[FM18] Around the North Sea - Gerry Peters

[he_2]

Whilst awaiting the release of FM20, I've started a career under the guise of 24-year old Englishman, Gerry Peters.

Following a number of interviews in the summer of 2017 I was appointed manager of Norwegian Second Division Group 1 side, Brumunddal Fotball.

Approaching the halfway point of the league season the club were lying bottom of the pile although, pleasingly, only six points off 5th placed Nybergsund. 

I was offered a six month contract at £150/week to take me to the end of the season and with the target of battling bravely against relegation. Not enough to live on, luckily I was able to do part-time data analysis on a consultancy basis to mean that I was able to take a decent room at 

Our form isn't good, only two league wins in those opening dozen games and the squad was pretty young. Full of potential but without much in the way of experience. 

My idea is to try and attack my way out of trouble - perhaps a bold move, but goals win games and we're not going to score too many by persisting with the 4-4-1-1 defensive formation favoured by my predecessor who has since moved on to become Director of Football. The only minor issue was the absolute dearth of options up-front. When the transfer window re-opens I'll aim to bring in one or two loanees if I can.

[he_2]

Things began brilliantly. 

A 2-1 win over Nybergsund lifted us immediately out of the relegation zone. However, we failed to then win any of our next six matches. A 2-1 defeat to Skeid was followed by an excellent 0-0 win over table-toppers HamKam - a game we would have won had we not missed a penalty - but then a series of disappointing results saw us take just 2 points from our next three matches. Most disappointing were our two home games against KFUM Oslo and Finnsnes. 3-0 up in both games with 25-minutes to go, we ended up hanging on to salvage a point in the end. 

This was the club's worst run of the season and left us in 12th place, four points from safety. Our next three matches, all against clubs below or just above us in the table, were absolutely vital. No less than 7 points were needed if we were to have any chance of avoiding the drop and, by extension, the sack!

A big couple of months ahead...

[he_2]

Five points from those 3 matches.

A 0-0 draw at bottom of the table Follo was followed by a surprise 1-0 victory away at Kjelsas and then a late penalty gained us a vital point at home to Valerenga's second team. The gap to KFUM Oslo has been narrowed to a single point.

Four matches remain in the relegation dogfight and I think we have, on paper, the toughest run-in.

[he_2]

We were moments from going into the final day with our destiny in our own hands.

A 1-0 defeat at home to Asker, where young Njal Kristiansen had been sent off on the hour mark for a second caution, saw us fall two points behind KFUM Oslo and with our visit to Grorud taking place on the Sunday, the side based in the capital extended their advantage to 3 points the day before.

A must-win game then, which we duly delivered on. 2-0 thanks to a couple of goals from on-loan Lillestrom striker William Magnusson took us level on points, but with an inferior goal difference.

KFUM were at Skeid whilst we had a tough assignment at Alta, who still had a remote chance of winning the title. 

Skeid took an early lead against KFUM whilst 18-year old striker Borys Gwarda gave us a 36th minute lead at Alta from the penalty spot. Two minutes later and Gwarda had headed home emphatically to double our advantage. 5 minutes after the break it was 3-0, Gwarda completing his first ever hat-trick and even as Tomas Braaten's own-goal made it 4-0, the news that KFUM had levelled things up couldn't dampen our delight on the bench.

Alta netted a late consolation, but it wasn't until we got back to the dressing room that news filtered through from Skeid that in the 4th minute of stoppage time KFUM had snatched a late late winner to move them back out of the relegation zone on the basis that they have scored 32 goals to our 31.

Things couldn't be tighter going into the final round of matches. We visit Skeid, whilst KFUM visit newly crowned champions HamKam. 

The equation is simple. Better KFUM's result - even if they win - and we stay up. 

Edited October 10, 2019 by he_2

[he_2]

6 minutes into the afternoon and Mesut Can gives Skeid the early advantage tapping in from close range after a corner was headed on at the near post. This after a couple of efforts had gone close at the other end to give us the lead. Still 0-0 between HamKam and KFUM Oslo.

Into the 13th minute and we look dead and buried. Can is left unmarked again to head home from a corner. 2-0 down and an absolute mountain to climb.

Less than a minute later and Can turns provider for David Tavakoli to tap in at the far post. 3-0 down. My head is in my hands.

22 minutes and Can is the provider once again, this time for Jon Erik Okland to make it 4-0.

