VillaSmith's Euro Adventure Reloaded

[VillaSmith]

Round 2!

Welcome to my second attempt at a FM13 career thread. After messing up my previous thread by not saving it properly (I would've had to replay most of the season, and I lost my passion to play the save), I've decided to have another stab at a Journeyman career. This time I'm going to try and start off a little lower down the leagues and work my way up, as starting in the Bundesliga got me to the top without the sense of achievement in getting there. In this save I will have the same aims and rules as I had in my last thread, but I have also added a few more leagues plus Portugal to add a bit more variety to the thread.

Game Set Up

Playable

England - Blue Square Regionals

France - Ligue 2

Germany - Zweite Bundesliga

Italy - Serie B

Holland - Jupiler League

Portugal - Liga Orangina

Scotland - Third Division

Spain - Liga Adelente

The Manager

Profile

Info

Aims

-Win every top league title

-Win Champions League in three different countries

-Manage Villa

-Manage England

-Do a Treble

Personal Rules

Dos

-Take Villa job whenever offered it (except under special circumstances)

-Take England job whenever offered it (As above)

-Play attacking football whenever possible

Don'ts

-Take jobs I would not take IRL (i.e. Liverpool, Birmingham, Chelsea)

-Manage a club and international team at the same time

Season     |Club       |Division            |Position     |Notes
          |           |                    |             |
2012-13    |Barrow     |Blue Square Premier |18th         |Took Over 8.11.12
2013-14    |Barrow     |Blue Square Premier |1st          |FA Cup 4th Rnd, FA Trophy winners
2014-15    |Barrow     |nPower League 2     |7th          |FA Cup 3rd Rnd, LC 1st Rnd, JPT 1st Rnd
2015-16    |Barrow     |nPower League 2     |1st          |FA Cup 4th Rnd, LC 1st Rnd, JPT Winners
2016-17    |Sampdoria  |Serie A TIM         |4th          |Coppa Italia TIM 1st Rnd
2017-18    |Sampdoria  |Serie A TIM         |1st          |Coppa Italia TIM 2nd Rnd, EL QF
2018-19    |Sampdoria  |Serie A TIM         |1st          |Coppa Italia TIM Winner, CL SF

Honours

Club

Competition              | Year      | Club
Blue Square Bet Premier  | 2014      | Barrow
FA Trophy                | 2014      | Barrow
nPower League 2          | 2016      | Barrow
Johnstone's Paint Trophy | 2016      | Barrow
Serie A TIM              | 2018,2019 | Sampdoria
Coppa Italia TIM         | 2019      | Sampdoria

Personal

Serie A Manager of the Year - 2017, 2018

[VillaSmith]

I've had two offers so far;

St. Pauli, Currently sitting in 16th in the relegation playoff on Goal Difference in the Zweite Bundesliga, and

Barrow, Currently 20th in the Blue Square Premier, 1 place above the relegation places, also on the Goal Difference.

I'm swinging towards Barrow, despite them having significantly less money, as I feel my career should probably start in England to add a bit of realism to the save. Any suggestions on who to chose?

[Bracken]

I'd say Barrow, more of a challenge, though I do enjoy a bit of St. Pauli

Good luck with the save

[VillaSmith]

I'd say Barrow, more of a challenge, though I do enjoy a bit of St. Pauli

Good luck with the save

Cheers, I was thinking the same thing, went with them in the end as I thought I should start in England

[VillaSmith]

Barrow Preview

League

As you can see, they're not doing too well, however they have risen up the table since I applied, and since I got offered the job, they progressed to the 2nd Round of the FA Cup and beat Stockport in the League, both with 3-0 wins. For this season it seems staying up is the aim, however the board aim is mid-table, which should be achievable, and maybe if I do well enough I can get to the Play-Offs

Squad

A decent squad that seems to have tons of potential and is very young, however I think I can see the problem with this squad, THERE'S TOO MANY BLOOMIN' STRIKERS! Couple that with the fact there is limited options in midfield, and you have yourself an unbalanced team right there. I'm going to try use this to my advantage though, and will use three strikers with the philosophy of just trying to score one more than the opposition, no matter how many I concede.

This looks a fun challenge to start off my career and i'm looking forward to getting started!

[ManUTactician247]

A Turkish guy called Dean Florence? :S

[VillaSmith]

A Turkish guy called Dean Florence? :S

It is a tad odd for a Turkish name, but i'll excuse it 'cause he's actually quite good

[VillaSmith]

November/December 2012 - Barrow AFC

Blue Square Bet Premier

A bit of a disappointing start to my reign, but I've managed to turn it around slightly over the festive period. Got off to a winning start v Lincoln which was nice, but after 7 league games in charge I have slipped 1 place, which my board isn't too pleased about. My first couple of months wasn't helped by the fact the loan deals for Scott Davies and James Hanson expired without me realising, and with Wyke, Jackson, Anderson and Millar all having their loan deal's end soon, it might be a hard January.

Transfers

Immediate

Eric Addo - Free - An amazing signing, a full Ghanaian international who is good enough for League 1 (according to my Ass Man... and Me too!). Can play in defence and midfield and is miles above the rest of the squad, I have high hopes.

Sebastien Usai - Loan - Brought in to replace Scott Davies, and has done quite well, apart from getting a 3.6 vs Luton, which he got dropped for a few games as a result.

January

Martín Camano - Free - A decent looking CB, good in the air and an influential figure, could be a good partner for Addo at the back.

Arnaud Gastal - Free - A good young GK with quite a bit of potential. Signed in a bit of a panic when Davies left, but he'll be great in the future and will be useful when Usai's deal ends.

[VillaSmith]

November/December 2012 - Barrow AFC (Part 2)

FA Cup

Unfortunately I could not progress to the third round and was quite unlucky to lose to League 2 Morecambe. Despite being away to higher league opposition, I gave a good account of myself and almost got an equaliser. It would've been a good cash windfall for the club but alas it wasn't to be. Maybe next season I can get further.

FA Trophy

A good first round result vs Hyde, but Hereford were too much for me in the second round, which came after losing 3-0 to them in the league. Disappointing to go out as it's something I could have challenged for, but again, I'm going to have to wait for next year.

[VillaSmith]

January 2013 - Barrow AFC

Blue Square Bet Premier

A poor month where I dropped too many points from winning/winnable positions, I probably should have picked up an extra 7 points from my last 4 games. Injuries and suspensions limited my squad this month, but that shouldn't excuse the poor form. I've not moved away from the bottom 4 position wise, but have moved away by a further point, hopefully next month I can pick up form and move up the table.

Transfers

Nicholas Bignall - Loan - On loan from Reading, and is waaaaaaay too good for this level, scored his first goal(s) v Macclesfield, and hopefully he'll continue to score in the coming months.

Joe Jackson - Loan - On loan from Burnley, was previously on loan, and he did very well, so I brought him back as soon as possible.

