FlownCanary Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Alrite, this is my story. I'm starting off at King's Lynn, as I wanted a lower league club and Norwich (my fave team) our their parent club. Im playing FM 2008, (patch 8.0.2) and using the Chin Wag '08 update version 1.3 (cheers Chin Wag! - great update!) This is also my first ever story, so if you want to post feedback and suggestions to make my writing style better, they are much appreciated. Start of the story will be up after I've had lunch! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Sat Jul 7 2007 I drove up to the Walks Stadium in King’s Lynn and was warmly greeted by chairman Ken Bobbins. “Welcome to King’s Lynn Paul!” “Erm, thanks. To be honest, I still don’t understand why you chose me.” “Because you’re new and have fresh ideas. With our promotion to the Blue Square North, we need someone to consolidate our position and move us forward.” With that we walked inside and I met my new Assistant Manager, Lee Glover, who went straight into the first team breakdown. They don’t mess around here, ey? Apparently we are weakest in defence and my strongest player is Julian Joachim. Probably by virtue of experience, ey? After that, the boss man returns and tells me he wants a safe mid-table position this year. I tell him that I can get top half, and he responds by upping my wage budget to 6k a week. I’m currently spending 3.8k a week, so there’s some room there. No transfer money though. (damn!) After my monumental bluff, I spent my first alone time in my new office scouring the transfer market, after looking at my squad, I need players to fill the positions I need (5-4-1 defensive with an AMR and a AML) and backup for everything else. I’ve sent contract offers to some un-attached players in the hope they will join King’s Lynn. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Mon Jul 9 2007 I’ve made my first signing. 26 year old Right Back Glen Smart, an Irishman who hasn’t played since 2002 with Kilkenny City. My ass man already puts him in his best first team so not a bad start. I’ve also signed Maurice Dunne. A 22 year old Irish MC, ST. I’m not sure if he’ll figure in the first team regularly, but he will be at least good backup. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Wed Jul 11 2007 Result! I never thought it would happen, but Norwich’s Right Winger Lee Croft has joined on loan for the whole season! Easily now the best player in my squad. Also joining on loan is Norwich’s Left Winger Robert Eagle, who will also be here all season. I’ve also signed a 24 year old Northern Irish Goalkeeper, Gary Ramsey, who hasn’t been contracted since 2006 with Glenavon. He will feature, in my first team squad however, which he’ll be glad of since he hasn’t played since 2003 with Finn Harps! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Thu Jul 12 2007 I’ve signed a 27 year old Left Winger by the name of David Kelly. He won’t be able to beat Robert Eagle for a first team place this year, but he will be good backup. He would have been first choice if not for my loan signings. I’ve also signed 31 year old Irishman John Ryan. He is a striker, and while he probably won’t beat Julian Joachim, he will be really good backup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sat 14 Jul 2007 King’s Lynn vs Rhyl (friendly) I’m playing a 5-4-1 defensive formation with counter attack and offside trap. A fantastic game of football sees us dominate the first half with a Julian Joachim hat-trick and one goal each from midfielders Andrew Fisk and Rushden loanee Scott Mitchell sees us enter the second half 5-0. Rhyl, however dominated the second half, and our defense fell apart, leaving Rhyl to score 3 goals past us. A disappointing second half, but an encouraging start nonetheless. Final Score: King’s Lynn 5-3 Rhyl. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Sun 15 Jul 2007 I have now also signed Left Back Mark Hicks. Ironically, the Northern Irishman can also play Right Wing. The 25 year old is quite good, and may be part of a rotation system in the Left Back position. I have also signed 20 year old Scottish Centre-Back Alex McColl. He now fills the biggest first team hole I have, and even though I still have offers pending on other players, my first team now looks quite good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Tue 17 Jul 2007 King’s Lynn vs Boreham Wood (friendly) To be honest it was a boring game with only one goal from Julian Joachim right at the start. Boreham Wood continued to push, but I was majorly impressed with Gary Ramsey, the goalkeeper saved shots that seemed destined for the net and played excellently all game. Not bad for only his second game since 2003! Final Score: King’s Lynn 1-0 Boreham Wood Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Mon 23 Jul 2007 King’s Lynn vs Luton (friendly) I was never expecting a win, but some really good defensive play left us 0-0 at half time and I allowed myself to be excited. It wasn’t to be however, as we lost 3-1. A Julian Joachim penalty eased the pain, but we did play well to say that Luton are two whole divisions above us. Final Score King’s Lynn 1-3 Luton Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Thu 26 Jul 2007 King’s Lynn vs Northwich (friendly) A good match really, one which we should have won. Scott Mitchell missed a penalty, but if he had scored it, then alongside Joachim’s goal we may have won. It wasn’t to be though, as only 15 minutes after scoring, we were level again. 