International Save and Dual manage some club sides later.

Season 58

Board expectations reasonable ..Rnd 1 Carabao. Rnd 2 FA Cup.  sky Bet League 2 ..Avoid relegation.

Win opening 3 leagues without conceding. Loanees from Birmingham, Wolves , Dungannon & Watford x2.  Free signings x 2 and 92k club record signing from Krupa ( Nikola Jovic).

Carabao Cup 1st Rnd away at Millwall(L1) .. rest key players…HT 2-1 up having lead after just 2 mins. FT Shock 2-1 win.

18yr old Bailey makes debut. 16yr old Dyer now has 8 games with no goals over his career.

After 5 straight wins …lose away at Cambridge who lost first 5 matches ..1-0.

Carabao Rnd 2 away at Championship Cardiff … rest key players again … HT 0-0 vs 10 men.(5mins) FT 1-1 after being behind. Pens 5-3 loss.

Checkatrade (h) vs West Ham U23 .. HT 1-0 Jokic 30yd screamer. FT 2-0 … Surprisingly Easy win.  New record low attendance of 430. ( Was 564).

Game 9 is derby day vs Boreham Wood ..shame the stadium has construction. Looks odd with no corner areas. Win 3-1 in front of sell out 4577.

Game 11 ..new stadium expansion sees record crowd of 5031 vs Gillingham. (Was 4974 vs Sunderland 2072).

Checkatrade vs Newport(h) (L1) … HT 1-0 close game. FT 2-0

FA Cup round 1 vs Tranmere(a) Fellow L2 team ..game was 0-0 in the league. Board expect a win. Win 3-1

Checkatrade away vs Plymouth .. HT 1-0 down. Lose 1-0 and Plymouth top the group .. Perhaps rotating was an error.Dyer no goal in 12 ga es.

FA Cup round 2 vs Forest Green (VNL) (a) HT 3-0 up. FT 4-0 win.

Game 23 ..Halfwaybthrough season and sell out expected vs Bradford .. HT 2-0. Balsom gets 1st goal. FT 2-0 ..Red card stops any fightback.

Crowd of 5314 / 5500.  Breaks record vs Gillingham.

Checkatrade Rnd 2  (a) vs Portsmouth( 9th L1) .. HT 1-0 down to iffy penalty. FT 2-0 loss.

FA Cup Round 3 ..Revenge time ( after last season …hopefully) this time home to Swansea.HT 1-0 up. FT 2-0 and stats show it’s deserved Against Championship 15th placed team.  Sell out 5500 crowd Is a new record but not a new gate receipts ( odd as record is a Fa cup Rnd 1 tie in 2057 vs Colchester in a smaller ground).

FA Cup Round 4 (h) vs Newcastle ..I am 20 unbeaten against them ..but Premiership (19th) should win. There manager is super confident.

My new CB is cup tied. HT 1-0 down. FT  keeper error & own goal in a 3-0 loss. Had a goal disallowed. Another sell out crowd.

Feb 2077 .. Man Utd win Carabao Cup.

Game 35 ..after a ropey Jan ..Win 2-0 vs York and we’ll clear at the top.

March 2077 .. blow Promotion chance home to Tranmere and key striker injured.

Another home chance vs lowly Barnet .. 19yr old Bailey gets 1st senior goal … 2-0 win does seal Promotion after 38 games.

Game 39 ..U18’s drafted in as injuries mount. 15 yr old Simpson makes debut. 
 

Game 42 .. Slog to a 2-1 win at home to bottom side Port Vale ..and become Champions. 
 

Fans Player ..Quinn.  Breaks goals & mom records.

Goal ..Jokic

Signing ..Butt

Youngster ..Cann

Man Utd ..Premier League

Arsenal beat Utd to win FA Cup.

I am pleased but want something new for next season …South Africa is the challenge as only African league available and I have never managed there on any save.  I should have done this whilst National Manager 2041 / 42.

Season 59

Take the Kaizer Chiefs job .

Hall of fame is topped by a Romanian … 8th is a fellow Englishmen.

Squad is ok but struggling to get foreign players to come. Only 2 weeks until a competitive match.

My Ground holds over 109000 fans !

