sherm

Ironically, their next game was to take place at Villa Park, as they matched up against Premier Division Champions Manchester United. They had been dominant over the last few seasons, and once again had run away with the title, and realistically, they were huge favourites for their FA Cup semi final. Peter knew this, his players knew this and he was pretty sure the fans knew this, but once again, his players were instructed to go out there and give the best account of themselves that they could. Looking at the team sheet for their opponents, he knew how hard it would be, O'Neill's side having gone as full strength as they could muster, but with the league secured and also the Champions League on their radar, Peter could only hope they had their minds focused elsewhere Chris Greenacre fashioned the first opportunity of the game, managing to get a shot off that was straight at Sebastien Frey, before Lee Collins headed just wide having stayed up from a corner. That wasn't to say that United didn't have chances themselves, Paul Scholes and Dwight Yorke both forcing Tony Warner into saves, but the 'keepers stop to deny David Beckham from opening the scoring was out of this world, reaching out and clawing the ball out from the top corner when it looked impossible to do so. Simon Rusk though, missed the best chance of the half, the ball falling to him with Frey stranded, and he seemingly panicked and fired over the bar when it was simpler to score. The game went into the break goalless, but Martin O'Neill had obviously given his side a serious talking to, as they came out all guns blazing in the second half. Yorke, Mooniaruck and Scholes all missed chances, and it looked almost like they wouldn't be able to break down the Warner wall in the goal, but eventually, after 72 minutes, they found the way to break the resistance, Beckham fizzing a low cross into the back post which was met by Mooniaruck, who nodded it back for Yorke to smash home. This turned out to be the only goal of the game, United advancing to a third FA Cup final in a row, but once again Peter was proud of his players and their efforts, their remarkable run in both cups coming to an end -- "Gentlemen, thankyou for your attendance this morning. Let's quickly get down to business" Peter had taken his seat in the board meeting, probably the last one before the season finished. Keith Haslam had his notes in front of him, as usual, but Peter knew he was flying out to Spain that evening so he didn't expect the meeting to last too long "First things first, while a disappointment we couldn't beat Chelsea and United, to reach the stages we did in both domestic cups is a phenomenal achievement, and has brought in some valuable income for the club" Murmurs of content, but it was Peter who spoke "Keith, sorry to interrupt but I was just wondering if there would be any investment in the stadium? With us being in the Premier League, I feel it would be beneficial to have an extension in the capacity" The chairman glanced over his notes, nodding as he did so "There are plans in the offing Peter yes. If we start the building work in July, we expect it to be finished by mid September. This would increase the capacity by around 4,750 seats" Peter smiled and linked his fingers behind his head "That's superb news Keith" The meeting lasted another half an hour until everyone left, and it was then that Keith Haslam caught Peter. He placed his hand on his elbow as he caught up to him "Peter, just a second" He turned to face his employer "What's up Keith?" "Just wanted to update you on the contract situation. I'm aware you have until the end oif next season left, but if it's OK with you I was hoping to delay negotiations until around the end of the year?" Peter clasped his shoulder "No problem. I'm not going anywhere and I appreciate you coming and being honest with me"

All three men were in the squad for the next game, as Norwich visited Field Mill. The players had been buoyant following the Chelsea game, despite the defeat, and this showed early on as they raced into the lead after just 34 seconds. Moukoko fed the overlapping David Jervis, who pulled the ball back into the path of Benjamin Kibebe, and the Swede slammed the ball home, lashing it perfectly off his laces. They continued in this vein, as Moukoko, Lawrence, Kos ad Keko all missed chances to extend the lead, but it did eventually happen just before half time, Kos and Rusk combining in the midfield to slip the ball through to Keko, who let the ball run across him before firing the ball into the side netting past the outstretched fingertips of Rob Green. In fairness to the visitors, they did start the second half well, Dennis Wise pulling a goal back within the first five minutes, but after that, Peter saw his side dominate once again, and despite a host of opportunities, only one more goal came their way, Keko doubling his tally with a towering header from a Moukoko corner .. "Peter Daish" "..." "Gary, what can I do for you?" "..." "Well I appreciate your interest, but we wouldn't be interested for less than a million and a half" "..." "Well in that case we have a deal. I'll speak to Ledley and let him know, then it's all down to him" Peter put the phone down, buzzing through to his secretary as he did so "Can you send Ledley King in when he gets here?" Ten minutes later, the defender knocked on his door "You wanted me gaffer?" "Ledley, come on in son" He sat down opposite him, Peter leaning back and folding his arms "I'll keep this short son. Villa have been on the phone and they're ready to meet our asking price for you. I know things haven't been as perfect as you'd like this season, so the decision is in your hands. If you want to move, I'll not stand in your way" The defender nodded, holding out his hand as he did so "Thanks gaffer. I'll go away and have a think about it and let you know if that's OK?" "No problem Ledley. Do whatever you think is best for you"

