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They arrived back in Mansfield almost 48 hours later, and Peter had felt the players earnt a couple of days off, so he took the opportunity to let them spend time with their families, while he spent a nice couple of days with Charlotte. It was when they got home on the Wednesday night that Charlotte sat him down to talk about the football "So what will it mean being in the Premiership? Will I see less of you?" Peter shook his head "To be honest, you might see me a bit more. We have less league games, don't always play midweek, and we can have weeks off when there are international breaks" This brought a smile to her face "Oh that's good. What about the cups?" "I think we might have to prioritise the league, so it might mean we go out of the cup early. But we'll see" "Well maybe we can have a couple of weekend breaks through the season?" Peter pondered this "I can't promise, but we'll definitely look into it" With that she leant forward to kiss him and catch him in an embrace -- In the following days, Peter had managed to secure two more signings to the club. One was a youngster from Naval, a Portuguese midfielder called David. He was still very raw, but he had talent, and for just £180,000, it seemed a low risk move. However, it was the capture of another young player that really caught the imagination, as he visited his old club to sign Wayne Rooney. He had been the bright spark in the previous, ultimately disappointing season, scoring 13 goals and being the clubs top scorer, and following their relegation, he was available for a release clause. He had pace, strength, precocious ability and Peter had no hesitation in forking out just over £2 million for the English forward. Once the signing was completed, he pulled up his squad list on his laptop, adding Rooney's name to it, before running his finger down the list. He smiled to himself. The size of the squad was good, giving plenty of options if players were injured or suspended, and he felt that would help to avoid the tiredness issues that he had seen creep in towards the end of the previous season Both Rooney and David trained well, Rooney in particular impressing with his precocious talent, and they were both in the squad for the next friendly, as they welcomed Carlisle to Field Mill. They had come close to promotion the year prior, but their overachievement had seen their squad decimated, and the resulting 90 minutes showed just how far ahead they were of their opponents, Peter's side romping to a 5-0 win. Darius Vassell opened the scoring early on, using his notorious pace to free himself of the offside trap, and sliding under the 'keeper. Iriekpen doubled the lead from a corner, heading home Lawrence's cross, before a third was added before half time, a lovely threaded ball through to Llorente, who dinked it over the 'keeper. The second half was stop start, mainly due to the substitutions both sides made, but goals from Dunwell and Kos sealed the emphatic win

"Peter Daish" "About time you answered your phone you swine" Peter smiled at the North Eastern accent that came through the other end of the line "Reidy. Good to hear from you mate. Keeping well?" "Not bad. Got a couple of job offers pending so there's poissibilities opening up. Anyway, enough about me. So you're a Premier League manager now eh?" Peter laughed "Players did all the work, I just give them the instructions. Truthfully though, looking forward to testing myself against some of the best" A laugh from Reid "You'll do fine. Wouldn't surprise me if you massively overachieve. You could fall into a pit of vipers and come out wearing snakeskin boots you lucky bleeder" "I'll take that as a compliment. Anyway, what can you tell me about these jobs?" "Nothing yet, it's all a bit low key. I'll let you know the minute I can though" Peter smiled to himself "Fair enough. I've got to head off anyway mate, got training with the lads. I'll speak to you soon though" "Take care Pete" It had been nice to hear from his old friend, and his mood was good going into their final game of the tour, and this was the one that he had been looking forward to, as they faced Valencia. They had split the Real Madrid and Barcelona monopoly the previous season, finishing second, just a point behind Madrid, so Peter was looking forward to a test from them. He put out a mixed side, with several reguiars combining with fringe players, meaning they had the chance to stamp their mark on the team and maybe claim a more regular place. They started fairly well, creating a couple of early chances, Greenacre forcing a save from the 'keeper, before Kos fired wide, but it was the hosts whop took the lead, Marco Di Vaio being fed by Angulo, before cutting inside and stroking the ball home into the corner. For the rest of the half it was an end to end game, both sides creating opportunities. Lee Collins headed onto the bar, Ole Talberg missed a sitter, but eventually they did find the net, Kos linking with Moukoko who fizzed a cross into the middle of the box, which was met by Agustin who smacked it into the roof of the net with a first time finish. The second half was stop start affait, substitutes interrupting the flow of the game, neither side able to fashion many decent chances, but the only goal of the half went to the hosts, a nice bit of link up play fashioning a decent opening, and it was youngster Raul Leida who finished it off, poking past Ros and sealing a win, but it was a competitive game and a showing Peter could be proud of

