[FM17] The Hart Chronicles - Volume II: Adam Hart is 'Yes Man'!

[Bitner]

Congratulations! Great achievements. We'll see Adam moving, finally?

Cheers,
Bitner 

[PaulHartman71]

 

The final two games didn't matter but I was still really pleased we beat TNS at home with the pressure off. It seemed fitting that Bala beat us for the 5th time of the season, fair play to them they're our bogey side for sure. 

 

 

Winning it by 7 points in the end. TNS got Europa League for coming 2nd, Bala for winning the Welsh Cup and Prestatyn won the Playoff - a strong showing, fingers crossed we and the other Welsh sides can do some good things. It really shows how close the Welsh league that Airbus came just a point away from relegation, with Goytre who finished top half last year actually going down themselves. 

[PaulHartman71]

Season 22: Port Talbot Town

 

 

It goes down as another very successful season at the club. We ended up winning the title 2 games spare, but it wasn't an easy ride with slips along the way, but I'm glad that we retained and we should have done given our investment in the squad. Good to win the League Cup again too, a pity we couldn't go all the way in the Welsh Cup but our bogey side Bala saw us out. A bit annoying that we had loads of injuries and couldn't have more of a go in the Scottish League Challenge Cup. A big effort in the Champions League too, we came quite close to making it through against the odds and even won the first leg, but sadly couldn't quite do it. 

Squad

 

Martin Taggart has to take Player of the Year, he ended the season with 24 goals and 11 assists in 35 games and was the difference time and again. Carl Simpson on the left wing and Carl Pockett up-front were also worthy of mention.

 

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Season     Club                 Division                               Position      Achievements/Other
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2016/17    Ipswich Wanderers    Eastern Counties Premier League          8th         Eastern Counties League Cup winners
2017/18    Ipswich Wanderers    Eastern Counties Premier League         11th         Left in November
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2017/18    Coventry Sphinx      Midland Football Premier League         13th         N/A
2018/19    Coventry Sphinx      Midland Football Premier League         10th         Left in December 
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2018/19    Carlton Town         United Counties Premier League           8th         United Counties League Cup runners-up. Sacked. 
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2019/20    Basildon United      Essex Senior League                      3rd         Gordan Brasted Memorial Trophy winners
2020/21    Basildon United      Essex Senior League                     17th         Left in November 
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2020/21    Lincoln United       Northern Counties East Premier League   11th         N/A
2021/22    Lincoln United       Northern Counties East Premier League   17th         Left in December
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2021/22    Swindon Supermarine  Southern League 1st Division S/W        13th         N/A
2022/23    Swindon Supermarine  Southern League 1st Division S/W        18th         Left in January
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2022/23    Trafford FC          Northern Premier League 1st Division N   7th         N/A
2023/24    Trafford FC          Northern Premier League 1st Division N  11th         Sacked in November
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2023/24    Hythe Town           Isthmian League 1st Division S          12th         Joined in January
2024/25    Hythe Town           Isthmian League 1st Division S           3rd         Left in March
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
2024/25    Canvey Island        Isthmian League Premier Division        23rd         Relegated 
2025/26    Canvey Island        Isthmian League 1st Division N          23rd         Sacked in November
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2025/26    Farsley Celtic       Northern Premier League 1st Division N  11th         Joined in January
2026/27    Farsley Celtic       Northern Premier League 1st Division N   5th         Left in March
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2026/27    Stourbridge          Northern League Premier Division        21st         Relegated
2027/28    Stourbridge          Southern League 1st Division C           5th         Promoted via Playoffs 
2028/29    Stourbridge          Southern League Premier Division        15th         Left in November
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2028/29    Lancaster City       Northern League Premier Division        21st         Relegeted. Sacked. 
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2029/30    Southport            Northern League Premier Division        14th         N/A
2030/31    Southport            Northern League Premier Division         5th         Left in April 
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2030/31    Port Vale            Northern League Premier Division         3rd         Lost in Playoff Final
2031/32    Port Vale            Northern League Premier Division         2nd         Lost in Playoff Final
2032/33    Port Vale            Northern League Premier Division         6th         Left in January 
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2032/33    Port Talbot Town     Welsh Premier League                     8th         N/A
2033/34    Port Talbot Town     Welsh Premier League                     3rd         Qualified for Europa League via Playoff
2034/35    Port Talbot Town     Welsh Premier League                     5th         Welsh Cup winners
2035/36    Port Talbot Town     Welsh Premier League                     2nd         Welsh League Cup winners
2036/37    Port Talbot Town     Welsh Premier League                     1st         Welsh Premier League winners
2037/38    Port Talbot Town     Welsh Premier League                     1st         Welsh Premier League & League Cup winners
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Trophy Cabinet

