Yes, I’m American, But My Name’s Not Ted Lasso

[dtown1414]

This will be my first go at an FM story. Not a writer by any means, but the main thing I like about doing a story, it makes me take my time with the universe I’ve created, getting to know my players, training, possible transfers, league information, etc. Rather than go on “vacation” for 2-3 weeks, and then check out the team.

And yes, I know that this story(game) starts in 2015, long before the Ted Lasso series, but I liked the title, so I went with it, lol.

I have played hours of FM, although my latest version is FM16, which has provided me with sufficient entertainment and challenges, enough so, that I haven’t purchased any recent versions. Also, I’m going off of what’s in the game, so if you recognize a club that may actually be at a different level/division in 2021, you’ll know why.

Finally, my other go to game is OOTP baseball, and there, I generally take over an “expansion” team, and build that team from scratch through the “expansion draft”, free agency, hiring coaches, etc. The same here, as I will build a “completely new team” from square one. Moving a bit from reality, yes, but a challenge I always wanted to take on, and at the same time, decided to write about.

A bit of Housekeeping – I’m using two mods that were created by others in the game. One has England down to level 23 created by I believe DanBHTFC. And also, a mod for the US, down to Level 8. I also try and be as realistic as possible, so for any future job opportunities, if it seems too far-fetched, I’ll pass on it. I also play by the “Llama Guidelines”, which can be found here - the9llamas - LLaMa Guidelines/Ethos and also an excellent post by junkhead(forum name) on playing the game found here The Realism Thread - Football Manager General Discussion - Sports Interactive Community (sigames.com)

Edited October 27, 2021 by dtown1414

[dtown1414]

My Playing Days

I grew up in Pennsylvania, about 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia, and as a kid I seemed to love soccer(US) from the beginning. From middle school to high school, I was a pretty decent player. My senior year I won “player of the year” for my team, and was offered a scholarship to play at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania.

My college career was fairly successful, and upon graduation in 2007, I was signed by the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, which played in the American Third Division. I was excited to sign my first professional contract, and was hoping this would be a continuation of a very successful soccer playing career. During my time at Pittsburdh, The Hounds were a mid-table team, and my career had its ups and downs. In 2011, I missed half the season due to injury, and it was at that time I started coaching some, as I knew I wasn’t moving onto the next level as a player. I actually did more coaching that year then playing, and acquired some good experience.

Put Me in Coach. Wait!! I am the Coach!

Surprisingly, and totally unexpected, a former college player that I became good friends with during our playing days, called me at the end of the 2011 season, and wanted me to consider moving to the UK, and be a coach. He had just been hired as Manager of Hitchin FC in the Southern League, and knew that I had some experience coaching, and remembered we shared similar philosophies regarding tactics, training and scouting players. So, with my family’s support, I jumped at the chance, and found myself in the small town of Hitchin. I was able to stay with the Assistant Coach, who had a garage behind his house, with a small, one bedroom apartment above it. Rent was dirt cheap, and I didn’t spend much on food, as a few nights a week, I would have dinner with him and his wife.

The next four seasons, the most recent 2014/2015, found us basically as a mid-table team, with a slight improvement during the most recent season, but I had gained precious coaching experience, and after four years in the UK, obtained my C and then B license, and made some solid coaching/owner contacts along the way.

Unforeseen surprises are the rule in science, not the exception.

 

April 14^th, 2015 – The day of my 30^th birthday, and after having dinner with my parents who flew over from the states, I received a call from Bill Humphrey, whom I had met at a summer camp last year. I was really impressed with Bill’s background, and much like mine, his playing days ended in his mid 20’s, went into coaching at the grassroots level, and eventually made his way to managing as high as Bromley, in the now Vanarama National League, (level 5). What he had to say, almost knocked me off my office chair.

 

It’s never good when a club folds due to financial/accounting issues, but that has happened to Harrogate Railway, a club that has been around since 1935. Struggling to meet payroll, supporter attendance way down, and the stadium needing a ton of renovations, it was just too much for the owners. They played in the Northern Premier League First Division (level 8), and the governing body of the league needed to fill that vacancy. They had considered a few teams from the Combined Counties Premier league, one level below, but those teams were also on a very tight budget, and weren’t ready to make the jump to the next level. Bill didn’t say which clubs they were. Other clubs in that league needed their stadiums renovated in order to meet the standards of the league, and the governing body wanted that done first. Those teams also passed on the offer.

