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#305967 Hell to Heaven: Diary of a Football Manager
guk99
Loughgall Battle To Earn Draw!
Loughgall battled to a draw against Lurgan Celtic in this encounter at Lakeview Park. The first half was not much to talk about as Lurgan controlled the game, and it didn't take long in the second half before they took a deserved lead. A corner by Barton saw Roy make a run into the near post where he headed it home for the advantage.
Loughgall's heads could have dropped, but instead they fought on to try and get something out of the game and did when some nice passing was played in the 59th minute before Boyle played the ball out to the left side, just inside the box where Clarke got onto it and swung to the far post where Burns rose above the defender and nodded it back as it sailed over the keepers fingers and into the net for a good equalizer.
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Staff Appointment:
Pat Wall has agreed terms with Loughgall to become a scout for the club
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New Season Signings:
Loughgall have announced that centre-back Gary Spense has signed for the club from H & W Welders with the deal going ahead on Friday 1st July 2016, and full-back Sean Roddy has signed on a free transfer with immediate effect but is unlikely to start until next season to get his fitness up.
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Fixture Changed:
Today's match between Ballyclare and Loughgall has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. The fixture has been re-arranged for Tuesday 19th April.
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Intermediate Cup Winners:
Ards have won the Northern Irish Intermediate Cup after a 3-0 win over Dergview at Seaview.
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Loughgall Should Be Charged With Theft At Dixon Park!
Loughgall could well have been charged with a theft at Dixon Park tonight as they stole a victory against home side Ballyclare in the cruelest of fashion after scoring the only goal in injury time.
Whilst most of the match saw Ballyclare play very well, and have a number of chances with Buchanan keeping the away side in the game with some excellent shot-stopping. It fell to Willis to score the vital goal and secure three valuable points as Loughgall came away with the win.
The ball was being fought for on the right side of midfield when Gardiner tried to play the ball back to his defence, only for them to have pushed up as Reid mis-read the backpass and it went behind him. Willis ran forward behind the defenders and latched onto the ball and ran into the box before he smashed it past the keeper and ran to the away fans to celebrate in stealing the match from Ballyclare who looked distraught at the loss.
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Player Suspended:
Matthew McMahon has picked up an automatic one match ban after collecting 42 points..
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Hall of Fame:
After securing the title for Portadown in the Dasnke Bank Premier Division of Northern Island, manager Ronnie McFall has been confirmed as matching the best managers every to have managed in Northern Ireland.
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Loughgall Fall At Final Hurdle!
Loughgall felll as they tried to overcome the final hurdle of their final game in the league at home to Institute who moved clear of the relegation area with this win and appeared to want it more.
The first goal came in the 14th minute when O'Donnell send the ball in, only for Buchanan who has been so good all season to parry the ball away to find it fall at the feet of Patton who had an open goal to slide it home. The second goal came in the 19th minute when Patton had the ball outside the box and struck it, only to see it bounce back off Hegarty who blocked the shot and it fell kindly back to him as he cooly slotted the ball home for the second of the game for Patton.
Loughgall's manager must have had some harsh words at half-time after their first-half display, and they came out and pulled one back in the 50th minute when Burns played a long ball from the right out wide to the left winger Willis who sent it in the box from the side to see Burns running back onto the ball and smash it home with a terrific header.
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Injury News:
Gary Henderson has substained a groin strain during todays game. He will be out for 3-4 weeks.
Wesley Boyle has suffered a facial injury during todays game and will be missing for 11-13 days.
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New Appointments/Firings:
02/04 - Barrow unveil Steve Burr as their new manager
05/04 - Swindon have unveiled Gary Megson as their new manager
09/04 - Ayr announce Dick Campbell has been hired as their new manager after leaving Forfar
11/04 - AFC Telford appoint Carl MacAuley as their new manager
12/04 - Stenhousemuir have unveiled Gordon Chisholm as their new manager
18/04 - Scunthorpe unveil Neale Cooper as their new manager
19/04 - St. Patrick's Athletic have sacked their manager Aaron Callaghan
23/04 - Gainsborough have sacked manager Garry Haylock.
24/04 - Wakehurst has sacked their manager Paul Muir
30/04 - Altrincham have sacked Nicky Law as their manager
30/04 - Motherwell have sacked Billy Davies as their manager
30/04 - Bristol City have announced they have parted company with manager Steve Cotterill
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Coming Next: All the end of season news/action, plus a Season Review of how I've done so far in my first season in charge as Manager of Loughgall.
#305944 Hell to Heaven: Diary of a Football Manager
guk99
Youth Candidates Intake:
Loughgall's manager, John Smith was seen today attending a mach between his youth side and possible future youth candidates before a number of players were signed to the club to help bolster the young side.
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Loughgall Strike Lucky!
Loughgall fought a hard game today and walked off the pitch with all three points, despite the opposition playing well and Loughgall also seeing a penalty saved while wining due to an own goal.
In the 23rd minute, Henderson played the ball out wide to left winger Clarke who strided forward and sent it into the box where Boyle saw his header saved well by the keeper, but it parried around inside the box and eventually a poke by Boyle saw the ball bounce off Wray to give the away side the lead.
The goal came just several minutes after Boyd saw his penalty saved by the keeper when Boyle was brought down in the box moments prior. The home side looked to get something out of the game, but Buchanan played well once more in the Loughgall goal and kept a clean sheet to help his side out. Sean Cleary picked up the Man of the Match for controlling the midfield with a fine display.
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Injury News:
Ross Black returns to full training following his strained knee ligament injury.
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Loughgall's Run Continues!
Loughgall's luck appears to have turned around with the second win on the road now for the team. They took the lead in the 3rd minute when Montgomery sent Burns down the right wing as he knocked the ball all the way back to Cleary who was outside the box. He composed himself and put his foot through the ball as it sailed into the top left corner with a fantastic strike from 25 yards out worthy of winning any match.
The second goal came with some nice passing movement outside the box allowed Burns to play a ball inside to Boyle who swung his foot to see it slide past the keepers hands and into the corner of the net. The final goal came in the 87th minute after a counter-attack by the away side as Willis got the ball down the left and ran free to the byline before crossing to where Burns ran in and headed to the far post and into the back of the net with a fantastic move.
Welders will look at the number of times their players were caught offside, including a goal they scored but on the day Loughgall dominated the game and could have won by a larger margin. The away fans chanted their team off the pitch at the final whistle in a fine display of football by their side.
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Staff Appointment:
Former Loughgall player, Johnny Topley has agreed terms with Loughgall to become the new Director of Football.
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Injury News:
Anto Burns has sustained a bruised shin after a heavy fall during a training session. He'll be out 8-11 days.
Warner Mullen returns to full training after being out for several months from a broken ankle.
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Bonus Payout
Loughgall have paid out £100 to be shared among the squad on a pro-rata basis after reaching the Quarter-Final in the Mid-Ulster Cup.
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Northern Irish Mid Ulster Cup Winners
Warrenpoint have won the Mid Ulster Cup on Penalties after a 2-2 draw with Armagh at Newry Snowgrounds.
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New Appointments/Firings:
01/03 - Fleetwood announce the appointment of Lee Clark as manager.
01/03 - Leicester have sacked manager Claidio Ranieri after players lost confidence in him
01/03 - Barnsley have terminated the contract of manager Lee Johnson
04/03 - York City have announced Nick Barmby as thier new manager after leaving Cambridge
05/03 - Glenavon have placed Stephen McBride in temporary charge for the forseeable future
05/03 - Tobermore United have announced the departure of manager Adrian Whiteside
05/03 - Norwich have terminated the contract of manager Alex Neil
05/03 - Corby have dismissed manager Tommy Wright from his role
06/03 - Sunderland announce the appointment of Brendan Rodgers as their new manager
06/03 - Cardiff name Paul Lambert as their new manager
06/03 - Dollingstown have named David Johnstone as their new manager after leaving Moneyslane
07/03 - Dartford have named Rod Stringer as their new manager
07/03 - Preston announce Alexander Zickler as their new manager
09/03 - Bishop's Stortford have unveiled George Borg as their new manager
11/03 - Linfield have promoted Pat McShane to the role of manager
11/03 - Queen's Park have unveiled Rowan Alexander as their new manager
12/03 - Dungannon have hired Oran Kearney as their new manager after leaving Coleraine
12/03 - Brechin City have announced the departure of manager Darren Dods
12/03 - Hednesford confirm Adam Ferguson as their new manager
13/03 - Dundee sack manager Paul Hartley
13/03 - Boreham Wood announce the appointment of Kevin Blackwell as manager
15/03 - Leicester have unveiled Michael Laudrup as their new manager
17/03 - Barnsley have announced the appointment of Gavin Strachan as their new manager after leaving Doncaster
18/03 - Aston Villa have unveiled Claudio Ranieri as their new manager
19/03 - Swindon sack manager Martin Ling
19/03 - Barrow have sacked manager Darren Edmondson
19/03 - Newcastle have announced they have parted company with manager Steve McLaren after the poor league position
20/03 - Tobermore Utd have named Sammy McVicker as their new manager
24/03 - Corby hire Rob Smith as their new manager after leaving AFC Telford
24/03 - Norwich have named Fernando Hierro as their new manager
24/03 - Concord Rangers appoint Hayden Bird as their new manager
25/03 - Fulham have promoted current interim manager Alan Curbishley to the role of manager
25/03 - Cambridge announce the appointment of Guy Branston as manager
26/03 - Ayr United have terminated the contract of manager Ian McCall
26/03 - Stenhousemuir have announced the departure of manager Brown Ferguson
26/03 - Basingstoke have dismissed manager Steven Fallon from his position
27/03 - Coleraine have unveiled Paul Trainor as their new manager
28/03 - Scunthorpe have terminated the contract of manager Mark Robins
29/03 - Newcastle announce the appointment of former manager Nigel Person as their new manager
29/03 - Brechin unveil John Coughlin as their new manager
29/03 - Dundee hire Peter Grant as their new manager
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#305886 Hell to Heaven: Diary of a Football Manager
guk99
Loughgall Fightback Earns Point!
