Back to the Top With Carlisle United

[Bagpuss]

Back to the Top With Carlisle United

This is the story of Carlisle’s rise back to the greatness they once knew (and I mean back to the top flight here )

The aim is to get back to the Premiership as fast as possible but without jeopardising the clubs finances through stupid wages.

The club start out with £5 million to do with what I please and for now I’ll save this cash for the future as there are more than enough good players at the club already as well as many free transfer players up for grabs.

There are 27 players at the club when I start and hopefully very soon I’ll reach a squad size of around 35 which will be more than adequate for the next year or so.

First on the agenda is transfers and first off Daniel Naisbett is sent back to Barnet as the club have 4 keepers already.

Paul Boertein joins on loan for the season from Derby

Bernt Haas joins from Sunderland for £180k

Brian McGovern joins on a free transfer

Paul ‘I ate all the Pies’ Gascoigne joins on a free transfer

Alejandro joins on a free transfer

Kieran Tracy joins on a free transfer

Dean Shiels joins on a free transfer

Gary Middleton joins on a free transfer

Kieran Richardson joins on a free transfer

Petter Norman Rudi joins on a free transfer

Sergei Baltacha joins on a free transfer

Edison Vincente Mendez joins work permit pending for £350k from Deportivo Quito

As you can see a lot of squad building there for very little outlay of cash bar signing on fees. Total spending is £1million assuming I get a permit for Mendez.

Naturally this vast increase has sort of tripled the wage bill from £17k a week to £50k a week which should make things interesting.

[Bagpuss]

Back to the Top With Carlisle United

This is the story of Carlisle’s rise back to the greatness they once knew (and I mean back to the top flight here )

The aim is to get back to the Premiership as fast as possible but without jeopardising the clubs finances through stupid wages.

The club start out with £5 million to do with what I please and for now I’ll save this cash for the future as there are more than enough good players at the club already as well as many free transfer players up for grabs.

There are 27 players at the club when I start and hopefully very soon I’ll reach a squad size of around 35 which will be more than adequate for the next year or so.

First on the agenda is transfers and first off Daniel Naisbett is sent back to Barnet as the club have 4 keepers already.

Paul Boertein joins on loan for the season from Derby

Bernt Haas joins from Sunderland for £180k

Brian McGovern joins on a free transfer

Paul ‘I ate all the Pies’ Gascoigne joins on a free transfer

Alejandro joins on a free transfer

Kieran Tracy joins on a free transfer

Dean Shiels joins on a free transfer

Gary Middleton joins on a free transfer

Kieran Richardson joins on a free transfer

Petter Norman Rudi joins on a free transfer

Sergei Baltacha joins on a free transfer

Edison Vincente Mendez joins work permit pending for £350k from Deportivo Quito

As you can see a lot of squad building there for very little outlay of cash bar signing on fees. Total spending is £1million assuming I get a permit for Mendez.

Naturally this vast increase has sort of tripled the wage bill from £17k a week to £50k a week which should make things interesting.

[Bagpuss]

August 2001

We started off my new career as Carlisle boss with a home game against Oxford. 6723 fans turned out to welcome their new manager and were given a treat as we dominated Oxford winning 2-0. The goals were scored by Foran, one of the club’s most favoured players by the fans, and Paul Gascoigne, soon to be a fans favourite provided he does not eat all the pies, in a match winning performance.

A trip to Hull was next which should prove to be a good early season test of two rich clubs. It was a pretty even match with Hull edging the play slightly but thanks to a fine goalkeeping display from Alejandro and a pair of goals from Nixon and Gascoigne, again in a match winning performance, we managed to win 2-0.

League Cup action was next and a home tie against First Division Walsall, who should not have any trouble playing us really. The match ended 1-1 at full time thanks to Middleton’s 8th minute equaliser in a match were we totally outplayed supposedly better opposition. How we failed to win in full time I don’t know but two goals in Extra time from Nixon and Shiels sealed a deserved victory, the 9320 fans had a real treat this night.

Scunthorpe were next to visit Brunton Park and their bottom of the table position clearly showed as we controlled them to win 3-0 easily and go top of the table on our own with a 100% win record. Todays goals were scored by Nixon, Foran, and Summerbell indicating that no single person is as yet dominating the scoring which shows any one in the team is capable of scoring, just like at Man Utd.

A trip to Southend brings August to an end and the trip was worth it even though we lost 2-1. The consolation goal was scored by Foran as the ‘new’ team still get to know each others playing styles.

[Peacemaker7]

Welcome to CMS noob

[Bagpuss]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Peacemaker7:

Welcome to CMS noob <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I got bored reading and fought it was time to grace the board with my writing presence once more

[Bagpuss]

September 2001

York at home was first up this month and we managed to lose a very entertaining game 3-1. Marc Nixon scored our goal but it there was never enough flair up front in this game for us to stand a chance of scoring more.

Finally Edison Vincente Mendez joins the club after a lengthy Work Permit process and he’ll be going straight into the squad for the next match.

Allthough new signing Mendez scored on his debut as well as Middleton we still managed to lose 3-2 to former bottom Club Orient. This is purely down to Orient having Chelski kid keeper Rhys Evans in goal stopping our dozen or so shots as we easily dominated the game.

An exceptional home performance against Bury saw all 12 shots on target with 4 going in as we stuffed them 4-1. Baltacha, Middleton and 2 from Foran were the sources of joy to the 5700 home fans who left the ground singing Yazz’s .The only way is up baby’.

Bottom club Rushden were next in a pretty evenly fought match that neither side looked like winning. We left the game the happier side after emerging as 3-1 winners for the return journey to Carlisle, Nixon, Foran and Gazza scored the goals.