 

Eastern Counties League Cup    x1 - 2016/17 (Ipswich Wanderers) 
Gordan Brasted Memorial Trophy x1 - 2019/20 (Basildon United) 

Welsh Premier League           x2 - 2036/37, 2037/38 (Port Talbot Town)
Welsh Cup                      x1 - 2034/35 (Port Talbot Town)
Welsh League Cup               x2 - 2035/36, 2037/38 (Port Talbot Town)

 

[PaulHartman71]

I forgot to get a screenshot at the time, but a new 1 year deal flew in just after the season was over. I stayed on the same wage and managed to haggle them down to a 30 percent get out clause. I won't be able to take my new badges until after we get knocked out of the Champions League, as we won't actually be out of the red until we get all the money  

[PaulHartman71]

The first Mourinho-less Premier League season of the save resulted in Manchester City winning the title, with Marcelo Gallardo taking over from Jardim in the summer (who left for PSG) and winning it. United came 2nd with Markus Weinzieri chosen as Mou's successor, he may not have won them the league but he did win them the Champions League in his first year, beating PSG in the final. Jorge Resendes, a regen manager, took Southampton to a terrific 3rd place finish in the achievement of the season. Allegri's run at Arsenal came to an end after 17 years as they slumped to 7th, the Arsenal board sacked him despite his fantastic record of trophies since taking over, with Joao Tralhao taking over in the summer fresh from winning Portugal the World Cup. 

Elsewhere, the highlight in the Pyramid is the crazy story coming out of the Championship, as in a historic moment, MK Dons won a penalty shoot-out to gain promotion to the promise land of the Premier League. Wrexham won promotion to League 2 for the first time in ages, whilst Port Vale finally ended their decade long spell in the 7th tier by gaining promotion as champions to the Conference North. 

Edited April 2, 2017 by PaulHartman71

[noikeee]

What if I told you, back in your last Port Vale season, that in 5 years time you'd be in the Champions League after celebrating back-to-back domestic titles? 

Madness.

[mrdanbartlett]

Very well done on back to back league wins, I do really hope someone will come in for you soon though, FM can be a bit weird with the way it doesn't offer you jobs, I mean I'm sure if you applied for some jobs you'd get a bunch of offers.

 

Maybe if it goes on too long you could bend the rules and simply 'declare interest' in a job or 2, I bet interview/offers will follow. 

[PaulHartman71]

1 hour ago, noikeee said:

What if I told you, back in your last Port Vale season, that in 5 years time you'd be in the Champions League after celebrating back-to-back domestic titles? 

Madness.

 

It is pretty crazy when you put it like that  

[PaulHartman71]

 

No big departures this season so far, with varying members of the squad leaving on a free transfer after failing to be given new deals. 

 

 

Just 2 new players this summer, we didn't have a massive increase in our wage budget but we did have enough to get two new upgrades. It felt harsh replacing Lewis Banks who has been a good captain, servant and goalkeeper over the last few years, but Selwyn Garnett was a big upgrade on him and Banks was the weakest link in the squad as we've improved over the years. Garnett joins after being released by recently relegated from the Premier League side West Brom, who sent him out on loan to League 1 side Peterborough where he did fairly well. He also has 5 caps for Guyana after recently making his debut for them. 

