These Weans Get Right on my Wick

[Nobby_McDonald]

Close. Can you make the next step?

[Wavelberry]

Enjoying this save

Wick is also my hometown and I often go to watch Academy. Would be cool to see someone take them to the SPFL.

'Big Gaz Weir' as you have christened him on here does actually have a nickname, he's known to pretty much everyone throughout the whole of Caithness as 'Chuckie'. Don't ask why as I can't remember the story behind it.

I think that's at least two Wick followers now. The pressure to perform is well and truly on. I'm glad that Big 'Chuckie' has a nickname though. He seems like that type of player that deserves one.

Close. Can you make the next step?

Good question Nobby. I think if we don't do it in the next year or two we'll have to wait for a while. The key players are all late-twenties so far so if they can't get us up I'm going to have to wait a few years for the next generation.

[Wavelberry]

Wick Academy 2016/17 Season Review

Second season in and no difficult second album vibes, but then I've always maintained that the third album is usually the most difficult.

Second place finish, fourth round of the Scottish Cup (again) and the first piece of silverware in the shape of the Aberdeenshire Cup means that progress has been made. We were predicted 6th and were in the title race right up until the last three games where our lack of goals cost us. Our Scottish Cup run saw two early replays as the second XI made heavy work of contemporary sides but we got through to a fourth round tie away to Aberdeen where we didn't disgrace ourselves. The claiming of the Aberdeenshire cup was welcome but you only had to win three games and even we could do that. The game is good at picking out my worst defeat as the Fort William thrashing was awful but there was nothing particularly special about the Keith result. I'd have picked the 2-0 away to Cove.

Highland League Review

Formartine claimed the title by four points in the end while Rothes sat dead last seemingly swapping places with last season's bottom side Huntly. Former Champions Cove finished twelve points behind in fifth while their runaway rivals from last season and our rivals Brora finished a further two points back in sixth which cost their manager his job at the end of the season. Shame that, just as we'd put our feud behind us.

We topped four out of the ten categories in the team stats for the league. We had the best defence so it's no surprise to see us claim the shut-out awards (and the steam achievement unlock as well).

We had the best pass completion ratio (which is weird because every highlight I see is us giving the bloody ball away) and attempted 2000 more passes than anyone else in the league which fits in with my pass and move philosophy although we're not afraid to play direct when required. Some of our best away results were playing in a more direct fashion.

I like the team to keep the ball as well so it's good that we top this again with nearly 8% more of the ball than our nearest rival. When I mentioned this at the Awards Dinner I got a lot of blank looks but I'm pleased with it anyway.

Two Wick players claimed individual stats as well...

Unsurprisingly Macadie claimed the key passes award for the second successive season. He is so important to the way we play and is the brains of the team in his Shadow Striker role. When he was out we struggled. I hope that we get at least three more years out of him as he's just turned 31. Good to see captain Mackay in the top three too.

And to no-one's surprise McCarthy claimed the clean sheet award. He stayed away from injury this year so absolutely smashed this despite his and the defence's slow start to the season.

Some other key stats we topped here. Sam Mackay was the second best rated player in the league this season, Macadie won the most MOM and Kieran Forbes made all of Wick proud by claiming the yellow card record. We can play and we can pass but if you mess with us Forbesy will kick yer heed in.

Two Wick players in the team of the year. No surprise to see Macadie in but it was a surprise to see LB Mackay in. He was average last year and did have a much better season this time out but I'm surprised to see that he was the best LB in the league. Sam Mackay can feel hard done by but not as hard done by as McCarthy who was the least beaten keeper in the league and can't get into the team. Is conspiracy.

Squad Review

Forgot to get squad list and player profiles before the season ticked over so I'll review it all based on the awards screenshot. The top three for player of the season are basically the brain, hearts and guts of the side so it's no surprise to see the voting there. For the second year running Kieran Forbes claims the young player of the year yet bizarrely can't get into the Wick team of the year which is bloody nonsense. IMHO Darren Hendry should drop out allowing Harrison to go to LM (where he's played all season), Mackay to go to CM and Forbes to come in at DM where he belongs.

There are two interesting choices in the team of the year though which highlight how the squad has started to move on. Ross Allan played most of the season at RW yet isn't picked as young Craig Charlesworth is. Allan is one of the best rated players in the team but so often flatters to deceive and gets dragged off and replaced by Charlesworth who more often than not scores. Allan really needs to pick himself up and start playing to his potential or he'll see himself out of my thoughts as well as the fans. The other major change to the squad this season was the dropping of the inconsistent and slightly useless Grant Steven for Chris Morrison at CB. Our early form was marred by defensive mistake after defensive mistake and despite Steven being rated highly I'd had enough by October and dropped him for Morrison. Once that happened we never looked back and despite an up and down season the youngster has firmly established himself in the first XI.

The squad itself is getting more strength in depth but the key area of concern now is up front. We scored the fewest goals of the teams at the top this season. Big Gaz chipped in with 16 goals this year but goals from Macadie and Ross Allan dried up. Ideally I need Robert Armstrong to develop quickly and more goals from midfield if we're going to mount another title challenge next year. I'm happy with the depth in defence and midfield but if Macadie and Gaz are out or not firing we look very lightweight up top.

No ins but two players have left the club. After complaining like a complete arse for the second half of the season Dave Allan was shown the door with Forbesy and Sam Mackay showing him the door. I also let Alan Farquhar go. With good options in midfield emerging from this year's intake he was dropping down the pecking order and I couldn't guarantee him the football he wanted. He goes with my blessing though as he was a solid servant during my time here and a true professional. I gave him an engraved glass statue of me as a leaving present.

And Finally...

Confidence in me is high and so it bloody should be especially as I turned down an interview from our arch-rivals Brora following Brittain's termination. I have fully established myself at Wick now and with great power comes greater bargaining power...

Good news although I tried for a facilities upgrade first and didnae get one. I'm also still not allowed to do a coaching badge eventhough everyone else is. So I don't have that much bargaining power. I am, however, God of everything else...

Cross me and pay the price. Poor Grant Quinn. He was quietly doing his job and I was letting him do it but on that faithful youth intake day he sealed his own fate. Losing 3-0 to a group of 15 year olds was one thing but playing Big Gaz for the full 90 minutes when I'd given him a 20 minute instruction (meaning he couldn't play in the league game three days later possibly costing us two points) was something else. He was ultra-cautious and didn't listen. Don't feel sorry for him, he got what he deserved...

[Wavelberry]

Around Scotland 2016/17

East Kilbride claimed the Lowland League title for the second year running just ahead of Stirling Uni (which could've led to three Stirling sides in League Two. Just think of the derbies) while the superbly named Gala Fairydean Rovers got relegated upsetting fans of eccentrically named teams everywhere. East Kilbride's win meant that they would face Formartine in the play-off for the right to go to another play-off.

And they won it for the second year running. Last year they beat Cove and this year they dispatched Formartine easily with the Highland Leaguers shaming all of uss by not even scoring a goal. We'd have won it obviously. Anyway it meant that East Kilbride had another chance to get into the league.

And they took it. Last year they couldn't beat East Stirlingshire but this year they could beat Stirling (albeit on pelanties) to claim their place in the league. Stirling will be having derbies against Stirling Uni while East Kilbride have trips to exotic locations such as Elgin, Berwick and Annan to look forward to. What a time to be alive and living in East Kilbride.

So Stirling drop out of the league finishing nine points adrift of safety. East Stirlingshire sucked slightly less than last year but were still rubbish. Neither of the relegated sides (Stenhousemuir and Albion) could mount a challenge leaving Clyde to march to the title and the promised land of League One.

Airdrie fell threw the trap-door with nary a whimper. Last season's two promoted sides finished in the top half with Queen's Park qualifying for the play-offs. They didn't go up though as Ayr managed to claim the second promotion spot. Morton won the league comfortably to bounce back up to the Championship at the first attempt.

Alloa had an awful season. absolutely dire. A season to make Gala Fairydean Rovers feel good about themselves. They drop into League One and have petitioned the SFA for a mercy rule to be introduced next year. They're joined by Raith who qualified for the relegation playoff by only a point while last season's League One Champions Dunfermline finished a further point ahead. At the top of the league Glasgow is king although for the third year running Rangers nearly blow it before finally getting up to the Premiership through the playoffs delighting the Glasgow constabulary no end with the promise of a bijillion Old Firm derbies next year. Partick claimed the title to bounce straight back but there was no bouncebackability for Super Cally who finished fourth.

Celtic pummel all before them again, unsurprisingly, with the two Edinburgh clubs and St Johnstone finishing 20 points back but qualifying for Europe. Hibs 3rd place finish is impressive in their first season back in the big time. Dundee United and Aberdeen finish with less points in the full table than Dundee themselves due to the split but take fifth and sixth respectively. It was a poor season for our cup conquerors Aberdeen who sacked McInnes a few days after we played them and there will be no European football in the Granite City next year. At the other end of the table Hamilton were automatically relegated while last season's Championship title winners St Mirren dropped back into the league they won last year with Rangers gaining sweet revenge in the playoff.

