EXODDUS - Comments

Moving on

No, not me, not yet anyway, but the Chairman, who I've previously praised for being ambitious sent me this not long after promotion.


Obviously there's no great deal of information here but still, I think it's excellent news.

Not exactly what I expected

Myself and the board had been preparing for a long hard season, my counter/defensive system has been yielding good results for us, in a season I can't quite get over, we have done something really special in our first season as a League club and our first as a professional outfit.





I'm delighted frankly, we still don't have a big budget, promotion only got us a little more than double our wage spend, I will almost definitely make some signings although I have no targets in sight. I'll be tracking soon to be released guys and hoping I can tempt a few to our little club, nothing else to report yet, gonna try to get some movement behind the scenes here.

Season 3 so far

I've been really happy with how we've gone on so far. Our squad is small and our budget is tiny and we've got the second lowest average attendance but financially and everything else we're doing pretty well. We had a huge amount of injuries and had no forwards available for 5 weeks so I had to move to a strikerless formation, never used one before and it actually led to a great run of form.





As you can see we've been flirting with the playoffs. I was approached and offered the Aston Villa job but have obviously decided to stay put. It hasn't always been pretty, had to play a very defensive, counter attacking system as we really are far from one of the better sides. Still, the board have allowed me to expand our coaching team a little too. Can't fault the club. Chairman has changed to just happy to stay, hopefully a big money man might be in our future. A man can dream.

Forgot to add that there has been no transfer news, I am slightly over my wage budget, have no transfer pot and have no room for any long term loans, all the loan guys we've got have been doing pretty well so I haven't really felt moved to swap them, if I could they'd probably all reject us anyway.

Third Season

Thought I'd start off with a little update on the club, our budget is still trying with a bunch of players I made approaches for wanting wages that took up more than 20% of our budget, still, we've taken some steps forward.


Both our pre-season and early season games have proved trying. We have finally begun getting points on the board, and we've been competitive in all of our games, and I do mean all of them, at no point have we been embarrassed by anyone, which is satisfying.


I kept a lot of the squad together, unfortunately the man I expected to lead our line immediately went out for 8 months. Keshi Anderson you may remember being my main target wouldn't even consider us. I truth his wage would've probably crippled me.


Finally, that's the squad. Some of the lads have potential. If I couldn't get loans without wages I would have a squad with less than 10 people. It's tough, I'm slightly over budget but the board aren't giving me a hard time about it. Thankfully some of the lads have started showing signs of improvement so we might finally be turning into a club that helps players improve.

Ambitious Attitudes

Been asking every year for improvements to the club, managed to finally get a few things moving. The chairman has proven he's willing to put his hand in his pocket.





Obviously in an ideal world I'd love to be able to bring through our own players. Not managed to get any improvements to the senior facilities yet. I'm thrilled about the pitch, our opposition had been moaning all season and frankly it doesn't fit the way I want the club to play to have to play on an abysmal pitch.

We're going up



Our final run of games went pretty well, and left the League looking like this:


Excellent season, absolutely thrilled.

Followed by this from the board

and this


It's an amazing growth for the side, I've already signed up my backroom guys and a few of the players have signed full time contracts. Signed my own new contract and I've also started my Continental A Badge. The board are thrilled but now I've got to keep an eye out for signings, but with only a 10k wage budget I'm not certain who I'll be able to attract. Still, excited to have taken the Club to the EFL for the first time in their history!

Top of the League



As I say, we're top of the League, just. Barnet have been awesome. Managed by Alan Curbishley and their star man on loan from Crystal Palace has been the form man all season. Keshi Anderson is my main target for next season after watching him destroy the League.



Had a few players moaning about wanting to get some action so they're out on short term loans.

Been a really really satisfying season so far, not exactly dominating, we don't score enough goals for my liking.

A Good Start



That leaves us 2nd just 2 points behind Barnet, we've managed to use a mostly settled side which has really helped, but I've got a few lads who aren't super chuffed. I can live with that. If we can have the kind of 2nd half to the season we had last time out I'd be delighted. Glad to see us doing so well here as the difference being a league club would make here, the first in the clubs history would be huge

Also the club have agreed to send me for my Continental C Badge, feel I've got a semi ambitious chairman here. I'd love some training upgrades so gonna start asking the board in the summer.

Second Season

The Manager

As you can see started my National A Badge, developing well.
Friendlies

Better this time around, side is gelling well
Transfers

Both the cash transfers were compensation deals, I kinda forgot about that whole mess which took money out of my Wage pot, still, both lads improve the side.Skyzniarz is an amazingly good keeper for this league.
The Squad


Shaping up pretty well, think we have a chance of pushing for the playoff places, board only want us to avoid relegation. Squad is decent and I've added some pace to this side too.

End of Season

The chairman obviously is a brilliant businessman.


Adding space for 500 standing people, apparently that's a requirement of promotion but it's potentially more money.

The Playoff semi final



Pretty even match, probably the right result.



Yeah, I'm happy to have won, we were nowhere near being the better side, but my plan was to be defensive and try to sneak through and that's what we did.

The Final



I'm so happy with this. Same story as the second leg, and same outcome. Quite the turnaround. Been a season of lows and now a fantastic end to the season has brought us a massive high!

Decent Turnaround





Our turn around led to us getting into the playoffs on the penultimate game of the regular season. Squeaking in there just about. Turn to a more defensive version of my original 4-4-2 has certainly helped. I haven't had much luck in the playoffs in my person FM history. The other 3 sides were consistent throughout the season. although we would be top just based on the 2nd half of the season. Quite the turn around. If I hadn't made some of those loan signings we'd have been nowhere near this.

Slight Improvement



Have to say Stockport and Staylbridge were both outplayed by us in those games. We'd be in the top 10 if we'd been able to defend but as soon as one defender makes a mistake they all switch off. Almost wish I'd been sacked.



Brought in some loan players to help us out. Hoping I might just squeeze into the playoffs. Finished of my second coaching course too but that's as far as the club is prepared to go for now. Being linked with slightly bigger jobs for some reason too.

The Story so far...



I drastically overestimated the quality of the side, and my tactical ability. None of my preferred tactical systems is apparently capable of bringing out a decent performance. Even our wins have seen us totally outclassed and merely fortunate to get anything. I'm having a swing at a 5 man defence in order to stop our horrendous form. Some of the players are turning on me and the board are starting to get antsy. Can't blame them to be honest.

On a cheerier note

The media are calling my next game against 19th Placed Halifax 'El Sackico' and I appreciate a good pun as much as anyone else.

Finances aren't too bad here but I thought it might help to have a bit of income and the chance to get some decent loan players so I asked the board for a senior affiliate



Millwall make almost no sense from a location point of view but there is some decent players in their U23 squad. None want to join us on loan yet but that's ok. I wasn't expecting much different just yet. It'll do for now.

Pre-season



Uninspired that, been playing around with the shape of the side so definitely my fault.

Transfers



The Squad



Not gonna lie, the side is not the worst and some of the players have room to grow. I'm semi optimistic.

The Manager



The Club





The Mission

Having lost my motivation a few times with a few different saves I've decided to have a go at a lower league save, I've not often had the patience to see these through but I'm determined to have a good old swing at it. Alfreton Town are a small club less than half an hour away from my own home town. My intention is to lead this tiny club to the promised land.

Day One has gone pretty well to be honest. I've totally upset two players because I happen to think having 5 strikers for 2 positions is crazy and I want to free up some wage budget. I've also managed to get myself straight onto my first coaching course. Already looking at the squad and trying to round out my staff.