Opening game is a season curtain raiser called the Be A Coach Cup vs local rivals Orlando Pirates.  Oddly the fans pick the 20 man squad .. hence the name I guess . They don’t pick my first choice right back .  No back up midfield and 4 strikers. Over 64000 turn up for a non-competitive fixture.

Imported in my usual tactic. 4123 DM wide.

HT 3-0 up Veteran Brazilian Enrico with a brace. Win 4-2 but squad gaps highlighted.

Transfers are hard .. 1 x league 2 player but loanees all seem to be from South America.

No continental football as did. It qualify last season.. using Time to build a squad.

Win opener away at Bloem Celtic with a goal in 93rd min 1-0 .. should have been more.

Game 3 Win again in 93rd min as I have the first three games away.  Then its 3 at home.

Game 4 ..Set new gate receipt record of £525k ( was £425k ) in 3-0 win vs Orlando Pirates in front of 85801.

Game 7 .. board sell out my best right winger due to overseas transfer clause .. Saudi Clubs still buying in late October.

Game 13 ..2 big injuries before key December double header with Sundowns ( defending Champions). Win league fixture 4-2 next up a Cup Final.

SA Knockout Cup ( a Premier league club only Cup) .. Kaizer Chiefs have not won this since 2010/11. Sundowns have won it 46 times since Our last victory. Sundowns suffering from fatigue playing in African Continental cup.

Dominate with no shots against however at HT 0-0 .  FT 2-0.  Super sub Mkize plays out of position (AMR) and scores both goals.

After  10 runners up it’s finally a 14th title …Sundowns on 48.

22nd Dec 77 .. Then no games until Feb.  Ridiculous transfer offers coming in for Key Players ahead of Jan window.

CHAN international tournament is reason for no games.

I make some domestic / within the continent deals but Sundowns attract an £8m Keeper from Benfica.

After CHAN fail I get the South Africa job…they have fallen to 70th since I left 36 seasons ago.

I pick new new players into squad For African Nations Quals Group . Can’t recruit an asst mgr. Only 14 goals in entire squad.

(h) vs Comoros ( Rank 207) … HT 2-0 from 22 shots. FT 5-0 from 35 shots. 2 own goals in the mix. Masango scores on debut. Mkhize 1st goal .

(a) Angola ( Rank 102nd) .. Low skilled asst mgr in place.  Win 1-0 . New right winger debutant and centre back gets 1st international goal.

March 78 .. Win Game 21 but lose a key DM to suspension.  Next game Win 1-0 in a game against 8 men  12 y 3 Red in a game means more suspensions coming….In this 3 key players + DM still suspended.

Game 23 is at bottom side Cape Town … HT 2-0 up. FT 4-0 win and Sundowns lose a 2nd game. Qualify for African Champions Cup.

16yr old makes debut ..15yr old on bench.

SA Cup QF vs Witbank is a great chance versus a lower league team.  Rotate squad to keep fresh for key league match.

HT 3-0 15yr old debutant scores. 2 x 17yr olds score. FT 4-0  4 debutants and Siddorn now youngest player/scorer. 15y 263d

Game 25 .. Come from behind to win with 9 men vs 10  ( Asante red card again and late injury). Refs in this league killing the game. I have more suspensions and injuries now.

Elsewhere Man Utd win the Premier League again ( 8 in a row) in their 200th year as a club.

Game 28 ..Title can be sealed vs a Sundowns 2nd placed team who are On a Great African Champions League run.

Idiot ref on show again we have more red cards in a big match and 10 vs 10 ends in a 2-0 loss as I mess up tactics.

Game 29/30 .. (a) at lowly Ajax but have no first team or reserve left backs ..debut for a 16yr old. HT 3-1 up. FT 4-2 . Should seal the title as there needs to be a 13 goal swing.

FA Cup vs arch rivals Sundowns … ( not won this cup since 2013) .. HT 1-1 comeback to level having gone from Positive to Balanced.

FT 4-1 ..strikers are lethal in 2nd half.   Only 36 wins behind Sundowns for Cup Wins now !

Game 30 .. Doesn’t matter as Sundowns drop points with the game in hand .  Win last home game 2-0

My old side St.Albans just survive in League 1

Celtic win another title.

