Mario Fiori go to Juventus for ₤7.25M – not bad for someone who hadn't played a senior game. Defensive midfielder Daniele Manfredi went to Middlesbrough for ₤3.5M. We also got ₤3.9M from Jose Carlos Ibarra's ₤13.25M move from Barcelona to Milan, and ₤2.75M from Nermin Ristic's ₤9.25M move to Sevilla. Having made such a massive profit, I made a few late purchases, smashing our transfer record. Young Bulgarian cost just ₤35K after huge raps from EURO Cup scout Andy McWilliam, then I bought Irish winger Graeme Stanley for ₤3.8M and Scottish striker David Davidson for ₤4.8M, though the latter will not join until January. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 SEASON OVERVIEW 26/27 The Club Home Ground: Nene Park, Irthlingborough - capacity 29,650 Rivals: Kettering, Northampton (fierce); Peterborough, Oxford, Luton Reputation: Continental Estimated Value: ₤87M Balance ₤176M Transfer Budget: ₤92M (₤84.75M remaining) Media Prediction: 4th Board Expectation: Qualify for Europe Fan Expectation: Win the Premier League! Staff Chairman: Barry Moss Assistant Manager: Michi Coaches: Scott Gemmill, Stuart Regan, Kevin Horlock, Mehdi Nafti, Mark McLaughlin, Simon Dawkins (General); Brad Swancott (GK); Physios: Eoin Jess, Michele Franco Scouts: Andy McWilliam, Alessio Baresi, Danny Russell, Leonel Nunez, Esteban, Uwe Herzig The Squad | Pkd | Inf | Name | No. | Squad Status | Cnt | Weekly wage | Expires | Value | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Unh | Laurent Marchal | 9 | First Team | F/T | £17,500 | 30.6.2028 | £10.25M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Wnt | Sergey Karpov | 5 | First Team | F/T | £30,000 | 30.6.2028 | £9.5M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MR | Bid | Tobias Bohman | 15 | First Team | F/T | £30,000 | 30.6.2029 | £14M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | Bid | James Johnson | 14 | First Team | F/T | £12,500 | 30.6.2028 | £7M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | | Sergio Alarcón | 12 | First Team | F/T | £25,500 | 30.6.2029 | £6.25M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | Bid | Kim Holmen | 2 | First Team | F/T | £10,000 | 30.6.2031 | £3.5M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | Bid | Ferreira | - | First Team | F/T | £20,000 | 30.6.2029 | £7.5M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | Wnt | Grigor Yordanov | 25 | First Team | F/T | £2,600 | 30.6.2031 | £4.8M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Wnt | Niklas Segerström | 24 | First Team | F/T | £11,000 | 30.6.2030 | £6M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | Slt | Juho Heinonen | 20 | Rotation | F/T | £13,250 | 30.6.2027 | £3.6M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | | Juan Pablo Navarro | 17 | Rotation | F/T | £15,500 | 30.6.2027 | £3.5M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Luigi Ferrante | 18 | Rotation | F/T | £7,500 | 30.6.2027 | £3.9M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | GK | Bid | Anton Grigoryan | 21 | Rotation | F/T | £11,000 | 30.6.2028 | £4.9M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DMC | Wnt | Sebastián Hontecillas | 3 | Rotation | F/T | £7,500 | 30.6.2028 | £7.5M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Graeme Stanley | - | Rotation | F/T | £12,000 | 30.6.2030 | £3.8M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ML | Inj | Daniel Goiria | 8 | Rotation | F/T | £10,000 | 30.6.2028 | £6.25M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Robin Grunholz | - | Rotation | F/T | £6,750 | 30.6.2028 | £1.9M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Sébastien Gazeau | - | Backup | F/T | £12,000 | 30.6.2029 | £5.25M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | Wnt | Patrice Thomas | 11 | Backup | F/T | £7,000 | 30.6.2028 | £4M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Drew Tapp | - | Backup | F/T | £2,400 | 30.6.2027 | £1.9M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Req | Vincent Nduka | 30 | Backup | F/T | £2,500 | 30.6.2028 | £5M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Maciej Cieslewicz | 6 | Backup | F/T | £1,300 | 30.6.2027 | £3M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Olivier da Silva | - | Backup | F/T | £2,800 | 30.6.2027 | £2.6M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | Inj | Michael Wilson | 22 | Backup | F/T | £4,200 | 30.6.2027 | £4.2M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | Wnt | José Gregorio Ramírez | 19 | Backup | F/T | £2,000 | 30.6.2029 | £6.25M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Oswaldo Castro | 26 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £6,750 | 30.6.2029 | £4.3M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Lorenzo Costantini | 35 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £3,500 | 30.6.2028 | £4.3M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | René Hofman | - | Hot Prospect | F/T | £1,500 | 30.6.2029 | £2.7M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Kenneth Bergseth | 1 | Hot Prospect | F/T | £1,800 | 30.6.2028 | £1.3M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Gavin Boyd | - | Hot Prospect | F/T | £500 | 30.6.2029 | £1.9M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Francisco José Matoso | - | Hot Prospect | F/T | £2,100 | 30.6.2030 | £3.7M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wp | Juan Díaz | - | Hot Prospect | F/T | £400 | 30.6.2030 | £3.5M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | José Luis Fuente | - | Hot Prospect | F/T | £1,000 | 30.6.2028 | £1.9M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Rolf Winther | - | Hot Prospect | F/T | £775 | 30.6.2027 | £875K | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Hermann Hauksson | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,700 | 30.6.2028 | £2.3M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Uros Bogdanovic | - | Youngster | F/T | £450 | 30.6.2027 | £1M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wp | Philani Mofokeng | - | Youngster | F/T | £850 | 30.6.2027 | £3.9M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Jimmy Johansson | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,000 | 30.6.2029 | £925K | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Ali Selmi | - | Youngster | F/T | £600 | 30.6.2027 | £1.5M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Slt | József Hauser | - | Youngster | F/T | £875 | 30.6.2029 | £650K | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Andy Bell | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,200 | 30.6.2027 | £1.5M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | José María Robles | - | Youngster | F/T | £3,300 | 30.6.2027 | £1.9M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | David Baudi | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,000 | 30.6.2027 | £4M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Martin Kloppenborg | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,200 | 30.6.2027 | £3.1M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Adrián Tinoco | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,700 | 30.6.2030 | £3M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Russell Jackson | - | Youngster | F/T | £425 | - | - | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Baltazar | - | Youngster | F/T | £350 | 30.6.2027 | £375K | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Bid | Joe White | - | Youngster | F/T | £350 | 30.6.2027 | £750K | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Emile Franklin | - | Youngster | F/T | £775 | 30.6.2028 | £475K | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Ashley Winn | - | Youngster | F/T | £275 | 30.6.2027 | £2.6M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Boris Gröbl | - | Youngster | F/T | £250 | 30.6.2028 | £1.8M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Nicola Placidi | - | Youngster | F/T | £700 | 30.6.2030 | £875K | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Michele Mariani | - | Youngster | F/T | £700 | 30.6.2028 | £2M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Inj | Aníbal Molina | - | Youngster | F/T | £650 | 30.6.2030 | £2.9M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wp | Michiharu Moroe | - | Youngster | F/T | £1,000 | 30.6.2028 | £1.3M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Sus | Mark Nolan | - | Youngster | F/T | £975 | 30.6.2027 | £2.5M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Harvey Steele | - | Youngster | F/T | £500 | 30.6.2030 | £250K | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | Michael Ainsworth | - | Youngster | Yth | £110 | 30.6.2027 | - | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Yth | Shaun Freeman | - | Youngster | Yth | £110 | 30.6.2027 | - | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Stéphane Bourabia | - | Youngster | F/T | £375 | 30.6.2028 | £2.1M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Alessio Rossi | - | Youngster | F/T | £900 | 30.6.2029 | £1.2M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Loa | Carlos Rodríguez | - | Youngster | F/T | £925 | 30.6.2029 | £1.4M | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Wnt | Dimo Gyorev | - | Youngster | F/T | £240 | 30.6.2029 | £35K | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Wage Budget: £2,602,764 Total Weekly Wages at 23/8/26: £303,808 Senior Players: 20 Reserve Players: 43 U-18 Players: 15 [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 Anton Grigoryan [GK, RUS – 9 Caps, 191cm, 24] – 2, 39, 0 A terrific first full season from the keeper who cost us just ₤40K. He kept 15 clean sheets in the league and made the Select side, with an injury the only disappointment. Premier Division Select 25/26 Kenneth Bergseth [GK, NOR – 5 U21 caps, 189cm, 21] – 2, 7, 0 Didn't keep a clean sheet in his seven league games, but rarely let through more than one. I had planned to push him to third choice with Fiori back from loan, but with him out of the way, Bergseth is again the backup. Harvey Steele [GK, ENG – capped at U19 level, 186cm, 18] – 3, 0, 0 The youth academy graduate is a constant target of bids from other EPL sides, but signed up until 2030. A reasonable prospect. Defenders Olivier da Silva [D C/DM, REU – 5 Caps, 176cm, 24] – 2, 0, 0 After two seasons out on loan to Championship sides, this is a make-or-break season for da Silva. He's a terrific passer, but whether we have room for a pure playmaker in the side is another issue. Ferreira [D C, POR – 22 Caps, 180cm, 24] – 0, 0, 0 The most popular of our new signings, Ferreira comes from Paris-SG for free. He's a solid, pure defender who is an excellent replacement for Ward. José Luis Fuente [D/Wb R, COL – 22 U21 caps, 183cm, 20] – 0 0, 0 Quite a skilled player, taken from Junor for free. He's a good passer and has the defensive skills to be very useful. Robin Grunholz [D C, BEL – 8 U21 caps, 177cm, 22] – 0, 0, 0 Not as good as I'd first thought. Though he played a full season at FC Bayern before joining us for free, Grunholz is unremarkable as a player Juho Heinonen [D C/DM, FIN – 64 Caps, 184cm, 31] – 9, 251, 13 Still a solid rotational player, though he didn't match his performances with Reading the season before. Probably his last season at Rushden, especially if da Silva steps up, but his experience will be valuable. Rushden Supporters' Player of the Year 14/15, 20/21; League One Young Player of the Month September 2015, February 2016; Championship Young Player of the Month October 2016, November 2016; English Players' Championship Select 16/17, 18/19; English Players' Premier Division Select 19/20, 24/25 (Reading); English Players' Player of the Year third placed 24/25 (Reading) René Hofman [D/Wb R, HOL – 11 U21 caps, 183cm, 20] – 3, 0, 0 I had expected Hofman to play in the seniors last season, but instead he had a good season in the Scottish Premier League with Rangers. This time he's staying, despite a ₤6.5M bid from Man U. With terrific defensive skills and better finishing than most strikers, he could be a star. Kim Holmen [D/Wb R, NOR – 6 Caps, 177cm, 25] – 5, 25, 1 After four seasons out on loan, finally made it into the seniors and held his own. Hofman will provide a bit of a challenge (and he can't train the younger man – Holmen is unambitious, Hofman is ambitious), but with a new 5-year contract, at least he will be settled. Sebastián Hontecillas [D C/DM, ESP – 8 Caps, 189cm, 23] – 2, 41, 5 Has more than paid his ₤2.2M fee, becoming a senior regular and Spanish international. Unfortunately, this has led to contract demands which I am not willing to meet, leaving Hontecillas the only unhappy senior player other than Marchal at the moment. With Heinonen not far from leaving, it's important to sort this out. Played in the World Cup final. Premier League Young Player of the Month September 2024, January 2025; Named in World Cup Deam Team 2026 [spain] James Johnson [D RLC, SCO – 22 Caps, 193cm, 23] – 6, 112, 1 A young veteran of the side, who found himself slightly pushed aside by the dominant form of the regular four at the back yet was third as Footballer of the Year. Johnson's versatility is extremely handy, and he will continue to play a regular role in the side. Premier League Young Player of the Month August 2022, October 2022, September 2023, April 2024; Premier League Young Player of the Year 2023, third placed 2024; Premier League Select 22/23, 23/24, 25/26; Champions Cup Dream Team 23/24; English Footballer of the Year third placed 2026 Sergey Karpov [D C, RUS – 31 Caps, 189cm, 26] – 5, 119, 6 Terrific as usual at the back, free of injury and always a strong presence. Was named Player of the Month and made the Select side last season. Premier League Player of the Month February 2024, December 2025; Champions Cup Dream Team 23/24; Premier Division Select 24/25, 25/26; English Footballer of the Year third placed 2025; Supporters' Player of the Year 24/25 Niklas Segerström [D C, SWE – 10 Caps, 186cm, 23] – 2, 27, 0 Did even better than I expected, becoming a regular in the seniors and earning a new contract. He's a quality defender and a great leader. Premier League Player of the Month January 2026 Grigor Yordanov [D/WB RL, BUL – 6 Caps, 177cm, 20] – 2, 25, 3 Was not the backup I expected last season, playing a regular role. Yordanov was the subject of a massive bid in August, which I accepted – not because I want him to leave, but because it was an incredible deal. However, it fell through, and Yordanov can resume his five-year contract. Premier League Young Player of the Month December 2025 Midfielders Tobias Bohman [AM RL, SWE – 30 Caps, 175cm, 25] – 7, 85, 11 Still the subject of a lot of interest, though I can never work out a suitable deal. He did play well last season, with three league Man of the Match awards and half a dozen assists, and is a good player. Scottish Young Player of the Month December 2021; Scottish Young Player of the Year third placed 2021 Maciej Cieslewicz [WB R/DM/M RC, POL – 15 Caps, 174cm, 22] – 4, 19, 0 Made frequent appearances off the bench without ever impressing enough to earn a regular spot. He's reasonably solid, but just lacks something special. Luigi Ferrante [M C, ITA – 1 U21 cap, 183cm, 25] – 3, 37, 4 Fell out of the side despite good early form and did not return to the seniors. There are too many similar players, and this will likely be his last Rushden season. Sébastien Gazeau [AM LC, FRA – 32 Caps, 183cm, 26] – 0, 0, 0 Part of the World Cup winners, against our own Hontecillas. He comes for free from Marseille, where he played plenty of games without ever really standing out. Indeed, it's hard to see how he played so much for them, let alone became a French international. Not an impressive player at all. Daniel Goiria [AM L, ESP – 7 U21 caps, 185cm, 22] – 4, 59, 4 Had a little more impact last season with a couple of goals and a few assists, but really isn't doing enough and may find his spot threatened. Given he was the Fans' Player of the Year, I will have to give him a chance though. Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month January 2023, April 2023; Scottish Young Player of the Year 2023; Named in Scottish Premier League Team of the Year 22/23; Premier League Young Player of the Month September 2025; Rushden Supporters' Player of the Year 25/26 Juan Pablo Navarro [AM RC, ESP, 181cm, 30] – 2, 27, 2 No longer the club record signing, though I did at least get him to sign on for this season. A handy rotational player, with perhaps another couple of seasons left. Nicola Placidi [M C, ITA, 184cm, 19] – 0, 0, 0 Bought on the recommendation of scout Alessio Baresi for ₤875K from Lecce. Placidi is a long-term prospect with decent skills. José Gregorio Ramírez [M C, VEN – 20 Caps, 178cm, 22] – 1, 27, 0 A good first season from the ₤2.5M purchase, setting up a few goals with quality passing. There's a lot of competition for the sole centre midfield spot, and he has first chance at it. Graeme Stanley [AM L, IRE – 9 U21 caps, 181cm, 23] – 0, 0, 0 Regarded as a great prospect by scout Danny Russell, Stanley cost a club record ₤3.8M. He looks a lot worse than I expected and really needs a lot of work to justify that price tag and his wages. Michael Wilson [D/Wb/M L, SCO – 14 U21 caps, 179cm, 21] – 2, 38, 3 Again excellent, and I will strive to re-sign him. A great passer and defender who really adds to the squad. Premier Division Young Player of the Month November 2025 Forwards Sergio Alarcόn [sT, ESP – 1 U21 cap, 178cm, 23] – 4, 32, 15 Rather disappointing, with 10 league goals despite Marchal missing a lot of games. Went through a long drought that only ended in the final games of the season. Has great heading ability, but doesn't take enough advantage. Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month March 2023 Stéphane Bourabia [sT, SWI – 3 U21 caps, 181cm, 21] – 1, 0, 0 The ₤10K signing was quite good in the reserves last season, but lacks the pace and height to be an outstanding prospect. Lorenzo Costantini [sT, ITA – 13 U21 caps, 183cm, 23] – 4, 8, 0 Re-signed, but continues to disappoint with no goals in ten senior games. He has the skill to at least fill Sanchez's role, though he must earn another chance. Laurent Marchal [sT, FRA – 17 Caps, 178cm, 25] – 4, 80, 28 Had the temerity to demand a new contract despite missing most of the season with injury – indeed, he played more international than league games. He is transfer listed and will be sold if I get the chance. Another World Cup winner. Supporters' Player of the Year 22/23, 23/24 Patrice Thomas [sT, REU – 5 Caps, 181cm, 28] – 5, 63, 30 I didn't really care about losing Thomas at the start of last season. An incredible scoring run saw him re-signed, and despite a series of injuries he got 11 goals from 16 games. The same again would be very welcome. Ashley Winn [sT, ENG, 179cm, 19] – 4, 0, 0 Still developing, after a decent reserve season. Overview A fairly happy squad, with a lot of promising young players. Goalkeeping: Grigoryan and Bergseth are a proven combination, and the young options could be capable as well. No issues here. Defence: Even stronger with the addition of Ferreria and Grunholz, with Hofman to challenge at right back and Johnson to swap around where needed. Midfield: Defensive midfield is looking good, especially if Hontecillas can be made happy, Gazeau and Navarro are capable backups for both the wings and the centre and Ramírez has proven he can hold the middle. Forward: Weaker, and injuries could cause problems. First XI I've gone with the formation I quickly changed to last season – flat back four, defensive midfield, wingers, centre midfield and two strikers. I'd like to play attacking midfielders and wing backs, GK: Anton Grigoryan RB: Kim Holmen LB: Grigor Yordanov CB: Niklas Segerström CB: Sergey Karpov DM: Sebastian Hontecillas RM: Tobias Bohman LM: Daniel Goiria CM: José Gregorio Ramírez CF: Laurent Marchal CF: Sergio Alarcόn Sub: James Johnson Sub: Michael Wilson Sub: Juho Heinonen Sub: Ferreira Sub: Patrice Thomas Captain: Daniel Goiria Penalties: Grigor Yordanov, Michael Wilson, Luigi Ferrante Free Kicks: (L) Daniel Goiria; ® Sergey Karpov, Juho Heinonen, Juan Pablo Navarro Corners: (L) Michael Wilson, James Johnson; ® , Jose Grigorio Ramírez, Ferreira Throw Ins: (L) James Johnson, Michael Wilson; ® Juan Pablo Navarro, Tobias Bohman Playmaker: Tobias Bohman, Maciej Cieslewicz, Sebastian Hontecillas, José Gregorio Ramírez Target Man: Laurent Marchal, Sergio Alarcόn, Sergey Karpov Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 August, 2026 Manchester City, Premier League, Away Only a couple of changes to the First XI, with the unhappy Hontecillas replaced by Heinonen and the slightly tired Yordanov swapping with Wilson. City found a safe spot in their return after a year in the Championship and picked up a few free transfer signings, such as South African defender Andile Barnard from Auxerre and veteran Mexican left back Mauricio Estrada from Villareal. Alarcόn had the first real chance of the game when Goiria flicked on a pass from Heinonen, with the Spanish striker's shot turned over. Goiria had a free parried in the 34th, and Segerström scraped the bar with a follow-up. Marchal headed over a Bohman cross with ten minutes to go, but when a backpass went dangerously close to him, the World Cup winner put enough pressure on the defender to cause an own goal. Twenty-five seconds into injury time, City looked to have scored a shock equaliser, only to have it disallowed. 1-0 was the right result. Birmingham, Premier League, Home Early season fatigue hit hard, with six changes needed to the Rushden side. Ferreira, Hofman, Stanley and Gazeau were all first-time players at the newly-expanded Nene Park. Birmingham scraped into a European spot, and have strengthened their squad with Man U veteran winger Dragan Radjenovic (free), Verona's USA forward Eric Jackson (₤1.7M) and South African defender David Radebe (₤4.1M from Lens). Former Rushden keeper Steven Slade was in goal. Navarro gave us the perfect start, rising over Slade to head in a Wilson corner. New signings Gazeau and Stanley combined brilliantly in the middle in the 41st, the former twice winning the ball, then the latter passing long for Marchal to dodge the keeper and score our second. Thomas and Navarro had chances before Birmingham hit back in the 75th with a counter-attacking goal. A two-footed challenge from Thomas reduced us to ten men for the final quarter hour, and Birmingham came at us hard. One shot missed and another came back off the post as we held on for a win in front of a club record 29,643 fans. I re-signed Michael Wilson for three more seasons after the game. Aston Villa, Premier League, Home With Thomas suspended, Bourabia came up from the reserves to sit on the bench. Villa fell short of a European place last season, and snapped up two of our players – Thom Eerhart and Heikki Kussisto. Neither was in the side, but former Rushden defender Juodeikis was, along with new signings Leonardo (a veteran Brazilian defender, bought for ₤950K from Real Madrid) and Dutch midfielder Stefan de Visser (₤6.75M from Chelsea). They lost Japanese defender Kazumichi Yasunaga to Udinese for ₤6.75M and young England international striker Jamie Wiseman to Milan for ₤15M. Alarcόn had a header parried early and two Goiria crosses were punched clear. The keeper kept Alarcόn out again in the 41st after he was played through by Hofman, and another Hofman set-up in the 53rd, this time to Marchal, again earned a save. Bourabia came off the bench and missed a shot, and we had to settle for a draw. That game was significant, though. Hofman's excellent performance gave me the confidence to accept a ₤12.5M Barcelona bid for Holmen. The deal was completed just before the close of the window. Bourabia was loaned out to Coventry. Wilson was runner-up as Young Player of the Month. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 September, 2026 Fulham, Premier League, Home Fulham barely escaped relegation last season, and have struggled in their three seasons since promotion. They cleared out a few older players, such as Ecuadoran forward Ivan Mina (₤1.3M to Ajax) and Greek forward Sakis Kyparissis (₤700K to Crystal Palace) and brought in promising Belgian teenage striker Samir Stephan (free from Standard), South Korean striker Kim Jin-Suk (₤2.9M from Sporting CP), Italian midfielder Stefano Pistone (₤2.3M from Inter) and skilful Ecuadoran midfielder Jose Luis Minda (₤1.6M from Zaragoza). Our Drew Tapp is on loan, but wasn't eligible to play against us, but former Rushden reserve striker Matti Laakkonen did line up. Grigoryan had to save a couple of frees before Ramírez headed in a Johnson corner. Only a poor finish prevented Fulham from scoring seconds after the kick-off, and again in the 24th. Three minutes later they hit the side netting, and were looking the better side. Grigoryan made another save from a free before half time and a great hooking cross from Navarro saw Marchal score our second. Hofman's long pass saw Alarcόn add another in the 62nd, but it was ruled offside. Two goals were enough. Da Silva made his début late in the game. Aigaleo, EURO Cup 1st round leg 1, Home A minnow of an opponent from Greece in their first go at this competition, letting me go with something of a reserve team. Bergseth came in, defender José Luis Fuente made his début and the likes of Gazeau and Stanley got a run. Our lack of striking depth forced Marchal and Thomas to start up forward. After a first half of wasted chances, Heinonen opened the scoring with a free. Marchal added another four minutes later and Yordanov completed a 3-0 cruise with a late penalty. Chelsea, Premier League, Away Thomas was out suspended for this game for the first of three games. Chelsea have had a terrible start to the season, with one point from four games. The loss of Spanish internationals midfielder Eneko Punal (₤12M to Real Sociadad) and defender Gorka Garai (₤1.7M to Barnsley), Dutch midfielder Stefan de Visser (₤6.5M to Aston Villa) and Portuguese defender Davidson (₤2.6M to Sevilla) and veteran Chilean defender Mauricio Pérez have apparently hurt. The only new faces are promising German keeper Kevin Schmidt (free from Stuttgart) and Israeli defender Itay Zoabi (₤12.5M from Lyon). Ramírez missed a sitter in the 15th but Alarcόn headed in a corner from Bohman in the 25th. A rocket of a shot saw Chelsea equalise just before half time. Thirty seconds after the break, Marchal charged after a long pass and headed it over the keeper, only for it to be cleared off the line. Marchal missed with an overhead kick late in the game, which petered out to a 1-1 draw. Newcastle, Premier League, Away A top-of-the-table clash, with one loss to Newcastle and none for Rushden. They made a lot of money from sales, including ₤10.5M for starlet Scottish striker Peter Carr (Man U), ₤14.25M for young Italian defender Giancarlo Marangio, ₤6.75M for Ecuadoran midfielder Pedro Pablo Guerrero (Pumas) and ₤4.4M for Scottish winger Billy Grant (Liverpool). They made few signings, but big ones. Free signing Pablo Roger was brilliant, the Spanish international bought by Milan for ₤10.75M a few years ago. A Pumas player came the other way, Saudi defender Basim Al-Khaldi costing ₤8.5M, and Sunderland defender Ibrahima Diaby came for ₤3.4M. They have been third the last three seasons, with young ₤24M striker Danny Byrne coming of age. The first half saw 17 attempts at goal, yet no score. Rushden had the majority, yet Grigoryan was forced to make five saves. Navarro looked dangerous early in the second half, coming close with shots from frees and general play. With 13 minutes to go, Yordanov sent in a cross which was met by Bohman, and saved. Approaching injury time, Yordanov cleared out of defence to Cieslewicz. He passed to Ramírez, who volleyed to Bohman. A centring ball found Alarcόn, and he headed home. We moved clear at the top of the table. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 October, 2026 Aigaleo, EURO Cup 1st round leg 2, Away Going in with a 3-0 lead, I was able to rest regulars. Young Tunisian striker Ali Selmi made his début due to the lack of other forward options, but had the experienced Thomas as his partner. It was the Reunion striker who scored the only goal of the game. Sunderland, Premier League, Away After five years barely avoiding relegation, Sunderland finished in a relatively safe 10th. They made plenty of changes to their squad, though. Italian defender Marcello Zago went to Atalanta for ₤4.3M, Irish winger Paul Baker to St Mirren for ₤5.25M and defender Ibrahima Diaby went to Newcastle for ₤3.4M. Sunderland brought in two free signings, our own Chris Anderson and Celtic midfielder Paul Battersby. Rangers defender Pater Evans cost ₤5.5M, Ipswich striker Andy Taylor ₤6M, QPR's South Korean defender Seo Hyun-Joon ₤3.9M and Italian defender Francesco Pisano ₤3.5M. Grigoryan was kept very busy in the first half, keeping out a series of frees and headers. Goiria missed a free for Rushden and Ramírez put a shot over from long range. Goiria missed another free with eight minutes to go and we looked set for another scoreless draw. Two minutes into injury time, Goiria got into the area, and passed short across the face of goal. Ramírez was there, and made no mistake from close range. Lucky, and perhaps somewhat undeserved. Still, that's five wins and two draws from seven games. Bolton, Premier League, Away Bolton were shock runners-up last season, thanks to the efforts of Italian striker Rocco Pedrelli and Scottish defender Sean Brown, and have returned to a more normal mid-table spot. German veteran Daniel Braun left for ₤450K, and former Rushden midfielder Levan Pirtskhalava went to Sevilla for ₤3.1M. Those minor losses were far outweighed by the incoming players. Barnsley sent midfielder Andy Winter for ₤11.75M, and two Middlesbrough players, midfielder Graham Kitchen and winger Ken Hutton, cost ₤8M and ₤10M respectively. Alarcόn came close with a couple of headers in the first half and Marchal had a shot saved in injury time. We continued our aggressive approach in the second half, with another Alarcόn shot saved. Again the run of play, Pedrelli scored for Bolton. Straight from the kick-off, we charged forward. Cieslewicz brought the ball down the right and crossed to Marchal, who headed in at the far post. His 50th goal for the club levelled the scores in the 55th. Yet again an Alarcόn header was saved in the 68th and we finished 1-1. Vitesse, EURO Cup Group G, Home We wound up with quite a tough group, featuring Lille, Besiktas, Boavista and Vitesse. Oddly, our Dutch opponents have no less than eight players on loan, including Chelsea's Spanish midfielder Antonio Gonzalez, and also have Swedish international Henrik Engberg up forward. Overall, their side is rather weak, and in four of six attempts at the EURO Cup, they were knocked out in the first round. Marchal ran into the opposing keeper in the opening minute. Marchal played through Alarcόn in the 17th, with his shot saved. A Goiria shot was punched high by the keeper, but failed to go out for a corner. Instead, Navarro rose up on the line and headed home. Alarcόn missed several shots before another ball was punched by the keeper straight to Marchal on the line. He scored, yet despite ten shots from Alarcόn alone, we only got the two goals. Wigan, Premier League, Away Wigan won the Championship to bounce back from relegation, though they are expected to finish towards the bottom this year. They made some cheap signings, such as 39-year-old New Zealand keeper Peter Thompson from FC Bayern [New Zealand is ranked 11 in the world, if you need a laugh, but at least Australia are 7th] and have a distinct lack of stars in their squad. Alarcόn continued his run of misses, heading a Goiria cross wide in the 7th and Ramírez blasted over. Wilson got forward late in the game, playing a one-two with Alarcόn and breaking into the box, only to be denied by the veteran keeper. Alarcόn forced a parry in the final minutes as we finished with a poor 0-0 draw. Leyton Orient, League Cup 3rd round, Home A relatively easy start to the Cup against a side newly promoted to the Championship. They do feature two very promising Scottish players, striker Paul McKenzie and forward Jamie Gunnion, and are doing well in the Championship. Ali Selmi joined with Thomas up forward. Selmi and Thomas had a few shots in the first half, and Orient skimmed the bar with a free. Twice early in the second half, Selmi had shots saved. Goiria was denied from a free kick in the 68th and it looked like we would again finish scoreless. It took until injury time, but when Wilson found Selmi in the area with a long throw, the Tunisian made no mistake. 1-0 at last. Arsenal, Premier League, Away Our draw against Wigan saw us drop to third, with Arsenal ahead of us on goal difference. They won the season weeks before the finish with 83 points, three better than the previous season. Cao Bin has been the leading scorer in the league for the past three seasons with a total of 77 league goals in that time and won both major worldwide player awards last season (plus European striker and player of the year). Thankfully, he was on the bench for this, leaving us with “only” star Scottish striker Jason Inglis and a new ₤13M signing, 20-year-old Spanish striker Denis Arregi. After offloading two players to Reading (defenders Pat Gallen for ₤3.3M and Stuart McDonald for ₤3.6M) and releasing Portuguese veteran Carlos, they simply went nuts. In addition to Arregi, our former keeper Bozkurt cost ₤27M, Belgian midfielder Cor Buijs ₤11M from Zaragoza, Argentinian defender Jose Vasquez ₤17.25M from Valencia, Lyon's Norwegian left back Harald Danielsen cost ₤11.25M and, oh yes, Turkish winger Varol Erdenerin came for a nice little ₤35M from Sevilla. ₤115M for 6 players – four times what I've spent on 269 players over 20 seasons... Defender Robin Grunholz made his début. Arsenal took the lead in just two minutes, with Grunholz unable to win the ball from striker Arregi, who rounded him and scored. In the 36th, Cieslewicz sent in a wild long ball that evaded everyone and bobbled at the edge of the area. Goiria ran onto it and centred into the box for Alarcόn, who scored...only to be ruled offside. Three minutes later, he got his revenge – Goiria again sent in the pass, and Alarcόn scored legitimately this time. Early in the second half, Navarro cleared the ball long to nobody in particular. Alarcόn and an Arsenal defender went after the ball, and though Alarcόn's opponent led the race, he hesitated before getting to the ball. Alarcόn ran onto it, got behind the keeper, and then wasted the chance by blasting over. Another defensive error in the 61st sent Alarcόn through; this time, he put his shot at the keeper. Cieslewicz tested Bozkurt in the 73rd and Alarcόn had a long-range effort parried in the 80th. Marchal had a poor game, without a shot on goal and giving the ball away several times. A late shot from Yordanov missed, and though perhaps the better side, we failed to break the deadlock. A mid-week training injury put Hontecillas out for two months, prompting the recall of da Silva to the senior squad. We have not lost in our first ten league games, with five wins and five draws. The high number of draws means we still sit behind Man U, Arsenal and Newcastle, though they have each lost two games, but we are certainly in touch. What has caused this remarkable form? It really is quite hard to tell. Bohman, Segerström and Karpov have been our top performers, which is consistent with the last few seasons. Marchal and Alarcόn have three league goals apiece – hardly remarkable. Nor have we faced the easy sides, with Man U the only top-three side we're yet to play. We have also won three UEFA Cup games and our Carling Cup opener. Yes, you read that right – a bit of fiddling with the editor has finally given me the correct competition names, and I will try to use them from now on. It only took 20 seasons... I have also looked back at my first story, which made the Hall of Fame. Comparing that to my current one, I think I've become a bit too formulaic here, and will try to “loosen up” in future updates. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 November, 2026 Tottenham, Premier League, Away Tottenham are where they have been for the past four seasons, down towards the bottom of the table, despite signing new manager Alan Pardew. They released former Rushden striker Vitalijs Vilerush and brought in veteran Uruguayan midfielder Pablo Machado from Real Madrid, Belarus defender Alexandr Rybak and Tunisian defender Ali Ben Hassine all for free. Another Uruguayan, midfielder Sergio Martinez, cost ₤2.5M from Zaragoza. Former Rushden midfielder Kotelnikov missed a free kick ten minutes in. From the goal kick, Goiria sent a ball into the area for Thomas. He lost the ball to a defender, but Bohman picked it up and scored. Alarcόn tried and failed to round the keeper in the 23rd and Grigoryan had to make a great save on the counter-attack. Tottenham's young England international striker Scott Haddow carved us up, having several first half shots. Thankfully, the closest came off the post, but it was a dangerous sign for the second half. He had another attempt just thirty seconds into the second half, barely missing. He finally scored in the 54th from an indirect Kotelnikov free. Thomas had a close-range effort saved and at the other end, Tottenham scored from a blatant offside. Suddenly, we were a goal down. A Ramírez corner floated into the area with nine minutes to go, and Bohman rose to head in his second of the game. 2-2. Tottenham, and Haddow in particular, were not done yet. It took until the 90th minute, and came despite what seemed to be another offside, but Haddow scored again. No time for a response, and our first loss in 11 league games. QPR, Carling Cup, round 4, Home QPR are a Championship side, barely escaping relegation last season despite stints in the Premiership in 18/19, 21/22 and 23/24. New manager Tony Adams helped them survive but sold off South Korean defender Seo Hyun-Joon to Sunderland for ₤3.9M. They have four players on loan, including our own Adrian Tinoco, and to maintain the Rushden flavour, our frustrating striker Paul Rose was up front – his fourth club since leaving us in 2021. I jumped at the chance to rest senior players, with da Silva, Fuente, Bergseth, Costantini and Cieslewicz getting a go. Two of those players combined in the first thirty seconds; a sharp pass from Fuente sending Cieslewicz through for a long shot which went over. After that promising start, there were no more chances for the half. Cieslewicz missed another long shot in the opening minute of the second half and in the 58th crossed to Thomas, who scored from inside the box. Oliver da Silva rammed one off the crossbar and late Gazeau and Thomas shots were saved, leaving us 1-0 winners. Everton, Premier League, Away Everton are not far behind the top few sides at the moment, after surviving their first year back in the EPL. Their signings were fairly conservative, with two defenders, Sochaux's Hugo Gilbert and Liverpool's Gary Kennedy, costing ₤2.5M apiece. They came to replace Francesco Pisano, sold for ₤3.5M to Sunderland. Former Rushden winger Marcin Zakrzewski is on loan from Roma and doing well. Everton striker Paul Marfel went off early, leaving partner Jorge Gurrutxaga to open the scoring in the 19th on the counter. We lost Heinonen to injury and conceded another to Gurrutxaga 31 seconds into the second half, with Segerström's weak clearance promptly returned. Marchal, Bohman and Ramírez all had goes with no luck. Wilson finally scored from a Bohman cross with a few seconds to go. Far too late, and another league loss. Liverpool, Premier League, Away Liverpool are in the middle of the table and have been for the past two seasons. Guatemalan midfielder Leonel Castaneda was sold for ₤21M and England right back Mike Bond went to Cardiff for ₤4.5M. Their big inclusion was Chilean midfielder Daniel Rubio, costing ₤30M from Lens. Former Rushden winger Carl Isaksson cost ₤4.8M from Ascoli and Newcastle's Scottish winger Billy Grant came for ₤4.4M. England international Mark Brierly was the main threat as usual, and scored in the 11th thanks to a huge deflection off Ferreira. Rushden failed to respond, and though we held Liverpool well, it meant little when we were a goal down. Yet again we had plenty of shots (eight) yet only one on target. Three straight league losses after such a great start, and we're tumbling down the table. Lille, UEFA Cup, Away With Cieslewicz and da Silva ineligible and Heinonen and Hontecillas injured, James Johnson had to play as the defensive midfielder. The French side are second in Ligue 1 at the moment, having finished fourth last season and have won ten titles in the last sixteen years. With 33-year-old American Taylor Lucas their leading scorer and uncapped Spaniard Gabriel Serrano their star, that does not say a lot about French football. The opening minutes saw Lille reduced to ten men, A neat dodge saw Gazeau get free on the edge of the area, and he scored a 7th minute goal – his first for Rushden. A few minutes later he had two, this time scoring from a Johnson cross. Marchal, having missed from close range in the last few games, forced a save from 35 yards, then headed in a cross from Goiria before half time. Gazeau missed a chance to complete a hat-trick, heading over in the 51st, and Marchal also missed badly with a header. He got the keeper to punch the ball in the 65th, and Gazeau was there to score his third. Grigoryan came out in the 68th only to see the ball bounce over his head, gifting Lille a goal. That was their only one of the game, to our four. Three league games for three losses is an awful month, especially after our undefeated start. Our game against Lille revealed the true attacking potential of this side – why can they be so deadly in Continental games when the same players can't hit the side of a barn in the league? | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Newcastle | | 15 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 9 | +14 | 33 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Man Utd | | 15 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 25 | 13 | +12 | 32 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Everton | | 15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 13 | +6 | 28 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Arsenal | | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 12 | +8 | 26 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Sunderland | | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 12 | +11 | 25 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Aston Villa | | 15 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 21 | 13 | +8 | 24 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Liverpool | | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 14 | -1 | 22 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Cardiff | | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 11 | +4 | 21 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Rushden | | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 13 | 10 | +3 | 20 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Barnsley | | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 19 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Bolton | | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 14 | -2 | 19 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Birmingham | | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 17 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Man City | | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 11 | -3 | 17 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Chelsea | | 15 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 18 | 14 | +4 | 16 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Tottenham | | 15 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 23 | 26 | -3 | 16 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Leicester | | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 17 | -6 | 16 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Reading | | 15 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 22 | -7 | 16 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Fulham | | 15 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 27 | -17 | 13 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | West Brom | | 15 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 20 | -14 | 11 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Wigan | | 15 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 27 | -17 | 9 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 December, 2026 Besiktas, UEFA Cup, Home This was our second straight UEFA Cup game, following our belting of Lille. The Turkish side often fails to pass this stage, though they have some quality players like Angola attacker Fernando Estrela. Marchal set the tone early with a long header that was saved, then set up partner Alarcόn with a softer nod for a seventh minute goal. Gazeau continued his scoring run, hitting in a long Hofman free in the 13th. Goiria got our third on the counter-attack, and Gazeau made it five in one-and-a-half games for him with a fantastic run and shot from a tight angle just before half time. Patrice Thomas came off the bench and added his name to the list of scorers, Alarcόn hit the bar, Thomas scored his second, and a club record 6-0 victory was recorded. Now, why can't we hit the target in the league? West Brom, Premier League, Home West Brom are right in the relegation zone and seem set to bounce straight back to the Championship. Thomas Hjelle has already played ten games for them despite never making the side at Rushden, and 40-year-old Kasper Schmeichel is their number one keeper. Their biggest signing, ₤3.1M defender Ross Laing, is quite unimpressive. Straight from the kick-off, Rushden charged forward. Marchal nodded to Gazeau, who took a shot from well inside the area...and despite five goals in the last two games, completely missed here. Segerström had an identical miss a few minutes later and just when things were looking bad, Gazeau crossed to Thomas for a 20th minute goal. Ramírez made it 2-0 in the 27th and that is how it remained at the final whistle. Cardiff, Premier League, Away Cardiff dropped right down the table last season after being runners-up the year before. They have certainly made an effort to improve their squad, spending ₤9M on Turkish striker Usta Ferdi from Sevilla and ₤4.5M on Liverpool's defender Mike Bond, who made his England début soon after the move. They also got a couple of internationals for free, Paraguayan defender Jorge Rojas and Dutch midfielder Marten Bakker. Patrice Thomas had an eventful start to the game, with a Grigoryan goal kick headed on by da Silva to the Reunion striker, who scored in the 7th. He then went off injured, and Cardiff equalised a few minutes later. Marchal was denied a few times, and Grigoryan had to save a free in the 35th. Gazeau continued his poor shooting in the league, blazing over the bar. Grigoryan saved another free, and Karpov and Alarcόn had headers kept out at the other end. With time ticking away, Bohman crossed into the area, and this time Gazeau was on target. 2-1, with Grigoryan keeping out a late wild cross. Boavista, UEFA Cup, Away Knocks to Alarcόn and Thomas and a fatigued Marchal left me without any obvious strikers, especially with Costantini ineligible. Teenage pair Ali Selmi and Ashley Winn got the jobs, the latter finally making his début after being dubbed “the next Michael Owen” as a youth player. We have a fairly average Portuguese side to play here, with Russian international keeper Kirill Tagirov the only notable player. Winn took ten minutes to make his mark. Wilson came forward, exchanging a one-two with Stanley before passing to the young striker, who turned and scored. A counter-attack in the 19th saw Stanley again involved, crossing to Bohman for number two. Boavista actually had a few shots early in the second half before Ramírez volleyed in a third to seal it. I re-signed Winn for three more seasons after the game. For once, we're actually looking like hanging on to the senior squad, with all regulars except Navarro signed up. The major worry is young defender David Baudi, who is already being described as a wonderkid and has an expiring contract. Unfortunately, not only is he demanding big wages, he plays in the same position as Hofman, so one may have to go. Chelsea came in with a ₤15.5M bid for Hontecillas, which I rejected, as I did with a ₤17M Arsenal offer for Bohman. Preston, Carling Cup quarter final, Away Preston are close to relegation in the Championship, two years after being promoted from League One. They have a prolific ₤3M striker, Mark van Dijk, with no other stars. I went out with the regular senior team, and once again their radar was left behind in the Continental games. Ramírez blasted over, Goiria missed a header, Cieslewicz skimmed the bar, and even though Preston had a player sent off just into the second half, all we could do was miss more shots. We lost both Cieslewicz and Alarcόn to injury as the ninety minutes finished without score. Extra time was utterly uneventful, and we went to penalties. For once, they went right for Rushden. Grigoryan saved all three shots, Yordanov, Wilson and Goiria scored, and we made it to the semi final. Manchester United, Premier League, Home Third in the league, United presented a much bigger challenge than our last two opponents. They fell to sixth last season with Josenildo da Silva Moraes fading away and made big changes to their squad. The major moves were actually players going out, the biggest two, young Brazilian defender Neto for ₤22.5M (a decent bargain after getting him for ₤6.25M a few years ago) and French utility Adrien Davy for ₤25.5M, going to Real Madrid. Colombian forward Oscar Zapata went to Roma for ₤16M after having no impact in their seniors after a few years on loan, Cypriot forward Panagiotis Charalabous went to Barcelona for ₤6M and Indonesian attacker Ibnu Pangkali was sold for ₤6M to Pumas after spending two seasons on loan. Obviously, the search for a partner for Dion Martin was not successful last season, and these players were abandoned. Three players came from Sevilla. The most insane was Australian winger Andrew Kierno for ₤32M, despite no history of performing well or remarkable skills. Young Norwegian defender Sven Sorum cost ₤10M and Saudi Arabian veteran midfielder Tariq Al-Khamees came for ₤9.25M. Their only forward signing was Newcastle's teenage Jamaican forward Peter Carr for ₤10.5M. He has had no impact, so Uruguayan forward Oscar Montero is partnering Martin, with nine league goals from 14 games – 12 of them off the bench. A couple of signings from last season, Mick Oakley and Warren Walton, are both England Under-21 internationals and senior regulars. Grigoryan had to save from Martin in the early minutes, and Marchal had a go at the other end. United took the lead in the 17th through midfielder Joel and only good work from Grigoryan stopped Oakley adding another. Marchal again came forward in the 27th and had a shot, which deflected off a defender. The loose ball went to Bohman, who dodged the keeper and levelled the scores. Thomas had a couple of shots saved in the second half, and Marchal put one over the bar in the 81st. Winn had the chance to cover himself in glory in the dying moments, getting the ball in the area in injury time, but missed. A 1-1 draw. Manchester City, Premier League, Home Ashley Winn started alongside Marchal in the final game of 2026. City are towards the bottom of the table despite finishing 12th last year. They grabbed a bargain, with quality South African defender Andile Barnard coming from Auxerre for free but made no other signings. Grigoryan had to save in the first thirty seconds from a 40-yard shot. A long throw somehow found Karpov on the edge of the area all alone, but his shot was tipped over. Segerström cleared off the line from another City attack late in the half. Heinonen missed a free at the start of the second half and Wilson put a long shot well over. A Bohman cross created the best chance of the game, but Marchal's header was saved. With a late Segerström volley way over, a disappointing 0-0 score was the result. It is incredibly frustrating to have such different performances in Continental and league games. In the former we look astonishingly potent against fairly decent teams, yet in the league – and even against a weak Championship side – we can't even hit the target. Ramírez and Marchal are the only notably unhappy players, so morale isn't the issue. We do need new forward options, and hopefully the club record signing due to arrive in a few days will provide that. I also made another purchase, French midfielder Anthony Ettori for ₤2.5M. That move was required because I had just lost my usual option for right midfield – Tobias Bohman was starting to want a new challenge, and I could not refuse a ₤17M Valencia offer. Unfortunately, I did not realise Ettori will not join until the END of the season, which leaves me a little short. I re-signed Heinonen for another season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 January, 2027 A rather quiet start to the year. I sold midfielder Luigi Ferrante to Benfica for ₤1M, since he only played 10 games last season and not at all in this one. New striker David Davidson won't arrive until the 7th and Bohman won't go until the third, so we had a few days with the “old” squad. One player did arrive though – Chilean winger Juan Luis Romero, who will need to be loaned out until he gets a work permit. Birmingham, Premier League, Away The out-of-form and unhappy Marchal was dropped, leaving me with Winn and Thomas up forward (Alarcόn is still injured). Bohman started his final game for Rushden on the right wing. This was our second game of the season against Birmingham, sitting 12th after we defeated them 2-1 at home. Heinonen got a free just outside the area, and flicked it in for Segerström. He was promptly brought down, earning a penalty. With Yordanov on the bench, Wilson took it, and put it straight into the keeper's hands. Thomas was elbowed in the 29th, reducing Birmingham to ten men. Goiria crossed to fellow winger Bohman who, rather than go out with a fairytale, headed