Albacete were their opening opponents, and, as was customary, Peter went as strong as he could for the game. Recently relegated, the hosts still had signs of feeling the effects, and due to this, Peter saw his side race into a 2-0 lead, as Chris Greenacre, on four minutes, and then Moukoko, five minutes later, started well. It was a comnfortable afternoon in the summer sun for Mansfield, and by the time the full time whistle went, they had sauntered to a 5-0 win. Talberg had scored the third, just after the restart, finishing nicely after Rusk had played him in, but the fourth goal, from substitue Llorente, was the pick of the bunch, the ball finding it's way to him from a corner after a defensive header, and his volley shot through everyone to find the bottom corner, leaving the 'keeper no chance. Greenacre scored a second in injury time, a square ball from Lawrence finding him to slide into the empty goal -- "Decent start that. Asper has agreed terms aswell so he'll join us for the next game" They had met the next morning to discuss the game over breakfast "Good signing that. Do we have a replacement lined up for Kibebe?" "Funny you should mention that. Claus has sent me details of a young Norwegian, Fredrik Klausen. Plays for Vitesse in Holland, available for less than a million. He's doing some further scouting but could be an option" Damien Matthew nodded as he sipped his coffee "Nice. Anyone else in mind?" "Couple of other targets we're looking at but I think the squad is shaping up nicely. We have had a bid for Victor Renner though. I don't think he'll make the cut in the top flight and I'd rather he go somewhere he'll play so I think he'll be on his way out" There was a different eleven that took the field for the second game, as they entertained Las Palmas . This meant starts for O'Shea, Corneliusson, Davidson, Dunwell and Svard, aswell as Michael Jack and Agustin coming into the team, and while the scoreline wasn't as emphatic as the previous game, it was still a pleasing performance. Dunwell was magnificent, causing all sorts of problems for the defence, and it was the big Geordie striker who set up the first goal, using his strength to take the ball down. He spotted Agustin bombing forward, flicked the ball round the corner for the midfielder, and he finished it really nicely, sliding it into the corner. That was the only goal of the first half, but there were two more in the second. Corneliusson had been bombing up and down the right hand side, and it was a cross from the Swedish full back that set up the second, as he swung it deep to the far post, for O'Shea to nod back and Dunwell to smash into the roof of the net. It was a typical strikers finish, and it was another striker, Joseba Llorente, who scored the third and final goal, tapping in with the 'keeper grounded having saved a Michael Jack shot, and after two games, two wins and eight goals without reply, Peter could be happy with the start his side had made

