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Dan
Ffs that's because I was reading it late last night!
Not sure above the new job offer though!
Shedender
DNZY
___________________________________________
Doubling back to my twelfth side in management, taking on the task of bringing Dungannon Swifts to potential new heights. Located in the heart of Northern Ireland in County Tyrone, the Swifts have becoming the leading side from the red hand county since Omagh Town's dissolving in 2005. The club rock a traditional royal blue strip with a white trim for home games.
Dungannon is the third largest town in Tyrone behind Omagh and Strabane, laying roughly 40 miles south west of Belfast with around 16,000 in population. It is known to be one of the cleanest towns in Northern Ireland, winning the 'Best Kept Town Award' five separate occasions. The noticeable feature of the land is the church of St Patrick erected in the town centre. Dungannon is also the birthplace of famous PGA golfer and former Ryder Cup captain, Darren Clarke.
The swifts home stadium is Stangmore Park, and has been for the last 42 years since it opened in 1975. The ground holds a 5,000 persons capacity, yet only 300 are seated. During the 2013 season, the stadium was shared by Warrenpoint Town following their promotion from the NIFL Championship, however their ground did not meet Premiership standards and had to play here for the majority of the campaign while Warrenpoint's Milltown was under construction. It has never hosted a European game thus far, despite Dungannon qualifying for the UEFA Cup in 2007.
The club were founded in 1949, but didn't gain their semi-professional status until 1997 following promotion to the second tier in the NI football pyramid. Honours are very few and far to come by, only winning only the NIFL Championship once in 2003. They missed out on winning an inaugural Irish Cup, losing cruelly on penalties to Linfield after a 2-2 through extra time. That said, Dungannon won and regained the Mid-Ulster Cup four years running between 2013 and 2016, beating sides like Banbridge, Annagh and Armagh twice. Mentioned previously, Dungannon have struggled to qualify for Europe despite 13 consecutive years in the top flight. Only once did they qualify for the UEFA Cup, losing to Lithuanian side Suduva on aggregate in 2007.
CURRENT SEASON
Three games before the league split takes effect and it looks rather hopeless to reach it unless Institute go off the rails. Recent form (from the start of the calendar year) has been quite indifferent with no win in seven games, though a number of them came in cup competitions which seems a little harsh for the previous manager's dismissal as the league form hasn't been TOO bad. Cliftonville have run away with the league this year and looking to secure three titles in a row, with Glentoran, Glenavon and Linfield fighting for scraps. Highly unlikely we'll drop beneath seventh with alligators Portadown and Ballymena creeping underneath and waiting to pounce.
SQUAD
Lack of a natural right back is worrying, but no shortage of attacking quality and a bloody decent midfield. Peter Beggs as a central midfielder has assisted 19 times which is pretty solid if you ask me. Lots of teenagers make up the crux of the team with more experienced players fading away. Amazingly only two players over the age of 30, one understandably being a goalkeeper. Top striker has 16 goals under his belt.
KEY PLAYER: Sean Dempsey - ST(C)
Certainly a step down in quality from the TNS strikeforce, but not bad for this league. I love working with poachers and he fits the bill nicely, plus has a decent amount of quickness about him to get forward. Excellent off the ball for his age with 13 and 11 in finishing and composure respectively, he'll be hot merchandise if he continues his current development trajectory. That's all well and good and everything but only 1 goal in his last 7 games is pretty worrying.
Our first three games comprise of bottom of the table Ards away, crucial six pointer at home to Institute and the toughest of the bunch despite being at home for it, second placed Glentoran. Will we be able to pinch a top half finish away from 'Stute?