24 minutes and Borys Gwarda reduces the arrears with a neat near post finish. 4-1. Still goalless at HamKam.

27 minutes... Gwarda this time turns provider as he seizes on some defensive hesitation to send a cross into the box for William Magnusson to fire home from 10-yards. 4-2.

Two minutes before half-time and Bilal Khan fires a shot against the base of the post for us. 

Half Time:

Skeid 4-2 Brumunddal

HamKam 0-0 KFUM Oslo

We're not entirely out of it yet. Were HamKam to win by two goals and keep a clean sheet with no more goals in our game, we'd stay up on goals scored. All to play for still.

58 minutes still goalless at HamKam. Meanwhile, at Skeid, William Magnusson gets down the left flank and sends a cross into the box. It's touched on by Gwarda for Dardan Rexhaj to meet first time and find the far bottom corner. 4-3... Surely not??!!

76 minutes, I send everyone and everything forward in pursuit of the equaliser that will, as things stand, keep us up. 17-year old Somalian midfielder Mahad Abdillahi fires a 20-yarder that glances off the outside of Skeid's post.

Desperate for news of a late HamKam goal.

77 minutes and disaster as Can seizes on a gap in our back four to complete his hat-trick. 5-3. 

81 minutes and we're back in with a shout. Rexhaj crosses from the right and Gwarda glances home at the near post across the goalkeeper. 5-4! Still no goals at HamKam.

87 minutes and Martin Andersen hacks a Can header off the line to keep us just the one goal behind.

92 minutes and a murmur from the away fans. News filters down - Jan Kvernstuen has just scored for HamKam - they're 1-0 up against KFUM! We're halfway through four minutes of stoppage time here and WE'RE OUT OF THE DROP ZONE! There can't be another twist, surely?

After an extra 54 seconds, the referee brings our game to a close. Everyone is waiting to hear what's happening elsewhere. They're still playing at HamKam.

And then - the cheer! We've done it! Somehow, we've done it! I mean we've lost, but we're staying up by virtue of scoring more goals than KFUM. 

What an absurd, beautiful, cruel afternoon. I hope I never see the like of it again.

[he_2]

2018 Pre-season

After our survival was assured I was offered a 1-year extension which I signed and then proceeded to tie down the club's best players to the club. Thankfully, I had plenty of wriggle room in my wage budget even though it was reduced from 2017.

Transfers

#

Six players came in, two to add quality to the first XI and the others to add a bit of depth to the squad. It was more players than I'd typically like to sign but needs must if we are to have a better season.

#

Expectations

I had told the players and the board that I would keep the club in the division and work towards finishing in the top-half of the table during the 2019 season - assuming of course I'm still at the club at that point.

The bookies and press feel that this should be achievable, predicting an 11th placed finish.

In addition, I've set myself the following targets:

1) Increase the average attendance - last season 509

2) Two players to score more than ten goals

3) Give three youth products their debuts

Let's see how we go!

[he_2]

April 2018

It wouldn't have been a bad start had we been able to hit the target in our final match of the month at Asta. A 1-0 defeat gave an otherwise reasonably promising start to the campaign a slightly disappointing hue.

On the positive side we've come from behind in both of our opening two league matches to salvage a point and then put an amateur side to bed in the first round of the cup. 

That defeat leaves us in 11th place, one position and one point above the drop zone. Four league matches to come in May as well as hosting a Premier Division side in the 2nd round of the Norwegian Cup, so plenty of opportunity for things to pick up.

The board are relatively content with my performance, the one issue remains the level of support for me from the dressing room - something that has been low from the moment I took over. No concerns over my future as things stand.

 

[he_2]

May 2018

A busy month with six matches played. Four in the league and a couple in the Norwegian Cup.

A surprise 2-1 win over Kongsvinger, bottom of the top flight at home saw us draw Aalesund who hammered us 4-0 the following week. In the league, three draws were matched with a first win, finally at the sixth attempt. 

Some major concerns defensively where we are just shipping goals either from simple balls over the top or set pieces but they are at least offset by the form of on-loan striker Jorgen Linna who has 7 goals in 9 matches so far. New signing Dennis Obeng finally seems to be beginning to find his range with a couple of strikes in May as well.