Tried to sign players in other positions (i.e. MC, DC, GK) but didn't work out, meaning my squad is still a bit thin at the moment, I'm hoping this won't hinder me too much.

[VillaSmith]

February/March 2013 - Barrow AFC

Blue Square Bet Premier

A real up and down couple of months that has seen me slip even closer to the bottom four, and my job has slipped to insecure, I get a feeling that the board won't renew my contract, though I would love to try and get Barrow to the Football League. February and March brought fantastic results such as beating League Leaders Luton 3-2 and beating promotion chasing Mansfield 2-0, but it also brought very low moments such as losing 4-1 to then bottom Southport and losing 4-1 to mid-table Wrexham. A much harder run in than Telford, it'll be a struggle to stay up, I think I'll need at least 4-6 points to stay up.

Youth Intake

Graham Wright - A decent prospect, who's star rating rose to 3.5 stars after being signed, and will be good enough for League 2 according to my Assistant, I have relatively high hopes for him. Also his Work Rate and Determination is very good for this level, and will be a real asset.

Transfers

Karl Sheppard - Loan - With Bignall injured and shortly returning to Reading, plus me switching to a tactic that utilises Wingers, I needed someone who could replace Bignall and be versatile for the run, he looks very good and should play well at this level.

Ronan Murray - Loan - Signed for the same reasons as above, but not quite as good, he should still be a good player though and will help with tiredness/rotation.

[VillaSmith]

April 2013 - Barrow AFC

Blue Square Bet Premier

A truly fantastic month that I did not see coming, beating 2 promotion challengers, and beating the drop with a game to spare. Unfortunately I couldn't go out with a 100% record for the month, but considering I didn't need to get any points on the last day, I'm not too annoyed that i didn't. A massive positive from the month is that I only conceded 1 goal, which is something I can build on for next season. If I can carry this form into next season and bolster the ranks a little, then I should be able to make a real go at the play-offs.

The board offered me a new contract and I extended my current contract by a year, I really want to stick with Barrow now and get them into League 2 at least, I'm really enjoying this challenge.

[VillaSmith]

End of Season Review 2013 - Barrow AFC

Blue Square Bet Premier

Fixtures 1 - Fixtures 2

Final Position: 18th

A decent start to my career, I saved Barrow from relegation, but it was hard fought. Not until the last month of the season was safety confirmed, it also saw me with a bit of form just at the right time. Hopefully I can take that form into next season and challenge for the play offs next season, with a few signings this team could easily get into the Football League, which I aim to do within 2-3 seasons.

FA Cup

Final Position: 2nd Round

Not too bad for a BSP side battling relegation, sadly I only played one match and that was in a defeat to Morecambe. A huge positive from the FA Cup is that if I did get to League 2, I would be able to at least give a good account of myself in games as Morecambe didn't brush me aside as I thought they would.

FA Trophy

Final Position: 2nd Round

A little bit more disappointing for a cup competition performance, crashing out to Hereford. Thought I could go a bit further, but considering it would have taken my eye off of survival, maybe it was best if I went out early on.

Player of the Season

James Owen had a good season, but I feel if Joe Jackson was still at the club at the end of the season, he probably would've won it. He only got an Avg Rating of 6.79 and got 2 assists, but he was pretty solid in defence and worked well in build up play. He was also a regular to my team and rarely got injuries or too tired, next season that will be vital as a play off challenge will require a lot of rotation.

Top Goalscorer

A massive player for me this season, I will definitely try get him at the end of his contract if I can. Scored 20 goals (18 League) and played all but 4 games for me (when I think he wasn't on loan at me) as soon as his loan finished I had to get him back on loan for the end of the season, he didn't really shine until the end of the season when I utilised him as a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation, and he was lethal!

Next Season's Aims

-Achieve Top Half

-Challenge for Play-Offs

-Bolster Squad

-Sign League 2 quality players (Potentially or Currently)

[VillaSmith]

Across the Continent

England

Barclays Premier League - 1st Man Utd, 2nd Man City, 3rd Arsenal, 18th Aston Villa, 19th West Ham, 20th Sunderland

nPower Championship - 1st Wolves, 2nd Nottm Forest, Play-Offs Middlesbrough, 22nd Peterborough, 23rd Leicester, 24th Ipswich

nPower League 1 - 1st Sheff Utd, 2nd Coventry, Play-Offs Bournemouth, 21st Leyton Orient, 22nd Yeovil, 23rd Scunthorpe, 24th Bury

nPower League 2 - 1st Gillingham, 2nd Rochdale, 3rd Rotherham, Play-Offs Aldershot, 23rd Barnet, 24th Dag & Red

Blue Square Bet Premier - 1st Luton, Play-Offs Mansfield, 21st Telford, 22nd Dartford, 23rd Southport, 24th Tamworth

Blue Square Bet North - 1st Chester, Play-Offs Altrincham, 20th Vauxhall, 21st Corby, 22nd Workington

Blue Square Bet South - 1st Havant & W, Play-Offs Hayes & Yeading, 20th Staines, 21st AFC Hornchurch, 22nd Truro

FA Cup - Winner Man Utd, Runner-Up Tottenham

League Cup - Winner Man City, Runner-Up Tottenham

Germany

Bundesliga - 1st FC Bayern, 2nd Wolfsburg, 3rd Leverkusen, 17th Augsburg, 18th Furth

Zweite Bundesliga - 1st Hertha BSC, 2nd Union Berlin, 16th Regensburg, 17th Sandhausen, 18th FSV Frankfurt

German Cup - Winner FC Bayern, Runner-Up Werder Bremen

Spain

Liga BBVA - 1st Real Madrid, 2nd Barcelona, 3rd Sevilla, 18th Deportivo, 19th Osasuna, 20th Espanyol

Liga Adelente - 1st Villareal, 2nd Sporting, Play-Offs Numancia, 19th Las Palmas, 20th Recreativo, 21st Xerez, 22nd Castilla

Copa del Rey - Winner Sevilla, Runner-Up Real Madrid

France

Ligue 1 - 1st PSG, 2nd Lorient, 3rd Marseille, 18th Stade Brestois, 19th Stade de Reims, 20th AC Ajaccio

Ligue 2 - 1st AS Monaco, 2nd Havre AC, Play-Offs Dijon FCO, 18th GFC Ajaccio, 19th Nimes Olympique, 20th Chamois Niortais FC

French Cup - Winner Lorient, Runner-Up PSG

Coupe de la Ligue - Winner LOSC Lille, Runner-Up Marseille

Italy

Serie A TIM - 1st Juventus, 2nd Roma, 3rd Genoa, 18th Sampdoria, 19th Torino, 20th Siena

Serie bwin - 1st Cesena , 2nd Brescia, Play-Offs Spezia, 19th Grosseto, 20th Cittadella, 21st Modena, 22nd Varese