Celtic won the cups, Deila won Manager of the Year and the Glasgow chess Championships beating Ally McCoist in the final at the Hydro. Reports of a man grumbling in Govan about Deila's king moving in an illegal way are yet to be confirmed as are reports of a man shouting loudly at The Forge about how McCoist shouldn't have been in the final anyway as he hadn't paid his entry fee for the last few years and it disnae matter if he did this year. I think this one is set to run and run...

[Wavelberry]

Youth Prospect Update Summer 2017

How are the weans getting on? Let's check it out.

2015 Intake

Brian Petrie (YP 0.1): One of the first players on the bench as his numerous sub appearances show Petrie has stayed as third choice CB for the team this season. His potential and CA have both seemingly increased this season according to the coaches and he will continue to get opportunities. Michael Steven has been tutoring him and it has been another steady season in his development.

Jordan Evans (YP 0.2): A pretty decent season for young Evans. He tends to captain the Second XI when they play in the cups and had an extended run in the first team when I forgot to take him out. The fact that he didn't immediately flag up as rubbish shows he is progressing quite well and he topped the assist charts for the team this season. His versatility means that if either of my fullbacks get injured he will make the team. Looking forward to seeing him progress next season.

Kieran Forbes (YP 0.3): Another very good season for Kieran Forbes who has cemented his place in the first XI. Better average rating than last season, the most yellow cards for the season and he claimed goal of the season with his only net of the campaign. Vice Captain of the team he has quickly become one of the most important players in this side. He is the future to build around.

Kevin Shearer (YP 0.4): A quiet season for Shearer. There are too many players ahead of him in CM and at LM for him to get a go. Made a few sub appearances but is still well down the pecking order. Only injuries will see him break into the first team next season.

Craig Charlesworth (YP 0.5): A bit of a breakthrough season for Charlesworth whose super sub appearances and goals meant he made the Wick fan's team of the year. He doesn't look all that but 8 goals from RW, some of them vital, is a very good return. If Ross Allan doesn't live up to his potential next season Charlesworth could well find himself making the first team on a regular basis next year.

Darren Hendry (YP 0.6): Another decent season from the Dazzler earned him a spot at LM in the Wick fans team of the year although the drunken omission of Forbes from that team means that not a lot of stock can be placed in it. What can't be argued with, however, are his decent returns. He averaged 7 in the league which is pretty good given that he made 11 starts and has the potential to take Harrison's place if the elder player's form drops off. Needs to add goals to his game but another decent season from him.

Ross Nairn (YP 0.7): An up and down season for Ross. Was very good in the Scottish cup and okay in the others but has a long way to go before he can replace Macadie. Struggled with his chance in the league when Macadie was injured so I'm hoping that the big man tutoring him will aid his development. There are a few possible alternatives in the U20s so he needs to up his game next season if he is to make it here otherwise I might start to look elsewhere for Macadie's long-term replacement.

Jamie Hendry (YP 0.8): Not many chances for Jamie this season. When the second XI plays he is first choice LB but due to Jordan Evans ability to play on either side he is behind him in the injury pecking order which limits his chances. I'll be looking closely at him this season especially as a few LB prospects have popped up in the last few intakes.

Eric Campbell (YP 0.9): Didn't see much action this year and was rubbish early on in the North of Scotland cup. He looked more assured in his latter appearances but now has a first choice back-up challenger. Lots to do prove he can make it here and with McCarthy only 23 he's got a long way to go before he nails a first team berth.

Ross Little (YP Weirdo): Can't even get into the U20s team. Maybe it was former manager Quinn who was the problem. We'll see whether a new U20s manager thinks he's strange or not. Started two fires this year.

2016 Intake

Chris Morrison (YP 1.1): A breakthrough season for Morrison who replaced the flaky Grant Steven at CB early on and never looked back. A steady and unspectacular year but with great potential I'm really looking for him to kick on next season so I never have to fling my cup and saucer at Grant again.

Robert Armstrong (YP 1.2): 12 starts, 17 sub appearances and only 2 goals is not a great return. He's still very young though but will have to show something in the early season or I'll go looking in the U20s squad for someone else to try and fill Big Gaz's shoes.

Lewis Cowie (YP 1.3): Early season issues on the RW with Allan and Charlesworth out gave Lewis his chance but he didn't show much. Very much a backup player and with a better looking player in James Vance coming he may find his chances limited next season.

Jordan Campbell (YP 1.4): Tagged during Michael Steven's injury absence he didn't get a game this season. However I forsee issues with Grant Steven next year so he may well get a chance to show what he can do.

David Jackson (YP 1.5): Made one sub appearance during Macadie's injury layoff. Could well usurp Nairn next season. I will be keeping a close eye on him and be giving him opportunities if Nairn doesn't start to show a bit more.

2017 Intake

Ciaran Begg (YP 2.1): Another Ciaran, albeit with a different spelling, and he got his debut in the last game of the season. being able to play DM makes him now automatic backup to Forbes and his emergence was enough for me to let Farquhar go. Will be part of the Second XI next season and I'm looking forward to seeing how he develops.

Eric McCafferty (YP 2.2): Eric Campbell's direct rival. He's rated quite highly and I will be watching his U20 performances closely. If Campbell struggles he could well make his way up to the second XI by the end of next season.

Jamie Vance (YP 2.3): RW is still an area of the team that lacks depth so he may get a run out next year. Looks a better bet than Cowie so will be watching the Ross Allan situation with interest.

Kenny Charlesworth (YP 2.4): Scored two goals in the Youth vs U20 match and is now Armstrong's main rival. Will be looking for him to put pressure on Armstrong and he may well get a run out next season.

[Pompeyboyz]

Fabulous read....loved it...and I actually sat up when I caught glimpse of the chance of promotion....but slumped when I saw you failed

[Wavelberry]

Fabulous read....loved it...and I actually sat up when I caught glimpse of the chance of promotion....but slumped when I saw you failed

Thanks. Glorious failure is what we do here and I wouldn't have it any other way.

[Wavelberry]

Pre-Season Update 2017/18

So my players actually went off on holiday this year rather than hanging around Harmsworth Park like little lost souls. Big Gaz and Macadie went on a road trip to the south of France; Kieran Forbes went for a three week long **** up in Glasgow and got into several fights on Sauchiehall Street; Ross Little, our friendly neighbourhood weirdo, went up to John o'Groats to take pot shots at tourists with his BB rifle; meanwhile I went for a refreshing visit to see my family back in London which ate into most of my earnings for the past year.

Imagine the surprise on my return to the Highlands when my chairman bounded out of the door and said 'good news everyone...'

'Isn't it wonderful Gav? Now I can use my rubberstamper to approve all those juicy loan deals we'll get.' I just nodded and rolled my eyes. Obviously any loan attempts will be rejected and the offer of a guaranteed friendly would've been good if I didn't already play the big guys every year. Still, he's trying to help which is nice.

Onto pre-season friendlies then and I'm beginning to question the wisdom of playing big teams for money. A pretty shoddy set of results all told with only three players scoring goals and us struggling to beat the two cannon-fodder teams at the end. We'll see if it has any bearing on the season starting as a whole and if it does maybe I'll just beat up on some youth teams next year.

Onto the Highland League predictions then and despite finishing third and then second in my first two seasons at the club we have been predicted to finish 11th this time around with odds of 40-1. I'd lump on us each way if I were a betting man at those generous odds. Former Champions Cove are 3-1 favourites to regain their title while last season's winners Formartine are the joint second favourites along with Turriff (again heavily fancied despite doing the square root of fudge all since I've been in this league) at 5-1. At the wrong end of the table better times are predicted for Rothes as they could finish 17th. Good for them.

Weirdly the board expectations have stayed the same for another season. Just compete. I like the fact that there is no pressure and I don't really have nay desire to up the expectations as wage and transfer budgets are not a concern so as long as they're happy for me to fly under the radar I'll take it. Weirdly as well the local cups continue to make no sense. We've not been entered into the North of Scotland Cup this year for some reason and even stranger still, despite winning it last year we've not been entered into the Aberdeenshire Cup either so I have no chance to retain my title. It automatically limits first team chances for the second XI as I tend to play them in those matches so the U20s are very important this year.

The Team

I'm sticking with my 'guy doing the splits while waving an arm,' formation as named by Deltablue. The biggest change to the first XI has come from Danny Mackay getting an injury in pre-season so Jamie Hendry (YP 0.8) gets his opportunity. I've decided to play him rather than Evans as I like his versatility to come from the bench. It's an excellent opportunity for the lad. Let's hope he takes it.

He'll have a while as last season's LB of the Highland league is out for half the season. Ross Nairn is also out so that does give David Jackson a chance to push a claim to the first team squad.