The four games unbeaten has seen us move up the table to 9th with 8 points from 7 matches. That's 3 points clear of the drop zone and with the visit of winless bottom side Lorenskog being an opportunity to extend that gap. After that, June is rounded off with games against the current top 4. It feels as though the next month is going to go some way to determine which way our season is going to go.

In terms of job security, things have improved a little over the past month. Crucially, the win over Kongsvinger and remaining unbeaten in the league seems to have helped my standing within the dressing room with respect levels noticeably improving. I certainly don't feel under any pressure from the boardroom or terraces at the moment.

Personal Targets

In terms of the personal targets I've set myself so far:

1) Average attendance is up to 573, although this has been boosted by the two home cup matches against top flight opposition.

2) As mentioned, Jorgen Linna has 7 goals to his name already, Orjen Hopen has 3 as does William Magnusson and then Dennis Obeng with 2.

3) I've given one youngster their debut. Goalkeeper Espen Asengen was selected for the two cup matches at the age of 16.

[he_2]

June 2018

All things considered a decent month. We began with a 3-1 win over Lorenskog before a 2-2 and 3-3 draw (a fourth 3-all scoreline of the season!) against Elverum and Raufoss stretched our unbeaten run to six matches.

That came to an end with a 1-0 defeat against 2nd placed Fredrikstad however we ended the month on a real high with a 4-1 thrashing of top of the table Asker at Sveum Idrettspark, our home ground. That was without question the finest performance since I've joined the club, particularly when you consider that Asker went into the game unbeaten in 8 matches.

That leaves us just inside the top half of the table with 16 points from our 12 matches - six points better off than at the same stage last year when I took over. We're five points above the drop zone but with a pleasing goal difference - still waiting for that all important first clean sheet though!

Just the two matches in July before a mini summer break. We host 5th placed Baerum before travelling to strugglers Grorud, who recently sacked their manager before finally gaining their first win of the campaign.

My job security is now very secure. Things continue to improve in the dressing room with the fact that I've now been at the club for a year gaining more respect than ever from the players and I think that's beginning to translate into performances on the field.

Since it's my anniversary of taking over at the club, a quick look back at my record. I've taken charge of 29 matches with 9 wins, 12 draws and 8 defeats. Plenty of goals with 56 scored but also 49 conceded. A win percentage of 31% isn't too bad considering where the club was when I took over. We're difficult to beat now, it's all a question going forward of turning some of these draws into wins.

Personal Targets

1) 522 saw our dismantling of Asker at home which was above our average last season. That's at 558 for this season with those two home cup matches included.

2) Goals are flowing with 12 scored in June. Jorgen Linna now has 9, Dennis Obeng scored five in June to take him to 7 and Orjan Hopen now has 5 to his name.

3) Still just the goalkeeper has made his debut. I'm hoping to secure safety with a few matches to go to enable me to blood one or two other youngsters.

[he_2]

July 2018

Fairly predictable stuff in July saw us draw both matches against sides towards opposite ends of the table. Firstly we came back from 2-0 down to level things up at home to Baerum before being 2-0 down at Grorud, who are deep in the mire, and doing the same thing - levelling things up late on through Dennis Obeng's 9th goal of the campaign.

All of which leaves us 8th just after the halfway point of the season with 18 points from 14 matches. A minor concern is that we're only four points above the drop zone and that if these games we're behind in but drawing turn into defeats then we could find ourselves in trouble. However, if we keep picking up points throughout the rest of the season then we should be fine. Although some of the football has been great, it's a little bit of a grind adding points. Still very much a work in progress.

Into the summer transfer window and although I'm sorely tempted to get in a couple of defensive additions, maybe a goalkeeper, I'm refraining for now on the basis that I can concentrate on that side of things in the close season. I don't want to upset the applecart too much by bringing in too many more players. 

Job security has diminished slightly but I'm still in a good position. The board asked me if I wanted to change the expectations but I figure that being fairly close to the drop zone points wise, it's best to keep everyone expecting us to stay clear of relegation this term and look towards mid-table next season.

Quick note that Jorgen Linna scored in both of my July matches as a substitute to take himself onto 11 goals for the season whilst Dennis Obeng also scored in both matches to take himself onto 9 goals for the campaign.

[he_2]

August 2018

It looked like it was going to be a woeful August. Defeat against Skeid, as usual, was followed by a useful point against Nybergsund - and a first clean sheet of the season - before we lost at home to in-form and title chasing Alta. All of that left us just a point outside the drop zone going into the game with Finnsnes, who were a place below us.