Despite the defeat, the players were in high spirits travelling back that evening. They realised they had been a part of a special day for the club, and they had more than held their own against their Premier League opponents, meaning they could be proud of their efforts. The chairman had arranged for a parade through the town, both to celebrate their promotion and the cup final, so the players were instructed to head home and get some rest before they returned for the parade the next day. Peter himself headed back, and as he walked through to door just after 1am, he was greeted with a hug and a kiss from Charlotte "Welcome home" He returned her kiss, leaning down and kissing the top of her head "Thankyou. I didn't wake you did I?" She shook her head "No. I dozed off after the game but woke up about 11. Thought I'd wait up for you" "Well I'm glad you did" She went into the kitchen and grabbed him a beer "I thought you would win there for a little while" Peter took a long swig, shrugging as he did so "Was always going to be tough. The lads have played a lot of games this season and Chelsea are a good side" She took his hand in hers "Well, whatever happens, I'm proud of you" She leant up on her tiptoes and kissed him once more .. The parade had gone well, seemingly the entirety of Mansfield turning out to welcome their heroes, and the players had a fantastic time. That said, Peter was as professional as always, and he knew he still had seven games of the league season left, and he wanted his side to play like Champions in those remaining games. He also took the opportunity to promote Carl Laurie, Michael Jack and Geir Olsen into the main squad. The big Norwegian midfielder had decided he would be leaving the club at the end of the season, and while he hadn't played that much through the season, he had been nothing but professional and reliable when he was called upon, and Peter felt he deserved the chance to see the season out, and play the remainder of the games to secure himself a medal. Jack and Laurie had both impressed in the reserves and deserved their chance to shine

The squad were excited in the build up to Wembley, none of them having been there before, so Peter allowed them time to take photos and have a walk around the ground, which had been the purpose of them getting there early. Eventually, the players, in their suits and as small amounts of fans were filtering in, were ushered into the dressing room they had been assigned. They got themselves ready, before Peter took his place in front of them. They got themselves together before all facing Peter. He put his hands behind his back, and addressed his players "OK lads. This is it. This is the biggest game in this club's history, the biggest game many of you will have played in. I'm not going to stand here and tell you to do anything different than what you've done to get here. All I'll ask is that you go out there and do yourselves proud. Do me proud. And do the fans proud. Now let's go lads, lets get out there and show what we can do" The roar as Peter headed to the dugout was deafening. He had been to Wembley four times as a player, but he never remembered it to be like this. He was also hoping to improve his record of just one win, but up against Claudio Ranieri's Chelsea, he knew it would be a tough ask for his players. He had also realised that tiredness was creeping in, but with promotion wrapped up, he had to decide whether to rest some of his key players towards the end of the season The game started at a fast pace, surprisingly for a cup final, and both 'keepers were forced into a good save, but on seven minutes, Liam Lawrence opened the scoring. The winger picked up the ball on the right, before cutting inside and passing to Moukoko. The Cameroonian slipped it into the path of the continuing run of Lawrence, and he struck it first time into the bottom corner. It was a perfect start, but as was expected, the Chelsea players responded, and within five minutes, they were level, Italian playmaker Andrea Pirlo drilling a low shot from 20 yards, just passing the fingertips of Jose Ros. This turned the game on its head, and the Premier League side took control for the next few minutes. Pirlo fired over, Leon Knight hit the post and Ros was forced into a double save from Melchiot and then Knight again, but eventually they did break the resistance, the resulting corner seeing Marcel Desailly rising highest to head home into the goal. Many expected this to see the more experienced Chelsea players take the game away from Mansfield, but Peter saw his side show their resilience and a little bit of quality, and by the half hour mark, they were level, a lovely ball from Simon Rusk finding Greenacre, the striker turning inside John Terry and guiding the ball into the goal with his left foot. This surprised Chelsea, and before the break, there was no doubt that Peter's side were the better team, Kos and Greenacre both having brilliant opportunities to put them ahead, but the score remained level. The second half was a bit tighter, both sides not wanting the other to get into the game, but the fifth goal came from a mistake, which was unfortunate, as Lee Collins slipped allowing Pirlo in, and the Italian slipped it across for Leon Knight to slot into the unguarded goal, Ros stranded between both players. Peter made a couple of changes, Cesar and Samba making their way onto the pitch, and it was the striker who had the best chance to equalise, the ball falling to him in the box, but he lashed at it and fired over the bar. Moukoko also had a chance, firing wide from just outside the box, but Chelsea's experience saw them through, as they kept the ball for the final few minutes, heading to the corner as much as they could, and eventually Jeff Winter blew the whistle, securing delight for the Londoners but ultimately disappointment for Peter and his side. As the whistle went, he turned round to see Ranieri striding towards him. He held his hand out but was caught in an embrace from the charismatic Italian "Peter, thankyou for fantastic game" "Thankyou Claudio. We'll be after revenge next season though!" He wagged his finger playfully, the Italian smiling in return "I shall be waiting for you. Good luck" With that, they shook hands and Peter headed off to console his players and praise their efforts