Sheff Utd away in the League Cup 2nd Round was next and I never really expected to win the match. In the closely fought game that ensued I was happy with the 1-0 defeat we suffered especially as we gained £60k in funds from the tie, an entire weeks wages at the club.

A home match against Hartlepool was next and with a team suffering from a few injuries to key players the 3-2 win was excellent. The back up players did themesleves proud with Foran, Nixon and McDonagh scoring the goals as we edged up to 3rd spot.

Wrexham away was to be the last match this month and with several players still on the sick list the 2-0 win taking us top of the table was very good. Nixon and the ever present Gazza scored the goals. Gazza has now scored more goals since joining the club than in the last 4 years of his career!!

[Bagpuss]

October 2001

Darlington at home was next for the United juggernaut and another 2-0 win kept us on top. Rudi and Nixon scored the goals whilst Gazza said he was happy to be at a successful club, well it ain’t my fault he played for Rangers and Everton is it!

Swansea away was next and them being the 2nd placed club in the league I knew it was going to be a close game. The match was close in the end and we emerged even with Swansea thanks to Richie Foran’s late equaliser.

Cambridge Utd at home was next and they some how managed to sign Taribo West at the start of the season, still we should manage to beat them being we are at home. The match was a very one sided affair with my boys easily dominating the game. Luckily for Cambridge they did sign Taribo otherwise they’d of lost my a lot more goals, the final score was 3-2 to us with Summerbell and two from Dickinson being our scorers.

Bristol Rovers away was next in out quest for total dominance, and on a drizzly afternoon we managed to overcome them with clever play from the strikers 3-1. The goalscorers today were Summerbell, Rudi and Foran.

Torquay at home was next and another impressive performance saw us win 3-1 again stretching our lead to 2 points at the top of the table. This win was delivered by goals from Summerbell, Foran and Middleton.

Rochdale away was the last game this month and we managed to sneak a 2-2 draw after being totally outplayed. Today’s heroes were Summerbell and Foran whose recent goalscoring form has been phenomenal.

[Bagpuss]

November 2001

Shrewsbury Town at home was first up this month and we managed to lose to them 3-2. This was a game were shots on target counted as Shrewsbury had every single one on target. At least Middleton and Rudi scored for us making it better than it should of been.

Macclesfield was next and we walloped them 4-0 at home. Rudi, Foran, Baltacha, and Middleton scored the goals whilst Gazza was Man of the match for the 2nd match running. The match it self was one of total dominance as we controlled the game from the start.

Braintree away was next in the FA Cup 1st Round and we managed to easily overcome then 2-0. Foran scored both goals in a game we could of won with our eyes closed.

Boston Utd away was the final game this month and we managed to earn a 2-2 draw and remain top of the table by a point. The scorers today were Nixon and Foran in a game neither side looked like winning.

[Bagpuss]

December 2001

Lincoln away was first up this month and a 3-1 win keep us at the top for now. In an even game Foran scored twice and Summerbell got the third as we maintained are goalscoring record.

Andy Preece joins on a free transfer as a player coach after being fired by Bury. Well if it worked in real life it will hopefully work here too.

Kidderminster away was next in the FA Cup 2nd Round and we managed to draw 1-1 earning a replay at Brunton Park. Nixon last gasp equaliser kept us in with a chance I the replay after Kidderminster had controlled the game.

Exeter away was next on the agenda and we only managed a 1-1 draw continuing our recent bad form. Today’s scorer was Richie Foran making it 16 goals now in the league joint top scorer.

Kidderminster at home in the FA Cup 2nd Round replay was next and this time we dominated the game and won 2-0, probably because we knew the winner was of to Newcastle in the next round. The goals were scored by Middleton and Foran who will hopefully repeat this in the next match against Kiddie at home in the league in 3 days time.

The next game as previously mentioned was Kiddie at home and this time we won 2-1. Foran scored both the goals to keep his exceptional run of form going. Naturally we once again dominated the game limiting Kiddie to very few chances.

Southend at home was next and we managed to be totally out played yet still win. Goals from Whitehead, Summerbell, Mendez and Middleton helped us to a 4-2 win.

Scunthorpe away was the last match of the month and we eased past the bottom club 1-0 thanks to a goal from Rudi. This victory meant we remained top of the league by a massive 4 points now.

[Bagpuss]

January 2002

Hull at home was first up this month and the 4th placed club played well but still narrowly lost 1-0 as Foran scored his 19th goal of the season in the league. There is now quite a gap opening up between Us and Bristol Rovers (4 points behind us) and the rest of the teams which is good.

Newcastle away in the FA Cup 3rd Round and at the very least it should earn us some cash but a win would be nice. A very close game that we did very well in saw Newcastle just win it 2-1. Gary Middleton scored out goal and we managed to earn around £500k from the match.

Bournemouth away in the league was next and we managed to thrash them 4-0. Goals from Whitehead, Summerbell, and a brace from Rudi helped us win the game with ease.

Bury away was next and on Andy Preece’s return to his former club we managed to earn a 1-1 draw. In a very even match Richie Foran scored an early goal but Bury got an equaliser late on to steal a point.

Wigan at home in the Vans Trophy was next and we managed to lose 4-0 despite having a very even game. Still losing in the first game of this competition is good as we can now concentrate on winning the league now.

Leyton Orient at home was next and we managed to bounce back from our midweek lose by winning 4-1. Today’s goals came from Summerbell, Mendez, Rudi, and Foran as our superior form in goalscoring caused us to win the game by more goals than I would of expected.