Sundowns win African Champions League ( 1st since 2061)

Man Utd win Premier & Champions League 

Rochdale win FA cup.

Season 60

World Cup …Squad is not great , injury in run up and tough group.  Being played in England. I won this with them 4 years ago.

Friendly before vs Gambia …Win 3-0.  Jameson makes debut.

2nd Friendly vs Mauritania .. Rotate squad. Win 4-0. 2xdebutants and 1 winger gets first goal.

World Cup Game 1 ..Hammered 4-0 by a Belgian side ranked 15th.

South Korea next who are ranked 31st. They drew with Belgium. HT 1-0 down. FT Go attack from balanced.  Draw 1-1.

Czech Republic win World Cup 3-2 aet against hosts and holders England.

Eliminated and deservedly so.

Time to improve squad for next season Champions League campaign .. raid other clubs for talent .

Get reasonable deals from Cale Town & Amazulu. Supersport charge more.

Be The Coach vs Orlando Pirates .. friendly curtain raiser … FT 1-1.  Win 4-2 on penalties. 
 

In the Super 8 competition this year. HT 0-0 away at Orlando. FT 1-0 loss despite dominating.

New squad not doing well scoring.

African Champions League Prelim 1 vs Sonacos or Senegal.  Go attacking . HT 2-0 up. FT 3-0. New high attendance of 103,823 for this competition.  Win 2nd leg away 3-1.  Agg 6-1.

Round 1 vs ES du Sahel of Tunisia. Win 5-1 at home and break attendance record again 104,089.
 

South Africa ANQ (h) vs Namibia (160th) .. HT 4-0. FT 8-0. 
Comoros vs South Africa (ANQ) ( 208th) .Win 9-0  Mkhize hits 6.  Sekgota & Mabaso get first goals. Qualify for 40th African Nations.

2x friendlies ..Win both vs Lesotho 6-0 & Djibouti 10-0

Game 10 .. Zwane breaks goals in a match record with 4 away at lowly Cape Umoya Utd. 

African Nation Quals 

(h) vs Angola .. Win 4-0. Zwane gets first 2 international goals.

(a) vs Namibia .. Win 4-0 .   Won all 6 group games.

Game 15 .. So many games in quick succession ..having won two African champs league group games.  Win 2-0 with youth making debuts or getting 1st senior goal. 
 

South Africa Knock out cup Final vs Sundowns … HT 1-0 down after (2 mins). FT 1-0. Dominate stats but can’t finish.

Blood youngsters in the cup inbetween beating Sundowns.. then finishing Champions group unbeaten.

Game 20 .. Thrash local rivals Orlando Pirates 6-0 with a 18yr old debutant scoring.  Crowd is 107,355. Smashes old league record of 85,801. New gate record of £678k.

Friendlies.

Rwanda vs S.Africa ..HT 8-0. FT 10-0. Molestane debut as keeper. Flat track bully Mkhize hits 5.

Benin vs S.Africa .. My 4200th game as mgr. HT 3-0 FT 5-1

Whilst checking next challenge ..find Cardiff play at Millenium stadium which now holds 120,000.

Apr 79 .. African Cup of Nations Draw .. Mali (38th) DRC (49th) South Africa (70th) Zambia (92nd).

After beating sundowns in the QF cup .. now get them in SF Champions League (h) .. Dominate but they Score with first shot ..FT 0-1 loss.

Have 4 players out injured throughout the game.  Record attendance of 109,286.

Get an easy cup tie before return and break youngest player record 15y 260days.

Champions League (a) vs Sundowns … 1-0 down (6) agg 2-0 … they get a red card (28) . Pull one back (38) HT 2-1 on agg.

Go all out after going 2-1 down but not to be .. out 3-1 on agg.

Narrow win away seals the 2nd title with 2 games to spare.

Cup Final vs Chippa Utd … HT 1-0. FT 3-0 .. joint 5th ranked Manager in South Africa.

Supersports shock Sundowns for 1st ever Champions Cup ..4-3 agg.

I may well comeback but contract ending and decide to go to Wales .

Season 61 

I want to complete a home nations challenge .  Won titles in England , Scotland & N.Ireland ..just Wales left ( did win it on Ps5 FM console).

