Annan adventure

In the first season in Scottish League Two

My squad consists of

GK : Alex Mitchell - £60 per week

RB: Iain Chisholm - £50 per week
RB: Steven Black - £70 per week
CB: Steven Swinglehurst - £70 per week
CB: Martin McNiff - £85 per week
CB: Peter Watson - £45 per week
LB: Peter Bradley - £200 per week
LB: Jamie Mills (signed on a free) - £25 per week

CM: Josh Todd - £75 per week
CM: Matt Flynn - £50 per week
CM: Steven Logan -£130 per week
CM: Ryan McStay - £190 per week
CM: Steven Sloan -£35 per week
RW: Derek Carcary - £100 per week
RW/ST: David Hopkirk - £150 per week
LW: Stuart McColm - £150 per week
LW: Robert Sloan (signed on a free) - £60 per week

ST: Peter Weatherson - £ 300 per week - also a coach
ST: Kenny Mackay - £80 per week
ST: Kieran Brannan - £80 per week
ST: Rabin Omar - £55 per week
ST: Scott Davidson - £85 per week



Using a 4, 3(central midfields), 2 wingers and a striker

Using these instructions

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Friendlies

H - Annan Athletic 5 - 1 Annan Athletic Under 20's
H - Annan Athletic 1-0 Ayr United
A - Cumnock 0-4 Annan Athletic
H - Annan Athletic 0-2 Crewe Alexandra
A - Glenafton 1-3 Annan Athletic

Good pre season, only defeat to Crewe who are better and bigger club and to lose 2-0 wasn't too bad. The performance against Ayr who are a league above with a good defensive performance.

Cup Competitions

Scottish Challenge Cup 1st Round

H- Annan Athletic 3-4 Queen of the South

Scottish League Cup 1st Round

A- Alloa Athletic 4-0 Annan Athletic

Very hard opponents both 2 leagues above us, gave it a good go against Queen of the South but defensively was poor. Feel apart at Alloa which was disappointing however we were playing a stronger team.

Sorry first comment wasnt great

August

The squad is very unbalanced, with 5 strikers , only 1 left back and no winger cover. Also there is only 1 goalkeeper but taking the risk that Alex Mitchell and play the whole season so i dont want need to spend a wage on somebody that doesn't play.

Defensively the squad is good, and I see this as a strong base for success, McNiff and Swinglehurst are a good partnership at the back and i have cover in both full back positions after signing Jamie Mills on a free. Chisholm and Bradley have become first choice after mixing around against the friendlies and the cup games.

The 3 in centre midfield are very talented with ex Carlisle United player Josh Todd being the play maker in the side while Steven Logan, ex Newcastle United Youth player, and Matty Flynn beside him. Both players are good passers which I like as I like to play passing football even at this low level. They also give protection to the defensive. Steven Sloan is not needed at the age of 32 he is past his best.

On the wings , new signing Robert Sloan on the left at the age of 31 he has very good technique and can whip in a good cross however he has the pace of 6 which could be better. Stuart McColm is quicker but has good less attribute up to the level of Sloan. On the right Derek Carcary and David Hopkirk are similar level but my first choice is Hopkirk as he got a better finish and crossing ability.

Up front, we have alot of deadwood and Kenny Mackay and Kieran Brannan are in the under 20's squad and wont be getting a new contract. David Weatherson is a powerhouse and is a good target man and has a good finish. Scott Davidson is more a poacher and started on the bench but has scored a few times and been given a starting place. 18 year old Rabin Omar is a talented player for the future but at the moment is playing for the under 20s but the plan is to send him on loan if possible.

Nice salaries...I bet they can live out of that for 2 days each month

Now seriously GL

August

First game of the season, a hard away game against Albion Rovers who finished 7th in the season before. After a good pre season however two defeats in the two cup competitions the team wasn't fully bonded in the formation and tactics. A good defensive first half was capped with a good header from Peter Watson from a good delivery from a free kick by Weatherson. The second half was a disappointment as we conceded 3 sloppy goals and team did collapse, are fitness was poor and many players were under 60% fitness condition. Jamie Mills had a poor debut with a rating of 5.90 and was at fault with 2 of the goals.
The first half saw some positives but need to work on defensive play and fitness.