DNZY
DANSKE BANK PREMIERSHIP
MATCHDAY 31
Tested the waters against the basement side to get a feel for the style of play. Possession based default did enough, withstanding any puny attacks Ards threw at us. Took a bit of poking to finally break the deadlock, Peter Beggs on hand to deliver the first from the edge of the area and David Donnelly assured us of no slip ups to comfortably sweep Ards aside.
tongey
DNZY
MATCHDAY 32
It was a must win at home to Institute and made it so in a lively afternoon at Stangmore. End to end first half but neither side could forge first blood, though we certainly came closest but for a missed penalty from David Donnelly that shook the post. Dempsey nearly ended his goalscoring drought shortly into the second half, somehow his effort managed to hit the inside of the post, rolled along the line and eventually hacked clear. Finally hit the front after 63 minutes when Donnelly picked out left winger Andrew Brady to angulate a shot from an acute angle to deceive Marcus McKee. The second was pitched well as McParland powerfully headed in David Curtis' free kick and to put us right in the chase for the top half split.
RESULTS OVERVIEW
Good opening stint; two wins, four goals and four different goalscorers. Team performances so far and the chemistry is flowing very nicely.
LEAGUE TABLE
One point now from Institute who are away to Ballinamallard while we take on second placed Glentoran. Cliftonville confirmed as champions with five games remaining.
DNZY
Iran.___________________________________________
This isn't good. Our second choice keeper is now injured for the Glentoran game while first choice Dean McDermott is a few days premature to return from a broken ankle. Bit of a pickle.
DANSKE BANK PREMIERSHIP
MATCHDAY 33
I can't believe it. We had this game in the palm of our hands only to implode in the short space of four minutes. Glentoran were much the better side and with only a 70% fit GK we did our best to hold them off. Peter Beggs delivered from long range to hand us a surprising lead against the run of play before a sloppy backward header allowed us to double that lead through Brady and rooting the Glens keeper to the spot. Stupidly but understandably I went on the defensive and boy oh boy was that a mistake. Glentoran fired back with Alan Maguire to intimidate us, allowing them to get inside our heads and within 90 seconds we went from leading to collapsing in a heap with Shaun Beggs and Maguire pinching a second goal. Cruel defeat and what made matters worse was Institute only drew with Ballinamallard.
We also lost our right sided winger mid-match too. Taking insult to injury quite literally.
DNZY
MATCHDAY 34 - RELEGATION SPLIT
Pulverised Ards back to the NIFL Championship thanks to a striker recalled in from a loan spell at Ballymena, Keith Meade who scored after 14 seconds to stamp our authority on the game. It was also a good day for Sean Dempsey who finally got back to scoring ways to break off Ards piece by piece with Donnelly and McParland bagging the others. Cool, calm, collected.
Dempsey also shattered his own goalscoring record on top of that.
DNZY
MATCHDAY 35 - RELEGATION SPLIT
Strolling to our fourth victory in five with Newry well out of their depth. David Donnelly missing another penalty was about as problematic as it got but with Keith Meade doing the business up front with a brace, we were almost certain to walk away with three points. Gelling together so well in this 4-2-3-1.
Shedender
DNZY
MATCHDAY 36 - RELEGATION SPLIT
Strange but enjoyable game, lots of very impressive goals from both sides to cancel each other out. Ballinamallard's first and third were long range beauties while our second goal came from a 30 yard free kick too. Should have seen the game through thanks to a "You've Been Framed" level of own goal handing us a 3-2 lead but as mentioned previously their third goal to equalise was unstoppable. Not that it matters as we're cemented to seventh place.
DNZY
___________________________________________
DANSKE BANK PREMIERSHIP
MATCHDAY 37 - RELEGATION SPLIT
Such a drole affair, should have taken Ballymena to the cleaners but for our weak finishing. Montgomery pulled off a great stop to deny the sky blues a fortunate winner.
DNZY
MATCHDAY 38 - RELEGATION SPLIT
They must have been listening to my last comment. Final game of the season was a buffet of hurt in the second half, folding to a narrow defeat against my personal enemy. Lee Carlin planting the first half seed and Peter Beggs should have sowed it shortly into the second but for the post denying him. Portadown had Dean McDermott to thank for their revival, completely outpositioned for two of out three of their goals to pave the way. Dempsey gave brevity to our hopes with a late goal, but Mallon shot us in the foot by being dismissed to kill the game. Curtains close with a defeat.