Good to have you back WLKRAS. Hope all is well and pleased to see this back up and running

Cheers WLKRAS, thanks for the support. Also, delighted to see 'The Outcast' is back up and running! -- Peter had looked at the table before their next game, and it struck him that they needed one more win to secure not only promotion, but the title too. He debated whether to mention this to the players, but decided he would, as he trusted his group and felt they deserved to be told. It was in the next training session that he gathered them together as a group, sitting them down in front of him "OK lads. I'll keep this simple and short. We win on Saturday, we're promoted and we're champions. You deserve this, you've worked hard for it, so let's get out there and finish the job. However, the point from the Leeds game is valid. Anyone not putting the maximum effort in won't be playing in the League Cup final. Now I don't have concerns about that, so let's get out there and get it done" The mood in training had been good, and while the trip to Birmingham was reasonably short, he sensed the players were ready to clinch their spot in the Premier League. Moukoko was back in the team, as was Szmid, while Benjamin Kibebe moved into the centre of midfield alongside Rusk, allowing Wouter Kos a rest. The home side were in with a chance of promotion, a recent good run of form pushing them into the top six, and they gave a good account of themselves. Top scorer Andy Johnson tested Warner early on, twice forcing the scouse 'keeper into a good save, but it was Warner who set up the opening goal. He came out to collect a cross, commanding his area, before his long kick forward bounced into the path of Moukoko. The midfielder used his skill and quick feet to jink into the box, and as he saw the 'keeper advancing towards him, he poked the ball past him with the outside of his left foot. The home side levelled five minutes later, Johnson finishing really well after a lovely pass into his feet. The half time talk was very simple. Do your thing and we'll win, and in fairness to his side, Peter saw them take the game by the scruff of the neck, and a twelve minute spell saw them score twice, as Moukoko, with a curling low finish, and then Kibebe on the half volley, extended their lead to 3-1. This should have been enough to comfortably see them through, even more so when David McClune was dismissed for a second yellow card, but Johnson scored a wonderful second, seeing Warner off his line and lofting the ball over him from just inside the Mansfield half, and despite a nervous last few minutes, the final whistle went eventually and secured their third successive promotion. The stadium erupted, Peter ran onto the pitch to embrace his players, and the small group of travelling supporters stayed behind to cheer on their heroes -- March 2004 Results [Division One unless stated otherwise] Bradford 2-0 Mansfield [Wetherall 10, Kaviedes 45+2 : Collins s/o 65] Mansfield 4-1 Preston [Greenacre 7, Szmid 25, Uriel 64, Cesar 68 : Healy 78] Mansfield 4-0 Cambridge [Keko 9,25,74, Blake 90] FA Cup Quarter Final Mansfield 4-1 Leeds [Samba 3,90+1, Cesar 11,59 : Bowyer 25] Mansfield 5-4 Watford [Kos 17, Jensen 27, Cesar 40,57,90+2 ; Miller 21, Pohja 63, Ludvigsen 68, Matthews 73] Portsmouth 0-2 Mansfield [Keko 9,24] Birmingham 2-3 Mansfield [Moukoko 22,64, Kibebe 76 : Johnson 27,84, McClune s/o 83]

Brilliantly captivating this Dave. Transports you into the managers world and makes you feel a real part of the story Sad to see you're time at Annecy has come to an end but hopefully new pastures will prove just as fruitful

