'Oh When The Saints Go Marching In' - A St. Albans City Story

[williamshankley]

Come on the Saints. Enjoying this Crouchy

[crouchaldinho]

Frankly, Mr. Shankley, this position I've held

It pays my way and it makes me lose my hair

I want promotion, Connie South will not miss me

I want to go down in footballing history

Frankly, Mr. Shankley, I'm a sickening wreck

I've got the St. Albans chairman breathing down my neck

I must move fast, you understand me

I want to go down in footballing history, Mr. Shankley

Four, four, bloomin' two,

I just don't know what to do!

But still I'd rather be Saints boss

Than at Wood or 'Boro

Any day, any day, any day

But sometimes I'd feel more fulfilled

Making Christmas cards with the mentally ill

I want to finish in 5th or above

Anything else I would be quite ashamed of

Frankly, Mr. Shankley, this position I've held

It pays my way and it makes me lose my hair

Oh, I didn't realise that you liked my story

I didn't realise you liked my bloody awful story, Mr. Shankley

Frankly, Mr. Shankly, since you ask

This job is a flatulent pain in the arse

I do not mean to be so rude

Still, I must speak frankly, Mr. Shankly

Oh [Mr Chairman] give me your money!

Ah, the Smiths... Cheers for the comment Mr Shankley and for the chance to write this!

[crouchaldinho]

APRIL 2010

This month, as always, will be crucial to our season. We must strengthen our position in the league with some good performances this month.

We play four home games in all, meeting Worcester, Basingstoke, Maidenhead and Maidstone. They are all lower mid-table sides, except Basingstoke who are playoff contenders. I target 10 points from these games, i.e. 3 wins and a draw.

Away from home, we face Team Bath and Braintree. Team Bath are an excellent side and have some of the most expensive talent in the league. Braintree are mid-table and I fancy a result there. I target 3 points from our away games.

That’s a total target of 13 points from our 6 games this month, which would be a fine tally. It would take us beyond our points total for last year and give us a real chance of getting into the playoffs.

It’s going to be a tough month that will make or break our season. Come on your Saints!

SAINTS 3-1 Worcester (Blue Square South)

Before this game, I have a big think about our tactics and in particular our passing and closing down, which has been a concern for me this season. I decide that we really need more of a team mentality in terms of both, with each player seeking to play a similar kind of passing game and the team pressing as a whole. I want the team to work as a collective unit and so I have a big rework of my tactical instructions. I want to play a fairly mixed game today against Worcester to see how my experimental thought works in reality.

This game has been moved from the weekend to a Tuesday night due to a waterlogged pitch at Clarence Park. It’s a real pain for us because it pushes our games closer together and gives us less recovery time. I anticipate that Basingstoke will be our toughest home game and so I want to try to rest some players in anticipation of that game. It’s always a risky strategy but it must be done at this stage of the season. However, I end up putting out a strong side here with but I resolve that I will substitute my best players if we can get a good lead early on.

Unfortunately, that early lead just doesn’t happen for us. In fact, it’s a rather dismal first-half with no goals a few chances. We’re in the driving seat though and just need a lead. Kieran Hall finally gets us a goal with an outstanding left foot strike on the edge of the box. However, Worcester are back in it in no time at all to make it 1-1.

Just as the game seems to be petering out into a draw, Ewan Clarke strikes a brace in injury time to seal the points for us. It’s a performance that shows us in complete control for the whole game and a victory we thoroughly deserve.

Saints MoM: Ewan Clarke.

League pos: 6th – 61 points from 36 games.

SAINTS 1-0 Basingstoke (Blue Square South)

Basingstoke are playoff contenders and we have the opportunity to do some real damage to their campaign today, as well as improving our own chances, with a win. It is the one game that I am worried about at home this month as I feel it will be very tight. We lost away to them earlier this season and so we know we’re in for a difficult afternoon.

The game is extremely close on the day and Kieran Hall scores the only goal of the afternoon just before half-time. It’s a really solid performance by us but we’re left defending with all men behind the ball towards the end of the 90 minutes to hold on to this victory. However, we get there and it is a terrific result for us and a real blow to their hopes. It is the perfect revenge for the earlier defeat this season.

Saints MoM: Aaron Beech.

League pos: 5th – 64 points from 37 games.

Team Bath 2-2 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

As I mentioned at the beginning of the month, Team Bath have probably the most expensively assembled team in the league and they are one of the best, for sure. To get a result today would be excellent for us.

We start off really well, with our young prodigy Charlie Tromans grabbing a goal after 5 minutes. He puts us 2-0 up after half-an-hour with a goal that is all about his strength, work rate, determination and all round technical ability. We should be home and dry now but Jack Pearson makes a poor tackle a few minutes later. It’s a cynical challenge on a striker who had beaten the defensive line and was past the last man, therefore it had to be red. We then concede a goal either side of half-time to level things up.

In the end, as is to be expected when you’ve only got 10 men, we’re totally outplayed and extremely fortunate to come away with the point. I felt that we might end up losing this game so the point is welcome. However, it could, and should, have been so much more.

Saints MoM: Charlie Tromans (with his terrific brace).

League pos: 5th – 65 points from 38 games (we’re 4 points ahead of Bromley in 6th)

Braintree 2-2 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

This is my 100th game in charge and so I’m hoping for a memorable performance and result, for all of the right reasons of course.

Things start off pretty badly in this landmark game, with Braintree taking the lead. But we’re soon level through a Ewan Clarke special and looking like we’re in charge. This goes for the second-half as well, as we create more chances and use the ball well. We seem to be rewarded for our efforts on 90 minutes when substitute Paul Hakim scores a cracking goal. However, when Aaron Beech makes a poor tackle in the box, the ref says penalty and Braintree level with seconds to spare.

It’s a frustrating one as I felt that we should have won this and that we were the better side. However, I wanted a point a game away from home and that is exactly what we’re got from our away games so far. In my opinion, although the results don’t exactly back me up, we’re looking better and better all of the time.

Saints MoM: Michael Galloway (also with an assist today).

League pos: 5th - 66 points from 39 games (2 points ahead of 6th placed Bromley).

SAINTS 3-0 Maidenhead (Blue Square South)

Three games left and a lot to play for this season as we chase the playoff dream. We’re in a better position than last season and a win here would put us level with our final points total from last season with two games to spare.

We’re suffering from a great deal of tiredness and minor injuries running up to this game. There are starts today for perennial substitutes Paul Hakim, Michael Smith and Jamie Brown as we seek to bring some fresh legs into the side. It is not our strongest eleven but at this point of the season it is inevitable that we would have our squad stretched due to an exhausting final run in.

We open the scoring in the second minute of the game thanks to a great cross from youngster Michael Smiith that is met at the back post by Ewan Clarke, who taps the ball into the net.

Local lad Smith does it again in the 7th minute, with his cross finding Shaun Johnson this time. It’s 2-0 and we are in cruise control.

In the second-half, we play some terrific football on the deck and find ourselves three up after a terrific strike by Ewan Clarke finds the back of the net.

This ends up as an emphatic and convincing win for us. We really are finishing the season on a high. Two games to go now and we are almost there.

Saints MoM: Ewan Clarke.

League pos: 4th – 69 points from 40 games (5 points from 6th placed Bromley).

SAINTS 1-0 Maidstone (Blue Square South)

Our final game at Clarence Park this season and we go into it knowing that a win will confirm our finishing in a playoff place. It’s a very exciting day at CP and we know that we are in an excellent position and could end the day safe in the knowledge that we will be competing for promotion in May.

Maidstone have already been relegated and we are given at very short odds today to get the win. My feeling is that we will need to play patient and slowly probing football today in order to get the win. It’s obviously a case of putting out my strongest side, that much is abundantly clear.

We dominate the first-half so utterly that I can’t believe we don’t score. Many chances are squandered by a profligate strike force. Some of the football looks great, with lovely passing moves, but we just aren’t breaking Maidstone down. At half-time, I find myself telling a few players off and giving the rest of the side a boost by telling them that we can win this match.

We finally get the breakthrough when Michael Galloway crosses for Johnny Banks to head home at the far post early in the second-half.

Ewan Clarke is having a poor game this afternoon and so I replace him with youngster Shaun Johnson. Johnson has normally played as a deep-lying striker for us but I feel that he is equally adept at playing in the advanced position. He has plenty of pace and an eye for goal. Suddenly, I look at the front two and believe that this might be the partnership of the future for the mighty Saints. Tromans and Johnson are both local lads, both teenagers, both products of our academy. Exciting times ahead, surely? The future looks bright at Clarence Park.

We’re by far the better side today but the team maybe look a little complacent. My feelings are backed up by my assistant, who also felt that one or two of the players weren’t giving their all today and were expecting just to turn up and win it on the back of their recent form.

We don’t find the second goal today but Maidstone don’t look even remotely like scoring all afternoon. It’s a comfortable win for us and we’re in the playoffs!

Saints MoM: Johnny Banks.

League pos: 4th – 72 points from 41 games.

MANAGER JOURNAL

This has been a terrific month for the football club. My objectives were for 10 points at home and 3 points away. In the end, we took full points from our home games this month, which is outstanding. We managed two draws away, which I can be very satisfied with. By achieving 14 points in 6 games we have surpassed my expectations for the month. We are in outstanding form.

This outstanding set of results is confirmed when I win the second Manager of the Month award of my humble career thus far. I’m delighted but hoping that we are not cursed for next month as a result of this.

We also made the playoffs this month, although we rather limped over the line against Maidstone. I’m delighted with the squad and I feel that we have a real chance in the playoffs. We’ve got to give it all we’ve got next month.

My Saints player of the month: Johnny Banks – some great performances from the left-sided player and he scored the winning goal against Maidstone that confirmed our playoff position.

Points tally compared to last season: We’ve got 3 more points than at this stage last season. Progress has been made.

Other News: Grays are three points clear at the top of the league with Dorchester second. It will go down to the wire and the Magpies will have to hope for results to go their way. Team Bath and Merthyr are both confirmed in the playoff positions.

Local side Luton Town are down to 3rd but will definitely take part in the BSP playoffs. Meanwhile our local rivals, Stevenage, will be in League Two next season after securing safety.

Arsenal have managed to come from behind and are level on points with Manchester United in the Premier League. The Red Devils have a game in hand, with Chelsea and Aston Villa making up the top four. Middlesbrough and Coventry are fighting at the bottom of the table with QPR already relegated.

[crouchaldinho]

MAY 2010

I’m hoping that the curse of the Manager of the Month award does not strike this month as there can only be one target for May and that is to win the playoffs. First of all, we meet Farnborough away in the final game of the season. I will rest players in this game in order to save them for the playoffs.

At the risk of alienating my reader, I must confess that I am feeling rather ambivalent about the playoffs. On the one hand, of course I want to win them and get promoted. On the other, I feel that we could probably do with another season in the BSS in order to make further improvements to the squad. This season has seen me experimenting tactically and I feel that I have only just found my best system. I would like to improve the side and then have a shot at the title next year to see how well these players could do with a few changes. However, I think that if we were to win the playoffs, I would be utterly delighted. Also, I think that I would be devastated if we were to get to the final and then to lose.

Anyway, I’m getting too far ahead of myself. Whatever happens will be for the best. I am a firm believer in fate. I’m looking forward to this hugely important month in my career. Come on you Saints!

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS CAPTAIN RULED OUT OF PLAYOFFS – Saints fans will be devastated to learn that their captain, Ben Martin, has suffered a sprained ankle during a training session that will rule him out of the Blue Square South playoffs. The Saints manager had this to say: ‘Ben has landed heavily on his ankle and will be out for up to two months. We’re really disappointed and it’s a big setback for us. Nevertheless, we will soldier on and give it our best shot without our captain’. It is thought that either Lee Clarke or Scott Cousins will deputise during Ben’s absence from the first team.

Farnborough 3-2 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

We could really do without today’s match. It is totally meaningless for both sides and I’m terrified of any injury setbacks that might hamper our preparations for the playoffs. As a result, I play almost an entire second string today, with the exception of one or two players.

It might seem that defeat was inevitable today but actually this was a good performance by some reserve players. Paul Bastock, a club icon, got the captaincy today and played what is most likely to be his last ever game for the club. Bazza is 39-years-old now and time appears to have finally caught up with him. His agility is non-existent and his best days are firmly behind him. I will probably keep him on as I am trying to convince him to become a coach for our club.

Anyway, Bastock and the poor reserves defence in front of him is the main reason we concede three today. Farnborough get two first-half goals and make easy work of us. However, it must be considered that we had several players starting today who were not match fit.

Shaun Johnson is one of the players I’ve risked today and he pops up with a goal in the second-half. I feel hopeful that we can stage a comeback.

Unfortunately, Farnborough’s third is all down to Bazza. He is a slightly eccentric ‘keeper at times and today is no different. When we win a free-kick towards the end of the half, Bazza decides to come and stand on the half-way line. Unfortunately, Farnborough won possession back and, well, the ball got back to the goal before poor old Bazza did. Not the best send off for him.

Shaun Johnson pulled another one back but it was too late by then. A good performance today but a poor result. Not that it matters one jot as all minds were elsewhere today.

Saints MoM: Shaun Johnson.

League pos: 4th – 72 points from 42 games.

The top of the final league table looks like this:

C Grays 80

---------------------------------

Pl Dorchester 78

Pl Team Bath 77

Pl SAINTS 72

Pl Merthyr 72

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS GET TEAM BATH IN PLAYOFFS – St. Albans City have been drawn to play Team Bath in the BSS playoffs with the first leg to be played a Clarence Park. The two previous meetings between these sides this season resulted in thrilling 2-2 draws. Saints have recorded only one win over Team Bath under their current manager and that was a Setanta Shield 2nd Round game in 2008.

SAINTS 2-2 Team Bath (Blue Square South Playoff, 1st leg)

Well this is an absolutely huge game for the club and a good result here could set us up for the next game. I was hoping for the home leg first as then you know exactly what you need to do in the second game.

Team Bath, as I’ve commented before, have some real quality in their team. They were predicted to finish in 1st place this season but had a poor start before going on a run of excellent form. We’re up against it today and I’m feeling very nervous.

The Saints team in full:

GK James Waggett

DR Michael Galloway

DL Scott Cousins ©

DC Aaron Beech

DC Jack Pearson

MR Hassan Sulaiman

ML Johnny Banks

MCd Jefferson Gowland

MCa Kieran Hall

ST Ewan Clarke

FC Charlie Tromans

One the bench: Bastock, Ritchie, Hakim, Smith, Johnson.

We are going to play an attacking system today with young prodigy Charlie Tromans playing as a ‘number 10’ with creative freedom and a free role. He is the key player who I hope will drift into good positions, act as playmaker, contest the ball in the air and create plenty for the team in general. I see him as somewhere between what the Italians call a ‘Trequartista’ and a target-man. He has strength, is good in the air but also has great technical ability and is very creative.

I tell the side to do this for the fans as well as giving some individual encouragement to some of the players. My assistant tells me that Aaron Beech is looking like he isn’t reacting well to the pressure of the occasion today so I take the time to tell him that there is no pressure on him and that he should be calm today. It’s easy for me to say that, especially when I am feeling so nervous myself.

We find ourselves behind after just 30 seconds and I am totally devastated. It looks like a nothing chance but the players just don’t react. It’s an absolute hammer blow to our chances and I just hope that the lads can pull themselves together and quickly.

Thankfully we improve and Ewan Clarke has us level on 15 minutes as he goes past the ‘keeper and shows his composure to finish calmly. Game on.

Yet Team Bath are in the lead again after just 5 minutes. It’s a dangerous cross and nobody is picking up their striker. He powers home from only a few yards and we’re behind 1-2. That’s his second of the day and we just can’t cope with him.

At half-time, I’ve got some players who are seriously lacking in confidence to try to give belief to. At this stage, I decide not to make any changes. I will give it 15 minutes and then see if I need to make a substitution.

Later in the half, I bring on Johnson, Hakim and Ritchie. Our play improves and we’re definitely the better side on the day. We get our reward when Johnny Banks crosses into the box and a Team Bath defender heads emphatically into his own net.

The game ends at 2-2. We’ve edged it on possession today and deserved more luck in front of goal. We created 5 clear cut chances to their 2 and had 13 shots on goal but just couldn’t break them down. The local press report that Team Bath were lucky to escape with a draw.

Team Bath are solid at the back and have a devastating striker, who my scouts tell me could play in League 1. He has scored 23 goals for them this season. The rest of their team is pretty useful as well and I believe that they could all easily play in the Conference. It’s up to us to stop them.

So we end up with a third 2-2 draw against Team Bath this season. An impressive 1,471 fans were packed into Clarence Park for this one. Now we have to go to their place and get the win.

Saints MoM: Ewan Clarke.

Other game: Merthyr 0-2 Dorchester.

Team Bath 3-4 SAINTS (Blue Square South Playoff, 2nd leg) – Saints win 6-5 on aggregate.

Team Bath are at really short odds today and we’re as long as 7/1, which gives you some indication of what we are up against. We’ve got to go all out for the win at Twerton Park.

The Saints team in full (unchanged):

GK James Waggett

DR Michael Galloway

DL Scott Cousins ©

DC Aaron Beech

DC Jack Pearson

MR Hassan Sulaiman

ML Johnny Banks

MCd Jefferson Gowland

MCa Kieran Hall

ST Ewan Clarke

FC Charlie Tromans

One the bench: Bastock, Ritchie, Hakim, Smith, Johnson.

I wish the team luck today, however my assistant tells me that Ewan Clarke is looking overconfident at the moment and so I tell him that I expect a performance.

We concede within ten minutes due to some pretty woeful defending. It’s a deflected cross to the back post and nobody deals with the player coming in behind the defence. He sneaks through and manages to prod the ball past our ‘keeper.

Just as we approach half-time, I’m starting to think negatively and trying to be philosophical about another season in the Blue Square South. In the middle of this rumination, I’m wonderfully awakened by a Johnny Banks cross into the box. Charlie Tromans is free and manages to head home from close-range. It’s 1-1 and I can’t stop myself from celebrating. Charlie kisses the badge on his shirt, salutes the supporters and races over towards the bench. Our young prodigy has got us back in this.

But it gets better and better and better. In the 1st minute of injury time in the first-half, Scott Cousins has a free-kick and he finds Jack Pearson in the box. The defender manages to prod the ball into the net and we’re in the lead! We go in at half-time 2-1 up and delighted with ourselves. I encourage the lads to keep at it and get a another to kill the game.

Team Bath equalise on 58 minutes. First they hit the bar and then one of their midfielders is able to put the rebound away. So we’re all tied at 2-2 again.

I make two changes. Andy Ritchie has to come on for Jefferson Gowland who is injured. Sulaiman is tired and not having the best of games so I bring him off for Paul Hakim.

Team Bath go three up with a wonder goal in the 61st minute. It’s a shot from way outside the area and it beats our keeper with ease.

Just as I am recovering from the disappointment of seeing us go 2-3 down, Charlie Tromans takes advantage of a defensive error, gets into the area and uses his strength to stay on his feet and slot the ball in into the bottom corner of the net. 3-3 and this is turning out to be some game indeed.

I decide to take off Ewan Clarke who has really disappointed again today and bring on youngster Shaun Johnson. Can he get a winner for us today?

It’s not him but his fellow young academy product, Charlie Tromans, who saves the day. It’s a quite extraordinary goal worthy of winning any match. Team Bath are up for it and pushing us hard, realising that the next goal wins it, when Kieran Hall picks up the ball in midfield and finds Tromans in deep position unmarked. Tromans controls the ball and moves forward into space, then unleashes a 20 yard strike which beats the ‘keeper through its sheer force. It’s 4-3. That’s a Tromans hat-trick. Incredible! What a game the young lad is having. But I don’t celebrate, I am too busy instructing the team to defend for their lives for the next 5 minutes.

Shameless time wasting and a resolute defensive display is enough to see us through. Our young prodigy, Charlie Tromans, has won us this game and St. Albans City are through to the Blue Square South playoff final for the first time since 2006.

Saints MoM: Charlie Tromans (a hat-trick and an average rating of 9.3).

Other game: Dorchester 0-2 Merythr (It’s 2-2 at fulltime and Merthyr end up winning on penalties).

Merthyr 1-0 SAINTS (BSS Playoff Final The Kingfield Sports Ground, Woking)

Merthyr have had a passage to the final every bit as emotional as our own having won on penalties against Dorchester. I can’t help feeling we’ve got the easier of the two sides we could have had in this final. Dorchester were only 2 points off 1st place and lead the league for a long time. Merthyr, on the other hand, had a great start but then faded away to 5th. They were level on points with us at the end of the season but our goal difference was vastly superior.

Earlier in the season, we won comfortably against Merthyr at home, but lost away. Everything points to this being a very close tie indeed. This will be the first televised game of my short career.

In terms of team news, the major news is that Jefferson Gowland is injured. Andy Ritchie comes in to replace him. Lewis Hamlin is fit enough to start today so he comes in for Hassan Sulaiman who will be on the bench. We are otherwise unchanged.

The Saints team in full (unchanged):

GK James Waggett

DR Michael Galloway

DL Scott Cousins ©

DC Aaron Beech

DC Jack Pearson

MR Lewis Hamlin

ML Johnny Banks

MCd Andy Ritchie

MCa Kieran Hall

ST Ewan Clarke

FC Charlie Tromans

One the bench: Bastock, Quilter, Sulaiman, Smith, Johnson.

We play a cautious 4-4-2, with Charlie Tromans as our ‘number 10’, i.e. the focal point of our attacks and providing the main creativity in the side. The aim is to keep things tight and let our quality show during the game. I believe we can win this.

The first-half is far from a thriller as both sides fail to create a single decent chance. In fact, neither side even has a shot on target. It’s extremely tight and even. I feel this one really could go down to the wire. During my team talk, I tell the side that they can win this as well as encourage Hamlin and Clarke. I also tell Tromans to get out there and prove a point. His performance has disappointed me so far and I’m certain there is more to come from him. He could really make the difference for us today.

During the second-half I bring on Hassan Sulaiman to see if he can change things. I am also forced into taking of Kieran Hall as he picks up an injury. It’s a huge blow to lose such an influential player. Tromans takes up the ‘number 8’ role and Shaun Johnson is on to take the ‘number 10’ position. Feeling that this game might go all the way, I save my final substitution.

Unfortunately for us, the game doesn’t go all the way. On 83 minutes, Merthyr score as we fail to clean our lines. It’s a hammer blow and the side can’t recover, try as they might. We go all out attack but we can’t create anything. It’s such a narrow loss and such an anticlimax in front of 2,911 fans today.

It has been such an even game but I suppose that they have just edged it. We failed to get out shots on target today. Ewan Clarke is particularly guilty and my assistant tells me, after the game, that he looked like he was taking his form for granted today. I can’t pick out anything specifically as I think we’ve played ok. It just wasn’t enough today. Perhaps the side was a bit too young to cope with such a big occasion. Nerves perhaps got the better of us. And so we play for another season in the Blue Square South.

Saints MoM: Jack Pearson.

MANAGER JOURNAL

Well, I ended up getting my wish although I can’t say I am very happy about it. It does mean that we get to do some more building, find some more pieces for our jigsaw, improve and have a shot at the title next season.

Let’s look at the month in perspective though. We fought back incredibly against Team Bath and put in two great performances to get to the final. The final was an anticlimax, but the performance was decent and it could have gone either way really. It’s hard to be positive at the moment but we must build on this next season.

[crouchaldinho]

SEASON 2009/2010 SUMMARY:

Final league pos:

Pos   	Team	 	Pld	 Won	 Drn	 Ls	 For 	Ag 	G.D. 	 Pts   
4th    	St. Albans       42    	 20      12    	 10   	 59    	36    	 +23  	 72

FA Cup: Knocked out at 2nd Qualifying Round (eventual winners: Man Utd)

FA Trophy: Knocked out at 4th Round - new record - (eventual winners: Grays)

Setanta Shield: Knocked out at South 4th Round - new record - (eventual winners: Rushden)

Fans’ Player of the season: Scott Cousins for the second season in a row.

Signing of the season: None.

Top goalscorers: Nathan Jarman – 15 (10 in the BSS)

Most Assists: Scott Cousins - 12

Most MoM awards: Jack Pearson - 6

Best Average Rating: Scott Cousins - 7.14

Average Attendance: 499 (down 166 from last season)

Wage budget & finances:

- Approximately £700 under the wage budget after renegotiating contacts.

- Currently £113,000 in the red.

Season Best XI: (4-4-2) Waggett, Galloway, Cousins, Pearson, Martin, Hamlin, Banks, Gowland, Hall, Johnson, Jarman.

All-time Best XI: Waggett, Bailey, Cousins, Pearson, Martin, Hamlin, Banks, Gowland, Hall, Hakim, Jarman.

City Legends: Wilfred Minter, Steve Clark, Phil Wood.

City Icons: Colin Lippiatt, Lee Clarke, Peter Risley, Kevin Mudd, Richard Evans, Paul Bastock.

City Favourites: Paul Hakim, Ben Martin, Simon Martin, Scott Cousins.

Additional:

- St. Albans City reserves are champions after winning their league by 7 points.

- St. Albans City youth retain their title after winning their league comfortably by 13 points.

Other News:

- Blue Square South:

o Grays win the title. Merthyr are promoted via the playoffs.

o Weston-super-Mare, Maidenhead and Maidstone are relegated.

o Dorchester are the ‘overachievers’ of the Blue Square South in the end of season summary.