3rd placed Oxford away was the last game this month and we managed to sneak a 2-1 win in a game we never got control off. Foran and Middleton scored the goals today, in Foran’s case his 22nd league goal so fat this season. We finished the month top by 13 points.

[Bagpuss]

February 2002

York away was first up this month and we managed to unbeaten run going by winning 3-1. Two goals from Mendez and one from Gazza saw us win easily maintaing our title charge.

William McDoangh was sold to Luton for £80k.

Rushden at home was next and we managed to lose for the first time since Shrewsbury beat us back in November. The 3-2 loss did have the good sign of Gazza scoring yet another goal, along with Summerbell.

Hartlepool away was next and we managed to lose yet another match, this time 1-0. Thankfully we have a large lead and can afford a few mid season losses before surging back in the last few months, or so I hope.

Wrexham at home saw us get back on the winning route as we defeated them 2-0. Middleton and Rudi scored the goals as we kept our sizeable lead at the top in double figures.

Darlington away was next and we managed to beat the 3rd placed club 3-2. Goals from Rudi, Foran and Summerbell saw us edge our way to victory.

Paul Simpson joins on a free after being fired by Rochdale.

Paul Boertien makes his loan move permanent after I agree a £600k fee with Derby.

We finished the month top by 9 points but still had a commanding lead.

[Bagpuss]

March 2002

Swansea at home was first up this month and we managed to win 2-0 with total ease. Mendez and Foran scored the goals today as we won a simple game keeping us top by a mile.

Cambridge Utd were next and we dominated them effortlessly winning 3-1. Shiels, Rudi and Foran scored the goals today with Foran on 25 league goals for the season already.

Bristol Rovers at home was next and we lost to the 3rd placed team 3-2. It was a close match and it should of ended in a draw really. Galloway and Foran scored today’s goals making Foran joint top scorer throughout England with Justin Jackson of Conference team Doncaster.

Torquay away was next and we managed to lose to them 2-1 which was pathetic being they are or at least were 2nd bottom. Andy Preece scored our goal in a match pretty much devoid of any shots at all.

Rochdale was next and at least we managed to return to winning form with a decisive 3-0 victory. Today’s scorers were Preece, Gazza and Richie Foran once more.

Shrewsbury were the last game of this month and we were away and out for revenge after our earlier home defeat. We drew the match 1-1 thanks to a Gazza goal canceling out traitor, sorry former player, Ian Stevens goal. We finished the month top by 9 points and had secured a play off spot, Shrewsbury were 16th.

[Bagpuss]

April 2002

Macclesfield away was first up this month and we won 2-0 thanks to goals from Mendez and Preece. The match it self was a very close affair with few chances on goal for either team.

Bournemouth at home was next and a fine 4-2 win saw us gain promotion and pretty much condemned Bournemouth to the Conference. The goals were scored by Mendez and Foran with 2 each.

Boston at home was next and another win saw us pick up the title. It was a close match though and we just about managed to edge it 4-3. The goals were scored by Middleton, Foran and two from Nixon.

Lincoln at home was next and we partied hard before playing the match. Naturally the players were not as up for a win as normal but they still got a 1-0 win thanks to Foran’s 31st goal of the season.

Kidderminster away was next and the lads were out for 100points in the season as we hammered them 3-0. Goals from McGovern, Summerbell and Foran sealed the victory in a record breaking season.

The last match of the season was Exeter at home and we managed to round the season off with a stunning 4-2 thrashing in front of a raucous crowd. Two from Middleton, one from Rudi and Foran’s 33rd league sealed of the season with style.

We finished the season top by 16 points on 102 an new record. 108 goals were scored another record and Foran’s 33 goals was the 3rd record we got. The 6 matches won in a row was also a record for the club.

[Bagpuss]

Summer Transfer Dealings and Season Aims

Mick Galloway joins Barnet for £70k

Bernt Haas joins Neunkirchen for £100k

Matthew Tipton joins from Macclesfield for £140k

Oyvind Leonhardsen joins from Aston Villa for £600k

Klever Manuel Chala joins from AIK for £1 million

Ian Nolan joins from Southport for £60k

Richard Kay joins from the reserve squad

The board expect us to finish some where around mid table this season, but I am aiming for a play off spot. With those new signings over the summer I see another season of great success here at Brunton Park.

[Bagpuss]

August 2002

Plymouth were the first opponents in Div 2 and we managed to start the new season with a outstanding 3-0 home victory. Leonhardsen, Foran and Tipton scored the goals in the new look first team squad. 2 goals in the first 8 minutes showed the Second Divison we were here and meant business!!

Peterborough away was next and after a close match Peterborough’s only shot on target naturally went in giving them a 1-0 victory. We failed to score mostly down to Peterborough’s keeper playing a blinder.

Boston Utd in the League Cup 1st round was next and we managed to draw the game 1-1 yet lose on penalties. Foran scored our goal as we managed to have the better showing in the match bit failed to get the ball in the net again.

Hull were next as we managed to thrash the to side 4-1 at home. Goals from Mendez and a Tipton hat-trick were key in an otherwise close match, showing that Tipton is a good prospect for the future and will hopefully build a excellent strike partnership with Foran.

Darlington were last this month and we managed to sneak a 1-0 win thanks to an own goal. The match was one we never got into and Darlington should off won it really if not drawn it at the minimum.

We finished our first month in Div 2 in 5th spot in the table, 4 points behind the leaders Reading but with a game in hand.