1-1 was probably a fair result. Final Score: King’s Lynn 1-1 Northwich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Fri 27 Jul 2007 I click on an email in my inbox and it takes me to a betting website which shows King’s Lynn to be 7-4 to gain promotion this year AFC Telford and Stalybridge are the only ones higher than us. Talk about a shock! The chairman tells me I need to secure a mid-table finish and the bookies put me near the top! I’m confused… ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sun 29 Jul 2007 King’s Lynn vs Norwich (friendly) Considering the standard of opposition here, I expected our Parent Team to crush us. But solid defense work led to only one goal in the match, being Jamie Cureton’s 7th minute strike. Only lost 1-0 so it could have been much worse. I was also impressed with how my team handled themselves against such a high calibre of opponent. Final Score: King’s Lynn 0-1 Norwich ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wed 1 Aug 2007 King’s Lynn vs Yeovil (friendly) I decided not to start Julian Joachim in this match and started John Ryan instead. Joachim was well missed as we fell to a 2-0 deficit at half-time. Bringing on Joachim at the break proved to be just what was needed as Robert Eagle and Lee Croft were able to hook up with him really well and Joachim scored twice to secure us a draw. Final Score: King’s Lynn 2-2 Yeovil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Thu 2 Aug 2007 With all my friendlies now finished, I look over my team to see who’s going to be the guys I go with this season: King’s Lynn Team Report Aug 2007 Goalkeepers: Gary Ramsey (N Ire): Played all of my pre-season friendly matches and I was impressed with my free signing. Will be no.1 choice this year. Duncan McAnally (Eng): 22 year old Goalkeeper who will be my number 2 choice this year. Right Backs: Glen Smart (Ire): Brought to the club on a free transfer, the 26 year old has so far impressed and will be first choice Right Back this year. Mark Camm (Eng): Will be the backup Right Back this year. The 25 year old may get his chance if Smart receives an injury. Stephen Harvey (Eng): 23 years old. 3rd Choice Right Back. Enough said. Centre Backs: Greg Crane (Eng): 22 years old. Is the first backup choice behind my top three central defenders. Played some pre-season games and looks to be alright. Craig Fleming (Eng): 35 years old. Is one of my top three. Brings valuable experience into the first team. Has played well in pre-season and I hope his form continues into the league. Alex McColl (Sco): 20 years old. The free transfer signing has already slotted in well to the back line and will be one of my first team choices this season. Mark Warren (Eng): 32 years old. Backup central defender. Has experience, but unfortunately not much else. Simon Weaver (Eng): 29 years old. Is part of my first team squad, but only because I like 5 defenders and he is better than Crane and Warren. May get replaced in a later year, but for now he’s in. Left Backs: Ben Chapman (Eng): 28 years old. 3rd Choice Left Back. Mark Hicks (N Ire): 26 years old. Another freebie. Hicks can play Left Back or Right Wing, and although he is good at both, he’s nothing special. Will mostly be 2nd choice Left Back this season. Adam Smith (Eng): 21 years old. The youngster is my first choice Left Back at the start of the season, but Mark Hicks is waiting should he screw up. No pressure! Right Wingers: Lee Croft (Eng): 22 years old. The loan signing from Norwich will be one of my key players this season. His pace and crossing ability should help Julian Joachim score his goals. Easily no.1 choice. Kieran Deane (Aus): 21 years old. Pales in comparison to Croft, but he would be my first choice had Lee Croft not joined us on loan. Actually not bad for this level of football. Steve Melton (Eng): 28 years old. 3rd Choice Right Winger. Central Midfielders: Scott Mitchell (Eng): 21 years old. Loanee from Rushden. Can play Right Back, but he is best used in central midfield, and will be one of my first choices this season. David Bridgwater (Eng): 26 years old. Probably won’t feature much in the first team this season, in my opinion he’s my 4th best Central Midfielder. Andrew Fisk (Eng): 19 years old. Has played excellently in pre-season and is my top choice central midfielder. Maurice Dunne (Ire): 22 years old. 3rd placed central midfielder and will probably make quite a few substitute appearances over the course of the season. Left Wingers: Robert Eagle (Eng): 20 years old. My other loan signing from Norwich has slotted in really well to the AML role and will hopefully start there all season. David Kelly (Ire): 27 years old. 2nd choice left winger. Would have been first if not for Robert Eagle. Strikers: Danny Bloomfield (Eng): 25 years old. 4th choice striker. With me only playing one lone striker, he might just end up in the reserves. Julian Joachim (Eng): 32 years old. Top striker at the moment. 