Friendlies before tournament.

Guinea (54th) ..Won 2-1  Luthuli makes debut as sub.

Andorra (210th) .. Won 10-0

Comoros(208th) .. Won 10-0.   Record low crowd of 25,152 by 21 from last year vs our next opponents. Jandson 1st goal.

Djijbouti(202nd) .. Won 3-0

African Cup of Nations

DRC (49th) .. HT 0-0. FT 0-0. Card happy ref only books my fouls .

Mali (38th) .. HT 3-1 down. FT 3-1 loss to the hosts.

Zambia ( 91st) .. HT 2-0 as I go for it to rescue goal difference. FT 2-0. Elsewhere Mali/DRC draw 1-1. Waiting on a best 3rd place spot.

2nd Round vs Ivory Coast .. FT 0-0. Aet 1-0 down (103) ..dream over ..but Ivory Coast are ranked 17th.   
 

I resign from the role…. Before the media comments get me sacked despite being 53 places below Ivory Coast.

TNS .. opening games are Champions League. Qual 1.   Ironically overcoming this tie with Dungannon vs TNS set me up to dominate in N.I.

(a) vs Feronikeli .. HT 2-0 up having kept usual formation and gone Positive. FT 5-0. Crowd in Kosovo 477.

(h) vs Feronikeli ..Played at Shrewsbury . HT 5-0 FT 9-0. Agg 14-0.  Crowd of 1476 / 11540 capacity.

Qual 2

(h) vs Salzburg ..HT 3-0. FT 5-0. Attendance was a sell out 11540. New gate receipt record of £325k. 

(a) vs Salzburg ..HT 1-0 down. FT 1-1 .. Finally concede.

Qual 3

(a) Molde .. 1-0 loss despite playing well.

1st League Game after Molde loss is a 5-0 win in front of just 323 fans Vs Connahs Quay.  All other teams are semi pro.

(h) Molde .. 2-0 up when Red Card (34) threatens comeback.  Hang on to claim a surprise win.

Play off game

(a) Partizan .. D1 L10 is current record.  HT 0-0. FT 1-0 loss.

(h) Partizan .. HT 2-1 ..comeback from early (7) goal. FT 3-1. Harden (85) to complete shock victory.  Worth £13.69m

Group stages.. Dungannon ! Celtic & Real Madrid.

Lose 2-1 away at Dungannon … hit the woodwork 4 times !  Had held it 0-0 until (79).

(h) vs Real Madrid ..Debut for 16yr old keeper … HT 0-0. FT 1-0 win   Ref kept booking Madrid players which worked for us. Spanish teams do poorly in Europe through most of this career save.

Either side of the Madrid win I drew rotating the team.

39yr old legend Quinn has 5 weeks left until he retires ( on loan here as Kaizer Chiefs not playing ) needed 3 more goals for 1000 league goals In Game 10 and duly delivered. Done from 777 games but against mostly semi pro opposition.

Lose home at Celtic .. hate this , not just from my Aberdeen/ St.Johnstone days but their manager is cocky in media.

Despite league wins in between lose away as well … bottom of the group.

17th Nov 79 ..Quinn scores 2 on his last league appearance. 
21st Nov 79 ..Cup sf vs lower league Prestatyn .. Quinn scores twice in his last game before retiring tomorrow.

Game 5 (h) vs Dungannon .. 1-0 up but then a red card just b4 half time. HT 1-1. FT 1-1 . Shock draw but still bottom.

Made £17m just from Champions League. 
Game 6 ..1-1 away at Madrid after (29) .. 4-1 down at HT .. FT 5-2   Finish bottom.

Game 22 .. Try 4231 after new signings and transfers out .. 26 sec Red Card helps set up an easy win.HT 4-0 FT 4-0

28.1.80…Nathaniel MG Cup Final vs Aberystwyth .. HT 1-0 FT 1-0 

2.3.80 .. Lowly Flint in Cup so blood new U18 signings .. 16 yr old Dutitre scores on debut In 4-0 win. There were 3 other debutants.