Loughgall will look at this as what could have been after fighting back from being 2-0 down to take the lead late on, only to see it snatched from their hands in the last minutes to walk away with a point.
The opening goal came in the 34th minute when a corner was played by Cullen towards Lavery who stood alone outside the box. He looped a header towards the box where Noonan got on the end and sent it into the net to give the away side the lead. They took a 2-0 lead when McParland picked up the ball outside the box and was swarmed around as he saw Donnelly free to his left and played him in as he strove inside the box and slotted it cooly past Buchanan in goal.
Loughgall pulled one back before half-time as Boyle played Carlin in from the left wing as he slotted it past the out-running keeper to give the home side some hope going into the second-half. Ten minutes into the second-half and Cleary and McMahon worked together inside the oppositions half to send the ball in the box for Carlin to run onto it and place it home for his second goal of the game.
Loughgall must have felt they won it in the 75th minute when Cleary played the ball out wide to Thompson who swung in a ball to the far post to find Steenson run in and knock it home to the rapture of the fans. Unfortunately for the home side, some wonderful counter-attacking movement allowed McAnallan to get the ball inside the box as he looped it to the far side where it struck the post and bounced free for Cullen to slot the ball home for a point to the away side.
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Injury News:
Ciaran Boyd has substained a bruised rib after being on the receiving end of a tackle during today's game. He will be out for 9-12 days.
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Loughgall Collapse As Cup Run Ends!
Loughgall were knocked out of the Irish Cup at the 6th Round after coming up against Glentoran who controlled the game from kick-off and left little for the away side to do apart from pick the ball out of the net on three occasions.
Loughgall were sloppy with the ball as McManaman came inside after only 5 minutes, as he played in Anderson who saw his shot well saved by Buchanan only to see it parry to Henderson who ran past his defender and quick off the mark to slide home into an empty net.
Loughgall were warned time and time again but failed to pick up on the opposition as Magee strided down the left wing and sent in a cross which was knocked out, only for Henderson to pick up the ball at the edge of the box and send it back in where McManaman pulled free at the far post and headed home for a 2-0 lead.
The rout was finished before half-time when McManaman picked up the ball from a throw-in deep in Loughgall's half before crossing to the far side where Henderson headed it home for a 3-0 victory and saw them comfortably through to the next round of the cup.
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Staff Appointment:
Loughgall have agreed terms with Tony Harpur to become the new Chief Scout. Bangor will receive £2,500 in compensation for the deal that sees him swap clubs.
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Press Speculation Job Offer:
Newington Interested In Loughgall's Manager?
The Loughgall Football Gazette's Chris McConnell questioned Loughgall's manager, John Smith today regarding rumours that NIFL Championship's League 2 side Newington had him on a shortlist to be named as their new manager. Smith stated that he'd had no contact from any club and doubt their would be as he's got a job to do at Loughgall at this time and plans to do all he can to see the club through this difficult patch.
Newington currently stand in the relegation zone in League 2 and this would be a step down if he moved to the club, with the club possibly losing out on any league matches next season if they can't start picking up points.
Loughgall's board were heard stating they are delighted that manager, John Smith has reaffirmed his commitment to the club by refuting his interest in the managerial vacancy at Newington.
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Injury News:
Reserve Goalkeeper Mark Winter has substained a damaged heel after straining for the ball in training. He will be out for 2 weeks.
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Player Leaves:
Loughgall have announced that winger Tom Carlin has joined Donegal Celtic on a free transfer. Louggall will be extremely disappointed in losing one of the players who has been on form lately, but with the club's recent run it may be the first of several looking to leave the club.
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Loughgall Collapse In Fightback!
Loughgall saw a 2-0 lead disappear as Knockbreda who were just below them in the league fought back to earn themselves a point in this great match at Lakeview Park.
Loughgall were 2-0 up in the opening 16 minutes as the first came in the 7th minute when Boyle played Burns in as his shot bounced off the crossbar and over the line with a fierce drive that the keeper had no chance with. The second goal came after a free-kick outside the box was played by Boyd down to Alderdice whose shot was well saved, but parried to Burns who ran in quickest and sent it into the back of the net for his second of the game.
Some nice passing saw Knockbreda get back in the game in the 22nd minute when McDonagh played a beautiful through-ball to Neill who smashed it past Buchanan in goal to pull one goal back. In the 63rd minute, Loughgall failed to clear the ball as Stewart picked it up just inside their half and sent a high ball forward where Dempster ran onto it and thumped a header past the keeper into the net for a fantastic fightback for the away side.
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New Club Record:
Loughgall have now gone six games without winning and sets a new club record.
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Injury News:
Winger Aaron Willis has suffered a bruised jaw after jumping for a header during a B match. He will be out 9-12 days.
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New Blood:
Loughgall's B team manager, Jim White has assigned a number of players to the youth candidate team.
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New Appointments/Firings:
01/02 - Motherwell have re-appointed Billy Davies as their new manager.
01/02 - Birmingham have hired Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as their new manager.
01/02 - Blackburn Rovers have named Aitor Karanka as the club's new manager
04/02 - Hayes & Yeading named Mark Hawkes as new manager after leaving Chelmsford.
06/02 - Newington YC have terminated the contract of manager Eamonn McCarthy after the poor league position.
09/02 - Torquay United have announced the departure of manager Kevin Nicholson.
10/02 - Slalybridge announce Kevin Wilkin as their new manager after leaving his post with Brackley.
11/02 - Nuneaton have named David Holdsworth as their new manager.
13/02 - Mansfield have sacked manager Adam Murray due to a poor league position.
14/02 - Sunderland have dismissed manager Sam Allardyce after players lost confidence in him.
15/02 - Dundee United have appointed former player Steven Pressley as their new manager after leaving Fleetwood
16/02 - Burton have named Jackie McNamara as their new manager after leaving York.
19/02 - Dollingstown have terminated the contract of manager Gary Duke.
20/02 - Glenavon have sacked manager Gary Hamilton
20/02 - Cardiff have announced the departure of Russell Slade as manager
20/02 - Dungannon have sacked manager Darren Murphy
20/02 - Dartford have terminated the contract of manager Tony Burman
20/02 - Bishop's Stortford have dismissed manager Rod Stringer
20/02 - Preston have sacked manager Simon Grayson after finding the club bottom of the table
21/02 - FC Halifax have announced Gus MacPherson as their new manager after leaving Queen's Park.
21/02 - Chelmsford have appointed Bernard McNally as their new manager after leaving Hednesford
21/02 - Newington have unveiled Aaron Forgrave as their new manager
26/02 - Brackley unveil Rob Scott as their new manager.
26/02 - Torquay United have today unveiled Lee Glover as their new manager after leaving Coventy
27/02 - Aston Villa today terminated the contract of manager Remi Garde due to a poor league position
27/02 - Boreham Wood have sacked manager Luke Gerrard
27/02 - Linfield have terminated the contract of manager David Healy
29/02 - Mansfield have unveiled Alan Knill as their new manager
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#305835 Hell to Heaven: Diary of a Football Manager
guk99
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Fixture Changed
It was announced on the morning of the match that due to a waterlogged pitch, todays game between Loughgall vs Annagh Utd has been postponed and re-scheduled for Friday 15th January 2016.
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Injury News:
Kevin Anderson has begun full training after recovering from a strained stomach muscle.
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Staff Appointment:
Jonathan Watson has agreed terms with Loughgall to become Under 18s Assistant Manager.
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Loughgall Throw Away Lead!
Loughgall took the lead in todays game against Welders, but saw the home team peg them back and force the match into a replay.
It all started so well for Loughgall as some wonderful passing display in the middle of the park was capped with a ball through to Boyle who had broken free of his man on the right wing and ran into the box to collect the ball and place it cooly past the out-running keeper to give the away fans a dream start in the opening 40 seconds of the game.
In the 35th minute, a long ball up front was missed by everyone but Mullen who ran in behind and saw his looping header across goal sail into the far corner of the net past a rushing keeper towards him. Loughgall looked in cruise control, with Welders struggling.
Some half-time words must have done something as Welders came out a changed team, as Brown got the ball on the left wing and passed towards Ferguson inside the box whose shot was parried by Buchanan only to see it get past him still and into the back of the net due to the fierce strike.
The equalizer came in the 90th minute as McLeland played Harris through behind the defence as he ran in on goal. Buchanan came rushing out only to see Harris lob the ball past him and bounce into the empty net to give Welders a great fight-back against Loughgall, and push this game into a replay.
Unfortunately for Loughgall, their top scorer Mullen was taken off with a serious injury while injury-prone Clarke also had to be substituted and both will be missing from the return fixture.
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Injury News:
Warner Mullen has suffered a broken ankle after jumping for the ball during the match today. He'll be out for 3-4 months.