TIM Cup - Winner Juventus, Runner-Up Lazio

Portugal

Liga Zon Sagres - 1st Sporting Lisbon, 2nd Benfica, 3rd FC Porto, 15th Moreirense, 16th P. Ferreira

Liga Orangina - 1st Belenenses, 2nd Uniao Madeira, 20th Braga B, 21st Vit. Guimaraes B, 22nd Sporting Lisbon B

Taca de Portugal - Winners Sporting Lisbon, Runner Up P.Ferreira

Portuguese League Cup - Winner Sporting Lisbon, Runner-Up Estoril

Holland

Eredivisie - 1st PSV, 2nd FC Twente, 3rd Ajax, 16th RKC, 17th Willem II, 19th Zwolle

Jupiler League - 1st FC Den Bosch, 2nd De Graafschap, Play-Offs FC Emmen, 18th FC Oss

Dutch Cup - Winner Heracles, Runner-Up FC Groningen

Scotland

Clydesdale Bank Premier League - 1st Celtic, 2nd Dundee Utd, 3rd Aberdeen, 12th Ross County

First Division - 1st Raith, 9th Airdrie, 10th Dumbarton

Second Division - 1st Queen of the South, Play-Offs Alloa, 9th Stranraer, 10th Forfar

Third Division - 1st Rangers, Play-Offs Montrose

Scottish Cup - Winner Inverness CT, Runner-Up Morton

League Cup - Winner Celtic, Runner-Up Hearts

UEFA Competitions

Champion's League - Winner Man Utd, Runner's Up Man City

Europa League - Winner Liverpool, Runner's Up CSKA Moscow

[VillaSmith]

Summer 2013 - Barrow AFC

Pre-Season

A good Pre-Season with some fantastic results at home to Villa and Everton, where both teams played pretty much full strength sides, although the start was a tad disappointing with losses to Coventry and Crewe. No major injuries to speak of so my squad will be fresh and ready to go come the 10th of August.

Squad

Transfers

Out

As you can see, I've had a bit of a clear out that started toward the end of last season. Quite frankly, for the ambition I have for this club, these players weren't good enough and were wasting valuable wages that could be used to attract players that are of League 2 quality. None of them were particularly important for me last year and were mostly bit-part players, so they won't be a loss.

In

Lee Collins - Loan - Signed off of Barnsley as a back up due to his versatility in defence. Looks solid and will definitely be utilised this season to help overall squad fitness.

Gavan Holohan - Free - Offered him a contract when I was scouring through the masses of released youth players from the championship, he looked better with most of his attributes hidden. Still he'll be an OK back up for my midfield and will bolster the squad.

Neil Byrne - Loan - On loan from Rochdale, and will be good back up to Addo and Camano, also his contract with Rochdale expires at the end of the season so hopefully he'll fall in love with Barrow whilst he's here and sign on a free transfer next season.

Adam Reed - Loan - Signed from Sunderland on loan and will be my star man in central midfield, just like Byrne his contract expires next summer, so hopefully he stays full time.

Luca Scapuzzi - Loan - On loan form Man City, and is too good for this league. This guy could easily play in League 2 and hopefully he'll fire me there this season.

Reece Gray - Loan - Also on loan from Rochdale, and will fill in the behind the striker role brilliantly.

Billy Owen - Free - Suggested by my scouts and looks a good young winger, not quite the finished article but I reckon he'll turn into a decent League 2 player.

Jason Gilchrist - Free - Another signing from the released championship youth players, decent potential, but maybe not quite as good as I expected.

Matthew Waters - Free - Much like Holohan, he looked a lot better with hidden attributes, can't see him playing much, and looks like he's going to be a flop signing.

Matt Carter - Free - See Above.

Dominic Cervi - Free - Gastal (signed last season) has a lot of potential, but this guy is going to be utilised whilst he gets there, and looks to e good keeper for this level.

Anthony Ousfane - Free - Wow! I can't believe I got this guy, easily good enough for League 1/2, Should be a magnificent addition to my already solid defence.

Ben Fairclough - Free - Signed purely for his pace, but all round he's not great, should be a decent impact player off of the bench though.

Byron Anthony - Free - A good defender who should be a good back up. Did well for Hereford last season, so is proven at this level too.

Clement Jouve - Free - A great RB who should be playing higher up the league, hopefully he should tighten up my defence and help me get promoted.

[VillaSmith]

August 2013 - Barrow AFC

Blue Square Bet Premier

A decent start, but it could have been better, still it's only the start of the season so there's time to improve, and with the way I've been playing, when this team gels, I'm going to be lethal. Next couple of months are going to be huge as I'll face Barnet and Dag & Red, and if I beat them I think I'll show I'm real contenders for promotion.

[VillaSmith]

September/October 2013 - Barrow AFC

Blue Square Bet Premier

What a month! Except an obvious result! Apart from the slow start to the months and Dag & Red tearing me several new ones, my team was ridiculously good these two months. I think that loss to Dag & Red will end up being a blessing in disguise, before that game my players seemed to be over confident and sloppily let points slip, but now I'm seeing out games with ease and my form has changed dramatically, now 7 games unbeaten and only 3 points behind top.

I think my team is starting to gel now and really showing I'm serious promotion contenders. The last two months of the year will see me start my FA Cup challenge v Harrogate (and Probably FA Trophy) and I will also play unbeaten Lincoln who are currently sitting pretty at the top, it's going to be a real challenge.

[iHeadHunta x]

Great start to the season considering your position this time last year!

[VillaSmith]

November/December 2013 - Barrow AFC

Blue Square Bet Premier

A mixed month in terms of results but overall it's been fantastic. Beating Lincoln put me in the driving seat for the title, for a bit, but I slipped back into the play offs after a couple of games got postponed/re-arranged. Still being 2 points behind top with 2 games in hand puts me in a magnificent position to contend for promotion, and if I can keep everyone fit and healthy, I should at least make the play offs. In January i'll probably look to sign one or two new faces just to help me ensure i'm still in the title race come April.

FA Trophy

Two very convincing wins against lower league opposition, not too much to say as I feel with the draw, I should have easily gotten through, as I did. Macclesfield await in the 3rd Round.

FA Cup

I never expected this! I hardly expected to make the 2nd round, let alone the 3rd round! Three brilliant performances against Chesterfield and Swindon, and I truly deserve to be in the cup still, the team was brilliant and outplayed both teams in the victories and held on magnificently away to Swindon. This cup run will not only bolster my finances, but gives me massive hope that I can hold my own in League 2. In the 3rd Round I travel to Crystal Palace, I don't expect to get much further, but it will be a good experience.

[VillaSmith]

Great start to the season considering your position this time last year!

Cheers, was a bit of a slow start, but I think the squad overhaul is starting to pay dividends.

[VillaSmith]

January 2014 - Barrow AFC

Blue Square Bet Premier

A good month which sees me take joint top with 3 games in hand, and effectively take the driving seat for promotion. It's still a long way until the end of the season, but I think I should be able to maintain myself 'til then.