The players returned two weeks before they were scheduled to fly to Spain for their pre season tour, and Peter had tried as hard as he could to conclude most of the transfer business before that trip, so the players could have as much time together as possible. Pre arreanged transfers saw players arrive, with Darius Vassell, Callum Davidson, Michael Dunwell, John O'Shea, Ole Talberg and Karl Corneliusson all taking their place on the field for the opening training session. Peter was a busy man that next week and a half, and as well as managing to secure several more deals, he also saw the outgoings of several players. Ledley King and Geir Olsen had already agreed moves, as had Jamie Clarke after his falling out of favour the previous campaign. Ardon de Waard was a more difficult decision, as he had proved a more than capable replacement for David Jervis, but with the addition of Davidson and Jervis having been exceptional for three seasons, he decided a bid of £750,000 from Birmingham was too good to turn down. Vance Warner had joined Lincoln, while Jakup Borg moved to Danish side B93, his desire to move closer to home a big factor Coming in, the fans had plenty of reason to be excited. Defence was strengthened with two squad players. Izzy Iriekpen had played a handful of games for West Ham the previous season, and with his pace, speed and aerial ability, the asking price of £200,000 seemed well worth a punt. It took a similar amount to prize Sebastian Svard away from Arsenal too, another experienced pro who would provide valuable experience around the dressing room, even if he didn't play every week, Joseba Llorente was a real eye opening signing however, and one Peter was delighted to get over the line. He had just been released by Bilbao, both parties failing to secure terms on a new deal, and without a transfer fee, Peter was able to offer extra wages and the promise of First Team action, and this was enough to entice the Spaniard to Field Mill. It probably helped there were already some Spanish players there to help him settle in too, so it seemed a deal that would benefit eveybody. All the new additions were in the squad for the tour to Spain, and it was on the plane that Peter gave his side a little pep talk "OK lads. So this is it, the build up to the Premier League. Many of you have been with us since the Third Division. I just want you all to know that you will be getting the chance to prove you belong at this level. We have to be realistic, survival is the only goal. If we stay in the division, we've had a successful season. This tour however, is all about fitness levels. We have three games where results don't matter, it's about getting up to scratch in terms of fitness and training" They had a couple of days before the opening game of the tour, so a couple of light training sessions were arranged. Peter also took a detour to the Basque region, as he pursued a new goalkeeper for the team. Mattias Asper was transfer listed at Real Sociedad, unhappy at his lack of playing time, and he was a man long admired by Peter. Tall and slender, his long reach meant he commanded the area, he was quick off the mark for one on ones and while he would command a fee of just over £3 million, it was an investment worth making. It had also been noted that Benjamin Kibebe wasn't in the touring party. This was because West Ham decided to meet his minimum fee release clause, a sum of £4.5 million, and he would be off to Upton Park. That was a huge blow, as the young Swede had impressed the previous season, but that was why fee release clauses existed

With the players having departed for their Summer break, Peter and his staff said their goodbyes and departed themselves. They would reconvene in five weeks to begin work for the new season, but at least they had football to keep them occupied, The European Championships scheduled to take place that summer. Before then though, Peter had a week away in the Lake District to look forward to. As it turned out, it was just what he needed. Ambleside was a quaint, quiet little town, and he was delighted at the fact nobody there knew, nor cared for that matter, who he was. This meant he was able to relax, do things he wouldn't normally, such as boat rides across the lake, windsurfing and strolls across the beach, and it was essentially just a week away from his own world. Charlotte had made him promise he wouldn't think about work, let alone even attempt any, until they got back, and he was as good as his word They returned, and Peter got back down to business. While there was only so much he could do before the official start of the pre season, he spent his days watching the Euros, while making reports and scouting plans on their 19 opponents for the forthcoming season. It was only when England faced their opening game, against Greece, that Charlotte sat down to watch the game with him. It was an England team that had a new look about it, one that had divided opinion. Kieron Dyer and David Prutton started as the two central midfielders, despite a total of just 11 caps between them, while Alan Smith, the Leeds forward, started upfront. Central defence also had changes, but these were enforced due to suspension to Rio Ferdinand and injury to Jonathan Woodgate, which meant that Chris Riggott and Gareth Barry took their spots. It was a team that didn't inspire confidence, and despite a scruffy performance, they managed a 1-0 win. Riggott was a bright spot, scoring the goal and defending magnificently to deny the Greeks, and he deservedly picked up man of the match The tournament provided shocks, many of the bigger, more established nations going out early. England and Germany lost in the Quarter Final stage, England having struggled through their group, Germany easing through. Italy didn't even make it out of their group, scoring just three goals and one win in the process, while France did even worse, picking up a single point and not even scoring a goal. These extraordinary results meant that the final took place in Lisbon between, of all teams, Sweden and Spain. The Spaniards just had too much for the young Swedish side, but they put up a hell of a fight and had no shame in their performance