Adam Clarke has suffered a strained neck after jumping for a header during the match today. He'll be out for 2 weeks.
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Player Suspended:
Kevin Anderson has picked up an automatic one match ban after collecting 20 points.
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Fixture Changed
Due to the replay, the Loughgall vs Annagh Utd league match has been re-scheduled once more, now to be played on Saturday 16th January 2016.
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Northern Irish Cup 6th Round Draw:
Glentoran vs Loughgall or H & W Welders
The match will be played on Saturday 6th February.
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Player Leaves:
Loughgall have announced that Graeme Taylor has left the club on a free transfer.
Loughgall announce defender Brian Martin has left the club on a free transfer.
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Manager Warning:
It's been reported that the FA has been in contact with Loughgall and warned manager John Smith following his comments for not getting a penalty in the Irish Cup 5th Rd 2-2 draw with H & W Welders.
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Staff Appointment/Moves:
Loughgall's Paul Carlyle has joined H & W Welders as a Chief Scout. Loughgall have received a settlement of £2,200.
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Loughgall Through To 6th Round!
Loughgall put up a big battle against H & W Welders at home as they got through to the next round of the Irish Cup with a good, hard fought display with McMahon scoring two important goals and coming off the field with the Man of the Match.
It all started in the 3rd minute when a throw-in deep in Welders half allowed Steenson on the ball as he played it across field towards McMahon who found himself unmarked and he smashed it home to give Loughgall the early lead. In the 19th minute, McLellan and Deane combined well to get the ball in the box for Rainey to nip in front of the keeper and head home the equalizer.
Loughgall found lots of space in midfield and played the ball around well before Henderson supplied Steenson who saw McMahon's run into the box and slid it through for him to latch onto it and strike it home for his second of the game as the keeper got a touch but couldn't keep out the powerful strike.
Welders pushed for an equalizer but it never came thanks to the defenders working hard, and Buchanan in goal pulling off some great saves to help his team go through. The game ended with a bit of a spat afterwards between the two managers, with Welders manager blaming the bouncy pitch for their defeat, while Loughgall's John Smith claimed it's just sour grapes for Welders losing to a better team on the day.
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Fixture Changed
The Loughgall vs Armagh league match has been re-scheduled due to Armagh vs Portadown's Irish Cup match. The match will now be played on Tuesday 2nd February 2016.
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Keeper Was Oustanding!
Loughgall have their keeper to thank for blocking several chances for Annagh during todays game as he kept the away side out with some great saves. The defence had their backs to the wall for much of the game, but stood firm and was able to walk off the pitch with a vital three points.
The only goal of the game came in the 78th minute when Burns came running in from the right wing to the far post to latch onto Black's swinging cross as he headed home to give the home side a win.
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Injury News:
Adam Steenson has suffered a bruised head after jumping to challenge for the ball during the match today. He'll be out for 8-11 days.
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Loughgall Fail To Take Chances!
Loughgall couldn't take the chances that fell their way today as they struggled in front of goal, despite having the best of most of the game.
Loughgall gave the ball away too easy from the start, allowing Dergen to work the ball around and into their game plan as the ball came to Burns outside the box who played it to Carlin who was free at the edge and he turned and struck a nice shot that was placed in the corner of the goal with the keeper unable to do anything but watch.
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Injury News:
Steven Ferguson has suffered a bruised head after jumping to challenge for the ball during the match today. He'll be out for 8-11 days.
Adam Clarke returns to full training following his injury of a strained neck.
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Player Suspended:
Matthew McMahon has picked up an automatic one match ban after collecting 20 points.
Neil Alderdice has picked up an automatic one match ban after collecting 32 points.
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Northern Irish League Cup Winners:
Crusaders have won the Northern Irish League Cup after a 3-2 extra-time victory over Bangor.
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Loughgall Fall To Better Team!
Loughgall just couldn't stand up against a much better, stronger side who dominated the match and could have had more in the game. The only goal came in the 16th minute when McAllister got on the end of a Stewart cross to the far post and headed home. Portadown controlled the match and passed the ball around the field with little to stop them. Loughgall will be looking at the only chance they had in the game when Carlin got played through only to see his shot skim past the far post from inside the box as he hung his head in his hands.
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Injury News:
Ross Black has suffered a strained knee ligament after being the victim of a heavy challenge during the match today. He'll be out for 2 months.
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Loughgall Outclassed!
Loughgall were out-played, out-performed and simply put - outclassed by their opponents today in an Intermediate Cup 4th Round match. Despite Linfield's domination, the away side got the first goal of the game thanks to a cross by Boyd that was headed off the bar by McMahon before he followed it up with a strike that finally put it in the back of the net.
Linfield equalized late on in the 78th minute when Clarke sent across the ball into the box and Sills headed it home to bring them level. Linfield had plenty of chances in the game but couldn't get a winner, as the match went to penalties. McMahon had his penalty saved, only for Linfield to see Beggs have his shot saved. Unfortunately for Loughgall, Cleary couldn't put it past the keeper as it went into sudden-death as Foster stepped up and struck his away to send the minnows through.
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End of Year World Awards:
World Golden Boot Award
1st: Lionel Messi. (FC. Barcelona)
2nd: Christiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
3rd: Kevin DeBruyne (Manchester City)
World Player of the Year Award
1st: Lionel Messi. (FC. Barcelona)
2nd: Kevin DeBruyne (Manchester City)
3rd: Zlatan Ibrahimovice (Paris Saint Germain)
European Golden Boy Award
Jose Gaya (Valencia C.F.)
World Team of the Year Award:
M. Neuer (Bayern Munich)
R. Rodriguez (Wolfsburg), G. Pique (FC. Barcelona), M. Hummels (Dortmund), J. Boateng (Bayern)
P.Pogba (Juventus), K. DeBruyne (Man City)
C. Ronaldo (R. Madrid), Z.Ibrahimovich (Paris St Germain), J. Rodriguez (R. Madrid)
L. Messi (FC Barcelona)
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New Appointments/Firings:
02/01 - Walsall delay decision to appoint a new manager by putting Assistant Manager Richard O'Kelly in temporary charge of the first team.
02/01 - Rochdale hire John Still as manager after leaving his job with Luton
04/01 - Eastbourne Boro appoint Mark Stimson as new manager after leaving Thurrock
09/01 - Bradford PA have sacked Martin Drury after players lost confidence in him.
10/01 - Stirling have announced Barry Ferguson as their new manager
12/01 - Blackburn have sacked Tim Sherwhood after a recent run of bad results.
12/01 - Gosport has hired Dean Brennan as manager after leaving Hemel Hempstead.
14/01 - Gainsborough have appointed Garry Haylock as their new manager after leaving Hayes & Yeading.
16/01 - Glentoran sack Jimmy Quinn as manager after a run of bad results.
16/01 - Northampton have sacked Chris Wilder as manager after players lost confidence in him.
16/01 - Birmingham have dismissed manager Gary Rowett due to the poor league position.
18/01 - Motherwell have announced the departure of Mark McGhee due to the poor league position
19/01 - Luton have announced that Adrian Boothroyd as their new manager
20/01 - Barnet have named David Connolly as their new manager after leaving Millwall.
24/01 - Bradford PA announce Liam Watson as manager after leaving Stalybridge
28/01 - Hemel Hempstead confirm that Kevin Wilson has been named as their new manager after leaving Nuneaton.
30/01 - Dundee United sack Mixu Paatelainen after the players lost confidence in them
31/01 - Glentoran appoint Darren Kelly as their new manager after leaving FC Halifax
31/01 - Northampton appoint Declan Farmer as manager
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#305734 Hell to Heaven: Diary of a Football Manager
guk99
Northern Irish Intermediate Cup 3rd Round Draw:
Newcastle (NIR) vs Loughgall
The Distillery vs Loughgall league match has been re-arranged for Tuesday 22nd December 2015 due to the cup match taking place on the 26th December.
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Loughgall Make Hard Work Of Victory!
Loughgall needed extra-time to get past their opponents on a wet afternoon at Lakeview Park today. East Belfast can be proud of their players as they pushed Loughgall to the final whistle and on another day could have walked away with a win.
The opening goal came in the 2nd minute when the ball was moved around well by Belfast, before a ball over the top was latched onto by Wright as the keeper came running out, allowing him to slide it across to Murphy who had an empty net to put it into and send shock to the home fans.
Loughgall equalized in the 14th minute from a corner by Dallas, who also picked up Man of the Match for his outstanding performance during the game. Cleary who had come into the side ran in and headed the ball home as it was swung into the box. Both teams pushed on for a winner, and while Loughgall dominated and seemed to have the best chances - Belfast held firm and kept them out.
It took extra-time for Loughgall to grab a winner, as Carlin picked up the ball on the left edge of the box. He turned his player inside out and then curled a beautiful strike that looped around the keeper's fingertips and into the far corner of the goal to give the home side the victory with an exquisite goal to cap off the win.
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Injury News:
Kevin Anderson has substained a strained stomach muscle during weights session in training. He will be out for 5-6 weeks.
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Northern Irish Mid-Ulster Cup Quarter-Final Draw:
Portadown vs Loughgall
The Dergview vs Loughgall league match has been re-arranged for Tuesday 19th January 2016 due to the cup match taking place on the Saturday 23rd January 2016.
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Loughgall Collapse To Easy Defeat!
Loughgall crashed back to Earth today with a defeat against Donegal Celtic who lay 2nd in the league.