 

So, a few days ago, Bill gets a call from the President of the League, and he’s offered a chance to start a new club in Dewsbury, and start playing in the Northern Premier League First Division in 2015. I could hear the excitement in Bill’s voice, and after he finished, I ask him why he was calling me. He said he was considering several options for a manager, and reached out to Mark, the Manager at Hitchin who I worked for, and he had nothing but great things to say about me. And then, in his very next statement, he wanted to know if I’d be interested in the managing position at Dewsbury? Wow!!

Edited October 27, 2021 by dtown1414

[BenArsenal]

Welcome.

It's an interesting story concept, obviously inspired in part by the show, but I hope you get on well with this.

Good start. 

[neilhoskins77]

Welcome dtown. Definitely an interesting looking start. Best of luck with this one.

[dtown1414]

Time for a History Lesson

 

With the sheer size of Dewsbury, population around 67 thousand, it’s hard to imagine they don’t have a professional, or at least semi-professional club, but, they don’t. The city is the proud owner of the Dewsbury Rangers Football Club, an amateur team. Here’s some information from their website:

 “Dewsbury Rangers are an ambitious club and it is no different with the senior sides.
We have a vision to progress our senior sides through the football pyramid and compete at the highest level that we can. Although not professional, we have a very good set up in terms of training and match day routine.
We enjoy our football but take it seriously and look to give our players the best possible experience.
We currently compete in the Yorkshire Amateur League Division Three.” 

 The facility is actually located in Crow Nest Park, the stadium is called Tetley’s Stadium, naming rights belonging to the Tetley Brewery, and it is a nice facility. Rugby is huge in this city, with the Dewsbury Rams and Dewsbury Celtic clubs getting all the “sports” attention.

 Here’s a “plug” for the stadium:

“Opened in 2012 and costing almost £750,000, our purpose built Clubhouse is where Dewsbury Rangers Football Club calls home. After 19 years of hiring school grounds and local parks, the club took a huge step forward when the facility was officially opened by guest footballer and Dewsbury born, Leigh Bromby.

However, the Clubhouse didn't happen overnight. Years of dedication from the club's senior officials, planning, completing funding applications, meetings with 'West Riding County Football Association' and 'The Football Foundation' were followed by knock backs and at one point almost saw the entire project scrapped due to funding cuts. Eventually though, the hard work paid off and the club now proudly resides in this magnificent sporting venue.

The facility boasts 6 changing rooms fully equipped with individual toilet cubicles and showering facilities, 2 dedicated referee changing rooms and a fully kitted out treatment room with defibrillator. On top of this, the Clubhouse has a large lounge area with food preparation area. This allows the club to cater on match days and external functions. The Clubhouse is literally the clubs foundation and gives us a base for the long term future.”

 Funny how this conversation kept hitting me, like each new thing was a surprise. When was I going to stop being surprised?

 After the initial shock of Bill offering me the manager position, I had some questions, and he had some more surprises:

Me: So how many employees does the club have/staff?

Bill: One and a half. Me, and I can tell part of you is interested!

 Me: How has the reception been in the city?

Bill: Not totally rolled out yet, but snippets of info are being leaked by the press! Feel it will be great!

 Me: How soon are you looking to hire someone?

Bill: Yesterday!

 Me: When do you need an answer?

Bill: Tomorrow, at your earliest convenience!

 Me: And at this level, how are the player contracts handled?

Bill: You and I will be involved of course, and remember these are part-time players, as would be your contract as well.

 Me: Ah, Ok, that helps me out. I’ll get back to you tomorrow with an answer, and thanks for the opportunity!

 So, there it is!! My dream of managing a football club has actually happen. And I could be one of the first people in history, to be offered to manage a club that doesn’t yet exist!