The lack of cup games means that we have a very quiet July/August. We kick off our campaign in as friendly a fashion as possible against last season's bottom club Rothes. We then have an early trip to media darlings Turriff before more winnable games against Inverurie and Strathspey. I'll be playing friendlies in the gaps to keep the fitness up.

Here we go again...

[deltablue]

Did you earn much from those friendlies?

[BoxToBox]

Brilliant thread!

[Wavelberry]

Did you earn much from those friendlies?

About ten thousand quid all told I reckon. I get £2,000 from the Aberdeen game and my balance is in the black which is nae too bad for a non-league club (managing in non-league in England often sees eyewatering debt).

[Wavelberry]

Brilliant thread!

Thanks. It's been a pretty fun save so far.

[Cardiovascular]

good thread!

can't believe you had a friendly against Whitehills. the village I grew up in (and I am in right now as I type) and my mother stays in just now. Unbelievable, never thought I'd see them on here.

[Wavelberry]

good thread!

can't believe you had a friendly against Whitehills. the village I grew up in (and I am in right now as I type) and my mother stays in just now. Unbelievable, never thought I'd see them on here.

Truly this thread is a tour of Scotland's greatest places.

[Wavelberry]

July/August 2017 Update

Back then after what seems like forever (and it has been) and we started the season with slowest July and August of my short tenure so far.

We also start the season unbeaten and with a bang against Rothes at Harmsworth Park as Big Gaz claimed a hattrick in the first game of the season. Michael Steven and Sam Mackay both netted too to provide us with a 5-1 hammering of Rothes on day one and send the fans home happy. A gap of a fortnight meant that I scheduled a friendly against a lower league side that we customarily won 2-0 with Ross Allan scoring both goals before our difficult trip to unfathomable pre-season second favourites Turriff. Allan’s scoring practice in the previous friendly held him in good stead here as he turned in 49th minute cross in a tight game to provide us with the only goal of the game. A solid defensive performance saw us home and we were two from two.

Inverurie were the next visitors to Harmsworth Park but again with a gap of two weeks I scheduled a friendly against our own U20s. Macadie scored the only goal of a drab game where not many of my U20s put their hands up to demand notice. Big Gaz scored early on against Inverurie and we couldn’t score any more before a trip to Strathspey at the end of the month. They wanted a draw and got one as we struggled to break them down.

A decent start to the season that sees us unbeaten and near the top. A few surprise names have started well with Fort William, Nairn and Huntly all sharing space with us near the top. This could be season which sees the old order overthrown and a brave new world come about. We’ll probably still finish just off the top and get to the fourth round of the cup because WE DON’T LIKE CHANGE DAMN IT!

After the quiet of July and August we have six games in September with tricky looking trips to Fraserburgh and early form side Nairn as well as Cove coming to visit. Games at home to Lossiemouth and away to Keith round out the league programme this month and we’ll also have our first Scottish cup game of the season which will probably be against Gretna again because WE DON’T LIKE CHANGE DAMN IT! In injury news Jamie Hendry has been filling in pretty well at LB but we’ve lost our main backup LW in Darren Hendry to a nine week injury. This might be Kevin Shearer’s time to shine.

And finally it doesn’t get bigger than this grudge match.

Penalised by Peebles. Devo’d

[Wavelberry]

September 2017 Update

September has always been a month I’ve liked in real life but Football Manager is more than real life and since I moved to Wick September has been a month of shattered dreams and frustrations. This September was no different.

Five league games and only one win. Only one defeat too but just one win is not good enough for a side with title aspirations.

We started steadily enough at Fraseburgh with Big Gaz getting us off to a flyer. They equalised in the 30th minute and then the game just fizzled out although Billy Carroll (YP 2.6) will not forget the game in a hurry.

The next game against Cove got my hopes right up as we were magnificent in taking apart the former title-winners. Goals from Ross Allan, Macadie and Big Gaz eased us to a 3-1 victory but then the wheels came off the clown car. First we went to early leaders Nairn and lost an even game to a pretty good goal. Then came Lossiemouth (which was three days before the cup game so I fielded a weakened side) that needed Big Gaz to come off the bench and score the equaliser. We then went away to Keith and battered them but an OG from Jamie Hendry (YP 0.8) saw us drop even more bloody points and ended a poor month for us in the league despite Big Gaz’s Kevin Phillipsesque goalscoring and the fact that Ross Allan was the 2nd best player in the league this month.

Which leads us to the cup and with the league form wobbling what we didn’t need was a trip to our arch-rivals Brora but that’s what we were given. Brora’s manager saw a chance to stick the knife in pre-match and did so…

I didn't even say anything you chippy bollocks. Anyway how did that work out for you?

We were very good. A quintessential away performance with the dynamic duo netting the goals to send us into the second round.

Aye, well. Maybe don’t run your mouth off before the game next time mate?

Already Nairn are looking scarily consistent and have opened up a six point lead on us and Cove. They’re scoring for fun this year and we’re going to need to put a very good run together if we’re going to stand a chance of winning the league this year. My worry is that without Macadie or Big Gaz we will struggle to get the goals needed.

October gives us four league matches and a visit from the league leaders in the second round of the Scottish Cup. We also have a midweek derby against Brora just before that as well as tricky matches against a resurgent Huntly and a Fort William side who have started the season well. I look at October and I look at the squad and then I think…

Exactly.

[Wavelberry]

October 2017 Update

It wasn't just an elaborate ruse; it wasn't a moon and now we were ready to witness the firepower of this fully ARMED and OPERATIONAL battlestation.

An awful month in the league. First of all we contrived to lose to Huntly at home who are bang average. Ross Allan's consolation being just that. Then we played out a dull and guileless draw with Deveronvale before facing a Brora side who we'd stung in the cup just a month ago. Of course with us suddenly playing like a group of drunk amateurs from the Highlands we were taken to school by Brora who defeated us as comfortably as we'd dispatched them the previous month. Oh and the even better news.

Bloody great. I took my self up to John o'Groats with a barrel of whisky and didn't come back for two days after to celebrate.

Of course to top this month of brilliance I had to face the reinvigorated Nairn County in the cup whose Lazarus style rise makes Leicester look like Villa.

We held them at home. I guess that's a victory of some sort. We held them at home and we didn't get disgraced away losing to a 73rd minute goal in a game which had some very even chances. Still, it matters not as we're out of the cup, out of our league and out of whisky.

Remember when we won things? That was fun. Why wouldn't they let us play this year? We could've been great again. Instead Buckie Thistle and Nairn are the new Thanes on the block while we're left bleeding out on the grass nearby like a small boy who dares to call a hired murderer a lying, shaggy-haired villain.

The league makes depressing reading especially with Brora storming into second place with a flawless month. Looks like a beating from us was just what they needed. Nairn are well out in front and we're knocking around in midtable again. Just happy to be here folks. Always happy to be here.

November then and five more games for us to lose and upset the good people of Wick with. We play host to the Champions (who are having as rubbish a season as us) after free-scoring Fort William and see Forres come to us at the end of the month. Between those we have trips to Clachnacuddin and newly-crowned Kings of Aberdeenshire Buckie Thistle. At this stage I have no expectations. A win would be nice and maybe the fans not descending en masse expecting some...

Oh. ****.

[Wavelberry]

November 2017 Update

The world is a strange place. Once, where bounces would go against you and make you look like a complete arse in front of your ever-angering manager, suddenly they were going for you and allowing you to turn to your aforementioned manager with a big stupid grin on your face that suggests that you don't quite know how you got away with it. He looks on bemused, not quite sure how you got away with it either, but he also looks on with relief in his heart. Strange and fickle is this world of ours...

Unbeaten then. An unbeaten November. It's not title winning form in any league, not even one of those leagues that has two teams with one of those teams on fire, but it is form of some kind. Rot stopped. The centre may well hold.

We started with two home games against Fort William and then Formartine and both games followed a familiar script. Despite us being the home team we were outplayed and the visiting side took an early lead. That lead lasted until the 60th minute (give or take) when our right-winger turned up and scored a goal (Charlesworth's being his first this season). Then the game descended into end-to-end farciness before petering out into a 1-1 draw. Two home games, two underwhelming draws and an unwinning run that stretched back to the Restoration but then...

Sometimes when you're on a run of doom it takes a spawny goal to get you over the line and it took us till the 88th minute in a game we were the better side in to finally sneak a goal against Clachnacuddin. Harrison scored his first goal of the season to give us a precious 1-0 win and change the complexion of the month. Suddenly there was a bit of belief again. Next we faced Buckie and it was almost like old style Wick again with good efforts, a first half goal and a solid defensive display plus clean sheet. Two 1-0 wins. Are we on our way back?

The Forres game nearly suggested we were but old failings emerged. We raced into a 2-0 lead with goals from Ross Allan and Big Gaz but conceded a last minute thunderbastard to emerge only with a 2-2 draw. Still, it's an unbeaten month and it feels like a corner has near enough been turned. Happy days.