Thjings started off bad for the home side as Donegal took a 2-0 advantage in the opening 15 minutes of the game that left Loughgall in an uphill battle from there on. In the 4th minute, Dunlop got the ball from a throw-in and was allowed to turn on it and cross into the box with ease as McGonnell got his head to the ball and sent it into the corner of the net.
The final goal came in the 15th minute when a corner by Shannon went over everyone to the far post and Carson came from around back to strike it home to give Donegal a comfortable victory. It could have been worse for Loughgall had Buchanan not pulled off a magnificent off the line save in injury time.
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Northern Irish Cup 5th Round Draw:
H & W Welders vs Loughgall
The Loughgall vs Annagh Utd league match has been re-arranged for Tuesday 5th January 2016 due to the cup match taking place on the Saturday 9th January 2016.
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Injury News:
Adam Clarke has returned to full training following his lay-off due to a thigh strain.
Marcus Dallas has suffered a bruised head after jumping for a header during the B game. He will be out for 8-11 days.
Ciaran Boyd has returned to full training following his dislocated shoulder injury.
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Loughgall Secure Good Point!
Loughgall put on a battling display today and should have walked away with all 3 points if it hadn't have been for an injury time equalizer and a great performance from Distillery's goalkeeper.
The opening goal came in the 77th minute when Loughgall played the ball well around the middle of the park, before it found it's way outside the box to Doyle who played it on to Burns who was able to fend off 2 defenders before knocking it low into the box where defender Derry stuck his foot out and saw the ball bounce off him into the back of his own net to his own dismay.
The equalizer came in injury time when Gallacher got the ball on the left wing and dribbled just inside the box before crossing to the far post where McIllhagga nodded it home to give the home side a share of the spoils. Both keepers pulled off some good saves and the defenders battled against the attackers upon each end of the pitch as the final whistle went.
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Team Meeting:
The next day, I was informed by the Assistant Manager that the team were unhappy with the way I was managing the team and wished to discuss it. I sat down and informed them that we need to work harder and things can easily turn around, but several of the players revolted and I informed them that maybe a change of tactics was needed as they appeared to be happy by the new outcome of playing a different game as we parted ways.
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Player Leaves:
Loughgall have announced that left-back Jeff Brady has left the club on a free transfer.
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Loughgall Secure Next Round Place!
Loughgall changed their system after rumbles of players feeling unhappy with the management of the team lately, and walked away with a good display on a breezy afternoon.
Loughgall looked the more comfortable of the two sides today, as they took the lead in the 37th minute as Black played a ball in behind the defenders and Mullen got on the end of it, before he was able to dribble past the defender in the box and slot it into the far corner around the keepers out-stretched hand.
In the 62nd minute, Doyle played a ball to Mullen who was crowded just inside the box as he laid it across to Boyle who turned and struck his foot through the ball as it smashed into the far corner to give Loughgall a 2-0 lead. In the 72minute Newcastle gave Loughgall a few things to worry about when McGrath's corner found it's way to Lemon at the near post who headed it on and it sailed into the far corner to give the home side a glimmer of hope, but they couldn't get anything else as Buchanan pulled off an amazing double point blank save with 8 minutes left to secure victory for the side.
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Intermediate Cup 4th Round Draw:
Linfield Swifts vs Loughgall
Scheduled for Tuesday 26th January 2016.
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Staff Appointment:
Jim White has signed a new contract with Loughgall, which has seen him being promoted from Under 18s Manager to B Team Manager.
Meanwhile, Jason Lindsay has signed a new contract which has seen him go from Under 18s Assistant Manager to Under 18s Manager.
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Player Leaves:
Loughgall have announced that impressive midfielder Marcus Dallas had left the club and joined Newry City AFC on a free transfer. This will come as a blow for manager, John Smith.
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New Appointments/Firings:
04/12 - Altrincham announce Nicky Law as their new manager after leaving his position as Alfreton manager.
5/12 - Chester have sacked Steve Burr as manager after players lost confidence in him.
5/12 - Aldershot Town have sacked Barry Smith due to the club's poor league position
5/12 - Bray Wanderers have confirmed Jim Gannon as their new manager, after leaving his position as Northwich manager.
9/12 - Blackpool have terminated the contract of manager Karl Oyston after players lost confidence in him.
12/12 - Peterborough have announced that Graham Westley, their manager has been sacked.
12/12 - Hartlepool announce Ronnie Moore has had his contract terminated by the club due to a recent run of bad results.
12/12 - Abroath have terminated the contract of Todd Lumsden with immediate effect.
12/12 - Clyde have sacked Barry Ferguson due to the club's poor league position
13/12 - Aberdeen have announced George Burley as their new manager.
13/12 - Dagenham & Redbridge have unveiled Paul Cox as their new manager.
14/12 - Hearts have terminated the contract of their manager Robbie Nelson due to the clubs poor league position
16/12 - Stoke have confirmed that Paco Jemez has been appointed as their new manager, after leaving his position as Rayo manager.
17/12 - Southport and unveiled Lee Sinnot as their new manager
18/12 - Aldershot announce the appointment of Jamie Day as manager after leaving his position with Forest Green
18/12 - Eastbourne Borough announce the departure of Tommy Widdrington after the club's poor league position
18/12 - Rochdale have saked Keith Hill after players lost confidence in their manager.
20/12 - Alfreton confirm Dean Holdsworth as their new manager after leaving Brentwood
21/12 - Middlesbrough have hired Dean Smith as their new manager, after leaving his position with Walsall
22/12 - Chester announce former Bolton man David Thompson as their new manager.
24/12 - Bolton announce Nigel Clough as their new manager
26/12 - Gosport Borough announce the departure of Alex Pike as manager.
27/12 - Clyde announce Stuart McLaren as their new manager leaving his job with Stirling
27/12 - Blackpool announce Steve Lomas as their new manager
28/12 - Gainsborough have today announced the departure of manager Steve Housham
29/12 - Hartlepool unveil Andy Scott as their new manager
29/12 - Hearts unveil Billy Stark as their new manager after leaving Albion Rovers
29/12 - Peterborough have hired Martin Allen as their new manager after leaving Barnet
30/12 - Arbroath hire Ian Little as their new manager
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#305706 Hell to Heaven: Diary of a Football Manager
guk99
Northern Irish Mid-Ulster Cup 1st Round Draw:
Annagh Utd vs Loughgall
The Loughgall vs Larne league match has been re-arranged for Tuesday 24th November 2015 due to the cup match taking place on the 28th November.
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Northern Irish Cup 4th Round Draw:
Loughgall vs East Belfast
To be played Saturday 5th December 2015.
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Players Sold/Left:
Loughgall have announced that central defender Mark Stewart has joined Newry City AFC on a free transfer..
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Hat-Trick Hero Only Gets Ball, Not Points!
Hat-trick hero Josh Cahoon may have put the ball in the back of the net 3 times today, but as he walked off the pitch all he received was the match ball as Loughgall snatched a last second winner to grab all 3 points away from the home side.
The opening goal came from a Loughgall corner as Martin whipped the ball in to the near post where Burns made his run and slotted it home to send the home fans into rapture with a great start in the 4th minute. Some sloppy play though allowed Cahoon to get on a long ball over the top which Martin missed, as he curled it past the keeper to bring the side back level.
Just before the break, Arthurs got hold of a loose ball and played it to Cahoon who was just outside the box. He turned sharply and smashed the ball towards goal as it struck the post and went into the back of the net to take them into the lead. Unfortunately they couldn't hold on as Loughgall pushed on, the ball played out to Black on the left wing as he crossed towards Carlin who nipped in at the far post and slotted it past the keeper with ease to give the away side hope going into the second half.
In the 51st minute, the ball was deep in the home side's half as Montgomery whipped in a cross which appeared over-struck only to see it fly over everyone, including the keeper as it sailed into the far post corner of the goal in what can only be described as a fluke goal to give the away side the lead. The home side got back in though minutes later, when the ball went all the way back to the keeper, who lobbed it forward and some nice play saw it played across to the left side of the box as Brolly lobbed across a header to the far post where hat-trick hero Cahoon was to slot it home and equalize for his side.
Deep in injury time and Loughgall kept hold of the ball before being played out to the right wing where Montgomery latched onto it and kept it in at the byline. His cross was headed by Burns and parried by the keeper only to see Carlin stride into the box and slide it into the empty net to give Loughgall the win and all 3 points on the day.
The homes fans walked away in dismay, while Loughgall's fans supported their team in an incredible match that was stolen at the last moment by their team.
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Injury News:
Sean Cleary has susbtained a gashed leg whilst being tackled during the match against Ards. He's likely to be out for 2-3 weeks.
Gary Henderson has suffered a strained neck after jumping for a header during the B match. He'll be out for 2 weeks.
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Loughgall Raise Their Game!
Loughgall made hard work of this cup encounter against the smaller side, but their second-half performance raised the roof a little as they comfortably went through in the end with Marcus Dallas picking up Man of the Match.
The first came in the 30th minute when Mullen played a ball out wide to Carlin who got onto it and seeing the keeper of his line, sent the ball high and towards goal as it sailed over his head and into the back of the net. Some will claim he didn't mean it, but manager John Smith afterwards said it was meant for sure and he's done things like that on the training ground.