The night before the players broke up for the end of the season, Peter was sat in the pub with Damien Matthew. His assistant had suggested they have a debrief over a drink, both to discuss the season they had just had and put plans in place for the following campaign. It was only when they got on to their second pint that they began to talk shop, It was Matthew who spoke first "Well, cheers gaffer. Here's to a fantastic season" Peter clinked his glass, taking a long sip as he did so "It certainly has been fruitful. I'd never have imagined this when I took the job three years ago. If someone had told me we'd be starting the 2005 season in the Premier League I'd have thought they were crazy" Matthew smiled "Hey, you're good at your job. The players would run through a brick wall for you. A lot of these lads have been with you from day one, and they appreciate the loyalty" "Well they've been the biggest part of getting us this far and they deserve a crack at the big time" A nod and a grin "I agree" There was a pause, before Matthew spoke again "Boss, can I ask you something?" "Sure. Fire away" "Ever considered other jobs? I mean you're CV is up there with the best in terms of what you've achieved on a limited budget, surely other clubs must have shown interest?" Peter shrugged indifferently "Honestly Damien, not really. Arsenal had a flirting interest a few months back but wasn't anything serious. And I wouldn't have moved to London anyway. Truth be told, there's probably only one club that could entice me away from here at any time, and you know who that is" A sly grin from his assistant "Liverpool?" "Cheeky swine. No, try the blue half. I had a fantastic time there as a player and seeing the state they're in now is terrible. That would be a hard job to say no to, I have to admit"

Charlton were the final opponents of the season, and Peter had, in no uncertain terms, told his players he wanted them to finish the season off in the same vein they had played all season, and he felt a good start was needed. And, as usually happened, his players responded as they normally did, finding the net twice inside the opening 8 minutes. Wouter Kos started the scoring, curling home a free kick from the edge of the box. The little Dutchman had been one of Peter's first signings when he took the job, and having been with them all the way, playing 121 games in that period, it was fitting he scored in the final game before they headed into the Premiership. The second came quickly after, Uriel linking up well with Moukoko, and the dink over the top to the Spanish midfielder was delightful, and it got the finish it deserved. That said, the visitors did get themselves a goal sandwiched in between the goals, Shaun Bartlett poking the ball home after a little scramble inside the box, but once Uriel had put them back ahead, it was plain sailing. The third goal came just before the interval, Lawrence and Rusk combining in the middle of the pitch, before Rusk fed a pass to Moukoko, who struck it first time into the bottom corner. One more goal came their way, although it probably should have been more, and it came from Cesar 8 minutes after the restart, a cute little finish into the goal after a ball from Kos. The Spaniard looked offside but the flag stayed down and the goal stood. The whistle brought the curtain down on a fabulous season, and the supporters stayed to acknowledge the team. As always, Peter was insistent on his players interacting with the fans, and it was almost 10pm when he got back home. He toasted himself with a beer, before falling asleep on the sofa -- May 2004 Results [Division One unless stated otherwise] Coventry 0-2 Mansfield [Moukoko 4, Lawrence missed pen 45+2, Kos 48 ; Barron s/0 45+1] Mansfield 4-1 Charlton [Kos 3, Uriel 8, Moukoko 41, Cesar 53 ; Bartlett 4] Awards Player of the Year [Moukoko, 2nd] Young Player of the Year [Benjamin Kibebe, 1st] Team of the Year [Benjamin Kibebe, Lee Collins, Moukoko] Fans Player of the Year [Moukoko] Manager of the Year [Peter Daish, 2nd]

"What's the plan with the lads on loan gaffer?" Peter looked up from his screen "I'm not sure. Stuart has done well on loan, 14 goals, and Carlos has been superb. I think he could be useful for us as a rotation" "I'm not convinced Stu can do it at the top level" "I'm inclined to agree, but he's been magnificent for us when he's played. I think I've got some hard decisions to make over the summer. Then again, that's what I'm paid for" A smile from his assistant "Just don't do any work while you're on holiday. Charlotte won't like that" Peter laughed back at him "I'm not that daft!" .. Charlotte had dealt with the visit from the adoption agency, everything seemingly going well and as expected, and they now just had to wait for the next atep in the process. Peter had also asked his players who had been nominated for awards if they wanted to attend the end of season award ceremony, and every one of them, to a man, said no. When he asked why, they said it was in response to the fact that hardly anyone from the team had won anything. Peter had to smile and he greatly admired the loyalty shown by his players, one he followed suit with and decided not to attend himself The details for the break in the Lake District were all finalised, and Charlotte had made sure to book somewhere for the cat to stay while they were away. He also finalised the details of the pre season, a tour to Spain for three games, then three games in England just to make sure they had enough energy and fitness. Keith Haslam had sanctioned a tour abroad for the first time, thanks to their promotion, so Peter had been given the choice of where to go, and he felt Spain was the best option