[Bagpuss]

September 2002

Bottom club Cardiff were first this month and we had a very close game but did win it 2-1 in sunny Wales. The goals were scored by Tipton and Foran as they slowly got into the swing of scoring as a partners.

Brentford at home was next and we managed to thrash them 4-1 edging us up to 2nd spot still with our game in hand. Middleton, Leonharsden and a brace from Tipton were the scorers today.

Tranmere away was next and we managed to scrap a 4-3 win despite losing the keeper to a professional foul in the 13th minute. Two goals apiece from Mendez and Bryne helped us to yet another victory and the FA revoked the keepers ban too making it a great day, especially as we were top now too.

Northampton away was next and we lost 1-0 to them. The match was a close game but I thought we deserved at least a draw and really we should of won it. Another fine display by the oppositions keeper prevented us from scoring.

Peter Keen joins Kidderminster for £240k.

Grimsby were next and we managed to lose 2-1 at home to them. At least this time Grimsby were a Division 1 team last year. It was a close game and we were unlucky to lose actually as a draw would of been a fair result. Matthew Tipton got our consolation goal.

Reading was the last match this month and we managed to beat them 1-0 away from home. Richie Foran scored our goal in a very dull match with few chances. We finished the month 2nd 5 pints behind leaders Peterborough.

[Bagpuss]

October 2002

Diego Gavilan is signed on loan from Newcastle for the rest of the season and should prove to be a good signing.

Crewe was first up this month and we hammered them 5-1 away. We totally dominated the match allowed them a single shot on goal, which as is usual went in. Whitehead, Summerbell, Chala and two from Tipton were the goal scorers today.

An audacious transfer bid of £3.1 million via upfront payment plus appearance extras was made for Louis Saha, but with numerous major European clubs also bidding for him I am not to optimistic I’ll get him.

Bristol Rovers at home was next and we beat them 4-0 with sheer ease. Two goals from Tipton and the other two from Chala saw us maintain our challenge for promotion this season.

Barnsley away was next and we managed to maintain our winning streak with a fine 3-1 victory. Foran and two from Tipton were the scorers today with Tipton moving onto 14 goals in the league this season already.

Louis Saha picks Benfica over us and more bizarrely Barcalona, Dortmund and Bayern. Transfer attention is switched to Crewe’s David Vaughan as West Ham have slapped a £1.5 million bid in for him.

Sheffield Utd at home was next and after a even match we emerged the winners thanks to a Chala goal at the end of the first half. My ongoing battle with the Government continues as I once more try and get a work permit for the club’s greatest signing yet.

Oldham away was next and we managed to earn a 2-2 draw despite being outplayed, probably due to Oldham’s lack of shots I expect. Tipton and Leonhardsen scored the goals today.

Port Vale were last up this month and we beat them 1-0 in a nice and simple home tie. Tipton got the goal his 16th in 16 league games. We finished the month second a single point behind top placed Peterborough.

Transfer activity has vanished for now as Crewe rejected mine and West Ham’s bids for David Vaughan who is now annoyed at not being allowed to move. I am still battling with the powers that be for our new super striker but am getting no where fast.

[Bagpuss]

November 2002

Wycombe at home was first this month and we fought out a 3-3 draw in a very entertaining crowd pleasing match. The goals were scored by Summerbell, Foran and Tipton as we went top of the scoring charts in Div 2.

Chesterfield away was next and we beat them 2-0 despite never getting into the match really, as long as this under performing but winning still happens the title can be ours. Todays goals came from Mendez and Rudi.

David Vaughan chose to move to Wimbledon over coming to Carlisle in a £3.3 million deal, which was disappointing but I could never match the wages. Nottingham Forest have made one or two bids for some of my key players but have been told were to stuff their money.

Chester away in the FA Cup 1st Round was next and we won it 2-0 after a nice and simple and somewhat lazy approach to the game. Chala and Rudi scored the goals as we progressed to the next round.

Huddersfield away was next and we beat the bottom club 2-1 with ease. The goals came from Tipton and Balacha. Nottingham Forest and now West Ham are after more of my players including Rudi, who decided that as I was not ready to give him a new contract (still got 4 years left to go after this season) has decided he wants to move and is unhappy at me blocking his transfer meaning next decent offer he is gone.

Stockport at home was last up this month and we managed to control the match against the 4th placed club and emerged 2-0 winners. The goals came from Rudi and Foran. We finished the month 2nd 3 points behind Peterborough but 14 points ahead of 3rd placed Tranmere.

[Bagpuss]

December 2002

Everton make a £2million bid ofr Rudi which I and Rudi gladly accept removing the whinger from the club. How I’ll laugh as we go past Everton in a few years time.

Sheffield Utd at home in the FA Cup 2nd Round was the first match this month and we won it 4-2 very easily. Goals from Chala, Tipton and two from Foran sent us into the next round. We now get to play Man Utd at home in the 3rd Round.

Chelenham away was next and we managed to totally dominate them winning 4-1 with supreme ease. Gavilan, Chala and two from Leonhardsen were the scorers today as we maintained our impressive form winning our 6th straight game equalling the club record, we even set a new undefeated record of 14 matches too.

Plymouth away was next and we managed to dominate the match yet only managed to draw 2-2. The goals came from Leonhardsen and Tipton as we just about managed to score the equalisers.

A crucial potential title deciding match was next as we faced Peterborough at home. It was a very tight affair with hardly any shots but today our Goalie did far better than theirs as we won 3-0 avenging the 1-0 defeat at the start of the season. The goals came from Nolan, Tipton and Summerbell.

Last up this month was a trip to Hull, last seasons fellow promotees, and we managed to beat them once more this time 3-1. The goals came from Foran and two from Chala. We finished the month top by 3 points over Peterborough.