RESULTS OVERVIEW
The colours started to fade towards the end of the season, most of them on the beach already. Recalling Keith Meade was a spot on call, scoring four in five on his returns.
FINAL LEAGUE TABLE
About as a surprise as Lukaku's United unveiling, 7th. Knew we'd be there when the split occurred. Cliftonville were runaway winners of the league while Ards were unsurprisingly heading in the opposite direction with Newry surviving the relegation playoff.
Speaking of playoffs, we've still an opportunity to reach Europe via the Euro Places Playoffs. Linfield at home though. No pressure!
Dan
Shedender
DNZY
@Shedender - Linfield are a side I've done well against in previous FMs (throwback to a 6-1 win at Windsor Park with low league Killyleagh in FM14).
____________________________________________
DANSKE BANK PREMIERSHIP
EURO PLACES PLAYOFF - SEMI FINAL
BRAAAADYYYY! What a lionhearted performance from front to back,earning us a massive date in the playoff final! It's rare I get excited by a defensive performance but WOW @ Conor McParland - blew me away. 43(!!) interceptions, aerial battles unmatched and kept their top scorer Ronnie O'Neill in his back pocket. Linfield dominated the first half as expected and we fell behind to a header from centre back Harvey beating McDermott to the ball. Second half was a whole different story; chances start to flow and our efforts were rewarded with an equaliser from Dempsey squeezing home from a tight angle. Almost won the game within the 90 but Geoff Connor in the Linfield goal pulled off an immaculate double save to keep it all square. Into extra time and any time Linfield launced the ball, McParland thwarted it away and produced the counter attack for the win. Sub David Curtis whipped in a cross from the right and onto Brady's head to send the home crowd into raptures. The back four were down to 50% condition but they didn't rest until the whistle finally blew to stun Linfield, leaving us one win away from Europe. Absolute scenes.
A superb spectacle met by a bumper crowd (okay, it was under 1k but still).
Crusaders to stand between us and Europa League football (and by gum we need the money).
Impeccable timing. A tough task just got tougher as McParland earns one yellow too many which rules him out of the Crues game.
DNZY
EURO PLACES PLAYOFF - FINAL
WARNING: This image may leave you in a state of shock.
Oh my....Crusaders certainly meant business in the second half with a frightening three pronged barrage in a 3-4-3 setup to blitz us with five unanswered goals. McParland's absence was the ultimate pitfall as we were lost at sea without him. Paul McDowell may have cancelled out Morrow's thunderbolt in the first half, but Ryan Brown's ascension from the bench was too much to handle. Assisted three goals before placing himself on the scoresheet to well and truly turning our European aspirations into rubble. All our work in vain.
Shedender
DNZY
___________________________________________
The fans sure love Peter Beggs, in fact almost three quarters who voted see him as the golden boy for the future and I tend to agree from the performances I've seen from him in a brief stint. McFarland was way out in second, followed by Donnelly. Andrew Brady's stunning 30 yard free kick in the 3-3 with Ballinamallard earned title of the goal of Dungannon's season. Paul McDowell didn't exactly show me why he was signing of the season but one I will agree on is Beggs being voted young player of the season.
https://streamable.com/z1jkm
Sean Dempsey may not have netted much under my control but alas he finished the top scorer with just shy of a score. I reiterate how key Peter Beggs may be for us next season; 19 assists, one for every year old he is, dead seven average rating and man of the match five times - new contract is imminent. Just ignore the fact he has a bit of a temperament, two reds this campaign. Pass completion of 75% is rather worrying over the course of a season but Paul McDowell seemed to be the most accurate in the side. McParland's 11 yellows are something I'll have to change as that one suspension ruined what could have been worth a lucrative Europa League spot.
The Swifts had a pretty decent season despite not winning silverware or securing European football, just shy of the Mid Ulster Cup final plus decent progress in the Irish Cup before Portadown put them down. The nightmarish 6-1 hammering to Crusaders understandably was the worst result of the season.