 April 15^th – Ah, tax day in the states. Usually, I’d be mailing my tax payment(never a refund), to the big, bad IRS on this day. But instead, I was racking my brain about this position. I spoke to my parents of course, my friend Mark at Hitchin, and my mentor Jon back in the states. They were all excited, but Jon really put things in perspective. The amount of work that lies ahead is breathtaking! Construct a staff, hunt far and wide for players, and SELL them on why they should come to Dewsbury, and play for a club, that up until a few days ago, didn’t exist. There were some other things he mentioned, but by then, my brain was in information overload, and I kinda tuned some things out.

 “You have to choose your path.
You have to decide what you wish to do.
You are the only person that can determine your destiny.”

 I referred to that quote in a book I had read on “positive thinking”, and “being great.” In the end, no matter what my family or friends can say, it all boils down to my decision, and my decision alone. And so, after lunch I grabbed my cell, called Bill, and accepted his offer. The rest of the short conversation involved salary, and through the other owners who were kind enough to assist Bill, he had a range of manager salaries on his desk. And I had to remind myself, this is a part-time position, for both management and players alike. After a bit of back and forth, we both decided on 12k as a good starting salary. The range seemed to go from 6k to 14k, so I was flattered that he made what I thought was a generous offer. And on top of that, he had already arranged with a colleague of his to put me up in a two bedroom apartment, that had been vacant for a few months, at no cost to me or the club. And he had a car I could use whenever I needed it. Not bad for a first-time gig!!

Edited October 30, 2021 by dtown1414

[Mandy42]

Before I moved back home to Halifax to be closer to family. I used to walk my dogs in Crow Nest Park in Dewsbury. Small world

Also! If you don't brand yourself as Dewsbury Crows. And play your home games at "The Crows Nest" your missing out on a marketing opportunity. 

I can see the suspect looking crow plushies already 

Edited October 31, 2021 by Mandy42

[Vossenoren]

Ooo, this looks like it might be a lot of fun. Will be watching!

[dtown1414]

On 30/10/2021 at 21:34, Mandy42 said:

Before I moved back home to Halifax to be closer to family. I used to walk my dogs in Crow Nest Park in Dewsbury. Small world

Also! If you don't brand yourself as Dewsbury Crows. And play your home games at "The Crows Nest" your missing out on a marketing opportunity. 

I can see the suspect looking crow plushies already 

Thanks for sharing that information. That's nice to know. Perhaps after this season, I can get the board of "nitwits" to consider a change. 

Edited November 1, 2021 by dtown1414

[dtown1414]

June 14^th – The official roll out of the club was today, and there was a nice reception at The Huntsman. My first day meeting the media. They actually went pretty easy on me. They ask about my expectations, “of course winning the league is my priority”, they like my “hands on approach” to managing, when it came to the transfer policy, I really had no comment(Without any scouts and coaches, do I really know??). I did put out an advertisement for both an Assistant Coach, and a Chief Scout. I hope responses come in sooner than later.

 While I was waiting for responses from our ads, I did watch film on the Harrogate Railway team to see if there were any players I may want to contact. Their contracts were voided after the season, and they are now “free agents”, and I may want to consider a few. The team finished 20^th, barely avoiding relegation, but I can’t imagine the financial issues of the club, and the manager leaving before the last two matches, didn’t weigh on their minds, and affect their play.

 I also received an email outlining our budget for the season - $44,850 salary, $38,876 transfer budget

After calling Bill, I felt I wouldn’t need that much in transfer money, but could hopefully attract higher talent through signing “free agents”. Money for salaries, I feel is still going to be a challenge, but one I have to live with for now.

Financial adjustment - $57,101 salary,  $26,594 transfer budget

 June 15^th – After reviewing hours of film on the last Harrogate Railway teams season, I liked these players, and made them offers.

 Dan Thirkell – DC Age 26 – 3k/season

Simon Parkes – DR – 22 – 2.8k

Lawrence Hunter - MC/R– 29 – 4k

 My goal is to get a good mix of veteran players, and younger players, that we can develop and improve through the season!

 June 28^th – Lawrence Hunter becomes the clubs very first signing in its short history!! Some relief that I have a player under contract, but a long way to go, and where are those Chief Scout and Assistant Coach responses? Later in the day, we did get Simon Parkes to sign as well.

 Schedule – Bill set up four friendlies for the team, with the first being on July 14^th. We open up league play on August 8^th, so I need to get a staff and players in, and fast!

