Aldershot Town FC Story

[SeattleFan]

This is my first shot at a FM 2014 story so I’ll do my best and first time playing the game. I have decided to play as Aldershot Town FC. They are in the skrill premier league.

Just a bit of history of myself

Growing up in Hamilton, Ontario Canada I was a huge hockey fan and after completing the SWMM scouting and GM course I knew what it would take to run a successful franchise. However there was no shot in becoming a team manager in hockey unless you had your foot in the door or basically knew someone. Like the saying goes it’s not what you know it’s who you know. So I decided to take my management skills and apply them to a soccer team. So here I am sitting in my Hamilton apartment as i just finished my smww hockey gm and scouting course I have decided to give up my hockey dream and begin my soccer manager team. After a poor past couple of seasons it was known in the media that the Aldershot Town FC has recently fired their Manager and has begun their search for their new manager in hopes to change the franchise around and build their club. As I look at the possible ideas to help change the club I would decide to fax my resume to the ownership of Aldershot and after a few interviews as a canadate for the manager position I got a few phone calls later to find out that out of all of the managers that they interviewed i was the best one for the job so now I have been named as the new Aldershot Town FC Team Manager.

My plan is to not go on a spending spree and buy a crap load of players through the transfer window. My whole plan is to scout, rebuild and once the players reach their age where players in our organization can take over their spots in the organization then we will decide to sell them off to other clubs and develop younger players again.

July 2013

July 2nd

In what may have been as a surprise appointment, the Aldershot board has named a virtually unknown Canadian Head Coach as their new boss. Rick Stevens who turns 28 next birthday was introduced to fans and journalists alike at the Recreation Ground this morning.

I have been given a 1 yr deal until June 2014-08-16

The boards expections for the season is to avoid relegation. We have 16k payroll per week and a $0 transfer budget.

Today was just a meet and greet with the board and my assistant coach Terry Bullivant of which he will be setting up a intra-squad friendly tomorrow for me to get a look at the possible players on our club.

The only player on our club via loan is Portsmouth’s Adam Webster. Who is a 18 yr old defender (Center)

Our training facilities is a 1 * and our Youth Facilities is 0.5 *, I plan on making our youth squad successful and our main squad successful in a few years.

July 3rd

The chairman holds a local press conference to introduce me to the local media.

Today our staff scheduled a friendly game between our Aldershot and our Aldershot U21 roster.

Rick Stevens faced the media for the first time as Aldershot boss today as he attended a press conference to announce his new role. Stevens field a range of questions such as his relationship with the board from BBC surrey and the Non-League Paper.

BBC Surrey chose the main fouce point for the conference with the journalist Jon Frith asking “Do you feel that your ambitions for the club are matched by the chairman”

Stevens responded calmly, saying “I do, yes our discussions are often creative and there are alot of good ideas floated which promise good things for the future”

Onto our friendly game against our U21 Squad

Aldershot vs Aldershot U21 (Friendly)

Aldershot Key Man is Bradley Bubb where as Aldershot U21 Key Man is Adam Webster

Final: 6-2 Aldershot W over U21 Squad

Aldershot: Brett Williams 4g; Martin Rowlands 1g; Chris Baker 1g

Aldershot U21: Richard Golding 1g; Trevor Walker 1g

Stats:

Aldershot U21 – Aldershot

Goals: 2 - 6

Shots: 8 - 16

Shots on Target: 3 - 7

Tackles: 12 - 20

Fouls: 7 - 10

Yellow Cards: 0 - 1

Red Cards: 0 -0

Injuries: 1 -0

Passing %: 68 – 75

Post Game Review:

Aldershot turned their possession into goals with a 6-2 win over the Aldershot Town Under 21s. The game will be remembered for a remarkable display of goals scoring from Aldershot’s Brett Williams.

Rowlands was able to keep his composure to score from the spot after Roberts gave away a penalty. Aldershot Under 21’s equalizer came through Richard Goldings as he seized on Craig Stanley’s mistake to score a real poacher’s effort from 16 meters. Striker Brett Williams then put Aldershot back in from after 38 minutes with an incisive finish from 12 meters.

An error from Aldershot Under 21’s Mark Bailey allowed Williams to score a fine header from pointblank range. Experienced center back Chris Baker then added to the lead with a good header from just inside the six yard box in the 49th minute.

Brett Williams added his 3rd goal of the game with a place shot from long range in the 69th minute. He then added his 4th goal of the game with a close range finish which was timed impeccably in the 7th minute. An error from Aldershot’s Craig Stanley allowed midfielder Trevor Walker to score an accurate finish from some distance. It was a sensational effort from Walker and captured the attention of fans and pundits alike.