[Bagpuss]

January 2003

Darlington at home was the first match this month and we managed to lose it 2-1. This was mostly due to Alejandro getting sent off in the first minute earning himself a 4 match ban. Tipton got the only goal for us his 21st of the season.

Man Utd at home in the FA Cup 3rd Round was next and the 3-1 defeat was not to bad really as we had plenty of chances in the game but were up against a world class Goalkeeper let alone a world class team. Chala scored our goal as we set a new attendance record.

Luton at home was next and we relaxed and had a easy game winning 2-0. The goals came from Foran and Baltacha. More clubs are after my players again but they have all been told to go take a jump.

Grimsby away was next and we managed to get a 1-1 draw out of the game. Mathew Tipton scored out goal in a tight close match which Grimsby Edged on possession terms.

Oldham away in the LDV Vans Trophy Northern Section 2nd round was next and we managed to lose the match 3-0. We were not into the game at all and to top things Alejandro was sent off for the 2nd time in a fortnight earning him a further 5 match ban making it 9 in total now.

Cardiff at home was next and we managed to draw 1-1 once more. The game was close and could of gone either way, with Matt Glennon struggling a bit but he nly plays a few games normally. Richie Foran scored our equaliser in the 33rd minute.

Blackpool away was next and it was a 3rd consecutive 1-1 league draw. We played a very even dull match with Gazza scoring in the 11th minute but Blackpool equalsied straight away. We finished the month top 2 points ahead of Peterborough.

[Bagpuss]

February 2003

Brentford away was first up this month and we lost 2-0 after we actually dominated the match. Matt Glennon was to blame and has not found any form yet despite playing the last 4 matches now.

Tranmere at home was next and we returned to winning ways with a simpe conclusive 3-0 victory. Middleton , Leonhardsen and an own gaol saw us wrap up the game by half time.

Bristol Rovers were next and we managed to beat them 2-0 with a helping hand from their keeper. Leonhardsen scored both our goals as we increased the lead at the top some more.

Reading at home was next and we lost 3-2 thanks to a few errors from the defence and Glennon’s inability to counter crosses. Still Summerbell and Foran scored to keep our goal scoring up.

Northampton away was last this month and we managed to finish Feb with a 3-1 loss after another dreadful performance from Matt Glennon, thank god Alejandro is back in two matches time. More worringly we had 24 shots to their 3 and still lost the match, Foran scored our only goal. We finished the month top 6 points ahead of Reading.

[Bagpuss]

March 2003

Crewe were fist off this month and we managed to draw 3-3 at home with them. Leonhardsen, Gazza and Mendez scored the goals as we fought well despite being out played.

Wycombe away was next and we managed to beat them 1-0 thanks to yet another Leonhardsen goal. The match was a entertaining game we dominated and should of scored more in.

Barnsley at home was next and we managed to lose a match we dominated 2-1, still it was Alejandro’s first match back from his 9 match ban. Diego Gavilan scored the goal for us and may have a permanent bid put in for him over the summer.

Michael Jack joins Notts County for £24k after I had decided to list him as I did not want him any more, don’t know why Notts County are stupid enough to buy him as he was available on a freebie in the summer.

Port Vale away was next and we won 2-1 thanks to goals from Richie Foran. We had a very even match as we slowly edge towards the title one win at a time, promotion can’t be far away now.

Stockport away was the last match this month and we lost another match we shouldn’t of. Chala scored our goal in a game we dominated once more. We finished the month top by 2 points from Reading with a game in hand.

[Bagpuss]

April 2003

Oldham at home in the catch up match was next and we drew a very close tight match 0-0. So slowly we edge our way to the title yet with only 6 games left we have still not even got a secured play off spot.

Chesterfield at home was next and we managed to beat them 3-1 with ease. Goals from Foran and two from Gavilan helped us to victory and a play off spot, better still I am now ranked 35th in England as a manager.

Sheffield United were next and we managed to beat them 1-0 away from home. It was a good even match that kept the fans enthralled and thanks to Middleton’s 28th minute winner edged us that much closer to Division One.

Huddersfiled were next at home and a win would see us promoted and might even give us the title too. So naturally we had a very good 50:50 game but won it 4-2 thanks to an own goal, one from Summerbell and two from Foran as we got promotion but have to get 1 more point for the title.

Luton away was next and we were looking for a win to clinch the title. Goals from Leonhardsen and Tipton got us the win and the title with both scorers having played key roles this season.

Blackpool at home was next and we won it 3-0 with ease as we showed everyone how to win a title in style. Foran scored twice and Summerbell got the third as we set a new points record for Div 2.

Cheltenham was the last match of the season and we won it 2-1 despite Alejandro being sent off for the 3rd time this year, this time getting a 6 match ban!!! Boertein and Summerbell scored our goals as we finished the season in style.