The league is stupid. Nairn rule the Highlands and then it's 36 from 12 for 2nd place by the looks of things. This works in our favour in one part as the season has now gone and it may be time to blood some of the youth players who may be better than their earlier YP predecessors and it's all experience. It does make the Highland Cup a priority now though. It would be good to get some silverware this season.

Five games in December and all are eminently winnable. The game against Cove is key but we'll probably lose to Rothes and then go on another terrible run. Results may say we're out of the woods but I'm not so sure yet...

Other clubs though clearly think that not only are Wick out of the woods but they are bringing the woods to Dunsinane. A job offer and a link after my worst run of my career. I'm beginning to think these idiot chairman have no clue...

[Wavelberry]

December 2017 Update

The Christmas month dawned with the season on the brink of turning. What would happen? Nuclear decay...

A month of diminishing returns then. It was like December started with promises of awesome presents and massive Christmas fun and ended with you sat by yourself unwrapping some socks that you had bought and wrapped for yourself while your Tesco 'Christmas Curry' rotated in the microwave.

We started well enough with a trip to Rothes and Steve Harrison's best game of the season followed by a win at home to Turriff where Ross Allan and Big Gaz notched. The decay began in the next two matches with two frustrating draws. Ross Allan's goal against Strathspey wasn't enough to win the game and nobody's goal against Inverurie meant we couldn't come back from there with a W either.

The final game away at Cove was even more frustrating as it was a really stupid, suicidal pass from the normally reliable Campbell who gifted Cove a 1 on 1. They converted and we couldn't do anything else. Sickner. Strangely, despite the doom of previous months, that was our first defeat in 9. Looks like we're just very streaky this season. Prepare for an awful January then...

I did get one decent Christmas present: a new contract. Still doing well enough to get a new contract then and I negotiated a £50 payrise (my first at the club). I'm going to use the extra money to buy a megaphone so I can bellow touchline instructions to players on the opposite flank.

We finish 2017 in a race for 3rd. Brora have found some consistency to rush out into second by themselves while Nairn continue to play in their own league and laugh at us and call us fat. Any question of challenging has gone and I'll be happy with a top six finish.

New Year and only three games. No fourth round of the cup this year so we only have to lose to Fraserburgh, Lossiemouth and Nairn. The friendly I schedule after the Nairn game will be key to rebuilding morale I feel.

Meanwhile as I try to develop the youth of my team I've got some of the old hands to tutor. It's mostly been going well until...

Well that's a bit strange. What's even stranger is the day after I get this news in my inbox...

Pretty certain McCarthy had him duffed up. Maybe with the help of our U20 weirdo. Anyways, that falling out could well cost Campbell his career as the GK we got in last year's youth intake is rated as good as he is and given that McCarthy is still only 23 so is not going anywhere... He best start looking for a new job.

[Wavelberry]

January 2018 Update

A New Year dawns with only three games but one of them is an absolutely huge one against leaders Nairn. How would we fare?

Pretty well actually. An unbeaten month with an excellent performance in the big game to give us some hope heading towards the end of the season and the impending Highland Cup.

We started at home to Fraserburgh and dropped two points in slack fashion. Michael Steven gave us the lead from a well worked throw in but then lost his man to allow their equaliser. We pushed for a winner but frustratingly couldn't get one to leave us two games without a win and fear of another streak about to begin.

We put those fears to be against Lossiemouth with a hard fought away win. We dominated the game but just couldn't break them down but eventually, in the 57th minute, after much bouncing around in the box the ball fell to Sam Mackay and the captain blasted home. We then held out to give us a win and some confidence ahead of the visit of the league leaders.

The Nairn game was a belter. We set up much more defensively than we usually would at home and looked to sit back and hit Nairn on the break. It worked beautifully as we battered them in the first half with their keeper pulling out some fantastic saves. He couldn't stop Macadie tucking home in the 31st minute to give us a deserved lead but that lead was short lived as eight minutes later Nairn scored with their first real move of the game. Frustration grew in the second half as when Danny Mackay got himself sent off for a second yellow. I was literally about to sub him as well the stupid idiot. Instead I was forced to go for a bit more of a daring strategy. I withdrew Big Gaz for a left back leaving us playing a strikerless formation but I swapped the attacking duties of Allan and Harrison round with Ross Allan as the IF on attack. It paid beautiful dividends just a few minutes later as Macadie played him in and he slotted home past the keeper. After that we parked the bus and got a deserved 2-1 win against the leaders with ten men. Sometimes we're actually not too bad.

With no game in the last weekend of the month I played our U20s again and we won comfortably.

Up to 3rd but 11 points adrift of Nairn still. Brora are probably the real target but I'll happily take lower if we can do well in the Highland Cup. A good month for us though but another strange month for managerial appointments in the Highaland League.

Yep that's right. The manager of the team well clear in 2nd dropped to the fourth place team and to make matters even weirder the manager of the team who have been smashing it up all season goes to their nearest rivals for the title who are six points back. THERE IS NO LOGIC!

Next month we start our Highland Cup campaign against old favourites Turriff before league games against Keith, Huntly and our old mate Polworth down at Deveronvale, but one person won't be joining us.

Turns out managers aren't the only ones who make stupid moves. Huntly had tried earlier in the window to get Harrison so I'd upped his non-contract contract (he'd rejected a part-time one) which meant when Buckie came in on the 31st I paid no heed. Next thing I know he's gone. He's been first choice LM for three bloody years and he just walks out on me. Well he's dead to me now. He's a Judas. When Buckie come I'm whipping the fanss up into a frenzy. HAGGIS WILL BE THROWN. I'll also destroy him in any press-conferences I have and set all players to hard tackle him. Nobody betrays the Wick project. Nobody!

[Wavelberry]

February 2018 Update

February dawns and that ******* Harrison won't be getting any Valentines unless it's a bullet in an envelope. Anyways this was a big month for us as we tried to chase silverware.

And it was bloody typical. Of course we beat Turriff and looked pretty good doing it with Big Gaz getting his first goal for ages (after a wee pep talk by me) to win us the game. But then we conceded a first minute goal to Keith and then went out on bloody pelanties to a side that's never beaten us. That's so bloody Wick it's unbelievable. At least Lil' Billy got his first ever goal for the club. Ah well, never mind.

In the league we thumped both Keith (which makes the cup defeat more annoying) and Huntly. Allan impressing against Huntly and Big Gaz thumping a hattrick to dispatch Wick. We lost against Deveronvale in the last minute as I chased a win on the off chance. The goal in the game was Charlesworth's first of the season though. He's been quiet this year.

Down to fourth due to the defeat but it's so close we could easily finish second. I'm not sure I'm that bothered about it though so might look to give more experience to squad players in the last six games. Also there's a youth intake coming which could influence team selection.

A derby match against my third rival manager in just three years is first followed by trips to Fort William and then Formartine. Just sauntering to the end of the season now...

As is Ronnie. How easy is life for some eh?

[Wavelberry]

March 2018 Update

Youth month dawned with us not having much to play for. Let's get it done...

To the youth intake then and some very interesting player especially in defence and in the Macadie position. Still lacking a Big Gaz replacement though.

The U20s got humbled again. I'm beginning to think that the U20s are far too coddled and need a slap. Some good player though and this looks like a very decent intake.

Another unbeaten month in the league but the pleasing win against Brora aside we were a bit rubbish given that we didn't score a goal. We didn't concede (apart from in the money spinning freindly against Hibs) but we didn't score either so we ended the month with 3 frustrating 0-0 draws.

Still second but only by dint of our decent defence. Otherwise we're **** and deserve to be hated.

Next month we take on The Traitor's team and finish against Forres. Youth will be played.

And they have been played with two making their debuts in the last month and deservedly so.

[Wavelberry]

April 2018 Update

The end is here and not too soon for such a meh season.

We end a meh season with meh results. First off we were pretty damn impressive against the Traitor's team and he was nowhere near us. The 3-0 win was sweet and the whole team mocked him and threw things as Harrison walked to his car. The last game of the season against Forres was a damp squib as we did nothing. It was a fairly even game but they were too incisive for us.

So we finish 4th which is par for the course. Another decent season but it matters not. As soon as Nairn dominated there was only gonna be one winner and so it was that they won.

Of course we can't sniff at 4.2 grand can we?

[withnail316]

Just discovered this, a great thread. KUTGW, man.

[deltablue]

Pity you had that poor run. Nairn would have been tough to beat anyway.

[Wavelberry]

Just discovered this, a great thread. KUTGW, man.

I'll be here till they run me out of Wick and back over the border or when I get arrested for setting Steve Harrison's house alight.

Pity you had that poor run. Nairn would have been tough to beat anyway.

Nairn were just untouchable this season. They started well and never stopped. That long winless run definitely cost us a comfortable second but I'm happier with character building experiences of this season (he lied).

[Pompeyboyz]

Can't wait to see how Nairn do in the play off. Bet they lose to the Lowlands league winners who then fail to beat the worst in league 2

Bets on?