 June 29^th – Introduced Hunter and Parkes to the media. Bla, Bla, Bla, Bla! We all know the drill here, and couldn’t wait for this to be over. Too many other things on my mind!! Today is also the first day of pre-season! Around dinner time Dan Thirkell signed a contract. Three now in the fold, and fortunately for Dan, he missed meeting the media!

 June 30^th – Wow! I received six responses to the Assistant Manager ad, phone screened them all, and liked three, which I’ve set interviews up for tomorrow. Some also gave me a few names that I might want to consider as coaches, and also a few scouts.

Staff Decisions

“People are not your most important asset. The right people are.” 

 July 3^rd– Very busy day at the office. Gary Turner accepted our offer as the Assistant Coach. Out of the three that I interviewed, he was my first choice. The 34-year old has good experience, having spent the last three years as a Coach at Chatham in the Isthmian League First Division South.

Gary also gave me suggestions during the interview for another coach, a Chief Scout and another scout. I made offers to all three! Fingers crossed they accept.

*Also made an offer to 22-year old Greg Kidd, who played Left Back for the Harrogate Railway team!

 July 5^th – Signed Roy Winter as a coach. Roy has two years of experience with Farnham in Combined Counties Premier(level 9) league. This completes are coaching staff for the season!

Also signed Ellis Leigh as a scout. Two scouts under contract, which may be it for now. I have the luxury of two more slots, so we’ll see.

 I signed Ryan Steade, a 29-year old Physio, who I tested by asking him to “tape” my ankle. He passed, and I figured, Ok that’s good enough!!

“Nothing travels faster than the speed of light, with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws”

 I had to give Bill a first bit of bad news today. There was no way we could play a friendly on July 14^th, as we will probably not have a full squad, and even if we did, there would not be enough time for practice, and to get the players match fit. It was an away match at Bridlington, so it won’t mean any lost revenue for us. He still wasn’t all that happy, but in the end knew we were working like crazy to get a full squad, so he understood.

 July 8^th – Two more signings as left back Greg Kidd and 18 year old Jamie Goodwin put pen to paper. We’re getting there!! Goodwin signed with Cheltenham two years ago, and played in their U18 academy, but apparently the organization didn’t see a future with him. We’re happy to sign him.

 July 15^th & 17^th – Four more signings over these two days. Finally feeling some relief!

Nico Collins – 18 year old striker.

Amar Purewal – Loan - 25 year old striker. Scored 11 goals in 14 apps for Darlington 1883 in the Northern Premier League Division(Level 7). 19 in 37 apps the year before that.

Tom Kemp – 25 year old DC. At 6’4”, hoping he’ll score some goals on set pieces.

Craig McFarlane – 27 year old midfielder. Played as a part-time footballer his entire career. My Chief Scout liked him a lot. Last played for Whitley Bay at level 9, Northern League Division One.

Life in the lower leagues: what it’s like to be a part-time footballer

Coming from being a full-time player, I have to be sensitive to what these “part-time” guys go through, not only on the pitch, but just as important, off the pitch. I recently spoke to Craig McFarlane, our midfielder, who at 27, has been a part-time player his entire playing career. Signed by Sunderland at the age 18 for a modest sum, he was let go mid-season, and could never latch on to another club full time. He’s played for Belington, Whitey Bay, and now us, at level 7, 8, and 9.

As he puts it “Training sessions twice a week, staying in shape, our Wednesday and Saturdays are spent kicking a ball around, and all on top of working more than 40 hours per week.” “I know a lot of footballers that have gone down the same route I have, where they think football is going to last forever, and they soon find out it doesn’t.” “But I am very lucky that my two former managers were understanding of what I need to do to prepare for football, and you also.” “You and your staff let me manage my body and manage my time.”

“I think you’ll find the successful part-time teams are the ones that have a good nucleus of players that have been professional and been full-time and have that bit about them that knows what it takes to be successful.”

That last statement certainly stuck with me the most, and something I need to remember moving forward and managing this club. 

 

 

 

Edited November 3, 2021 by dtown1414

[tenthreeleader]

Very nice read. I do love folks who take the time to develop characters, so that's why I hang out here. Welcome and I'll be watching!