In the 78th minute, Alderdice who had come on as substitute hit a ball over the top to which Burns, also a substitute ran onto it and curled it past the keeper and in off the post to give the away side a comfortable 2-0 lead. The final goal came just a few minutes later when Steenson crossed from the left wing, to see Boyle's header blocked and it came out to Dallas just inside the box. He looked composed on the ball as he swivelled his hips and struck it low into the far corner past the keeper for 3-0.
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Coca-Cola Intermediate Cup 3rd Round Draw:
Newcastle (NIR) or Coleraine Reserves vs Loughgall
Date/Opponents to be decided.
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Loughgall Struggle In Fightback!
Loughgall walked away from this match with a point, that could easily have been none as Larne showed they aren't a pushover in the league depsite their position.
The first goal came for Larne as a free-kick from out wide was played into the box where McLean latched onto the ball with a header that sailed into the net. The equalizer came in the 34th minute when a long ball up front by Black was got to by Carlin inside the box whose shot was blocked to McMahon who laid it inside to Mullen who was able to despatch it into the corner.
Larne took the lead once more early in the 2nd half when McCabe was out on the right wing and sent it into the box, only for it to bounce around and fall to Robinson at the far post who smashed it back across into the far side of the net. Loughgall pulled level through Mullen who nipped in behind the defenders who pushed out from a corner that appeared to be cleared, only for Black to get the ball back on the wing and send it low across the goal for Mullen to knock it home with ease.
Larne will look at this as what could have been, while Loughgall will be wondering how they got away with a point.
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Loughgall Scrape Into Next Round!
Loughgall put up a strong defence to stop Annagh from getting anything out of this match as Loughgall sail through to the next round with a 1-0 victory. The only goal of the game came from Dallas in the 10th minute, when Black crossed to the far post and Dallas headed home from close range.
Loughgall's defence played out of their skin to keep them in the lead as well as Buchanan in goal as they held on to the final whistle and will surely be looking forward to the next round now.
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Injury News:
Adam Clarke suffered a thigh strain after chasing the ball during todays match and will be out for 3-4 weeks.
Sean Cleary has returned to full training following his injury of a gashed leg.
Gary Henderson resumes full training following his strained neck injury.
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Northern Irish Mid-Ulster Cup Qtr-Final Draw:
Portadown or Ballymacash vs Loughgall
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International Friendly:
Iceland 1-0 Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland fought a hard battle against Iceland but came away with defeat in this international friendly encounter. Finnbogasson was the only scorer of the game.
International Friendly:
Northern Ireland 0-3 Italy
Northern Ireland couldn't do anything against a strong Italy side who were superior in all areas including up front as Bonucci, Balotelli and Immobile scored for Italy.
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International Friendly:
England 2-3 Greece
England walked away from this match with defeat against Greece in an international friendly. Samaras opened the scoring for Greece, before Torosidis doubled the lead in the opening 10 minutes of the match. Barkley pulled a goal back, before Rooney equalized but Maniatis scored with 7 minutes left to give Greece the win.
International Friendly:
Spain 1-1 England
England walked away from Spain with a good draw that left the home side frustrated. James Milner scored the opener before Silva equalized, but Spain couldn't find the winner.
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New Appointments/Firings:
01/11 - Bray Wanderers announce Mick Cooke has resigned from his position as manager by mutal consent
02/11 - Ards announce Paul Kirk has been named as their new manager after leaving his post at Lusburn Rangers
03/11 - Bury have announced David Flitcroft has been sacked from his role as manager after the players lost confidence in him
06/11 - Nottingham Forest announce former Finland international, Teemu Tainio as their new manager after leaving his role at Tottenham Hotspur
07/11 - Aberdeen announce Derek McInnes has been sacked by the club after the clubs poor league position
10/11 - Q.P.R. have promoted interim manager Neil Warnock to the role of manager
10/11 - Southport have announced Paul Carden has been dismissed as manager after the club's poor league position
14/11 - Guiseley have announced the departure of Mark Bower du to the club's poor league position.
17/11 - Bury have unveiled John Dreyer as their new manager.
19/11 - Altrincham have sacked Lee Sinnott as manager.
21/11 - Bolton have sacked Neil Lennon as manager due to a recent run of bad results.
28/11 - Middlesbrough announce that Aitor Karanka has been sacked due to the current league position.
28/11 - Dagenham & Redbridge announce Wayne Burnett has departed the club as manager.
28/11 - Stoke announce that Mark Hughes's contract has been terminated due to a recent run of bad results.
30/11 - Guiseley have hired Steve Tilson as their new manager.
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#305701 The Red Revolution
guk99
#305698 Macadangdang - Rags to Riches
guk99
#305665 Hell to Heaven: Diary of a Football Manager
guk99
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Loughgall On The Rise?
Loughgall put on a performance in front of their home fans today and walked away with four goals and destroying their opponents who have one of the worst defences so far. It all began in the 2nd minute when a backpass by Watson to Storey just outside the box was not controlled properly as it bounced away and allowed Mullen to run onto it and put his foot through the ball as it sailed into the top right corner of the net.
It was almost two just before the 10th minute when Mullen played in Burns on the edge of the box, but his shot just sailed inches past the post. In the 35th minute, Dallas and Black teamed up well on the left wing as Black picked up the ball near the byline and crossed for Burns who was tackled by McAllister inside the box but the ball rebounded to Willis who ran in and slid it past the keeper to make it more comfortable.
Mullen played the ball out wide to Doyle on the right wing in the 57th minute as he crossed to the far post and Willis ran in to poach his second goal of the game and make it 3-0 to Loughgall. Minutes later, a throw-in deep in Bangor's half lead to Mullen getting the ball as he crossed low into the box where Burns latched onto the pass and slotted it perfectly into the corner of the net to finish the rout. Bangor could have snatched a concelation if it wasn't for in-form keeper Buchanan who stopped a McAllister strike from just a yard out and parried away to safety to keep a clean sheet.
The final whistle went finally for Bangor who walked way distraught, while the home fans cheered the players names as they left the field while manager John Smith punched the air with glee for a fantastic performance by his team.
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Coca-Cola Intermediate Cup 1st Round Draw:
Loughgall vs Dunloy
To be played Saturday 31st October 2015.
Due to this and Institute's cup tie, the match between Institute and Loughgall has been re-arranged for Tuesday 27th October 2015.
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Injury News:
Gary Henderson has pulled up with a pulled hamstring after chasing the ball during training today. He is likely to be out for 4-5 weeks.
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Three In A Row For Loughgall!
Another win for Loughgall as they head in the right direction up the table and another impressive performance. It all started in the 12th minute when Ferguson went in with a high boot on Willis from a throw-in as the referee's whistle blew and he pointed to the spot. Some might have seen it as a harsh decision, but Willis got the ball and smashed it into the roof of the net to give Loughgall the start they wanted.
In the 33rd minute, Burns played the ball out wide to Doyle on the right wing. His cross was punched by the Welders keeper, only to see it parry around inside the box, allowing Mullen to poke it home and give Loughgall a 2-0 advantage. It only lasted a few minutes though before Deans took a free-kick from just outside the edge of the box and curled it into the back of the net to give Welders a life-line.
Buchanan kept Loughgall in the lead with a good save from inside the box in the 67th minute, before in the 82nd minute Doyle played Burns in down the right wing as he crossed into the box near the penalty spot and Dallas looped a header over the keeper and into the net to give a more comfortable lead with not long left as the final whistle blew.
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Injury News:
Warner Mullen substained a gashed leg whilst being tackled during the game and is likely to be out for upto 3 weeks.
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New Signing:
Loughgall have announced they have signed free agent Sean Cleary, a 33 year-old experienced midfielder to help bolster the squad.
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Loughgall Collapse To Easy Defeat!
Lurgan Celtic looked comfortable as they dismantled Loughgall's good run of games from kick-off. They dominated possession and passed the ball around as the Loughgall players chased every ball but failed to make anything of it. The opening goal came in the 36th minute when the ball was passed around before Hutchinson played a ball over the defence towards Graham who had ran in behind and slotted it past Buchanan who came running out.
A woeful pass in the middle of the park in the 52nd minute allowed the ball to be played out wide to Barton, who swung in a cross into the box. Alderdice who is usually composed made a mistake and swung a leg at the ball only to see it slice into the back of the net and give Lurgan the victory.
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Player Released:
Ryan Moffatt has been released on a free transfer from Loughgall after finding himself unable to break into the first team.
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Injury News:
Ciaran Boyd, left back has substained a dislocated shoulder after being on the receiving end of a tackle during the B side match against Moyola Park Reserves. He is expected to be out for 2-3 months.
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Mistakes Leads To Defeat!
Loughgall suffered their second straight defeat at the hands of Ballyclare and never really looked like to be in the game. The only goal came in the 44th minute when a free-kick outside the box by Trussell saw the ball parried away by Buchanan only for Black to bring down McCullough in the box as he went for the rebound. Gardiner slotted the ball away to give the away side the victory in a match that had very few real chances overall.
The home fans booed the team off at full-time and the manager, John Smith looked unhappy with the team's overall performance and will surely be looking to kick-start them again in their next fixture. Meanwhile McMahon picked up another yellow card which has resulted in hims picking up an automatic one-match ban after collecting 20 points.
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Injury News:
Goalkeeper Tuda Murphy has returned to full training following his twisted ankle injury.
Striker Warner Mullen returns to full training following his injury of a gashed leg.
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Falling Down!
Loughgall suffered another defeat as they were outplayed by a better team. A ball in from Roddy to the inside of the box from out wide was picked up by McFadden who struck it sweetly and it sailed past Buchanan, as the keeper laid on the ground looking on and angry at being beaten on his near side.