Following the hectic nature of the Watford game, Peter decided to give his players an extra day off. He took the opportunity to sit down and watch Everton's relegation battle against Nottingham Forest while Charlotte spent ther day with her mum. His old side had been struggling, sitting 19th in the league, and they needed every point they could muster. They started well, but after a promising opening, they did their usual thing and went on to lose the game. Peter was saddened to see the plight of his former club, and while he had hoped to play them in the Premier League next season, he had resigned himself to the fact they would be in separate divisions .. Portsmouth were their next test, and the trip to the South Coast was vital in their pursuit towards the title. Moukoko had been ill in the run up to the game, so he wasn't in the squad, while Marek Szmid and Lee Collins also missed out. Keko and Cesar regained their places in the team thanks to their recent good form, and it was the two Spaniards who combined for the opening goal after 9 minutes. Lawrence had slid the ball down the right for Lilley, who slid it inside for Cesar. He looked prime to shoot, shaping to do so, but he saw Keko out of the corner making his run into the box, used his left foot to slide it into his path and Keko slotted home coolly to open the scoring. Wouter Kos could have doubled the lead not long after, forcing a save from the Portsmouth 'keeper, while Lee Collins headed over the bar from a corner. The home side never really managed to get into the game, and this showed when they went 2-0 behind, Keko again finding the net after a lovely little through ball from Simon Rusk allowed the Spanish striker to round the 'keeper and slide comfortably into the net. Peter was pleased with his side, their composure and possession through the game aliowing them to control the tempo of the game, and while they didn't score any more goals, despite numerous chances, they claimed a simple three points "Hey. Good day?" Charlotte had entered the kitchen as he sat at the breakfast bar on his laptop. He kissed her on the forehead as she got to him "Not bad. You?" "Lovely. Had some lunch with Mum, meeting the girls for cocktails later too" "Very nice" With that the cat jumped onto the counter, meowing and nuzzling into her arm "Oh, Mum asked if we'd be interested in going away with them over the summer. Not abroad, just a week or so in the Lake District. Nice cottage, chilled out week?" Peter took her hand in his "I'd be up for that, I love the Lake District. When were they thinking?" She shook her cardigan off and started to head upstairs as she spoke "Not sure yet, I'll find out"

Familiar opponents were next up, as promotuon chasing Watford provided the opponents for their fourth successive home game, and it turned out to be the game of the season, both sides putting attack over defence and treating the fans to a nine goal thriller. It started at a frantic pace, both sides creating chances in the opening ten minutes, Cesar and Samba for Peter's side, while Liam Miller had the best chance for the visitors, but on 17 minutes, little Wouter Kos opened the scoring, bombing forward in support of the attack before the ball fell to him on the half volley, and he finished with aplomb. The lead only lasted four minutes however, Miller capitalising on a rare Benjamin Kibebe error, the midfielder's misplaced pass allowing the Irishman in and he slotted home past Jose Ros. From then though, the Swede was determined to make amends, and he assisted both the second and third goals before the interval. The second was a lovely little reverse pass into the path of Claus Jensen, who managed to poke the ball home, but his crossfield pass to Cesar was a thing of beauty, the Spaniard taking it on his chest and using the outside of his right goot to guide it into the far corner. Peter had taken great delight in the way his side took the control of the game away after the equaliser, and when Cesar scored his second twelve minutes into the second half to make it 4-1, it looked like game over. The visitors however, had a different opinion, and they turned it on for the final half an hour, somehow inexplicably managing to score three times and level things up. Antti Pohja started the madness just after the hour mark, using his pace to break free and finishing nicely. The Finnish international assisted for the next goal too, sliding in Trond Ludvigsen who curled the ball past Ros. Peter was almost pulling his hair out, but when George Matthews levelled the scores, a third goal in ten minutes for the visitors, he turned round and aimed a kick at the Lucozade bottle by the side of the dugout. The final fifteen minutes seemed to be a frantic effort, both sides trying to win the game, and fortunately for Peter, it was his side who grabbed the winning goal, Cesar completing his hat trick in injury time, rising highest into the crowd and heading home to seal the win in a ridiculous game .. "I don't think I can take many more games like that at my age Damien" They met for their debrief in the local pub on Sunday afternoon, deciding to unwind while they did so "Tell me about it gaffer. I thought we'd blown it for a minute" Peter took a swig of his Guinness before he spoke again "Me too. Oh, did we hear back from Corneliusson?" Matthew looked into his bag for the paperwork "Here it is. AIK have accepted the bid and our contract offer has been sent to the lad. If we can pull this signing off I think it's a great addition to the team. He's quality, full international aswell" "From what I've seen of him he's a step up from what we have now. As well as Marek has done for us, he still needs time to develop"