right to Slade. Gazeau had a header turned over in the second half, Winn lost the ball in the area to a clean tackle and then Birmingham scored on the counter. Unbelievably, though I pushed everybody forward and demanded an all-out attack, we did not have another shot. Pathetic. I sold reserve defender Rolf Winther to Sheffield Wednesday for ₤35K, and in a somewhat larger move, Greatest XI member Tobias Bohman went to Valencia for ₤17M. I did finally re-sign defender David Baudi for three more seasons with a substantial pay increase. Having had South African midfielder Philani Mofokeng at the club but on loan at Amkar to earn a work permit for three seasons, I was relishing the chance to send him off for a fourth and final time. Of course, he refused to go. I hastily arranged a ₤2.6M sale to Tenerife, though it's not close to what he's worth. Bohman's profile follows: ================================================================================================ Tobias Bohman - Rushden Career 1/12/19 - 3/1/27 ================================================================================================ Year Apps Gls Asts Yel Red MoM Av R ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2022/2023 37 (4) 3 3 2 0 0 7.05 2023/2024 25 (3) 3 3 0 0 2 7.29 2024/2025 24 (1) 5 4 0 0 3 7.40 2025/2026 30 (3) 5 8 0 0 6 7.39 2026/2027 17 (1) 4 6 1 0 5 7.56 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TOTAL 133 (12) 20 24 3 0 16 7.30 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DOB: 6/2/2001 Position: AM RL Nationality: Swedish International Caps/Goals: 30/1 Total Career League Games: 204 Previous Clubs: Malmo FF (36 games), Boston Utd* (11), St Johnstone* (31), Blackburn* (27) * = loan Achievements: [FM messes up achievements of loaned out players, so this is the best I can do] Scottish Young Player of the Year third placed 2021 Scottish Young Player of the Month December 2021 Leicester, Premier League, Home This game was just one day before my new striker arrived. Though Bohman was gone, Navarro made a timely return from injury to play on the right. Morale was down after the terrible loss to start the year. Oddly, though we have had two league games against Birmingham, this was our first against Leicester. They are in danger of heading back to the Championship, continuing a sequence of bouncing between divisions which started in 20/21. They have spent up on a few new faces from Cardiff this season, Northern Ireland defender Neil Taylor (₤425K) and former Rushden midfielder Eamonn Bradshaw (₤550K), but a few other seven-figure signings have flopped. Greek midfielder Ilias Gougoulias and Bulgarian defender Angel Sirakov have been their top performers. Winn hit the side netting in the 24th and two minutes later, Thomas looked set to score when a Goiria ball found him in the area. From close range, he somehow put his shot over the bar. Late in the game, Goiria intercepted a pass and whacked the ball long for Winn. He came wide on the left, and rather than cross to his partner, simply slammed the ball into the side of the net. Just as we seemed set for another pathetic result, Gazeau flicked a pass into the area. Winn took it, twisted around two defenders and buried a terrific first Rushden goal. A last-minute save from Grigoryan ensured a much-needed win. At last, a welcome arrival: David Davidson [sT, SCO – 7 U21 caps, 177cm, 19] – 0, 0, 0 Signed from Aston Villa for a club record ₤4.3M, having scored just five goals in 24 Championship games on loan at Southampton. Dangerous? Oh, yes. But when a scout tells you he could be twice the player Alarcόn is, you have to take notice. Quick, and with great shooting and passing skill, Davidson should be as effective setting up a partner as scoring himself. He will be a valuable rotational member of the side even at his young age. Meanwhile, Karpov gained English nationality, having been with us for five seasons. Leicester, FA Cup 3rd Round, Home We were slightly unlucky to draw a fellow EPL side in the FA Cup. This was an ideal chance for Davidson to début, making a teenage strike team with Winn. Davidson had a shot in the first 90 seconds thanks to a long ball from da Silva, putting it well over from outside the area. Grigoryan kept out a few first half shots. The 57th minute saw a brilliant display of passing. From deep in defence, the ball went to Yordanov, da Silva, Yordanov, Hofman, Gazeau and Stanley, who passed to Winn in the area for a perfect finish without Leicester ever touching the ball. The only problem is that Winn was offside. Davidson missed another from long-range and was finally on target after a fine run, earning a save. Hofman got a pass through the back and Davidson got past the keeper, only to ram the ball into the side netting. Just as his début looked to be a disappointment, he scored with a last-minute chip. Unfortunately, that was the last minute of regular time. Two minutes into injury time, Leicester responded. Despite their striker being at least as offside as Winn, it counted, and we will have to have a replay. Aston Villa, Carling Cup Semi Final leg 1, Home This was our first game against Aston Villa for the season, though we face them again in our next game. Villa are doing well in the league, sitting above us in 6th. They have been barely top-ten finishers in the last three seasons, so this is not a huge surprise, but it is a little better than predicted. They have been one of the most active sides in the transfer market, selling young England international striker Jamie Wiseman to Milan for ₤15M, Japanese defender Kazumichi Yasunaga to Udinese for ₤6.75M and David Davidson to us. They had already taken two players from us, though neither has played a senior game. Stefan de Visser cost them ₤6.75M from Chelsea and has played well in the midfield, Brazilian veteran Leonardo was ₤950K from Real Madrid and at the start of the month they got Belgian defender Rudd Thomassen from Porto for ₤7.75M. This is only the second time we've made it this far in the Carling Cup, having lost the final in 20/21. A fantastic run from Goiria down the left and great finish from Marchal at the near post put us ahead after just four minutes. Heinonen should have done the same from another Goiria cross in the 16th, but somehow missed. Goiria decided to do it himself, and made it 2-0 in the 29th with an assist from Davidson. Heinonen was on target in the 35th, forcing a parry straight to Davidson, who made it two in two games, scoring against his old side. Villa pulled one back just before the break but Marchal spotted the keeper out of position and scored with a careful shot from outside the area. Villa made it 4-2 late in the game, and a response from Davidson was ruled out, leaving us in a strong but not unbeatable position for the second leg. Aston Villa, Premier League, Home After a 4-2 win against Villa a few days ago, we had to be a chance to do well in a league game against them. With Villa just a place (one point) ahead of us, a win would be crucial. Patrice Thomas came in for Davidson, and scored in the 11th with an angled shot. The keeper looked to have it covered, but gloved it into the net. We led at half time, and Goiria had a cross tipped over early in the second. Grigoryan made a fantastic save from a close-range Middleton header and we looked set to hold the lead until yet another offside goal, from new signing de Vissier, saw them equalise with five minutes to go. Not only did we fail to overtake Villa, we slipped down to 8th place. Leicester, FA Cup 3rd Round replay, Away Just five minutes in, we took the lead. Heinonen sent a free into the box, where Goiria rose to meet it. He didn't connect cleanly, and the ball bobbled around between defenders and attackers. Finally, it spilled to Davidson – three in three games. Ramirez walked one chance into the keeper, but squeezed one in at the near post in the 33rd. Our lack of right wingers forced me to use Yordanov there, but he rewarded me with a cross to Davidson in the final minute, who made it a 3-0 win. Milan came in with a ₤20M bid for Sergey Karpov, but having sold Bohman only a few weeks ago, I decided against losing another senior player. I expressed interest in Australian international striker Chris Josifovski, quickly backing down after Ternana's demand of a ₤9.75M fee. Chelsea made an offer for Hontecillas of ₤12M and a ₤5.75M 30-year-old defender. With Hontecillas demanding a new contract, I decided to let him go. The player in the deal was no good to me, with wage demands higher than any player at the club, so I let him go for ₤15.5M and a sell-on clause. The sale upset Segerström, nullifying my attempt to improve morale by selling an unhappy player. Robin Grunholz is also upset at not getting a regular run, and at a bid from Roma for ₤3.4M being rejected. Fulham, Premier League, Away We beat Fulham 2-0 early in the season and they look like being relegated after barely surviving last season. They have conceded more goals than any other side in the league. A few younger midfielders have been sold this month; 21-year-old Scott Aitken to Celtic for ₤3.4M and 24-year-old Ronny Erichsen to West Ham for ₤2.8M. Their signings have been designed to keep them up, mainly veterans. Ecuadoran midfielder Jose Minda (₤1.6M from Zaragoza), Inter's Italian midfielder Stefano Pistone (₤2.3M) and South Korean striker Kim Jin-Suk (₤2.9M from Sporting CP) are all aged over 30. Their only look to the future came this month, with ₤3.5M 23-year-old midfielder Lars Kristoffersen coming from Sunderland. Jin-Suk has just two goals; Mark Harper leads with five. Grigoryan pulled off a fantastic save in the 5th after our defence was carved up by a few passes. Goiria could have scored at the near post when Wilson flicked up a pass, putting it wide instead. Alarcόn sent in an excellent cross in the 39th which was sent back to him by desperate defenders, and his shot ended up in the hands of the keeper. A long pass from Hofman floated over the keeper to Goiria, who just couldn't shoot in time. Our best chance came in the 71st when Thomas ran down the right and crossed to Ramírez, whose shot was tipped over. Finally, in injury time, Heinonen set a free across the top of the area to Wilson. He knocked it in to fellow left-sider Goiria, who managed to sneak in a shot between the keeper and the post. Another last-minute win for Rushden, albeit a deserved one. Davidson came on in the 57th, and for the first time did not score for Rushden. Aston Villa, Carling Cup Semi Final leg 2, Away A 4-2 goal-fest took place in the first leg, leaving us with a decent advantage despite Villa's two away goals. A loose ball in the area in the third minute was collected by a Rushden striker to extend the lead. Amazingly, it was David Davidson, with his fifth in five games. Grigoryan held a few Villa shots, then Alarcόn headed us home in the 18th, winning a battle for a Wilson corner to make it 6-2 on aggregate. Though Grigoryan was named Man of the Match, Villa did not really threaten and we easily progressed to the final. Newcastle, FA Cup 4th round, Away Again we drew a fellow Premier League side in the FA Cup. We beat them early in the season in what has proved to be one of their few losses. They sit on top of the league with just one other defeat for the season. However, there have been major changes to their squad this month. The biggest was midfielder David Dixon, off to Arsenal for ₤31M. 20-year-old keeper Doug Johnston went to Man U for ₤8M and Dutch midfielder Joop van der Zee to Sevilla for ₤16.75M. It is strange to see a side offload so many players, especially two to rivals, when they are competing for the title. That did free some room for signings, namely 22-year-old Barnsley left winger Robert Morrison (₤11M) and Napoli midfielder Riccardo Facchini (₤9.25M). Brilliant Irish striker Jay Brennan is by far their leading scorer, with 15 goals. The game got off to a costly start, with both Marchal and Goiria forced off injured. Replacements Stanley and Thomas (both can be nicknamed “Smitty”, since they have two first names and no surname...) combined to force a save in a first half otherwise free of chances. The next half opened a lot more aggressively, though unfortunately most chances went to Newcastle. Grigoryan held up well, and when Stanley cleared in the 72nd, Davidson was on the break. He got through the defence, and amazingly made it goal number six. Young Scottish international Danny Byrne had one shot saved by Grigoryan, then scored with just six minutes to go. After a few late escapes ourselves, it was hard to begrudge Newcastle the replay. Marchal's injury was minor, but Goiria will miss at least a month. Thankfully, we have plenty of cover for the left wing; the right is the problem. Despite few league matches in January, Hofman was third as Young Player of the Month, and I was third as Manager of the Month. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Newcastle | | 23 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 32 | 13 | +19 | 49 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Man Utd | | 22 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 38 | 17 | +21 | 47 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Arsenal | | 23 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 34 | 14 | +20 | 44 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Everton | | 23 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 28 | 21 | +7 | 41 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Sunderland | | 23 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 32 | 17 | +15 | 39 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Rushden | | 22 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 21 | 14 | +7 | 36 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Aston Villa | | 23 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 30 | 21 | +9 | 35 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Liverpool | | 23 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 19 | 21 | -2 | 35 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Cardiff | | 22 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 23 | 16 | +7 | 34 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Chelsea | | 23 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 27 | 21 | +6 | 27 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Barnsley | | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 22 | 25 | -3 | 27 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Bolton | | 23 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 22 | -3 | 27 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Reading | | 23 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 22 | 28 | -6 | 27 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Birmingham | | 23 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 20 | 26 | -6 | 27 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Man City | | 23 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 14 | -3 | 25 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Tottenham | | 23 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 32 | 38 | -6 | 25 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Leicester | | 23 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 27 | -10 | 25 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | West Brom | | 23 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 12 | 34 | -22 | 17 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Fulham | | 23 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 17 | 42 | -25 | 17 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Wigan | | 23 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 38 | -25 | 12 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 February, 2027 Chelsea, Premier League, Home Sitting all the way down in 10th spot under new manager Luci, two defenders were offloaded in January - Egyptian Hussein Hassan to Man U for ₤12.25M and Dane Soren Kristiansen to Real Madrid for ₤6.5M. Coming in was a relative bargain, 24-year-old Polish defender Lukasz Brzeczek for only ₤825K from Alicante and our own Sebastian Hontecillas for ₤15.5M. They have a good strike team, with both Finn Stefan Johansson and Colombian Javier Martinez in double figures. Northern Ireland defender Gareth Lewis has been excellent, yet he was offered to us in the deal for Hontecillas. Navarro had the first shot of the game, earning a corner with a 10th minute free. A brilliant cross-pitch pass from Stanley, replacing Goiria, found Alarcόn, who volleyed it straight in. Grigoryan made a fine parry in the 30th and though Martinez got one in off the post a minute later, he was ruled offside. A penalty in injury time saw Wilson made it 2-0. He had the chance to put through another from the spot just a few minutes into the second half. Not only did he hit it to the keeper, Chelsea scored on the counter-attack. A fantastic Grigoryan dive kept them from equalising in the 60th but naturally it was Hontecillas who set up their second with twenty minutes to go. Davidson again went scoreless in a league game as we finished 2-2. To rub it in, Hontecillas was Man of the Match on début and Heinonen was put out for two months with a sprained ankle. With Hontecillas gone and da Silva to leave at the end of the season, that really hurts. Newcastle, Premier League, Away We drew 1-1 with Newcastle just a week ago, though since then we have lost Goiria, Marchal and Heinonen to injury. Jay Brennan scored inside a minute, but a wonderful long ball from Hofman saw Thomas equalise in the 12th. Again Hofman provided a wonderful ball three minutes later. This time it went to Stanley who flicked on to Davidson. This being a league game, he failed to beat the keeper. Ferreira was sent off in the 19th for a two-footed challenge, making it hard to maintain parity. Indeed, it lasted a few seconds, with Newcastle scoring from the free. Davidson again had a shot saved and a terrible pass from Wilson straight to Jay Brennan was only prevented from being another Newcastle goal by a great save. Wilson made amends with an incisive pass to Thomas, only for the striker to shoot way over. He was similarly unsuccessful