The other signing was a bit of a gamble, on striker and winger, Djibril Feindouno. He has some fairly impressive stats but also some fairly poor ones. It is a gamble but he is versatile and at 23 already has 42 caps for Guinea. He was available on a free after being unemployed for a whole year after getting released by Lokeren. 

[PaulHartman71]

The draw for the Champions League has been made and we will play Zilina of Slovakia. Zilina are a good side, surely as good or arguably better than Olimpija who we played last year. I think our squad is slightly better than last year but it's still a very sizable task for us to get anything from it. We'll see what we can do!

[mrdanbartlett]

As for stats, it seems in the lower leagues key stats are very important above say a broad range of average stats, i.e a player with great key stats but the rest being rubbish, will perform better than one with just a even spread of stats.

Make sense?!  

 Zilina  - Ive heard from some people that they are very dominant in their league, in many saves they win their domestic title year on year, could be a big test! 

[PaulHartman71]

 

We name a full strength side for our home game against Zilina. Garnett and Feindouno both make their full debuts for the team.

[PaulHartman71]

22nd minute: Luptak has the ball for Zilina in the middle of the Port Talbot half, he passes it wide to Jan Toth, Toth plays a through ball to Petras who is running through on the Port Talbot goal, he strikes it... that's a fine save from Selwyn Garnett! The first real chance he's had to deal with on his debut and the Port Talbot fans will be happy enough with that. 

[PaulHartman71]

35th minute: McCabe on the ball for Port Talbot, he's looking to start something off from the half-way line here, he passes to Carlos Eduardo but it's intercepted by Mucha! Mucha is driving forward here with some serious intent, it's out to Toth on the left, he goes past Haig with ease and cuts in, it's crossed in the middle...Petras strikes it... that's another fine save from Garnett on his debut!

[PaulHartman71]

42nd minute: Carlos Eduardo has it here just inside his own half, he passes it to McCabe, McCabe holds it for a second, there's not too much happening on either side of him, but he's got Feindouno and Taggart further ahead of him up-front, he knocks it long to Taggart, Taggart knocks it down and out wide to Feindouno, the new boy tries to cut inside and bang a cross in but it's deflected for a corner. It's Carl Simpson to take the corner, this will be Port Talbot's first real chance for a goal so they've got a fair few coming forward for this one. Simpson bends it in and Sprudd looks to get it...Sprudd's header flies just over the bar! Could he have done better with that? It's hard to tell!

[PaulHartman71]

45th minute: It's half-time and it's PORT TALBOT 0-0 ZILINA. You'd have to say the home side would be far the happier team at the break so far, as Zilina would've come into this wanting to get at least a couple of away goals!

[PaulHartman71]

53rd minute: Mucha has it for Zilina, not much ahead of him, he passes alongside him to Luptak, Luptak looks to drive forwards but Carlos Eduardo has come in and decked him! That's surely a foul. Yes it is. The referee has booked him too. 

[PaulHartman71]

56th minute: It looks like a change here for Port Talbot. Martin Taggart is looking quite tired and appears to be making his way off the pitch, he's waving to the 3,600 home fans and seems to be giving them a rapturous applause, could that increase the rumours that he will be leaving Port Talbot this summer? Either way, it's Carl Pockett coming on to replace him. 

Edited April 4, 2017 by PaulHartman71

[PaulHartman71]

61st minute: Petras has the ball for Zilina, he's trying to cut inside from the left wing but Haig has him covered, Petras passes back to Mucha, Mucha looks up and sees Luptak ahead of him, it's to Luptak, Luptak plays a lobbed pass to an onrunning Hetes...Hetes strikes it... it's not a clean strike and that's a fairly routine save for Garnett. 

[PaulHartman71]

67th minute: Port Talbot are making another change here, it's going to be Carlos Eduardo who is on a yellow card to come off. Jeremy Mutumbo to come on. 

[PaulHartman71]

70th minute: Mutumbo has the ball for Port Talbot, he's only been on a few minutes but he's doing well to get himself involved in the game. He tries a pass to Youngjohns on the right but Mraz intercepts it for Zilina. Mutumbo chases over to win the ball back, he slides in with an absolute cruncher... that's surely a foul? It is. The referee's gone straight to his pocket and produced a yellow card! He's only been on the pitch a few minutes and he's already got a card, what a silly boy!