- The Big Boys:

o Arsenal win the Premier League,

o Rest of the top 4: Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool (Villa miss out by 2 points).

o Relegated: Middlesbrough, Coventry, QPR.

o Promoted from Championship: West Ham, Preston, Leeds.

o R. Madrid win the Champions League,

o At. Madrid win the Uefa Cup,

o Man Utd win the FA Cup,

o Arsenal win the League Cup.

- World Cup:

o England get to the final but are beaten by Italy.

o Highest profile managerial sacking is Diego Maradona who leaves after getting knocked out in the 2nd round.

- Local Interests:

o Our local rivals Stevenage finish a safe 20th place in League Two. They stay in the Football League and this means that we now have no chance of meeting them in the FA Trophy or Setanta Shield.

o Luton Town bounce straight back up to the Football League. They go up after winning the playoffs.

o Watford finish in the Championship playoff zone but lose to Preston in the final.

- Ex-Saints:

o Adam Everitt has a decent season for Brentwood and plays 20 games scoring 1 goal.

o Other youth players released from their contract have not found new clubs to join and have either retired or are currently free agents.

Manager Achievements:

2010 – Manager of the Month Award for April.

2009 - Manager of the Month Award for April.

Overall Progress:

League         Season    Finished   Achievements
------------------------------------------------
BSS            2008/09    7th	       None
BSS            2009/10    4th	       Playoff finalists – lost in the final

MANAGER JOURNAL

Well, once again, we have achieved a great deal this season and managed to achieve a playoff place just as I targeted at the beginning of August. We were unlucky in the final and, although I was terribly disappointed with the loss, I am also content to have another season in the Blue Square South. I think this gives me a big chance to build on what we have achieved and maybe even to put a title challenge in next season. At least another season in this division will do us a lot of good.

I have already started to renegotiate contracts with key players at the club but this year there will be changes. I feel that we need to keep the spine of this squad together and I don’t envisage a lot of new faces or sales. However, certain fringe players will have to go this summer and we will have to look at strengthening if possible.

I really think we have a team in place that could go for it next year. The playoff final disappointment will linger in my mind over the coming months but we’ll be back next season and we’ll be stronger.

[crouchaldinho]

CHAPTER 4 – SEASON 2010/2011 BLUE SQUARE SOUTH

Pre-season journal:

To start off with, there is pleasing news as I am able to convince Paul Bastock to become our new goalkeeping coach. I’m delighted to keep the Saints icon at the club. He announced his retirement from playing shortly after we reached this new agreement. Unfortunately, though, despite my best efforts at convincing Jonathan Hunt to stay on, he took the decision to leave the game entirely upon his retirement at the end of July.

There is revolution in there air at Clarence Park and I make some big changes to the squad.

I’m disappointed to lose out on Luke Thurlbourne, who has previously been on loan at the Saints under the last manager, Steve Castle. He chooses to progress his career at Forest Green. However, I am able to get a number of my transfer targets.

First of all, I will deal with the exits. There are 12 players released from the club in total, all on released or sold on free transfers, so none of them bring in any money unfortunately. 5 of these are youth players. The other players released are perennial fringe players such as Simon Martin, Gary Cohen and James Fisher. Simon has never convinced me and I felt it was time for him to move on. Gary played a great deal during my first season at the club but didn’t feature many times last year. James Fisher hasn’t been able to break into the team due to competition for places. I also let Michael McLeary go who was one of my first signings that really hasn’t worked out at all.

The major players leaving the club though are Ryan Frater and Nathan Jarman. Frater has been solid for the club but was sold due to other signings coming in (more of this later). Nathan Jarman is perhaps the biggest shock. You might be asking yourself, is the Saints manager mad? He has sold his top scorer from last season. Well, I’m taking a risk on youth. I have academy products Shaun Johnson, Dale Friend and Darren Ramshaw competing for a place up front (the latter two have been promoted by me from the youth side to the first team this season).

At the time of writing, I’m also hoping to sell Jonathan Pringle for around £3 or £4k. He was in and out of the team last season and, again, I want to give youth a chance up front.

This isn’t the only reason I decide to move on Jarman and Pringle. Both are fine players but, due to some tactical reshuffling (more on this coming in a minute) I want more from my strikers. I want them to offer more than just a goalscoring threat. These two players are really poachers, foxes in the box, who don’t offer much in the way of team work and don’t excel physically. My younger strikers offer a number of different styles of play and are team oriented and hard working. They are young still and need to develop their mental approaches to the game but I have high hopes for them.

With the wage budget cut due to these players being moved on, I was able to make some major signings to improve the team. With Bastock gone, I brought in a ‘keeper called David Darlington on a free transfer. I also moved to secure two centre-backs to strength the defence. They are an ex-Chelsea youth called Jack Saville and an ex-MK Dons youth called Daniel Flack. The latter was on loan with us last season and we are happy to welcome him back. I also bring in an ex-Shrewsbury youth called Ashley Watson who can play on the left of midfield. Johnny Banks is getting on a little bit and so I see Watson as a potential understudy. Finally, I bring in defensive midfielder George Collins from Hampton & Richmond on a free to add some much need steel to the midfield.

The major signing for us, though, is a former QPR youth player called Danny Maguire. I am truly excited about this player and I had to offer him a huge contract to sign with us. He has played in the BSS before when he was on loan at Maidstone and Bromley, playing 21 games and scoring 9 goals for the former, and playing 10 games and scoring 7 for the latter. Despite this impressive tally, I don’t see him as so much of a goalscorer. I believe he is the ideal kind of playmaker for our level. He has masses of creativity, is technically excellent and his passing is superb. I bought him with a vision of him pinging balls around the midfield, controlling games and providing assists. More on this and how he is going to fit into my tactical system is coming later.

The chairman contacted me to say that he expects a top half position. To this, I responded that I felt we could go for promotion and we thus negotiated a slightly increased wage bill. I might have put a bit of increased pressure on myself here but I felt it essential that we are ambitious this season and aim to follow up our successes with another great season this year. The chairman is still expressing that he is still ‘happy to stay’. I hope he will be supportive of both me and the club as I try to take us to another level.

As I suggested at the end of last season, I wanted to keep the nucleus of this squad together and I have managed to do that. I have also been able to promote some more of our youth players and I am very excited about this as I feel it is very important.

The chairman has reduced the wage budget again but, due to promoting youth and releasing a number of players, I around £700 under the limit. I managed to agree new contracts with every player still at the club for at least another season. I foresee of no other signings. There may yet be a player leaving, i.e. Jonathan Pringle, if I can find a buyer. Focusing on youth may well be a risky strategy but I am convinced that it will be of great benefit to the club in the long-term. The average age of the squad is 21, compared to a Blue Square South average age of 23. Personally, I feel we’ve got the right players to succeed this season and my assistant Dave Horrocks agrees with me.

Joining the Blue Square South this season after being promoted are AFC Hornchurch, Horsham and Hitchin Town. I am absolutely delighted about the latter because it means another Hertfordshire derby this season against a county rival. We look forward to battling against our local rivals in the league this season. The other sides to join the league are Lewes and Crawley after their relegation from the Conference. The favourites for promotion this season are Team Bath, Crawley, Lewes and Chelmsford.

Out players report back we appear to have a rare clean bill of health this pre-season.

I arrange a pre-season cup tournament, as I did last season, which I am hoping to establish with some regularity in the coming years and which I hope might become a tradition. I call it the ‘Hertfordshire Challenge League’ or ‘HCL’. The teams invited will always be our local rivals: Stevenage Boro’, Boreham Wood and Hitchin Town. This year, for the second HCL, I manage to get all three of these clubs to participate in the tournament, to be held at Clarence Park.

Below are the results from the second ‘Hertfordshire Challenge League’.

SAINTS 2-1 Hitchin Town (HCL)

Comments: Tight game won by a late Saints goal.

Saints Goals: Johnson and Pringle.

Saints MoM: Jack Pearson.

Other game in round 1: Stevenage 3 – 0 Boreham Wood.

SAINTS 2-0 Stevenage Boro’ (HCL)

Comments: Awesome and convincing win against our lofty rivals.

Saints goals: Smith and Tromans.

Saints MoM: Smith.

Other game in round 3: Boreham Wood 2 – 2 Hitchin

SAINTS 2-2 Boreham Wood (HCL)

Comments: Tired looking Saints side stumble after dominating the game.

Saints Goals: Johnson and Friend.

Saints MoM: Johnson

Other game in round 2: Stevenage 0 – 0 Hitchin

HCL Final standings:

1.	St. Albans 7
2.	Stevenage 6
3.	Boreham Wood 2
4.	Hitchin 1

We win our first ever HCL with Stevenage finishing second. I think that the order of the fixtures has made a big difference to us because last season we lost it in our last game against Stevenage where the squad was very tired. It now means that Stevenage and St. Albans have won 1 HCL title each.

It has been a good competition and I am delighted that we have won it. I feel pleased with all of our performances in the competition and I hope we can take this form into the Blue Square South.

The rest of pre-season ranges from the not too bad, to the absolutely sublime. First we play against our neighbours, Watford. They send their first team and they dominate the game and run out 4-2 winners. However, I’m pleased with the lads and the tenacity they showed to score a couple of goals and keep the scoreline respectable. Then, we play Stalybridge Celtic, again at Clarence Park. We absolutely hammer them 7-1 in the highest scoring game of my career so far. I have been changing our system during pre-season and experimenting a lot. Things seem to work really well for us today. Shaun Johnson is absolutely outstanding and scores 4 goals and sets another one up. The other goals come from Kieran Hall and Hassan Sulaiman with a brace. It’s an astonishing performance and I couldn’t be more delighted with it as the last pre-season game before the real business starts. I realise that this is only a friendly match, however I am still quite proud of this performance and result.

Young striker Shaun Johnson is the best performer in pre-season. He has scored 6 goals in 4 games and set up another 5. If he can carry this form into the new season then we will be absolutely set.

Pre-season squad draft:

* - indicates new signing for this season

& - indicates long-serving player

(YPx) – indicates a product of the youth academy, with the x equalling the year of intake.

GK	* David Darlington	17 yo goalkeeper, English. 
DR 	Alex Bailey		26 yo fullback, English
DL 	& Scott Cousins		27 yo fullback and long-serving Saint, English
DC 	& Ben Martin		27 yo defender, captain and Saints hero, English
DC 	* Jack Saville		19 yo defender, English
MR	Lewis Hamlin		25 yo winger, English
ML	Johnny Banks		30 yo winger, English	
MCd 	* George Collins	22 yo defensive midfielder, Greek
MCa 	Kieran Hall		25 yo attacking midfielder, English
AM	* Danny Maguire		20 yo playmaker forward, English 
FC	(YP1) Charlie Tromans	17 yo talismanic prodigy, English

Best of the rest:

GK		James Waggett		19 yo goalkeeper, English
DR		(YP2) Andrew Honeyball	16 yo versatile fullback, English
DR/DM		& Chris Seeby		24 yo versatile fullback, English
DL		(YP0) Brendan Skinner 	18 yo fullback, English	
D/AML		Sam Hurrell		21 yo winger, Football Icon star, English
DC		* Daniel Flack 		18 yo centre-back, English
DC		Jack Pearson		20 yo centre-back, English
DC		(YP0) Steve McNamara	17 yo defender, English
DC/DM 		& James Quilter 	26 yo versatile DC/MC, English
DM		Andy Ritchie		21 yo midfielder, English	
DM		Jefferson Gowland	21 yo midfielder, English
MC		Ian Snodin		21 yo, midfielder, English
AMC/FC		& Lee Clarke		25 yo attacker, vice-captain, N.Irish
MR 		Hassan Sulaiman		23 yo amr & ex-Arsenal scholar, English
MR 		(YP1) Gary Crittenden	17 yo winger, English
ML		* Ashley Watson		18 yo winger, English
ML		(YP1)  Michael Smith	17 yo left-sided player, English
AM		Jamie Brown		29 yo attacking mid, English
ST		(YP1) Dale Friend	17 yo young striker, English
ST		(YP1) Darren Ramshaw	17 yo young striker, English
ST 		(YP0) Shaun Johnson	18 yo striker English
ST		& Paul Hakim		28 yo super Saint, striker, English

So it is an absolutely enormous squad of 33 players for this season, which is bigger that last season. It must be noted, though, that there are 9 youth players in the squad, which represents my commitment to bringing through young players. These players are all on small contracts and so we are able to afford to have a big squad for this level. I have high hopes that we will do well because of this depth. I have remained loyal to a number of the players who achieved 7th in the league last season. The general strength and depth of the side is, as far as I am concerned, better than ever. I look forward to working with these players this season.

Youth academy player picked out by my assistant: Andrew Honeyball (DR/L/C) – 16-year-old from St.Albans. My assistant says he has the potential to be one of the most gifted players to have come through youth ranks at St. Albans in recent years. As you can see from the squad list above, I intend to involve him in first team affairs this season. I believe he will be particularly useful due to his versatility as he can play across the back four.

Anticipated tactical philosophy:

Here at St. Albans, as I always say, we have a hard-working culture, with the wingers tracking back and the whole side defending from the front by pressing in the opposition half. Our whole tactical philosophy is holistic; we believe in working collectively for the team but I also, cautiously, believe in individuals as well. That is reflected in my tactical selection for this season, which will become apparent in a minute.

For the last two seasons, we have played 4-4-2 and we will not entirely abandon this. However, this season I want to switch to a 4-4-1-1 in order to fit Danny Maguire into the team and make the most of him.

The 4-4-1-1 is a simple variation of the 4-4-2 in which the second attacker plays just behind the main striker but ahead of the midfield, i.e. in the hole. This is the famous number 10 position. The Italians call it the ‘Trequartista’ position. The Argentineans call this player the ‘Enganche’.

I feel that this formation will allow our new signing, who is a very creative player, the tactical freedom to contribute hugely to our attack this season. New signing, Danny Maguire, will have lots of options, e.g. to pass short or long, dribble, cut wide or bear down on goal. I will be looking for him to create goal scoring chances for others as well as arriving late in the box to join the attack. In front of him will be two of our local lads, that is either young striker Shaun Johnson or our talismanic forward, Charlie Tromans.

This does not mean to say that we won’t play our 4-4-2 this season. We will switch to it on various occasions. On these occasions, Charlie Tromans will replace Danny Maguire and come in as a deep-lying forward. He will then be partnered by a more orthodox forward.

I’ve got my defensive, balanced or attacking tactical systems but the hard-working philosophy is in mind at all times. I have spent quite a lot of time simplifying the tactics for this season so that we are operating with a balanced 4-4-2 system with 5 defending players and 5 attacking ones. We can alter player instructions for more attacking or defensive tactics, but the mentalities of these players will be the same so that we attack and defend as a unit.

I'm very much a fan of the ‘Trequartista’/’Enganche’ player. I believe that having a creative playmaker in the midfield will see us playing some good football this season. I’m also a fan of a creative second striker, like Charlie Tromans, that is a 'number 10' style player who is creative as well as physical and will win long balls, as well as receive it on the deck and ‘hold up’ the ball as his team-mates advance.

Absolutely essential in both the 4-4-1-1 and the 4-4-2, in an attacking sense, will be our attacking midfielder and our deep-lying forward. Both players will be the most creative players in the side and Danny will often operate on free roles.

During pre-season, I have spent some time testing some new instructions for the team. In particular, I have been trying to get my attacking trio of Kieran Hall, Danny Maguire and Shaun Johnson to get forward more often in counter-attacking systems and to hold their runs in our more attacking systems. I am hoping that I can get the best out of my attackers by making sure that they are making runs in the right way for each tactical approach.

The overall tactical philosophy will be hard-work, efficiency, practicality and team-work. This will be balanced out by the cautious encouragement of individual talent, with my attacking midfielder or deep-lying striker being the main candidates for creative autonomy.

The Final Word:

We continue in last season’s retro-style replica. The top is yellow with thin blue stripes on the shoulders running down the arms and also down the sides of the shirt. The shorts are plain blue and the socks are yellow with one blue stripe. We retain our sponsorship deal with the local Oaklands College, which remains the sponsor on our shirts.

We’ve got some new signings and quite a few of them will probably go straight into the first eleven. As a result, we may well need some gelling time but I am hopeful that we can rebuild the strong understanding the side had last year pretty quickly. Ben Martin and Lee Clarke stay on as captain and vice-captain respectively.

I can’t wait to get the season underway and I feel that, with Danny Maguire in the team, we may have one of the most talent players in the division. I have a premonition that Team Bath will be our main rivals this season and I look forward, with nervous anticipation, to locking horns with them. I feel that we need a really strong start to the season and to get points on the board early. I really want the promotion this season. Come on you Saints!

Media prediction: 5th

Chairman and fans: Respectable position

Manager: I want to push for a playoff place

 

[salkster2102]

nice story crouch. i noticed you said one of the saints players holds the record for the most goals scored in an fa cup match with eight goals. i was sure i had heard of a higher goal total before from my local team stocksbridge park steels. turns out that i was right as the player's surname was jackson (dont know his first name) who scored 10 in one match against oldham town where we won 17-1.

[crouchaldinho]

nice story crouch. i noticed you said one of the saints players holds the record for the most goals scored in an fa cup match with eight goals. i was sure i had heard of a higher goal total before from my local team stocksbridge park steels. turns out that i was right as the player's surname was jackson (dont know his first name) who scored 10 in one match against oldham town where we won 17-1.

Cheers for comment Salkster.

It's actually that Wilfred Minter holds the record for most goals scored by a player on the losing side in an FA Cup tie, so not quite as glamorous as the record at your local team. Legend has it that the week after the match, Minter was made captain and the band played 'For He's A Jolly Good Fellow'!

[salkster2102]

ah right that makes much sense. such nice fan the saints have as well. talk about embarrassing the poor guy

[Wegason]

I do love the Blue Square South stories and I enjoy managing in it, though I manage with Braintree as opposed to St Albans

Best of luck progressing from the league and I feel this year could be your year, especially after so narrowly missing out last season (like Braintree did a few years back).

[crouchaldinho]

AUGUST 2010

With pre-season having gone well and with us having finished on an incredible high, I was looking forward with great anticipation to kicking off the season. We’ve been notoriously slow starters for the last few years and the mission this time around is to get some good results and points on the board early on.

We kick off with a home game against Eastbourne Boro. Our other home game in the league this month sees us play a county derby against Bishop’s Stortford. We’ve favourites for both games and I can see no reason not to target full points.

Away from home we have games against Team Bath and Chelmsford. Sandwiched between them is my first ever trip as a manager to Top Field to play our county rivals newly-promoted Hitchin Town. That means we’re treated to two derby games in our first month of the season. Terrific stuff! The Team Bath game is going to be really difficult, especially when you consider the history between the two sides now. That two-legged playoff semi with the 6-5 aggregate score will be playing on the mind of our players this season. They will be major rivals to our promotion hopes. In addition to this, a derby game is always tough and Hitchin will be up for it. I target two points from these testing away fixtures.

So, we are going for 8 points from 4 games. The target is clear enough, I want to start the season as we mean to go in, i.e. in promotion form.

SAINTS 0-0 Eastbourne Boro (Blue Square South)

I’ve got lots of nerves going into this game because I really want us to have a good start this year. For the past two years we have drawn our opening game. I want this to change and for us to win today.

I have a slight selection headache today. If I decide to implement the 4-4-1-1, that means that there is only one place for either Tromans or Johnson up front. Johnson’s form has been exception in pre-season and I feel that he is the kind of striker that I want to bring in today as he has good pace and movement off the ball. I feel that he will be a threat to the opposition defence.

In the end, my hand is forced in the end into playing a 4-4-2 anyway. Brendan Skinner and Danny Maguire don’t appear to be match fit and I’m unsure whether or not to take a risk on them. Brendan has had an injury that has set him back and Danny joined up with the squad late on and missed some of pre-season. The only way to get them match fit is to get them minutes in matches and I come to the conclusion that in Brendan Skinner’s case it may as well be in this match. However, with this being Maguire’s debut, I decide to put him on the bench rather than risk him. Tromans is in up front with Johnson.

There are four league debuts today for goalkeeper Darlington, defender Saville, winger Watson and defensive midfielder Collins. I have my concerns about how these players will perform in their very first competitive game in yellow and blue.

In the end, this game is a total anti-climax. We’re getting used to starting the season like this.

It’s a decent performance with plenty of chances. However, we tire rapidly and in the end I’m left blaming myself for not getting the players in better condition during pre-season.

We lose Kieran Hall in the first-half and during the second-half George Collins picks up a knock. Both will be out of our absolutely huge game against Team Bath next weekend.

Saints MoM: Captain Ben Martin.

League pos: 17th – 1 point from 1 game.

Team Bath 1-1 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

With Hall and Collins injured, I have little hope for this game and I’m extremely worried. Team Bath have an excellent side and were in the playoffs last season, where we of course met them in that incredible and epic semi-final. They are the favourites for the league this season and so we’re up against it. I have to replace my two injured central midfielders with Andy Ritchie and Ian Snodin with both lacking in match fitness.

As a result of our unfit midfield, we lose a lot of possession early on to Team Bath. I decide to instruct the players to lower the tempo. It is something that I am finding increasingly important to my team. I am looking to use our tempo in order to reduce mistakes and increase passing success but also to increase the urgency of your attacks as required in a given situation. Today, our passing is sloppy and our possession poor, which is probably to be expected when you’re playing two central midfielders who aren’t match fit. I slow things down after a quarter of an hour and tings improve although not significantly.

We find ourselves behind 10 minutes before half-time, Team Bath having broken us down with wave after wave of attacks. In the second-half, we perform a little better but are just as sloppy with the ball. In the end, we equalise from a corner through a Ben Martin header. Our ever reliable captain has saved us here.

It’s all men behind the ball for the last 10 minutes as we desperately hold on to a draw that we don’t deserve. I admire the tenacity of the players in grinding out this result. It is a hugely significant point as far as I am concerned. It is one, however, that when looking at the stats, we can feel incredibly fortunate to have walked away with.

Saints MoM: Captain Ben Martin for the second game in a row.

League pos: 14th – 2 points from 2 games.

SAINTS 2-0 Bishop’s Stortford (Blue Square South)

It has been a typically slow start for us and we’re going into our third league game looking for a first win of the season. What better way than to get it against your county rivals. That’s my thought in the build up to this game, which comes hot on the heels of our away match at Team Bath. Fitness is already becoming a major issue and concern for us this season.

We are still without the injured Collins and Hall partnership in midfield. Worse still, Snodin and Ritchie are in poor condition after playing on Saturday. I call in Jefferson Gowland and Lee Clarke to play in midfield. Both are lacking match practice. Hassan Sulaiman and Michael Smith come into the side for Hamlin and Watson.

I am annoyed with myself at the moment because I don’t think our pre-season was good enough. I experimented too much, changed the starting eleven too often and I think 5 games wasn’t quite enough. We’ve ended up with a squad lacking fitness and match practice. There isn’t anything we can do about it now. We will just have to make the most of the situation and use reserve games to increase fitness.

We take the lead in this game on around 4 minutes. Lee Clarke manages to find some space on the right and then puts in a cross which Brendan Skinner, up from right-back, smashes emphatically home on the half volley.

Just before half-time, we get a second thanks to a Michael Smith cross from the left that an unmarked Charlie Tromans headed home. I like this goal, especially because it involved two of our academy products. Two young local lads working together to score against our county rivals. Does it get better than that?

At half-time, I tell the lads I’m pleased and ask them to slow things down, keep possession, control the game and kill it. We’re 2-0 up and we need to just play possession football now without exerting ourselves too much to get the three points.

The second-half goes much as I planned it and we get the three points. I’m really pleased, of course, but there doesn’t seem to be much of the attractive football we played in pre-season, for instance, against the likes of Stalybridge, on show just yet. The win is comfortable but that is more down to Stortford’s lack of bite than down to our performance. I suppose that this is to be expected by an unfit squad. We’re struggling along at the moment but three points is three points.

Saints MoM: Talismanic young prodigy Charlie Tromans.

League pos: 6th – 5 points from 3 games.

NEWSFLASH: EX-SAINT RULED OUT FOR 8 MONTHS – Ex-Saint Nathan Jarman will be ruled out for 8 months with a cruciate ligament injury. The striker left St. Albans City this summer in a surprise transfer to Margate. His new side are said to be devastated by this injury blow.

Hitchin 1-1 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

Two county derbies in a row for us then! A chance, this afternoon, to put one over newly-promoted Hitchin Town. This is the first time I have been to Top Field as a manager.

The rivalry between the Canaries and the Saints isn’t really a major one, although it has had its fair share of discord in the distant past. Personally, I have a soft spot for Hitchin as I grew up around that area. Still, I am desperate for the victory today, which will be all the sweeter against one of our Hertfordshire rivals.

Hitchin have started badly and haven’t picked up a win yet although it is still very early in the season. I feel that we can make the most of their poor form and go all out for the win. I want my side to play some more attractive football today and show some of their pre-season style and grace.

Danny Maguire still isn’t fit enough to start, which means we stay with the 4-4-2 today. George Collins is fit again and starts in the middle of the park.

Central midfielders Hall, Clarke and Snodin are all unfit or injured and so I decide to put Charlie Tromans into a midfield slot today. It’s not his preferred position but I believe he can do a job for us there. That means a debut in the forward position for young academy product Darren Ramshaw.