[Wavelberry]

Wick Academy 2017/2018 Season Review

My third season ends and in some ways it was a step back and it some ways we made more progress. A season that defies analysis in some ways so settle in as we try and analyse it pointlessly before all going home drunk.

A 4th place finish then. We could've finished second quite easily I think but our long winter of discontent put paid to that (although it kind of highlights the weakness of the league that we were just a win away from second on the last day of the season). The Scottish Cup saw us go out to the Highland League Champions Nairn in the 2nd round (although we did take 'em to a replay) and we fudged the Highland cup up by losing on pelanties to Keith. Bloody Keith. I think whoever did the review of our moments only started watching the team in April as I'd say our 2-1 defeat of the Champions with ten men was the best and our hammering against Brora in the league was our worst, but whatever. The poor lad has only just started working at the Wick Examiner so we'll cut him some slack.

Highland League Review

Nairn were worthy Champions while Brora finished second for the second time in three years. Former Champions Formartine finished well down the table while Rothes finish bottom of the pile with Clachnacuddin also having a season to forget. We did score some awards though for all you stats nerds out there.

Three players in the team of the year this year which is weird given how much better we were last year. Nairn only have one more player than us in the XI while the other players are supplied by Highland Cup winners Inverurie, Strathspey and Forres.

Sam Mackay broke records this season as well getting the highest average rating for the league.

Nairn and us dominated the team stats with us claiming some key stats for third successive year.

Again we were the best passers in the league (which does not chime with the highlights I see but hey)

And we also dominate the possession stats again but being beautiful and looking after the ball is not all we do.

Check that out. The boys from Wick will kick yer heed in if ye look at us funny. Ye ken? Almost 100 more fouls and 36 yellow cards is pretty impressive going.

Which leads us to the personal stats and we've done well here as well.

Starting with Kieran 'Knuckles' Forbes who got over a quarter of our yellow cards all by himself. He's a wee dirty ******* but he's our dirty ******* and I love him. Props to Brian Petrie too who managed to come sixth on that list despite not playing much

Macadie dominated the key passes again beating Mackay into second. Our midfield is a wonderful fusion of pass, move and kick him in the shins.

And finally McCarthy who didn't rate overly well this season nailed the clean sheet award and we had the best defence. It feels like we're so close to really clicking.

The Squad

All the used players for this season are above for your perusal. A core team was used for most of the year as you can see. As far the squad is concerned we're lacking back-up for Big Gaz as neither of the young strikers have been any good so far. It may be up to some of this year's intake to step up. We've got good defensive cover and I'm quite pleased with midfield. It's just scoring goals where we struggle. I need to start finding more goals from midfield or I'm going to need more of a goal contribution from Macadie. We're building a decent team though.

The awards for the season were a mixed bunch. Mackay's awesome performances sealed him his third straight POTY award since I've been here. I've basically made his career. The others didn't really matter. Kieran wins YPOTY for the third year running too but for some unfathomable reason can't get into the team of the year. Instead the drunk Wick fans voted in Charlesworth who was nowhere near good enough this year and put that bloody traitorous ******* Harrison in CM with Mackay at DM. Do these idiots even know anything about football? I don't even know why I bloody bother. I do agree with the goal of the year though. It were a beauty.

Key Players

Sam Mackay (CM): Captain fantastic although there is an underlying feeling that sometimes he's just a numbers accumulator. Still, he keeps us ticking and I'll probably miss him when he's gone.

Richard Macadie (AM): Did what he did last year but wasn't as incisive or as dangerous in front of goal and that's probably why we suffered. If he can get back to goals next season that could be enough to propel us to a title challenge.

Ross Allan (IF): One man who did step up to the goal scoring plate this year was Ross Allan. This was the season I've been wanting to see from him since the start. Hopefully this will be his breakthrough. If I can get he, Macadie and Big Gaz scoring goals in the same season... well.

Big Gaz Weir (ST): Not as highly rated as previous seasons but his best goal scoring return with 15 league goals and 18 overall. He scored over a third of our goals. He is priceless for us at the moment.

A list of the injuries we've had this season. Mackay has a long time out at the beginning of the season but overall that's not a bad injury record for a team that plays in the Highland league. Of course it may be because we've got Kieran in midfield that nobody dares kick us.

No-one in (chairman still upset about not getting to use his rubberstamp) and three out. Allan and Farquhar were surplus to requirements and left at the beginning of the season while Steve Harrison is part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor. Kieran's already got him earmarked for an early reducer next season.

In conclusion then an okay season. We need to try and score more goals. Maybe I need to change the set-up or maybe it'll all click. Anyways we're steady away and will be looking for top 4 again next year.

And the best news of the year?

Get in. Three years in a row. It's like a trophy.

[Wavelberry]

Around Scotland

So now it's time to stick our heads out from our parochial little corner of north-east Scotland and see what else has been going on in this fair adopted country of my home.

We start with the Lowland League where Stirling Uni dominated like Nairn dominated in our league. They lost one game all season and romped to the title after coming so close last year; the actual Stirling side finished 6th which was a very disappointing reaction to relegation while Threave did a reverse Stirling Uni and only won one game on their way to being relegated.

This of course meant that Stirling Uni and Nairn would face off in play-off for the right to play another play-off. The biggest prize of all. Two sides that had dominated their leagues going head to head in a titanic struggle. It was going to be tight, nip and tuck, no quarter given or asked and...

Whoops. Nairn were battered over two legs and I wouldn't be surprised to see them do a Formartine next season. A very disappointing end to a good campaign for them. As for Stirling Uni, that win meant that they had earned the right to face the bottom side in League Two which just happened to be last season's rivals East Kilbride.

Who drop back down at the first time of asking. They made it up on pelanties last year and drop back down by losing a pelanty shoot out this year. Stirling Uni take their place and will play League football next year. But what will they find?

A league without Berwick and Elgin City for a start with the latter nabbing the title from the former by just a point. It didn't matter though as Berwick won their play-off against Clyde to join their rivals in League One next year. Airdrie finished a disappointing 7th after relegation while East Kilbride dropped back into non-league. They actually started really well but bottomed out after about November and never recovered. You usually have to be properly crap to finish behind East Stirlingshire and so East Kilbride proved.

Raith and Alloa were both relegated from the Championship and finished 1st and 2nd respectively with Raith romping home by 8 points. Alloa were left to curse thier luck though as they couldn't get to the relegation play-off and instead Queen's Park got their second promotion in three years to move Hampden even further away from us. Brechin were automatically relegated but that extra point Clyde got only delayed the inevitable and they return to League Two at the first attempt.

Super Cally return to the Premier League after a two season absence by winning the title by 11 points. Hamilton were comfortably 2nd but were able to win the play-off and bounce back at the first attempt while their fellow relegatees from last season St Mirren could only finish 3rd. Newly promoted Morton had a great season finishing fifth but Ayr had an absolute 'mare getting relegated before Celtic won the title (which is early). Dumbarton are the ones who lost to Queen's Park so drop to League One.

Celtic, unsurprisingly, hammer everyone into submission nearly winning the title before Ayr got relegated in the Championship. The Dundee clubs find themselves in Europe again along with Hearts while newly promoted Rangers and Aberdeen finish up the top six. On the other side of the split Partick survive their first season by finishing 9th and getting to the Cup final (which Hearts won) while Motherwell and Kilmarnock drop through the trapdoor.

With Rangers back in the Premier League all of Scotland rejoiced at the fact that the Old Firm ******** could be turned back up to 11 and my did the players join in...

Somehow the players voted the Rangers manager the Manager of the Year. How the bloody hell that happened is beyond me. I can only assume that the other players are just sick of Celtic beating up on them every season so did it just to spite the club. As you can guess this news was well received in the east end of Glasgow...

The press were now under tremendous pressure to give Ronny his rightful award and as the noise got louder from the Green half of Glasgow it seemed that it all might get a bit out of control. So the press did the only logical thing they could.

Well, you have to admire the level of trolling and a part of Glasgow did rejoice until one member of the Partick contingent went too far.

It took four police cars and an army helicopter to stop him. There was some mumbling about the Glasgowcentric nature of the awards but nobody listened because it came from one of those other places in Scotland. Edindee, Abermarnock, Inverton. Y'know. One of them...

[Wavelberry]

Summer 2018 Youth Update

Time to have another check on my marked weans. We're getting to the point now where my U20s side is huge and I need to start thinking about how I'm going to develop those that are well away from the 1st team. It's my intention to have a cull before pre-season and I'm also going to request a feeder club. If we can get one in the active Lowland lower leagues that would be awesome as I could properly get them watched but I have a feeling that distance might be a problem. Still, we'll see how it goes. Onwards to the school report...

2015 Intake

Brian Petrie (YP 0.1): A quiet season for Brian. He made a couple of league starts and cup starts and quite a few sub appearances. Impressive yellow card accumulation suggests he might challenge Kieran for the role of 'enforcer' if he got a run in the side. He'll remain as 1st choice back-up given his experience but the emergence of Greig Stewart (YP 3.1) means that he might slip down the pecking order.