FA Trophy

My run in the cup competitions continues, and it looks as if my first career silverware could very well be on it's way. Macclesfield was a hard fought game, but I made Dag & Red pay for the embarrassing defeat earlier in the season. Hereford await in the semi's, I've always played well against, and I think i may well be playing at Wembley come May.

FA Cup

Wow! A great defensive performance against Palace saw me take a somewhat lucky 2-0 lead, and I managed to hold on for the win. It was a valiant effort and was rewarded with a trip to Old Trafford. However Fergie (Now known to me as The Heartless B******) decided he wasn't going to fall for the whole Romance of the Cup thing and played a pretty much full strength side (Screenie). I mean show a little compassion, your U18's probably could have beaten me!!! Anyways as you can see, I was absolutely destroyed, and I could do nothing about it, and I knew I couldn't as soon as I gave away a penalty in the 7th Minute. Dumped out of the cup but at least my Balance is now at a healthy £1m, that should keep me going for at least a year or two. Maybe I can better this effort next year (but probably won't )

Transfer

Frederic Veseli - Free - A good young player with tonnes of potential, will be a good addition to help deal with the fixture pile up.

[VillaSmith]

February/March 2014 - Barrow AFC

Blue Square Bet Premier

(Forgot to take Screenshot of the League at the time, but I've worked out that I had 80 point, 5 points ahead of Stockport in 2nd)

A good start in February, but injuries and tiredness really took it's toll in March with my usually unbeatable team slumping to 3 losses out of 5 with only one win. Luckily I had built up a bit of a buffer and Stockport decided to go on a run almost as bad as mine, so if I can regain some form, I should be able to secure promotion. My run-in consists of two promotion chasing sides, Grimsby and Lincoln, one mid table side, Kidderminster, and bottom of the table Nuneaton, I need 7 (or 8 maybe?) points to secure the title.

FA Trophy

Two decisive wins against Hereford secure me a trip to Wembley, never looked like I'd lose and firmly controlled the two games. Looking forward to my first final, and hopefully my first (or possibly second) piece of silverware. Grimsby will be my opponents in the final.

Transfers

Made four loan signings (Filip Orsula, Jake Bidwell, David Symington and Yalany Baio) to help deal with the surge of games, and to give a bit of respite to players who have been playing week in week out on less than 90%, sometimes less than 80%. Also James Rowlett came through in the youth pospects, and was the best player, not hanging too much hope on him, especially if I go up.

[VillaSmith]

April 2014 - Barrow AFC

Blue Square Bet Premier

CHAMPIONES, CHAMPIONES, OLE, OLE, OLE!!! So Happy that I won the League, and it was a fantastic month that started badly, but I turned it around, put some form together, and saw out the League title with a game to go. Got to start building now for the football league, hopefully I can stay up and we'll see what happens from there.

[VillaSmith]

FA Trophy Final 2014 - Barrow AFC

How I Got There

Never looked like I was going to get knocked out, with the closest call coming at Macclesfield which was still a game I controlled throughout. Was tough to juggle this run with the League and FA Cup, but I'm happy I did as it has brought me my first trip to Wembley.

Final

And that completes the Double, completely controlled the match and sloppy defending towards the end made it look as if Grimsby had a chance of winning. Thought it might be a tough match, with the rehearsal in April going Grimsby's way, but Grimsby just didn't turn up and barely trouble my keeper/defence. No-one really stood out, it was just a really good, professional team performance. Unfortunately, I won't be able to defend my title next season, but if that's the sacrifice for League 2 football, I'll take it.

[VillaSmith]

End of Season Review 2014 - Barrow AFC

Blue Square Bet Premier

Fixtures 1 - Fixtures 2

Final Position: 1st

A fantastic season, didn't think I'd run away with the league as I did, thought I'd challenge for the play-offs, never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd finish 1st. I feel that I'm really building something special here at Barrow, it may be wretch to leave when the time comes, but if a bigger club comes in for me, I may have to. Got to stay up this season, and then i'll build from there and I aim to be in the play-offs within 2-3 years.

FA Cup

Final Position: 4th Round

what a fantastic run, I didn't expect to get to the 2nd, so to get to the 4th round at Old Trafford was a real treat, the financial implications mean I'm currently stable, even after a Stadium Expansion/Conversion (capacity will be increased by 3,416 to 4,416) was announced as well as a Youth Academy upgrade. Can't see myself getting so far for quite a while, maybe if I get to League 1 or move clubs.

FA Trophy

Final Position: Winner

My first Cup Trophy, and hopefully the first of many. A great experience that taught me I needed to rotate regularly to fight on 2-3 different fronts, a lesson that I'll hopefully need in years to come when I'm in the Champions League.

Player of the Season

Martin Camano had a great season, unfortunately the same couldn't be said for his defensive partners, but Camano generally held the team together, and was sorely missed when injured/rested. The only game I can remember that he played badly in was my 6-1 defeat to Dag & Red (and possibly Man Utd, can't remember if he played), and then the whole team played badly. Still has a few seasons left in him, and should be capable of playing in League 2.

Top Goalscorer

A great season for the 23 year old, not utilised much last season, but this year he was sensational, scored goals from AML, AMR, AMC and ST, and generally tore teams to shreds. He's improving all the time and I'm looking forward to how he copes in League 2.

Most Assissts

League's Most Assists as well as Barrows, it's unfortunate he's only on loan, not only did he provide goals, he scored a lot too! Will definitely try get him for next season, he could be a very useful player in my efforts to stay up.

Squad

As you can see, I had to use almost every single player in my squad, and still some were tired at the end of the season. I'm confident with a few well made Loan signings and Free transfers, we can stay up and show we deserve to be in the Football League.

Next Season's Aims

-Stay Up

-Challenge in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy

-Reach 3rd Round of FA Cup

-Bolster Squad

[VillaSmith]

Across the Continent

England

Barclays Premier League - 1st Chelsea, 2nd Man Utd, 3rd Man City, 18th Nottm Forest, 19th Fulham, 20th Reading

nPower Championship - 1st West Ham, 2nd Burnley, Play-Offs Aston Villa, 22nd Cardiff, 23rd Sheff Utd, 24th Coventry

nPower League 1 - 1st Peterborough, 2nd Ipswich, Play-Offs Colchester, 21st Crawley, 22nd Stevenage, 23rd Swindon, 24th Portsmouth

nPower League 2 - 1st York, 2nd Plymouth, 3rd Wycombe, Play-Offs Bristol Rovers, 23rd Mansfield, 24th Cheltenham

Blue Square Bet Premier - 1st Barrow, Play-Offs Stockport, 21st Newport Co, 22nd Hyde, 23rd Havant & W, 24th Nuneaton

Blue Square Bet North - 1st Tamworth, Play-Offs FC Halifax, 20th Bradford PA, 21st Lowestoft, 22nd Marine

Blue Square Bet South - 1st Bath, Play-Offs Basingstoke, 20th Billericay, 21st Carshalton, 22nd Chesham