All in all, we have three former youth academy players in the starting eleven today (Brendan Skinner, Charlie Tromans and Shaun Johnson) and three on the bench (defender Andrew Honeyball and winger Gary Crittenden). The future looks bright at Clarence Park.

Oh yes, the future is very bright and it is a fine debut for Darren Ramshaw as Shaun Johnson plays him through to score the opener after around 10 minutes. This goal says a lot about this player as a prospect for our football club. He is all about pace, hard work, and his cool finish suggests that he is also a natural goalscorer.

Hitchin are level again after only 10 minutes thanks to a sublime long-range shot from one of their midfielders.

We are truly awful in this local derby in front of 793 at Top Field. Even considering our current injuries it’s a disappointing performance. We fail to create enough and its only down to the profligate finishing of the Hitchin Town strikers that we come away with a point. Very disappointing.

Saints MoM: Darren Ramshaw – the youngster took his goal well and provided the only highlight for our point of view.

League pos: 10th – 6 points from 4 games.

MANAGER JOURNAL

Well, the preparation wasn’t good enough, the performances haven’t been good enough but the results aren’t too bad.

We wanted to win all of our home games but we’ve managed 4 points from 2 games in the end. Away from home we’ve ended up with 2 points from 2 games. All in all, it’s 6 points from a possible 12 and a typically slow start from us. However, we’ve had all kinds of injury and fitness issues and we haven’t had a settled team. I’m hoping that next month we can improve dramatically.

My Saints Player of the Month: Captain Ben Martin for 4 solid performances and a goal against Team Bath.

Our points tally compared to last season: This time last year, we had 5 points from 4 games so I guess we have made some small progress this season. Still not the dream start I always hope for.

Other News: Title favourites Team Bath are top of the league with 10 points. Thurrock, Eastleigh, Bath and Welling have all had good starts too. Our county rivals Hitchin Town, newly promoted this season, have picked up 3 points so far and are sitting in 17th.

Local side Luton Town are enjoying life back in the Football League. They are sitting in 4th after a great start. Meanwhile our local rivals, Stevenage, also in League Two, have also had a good start and are in the top half of the table.

In the Championship, our neighbours Watford have failed to pick up any points so far.

While in the Premiership, Arsenal are top with Portsmouth and Man City featuring in the top 4. Sitting at the bottom of the table without any points at this early stage are Everton, West Ham and Blackburn.

[crouchaldinho]

SEPTEMBER 2010

I’ve been considering our tactical approach going into this month and I think I’m not getting things quite right in terms of our passing style. We’ve been here before, haven’t we? We clearly aren’t Arsenal so we need to keep the passes longer. That doesn’t preclude us from playing attractive football though. I make some changes to the instructions that I am giving to players to take this into account. I want us to push on this month.

We kick off the month with a tough away game against one of the favourites in Chelmsford. We also visit another favourite in Crawley who were relegated last season. It’s two tough away trips but I really want to keep the side picking up points, so I target 2 points from these matches.

At home in the league we play Worcester and Basingstoke. They should be winnable games and we’ll go into each as favourites. I target full points.

It’s a total target of 8 points from 4 games, which is promotion form.

In the Setanta Shield we have a Southern 1st Round tie with Welling at Clarence Park. I’ll probably rotate and use that game as an opportunity to get some match fitness into the side. We’ll still hope to progress, however.

NEWSFLASH: GIBSON WILLING TO LISTEN TO OFFERS – Saints fans were shocked to hear that chairman, John Gibson, is contemplating leaving the club and has announced that he is now ready to listen to offers.

The London businessman saved the Saints from liquidation in 2002 and took the club into the Nationwide Conference for the first time in its history when the club won promotion from the Conference South in season 2005/06. However, St Albans were relegated after their first season in the Conference and the club has since struggled to recover following attempts to rebuild the team within the limitations of a severely reduced wage budget.

The current Saints manager has been at the club for two years and has encouraged supporters last year by qualifying for the playoffs and getting to the final where they were narrowly beaten by Merthyr Tydfil. However, his wage budget has been cut for the second consecutive season despite the club’s progress.

Gibson has revealed that he is not willing to put any more money into the club, which is currently running at a loss and thought to be £130k in debt. It is said that the club has a value of £325k.

The Saints manager was unavailable to comment regarding this matter but in the past he has made comments about the potential of the club. It is believed that he would welcome a takeover if it could bring stability to the team and the kind of funds that could see the club establish itself in the Conference and push for Football League status.

Chelmsford 1-1 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

The news about Gibson does not surprise me. I have been expecting something like this all along. The club has been running at a loss and I have been keeping below the wage budget to try to mitigate the losses. Despite this, the wage budget has been cut drastically and the debts have been spiralling out of control. When I took over, Gibson was saying that he didn’t see why he should continue to put his money into the club. We’re not seeing any of it at the moment. A new owner could be wonderful or devastating. I am particularly concerned about my job should a new man come in. Things, in general, could either get a lot better or a lot worse from this point onwards.

But it’s back to footballing matters today, which is the reason I am here after all. The good news for us this afternoon is that Danny Maguire is finally match fit, which means that we can finally try out our 4-4-1-1 system. Playing in front of him will be Charlie Tromans. His work rate and technical abilities mean that he will do a good job for us in this position; however, he is not ideally suited to the lone striker role. He is more of a second striker. Today I’m willing to give him a shot in that role simply because he is our best forward and I think he has the attributes to be successful there.

This is our best performance of the season so far, which isn’t too difficult because we really haven’t looked good up to this point. Despite the fact that we bossed possession in the first-half, Chelmsford got in front against the run of play. We looked really good with Danny Maguire in the hole dominating the play, making key passes and getting in a few shots as well. He eventually got a reward for his work when he got the equaliser on 54 minutes.

A draw might be a fair result seeing as we both had the same number of chances but we dominated possession and looked in charge. I’d say we certainly edged it. This is a good point against one of the favourites for promotion.

Saints MoM: Danny Maguire, our ‘number 10’ gets to finally play in his favourite position.

League pos: 10th – 7 points from 5 games.

NEWSFLASH: YOUNGSTER RAMSHAW OUT FOR 2 MONTHS – Young striker Darren Ramsaw has sustained a damaged spine after landing heavily in a training match. The Saints academy product, who scored on his debut against Hitchin Town, will be out for up to 2 months.

SAINTS 1-0 Welling (Setanta Shield S 1st Rnd)

This falls, as usual, on a Tuesday evening and although I have everyone fit and available, I need to plan ahead for our next league game, which takes priority as far as I am concerned. However, I do want to see if we can keep momentum going and get a win here.

There is a starting place today for young academy products Gary Crittenden and Michael Smith. Ian Snodin comes into midfield as I rest Kieran Hall. I keep Danny Maguire in the team, however, as I want to continue our experiment with 4-4-1-1. Charlie Tromans is in as the lone striker.

In the end, this is a pretty dull game with few chances, although we have the better of it. It’s great to see Danny Maguire do really well again for us and he is the one who gets us the goal today. I brought him in to set them up and so every goal that he scores is a bonus. I feel I haven’t quite got the 4-4-1-1 system working to its full potential yet but it’s a win today and that’s good enough for me.

Saints MoM: Captain Ben Martin.

League pos: N/A – through to the Setanta Shield S 2nd Rnd.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS DRAW IN SETANTA SHIELD – The Saints have been drawn to play Hampton & Richmond away from home in the Setanta Shield S 2nd Rnd. The game will take place in the middle of October.

SAINTS 0-1 Worcester (Blue Square South)

We’re made comfortable favourites today against Worcester and so the pressure is on to get a win. We’ve got to have good home form this season to stand any chance of getting promoted.

Due to some shrewd management, I have my preferred eleven fit and ready to start this one. We continue with the 4-4-1-1, this time extremely attacking, with Maguire and Tromans as the partnership up front. I want attractive, attacking football today and I’m looking for a great performance as well as the result.

It just doesn’t happen for us today and I can’t understand how we didn’t get a win. We were firmly in charge and end up losing to a freak goal in the second-half.

This is a one-off and just one of those results that happens once in a while. The trouble is that we have a young squad who are still gelling as a team due to the new signings made in the summer. It’s a dreadful result but we’ll just turn our backs on it and move on as quickly as possible.

Saints MoM: Captain Ben Martin.

League pos: 15th – 7 points from 6 games.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS SIGN LASKOWSKI – St. Albans City have completed the signing of young midfielder Tom Laskowski on a free transfer from Crawley. The Saints manager said, ‘Tom is really one for the future. We feel that he could be a quality midfield player and he offers us options in the middle of the park. There is one slight problem though. He is a Boreham Wood supporter! We will soon knock that out of him as soon as possible’.

Crawley 1-2 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

Crawley have come down from the Blue Square Premier and they are showing signs of wanting to get straight back at the first attempt. They are flying high in the league and on a good run of form. We go into this game as underdogs.

I’m worried about the lack of goals from our strikers. I feel like I might be putting too much pressure on the young players at the moment. I’m going to hold off before making any changes as I think the goals will come.

Today we’re up against one of the fastest attacking forces in the league. I listen to my scout when he says we should play deeper or with faster defenders. Rather than changing my instructions regarding defensive line and then, subsequently, altering the mentality to suit, I decide to bring in our fastest defenders. They are Jack Pearson and new signing Daniel Flack, both of whom replace our usual defensive partnership of Martin and Saville. I ensure that Pearson, the quickest of our centre-backs, is man-marking Crawley’s most dangerous striker. Other than this change, I put out my regular starting eleven.

It is a very even and tense first-half. We are slow starters and don’t really get going until the middle of the half. Eventually, we come into the game and finally get a lead just before the break when Danny Maguire ran with the ball from deep, broke through the defensive line and put the ball in the net with a confident finish.

I’m delighted with Danny Maguire and the way he is playing at the moment. I brought him to the club for him to make our football more attractive with his creativity and passing. I hoped that he would sit in the hole, hold his runs and pull all of the strings in attacking positions. He has done exactly that again today and his contribution is excellent.

The game remains tight and with Kieran Hall looking tired in the middle of the park, I decide to bring Maguire into his position and sub off Hall for Shaun Johnson. That involves us switching to 4-4-2.

The switch pays dividends on 70 minutes when Johnson is played through and manages to fire low past the advancing goalkeeper. We’re looking comfortable now and this is looking like easily our best performance of the season. I see this as the right time to lower the tempo and kill off the game.

With 10 minutes to go, my plans are ruined by Crawley’s quickest striker breaking through our defence as though it wasn’t there. They are very much in the ascendancy now and I need to make a tactical decision about how to defend our lead. I decide that we should go all out defensive and sit behind the ball. We keep possession admirably for this last leg of the match and hold on to our win.

What a fantastic performance this is and a marvellous three points too against one of the favourites for promotion. I feel as though we have turned a corner. I got the tactics spot on today and I feel very positive about our chances this season. It is fantastic to finally have some goals, especially from Shaun Johnson, who I was beginning to lose some faith in. It’s a first win away from home and it is all the more impressive for having come against a very good side.

Saints MoM: Danny Maguire.

League pos: 6th – 10 points from 7 games.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS FA CUP DRAW – The Saints have been draw to play Oxford City at Clarence Park in the FA Cup 2nd Round Qualifiers. The Saints manager reaffirmed his love of the Cup and suggested that he would field a strong side against the Southern Football League Premier Division club in order to give his team a strong chance of getting to the next round.

SAINTS 0-0 Basingstoke (Blue Square South)

We’ve got a mini injury crisis going into this game. Our latest promising youth academy player, Andrew Honeyball, is in at right back for Alex Bailey, who is out with a twisted knee. New signing Ashley Watson gets a start in place of Michael Smith, who is out with a pulled hamstring.

We’re up against a quick attack again today and so I stick with Jack Pearson but bring Jack Saville in for Daniel Flack. Games between us and Basingstoke have always been close and so I am anxious about this game. We go into it as the firm favourites today. We need to get back to winning ways at Clarence Park.

In the end this is a dull affair that we definitely edge but our failure to score is own downfall. I’m happy with the performance, happy tactically but not pleased with the result. However, this is one of those things that happens when you have a young squad with new signings that are still gelling with the team. I’m confident that things will improve with time, yet I am also concerned that we have failed to pick up three points at home in a game we should have won.

Saints MoM: New signing, winger Ashley Watson.

League pos: 10th - 11 points from 8 games.

MANAGER JOURNAL

Well, it has really been a month of slow progress with a few disappointments. Our away form has been excellent and we’ve picked up 4 points out of 6. The win against Crawley was a real bonus. However, our home form has continued to disappoint and has seen us only pick up 1 point from 2 games. This is not good enough.

I’m a bit worried about the lack of goals from the strikers but I feel that they will come in the end if I have patience. I’m not panicking too much just yet although I do wonder if I am putting too much pressure on our young forwards, Shaun Johnson and Charlie Tromans.

We’ll have to see how we progress next month but I believe that we will get there sooner rather than later. Our tactical setups are solid and we have a good side. I think we just need to get them gelling together and then we will see an upturn in our fortunes.

My Saints Player of the Month: New signing and playmaker Danny Maguire with some great performances.

Points Tally Comparison: We’re 1 point shorter than we were this time last season.

Other News: Title favourites Team Bath have dropped to second place, with Thurrock top of the league. Welling, Newport and Eastbourne are sitting in the playoff positions. Our county rivals Hitchin Town, newly promoted this season, have are proving themselves difficult to beat and are averaging a point a game. They sit in 18th place.

Local side Luton Town are thoroughly enjoying life back in the Football League. They are sitting in 3rd after a great start. Meanwhile our local rivals, Stevenage, also in League Two, are sitting in a comfortable mid-table position.

In the Championship, our neighbours Watford are sitting in mid-table.

While in the Premiership, Arsenal are top with Man Utd, Man City and Spurs making up the top 4. Sitting at the bottom of the table are Bolton, Blackburn and Wigan.

[crouchaldinho]

OCTOBER 2010

Well, the lack of goals this season is worrying me as I have already mentioned. We’ve only scored 7 in 8 in the league. At this stage, I will not alter anything, but if things don’t improve this month then I will certainly be thinking about making some changes. I’m working on the basis that my patience will pay off. The strikers are playing well and getting into good positions and therefore my feeling is that the goals will come.

Our home games this month see us play Braintree and Hampton & Richmond. Both are winnable games and we need to start getting full points at home, so that is my target.

Our away games this month include tricky trips to Bromley, Dorchester and Bath. We always struggle against Bromley and I don’t expect Dorchester and Bath, both promotion chasing sides, to be much easier. I target a point a game, which is 3 points.

It’s a total target of 8 points from 5 games and I think this is ambitious. You can’t win football matches without scoring goals and we’re really lacking at the moment in that department.

We also have two cup games this month. We kick off with a game against Oxford City in the FA Cup at home. Then later in the month, we face Hampton & Richmond again, but this time away from home in the Setanta Shield. We want progress in both competitions if possible.

SAINTS 3-0 Oxford City (FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Rnd)

We have a league game on Tuesday and so I am planning ahead today. I rest Kieran Hall, Lewis Hamlin and Danny Maguire. In their places are young winger Gary Crittenden, Johnny Banks and Tom Laskowski. It is a debut for Laskowski and I am keen to see what he can offer the team in the middle of the park today. He looks like a hard working player with a good attitude and his technique and creativity will make him ideal for a more attacking midfield role. We play 4-4-2 today with Shaun Johnson partnering Charlie Tromans up front. I hope that these two youngsters can get a goal or two today to get them on their way this season. In addition to these changes, I also bring back Ben Martin at centre-back alongside Jack Saville.

Today’s game made me ask the question, ‘striker problem? What striker problem?’ Tromans and Johnson formed an excellent partnership and were the scorers of our first two goals. Tromans, in particular, was in exceptional form today.

Later on in the game, Ben Martin scored a third for us from a set-piece. We never looked under threat and have come away from the match as comfortable victors, as was expected of us considering that we were playing a lower division side.

Saints Mom: Charlie Tromans (a goal and an assist).

League pos: N/A – through to FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Rnd.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS GET CANARIES IN CUP – The Saints will lock horns with their Hertfordshire rivals, Hitchin Town, in the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round. The match will take place a Top Field. The City manager expressed his delight at the draw and said that he felt this would be a truly great game.

NEWSFLASH: LYONS LOAN DEAL FOR SAINTS – Watford’s young fullback Mike Lyons has joined St. Albans City on loan until the end of the season. The Saints manager said, ‘we have a terrific relationship with Watford and we are delighted to take one of their young stars of the future on loan in order to give him some first team experience. He will also provide us with more options at the back’.

SAINTS 2-1 Braintree (Blue Square South)

We’re in a tough situation today as both of our senior goalkeepers are injured. We have to play a youth ‘keeper today with another youth goalie on the bench. We have a bit of an injury crisis overall, with our list of unavailable players including Alex Bailey, Hassan Sulaiman, James Waggett, David Darlington, Michael Smith, Brendan Skinner and Hassan Sulaiman.

This is a very comfortable performance for us and Charlie Tromans scores for a second consecutive game on 36 minutes to put us into the lead.

As the game goes on, we look less and less likely to get a second goal. We have plenty of chances but Tromans doesn’t seem to get into good positions to put the ball in the net. Then disaster strikes on 61 minutes when Braintree score a soft goal. It’s a dreadful mistake by our young ‘keeper and we’re in trouble.

I have my concerns about Charlie Troman’s off the ball movement and I feel that this is hindering our goalscoring. He is our lone striker and if his movement isn’t good enough, we’re going to struggle to find him. In the second-half, I substitute Tromans for Shaun Johnson to see if he can make a difference. Johnson’s movement is better and he quickly finds us a winner before the 90 minutes is up.

It’s a win in the end but it certainly shouldn’t have been a close as this.

Saints Mom: Jack Pearson.

League pos: 5th – 14 points from 9 games.

MANAGER JOURNAL ENTRY: I have a bit of a selection dilemma at the moment. It is the first time in my career that I have been unsure about my best formation and best starting eleven. Bringing Danny Maguire into the team has complicated things somewhat. Although he can play in a number of positions, it is a waste not to play him in the playmaker/’trequartista’ position. Charlie Tromans is another one of our most promising attacking players but he doesn’t really fit into the 4-4-1-1 and I have reached the conclusion that he doesn’t have the required attributes to play as the lone striker. I have thought of switching to a 4-4-2 diamond, however that would mean losing Kieran Hall who is another key player in our side. This is another potential option though depending on the players we have available to us. For the moment, I’m sticking with 4-4-1-1 and Tromans will have to act as backup to Maguire as he is also accomplished in the ‘trequartista’ position. Alternatively, we can always switch to a 4-4-2 if required. One thing is certain and that is that we need a player will good movement and the right attributes to be our lone striker. That player, I hope, will be Shaun Johnson.

Bromley 1-2 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

My scout tells me that he believes the Bromley strikers are likely to receive the ball on the deck, so I bring Daniel Flack into the side to support Jack Pearson. Both defenders are strong and good at tackling. We set up with an attacking 4-4-1-1 formation. Bromley will be a hard team to break down and so I bring Johnny Banks in back in on the left today due to his superior creativity. Shaun Johnson replaces Tromans up front. The latter starts today’s game on the bench.

Finally, today, I believe we get it right in the combination and partnership of the front two. Shaun Johnson is instructed to sit slightly deeper with Danny Maguire told to play rather aggressively in terms of his positional sense and his overall play. I see Maguire sitting between the midfield and the attack and dictating play. He plays lots of key passes this afternoon and sometimes gets forward into the box too. Shaun Johnson is combining and feeding off of him nicely in the first-half and he sets up Maguire for the first goal. I must confess that I get quite excited watching their play in the box as Johnson holds it up and Maguire runs onto his through ball and scores.

In the second-half, Bromley pull one back when Johnny Banks trips an opposition play in the box. Ewan Clarke, on loan at Bromley and formerly on loan with us, makes no mistake and scores their equaliser.

But we are by far the better side today and we end up getting the winner. Shaun Johnson is the man of the moment as he scores with a terrific finish. I’m delighted with the performance, delighted with the play and delighted with the win. This is a hard place to come and we haven’t ever won here under my management. Today we win in some style as far as I am concerned.

Saints Mom: Shaun Johnson (with a goal and an assist).

League pos: 3rd – 17 points from 10 games.

Hampton & Richmond 1-2 SAINTS (Setanta Shield S 2nd Rnd)

The FA Cup tie against Hitchin is coming up this Saturday and it is a much bigger priority than this midweek shield tie as far as I am concerned. The minimum requirement of the board was that we reached this round and we have done that. Thus, I decide to rest some players today.

I give a debut to on loan fullback Mike Lyon. Gary Crittenden, Sam Hurrell and Tom Laskowski all get starts this evening.

We go down to an early goal and the performance is edgy and nervous even though we’ve got a lot of possession.

At half-time, I ask the players for more, and they deliver in the second-half. In particular, Charlie Tromans is on fire and he scores a brace to win us this game. His first goal sees him closely control the ball in the box, dribble past two players and slot home. The second is a close range header to win the game for us.

In the end, we thoroughly deserve it. It’s a superb effort by the lads.

Saints Mom: Charlie Tromans with his brace.

League pos: N/A – through to the South Third Round.

Hitchin Town 1-1 SAINTS (FA Cup 3rd Qual. Rnd)

This is the second derby game we’ve played at Top Field this season. We drew the last game and didn’t perform well but I believe that the side has now settled and that we can now go there and get the win in the cup.

This is a feisty derby game with plenty of the usual blood and thunder that occurs in these types of games. We probably edge the first-half in front of 1,464 fans at Top Field and the huge number of Saints fans who have made this short journey to Hitchin. At half-time, with the score still at 0-0, I tell the lads that they only to score a goal to win this cup tie. It seems likely that one goal would win it as it is such a tight game.

In the second-half, we take firm control of the game and eventually take the lead through a great strike by Kieran Hall from the edge of the box.

However, Hitchin draw level 10 minutes later when they break through our languid defensive line. I’m appalled by the woeful defending.

I’m not sure why but Maguire has had an off day here and so I sub him after the goal, bring in Tromans and switch to 4-4-2. I also take of a tired look Shaun Johnson and bring on a youth academy product, Dale Friend, for his first ever appearance. It’s a big game for him to make it in!

In the end, I’m disappointed as we fail to win this despite dominating possession and edging the game on chances. We will go to a replay and yet another Hertfordshire derby game.

Saints Mom: Kieran Hall.

League pos: N/A – this game goes to a replay.

SAINTS 1-0 Hitchin Town (FA Cup 3rd Qual. Rnd Replay)

This will be the third time we’ve met the Canaries this season and I’ve got to say that I am sick of the sight of them now. We have yet to beat them in a competitive match under my management and we know that we have got to be really up for this today and to attack Hitchin from the off if we’re going to record that first victory.

We are all over Hitchin today, creating chance after chance, but unable to break them down in front of 920 fans at Clarence Park this Wednesday evening.

Indeed, it takes us up to the 87th minute to get the goal that sends us to the 4th qualifying round. Substitute Sam Hurrell is tripped in the box and Scott Cousins steps up and scores the penalty. We’re through but we should have made this easier on ourselves tonight.

Saints Mom: George Collins.

League pos: N/A – through to FA Cup 4th Qual. Rnd.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS DRAW IN FA CUP – The Saints have been drawn to play Corby Town away from home in the 4th qualifying round with the match to take place at the end of October. The City manager said that his side are looking forward to playing against the Southern Premier League side.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS DRAW IN SETANTA SHIELD – The Saints have been drawn to play Team Bath away from home in the South 3rd Round with the match to take place early in November. These two sides are increasingly becoming rivals, having fiercely contested the playoff semi-final last season.

Dorchester 1-3 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

Dorchester are a side challenging for the playoffs and, in past meetings, we haven’t been brilliant against them. I knew we were in for a tough game today.

My scout informs me that Dorchester play with a diamond in midfield and two wide players and so I decide to adopt the same formation this afternoon. It gives me the chance to see how my side will do in a 4-4-2 diamond formation. I figure we can at least attempt to cancel them out today and match them man for man. I note that they have pace in attack and therefore we start with our quickest defenders today, Flack and Pearson.

Switching to a wide 4-4-2 diamond means that there is no place for Kieran Hall in the line-up today. He is replaced by a striker, with Charlie Tromans and Shaun Johnson starting up front and Danny Maguire tucked in behind them. I like the flexibility and options I have with this squad. Paul Hakim gets a start on the right of midfield this afternoon, which isn’t his favourite position but we are well short of options due to injuries. Young academy striker Dale Friend makes the bench this afternoon for the first time in his short footballing career.

The game starts poorly for us when Daniel Flack loses his man in the box and allows him a free header. Thus, we find ourselves 1-0 down after just 10 minutes.

However, the side quickly work their way back into the game. First, Daniel Flack goes from villain to hero as he scores a header from a corner. Then a few minutes later, our playmaker ‘number 10’ Danny Maguire scores after some terrific work by Tromans to set him up. It’s one of the best goals I’ve seen us score this season.

We’re 2-1 up at half-time and I’m not totally sure how as we have been unconvincing at best. However, we improve a lot in the second-half and could even go on to score more in this game. Finally, we get a third goal in the last few minutes. I subbed on young Dale Friend for his first senior appearance and he managed to get above his marker in the box to head home a cross.