One of our strikers from our Aldershot main squad Bradley Budd suffered a pulled hamstring after chasing the ball in today’s game. Our physio Ed Owen has informed me that Bubb will be out of action for 5-6 weeks while he is treated.

Our next game is scheduled for the 6th of July against Slough on the road in another friendly game.

July 4th

We have added Scout Lee Maybury to our scouting staff. We have asked him to go scout England looking for atleast 3* players and atleast the age of 15 to help us get players for our U18 and U21 squads.

July 5th

We have added Bobby Roberts to our scouting staff. He will be off to scout players in Whales and will be scouting for 3* players and atleast 15 yrs old.

July 6th

Today we head on the road against Slough in a friendly game

Aldershot @ Slough (Friendly)

Aldershot is using a 2-1-2-4 vs. Slough is using a 2-4-4

Aldershot key man is Brett Williams, Slough key man is Joseph Wakeling

Final: 1-0 Aldershot win

Aldershot: Tristian Plummer 1g

Stats:

Aldershot - Slough

Goals: 1-0

Shots: 12-6

Shots on Target: 1-2

Fouls: 16-14

Yellow Cards: 0-0

Red Cards: 0-1

Injuries: 0-0

Average Rating: 6.64 – 6.55

Possession: 46 % - 54 %

Passing %: 69 % - 70 %

Post Game Review:

Aldershot Town Produced a good display this afternoon to see off the challenge of Slough Town at Holloways Park.

Aldershot Town Finally took the lead when striker Tristian Plummer scored a nice effort from 15 meters in the 42nd minute. Things went from bad to worse for Slough Town as center back Nigel Donaldson earned himself an early shower for a vicious foul in the 72nd minute.

Aldershot had a number of attempts at goal but their profligacy meant they didn’t score as many as they maybe would have liked.

We have signed defensive Midfielder Brice Irie-Bi. He is a 20 yr old from Ivory Coast. He is 5`10 165lbs

July 7th

We hold a press conference to welcome Brice Irie-Bi to the media.

Stevens “I am delighted to be able to welcome Brice to the club.”

Reporter “As Irie-Bi is just 20 yrs old, do you see this signing more as one for the future.”

Stevens “I think that’s definitely the case, I am always looking to build for the future”

Reporter “How much research did you and your staff put into this signing, a player who is a relative unknown”

Stevens: “ The Player has been thoroughly scouted and we’re confident that Brice will do well for the club”

Reporter: “Do you think it will be a problem that brice doesn’t speak English?”

Stevens: “I have no concern, soccer is a universal language and Brice will get on just fine”

Reporter: “Irie-Bi arrives at Aldershot as the only Ivorian player. It can be though for a foreign players to adapt to a new country, so will you perhaps look to sign a compatriot to keep Brice company.”

Stevens: “I am looking to help Irie-Bi in whatever way I can”

July 8th

Aldershot U18 team lost their game against Oxford U18 2-1.

Head of Youth Development Steve Moss was present as Aldershot Town Under 18s shuffered defeat against Oxford U18. Moss commented on Matt Rudolph’s performance during the game. The Aldershot Town central Midfielder looked comfortable on the ball and showed a couple of nice touches.

Simon Miley got the lone goal for our U18 squad, as Albi Skendi and Mark Jones both scored for Oxford U18 team

July 9th

My secretary has received a fax from the England Players Association inviting me and my staff to attend the English trail day. The trail day will be on July 12th with 40 players attending. Our assistant has gave me a list of 8 players to take a look at.

We will be attending the trail day

July 10th

Aldershot U21 battled to a 1-1 tie with Havant & W U21

Head of Youth Development Steve Moss was present as Aldershot U21 and Havant & Waterlooville U21 battled to a 1-1 draw. Moss picked out Adam Webster’s performance to comment on. The Aldershot defender looked tidy and hardly put a foot wrong all game.

Aldershot U21 loan goal was from Richard Golding

July 11th

Our U18 squad is taking on Basingstoke U18

Steve Moss was present as Aldershot U18 managed to draw against Basingstoke U18 to a 3-3 draw. Moss picked out Matt Ridolph’s performance to comment on. The central midfielder looked comfortable on the ball and showed a couple of nice touches.

Aldershot U18 Goals: Will Bowery (10); Olivier Grant 2 (Pen 64, 89)

July 12th

Today is the English trail day. We will be attending the Trailists Team 3 take on Team 4

We will be looking at a possible of 7 players we might put offers into today.

The English trail game finished out to a 1-1 tie final. Nat Taylor scored for Team 4 and Victor Zapata scored for Team 3