from a second half free and Brennan showed him up with a goal from 35 yards. Another fine pass into the area, this one from Yordanov, saw Davidson denied by the keeper. A big 1-3 loss, albeit with ten men against the league leaders. Newcastle, FA Cup 4th round replay, Home Our third game against Newcastle in a couple of weeks. Johnson made a great tackle to keep out a Newcastle attack and, this being a Cup game, Davidson scored in the 11th. Newcastle equalised in the 20th. Alarcόn and Stanley both had several chances to have us in the lead before half time, with no luck. It took a remarkable individual run from Hofman to restore the Rushden lead in the 60th, the defender evading three opponents on a half-pitch run to score his first senior goal. Young Ashley Winn came off the bench and caused Newcastle a bit of trouble and a late Grigoryan save ensured we progressed. Davidson has seven goals in six cup games, yet none in three league games. Sunderland, Premier League, Home With Rushden falling to 9th place, this was a vital game as we fight to qualify for Europe. Sunderland are certainly a challenging opponent, currently 5th in the league despite expectations of a mid-table finish. Despite their good position, they have sold a number of players including veteran Brazilian midfielder Paulo (₤1.8M to Valladolid), young midfielder Lars Kristoffersen to Fulham for ₤3.5M and Bulgarian defender Mario Georgiev to Messina for ₤4M. Coming in are striker Rodney Milsom (₤4.3M from Cardiff) and veteran defender David Andrews (₤1.1M from Sheffield United). Their new defender Peter Evans has done well this season and striker Andreas Albrechtsen has a dozen league goals. We got off to a fantastic start, with makeshift defensive midfielder passing over the defenders for Stanley to run through and score his first Rushden goal in the opening minute. Alarcόn missed badly from the edge of the area and though he made a fantastic run in the 37th, his shot went to the keeper. Former Rushden player Sven Kilic scored just before half time to level the scores. Thomas sent another shot straight to the keeper and Sunderland took the lead. An attempt to attack let them score again in the 59th, Navarro missed with two frees and a late Thomas goal was only a consolation. This season is looking like a disaster. Alarcόn and Grigoryan were particularly bad in the 2-3 loss. FC Twente, UEFA Cup 1st knockout round, 1st leg, Away A relatively easy Dutch opponent, Twente haven't made it past this stage since 06/07. Belarus striker Evgeniy Sokolovskiy is clearly their star, with little depth beyond him. The first half stats said it all. 11 shots, 0 on target for Rushden. Navarro, Alarcόn and Thomas were the culprits. It was not until Marchal came on for the final 20 minutes that we scored, with the French striker finally doing the job. One goal was not nearly enough for our dominance. Burnley, FA Cup 5th round, Home At last, a Championship opponent in the FA Cup, though we've been knocked out by worse sides. They have two former Rushden players, midfielder Terry Simmons and striker Frankie McGovern, as leading players but are in relegation trouble. This time we were on target, though it took 11 shots and 60 minutes before we finally scored through Thomas. Davidson came on for his obligatory goal to make it a safe 2-0 win. FC Twente, UEFA Cup 1st knockout round, 2nd leg, Home A slight one-goal lead was not much of an advantage to take into the second leg. Navarro came close with two frees in the first ten minutes and Stanley put a header over. Johnson added to the misses as we again controlled the first half without a score. Grigoryan saved their first shot of the game in the 47th and a 30-yard Navarro free put us 2-0 up on aggregate. That was vital, with Twente scoring a few minutes later. That made the aggregate 2-1, with one away goal apiece. Another to Twente, and we would be behind. They did it in the 70th, and just as I was about to explode, it was ruled out. With ten minutes to go, we still had the slightest of leads, and Johnson was forced off injured. Five minutes of injury time kept the pressure on, but we managed to hold them off long enough to progress. Manchester United, Carling Cup Final, Neutral It was only natural that we had a tough opponent for the Final, and they don't come much tougher than Man U. This was only our second final, and we faced a six-time winner. This was our first game against United since our 1-1 draw in December, when the now-departed Bohman scored. United have made two big signings since then – young Newcastle keeper Doug Johnston and Chelsea's Egyptian defender Hussein Hassan for a total of ₤20M – though both were cup-tied for this one. Johnson, Heinonen and Goiria were missing from the Rushden side. I made sure to select top penalty taker Yordanov, as well as cup specialist David Davidson. Davidson had a shot saved only 23 seconds in. United put the ball out for a throw, which went to Gazeau. He was on target from outside the area, leaving keeper Antony Canoville to make the save. Karpov cleared an 8th minute United cross, but there was no stopping a Warren Walton strike which whistled past the bar from 25 yards. The 23-year-old has 13 goals for the season, and nearly added another there. It took an innocuous move in the 23rd for United to take the lead, with a little flick from German star Thomas Bauer inside the area going in off the post. Well, you'd hope a ₤44M winger could score the odd goal... Grigoryan dove on Dion Martin's feet a few minutes later to prevent another. Gazeau came forward on the counter-attack, and passed to...guess who. Davidson took the ball, spun and levelled the score. He should really have scored in the 35th, finding space on the left of the goal and putting a shot wide. Grigoryan ended the half with a fine save, and we went in with the scores 1-1. Karpov cut off Walton in the 50th, but created danger with a weak clearance. The ball was sent back to the open Walton, leaving Grigoryan to make the save. Again he made a weak clearance two minutes later, and this time our Russian keeper could only tip the shot over. Yordanov cleared, and we had a moment's respite – until a 35-yard shot earned another Grigoryan save. He held another when Walton fired from close range in the 56th and again tipped over in the 60th. Wilson cleared the corner and another attack was nullified. Four minutes of injury time were announced, and at the very beginning we came forward. Olivier da Silva passed to Davidson, who touched the ball off to Marchal. He took a shot, which was saved. The rest of injury time ended without event, taking us to extra time. We lost in the 110th minute to Arsenal last time, and a similar result – particularly considering our terrible league form – would be horrible. United had already made their three substitutions, among them former Rushden winger Ahmed Adel and 20-year-old Jamaican Peter Carr on for Walton. A remarkable free from da Silva tested Canoville in the 98th and Karpov sent the clearance straight back. Marchal had a go from the corner of the area, and forced the out-of-position keeper into conceding a corner. Wilson's ball was cleared, and just as United came forward, Hofman hit the ball back to Gazeau, who got us another corner with a long-range tester. Marchal put this one straight to the keeper and Grigoryan had to make two saves from Martin to end the first fifteen minutes. Cieslewicz replaced da Silva as a superior penalty taker and Alarcόn came on for the tired Marchal. Alarcόn promptly missed with a free but Cieslewicz made a crucial defensive tackle. Wilson took a corner in the 115th, and Gazeau rose to meet it. The World Cup winner connected with a header...and the keeper punched it away. Gazeau had another go from incredible distance in the 117th, earning out seventh corner of the game. The Cieslewicz ball was cut out, as was a United counter-attack. Davidson charged down the right with seconds to go, and fired in an absolute rocket that was barely turned over. Again the corner was dealt with, and we went to penalties. Wilson continued his poor run with penalties, having our second shot saved. Grigoryan put us back in it, saving United's third, only for Navarro to miss. Undeterred, Grigoryan kept out another, and Hofman made it 2-2 after four. A goal from Adel left Cieslewicz the task of scoring to keep us in it, and he failed. 2-3 on penalties, and another Cup loss to Rushden. We finished the month in 10th, which is as low as we've been in a long time. After such a wonderful start to the season, it really is a terrible state of affairs. Selling Bohman and Hontecillas looks a mistake in hindsight, but we are still having enough chances to win. With at least one cup out of the way, perhaps we can focus more on the league. It would certainly help if Davidson could bring his cup form - nine goals in eight games – to the league. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Newcastle | | 27 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 39 | 18 | +21 | 56 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Man Utd | | 26 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 44 | 20 | +24 | 55 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Arsenal | | 27 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 39 | 17 | +22 | 52 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Sunderland | | 27 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 38 | 21 | +17 | 45 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Everton | | 27 | 13 | 5 | 9 | 33 | 25 | +8 | 44 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Aston Villa | | 27 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 34 | 24 | +10 | 42 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Cardiff | | 27 | 12 | 6 | 9 | 28 | 21 | +7 | 42 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Reading | | 27 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 33 | 30 | +3 | 39 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Liverpool | | 27 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 21 | 25 | -4 | 39 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Rushden | | 25 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 26 | 22 | +4 | 37 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Chelsea | | 27 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 32 | 25 | +7 | 34 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Birmingham | | 27 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 22 | 27 | -5 | 34 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Barnsley | | 25 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 27 | 28 | -1 | 31 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Man City | | 26 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 16 | 17 | -1 | 29 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Bolton | | 26 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 22 | 27 | -5 | 28 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Tottenham | | 27 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 35 | 48 | -13 | 28 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Leicester | | 27 | 6 | 7 | 14 | 19 | 36 | -17 | 25 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Fulham | | 27 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 24 | 52 | -28 | 22 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | West Brom | | 26 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 12 | 35 | -23 | 19 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Wigan | | 27 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 17 | 43 | -26 | 19 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 March, 2027 Bolton, Premier League, Away Our strikers needed a break after our 120-minute match against the Red Devils. 15th placed Bolton held us to a 1-1 draw last time and their only significant signing since then is 35-year-old former England keeper Chris Oldfield. Grigoryan was under plenty of pressure early, saving two shots and having a free cannon off the crossbar. Wilson grazed the bar with a header at the other end, then a pass from Cieslewicz found Thomas for a 31st minute lead. Again the unlucky Bolton hit the crossbar in the 49th and some more brilliant work from Grigoryan denied other shots. We were lucky to escape with a 1-0 win, though we weren't totally without chances at scoring another. Wigan, Premier League, Away With Rushden facing the bottom side in the league, I took the opportunity to rest a few senior players. Hofman, Grigoryan and Navarro took a rest, with Fuente, Bergseth and Cieslewicz in. With just 19 points so far, Wigan are going down. They are in the process of a board takeover and have made no transfers. Davidson's frustrating league form continued, with the Scottish teenager getting clear of defenders to collect a pass and meekly tap it to the keeper. Gazeau made a stunning run around no less than five players from the centre, then missed from the edge of the area. Bergseth made a good save from a corner and Alarcόn had a header saved at point blank range. The departing Olivier da Silva finally scored early in the second half. Alarcόn had a frustrating game, missing a few shots and losing possession in the area before substitute Ramírez set up a late goal to make it 2-0. Aberdeen, UEFA Cup 2nd knockout round, 1st leg, Home This is our first game against Aberdeen in almost 20 years – the last was a 2-4 loss in a 2007 pre-season game. They are fifth in the Scottish Premier League, and have a few decent internationals like Finnish defender Fredric Palm and South Korean forward Kim Dong-Jin, with ₤2.9M former Man City midfielder Ben Buchanan also in the side. They also feature several links to Rushden, including striker Martin Pettersen (we released him to MK Dons in 20/21, they bought him for ₤2.1M in 24/25), Austrian midfielder Boris Grobl (on loan from us), defender Leif Andreassen (on loan from Hull) and another midfielder, Thom Eerhart (on loan from Villa). Davidson lost an early chance to score when the keeper dove on his feet but Marchal got us in front when he headed in a Wilson free – the Frenchman's 10th goal of the season. Davidson should have scored late in the game from a long Hofman pass, instead grazing the bar with a piledriver. Davidson then set up Navarro, who managed an even worse miss. Stanley hit the crossbar in injury time to complete our run of wasted chances. Aberdeen never threatened, though with a single goal lead, we cannot be complacent in the second leg. Manchester United, FA Cup 6th round, Away Just our luck – the side that beat us in the Carling Cup final has a chance to knock us out of the other domestic competition. Davidson, who scored in our meeting last month and has never failed to score in a domestic cup game, was our only hope. They were without World Footballer of the Year runner-up Dion Martin and had winner Oscar Montero on the bench. That left “only” England Under-21 pair Warren Walton and Mick Oakley, each with double-figure goals this season, up forward. Davidson came close from outside the area after intercepting a pass and Gazeau had a run cut short before he could get into the area. Grigoryan kept out a Walton shot and Oakley missed from a tight angle as the first half ended scoreless. Wilson deflected a free just wide of the goal and at the other end, Davidson was tackled as he got to the area. Walton finally put United ahead in the 67th with a header. I brought on Alarcόn as a third striker, but we didn't have another chance until there were just three minutes to go. Stanley ran down the left and crossed into the area. Marchal was there and connected with a header, with the keeper punching the ball away. Davidson went for a shot and had it deflected to Gazeau, and not only was his shot saved, he was ruled offside anyway. That was it for us, and again United knocked us out of a cup. Aberdeen, UEFA Cup 2nd knockout round, 2nd leg, Away We went into this with just a one goal lead. Grigoryan had to make an early save, and former Rushden striker Martin Pettersen levelled the aggregate in the 5th minute. Alarcόn and Marchal came forward straight from the kick-off. Alarcόn was tackled, and the ball spilled across to his French partner. Marchal collected the ball, weaved his way into space and slammed the ball into the back of the net from 30 yards. Just 15 seconds to restore the lead, and what's more, it was with an away goal. Alarcόn and Marchal missed from either side of the area later in the half and South Korean Kim Dong-Jin matched Marchal's effort with a long shot to make the aggregate 2-2 before the break. No immediate response this time, and we went in leading only on away goals. Alarcόn failed to beat the keeper three times in the opening minutes of the second half, while Stanley had a cross punched away. He finally broke through with a wonderful volley from an equally impressive Hofman pass, sealing our progression with a 2-3 aggregate. Who needed Holmen, anyway? The odd thing is that my two most promising young players are David Baudi and Mark Nolan – both right wing backs, like Hofman. I'm trying to train him as a right winger, but it is a long process. Arsenal, Premier League, Away With Bergseth yet to concede a goal in five senior games this season, I gave him a shot here. Arsenal sit in third spot, over ten points behind leaders Man U. That has prompted an astonishing spending spree from new manager Marco van Basten. Having spent ₤100M in the pre-season, January saw the arrival of Scottish midfielder David Dixon (Newcastle, ₤31.5M), Uruguayan striker Fernando Vargas (₤21.5M, Tenerife), England Under-21 striker Alex Richardson (₤8.75M, Everton), Scotland Under-21 striker Ross Barr (₤5.75M, St Johnstone) and Spanish captain and centre back Fernando Esteve (₤23M, Milan). With no major sales, that's over ₤100M worth of new talent in the squad – a total of ₤206M for the season. Oh, and Cao Bin was named World Player of the Year and UEFA Forward and Footballer of the Year for the third straight time... Oddly, the unlikely pair of Stanley and Cieslewicz had the first two shots of the game. Bergseth did well to keep out a shot from Dixon but when Cao Bin was given too much room by Karpov, a goal was inevitable. Yet another great ball from Hofman saw Alarcόn earn a corner, only for Arsenal to clear and score at the other end through Belgian midfielder Cor Bujis from 25 yards. They got an identical goal late in the game to defeat us 0-3. Everton, Premier League, Away I quickly went back to Grigoryan as we took on the 5th placed Everton. We lost to them 1-2 earlier in the season, with both goals to Spanish veteran Jorge Gurrutxaga. They made no transfers in January and didn't need to with stars like Paul Marfell up forward and Marcin Zakrzewski on the wing. Alarcόn was everywhere early, having a shot saved in the second, and another parried in the ninth that went to Marchal, who put us into the lead. Ramírez and Marchal missed before another Alarcόn shot was pushed to Marchal – 2-0 in the 19th, and Rushden was on fire. Marfell took Everton's first shot of the game in the 29th and Alarcόn hit the side netting three times as we retained our two-goal lead at half time. Alarcόn alone had seven shots in that half. Everton did start the second half off with some promise, only to be shut down by Marchal's hat-trick, completed on the counter with a pass from Ramírez in the 60th. Again poor Alarcόn was denied by a save, with Marchal sending a Ramírez corner in for his fourth goal. Ramírez was again the playmaker in the 76th, setting up Navarro. Everton got a late consolation, which meant little in the context of a 5-1 thrashing. Hofman was named Young Player of the Month (Wilson was third), with Segerström second as Player of the Month and myself second as Manager of the Month. That massive win at least appeased my board for the moment, and dragged us up to sixth spot. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Man Utd | | 30 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 53 | 23 | +30 | 67 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Newcastle | | 30 | 16 | 9 | 5 | 40 | 21 | +19 | 57 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Arsenal | | 30 | 16 | 8 | 6 | 44 | 20 | +24 | 56 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Sunderland | | 30 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 43 | 25 | +18 | 51 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Everton | | 30 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 38 | 31 | +7 | 48 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Rushden | | 29 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 34 | 26 | +8 | 46 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Cardiff | | 30 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 29 | 22 | +7 | 46 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Aston Villa | | 31 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 37 | 28 | +9 | 45 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Reading | | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 34 | 32 | +2 | 43 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Liverpool | | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 23 | 29 | -6 | 42 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Birmingham | | 30 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 24 | 27 | -3 | 39 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Barnsley | | 29 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 37 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Chelsea | | 30 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 34 | 30 | +4 | 35 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Tottenham | | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 39 | 50 | -11 | 34 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Man City | | 30 | 7 | 11 | 12 | 20 | 21 | -1 | 32 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Bolton | | 30 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 25 | 34 | -9 | 31 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Leicester | | 30 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 40 | -17 | 29 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Fulham | | 31 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 29 | 59 | -30 | 28 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | West Brom | | 30 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 15 | 39 | -24 | 25 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Wigan | | 30 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 20 | 47 | -27 | 23 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 April, 2027 Liverpool, Premier League, Home After their first bottom-half finish in the club's Premier League history, Liverpool are back in the more familiar territory of fighting for an European spot. Roma's Swiss defender Bruno Bupupet (formerly of no less than six other EPL sides) was bought for ₤7M in January, with only Belgian veteran Hens van Campenhout offloaded to Tenerife for ₤2.5M. Italian defender Denis Urse has again been excellent though their problems are at the other end of the pitch, with expensive strikers like Mark Brierley and Craig Ramsay failing to score. Marchal and Alarcόn both failed to get around the keeper after making it through the defence, and both Alarcόn and Karpov missed with frees. Marchal finally beat the keeper in the 30th, only to see the ball come back off the crossbar, Alarcόn put one over the bar from close to the box and Ramírez and Stanley both had shots tipped over. Absolute domination in the first half from Rushden, for no result whatsoever. Alarcόn took the ball down the left of the area and, with Marchal free at the far post, missed both the goal and his team-mate with a horrible pass or shot – I couldn't even tell which. Alarcόn then put a header off the crossbar and Gazeau missed a free. Liverpool were hardly sighted for the whole game, and the whole thing was like a training exercise. Unfortunately, it was apparently not an exercise that involved scoring. Anton Grigoryan demanded a new wage and after I refused (he has been unremarkable this season, and I have a lot of promising keepers), he requested a transfer. Just to make matters worse, club stalwart James Johnson became upset at the situation as well. Deportivo, UEFA Cup quarter final, 1st leg, Home We have only faced Deportivo once before, losing to them in a 2018 pre-season friendly. The Spanish side has been up-and-down, with their 7th place finish last season their best in a decade. There's some quality in their side, such as Costa Rica winger Leonel Arias, who can score from distance, 190cm Uzbek defender Anvar Kurbanov and three former Rushden players – defender François Guichard and midfielders Zeljko Rakic and Marius Juodeikis. Just like the last game, Rushden had chances galore. Just like the last game, so many of them were wasted. At long last, Michael Wilson passed through for Marchal, who put us ahead just on half time. Deportivo did not have a shot for the entire half. The second did not start promisingly. Grigoryan had to make several saves, and Alarcόn and Marchal reached double figures in shots with still a single goal. A long ball from Johnson saw Alarcόn head in our second with fifteen minutes to go, and when Marchal flicked on a header, Stanley sealed a 3-0 win. Leicester, Premier League, Away Leicester are dangerously close to relegation, though not quite in the zone yet. Former Rushden midfielder Eamonn Bradshaw came from Cardiff for ₤550K to try and help keep them up though their side doesn't really look to have much quality across the board. Unlike the last few games, we had few chances. Leicester, despite their lowly position, had much of the first half play and scored through an elaborate chain of passes in the 2th. We went in at half time a goal down with barely a shot to show for our efforts. It took a long goal kick from Grigoryan to put us back in it, with Marchal heading on for partner Thomas, who dodged the keeper to score. Deportivo, UEFA Cup quarter final, 2nd leg, Away With a three-goal aggregate lead, we did not face much of a threat in this second leg. Nonetheless, the registration rules meant I didn't have many reserve players to choose from, leaving me with pretty much a full-strength side. Alarcόn had a headed goal disallowed as the first half ended scoreless. Ferreira scored his first goal for the club from a Wilson corner late in the game as we progressed to the semi final for the second time in our history. With a number of contracts ending next year, I re-signed Sergey Karpov until 2031 with a relatively small pay increase. Barnsley, Premier League, Home Fresh from a loan spell at Blackburn, where he was named Championship Player of the Month in December, and with a big new contract, right back Mark Nolan made his Rushden début. Barnsley have done well and are well clear of danger. Though they sold young winger Robert Morrison to Newcastle for ₤11M just before he made his début for Scotland, they signed another young Scottish international – versatile player Peter Molyneux [didn't he design Black & White?] - for ₤6.5M from St. Johnstone. Also joining were Brentford winger James Tanner (₤3.8M) and another Scottish international, forward Scott Wardlaw (₤6.75M from Cardiff, and a pretty good bargain). An early Barnsley shot went just wide, as did a header from inside the box, while Grigoryan had to save a third attempt. A quick spin and shot from Hofman forced a parry, and Marchal was there to hit it in in the 23rd. He put another off the crossbar a minute later. We were by no means unlucky – or if we were, it was no more unlucky than Birmingham. They, too, hit the crossbar in the second half, and had another save from Grigoryan. Another brilliant save from Man of the Match Grigoryan kept out a free in the 75th and though the game could have gone either way, it was our one goal that was the difference in the end. Barnsley, Premier League, Away Somewhere along the line, the fixture has got royally messed up, leaving us to play our two league games against Barnsley in the space of three days. Rushden took the lead within 90 seconds, thanks to a little flick from Gazeau past the keeper to Thomas. . That was his 50th goal for the club, and he soon added 51 when a Stanley shot was parried to him. Marchal came close in injury time, just putting the ball across the face of goal from a tight angle. Konig scored for Barnsley late in the game, leaving us 20 minutes to hold on. Ashley Winn twice put shots into Svensson's hands, but thankfully we did not need any more goals. West Brom, Premier League, Away West Brom look set for relegation, lasting just one season in the EPL just as they did when last here, in 15/16. 40-year-old Kasper Schmeichel has let through plenty of goals, though they are better in this regard than Fulham and Wigan. Scoring has been their problem, with an incredibly low 17 goals for the season. Villareal's Swedish midfielder Mats Danielsson joined on loan in January but has had no effect. We had multiple chances in the first half, despite losing Thomas to injury early. Substitute Ashley Winn put a few shots over, as did partner Marchal. Stanley had the best chance of the half when a poor clearance gave him the ball with the keeper out of position, only for him to miss the goal. Cieslewicz put Winn through the defence, and though his shot was saved, Ramírez tapped in the parry. West Brom were reduced to ten men late in the game and offered little resistance as we came away with another win. Birmingham, EURO Cup semi final 1st leg, Home Curiously, there are three English sides left in this competition – Chelsea play Atlético in the other semi final. We played Birmingham on the first day of the new year, losing 1-0 away with Wilson missing an early penalty. Their scorer in that game was out, and they made no January signings. 23-year-old Polish striker Grzegorz Wolczyk is their leading scorer by far with 15. No other player has more than four. To put that in perspective, we have both Thomas and Marchal in double figures, with Davidson and Alarcόn on nine. Cieslewicz found the space for a long range shot in the eighth minute, putting his attempt over. Former Rushden reserve keeper Stephen Slade dealt easily with a Wilson corner and Alarcόn didn't even trouble him with a header. A quick Birmingham counter-attack left Rushden scrambling, and Grigoryan was only barely able to tip their shot wide. Alarcόn again missed with a header in the 57th and was replaced by David Davidson. He quickly went on a run in the 66th, collecting a long ball from Karpov and making it to the area. He couldn't get around the keeper though, and the shot was saved. Our best chance came in the 78th, when a throw went into the area and Marchal flicked on a header. Partner Davidson snapped off a shot, putting it wide of the out-of-position keeper and the goal. That may have been our best chance, but a good long ball from Gazeau combined with a brilliant run, dodge and shot from Marchal saw Rushden take the lead with just three minutes to go. Johnson rattled the crossbar as the game ended, leaving us with a one-goal lead in the away leg. Karpov was third as Player of the Month, Hofman was named Young Player of the Month (fellow full back Yordanov third) and I was third as Manager of the Month. Fourth is about as high as we can finish, and given that three of our last four games are against top-eight sides, including league leaders Manchester United, that will be a struggle. The good news is that Reading and Liverpool are a few points behind us so we should at least hold fifth spot. Incidentally, David Davison has probably the most bizarre record I've ever seen, with nine goals in nine Cup games against mostly top-flight opponents (only failing to score in our FA Cup loss against Man U), yet no goals in eight league and three Continental games. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Man Utd | | 34 | 23 | 7 | 4 | 61 | 29 | +32 | 76 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Newcastle | | 35 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 48 | 22 | +26 | 68 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Arsenal | | 35 | 19 | 9 | 7 | 52 | 24 | +28 | 66 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Sunderland | | 35 | 16 | 10 | 9 | 50 | 32 | +18 | 58 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Rushden | | 34 | 15 | 12 | 7 | 39 | 28 | +11 | 57 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Reading | | 35 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 42 | 37 | +5 | 53 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Liverpool | | 35 | 15 | 8 | 12 | 31 | 33 | -2 | 53 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Cardiff | | 35 | 15 | 7 | 13 | 37 | 28 | +9 | 52 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Everton | | 35 | 14 | 9 | 12 | 38 | 34 | +4 | 51 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Aston Villa | | 34 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 40 | 29 | +11 | 50 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Birmingham | | 34 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 27 | 29 | -2 | 46 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Barnsley | | 35 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 39 | 41 | -2 | 44 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Chelsea | | 35 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 38 | 37 | +1 | 41 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Man City | | 35 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 40 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Bolton | | 35 | 10 | 8 | 17 | 31 | 39 | -8 | 38 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Tottenham | | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 43 | 55 | -12 | 38 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Leicester | | 36 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 46 | -18 | 34 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Fulham | | 35 | 8 | 7 | 20 | 31 | 67 | -36 | 31 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | West Brom | | 35 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 17 | 48 | -31 | 28 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | R | Wigan | | 35 | 4 | 11 | 20 | 23 | 57 | -34 | 23 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 April, 2027 Liverpool, Premier League, Home After their first bottom-half finish in the club's Premier League history, Liverpool are back in the more familiar territory of fighting for an European spot. Roma's Swiss defender Bruno Bupupet (formerly of no less than six other EPL sides) was bought for ₤7M in January, with only Belgian veteran Hens van Campenhout offloaded to Tenerife for ₤2.5M. Italian defender Denis Urse has again been excellent though their problems are at the other end of the pitch, with expensive strikers like Mark Brierley and Craig Ramsay failing to score. Marchal and Alarcόn both failed to get around the keeper after making it through the defence, and both Alarcόn and Karpov missed with frees. Marchal finally beat the keeper in the 30th, only to see the ball come back off the crossbar, Alarcόn put one over the bar from close to the box and Ramírez and Stanley both had shots tipped over. Absolute domination in the first half from Rushden, for no result whatsoever. Alarcόn took the ball down the left of the area and, with Marchal free at the far post, missed both the goal and his team-mate with a horrible pass or shot – I couldn't even tell which. Alarcόn then put a header off the crossbar and Gazeau missed a free. Liverpool were hardly sighted for the whole game, and the whole thing was like a training exercise. Unfortunately, it was apparently not an exercise that involved scoring. Anton Grigoryan demanded a new wage and after I refused (he has been unremarkable this season, and I have a lot of promising keepers), he requested a transfer. Just to make matters worse, club stalwart James Johnson became upset at the situation as well. Deportivo, UEFA Cup quarter final, 1st leg, Home We have only faced Deportivo once before, losing to them in a 2018 pre-season friendly. The Spanish side has been up-and-down, with their 7th place finish last season their best in a decade. There's some quality in their side, such as