In the end, we’ve won this comfortably, even though it didn’t look too good in the first-half. This is our first win away at Dorchester and it is a great performance. The football was good and we’ve finally scored a few goals. It’s the first time we’ve managed 3 in the league this season. Tactically, things seem to have fallen in place now and I feel as though I am getting the best out of the side. We go from strength to strength.

Saints Mom: Daniel Flack.

League pos: 3rd – 20 points from 11 games.

SAINTS 2-1 Hampton & Richmond (Blue Square South)

We’ve already beaten Hampton & Richmond once this month but that was away from home. At Clarence Park, our form hasn’t been particularly good and we’ve been struggling to break teams down and get wins.

It’s back to the 4-4-1-1, which we haven’t had much success from yet. Call me stubborn but I am determined to stick with this. I feel that it is a good system for us and will bring great performances eventually. Today I make an alteration to the forward runs for Shaun Johnson seeking to get him to both hold his runs but still get into attacking positions.

We’ve been playing a lot of midweek games this month and we haven’t had a proper break between games. This means that some of our players are in poor condition going into this match. As a result of this, I make a large number of changes today. Among them is Captain Ben Martin, who is back in the side at centre-back. Kieran Hall comes back into the midfield. Charlie Tromans is rested today due to being tired. Danny Maguire plays behind Shaun Johnson.

This game starts awfully for us as defensive midfielder Andy Ritchie scores an own goal. It’s a poor first-half for us but we are on top and should score but don’t. We aren’t making enough chances. At half-time, I’m disappointed with the players and ask them for more.

In the second-half we react well and quickly find ourselves back in the game. The opposition ‘keeper makes a howler and punches a corner ball into his own net. Five minutes later, we’re in the lead as Shaun Johnson nods home at the near post from a Sam Hurrell cross.

We keep possession well and constantly look dangerous but there are no more goals. In the end, we deserve this victory and we can be pleased with the performance.

Saints Mom: Shaun Johnson (scored the winner).

League pos: 3rd – 23 points from 12 games.

Corby 1-2 SAINTS (FA Cup 4th Qualifying Rnd)

This is a huge tie against the Southern Premier League side Corby. The winner of this match gets to the 1st round proper. I want it to be us who get there.

We haven’t had a break in the fixtures for a long time and so, once again, I need to rotate to rest some tired legs today. Tom Laskowski plays in the middle of the park and Charlie Tromans comes in up front.

We get off to a good start today when centre-back Jack Pearson scores. He’s up for a free-kick and finds the ball at his feet after a mass of confusion in the box. He just thumps the ball home to put us in the lead.

It isn’t really a strong lead and we don’t look very convincing this afternoon. Corby have a lot of chances and really push us. Eventually they score after Jack Pearson is pulled out wide and Scott Cousins loses his man in the box. It’s a tap in and we really should do better.

Eventually, we get our winner and we deserve it in some senses as we have created a number of clear cut chances despite a less than convincing performance. Youngster Dale Friend, on as a substitute, is sent through and he finishes empathically past the ‘keeper to put us in the 1st round of the FA Cup for the first time in my career. I’m delighted and hoping for an exciting draw.

Saints MoM: Jack Pearson.

League pos: N/A – through to 1st Round of the FA Cup.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS MANAGER SECOND IN MANAGER OF THE MONTH – The Saints manager came in behind Thurrock manager Hakan Hayrettin in the manager of the month award for October after guiding his team to four league wins in the last month.

MANAGER JOURNAL

Well, we have made excellent progress this month. We’ve never had such a good run this early in the season. We normally wait until April to start grinding out results like this.

On the negative side, the goals aren’t exactly flying in but it is still a vast improvement on our first couple of months of this season.

In the end, we’ve recorded four straight league wins and also made progress in the Shield and the FA Cup. The highlight of the month has to be going to Bromley and Dorchester and getting a result in both games for the first time in my career.

Now to take this form into December and keep winning games. Come you on Saints!

My Saints Player of the Month: Jack Pearson, recalled to the side mainly to deal with quick strikers, has been in outstanding form.

Points Tally Comparison: We are two points better off than we were this time last season.

Other News: Title favourites Team Bath still sit in second place, with Thurrock opening up a 5 point gap at the top of the league. Welling and Eastbourne are sitting in the playoff positions in addition to the mighty Saints! Our county rivals Hitchin Town, newly promoted this season, continue to improve and are well clear of the drop zone. They sit in 14th place.

Local side Luton Town are still enjoying life back in the Football League. They are sitting in 2nd place after a great start. Meanwhile our local rivals, Stevenage, also in League Two, are sitting in a comfortable mid-table position.

In the Championship, our neighbours Watford are performing poorly and have fallen down to 17th.

Finally, in the Premiership, Man City are top with Man Utd, Spurs and Liverpool making up the top 4. Sitting at the bottom of the table are Birmingham, Preston and Wigan.

[crouchaldinho]

NOVEMBER 2010

This month presents a real opportunity to continue our progress as far as I am concerned. At home we face newly-promoted AFC Hornchurch and mid-table Welling. Away from home we will play a poor Bath City side who are playing miserably this season and another newly promoted side in Horsham. These are winnable games and, if we want to challenge for the title, we really ought to be looking for full points from this month’s league games.

Making life more difficult will be the cup games, which mean that this will be another month where we have no mid-week respite from matches. We really will have to use the full squad this month. First we have Team Bath away in the Shield. Then we have an all important FA Cup tie coming up. We await the draw for that with great anticipation.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS DRAW IN FA CUP FIRST ROUND – St. Albans City have been drawn to play Halesowen Town away from home in the FA Cup First Round proper. Saints fans may be somewhat underwhelmed by this draw against the Southern Premier League side. However, the Saints manager said that he felt that this might present a real opportunity for the club to progress further in the FA Cup.

Bath 0-0 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

We are hugely favoured today with struggling Bath not being given much chance of a win. Things have really gone downhill for Bath recently and they are currently sitting in 19th. I still expect a very difficult day today and so my first eleven is very strong today. I take a risk on Charlie Tromans as the lone striker in front of Danny Maguire for this evening’s game. I want to try him again despite the fact that he hasn’t played too well there. I believe that my new instructions to him to mixed his runs may well bring positive results.

In the first-half, I notice that Bath are sitting really deep and playing very defensively. We are struggling to break them down. With the score still 0-0 at half-time, I take the decision to play more patiently and to make our playing area as wide as we can out there.

The result is a huge amount of possession for us and a lot of shots but no goals. We just can’t break Bath down. In general, I think that some of the players aren’t coping too well with our new found status as comfortable favourites. It’s really 2 points dropped here but a draw is far from disastrous. The clean sheet is very welcome seeing as we haven’t had one in the league since September.

Saints MoM: Jack Pearson.

League pos: 3rd – 24 points from 13 games.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS DRAW IN FA TROPHY – The Saints have been drawn to play fellow BSS side Lewes at home in the FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round.

SAINTS 3-0 AFC Hornchurch (Blue Square South)

We are, again, firm and comfortable favourites today and 21st placed AFC Hornchurch are given very little chance of beating us. Before the game, my assistant tells me that our good form has spread a sense of complacency about the side. I am disappointed by this and tell a number of players that I expect a performance from them today. Otherwise, I tell the other players that the result will come and that they should be patient today. We set up with a patient and probing 4-4-1-1 which I hope will break AFC Hornchurch down.

In the first-half, we totally dominate and chance after chance goes begging. I begin to think that we will never score another goal when Charlie Tromans steps up to score a cracking free-kick from 30 yards. It’s an absolutely wonderful goal by our talismanic young prodigy.

In the second-half, we have to switch to 4-4-2 when Kieran Hall is injured. Shaun Johnson comes on in his place to partner Tromans, while Maguire drops back into central midfield.

The change seems to really work for us and we end up getting another goal quickly thanks to Charlie Tromans. Danny Maguire gets forward and crosses from the left for Tromans to fire home.

The last ten minutes of this game are the craziest I’ve seen in my career so far. First an AFC Hornchurch defender gets himself sent off by picking up two bookings in as many minutes. Two minutes later, one of their strikers gets a second booking and receives his marching orders too. All in all, Hornchurch stopped playing football in the second-half and started kicking Saints players instead. In total, they picked up an incredible 10 yellow cards and 2 reds.

We got another goal late on with Daniel Flack the goalscorer, heading home from a corner. It’s a dominant performance and we deserve the three points. I’m delighted for Charlie Tromans who got his brace today. The local lad might be finally coming of age.

This gives me a real headache today because everything is pointing towards me abandoning my 4-4-1-1. Tromans ought to be playing as our ‘number 10’ in a deep second striker role. That’s where he is best and he immediately upped his game when played there in the second-half. Our playmaker, Danny Maguire, has done really well for us this season too though. I’m starting to wonder whether a 4-4-2 diamond might be our best formation although this is really difficult to pull off. The real challenge is to ensure that the midfielders work well together and that the AMC tracks back. Maguire seems to have the work rate and commitment to the team required for this kind of role. But then I have the headache of what to do about Kieran Hall, who is easily one of our very best players.

All in all, it’s a great afternoon and another win but this victory leaves me with more questions than answers.

Saints MoM: Charlie Tromans.

League pos: 3rd – 27 points from 14 games.

Team Bath 2-3 SAINTS [AET] (Setanta Shield S 3rd Rnd)

Well, I have now decided to abandon the 4-4-1-1. I just don’t think we were getting the right kind of partnership going up front. Plus, I don’t think Tromans or Johnson have the right kind of characteristics to play up front on their own.

It’s back to 4-4-2 for this evening Shield game against Team Bath. They really are our big rivals in the league now. We’ve played them 9 times during my time at the club. There has always been goals in this game, with three 2-2 draws, two 3-2s and one 4-3 in our past meetings.

We are always really up against it when we play Team Bath so I put a decent team out today. Team Bath have one of the best teams in the league and I think they’d have a good squad for the BSP to be honest.

This game certainly isn’t a disappointment for neutrals with plenty of goalmouth action. We go 1-0 up after just 10 minutes through Shaun Johnson, who looks much happier in partnership with Charlie Tromans up front. However, Team Bath equalise just before half-time to send us in level at the break.

Tom Laskowski has a poor game today and so I sub him off and bring on Danny Maguire. Rather than play him in the middle of the park, I put him up front and switch Tromans to central midfield. Maguire can play in the forward roles but it isn’t his natural position. However, I think we can use his pace against a slow looking Team Bath defence.

On 73 minutes, Danny Maguire gets through the Bath defence and finishes past the onrushing ‘keeper to make it 2-1. However, Team Bath reply 10 minutes later to equalise and take the game into extra time.

Throughout extra-time, we’re sitting really deep and defending due to Team Bath’s attacking system. However, with Maguire’s pace, we always look dangerous. Eventually we get the break through as Maguire breaks through the defensive line and slots the ball home. It’s then all out defend for the rest of extra-time and we go through!

Danny Maguire has shown me that he can play really well as a forward, especially in a counter-attacking system where we can utilise his pace to break through a high defensive line.

We’ve really scrapped for this result and battled hard. It’s always tough playing against Team Bath but we got it tactically right today and looked better with two up front. It’s great to progress in this competition.

Now I just have to work out how to fit Danny Maguire into the side as I know he can operate as a forward or a central-midfielder. However, I can’t help thinking that he would be most effective in the hold playing as an ‘enganche’. I believe that a 4-4-2 diamond may be the best way ahead.

Saints MoM: Danny Maguire.

League pos: N/A – through to the Setanta Shield South 4th Rnd.

Halesowen 1-2 SAINTS (FA Cup 1st Rnd)

This is a big game for the club and the furthest we have got in the competition under my management. A big draw could await us in the next round and, of course, playing on my mind was that we are actually only two games away from the 3rd round, although I barely dare to record that here in case I curse our chances.

With this in mind, I take a minor risk today, although I see it as a natural development of my recent tactical experiments. Playing on my mind is that Danny Maguire is naturally a playmaker, an AMC, an ‘enganche’. Also, I have learned that Johnson and Tromans play best together as a ‘number 9’ and a supporting striker respectively.

So, with this in mind, today I experiment with a 4-4-2 diamond. This is a move away from the flat lines employed in our usual 4-4-2. Essentially, Maguire will take up a firmly attacking role, playing naturally in the hole. Defensive midfielder, George Collins, will sit deeper and protect the back four. The two midfielders will need to build up a good partnership and work hard to close the space in the middle of the park.

I’m delighted by what I see in the first-half and our new system works extremely well. However, both midfielders need to cover more ground and both tire a little quicker today.

Danny Maguire is awesome this afternoon and plays a big part in the first goal. It is his pass that releases Tromans for a shot at goal, which is parried by the ‘keeper. Johnson is on hand to tap the ball home.

Our second goal comes when Lewis Hamlin crosses from the right and a Halesowen defender has the ignominy of heading the ball into his own net.

We look comfortable and in charge as we head towards half-time but we are slightly rattled when our opponents take the lead in the second minute of injury time.

The second-half sees our lads tire quickly after playing so many games in a short amount of time lately. Halesowen, to their credit, give us a hard time and are perhaps unlucky to end up on the losing in the end. Their striker, an academy product, looks a real prospect and I was particularly impressed with him today.

To sum up, I’m totally delighted that we’ve made the next round of the cup. Please let the draw to be good to us so that we can have a chance of progressing even further!

Saints MoM: Danny Maguire.

League pos: N/A – through to FA Cup 2nd Round.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS SETANTA SHIELD DRAW – St. Albans City have been drawn to play BSP side AFC Wimbledon at home in the Setanta Shield South 4th Round. The Saints have only beaten the Wombles once in three meetings under their current manager, with their victory coming in a memorable 4-3 victory in 2009.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS FA CUP DRAW – St. Albans City have been drawn to play BSP side Salisbury City away from home in the FA Cup 2nd Round. The Saints boss said, ‘this is probably not quite the draw we all dreamt about but it does give us a chance to go all out for the third round. We’ll be getting our scouts to watch them in the weeks leading up to the game and looking for ways of beating them. We have to be positive and believe we can go on to the next round’. The game will take place in early December.

Horsham 2-3 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

We stick with the diamond going into today’s game. There are no changes to the starting eleven as I look to push on in the league.

Horsham are struggling at the bottom of the BSS but I think they have some decent looking players in their squad. In the first-half, it shows, but we also turn in a most bizarre performance. We’re strangely dominant without looking in much danger but we concede two rather sloppy goals. The marking seems a bit all over the place with both goals involving our lads not staying close enough to their man despite my instructions. We find ourselves 2-0 down despite being totally in charge and I feel it is a bit of an aberration.

Nevertheless, I give the lads a right going over in the dressing room. In the second-half, we are absolutely quality. Some of the attacking moves are fine and we look like we could win this by quite a few goals. In the end, three goals are enough to see us get the points.

First Lewis Hamlin is played in by Charlie Tromans and he sends a crashing drive past the ‘keeper. Game on. Then, only four minutes later, Shaun Johnson is sent through by a long ball and he finishes confidently to put us level. Finally, another three minutes passes and we score the winner through Charlie Tromans. A Danny Maguire through-ball sends Johnson away and in the end the ball comes to Tromans who sends the ball home with a placed shot.

We’ve dominated this match and anything other than a win would have been a travesty of footballing justice. In the end, our young strikers Tromans and Johnson have saved the day for us.

Saints MoM: Charlie Tromans.

League pos: 3rd – 30 points from 15 games.

SAINTS 5-2 Lewes (FA Trophy 3rd Qual. Rnd)

We have an important league game against Welling coming up in three days so I take a decision to rest some players. Out goes Danny Maguire and our diamond midfield. In comes Kieran Hall to partner George Collins in the centre of the park.

Captain Ben Martin returns in defence. First-choice wide midfielders Michael Smith and Lewis Hamlin are rested and Johnny Banks and Hassan Sulaiman come into the side in their place.

Kieran Hall marks his return to the side with a goal after just three minutes. He meets Hassan Sulaiman’s cross in the box and taps home.

This turns out to be a first-half of happy returns as Captain Ben Martin nods home a Scott Cousins cross for our second goal after just seven minutes. We are cruising by now.

This tale of joyful returns continues as we go three nil up through another Sulaiman cross, met this time by Johnny Banks. It’s as if the players who have been out of the team lately are all trying to tell me something. I’m pleased by their reactions. Furthermore, it’s only 12 minutes on the clock and we’ve got this pretty much tied up.

The rest of the first-half ends up being as dull as can be. We’ve squeeze all of the entertainment into 12 efficient minutes. All that can be heard for the remaining 33 minutes is the referees whistle after endless fouls are committed, especially by Lewes players.

Early in the second-half, we get a penalty when Ben Martin is tripped in the area. Scott Cousins steps up and scores it. However, minutes later we end up conceding in the most embarrassing fashion. Jack Pearson slices a clearance which hits his colleague loanee Mike Lyon and rebounds into the net. It goes down as an own goal but Lyon didn’t know much about it.

With us leading 4-1 and looking comfortable, I bring on two of our young academy products as substitutes. Defender Andrew Honeyball and striker Darren Ramshaw come on. The former has the ignominy of giving away a penalty as his first action in the game. Lewes score to make it 4-2 and we’re not so comfortable all of a sudden. However, the latter youngster, Darren Ramshaw, scores a cracking goal towards the end of the half to confirm us as comfortable winners. I’ve got high hopes for this young and local lad. He may well get some more first team football this season.

In the end, we were clear and deserved winners but I’m left wondering why we’re suddenly conceding goals. However, one thing I can’t complain about is the fact that we’re actually putting some in the back of the net now. We look awesome going forward.

Saints MoM: Captain Ben Martin.

League pos: N/A - Through to the First Round of the FA Trophy.

SAINTS P-P Welling (Blue Square South) – Match postponed due to Welling needing a replay in the FA Trophy.

League pos: 6th – we’ve fallen down 3 league places due to not playing but have games in hand to make up against the teams above us.

MANAGER JOURNAL

In the end this has turned out to be quite a month. The abandoning of our 4-4-1-1 has seen us win our two home league games this month and also make considerable progress in the cups.

Indeed, we’ve played three cup games in total and won them all scoring 10 goals in the progress. Not bad at all.

We’ve ended up in 6th place at the end of the month. We’ve 10 points behind first placed Thurrock with one game in hand on them. They are runaway leaders at the moment but surely won’t keep it up all season. We’re only 2 points behind Team Bath who are in 2nd place and we have a game in hand on them too, so we’re not looking in too bad shape going into December. With game set to come thick and fast next month, we’ll need to play catch up in the league and keep the pressure on the top clubs.

My Saints Player of the Month: Danny Maguire – his two goals against Team Bath has to be the highlight of the month and some great performances in the other games.

Points Tally Comparison: We are now five points better off than we were this time last season.

Other News: Title favourites Team Bath still sit in second place, with Thurrock opening up an impressive gap at the top of the league. Eastbourne, Worcester and Bromley are sitting in the playoff positions as the mighty Saints fall outside the top 5. Our county rivals Hitchin Town, newly promoted this season, have dropped down to 18th and appear to be struggling.

Local side Luton Town are loving life back in the Football League. They are sitting in 1st position in League Two. Meanwhile our local rivals, Stevenage, also in League Two, are sitting in a comfortable mid-table position.

In the Championship, our neighbours Watford are performing poorly and are in a mediocre mid-table position.

Finally, in the Premiership, Man City are top and 5 points clear. Man Utd, Spurs and Chelsea make up the top 4. Sitting at the bottom of the table are Bolton, Preston and Wigan.

[crouchaldinho]

DECEMBER 2010

We begin the month with our crucial FA Cup 2nd round tie against Salisbury. I’m dreaming of the 3rd round and so I want us go all out for the win in that one.

We also have the Setanta Shield 4th round game against BSP side AFC Wimbledon to contest. The games are coming thick and fast in the cups as we also play in the FA Trophy 1st round against Bromley later in the month.

In the league, we have Farnborough, Welling and Eastleigh at home. They are all potentially winnable games and so I want full points. Away in the league we will face Newport County and Thurrock. The latter game, with them top of the league at present, will be huge. I want 2 points from our away games. It’s my usual target of promotion form. I just hope we don’t get too distracted by our progress in the cups.

Salisbury 1-1 SAINTS (FA Cup 2nd Rnd)

Well, this is the big one with a place in the FA Cup 3rd Round, and all the glory and potential cash that could bring, at stake here. I’ve got my strongest team out in a 4-4-2 diamond and to be honest I’m very nervous.

We get the perfect start when Daniel Flack scores a header from a corner. As the half goes on, we look like we can easily win this tie. I even let myself dream about a 3rd round tie against Premiership opposition, just for a little bit.

Perhaps my complacency gets transmitted to the players because we concede right at the beginning of the second-half.

We could easily get a second goal and win this game but we fail to find the back of the net. You really can’t tell that we’re the BSS team and that they are up in the big time of non-League (i.e. BSP).

After the game the press report that Salisbury will feel lucky to have escaped with a draw. I’m disappointed it has gone to a replay after that performance but we’re in the hat and that’s what counts. We’ll have to make sure we finish off the job at Clarence Park now.

Saints MoM: Daniel Flack.

League pos: N/A – game goes to a replay.

NEWSFLASH: FA CUP THIRD ROUND DRAW – St. Albans City and Salisbury have been given a huge incentive to win their FA Cup 2nd round replay after the winner of the 2nd Round FA Cup Replay was drawn to play Everton at Goodison Park. The Saints boss said, ‘this is a sensation draw and should be all the motivation our players need to go out there and put everything into the cup tie. We’ll be totally up for it at Clarence Park. It could be huge for the club’.

SAINTS 5-0 AFC Wimbledon (Setanta Shield S 4th Rnd)

It’s inevitable that we have to rest players for this game. We’ve got nine games to play this month and I have to rotate to keep legs and minds fresh, especially when we’re looking to keep winning in the league and to try to progress in the FA Cup.

It’s a total of five changes today as Ritchie, Sulaiman, Banks, Hall and young Ramshaw come into the team. We go back to our flat 4-4-2 to suit the players available to us for this evening game.

The last time we played AFC Wimbledon, we managed to win 4-3 and it felt like an enormous achievement. Today’s game seems to me a sign of how far we have come over the last couple of seasons. True, this is only in the Setanta Shield, and AFC Wimbledon are missing a few of their regulars, but this is still an incredible feat as far as I am concerned.

Young Darren Ramshaw is fast becoming our new secret weapon and he is definitely pushing for a start right now. He scores early on when Johnny Banks sends him on to shoot at goal. Ramshaw is all about pace and he thunders past his marker and scores with a terrific finish.

Ramshaw manages to get a second shortly afterwards when he runs in at the back post to get on the end of a Hassan Sulaiman cross. It is a tap in but the youngster still had to do a lot of work to get into the position in the first place.

Astonishingly, he completes his hat-trick after just 35 minutes. This time Hall plays him in and he is quick to react and get a shot on target, which beats the ‘keeper. Outstanding and he has to get a start after this first-half performance.

Our third and fourth goals comes the other side of half-time. This time our other outstanding youngster Charlie Tromans scores. It’s a typical and confident Tromans effort, as he volleys the ball in the box placing it past the ‘keeper. It’s hard to remember that our talismanic and creative forward is still only 17-years-old.

It’s a terrific, emphatic and wonderful win. Onwards we go in this competition.

Saints MoM: Darren Ramshaw (three shots, three goals – what more can you ask?)

League pos: N/A – through to Setanta Shield Quarter-final.

SAINTS 2-0 Farnborough (Blue Square South)

Well, our FA Cup replay against Salisbury is coming up next and, given that the winner has been drawn to play Everton, there is really only one thing on my mind at the moment. Therefore, several players are rested today as I seek to maximise our chances for that game. In fact, we pretty much stick with the same squad that won against AFC Wimbledon.

It’s a pretty straight-forward victory for us today. Young striker Darren Ramshaw opened the scoring after just 14 minutes. He ran through looking to get onto an ambitious through-ball and ended up performing a diving header to sent the ball past the ‘keeper and into the net.

We were thoroughly dominant but it took until the 89th minute for us to get the second and seal the victory. This time Shaun Johnson scored with a powerful finish from just inside the box.

It’s a solid performance and a case of job done. Overall, a much needed win and we can now go back to the fantasy and romance of the FA Cup.

Saints MoM: Darren Ramshaw (for the second game in a row).

League pos: 6th – 33 points from 16 games (we have two games in hand on most of the top 5).

SAINTS 1-0 Salisbury (FA Cup 2nd Rnd Replay)

Well, this is now arguably the biggest game of my career thus far. The winner today gets a third round FA Cup tie against Everton. The loser gets nothing but the complete and utter pain and frustration of knowing what could have been.

Yesterday was my birthday and I was only wishing for one thing as a present and that is, predictably, to be the side who gets to meet Everton in the next round.

It is back to our strongest side today and also back to our diamond midfield. My biggest headache is over who to lead the line and in the end I go for Darren Rawshaw. He has been somewhat of a revelation of late, scoring 2 in 2 games in the league and getting 4 goals in the cups from just 3 appearances. The young lad is 18-years-old and was born in nearby Hemel Hempstead. It’s a dream day for this local academy product and I can’t afford not to stick with a player who is in such great form. Creative forward Charlie Tromans partners him in attack.