Jordan Evans (YP 0.2): A quiet season for Jordan. He's highly rated but he'll not get a game over Campbell at RB at the moment and I preferred to keep him on the bench because of his versatility while Danny Mackay was out injured. If we're in some more cups I'll definitely give him those as I don't want him to stagnate. He never disgraces himself and is a useful member of the squad.

Kieran Forbes (YP 0.3): What can we say about Kieran. He's clearly not appreciated by our meathead fans. Probably because the skills and qualities he brings are more cerebral what with his ten yellow cards and desire to kick someone in the air after the first 90 seconds of the match. A mainstay of the team and another season averaging over 7. He'll make Steve Harrison wish he never left next season and I'll give him a bonus when he does.

Kevin Shearer (YP 0.4): A frustrating season for a frustrating player. He seems to do well in the U20s but always gets injured at inopportune moments. With James Pickles leaving in the Summer though this could be his time to shine as he will probably be first choice back-up for Sam Mackay but I am worried about his injury proneness. He got subbed off in his only sub appearance with an injury. Next year's a big one for him.

Craig Charlesworth (YP 0.5): Nowhere near the heights of last year as he only scored two goals. He was not the supersub this year but he's young and developing but this was a distinctly average year for him.

Darren Hendry (YP 0.6): A quiet first half of the year with some injuries and sub appearances but is now in a direct battle with Billy Carroll (YP 2.6) for the LM spot. He did okay after Harrison's departure with a few assists and a few goals. His time is now, but I worry that his low determination will be the undoing of him and may ultimately tell in his battle for a first team place.

Ross Nairn (YP 0.7): Always so tired. When Macadie was out or needed resting I kept wanting to pick him but he's never really fit which means he was limited to just sub appearances and he didn't do much with them. He needs to breakthrough soon or he is danger of being left behind.

Jamie Hendry (YP 0.8): Danny Mackay's injury gave him his chance and he took it well averaging over 7 in 20 starts which means he's a solid and dependable back-up for when Mackay is out. A pleasing season.

Eric Campbell (YP 0.9): He's rated, he looks okay but his falling out with McCarthy after the tutoring could mean that he is living on borrowed time. If he knuckles down he'll stay but he's very much 3rd choice in my eyes now.

Ross Little (YP Weirdo): Just two sub appearances for the U20s and his contract is up in the summer. He keeps asking about a new one while never quite meeting your gaze. We may just tell him Steve Harrison made us do it and watch him extract bloody revenge. He may just hang around outside. Either way, we're changing the locks at the training ground.

2016 Intake

Chris Morrison (YP 1.1): First choice CB and he averaged more than his older partner. He's gonna keep playing and hopefully keep getting better. One of our key players now and going forward.

Robert Armstrong (YP 1.2): Hmmmm. He is our best youth striker but he just doesn't seem to have it. I kind of gave up on him later in the season to play the younger Charlesworth up front (not that he was any better). Need to see something from him. I may well send him on loan to a feeder club if we get one. He needs something to happen though.

Lewis Cowie (YP 1.3): Was tagged because of his performance in the original intake game but I just don't think he's good enough and I have better youth options. May well be the last time he's featured unless something amazing happens.

Jordan Campbell (YP 1.4): Emergency CB cover last season. He's not good enough and won't make it here. Probably his last season with the club.

David Jackson (YP 1.5): A more reliable back-up for Macadie than Ross Nairn as he is actually fit enough to play. I have a decision to make about whether he is to be groomed for the Macadie role or the Sam Mackay role in CM. A lot will probably depend on Kevin Shearer's fitness for the back-up role and I am tempted by the coach reports that say he could be as good as Mackay. A definite squad player.

2017 Intake

Ciaran Begg (YP 2.1): 5 starts and 3 sub appearances for the other Ciaran. Could've played more but suffered an injury that kept him out for a while. A dependable and solid back-up for our boy Forbes though.

Eric McCafferty (YP 2.2): Highly rated and I chose him to debut in the final game of the season. My second choice keeper.

Jamie Vance (YP 2.3): No games for Jamie this season but if Craig Charlesworth's form doesn't pick up again he has a chance to break into the first team squad as he is rated quite highly.

Kenny Charlesworth (YP 2.4): Picked for games after I lost patience with Robert Armstrong's lack of goals and he responded by not scoring either. Will be looking for him to show more next season as the hunt for Big Gaz's protege continues.

David Allan (YP 2.5): A decent looking left back but Jamie Hendry's a much better back-up and Jordan Evans can always step up from the bench. Will be looking for a loan for him next season.

Billy Carroll (YP 2.6): Given a run in the first team this year and performed quite well. Got his debut goal in the Highland cup and will go head to head with Darren Hendry for the LM role next season.

2018 Intake

Greig Stewart (YP 3.1): An extremely tasty looking CB. He was given a debut in the last games and could well push Morrison or Michael Steven for a starting place if either of them drop off. Michael Steven had some dodgy games towards the end of the season so it's not beyond the realms of the possible that he gets a good run in the first team next year.

Declan Campbell (YP 3.2): Another tasty looking player and someone who looks like a natural Macadie replacement. His emergence could have a big knock effect for Ross Nairn and David Jackson. The lack of a good striker could also be a factor as I search for Big Gaz's heir. He can play up front as well as in AM and next year will prove to be an intriguing year for him. Looking forward to seeing him develop.

Sam Finnis (YP 3.3): A wild card and a spanner thrown into the battle in LM. He is only a AML which means that in the formation as is he wouldn't really fit but if Billy Carroll or Darren Hendry can't nail down a first team place I would be willing to change it up and see what he can do. There is also a temptation to train him up on the other flank as a Ross Allan IF replacement.

Stephen Martin (YP 3.4): Another winger and another person with a chance to get a first team place. Again he looks pretty decent. A bit overstocked for options on the flanks. It'll certainly make the competition for places interesting next year.

Sean Tobin (YP 3.5): And another midfielder. Can play either CM or AM so will have a chance to audition for the heir of Macadie role.

The Youth Analysis

A really interesting season ahead especially for those from the first two intakes. We could see a bit of a culling in the coming season as I now have enough bodies to be ruthless. Time for the class of 2015 to stand up and be counted lest the class of 2018 take their place.

[Wavelberry]

Can't wait to see how Nairn do in the play off. Bet they lose to the Lowlands league winners who then fail to beat the worst in league 2

Bets on?

Pretty close. The Lowland league seems to have the wood over the Highland league for some reason and I was disappointed the East Kilbride couldn't make a better fist of staying up. Hopefully Stirling Uni will stay up next year (unless of course we win the league, in which case bring 'em on).

[dllu]

Queen's Park in the Championshsip - impressive!

[Wavelberry]

Pre-season 2018 Update

Another new day dawns and my fourth season at Harmsworth Park begins with some changes, some same old-same old and some friendlies.

It wasn't a bad old pre-season actually. I played less big guns this year so we could at least win some and it helped to crystalise my first and and second XIs in my mind. Stand out points of interest include Billy Carroll notching a few goals and Robert Armstrong scoring too although I'm still deeply suspicious about Mr Armstrong and his long-term future as a striker for Wick. We didn't really get battered by any of the big teams and obviously I'm very proud of the 0-0 we had at Tynecastle. The only exception was the Morton game which I didn't even want or arrange but we had to have because of that stupid link we have with them. I couldn't cancel the friendly even after I terminated the link with Morton (what a great partnership that proved to be) so I just sent my U20s to play it instead so it didn't ruin my carefully planned regime of pre-seasoness.

Big Gaz also got a testimonial which was nice especially as I got to relive the glory days of the Pickles and Farquhar axis in midfield. Steve Harrison tried to come for the game but Kieran stopped him at the door and turned him away. A steady pre-season though and we look ready.

Some business to take care of first as we wave goodbye to Grant Steven and James Pickles. Grant was no great loss despite being a highly ranked CB when I started. He never performed that well and was prone to having some absolutely terrible games and unlike his namesake (brother?) Michael Steven he had a crappy attitude when called out on it. Once Morrison emerged he was always going to be a second choice and his attitude meant that he dropped below Petrie as well. In the end all he would do was grumble and I didn't want to keep him.

James Pickles is slightly different and I'm sad to see him go. A very good CM who had some great performances for us especially in the first season but when Mackay emerged as the first choice BBM and Forbes showed he could be more effective at DM than Pickles could be in a defensive midfield centre role James found his opportunities limited. He is a model pro but I couldn't guarantee him the football and in the end it was better to let him go and allow the younger midfielders to step into his back-up role. He leaves and is allowed to come back.

It's also the end for three tagged youth prospects.

Jordan never played and was unlucky that even when there was an injury crisis there were better players than him. He goes having done nothing at Wick.

Lewis Cowie made 3 appearances at the beginning of the second season when both Craig Charlesworth and Ross Allan were injured. He wasn't bad but he wasn't a standout and he's not progressed and there are better prospects than him now.