Costa Rica winger Leonel Arias, who can score from distance, 190cm Uzbek defender Anvar Kurbanov and three former Rushden players – defender François Guichard and midfielders Zeljko Rakic and Marius Juodeikis. Just like the last game, Rushden had chances galore. Just like the last game, so many of them were wasted. At long last, Michael Wilson passed through for Marchal, who put us ahead just on half time. Deportivo did not have a shot for the entire half. The second did not start promisingly. Grigoryan had to make several saves, and Alarcόn and Marchal reached double figures in shots with still a single goal. A long ball from Johnson saw Alarcόn head in our second with fifteen minutes to go, and when Marchal flicked on a header, Stanley sealed a 3-0 win. Leicester, Premier League, Away Leicester are dangerously close to relegation, though not quite in the zone yet. Former Rushden midfielder Eamonn Bradshaw came from Cardiff for ₤550K to try and help keep them up though their side doesn't really look to have much quality across the board. Unlike the last few games, we had few chances. Leicester, despite their lowly position, had much of the first half play and scored through an elaborate chain of passes in the 2th. We went in at half time a goal down with barely a shot to show for our efforts. It took a long goal kick from Grigoryan to put us back in it, with Marchal heading on for partner Thomas, who dodged the keeper to score. Deportivo, UEFA Cup quarter final, 2nd leg, Away With a three-goal aggregate lead, we did not face much of a threat in this second leg. Nonetheless, the registration rules meant I didn't have many reserve players to choose from, leaving me with pretty much a full-strength side. Alarcόn had a headed goal disallowed as the first half ended scoreless. Ferreira scored his first goal for the club from a Wilson corner late in the game as we progressed to the semi final for the second time in our history. With a number of contracts ending next year, I re-signed Sergey Karpov until 2031 with a relatively small pay increase. Barnsley, Premier League, Home Fresh from a loan spell at Blackburn, where he was named Championship Player of the Month in December, and with a big new contract, right back Mark Nolan made his Rushden début. Barnsley have done well and are well clear of danger. Though they sold young winger Robert Morrison to Newcastle for ₤11M just before he made his début for Scotland, they signed another young Scottish international – versatile player Peter Molyneux [didn't he design Black & White?] - for ₤6.5M from St. Johnstone. Also joining were Brentford winger James Tanner (₤3.8M) and another Scottish international, forward Scott Wardlaw (₤6.75M from Cardiff, and a pretty good bargain). An early Barnsley shot went just wide, as did a header from inside the box, while Grigoryan had to save a third attempt. A quick spin and shot from Hofman forced a parry, and Marchal was there to hit it in in the 23rd. He put another off the crossbar a minute later. We were by no means unlucky – or if we were, it was no more unlucky than Birmingham. They, too, hit the crossbar in the second half, and had another save from Grigoryan. Another brilliant save from Man of the Match Grigoryan kept out a free in the 75th and though the game could have gone either way, it was our one goal that was the difference in the end. Barnsley, Premier League, Away Somewhere along the line, the fixture has got royally messed up, leaving us to play our two league games against Barnsley in the space of three days. Rushden took the lead within 90 seconds, thanks to a little flick from Gazeau past the keeper to Thomas. . That was his 50th goal for the club, and he soon added 51 when a Stanley shot was parried to him. Marchal came close in injury time, just putting the ball across the face of goal from a tight angle. Konig scored for Barnsley late in the game, leaving us 20 minutes to hold on. Ashley Winn twice put shots into Svensson's hands, but thankfully we did not need any more goals. West Brom, Premier League, Away West Brom look set for relegation, lasting just one season in the EPL just as they did when last here, in 15/16. 40-year-old Kasper Schmeichel has let through plenty of goals, though they are better in this regard than Fulham and Wigan. Scoring has been their problem, with an incredibly low 17 goals for the season. Villareal's Swedish midfielder Mats Danielsson joined on loan in January but has had no effect. We had multiple chances in the first half, despite losing Thomas to injury early. Substitute Ashley Winn put a few shots over, as did partner Marchal. Stanley had the best chance of the half when a poor clearance gave him the ball with the keeper out of position, only for him to miss the goal. Cieslewicz put Winn through the defence, and though his shot was saved, Ramírez tapped in the parry. West Brom were reduced to ten men late in the game and offered little resistance as we came away with another win. Birmingham, UEFA Cup semi final 1st leg, Home Curiously, there are three English sides left in this competition – Chelsea play Atlético in the other semi final. We played Birmingham on the first day of the new year, losing 1-0 away with Wilson missing an early penalty. Their scorer in that game was out, and they made no January signings. 23-year-old Polish striker Grzegorz Wolczyk is their leading scorer by far with 15. No other player has more than four. To put that in perspective, we have both Thomas and Marchal in double figures, with Davidson and Alarcόn on nine. Cieslewicz found the space for a long range shot in the eighth minute, putting his attempt over. Former Rushden reserve keeper Stephen Slade dealt easily with a Wilson corner and Alarcόn didn't even trouble him with a header. A quick Birmingham counter-attack left Rushden scrambling, and Grigoryan was only barely able to tip their shot wide. Alarcόn again missed with a header in the 57th and was replaced by David Davidson. He quickly went on a run in the 66th, collecting a long ball from Karpov and making it to the area. He couldn't get around the keeper though, and the shot was saved. Our best chance came in the 78th, when a throw went into the area and Marchal flicked on a header. Partner Davidson snapped off a shot, putting it wide of the out-of-position keeper and the goal. That may have been our best chance, but a good long ball from Gazeau combined with a brilliant run, dodge and shot from Marchal saw Rushden take the lead with just three minutes to go. Johnson rattled the crossbar as the game ended, leaving us with a one-goal lead in the away leg. Karpov was third as Player of the Month, Hofman was named Young Player of the Month (fellow full back Yordanov third) and I was third as Manager of the Month. Fourth is about as high as we can finish, and given that three of our last four games are against top-eight sides, including league leaders Manchester United, that will be a struggle. The good news is that Reading and Liverpool are a few points behind us so we should at least hold fifth spot. Incidentally, David Davison has probably the most bizarre record I've ever seen, with nine goals in nine Cup games against mostly top-flight opponents (only failing to score in our FA Cup loss against Man U), yet no goals in eight league and three Continental games. | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Man Utd | | 34 | 23 | 7 | 4 | 61 | 29 | +32 | 76 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Newcastle | | 35 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 48 | 22 | +26 | 68 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Arsenal | | 35 | 19 | 9 | 7 | 52 | 24 | +28 | 66 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Sunderland | | 35 | 16 | 10 | 9 | 50 | 32 | +18 | 58 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Rushden | | 34 | 15 | 12 | 7 | 39 | 28 | +11 | 57 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Reading | | 35 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 42 | 37 | +5 | 53 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Liverpool | | 35 | 15 | 8 | 12 | 31 | 33 | -2 | 53 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Cardiff | | 35 | 15 | 7 | 13 | 37 | 28 | +9 | 52 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Everton | | 35 | 14 | 9 | 12 | 38 | 34 | +4 | 51 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Aston Villa | | 34 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 40 | 29 | +11 | 50 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Birmingham | | 34 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 27 | 29 | -2 | 46 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Barnsley | | 35 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 39 | 41 | -2 | 44 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Chelsea | | 35 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 38 | 37 | +1 | 41 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Man City | | 35 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 40 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Bolton | | 35 | 10 | 8 | 17 | 31 | 39 | -8 | 38 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Tottenham | | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 43 | 55 | -12 | 38 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Leicester | | 36 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 46 | -18 | 34 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Fulham | | 35 | 8 | 7 | 20 | 31 | 67 | -36 | 31 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | West Brom | | 35 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 17 | 48 | -31 | 28 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | R | Wigan | | 35 | 4 | 11 | 20 | 23 | 57 | -34 | 23 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 May, 2027 Cardiff, Premier League, Home Cardiff have been solid this season, certainly in contention for Europe after tumbling to 13th last season following their shock second-placing in 24/25. Oddly, they greatly weakened their side in January. The only new signing was a backup keeper, while former Rushden winger Eamonn Bradshaw (₤550K to Leicester), quality Scottish forward Scott Wardlaw (₤6.75M to Barnsley) and young striker Rodney Milsom (₤4.3M to Sunderland) all departed. That leaves them a little thin up forward, though Turkish striker Usta Ferdi is a good player. Heinonen put a free right into the keeper's hands, and on the counter-attack, Cardiff forced Grigoryan to concede a corner. Davidson missed a few shots in the scoreless first half. Grigoryan emphasised his contract demands with a fine save from a free, while Thomas at the other end added to our missed chances. Karpov came forward at a corner and put a header over. Alarcόn and Gazeau came on to try and boost our attacking options as I switched to a diamond midfield. It was the Spanish striker who had an impact, heading Nolan's long pass for Stanley, but the winger took too long to shot and had the ball tipped away. Hofman had a free right on the edge of the area, and curiously chose to go backwards. Nolan sent the ball back for Segerström, who had his shot held. A long shot from Yordanov was parried as we entered the final ten minutes. Alarcόn again headed a team-mate through, this time fellow substitute Gazeau. He ran at the goal, only to shoot over the bar. A game of wasted chances – 14 shots for no goal. Birmingham, UEFA Cup semi final 2nd leg, Away That was not great form to take into this crucial game, which is a chance to make it to our first ever EURO Cup final. We have a slight one goal lead but at least any goals we score here will have the extra weight of being scored away. Admittedly, after our last performance, goals look unlikely, but one can only hope... If we do win, it will likely be a Rushden v Chelsea final, with the other English side winning 2-0 at home in their first leg. In the fifth minute, Yordanov flicked a pass up for Marchal to run onto. A defender got there first, and only managed to knock it into the area. Thomas, Marchal and several defenders converged on the ball, and somehow in the scramble, Thomas got out a shot which beat the keeper and gave us a two-goal lead. He wasted a chance to make certain of our win in the 20th, sending in a weak shot after Marchal played him behind the defence. Johnson barely cut out Polish striker Grzegorz Wolczyk later in the half and Grigoryan had to make a good save from him in the 35th. Thomas again failed to beat the keeper after Marchal set him up and Wolczyk finally made us pay with a goal in the 41st. 2-1 on aggregate. Thomas had yet another effort saved in injury time and we went on only needing to avoid conceding two goals. The second half was much quieter. Ramírez put one across the face of goal and it looked like Birmingham were not going to threaten. They started sending in long balls which were easily headed clear by Karpov and Segerström. Unfortunately, on receiving one of these headers, James Johnson waited too long to get rid of the ball, and was promptly dispossessed on the edge of the area. A split-second later, the ball was in the back of the net, and the aggregate was 2-2 – just an away goal advantage to Rushden with five minutes left. Birmingham came forward a minute later, and Wolczyk fired in a shot from an impossible distance...which beat Grigoryan and came back off the bar. The keeper dived on the ball before Birmingham could follow up, but it was a scare. Thankfully, it was the last one. We held on, and thanks to a three-goal performance from Atlético, will face them in the final. Bizarrely, my board were disappointed at the fact we lost in this leg, despite our progression to the final. Reading, Premier League, Away Argentinian defensive midfielder Michele Mariani made his début after returning from a loan spell at Sheffield United in the Championship. Reading may fall just short of European qualification despite adding to their squad with ₤3.4M Benfica defender Felice Federici. Defender Pat Gallen has been excellent in his first season at Reading and England international Chris Kerr is their leading scorer with 15. Thomas had two shots saved in the first minute and on the counter-attack Reading nearly scored when Ferreira gave the ball away. Another Thomas shot was kept out in the 5th, yet again wasting a set-up from Marchal. A close-range header from the Reunion striker was parried and an attempt from Ramirez to follow up was held. Yet another save from Thomas saw the ball spill free to Nolan, only for a defender to get in and clear the ball. Six shots from one striker alone in the first half, five on target and no goals. Reading came forward in the 62nd, and a tug on a jumper from Yordanov resulted in a penalty. The shot went to the left, and Grigoryan guessed correctly, punching it away. A second yellow card reduced Reading to ten men with a dozen minutes left but Marchal and Gazeau missed shots as we recorded another draw. Tottenham, Premier League, Home With just two games to go, we sit on 59 points. Liverpool and Sunderland each only have one game to go, with 57 and 61 points respectively. Hence, we can finish between 4th and 6th. Tottenham are quite a fair way down the table despite picking up a new keeper, David Hardwick for ₤2.1M from Man U. Australian defender Peter Caton has been good for them once again and young England international Scott Haddow has scored 17 goals. Mariani had a shot saved in the first few minutes and Nolan headed over a corner. Stanley sent in a terrific ball to Davidson in the 10th. The striker took it in the area in space, and would surely go on to score his first league goal. Right? Well, he walked the ball right into the keeper, and the chance was wasted. Stanley tried again in the 15th, this time crossing to Nolan. He nodded down an awkward header which landed right next to him, and this time Davidson snuck in and scored behind the keeper. At long last, a league goal for the Cup star. Tottenham equalised just a few minutes later, with an innocuous shot catching Grigoryan off-guard and dribbling in. A counter-attack saw them get one-on-one with Grigoryan, and they got the shot past him all too easily. We were suddenly behind, and despite 45 minutes of outright attack, the closest we came were misses from Gazeau and Davidson. A terrible loss, throwing away the chance to move up a spot on the table. Manchester United, Premier League, Home United have already won the title and by some distance. They knocked us out of the FA Cup and beat us in the Carling Cup final, and had the chance to prevent us going to 4th. Then again, Sunderland could do that just by drawing against Everton, and Liverpool could leapfrog us by beating Newcastle. Yordanov ensured we would not move up the table, conceding an own goal in the 11th. We did not play too badly, but conceded a second goal. Sunderland retained 4th spot with a draw, and the only good news was that Liverpool were beaten. Michael Wilson came third as Young Player of the Year for our only award. Atlético, UEFA Cup Final, Neutral Atlético are 5th in the Primera Division, just where they finished last year. Having beaten Chelsea 3-0 and Juventus 4-0 in this competition already, there's no doubting their threat. There's quality internationals all over the park in their side, including Spanish keeper Patricio Lopez, Macedonian defender Arben Georgievski, Venezuelan wing back Eduardo Rivas, Italian midfielder/forward Cristiano Gamba and Mexican striker Gustavo Salas. Our side was as follows: GK: Anton Grigoryan RB: James Johnson LB: Grigor Yordanov CB: Niklas Segerström CB: Sergey Karpov DM: Maciej Cieslewicz RM: René Hofman LM: Michael Wilson CM: Sebastian Gazeau CF: Laurent Marchal CF: Sergio Alarcόn Sub: Graeme Stanley Sub: José Gregorio Ramírez Sub: Juho Heinonen Sub: Ferreira Sub: Patrice Thomas Sub: Juan Pablo Navarro Sub: David Davidson The game was a stale-mate for the early moments. In the 20th, Alarcόn played partner Marchal through, only for the striker to miss despite being wide open. After a few wild shots from Atlético, we got a free 25 yards out in the 26th. The newly re-signed Sergey Karpov took the kick, as our primary right-side free kick taker. He aimed for the top left corner, and buried it perfectly. His first goal for the season, and what a time to do it. Just three minutes later, Salas levelled the scores. We earned a corner in the 38th, which was quickly cleared. Cieslewicz gathered it around 30 yards out and passed back into the area. World Cup winner Sebastian Gazeau took it, spun and scored. 