[Bagpuss]

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">

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English Second Division - Monday 2nd June 2003

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================================================================================================

2002/3 Table

================================================================================================

Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag Won Drn Lst For Ag Pts

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1st C Carlisle 46 14 4 5 51 23 15 4 4 43 24 95

2nd P Reading 46 11 7 5 38 24 13 4 6 35 27 83

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3rd Peterborough 46 13 5 5 40 25 11 4 8 37 40 81

4th Barnsley 46 13 5 5 38 21 8 10 5 34 28 78

5th P Hull 46 14 7 2 42 23 8 3 12 34 36 76

6th Chesterfield 46 12 5 6 43 29 10 1 12 34 42 72

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7th Tranmere 46 15 6 2 46 23 4 7 12 23 42 70

8th Plymouth 46 9 10 4 42 28 8 7 8 29 31 68

9th Cardiff 46 9 6 8 36 35 10 5 8 36 36 68

10th Port Vale 46 14 5 4 53 29 4 8 11 29 43 67

11th Stockport 46 14 4 5 43 22 5 6 12 23 35 67

12th Oldham 46 10 6 7 36 28 8 5 10 29 39 65

13th Northampton 46 11 3 9 48 43 7 6 10 33 42 63

14th Cheltenham 46 12 5 6 42 30 5 6 12 32 40 62

15th Blackpool 46 12 6 5 47 34 3 9 11 27 42 60

16th Grimsby 46 11 5 7 39 33 5 3 15 18 38 56

17th Brentford 46 9 9 5 43 36 4 5 14 31 47 53

18th Darlington 46 9 6 8 31 25 5 5 13 32 47 53

19th Bristol Rovers 46 9 7 7 34 31 4 6 13 21 40 52

20th Wycombe 46 7 4 12 29 39 5 9 9 37 41 49

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

21st R Sheff Utd 46 9 3 11 30 36 5 4 14 28 42 49

22nd R Crewe 46 6 5 12 37 48 7 4 12 38 54 48

23rd R Luton 46 7 5 11 25 33 3 9 11 19 39 44

24th R Huddersfield 46 4 9 10 30 31 4 7 12 27 48 40

</pre>

[Bagpuss]

Not very often you see players signed named after the writers username but i managed it somehow

Summer Transfers and Season Aims

Lee Maddison joined Rochdale on a Bosman

Mark Birch is released on a free transfer

Dean Stevens joins from Torquay for £1.2 million

Li Tie joins from Everton on a Bosman

Kevin Kyle joins from Sunderland on a Bosman

Andy Preece retires but remains a Coach

Diego Gavilan is signed on loan for the season and will be bought for a decent price

Paul Simpson retires but remains a coach

John O’Shea joins from Man Utd for £2 million

Rob Clare joins from Stockport for £1.3 million

This year the board expect me to avoid relegation if I can, should be easy enough and I think a mid table finish would be good depending on how many new players I buy this year.

Right I’ll revise that to a play off spot with a bit of luck after signing that lot. Some very good buys there inclusding John O’Shea and Rob Clare for the future and with Li Tie lending experience the back should be improved a lot. Still gonna see if I can find a good keeper to cover Alejandro as Glennon is not looking to great.

[Stephanie McMahon's Secret Lover]

So you cheated then Pussbag?

I've never seen a person so thrilled about life in the nuclear winter that is Carlise.

[Bagpuss]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Stephanie McMahon's Secret Lover:

So you cheated then Pussbag?

I've never seen a person so thrilled about life in the nuclear winter that is Carlise. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Moi Cheat Never !!!

Wouldn't know how to do it anyway

Nowt wrong with Sellafield nice and warm up here and no need for a light either

[Bagpuss]

August 2003

Brighton away was our first match in Division One and we managed to beat them 3-2 after a very interesting game. Tipton, an Own goal and Dean Stevens scored today's goals as we started the new season with style.

Gary Prosser is released on a free transfer.

Nottingham Forest at home was next and we managed to beat them 2-1 in front of 13845 fans a new league record for us, only beaten by last season Man Utd visit in the FA Cup. The goals came from Li Tie and Chala in a tight match.

Sheffield United away in the League Cup First Round was next and we won 2-0 thanks to goals from Li Tie and Gazza, before the fat one got sent off and banned for 3 matches. Naturally we dominated the match as Sheffield United are now in Division 3.

Derby away was next and we managed to do enough in a tight match to earn us a 2-1 win. The goals came from Gavilan and Stevens as I pondered exactly who to play when as there are several good players here now.

Hull at home was the last match this month and we drew it 1-1. It was a very fast paced end to end game in which neither team deserved to lose so the draw was a fair result. Tipton got our goal as we finished the month top by a point.

[Bagpuss]

September 2003

Bristol City at home was first up this month and we managed to outplay them enough to earn a goalless draw. This time whilst covering for Alejandro Matt Glennon has done quite well so for now the search for a back up keeper is off.

Stoke away was next and we managed to lose after a hard fought match. Stoke did have a far greater amount of the possession which was probably why they managed to squeeze their goal in late on in the 2nd half.

Steve Green joins from the youth team and is supposed to be a good prospect.

West Ham at home was next and would be our first real test in Division One, it doesn’t help matters in that I am looking to steal one or tow players from them. Somehow we managed to draw 1-1 despite having 19 shots, still the opposition have better defences the higher up you get, Tipton scored the goal today. We set a new record attendance of 16733 just 17 short of capacity!!

Rotherham were next at home in the League Cup 2nd Round and we beat them on penalties after a closely fought 1-1 draw. Dean Stevens scored the goal during the match and we won 5-4 on penalties.

Southampton away was next and we beat them 4-0 with supreme ease. Two goals from Tipton and one each from Whitehead and Chala saw us keep up our early good form.

Sheffield Wed was next away and we continued our good form beating them 3-0. Gavilan and two from Tipton secured the points as we outplayed yet another former Premiership team.

Burnley at home was the last match this month and we narrowly lost a closely fought match 2-1. Our goal came from Chala after an excellent pass from Tipton. We finished the month in 5th spot 4 points behind leaders Birmingham. We set a new attendance record as 16735 watched this match meaning I need a huge sum of money to expand the stadium!!

