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#367226 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
With my fourth season upon us at Mourneview Park the board have indeed put pressure on me as they'll be expecting yet another league trophy and I'm confident enough we can deliver it but I'm hoping Cliftonville (another professional club) and others can put up for of a 'fight' because I don't ideally want to run away with another title while I'm hoping I can win every other domestic trophy we're in.
For the second season running we have failed to reach the group stages of either the Champions League or Europa League which is a damn shame but there's nothing I can do. Crotian side Dinamo Zagreb ended our Champions League hopes while Scots Celtic dumped us out of the Europa League at the playoff stage. We do have a chance to win the League Cup when we face fellow Premiership side Coleraine while we'll travel to Armagh in the fifth round of the Irish Cup and Portadown in the MUC quarter final.
It's been far too easy in the league as we've only dropped points twice in the opening twenty four games - slipping to an undeserved single goal defeat at home to Cliftonville and drawing two apiece away to Linfield - we have done the 'treble' over Portadown so far this season as we've recorded four nil, four two and three nil victories against the Shamrock Park outfit. As you can see for three consecutive games we done the "Arsenal of old" when we won three straight games one nil against Ballinamallard, Bangor and Glentoran.
Don't want to sound "arrogant" but I feel we've pretty much already wrapped up the league as we're twenty four points clear of Cliftonville and it's even better to see Portadown struggling as they're bottom with Crusaders currently occupying the relegation/promotion spot.
#367225 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#367156 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
Life at Mourneview Park has turned out to be straight-forward as last season the club won the Premiership title for the eighth consecutive campaign and I'm hoping it'll be a ninth straight crown in what I'm thinking could be my final season at the club as I feel I need to "challenge" myself again - the only downside last season was I failed to win every domestic trophy which was unfortunate but c'est le vie.
Purchased three players this summer although I can only guarantee one'll be a regular starter for the club. Our first signing saw striker Stephen Walker depart Linfield for up to thirty thousand pound, right back Eric Hassan arrived for twenty six thousand pound from English side Braintree and Mark Getty became our "big money" transfer, costing two hundred thousand pound from fellow Premiership side Cliftonville. Christopher Miller's one point three million pound switch to Sunderland was our only major departure this transfer window.
But he wasn't the only departure as eight players also departed the club on loan for the season - trio Brian Thompson, Rachel Davies and Wilker went to Cliftonville, duo Steven Gracey and Michael Moore headed to Coleraine, duo Keith Law and Johnny McDowell signed for Glentoran while Richard Mason re-signed for Crusaders on a second loan deal. Bryan Anderson and Paul Smyth were released when their contracts had expired.
You need to ignore the star ratings because they don't do some players justice but this'll be the first team squad ahead of my fourth campaign at Mourneview Park and it's a strong enough squad but perhaps one not good enough to progress in European football which would be a shame. Yet again I'll be relying on Sean Curran for the goals (even though I signed Stephen Walker) while just like always, I'll be expecting the wingers to assist the lone striker and to also score goals. Dean Watson is able to ship in the goals when he needs to which is always helpful.
Just one defeat in our seven preseason friendly games and that was an undeserved defeat to Scottish side Clyde but we did beat two other Scottish sides as Gretna 2008 and St. Johnstone were beaten both two nil while we beat our feeder clubs Lisburn Distillery, Institute and Annagh United all two goals to nil before the preparations concluded with a six nil win against Ballymacash in Tony Woods' testimonial.
#367094 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#367031 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
I would've loved to have progressed into a European group stage @Dan but unfortunately this season it wasn't to be.
I've ended up completing my third season at Glenavon and once again it hasn't been the worst season although sadly we couldn't reach either a Champions League or Europa League group stages but that's not the end of the world as it means the players can't ideally get overly tired at the 'business' end.
It ended up being disappointment in the League Cup final as Cliftonville undeservedly beat us one nil and also in the Irish Cup when Linfield also beat us one nil in the final but the team did lift the Mid-Ulster Cup after a single goal win against Portadown.
Wow. Just one defeat in the second part of the campaign as we were in irresistible form including an unbelievably excellent 8-0 win at home to Linfield while the campaign concluded with a single goal victory over Portadown at Shamrock Park as the side seemingly eased to another consecutive Premiership crown. It's hard to believe that in the final fifteen games of the season, we won fourteen of them which was excellent.