2-1 at the end of the first 45 minutes. Marchal missed another simple chance in the 50th, heading over a Cieslewicz cross from inside the box. Atlético had Gamba sent off in the 54th. Marchal came forward in the 75th and took a shot at the keeper. The ball was parried back slightly past him to his marker, who inexplicably sent the ball straight back towards the goal. Only a last-second clearance off the line avoided an own goal. Heinonen came off the bench and missed a free from the edge of the area and Alarcόn had a shot saved after Wilson crossed to him in the area. Wilson slammed one off the crossbar in injury time, but with the ball in Rushden's half so much, Atlético didn't even have a chance to equalise. At last, a major trophy for Rushden – we'd won the UEFA Cup. That delighted the fans and board, and finally got me into the Hall of Fame for Australian managers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 The season in review Summary | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | ECC | Man Utd | | 38 | 26 | 8 | 4 | 67 | 31 | +36 | 86 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | ECC | Newcastle | | 38 | 21 | 12 | 5 | 51 | 22 | +29 | 75 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | ECC | Arsenal | | 38 | 21 | 9 | 8 | 55 | 26 | +29 | 72 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | ECC | Sunderland | | 38 | 17 | 11 | 10 | 52 | 34 | +18 | 62 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | UC | Rushden | | 38 | 15 | 14 | 9 | 40 | 32 | +8 | 59 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | UC | Aston Villa | | 38 | 14 | 15 | 9 | 43 | 31 | +12 | 57 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | UC | Liverpool | | 38 | 16 | 9 | 13 | 33 | 34 | -1 | 57 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Reading | | 38 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 42 | 38 | +4 | 55 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Cardiff | | 38 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 38 | 30 | +8 | 54 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Everton | | 38 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 41 | 37 | +4 | 54 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | ITC | Birmingham | | 38 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 31 | 33 | -2 | 51 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Barnsley | | 38 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 44 | 45 | -1 | 49 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Chelsea | | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 45 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Tottenham | | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 46 | 58 | -12 | 43 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Man City | | 38 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 24 | 25 | -1 | 42 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | UC | Bolton | | 38 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 32 | 40 | -8 | 42 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Leicester | | 38 | 8 | 10 | 20 | 29 | 49 | -20 | 34 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | R | Fulham | | 38 | 8 | 9 | 21 | 33 | 71 | -38 | 33 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | R | West Brom | | 38 | 8 | 8 | 22 | 18 | 49 | -31 | 32 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | R | Wigan | | 38 | 5 | 12 | 21 | 24 | 59 | -35 | 27 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pkd | Name | Apps | Gls | Ast | MoM | Pas | Tck | Drb | Sh T | Av Rat| | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | GK | Anton Grigoryan | 58 | - | 1 | 6 | 51% | - | - | - | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MR | René Hofman | 45 (1) | 1 | 4 | - | 71% | 3.68 | 1.09 | 38% | 7.09 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Niklas Segerström | 43 (1) | - | - | 8 | 64% | 4.66 | 0.25 | - | 7.43 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ML | Michael Wilson | 42 (5) | 2 | 10 | 1 | 68% | 2.12 | 0.73 | 45% | 6.89 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DC | Sergey Karpov | 42 (1) | 1 | - | 3 | 63% | 4.12 | 0.12 | 53% | 7.40 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Laurent Marchal | 40 (7) | 18 | 5 | 4 | 63% | 0.23 | 1.21 | 54% | 7.04 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | FC | Sergio Alarcón | 36 (9) | 9 | 5 | 3 | 65% | 0.40 | 1.15 | 48% | 6.84 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S2 | José Gregorio Ramírez | 34 (3) | 6 | 7 | 3 | 75% | 2.76 | 0.82 | 47% | 7.22 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | MC | Sébastien Gazeau | 33 (7) | 7 | 6 | 2 | 72% | 2.16 | 1.36 | 53% | 7.13 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DL | Grigor Yordanov | 32 (7) | 1 | 4 | - | 73% | 2.52 | 0.55 | 41% | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DR | James Johnson | 31 (5) | - | 5 | 1 | 71% | 2.93 | 0.21 | - | 7.06 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | DMC | Maciej Cieslewicz | 28 (1) | - | 4 | 1 | 72% | 2.04 | 1.66 | 11% | 7.07 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S5 | Graeme Stanley | 26 (6) | 2 | 7 | - | 70% | 1.49 | 2.67 | 30% | 7.13 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S4 | Patrice Thomas | 25 (12) | 15 | 2 | 1 | 70% | 0.33 | 0.84 | 58% | 6.89 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S1 | Ferreira | 25 (3) | 1 | - | 2 | 63% | 3.79 | 0.28 | - | 7.14 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S6 | Juan Pablo Navarro | 25 (1) | 4 | 4 | 1 | 67% | 1.40 | 1.69 | 48% | 7.19 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Daniel Goiria | 24 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 72% | 1.24 | 2.09 | 42% | 7.25 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S3 | Juho Heinonen | 22 (4) | 1 | 2 | - | 70% | 2.86 | 0.24 | 25% | 7.04 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | S7 | David Davidson | 18 (4) | 10 | 3 | 2 | 74% | 0.11 | 1.25 | 60% | 6.95 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Olivier da Silva | 16 (2) | 1 | 1 | - | 74% | 2.26 | 0.24 | - | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Robin Grunholz | 13 (1) | - | - | - | 62% | 2.05 | 0.07 | - | 7.36 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Mark Nolan | 7 | - | - | - | 67% | 2.29 | 1.29 | - | 6.86 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Kenneth Bergseth | 7 | - | - | - | 56% | - | - | - | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Ashley Winn | 5 (3) | 2 | - | - | 75% | 0.17 | 2.19 | 61% | 6.88 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Ali Selmi | 5 (1) | 1 | - | - | 70% | 0.25 | 0.49 | 50% | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | José Luis Fuente | 5 | - | 1 | - | 70% | 1.40 | 0.60 | - | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Michele Mariani | 2 | - | - | - | 66% | 2.50 | 0.50 | - | 7.50 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | - | Lorenzo Costantini | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1.00 | - | 7.00 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Though the board and players were disappointed with our final place of 5th, I really think it was a good result for the quality of the squad. Admittedly, we did get off to a fabulous unbeaten start, though even then we did not sit at the top of the table since we had many draws in that run. The sales of Bohman and Hontecillas may have been premature in hindsight, especially with Bohman performing so well. Still, we won the UEFA Cup without them, and had great runs in the domestic cups before we ran into Manchester United. We were very reliant on Grigoryan in goal, though he did not perform exceptionally. Karpov and Segerström were excellent in the centre of defence, and while Grunholz showed promise, his poor attitude off pitch prevented him from getting more of a run. Without Bohman and Hontecillas, the midfield looked a little weak. Ramírez was still good in the centre despite his contract demands and Goiria, Stanley and Gazeau were dangerous on the left wing. The major problem was the right wing, with Navarro often injured and defenders Nolan and Hofman having to play there. Davidson was brilliant in the cups and terrible elsewhere, while Marchal, Thomas and Alarcόn were inconsistent. It's good we have young players coming along, with Davidson, Hofman, Yordanov and Wilson all under 22 and just two players over 28. Around the world: major awards and results Rushden Supporters’ Player of the Year: Laurent Marchal World Player of the Year: Cao Bin (Arsenal) World Footballer of the Year: Oscar Montero (Man U) England: Winner: Man U Relegated: Fulham, West Brom, WIgan Promoted: Middlesbrough, Ipswich, Leeds Spain: Sevilla Italy Roma Champions Cup: Manchester United UEFA Cup: Rushden \o/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donners Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 The Transfers Players In | Date | Person | From | Fee | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22.6.2026 | Hauser, József | Free Transfer | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Tinoco, Adrián | Betis | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Gazeau, Sébastien | Marseille | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Ferreira | Paris-SG | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Grunholz, Robin | FC Bayern | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Matoso, Francisco José | Atlético | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Rossi, Alessio | Milan | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Rodríguez, Carlos | Valencia | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10.7.2026 | Placidi, Nicola | Ternana | £875K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18.8.2026 | Gyorev, Dimo | Loko (Plovdiv) | £35K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21.8.2026 | Stanley, Graeme | Hibernian | £3.8M | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2027 | Romero, Juan Luis | Colo Colo | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7.1.2027 | Davidson, David | Aston Villa | £4.3M | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10.1.2027 | Brandal, Per Øyvind | Fredrikstad | £9K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10.1.2027 | Hoås, Eivind | Rosenborg | £160K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14.1.2027 | Pedersen, Tor Magnus | Odd Grenland | £30K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.1.2027 | Gaup, Kristian | Start | Free | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £9.25M | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Players Out | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Bahri, Othman | Ipswich | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Pucher, Mario | Austria Wien | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Vasas, István | Crystal Palace | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Siabanis, Giorgos | Udinese | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Hjelle, Thomas | West Brom | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Eerhart, Thom | Aston Villa | £2.4M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Åberg, Stefan | Pescara | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Pedersen, Morten | Ascoli | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Anderson, Chris | Sunderland | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Cardin, Luigi | Palermo | £5M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Kuusisto, Heikki | Aston Villa | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Squillace, Marco | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.7.2026 | Tahraoui, Mohamed Cherif | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7.7.2026 | Miguel, Daniel | Roma | £4.4M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 26.7.2026 | Sánchez, Sergio | Sevilla | £4.8M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3.8.2026 | Fiori, Mario | Juventus | £7.25M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8.8.2026 | Manfredi, Daniele | Middlesbrough | £3.5M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23.8.2026 | Hodges, Stafford | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23.8.2026 | Montinari, Marco | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23.8.2026 | Cook, James | Free Transfer | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 30.8.2026 | Holmen, Kim | Barcelona | £12.5M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2027 | Ferrante, Luigi | Benfica | £1M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.1.2027 | Winther, Rolf | Sheff Wed | £35K | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3.1.2027 | Bohman, Tobias | Valencia | £17M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8.1.2027 | Mofokeng, Philani | Tenerife | £2.6M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 27.1.2027 | Hontecillas, Sebastián | Chelsea | £15.5M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £76M | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Loans Out | Date | Person | To | Fee | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2026 | Bell, Andy | Falkirk | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3.7.2026 | Díaz, Juan | Ejido | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4.7.2026 | Johansson, Jimmy | Celtic | Ln Fee £150K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19.7.2026 | Tapp, Drew | Fulham | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.7.2026 | Kloppenborg, Martin | Hearts | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21.7.2026 | Nduka, Vincent | Tottenham | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3.8.2026 | Tinoco, Adrián | Q.P.R. | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7.8.2026 | Boyd, Gavin | Rotherham | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9.8.2026 | Nolan, Mark | Blackburn | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11.8.2026 | Matoso, Francisco José | Doncaster | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11.8.2026 | Rossi, Alessio | Blackpool | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13.8.2026 | Bogdanovic, Uros | Gillingham | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14.8.2026 | Baudi, David | Pescara | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15.8.2026 | Hauksson, Hermann | Sheff Utd | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21.8.2026 | Mariani, Michele | Sheff Utd | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24.8.2026 | White, Joe | Wycombe | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 26.8.2026 | Placidi, Nicola | Chester | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 31.8.2026 | Gröbl, Boris | Aberdeen | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2.9.2026 | Bourabia, Stéphane | Coventry | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 25.9.2026 | Steele, Harvey | Southend | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1.12.2026 | Franklin, Emile | Southampton | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14.12.2026 | Gyorev, Dimo | Gillingham | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 25.12.2026 | Molina, Aníbal | Amkar | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 25.12.2026 | Moroe, Michiharu | Amkar | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5.1.2027 | Romero, Juan Luis | Ejido | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 25.1.2027 | Moroe, Michiharu | Amkar | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 25.1.2027 | Molina, Aníbal | Amkar | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 26.1.2027 | Castro, Oswaldo | Wigan | Loan | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £150K | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Youth In | Date | Person | To | Fee | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2026 | Maisano, Craig | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2026 | Pollock, Andrew | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2026 | Millar, Lawrie | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2026 | Collett, David | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2026 | Evans, Steven | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2026 | Little, Mark | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2026 | Shaw, Robert | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20.6.2026 | Taylor, Mike | Rushden | Free | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | Total | | £0 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Gazeau was the notable success of the inclusions, named Signing of the Year. There were a few other successful free signings, with Ferreira solid in defence and Grunholz playing well before his bad attitude took over. Tinoco and Matoso are already attracting attention from big sides and at the age of 16, Gaup already looks a huge prospect. I spent a club record ₤9.25M, with Irish winger Stanley and Villa striker Davidson our two most expensive signings. Stanley did okay considering the competition for his spot, while Davidson was an enigma. The rest of the signings are young and cannot be judged for a while. Our slump could be at least partly attributed to the sale of some of our best players, albeit for big fees. Holmen was easily replaced, but Bohman and Hontecillas were quality players who left a gap. Hontecillas played just six league games for Chelsea, and the others, while regular players, did not stand out. Indeed, of all the players who left, only Åberg had a real impact. Mark Nolan made the Championship Select side and Drew Tapp played a full season in the EPL with Fulham. None of the other players loaned out looked particularly impressive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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