12.3.80 ..Apply for Salford ( L1 17th) as want to challenge myself with a challenge.( Youth only no transfer purchases for over 21 .. eventually just use own youth products).  Problems with release compensation.

Same day ..Game 26 vs Aberystwyth for the title .. Sealed with a 3-0 win.

Apr .. Lose cup semi final after missing another penalty to Aberystwyth .

May ..Resigned to look for a more interesting challenge.

Dundee Utd win iLeague in Scotland.  Dundee win Scottish Cup. 

Man City deny United a 10th successive title ( United drew a win and the league was there on goal difference).

Carabao Cup ..United beat Leeds. FA cup Utd beat Arsenal

Europa ..Leicester beat Rangers.

Man Utd beat Leeds in another final to win Champions League.

Changes since I started save include some large Stadium capacities.

Bayern (108717) . Saints (101513) Utd (95285) Brighton (85400) Aberdeen (58402) 

Season 62

Salford relegated and with manager jumping ship I too L1 Swindon I apply.

They have a state of the art youth facility … my aim is to not buy any players …use youth set up and free transfers under 21.

Ideally end up with a side of full youth players and make Premier league for first time.

Interview shows club philosophy matches this.

1st Transfer Window July / August

2 out on frees before I arrive . Sell 3 others who want to leave after relegation.

 Sign 5 on loan (18-21 yrs old)  3 Free signings (17-23 yrs old) plus £250 for a 17 yr old.

Carabao Cup ..Beat Championship Sunderland . Lose on pens to Championship Derby next round.   LEICESTER WIN CUP.

Checkatrade. Lose on pens to Man Unites U23’s. Beat Crewe. Lose to Carlisle. Both L1.  Knocked out. CHESTERFIELD WIN CUP.

FA Cup . beat Notts C (L1) Wigan ( L2) Forest (Prem 20th) 4th Rnd Watford (2nd Champ) best win as away. SPURS WIN CUP
Lose in Round 5 vs Saints (9th Prem) they are confident and we are out of form since injury and 2 key players suspended, aet 3-2

League .. Lose first game ( 17th match) .. Injuries and suspensions affecting team. Top by 6 points from Tranmere.

Jan transfer window tests my no buying resolve as key striker breaks his leg ( 32 app 13 goals and 6 assists) on loan from Leeds. Game 29.

Cheap £250 back up striker with 6(13) appearances has only 2 goals.

Since injury ..W1 D2 L1 plus FA Cup win at Watford.  Lack of cutting edge Not being exposed as rivals falter.  11 pts clear.

Hoping form improves after Saints game.

This poor form sees the media saying murmurs about my job … Very Secure status says otherwise.

 Next up 2nd placed Wigan away for Game 34 .. ends 0-0 and still 11pts clear.. Banks has 1 goal in last 5 appearances.

Game 35 (h) to 4th placed Coventry .. win 2-0 ..Wigan lose to extend gap but Banks fails again.

Game 38 .. make the playoffs with a draw. Game 39 ..another draw plus Cunningham breaks youngest player record by 1 day. (15y 267d).

Game 40 ..a 3rd draw sees Promotion Sealed. Banks now has 7 league and 1 cup goal.

Game 42 Seal the title .

30 players used….only 2 existing players over 30.

End season as joint dirtiest team for fouls.  Most goals and most poss 62%. 7th best attendance with 67% capacity used.

United win Premier League.

Fans Player/ Youngster .. Harrison-Redmond

Goal ..Santos ( Spurs Loanee)

Signing ..Allen

Shirts ..Poole-Petty/Smith/Santos/Allen/Stevens.   5261 shirts.

Season 63

Going to try a survive L1 with just my squad and no loan players except from senior affiliate Man Utd or U21 free signings.

July 81 .. turn down invitation to apply for Hibs job…… harder turning down Dungannon.

1 of my few over 30’s sold . Other released and 2 signed from abroad with under 6 months left.

5 free transfer youngsters signed and 4 Man U loanees with no salary costs.

After 40 appearances ..Banks finally has a hat trick.

Carabao Cup ..Lose (a)Prem 1st placed Leeds 2-1 as last seasons Loanee Smith scores winner. 

Checkatrade ..

FA Cup…

League .. Good first 9 games before injuries hit.