FA Cup - Winner Man Utd, Runner-Up Chelsea

League Cup - Winner Reading, Runner-Up Newcastle

Germany

Bundesliga - 1st Dortmund, 2nd Leverkusen, 3rd FC Bayern, 17th Union Berlin, 18th Dusseldorf

Zweite Bundesliga - 1st Augsburg, 2nd Ingolstadt, 16th Aalen, 17th Wehen, 18th Karlsruhe

German Cup - Winner Leverkusen, Runner-Up Hoffenheim

Spain

Liga BBVA - 1st Barcelona, 2nd Real Madrid, 3rd Valencia, 18th Valladolid, 19th Rayo, 20th Numancia

Liga Adelente - 1st Deportivo, 2nd Espanyol, Play-Offs Elche, 19th Gimnastic, 20th Recreativo, 21st Huesca, 22nd Lugo

Copa del Rey - Winner Barcelona, Runner-Up Sevilla

France

Ligue 1 - 1st PSG, 2nd Bordeaux, 3rd Lyon, 18th Evian TG FC, 19th Havre AC, 20th Dijon FCO

Ligue 2 - 1st FC Nantes, 2nd Stade Malherbe Caen, Play-Offs Angers SCO, 18th Vannes OC, 19th Amiens SC, 20th USBCO

French Cup - Winner Toulose, Runner-Up AJ Auxerre

Coupe de la Ligue - Winner Lyon, Runner-Up Loriet

Italy

Serie A TIM - 1st Juventus, 2nd Fiorentina, 3rd AC Milan, 18th Lazio, 19th Pescera, 20th Catania

Serie bwin - 1st Sampdoria, 2nd Siena, Play-Offs Empoli, 19th Vicenza, 20th Juve Stabia, 21st Cremonese, 22nd Virtus Lanciano

TIM Cup - Winner Sampdoria, Runner-Up Juventus

Portugal

Liga Zon Sagres - 1st Benfica, 2nd Sporting Lisbon, 3rd FC Porto, 15th Beira-Mar, 16th Belenenses

Liga Orangina - 1st P. Ferreira, 2nd Naval, 20th Benfica B, 21st Maritimo B, 22nd Porto B

Taca de Portugal - Winners Benfica, Runner Up Vit. Guimaraes

Portuguese League Cup - Winner Porto, Runner-Up Benfica

Holland

Eredivisie - 1st FC Twente, 2nd Vitesse, 3rd OSV, 16th Roda JC 17th FC Den Bosch, 19th FC Emmen

Jupiler League - 1st SC Cambuur, Play-Offs (1) Sparta, Play-Offs (2) Volendam, 18th IJsselmeervogels

Dutch Cup - Winner NAC Breda, Runner-Up ADO Den Haag

Scotland

Clydesdale Bank Premier League - 1st Celtic, 2nd Inverness CT, 3rd Motherwell, 12th Raith

First Division - 1st Hamilton, 9th Alloa, 10th Cowdenbeath

Second Division - 1st Rangers, Play-Offs Airdrie, 9th Ayr, 10th Montrose

Third Division - 1st Forfar, Play-Offs Stirling

Scottish Cup - Winner Celtic, Runner-Up Raith

League Cup - Winner Dundee Utd, Runner-Up Dundee

UEFA Competitions

Champion's League - Winner Barcelona, Runner's Up FC Porto

Europa League - Winner Fenerbache, Runner's Up Lyon

Plus...

World Cup - 1st Uruguay, 2nd Spain, 3rd Brazil, 4th Germany

[VillaSmith]

Summer 2014 - Barrow AFC

Pre-Season

A mixed pre-season, lost to all my money making Premier League opposition, but got some wins in their too against some lower/equally leveled sides. Decided to have less friendlies this year as it's going to be a long season and i'm going to need every player as fit as possible if I aim to stay up.

Squad

As you can see, I once again have a squad full of potentially good players, but are just not there yet. I'm hoping that this season will provide a learning curve for most of the players and that they will be much better and prepared for top half next season. My main aim for this year is to just keep Barrow in the Football League and I think the squad is definitely good enough to do so.

Transfers

Out

Not many transfers out this season as I thought that I could do with the numbers, even if some players aren't good enough. Managed to get some money in too, selling Harvey and Cervi for decent sums of money, considering they're only just good enough for BSP. Failed transfers Anthony, Gilchrist and Carter were all shown the door at the end of their contracts as was Rowe who despite being quite good in my first season, didn't perform too well last year and probably wouldn't cut it at this level.

In

Adam Reed - Free - Loaned him last season and he was very good, so decided to sign him full time. Should help bolster my midfield and has a lot of potential too.

Ben Reeves - Free - Signed on a free transfer from Southampton. Has good potential and is quite versatile, able to play most positions through the middle and down the left. Not quite first team yet, but should be soon enough.

Rhys Murphy - Free - A great finisher with great composure, just a shame about his pace. He should do well at this level and has room for improvement too.

David Symington - Loan - Did well when I loaned him last year, so I loaned him again. Looks good enough for League 2 and should hopefully do well enough to keep me up.

Eirik Bakke - Free/Staff - Signed mainly as my U18's manager, as he isn't good enough for League 2. Has great mental stats so might be a good tutor for some of my younger players.

Dan Burn - Loan - A great young CB with tons of potential, looks as if he will be good enough Championship/League 1 in the future. Plus his contract expires at the end of the season, so hopefully I can get him permanently next season.

Anthony Huck - Free - A young French midfielder who was a bit of an unknown quantity when I signed him. I was unable to scout him so took a bit of a punt on him, as I could only see a few attributes, and it turned out to be a good signing, loads of potential but not quite good enough yet. Should be a good rotation player for this season at least.

Nick Morgan - £8k - My first signing involving money, and good one too. I have high hopes for Morgan, with my Assistant claiming he will be a leading Championship in the future, which isn't too bad for an £8k signing.

Andrai Jones - £500 - Another money signing, but not quite as much as Morgan. Signed him as I was struggling for Defenders as Addo isn't going to cut it this year, and he looks a decent find. Able to play RB as well as CB and has good attributes to play well in both positions.

Matthew Kennnedy - Loan - Signed on loan from Everton as i was struggling to find a Left winger, has good Crossing and Dribbling which makes up for his lack of Pace and he should be able to do well in this league. Also, like Burn, his contract ends at the end of the season, so I will be aiming to make him a permanent capture.

Steven Hewitt - Loan - On loan from my parent club, Burnley, and he looks a fantastic player. Tried to get him last year, but Burnley were having none of it, now I'm higher up they were more willing. Much like Kennedy and Burn, his contract expires in June, so I am looking to make his move permanent.

Lucas Dawson - Free - free transfer from Stoke, and has tons of potential, won't be utilised much this year, but will certainly be used in the future.