8 goals in 6 pre-season appearances doesn’t lie, does it? Will easily be top striker for the season. John Ryan (Eng): 31 years old. My free signing will be No.2 striker this season. Can play well, but not as well as Joachim. John Turner (Eng): 21 years old. 3rd choice striker. We’ll see if he gets a game this season. And there it was, not a bad team and one that fills me with enthusiasm for the upcoming season, especially after some good pre-season performances. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Just a quick note as well, I work pretty long hours during the week, so even though I will update when I can, the majority of my updates will come at the weekend. Coming up next is the start of the league season! Games against Workington and Hucknall await! (once I play them...) (I'll try mybest to get the games up sometime soon! - I'm done for today.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Sat 11 Aug 2007 King’s Lynn vs Workington (Blue Square North) (Away) This is it the first game of the season, here’s my starting line-up; GK: Gary Ramsey (who is now my captain) DR: Glen Smart DL: Adam Smith DC: Craig Fleming DC: Simon Weaver DC: Alex McColl AMR: Lee Croft AML: Robert Eagle MC: Andrew Fisk MC: Scott Mitchell ST: Julian Joachim SB1: Duncan McAnally (GK) SB2: Mark Hicks SB3: Greg Crane SB4: Maurice Dunne SB5: John Ryan First Half: We’ve been perhaps the better side, with 5 shots to Workington’s 3, but a boring first half ends at 0-0 Half Time: Maurice Dunne comes on for Andrew Fisk, who is looking a little tired. The main focus of my team talk is that I know we can win this game. Second Half: John Ryan comes on for Julian Joachim at 60 minutes and on 73 minutes sets up Robert Eagle for a screamer from the left corner of the box! We’re 1-0 up! Damn! 4 minutes later and some really bad defensive work has allowed Neil Mullan to score a tap in for Workington! 1-1. End of game: Workington dominated the last 5 minutes of the game, probably spurred on by their equaliser. To tell the truth, we were lucky not to concede in those 5 minutes. On the basis of play however, we were about equal and although I think we’re the better side, a draw was the right result today. Final Score: King’s Lynn 1-1 Workington Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Mon 13 Aug 2007 As I was getting my team talk ready for the upcoming match, my ass man Lee Glover comes to me and tells me that the club has sold 199 season tickets. (Who’s the one sod that didn’t buy one?) Not so bad though I don’t think. King’s Lynn vs Hucknall (Blue Square North) (Home) Exactly the same line-up today as two days ago in Workington. GK: Gary Ramsey DR: Glen Smart DL: Adam Smith DC: Craig Fleming DC: Simon Weaver DC: Alex McColl AMR: Lee Croft AML: Robert Eagle MC: Andrew Fisk MC: Scott Mitchell ST: Julian Joachim SB1: Duncan McAnally (GK) SB2: Mark Hicks SB3: Greg Crane SB4: Maurice Dunne SB5: John Ryan First Half: Penalty! Julian Joachim is brought down in the area on 11 minutes and Lee Croft steps up to take the penalty – hit the post! Aaah! And he sent the keeper the wrong way. Damn! 30 minutes in and Andrew Fisk just hit a screamer, but it hit that flamin’ post again! Grrr…. The first half ends 0-0, and while Hucknall have been playing good football, our counter attack strategy is giving us good chances. Now if only we could move that post… Half-time: I tell my team that I know they can win this game! Second Half: The 65th minute sees John Ryan come on for Julian Joachim and Mark Hicks replace Lee Croft. It does not avail us as no-one scores and I walk back down the tunnel in disgust before my players see the scowl on my face… That just wasn’t good enough! End of Game: We should have won, we were the better team, but that damn post denied us a few times and Hucknall’s keeper pulled off some good saves. I hope we win soon… Final Score: King’s Lynn 0-0 Hucknall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Sat 18th Aug 2007 King’s Lynn vs Gateshead (Blue Square North) (Away) Julian Joachim hasn’t performed so well in the first two games so John Ryan takes his place. GK: Gary Ramsey DR: Glen Smart DL: Adam Smith DC: Craig Fleming DC: Simon Weaver DC: Alex McColl AMR: Lee Croft AML: Robert Eagle MC: Andrew Fisk MC: Scott Mitchell ST: John Ryan SB1: Duncan McAnally (GK) SB2: Mark Hicks SB3: Greg Crane