r96 - Comments

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#533130 Nordic nights & Scandinavian days
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
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Superb start, not sure how to feel about you dismantling Fylkir though.
Promising times for you and Huginn, even if it is still early days as you mention.
#533119 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
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End of season recap!

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/H3M9c4vq7hN6k6bbMTgo8q2PmZvM0ynD5e6YTErW.png

In conclusion, the correct clubs were promoted - Alfreton Town were top for ages, while Carlisle United placed 2nd so only fair they go up. As previously noted, Chorley, Concord Rangers, Farnborough and AFC Telford United are down to the regionals.

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Coming down from League Two, AFC Fylde are back in non-league after seven seasons away. Newport County were the weakest outfit in that division, coming back down after one campaign with a measly 21pts. Dulwich Hamlet impressively stayed up.

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As for the National League North/South leagues: Stockport County passed 100pts to get out of North, while Guiseley have come up via the play-offs. In South, Bromley are champions with runners-up Barnet also gaining promotion.

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Despite missing promotion, the mood around Bradford City is positive at the moment.

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I'm all set to go for 2030/31, though only if my contract is extended by the board - which I'm expecting it to be.

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#533114 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
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Bugger! I never, and I mean never win penalties on FM. As soon as it goes to pens I just put it only commentary and put the kettle on, it's always game over.

Hopefully next season you can go up automatically.

Right!
Let's hope so!
#533104 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
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https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/4Z5DLcQA9sN4P3yRgB0AtIGWh0GncyMiPUd81daB.png



Gutting, as we lose on penalties to Fleetwood Town. I always expect to lose penalty shoot-outs on Football Manager, but tough to take nevertheless.

We go again... onto 2030/31!
#533102 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
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Premium
Very up and down, but at least you're in the play offs, anything can happen, just hope it's a winning experience for you! Fingers crossed.

It really was! Happy to meet the board's expectations though.
#533090 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
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6 days ago
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Fleetwood Town and Sutton United both advance, despite Billericay Town and Havant & Waterlooville holding home and positional advantage!

The draw for the semi-finals has given us Fleetwood, which means Sutton will visit Carlisle United.


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#533084 Nordic nights & Scandinavian days
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
Oh, Iceland - interesting! Hopefully you'll meet my former lads Fylkir at some point!
#533083 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
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The regular season has come to a close and, thankfully, we've met expectations and secured a play-off spot.

Quite comfortably in truth, incredibly we were inches away from entering a title race before going winless across our final three encounters; though, to be fair, even if we had won those fixtures we still would've finished below champions Alfreton Town. We end the campaign in a respectable 3rd and will enter the play-offs in the secondary stage.

Elsewhere, as mentioned, Alfreton held firm to clinch the trophy and go up to League Two as champions. They did their best to bottle it, considering they were 13pts clear of us, then in 2nd, at the end of February. They ultimately deserve the title though, going into league football for the first time in their history. They'll be joined in the fourth tier by either us, Carlisle United, Billericay Town, Havant & Waterlooville, Sutton United or Fleetwood Town. Chorley, Concord Rangers, Farnborough and AFC Telford United all face relegation.

Not sure how they're gonna go, but bring on the play-offs!


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#533068 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
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Wow did March start badly, as we suffered consecutive losses to Sutton United and Burton Albion - two average teams. We then drew with Kettering Town and FC United of Manchester, before recovering with victories over Hereford and Darlington.

Those dropped points have been all the more painful due to Alfreton Town, the leaders, hitting hideous form that has seen a title race open up. Carlisle United are now 1pt off of Alfreton, whilst we sit 10pts away - mathematically still in it, but I don't believe we have the consistency sadly. More importantly for us, we're 8pts inside the play-offs which is the only objective with six matches left to fulfil.

Alfreton and Carlisle have secured their 2029/30 play-off berths, while Farnborough have been relegated to tier six for the first time since 2027/28.
#533065 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
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Another month down, a second straight month without a loss to go eleven unbeaten in total.

Three wins and a draw in February, matching January's exploits. We've moved up to 2nd thanks to our pleasing form, though remain 13pts off of the table toppers. The title is gone, but we're looking good to secure a play-off spot for May 2020; 8pts clear of Maidstone United, who currently hold the place that doesn't bring knockout football.

12 games to go!
#533063 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
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January saw us go undefeated, albeit across just four fixtures. Sizeable wins over Alfreton Town and Maidstone United.

Alfreton remain champions-in-waiting, though a gap has finally opened between us and those outside the play-off positions; 4pts to be precise. Farnborough, Chorley, AFC Telford United and Morecambe, none of which are promoted teams, in trouble down the bottom - Morecambe on course for back-to-back relegations!

Still three long, long months to go.