It’s a poor first-half and I see signs of complacency in the side. Salisbury don’t exactly have a load of chances but we give them too much possession and don’t work hard enough. It’s very disappointing for such a big game that the lads haven’t turned up and don’t look up for it. Playing Everton at Goodison Park is at stake here for goodness sake!

At half-time, there are some harsh words said to certain players and I tell the rest of the team to get out there and do it for the fans.

The second-half is still edgy and tense but we make more of it and have several chances. We’re finally playing some decent football but the shots on target are few and far between. However, our life is made so much easier when a Salisbury midfielder is sent off for a second bookable offence.

With the opposition down to 10 men, I instruct the side to play shorter passes, open up the space and to try to create well worked chances with a slower build-up. Chance after chance goes begging and I begin to think it won’t be our day when Johnson picks up the ball on the edge of the box. He finds Crittenden on the right side who cuts the ball back across the area to the oncoming Scott Cousins. Never the most likely player to score the winner here, Super Scotty nevertheless smashes the ball low into the back of the net and I am lost in the euphoric celebration of 808 souls at Clarence Park.

We comfortably dominate the rest of the game and see it out. After the game, I can scarcely believe that we have done it. We’re through to the third-round for the first time in our history. Not only that, we will be playing a Premier League team, Everton, in the third round. I hope the Toffees will be ready for the mighty Saints! I celebrate this result in typical fashion, with a bottle of red, followed by a good cigar and a glass of cognac. We are the lowest ranked side left in the competition and have done ever so well to get here. Unbelievable! Come on you Saints!

Saints MoM: Super Saint Scotty Cousins with the winner!

League pos: N/A – through the FA Cup Third Round for the first time in the club’s history to play Everton away!

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS SETANTA SHIELD QUARTER-FINAL DRAW – Irony, oh delicious irony. St. Albans City and Salisbury City will meet again in the Setanta Shield Quarter-final. Salisbury will be looking to get revenge for the FA Cup 2nd round defeat when they play this game at home in mid-January.

SAINTS 1-1 Bromley (FA Trophy 1st Rnd)

After our recent exploits in the cups, I’d like nothing better than to carry on with a good run in the FA Trophy. However, the squad are looking tired and so it seems essential today to make some changes.

Bromley have an outstanding defence and I have concerns about breaking them down. But it all goes our way early on as Andy Ritchie, in for George Collins, powers a shot home from distance to make it 1-0.

It’s a bad first-half for us otherwise though and we eventually concede on 23 minutes after some poor marking lets Bromley in to score.

The rest of the game is fairly even and a draw, in the end, is a fair result. It means yet another replay for us this season and it isn’t too welcome considering the amount of games we are playing at the moment..

Saints MoM: Andy Ritchie.

League pos: N/A – replay required.

Bromley 2-0 SAINTS (FA Trophy 1st Rnd Replay)

Once again, I rest players today knowing that we have little recovery time before our next league game.

It turns out today that the squad don’t quite have enough to win this game. First of all, we’re up against a very good Bromley side. Second of all, some of the young lads that are out there today don’t quite perform as well as I had hoped.

We went 1-0 down early on in the match and, although we were equal to Bromley in terms of chances created, we failed to capitalise on our opportunities. We conceded the second goal after going all out attack in the final minutes. The score flatters Bromley in a big way as we had more possession and the game itself was even in terms of chances. However, they are the victors and we have been brought back down to earth with a bump. It isn’t a nice feeling to go out of this trophy, especially given out success in other competitions. I guess something had to give though.

Saints MoM: Mike Lyon.

League pos: N/A – out of the FA Trophy at 1st Rnd stage.

SAINTS P-P Welling (Blue Square South) – postponed due to us needing a replay in the FA trophy.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS CHAIRMAN LOOKS TO STEP ASIDE – St. Albans City chairman John Gibson has revealed that he could step down sooner rather than later. The London businessman has suggested that he will relinquish his control of the club and allow another member of the board to take his place. The Saints are now officially considered in the process of conducting a board takeover.

Newport County 1-0 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

I’m not at all surprised to see that Newport County are in 5th at the moment. They look like they have some quality players in their squad and they have one of the meanest defences in the league.

This game is fairly even but we have a bit of an off day and don’t take our chances in front of goal. Newport’s goal is an absolute gift, occurring just before half-time, as Jack Pearson heads a rather harmless looking cross into his own net. It’s a silly goal to give away and we just can’t find a way back into the game thanks to the opposition’s classy defence.

This is a shocking loss considering Newport didn’t have a single shot on target today. Then again, neither did we.

After this game, I come to the conclusion that we have been changing systems too often from our flat 4-4-2, to our diamond 4-4-2 and earlier from our 4-4-1-1. I think I haven’t given the team a chance to settle with a system and find their rhythm. I believe that may just have cost us over the last two games.

It seems to me that I need to make a commitment to one system and that will be the 4-4-2 diamond. I thus need to get some of our squad to work on retraining their position. Tromans looks the most obvious candidate for an AMC role, for instance. I also want to look for a short-term backup for Danny Maguire while others retrain. This will mean looking to bring someone in on the loan system, most likely, over the next week.

A thoroughly disappointing loss today that sees us fall away from the top of the table. We still have a number of games in hand. Unfortunately, they are all coming up thick and fast now and we have to play on Tuesday, Thursday and then again on Saturday in the following week. We’re paying the price for our impressive cup runs.

Saints MoM: Jack Pearson (despite his own goal).

League pos: 7th – 33 points from 17 games (we still have two games in hand on most of the top 5).

SAINTS 2-0 Eastleigh (Blue Square South)

Prior to our loss against Bromley in the FA Trophy, we had been a record 22 games unbeaten in all competitions. Suddenly, two losses on the trot have spelt crisis at our club.

It was important that we get back to winning ways this evening against Eastleigh. Due to the rather bizarre situation of having to play another league game on Thursday, I decided to make a number of changes to the team today. We stick with the 4-4-2 diamond and bring in Jamie Brown to play behind the front two. It had totally escaped me that Brown was an option for us. I’ve mainly used him as a forward but he slots into the AMC role as a natural. I don’t think he is a long-term choice for us given his lack of technical ability but he will give us cover for that position while others retrain.

This game wasn’t quite as straight-forward as the final score indicates. Eastleigh are a tough side and made life difficult for us. However, we kept the ball well and did enough to get the points.

A brace from the wonderfully in-form Darren Ramshaw did the business for us today. The young academy product scored two great goals using his pace and finishing ability. He could have had another and got his hat-trick if it wasn’t for some bad luck.

I also got the chance to have a look at Charlie Tromans in the AMC role today. Although not a natural in that position, he has the right kind of attributes to fit into that kind of role. He got twenty minutes to show me what he could do today and he looked useful.

We’re back to winning ways today which is so important for our aspiration to get promoted. .

Saints MoM: Darren Ramshaw.

League pos: 6th – 36 points from 18 games.

Thurrock 0-2 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

This game is a huge one for us. Not only is it a game in hand, it also represents a chance to play catch up against a team above us in the league. Thurrock are now sitting second in the table, with Team Bath having overtaken them.

Unfortunately, this game takes place on a Thursday evening. We have already played on Saturday and Tuesday. We have had only two days of rest in the lead up to this huge game. It’s not ideal but we will make the most of it. The fact that I have performed some careful rotation in the last few games means that we can put out a fairly strong team today. In particular, our two star players Danny Maguire and Charlie Tromans are in good condition and return to first-team duties.

It’s a thrilling game and the fact that both sides are looking tired contributes to an exciting end-to-end match. A brace from our goalscoring sensation, Darren Ramshaw, is enough to see us through this one. He gave his marker a horrible afternoon and made his life hell, getting the better of him at every opportunity. Once again, he could easily have had a hat-trick. His second goal, in particular, was a goal of sublime beauty and as good as anything I have seen at this level. He got past his man with lightening pace and then curled a shot around the ‘keeper from just outside the box.

Life was made difficult for us during the last twenty minutes when Scotty Cousins had to come off with a bad injury. Due to having already made all of our substitutions, we had to solider on with ten men. Thankfully, the spirit and enthusiasm of our lads saw us through and we ended up with a great win here today which confirms our hopes of competing for the Blue Square South title.

Saints MoM: Darren Ramshaw (with another outstanding brace).

League pos: 5th – 39 points in 19 games (5 points from first place Team Bath with a game in hand).

NEWSFLASH: CONSORTIUM PLANNING SAINTS TAKEOVER – It has been rumoured that St. Albans City will be taken over by a consortium of businessmen, possibly involving a former footballer. It is thought that the group will meet with current Chairman John Gibson in the next few weeks.

MANAGER JOURNAL

We end 2010 sitting in the playoffs with an FA Cup Third Round tie against Everton at Goodison Park to look forward to in the New Year. I’m feeling understandably quite pleased with myself and with the club. On the negative side, we end the year with the side in a state of physical exhaustion, after playing 3 games in the last 5 days. What is perhaps concerning me the most, however, is the rumours regarding a takeover. Gibson is telling me nothing and I have no clue as to my future at the club should new owners arrive in 2011.

All in all, to be positive, we end the year with a significant improvement on previous seasons and the feeling that we are heading in the right direction.

My Saints Player of the Month: Darren Ramshaw – it could really only be one player. The 18-year-old has been outstanding for us, scoring 5 goals this month.

Points Tally Comparison: We are now a quite staggering 9 points better off than we were at this stage last season. Fantastic progress!

Other News: Title favourites Team Bath have now overtaken Thurrock and sit in 1st position. Thurrock, Eastbourne, Worcester and the mighty Saints are sitting in the playoff positions. Our county rivals Hitchin Town, newly promoted this season, are stuck in 18th and appear to be struggling. They are only 1 point from the drop zone.

Local side Luton Town are loving life back in the Football League. They are sitting in 1st position in League Two. Meanwhile our local rivals, Stevenage, also in League Two, have dropped down the table and are only a couple of points from the relegation zone.

In the Championship, our neighbours Watford are performing poorly and are in a mediocre mid-table position.

Finally, in the Premiership, Man Utd are now top by 1 point. Man City, Spurs and Chelsea make up the top 4. Sitting at the bottom of the table are Bolton, Preston and Leeds.

[crouchaldinho]

I'll leave it like that for now!

On the cusp of a takeover and just about to play the biggest game of our lives against Everton in the cup!

[crouchaldinho]

Actually, while I'm breaking from the story, I wondered if I might address my reading audience and ask for some advice and help.

I'm currently having some doubts about keeping the old journal/story going. You see, I'm currently a postgraduate research student and working on my final dissertation. I'm under a lot of pressure and thus my playing time is somewhat reduced, especially just recently.

I don't want to give up on the story altogether but I'm wondering if I should perhaps tone it down a little. I do, admittedly, have a tendency to waffle somewhat.

Anyway, has anyone got any tips or advice? Essentially, less typing and more playing is my aim (but I don't want to reduce the quality).

[williamshankley]

Come on the Saints, lets beat Everton

[owen10ozzy]

My suggestion would be to limit your time playing it and keep the journal going as it is. I would rather you updated less but with the same quantity and quality. Its been a fantastic read so far and I will continue to follow with interest however you decide to proceed.

[crouchaldinho]

Come on the Saints, lets beat Everton

Cheers WS!

Must just mention that this is the first time I have ever made the 3rd round with a BSS side in any FM!

[crouchaldinho]

My suggestion would be to limit your time playing it and keep the journal going as it is. I would rather you updated less but with the same quantity and quality. Its been a fantastic read so far and I will continue to follow with interest however you decide to proceed.

Owen10ozzy - thanks for this reply. It means a lot. It's always nice to know that someone is reading and enjoying.

I think you are quite right. I'm going to set myself the target of getting in at least a game a day as that should be achievable. I think I will continue with the same style of writeup but I am going to try to cut back on the waffle a little bit where possible.

C.

[bucket]

Crouchy, this is brilliant and has inspired me to start a new game when 9.0.3 comes out with my home town - Woking, not as low as St Albans but still in lots of trouble irl!

[crouchaldinho]

Cheers Bucket - best of luck with Woking.

[crouchaldinho]

JANUARY 2011

You’d be forgiven for thinking that we were playing only one game this month. Everton, Everton, Everton, Everton. That’s all that is on my mind. But I really ought to be thinking about the league and about us continuing to climb the table and to challenge at the very top. In a way, Everton (there I’ve said it again) is going to be a totally unwanted distraction this month. We have some massive games, not least against Team Bath in the league and Salisbury in the Setanta Shield Quarter Finals.

At home in the league this month, we have Welling, Team Bath and Hitchin. That’s two tough games and a Hertfordshire derby. The game against Team Bath is going to be key to our season. Get a win in that game and then we might really have a chance of going all the way. They are the favourites after all. Thus, I have to target full points, 9 out of 9, for our home games.

Away from home, we face Lewes, Eastbourne, Bishop’s Stortford and Worcester. That’s a tricky run of away games including another Hertfordshire derby. Eastbourne and Worcester are both in the playoffs and so these games are so crucial for us. I target 4 points this month, to make a total target of 13 points from 7 games.

Including the cup games this month, we have a total of 9 games, which is incredible considering we are only part-timers. We’ve got to go for it against Salisbury in the quarter-finals of the Setanta Shield. We’ll also want to put a good side out against Everton in the cup, although we won’t expect to beat the likes of them in a million years.

It’s going to be a tough month. I also have half-an-eye (if that is indeed possible) on the takeover situation. I’m praying for someone who likes me, loves the club and wants to back us in this current project. What lies ahead? Goodness knows but I hope that it will be a good start to 2011.

Lewes 1-1 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

This is our fourth game in a week, which is shocking enough in itself of course. But you might be even more surprised to know that we play Eastbourne on Monday, which is just 2 days time. I’m mightily fed up of this fixture congestion now. It could really hamper our season. Today we have to dig deep in order to find a starting eleven that are all in good enough condition to start.

Jamie Brown comes into our ‘enganche’ position but plays really poorly for us today. He just doesn’t have the technical ability of Maguire or Tromans, but with both in poor condition we have little choice today. It’s a key position for us and we lack any sense of forward momentum without Maguire.

Lewes take the lead after 30 minutes following a lapse in concentration by Jack Pearson. He is unable to recover a misplaced pass and we end up conceding in the resulting one-on-one.

In the second-half we start to really come alive but it takes us until the 81st minute to get a goal. Super sub Dale Friend scores with a close-range effort to get us a point this afternoon. He has made four sub appearances this season and scored in two of them. He’s a good lad with a promising future for us and his goal means we get a very useful point here.

Saints MoM: Daniel Flack.

League pos: 4th – 40 points from 20 games (7 points from 1st placed Team Bath with a game in hand).

Eastbourne Boro 0-1 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

To my enormous relief, this one gets postponed until Thursday due to a waterlogged pitch, which gives us a much-needed couple of extra days to sort ourselves out. It also means we don’t have to play one game on the Tuesday and then another on the Thursday as was originally planned. In addition to this, it will also give us a little more preparation time before we play Everton in the FA Cup, so all in all we thank Eastbourne for the poor drainage of their pitch!

So it’s second versus fourth in an absolutely massive game for both of our hopes of promotion. Due to the extra couple of days rest, I am able to put out my strongest team for this one.

I’m extraordinarily proud of every one of them today. This is one our best performances of the season. We taught Eastbourne a footballing lesson today. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a lesson on how to put the ball in the back of the net. Our single goal came from an own goal after 9 minutes after a mix up from a corner.

However, we were a delight to watch for the rest of the match. I know stats are boring but here are a few anyway. We had 61% possession and 5 clear cut chances. Eastbourne had 1 single shot all afternoon and that went wide. We were so dominant that we could have won 5-0.

This victory sends us up to 2nd place and shows what we’re really about this season. Come on you Saints!

Saints MoM: Daniel Flack.

League pos: 2nd – 43 points from 21 games (7 points from 1st placed Team Bath, however we have a game in hand).

SAINTS P- P Welling (Blue Square South) – postponed due to the Easbourne Boro game also being postponed and moved forward a few days.

Everton 4-0 SAINTS (FA Cup 3rd Rnd)

This is the biggest game of my career so far. Absolutely HUGE is the word I would use. The FA Cup Third Round. Everton. Goodison Park. It’s just massive. The biggest test that these players will face in their careers probably.

We’ve put ourselves firmly on the map getting this far. My managerial reputation is up to regional. But this is where our cup run surely ends. I mean, we can’t beat Everton. There is no chance. We’re 50/1 for this game. It literally is the impossible.

It is still a huge day out for our fans and for our players. It’s a wonderful and historical day for the club. I’m exceedingly nervous and I want the players to do the club and the city proud.

The team today in full (4-4-2 diamond):

GK 	Darlington
DR 	Bailey
FL	Cousins (c) 
DC	Flack
DC 	Pearson
DMC 	Collins
MR 	Hamlin
ML	Banks
AMC 	Maguire
FCd	Johnson
FCa	Ramshaw

On the bench: Waggett, Honeyball, Sulaiman, Smith, Tromans, Martin, Friend.

I’m particularly proud of the fact that we’re starting with two of our youth academy products. That’s our two young and local forwards, Shaun Johnson and Darren Ramshaw, living the dream against the Toffees. We’ve also got youngsters Honeyball, Tromans (not fit enough to start today), Smith and Friend on the bench who may feature. Those young and local lads are living the dream this afternoon.

Just for the purposes of juxtaposition, here is Everton’s starting eleven.

GK Howard

DR Hibbert

FL Baines

DC Duffy

DC Upson

MR Maguire

ML Skolnik

MC Fellani

MC Mvuemba

AMC Pienaar

ST Vaughan

Everton are resting some of their bigger names but they have approximately £42 million worth of talent in their starting eleven. We’ve got around £70k of talent in ours.

Unsurprisingly, there is no fairly tale shock victory today. There isn’t so much as a gulf in class as a mighty chasm. Everton totally outclass us and are 3-0 up at half-time thanks to a brace from Vaughan and a goal from Baines.

The second-half is much more respectable for us but things become more difficult when Jack Pearson is injured and, due to having already made our three substitutions, we are forced to see out the last 20 minutes of the game with 10 men and only one recognised central defender. Fellaini scored Everton’s fourth to put a real downer on the day for us.

I guess this is a fairly respectable score-line really as it could easily have been double figures with the amount of chances Everton made. It wasn’t a particularly special day despite playing in front of 33,382 fans. We were firmly put in our place by the Premier League superstars.

Saints MoM: George Collins and Michael Smith were the two players to come out of the game with any real credit to their names.

League pos: N/A – out of the FA Cup at 3rd round stage.

NEWSFLASH: PEARSON OUT – Saints defender Jack Pearson will be out for a month after picking up a broken wrist in the defeat against Everton. The Saints manager has indicated that he is likely to consider a short-term loan to cover for Pearson’s absence.

NEWSFLASH: CUP CASH CHEERS SAINTS FANS – St. Albans City have taken their share of the gate receipts for the FA Cup 3rd Round tie. It was recorded that the club were over £100,000 in debt at the end of last season and it is now believed that the Saints have cleared their overdraft and are now £300,000 in the black. The City manager is rumoured to have requested that the money is put back into the club’s youth and training facilities but it is thought that the board have rejected his suggestion outright. The Saints board are still said to be in the process of a takeover with several mystery consortiums having been linked to the club recently.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS BRING IN KIERNAN – The Saints have bought in Watford reserves defender Rob Kiernan on a months loan to help cover the absence of injured Jack Pearson. The City manager said, ‘Rob is a quick defender and is the perfect cover for Jack. He’ll probably go straight into the team for the big one against Team Bath this weekend’.

SAINTS 2-1 Team Bath (Blue Square South)

The FA Cup dream is over. It’s back to the bread and butter of the league and this huge game against first placed Team Bath. We simply must get a result here.

Rob Kiernan comes straight in for the injured Jack Pearson. Otherwise we are unchanged. We’ve got a tired looking team at the moment having played a lot of games lately.

It’s a truly dreadful first-half for us against the league leaders as we generally don’t look up for it and concede on 40 minutes. Much to my relief, a Scott Cousins free-kick is turned into the net by a Team Bath defender, and we’re back in it just before the break at 1-1.

The second-half is very even but Team Bath have a lot of possession, which is disconcerting to say the least. It looks very much as though the game will peter out into a draw. That is until Daniel Flack gets the winner, the ball having fallen to his feet after a corner and him smashing home on 90 minutes!

An unbelievable victory, slightly fortunate too, but we’ll take it. This puts us right in the title race, with a real chance now.

Saints MoM: Daniel Flack.

League pos: 2nd – 46 points from 22 games (4 points from leaders Team Bath with a game in hand).

Bishop’s Stortford 1-1 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

The squad is absolutely shattered now and we have to make some serious changes for this Hertfordshire derby. We’ve also got a Setanta Shield Quarter-final coming up next so rotation is the word of the day.

Jamie Brown came into the ‘trequartista’ role today and put in an extremely poor performance that has me questioning his place in my squad. It was a dreadful first-half and we conceded just before half-time.

I expressed my disappointment and particularly had a go at Brown. I gave him the benefit of the doubt but he didn’t come good in the first 15 minutes of the second-half and so he had to be dragged off. On came Maguire who totally changed the game. Charlie Tromans got the equaliser for us, with Maguire heavily involved in the build-up.

In the end, we should have won this game but unfortunately we drew my sixth Stortford & Saints Hertfordshire derby match. Two points dropped in the title race here.

Saints MoM: Charlie Tromans.

League pos: 2nd – 47 points from 23 games (3 points from leaders Team Bath).

Salisbury 1-3 SAINTS (Setanta Shield Quarter-final)

Rotation means that we can put out a strong side here in this huge game for the club. The big games seem to be coming thick and fast at the moment.

It all starts off very badly for us as they score in four minutes. However, we’re looking much the better team and it is no surprise when Darren Ramshaw gets past his marker to finish confidently and make it 1-1.

Charlie Tromans, on as a second-half sub and playing in the ‘enganche’ role, managed to score a brace in the last half-and-hour to win the tie. Both goals are of outstanding quality and Tromans looks like he could do really well in this position in the future. For the first, he literally powers through three defenders and strikes the ball home. The second is more aesthetically pleasing as he volleys home from the edge of the box. Outstanding performance from him and a good performance from us which sees us through to the semis. Furthermore, it surely proves that we are capable of matching anyone in the lower half of the BSP. We’ve had the better of Salisbury a few times this year and also beaten AFC Wimbledon this season.

Saints MoM: Charlie Tromans (with a terrific brace).

League pos: N/A – through to Setanta Shield semi.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS IN SEMIS – The Saints have been drawn to play Grays Athletic in the semi-final of the Setanta Shield at Wembley. The sides have met on five previous occasions and City have only managed one win against them under the current manager.

Worcester 2-1 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

Worcester are one of the sides competing for the playoffs at the moment and they sit in 5th. Despite this, we’re made favourites today for what looks to me like a tough game against a good side. On our last two visits we have lost and drawn. I’ve never won a game at St. Georges Lane.

We put our strongest side out today and aim to attack from the off to see if we can catch up with Team Bath, who are 5 points ahead of us.

We find ourselves 1-0 down in the first minute of the game. Despite this, we have a good first-half and go in at 1-1 thanks to a Ramshaw finding Rob Kiernan, up from the back for a set-piece, who scored with a powerful shot past the ‘keeper from close range. The second-half, however, is an unmitigated disaster. We don’t play terribly well and look tired. Then, three minutes before the end of the match, Worcester grab the winner.

Luck just wasn’t with us today but the second-half performance was dire from us. Must do better is the report I gave to the lads after the game. Team Bath seem a long way away now.

Saints MoM: Darren Ramshaw.

League pos: 2nd – 47 points from 24 games (6 points from leaders Team Bath).

SAINTS 4-1 Welling (Blue Square South)

This game has been rearranged so many times its just crazy. Finally we get around to playing Welling. They are having a pretty average season and from our point of view, this is a must win game, because we can’t afford to slip up many more times and still keep up with Team Bath.

The big team news is that I decide to drop Ramshaw and bring in Johnson today. The former hasn’t been playing too brilliantly lately and I feel the latter will bring some different qualities to the frontline.

And he certainly does. Indeed, we give poor old Welling a real humbling here at CP. Johnson grabs an outstanding hat-trick of goals in the first-half with some terrific finishes. Danny Maguire pops one in and we are home and dry by half-time.

Cue a number of subs to save tired legs. The second-half, as a result, is a mute affair. Welling pull one back but never really look like threatening and we march onwards to get the points.

Terrific win and a great three points to keep us going in the race for this title. Come on you Saints!

Saints MoM: Shaun Johnson (hat-trick and 9.2 rating).

League pos: 2nd – 50 points from 25 games (6 points from leaders Team Bath).

SAINTS 3-0 Hitchin (Blue Square South)

Our Hertfordshire rivals are down at the bottom of the league but should comfortably stay up. From our point of view, this is another must win game. We simply must keep up the pressure on Team Bath.

The big news, team-wise, was that I decided to start with youngster Andrew Honeyball in the centre of defence. It was my idea that he would be able to cope with the pace and power of Hitchin striker Paul Barnes.

A very dull first-half passed without incident but with us firmly in control. At half-time, I told the lads to do it for the fans.

Young Darren Ramshaw responded immediately in the second-half by breaking the defensive line and smashing the ball home. He legged it straight over to the bench to celebrate with his manager. Top man.