[PaulHartman71]

76th minute: Kristian Kiss the goalkeeper for Zilina has it for a goal kick. He hits long right into the heart of Port Talbot's half, O'Brien should deal with this but he misses his header, Toth's knocked it on for Hetes and O'Brien's error has caught Sprudd off guard! Hetes is in there clear.... it smashes onto the Port Talbot crossbar! Did Garnett get a touch on that? I'm not sure but Port Talbot have got very lucky there that was so close to being a goal for Zilina!

[PaulHartman71]

79th minute: It looks like Adam Hart has seen enough of Colin O'Brien today. The defender is looking very tired to be fair and it's Oliver Betsy who will come on to replace him. 

81st minute: Youngjohns has it on the right hand side for Port Talbot. He's got Pockett and Feindouno ahead of him. He knocks it long for Pockett. Pockett just about gets there and manages to glance it across to Feindouno. Not much space for him outside of the box here, he takes a strike anyway... OH AND THAT'S SO CLOSE! A magnificent strike from Feindouno but Kiss makes a huge save to stop it flying into the top left corner. 

[PaulHartman71]

88th minute: Port Talbot look quite tired now. It's been all Zilina since that Feindouno chance. Mucha has it now, back to Skrtel, Srktel hits it wide to Toth, Toth now dribbling down the left hand side, Haig is looking tired and I don't think he'll get there, he puts in a lazy tackle but it's enough to bring down Toth and stop the break. Will he get a booking for his trouble? He will, but Haig and Port Talbot won't be too worried about that just now. Zilina have a free kick now from wide about 40 yards out. They're piling men forward. Everyone apart from Feindouno back for Port Talbot here. It's Mucha to take it. Mucha's lofting ball into the box, Sprudd is first to it and heads it away, it's come to Hradecky outside the box, he strikes it....but it's deflected off of Sprudd and goes out for a throw in! Sprudd going all out here to keep Zilina from getting that all important away goal!

[PaulHartman71]

93rd minute: Zilina still pressing for a late winner here. Toth has it once more, he's got two ahead of him but Port Talbot have numbers in defence. Petras and Hradecky forward, will Toth and Zilina get one last chance? Toth hits it forward towards Petras, but no! The referee has blown for full time! It's PORT TALBOT 0-0 ZILINA and Port Talbot have got a huge result at home here! Zilina were much the better side but a decent debut from Garnett and a big performance from James Sprudd in defence has given them a clean sheet. A lot to do in Slovakia still but what a result for the home team. 

 

[mrdanbartlett]

Great result!

[DazRTaylor]

Resilient display.

[PaulHartman71]

 

The only real team news is that Oliver Betsy comes in for Colin O'Brien. This will be more than likely be Martin Taggart's last ever game for us as we have agreed a fee with Championship side Rotherham. 

[PaulHartman71]

7th minute: Mraz has hold of the ball for Zilina. He's got Pavlisn to his left, he passes to Pavlisn, Pavlisn looking to get a cross into the box, Petras in the middle, the cross goes in...Oliver Betsy is there and he heads it away, but it's come to Petras outside the box. Petras strikes it...decent save early on from Garnett!

[PaulHartman71]

18th minute: Weiss picks up the ball in the centre circle, he's got quite a yellow shirts ahead of him, Port Talbot have more or less everyone in their own half, Weiss passes forward to Mraz, Mraz aims a pass out wide to Petras, Petras goes past Youngjohns and he could get a cross in there. Petras with the cross... but Oliver Betsy is there to deal with it again. It falls to Weiss who has a shot but it cannons back off James Sprudd. Strong defending so far from the Welsh side!

[PaulHartman71]

30th minute: Pavlisn has the ball in his own half for the home side, perhaps he'll try something more direct, he hits a long ball up field towards Petras, Petras jumps for it but he's beaten to the ball by Betsy. Betsy's header ends up landing near Weiss though and he looks to make a nuisance of himself, he takes a shot from just outside the box... that's a great save from Garnett! Weiss hit a bullet from out of nowhere and he had to be strong to keep that out. 