[dtown1414]

On vacation till Tuesday the 9th, more to follow.

[dtown1414]

July 19^th – More signings, which now just six days away from our first friendly, will enable us to field a team. Names and age.

Sean Thomas – GK – 27

Jake James – GK(Backup) - 19

Patrick Sayce – MF/Winger - 23

Drew Canavan – MF – 26

Nick Milton – D/C – 23

 July 26^th – Friendly – Traveled to Maine Road, a club that was considered to take the place of Harrogate Railway, but were having financial issues, so they stayed in the North West Counties Premier Division(level 9).

Starters

Sean Thomas - GK

Greg Kidd - DL

Dan Thirkell – DC

Tom Kemp – DC

Patrick Sayce – ML

Lawrence Hunter – MC

Drew Canavan – MR

Jamie Goodwin – ST

Nico Collins – ST

Amar Purewal – ST

 Maine Road – 0, Dewsbury 2 (Thirkell 17, Purewal 71)

Nice start by the team! We controlled things for most of the match, and Nico Collins just missed making it three, but his shot inside the box hit the post. Both goals scored on headers, Thirkell’s from a set piece. Patrick Sayce was everywhere, and when I looked at the ProZone print out, the man had run 8.3 miles. A record crowd of 55 showed up. What a shock for me as we used to have 5000 at our matches in Pittsburgh!

Our 45 minute bus ride back to Dewsbury was filled with excitement! Yes, just a friendly, and we still don’t have a full squad, but everyone contributed, and it was a good vibe. And as we pulled into Dewsbury, there were about 50 people there to greet us. Family, friends, and citizens of the town. That was nice to see!

 July 27^th – Signed Ashley Longstaff, a 27-year old striker. He played last season with Sheffield, scoring 12 goals in 28 apps. I have about 3.5k left to spend and I’ve come to the realization that It’ll have to be some very young players, 18-19 years old, that won’t expect too much salary.

 Meeting with Bill the Chairman– I met with Bill this morning during breakfast, and ask if he could increase our salary budget, which he said the board would never go for. A bit foolish of me at the beginning perhaps to think I could work with such a small budget, but I’ll make do. So at least for the friendlies on our schedule, I will keep that 3500 in my pocket, not change the transfer budget amount, and keep my fingers crossed that we don’t get any injuries. Bill also mentioned that we need to start looking at young players in an effort to build up our academy. Yeah, like that’s going to happen. We barely have enough money to sign two more players, let alone worry about the academy, which at this time doesn’t exist. Man, I need a drink!!

 July 29^th – AFC Darwen 0, Dewsbury 1  (Collins 57) – Played like we were “sleep walking” for the first 20 minutes, and then started to control the game. Collins unlucky in the 36^th minute as the Darwen keeper made an excellent save. Finally broke through in the 57^th minute on an excellent pass from Longstaff to Collins, who made a tidy finish from 14 yards out. Both keepers made a couple excellent saves!

 August 1^st – Broke down and made what will probably be my last signing. Tom Glasscoe is a 22 year old right defender, who can also play as a center midfielder and right midfielder. With a limited budget, I found out early on that if I can find players that can play multiple positions, all the better.

 August 3^rd – Officially appointed Lawrence Hunter as captain and Simon Parkes as vice-captain. At 29, Hunter is our “field general”, barking out instructions, and always seems to have a good “feel” for the game. Parkes is only 23, but already mature past his years. Not afraid to “get on a player” if they’re not doing their job.

 I finally came to realize that nearly all my signings were “free agents”, and my thought of needing a decent transfer budget really wasn’t necessary. So, I had finance move the “salary budget” to $62,651, essentially giving me 7k more, and reduced the transfer budget to 4.5k.

 Dewsbury 1, Harrogate 2 – (Collins 3, /Sidibe 34, Gascoigne 84) Harrogate was the affiliate club for Harrogate Railway, so we decided to keep this friendly on our schedule. We will be breaking ties with Harrogate on August 9^th, and at some point, will look for another opportunity.

Our first home game, and you could feel the excitement of the 73 fans that showed up. And even with the hoop-la that was felt in the city of having a semi-professional football club, at Level 8 status, guess I have to expect this kind of turnout.