Mercifully, for a change, our back four remained firm against a torrent of shots at our goal whilst at the other end an unfortunate own goal and then a brace from Dennis Obeng gave us a much needed - and rather flattering - 3-0 win.

That three points has moved us up to 10th and once again, we're 4 points clear of the drop zone. Still in plenty of danger and that run of 5 matches without a win in July and early August showed just how easy it is to get pulled into the mire.

Some disappointing player news saw 18-year old Somali international Mahad Abdillahi leave on a free-transfer in the Summer transfer window. He turned down a lucrative new contract to sign for Kongsvinger, who remain bottom of the Premier Division. The other player to leave was youngster Jostein Nilsen who signed for non-league Ostiden. There was no-one incoming.

My position remains secure however that run of games without a win has hit dressing room morale quite strongly. I'm very much hoping that the next four matches, which are against sides currently in 11th, 14th, 7th and 8th can give us a little bit of a lift results-wise. It'd be nice to finally string a couple of wins together. These games could very well define our entire season.

Personal Targets

1) We are averaging 545 and our win against Finnsnes attracted 526. Pleasing stuff, crowds going in the right direction despite our recent struggles.

2) Dennis Obeng has joined Jorgen Linna on 11 goals for the season. Orjan Hopen was the other August goalscorer to take him to 6.

3) Still only the one player has currently made his debut for the club.

[he_2]

September 2018

Disappointing bookends to an otherwise pleasing month which saw us pick up back to back wins for the first time this season and then turn that into three wins on the trot.

An injury time penalty saw us go down 2-1 to Kjelsas before we beat Lorenskog 4-0 for only our first away win of the season. Lyn were then beaten 3-2 at home before Raufoss were mauled 5-2 at home as well. We ended by conceding two goals in stoppage time to lose 3-1 at Elverum.

All of which has seen us move up the table into 7th place, eight points off the drop zone. One more point will secure our place in the division for the 2019 season.

I had a bit of a nasty shock midway through the month when after Fredrikstad parted company with their manager I was quoted as being 6/1 third-favourite to be the next manager to get the boot. But, mercifully, my job status is back to very secure after the positive month we've just had.

Personal Targets

1) Our average is 558, with 540 attending the game against Lyn and a whopping 732 for the win against Raufoss. Very pleasing that one.

2) Dennis Obeng has 15 goals, Jorgen Linna has 14 and Orjan Hopen 8. Some other players have finally begun chipping in with goals now too.

3) Due to injuries in midfield, 17-year old midfielder Erik Klaveness made a couple of substitute appearances after coming through the youth system.

Three matches remaining of the season. Really hoping for a positive end to the campaign.

[he_2]

End of Season 2018

I started the month of October by putting pen to paper on a 1 year contract. Although I was offered a pay rise to £180 per week, I maintained my current wage of £150 per week. Absolutely delighted to be able to continue building the side for another year.

Having spent most of the season drawing games, I ended the season without being to draw one for toffee. Our last three matches yielded six points, two emphatic home wins and an equally emphatic defeat on the road.

The entire topsy-turvy set of results can be seen below.

Turning draws into wins (and defeats) meant that we finished the season way out of relegation trouble in the end. A 5th placed finish in which we were by some distance the highest scorers in the division but also conceded the second highest number of goals was way beyond expectations and has certainly raised them for the 2019 season.

I had a nucleus of about eighteen players that I chose from on a regular basis with a few others filling in here and there where required. 

The board seem to be very happy, as am I with progress and that's underlined with my job status now being 'untouchable'. I'm not so sure about that, a poor start to next season and I'm sure the daggers will be out in force.

The end of season awards saw Dennis Obeng unsurprisingly win the Player of the Year award and Jorgen Linna the Young Player of the Year statue.

Personal Targets

A successful season all round was completed by meeting all of those personal targets I set at the start of the campaign.

1) Increase the average attendance from 509 - Success

Absolutely smashed this, ending up averaging 573. Our last three home league matches saw one gate in excess of 700 and one above 800.

2) Have two players score double figures in goals.

Again, beat this one too. Dennis Obeng netted 18, Jorgen Linna 16 and Orjan Hopen ended up with 11.

3) Give three youth team products their debuts.