In the days following the game, while the majority of Mansfield celebrated, Peter was typically as business like as he could have been, actually managing to wrap up two deals for the summer, Darius Vassell had fallen out of favour at Aston Villa, thanks to the form of Bosko Balaban and Juan Pablo Angel, and with his contract expiring in the summer, he had opted to not renew it and test the free agency market, and Peter felt he would be a great addition, adding pace and quickness to the forward line, aswell as valuable Premiership experience. The striker had made it known he was willing to move, and it had taken less than an hour to thrash out a deal More top flight experience also agreed to join, and that was Leicester left back Callum Davidson. He had over 120 games at the top level, but due to their financial plight, they had been unable to renew his contract (along with several other players). This deal was harder toi complete, many clubs vying for the defenders signature, but it was the personal touch of Peter himself meeting him, and the promise of first team football, that swayed the decision their way. They were two signings he was delighted with, and he felt they would certainly boost the numbers the next season .. "So, Mr and Mrs Daish, thankyou for coming today. It's just a formal meeting to discuss your options and find out more about you both" Peter sat across the desk taking in his surroundings. Charlotte had done most of the work and research for the meeting so he was happy to let her take charge, but as it turned out the first question was aimed at him "Mr Daish, on your form I noticed it said you were a manager. What sort of business are you in?" Peter folded his hands together, interlocking his fingers "I'm a football manager. Mansfield Town" "Oh I see. So that must take up a lot of time?" "Well training is three times a week for two hours. Matchday on a Saturday or Wednesday. It's not too bad, I'm home a lot of the time" The woman across the desk nodded, scribbling some notes, before turning to Charlotte "Mrs Daish, what about yourself?" "Well I work from home in the main, because of health issues in the past, but again I'm at home a lot of the time" The meeting had gone pretty well, their answers seemingly satisfying the adoption agency, and they were officially on the waiting list. Although there was no clue as to how long they would need to wait on that list

Authors Note ; Just wanted to say a massive thankyou to everyone who has read this story and taken it to 4,000 views. It's a story I've thoroughly enjoyed writing and one I've put huge effort into so to know it's still keeping everyone interested is a huge compliment! -- Cambridge were the next visitors to Field Mill, and with their position in mid table, Peter expected his players to do their jobs and win the game. He did decide to make a couple of changes to the squad, with Keko replacing Greenacre, de Waard coming in at left back and Agustin replacing Rusk, but the changes didn't affect the performance and it was a comfortable win, coupled with a good performance. It didn't take long for the opening goal, Keko collecting a pass from Lawrence, muscling past his defender and firing low into the corner, but it could easily have been two before then, Kos and Lawrence both testing the visiting 'keeper. Chances continued to come their way, Lawrence again and Keko both wasting clar cut opportunities, but the Spaniard doubled the lead, and his own personal tally, with a wonderful second goal. He laid the ball off to Wouter Kos, before receiving it back from the Dutchman. He dummied over it, knowing Robbie Blake was there. Blake then took the ball, fed the marauding Keko, who then deftly dinked the ball over the 'keeper. The game continued, but it almost petered out into a stalemate, Mansfield almost looking like they wanted to preserve energy. Peter wasn't happy with this, and having made some second half changes, he saw his team grab the game by the scruff of the neck once again, Keko heading home for his hat trick on 74 minutes, before a goal just before full time from Robbie Blake, a beautifully whipped finish from the edge of the box sealed the comfortable 4-0 win -- "I've got to be honest Damien, I think the games are starting to take their toll. With the cup runs and the league we'll be pushing close to 60 games this season" His assistant looked up from his screen "I know what you mean gaffer. We definitely need a bigger squad for next season or we might really struggle" Peter nodded "I'm working on it. I don't want us to do all this work to go up then go back down first bloody time of asking" "I agree. Thought about the Leeds game yet?" "Nothing else is on my mind. It's a tough ask but we have to show the world what we can do. Especially with the game on BBC" -- The FA Cup Quarter Final had drawn them a home tie, but with Premier Division Leeds the visitors, it would be a very very tough ask for Peter and his side. He did however, have complete faith in his players to put up a good display and let the watching world see what they could do and were capable of. He went strong, Samba, Cesar, Rusk, Collins and Jervis all back in the starting eleven, while Leeds fielded as strong a side as they could muster, Bowyer, Viduka, Kewell, Harte and Radebe all taking their place on the field. He had pushed the importance of a good start for his side, and he could not have wished for a better one from his players, as they found themselves ahead inside 136 seconds of play. Jervis won the ball from Eirik Bakke on the left hand side ner his own box, before releasing Moukoko down that side. The Cameroon man jinked inside, before threading a ball through for Samba. Jonathan Woodgate did stretch out to cut the ball out, but couldn't wuite stretch far enough, and the on loan striker collected the ball with a nice touch, before rattling a low shot into the bottom corner. The ground went wild when that goal went in, and eight minutes later, they went wild once more, Samba this time turning provider, as he flicked a long ball down into the path of Cesar, who set himself and lashed a bullet of a shot past Paul Robinson. Peter urged his players on, telling them not to let up or take their foot off the gas, but the quality in Leeds' team was evident, and a ten minute spell of control they had led to them getting back into the game. 23 passes came in the move, before Kewell whipped a low cross to the edge of the area for Lee Bowyer to meet it and calmly slot home. The quality of the Premiership's third place team shone through over the next 20 minutes, and Peter and his side could count themselves fortunate to go in at the break still ahead, mainly thanks to Tony Warner making three good saves. Peter didn't shout, just have his players words of encouragement, and they went out and heeded these words, as they put in a thoroughly professional and competent second half display, scoring twice without reply to book their second domestic cup semi final of the season. Cesar scored a free kick just before the hour mark, curling it home from 20 yards, while an injury time goal from Cherno Samba, a simple little finish from a Liam Lawrence cut back, settled the game and dealt a thrashing to their more illustrious opponents