Loughgall are in a poor run right now and will need to look at make some changes if they wish to do better in their next games coming up.
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Injury News:
Aaron Willis has substained a bruised thigh after being the victim of a heavy challenge during a B match. He'll be out for 11-13 days.
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Loughgall Bounce Back With Cup Win!
Loughgall's players walked off the pitch after today's game to a standing ovation by the fans after a great victory and near dominance over their opponents, and qualify to the 2nd round. Clarke was Man of the Match as he bagged two goals during the game while McMahon who returned from a ban picked up his first goal for the club.
McMahon received the ball outside the box as he got swarmed around, allowing him to lay an easy through-ball to Clarke on the left wing who had made a run inside the box as he got on the end and despatched it home to give Loughgall the perfect start. Some wonderful quick passing allowed Rice and Dunlop to play a ball into Butcher who shot past Buchanan on goal to bring the away side level.
Loughgall took the lead again in the 33rd minute when Black played a cross to Carlin at the far post, whose shot was blocked but rebounded kindly to Clarke who placed it into the net for 2-1. A quick counter attack allowed Mullen to play Clarke in down the left wing, as he strove into the box but was blocked. Mullen nipped in as the keeper came out, the ball bounced around before McMahon ran forward and slotted it into an empty goal for the final goal of the game.
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Injury News:
Gary Henderson has returned to full training following his lay-off with a pulled hamstring.
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Intermediate Cup 2nd Round Draw:
Malachians vs Loughgall
To be played on Saturday 21st November 2015.
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Euro Championship Qualifiers Group F:
Romania 0 - 1 Northern Ireland
Jamie Ward gave Northern Ireland a grasp on qualifying after defeating Romania in their own back yard in an evenly-matched contest between these two sides. Greece could only draw against Finland which allowed Northern Ireland to leapfrog both teams and shoot to the top of the league, leading it by 1 point with only 1 game left against Hungary.
Euro Championship Qualifiers Group F:
Hungary 1 - 0 Northern Ireland
Hungary came away with a hard-fought victory over Northern Ireland, but it didn't spoil the celebrations as Northern Ireland pipped Romania to the 2nd spot and qualified for the first time ever.
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Euro Championship Qualifiers Group E:
England 1 - 1 Slovenia
England shared the spoils in todays game against Slovenia and must feel disappointed after the success last month of securing qualification and not being able to follow it up with another win. Henderson gave England the lead before Kampl equalized late in the 2nd half.
Euro Championship Qualifiers Group E:
Lithuania 0 - 1 England
England came off the park with a victory as they outclassed the home side, but must be looking at how they couldn't have won by a bigger margin. Harry Kane was the only scorer on the day.
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New Appointments/Firings:
03/10 - Fulham have dismissed Peter Grant as manager due to the poor league position.
03/10 - Cliftonville have sacked Gerard Lyttle as manager due to the poort league position.
6/10 - Basingstoke announce Steve Fallon as their new manager, after leaving his position as Soham manager.
13/10 - Ards have announced that Niall Currie has been sacked after a poor league position as of late.
17/10 - Nottingham Forest have announced the departure of Dougie Freedman in the wake of a recent run of bad results.
24/10 - Fulham have appointed former Assistant-Manager Alan Curbishley in temporary charge of the club.
31/10 - Cliftonville unveil Tommy Cassidy as their new manager.
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#305663 The Managerial Career Of Adam Boyd
guk99
What this needs is a bit of Jeff Stelling thrown in there somewhere
#305626 Hell to Heaven: Diary of a Football Manager
guk99
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Donegal Make Lucky Escape?
Donegal Celtic (1st) could only draw against relegation zone Loughgall (14th), and must have felt relieved to come away with anything after this match. Loughgall performed far better than their last few outings and winger Adam Clarke continued his scoring streak with another goal for his new club.
A free-kick wide on the left wing near the corner flag was played by Black to Dallas who got the ball back and whipped in a beautiful cross to the far post where Clarke got a foot in and placed it into the back of the net from just a yard out. It was a goal that Loughgall deserved after some half-time words from their new manager, John Smith. Unfortunately for Clarke, he was taken off just minutes after celebrating his goal with another injury.
In the 73rd minute - Donegal got a fortunate equalizer, the ball was played out right - wide to Taggart who collected the ball and crossed it into the box. Dunlop came running in from the edge of the box as the ball just skimmed off the top of his head and edged past the keepers fingers into the corner of the net. At the final whistle the two manager's shook hands on a good match with Donegal's looking fortunate to come away with anything.
Injury News:
Adam Clarke, who has just returned from injury has picked up a groin strain after chasing the ball during the match. He is likely to be out for 3-4 weeks.
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Loughgall Rise To The Occasion!
In the 10th minute Dergview almost took the lead when a free-kick was picked up too easy inside the box and struck which the ball bounced back off the post and safely into the keepers hands. Ten minutes later, Loughgall struck the crossbar when a ball whipped in by Black was met by Steenson who cracked it against the bar from close range and cleared away.
The opening goal came in the 71st minute when Mullen got on the ball from a throw-in, played it across to the centre of the field to Burns who was outside the box and he struck a beautiful strike which smashed into the corner of the net to give Loughgall a deserved lead after dominating the match from the off.
In the 77th minute Dergview almost got back into the match when a ball down the left wing was latched onto and crossed into the box where the ball cracked against the crossbar, the same place where Steenson had seen his come back from in the first half.
The final whistle went as Burns single goal gave Loughgall their first victory of the season and picked him up Man of the Match for his outstanding performance, but in truth all the players deserved credit for outperforming the league leaders on all accounts of the field.
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The Knockbreda vs Loughgall NIFL Championship 1 match has been re-arranged to Tuesday 22nd September due to the clash with the P.S.N.I. vs Knockbreda Steel & Sons Cup match on Saturday 26th September.
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Injury News:
It has been reported Warner Mullen, striker - has substained a stubbed toe while being tackled in the reserved match and will be out for 8-11 days.
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Annagh Snatch Last Gasp Winner!
Loughgall saw their game unfold in the last minute as a draw slipped from their grasp in cruel fashion. The first half saw little action as things kicked off in the 2nd-half as Annagh upped their game and some wonderful passing saw the ball come to Campbell just inside the box where he turned and smashed it low into the corner.
Annagh closed down Loughgall's players at every chance, but a great ball by Steenson was played down the right wing and in behind the defence for Burns to latch onto, before getting to the byline and crossing to the far post where Willis came running in from the edge of the box and slotted home to give Loughgall an equalizer. Minutes later, a corner for Loughgall saw Steenson's shot blocked off the line, while in the 84th minute Black's free-kick from the edge of the box rebounded off the post and cleared.
It looked like it would end in a draw, but Loughgall's defenders were caught napping in their own half and allowed Campbell to run onto a block clearance before he crossed it into the box and Adam Dick came inside to hit the shot which took a slight deflection and allowed Annagh to grab a later winner and leave the away fans devastated.
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Injury News:
Stein Montgomery has begun full training following a fractured cheekbone.
Tom Carlin has begun full training following a sports hernia.
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Point Apiece For Local Rivals!
Two arch-enemies faced off at Holm Park which resulted in a good game as both sides walked away with a point a-piece. Armagh took the lead in the 12th minute when Murray was pushed in the box by Anderson as the referee, after checking with the linesman pointed to the spot. Carville stepped up and tucked it away as he sent the keeper the wrong way to give the home side the lead.
A slight change of tactics at half-time saw Loughgall pull level immediately after kick off, Black got the ball on the left wing near the byline and crossed for Burns to head home the equalizer and send the away fans into rapture at pulling level. Both teams fought on for a winner but it wasn't to be as the fans applauded both sets of players off the field.
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Five-Goal Thriller!
A thriller of a match as Loughgall snatched victory from defeat. It started in the 15th minute as McComb broke down the right wing and crossed as it skipped past everyone in the box and came to Young at the far post who smashed it home past Buchanan to give the home side the lead.
In the 2nd-half, Black and Willis combined at the edge of the box before playing in Dallas inside who turned and struck the ball sweetly that sailed past the fingers of the keeper and bring Loughgall back into the game. In the 76th minute, Mullen played in Boyle who broke free and saw his shot rebound off the crossbar, but Mullen ran in to place it into the empty net and give Loughgall a surprising lead. The defenders were looking for the flag for Boyle's original run but it stayed down.
The home side got back into the match in the 84th minute when Cory latched onto a throughball by Black at the edge of the box and slotted it past the outstretched fingers of Buchanan to bring them level. Loughgall's manager, John Smith was seen arguing with the linesman calling for a flag but it never arrived as he looked on with disappointment
With a minute left, Loughgall broke down the wing with a long ball that Mullen picked up on and crossed to the far post where Boyle came running in and headed home the unlikely winner to gave the away side their 2nd victory of the season and a thrilling end to the match.
After the match, John Smith sent his players to thank the away fans who applauded their fantastic comeback and late winner as they left the pitch.
Injury News:
Brian Martin has suffered a bruised jaw after jumping for the ball, and will be out for 9-12 days.
Goalkeeper Tuda Murphy has suffered a twisted ankle during training and likely to be out for 5-6 weeks.
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04/09 - Euro Champ Qualifier Group F: Northern Ireland 2-0 Finland
Northern Ireland walked away from Windsor Park with an impressive victory in the rain, with McNair and Brunt getting two first-half goals to give the team a boost. This puts the team level on points with Greece and gives them a chance of still qualifying for the Euros.