[Bagpuss]

October 2003

Gillingham at home was next and we narrowly lost to them 3-2. It was a close game which I felt we had edged but goals count and we only had two to show, one from Summerbell and the other from O’Shea.

Stephen Crainey joins from Celtic for £120k

Reading at home was next and we contained them perfectly winning 2-0. The goals came from Leonhardsen and Chala as we edged up the table ahead of lots of excellent clubs.

QPR were next and we managed to draw the Sunday away match 2-2. The match was a very good one with either side looking like winning. Gary Middleton scored both of the goals mid way through the 2nd half.

Man City at home was next and we managed to get a 1-1 draw against them. This was a very good result as they still had many of their Premiership team left including Anelka, Chala scored our goal today.

Rotherham away in our first Friday night TV match was next and we managed to win it 2-1. Todays scorers were Foran and Gavilan as we played them off the park so to speak, with a good 64% of the possession.

Bolton away in the League Cup 3rd Round was next and we managed to put up a good fight against the Premiership team. We never had much look in with Bolton keeping most of the possession and we were a little unlucky to lose 2-0 too. We did finish the month in 4th spot 9 points behind runaway leaders Birmingham.

[Bagpuss]

November 2003

Bradford at home was first off this month and a very poor defensive performance saw us lose 4-1 to the 2nd placed club. Our goal was scored by Leonhardsen late on and was a little lucky at that.

Ipswich were next in the league and we somehow managed to lose this match too, this time 2-1. We actually played by far the better football in this match but only had Dean Stevens goal to show for it.

Watford were next and this formerly great club were deservedly beaten 4-3 by us at home after they made a few more defensive errors than us. Our goals came from Gazza, Stevens, Summerbell and the winner from O’Shea.

Leaders Birmingham were next and we kept on at them until Middleton scored a very late equaliser from the spot in the 90th minute. It was probably one of the better performances of the season so far to.

Leicester away in our catch up league game was next and we were very unlucky to lose to a very late winner. The match ended 1-0 and had been very close all the way from start to finish.

Wigan at home was the last match this month and we returned to winning ways with a 3-2 victory. A good close match saw us emerge victors after a brace from Leonhardsen and the third from Summerbell. We finished the month in 8th spot 11 points behind leaders Birmingham after a mixed batch of results.

[Bagpuss]

December 2003

Wimbledon were the first opponents this month and we out scored them 5-3 in a very thrilling match. Our goals came from Chala and two each from Summerbell and Tipton.

Nottingham Forest away was next and this one mighty team managed to beat us 1-0 thanks to a lucky deflection. We were still just of the play off zone though which was good.

Kieran Richardson joins West Ham for £2.3 million a reluctant sale but I sort of need the money as I lose a lot of cash each month currently.

Derby at home was next and a very dull boring game saw us beat the former decent team 2-1. Summerbell scored both of the goals as we still remained just outside the play off zone.

Portsmouth at home was next and we managed to beat them 3-2 after a very close match. Two goals from Chala and one from Gazza saw us win the match and maintain our prospects of a third straight promotion.

Brighton at home was the last game this month and it was another home tie. A stuning 4-1 victory saw us finish the month 5th only 8 points behind leaders Birminhgam City. Today's goals came from Dean Stevens and a hattrick from loan signing Diego Gavilan, unfortunatly Ipswich are sniffing around Gavilan and i cant afford his transfer fee currently.

[Bagpuss]

Thanks to my loyal readers whoever you are

Actually a lot further on but i dont want to overload you with posts.

Doing rather well so far in fact as i am into the next season already i am doing slightly better than ever before when managing Carlisle

[HD]

ican'tbelieveityouaresogoodiwishicouldbeasgoodasyoumyherowowowowowow.

[Bagpuss]

January 2004

Stoke away in the FA Cup 3rd Round was next and we eased to a win despite a few scary moments. We won 3-2 thanks to goals from Middleton, Tipton and Chala as we kept our winning streak going.

Hull away was next and we secured a comfortably 2-2 draw with them. It was a tight even match and goals from Middleton and Gavilan helped us maintain our challenge for promotion this season.

Stoke at home was next and in a reversal of the FA Cup match Stoke managed to sneak a 2-1 win. Gazza scored our goal and we were unlucky to lose a very close game.

Bristol City away was next and we were fortunate to come away with a 1-1 draw after some very dubious defending. Stephen Crainey scored our goal which was his first ever goal for us since his move from Celtic.

Chelsea away in the FA Cup 4th Round was next and we would be happy with a draw. After a very thrilling game that Chelsea were by far the better team i was amazed to see us win 2-0 thanks to a brace of goals from Dean Stevens.

Leicester at home was the last match this month and we maintained our giant killing feats by beating them 3-1. A dominant spell saw Summerbell, Leonhardsen and Stevens score rapidly to set us up for the win that also kept us 5th in the table 11 points of leaders Birmingham City.

[Bagpuss]

February 2004

West Ham away was first up this month as we faced yet another big time club. A Di Canio inspired West Ham dominated the match and won it 2-1. Summerbell scored our goal as we prepared for the next big match.

That big match is away to Arsenal in the FA Cup 5th round and again i was not expecting much from the match. This time we were unable to pull of another big win and went out of the cup after a 2-0 defeat but we did not disgrace ourselves in the match.

Burnley away was next and we lost it 2-0. It was a disappointing match and we deserved to lose it. No one person was to blame though so i was forced to make every one report for extra training asopposed to a few players.

Reading away was next and several players performed better than the last match but not all of them. We won it 3-1 despite being the crapper team throughout. O'Shea, Gavilan and Leonhardsen scored the goals.

