Revenge in Nottingham

[glynnbob]

just to let you no irish the jimmy sirrel stand season ticket holder's just started his game last night with a fairly attacking 4-4-2 i've so far p5 w3 d1 l1 stuggling to sign players though only managed to get a liverpool u18 at the moment oh and filipe morais amr he's fairly good

[irishregan]

hopefully you can go all the way glynnbob! Will be interested to see if u can get promoted first time around. I should have done, but made a balls of it.

[irishregan]

5th September Notts County vs Fulham

The league leaders visit Meadow Lane, and new signings Barragan and Lupoli are in the team to take them on.

Our new striker has a dream start, capitalising on a goalkeeping blooper to tap in after just 25 SECONDS! Then in the 28th minute he manages to win us a penalty, which Flamini duly misses. This is followed almost immediately by a Fulham equaliser, which hardly sweetens my mood going into the break but I decide to go easy, considering who we are playing.

We have the better of the 2nd half, and the game as a whole, yet there is no finish and we end up with a draw.

Notts County 1-1 Fulham ATT: 7904

Maybe I can't see the bigger picture here, but I am so monumentally ****ed off after the game that I start to seriously consider my position. I'm so disappointed with the way we have played this year. They're playing like they want me to get fired. After a lot of soul searching, and a reminder from the wife that I am on 3 grand a week, I decide to soldier on...for now.

8th September Stoke vs Notts County

The home side are going nicely in 6th place. Giuffrida plays at MR. We go behind on 7 minutes, 6 minutes later Lupoli pops up to finish off a cross for his 2nd in as many games. However, we fall away badly and start to get dominated, resulting in another goal for them 5 minutes before the break. Words of encouragement do little to rectify things, and we concede again (53). We never looked up to it in this game, and 4 games without a win deepens the gloom around the club. The coach home was like a morgue.

Stoke 3-1 Notts County ATT: 19596

12th September Bristol City vs Notts County

A bad result here may be the last straw. Not for the board, since I have them around my little finger; for me. If the Midas touch has gone I won't ever outstay my welcome.

Brandao is injured, replaced at DL by Lloyd. We get a good start. Cesnauskis plays a clever corner to the edge of the box for Giuffrida to hammer home. I don't recall working on that one in training, though the fact that I don't normally bother showing up for training might explain that.

The good work is undone on 35, when Lloyd scores a fairly inexplicable OG, being as he was under absolutely no pressure.

I try encouragement with the lads again, and the reward comes on 66, Ebanks heading in a useful cross. I go defensive, desperate to win, and we hang in there, adding a 90th minute breakaway goal, Ebanks again. Not an overly deserved win, yet we were clinical, which used to be our trademark.

Bristol City 1-3 Notts County ATT: 14606

I really would have resigned had we lost this game I think, though it never came to that. The cloud to this particular silver lining is delivered by Dennis Bergkamp. Apparently, Cesnauskis, Flamini, and Lewis have been nattering about me behind my back, saying they've no confidence in me. They wouldn't dare say it to my face of course. I have an iron grip on this club. This was just the motivation I needed. I certainly will not resign in the face of player power. If necessary I will hang on there long enough to see any malcontents rot in the reserves. Just to put the marker down that no-one crosses me and gets away with it.

19th September Notts County vs Plymouth

The 5th placed Pilgrims will present a stiff challenge. A lovely passing move in the 13th minute slots in Lupoli, whose lethal finish adds to his growing reputation. We have more chances, unfortunately all of them seem to fall to the wrong men. I go defensive with half an hour left, and we look in control, yet you never know. The lads hang tough, and deliver our 2nd win in a row.

Notts County 1-0 Plymouth ATT: 5567

The attendances this season have been nothing short of ludicrous. Is there an Ashes series going on at the minute or something?

22nd September Everton vs Notts County

The Toffees sit 3rd. We go in unchanged, and come under heavy pressure right from the off. I go defensive (25), and suddenly things turn around. Just before the half, Lupoli gets the bounce of the ball and hammers in. We hold out until well into the 2nd half, conceding near the hour, yet hang on to claim a real battling draw, against a heavily favoured opponent. This is more like it.

Everton 1-1 Notts County ATT: 38982

26th Notts County vs Reading

There's very little to actually report in this game. Very few chances to either side, turgid, poor quality football, it was a relief that the whole thing flew by with hardly any highlights. Didn't linger long in the memory this one, except that this was the sort of game we were losing earlier in the season. Here we earned a point, which is symptomatic of our good run. The defending has improved out of sight, the goalkeeping has been spectacular, and some guy called Lupoli has been scoring like a maniac.