"Right lads, gather round!" Peter had gathered the players round at training, wanting to give them a pep talk. He waited while they all took a knee in front of him "Right lads. As I'm sure you all know, we have another huge cup game in a few days, but before that we have the league. I trust you all implicitly, but I won't have any of you taking it easy waiting for the cup game. I want full concentration and effort, and without it, you won't play in the FA Cup game" The players nodded and agreed, Peter pleased with the way they responded. They were dismissed from training, and he headed into his office to make a few preparations. He was surprised to see Keith Haslam waiting for him "Morning Keith. Everything OK?" His chairman nodded "Yes. Just wanted to confirm that all travel has been sorted for the Cup Final. You and the team will travel up the night before. Also, each squad member has four extra tickets" Peter smiled "Perfect. I'll let the players know. Thanks Keith" With that the chairman turned on his heels and walked out of the room -- That night he was preparing dinner when Charlotte came into the kitchen. She leant onto her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek "Evening Daish" She smiled that cheeky grin "Hey yourself. Good day?" "Not bad. Oh, I've booked us an appointment with the adoption agency" Peter raised his eyebrows "Bloody hell, that was quick wasn't it?" "There was a cancellation so we got lucky" He leant down and kissed her lips "Perfect"

Peter was disappointed in the aftermath of the Bradford defeat, but he realised that the long term picture hadn't been affected too much and he arrived at the training ground in a bullish mood. This however, didn't last as long as he had hoped, when he overheard a conversation between two of his players. Jamie Clarke and Ledley King were stood stretching outside the side entrance as he walked towards it, and he stopped to the side when he heard their voices. It was Clarke's distinctive Midlands drawl that he recognised first "...I just get annoyed when I don't play. I'm better than Lee and Mark only plays coz he's club captain" "I think that's a bit harsh Jamie. The gaffer knows what he's doing, we're flying high" A slight pause "Maybe. Premier League is a different level, think he might get found out. Luck only gets you so far" Peter smiled to himself and shook his head. He walked away to training, deciding to resolve the matter later on .. He was sat in his office thirty minutes after training, and as he heard the players coming out of the dressing room, he headed towards his door. He popped his head out and saw Jamie Clarke exiting, so he called to him "Jamie? Can I have a word?" The defender threw his bag over his shoulder and followed his manager "Sit down son" He sat in the chair Peter signalled to him, wiping his brow as he did so "Tired?" "Little bit gaffer. Felt like I ran extra today" Peter smiled "Good. Anyway, I just wanted to address your concerns" The defender raised his eyebrow "Concerns?" "About your playing time" "How did you know...?" Peter raised his hand "I heard you talking to Ledley earlier. So you don't think I know what I'm doing?" "Well, no, I didn't mean it like that. Just frustration over not playing, you know how it is boss?" Peter folded his arms "I do. However, I will not tolerate you bad mouthing me to other players. If you had concerns you should have come to me directly" Clarke looked sheepish, almost embarassed "I'm sorry..." "Fine. We'll close the matter for now. But you'll be transfer listed and if we get a suitable offer, you can leave. I won't have players jeopardising morale within the squad" -- Word had spread throughout the squad about Clarke's indiscretion, and the fact he didn't take a place on even the bench for the visit of Preston seemed to affirm that he was finished at the club. The visitors were mid table and had very little to play for, and from the first whistle, Peter saw his side dominate and control the game. It took just seven minutes to open the scoring, Wouter Kos slipping in Chris Greenacre, and the striker slotted home comfortably for his 20th goal of another prolific season. It set the tone, and when Marek Szmid doubled the advantage almost twenty minutes later, they could already have been three ahead, Greenacre and Lawrence missing two good chances to score, but Szmid slotted home from ten