Jordan Pickford - Free - A good young keeper with a lot of potential (this is becoming a common theme). Will be loaned out this year to get some games, but will provide Gastal some good competition over the coming years.

Rikki Courts - £18k - Needed a backup LB and my scout suggested this guy, and am I pleased he did! A great young player with potential to become a leading Championship player, I have high hopes for this guy and, with Morgan, will be the player I'll look to take with me if I leave before he does.

[VillaSmith]

Super Mega Bumper Update - 2014 - Barrow AFC

OK, I forgot to take screenies between August and December, which means this update will be a big one.

nPower League 2

Not a great start but I managed to turn it around to get a few points on the board. Only 5 points clear of 23rd, and I should be able to widen that gap in the last few months. A heavy fixture set as been tough on my players, with injuries and tiredness setting in, rotation has been a huge necessity, I'm glad I decided to keep a big squad for this season. Some disappointing results such as my 4-1 defeat to Leyton Orient and 4-0 defeat to Oxford, but not anything to really outweigh the negatives so far, hopefully I can put some form together and steer clear of relegation for the rest of the season.

League Cup

A disappointing first foray into the League Cup, bowing out to Championship side Blackburn. Second best at everything and truly deserved to get knocked out, and to say I wasn't expecting it would be a lie, I knew i couldn't replicate my FA Cup heroics this year.

[VillaSmith]

Super Mega Bumper Update - 2014 - Barrow AFC (Part 2)

Johnstone's Paint Trophy

A bit more disappointed to go out in this competition, especially to fellow promotees (is that a word?) Stockport. I deserved to win this match more than my League Cup match, but it had draw written all over it. Neither team created many chances, but to be honest Stockport probably deserved to edge the game, unfortunately, but I should've done better.

FA Cup

Once again I've reached the 3rd Round! I must just have a knack for the FA Cup, beating two League 1 sides, and completely outplaying each in all three matches. This run gives me massive hope for next season, as both Hartlepool and Carlisle are near the top of League 1, so if I can beat them, I can surely get promoted next season!

Transfers

Aiden O'Brien - £75k - A huge signing considering my financial situation and league position, but my scout assured me, he is definitely going to be Premier League quality! Either my scout was drunk whilst watching him, or he's been accepting bribes, whichever it is he's now on thin ice and is close to the sack. O'Brien's not too bad, but £75k is not worth it for a potentially League 2 player, can't see this signing working out and the club will probably take a huge financial hit.

Anthony Koura - Free - A great finisher with bags of pace, unfortunately he's not been scoring since he signed, but has been a decent sub to give tired defenders a run around.

[Lenzar]

Your scout would have to be more than just drunk to think that O'Brien was EPL potential. He might have had a chance when he was still 16, but his stats are pretty much bedded in by 20.

I'd sack the idiot scout right now.

[VillaSmith]

Your scout would have to be more than just drunk to think that O'Brien was EPL potential. He might have had a chance when he was still 16, but his stats are pretty much bedded in by 20.

I'd sack the idiot scout right now.

To be honest, I shouldn't of just blindly believed Hayes and Yeading had a 20 year old with premier league potential, he'd surely have been playing higher up. Also I do want to sack my scout, but I've forgotten which one suggested him

[VillaSmith]

January 2015 - Barrow AFC

nPower League 2

A great month which has taken my unbeaten run to 5 games! The football I have been playing has been brilliant also, slick passing, dominating games, creating loads of chances and generally looking miles ahead of all my opponents. all I need to do now is convert all of these good performances into victories, and then I will not only stay well clear of relegation, but I could be a surprise shout for the play-offs! If I can keep this form up, I'll be more than happy with mid-table. I think I'm showing the slight disadvantage to a young team, takes a lot of time to settle and find form, but play amazingly when they do!

FA Cup

Sigh! A fantastic defensive performance at home to Premier League Middlesbrough, but bowed out to a 12th minute Dan Burn own goal and a 85th minute Vladimir Weiss goal, despite fighting magnificently to claw back an equaliser. Not the money spinner that it was last season, but my balance is healthy again, and it should be even healthy when I move out of Fleetwood's Highbury Stadium and back into my ground, Holker Street.

Transfer

In

Jeff Morgan - £500 - Needed a left winger, and this guy had decent potential so I snapped him up. Not quite the finished article, but has League 2 potential, so could be a useful player in the future.

[VillaSmith]

February/March 2015 - Barrow AFC

nPower League 2

WOW! What a couple of months, I've managed to extend my unbeaten run to 12 games and I'm now only 3 points off of the play-off positions. I only wanted to avoid relegation this season, which I have now done mathematically, so this is a huge bonus for me to be this high. despite not being a realistic aim at the start of the season, I'm definitely aiming for the play-offs now, especially considering my form and how close I am now. It's going to be a tough end to the season, but most the teams I face are mid-table or lower, so I have some very winnable games.

[VillaSmith]

April 2015 - Barrow AFC

nPower League 2

Another fantastic month and my unbeaten run is now at 17 games and I made the play-offs too! Can't believe I've done so well this year, I only wanted to stay in this division, so the chance to move out of upwards is amazing. Crawley await in the Semi-Finals of the play-offs, going to be tough, one of the few teams I've not managed to beat this season. Even if I don't go up, I'm in a great position for next season to build and hopefully challenge for the play-offs again, and possibly automatic promotion. I will update with the play-offs separately.

On a personal level, my stock has risen remarkably this season, I applied for two Championship jobs, and despite not getting them, both Derby and Ipswich were flattered by my interest. I'm not particularly looking to leave Barrow at the moment, but if a good opportunity arises, I won't hesitate to jump for it.

[Bracken]

Congrats on a great end to the season, and good luck in the playoffs mate, hope you make it

[VillaSmith]

Play-Offs 2015 - Barrow AFC

Leg 1 - Leg 2

How this tie went to Penalties, I'll never know, let alone not make the final. As you can see, I dominated possession (in the first leg) and was constantly peppering the goal with shots, but just couldn't get enough of them on target, and even less in the net. I outplayed Crawley, with both of their goals coming from Kitson and Dalla Valle ghosting through my not existent marking, meaning it was an uphill struggle from the first 30 minutes, without Crawley having to do much at all. Despite losing this time, I'm confident for next season, my end of season form was hugely encouraging, having not lost in the league since the 28th of December, I'm hoping to take this into next season and challenge for the Automatic spots. Getting so close to promotion without achieving it has made me even more determined to get Barrow into League 1.

[VillaSmith]

Congrats on a great end to the season, and good luck in the playoffs mate, hope you make it

Cheers, still can't believe I got there!

[Lenzar]

I didn't know Football League playoffs didn't use the away goals rule. One good thing about them at least.

KUTGW with this.

[VillaSmith]

I didn't know Football League playoffs didn't use the away goals rule. One good thing about them at least.

KUTGW with this.

Would've been gutted if they did have the away goals rule!! Hopefully I don't have to go through them again.