Notts County 1-1 Reading ATT: 10159

We record a loss of 77K for the month. We have however, recovered my lost credibility, and no-one's nattering behind my back now.

[irishregan]

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 1st | | Birmingham | | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 8 | +13 | 28 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 2nd | | Fulham | | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 6 | +10 | 25 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 3rd | | Everton | | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 26 | 12 | +14 | 24 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 4th | | Nottm Forest | | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 28 | 17 | +11 | 24 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 5th | | Plymouth | | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 13 | +5 | 22 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 6th | | Stoke | | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 13 | +3 | 20 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 7th | | Derby | | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 25 | 19 | +6 | 18 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 8th | | Oldham | | 12 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 13 | -2 | 18 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 9th | | Notts Co | | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 12 | +3 | 17 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 10th | | Reading | | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 9 | +2 | 17 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 11th | | Crystal Palace | | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 15 | -1 | 17 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 12th | | Hull | | 12 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 17 | 15 | +2 | 16 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 13th | | Barnsley | | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 18 | 14 | +4 | 15 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 14th | | Southampton | | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 15 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 15th | | Brighton | | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 18 | 20 | -2 | 15 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 16th | | Ipswich | | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 18 | -3 | 15 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 17th | | Leicester | | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 18 | -5 | 14 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 18th | | Sheff Utd | | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 25 | -6 | 14 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 19th | | Coventry | | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 23 | -6 | 11 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 20th | | Sunderland | | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 18 | -7 | 11 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 21st | | Bradford City | | 12 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 22 | -9 | 9 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 22nd | | Wolves | | 12 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 23 | -11 | 8 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 23rd | | Bristol City | | 12 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 22 | -11 | 7 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 24th | | Doncaster | | 12 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 18 | 28 | -10 | 6 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

</pre>

[ljungburger]

this is nice Irish!

look for Zizi Roberts, fantastic in chanpionship, scored 33 in 30 games for my forest, and hes cheap, think he´d be perfect with lupoli, heading alot of balls to him, because zizi is a master in the air, maybe it would make your story a little bad, but just a tip

greetings!

[irishregan]

3rd October October always provides a lengthy international break, which is great for recharging the players' batteries - except for the fact that they're nearly all internationals now. Worse than that, Cesnauskis gets injured for a month playing for Lithuania. Triffic.

4th October Arsenal fire Arsene Wenger after roughly a billion years in charge. I apply (unsuccessfully it later transpires) for the job.

10th October Coventry vs Notts County

Sparv replaces Cesnauskis, and after a scramble in their box, the young Fin heads in to mark his return with a very welcome early goal (6). I go defensive/counter attack (my latest tactical flavour of the month), and it pans out when Rezek is felled in the box for a penalty that Flamini doesn't miss for once (32).

The rejuvenated Sparv, or Flying Fin as I might unimaginatively call him, goes on a mazy run 2 minutes later, squaring for the unheralded Brandao to blast in. The home side tally before half-time, but I just tell the lads we're in total control and to keep it going. Four minutes after the break, a slicing counter attack sees Lupoli play in Rezek, who drives home emphatically. Coventry are well and truly blunted now, and I tell the lads after this one that they were sensational. That's no exaggeration. We destroyed them, everyone was superb, with Flamini's midfield display particularly majestic.

Coventry 1-4 Notts County ATT: 24674

The board are well pleased too, and we are rounding into nice form for the big one 3 days later.

13th October Notts County vs Forest

It seems rather odd scheduling a major local derby on a Tuesday evening, but oh well... There is a really businesslike air in the dressing room before hand. We come out firing. From a long ball by Jenas, Lupoli fires in an unstoppable shot to give us a 13th minute lead. I contemplate going defensive, something tells me to keep going. On 29 minutes, Sparv teases them and floats one over for Lupoli to demonstrate his aerial prowess, and we're really in the pound seats now. Just 3 minutes later, in a "wonderfully crafted" move, Iakovenko scores, then naughtily taunts the Forest fans, according to the commentary team. As if all this wasn't devastating enough, Rezek finishes the half with a stunning strike from outside the box that was all his own work. I am all set to walk to the dressing rooms, when in 1st half injury time, Sparv and Rezek combine to set up Lupoli's hat-trick. Amazing stuff. Our fans are singing like we've won the European Cup. The lads are on cloud nine at the half, I just quietly remind them to keep it up.

Not much happens after the break, we are content at 5-0, while they are too shellshocked to respond. Sparv and Lupoli are replaced, specifically to get them the standing ovations they deserve, and one of the replacements Ianis Zicu scores a simple first goal for the club, tapping in after their defence was exposed for the umpteenth time. Truly the most sensational result, and utterly devastating performance of my time at this club.