The end of season awards had been announced, and despite their terrific season, Peter was surprised to see his side hadn't won that many. Moukoko had finished second in the player of the season awards, while he had also claimed second in the manager of the year section. Benjamin Kibebe was the only winner, claiming the young player award, while also earning a place in team of the year, alongside Moukoko and Lee Collins, but that was all they had. Peter was going through the section with the awards in when Damien Matthew walked in "Joke that isn't it gaffer" He turned to face his assistant "I can't really fathom how we can only have one award when we've won the league. Dare I say it, politics at play?" "Probably. Moukoko should be player of the season, undoubtedly. 21 goals and 15 assists. I don't know what more he can do" Peter shrugged "Me neither. Ah well, what can we do?" "Not a lot. Oh, I've found some extra players that might be useful to look at..." He handed over the typed page as he spoke "...so it might be worth adding to the list you have already" "Cheers Damien. Listen, you get an early dart if you want? I've given the lads an extra day so you have one aswell?" He raised his eyebrow "You sure boss?" "Aye. Go on, bugger off" He waved him away with a grin .. With the season drawing to its end, and just two games remaining, Peter had recognised how hard his bunch had worked. That in mind, he reduced the training workload for the remainder of the season, and allowed an extra week's break before they returned for next season, feeling this would be appreciated by his players and staff alike. However, he still expected business as usual, and took a pretty strong squad for the trip to Coventry. They had faded off in the final third of the season, losing touch with the promotion race and sitting 9th in the table, and the mood around their ground was clearly low. This showed on the pitch too, as their tentative and negative approach saw mistakes creep in, and it was one of these mistakes that allowed Moukoko to score his 22nd goal of the season, as he intercepted a short backpass and lifted the ball over the 'keeper. Samba and Cesar both missed good chances to extend the lead, Samba hitting the post and Cesar firing straight at the 'keeper, but the worst miss was Liam Lawrence's missed penalty, after Moukoko was felled by Michael Barron, the defender receiving a straight red card for his efforts. They nearly paid for this when the home side had two chances towards the end of the half, only being saved by Jose Ros. Things took a turn for the better three minutes into the second half when Wouter Kos broke the offside trap, racing through and sliding the ball under the 'keeper, rendering the missed penalty obsolete. The ten men were always struggling in the remainder of the game, not able to cope with the pressure, and Peter saw his side ease to a comfortable win

More reinforcements had been signed to arrive in the summer. With Millwall playing hardball on Cherno Samba, Peter had made signing another forward a priority, and long time target Michael Dunwell was eventually signed, his club Bishop Auckland agreeing a fee and the striker swiftly agreeing a move. His record was sensational, 95 goals and 67 assists in 121 games for the club, and for such a nominal fee, it seemed a really low risk move. This could also be said for Norwegian midfielder Ole Talberg. He had a minimum fee release clause of £250,000, and with his capability to play in midfield or defence, both centrally or on the right, it was the perfect squad player Peter felt he needed for the step up to the Premier League Both deals were agreed before the visit of Wolves, and the squad was really starting to take shape. He had made a mental note of players in the squad he wanted to start contract talks with, but he wanted to finish the season off first before he got into it. Their opponents today had been swept aside when they visited Molineux, but with a different type of side, and nothing to play for on either team, then it could prove to be a different game. After a quarter of an hour though, this notion was swept aside, Peter watching his side race into a 2 goal lead thanks to a double from Geir Olsen. The big Norwegian thumped a header home for the first goal, rising above everyone and guiding it with power into the top corner, before he bombed forward to join the attack, the ball falling to him from a defender's foot, and he smashed it hard into the roof of the net. Olsen was a popular figure around the club, and while he had taken the decision to leave come the end of the season, it was clear his teammates valued his input around the club, off and on the pitch. While there were no more goals for a while, the visitors did get back into the match, creating a couple of chances, decent ones at that, for Cedric Roussel and Adam Proudlock, but they were kept out by Tony Warner. Proudlock missed another chance right after the restart, latching on to a long ball and dragging the ball wide, but this miss was paid for dearly when Mansfield scored a third, substitute Moukoko taking less than ten minutes to make an impact, capitalising on an error in the Wolves defence and guiding the ball into the corner. Proudlock did eventually get his goal, poking home after a scramble in the box from a corner, and ten minutes later, the game became closer than it maybe should have been, a foul in the box on Alex Rae, de Waard sticking a leg out, saw Riccy Scimeca slot home the penalty. This could have led to a nervous last 15 minutes, but the experience and know how of Peter's side saw them through, and goals from Wouter Kos and Cesar in the final few minutes settled the game, resulting in another win over the Black Country outfit -- April 2004 Results [Division One unless stated otherwise] League Cup Final Chelsea 3-2 Mansfield [Lawrence 7, Greenacre 29 ; Pirlo 12, Desailly 22, Knight 60] Mansfield 3-1 Norwich [Kibebe 1, Keko 42,63 ; Wise 49] FA Cup Semi Final Mansfield 0-1 Manchester Utd [Yorke 72] Sheffield Wednesday 0-3 Mansfield [Greenacre 16, Blake 40, Uriel 51] Mansfield 1-2 Manchester City [Keko 76 ; Wanchope 22,24] Wimbledon 1-4 Mansfield [Moukoko 15,43, de Waard 71, Blake 89 ; Nielsen 65] Mansfield 5-2 Wolves [Olsen 7,15, Moukoko 54, Kos 88, Cesar 90+2 ; Proudlock 64, Scimeca pen 74]