[VillaSmith]

End of Season Review 2015 - Barrow AFC

nPower League 2

Fixtures 1 - Fixtures 2

Final Position: 7th

Despite a shaky first few months in the Football League, it was quite a début season for Barrow, with totally unexpected 17 game unbeaten run to finish the season. Even when I wasn't winning, there were huge positives coming from the performances, now that I've started to convert those performances into victories, I'm massively confident for next season. My young team is starting to gel and mature, and now I'm a force to be reckoned with!

FA Cup

Final Position: 3rd Round

Not quite the heroics of last season, but still an impressive run. Unfortunately, Middlesbrough were too much me, and they couldn't attract the crowd that Man Utd did last season, but the financial reward was pretty hefty. If I keep these runs up, Barrow won't need any other income and will be able to sustain themselves on Cup revenue alone!

League Cup

Final Position: 1st Round

Not quite the début League Cup I'd imagined, but it was always going to be tough vs Blackburn. Next year my aim for this tournament is to not fall at the first hurdle, hopefully I can avoid a Championship side.

Johnstone's Paint Trophy

Final Position: 1st Round

Just like the League Cup, not the start I had in mind. Even more disappointing to go out in this competition as it was to Stockport, who came up with me last season. Again I hope to at least get past the 1st Round next year.

Player of the Season

I was right, it was Dan Burn. What a player! Got the highest Avg. Rating in the League, as well as the most MotM too. A quality CB who will be easily good enough for the Championship one day. A beast in the air, and who wouldn't at 6 foot 7? (Apart from Peter Crouch) Contract is up this summer, so I'm hoping to swipe as soon as he leaves Fulham's training ground!

Top Goalscorer 1, 2 and 3

Not many goals this year, and the few I did score were spread among the squad, leaving three top goalscorers this season. A bit disappointed to not have a player get double digits, especially my 4 strikers who got only 22 goals between them. None of these players particularly shone this year (except maybe Symington), so I may need to get an out and out goalscorer for next year.

Most Assissts

Symington was fantastic this season, always a threat whenever he picked up the ball. Too bad he's on loan, but I have a feeling his contract ends soon so will try bring him back next season.

Squad

My squad coped with the need for rotation magnificently this year, and really over performed, I'm expecting to be the over-achievers for League 2 this season. Still a lot of potential in this squad so with a few choice signings, I could really kick on next year.

Personal

Another fantastic season that has boosted my rep hugely. Starting to get to the stage where I'm looking to move on, however if Barrow offer to renew my contract, I'll probably accept. This season saw my apply for Derby, Ipswich, Norwich and Aston Villa, and whilst I evidently didn't get offered any of them, all four were flattered by my interest, which is a good sign!!

Next Season's Aims

-Challenge for Promotion

-Reach 2nd Rounds of both League Cup and JPT

-Reach 3rd Round of FA Cup

[VillaSmith]

Across the Continent

England

Barclays Premier League - 1st Man City, 2nd Man Utd, 3rd Arsenal, 18th Norwich, 19th Burnley, 20th Aston Villa

nPower Championship - 1st Sunderland, 2nd Fulham, Play-Offs Millwall, 22nd Peterborough, 23rd Bournemouth, 24th Blackpool

nPower League 1 - 1st Cardiff, 2nd Leicester, Play-Offs Tranmere, 21st Rochdale, 22nd Oldham, 23rd York, 24th Bristol Rovers

nPower League 2 - 1st AFC Wimbledon, 2nd Torquay, 3rd Swindon, Play-Offs Oxford, 23rd Yeovil, 24th Port Vale

Blue Square Bet Premier - 1st Wrexham, Play-Offs Cambridge, 21st Bath, 22nd Alfreton, 23rd Woking, 24th FC Halifax

Blue Square Bet North - 1st Gainsborough, Play-Offs Kettering, 20th Bury Town, 21st FC United, 22nd Chorley

Blue Square Bet South - 1st Newport Co, Play-Offs Havant & W, 20th St. Albans, 21st Staines, 22nd Wealdstone

FA Cup - Winner Chelsea, Runner-Up QPR

League Cup - Winner Tottenham, Runner-Up Brighton

Germany

Bundesliga - 1st Schalke, 2nd Dortmund, 3rd FC Bayern, 16th Nurnberg, 17th Augsburg, 18th Ingolstadt

Zweite Bundesliga - 1st Dusseldorf, 2nd Koln, 3rd St. Pauli, 17th Bielefield, 18th Offenbach

German Cup - Winner Leverkusen, Runner-Up Hannover

Spain

Liga BBVA - 1st Real Madrid, 2nd Barcelona, 3rd Valencia, 18th Elche, 19th Atletico Madrid, 20th Deportivo

Liga Adelente - 1st Valladolid, 2nd Racing, Play-Offs Hercules, 19th Cadiz, 20th Barcelona B, 21st Alcorcon, 22nd Real Union

Copa del Rey - Winner Real Madrid, Runner-Up Barcelona

France

Ligue 1 - 1st PSG, 2nd Lyon, 3rd Bordeaux, 18th AS Saint-Etienne, 19th Angers SCO, 20th SC Bastia

Ligue 2 - 1st Dijon FCO, 2nd Stade Brestois, Play-Offs AJ Auxerre, 18th En Avant de Guingamp, 19th Chateauroux, 20th AS Cannes

French Cup - Winner Dijon FCO, Runner-Up Marseille

Coupe de la Ligue - Winner Toulouse, Runner-Up Marseille

Italy

Serie A TIM - 1st Juventus, 2nd Roma, 3rd Fiorentina, 18th Brescia, 19th Spezia, 20th Empoli

Serie bwin - 1st Lazio, 2nd Catania, Play-Offs Torino, 19th Padova, 20th Pro Vercelli, 21st Frosinone, 22nd Lecce

TIM Cup - Winner Juventus, Runner-Up Fiorentina

Portugal

Liga Zon Sagres - 1st Benfica, 2nd Sporting Lisbon, 3rd FC Porto, 15th Vit. Setubal, 16th Olhanense

Liga Orangina - 1st Beira-Mar, 2nd Belenenses, 20th Tondela, 21st Fatima, 22nd Operario Acores

Taca de Portugal - Winners Benfica, Runner Up Rio Ave

Portuguese League Cup - Winner Benfica, Runner-Up Sporting Lisbon

Holland

Eredivisie - 1st AZ, 2nd Vitesse, 3rd PSV, 16th De Graafschap 17th SC Cambuur, 18th Volendam

Jupiler League - 1st FC Eindhoven, Play-Offs (1) RKC, Play-Offs (2) Willem II, 18th Achilles'29

Dutch Cup - Winner NAC Breda, Runner-Up ADO Den Haag

Scotland

Clydesdale Bank Premier League - 1st Celtic, 2nd Motherwell, 3rd Hearts, 12th Kilmarnock

First Division - 1st Rangers, 10th Queen of the South

Second Division - 1st Dumbarton, 9th Albion Rovers, 10th Cowdenbeath

Third Division - 1st Ayr, Play-Offs Montrose

Scottish Cup - Winner Hearts, Runner-Up Dundee

League Cup - Winner Hearts, Runner-Up Dundee

UEFA Competitions

Champion's League - Winner Man City, Runner's Up FC Bayern

Europa League - Winner FC Porto, Runner's Up Arsenal

[VillaSmith]

Summer 2015 - Barrow AFC

Pre-Season

An OK Pre-Season, managed to get some form (kind of) with my last two games, but I wasn't expecting to win many of these games, so it was good that I only lost one. Can't really read much into this period though, just hope my team is ready for the forthcoming season.