I did achieve this one. Espen Asengan made two appearances in the Cup, Erik Klavenes two league appearances from the bench and Bjorn Arild Tryli came off the bench in the last game of the season. 

All in all a very pleasing season. Bit of a test keeping some of my key players at the club over the winter break. I hope I can though, I want to add three or four new faces to improve some of the areas we're struggling in and go again.

 

[he_2]

2019 Season Preview

A long and often frustrating close-season has come to an end with less damage done to the squad than I expected. A number of players left, the only one I was disappointed with being Borys Gwarda, who I had wanted to keep, but the delights of relegated Grorud were too powerful for him to turn down. Incoming, I really struggled to find players of the right quality to come in but with some deadline day loan deals completed to bolster us numbers wise, I'm fairly content overall. The big news was Orjan Hopen sticking around and Mikkel Frankmo, who also attracted plenty of interest.

Of the incoming players Martin Holmen looks a real find. I managed to get him on a free transfer. Meanwhile I spent my first transfer fees on bolstering my strike-force which was decimated following the expiry of loans for William Magnusson and Jorgen Linna last season, and the departure of Gwarda. Riki Alba joined from Grorud for 2.5k as did poacher Andreas Dyve from Fram Larvik. Petter Svensson, a defender who should add a little more pace to the centre of defence arrived on a free from Asker whilst I raided a couple of top flight clubs for some loanees just to give us some numbers.

Sadly, there's little scope in the youth team to bring youngsters through, I've asked for some help from the board to invest some money but they're unable to. Although we're solvent, we don't have masses of free cash.

Expectations

I've set us the target, which by extension the board have adopted, to finish in the top half again this season. Also they expect us to reach the 2nd round of the Norwegian Cup. That could be a tough ask as we've been drawn against 1st Division side Ranheim in round 1.

The bookies and media have us finishing above the drop zone but lower than last season in 9th. I hope we'll confound that particular expectation. If not, I could find myself in a bit of hot water!

Personal Targets:

1) Increase the average attendance above 600

2) Be the top goalscorers in the league again

3) Keep 6 clean sheets in the league

Game on!

[he_2]

April 2019

A very pleasing start indeed. Comfortably beat Ranheim 2-0 in the 1st round of the cup before beating our bogey side, not to mention title favourites, Skeid 2-1 in our league opener (granted, thanks to a bullet header from Tom Skogrund past his own keeper into the bottom corner) and then overcoming newly promoted Senja 2-0 on the road to equal our number of away wins last season. 

The month ended with a game against Rosenborg at home in the Cup. A record gate of 1,631 came to watch and although we put in a valiant performance, we lost 3-0. No disgrace in that, though.

Our two wins from two has us top of the embryonic table. We'll have a much firmer idea of our likely standing at the end of May, in which we have five matches - three on the road and two at home. Eight or nine points would be a nice return from that little lot.

All still good on the job security front. No concerns to be had, even though it's still early in the season. The worries about Andreas Dyve not providing good financial sense is nonsense given he's already netted a couple of goals early on. 

[he_2]

May 2019

I asked for 8 or 9 points from our five matches in May, we came away with better than that. Much better.

A 4-1 win on the road against newly promoted Sola was followed up by a 2-1 home defeat against Fredrikstad. Quite a rarity since I only lost one game at home last season in the league as well, but it happens.

That was followed by a 2-0 win at home against Lyn, and then a couple of victories on the road by the same scoreline against 3rd placed Asker and 8th placed Raufoss. 

That leaves us top of the table by way of goal difference from Baerum, our next opponents, with 18 points from 7 matches. We're only just over a quarter of the way through the campaign so of course it's much too early to be thinking of any kind of promotion push, but certainly a top-half finish should be the very least we're looking at achieving this season.

Job security is high, everyone seems pretty happy with life at this point in time, rightly so. A couple of the new signings have been around the fringes and not had much chance to impress at this stage, but on the whole everything is tickety-boo.

Personal Targets

1) 850 for the game against Fredrikstad along with the Rosenborg gate sees us averaging 822 currently. Other home gates have been around 550/560 mark.

2) We are leading the goalscoring charts with 15 goals in the league. Baerum and Asker each have 13 strikes.

3) Four clean sheets is so far above what I had been expecting, especially given the often farcical defending last season and the fact it's the same personnel!

Let's see where we end up come the end of June and almost the mid-point of the campaign.