First home game of the season against Queen's Park, this was a very winner able game but the formation and tactics was only half adapted in to the teams play as we only train twice a week being part time. A first start for Steven Black at right back replacing Iain Chisholm and pushing Martin McNiff into midfield with Josh Todd dropping to the bench. The game was very equal and was open with chances for either team from end to end. Queen's Park broke the deadlock with a very good strike from Sean Lynch from 25 yards into the bottom right corner. We pushed for a equaliser putting on Scott Davidson , David Hopkirk for injured Derek Carcary and Josh Todd for McNiff. We went attacking and got the equaliser from a good tidy finish from Davidson in the 84th minute. Pleased we got are first point and deserved to get the equaliser with the good play in the last 25 minutes. It raised are moral and got us started for the season ahead.


Next game away to Montrose, with 4 changes to the starting line up with Peter Bradley, David Hopkirk, Scott Davidson and Josh Todd coming in. Davidson start was awarded after his goal against Queen's Park while Hopkirk in for injured Carcary. The first half was brilliant performance with Annan taking the lead in the 4th minute with a great solo goal by Hopkirk, the lead was doubled inside 13 minutes with Davidson second goal in two games. A great cross by Robert Sloan left Davidson with an open goal as we counter attacked well. The half was capped off with a foul on Sloan in the box and a penalty awarded in the 43 minute, Sloan picked him self up and scored the penalty and the best 45 minutes of football we played all season. The second half wasnt up to the same level and conceded a from a corner with Steven Robb scoring for Montrose. Never in risk of losing the game Montrose did get a second goal from an own goal by Peter Watson in the 91st minute. The fitness again was poor however we got the victory and are first 3 points of the season.


The last game of the month against Elgin City at home at Galabank. The only change was in central midfield with Steven Logan replacing Matty Flynn who was struggling with fitness. The game was similar to the Queen's Park game and was to open to are liking and are midfield wasnt taking control of the ball. We didnt deserve to win the game as we didnt create many changes however it was poor that was conceded to Shane Sutherland's tidy goal in the 76th minute. We didnt get back into game and was disappointing to only pick up 1 point from 2 home games in the month.


Overall we finished the month 6th with 4 points from 4 games it wasnt a great start however there was signs of improvements and are formation and tactics getting adapted to the players.

September

The first game of the month against are "Football Manager" rivals against Berwick Rangers who geographical are 45 miles away on the east coast of Scotland. The game had a big build up with a pre match conference with the local press. We needed to get back to winning ways and be good way to get are first home win. Iain Chisholm came into Steven Black at right back and apart from that the same team that played against Elgin City. The performance was the best overall all season with Martin McNiff scoring from a corner in 34th minute and gave us the lead at half time. The best attribute from the game was the control and the midfield and Berwick never put are defence under any pressure. A second goal by Josh Todd after brilliant passing play gave us some breathing space and put us in complete control and was capped off by sub David Weatherson in 89th minute and gave us the a big three points. It was an excellent day and it raised are moral and confidence.


After a great victory against Berwick Rangers we were in good spirits to get a victory away at East Stirlinghsire. Injury to Scott Davidson put David Weatherson back into the started line up which was the only change to the starting line up. We started like we did against Berwick with good control on possession and created changes but it took us to the 43 minute to score from a good header from Weatherson after a good cross from Todd. It was a great time to score however half time came at the wrong time and allowed East Stirlingshire to re group and they came out in the second half pumped and we didnt cope with a fast start from them. Steven Logan gave away a cheap penalty in the 47th minute which was scored by David Greenhill, are defence was under pressure all the second half and they took the lead in the 58 minute from McKenna and extended it 8 minutes later to make it 3-1. The second half was very poor and are defence was all over the place and needs more work on the training ground. It was also a game where we played well in the first hlaf but well apart in the second such as in the first game of the season at Albion.


Another tough away game at Clyde is next, a good week of defensive training to improve form the previous defeat. Hopkirk picked up an injury at East Stirlingshire which moved Robert Sloan to the right winger midfielder and gave a start for Stuart McColm on the left hand side. Clyde were under pressure being bottom of the league with player-manager Barry Ferguson getting threatened for the sack. It was a good time to play them and we started the game well and moved the ball around well we deserved the opening goal with a very good finish by Josh Todd in the 11th minute. We were in control throughout the second half keeping the ball and always have the potential to create an opening. We finally got the second goal by Robert Sloan's first goal for the club with a good freekick from 24 yards. Josh Todd collected man of the match and got his second goal and Annan's third with great counter attacking goal. However 7 minutes after the third goal Clyde got a goal back by Corcoran and were getting back into the game. Poor defensive play gave Barry Ferguson another goal for Clyde in the 90th minute after we couldnt clear from a corner. We hold on and gave us are third win of the season, the only bad aspect from the game was an injury for Scott Davidson who we risked for a starting place.


At the end of the month with 6 points from 9 it game us 10 points from 7 games and put us into the place off places at 4th.