[PaulHartman71]

36th minute: Garnett with the goal kick for Port Talbot. He knocks it long up the pitch, Mucha gets to it first and knocks it down to Mraz. Mraz hits it out right to Weiss, Weiss dribbles down and sticks in a tidy cross... Petras with the chance... it's a poor shot in the end though and it goes well wide!

[PaulHartman71]

45th minute: The referee is blowing for half-time here. Port Talbot haven't really been in it much and have barely had a shot at the Zilina goal, but they won't be complaining as they go in at half-time still well in the tie as it's ZILINA 0-0 PORT TALBOT. 

[PaulHartman71]

50th minute:  McCabe for Port Talbot, he's got Simpson to his left and Youngjohns to his right, can Port Talbot create something here. They had nothing in the first half, McCabe hits it long to Taggart, Taggart glances it goalwards and it falls to Feindouno. Feindouno with the strike... but it's saved by Kristian Kiss who gets a hand to it. 

[PaulHartman71]

58th minute: Hradecky on the ball for Zilina, goes past Carlos Eduardo, Eduardo's coming back for him though, he slides in and gets none of the ball and all of the man! The referee has his hands in his pocket, it's a yellow card for Carlos Eduardo and a free-kick in decent position for Zilina. It's Mucha to take it, he's looking to get a cross in the box with plenty of yellow shirts in there. Mucha... it's Petras jumping for it...but Betsy has dealt with it and the ball's away from danger. 

[PaulHartman71]

63rd minute: Port Talbot are making a double change. Carl Simpson and Martin Taggart will be replaced by Jeremy Mutumbo and Carl Pockett. 

[PaulHartman71]

69th minute: Mutumbo has the ball on the left for the away side, he's got Feindouno and Pockett in the middle, he aims it for Pockett...he heads it across goal for FEINDOUNO...oh and that's a wonderful save from Kiss! That was a fine header but he's denied by the keeper this time. 

Edited April 4, 2017 by PaulHartman71

[PaulHartman71]

77th minute: Hradecky with the ball, he's trying to make something happen for the home side who seem to be getting agitated the longer this goes on, they won't want this to go to extra-time. Pavlisn collects the ball, he looks for Petras who is in the box, it's PETRAS....it's Garnett's turn to pull off a big save! Two big chances in the space of 10 minutes and both keepers have done very well to keep it goalless.

[PaulHartman71]

85th minute: Port Talbot to make their 3rd and final substitute. It's looking like a straight swap in central midfield, with Jonny Moses coming on for a very tired looking Craig McCabe, who is walking very slowly and trying to waste as much time as he can, much to the home fans disgust. 

[PaulHartman71]

89th minute: Not long left and Zilina are still gunning for a winner. Belak the substitute is driving forward, Weiss to his left, he's passed it to him, Weiss looks to get a quick cross in to MUCHA...but a huge tackle from James Sprudd has dealt with it and Oliver Betsy smashes it out! Big defending late on from the Welsh side as they look to drag this to extra-time. 

[PaulHartman71]

94th minute: Knocik has a free-kick for Zilina just inside the Port Talbot half. The Welsh side have everybody back here. Knocik plays it short to Mucha, I'm not sure why he's done that as the ref might blow before they get another cross in, Mucha looks to pass it wide but no! The referee has blown for full time here and it's ZILINA 0-0 PORT TALBOT. A big result for Port Talbot as after 180 minutes it's a dead heat. 30 minutes of extra time to come!

[PaulHartman71]

96th minute: It's been fairly uneventful so far, but Betsy's got the ball just outside his own box. He thumps it down field to Youngjohns who is out wide, Youngjohns looks to make a run but he's lost the ball to Mraz. Mraz looking to break, Zilina have men forward, it's knocked forwards to Hradecky, Hradecky running like a mad man, he's slotted it in towards Petras... but Petras fluffs his lines and blazes it over the bar! A real let off for Port Talbot there. 