Next up, Shaun Johnson, on as a sub, pinged a ball back to playmaker Danny Maguire who pulled off a rather special volley to double our lead.

Good old super sub Hassan Sulaiman finished Hitchin off with a bizarre moment of either a) genius or b) fluke. He smashed the ball past the ‘keeper from the right side in what looked rather like a vicious and mis-hit cross. Nevertheless, it was a third goal and ended the contest.

A great win against the old Herts rivals and Team Bath will be looking over their shoulders rather anxiously now.

Saints MoM: Danny Maguire (one word – outstanding – with a goal and an assist).

League pos: 2nd – 53 points from 26 games (still 6 points from Team Bath who can’t stop winning, dash it!)

NEWSFLASH: SMITH OUT FOR TWO MONTHS – Saints fans will be cursing their luck after learning that young left-sided midfielder, Michael Smith, was injured in the game against Hitchin and will be out for up to two months with strained knee ligaments. Smith had become somewhat of a first-team regular of late. It is thought that Johnny Banks will fill in for the youth academy product, with Sam Hurrell as backup.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS MANAGER IN THIRD PLACE – The Saints manager got third place in the manager of the month award. Team Bath’s Paul Merson got the MoM award.

MANAGER JOURNAL

Well, first of all, I must say that we are disappointed to lose Michael Smith. The 17-year-old youngster had been a regular for us this season. Johnny Banks had been in rotation with Smith and he will come in now on a more permanent basis until Smith is back.

The month has been very tiring and full to the brim with matches. Somehow we have soldiered on. We’ve picked up some useful points on the road but we’ll be disappointed with losing to Worcester. They have now done the double over us this season.

At home, we’ve continued to make good old CP a bit of a fortress. Three wins is top notch and I’m really pleased with that. We’ll need to improve the away form to keep up with Team Bath.

The FA Cup 3rd round against Everton was a minor disaster. Not really the big day out for the fans and players that I had hoped. More, rather, of an absolute pummelling. But still, what could I expect against a Premier League side?

Great to see us in the last four of the Setanta. Let’s hope we can get to the final now.

Next month will be slightly easier, with less games and, finally, an opportunity to concentrate on the league.

My Saints Player of the Month: Daniel Flack – without his partner, the injured Jack Pearson, Daniel has done the business for us and been extremely solid.

Points Tally Comparison: We’re a whole 13 points ahead of our tally last season.

Other News: Title favourites Team Bath in 1st position and 6 points ahead. Eastbourne, Bromley, Worcester and the mighty Saints are sitting in the playoff positions. Our county rivals Hitchin Town, newly promoted this season, have fallen to 19th and appear to be struggling. They are only 2 points from the drop zone.

Local side Luton Town are loving life back in the Football League. However, they have dropped to 2nd position in League Two. Meanwhile our local rivals, Stevenage, also in League Two, are safe in a mediocre lower table position.

In the Championship, our neighbours Watford have rallied round and forged up the table a bit. They are in the upper half of the table and not far from the playoffs.

Finally, in the Premiership, Man Utd are top by 1 point. Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool make up the top 4. Sitting at the bottom of the table are Bolton, Preston and Leeds.

[crouchaldinho]

Just a quick note to say that I'm now all patched up to 9.3 and it's rather good!

[crouchaldinho]

FEBRUARY 2011

We’ve got some tough games this month, with Chelmsford, Crawley and Bromley visiting good old CP. Chelmsford and Bromley are playoff contenders, whereas Crawley are mid-table. We must aim to put pressure on Team Bath and thus full points is the target.

Away from the fortress that is CP, we have Basingstoke and Braintree this Feb. Both are mid-table and, thus, I’m going to be ambitious and aim for a win and a draw. 4 points is the order of the day.

We have the excitement of a Setanta Shield semi-final to look forward to as well this month. It’s a biggie. We’ve got to be up for this and I hope and pray we can make the final. Come on you Saints!

This is a month that looks somewhat more relaxed than January. It will, however, be a pivotal month in our season. It presents a real chance to knuckle down and play catch up with Team Bath. Any slipups could put us out of the race for 1st place. Come on you Saints!

NEWSFLASH: ONE IN AND ONE OUT AT CP – The Saints have sold attacking forward Jamie Brown after a series of disappointing performances this season. He moves to Erith Town playing 22 games for City and scoring 2 goals.

Joining the Saints is young centre-back George Beavan. The youngster is a former Luton Town defender and has made the short trip to CP to get some first-team football under his belt. The Saints manager said he was pleased with the signing, especially as George adds considerable pace to the backline.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS UNLEASH FORMER PREMIER LEAGUE STAR – St. Albans City fans were today celebrating the arrival of former Manchester City, Newcastle and Wigan star, Antoine Sibierski, who has signed for the Saints to play until the end of the season.

Sibierski, now 36-years-old, is said to have accepted the offer in order to get some regular first-team football at this late stage in his career. The Saints manager said, ‘this is a huge achievement for the club. We have signed an outstanding professional player who still has so much ability. We’ve put some of our hard earned FA Cup money to the good and brought in a player who could be instrumental to our promotion hopes, both in terms of his experience and skill’. Sibierski is currently injured and unlikely to feature in the next game at CP against Chelmsford.

MANAGER JOURNAL ENTRY: Of course, we’ve had a former Premier League footballer here before, in Jonathan Hunt. But this signing of Sibierski might just be the most exciting one we’ve ever made. I’ve paid all of £1k for his services. He is the perfect player to sit in the hole and play as enganche for us. He will certainly help out Danny Maguire in this respect, who is currently looking tired and needs to be able to rest occasionally. Tromans has done a good job in the hole but he can now concentrate more on his position as a supporting striker. I’ve also thought of the possibility of Sibierski staying on as a coach, if possible, and beginning his coaching career with us. I will talk to him about this over the next few weeks.

In the end, with the signing of Beavan as a well, I’ve ended up with my two longer-term targets of a defender and an attacking midfielder.

SAINTS 1-1 Chelmsford (Blue Square South)

Chelmsford are playoff contenders and predicted to finish up and around there. It is therefore touch-and-go today according to the bookies. We’ve got a good record against them though, so we’ll but up for this one.

There are no real changes as I put our strongest team up for this one. We’re going out to attack them and give this a real go. Sibierski, our new high profile signing, is out with injury and unable to start for us.

This is a pretty entertaining affair and we open the scoring in the first-half with a terrific goal from Johnny Banks, who comes inside and scores with a powerful but well-placed, low finish past the ‘keeper. However, we just can’t get the second goal and Chelmsford look increasingly dangerous. They equalise on the 70th minute to ruin the day for us. We deserved the win but just didn’t quite do enough today. We weren’t quite on song; not quite our usual selves.

What is truly disappointing is that Team Bath mucked up and we could have taken advantage of their slip. Instead, we have only gained a point on them.

Saints MoM: Alex Bailey.

League pos: 54 points from 27 games (5 points from leaders Team Bath).

Grays 3-2 SAINTS (Setanta Shield Semi-final at WEMBLEY)

Grays are a BSP side, sitting in 16th place, and I fancy us getting a result against them. However, our odds are fairly long and Grays are the clear favourites. Our fans are feeling pessimistic. It’s an absolutely huge day for the club though and I want the lads to be totally up for this and to go for it.

We’re tactically going to be slightly cautious today as the occasion calls for it. Starting lineup for this semi-final: Darlington, Lyon, Skinner, Flack, Martin ©, Ritchie, Sulaiman, Banks, Maguire, Johnson, Ramshaw.

There has been a few changes due to injury and tiredness. Antoine Sibierski is on the bench today, despite still carrying a bit of a knock.

The match today starts at a frenetic pace. We play really well in the first-half and take the lead when Danny Maguire fires home from close range following a Johnny Banks cross into the box. We seem to be running away with the victory when Shaun Johnson taps in at the near post following a corner to make it 2-0.

However, we really muck up here in the second-half. First we lose Hassan Sulaiman to injury. Then Grays pull one back. Poor defending lets them in for a second and we’re now playing very nervously. I bring on Sibierski hoping that he might offer something in attack but in the end we are fighting a losing battle. Indeed, we crumble with a minute left and concede a third. There is no way back and even worse, Darren Ramshaw is injured in the final minutes and has to come off. It’s a devastating blow and we end up out of this competition when we should have gone all the way to the final.

I’m left devastated by this defeat and, in particular, the nature of it. Watching us throw away a two goal lead is disgraceful. However, we were up against a quality outfit and I guess this just means that we have to concentrate and turn all of our efforts on the league now. Perhaps it will turn out to be a mixed blessing.

Saints MoM: Shaun Johnson.

League pos: N/A – out of the competition at semi-final stage.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS LOSE IN MORE THAN ONE WAY – If Saints fans woke up this morning wondering what could have been, they will now be cursing their luck when they find out that Hassan Sulaiman and Darren Ramshaw will both be out for up to two months following the semi-final against Grays.

Basingstoke 0-1 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

Basingstoke are mid-table and we are clearly favourites to win this one. After our huge disappointment in the Setanta, I’m desperate for us to get back to winning ways here.We set out to attack today and to play some good football too. The major team news is that Jack Pearson is back in defence for us after his recent injury.

We start the game well this afternoon and get an early lead through a classic Charlie Tromans finish. He finds the back of the net with a truly outstanding strike. This lad just keeps getting better and better.

We’re firmly in control today and Basingstoke don’t even enter into the equation. It’s no surprise that we get a clean sheet with Jack Pearson back in the team. It’s disappointing that we don’t get a second goal though.

Other results: Braintree 0 – 1 Team Bath – the leaders just keep on winning and winning.

Saints MoM: Charlie Tromans.

League pos: 2nd - 57 points from 28 games (6 points from Team Bath with 1 game in hand).

NEWSFLASH: CONSORTIUM TO BRING IN NEW MANAGER – St. Albans City will release the current manager from his duties should a consortium be successful in their takeover. One of the consortium leaders has indicated that he would like to bring in his own man and that he doesn’t have much time for the current manager. The directors have recently enforced a transfer embargo and it is thought that a takeover could well be imminent.

SAINTS 2-1 Crawley (Blue Square South)

Crawley are hugely underachieving in mid-table but despite this they are made slight favourites for today’s game. What I want from the lads if to keep Clarence Park as a fortress and to keep winning games at home. My theory is that if we win at CP, the results will come on the road too. Confidence brings performances and results.

We get a great start today when Johnson pops up with a goal after 15 minutes. It’s a cross from Johnny Banks which Johnson meets and smashes home. Get in!

Sibierski is on in the second-half and I’m excited to see him in action at CP. Our second goal comes courtesy of his defence splitting pass, which sends youngster Dale Friend through. Dale hasn’t exactly set the world alight for us yet. He has been decent enough, I suppose, and certainly a good sub. However, this finish is outstanding and proof that there is more to come from him. A great strike beats the ‘keeper to win us the game.

We get a late scare when Jack Pearson scores a calamitous own goal but in the end we’re comfortable here.

Saints MoM: Shaun Johnson.

League pos: 2nd – 60 points from 29 games (3 points behind Team Bath and now level on games played).

SAINTS 2-0 Bromley (Blue Square South)

Bromley are right up there in the reckoning for playoff places. They're are a fair bit off the pace at the very top of the table though. However, this game still presents a great opportunity for us to put further distance between ourselves and the chasing pack.

The big team news is that Danny Maguire is rested today and Antoine Sibierski gets his first start for the mighty Saints. His performance is encourage but I can’t help but notice how quickly he tires and, after a dull first-half that ends 0-0, he has to come off.

In the second-half Tromans comes into the ‘enganche’ role and it is our young prodigy who opens the scoring, running onto a ball from Friend and then finishing sublimely past the ‘keeper with the ball placed into the bottom right corner of the net.

Shaun Johnson, on as a sub, gets our second here to confirm the win. It’s Tromans who sends the ball into the box and Johnson has time and space to lift the ball over the ‘keeper to score. It’s a terrific end to a match that we have dominated from start to finish.

Other game: Team Bath 2 – 2 Dorchester (Team Bath slip up and we gain 2 points on them!)

Saints MoM: Charlie Tromans.

League pos: 2nd – 63 points from 30 games (1 point from Team Bath).

Braintree 0-0 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

At last, we have had a full week to recover and get the squad back to full fitness. It’s the first proper gap in fixtures we’ve had since last year. It’s a wonderful opportunity to get our squad in good condition and to go into this game with Braintree in the best possible condition.

Braintree are mid-table and having a fairly decent season by their standards. They have one or two very good players and we will have to be weary of them this afternoon. The biggest regret for us is that we are without Daniel Flack, who is suspended. Youngster Andrew Honeyball comes into the side for him. It’s a risk playing Honeyball in a central, as he hasn’t quite developed enough to be considered in that role. Also, although we’re comfortable favourites for today’s game but it is never that simple with us on the road.

We’re put Braintree under a lot of pressure in the first-half and but we don’t really create a great deal. It’s a pedestrian type of performance and, as the half comes to a close, the confidence is clearly flowing but we’re not clinical enough in the final third to make anything happen.

At half-time, I tell the lads that I sympathise with the fact that they haven’t got a goal for their efforts. But I also remonstrate with a few of them and the overall message is that they should get back out there and finish the job off.

Unfortunately, the second-half is a carbon copy of the first, only we are looking complacent and sloppy. I decide to make all three changes early on in the half. A manager must take risks to win football matches and certain players were not pulling their weight out there. However, it simply didn’t work and I think this is a much down to the lack of quality squad depth as anything else.

OK, we’ve got a few injuries at the moment, but we’re relying on a number of youth players that aren’t quite good enough. Take Crittenden, one of my second-half subs, for instance. He is a hard-working young lad, but doesn’t have the talent to carry out the role on the wings for us just yet. Perhaps when he is older he will be able to offer more.

We pick up a few further injuries today, which will put further strain on the squad. All in all, this is not the best afternoon’s work from my point of view. The stress of keeping up a title challenge continues.

Other results: Hampton & Richmond 2 – 0 Team Bath (this result perks me up, it must be said. We now go level on points at the top and Team Bath aren’t looking quite so invincible now!)

Saints MoM: Mike Lyon.

League pos: 2nd – 64 points from 31 games (level on points with leaders Team Bath).

MANAGER JOURNAL

Well, we can have few complaints about February. It’s been a rather good month for us, with 7 points out of 9 at home and the targeted 4 points on the road. Terrific stuff! We’ve also made ground on Team Bath and end the month level of points with them. We’re right in this title race!

The lowest point of month though was undoubtedly that Setanta Shield Semi-final, where the team basically fell apart in the second-half. We cannot be too disheartened about that, however, as we did well to go so far in the competition.

At the moment, we are really missing a number of players, such as Sulaiman, Smith and Ramshaw. I can see this potentially hurting our title hopes. Players like Crittenden and Friend don’t quite have what it takes to step up to first team duties when required. We must perhaps consider making a signing, particularly in the wide positions, and maybe even a short-term signing up front. It would really help us to keep this title challenge going.

My Saints Player of the Month: Johnny Banks – a goal at the beginning of the month and 3 assists, along with some terrific performances from our experienced winger.

Points Tally Comparison: We are a fantastic 11 points better off than at this point last season.

Other News: Title favourites Team Bath are in 1st position but we are level on points. Team Bath have a slightly superior goal difference. Thurrock, Newport and Bromley make up the playoff positions. Our county rivals Hitchin Town, newly promoted this season, are still stuck in 18th and are struggling. They are 4 points from the drop zone.

Local side Luton Town are loving life back in the Football League. However, they have fallen down to 3rd place and are now 6 points off the League Two leaders. Meanwhile our local rivals, Stevenage, also in League Two, are sitting in a very low position but are looking safe.

In the Championship, our neighbours Watford are performing poorly and are in a mediocre mid-table position.

Finally, in the Premiership, Man Utd, Chelsea and Man City are all level on points. United lead on goal difference with Liverpool making up the top 4. Sitting at the bottom of the table are West Ham, Preston and Leeds.

[stoehrst]

Fight for your job, Crouchie!

[crouchaldinho]

Looks like I'm going to have to fight for it stoehrst!

[crouchaldinho]

MARCH 2011

Well, I ended last month by talking about a lack of quality in our squad depth due to injuries. I also mentioned that I might be bringing a player or two in, possibly on short-term deals. However, I have since been reminded that there is currently a transfer embargo and I have also discovered that this precludes me from getting any loans in as well. It must be said that this is a bit of a nightmare. I’m trying to keep a title push going here and I have three key players out of the first team. The positive thing for me is that we are mostly playing on Saturday’s this month, which should mean more recovery time and less need for rotation.

We start the month with a tricky looking away trip to mid-table Hampton & Richmond. Our other away game this month will be against relegation battlers AFC Hornchurch. The target here is for 4 points on the road.

At home we have some equally tricky assignments. Promotion contenders Dorchester come to CP, as do Bath City and Horsham. The latter sides are struggling and we have to fancy our chances here. I’m aiming for full points in these must win games.

It’s a simple message to the lads this month. We must push Team Bath all the way and aim to end the month in a good position to push on in the last full month of the season.

Hampton & Richmond 2-1 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

Our record against H&R is pretty sweet and we won here last year. But we know we’re in for a tough game today from the off and I’m really disappointed to find us 2-0 down after 20 minutes. Their striker is having an easy day up against Ben Martin who doesn’t seem to stay tight enough to his man. It’s some disappointing defending from our usually excellent captain, but then the H&R striker is a quality player who only needs half a chance to score.

We get back into the game before half-time through a freak goal by Andy Ritchie. However, it’s nothing less than we deserve as we were definitely the better side in this first-half.

I give the lads a serious telling off during the break and we are totally dominant in the second-half. But it’s just one of those days in the end. 63% possession, 2 clear cut chances but just not enough in the tank to win this game.

It’s a young side and I suppose the occasional inconsistency is to be expected. There were a few lads who had more than an ‘off’ day today. In particular, I was disappointed with Maguire and Johnson. Unfortunately, due to the injuries, I didn’t have the usual options to pull off the bench.

It’s very disappointing to lose, especially when we deserved at least a point. This really hurts our title push.

Other result: AFC Hornchurch 1 – 5 Team Bath (Well, Team Bath bounced right back with this result and we’re left three points adrift).

Saints MoM: Daniel Flack.

League pos: 2nd – 64 points from 32 games (3 points from leaders Team Bath).

NEWSFLASH: TAKEOVER BID GOING STRONG – Talks continue between current Saints chairman John Gibson and Consortium chief Adam Carroll. It is rumoured that an announcement will be made in the next few days.

NEWSFLASH: TAKEOVER BID HITS THE ROCKS –Adam Carroll has announced that he will pull out of the takeover of St. Albans City, claiming that a lack of funds are the reason behind this failure to secure the deal. This comes as a disappointment to Saints fans who believed that an agreement was imminent.

SAINTS 1-0 Dorchester (Blue Square South)

The sooner this uncertainty regarding the future of the club is over, the better as far as I am concerned. I’m also getting sick of the transfer embargo. I could do with bringing in a few short-term loans. The only good news is that we’ve had a week since the last game and thus the team should be raring to go this afternoon. However, that isn’t exactly the case, as injuries to Cousins and Collins have ruled them out of this match.

Dorchester are playoff contenders and a really good side. There is no doubt that this is going to be a tough game for us. We approach it playing more cautiously than we normally would at home. It’s important to keep our fine record at CP going this season.

Our cautious approach today is telling early on, with neither side making many chances. However, after 30 minutes we finally get a breakthrough when Lewis Hamlin crosses from the right and Charlie Tromans gets across his man to head the ball home. Come on you Saints!

Today’s game is a case of asking ourselves how much bad luck we can stand. We lose no less than three defensive players to injuries during this game, which means that I have to use all three subs to deal with them, and it also means that we end the game with a winger at right back and a fullback in the centre of defence. Lucky for us, Charlie’s goal was the difference between the teams and we’ve got ourselves a very important win here.

Other result: Team Bath 2 – 0 Bath City (just as well we got the three points today).

Saints MoM: Charlie Tromans.

League pos: 2nd – 67 points from 33 games (3 points from leaders Team Bath).

NEWSFLASH: DISASTER FOR SAINTS AS DEFENSIVE PAIR ARE RULED OUT FOR 4-6 WEEKS – The Saints have been dealt an almighty blow to their title aspirations after it was confirmed that Jack Pearson and Daniel Flack have been ruled out for 4 – 6 weeks. Both players were injured in the win against Dorchester. The Saints manager had this to say: ‘that is our first-choice centre-back pairing out for the rest of this month and all of next. Basically, they might be back in May. It’s an incredible blow to have this happen at this stage of the season. It’s an absolute disaster. The transfer embargo at the club means that we are in big trouble. I’m very concerned’. Saints fans have protested at Clarence Park due to the lengthy takeover process and the fact that it is hampering the manager’s chances of securing the BSS title.

SAINTS 1-0 Bath City (Blue Square South)

This match comes up on the Tuesday after the disaster that was Dorchester away. I mean, the result was great, but losing our first choice centre-back pairing is a huge disappointment. It seems that every season there is a big injury loss to cope with. Ben Martin in my first year at the club, Charlie Tromans in my second season and now Flack and Pearson out together. It’s not what you want when you’re trying to push for a title.

I bring in Jack Saville at the back, who after a dreadful start with us has been mostly turning out for the reserves. He’ll go in alongside new signing George Beaven, in a totally new look Saints defence. In addition to this, we make a number of changes today, welcoming back Scott Cousins and George Collins. Antoine Sibierski also gets a start this afternoon, as Maguire is rested.

This actually turns out to be one of the dullest games I’ve seen in a while. I suspected we might have problems at the back, but in reality it’s up front where we seem to be failing miserably. Sibierski plays poorly and looks off the pace. Dale Friend puts in a really disappointing shift this afternoon. Then there is Tromans, who is the worst offender, but still saves the day. He pops up in the 90th minute to head home a Johnny Banks cross and to win this game for us. An absolutely vital goal.

The Saints fans sang, ‘1-0 to the mighty Saints’, and with some ironic wit, ‘boring, boring City’. I don’t care if we’re boring or if we win every game 1-0. I’ll take as many clean sheets and three points as you like.

Other result: Team Bath 4 – 0 Horsham (The Team Bath winning machine keeps going).

Saints MoM: Jack Saville.

League pos: 2nd – 70 points from 34 games (3 points from leaders Team Bath).

AFC Hornchurch 0-0 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

AFC Hornchurch are in big trouble and have only won 4 times at home this season. This one has to go down as a must win game for us. Anything less will be a disaster. Let us not forget that Team Bath came here and won 5-1 recently.

This game is just one huge frustration after another for us. Yes, we dominate. Yes, we make chances. Yes, we should get the points. But we fail to score the goals that you need to win football matches.

In all truth, we are really missing Darren Ramshaw up front for us. He has just started training again and I can’t wait to get him back in the starting eleven. Today we had Dale Friend up front and the youngster just isn’t ready for the pressures of leading the line just yet.

This is two points dropped but we’ll just have to keep going. Of course it’s disappointing but we would have won this on another day. We just needed that little bit of luck to get us moving in the right direction. Typically, their ‘keeper has walked away with the MoM award, so that says a lot about this game.

Other result: Welling 2 – 3 Team Bath (We lose further ground on them).

Saints MoM: Scott Cousins.

League pos: 2nd – 71 points from 35 games (5 points from Team Bath).

SAINTS 4-0 Horsham (Blue Square South)

Horsham are rock bottom and struggling badly. Their away record shows only two wins this season. Failure to win here would be embarrassing for us. We really need a good result to put us back in the race for the title.

Today is the first time in a long while that I have been able to keep the first eleven consistent. In fact, the only change today is Darren Ramshaw returning from his injury to grace us with his presence on the bench. I plan to give him a run out in the second-half to regain match fitness, assuming all is going well for us. It’s a slow and patient approach for us today, as I tell the lads to relax because the result will come. We will need to stay calm and play our football to break them down.

We get our breakthrough today from a corner that was smashed home by George Beavan in the box. It’s his first goal for the club and I’m delighted for him. A few minutes later, Horsham succumb to our pressure and a defensive mistake allows Tromans through to finish from close range. We’re looking totally unstoppable today.

We’re three up just after half-an-hour thanks to a Johnny Banks cross finding its way to Shaun Johnson, who bundled over the line. Minutes later, we make it four, as Scott Cousins powers home a free-kick.

Before this game, I was wondering where all the goals had gone. Going in to half-time, I’m left reflecting that we’ve been saving them up for today.

I give Darren Ramshaw a full 45 minutes in the second-half to gain match fitness. Unfortunately, there are no more goals to come for us. But we were so utterly dominant this afternoon that we easily could have added a few more goals. It’s great to see the lads back in goalscoring form.

Other result: Team Bath 3 – 0 Thurrock (they just keep on going and now have enough points to be mathematically sure of being in the playoffs).

Saints MoM: Scott Cousins.

League pos: 2nd – 74 points from 36 games (5 points from Team Bath).

MANAGER JOURNAL

Well, the month hasn’t been too disappointing. We started poorly with a loss away to Hampton & Richmond. I felt that it was an unlucky defeat and that we would bounce back quickly. So it proved as we won two on the trot at home against Dorchester and Bath, although the lack of goals worried me, especially when added to a 0-0 draw in a game I expected us to win against AFC Hornchurch. However, the goals were well and truly back on the agenda as we thrashed bottom-placed Horsham 4-0. All in all, we’ve only picked up a solitary point on the road, which is a disappointing return, but we’ve got full points at fortress CP. 10 points in 5 games isn’t too bad. But we have fallen 5 whole points behind Team Bath in the title race.