Overachievers of the season according to Goal, however claiming that McDowell was the signing of the season is a little bit delusional to be fair. Peter Beggs was the league's top assist maker.
Speak of the devil, Beggs was pipped to the post by Cliftonville's Lamont. Of course the sporting agenda favours a league winner over hard working performers.
Anyways, time to get to work for the forthcoming season!
DNZY
TRANSFERS
OUT
A minor tidy up to the squad before the new season was to get underway with a few terminated contracts, one in particular that surprised everyone in midfielder Paul McDowell. Long story short, we're in debt and was going to further cripple our turnover had we kept him. Little did I know, Keith Meade was due to leave on a free to my arch nemesis during January before I even arrived and was powerless to convince him otherwise. A major bummer to see him go after what was an encouraging end-of-season stint on his loan recall.
IN
Fear not as I've come bearing gifts, two promising free agents sign for the swifts.
Liam Watt - AM(L)/AM(C)/M(C) - unattached free agent
Let go by Coleraine, this young versatile midfielder could fit into where McDowell used to play (despite being a little bit more advanced position-wise). Team player with enriching mental character and some physicality besides his strength, he should bring a lot to the table going forward. Vision is rather impaired, but that could just be because of that coiffed hairstyle sinking to eye level.
Aaron Kane - M(L)/AM(L) - unattached free agent
Another left footed and left sided player to rival Brady's starting spot, injecting that little bit more quickness to the side. Catch 22 is he prefers to sit in a deeper midfield role despite playing with two attacking wingers in a generic 4-2-3-1 outlook. Great crossing could be pivotal to finding the lone striker, even if he refrains from using his head.
FRIENDLIES
A solid mini tour of Scotland, thrashing local Dergview and finished off with a very respectable draw against Premier League Brighton. Six goals for Dempsey, hoping a pattern emerges going into the main season.
SEASON EXPECTATIONS
The board seriously mitigating any pressure on my job permutations by only asking us to make top half in the league. The Irish Cup may be more of a minefield as the minimum stands at a semi final. Although my aim is to win trophies, the League Cup and Mid Ulster bear no real significance. We'll have to see about that.
The bookies don't fancy our chances to steal an unlikely threepeat away from Cliftonville, but instead top six at 19-1. Sides including Glenavon, Glentoran, Crusaders and Linfield will surely give us the runabout on top of the champions.
DNZY
DANSKE BANK PREMIERSHIP
MATCHDAY 1
Watt a debut from new boy Liam! A wasteful Ballymena display played right into our hands despite them getting a fortunate equaliser, but we landed the clean killer punches to an opening day victory. Watt had a bright second half, squaring for Donnelly to restore the lead plus securing two of his own to effectively kill the lights on the game. It ended with stigma on Peter Beggs, lunging in for a stupid straight red late on with the game already won.
Liam Watt was the only one to make team of the week. (Ignore the fact that Judas Meade also made it with his new club).
DNZY
MATCHDAY 2
Two from two as Institute were easily swept aside. I honestly have no explanation for the first goal by Brady, you have to witness the build up with your own eyes to believe it.
https://streamable.com/3ox08
Left back Tom Fitzgerald highlighted in team of the week for a change with a solid 7.5.
Unrelated titbit of information - we drew our feeder club Dergview in the League Cup second round. Easy.
DNZY
MATCHDAY 3
Silence rings around Windsor Park as a shellshocked crowd witnessed the swifts dominate the midfield to secure an unexpected yet valuable 3-1 win. Andrew Brady continued to impress with some intelligent link up play with Dempsey to the extent of almost exchanging roles to profit two goals while Dempsey finished off the third. Our passing possession style completely bamboozled them and the Huns couldn't get near us. In fact the only mistake we made in the entire game was an unfortunate o.g. from goalkeeper Montgomery where the ball landed on his back after a shot struck the underside of the bar. Three from three.
Almost half of the team of the week occupied by our lads. Everything is gelling so nicely.