A trip to Wimbledon came around quickly, and a strong side took to the field for the game, Peter wanting to make amends from the previous defeat. His favoured front three of Moukoko, Greenacre and Lawrence started the game, and they began really well, Lawrence stinging the 'keepers hands with a rasping drive, before Moukoko fired a cross that Greenacre just couldn't get his foot to, but it didn't take too much longer for the goal to come, Rusk receiving the ball from Lawrence, before sliding a lovely pass into the feet of Moukoko, who cut inside onto his favoured left foot and lashed the ball into the goal. The Cameroon international was majestic, controlling the tempo of the game and setting up several chances for his team mates, the most clear cut of which fell to Benjamin Kibebe, who seemed almost shocked at being through one on one and he fluffed his shot wide of the goal. The Swede however made amends, playing a delightful little ball into Lawrence, who, despite a heavy first touch, still managed to fizz the ball across the box for Moukoko to double his, and his side's tally. It was no more than they deserved, and despite Lawrence picking up a strain as he stretched to cross the ball for the second goal, the second half was more of the same. Blake, Kos, Greenacre, Keko and Cesar all found themselves with opportunities to score, some better than others, but it was an unlikely source who scored the third, full back Ardon de Waard with a 30 yard thunderbolt that rattled the underside of the bar on it's way in. Six minutes earlier, the hosts had given themselves a glimmer of hope with a David Nielsen goal, but when Robbie Blake scored in the 89th minute, his side's 23rd effort on the home side's goal, it evaporated any hope they may have had and sealed the points .. "So we've gone through everything on your applications, and it all seems in order. You are officially on the waiting list now, but I can't give you a timeline on how long you may be waiting. It could be weeks, it could be months" Peter nodded "We understand that, obviously. So is there anything else we need to do for the process?" "Well it would be good if we could arrange a visit to your property. Just so we can see what sort of living space it would provide and the surrounding area" It was Charlotte who spoke "Well that's fine, but it would be me that would be there as Peter is usually away with the team. It's probably best to go through my contact number to organise things" "That's fine. If we can get it done sooner rather than later that would be good, and that means things are fully in progress"

Just caught up with this Matt. Really enjoyable read, takes you on a real journey as the reader. Keep up the excellent work mate 👍

Superb stuff as always Dave..magnificent read!