This match basically game down to us running out of gas. With such a small squad, fitness is certainly important, and several players, especially on defense, looked exhausted at the end. Collins has been playing superbly, and my chairman’s first order of business is to extend his contract.

 August 7^th – The day before our opening match, I received an email reminding me of the “Boards Expectations”

Mid-Table Finish

FA Cup – Reach 2^nd round

FA Trophy - Reach 2^nd round

Challenge Cup - Reach 2^nd round

[dtown1414]

August 8^th – The big day has arrived! Our 90-minute ride to Spennymoor seemed like it took 3 hours as the excitement I had for our first game was nearly uncontrollable. We had two good practices, which is about all you get with part-time footballers, and the players seemed relaxed.

 My coaches felt that a more “up tempo” game plan would be necessary, and that the team should be “more disciplined” and always look for the “overlap.” So that’s what we went for in our game planning.

 The pitch at “The Brewery Field” complex was in excellent shape, and a nice crowd was on hand. According to the press, we were the underdogs in this one, with the oddsmakers having us at 11-5 to win.

 Spennymoor 2,  Dewsbury 1 – Match didn’t go quite as planned. We started out really well, and in the 21^st minute, midfielder Patrick Sayce had his free kick graze the top bar. We broke through in the 31^st minute as Amar Purewal scored in the box after an errant pass from Spennymoor’s defender, Paul Johnson. But the lead didn’t last long as our central defender Tom Kemp got left behind by midfielder Matthew Dale in the 35^th minute, and Kemp lunging, fouled Dale in the box, who proceeded to put away the penalty shot. At halftime, I told the players to “keep their heads up”, and we can still get a win out of this.

Game was “nip & tuck” in the 2^nd half, until the 73^rd minute, when Spennymoor striker Liam Henderson picked up and errant pass by our defender, Tom Milton, and scored a simple finish from 6 yards out. I had substituted Milton for Kemp, who was having an awful day, and Milton wasn’t much of an improvement.

Our fans that traveled with us were of course disappointed, but there were some positives from the game, and the more we practice and play together, the team should get better.

 

Coaches have the simultaneous responsibility to see growth and encourage development, while also see areas of weakness, and provide strength.

 I learned by playing for some excellent managers, and then coaching alongside some really good ones too, one in particular taught me “Lessons in Losing.”

1.      Keep the Confidence of Your Players – Why we lost and turn things around

2.      Break down the game and figure out what went right, and what went wrong

3.      Use performance analysis and statistics to find areas that need improvement

4.      Be transparent about your decisions. Communicate well by talking to each player

5.      Develop a “short memory” for losing. Move on with the very next practice

 August 12^th

Dewsbury 5, Radcliffe Boro 0 (Purewal 46,70,75, Kemp 63, Longstaff 81) 

Red card – Bainbridge 55, Radcliffe Boro

 Despite all the hoopla in the city, a record crowd of 135, lol, came out for the first ever home match for the Dewsbury Rangers. We started off well, but then in the 9^th minute, Nico Collins took a bad spill, and had to be replaced by our backup striker Ashley Longstaff. And despite Radcliffe Boro having two key players out, the match was evenly played. Finally, Amir Purewai, scored a “cracker” of a goal just before halftime. That certainly lifted our spirits going into the dressing room. Things got worse for Radcliffe, as their central defender Mark Bainbridge made a nasty tackle, studs up, on Lawrence Hunter, and was shown the red card. We immediately took advantage with Tom Kemp heading one in on a corner kick, followed by Purewai getting his “hat trick” in the 70^th and 75^th minute, and Longstaff closing things out in the 81^st minute. No matter what happens moving forward, history will show that this new club, barely 3 months old, played, and won their very first home game on August 12^th, 2015.

 August 13^th – Injury update. Nico Collins expected to be out 5-6 weeks. Ouch! That means I have no backup striker, and if another injury occurs up front, I’ll have to play someone out of position. Need my scouts to scour the “free agent” window for a possible cheap buy.