06/09 - Euro Champ Qualifier Group F: Northern Ireland 3-0 Faroe Islands
Brunt, Davis and Evans secured victory and 3 points for Northern Island on home soil as they overcame the Faroe's with a comfortable victory and controlled the match. Unfortunately, Greece came away with a shocking 3-1 victory over leaders Romania to leave the two teams still battling it out for that 2nd spot in Group F, with both teams now just 2 points off Romania.
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05/09 - Euro Champ Qualifier Group F: Switzerland 2-2 England
Englands midfielders stepped forward to help England over the line in a close-encounter with Switzerland on a warm summer's afternoon. Lallana opened the scoring with a free kick before he saw his goal edged back by Seferovic minutes later. Sterling then headed England back in front early in the 2nd-half only to have Fernandes snatch a point in the 90th minute. This puts England 5 points clear of Switzerland and virtually confirm them as qualifying by now.
08/09 - Euro Champ Qualifier Group F: San Marino 0-4 England
England finally confirmed qualification to the Euros with a convincing 4-0 victory away to San Marino. Ward-Prowse opened the scoring in just 3 minutes, before Ashley Young scored a minute later before a Walcott penalty in the 8th, and Rooney's curling strike off the post secured the win after only 10 minutes of the match played. England dominated possession and had an amazing 38 shots at goal during the game against San Marino's single strike.
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New Appointments/Firings:
04/09 - St. Pat's Athletic have announced former player and manager Aaron Callaghan as their new team manager.
05/09 - Cork City have announced former player, manager and Director of Football to Cork City - Liam Murphy as their new manager.
15/09 - Lowestoft Town have dismissed Ady Gallagher as manager after the players lost confidence in their manager and making his position untenable.
19/09 - Basingstoke Town have parted company with Jason Bristow after the players lost confidence in him.
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#305496 Hell to Heaven: Diary of a Football Manager
guk99
Loughgall In Great Escape Drama
A big game to kick off the campaign against title favourites and Loughgall almost suffered defeat in John Smith's first game as Manager. It was only thanks to the goalkeeper Buchanan who pulled off a total of 5 magnificent saves that kept the home side in the game, and walk away with a valuable point. Only defender and Captain Neil Alarderdice performed well as he lead the team onto the field and can be happy with his performance having made 14 crucial interceptions during the match.
Ards piled on the pressure with 14 shots and 5 on target but couldn't get the ball past the keeper.
Both managers will be looking at this game differently. Ards Manager will see this as 2 points dropped from a game they should easily have won, and Loughgall's newly appointed manager will be wiping his brow at how they walked off the pitch with a point after being torn apart by the opposition.
Sadly for striker Adam Steenson, he was taken off in the 39th minute due to damaged heel after jumping for the ball and is likely to be out for 2 weeks, while both Steenson and Carlin saw yellow cards during the match for the home side and Shannon booked for the opposition.
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Loughgall announce final sales figures of 30 season tickets sold for the new season.
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Injury News:
Physio Billy Nellins has informed me that Tom Carlin was in some discomfort after training today and is suffering from a sports hernia. He is going to be treated at the club but will be out for 6-7 weeks. A bitter blow for us, as Carlin was another winger who I had high hopes for and now that's 2 wingers lost in a matter of weeks.
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League Cup 2nd Round Draw:
Ards vs Loughgall
Due to the Cup Match, the Donegal Celtic vs Loughgall NIFL Championship 1 match has been re-arranged for Tuesday 1st September.
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Loughgall Pay The Penalty!
Larne (2nd) faced Loughgall (10th) in the 2nd week of the season, and the opposition paid the price as Larne came away with all 3 points thanks to a spot kick. Moffatt, who had an awful game as left-back for Loughgall all game brought down Irvine in the 81st minute on the edge of the box out wide when he didn't need to and it allowed Stuart King to step up and give Larne their 2nd victory of the season and seal Loughgall's fate.
Several players saw yellow cards with McMahon picking up his 2nd in 2 games now while Moffatt picked up a yellow for the tackle which gave away the penalty.
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Injury News:
Information has come to me that 23 year-old full-back Stein Montgomery has suffered a fractured cheekbone after jumping to challenge for the ball during a B side match against Newington Reserves. After consultation, I could play him through injury but feel we have enough cover so have sent him to a Specialist at a cost of £500.
Posotive news is that Steenson is due back any day, although he may not be right to go straight in for the cup-tie against Ards. Also Adam Clarke who recently joined the club is expected to return also, but also unlikely to play a part.
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Demolition Squad
Disaster struck as Ards comfortably knocked out Loughgall with two 2nd half goals. The first came just 10 minutes into the 2nd half as a free-kick from Cockcroft on the right wing was crossed into the box as Cahoon got in front of his marker and headed into the corner of the net. The nail in the coffin for the away side came when Cahoon broke down the left wing and latched onto a long ball forward, before he played it back for Cockcroft who swung it to the far post where Arthurs headed it home to give the home side a comfortable victory.
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Four-Goal Thriller At Lakeview Park
A change of tactics allowed Loughgall, who lay in 11th to go more attacking, but they'll be disappointed with this result against a team below them in Distillery, lying 14th. Mullen scored the opening in the first 6 minutes when Bingham whipped a ball into the box to which Mullen skipped past the defenders to head home easily unmarked.
McMahon played Dallas through as his shot was well saved by the keeper, but Boyle came running into the box and got the rebound to fire home into an empty net. A throw-in on the wing allowed Morton to get the ball back and whip in a cross into the box where Southam nipped inside and headed home as Loughgall's defenders looked at one another and asking questions on who was marking him.
A ball to the right wing came to Clarke who played it back to Doyle before making a great run behind the defence where he received the ball back and was able to cooly slide it past the oncoming keeper to give Loughgall a draw. Unfortunately winger and striker Wesley Boyle had to go off injured after being on the receiving end of a tackle and is likely to be out for about 2 weeks.
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#305460 Hell to Heaven: Diary of a Football Manager
guk99
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My first game in charge was a friendly, and I came away with a victory thanks to 2 goals by my strikers. Burns scored the first in the 12th minute when our keeper kicked a ball up front as we tried to hit them on the break from a free kick they had failed to capatlize on, where Steenson got on the ball and made his way into the box on the left side before he got crowded out and knocked it to the far post where Boyle got a hold and cracked a great shot which the keeper parried only for Burns to nip in and knock home the opening from a few yards out.
Unfortunately, Anto Burns couldn't last the half, as he went up for a header in the first half and received a gashed head and was in need of being subsituted. Afterwards I discovered from the Physio that he would be out for upto 2 weeks.
In the 69th minute, Boyle got hold of the ball on the right wing, where he sent a beautiful through ball behind the defence. Mullen brushed aside the defender who was on his side and able to slot the ball around the keeper into the corner of the net to make the game more comfortable.
Woodvale had a couple of half-chances, but failed to make much of their possession and while I'd hoped we could have bagged a few against the amateur side I was happy with the win in the end as I fielded some of the more fringe players to kick off the friendly campaign.
The next day I sat down with the local journalist for the Loughgall Football Gazette, the only one who turned up and interested in my new job. We sat and talked about the Chairman, my life as a young manager where some have said I won't succeed due to my age which I disagreed with. I informed him I was hoping for a long, established career in the game as we parted ways on good terms.
The Chairman informed me he had hired a couple of new staff over the next few days.
37 year-old Paul Carlyle had been hired as the Chief Scout
32 year-old Jim White was hired as the Under-18 Manager
31 year-old Jason Lindsay was appointed as Under-17 Assistant Manager
25 year-old Conor McKee was hired as Under-18s Fitness Coach
Paul Carlyle, our new Chief Scout was immediately sent to the Northern Ireland Trial Day to scout for any possible new players.
My next friendly was a tricky fixture, against Scottish Ladbrokes League 1 outfit Stranraer. I knew it was unlikely to get anything out of this game and just told the players to enjoy the experience. The first half was awful as Stranraer controlled much of the game and left us in an uphill battle, I dreaded a mauling which wouldn't have been good for morale of the team.
They scored two quick goals from Nequecaur, the first coming from a sweet strike from outside the box of 20 yards out that sailed past the fingers of our keeper. The 2nd goal came from a throw-in deep in our half, the first cross was blocked but the second sailed over as our defenders mis-judged the ball and it crept to the far post where Nequecaur nipped in to snatch his 2nd of the game from inside the 5-yard box.
Some half-time words turned it around, and while Stranraer had a couple of chances, we raised our game and gave a good 2nd-half account of ourselves. We got hold of the ball in the middle of the park, and Boyle crept forward before playing a beautiful pass through to Carlin who had come in from the left wing to the edge of the box and smashed it low into the near post past the outstretched fingers of the keeper.
In the end we had a poor first-half performance but stepped it up in the second-half and came away with some heads high against a really good Scottish side who played a good passing game against us. My first defeat, but I didn't take it to heart as this was only a friendly and against a good opposition.
New Signing
After the match, the Chairman informed me we had captured Adam Clarke - a 25-year old winger who was available through the trial game I had scouted and without a club for a while. He looks like a good player from what I saw of his stats, and hopefully can perform well for us.
The latest odds have come in and Ards as well as Institute have been made 6-1 joint favourites to gain promotion this season. Loughgall have been placed at 33-1 to go up, depending on our performances the bookies reckon we have an outside chance if we perform well.
