Northernpilgrim Posted January 5, 2016 Author Share Posted January 5, 2016 Except, in June, I asked again, and this time they said yes, and offered a 2 year deal (effectively a 1 year extension to my existing contract), so if we go down and they don't sack me, my final year of my contract will be a promotion challenge Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Norwich go up, Ipswich go down Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dllu Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Norwich go up, Ipswich go down I have a feeling someone else here is going to like that... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 6, 2016 Author Share Posted January 6, 2016 I have a feeling someone else here is going to like that... If I posted the full league tables, Nobby would go potty! Stoke in Europe (via the league no less), and Port Vale down to the Conference. My former club Notts County drop out of League 1, Eastleigh narrowly avoided relegation from the National League, Bolton finished 9th in League 1 after relegation last season, Aston Villa survive another season in the Premier League, and Walsall finished mid table in League 1, having been relegated last season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deisler26 Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 What about Gillingham, Wycombe and Stevenage? Congratulations on promotion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 It was a busy preseason off the pitch, and the Arsenal result gives me hope we can survive this season There was also quite a lot of transfer activity in and out Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 What about Gillingham, Wycombe and Stevenage?Congratulations on promotion. Thanks Deisler. Gillingham finished 3rd in League 1, but didn't go up via the playoffs. They lost to Millwall in the semis, who went on to clinch promotion. Wycombe won the League 2 playoffs and will play in League 1 next season, and Stevenage were 9th in League 2. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 All of which leaves the squad looking like this Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 If I posted the full league tables, Nobby would go potty! Stoke in Europe (via the league no less), and Port Vale down to the Conference. My former club Notts County drop out of League 1, Eastleigh narrowly avoided relegation from the National League, Bolton finished 9th in League 1 after relegation last season, Aston Villa survive another season in the Premier League, and Walsall finished mid table in League 1, having been relegated last season. Awesome. All it would need now is for Newcastle Town for somehow to be promoted up from level 8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 Awesome. All it would need now is for Newcastle Town for somehow to be promoted up from level 8. That's NEVER going to happen!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 It's been a terrible start to the season, the only bright spot being new signing Munir and we're already 3 points from safety with a woeful goal difference Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 Special mention needs to be made of Constantin Nicu. He hasn't had a very good start to the season. Sent off in the first game against Man Utd, banned for the West Brom game, sent off again against Norwich, banned for 2 games. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 September was a little better but we're still in the bottom 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 I'm reasonably happy with October too, especially as we can escape the drop zone by winning our game in hand (home to Wolves on 1st Nov) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 We went through November unbeaten, picking up valuable points in the process# and we're (temporarily at least) in the top half of the table, which looks very much as though it's split in two, with the top 6 pulling away, and everybody else involved in the relegation discussion at this stage Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 I restored my 'Plan B' formation at the start of this month, having stopped using it as a first choice tactic very early last season. I figured that if we're going to go down, we'll do it all guns blazing. If it starts to look like we're heading for a tailspin, I'll change it again, but it's doing well so far. Longo and Sinclair seem to be fitting into it particularly well, which is pleasing Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 10, 2016 Author Share Posted January 10, 2016 December was a really interesting month. First the results Statistically we dominated the Derby game, despite being on the end of a 5-1 hammering. Shots (28-17), on target we lost out (8-10), and possession (51-49). I'd have expected a game like that to end as a draw, possibly a 1 goal win for either side. Swansea dominated the game against us, but we took the lead on 14 minutes, conceded on 33 and held on for a point, which we probably didn't deserve. The Everton game was very equal in terms of shots (13-12), and shots on target, but we had the lion share of the ball (59-41), which may well have been decisive in getting the win. Against Chelsea it was again very even, shots (8-12), on target (3-3), and possession (51-49), and we kept them out for 73 minutes before conceding a very good goal. Proud of the performance, gutted we didn't get the point that would have felt like a win. Finally, Arsenal. The result, wow, unexpected point, but we definitely didn't deserve it. Arsenal dominated shots (6-25), on target (1-8), and possession (45-55), but we took the lead on 37 minutes, Arsenal equalised on 66, and we somehow held on for a point. All of which leaves the table looking like this, with exactly half the season gone Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dllu Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Wow - so close! Don't think I've ever seen a table where only 6 points(!) separated 8th and last place after 19 rounds. This could still end with anything from Europa League to relegation... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 11, 2016 Author Share Posted January 11, 2016 Wow - so close! Don't think I've ever seen a table where only 6 points(!) separated 8th and last place after 19 rounds. This could still end with anything from Europa League to relegation... 2 wins in January, which should have been 3 as we blew a 2-0 lead in the last 20 minutes against Man Utd and the league table is a little less tight now. Realistically 9th is our best possible finish, whilst I'll be delighted just to survive in the division. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 11, 2016 Author Share Posted January 11, 2016 No signings made in the January window, but I let two players leave to free up some squad space Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 11, 2016 Author Share Posted January 11, 2016 On 11th February, this appeared in my inbox I don't know if I'll still be in charge after the end of the season, as we'll have achieved the promotion I needed, and avoided the relegation Neil Warnock suffered with Sheffield United. The fact I need another promotion from the Championship is leading me towards leaving at the end of the season, but I will make a decision after the end of the current season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 February was a month of contrast, starting with a couple of narrow victories, then a hammering from Tottenham, and finally a home draw with QPR and those points have surely taken us to the brink of survival Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 Not much to shout about with this year's youth intake Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 Spice, John, Yeoman and Crowhurst have all been offered deals, the rest have been immediately released Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 On 29th March, there was more takeover news Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 Francesco Becchetti is the current real life owner of Leyton Orient, and I don't really have an interest in working for him, so if this deal is done, it'll definitely see me leave, although that looks likely anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 After shipping so many goals against Tottenham and failing to beat QPR in February, I switched to 4-2-3-1 at the start of March, which saw results improve after an initial hiccup and I think we're pretty near safety now. It'll take an unusual series of results to see us go down from here Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 A fantastic April, but I can't take credit for the Arsenal result, as my Ass Man was in charge for that one and we're assured a top half finish Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 Mathematically the title is a four horse race, but I think realistically Arsenal are out of the running. Arsenal and Liverpool will fight for the final Champions League spot, with the loser going into the Europa League. Liverpool are assured of at least a Europa League spot, as even if they drop to 6th, Tottenham won the Capital One Cup, so if they finish 5th Liverpool will get their cup spot. At the other end, Stoke's relegation is confirmed, a dramatic fall from last year. The other two spots will go to any two of Derby, Wolves, Villa, Southampton, West Brom and QPR. The clubs between 7th and 13th have nothing but pride and minor variations in league placing to fight for. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 I think we ran out of steam in May but I'm delighted with the season, and how I'll leave Bournemouth Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 And straight after the last game, I've resigned. The very day I left, a job has come up that I want. Let's see if I get it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dllu Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Congrats on finishing best of the rest... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 Congrats on finishing best of the rest... Thanks dllu Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 Following their relegation from the Premier League, and given they qualified for Europe the season before, there was one job that really interested me after leaving Bournemouth, and I got it I was also interviewed for the Aston Villa job (they approached me), but they weren't quick enough. Hope you're happy with your team's new gaffer Nobby!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 Having taken over and assessed the squad, it's obvious that the urgent priority is to sign a goalkeeper Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 I may have wanted to sign a goalkeeper, but Stoke's wage bill is maxed out, so that's not going to happen Luckily, I found this guy lurking in the reserves Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 I also found centre back Eliaquim Mangala there too, so I've brought him back into the fold. I really don't know what went on last season, but there is no way a squad with this quality should be in the Championship. Give me a season and they won't be!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 Preseason results have been encouraging Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 There were no signings, but plenty of departures in the summer window Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 And our squad looks like this at the start of the season Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 14, 2016 Author Share Posted January 14, 2016 An unbeaten, but unspectacular, start to the season and maybe I picked the wrong option, as Aston Villa are the early leaders Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 14, 2016 Author Share Posted January 14, 2016 The unbeaten start is over, but still an ok September and we're still in the playoff places Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 I expect promotion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Good luck taking them up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 15, 2016 Author Share Posted January 15, 2016 I expect promotion. So do I Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 15, 2016 Author Share Posted January 15, 2016 Good luck taking them up. Thanks deltablue Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 15, 2016 Author Share Posted January 15, 2016 A near perfect October. I had to let the Ass Man take control of the last game due to repeated crash dump on the final matchday, and that was the only game we didn't win all month and that meant we fell off top spot at the end of the month Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 17, 2016 Author Share Posted January 17, 2016 Another solid, unbeaten month in November and we're 3 clear at the top Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpilgrim Posted January 18, 2016 Author Share Posted January 18, 2016 Apart from a narrow loss in a very tight game against Watford, December was perfect leaving us 6 clear of Sunderland, and 10 clear of Millwall in 3rd and me with the Manager of the Month award Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dllu Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Rio Ferdinand manager at Watford! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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