And of course Ross Little. Played some games right at the beginning of my reign when every left-footed player was injured (pretty certain he had something to do with it) but after that he just stayed in the U20s muttering and starting fires. He leaves with security watching him and a scribbled address for Steve Harrison in Buckie.

We're expected to finish 10th then with odds of 40-1 which makes me wonder whether the odds compilers ever bother watching a league we've finished in the top 4 of every time for the last 3 seasons. My skepticism is compounded by the fact that Turriff United are AGAIN the favourites for the league despite being nowhere near since I've been here. Nairn, Formartine and Cove make sense given they are all former Champions and Brora as well but I'm not sure why we're behind the rest and why Strathspey are suddenly so unfancied they're 1700 behind Rothes in odds land despite Rothes finishing dead last in the season just gone.

The low expectations continue which is fine by me. We're actually in the North of Scotland cup this year but we're not taking part in the Aberdeenshire cup for a second year running which means we won't have lost in that competition for three years now.

Tactics are the same as last year but I will be monitoring the goalscoring situation if we continue to pick up the 0-0s like last year. In the first XI Billy Carroll will get first crack at the LM berth otherwise it's business as usual.

The second XI sees three of the 2018 intake and very promising players they all are too. Greig Stewart could well find himself in the first XI at the end of the season as he's highly rated and both Steven and Morrison had poor trots last year otherwise the resst will be awaiting injury or a severe drop off in form if they're going to get there.

We start our campaign against Huntly before we go into a stupidly quiet August with an away trip to Clachnacuddin and a home game against unstoppable title force Turriff. We also enter the North of Scotland cup and face Alness in round one. Strap yourselves in. We go again...

[Wavelberry]

July/August 2018 Update

We're back and this time we might be a little bit crap and leaky at the back. This does not please me.

Three league games and it all started so well against Huntly with Big Gaz, Ross Allan and Charlesworth scoring to give us a comfortable 3-1 win. It all went to pot in the next game as Clachnacuddin just waltzed through us twice in the first 20 minutes and scored two. We had no answer and looked a bit rubbish. I was worried. We then came to Turriff and raced into a two goal lead with Big Gaz notching both but they fought back leaving us with an underwhelming 4 points from our opening three games. This is not the start I wanted. There seems to be a brittleness in the side that folds in the face of adversity and that is not something I like to see.

We played two friendlies in the gaps and won them. At least Gaz has started the season well.

The North of Scotland cup was left to the second XI and they performed extremely well against Alness with Campbell getting his first goal for the club and Petrie nodding in. Allan came off the bench to make it 3-0 and make sure we were in the next round. The fixture was (of course) against the side we were playing in the league just before so we went back to Clachnacuddin just a few days after our 2-0 drubbing. We lost 1-0 this time to a flukey goal and I'm getting the impression that God may hate me this year...

Nothing much to report thus far although Inverurie's 3 in a row puts them top early on. Could they be this season's Nairn?

6 Games in September with 3 tough away trips to Forres, Cove and Fort William and a trip to Harmsworth for Strathspey and the Great Traitor's side. We'll also have our first Scottish cup game. I'm expecting good results to lighten my mood.

Someone's mood who has been lightened. I wonder if he'll play for Scotland or if he's running away from the mafia.

[Wavelberry]

September 2018 Update

Stand down men. I'm calmer now. The wrath of Gav has been eased by some decent performances and now I'm my normal self again. For a week at least...

A very decent month with 12 out of 15 in the league. It all started with us going 1-0 down at Forres and I was practicing the speech I was going to give in court after I'd murdered 11 footballers but Big Gaz popped up twice in the second half to seal an important win and assuage my rage. That was short lived with a defeat against Cove in a game we weren't in, were very disappointing in and led me to kick a cat on the way home. I'm not proud but I felt sooo much better.

The good luck of kicking a cat smiled upon us after that though with 3 straight wins starting with clean sheet against Traitor United. Kieran was given a man-mark and kick him tae **** job on Harrison but had to be withdrawn from that role after fouling him four times and being booked after 21 minutes. Then I left it to Sam who was slightly more tactical with his fouling. We won the day with a very good goal that fell somehow to our RB Grant Campbell and kept a clean sheet. Progress.

After that we took on a Strathspey side that had started very well and after an even first half we broke out and scored three goals with sub Declan Campbell grabbing the first before Ross Allan and Billy Carroll added to the tally. This was a very pleasing win and was followed by a hard fought win against Fort William with Big Gaz nailing a winner four minutes from time to add to Ross Allan's earlier pelanty. In the end a very decent month.

And then there was the Scottish cup and, of course, we were paired against Gretna for the third time in four seasons. The second XI got the gig and won it comfortably with Dazzler Hendry scoring a pelanty and then Declan scoring again to seal the win. We'll face League 2 Clyde in round 2.

We march up to second then but Inverurie do look like they're doing a Nairn and are already 4 points clear. When can we do a Nairn?

Five games in October and four of them are at home. We go to former champions Formartine in the first game of the month and then have three eminently winnable home games against Lossiemouth, Fraserburgh and Rothes. We finish the month at home to Clyde in what is going to be a huge cup game.

In further news Macadie got injured against Strathspey and is out for a month so young Declan will get a good run in the first team. If early performances are anything to go by this may well be no bad thing.

Yeah, we're back.

[abulezz]

Great thread - love your idea of updating according to Youth Intake class.

[Nobby_McDonald]

Queen's Park are doing tremendously well.

[Wavelberry]

Great thread - love your idea of updating according to Youth Intake class.

It's the only way I can keep track of them.

[Wavelberry]

Queen's Park in the Championshsip - impressive!

Queen's Park are doing tremendously well.

They are indeed although it does mean traffic is getting worse around Cathcart Road on match days

[Wavelberry]

October 2018 Update

This looks like being one of those frustrating seasons or maybe it's going to be one of those seasons were no-one shows any sort of consistency. We certainly aren't...

We started off with a creditable draw against former champions Formartine with Big Gaz nailing both goals but it was a game we should've won and it was two points dropped in retrospect. We certainly dropped two points in the next game as we battered Lossiemouth but then went behind and looked to be heading for defeat before captain fantastic Sam Mackay lashed in a beauty to give us a share of the points.

Up next was Fraserburgh at Harmsworth and it was such a disappointing performance against a team that are close rivals. We had nothing and looked pretty sloppy at the back two. A disappointment.

The final game of the month was against Rothes and we won 3-1 but only after a half-time rollocking. We went 1-0 down and it was a full on 'come on lads, it's Rothes' at half time. I played the second XI in this game but it needed Big Gaz and Macadie off the bench (back from his injury) to get the win for us. A mixed month.

We of course took on Clyde in the cup too and we weren't bad. We kept them out for a good 60 minutes but when Crossnan scored for them we had to chase it and they got their second. Out of the cup but against recently relegated League One opposition who are doing well. No shame.

We stay up near the top and close the gap on Inverurie who have had a shocking month. This looks like being a season where no-one streaks out in front and that could well play into our hands as we're not good enough to dominate the league but we can stay there or there abouts.

3 away games in November with a big trip to Inverurie at the end of the month. We also welcome our rivals for the first derby of the season at Harmsworth Park. A tricky looking month especially as we're without Ross Allan for four weeks with an injury and Craig Charlesworth has not looked that good so far. Even worse injury news...

This is a real disappointment for the lad who has had a few games and looked very solid. Eric Campbell comes back to the first team squad but needs to watch himself. Still it's not all doom and gloom.

Big Gaz making column inches happen. He'll be a Wick Legend I reckon soon.

[Wavelberry]

November 2018 Update

An injury crisis filled month where you get one of those special ones where every player in a certain position gets injured means that we had an 'interesting' time of it in November. Sometimes I hate this game

A month that suggests that this year won't be our year as well. We're just too inconsistent at CB with both Morrison and Michael Steven having momentary melts in certain games. Changes may be afoot in defence as the season progresses.

A trip to Deveronvale was first and we were close to a defeat. An aforementioned lapse allowed them to score but luckily a throw everyone forward last five minutes saw us equalise through Declan Campbell and then we nearly won it but to salvage a point wasn't so bad. Next was a trip to bottom of the pile Keith and again we went behind which seems to be a trait this season. This time however we came back with Stephen Martin grabbing his first two goals which was pleasing.

Derby day followed and an even game was decided by one slight defensive error. The trip to Inverurie followed the same script and we saw two defeats to end the month. A disappointing return from those four games and a month of no Big Gaz goals after all the hype.

We're only five points off the top but it is stupidly congested so while I don't feel we have the quality for a title tilt we're not out of it by a long shot.

December brings the present of five games and I don't see any particularly easy ones with the way we're playing at the moment. Defensive changes may be coming though to see if it can shore us up. We need 10 points to stay in it. Anything less than 6 will see us spend another season knocking around the Highland League.

It could be worse. I could be a desperate Doncaster who are basically saying 'I'm sad that you're going to leave me but I can't stop you. Please don't take the TV'.