SB4: Maurice Dunne SB5: Julian Joachim First Half: What a start! Gateshead pass the ball backwards after the opening kick-off and John Ryan comes flying forward and takes the ball, slotting it past the keeper! Less than a minute in and we’re winning! Penalty! On 3 minutes in! Robert Eagle converts the penalty and we’re 2-0 up! Half Time: Gateshead have played ok, but at 2-0 up, I tell my players not to get complacent. John Ryan looks tired, so Julian Joachim replaces him, and Scott Mitchell gets replaced by Maurice Dunne, because he’s not doing anything special. Second Half: 54 minutes in and Gateshead have a corner. They’ve scored from it, and now it’s 2-1. At 67 Minutes I replace Craig Fleming with Greg Crane, just to get a fresh pair of defensive legs onto the pitch. Gateshead have just had a goal disallowed on 74 minutes because of offside. (breath a sigh of relief.) The full-time whistle blows to give us our first win of the season! Full Time: We may have had the better end of the first half, but it was only our defensive work that saved us in the second. Julian Joachim really didn’t look confident going forward, and I’m already thinking about replacing him. Final Score: King’s Lynn 2-1 Gateshead Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 Sat 25th Aug 2007 King’s Lynn vs Harrogate (Blue Square North) (Home) No changes to the first team side that won against Gateshead. GK: Gary Ramsey DR: Glen Smart DL: Adam Smith DC: Craig Fleming DC: Simon Weaver DC: Alex McColl AMR: Lee Croft AML: Robert Eagle MC: Andrew Fisk MC: Scott Mitchell ST: John Ryan SB1: Duncan McAnally (GK) SB2: Mark Hicks SB3: Greg Crane SB4: Maurice Dunne SB5: Julian Joachim First Half: Harrogate have scored in the 33rd minute from a corner. They’ve been the better side so far in truth, and I’m not surprised they’re winning. Half Time: I’m very upset at my team and tell them so. I want a victory here, and I warn them of imminent changes if they don’t buck things up. Second Half: Goal! Glen Smart lobs the ball forward to the Left Wing, where Robert Eagle delivers a great cross to make it an easy finish for John Ryan! Brilliant counter-attack team move! That’s more like it! 51 minutes in and 1-1. On 63 minutes I replace a tired John Ryan with Julian Joachim and Maurice Dunne replaces Andrew Fisk. 71 minutes in and totally against the run of play, Harrogate have counter-attacked us and scored, a good move really but frustrating nonetheless. 2 minutes later and Gary Ramsey lobs the ball over all the midfielders and Lee Croft scores a proper piledriver from outside the area! 2-2! I start shouting for just one more goal! Yes! Yes! Yes! Has Julian Joachim redeemed himself? Robert Eagle has the ball near the goal line on the left and passes it back. Joachim rounds one defender and scores a fantastically placed shot. 3-2! A nervy 4 minutes of added time comes to an end, and we win our second match and improve our unbeaten league form to 4 games! Full Time: Harrogate were very confident going forward but so were we. This was a strikers game and probably one defenders will want to forget. Nevertheless an entertaining game, and one we were lucky to win I think. Final Score: King’s Lynn 3-2 Harrogate Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlownCanary Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 Mon 27th Aug 2007 King’s Lynn vs Stalybridge (Blue Square North) (Away) John Ryan gets a rest today, with Julian Joachim taking his place. Adam Smith is also looking tired, so Mark Hicks takes his place today for his first start of the season. GK: Gary Ramsey DR: Glen Smart DL: Mark Hicks DC: Craig Fleming DC: Simon Weaver DC: Alex McColl AMR: Lee Croft AML: Robert Eagle MC: Andrew Fisk MC: Scott Mitchell ST: Julian Joachim SB1: Duncan McAnally (GK) SB2: Adam Smith SB3: Greg Crane SB4: Maurice Dunne SB5: John Ryan First Half: Bad defensive work causes a goal for Stalybridge. They’re 1-0 up, but that chance should have never fell to them. 11 minutes after Stalybridge’s goal, Lee Croft crosses the ball in for a Robert Eagle tap-in. 25 minutes in and it’s 1-1. Half Time: 1-1 in a very even game. I tell my players I know they can win this game and send them back out encouraged. Second Half: On 60 minutes Lee Croft switches with Mark Hicks so that Hicks is on the right wing. Croft is then replaced with Adam Smith and Maurice Dunne replaces Andrew Fisk. Stalybridge get a penalty on 64 minutes and they score! Now we’re losing 2-1. I’ve gambled on John Ryan for the last 20 minutes. He replaces Joachim. Penalty! It’s going to be the last kick of the game, and it’s ours. Scott Mitchell steps up, and he hits the damn thing wide! I’m gonna kill him! Full Time: Well, we’ve lost one. We were equal throughout most of the match, but we shouldn’t have lost. Scott Mitchell had a fabulous chance, and blew it! Aahhh! Final Score: Stalybridge 2-1 King’s Lynn Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.