Manchester City were the next visitors to Field Mill, and they were looking to cement their place in the playoffs. They fielded their strongest available team, while Peter rested several of his regular starters. It was an even game for the first twenty minutes, neither side really creating much in the way of chances, but it was a spell of 116 seconds that saw the first two goals. Paulo Wanchope capitalised on a poor pass from Uriel, slipping in Darren Huckerby. The striker saw his shoit saved, but it fell straight into the path of Wanchope and he slammed it into the goal. From the resulting kick off, Peter saw his side advance forward, but it was to no avail. Carlo Nash collected a cross easily, before setting Huckerby away with a long throw. Huckerby used his pace to break free, beating Lilley with ease befoire sliding the ball across the box to Wanchope. The Costa Rican took a touch to set himself, cut inside, putting Ledley King on the floor as he did so, and curled beautifully into the corner. It was a crazy spell, one which was unexpected, but Peter was delighted with his side's response, and on 36 minutes, Keko pulled a goal back, heading home after a deep cross into the box from Ardon de Waard. The second half was a dominant Mansfield display, as chances came and went constantly. Keko, Cesar, Uriel and Lawrence all forced saves, while Samba and Jack fired chances wide. As hard as they tried, they couldn't break the defence and find the equaliser, and they succumbed to a defeat that, despite the performance in the second half being far better than their opponents .. "I don't like losing at the best of times Damien but that second half performance makes it harder to take" Matthew had spread papers across his desk, and he looked up temporarily to respond "I know what you mean but we're already up so it's not the end of the world" Peter raised an eyebrow "We can't afford to miss chances like that in the Premier Division. We'll get punished" "On that note, have Millwall agreed to sell Cherno yet?" Peter shook his head "They're playing hardball. They say they've been impressed with him and want him back to play in the first team next season. Although part of me thinks if we hadn't been promoted they might be a bit easier to convince" A laugh from Matthew "Without question. I'll have that list to you by the end of the day. Just need to work out a few more names" "No worries. I'm meeting Charlotte for lunch anyway so just drop it on my desk if I'm out"

EvilDave - Thanks a lot mate, thoroughly glad you're enjoying it. The adoption thing is kind of going off what I've read and seen on TV and the internet, as my first hand knowledge is limited! The Charlotte and Peter relationship is partly based on fiction and partly my own experiences so hopefully it remains realistic and enjoyable If I'm honest, I never expected to do so well so quickly and for it to continue in the way it has, but to know it hasn't become stale and boring to read makes it all worthwhile. I'm grateful for the support of people still following along! -- A trip to Yorkshire was next, their 41st League game of the season, and Peter decided it was a good opportunity to play some fringe players against Sheffield Wednesday. This meant that Uriel, Geir Olsen, Michael Jack, Agustin and Ardon de Waard all started the game, and he was delighted it made little difference to the result or the performance. Robbie Blake had an early effort saved, before Uriel fired wide after a Greenacre knock down, but it was the striker who broke the deadlock on 16 minutes, Michael Jack linking with Agustin, before sliding in Greenacre, who finished comfortably into the roof of the net. Jack was impressing on his debut, using his trickery and versatility to switch from the left to the right, confusing defenders, and he had a big hand in the second goal too, setting Robbie Blake away down the right hand side. The winger cut inside onto his left foot, jinked back onto his right and fired low and hard across the diving 'keeper, doubling the advantage and sending them into half time with the two goal lead. The second half was a cake walk, Peter instructing his players to keep their hold on the game but also to try and conserve their energy, and once Uriel scored a third six minutes into the half, the game was finished and they were able to take their foot off the gas, the match petering out into a simple win -- "Everything is all booked for the Lakes" Charlotte had walked in the room having just got off the phone with her parents "Perfect. I'm looking forward to it actually, a nice relaxing week away. Next season will be the most stressful yet" She sat down next to him, placing her hands on his legs "Do you think you'll stay up?" Peter shrugged "I think with the right signings and the squad we've got, then we have a chance. We have to win the games against teams similar to us though, that's the key" "What sort of budget will you get?" "Haven't discussed it yet. With the stadium expansion though, and Keith's sensible nature, I don't think he'll go mad with it. Which is fine with me" She laughed "Fair point. What about your contract?" "Keith did mention it but it won't be sorted until January probably. There's no rush with it anyway, I'm not going anywhere" They both laughed together, before Charlotte skipped off to make some dinner

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 "Lindsey, 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] Mansfield win Division One title ; Promoted to Premier League

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 promotion 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