[he_2]

June 2019

On the whole another very good month. We played sides 2nd, 3rd and 4th to open the month and won each one. 

3-1 down against Baerum I chose to throw caution to the wind and we came back to win 4-3. We then went to Kjelsas and won impressively 3-1 before then dismantling Elverum 4-1 back at home.

The end of the month was more disappointing as injuries and suspensions began to bite, a 1-1 draw against relegation strugglers Tynset and then a poor 1-0 defeat at home to Finnsnes.

We remain top of the pile just before the halfway point of the season, once again ahead of Baerum on goal difference with 28 points from our dozen matches to date.

My job security has been boosted by the fact that there have been three vacancies that I've been linked to.

1) Bryre - 13th in the Second Division Group 1. Not so long ago a Premier Division side but now in danger of dropping to the 4th tier. A bigger club than Brumunddal but I'm not interested.

2) Kongsvinger - 11th in Division 1. Relegated from the Premier Division and would give me the chance to reunite with former midfielder Mahad Abdillahi, but again, I'm not interested.

3) Fredikstad - 9th in my division and runners up in the top flight as recently as 2008. Again, a much bigger club than Brumunddal but again, not interested.

It seems that I'm beginning to build my reputation on the back of my successful start to this campaign which is great. I'm certainly ambitious and want to progress. But, I'm still young (26) and there's no hurry. Ideally I'd like to get Brumunddal into Division 1 and see if I can keep them up. If I can, then I might have a think about moving on unless I get an offer I can't refuse - something I very much doubt will happen.

The fact that I've distanced myself from this speculation has gone down well with the board and once again I'm 'untouchable'as far as the board are concerned.

Edited October 16, 2019 by he_2

[he_2]

July 2019

The month began with the board offering me another year's extension to my current contract which I signed immediately tying myself to the club until December 2020. The news was well greeted by the board and supporters whilst I was really pleased to get things ironed out nice and early. My guess is that now I'd been linked with a few other jobs they wanted to tie me down for the foreseeable.

#

On the pitch we had just the two matches taking us beyond the halfway point of the league campaign. 

A 1-1 draw at Tromsdalen in which we had to fight back from being behind, but which took our winless stretch to 3 matches, was followed by a 3-1 win over relegation threatened Skeid. That result really settled a few nerves and meant we can go into the three week summer break with a little bit of confidence.

The result leaves us top of the table, three points ahead of Baerum and five above third-placed Elverum. A strong second half of the season would at the very least keep us in contention, a shocker would still keep us, I would have thought, in the top half.

The board are delighted, I'm happy, the fans are happy and the players are happy. A contented little place. We've come a long way in the last two years.

 

[he_2]

August 2018

During the summer break I made my first signing for next season with the addition of midfielder Eivind Holte Torason who will join in January from Nybergsund on a free transfer. I'm really looking forward to adding him to the mix as it looks like he'll help us regardless of which division we end up in.

On which note a very strong August saw a return of 10 points out of a possible 12 and a couple of difficult matches negotiated as well. We begun with a 4-2 win over Senja and then a win by the same scoreline over Sola. That was followed by a late Dennis Obeng goal sealing 3 points in a 1-0 win over Asker and then another late Dennis Obeng goal salvaged a point from our tricky visit to Fredrikstad.

Baerum made it four wins out of four in August meaning that they have cut our advantage to just a single point and we travel there in the second weekend of September. Although with eight matches of the season remaining it's far too early to describe it as a title decider, we are 7 points ahead of Elverum so things are very much in our own hands in terms of gaining a play-off spot.

Nothing to add in terms of the board confidence, couldn't really be much more secure.

Personal Targets

1) Our home game with Senja was a designated fans day which saw a crowd in excess of 750 attend. That's kept our average up at 698, well over 600.

2) We are by far and away the highest goalscorers in the division with 41 goals from our 18 matches. Baerum are second on 32.

3) Our 1-0 win over Asker was our fifth blank sheet of the league season.

 

 

Edited October 20, 2019 by he_2

[he_2]

September 2019

There's no other way to describe this month. Simply crazy. Bizarre. And, okay, pretty decent on the whole.

We began with a defeat at Lyn which boosted their survival hopes and, with Baerum playing a couple of hours after us, could have seen us lose top spot. Dennis Obeng, unsurprisingly, was the man with our goal in a 2-1 defeat, the fifth game in succession in which he'd scored.