My faith in football fans is restored when the Forest fans go out of their way to applaud our team (this actually happened and was in the commentary). I go out and applaud them too, also referring to them warmly in the post-match press round. An incredible night, and the lads are walking on air afterwards. All I say is "sensational". This just shows what we are capable of.

Notts County 6-0 Forest ATT: 17238

The board are creaming, pleased that we "swept all before us" and that our fans can walk through the city "with their head held high".

In other news, Riggy's in trouble again at Southampton. I don't stick my nose in this time. I have my own problems to worry about, and you have to paddle your own canoe in this world. I didn't see him offering praise when I was getting pilloried, though we're still best of friends and talk regularly.

17th October Palace vs Notts County

We're unchanged. Yet again Lupoli gives us a flyer, rounding the keeper after a killer long pass from Flamini. I go defensive/counter, and they are restricted to long shots, until a rather undeserved equaliser on 38. I go back to attacking, and also get angry in the half time team talk.

Rezek starts to look dangerous after the restart, and crosses for Lupoli to score yet again (61), and I return to our cagey style. Another long punt, this time from Kelvin Wilson sets Lupoli loose to complete the 2nd hat-trick of his County career with a devastating finish (68). What a signing!

Despite a penalty soon after to ge them back in it at 3-2, we hang on for the points, entirely deservedly given the way we played.

Palace 2-3 Notts County ATT: 21201

I agree deals to send some of our spare parts to other clubs in the January transfer window. David Pipe will join Leicester for 150K, while Brad Jones who has had a bit of an attitude problem since arriving, will go to Preston for 150K.

Our next game is against The Saints, and Riggy praises us in the run-up. I return the compliment.

24th October Notts County vs Southampton

Unchanged yet again, which must be close to a record. We dominate the 1st half, with no finish, and I go spare during the team talk. With a rocket up their backsides, the lads come out firing (bit of a mixed metaphor there?!). Rezek turns on a sixpence inside the box to fire home (46), then 3 minutes later Lupoli gets his usual goal, this time with a vicious shot from 15 yards. The visitors do pull one back late on, but we were well better. Needless to say, Riggy and I drink every bit of booze we can get our hands on that evening, and he stays over at my place with his missus before returning to the South Coast.

Notts County 2-1 Southampton ATT: 13218

27th October Hull vs Notts County

I take a chance, resting the very tired Rezek. It looks a bad move as we get pressured and eventually concede (32). Then the Flying Fin produces another sensational cross, Lupoli doing the rest (45).

We start to look good after the break, and following a bad mistake by the Hull defender, Ebanks helps himself to a tap in (61). We go defensive, easily hanging on and still managing to outshoot them. I'm very pleased.

Hull 1-2 Notts County ATT: 20514

Riggy is finally fired by The Saints. I approach him about a coaching position but he's not interested, although he would consider being my assistant for 10 grand a week. I don't think so. In other news, Jenas is out injured for 2-4 weeks with a bad knee.

31st October Notts County vs Ipswich

We start the game in industrious fashion. Sparv does another great set-up job for Lupoli to give us a 3rd minute lead. We look really dominant without adding to that, though the Italian goal machine has one disallowed in 1st half injury time. I go defensive, and the lads hang on with absolutely no problem, to give us 6 straight wins. We are absolutely rolling, and this is no more than this team is capable of. We have some outstanding, Premiership calibre players after all.

Notts County 1-0 Ipswich ATT: 11873

Joe Lewis has a hand injury, and will miss a couple of weeks. The board are delighted with our performances, and the profit of 236K. I get manager of the month, and I should f***ing well think so, considering we won every game we played.

[irishregan]

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 1st | | Fulham | | 18 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 24 | 12 | +12 | 36 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 2nd | | Everton | | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 34 | 16 | +18 | 35 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 3rd | | Notts Co | | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 33 | 17 | +16 | 35 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 4th | | Birmingham | | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 30 | 16 | +14 | 35 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 5th | | Nottm Forest | | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 33 | 24 | +9 | 30 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 6th | | Stoke | | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 26 | 20 | +6 | 30 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 7th | | Barnsley | | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 29 | 18 | +11 | 27 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 8th | | Brighton | | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 29 | 25 | +4 | 27 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 9th | | Derby | | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 29 | 23 | +6 | 26 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 10th | | Reading | | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 15 | +4 | 26 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 11th | | Crystal Palace | | 18 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 23 | 22 | +1 | 26 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 12th | | Plymouth | | 18 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 22 | 26 | -4 | 25 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 13th | | Oldham | | 18 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 19 | 24 | -5 | 25 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 14th | | Sheff Utd | | 17 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 25 | 28 | -3 | 24 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 15th | | Ipswich | | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 21 | 24 | -3 | 23 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 16th | | Hull | | 17 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 25 | 24 | +1 | 21 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 17th | | Leicester | | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 20 | 27 | -7 | 20 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 18th | | Coventry | | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 24 | 32 | -8 | 19 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 19th | | Southampton | | 17 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 19 | 23 | -4 | 18 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 20th | | Bristol City | | 18 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 22 | 29 | -7 | 16 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 21st | | Wolves | | 18 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 24 | 32 | -8 | 16 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 22nd | | Sunderland | | 18 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 16 | 32 | -16 | 15 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 23rd | | Bradford City | | 18 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 21 | 37 | -16 | 12 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 24th | | Doncaster | | 17 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 18 | 39 | -21 | 7 |

| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

[irishregan]

That league table looks a bit more like it should. Let's hope we are not headed for a form slump after slaughtering everybody for the last few weeks.

[Flying_Fin]

Hey, still looking good mate

Sparv was a great player for my Finland U21 team (Prolly dropping out in the U21 Champ quals though), but I never managed to hire him for my Conf. National team

Keep it up!

[irishregan]

thanks for your comment ljungberger, much appreciated. I have never actually come across Zizi Roberts but I'll look out for him.

Thanks also Flying_Fin. I must admit that Sparv (my Flying Fin) has been very under-estimated by me until now. I saw him as a utility midfielder, but he has really developed, and does look high quality. Can't believe I hawked him around for sale last season, even more strange that there were no takers!

This is actually how far I have got in the game at the moment. More play and updates over the weekend I hope.

[Simply Perfect]

Just catching up with this story after missing a few weeks, and it again looks excellent. KUTGW

[irishregan]

Thanks a lot Simply Perfect, managed to get a bit more gameplay done this weekend, probably won't update till Tuesday though, it's a national holiday in Canada on Monday, and I do all the updating at work

[irishregan]

Over the long weekend here in Toronto, I managed to play on quite a lot in this game, up to the 37th league game of the season in fact.

During that time I had amassed 67 points, and we sat in 4th place, almost assured of the playoffs. Some results had been very good, others had been really crap, but we hit on a rough sequence of form, wherein even when we were winning it was painful to watch.

I was getting more and more p***ed off with this state of affairs, and the only thing keeping me at it was the distant dream of Premiership football within 5 years. This was the almost impossibly high standard I had set myself at the start of the game, and was still within our grasp.

Then came the derby game against Forest. 2-0 up with 70 minutes gone. The result? 3-2 to Forest. Enough was enough. I realised I was fed up with managing this team, and needed a new challenge. A new game in fact. We couldn't attract the players I wanted, and against the really big teams we always seemed to come up short. If ever the cliche "I've taken this team as far as I can go" was appropriate, it was here. I resigned after the game, and sat back and watched. Alan Pardew had resigned from West Ham shortly before I did, and got a big fanfare from board and players. I got f**k all, which, considering what I had achieved for them on the cheap, was somewhat grating.

Dennis Bergkamp was promoted to manager, a decision which I wholeheartedly agreed with. He started well, with two wins and a draw. He'd changed the system to the one favoured by the Dutch national team, and refused to pick certain family favourites of mine, most notably Jermaine Jenas. Yet he got them to the playoff final, where they duly lost to Birmingham.

I felt like I had made the right decision. I had no stomach for another season in the Championship. This club was on its arse with a hole in its trousers when I came along. I left them in an immeasurably better state.

I wanted to let everyone know this because sometimes people end stories without letting the board know. I don't blame them at all, but I was grateful to everyone who appreciated this story, and wanted to sign off properly.

Also, I wanted to pick the assembled brains of readers. After a short break I'll be coming back with another no doubt torrid and seedy tale of management goings-on. The question is where? It'll either be England or Scotland to start with, and I was thinking of starting unemployed perhaps too.

Any final feedback would be welcome. And thanks again for following this one.

[axeman]

It's been an entertaining tale mate and I'm sorry that you gave up on the story. For what it's worth, it's been a great read.

[fatious]

I agree with Axeman. looking forward to your new story already

[stevereay]

Sad that its all over. But many thanks for the read. Good luck in the future

[irishregan]

Thanks to all for your comments. I'm looking forward to the next story too.

P.S. Axeman I'm glad you resurrected the druid story with the bit about the girlfriend having triplets. That was hilarious.

[axeman]

Thanks, I can't let that story lie dead for long. But my updates will be few and far between, because I'd rather not lose track of the storyline.

[URZ- ReAdInG fC]

Really enjoyed this tale Hope to read more from you soon.

[irishregan]

Thanks mate, I shall be returning soon.