DNZY
Oisin Kelly - D(R) - free transfer from Moyola Park
One signing came in before the window slammed shut and my scouts recommended this young right back from third tier Moyola Park. Harboured suspicions about bringing him in, but it's hard to argue with prominent physicals like his coupled with decent tackling. Might get the odd game here and there, but definitely a prospect to whet Dungannon beatnik appetites.
DNZY
MATCHDAY 4
Despite our hot start to the season, subconsciously I was pessimistic away to the champions. Well I was certainly proved wrong with a well deserved point at Solitude where former TNS lad Alexander D'Ath captained the Shamrocks. Even game but neither side gave in, although Cliftonville had their second wind late on but failed to bulge the net.
Wasn't all fairies and rainbows as new signing Watt faces sideline time.
RESULTS OVERVIEW
Punching well above in our opening four games, only dropping points to the strongest side in the division. Brady and Dempsey are quite the partnership.
LEAGUE TABLE
Neck and neck with Glenavon at the very early stages. Cliftonville also remain the only other side unbeaten.
DNZY
Top start to the season not going unnoticed, claiming my first Northern Irish manager of the month award.
DANSKE BANK PREMIERSHIP
MATCHDAY 5
First game we laboured to score but still controlled in a slender win over a robust Newry side. The Brady/Dempsey partnership perpetually impresses, Brady shrugging off their right back with ease to exploit a huge pocket of space to square into Dempsey's path. All Newry attacks caused very minor trouble but we should have been out of sight nonetheless. Dempsey had to double his account; running half the length of the field for a counterpointed one on one but ran out of steam at the end, skewing his shot inches wide. Loving life at Dungannon.
The gift that keeps on giving. #TheNealonEffect
DNZY
SECOND ROUND
Unconvincing even if we did field a second string team at our feeder club. Full debuts were handed out to Oisin Kelly and Aaron Kane (though Kane was embedded to an unnatural central mid role). Kyle Brownlee's free kick made the difference in the end to advance safely enough to the third round. The team in zebra stripes failed to deliver anything problematic, however did find space for a free header late doors that drifted harmlessly wide.
...elsewhere in the evening's results. Linfield had a mare at third tier side Barn United. Good grief they're in for a turbulent season.
THIRD ROUND DRAW
20 minute drive up the M1 for our local rivals Loughgall for a place in the quarter finals.
DNZY
MATCHDAY 6
Former swift Keith Meade spearheaded Portadown's 4-2-3-1 line-up but offered the courtesy of not inflicting damage on his former employers. On the contrary, we have no idea how we didn't inflict a massacre on my personal enemies, cancelling out their opener with Dempsey's fourth goal of the season and then holding the deck from there on in. Disappointed, but at least we're still unbeaten.
Keep 'em coming.
DNZY
MATCHDAY 7
The clash of the top two ended in deadlock, but lucky to escape with a point. Glenavon's pitch was as long as my schlong to favour direct style of football and it hurt us on many occasions. There was one man to praise and once again it was our centre back Conor McParland who dug in deep with 35 interceptions to foil the Lurgan Blues' waves of attack. Despite Andy Sproule's opener, we responded with a penalty from David Donnelly to finish the game level. Dempsey largely disappointing up front, we'll take it though.
We're the immovable object right now.
McParland's brilliance earned him a place in team of the week.
DNZY
MATCHDAY 8
An almost complete performance against the resurrected Coleraine side who were promoted last season. The visitors foolishly set up 4-3-3 attacking the entire game and were justly punished. Two penalties in the first half allowed Donnelly to place one of them for the opener, but denied on the other by the strong hand of Barry Woods in net. Aaron Kane was crowbarred into the team ahead of Brady for me to dissect his performance and I was thoroughly impressed as he set up Dempsey for a 2-0 lead at the break. If it weren't bad enough for the Bannsiders, they conceded a THIRD penalty to which Donnelly made no mistake this time. Beggs deftly headed in for four and Kane's solid rendition deserved a goal of his own. Who's next guys?!