And it turned out to be another easy campaign in what'll perhaps be my final season at Glenavon (I have been contemplating leaving, but only if the correct job becomes available). We ended up on one hundred and one points, twenty six or so points clear of runners-up Linfield. Ballymena ended up being automatically relegated while Ards'll be in the relegation/promotion playoff.
#366884 We could be heroes...
Shedender
. . . has anyone been having trouble getting achievements? I ended up spending eight seasons at Bangor but didn't unlock the "loyalty card" achievement while I've won three consecutive Premiership titles with Glenavon but thou and behold, the achievement "domination" didn't become unlocked immediately (nor at the end of the season) like it was supposed to - in fact, just had another look and the "back of the net" achievement didn't unlock whenever I scored my first ever FM17 goal.
Not a biggie but just seems a strange 'un. Anyone else had the same problems?
#366860 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
We have reached the midway point of what is my third season at Glenavon and the previous two campaigns have been enjoyable as we won back-to-back league titles which meant the Lurgan Blues have now won like six on the bounce or something. This summer I removed the Scottish League which seemed stupid in hindsight because it's meant we've LOST the Challenge Cup. Oh well.
Sadly for the first time since becoming manager at Mourneview Park, we have failed to reach the group stages of either the Champions League or the Europa League which although disappointing isn't really the end of the world. The club were dumped out of the Champions League in the third qualifying round at the hands of Scottish side Celtic while Greek outfit PAOK ended our Europa League hopes at the playoff stage. Domestically though we have reached the final of the League Cup in which we'll entertain Cliftonville while Lurgan Celtic await us in not just the Irish Cup fifth round but the quarter finals of the Mid-Ulster Cup as well.
Once again, as perhaps expected, we've found this campaign to be straight forward as at the midway point the club have lost just twice - both away from home against Belfast duo Crusaders and Linfield - but other than them loses, and the scoreless draw at home to Ballymena and away to Portadown - the first part of the campaign has been straight forward as we've been scoring goals with ease and as you can see we beat fierce rivals Portadown not just four nil but five nil as well and we should've beat them in the final game of twenty twenty nine but unfortunately the side missed a penalty.
And we have ended twenty twenty nine top of the table, nine points clear of second placed Linfield and with a much superior goal difference and I don't want to say we could easily be crowned champions but things are currently looking good for my third consecutive Premiership title. Ballymena United are currently propping up the league while their fierce rivals Coleraine at present occupy the relegation/promotion playoff spot although that more than likely will change.
The final piece of news in this update is huge news and it's to announce that I've completed my Continential A Licence which I am delighted with and now immediately I requested the board about attempting to get my Contiential Pro Licence which, as everyone knows who plays the game, is the last set of coaching badges, and they agreed. The course is expected to take around twelve months of study and Glenavon Football Club will be covering the six thousand pound fee for the course.
#366685 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
Yeah it's a shame Bangor went down @Dan but I'm sure they'll eventually return.
I've been at Glenavon for the past two seasons and in each of the campaigns I've ended up winning the league title and the board are expecting a hat trick of Premiership successes and there's no reason why it can't be delivered but it won't be easy because we're no longer the only professional club in Northern Ireland because over the course of the summer, Cliftonville also turned professional which is pleasing for the sake of the league.
It turned out to be a busy summer at Mourneview Park as not only did seven players arrive at the football club this summer but I allowed nine players to depart while on retired. Arriving was Dominic Birch (£28.5k from Kilmarnock), Eloy Dominguez (£85k from Real Sociedad B), Christopher Miller (£250k from Bournemouth), David Ramsden (£125k from Portsmouth), Andy Danaher (£170k from Bolton Wanderers), Daijiro Okamoto (£200k from Sevilla C) and John Fox (£110k from Wigan Athletic) and I'm pleased with all the signings I've made.
He was unhappy at the club for so long and despite being almost a five star rated player, I've let centre back Martin Rainey leave the club as Stoke City paid £180k for his services while fellow Premiership side Cliftonville captured central midfielder Conor O'Donnell for £85k. I've allowed Mark McCann (Ballymena), Wiker (Cliftonville), Rachel Davies (Port Vale), Robert Cassidy (Coleraine), Johnny McDowell (Dungannon Swifts) and Richard Mason (Crusaders) to depart on loan while Steven Marshall has been released and centre back Danny Devine has retired.