There has been one departure across the month, as AFC Wimbledon of League Two signed our third-choice right-back Kareem Hassan-Smith for £7k. I'll take that happily, I never rated him despite previous EFL interest. Good luck to him, a cracking move to a stable league club.


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#533058 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
Philip Brizell is attracting major interest from Championship clubs, no surprise given four goals and three assists in twenty-one starts for the 19-year-old.

We've received offers, a few that would potentially exceed £100k, but I've rejected them all. He's important to us. His contract does ends in a few months, but I've just triggered the one-year extension I put in his terms when he signed - and, to his credit, he hasn't even complained... yet.

If he does kick up a fuss to depart, I'm hopeful we'd be able to get him back on loan anyway.


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#533036 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
Great start to 2030!
A dramatic New Year's Day victory over runaway leaders Alfreton Town.


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#532999 [FM18] The Ultimate Jacob's Ladder
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
Tonga to the Cayman Islands to Pakistan - love that!
Good luck!
#532996 To Sweden & Beyond
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
Can't argue with an unbeaten start!
Keep it up!
#532877 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
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An absolute mess of December fixtures, despite losing just once.

We've become draw specialists, levelling out in six of the eight matches. Incredibly frustrating, an FA Trophy replay defeat to National League North's Altrincham didn't help either; although I did play a full-on B-team for that replay, due to our busy schedule.

We've somehow managed to regain our spot in the play-off places, albeit only just.

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With January here, now's a good time to share the transfers I made in the summer.

Philip Brizell, Dean Wood, Zak Swanson and Matthew Collins have had their moments but none of the signings have been overly incredible unfortunately. Josh Chamberlain and Anthony Scully have barely featured, while Frankie Walsh has been the biggest disappointment having come off an excellent campaign on loan with champions Dulwich Hamlet in 2028/29. All of these players' profiles can be see behind the spoiler below.

No major outgoings, Brian Margetts and Jacob Bedeau perhaps the most notable departures.


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#532872 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
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November saw us suffer costly dropped points.

We're out of the play-off spots on goal difference due to just one win. Three of the other four matches were drawn, while we lost the other fixture though that was an away tie in the FA Cup with League One outfit Swindon Town; who we held to 0-0 until stoppage time.

Must do better in December!
#532866 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
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https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/MAd9lhn4FlF02r6SekAW9BtZusMNdLZ3rFaC9I0o.png

Now that's what I'm talking about.

A great return to form in October, yet we're somehow still outside the play-offs despite heading into this month just 3pts off them! In fairness, only 4pts separates us and league leaders Gateshead.

Our form upturn, which has incredibly included two away wins, is down to a tactical reshuffle and some young kids grabbing their opportunities.

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/AHPss2UdZ0KJCh00rEq3hp2B0retTnKuye3kPvC3.png

Dean Wood (19yo) and Philip Brizell (18yo), signed from Manchester duo United and City in the summer, have impressed, while Sean Roney (17yo) has risen from the academy in a great manner - he's playing as if he's been in our first-team for years. This trio are putting some more experienced players to shame, to be blunt.

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#532854 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
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#532625 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
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September had four away matches, so it was only going to go one way!

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#532622 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
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#532620 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
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It's only extremely early days, but sadly we're already showing the exact same frailties that cost us last season...

Played: 5
Won: 3 (all at home)
Not Won: 2 (both away)


We must sort out our away form.


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#532617 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
You can do this mate, you can do this.

Get Bradford back in the league initially and into League One as a future ambition, then who knows.

Appreciate the support!
Bradford deserve to be an EFL team, hoping it's me who can get them back there - and perhaps, as you say, beyond. All focus on 2029/30 tho!
#532615 Nordic nights & Scandinavian days
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
Do I hear the screams of second season syndrome?

I fear you may be correct
Here's hoping you can turn it around!
#532523 [FM20] Earth Trip
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
Good luck for the new season, play offs are at the very least achieveable

Cheers!
Exactly that, we should be in-and-around them especially as it's 2nd-7th - if I haven't got them challenging for at least 7th it all on me!
#532521 Nordic nights & Scandinavian days
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
Heartbreaking stuff!
Pro/rel play-offs are always hard to predict, given the colliding forms of the teams.
Good call to stick around, go one better in 2019!
#532418 The 'South' American Dream?
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
That's an absolutely mental end to the season!
Thankfully you've came away with promotion... congrats!
#532371 The 'South' American Dream?
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
"and we hand over to the photo finish..."

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/O7I6wKybabBcu91Vtn7FJQTLJo6U9sM0l17XIRCg.png

#532304 Now I would walk 500 miles...
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
Thank you, Bromley!
Hopefully you can stay there.

(just been catching up, nice work with the updates - it has been an eventful few years!)
#532301 The 'South' American Dream?
r96
12 years ago
6 days ago
1,775
Premium
Looking good early on, though Cerro look a potential force given their position and dominant win over you!