[PaulHartman71]

105th minute: Neither side have really had any chances in this first half of extra-time with Port Talbot sitting really deep, but Mutumbo has it for Port Talbot here, will he get a chance to start an attack here...no. The referee has blown for half-time in extra-time and it's still ZILINA 0-0 PORT TALBOT. 

[jim owen]

Fingers crossed

[PaulHartman71]

112th minute: Kristian Kiss looking for a long goal kick, he's hit it deep into the Port Talbot half. Sprudd is jostling with Belak but Belak has got free of him, it's ROMAN BELAK... but that's another big save from Garnett to keep Port Talbot in it!  

[PaulHartman71]

119th minute: Selwyn Garnett trying to run the clock down with just under a minute left to go, he's taking his time and he's knocked it long up the pitch towards Feindouno but he's beaten to it by Luptak. It's Luptak now to desperately knock it forward and try and create one last chance to stop this from going to penalties, but no! The ref has blown! It's over! It's ZILINA 0-0 PORT TALBOT and the Welsh side are just a penalty shoot out away from doing the unthinkable and making it through!

[Nobby_McDonald]

On 03/04/2017 at 09:52, noikeee said:

What if I told you, back in your last Port Vale season, that in 5 years time you'd be in the Champions League after celebrating back-to-back domestic titles? 

Madness.

To be fair, playing in the Anglesey under 12s Cup is an improvement on anything to do with Port Vale.

[noikeee]

@PaulHartman71I think that's a FMCU forum record for longest sequence of posts ever without including a goal. 

Good luck for the penalty shootout!

Edited April 4, 2017 by noikeee

[PaulHartman71]

It's Carl Pockett to take the first penalty of the shootout. He hits it low to the left and he's sent the keeper the wrong way!

ZILINA 0-1 PORT TALBOT. 

Weiss steps up first for Zilina. He hits it to the left, Garnett goes the right way and gets a hand to it... but it's too powerful for him and it goes in.

ZILINA 1-1 PORT TALBOT

Jonny Moses next up for the Welsh side. Moses places it to the right...KISS SAVES IT! Oh and that's not good from Moses and Port Talbot.

It's ZILINA 1-1 PORT TALBOT. 

Luptak to give Zilina the advantage. Luptak hits it low to the left...OH AND IT'S GARNETT NOW WITH A SAVE! A big big save and a huge let off for Port Talbot and Jonny Moses!

It remains ZILINA 1-1 PORT TALBOT. 

Jeremy Mutumbo for Port Talbot's 3rd pen. A decent striker to the right of the goal, Kiss goes the right way but it's out of his reach!

ZILINA 1-2 PORT TALBOT

Hradecky now for Zilina. It's low to the left and he's sent poor Garnett the wrong way.

ZILINA 2-2 PORT TALBOT 

Feindouno for Port Talbot. It's only his 2nd match for the Welsh side and he's not scored for them yet. This wouldn't be an official goal but he could really do with putting it in the back of the net. It's a placed shot to the right hand side, Kiss goes the right way but that's gone in anyway! Kiss should maybe do better there but it's

ZILINA 2-3 PORT TALBOT 

Skrtel next up. He hits it powerfully to the middle BUT GARNETT SAVES IT! WHAT A BIG SAVE THAT IS! With just 1 penalty left each it's...

ZILINA 2-3 PORT TALBOT

Carlos Eduardo with an absolutely huge penalty for Port Talbot. If he buries this he will put them through. Eduardo smashes it towards the top left hand corner BUT OH MY WORD THAT'S AN AMAZING SAVE FROM KISS! Incredible reflexes to keep his side in it.

ZILINA 2-3 PORT TALBOT 

Hetes has to score for the Slovakian side. Garnett with the chance to make himself a hero. Hetes hits it straight at Garnett... but it's too powerful and Garnett can't keep it out!

ZILINA 3-3 PORT TALBOT and this will go to sudden death!

[EskildLXIX]

On the edge of my seat!