[Wavelberry]

December 2018 Update

2018 draws to a close then and I said that we needed at least 10 points from the 5 games in December to be in a title battle this season. I wasn't too optimistic given they way we'd been playing and the lapses we'd shown but it was a target set.

And a target achieved with 12 out of 15 secured. Maybe there is some life in this season yet.

We started at Huntly and managed to seal a 1-0 win thanks to Big Gaz scoring. I'd started to change the first team around as December started but I put my trust in most of the original first XI against Nairn and was duly punished. Nairn raced into a 3-0 lead and despite Sam Mackay getting one back and then us battering down the door for the last quarter of an hour we'd given ourselves far too much to do and lost 3-1.

Following the Nairn defeat it was time for some proper changes. Out went Danny Mackay, Ross Allan, Chris Morrison and Darren Hendry and in came a clutch of the class of 2018 in Finnis, Martin and Stewart as well as Jordan Evans getting the LB spot. Instantly it paid dividends as we went back to some old style Wick: possession football; well-worked goals; solid at the back. Macadie got the run off to a start by scoring an excellently worked goal against Clachnacuddin before Sam Mackay made it two wins from two as we went to Turriff. The final game of the month saw us host Forres at Harmsworth and it was our most controlled performance of the season with a goal from Big Gaz and a maiden goal for Sam Finnis. We finish the month with 3 straight wins and it feels like and evolution is beginning to take place in the Wick first XI.

Our four wins take us back up to 4th and we're only 3 points off of Brora but the league is so tight this year there's no telling who will end up on top. We've just got to keep performing and see how we go. At the moment though: we're in it.

A major change occurred this month as I was renewing staff contracts. As I reviewed my staff I found out that Gary Manson was now as good in the key areas as my Assistant Richard Hughes. Wanting to strengthen my coaching staff I therefore fired Hughes unceremoniously just before Christmas (although he did get a £1,500 pay out so he didn't starve) and offered Gary the Assistant Manager's role. He took it and then wasted no time in telling me what he though.

Aye, okay mate. Maybe I was a bit too hasty...

Four matches in January with three away games starting with a trip to kick the traitor in Buckie. Could be a tough month but with the December we've had we should feel confident. Cue losing two and drawing two and despair next month.

But fear not coz at least we'll be entertained as the ridiculous Highland League managerial merry-go-round begins again. This happened just before we played Forres which was nice for us. I can only assume Keith has better pies or weather or quality of life. Be interesting to see the knock-on effects of this one.

[Pompeyboyz]

I shall go out on a limb here and say you will lose the game against Buckie with the traitorous scum scoring the winner against you. In a pit of despair you will feel like the month will end in horror only for you to go on a win the other 3 without conceeding

[Wavelberry]

I shall go out on a limb here and say you will lose the game against Buckie with the traitorous scum scoring the winner against you. In a pit of despair you will feel like the month will end in horror only for you to go on a win the other 3 without conceeding

If Harrison scores a winner against me I will fire every member of the team who play in that game. No exceptions.

[BoxToBox]

I reckon the opposite, Kieran will drop a reducer on him that ends his season, get a red card, and later that day, a wage rise.

[Wavelberry]

January 2019 Update

New Year, same old annoying bloody Wick.

A dream start as we trashed the traitor's team 3-0 Goals for Gaz, Declan Campbell who has had a fine start to his Wick career and Stephen Martin sealing the win. Even sweeter was that Harrison got subbed off for being rubbish halfway through the 2nd half.

The joy couldn't last though. Kieran may not have got himself a red against Buckie but he did after just 20 minutes against Cove getting two yellow cards in the space of a minute the dickhead. We played quite well with 10 men but a set-piece undid us and Cove came away with a result they barely deserved. Things went from bad to worse in the next game as we didn't turn up at all. Strathspey hammered us and, Declan's consolation aside, we were awful.

We managed to get back to winning ways against the bottom side Lossiemouth though with a 2-0 victory despite having Eric Campbell (YP 0.9) in goal for us (McCarthy was out with a bruised cheek the pansy). Big Gaz got the opener and Ross Allan came on and won the pelanty that he scored to seal it.

What an annoying month. If we'd won the two games we'd lost we'd be top. As it is we're four points adrift of Formartine who beat Brora in their last game to move ahead of them in the table. I'd say that any of the top seven could still win it and with 27 points still on offer it'll probably go right down to April.

We did get some good news as the board approved my request for a Feeder club after rejecting the idea pre-season. I chose St Cuthbert as they were the only choice in a playable league. This could be a huge step forward for some of the youngsters who are not yet on the cusp of the first team

Just the three games in February and we take on Buckie again away from home this time in the Highland Cup. We then have two big home games ending the month with the visit of the table-toppers Formartine. That match could go a long way to deciding our fate...

Meanwhile the managerial merry-go-round keeps on spinning and I can't even explain these moves. Weirder still is that Strathspey's boss went to Lochar Thistle in the South of Scotland league straight after beating me. He still won the Highland League Manager of the Month though because this league and everyone in it makes no sense.

[Wavelberry]

February 2019 Update

On we go with an action packed February and again we're so close but so far away...

First of all the good news and we move into the Quarter Finals of the Highland Cup with a win against Buckie. We were actually 3-0 up at half time and nearly threw it away in the second half but we held with goals from Stewart (his 1st) and a Macadie pelanty to go alongside this momentous moment...

Is this the start of a wonderful scoring run?

No. What a frustrating month in the league. First of all was Fort William at Harmsworth and it looked like being a frustrating 0-0 when Sean Tobin hit a wonderful 30 yard free kick to put us 1-0 up. Unfortunately 5 minutes later we conceded aa slack equaliser and dropped 2 points. Never mind, it was only Formartine next.

And we grabbed a creditable draw. They took the lead but we fought back through Ciaran Begg (Kieran the other is injured for a few weeks) and had the better of the second half. Greig Stewart got himself sent off a few minutes from time but it didn't matter and we managed to grab a point.

The final game was a rearranged match against Fraserburgh and we fell to a late defeat. The game was end to end but Morrison (in for the suspended Stewart) fell asleep allowing for Fraserburgh to grab the win. Just two points from nine. Title slipping away...

Except we're still inexplicably in it. Only five points adrift with six games to go. Personally I think we're just not good enough even in this close season but with games against Brora and Nairn to come it's not outside the realms of possibility.

We need 9 from 9 in March then especially given our April fixtures are against teams all above us. This will be our best chance to position ourselves for a late run. We also drew Brora in the Highland Cup so will need to defeat our rivals if we are to progress. If not then the 2019 intake which is upcoming will be getting a few games in April.

And the merry-go-round continues. I'm the longest serving manager by a country mile.

[Wavelberry]

March 2019 Update

It's the most wonderful time of the year. It's Youth Intake time. Wooooooooo

And it's a quiet one this year. A few players are stand-outs and they're mostly in defence which isn't a bad thing given Morrison's regression this season and the fact that Michael Steven seems to be going a similar way to his former partner and namesake Grant. Certainly not the quality of last year's intake but some players of note and they got a decent 0-0 draw against the U20s. This was the first year I was selective with the contracts though. I only signed up the 3+ potentials and left the rest to go...

Onto the league then and obviously we lost to Rothes. We were as poor as we've been this season although Declan did get a consolation (I think most of his goals this season have been consolations) and that pretty much saw the title go for us. Just pride and position to play for now.

Deveronvale were next after a friendly against Carlton in which Robbie Armstrong netted and we hit back in impressive style. That was more like it. We were scintillating in the first half and MOM from the youth game Cammy Mackay got his debut at RB

Playing him there meant I could move Grant Campbell to RM and it was from there he scored the first goal. Macadie and Finnis also netted to give us a morale boosting victory and hope as we took on Keith.

We weren't great against Keith but when Robbie Armstrong popped up in the 74th minute to put us 1-0 up I thought we'd got away with it. Keith hit straight back though and I lividly ordered my troops forward. It took captain Sam Mackay to spring into action and put us back ahead before rallying us to hold out for the last ten minutes. an important win especially with what lies ahead.

I thought we were out of it after Keith but we're still in touch. Five points adrift with three to play. It's unlikely but if we win all our three games we'll at least ask the question.

Winning the three games might be pretty difficult though as we play the two teams directly above us. Inverurie come to Harmsworth before a midweek trip to Brora. They have the Highland Cup final three days after so it might be a chance to catch them and at least stop them from winning the league. We finish the season at home to the Champions who will be harbouring ambitions of retaining their title if we're close to it as they may well be too. We might not get another point, we might get 9 out of 9. Whatever happens it won't be dull.

Speaking of things that aren't dull: look who's turned up in Dundee. Heard that the group has been playing some outstanding football...

[Wavelberry]

One game left. Tension is high. I'm inviting the forum curse...

[Pompeyboyz]

The unthinkable will happen and you will win the league...then lose to the lowlands title winners who will win their play off against the League 2 losers.