My Saints Player of the Month: Scotty Cousins– A series of great performances and a terrific goal from a free-kick.

Points Tally Comparison: We are a fantastic 13 points better off than at this point last season.

Other News: Title favourites Team Bath are in 1st position and we are just five points behind them. Eastbourne, Newport and Chelmsford make up the playoff positions. Our county rivals Hitchin Town, newly promoted this season, are still stuck in 18th and are struggling. They are now 3 points from the drop zone.

Local side Luton Town are loving life back in the Football League. They are now sitting in 2nd place but are a massive 12 points off the League Two leaders. Meanwhile our local rivals, Stevenage, also in League Two, are sitting in a very dangerous position in 22nd place, level on points with 23rd. I’m hoping they get relegated!

In the Championship, our neighbours Watford are performing poorly and are in a mediocre mid-table position.

Finally, in the Premiership Man Utd have taken the initiative and moved three points clear of their challengers. Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool make up the top 4. Sitting at the bottom of the table are Bolton, Preston and Leeds.

[crouchaldinho]

APRIL 2011

April is the cruellest month. That’s what T.S. Eliot thinks anyway. I’m hoping he is well and truly wrong.

We’ve got some tough games this month and, as usual, it will be the absolutely crucial month of our season. We either succeed or fail here in our title aspirations.

We kick off with an away game against Welling, who are having a poor season. Our other away game is against Eastleigh, who are a mid-table side. We also play underachievers Farnborough. We’ve got to aim for at least 5 points from these three games as far as I am concerned.

At home, we face Thurrock and Newport County. The former have faded away from the playoff fight, while the latter are right up there. Full points at home is essential.

It’s a target of 11 points from 5 games. We’ve really got to try to keep pace with Team Bath and overtake them if possible. Team Bath have some tough games themselves, so I feel that we are in with a chance.

Six games to go and everything to play for. Come on you Saints!

NEWSFLASH: PRINGLE SOLD – Jonathan Pringle has finally got his move away from Clarence Park after spending the season with the reserves. Pringle was deemed surplus to requirements this season by the current Saints manager. He moves to Thamesmead and is said to be pleased with the chance of a fresh start.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS SIGN D’AGOSTINO – St. Albans City have signed former Blackpool winger, Michael D’Agostino. The Saints have recently been linked with the Canadian 24-year-old and were able to sign him on a free transfer. The Saints manager said, ‘we have been looking to strengthen on the right side of midfield and I feel we have brought in a quality player here. The transfer embargo is making things difficult but it does not preclude us signing free agents. We’re pleased to have him at the club and we hope that he will help us in our push for the title’.

Welling 2-0 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

A huge game for us then. Six more to go, with a possible 18 points to play for.

This one is a tough fixture at a place where I have failed to win as a manager in my career so far. Overall, we do have a decent record against Welling and so I was hoping for a least a point today.

We know have an international player in our squad in Michael D’Agostino. Indeed, Michael has been away with the Canadian team who were playing a friendly against Montserrat this week. However, he didn’t add to his 2 caps so far and is not quite match fit. He does make the bench today though and I expect that I will give him some game time at some point this afternoon. The major team news is that Jack Pearson is back and partners the recently impressive Jack Saville in defence.

I can see from the Welling team sheet that we are not in for an easy day here. Defensively, Welling look awesome and I wonder if we will be able to muster up a goal here against a miserly pair of centre-backs. Unsurprisingly, the first-half sees us dominating but not creating a great deal. I can see that our front two are going to have to considerably raise their game if we’re going to get anything here and that is my message to them during the break.

During the second-half, we concede an unlucky goal from a corner and find ourselves behind. I take a big risk by introducing D’Agostino and bringing back Smith after his recent injury. Both are not match fit and this I’m really taking a chance on them to change the game. Nevertheless, I perceive that a change is absolutely necessary at this stage.

Not much changes and even the introduction of Darren Ramshaw can’t help. In the end, Welling get another lucky break from a set-piece and we’re left staring defeat in the face. More than just defeat but the end of our title hopes as well.

This is my mistake though. I made the game physical against Welling when I should have made it technical. Their defence relied upon power in the air, pace on the ground and strength. We should have tried to outwit them rather than outrun them. This is a mistake I will have to learn from.

Other result: Farnborough 2 – 4 Team Bath (Damn it. It looks like this might be where our title hopes end).

Saints scorers: None.

Saints MoM: Brendan Skinner.

League pos: 2nd – 74 points from 37 games (now 8 points off Team Bath).

NEWSFLASH: CONSORTIUM TAKEOVER COMPLETE – Adam Carroll becomes the new Saints chairman immediately taking over from London businessman John Gibson. This astonishing news was unveiled this morning, much to the shock of the City faithful. Adam Carroll has released a statement suggesting that he has big plans for St. Albans City and that changes are going to be inevitable. One change he has mentioned seems to be the manager, who he is intent on replacing. Carroll wants Kevin Keehan to become the new St. Albans manager.

NEWSFLASH: CHAIRMAN CARROLL TO MAKE INTENTIONS CLEAR – Adam Carroll has informed the local press that money has been invested into developing the training ground. He has also suggested that he is putting some more money into the club’s coffers for the future. In addition to this, he confirmed that it is his intention to appoint a new manager. He is set to make a decision over the next few days. It is thought that the pressure is on the current manager to get a win this weekend against Thurrock.

SAINTS 3-2 Thurrock (Blue Square South)

Well, I’m ignoring the news about the takeover. I have got a job for now and I fully intend to focus on that. Indeed, I have far more important things to concentrate on. We’ve made life very difficult for ourselves and it all seems rather unlikely that we will win the title now. It is well and truly receding in the distance. A win is the only cure for our ills at the moment and Thurrock provide a new test today.

So, you’ve got a new chairman who wants to sack you. You’re struggling in the title race and desperate for a win. You don’t need to be 2-0 down in the first half-an-hour but that is exactly what happens here. Just before half-time, Charlie Tromans scores an absolute cracker from way out. 2-1 but we’re in still in trouble.

At half-time, I give the players a real telling off. Where is the passion? That’s my general sentiment. What the hell is going on?

Second-half, it’s like watching a different team. We put Thurrock under so much pressure that it is inevitable that they will crumble eventually. First Jack Saville scores from a corner. Then Darren Ramshaw finishes from close-range to get the winner!

We ran things more than a bit close today but what a vital win this is!

Other result: Team Bath 1 – 0 Newport County (Narrow win for Team Bath means we make no ground on them. We’re running out of games).

Saints scorers: Tromans, Saville, Ramshaw.

Saints MoM: Charlie Tromans.

League pos: 2nd – 77 points from 38 games (8 points off leaders Team Bath).

SAINTS 0-0 Newport County (Blue Square South)

Newport are 9 points off us in the league but they are a very good side who are quite capable of getting a result against us. They have a number of quality players and let us not forget that they are beat us earlier in the season. That was a disastrous game in December where we simply failed to create anything against an awesome defence. We conceded a soft goal just before half-time and couldn’t recover. I was hoping for better things at CP today. We are clear favourites and I want us to attack from the start and put our opponents under pressure. The only change to the team is to bring in Hassan Sulaiman, finally returned from injury, in the right midfield position.

This game is a really tight and disappointing as far as we are concerned. We’re in charge of the first-half but we don’t seem convincing enough. There isn’t a lot in the game and neither side are really making anything happen in the key areas. We probably ought to be ahead but we can’t get a break against a tough Newport defence. It’s very disappointing.

The second-half performance is basically more of the same for us. All in all this is crushingly disappointing. By not winning today, we’ve given ourselves too much to do in the race for the title, surely?

I’m totally livid with the players. I’m really angry and I let them know in no uncertain terms. My assistant feels that my half-time team talk just confused the players but I was only trying to be supportive.

My personal feeling is that certain players in the side need a kick up the backside and I will be on hand to administer it after this draw. The title race is surely well and truly over now.

Other result: Team Bath 2 – 1 Lewes (Team Bath win and the title is well and truly over now).

Saints scorers: None.

Saints MoM: George Collins.

League pos: 2nd – 78 points from 39 games (10 points from leaders Team Bath who have now won the title now. It is over).

NEWSFLASH: CURRENT SAINTS MANAGER TO STAY – New Chairman Adam Carroll has announced that the current City manager will be allowed to stay on. He stated that he has been impressed by the support for the current manager and will let him stay on in charge of the team. Carroll also announced that work on improving the training facilities had started immediately. It is rumoured that the Saints manager also wanted some improvement to the existing youth facilities but was denied this request. Carroll has pumped more money into the club but is not making any cash available for transfers and wages at this moment in time.

Eastleigh 1-2 SAINTS (Blue Square South)

It’s the Monday after the Saturday before. We’ve woken up hungover and out of the title race. It’s over. Team Bath are champions. The only good news is that we are mathematically in the playoffs. It feels like a small consolation.

This is a tough away game and things aren’t exactly going our way at the minute which means I’m dreading this one. The lads are looking tired and therefore we have to make some changes today. This adds to my feeling of impending doom. Morale is looking pretty low at the moment.

The first-half is an absolute disaster. I’ve told that lads that I think they can win this but they look like they couldn’t win if they were playing a team of under 5s in this first-half. Lucky for us the damage is minimal and we only go in 1-0 down.

I give the lads a real dressing down at half-time and send them out looking fired up and motivated. Cue a great comeback.

I sub on D’Agostino and Ramshaw after 60 odd minutes and these two save the day along with Antoine Sibierski.

First of all, D’Agostino charges forward with one of the best runs I have ever seen. Beating about three of four players, he rampages into the box, only to be fouled and the ref gives a penalty. Antoine Sibierski steps up and scores his first goal for St. Albans City as well as his 100th career league goal.

About 7 minutes later, the same thing happens again. D’Agostino causes all kinds of problems and draws another foul in the box. Sibierski steps up to take the penalty and to put us in the lead. However, he doesn’t seem to have read the script, certainly not my script anyway, as he sends the ball wide from the penalty spot.

However, we do eventually get the winner. This time Darren Ramshaw runs forward with the ball, cuts it back to Sibierski, who hits it first-time into the roof of the net from just outside the box. What a goal!

We win this in extremely dramatic style and I’m feeling rather cheered by this result. Although we can no longer win the title, I still want to finish as strongly as possible, and this is a terrific response from the lads.

Saints scorers: Sibierski 2 (1 pen).

Saints MoM: Sibierski.

League pos: 2nd – 81 points from 40 games.

Farnborough 0 – 0 SANTS (Blue Square South)

Farnborough never give us an easy game at their place. Even though they are in the relegation places at the moment, today is no different.

All in all, this is a pretty dull game, with few chances and little in the way of talking points. It’s an average first-half from us and an even more average second-half. In short, we don’t really look very fired up for this one.

Having said that, we probably should have edged it and come away with a result. However, I’m more than happy with the clean sheet and this result means that we finish 2nd regardless of the result in the last game of the season.

Saints scorers: None.

Saints MoM: George Collins.

League pos: 2nd – 82 points from 41 games (this would have been enough to win the title last season!)

MANAGER JOURNAL

Well, this is the month when the title finally disappeared from reach. It was always going to be a long-shot coming into the month that far off the pace but defeat away to Welling more or less scuppered any plans of a comeback in the race for 1st place. We’ll have to settle for second now and I suppose this is an excellent achievement really considering a) the average age of the squad, b) how much we have improved on previous seasons and c) how ruthlessly consistent Team Bath were for the majority of the season. We can be quite proud of this league finish.

Our form wasn’t too bad this month but we’ll need to improve to have any chance in the playoffs. We can’t afford another performance like the one against Welling, for instance. May brings the playoffs again and we’ll just have to make sure we’re up for it! Come on you Saints!

My Saints Player of the Month: George Collins – A series of solid performances from our holding midfielder.

Points Tally Comparison: We are 10 points better off than at this point last season.

Other News: Title favourites Team Bath have won the title, with us sitting a whole 9 points off the pace in 2nd. Eastbourne are confirmed, along with us, for the playoffs. The remaining two places will be contested by Newport, Chelmsford and Bromley. The fate of our county rivals Hitchin Town, newly promoted this season, will come down to the very last game. They are now level on points with the team in 20th and it’s between them, Farnborough and Lewes for the final place in the drop zone. AFC Hornchurch and Horsham are already down.

Local side Luton Town are loving life back in the Football League. They have achieved promotion in the first season back in League Two! Meanwhile our local rivals, Stevenage, also in League Two, are sitting in a very dangerous position. It will come down to the very last day of the season in order to decide whether they are relegated or staying up. I’m hoping they get relegated!

In the Championship, our neighbours Watford are performing poorly and are in a mediocre mid-table position.

Finally, in the Premier League Man Utd are four points clear. Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool make up the top 4. Sitting at the bottom of the table are Bolton, Preston and Leeds. There are still three games to go in the Premier League.

[crouchaldinho]

Can the mighty Saints win the playoffs?

Or will they come home with their tails between their legs again?

Will Crouchaldinho get some money from the new chairman?

Will he spend it if he does, or will he go on being some kind of lower league Arsene Wenger?

Indeed, will Crouchaldinho ever get out of the Blue Square South? (Perhaps he just likes it there and wants to stay forever!)

To find out the answers to the above questions, join us next time for another episode of 'Oh When the Saints go Marching In'!

[BobBev]

Just popped in to say that I'm glad you are finding the time to keep this going. I like the format and it continues to be a most readable tale. Just one minor point to make, your February post had the year as 2012 instead of 2011.

[crouchaldinho]

Just popped in to say that I'm glad you are finding the time to keep this going.

Cheers BobBev - I'm not sure I have the time, but that dissertation deadline can wait, right?

Just one minor point to make, your February post had the year as 2012 instead of 2011.

Ah, yes. Seem to be getting a bit ahead of myself.

Have corrected this. Cheers!

C.

[Spav]

I'm glad the new chairman values your abilities.

Good luck in the playoffs, Crouchy.

[owen10ozzy]

Fantastic news on your job being safe and sound; although a little slip up could go down very badly with your new 'demanding' chairman. Still thoroughly enjoying this read. And if it makes you feel any better here's a quick story for you Crouchy..

Having just completed my dissatation (10,000 words) I was hit by a rather abnormal virus last night, in turn half of my work has been turned into what looks like something printed by the famous enigma. But whats more annoying than that is the fact I lost my first two ever sign ups on football manager; and its my belief they could have been worthy of awards. So please feel free to wallow in my demise so long as it helps you feel a little better at spending dissatation time on football manager.

Also just a final point, you have inspired me to start a story of my own which I will be posting later on this evening...

[crouchaldinho]

I'm glad the new chairman values your abilities.

Good luck in the playoffs, Crouchy.

Cheers Spav!

... So please feel free to wallow in my demise so long as it helps you feel a little better at spending dissatation time on football manager.

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I recently sent a waffling e-mail to my supervisor with some ideas in it. Today, I sat down and got the theory and criticism books out and I realised that I have somewhat spectacularly entirely missed the point! :o Hope she deletes the e-mail by accident!

That's what happens when you're thinking about your starting line-up for the playoffs instead of paying attention to your theoretical framework.

Football Manager is a BAD game. A bad bad bad game. But... so... addictive... just... one... more... game... then I will read some books, I promise!

Also just a final point, you have inspired me to start a story of my own which I will be posting later on this evening...

Nice one! I will watch out for this.

C.

[Simply Perfect]

Just caught up with this and it is excellent. Back in the days when you needed the disk to play FM, mine went mysteriously missing as I creeped closer to deadline day for my dissertation. My girlfriend had taken it to a friend's house for safe-keeping. We are no longer together.

KUTGW!

[crouchaldinho]

Simply Perfect - cheers for the feedback! I'm not surprised that you are no longer with your ex-girlfriend! My wife knows better than to go anywhere near my FM!

[crouchaldinho]

MAY 2011

We have just the one league game this month before we start the playoffs. We play Lewes in our final game of the league campaign at Clarence Park. We actually have the opportunity to help our Herts rivals Hitchin in this last game of the league. Lewes, Farnborough and Hitchin are all in danger of relegation and, if we beat Lewes, it stands to reason that the Canaries have a decent chance of staying up. I’d like to win the game anyway but I will have to prioritise keeping my players fit and ready for the playoffs.

SAINTS 5-0 Lewes (Blue Square South)

Well this is some way to see out the league season. I put out a strong side here today because I want to take some momentum into the playoffs. They really go all out to prove themselves.

A quick note on the motivational side of management is needed here. Just lately, I’ve been coming to realise that this young squad does not have the experience and mental attributes of a top side. They are a bunch of youngsters, average age of 22. Some of them are slightly inconsistent and lacking in the kind of areas that are required for a winning mentality. The answer to this problem lies in the study of the psychology of the individual. Yes, for those in the know, I am taking my advice from a certain gentleman’s personal gentleman. Here is the rub: I have been studying the personalities of my squad in order to single out certain players for special attention, in order to motivate them and give them that extra boost going into games. I’m trying to squeeze as much out of the lads as I possibly can. And, today it really does work.

This is simply the best performance of the season. We are utterly dominant. The first goal is an own goal on about 40 minutes. Then our fullback Mike Lyon scores with a mis-hit cross to put us two up going into the break. The goals are somewhat fortunate but it is the least we deserve for the number of chances we have created.

In the second-half, we run riot. Shaun Johnson scores two goals, the second of which is of the highest quality. Quite how he manages to send a curling shot over the ‘keepers head from the far right side, I’ll never know, but it looks like a beautiful goal. Jack Pearson gets our fifth in the last few minutes, scoring from a corner.

This is a great result to take into the playoffs. Come on you Saints!

Saints scorers: Lyon, Johnston 2, Pearson.

Saints MoM: Mike Lyon.

League pos: 2nd – 85 points from 42 games.

Other results:

From the BSS -

Team Bath 3 – 0 Hitchin (Hitchin stay up on goal difference. Farnborough also lose but are relegated due to their inferior GD).

From the BSP -

Wycombe 2 - 1 Stevenage (Boro lose but thanks to other results, they stay in the Football League. Boo! Hiss!)

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS GET CHELMSFORD IN THE PLAYOFFS – The Saints have drawn Chelmsford in the BSS Playoff Semi-finals. They play away at the Chelmsford Sport & Athletic Centre first of all before playing the second leg at Clarence Park a few days later. Saints have not lost to Chelmsford in their last seven meetings and finished a whole 10 points above them in the league this season.

Chelmsford 1-2 SAINTS (Blue Square South Playoff Semi-final, First Leg)

Well, here we are again. Last season, it was Team Bath in the semis and what a game that was. This time around, this feels like less of an ordeal but it will still be a big challenge and we can’t underestimate them.

I like playing the away game first in a way because then we know exactly what it is we need to achieve at home in the second leg. Nevertheless, I’m trembling with nerves going into this game. I don’t want to see all of our hard work go to waste just because of one bad performance. It’s the strongest team out here today, ready to take the game to Chelmsford from the off. Come on you Saints!

This is a hard-fought match between two determined sides but we are by far the superior team. We dominate possession and have enough chances to win this game by at least 3 goals. In the end we have to make do with 2-1 to take back to good old CP.

Darren Ramshaw opened the scoring after just three minutes for us when D’Agostino played him in. A classic Ramshaw finish hit the back of the net much to the delight of a sizeable contingent of the 2989 souls packed into the Chelmsford Sport & Athletics Centre. However, Chelmsford got a bit of luck from a corner and pulled one back about eight minutes after we had taken the lead.

Later in the half, Scotty Cousins missed a penalty after Ramshaw had been taken down in the box. I was absolutely devastated that we weren’t able to score it. However, just before half time Jack Saville toe-poked the ball over the line after a corner lead to a mass of confusion in the Chelmsford penalty area. Cue much fist-pumping and grunting from me in the dugout.

We really could have had more goals today but we’ll happily take this lead back to CP. Chelmsford won’t fancy their chances of turning this around at our home ground. Come on you Saints!

Other result: Bromley 1 – 0 Eastbourne Boro

Saints scorers: Ramshaw, Saville.

Saints MoM: Saville.

SAINTS 1-1 Chelmsford [A.E.T.] (Blue Square South Semi-final, Second Leg) [sAINTS win 3-2 on aggregate]

I am so confident of getting through following our solid 2-1 win in the first leg that I decide to rest some players today in anticipation of getting to the final. This is a particularly foolish move on my part. Managerial complacency, it could be called. It almost costs us our place in the final today.

It’s a very tense affair in the first-half. Pretty edgy and tight with both teams looking highly motivated. Chelmsford have the ball in the net at the midway point of the half but it is ruled out for offside. We get a penalty shortly afterwards, which Super Scotty Cousins blasts straight at the ‘keeper. We go in at half-time 0-0.

In the second-half, I’m afraid to say that Chelmsford begin to edge it. They look really up for it and get a breakthrough late in the half. We look a little nervous and I note that some of our players are really feeling the pressure. The score is now 2-2 on aggregate and as a result the game goes into extra-time.

I get a chance to talk to my players before we go back out for extra-time. What I do like about this squad is that we do have some very determined and professional players. I attempt to get a reaction out of them by telling them of my disappointment. I also encourage some of the lesser personalities in the dressing room with some more supportive individual talks. Hassan Sulaiman seems particularly fired up and it is he who ends up winning the game for us. He receives a pass from Ramshaw in the box, uses his pace to take the ball past his man and then blasts the ball home. 2,779 souls packed into CP go wild. We keep the ball and dominate the rest of extra-time. We’re through to the final and I congratulate the players!

After the game, I’m left reflecting on the importance of players like Sulaiman who are professional and very determined. I think that he, in particular, has earned his place in the starting line up for the final. I also think that this thought is going to influence my starting eleven for this huge game. I need to make sure that I’ve got determined players out there who will react well to the pressure of such a massive occasion.

Other result: Bromley 0 – 0 Eastbourne Boro (Bromley win 1-0 on aggregate; we meet them in the final).

Saints scorers: Sulaiman.

Saints MoM: Hassan Sulaiman.

NEWSFLASH: D’AGOSTINO OUT OF FINAL – Canadian international Michael D’Agostino will miss the playoff final after picking up an injury in the Chelmsford match. Rumour has it that the Saints manager was going to pick Sulaiman for the final after his outstanding match winning display in the semi-final, second leg. This injury has now certainly forced his hand.

SAINTS 2-1 Bromley (Blue Square South Playoff Final

[The Kingfield Sports Ground, Woking]

This is the second game of my career that will be on television. The first, well, I don’t want to talk about that.

Our record against Bromley reads like this: won 3, drawn 2, lost 2, goals for 10, against 9. We have the superior record but it’s always close between our two sides.

We’ve met Bromley four times already this season. Twice in the league, where we have beaten them home and away. Twice in the Trophy, where we drew at home and then lost the replay at their place. We finished a whole 10 points ahead of Bromley in the league. Of course, this doesn’t always show in these kinds of games. I’m hoping that it will today though.

We’re one game away from promotion. One game away from the big time of the Blue Square Premier league. It’s absolutely huge for the club. We’ve got here again and this time, I don’t want to be leaving thinking of what might have been.

The team in full for today (4-4-2 diamond):

GK	Darlington
DR	Bailey
DL	Cousins (c)
DC	Pearson
DC	Saville
DMC	Collins
MR	Sulaiman
ML	Smith
AMC	Maguire
FCd	Tromans
STa	Ramshaw

On the bench: Waggett, Honeyball, Hamlin, Sibierski, Johnson.

Today’s selection is based on two things – those players who I think can handle the pressure of the occasion and those players who offer me pace. The latter is because I am intending to play a fairly balanced system today but with the emphasis on breaking quickly. Sulaiman and Smith on the wings are quick, Maguire is also, as is Ramshaw up front.

I am intending to try something special today, which is to get Maguire and Tromans to switch positions during the match. This is because Maguire has a lot of pace to offer in the forward positions, while Tromans is slightly slower. Both can play in either positions and so I am hoping that the variation will lead to some good play from our lads up front and maybe the chance of surprising Bromley with a quick break that utilises Maguire in the forward position.

Before the game, I told the lads that I felt they could win today and encouraged a couple of the players who I felt would need the support most today.

Within quarter of an hour, we are 1-0 up thanks to a goal from Danny Maguire. It’s Alex Bailey’s cross into the box and Danny Maguire is in at the near post in front of his marker to head home. A fantastic goal in front of 2,965 fans packed into the ground this afternoon.

We’re totally dominant in this first-half and Bromley are unable to contain us. On the 30 minute mark we get a penalty when Darren Ramshaw is tripped in the box. Our captain for today’s game, super Scotty Cousins, puts the ball away to double our lead.

At half-time, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We’re almost there and all that is needed is one final push to get over the finish line. How important it has been today to start the game with the right kind of personalities in the line-up.

The second-half is basically more of the same for us but without the goals. Around 70 minutes I introduce Hamlin and Sibierski for Sulaiman and Maguire respectively. A little later, I bring on youth product Andrew Honeyball for his taste of a playoff final. It’s a massive opportunity for the youngster, who replaces Michael Smith, with Scotty Cousins switching to left midfield.