Transfers

Out

Camano, Owen and Boyes will probably be missed, but when I saw there values, I offered them out to get a bit of money. Don't think this will hinder the side too much as Camano was getting on a bit, and Owen and Boyes were slightly out of their depth (No idea why Leicester bought Owen!). To sign Holohan was a mistake in the first place so not too worried about his departure and McConville was out of his depth also, though I hope this doesn't came back to bite me as he subsequently signed for Bradford, one of League 2's powerhouses.

In

Tony Fallows - Free - One for the future, released by Liverpool and looks like he could be decent in the future. A few years of youth football lies ahead so I doubt I'll be seeing him anytime soon.

Graham Hutchinson - Loan - A decent CB, will provide good cover at the back, only bad thing about him is his parent club...

Lorry Mengual - Free - Found this guy whilst scouring the free transfers barrel, couldn't see much apart from his physical attributes so decided to take a punt, and I think it's paid off. Looks a good player with fantastic dribbling ability, could easily play championship football in the right position.

Zana Allee - Free - Another free transfer from France that I took a bit of a punt on, signed for his dribbling ability, and turns out he's got a bit of potential too. Looking forward to see how he develops, could be a handy player.

Scott Smith - £5k - Signed from Hibs, this guy has a bit of potential, not quite there yet but will be good cover at the back.

James Keating - Free - Needed a back up winger so signed this guy for his physical ability. Looks like he'll be good cover and hopefully he'll chip in with a few goals too.

Simon Davies - Free - Signed purely to be my DoF, but wouldn't sign as solely a DoF. Doesn't hurt to have an ex Premier League player as cover though, and his mental attributes mean he'll could be a good tutor for some of my younger players.

Aly Coulibaly - Free - Another French free transfer, this time signed for his tackling ability, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover he has quite good potential too. Won't start this season, but could be important in the future.

Gary O'Neil - Loan - Suggested by my scout, so decided to get him as cover for my midfield. Looks like he could be a good player, but unfortunately I doubt i'll get him permanently.

Joe Jackson - £28k - Finally got him permanently! A great player with fantastic Strength and brilliant Finishing, will provide competition for Koura, or even could be a good partner, depending on what tactic I go with this year.

Jake Charles - Loan - Signed by my DoF, looks like he could be decent, will at least provide good cover.

Alan Watts - Free - Signed by my Head of Youth Development, looks like he could be decent, looking to loan him out for now though.

Jeremy Kimmakon - Free - Suggested by a scout, and he looks a real find. A lot of potential and could be a handy player this season too. looking forward to his progress.

[Lenzar]

I notice Villa went down.

Any chance you can get that job, perhaps?

[VillaSmith]

Went for it and they said they were flattered, but they appointed Mark Hughes instead. Unfortunately, after their start, looks like they'll get promoted with ease so Hughes will keep his job probably .

[VillaSmith]

August 2015 - Barrow AFC

nPower League 2

A fantastic start, but I was well and truly brought back down to earth by Bristol Rovers. Unforunately I can't remember much about these games as I did these almost a month ago, but what I can remember is Koura has been sensational, always looks a goal threat in stark contrast to last season and with Jackson coming in to provide competition, it doesn't look as if he's going to slow up. In the majority of my games I have dominated possession and been on top, my game v Bristol was the only game I wasn't on top, and that was fairly even. Bristol was a hard game to lose, the scoreline is very flattering for them, Craig Westcarr managed to get a hat-trick somehow, but made me think i won't run away with the league as I was beginning to think. Hopefully I can bounce back and I intend to remain in roughly this position for the remainder of the season.

Capital One Cup

Disappointing to not get to the 2nd round, but Rotherham were too good for me. Never got a foothold in the game, and showed I may not be cut out for League 1 yet. Not much to say as there weren't many positives, just I hope I do better in the FA Cup and JPT.

[VillaSmith]

A tempting offer, a chance to manage at Championship level is a massive opportunity and Derby have good players with Will Hughes being the obvious key player. Unfortunately, they sit 23rd and don't seem to have a great financial position. Unsure whether to take it or not, I've also applied for the available Huddersfield job who sit 21st, and to be honest have a better squad that have players such as Snodgrass and Nimely. I will probably wait until Huddersfield make a decision, as I see more of a future there.

[VillaSmith]

September/October 2015 - Barrow AFC

nPower League 2

A disappointing loss to Crawley near the end of the month but all in all it has been a fantastic two months, sitting pretty at the top and not looking as if I'll slip down any time soon. If I can keep this up for the rest of the season I will be delighted, even if I finish top 3 I will be delighted, hell even a play-off place will be huge considering when I took over I had to save them from relegation from the BSP. My young side have been playing some beautiful stuff and look pretty unbeatable, got some of the teams around me over the next two months so will be tough to keep this up.

Johnstone's Paint Trophy

Two convincing results to put me into the QF, delighted to progress further than last season, and this is a competition I aim to win. I've shown I can beat big boys before and I'm hoping i can do it again if presented with any League 1 sides.

[Animosama]

Everything is going well

[VillaSmith]

...Continued

FA Cup

A good win against non-league opponents, and I'm hoping League 1 Coventry will not be a step too far. Once again I'm hoping for a third round fixture and possibly even fourth round again. Don't quite understand why, but this seems to be my competition, I'm sure if I was at premier league level, I would have won all three I've competed in so far considering how well I've performed with Barrow.

Job Offer

Even though Derby agreed to delay for a week, midway through the week I was informed they had appointed someone else, to be honest it would've been a wretch to leave Barrow so I'm kind of relieved.

Also, apologies for the gaps between my updates, Uni work is getting the better of me at the moment and I've not had much time to play this save. I expect updates will be few and far between for about 4-5 weeks.

[VillaSmith]

Erm, yeah, that just happened! A Serie A team have offered a pretty unknown (Outside of UK) manager from League 2 the job!

This is the current Serie A league table, not too far adrift at the bottom, but could be a tough job. I want to delay it until the end of the season, but it doesn't seem to be the right time at the minute otherwise i'd jump instantly, but considering I have to leave now (Considering I've gotten to the JPT Final too) I'm not certain I should do it. What do you guys think? Should I take it?

An update for November to January/Early Feb to come soon.