With the transfer window slammed shut until the beginning of January, the squad had taken shape and I highly doubt I'll be doing any business in the next transfer window. The current squad is looking very strong and as per the norm, I'll be relying on Sean Curran to bang the goals in even though he struggled at times last campaign and only managed thirteen in the Premiership.
I'll be expecting quite a few clean sheets this season (in theory) as I feel we've got a good back five as our goalkeeper, both full backs and both centre backs are solid while our centre midfield isn't too shabby either and while Dean Watson's star rating doesn't look too good, he scores goals. We've got four good wingers who will all see game time this season while the side also got four decent/good strikers but none of them seem to score on a regular basis which is irritating.
And I'm absolutely chuffed with how our preseason went on the field as we played eight fixtures and managed to win them all. Things began with a two nil win at Welsh side Llandudno before easing to a four nil win at home to Mid-Ulster side Crewe United and then three days later the side recorded a three nil win at Scottish side Stranraer.
The side returned home and beat Iveagh United three nil at Mourneview Park while English side Fleetwood Town were defeated three nil also at home. Both feeder clubs Lisburn Distillery and Institute were defeated five nil and three nil respectively before our preseason preparations concluded with a two nil win at home to Swansea City's Under twenty-three side.
#366662 North East Counties league Premier/Div 1
Shedender
#366593 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#366557 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#366543 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#366433 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
My second full season at Glenavon has been concluded and it hasn't been a bad season thus far as we are top of the Premiership table, as expected and six points clear of the second placed club.
Much to no one's surprise, three more trophies have been added to my buldging cabinet as both the League Cup and Irish Cup were both won in a penalty shoot-out to Linfield and Cliftonville respectively while a straight forward three goals to nil win against Armagh City sealed back-to-back Mid-Ulster Cups.
Two more league defeats happened in the second part of the league season as both Ballymena United and Cliftonville beat us on the road but we destroyed our fierce rivals Portadown six one at Mourneview Park which I was chuffed with. The league campaign concluded with back-to-back draws against Cliftonville, nil nil at home and Linfield, two two at Windsor Park.
But it's another league title for the Lurgan Blues and a seventh in succession as the football club finished eleven points ahead of Cliftonville who finished in the runners-up spot as the Reds ended up fourteen points clear of Linfield who had a dreadful campaign. It's with a 'heavy heart' that I say goodbye to my beloved Bangor who have been relegated back to the Championship after four seasons in the Premiership and they're still manager-less after the previous gaffer was chopped. Ballymena United ended up in the relegation/promotion playoff spot.
#366424 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#366280 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#366278 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
I've reached the mid season of my second campaign at Glenavon and after last season's success I'm hoping this season will be just as enjoyable, if not better. Last season the club won the league for the sixth consecutive season iirc along with the Scottish Challenge Cup and Mid-Ulster Cup but we had failed to win the League Cup and Irish Cup which was a little disappointing but not the be all and end all.
Sadly we won't be able to retain the Challenge Cup after Stranraer dumped us out of the competition, four two at The Oval. Defeat in the Champions League playoff stage to Viktoria Plzen meant we entered the Europa League group stages but six games and six defeats later meant we were out of that competition. When we return in the new year we will face Donegal Celtic in the fifth round of the Irish Cup, Linfield in the League Cup final and Lurgan Celtic in the Mid-Ulster quarter finals.
It has once again been an enjoyable league campaign for the Lurgan Blues, even if we did end up losing three games - vs. Warrenpoint Town, Linfield and Cliftonville but we haven't suffered a single defeat since the Reds defeat and haven't lost in the last twelve Premiership clashes. I'm over the moon we were able to put our fierce rivals Portadown twice.
And when the league resumes in the new year Glenavon will have a six point lead at the Premiership summit and things are looking good for yet another league title. It's been a struggle for my beloved Bangor who are second bottom.
But yet again it turned out to be disappointment in European competition as the side finished not just rock bottom in Group F but we didn't even win a game nor even pick up a draw and barely scored a goal and that was very disappointing.
After completing my Continental B Licence, I'm delighted to announce that immediately the board are allowing me to go on a course to try and get my Continental A Licence and I'm over the moon. It's going to take around twelve months of study and the Glenavon board are going to be covering the staggering three thousand pound fee for the course.