 August 15^th – Ossett Town 1, Dewsbury 3 (Longstaff 32, Goodwin 81,86 /Brown 83)

Nice road win! Ossett Town had lost two straight without scoring a goal. Ashley Longstaff has played really well since starting in place of the injured Niko Collins, and he opened the scoring in the 32^nd minute. Jamie Goodwin with a nice header to make it 2-0, and after Ossett Town striker David Brown scored to make it interesting, Goodwin gets his second to seal the game. And although Amar Purewai didn’t score, he had two assists.

 August 22^nd – Lancaster 3, Dewsbury 1 (Taylor 26, Kilifin 75, Wearing 90 /Goodwin 62)

Despite a good couple days of practice, the lads came out “dragging their heels” in the first half. Only a couple superb saves by Sean Thomas kept us in it early. Set piece goal by Lancaster Aaron Taylor in the 26^th minute, put us behind at half. Things got a little better in the second half as Jamie Goodwin scored on a header with a fine cross by Dan Thirkell. Lancaster came back in the 75^th minute on a giveaway by right back Simon Parkes, and Simon Wearing scored a breakaway late.

 Four games in and we’re sitting in 10^th, with six points. Prescot is leading the way, winning all four of their matches. Hey, only 38 more games to go!

 

So you signed a Yank did ya??

 August 25^th – The famous words of a guy I know as Carl, who I saw while having a bowl of chili and a pint at The Leggers Inn. And yes, we did sign 21-year old striker Reis Woolley. Born in San Antonio, Texas, he played two years with the Dallas Texans in the third tier of American soccer, then came to England in 2012 where he played his “football” at Kidderminster, then Studley, and last season at Alvechurch in the Midland Football League Premier Division (level 9). He was staying at a friends place, and was nearly ready to return to Texas, when I called him. Liked his workout and former coaches said he was a hard worker, and may just need more playing time to show his worth. Maybe he was desperate to look for part-time football, as we signed him for a salary of just 1.5k, although he’s a programmer by trade, and probably makes more money than anyone else on the squad. He has “dual citizenship”, as he’s been in the UK since 2012, so the ‘work permit” piece is not an issue.

 

Being a part-time footballer, part two!

And

Team communication is important to master. For a team to function effectively, there must be open channels of communication.

 Simon Parkes, at 23, has played his entire career at Harrogate Railway, and was one of several players I “retained” on the squad, as I liked what I saw on film, and through the first three games he’s been good. But the tail end of the third match, and certainly this last one against Lancaster, he’s really “missed the mark.” After calling him into my office, I found that Parkes works for Avarus Valves in Dewsbury, and recently was part of a “temporary layoff.” It has definitely affected him psychologically, and the main reason is form has dipped some. He said he should be back to work in two weeks, and he has never been unemployed since graduation high school, so this is a shock. He’s sharing an apartment with a buddy, so that helps some, and as much as you try and put these things out of your mind, it definitely weighs on you. I do hope that he’s back to work soon, and now have a better understanding of what’s going on with him.

Edited November 15, 2021 by dtown1414

[dtown1414]

Scouting – We sent Darren Hustwick, one of our scouts, to scout the different teams in the FA Cup. I’m nearly at my max on salary, so signings are pretty much done, but always looking for a future prospect.

 August 26^th – Dewsbury 2, Witton 1 (Thirkell 50, Goodwin 60 / Salmon 11)  – Witton came into this match sitting in 6^th place. Slight drizzle may have kept some supporters away, but hey, we broke 100(105) in attendance. Really!

Anyway, not sure if it was the long day at work(played on a Wednesday) or what, but we were totally outplayed in the first half, with Witton’s striker Alex Salmon scoring the first goal. We were lucky to only be down one at the half. So after a stern half-time talk, and one change on defense, yes, Parkes is still struggling, the players responded in the 2^nd half with Dan Thirkell scoring on a header, for his first goal of the season, and Jamie Goodwin getting the winner on a breakaway in the 60^th minute.