Thankfully, Baerum could only draw meaning that we were level on points travelling to their place.

Twice we went ahead only through Obeng only to be pegged back both times. A couple of late Obeng strikes gave us a brilliant 4-2 win and once again opened up a 3 point gap over our nearest rivals. 

Next up we hosted Raufoss. Obeng made it 1-0, the visitors equalised. Obeng then put us back in the lead (the ninth consecutive Brumunddal goal to be scored by him) before Mike Frankmo finally broke that run to make it 3-1. Raufoss got one back only for Orjan Hopen to finally break his seasonal duck and then Martin Holman scored before the break to make it 5-2. The ridiculous thing at this stage was that all five goals had been assisted by Dardan Rexhaj!

Two goals after the break, one from Obeng and the other from Andreas Dyve, breaking a goal drought dating back to April or May made the scoreline 7-2.

Seeing one nine-goal thriller in a season is something to behold. To see two within a week of each-other is almost unheard of.

At home to Kjelsas though, we went 1-0 up, 2-1 and 3-2 down before taking control of the game and going on to win 6-3. Dyve scored a couple, sandwiching a Rexhaj header before that man Obeng netted a 7-minute hat-trick in the final 15 minutes to give us the comfortable win.

Obeng's double then gave us a 2-0 lead at Elverum, a game that if we'd have won would have booked our place in the play-offs, but a poor second half saw our hosts come back and draw the game 2-2.

A word on Obeng's form - he's now scored in 9 consecutive matches, a run that has yielded 17 goals and three consecutive hat-tricks or better, a run that came to an end when he disappointed everyone present by only scoring twice at Elverum. Quite something!

That run of 20 goals scored and 11 conceded in September that brought with it 10 point has seen us move to within touching distance of at least a play-off spot. Our draw with Elverum allowed Baerum to close the gap back to a single point at the top of the table. 

I'd be lying if we hadn't mentioned promotion in the dressing room, of course we have. At the end of June it still wasn't a serious target, particularly having dropped points. However, once we got some results again during August belief really began to build and that's continued through September. The only question now with a play-off spot all but in the bag is this.

Can we hold on?

[he_2]

October 2019

On 20/10/2019 at 22:29, he_2 said:

Can we hold on?

You bet we can!

We started off the month well with a 3-1 success over Tynset and with Baerum only drawing 2-2 that same evening, things were very much within our own destiny. 

A week later, with Baerum drawing 1-1 against Lyn, we went a goal up at Finnsnes on 76 minutes through Dennis Obeng, a minute after losing Syver Karlsen to a second yellow card. Four minutes later we were down to 9 men as Ulrik Arneberg also picked up a second yellow meaning that the hosts' 86th minute equaliser was no great surprise. Thankfully Baerum failed to grab a winner and so we were able to go into the final day knowing that only defeat and a 15 goal swing against us could deny us the title.

We raced into a 2-0 lead against Tromsdalen but were pegged back to 2-2 in the closing stages of the game. Baerum could only draw 1-1 at Raufoss meaning that we finished the season three points clear of them and securing promotion into the second tier.

To say I was amazed doesn't even begin to cover it. Considering two years before we'd stayed up more through luck than judgement and with large portions of that side still at the club, I simply couldn't be happier.

Key man was Dennis Obeng with 30 goals in the league - a club and competition record, but there were plenty of decent supporting artists as well around the squad.

The new board, who came into power during elections held during the run-in (helpfully!) were delighted as well they should be, they had properly lucked out!

The board immediately announced improvements to the ground that would need to be made to meet requirements at the next level up. This would increase the capacity of the ground by 3,000 and cost about £4m to achieve. Sadly, that meant saddling the club with an expensive loan and meanwhile, we would be sharing with HamKam until the works were completed sometime during the 2020 season.

The board also agreed to give the youth academy a bit of a face-lift. The one downside of my time at Brumunddal so far has been the absolute dearth of youth team prospects. Hopefully this might give us more of a fighting chance.

All set, then, for life in the second tier. Bring it on!

Personal Targets

1) We comfortably exceeded 600 for our average attendance with league matches showing 698 as our average and 831 in all competitions.

2) We were also comfortably the leading scorers in the division, netting 67 times, 20 more than the next most. Dennis Obeng scored more than 7 clubs on his own

3) Only five clean sheets in the league to speak of which, given our decent start was a little disappointing.