The trouble with these substitutions is that it takes the wind out of our sails. We’ve now lost most of the pace in the team. Bromley are able to come into the game a little more and they suddenly pull one back with only 4 minutes of the 90 remaining. It means a very anxious end to the match for us, as we sit deep and defend resolutely. Bromley are unable to break us down and we end the game with joyous celebrations! We’re going to the BSP! We’ve done it! Come on you Saints!

Saints scorers: Maguire, Cousins (pen).

Saints MoM: Danny Maguire.

NEWSFLASH: SAINTS MANAGER IN SECOND PLACE – The Saints boss finished in second place in the Manager of the Season award. Team Bath manager Paul Merson came in first.

MANAGER JOURNAL

Well, I’m somewhat overwhelmed at the moment. What a wonderful achievement this is and we’ve done it by keeping the finances tight and promoting from within. Indeed, three local academy products started today and two more were on the bench. A fantastic day for them, that’s for sure, and for our loyal and faithful support. We have finally done it and we will be playing in the big time of non-League football next season. Come on you mighty Saints!

[crouchaldinho]

SEASON 2010/2011 SUMMARY:

Final league pos:

Pos   	Team	 	Pld	 Won	 Drn	 Ls	 For 	Ag 	G.D. 	 Pts   
2nd     St. Albans      42    	 24      13      5   	 64    	27    	+37  	 85 

FA Cup: Knocked out at 3rd Round Proper Stage against Everton – new record - (eventual winners:Chelsea)

FA Trophy: Knocked out at 1st Round (eventual winners: Kidderminster)

Setanta Shield: Knocked out at Semi-final - new record - (eventual winners: Darlington)

Fans’ Player of the season: Jack Pearson.

Signing of the season: Danny Maguire.

Top goalscorers: Charlie Tromans – 18 goals in all competitions. Shaun Johnson – 14 league goals.

Most Assists: Scott Cousins - 13

Most MoM awards: Charlie Tromans - 9

Best Average Rating: Jack Pearson – 7.22

Average Attendance: 609 (up 110 on last season)

Wage budget & finances:

- Approximately £700 over the wage budget due to promotion clauses being activated.

- Currently £374,000 in the black.

Season Best XI: (4-4-2 diamond) Darlington, Bailey, Cousins, Pearson, Flack, Collins, Hamlin, Banks, Maguire, Tromans, Johnson.

All-time Best XI (4-4-2): Waggett, Bailey, Cousins, Pearson, Martin, Hamlin, Banks, Gowland, Collins, Tromans, Johnson.

City Legends: Wilfred Minter, Steve Clark, Phil Wood (no new additions).

City Icons: Colin Lippiatt, Lee Clarke, Peter Risley, Kevin Mudd, Richard Evans, Paul Bastock (no new additions).

City Favourites: Paul Hakim, Ben Martin, Simon Martin, Scott Cousins (no new additions).

Youth academy products season reports (the youngsters that my assistant recommended):

2009 – Charlie Tromans (18yo, Borehamwood) -

Apps 46 (10), goals 18, assists 7, MoM 9, Av R 6.83. (Total league career stats 59 games, 18 goals).

Great progress from young Charlie this season.

2010 – Andrew Honeyball (17yo, St. Albans) -

Apps 8 (17), assists 1, Av R 6.71. (Total league career stats 20 games, 0 goals).

A good start by Honeyball and I’ll look to use him more often in the new season. It is my intention to give him some tutoring this year to see if I can influence him into being a more professional player.

Additional:

- St. Albans City reserves are champions after winning their league.

- St. Albans City youth aren’t strong enough to retain their title. They finish in 7th place in Group 9.

Other News:

- Blue Square South:

o Team Bath win the title. The mighty Saints are promoted via the playoffs.

o Farnborough, AFC Hornchurch and Horsham are relegated.

- The Big Boys:

o Man Utd win the Premier League,

o Rest of the top 4: Man City (first team to break the top 4 domination), Liverpool, Chelsea.

o Relegated: Wigan, Leeds, Preston.

o Promoted from Championship: Stoke, QPR, Wolves.

o Valencia win the Champions League,

o Man City win the Uefa Cup,

o Chelsea win the FA Cup,

o Man Utd win the League Cup.

- Local Interests:

o Our local rivals Stevenage finish a safe 22nd place in League Two. They stay in the Football League and this means that we now have no chance of meeting them in Blue Square Premier.

o Luton Town get a second straight promotion after finishing 2nd in League Two.

o Watford finish 12th in the Championship. They were predicted to finish in 6th.

- Ex-Saints:

o Several of the youth players released retired this season.

o The most successful ex-Saint was Gary Cohen who scored 10 goals in 23 games for Ashton United.

Manager Achievements:

2011 – Finished as runners-up in the BSS; won playoffs.

2011 – Blue Square South Manager of the Season runner-up.

2010 – Manager of the Month Award for April.

2009 - Manager of the Month Award for April.

Overall Progress:

League         Season    Finished   Achievements
------------------------------------------------
BSS            2008/09    7th	       None
BSS            2009/10    4th	       Playoff finalists – lost in the final
BSS            2010/11    2nd	       BSS runners-up & playoff winners

MANAGER JOURNAL

This has been a terrific season for the mighty Saints but you will excuse me a little pang of regret. There are three main reasons. First, I’m going to miss the Blue Square South, which has been our home for the last three seasons. Second, there will be no Hertfordshire derby to look forward to next season, as Stevenage managed to stay up in League Two. Finally, I can’t help but wish that we had gone up as Champions. We were just that little bit short and couldn’t take Team Bath all of the way.

We’ve got a lot to be proud of though. I mean, to think little St. Albans City are back in the Blue Square Premier division. It took us a long time to get back here but now I’m determined we should stay!

A quick word here for a few players. Jack Pearson, solid as can be for the whole season, got the highest average rating in the league. He really was one of the best players in this division and we couldn’t have done it without him.

Our ex-Premier League superstar, Antoine Sibierski, has decided to retire. In the end, our fans got to see little of him as he only got 7 appearances in a Saints shirt. However, we have the memory of two goals he scored away at Eastleigh to help us come back from 1-0 down to win 2-1. His goal in the 92nd minute was as good as anything I’ve seen this season. In fact, Sibierski is staying with us in some respects, which makes him a pretty good long-term signing. He is joining the coaching staff, which I am really pleased about. I always brought him here with the intention of persuading him to begin his coaching career with us. We’re excited to have him here.

The chairman has announced profits of £475k for this season. Amazing what a Third Round FA Cup tie against Premier League opposition can do for you. It really has been quite a season. Everton away in the cup, a Setanta Shield semi-final, second in the League and then winning the playoffs. The club really has moved in the right direction. We can’t stop now though. We’ve got to make sure we stay in the BSP. Over the summer, I was going to have to have a long, hard look at the squad and make some tough decisions. There is no room for sentimentality in this game, although I would very much like there to be. Certain players will have to be moved on and we will definitely have to strengthen. But, by and large, I will be keeping faith with this terrific group of players and hoping that they can push on and prove themselves at a higher level. Come on you Saints!

[williamshankley]

Excellent. Come on you Saints. I'll be interested to see what the new chairman gives you to spend in the summer

[stoehrst]

I like Tromans' success, being a local lad out of the academy. KUTGW!

[crouchaldinho]

Cheers Mr. Shankley!

I'm with you stoehrst - I'm delighted with Charlie Tromans and his progress. Be interesting to see how he gets on in the BSP next season.

As you can see, I'm really trying to put an emphasis on bringing through the local academy lads.

Up the Saints!

C.

[owen10ozzy]

Itching for your first update from the Blue Square Premier Crouchy. I was just wandering how you go about writing your story. Do you draft it out as you play through the season or do you store your matches and major news items as notes and then write it up into a story at the end of the season?

[crouchaldinho]

Itching for your first update from the Blue Square Premier Crouchy.

Might be a little while coming. I've been trying to devote more time to my studies. Then there are other things which have come to distract me, such as Saints v Dons last night in real life. Also there is Mrs Crouchaldinho to please. Apparently, a marriage doesn't work so well if you don't spend quality time with the other person and instead play FM or read books all of the time in your study! :confused:

I was just wandering how you go about writing your story. Do you draft it out as you play through the season or do you store your matches and major news items as notes and then write it up into a story at the end of the season?

I write as I play. That's why sometimes you'll notice that I commit various writing sins, including switching between past and present tense during a match report. I leave it all in though as I think having some of the matches in present adds a bit of tension and excitement.

I've spent a long time in pre-season so that's another reason for the lack of updates. Also, I designed some new 3D Saints kits to celebrate getting into the Conference. Yes, I really am a total nerd.

I'm trying to play a couple of matches each night now so expect an update soon.

C.

[owen10ozzy]

Well no rush on the update im sure whenever it comes it will be another quality addition. As for Mrs Crouchaldinho she needs to learn how to share with the users of FM forum .

I am currently in the midst of playing through my first season with Oxford and will be writing a story, however after writing the first two months as I played i became impatient wit the amount of time actually playing the game then takes so have now decided to switch to brief note taking and saving certain news items which i hope to build on and turn into a story. I plan to play my way through to January and then do the updates on here before continuing to play, wether this will work remains to be seen.

[crouchaldinho]

CHAPTER 5 – SEASON 2011/2012 BLUE SQUARE SOUTH

Pre-season journal:

To start off with, there is pleasing news as I am able to convince Antoine Siberski to become a coach at the club. I’m delighted to keep him here and to have the opportunity to let our young squad work with a player with his personality and experience. He has now officially retired from the playing side of things.

There is revolution in there air at Clarence Park again this season. This time, I am making big changes because I want us to have a squad that can do the business in this league.

First of all, I will talk about the exits. There are 5 players released from the club in total, four released on frees and one sold for 3k.

I was very sad to lose James Quilter and Paul Hakim, who were two of the players released on frees. Both decided that it was time to move on. Neither of them had been getting a lot of first team football, although Hakim was still making the odd appearance. I’m sure Hakim could have cut it at this level and given it a go but I fully support his decision to move on as there is a lot of competition in the forward positions. The same applies to Chris Seeby who decided to leave when Aylesbury offered him a contract. I decided to let Chris leave as he has not had a lot of first team football.

I took the decision to sell James Waggett, our backup ‘keeper, for £3k to Shrewsbury. Waggett is a fine ‘keeper but I always feel that backup ‘keepers are best moved on regularly, especially when they aren’t getting many opportunities to prove their worth in the first team. £3k is a good return on a player we signed for free.

Finally, George Beaven reached the end of his contract and I decided that he was not in my plans for the first team this season. He didn’t really convince me last season and so I decided it was time to move him on.

I have not released any youth players as I feel there might be some promise there and it is my intention to give some of them another season and see if I can’t get them some loan experience.

This was the first season that I finally got to see some money. That FA Cup run last year has really sorted out the finances and that, combined with some funds pumped into the club by the new chairman, meant that I had a little money to spend and an increased wage budget. Exciting times at CP!

I decided to take advantage of a financial crisis at Grays, a side who finished in the top half of the BSP last season. I brought in no less than 3 players from them, spending £9k in the process. £6k of that went on a 17-year-old attacking midfielder called Scott Lamb, with the other £3k going on another 17-year-old attacking midfield called Mark Tate. Both are high quality youngsters with bags of ability and I thought I would bring them both in as prospects for the future and understudies to Danny Maguire. Scott Lamb also looks like he might be able to be retrained and used as a backup striker. The other player I signed from Grays was an 18-year-old quick striker called Andrew Ifil on a free. He is another one for the future.

My idea was to strengthen in pretty much every position. In defence I brought in 19-year-old Matt Turner and 19-year-old fullback Jack Metcalf. Up front, I added to our forward line by bringing in experienced 33-year-old former MK Dons striker Clive Platt. In midfield, I added some defensive steel with the signing of 18-year-old Ross Steele. In the wide positions, I added the technically excellent Terry Mills, a 19-year-old on a free transfer. Finally, in goal, I signed 19-year-old Liam O’Brien and 21-year-old Josh Mimms. The latter is the son of former Blackburn ‘keeper Bobby Mimms and I just had to sign him when I found out that he was the offspring of that cult legend! All of these signings were on frees.

In signing up these players, I was looking for professional and determined individuals who could add to the squad’s professional nature. I believe that I have made some very good signings indeed. As usual, the emphasis is on youth, and only a few of the players will be walking into the first eleven. But I believe that I have brought the right kind of players to the club who will be successful at this level.

I felt the time was right to spend and bring in some talent in order to push on and consolidate in this division. I don’t want to just make up the numbers or live the dream. I want to make this dream a reality and to establish ourselves in the top flight of non-League.

I had to make some more sacrifices after bringing in so many players. The wage budget was not sufficient to cover this kind of expenditure and so I was looking to move some more players on. However, finding buyers was extremely challenging and so, instead, I had to arrange a series of loans for some of the players I was originally looking to sell.

Lewis Hamlin is no longer in my first-team plans and is on loan at Bishop’s Stortford for the season. Lee Clarke has been struggling to get into the first team over the last few seasons and has left for AFC Wimbledon on a season long loan. Finally, Kieran Hall is on loan at Ebbsfleet until the end of the year. Kieran has failed to retrain to AMC and, under the current system, I have no place for him in the team. All of these loans have been arranged with full wages to be paid and also, for some of them, potential future fees agreed. I hope that I can perhaps move them on for a profit at the end of the season.

In addition to this, I also loaned out a large number of our youngsters to lower division clubs. At the time of writing, I had sent out about 6 or 7 youth academy products on loan to clubs such as Hitchin Town, Staines and AFC Hayes. Some of our other youth products are training with the reserves and are being tutored by some of the senior players. Once their tutoring has finished, I anticipate that I will loan them out as well so that they might get some experience.

The average wage is at around £160 now compared to a Blue Square Premier average of £625. That shows you what we are up against. I took the opportunity to convince a few of our best players to sign up on full time contracts. We were paying them enough money, so we might as well get the benefits. All backups, reserves and youth players are kept on part-time contracts to keep the wage bill down.

The chairman contacted me to say that he expects us to fight relegation this season. To this, I responded that I felt we would avoid relegation and we thus negotiated a slightly increased wage bill. I have not put too much pressure on myself here because we have a young squad and we are going through a transitional phase. Still, I feel that we could have another great season this year and could overachieve if we hit the ground running. The new chairman seems to be enjoying himself at the club. I hope he will be supportive of both me and the club as I try to consolidate and take us to another level.

My aim is always to keep the nucleus of the squad together and I have managed to do that. I have also been able to plan for the future and to bring in some really talented players with the right kind of attitude. I am very excited about this as I feel it is very important.

I am now content with the squad and we are just below the wage limit but with little room for manoeuvre. I foresee of no other signings. We are, as usual, focusing on youth may here at St. Albans. It may well be a risky strategy but I am convinced that it will be of great benefit to the club in the long-term. The average age of the squad is younger than last season at 20, compared to a Blue Square Premier average age of 23. Personally, I feel we’ve got the right players to succeed this season and my assistant Dave Horrocks agrees with me.

Favourites for the league this season are Kidderminster, Torquay, Burton, Ebbsfleet, Havant & Waterlooville and Grays. The media predict that it is between us, Histon, Hyde United, Northwich Victoria and Stalybridge Celtic as to who will get relegated. Our results against these teams could well be key to a good season.

The players report back with a clean bill of health this pre-season. I arrange a pre-season cup tournament, as I did for the last couple of seasons, which I am hoping to establish with some regularity in the coming years and which I hope might become a tradition. I call it the ‘Hertfordshire Challenge League’ or ‘HCL’. The teams invited will always be our local rivals: Stevenage Boro’, Boreham Wood and Hitchin Town. This year, for the second HCL, I manage to get all three of these clubs to participate in the tournament, to be held at Clarence Park.

Below are the results from the third ‘Hertfordshire Challenge League’.

SAINTS 1-0 Hitchin Town (HCL)

Comments: We dominate but only manage to score once.

Saints Goals: Turner.

Saints MoM: Matt Turner.

Other game in round 1: Stevenage 1 – 0 Boreham Wood.

SAINTS 3-0 Boreham Wood (HCL)

Comments: We teach the Wood a lesson at CP.

Saints Goals: Mills, Tromans, Ifil.

Saints MoM: Terry Mills.

Other game in round 2: Stevenage 1 – 1 Hitchin (Boro stumble against Hitchin again).

SAINTS 1-0 Stevenage Boro’ (HCL)

Comments: Awesome and convincing win against our lofty rivals.

Saints goals: Tromans.

Saints MoM: Alex Bailey.

Other game in round 3: Hitchin 3 – 0 Boreham Wood.

HCL Final standings:

1. St. Albans 9

2. Stevenage 4

3. Boreham Wood 4

4. Hitchin 0

We win our second HCL with Stevenage finishing second. This is the first time we have managed to win all of our games. I think that the order of the fixtures helped and I rotated so that I would have my best players available to tackle Stevenage. It now means that St. Albans have won 2 HCLs titles, with Stevenage having won one.

It has been a good competition and I am delighted that we have won it. I feel pleased with all of our performances in the competition and I hope we can take this form into the Blue Square Premier.

In our other pre-season games, we got an impressive 2-2 draw at home to Arsenal reserves. Unfortunately, we couldn’t follow this up against Watford reserves, where we lost our only pre-season game 2-1. We finished things up with a 1-1 draw against AFC Telford.

New signing Terry Mills has been the best performer in pre-season. Another new signing, Andrew Ifil, has been our top scorer with 4 goals.

Ben Martin continues as club captain this season, however it is likely that he will only feature in rotation with our first-choice defensive partnership. It was necessary to name a new vice-captain due to Lee Clarke’s departure and so I have given this to young local lad Brendan Skinner. Brendan is a quality young player who is likely to start regularly for us this season. He has lots of influence in the dressing room and has the right kind of character. He will, more often than not, lead us on the pitch. I’m particularly delighted to name a local lad.

Pre-season squad draft:

* - indicates new signing for this season

& - indicates long-serving player (5 years or more)

(YPx) – indicates a product of the youth academy, with the x equalling the year of intake.

GK	*Liam O’Brien 		19 yo, English
DR 	*Jack Metclaf		19 yo, English
DL 	(YP0) Brendan Skinner	19 yo, English, local lad 
DC 	*Matt Turner		19 yo, English
DC 	Jack Pearson 		21 yo, English
DMC 	George Collins		23 yo, Greek
MR	*Terry Mills		19 yo, English
ML	(YP1) Michael Smith	18 yo, English, local lad	
AMC	Danny Maguire		21 yo, English 
FCd	(YP1) Charlie Tromans	18 yo talismanic prodigy, English, local 
FCa	(YP1) Darren Ramshaw	18yo, English, local lad

Best of the rest:

GK		David Darlington	18 yo, English
GK		*Josh Mimms 		21 yo, English 
DR 		*Kieron Morley		17 yo, English, on loan from Watford
DR		Alex Bailey		27 yo, English
DRLC		(YP2) Andrew Honeyball	17 yo versatile fullback, English, local
DL		& Scott Cousins		28 yo, English, Super Saint!		
D/ML		Sam Hurrell		23 yo, Football Icon star, English
DC		& Ben Martin		28 yo, English, Saints hero
DC		 Daniel Flack 		19 yo, English
DC		Jack Saville		20 yo, English
DM		*Ross Steele		18 yo, English
DM		Andy Ritchie		21 yo, English	
MR		Michael D’Agostino	24 yo, Canadian
MR 		Hassan Sulaiman		25 yo ex-Arsenal scholar, English
ML		Ashley Watson		19 yo, English
ML		Johnny Banks		31 yo, English
AM		*Scott Lamb		17 yo, English
AM		* Mark Tate		17 yo, English
AM/FC		*Andrew Ifil		18 yo, English
ST 		* Clive Platt		33 yo, English
ST		(YP1) Dale Friend	17 yo young striker, English, local
ST 		(YP0) Shaun Johnson	18 yo striker English, local

So we have the same size squad of 33 players as last season. We will need a big squad this season, no doubt. We have more games to play in the league and we will want to try hard to give it a go in every competition. Four players are under-18s and will be eased into first-team duties with the odd game over the course of the season. This squad gives me a good chance to rotate and it also gives me more options. I intend to tinker with our starting systems and formations more this season, so this will give me a big advantage. Nevertheless, I will probably look to move a few players on during the course of the season, as I feel that the squad is too big. It needs pruning.

It must be noted that there are 7 youth players in the squad and 4 in the anticipated starting eleven, which represents my commitment to bringing through young players. Also, we now have three nationalities in our squad, English, Canadian and Greek.

I have high hopes that we will do well because of the squad depth. I have remained loyal to a number of the players who achieved the promotion last season. The general strength and depth of the side is, as far as I am concerned, better than ever. I feel that we have a really professional and determined bunch of players and that this should stand us in good stead for the future. Having said that, they are a young bunch of players. Also, there are some inconsistent performers in there, so I am not to expect too much, too soon. However, I look forward to working with these players this season.

Youth academy player picked out by my assistant: Mark Bell (AMC) – 16-year-old from St.Albans. Mark looks like a really professional individual and I feel that he could be a quality player in the future. I have signed him up on a pre-contract and I hope to loan him to a club in the BSS if possible when he is old enough for me to do so.

Anticipated tactical philosophy:

Here at St. Albans, as I always say, we have a hard-working culture, with the wingers tracking back and the whole side defending from the front by pressing in the opposition half. Our whole tactical philosophy is holistic; we believe in working collectively for the team but I also believe cautious in the power of the individual as well.

This season, we stick with our 4-4-2 diamond, which suits the players we have at our disposal. The diamond is a simple variation of the 4-4-2 in which the flat lines of the midfield are removed in favour of layers, or a midfield diamond shape. One of the key players in this system is the defensive midfielder, who sits in front of the defence, works hard to close down and mark attacking players, holds the ball, and either plays a simple pass or sets an attack in motion. Similarly, the attacking midfielder plays naturally just behind the strikers. He is responsible for tracking back though and tends to hold his runs and operate in the space between the lines, i.e. in the hole. This is the position that the Argentineans call the ‘Enganche’. He is the playmaker, the star of the show, the player who could do anything at any time. If my system is a series of subsystems devoted to the whole, the AMC is the cog that doesn’t quite fit, the exception to the rule, the player who will break with the system and provide that little bit of magic.

I'm very much a fan of the ‘Trequartista’/’Enganche’ player. I believe that having a creative playmaker in the midfield will see us playing some good football this season. I’m also a fan of a creative second striker, like Charlie Tromans, that is a 'number 10' style player who is creative as well as physical and will win long balls, as well as receive it on the deck and ‘hold up’ the ball as his team-mates advance.

I’ve got my defensive, balanced or attacking tactical systems but the hard-working philosophy is in mind at all times. I have spent a little bit of time this season instructing the players to play slightly shorter passes when attacking and also ensuring that we make effective use of pace when playing defensively and counter-attacking. I’ve also worked on the marking system for the team as a whole. I’ve clarified our approaches in terms of tempo and passing for each system. Finally, I’ve decided to experiment and tinker a little bit more this season and I will sometimes change formation when playing defensively to try to outwit our opponents.

As in previous seasons, the overall tactical philosophy will be hard-work, efficiency, practicality and team-work. This will be balanced out by the cautious encouragement of individual talent, with my attacking midfielder and deep-lying striker being the main candidates for creative autonomy.

The Final Word:

We’ve got three new kit designs this season to celebrate our promotion to the Conference. The home kit is made up of a yellow shirt with two symmetrical blue stripes on the left-side and the right-side that run from the sides of the neck parallel with the shoulders and then straight down the sides of the shirt. The shorts are plain blue and the socks are plain yellow. The away kit is a white and dark navy blue version of the home kit. The third shirt is blue with small yellow streaks running parallel with the shoulder and a yellow band where the sponsor goes. The shorts are blue and the socks are yellow.

We’ve got quite a few new signings to bring in this season and there is no doubt that it may take some time for the team to gel. We’ve also got a very young squad and it would be foolish to expect too much too soon. We need to quickly build a strong understanding amongst the players. Winning games is the best way to do that.

I’ve been offered a new 4 year contract by the new chairman, which of course I accepted. I am so excited about this current project. I believe that we have an exciting future and I am delighted to be at the helm.

I can’t wait to get the season underway and I feel that, with some of our new signings involved this season, and with the professional and determined nature of the squad, we have the most talented squad we have ever had at Clarence Park. Having said that, I’m going to be cautious here and say that a midtable position is our aim. We have a number of new signings that will need time to gel. Furthermore, the squad is young and, in some cases, a little inconsistent. I will need to be patient with this team and so, despite being hopeful of a good season, I am feeling reserved about our chances of doing well. So often, we fail to start well and I feel that this must change this season. We need a really strong start to get points on the board early. I really want to do well this season and to stay up comfortably. Come on you Saints!

Media prediction: 23th

Chairman and fans: Avoid relegation

Manager: I want a comfortable position.

 

[stoehrst]

Say Crouchie, how did you set up the Hertfordshire Challenge League? Did you use some option to set up a round-robin style friendly cup tournament or what?

[crouchaldinho]

Go to arrange a friendly as you normally would and then select the option for creating a friendly league. It gives you the option to name it so type in your chosen name. Then select the dates and the three teams and you are off! Well, if they agree anyway.

Hope that helps.

C.

[stoehrst]

I had no idea you could do that! Thanks, pal, I'll keep it in mind for future offseasons.