#366125 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
It's that time of the year again in which I bring our preseason round-up and it hasn't been a busy preseason as I expected both on the field and off the field as well. In the summer we had turned professional, the first Irish League club to do so and although we had a hefty transfer budget to splash, well, I hardly was able to put a dent in it.
Just four players ended up joining the club this summer as we 'splashed the cash'. Linfield duo Sam Burns and Brian Haughey joined for a combined ninety five thousand pounds - Burns in a centre back while Haughey is a left back - right back Paul Donnelly joined on a free from Cliftonville while our last summer signing, Josh Lyons, arrived from Brighton for one hundred and ninety thousand pound. Our one major departure saw Chris Rainey finally depart the club as Milton Keynes Dons spent two hundred thousand for his services - Stuart Boyle (Newport), Conor Whelen (Dundee) and Alan McGonigle (released) also left the club.
And this is the squad that'll begin my second campaign at Glenavon and it's not the worst looking squad although I struggled to bring in a suitable striker who could bag the goals in on a regular basis so I'm hoping Sean Curran can continue to score, he bagged eighteen goals last season. Yet again I'll be also expecting both Lee O'Leary (and Richard Mason when he plays) and new winger Josh Lyons to support our loan striker.
Although it means nothing in hindsight I've got to admit that this is arguably the worst preseason I've had in this career as we just one of our four preseason friendlies. Things began with a one all draw against Ayr at 'home', a three all draw away to Alloa was up next, Flyde surprised us with a two nil win away from home before our preseason preparations concluded with a fully deserved four nil home success against Ford.
#366106 Is there a megapack for kits?
Shedender
#366080 2016/17 FA Cup
Shedender
You're absolutely correct, I apologise. I meant our last away FA Cup win at the first attempt came in 2006.
#366044 Saved game not working
Shedender
#366039 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
Seriously though, this season was always going to be a tough one and there's probably a reason why you're (more than likely) predicted to finish bottom of the table, the last two seasons you have massively overachieved. I'm sure you would be over the moon with a twenty first placed finish this season.
#366036 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
For I believe the first time in this career I have got to announce from preseason news as it's already been a busy summer at Mourneview Park with our status in the Irish League changing along with a bit of coaching badge news and also a bit of relocation news as well, oh and we've still got potential transfer business to do as well.
So the first piece of news in the summer is that Glenavon Football Club have officially turned professional, the first Irish League club to do so and now I'd be expecting us to dominate the league from here on in. It's news I had requested for a 'laugh' back when the new chairman had come in following a takeover and now it's official.
The second piece of news is that Mourneview Park is getting it's capacity extended by two thousand and eighty seats and will cost a 'staggering' two point three million pound and should take around ten months for the expansion to be completed but the downside with the work being done is we've got to be relocated while it's being done and our home games will now be getting played at The Oval in east Belfast.
And despite turning professional in the summer I've only been able to sign a new one-year contract extension at the club which is a little annoying but c'est le vie but with the success I had last season (and expected) at the club I had no desire not to accept the new deal.
And the final piece of news is that I had completed my Continental C Licence over the summer and I wasted no time as immediately I requested to go and start studying for my Continental B Licence and surprisingly the board accepted - it will take this time around six months worth of studying and just like the previous course, Glenavon will be covering the staggering one point two thousand pound fee.
#365997 2016/17 FA Cup
Shedender
#365890 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#365690 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
He is, isn't he @Fola? I'm more surprised he had no interest in replacing me with some chancer though.
It's been quite a dominating, but perhaps expected first part of the league campaign as the Lurgan Blues are sitting top of the Premiership table and looking on course for a SIXTH consecutive Northern Irish Premiership title and with the news of the club potentially going professional in the summer, well, I expect the club to dominate domestically for years to come.
So I'm delighted to announce I can add the Mid-Ulster Cup and the Challenge Cup to my trophy cabinet as we dominated both finals against fierce rivals Portadown and Scottish Championship side Queen of the South respectively but sadly our run in the Irish Cup ended at the semi final stage against Coleraine much to the boards disappointment.
You're all perhaps looking at that and thinking "you failed to win six games, get out!" and I'm disappointed especially with the scoreless draw at home to Portadown as I felt we had done enough to secure the points but just couldn't find the onion bag against the Ports. For me, the most disappointing defeat in the second part of the campaign had to be the 3-2 defeat away to Bangor at Bangor Fuels Arena, we had done enough for at least a point but it wasn't to be.