Player Sold:
I was disappointed to learn defender, 29 year-old Ricky Copeland had joined Institute on a free transfer. I had high hopes for the guy, and while the fans are disappointed along with me I now need to look elsewhere to bolster my defence.
A fantastic start to the game, as a throw-in deep in our own half to Ardglass lead to a counter-attack as Steenson held the ball up well, before playing it down the wing and taking out several players in the process towards new signing Adam Clarke who got to the edge of the box and whipped over a beautiful cross to the far post where Burns came forward and slotted it home to give us the lead.
It didn't last long, as a minute later a corner taken by Deegan was crossed to the near-post and Devine nodded the ball home from close-range to bring Ardglass back into the game. A very poor goal to give away so soon.
The 2nd-half started edgy, with both sides looking to grab the next goal as Ardglass struck the crossbar early on. But a counter as Clarke once more was instrumental in the attack where he played the ball in behind the defence for Steenson to latch onto this time and he held it up before playing it to the far post where once again Burns came running in and put it away with a nice header to give us the lead again.
Burns could have got his hat-trick if not for a clearance off the line from a corner, and a strike moments later from outside the box which the keeper saved well. Unfortunately, new signing Adam Clarke picked up an injury late in the 2nd-half and had to be substituted.
But, in the final moments of injury time Steenson latched onto a long goalkick from Buchannan that took out everyone and struck the ball from a good 20-yards out that smashed in off the underside of the crossbar and left the keeper helpless on the ground. A beautiful goal to seal the victory.
Injury News:
After the game, I received word from the Physio that Adam Clarke had suffered a back strain after attempting a sprint during the game. It was going to keep him out the start of the season for about 4-5 weeks. He'd only just joined us and had an impressive debut in the friendly for us, but hopefully he'll come back with a bang.
Defender Neil Alderedice has been made Captain of Loughgall United, while midfielder Steven Ferguson has been made Vice-Captain.
After discussion with the players representative, I have made them aware of the bonuses for the upcoming season:
2.5k to be shared for winning the NIFL Championship 1.
1.5k to be shared for winning a Domestic Cup.
Within the opening 10 minutes of the match, both sides had chances. A looping ball from a free-kick to the far post had Boyle strike a shot which just sailed wide of the post. Meanwhile, a corner for Nortel ended up with a shot that was blocked and eventually cleared. In the 15th minute, a break-away allowed Carlin to come in from the left wing as he crossed to the right where Boyle cracked a shot home into the corner to give us the lead.
In the 25th minute, a throw-in for Nortel lead to a quick counter as Ferguson got hold of the ball and hit a long winding ball across field to the left where Carlin broke in behind everyone and smashed it home into the near post to give us a solid lead. Unfortunately several minutes later and McKay pulled a goal back as a cross got headed on by Clarke inside the box that allowed McKay to slot it past Buchanan in goal to give the home side a chance.
In the 33rd minute, Doyle played the ball down the right wing where Steenson latched onto it and got to the byline where he crossed to the far post and Carlin nipped in with a cool finish to give us a comfortable two-goal advantage once more.
Early in the 2nd half, Nortel swung a corner in as Clarke ran into the box and headed the ball home to bring them back into the match once more. Carlin played through Steenson in the 70th minute only for him to see his strike come back off the post and cleared away.
After I made a number of substitutions late in the 2nd half, I felt it killed the game a little but in the dying moments, Lorrimer broke in behind our defence on the left side and smashed it past Buchanan at his near post to give the home team a great comeback against us.
The final whistle went, and I felt for the team as we played well when going forward but our defence is leaking goals badly. It's something I may need to look at.
New Manager Appointments/Firings:
Berwick appoints Jim Chapman as their new Manager, after leaving his post as Annan manager.
Sligo Rivers appoint Bobby Brown as their new Manager.
Shamrock Rovers sack Manager Pat Fenlon due to the poor league position.
Galway United appoint Gary Howlet as their new Manager, after leaving his post as Drumcondra manager.
Annan announce 46 year-old Richard Sneekes has been appointed as their new Manager.
Shamrock Rovers announce that Tom Mohan has been appointed as their new Manager.
World Cup Qualifiers Announced
The draw for the World Cup Qualifiers were made and some interesting ties.
N. Ireland have been placed in the group alongside favourites Germany, Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Norway and San Marino. I feel for N. Ireland, I'm not sure if they can pull this off but maybe if they get some good results against the smaller sides and the big teams take points off one-another then their is hope.
Meanwhile England find themselves up against arch-enemies and neighbours Scotland in their group, while also having to face Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia. If England don't come out on top of this group then Roy Hodgson could be looking for a new job I believe.
Next Up: The Season Kicks-Off!
#305447 Hell to Heaven: Diary of a Football Manager
guk99
Name: John Smith
Born: Middlesbrough, England
Age: 21
Football Licence: National C Licence
Football Career: Sunday League Footballer
Leagues Playable:
England: Vanarama North/South
Scotland: Ladbrokes League 2
Northern Ireland: NIFL Championship Division 2
Republic of Ireland: Irish First Division
Wales: Dafabet Welsh Premier Division
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After damaging my leg during a sunday league game a year prior, I come to the realization that my career as a footballer was over at the age of only 21. I decided to take myself down a new road, trying my hand at management. I'd gained my National C Licence and began the first day of the rest of my life searching for a job as a Football Manager.
Checking the current vacancies on offer, a number of clubs were looking for new managers. I knew I had no shot immediately at some of the bigger jobs in the game, clubs like Fulham (Premiership), Blackburn (Championship), and Cambridge (League 2) would be looking for experienced Managers.
Three other clubs were possibilities, although unlikely for a couple. Berwick Rangers (League 2 - Scotland) I didn't think I would have a shot at, while Derry City & Drogheda Utd (Premier - Ireland) and Glentoran (Danske Premier Premier - N.Ireland) were also unlikely from first impressions.
I took a punt at applying for a job over in Northern Ireland. It was away from home of being in the North East of England, but I had to start somewhere and where else than the lower leagues to gain experience and knowledge of the game. I applied for the job with Loughgall (NFL C1 - Northern Ireland). I sent in my application and awaited the outcome, with some hope.
Fulham have promoted Peter Grant to Manager.
Blackburn Rovers have appointed former player Tim Sherwood as new Manager.
Glentorran hire Jimmy Quinn as Manager.
Cambridge Utd hire Nick Barmby as Manager.
Drogheda Utd hire Pat Devlin as Manager.
Derry City hire Tommy Dunne as Manager.
I received note from Loughgall United that they would like to interview me for the current vacancy of Manager of their club. I attended the interview and sat down with the Chairman, John McCann to discuss the proposed vision we both would like for the club moving forward if I was given the opportunity to manage the club.
During the interview I was informed of limited finances due to the size of the club, something of which I was happy to keep control of if given the opportunity. While the Chairman was in favour of playing direct, defensive football and signing young players for the first team - I indicated that I would like the opportunity to play attacking football, but had no problem in finding young players to fit into the team.
The Chairman indicated they saw the club achieving a top half finish which I agreed with, and a wage budget of £500 which was fine with me. The meeting concluded after that and I thanked the Chairman for inviting me to the interview and left with a sense of hope.
I was a little shocked the following day when I received notice from Brian Porteous, Chairman of Berwick Rangers of Ladbrokes League 2 (Scotland) who had asked me to attent an interview for the current Managers vacancy. I jumped at the chance to have another interview.
My answers were similar to that given to Loughgall United, although Berwick were looking for a Playoff spot for the club, while a transfer budge of £16k and wages of £2.5k would be available. After a good interview we parted ways.
News had aparently already broke that I was seen at the club's grounds to meet with the chairman, with some reporters claiming I was a 100-1 long shot of even getting the job.
I hadn't heard much in the last few days when I received a call from Loughgall United Chairman, John McCann. He had phoned to inform me was offering me the job of Manager of his football club if I was still interested. He sent me the offer on the table of which I looked over before making my decision.
I was a little torn, as Berwick Rangers had invited me to attend their interview but I always felt I had little chance of actually being made manager of the club as it was a big leap forward for someone just starting out in this business.
I contacted the chairman and agreed to become the new manager of Loughgall United on the terms that was sent to me. I signed on the dotted line and the announcement was made, with fans hopeful that I could lead the club forward.
I met with the Chairman who had compiled a folder on the history of the club for me to look at, as well as setting up a meeting with the Journalists to announce my new position as Manager. I informed him to take care of many of the contracts, staff hiring/firing so I can concentrate on the football side of things which he was happy to do.
Next I met up with my Assistant Manager, Stephen Uprichard who had compiled a document on the current status and players of the club. I asked Stephen to take control of the Training, allowing me time to settle in and overlook other aspects of the club.
I went to meet the players and informed everyone they would have an opportunity to impress me and fight for a chance to play in the first team which delighted many of the fringe players.
Unfortunately I didn't have a lot of time to settle in when learning I was being thrown in at the deep end with a friendly match that had been arranged for a while was taking place that very afternoon against Woodvale (N. Ireland Amateur Division 2A).
So here I am, my first foray into Management with Northern Ireland club Loughgall. Was I going to make it, or make a failure - only time would tell as I prepared for my first game in charge.
Next Up: Pre-Season Friendlies
Note: I'll probably do a month's updates for each post. The next post will be all the friendlies grouped together and any news over that period before the season kicks off.