yards after a lovely cut back from Moukoko on the left hand side. The game remained 2-0 until the half time break, but the second half continued in the same vein, Mansfield dominating the game, and it was a four minute spell that put the game well and truly beyond doubt. Uriel scored the third, a lovely left foot finish after collecting a flick on from Greenacre, but it was the fourth goal that sent the crowd wild, as Cesar showed a world class bit of magic. He sent the ball out wide before getting it back from Lawrence. He then played a one two with Moukoko, receiving the ball back before nutmegging the defender. He made the space from doing that, before curling a beautifully placed shot into the top corner. It was a magnificent piece of skill, and it had the crowd, and his manager, up on their feet. The visitors did get a consolation, David Healy slotting home from close range, but it made no difference and it was the best way to respond to the Bradford defeat

He was sat watching the news and reading the sport headlines on his laptop when Charlotte entered. He hadn't heard her come in so jumped a little when she spoke "Peter, can we talk?" He shut his laptop screen down and muted the television "Of course. Anything wrong?" She slid into the spot beside him on the sofa "Nothing's wrong. I just want to ask you about something" He nodded, taking her hands in his "So, you know that after what happened, and everything in the hospital with my stomach?" "Yeah?" She shifted, looking a little nervous "Well, I was thinking. I can't conceive naturally, as you know. Would you be open to the possibility of adoption?" The cat jumped onto the arm of the chair at this point, watching intently. Peter had paused for a moment. He had never really thought about children, and assumed his time had passed due to his age, but he could see in his wife's eyes that it meant a lot to her "I'll be honest, I'd never really thought about it. I kind of think it's coz of my age. Is it something you have your heart set on?" She looked him in the face, tears welling in her eyes, and at that moment, he knew what he had to do "I'd love to be a mother..." He raised his hand "Say no more. We can absolutely have a look at the options. I love you, and if this is what you want, then so do I" With that she leant forward, smothering him in a big embrace and kissing him on the lips -- Peter had been doing the maths, and he had worked out that thirteen more points would be enough to send them into the Premier League. He had also worked out what he thought the recent problems had been. The players had played a lot of games, with their exploits in the cup competitions, and they had one of the smallest squads in the division, so he felt that tiredness was creeping in. However, he had noted that they had a break after their next game, so he had proposed a couple of ideas to his staff members for giving the players some rest. However, before that, they had a visit to Yorkshire to face Bradford, a team who had been on a superb run and had propelled themselves into the reckoning for an automatic promotion place, and from the first minute, it was clear their confidence was sky high. Jose Ros had to make two saves early on, from Kaviedes and Gareth Whalley, and the second one, which he pushed round the post, was what resulted in the opening goal, an inswinging corner finding the head of David Wetherall, who rose higher than everyone else and headed home into the goal. It was no more than they deserved, and they continued their dominance of the game as the half went on. Peter stood on the sidelines and, while he wasn't angry, he had to accept his side were struggling, the only opening they fashioned coming from a long range shot from Robbie Blake. It got worse just before the interval, Kaviedes breaking free and the striker firing low and hard into the bottom corner. The half time talk saw words of encouragement, and they did, in all fairness, start the second half much better, testing Gary Walsh a couple of times and hitting the post, but on 68 minutes, any hope they had of getting anything from the game vanished, as Lee Collins mistimed his tackle on Kaviedes, catching the Ecuadorian with his studs up and on his shin, and the referee immediately pulled out the red card. It was hard to argue, and the game ended 2-0 to the home side, no more than they deserved from the game