But it's a sixth consecutive Premiership crown for Glenavon Football Club and my first since arriving at Mourneview Park and as you can see, it turned out to be quite simple in the end for the Lurgan Blues, finishing twenty two points clear of runners-up Cliftonville. Institute went down automatically while Ards will be in the relegation/promotion playoff (please get relegated!) while my former employers and beloved Bangor survived in tenth.
So earlier in the campaign I was able to get my latest coaching badges and I was successful, now the Glenavon board are letting me get my Continental C Licence which I'm delighted with, just like the National Licences it'll be approx. four months of study to attempt to compete and the Lurgan Blues' board will be covering the hefty nine hundred and sixty pounds for the course.
And the final piece of news in this update is that Mourneview Park's capacity is getting extended, I'm not one hundred percent sure how many seats are getting added but it'll take the capacity to four thousand and six and will cost a massive eight hundred and seventy five thousand pounds and the work should be completed by the tenth of June this year.
#365670 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#365644 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#365570 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#365532 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
We have finally reached the midway point of the twenty twenty seven twenty twenty eight campaign and it's been a groundbreaking season thus far for the back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back Northern Irish Premiership Champions and in this update you'll see some huge news which'll only benefit Glenavon (and I hope the entire Irish League) for years to come.
Against all the odds Glenavon qualified for the Champions League group stages but that's when the joy ended as the Lurgan Blues lost all six group games and got some hidings along the way - we had defeated Partizan, Zalgiris Vilnius and Dinamo Zagreb in the qualifying rounds. The board don't consider it an important competition so they're not concerned our League Cup run ended at the semi final stage at the hands of Linfield while the club still need to play their Mid-Ulster Cup first round home tie against Fivemiletown and they're still in the Challenge Cup in which we'll face Scottish Championship side St. Johnstone at the QF stage and we've been drawn away to Championship side Ballinamallard in the Irish Cup.
We started the league campaign like a house on fire, winning every one of our opening FIFTEEN league clubs before a shock single goal defeat against Ards who had only won twice in the league before beating us, our second league defeat came away to Dungannon in which we squandered a two nil defeat and that frustrated me no end. We did however beat our fierce rivals Portadown twice - three one at Mourneview Park and two nil at Shamrock Park. Striker Sean Curran who had started the season slowly has now bagged fourteen goals so far in the league.
And so we will be heading into the new year top of the table as expected and eleven points clear of our nearest challengers Linfield but it should've been three points more as we shouldn't have surrendered that two goal lead away to Dungannon last time out. It's been a tough season thus far for my former employers Bangor who are in ninth position at the midway point but they have ended up thumping Ards twice, something I've failed to do thus far and speaking of Ards, they're bottom and I'm hoping this'll be the season they get relegated back to
oblivionthe Championship.Yeah let's not say too much about how the club fared in the Champions League group stages, we lost six games out of six and got thumped in the majority of them.
But I'm pleased to announce that the Glenavon board are allowing me to go on a coaching course which will see me capture the National A Licence should I be successful, just like all the other National coaching courses, it's going to take approximately four months of study and the football club are covering the six hundred pound fee.
I can also announce that the football club have had a successful takeover which has seen Robert Smyth become the new Chairman and I think I'm going to love this chap while I'm at the club because he's already made some changes and agreed to some big changes that'll see the future of the Lurgan Blues (potentially) change forever. First he's pumped just over fourteen million pounds into the club and has also changed the transfer budget as we've now got nine million pounds to spend which is insane for an Irish League club. He's also removed my philosophies which means I don't need to worry about "high profile" signings.
And now, who is ready for the big changes?
First up is the new Chairman has agreed to not only up the youth facilities but also the training ones as well but the latter took a bit of "groveling" to get it done. The youth facilities will cost three hundred and fifty thousand and should be done by the start of October in twenty twenty eight while the training facilities will cost four hundred grand and should be completed on the same date as the youth ones. But this is the big one and one I only done for a "laugh" to "chance my arm" but I requested about the club potentially turning professional and he surprisingly agreed and plans are in place to turn Glenavon Football Club professional at the end of the season which I'm excited about if it happens and we'll know if it happens come near the end of June.
#365429 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender