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#362343 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#362157 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
Cheers @Dan I'm delighted we survived and now it's all about progression.
Last season we survived in the top flight of Northern Irish football which I was absolutely delighted with and now it's all about progression until I feel that it's time to move on in football management. It ended up being a tenth place finish in the 2020/21 campaign and if I was able to guide the club to a ninth place finish this season, well, I'd be satisfied enough with that.
I ended up making four signings for the forthcoming season as I look to continue the hard work I have started at Bangor as I've enjoyed the past three seasons. Our first signing was centre back Aaron Donnelly who joined from Limavady United and will be solid back-up to begin with, left back Dean Curry arrived from Knockbreda and will be my starting left back, Danny McKee who is a striker came in after Institute released him while our final signing (to date) saw central midfielder Luke Byrne came on a free following his release from Championship club Ballinamallard.
It's a slow enough progress but the squad is still continuing to take shape. We currently have three 'keepers, two of which as quite young but they look promising, we have five centre backs, two right backs, two left backs, six central midfielders, three right wingers, three left wingers, one attacking midfielder and four strikers. I'm contemplating letting two or three players drop down to the reserve team, or releasing them as the squad is quite big for a Northern Irish club who aren't in European competition . . . yet.
And I can't fault at how our preseason preperations went although we didn't play any "big" clubs as eight games were played - two at home and five on our travels. Our five away trips saw us beat Ballymoney 3-1, Bangor Young Men 2-0, Barn United 2-0, Annagh United 3-1, Groomsport 3-0 and draw 1-1 against Ards Rangers while our two home games saw successes against Santos Belfast 5-3 and Rosemount Rec 1-0. I'm still expecting us to have a tough, tough campaign.
#362146 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#362079 Celtic - A Squad Building Exercise
Shedender
Please stop beating Rangers, it would be greatly appreciated.
Shedender!
#362075 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#361992 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
#361912 Building A Nation: Wales
Shedender
Up the Bangor though
#361895 London City FC - A City On The Rise
Shedender
Queen's Park, an amateur club from Scotland's League Two play at Hampden Park, not overly unrealistic tbh.
Good luck with this though pal, will be following and I'm hoping you'll be able to maintain it for the long run.
#361547 2016/17 FA Cup
Shedender
#361519 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
As predicted, this season has been a tough one to date and I'm sure it'll continue to be tough but I DO NOT regret turning down the chance to manage Linfield. As we head into twenty twenty one, we are down in tenth place but ten points clear of our relegation 'rivals' Warrenpoint who currently occupy the relegation/promotion spot with Dergview bottom so barring a complete disaster, I'd like to think we're safe.
Yet again it turned out to be heartbreak in the League Cup final as fellow Premiership side Glenavon defeated us on penalties following a three all draw at a netural venue while our run in this seasons Irish Cup concluded with a semi final exit against Coleraine - we had beaten Premiership sides Dergview and Warrenpoint Town along with amateur league side Immaculata in the previous rounds.
And just like the first part of the Premiership campaign, the second part proved just as difficult despite beginning with an excellent 5-2 away success at title chasing (yes, that does sound weird) Dungannon Swifts but then back-to-back defeats followed before back-to-back victories. The league campaign "signed off" with three wins from the last ten games, including two 4-0 wins against Ballymena and Warrenpoint.
When it was all set and done, I'm delighted that we will be a Premiership club next season as we ended the 2020/21 campaign in tenth place and twelve points clear of second bottom Warrenpoint Town who have to deal with the relegation/promotion playoff. The big surprise is that Dungannon, predicted to finish fourth, ended up as champions and will be in next seasons Champions League. It ended up being an immediate return to the Championship for Dergview as they finished bottom.
#361473 Asian Adventure
Shedender
#361472 Life On Campus (The Prelude)
Shedender
#361350 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
For the first time since 2008, Bangor Football Club are once again in amongst the elite of the Northern Irish game and I'm not stupid enough to think this forthcoming campaign is going to be an easy one - we are predicted to finish second bottom (Championship champions Dergview are predicted to finish bottom) but I'd be "over the moon" with a tenth place finish, I just want to survive this campaign and then hopefully start building.
Once again we have done reasonably well in the cup competitions and it's a welcome change that we don't need to worry about either the Steel & Sons or Intermediate Cup for at least a season. For the second campaign running we have a chance of winning the League Cup - Linfield beat us one nil in last years final when we were a Championship club, this season we'll face Glenavon. Our run in the Co. Antrim Shield ended in the semi final stage after Linfield edged a seven goal thriller and bottom of the Premiership Dergview awaits us in the fifth round of the Irish Cup.
To say life in the Premiership, for the first time in twelve years has been tough is an understatement and I sure as hell don't like all those red dots but barring the six two home defeat to Ballymena and away defeat to Portadown we haven't been duffed on the scoreline which is decent I suppose. Our league campaign began with an excellent four two win at home to Portadown but then it went downhill. The calendar year has ended with just two league wins out of the previous eleven as Portadown and Dergview were defeated, Coleraine should've been beaten too but despite the hosts being down to ten men, they defended like f**k and "earned" a point.
And we will head into the final 15 league games looking to avoid relegation and an immediate return to
hellChampionship football but I'm confident enough, with a twenty one point lead currently. we'll be able to avoid bottom spot and the "wooden spoon". Bangor currently have a ten point advantage over Warrenpoint Town who currently occupy the relegation/promotion play-off spot but there's still twists and turns and we are struggling not to concede hence the =11 goal difference. Seven wins, four draws and twelve defeats is the record from our opening twenty three league games.#361339 [FM17] The Career Of Fola
Shedender
#361308 [FM17] The Career Of Fola
Shedender
#361175 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
As I headed into my third season at Bangor Fuels Arena I had a huge decision to make - do I remain at Bangor and possibly have a struggling campaign at the North Down club or do I jump ship, head to Linfield and possibly try and dominate the local game for a few seasons at least? Well, my decision has been made and I'm hoping when all the smoke "clears" then it's a decision I won't regret.
Yes I've turned down the chance to manage Linfield, arguably the biggest club in the division even if they haven't won the league for the past two seasons. Their current first team squad was too small for my liking and would've needed immediate work even though they offered me a substantial transfer and wage budget. I was flattered but my decision was made.
Just the one signing ended up being made as I didn't want to overly change the entire squad following the unlikely promotion to the top flight and we welcomed young central midfielder Keith Jennings to the club as he arrived from Newington but I was cheesed off when star shot stopper John Kelly went to Dungannon for free, I was "helpless" as I wouldn't sign a new deal.
With just one signing made and one departure this transfer window (thus far) it seems almost pointless doing the squad report as the squad hasn't drastically changed. Just like the last two seasons the back four is going to be remaining the same while I'm going to try and "phase" Andy Long out of the first team since he's a regressing and b doesn't help he's thirty-two. I'm hoping Sean Curran can continue his fine form from last season but no doubt it's going to be difficult.
On the field, preseason went pretty decently as seven games ended up getting played and we won four, drew one and lost twice. Our wins cam all away from home against Comber Rec (3-0), Bangor Young Men (3-0), Rosario (2-0) and Bessbrook United (3-2) while a draw (1-1) happened against Carryduff and our two defeats came against Manchester City U23's side and Holywood.
#361174 The Lower League Thread
Shedender
#361158 The Lower League Thread
Shedender
One goal up at half time but have had two players dismissed and Nottingham Forest have missed two penalties.
#360993 Celtic - A Squad Building Exercise
Shedender
#360861 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
It's been an enjoyable campaign back in the Championship for Bangor as things are looking good for a successful enough campaign for last seasons PIL champions. I would've loved to have added the Steel & Sons Cup to my small trophy cabinet but once again that's trophy still alludes me. I'd love to win a piece of silverware this season but it won't be the end of the world.
Yet again we've done reasonably well in the cup competitions even if we came up short in the League Cup as Linfield ended up beating us one nil. As I said in the previous thread our Co. Antrim Shield and Steel & Sons Cup runs both ended at the quarter final stage following home defeats against Crusaders and Ards respectively while our fierce rivals Ards once again beat us in another cup competition, this time the Intermediate Cup and Coleraine dumped us out of the Irish Cup.
We had quite a successful second part of the season even if the team did end up losing three more times in the Championship to Dundela, Carrick Rangers and Dergview while for the second time this season we recorded a massive 6-1 scoreline as Newry City were destroyed at Newry Showgrounds. The league campaign ended with a hard fought since goal victory away to Dundela in a game that also seen us miss a spot kick.
And I suppose it's got to be a massive congratulations to Dergview who ended up winning the Championship title despite being predicted by the media back in preseason to finish down in eleventh place while Dundela, who had been predicted to finish eighth ended up third. I'm pleased with our runners-up finish and the club will face Dundela in a two legged playoff with the winner going on to face Ballinamallard United who finished eleventh place in the Premiership.
The first leg against Dundela went to plan as we recorded an, in my opinion, deserved two goals to nil victory at Bangor Fuels Arena as centre midfielder Matt Lowe had broken the deadlock after twenty eight minutes before left winger Jordan Lucas' first goal of the season made it two goals to nil on sixty one minutes and we kept a clean sheet to give us hope heading into the second leg.
And the return leg at Wilgar Park in Belfast proved to be a lot more difficult then I had anticipated as we were outplayed in large parts of the contest but drew three apiece to book a two legged date against Ballinamallard. Centre back Brett Widdowson had give us the lead on twenty one minutes but goals from Anto Burns (33) and Mark Miskimmin (61) turned the game around, Gerard McMullan levelled on the night after seventy three minutes but Mark Clarke put Dundela back in front on the night ten minutes later, McMullan's dramatic equaliser with a minute remaining secured our date against the Mallards.
So we welcomed Ballinamallard to Bangor Fuels Arena just three days after the three all draw away to Dundela and we secured a massive advantage on our quest for an unlikely promotion, winning 3-1 thanks to a late brace from Jordan Lucas who has found the perfect time to actually score this season. Young striker Sean Curran had put us in the lead on the night after forty eight minutes but Nathan Jones' goal with twelve minutes remaining looked like it had earned Ballinamallard a draw for Lucas' late double and with a week to go until the second leg - could we secure an unlikely promotion?
PREMIERSHIP BABY!! I don't believe what's just happened but Bangor Football Club are heading back amongst the elite of Irish League football for the first time since 2008 after winning the second leg against B'mallard three one (six two on aggregate) thanks to a hat trick from Sean Curran as he had struck after sixty four, eighty and eighty seven minutes and that was after conceding inside the opening two minutes at Ferney Park. I'm stunned.
But then this happened and now I'm a little conflicted on what I actually want to do. Part of me would love to remain at Bangor and snub Linfield (even though I applied and I'd more than likely be able to add to my coaching badges) because they've got a small squad but I could easily add to it due to being given a good transfer budget for this league but then I lost John Kelly, my first choice and best shot stopper to Dungannon on a free because he wouldn't talk about a new deal. So conflicted. I think I know what to do but whether it's the right decision remains to be seen.
Linfield's predicted to finish the season as champions, Bangor's predicted to finish eleventh.
#360839 2016/17 EFL Cup (League Cup!)
Shedender
Unless I'm mistaken, he always seemed to support Mike Williamson despite being absolutely shite 99% of the time.
#360792 2016/17 EFL Cup (League Cup!)
Shedender
#360677 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
After four seasons in the bottom playable tier in the Irish League, Bangor Football Club returned to the Championship much to the players, boards and fans' delight but it's up to me to ensure the club remain in this division and continue to progress and I'm confident that's doable but only if we're able to keep our talented players intact and add better quality to the ones that'll leave in the future.
It seems the Steel & Sons Cup will be that one trophy that I'll annoyingly not win after bitter rivals Ards defeated us in the quarter finals this season 2-0. Our run in this seasons Co. Antrim Shield saw us reach the quarter finals before losing three nil to Crusaders at Bangor Fuels Arena while we remain in the Irish Cup, Intermediate Cup and will play Linfield in the final of the League Cup although I can't see us winning that one but then again, stranger things have happened in football.
To say our league form has been a little inconsistent is an understatement with our worst result being a four one loss away to Loughgall (which was Loughgall's first win of the league campaign) while our best result to date, avoiding the single goal win over Ards, would've been the six one demolition of Lurgan Celtic as we had fallen behind in that game. The final game of twenty nineteen saw us lose three two "away" to our fierce rivals.
And despite our inconsistent form in the first part of the season we still find ourselves up in second place which I'm pleased with but it's tight as ourselves and two other clubs (Harland & Wolff Welders & PSNI) are on twenty six points. We have a positive goal difference which is always nice to see and I'm happy enough with the clubs progress thus far.
#360547 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
Cheers @r96Skinner it's nice that I was finally able to get my first trophies and hopefully more will follow.
Last season was a memorable season at Bangor as not only did I guide the club to the Premier Intermediate League but I also guided them to the Intermediate Cup after victory over fellow PIL side Lisburn Distillery but make no mistake, this upcoming season in the Championship is going to be a tough one and the pressure's on as I'm predicted to guide the side to a fifth place finish.
It turned out to be a busy summer at the North Down club as five players arrived and three players departed but their was two departures that "cheesed" me off and that was Conal Crawford went to Warrenpoint Town and Dale Patton headed to Ballinamallard United while young striker Lee Sinclair was Dungannon bound. As for the arrivals, I went to my former club Sport & Leisure once again to capture attacking midfielder Ciaran Doherty who didn't want to join us last season so I'm delighted to have got him, Ross Craig has re-joined the club from Dollingstown, Nicky Black has arrived from Queens while Armagh duo Matthew Dempster and Kyle Crawford joined.
The squad is beginning to take shape but some players (who are rated 2* or less) will end up leaving the club but only if I'm able to get suitable replacements in as I eventually want to make the squad 'mine'. I'm going to face a struggle to keep young goalkeeper John Kelly as despite only being eighteen, he's already rated at four and a half stars and speaking of youngsters, I've got big things expected of young striker Sean Curran, young centre back Neil Marshall and new centre midfielder Matthew Dempster - which means all three will leave for the Premiership side in due course as they're all on non-contracts, the curse of this level.
Don't have many complaints at how our preseason went as we won three games and lost two from the five that were arranged. The side began with three straight wins on the road against Dunmurry, Bangor Young Men (the team that beat me last preseason) and Grove United while our two home friendlies ended in defeat at the hands of Manchester City Under 23's and Premiership side Dungannon Swifts.
#360458 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
It's been an enjoyable stint at Bangor Fuels Arena since my arrival as I've only suffered one defeat in the Premier Intermediate League thus far as the football club sit proudly at the top of the table and remain in not only the Intermediate Cup but the Irish Cup as well and will this be the season in which I finally pick up my first piece of silverware as a football manager or will the trophy cabinet remain empty?
I'm delighted to announce that for the first time in football management I won my first piece of silverware as the side beat Lisburn Distillery two one to lift in the Intermediate Cup but it was heartbreak in the Irish Cup as Linfield deservedly beat us in the final but we overachieved in the latter competition so I've no real complaints but we had defeated three other Premier Division clubs in the previous rounds as Ballymena United, Ballinamallard United and Glenavon were defeated but we couldn't do the impossible but I've no complaints.
Our league form continued from the first part of the season as the side lost just one more game (a final day defeat at home to Annagh) but the campaign did end with three games without a win but I can't complain at how well this season has went - our best result was a thumping four goals to nil win against second placed Newry City at home, the visitors missed a spot kick at 0-0 and then we ran riot in the second period.
So it's turned out to be a double this season and I'm over the moon even though the club was predicted to win the league this season but because they underachieved last season, well, the pressure was on me to be a success and I feel I succeeded. Newbuildings sadly ended up being relegated after just one season in the PIL which is a shame while S&L finished in fifth position in their first season without me at the helm.
#360369 Life On Campus (The Prelude)
Shedender
Assume you sent him to the specialist to get him back within 3 months though?
#360300 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
With quite a successful preseason behind us (minus the shock defeat to Bangor Young Men) it's time for the competitive season to begin and since I only 'know' the one 'style', I'm going to use the same formation I used with Sport & Leisure Swifts for the past two season and since (no disrespect to my former employers) I'm at a bigger club well I expecting it to be a success - which means, watch it crash and burn and I'll be sacked.
Once again I've came up short in the Steel & Sons Cup as a manager, losing in the semi final stage to amateur league side Nortel who went on to lift the trophy, beating another amateur side Malachians in the final. My first run in the Co. Antrim Shield ended at the first hurdle as Premiership side Crusaders dumped us out four one while Championship side PSNI ended our League Cup run in the third round
nothanks to a one hundred and twentieth minute winner while we still remain in both the Irish Cup and Intermediate Cup.Don't think anyone or even myself seen this coming but we've had an excellent first part of the twenty eighteen/nineteen season, losing just the one game and deservedly so three nil at home to a Larne side who were simply better than us on the night. In the first meeting since my departure, a late goal Sport & Leisure goal denied me maximum points at Glen Road Heights, unless I'm mistaken, Dale Patton scored late on for the hosts levelled in stoppage time. Bangor ended the calendar year in the league with four consecutive wins.
And we are top but despite our excellent form, Newry have been just as excellent as ourselves and are only a point behind in second place while my former side Sport & Leisure have continued on from I left off and are up in third despite letting a lot of players leave in the summer. Newbuildings, newly promoted this season are bottom and look likely to go the same way as last seasons promoted side Immaculata and that's straight back down - I would love for them to survive though, just for a change.
#360232 We could be heroes...
Shedender
#360171 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
So my first preseason at Bangor Fuels Arena has been and went and now it's time for the competitive action to begin. I would be lying if I said I wasn't 'nervous' as this'll be the first time managing my home town club in Football Manager 2017 but at the same time I'm also excited to see what happens this season and whether I can guide the club to a promotion that was supposed to happen last season.
I returned to Sport & Leisure this summer to 'raid' them and bring three players from Glen Road Heights, three players who I had brought in the previous summer and one of them was the former Bangor winger Jordan Lucas while attacking midfielder Luke Murtagh and centre midfielder Matt Lowe also sign from S&L. Centre back Kevin McLaughlin (yes, formerly of Sport & Leisure) joins from Larne while left back Nathan McConnell arrives from Banbridge. No one has left the club, yet.
And the squad is beginning to take shape following the five arrivals as we've got good strength in certain positions, especially down the right hand side with Gary Phair and Andy Long. I've got big hopes for left winger Gerard McMullan as he's a cracking player in real life, didn't score for the club last season on the game so that's something I'll need to change. Andy Long will remain captain, a decision I had made before even joining the club, would've been a little awkward if he'd left.
Preseason went decently well if we ignore that shocking one goal to nil defeat away at Bangor Young Men - we won three of our other four preseason friendlies as Ardglass, Dollingstown and Rathcoole were beaten while the club picked up a credible draw at home to Premiership side Glenavon.
#360119 Building a Nation: Northern Ireland
Shedender
"No, they aren't f**king Welsh" is perhaps the most response I have for people, they're from Northern Ireland and my local club. But I digress, this is just going to be a simple update which will have the squad information page and the current underachieving first team squad which I'll be looking to turn their fortunes around and I can guarantee the pressure will be on me from the get go.
And the pressure is indeed on me from the beginning because for the second campaign running (and my first at the club) they are favourites to win the Premier Intermediate League and I need to ensure promotion to the Championship happens or I'll find myself in the unemployment line. They play their home matches at Bangor Fuels Arena and have a capacity of two thousand seven hundred and fifty but only five hundred seats. They've rubbish training and youth facilities, something I'd love to change during my time here.
This is the first team squad which I'll be taking charge off and although it's decent enough, changes need to made and depth needs to be added. Young centre midfielder John Bingham will def. leave the club as he's only on loan from Ballymena United but I'd like to try and keep the remainder of the squad together while trying to add quality to it, it'll be tough, but doable. Three players are currently out injured but will be back when the season begins.