 After five games, we currently sit in 6^th place, surprisingly ahead of Witton and Lancaster, but only on goal difference. Long way to go for sure! Prescot remains unbeaten through five matches. Top ten:

Prescot – 15 points

Burscough - 13

Glossop - 12

Bamber Bridge - 11

Spennymoor - 11

Dewsbury - 9

Witton - 9

Lancaster - 9

Mossley - 9

Trafford – 8

 August 29^th - FA Cup Preliminary Round

Brightlinsea 3, Dewsbury 4 – (Pedula 38,69, Malton 46 / Purewal 13,40,53.74)

Talking to my friend James Webster, the manager at Brightlinsea before the match, it made me feel a bit embarrassed that I had complained about my salary budget. He has an 18k budget to work with, had a key player injured at work, and missed the first three games, another got “switched” to second shift at work, so he can only play Saturday matches. Welcome to semi-pro football.

I started 18-year old Louis Penty in midfield, as Patrick Sayce was due for a much needed rest. Penty played well, except for the “bicycle kick” he attempted in the first half. On a scale of 1-10, it was a 2 at best. Our defense was shoddy, and I had to replace Parkes at half time, as he’s still not working, and his play has been dreadful. Nick Milton came on, and I will most likely start him in the next game. The game went back and forth, and was exciting for the supporters to watch, terrifying for the managers, as each team could’ve score two or three more, if not for some terrific saves by each keeper. Brightlinsea however, had no answer for Amar Purewal, as he scored a “quadruple trick”. Ok, that is something Ted Lasso would say. Just needed to say it first, lol.

 *The board of “four dunces” should be happy, as we get through to the next round. AND, the club got a whopping 2.88k bonus for our win! Of course, the players and I see none of that. Can you tell I’m such a big fan of “authority.”

 August 30^th - FA Cup First Qualifying Round – We drew Poole Town in the first round. They are in the Southern League Premier Division, level 7, and are currently in 3^rd place. It’s an away match, so should be a good test for us.

 Nico Collins Injury Update – According to my “excellent??” physio, Ryan Steade, Collins should be able to start training in “six days to two weeks.” Quite a long window of days. Of course,this is the same guy who got “caught” in the background picking his nose, and scratching his ass at the same time, on camera, during a player post-match interview. Well, at least I know he can multi-task. Geez!!

 Board Confidence Update – Chairman Bill Humphrey informed me that the Board is “very pleased” so far with my managing. However, the fans regarded signing Simon Parkes was a poor piece of business, Yeah, well maybe the fans could “chip in” and pay some of Simon’s bills, as the lad is still laid off. Oh, and the club loss 6k last month, and although the financial position is Ok, Humphrey expects that to deteriorate in the coming months! Great! Where’s those Tums. I’m having a horrible case of heartburn!

 September 5^th – Dewsbury 0, Bamber Bridge 1 (Macken 37)

Bamber Bridge is one of the clubs that the “experts” picked to get promoted this season. They also had the highest paid player in the league in 35-year old Jamie Milligan, making 29k this season. And a 37-year old striker, Jon Macken.

It was a rainy day at Dewsbury, and I had to have my Chief Scout, Darren Hustwick give me a ride, as the car I’ve been driving’s battery died. A precursor to how the day would go!

Although the score was just 0-1, we were never really in the game. Nearly total domination by Bamber Bridge, as “the old guy” as my players called him, scored in the 37^th minute. Bamber Bridge had 19 shots, 7 on goal, to our five, and three on goal. If not for four wonderful saves by Sean Thomas, the score would’ve been really ugly. Well, enough said, let’s move on!

 A team that exercises no forethought, but makes light of their opponent, is sure to be beaten by them

 September 7^th – I finished up watching film of our next opponent, Ossett Albion, around midnight, and for some reason, not feeling too positive about this match.

The town of Ossett is basically a “market town”, located within the borough of the city, Wakefield. It has a population of nearly 22k, and amazingly has, not one, but two football clubs. Sadly, for the supporters of either club, Ossett Albion currently is 22^nd, with one point, and Ossett Town is 21^st with two points.

 Ossett Albion 3, Dewsbury 0 – (Boardman 7, 14, Beattie 55)

Well, with all due respect to Ossett Albion, this was the first, true low point in my coaching career, and certainly in the team’s very short history. OA had scored just two goals in seven matches, and today they tally three on us. The team was lethargic, and looked disjointed from the start. OA had 14 shots 6 on target, while we had 9 shots, 5 on target, with three being very easy saves. I’m not going into the gory details, but up next is Poole Town in the FA Qualifier. If we play like this, they’ll beat us by six or more.