The whole club was on a high following the semi final, everyone gearing up for the trip to Wembley, but Peter made sure that his players were fully focused on the job in hand, and with a tough game up next, a trip to West Brom, they needed to be at the very top of their game to pick up the three points and continue their promotion push. It was a full strength side that took to the field for the game, and it showed, as they absolutely silenced the home fans with a dominant first half display. Kos and Lawrence tested Russell Hoult in the opening ten minutes, before a thunderbolt from Kibebe struck the bar, so hard it was still rattling twenty seconds later. However, it was Chris Greenacre, with his 19th goal of the season, that opened the scoring, the striker latching on to a delicious through ball from Moukoko, rounding the onrushing Hoult and sliding comfortably into the open goal. Greenacre was causing all sorts of problems, the defence unable to cope with his strength and aerial ability, and it was his knock down with his head that set up the second, full back Marek Szmid latching on to it and rifling home a low shot into the bottom corner. The game continued in the same vein through the second half, and should have been wrapped up in all honesty, buit the profligacy in the second half meant that the home side got themselves back into the game, Burriku collecting a pass and firing a first time shot into the roof of the net. Peter cut a frustrated figure on the touchline, angry once again that his side had conceded a silly goal after being in total control, and while they sealed the game two minutes before the end, Moukoko meeting a terrific low cross from Szmid and tapping into the goal, he felt there were one or two things he needed his side to work on -- "I don't know Damien, it's getting a bit frustrating. We just can't seem to keep a clean sheet at the moment" His assistant looked up from his paper "We're winning though gaffer?" Peter shrugged "I know but you know me, I can always sense something isn't right. I think there's not enough time to fix it this season but we need to before the start of next season" "What is it you're worried about?" Peter sat down "We're missing lots of chances but we can fix that, it will come. Just the odd bit of sloppy defending is creeping in, and it's costing us goals" "Well we can work on some defensive stuff in training, see if it makes a difference?" Peter nodded in agreement "I think that's a good idea" Bristol City were the final opponents of the month, and they went into the game on the back of some rotten injury luck. Five players had picked up knocks in the previous three days, which meant Peter had to make some late changes to his side. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was one of the worst starts to a game he saw his side have. They were poasitively awful in the first half an hour, sloppy passing, mistakes uncharacteristic of his side. It was almost unbearable and Peter cut a frustrated and angry figure on the sideline. It was only thanks to Tony Warner that they remained level, the 'keeper forced into several good saves, but even he could do nothing about the opener, a brilliant curling striker from Moroccan Yacine Abdellaoui, as he cut inside from the right and beat his man, before curling a 30 yarder into the top corner. Warner had no chance, and Peter started to think about his half time team talk. However, a moment of brilliance just before the interval, something that had been lacking from his side, caused him to rethink what he was going to say. Lee Collins brought the ball out from defence, feeding it to Ardon de Waard. The Dutchman then fired a ball into the feet of Liam Lawrence. Going off pure instinct, the midfielder scooped it up and flicked it over his markers head, turning as he did so. He then knocked it through the next defenders legs to create some space, before smashing a half volley into the goal. It was a magnificent piece of skill, one which got the home crowd, and Peter, off their feet, the game taking a lively turn. The second half was an even affair, both sides pushing for the winner, and while Kos, Szmid and Cesar all had openings, Keko was guilty of missing their best chance, firing wide from 8 yards out. The visitors also had chances, Warner forced into making three good saves, the second two from a ridiculous double save from point blank range, but the spoils were shared -- February 2004 Results [Divison One unless stated otherwise] Mansfield 3-1 Sheffield Utd [Moukoko 8, Cesar 45+1, Greenacre 74 ; Smith 77] FA Cup Round Five Mansfield 3-1 Grimsby [Keko 44,84, Hoj 79 ; Bubb 31] League Cup Semi Final Second Leg Mansfield 1-1 Watford [Mansfield win 4-2 on aggregate] [Laurie 89 ; Vega 43] West Brom 1-3 Mansfield [Greenacre 21, Szmid 42, Moukoko 88 ; Burriku 60] Mansfield 1-1 Bristol City [Lawrence 45+1 ; Abdellaoui 34]