Sheffield Wednesday at home was the last game this month and was our catch up game. We completely dominated it winning 4-1 with sheer ease. O'Shea, Tipton, Chala and Summerbell scoring the goals for us. We finished the month 5th, 13 points behind Leaders Birmingham City.

[Bagpuss]

March 2004

Gillingham were first up this month and we took them apart to earn a 2-1 away win. This win improved our play off chances considerably and was down to two exceptional goals from Tipton and Middleton.

Southampton at home was next and a simple 1-0 win maintained are run of form and also saw us set a new attendance record of 16735. Oyvind Leonhardsen scored the only goal, his 6th of the season.

QPR at home was next and a disappointing 1-1 draw was the result. We should of won this game easily but only had Dean Stevens goal to show for it.

Bradford away was next and we failed to win yet naother game that we should of. This time we lost 1-0 and because of this we lost out on a chnace to have gone 2nd in the league. This was also the last match of the month for us due to 8 players heading off on international duty. We finished the month 6th spot 15 points behind runaway leaders Birmingham City but only 5 points back from 2nd spot and with a game in hand.

[Bagpuss]

April 2004

Man City away was first up this month and we fought a hard tough match to earn a goal less draw. It was one of those matches that had 0-0 written over it from the start but a point is a point at this stage of the season.

Ipswich at home in a very crucial catch up game was next as both of us were trying for 2nd spot. An excellent 3-1 win pushed us up to 3rd spot on goal difference making it exceptionally tight at the top of the table. The goals came from Tipton, Stevens and Gavilan.

Rotherham at home was next and we won it 3-0 after a very good performance. Summerbell, Tipton and Leonhardsen scored the goals as we maintained a very good chance of automatic promotion.

Wigan away was next and a entertaining match saw Tipton score a late equalsier to earn us a 1-1 draw as we slowly close in on my aim of a play off berth this season and also have a good shot of promotion still.

Birmingham at home were next and the game was one of those must win ones for us. A very even match saw neither of us win as a 1-1 draw was the result thanks to a Leonhardsen opener for us and a late equaliser from Birmingham. Somehow we also remained 3rd.

Watford away was the first of 3 very crucial matches and we won this one 2-1. Two goals from Tipton pretty much confirmed our play off spot and also moved us within 2 points of 2nd placed Leicester.

Wimbledon at home was the penultimate game of the season and a good result would be perfect at this point. A good result it was as we thrashed them 4-1 hitting 2nd spot on goal difference, making it a 3 way race on the last day for the second automatic promotion spot with all 3 of us on equal points. Leonhardsen, Stevens, Tipton and Gavilan scored the goals today.

[Bagpuss]

Last Day of the Season Extravaganza

6th placed Portsmouth away were our opponents today, whilst 3rd placed West Ham were away to 13th placed Stoke whilst 4th placed Leicester were away to Hul in the most important day of our season. We had the early advantage with the best goal difference of +26, with West Ham on +20 and Leicester lagging behind on +15.

All 3 of us started off with caution and it was West Ham who took the early advantage with Graham scoring on 13 minutes putting them 2nd. Next up on this crunch day was Kanoute scoring for Hull in the 41st minute pretty much putting Leicester out of the running.

Hull again were the next scorers this time on the 51st minute as Delaney scored wrecking Leicesters chances. Leicester responded quickly with a Scowcroft 53rd minute strike only putting them a goal behind. At the same time Stoke's Stone scored making us 2nd once more.

On the 67th minute of our game Tipton scored putting us top and with our superior goal difference in a very good spot. Ameobi scored for Leicester on 69 minutes getting them back on level terms with Hull but still in 3rd spot.

Joe Cole scored for West Ham on 72 minutes putting them back level on points with us but behind on goal difference, and on 90 miutes Hull's Lomas scored making it a loss for Leicester.

Full time saw us finish 2nd thanks to our better goal difference with West Ham 3rd and Leicester 4th. Just to rub it in both Leicester and West Ham lost their Play Off Semi Finals too.

The 2nd place finish meant we had 3 back to back promotions even if we did not win the title this time. With the young team i have plus the few older 'stars' i am confident of stayingup in the Premiership next season which is something i have never managed before with Carlisle. I have got their before but i normally get relegated straightaway and end up swapping from Div 1 and ther Premiership.

[Bagpuss]

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">

************************************************************************************************

English First Division - Tuesday 1st June 2004

************************************************************************************************

================================================================================================

2003/4 Table

================================================================================================

Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag Won Drn Lst For Ag Pts

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1st C Birmingham 46 14 7 2 35 12 13 7 3 40 18 95

2nd P Carlisle 46 13 6 4 48 30 10 6 7 36 27 81

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3rd West Ham 46 14 6 3 44 24 9 6 8 30 29 81

4th Leicester 46 18 2 3 52 28 5 7 11 44 54 78

5th Ipswich 46 15 5 3 49 23 5 7 11 26 35 72

6th P Bradford 46 15 4 4 33 17 6 5 12 28 40 72

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7th Gillingham 46 13 4 6 31 25 8 5 10 34 40 72

8th Wigan 46 15 4 4 40 21 6 4 13 29 41 71

9th Portsmouth 46 15 5 3 43 17 5 5 13 24 37 70

10th Man City 46 14 6 3 45 25 5 7 11 23 37 70

11th Burnley 46 10 8 5 43 34 7 8 8 25 31 67

12th Bristol C 46 9 8 6 28 26 8 6 9 23 21 65

13th Stoke 46 13 4 6 48 33 5 6 12 28 44 64

14th Watford 46 11 7 5 45 31 6 4 13 48 58 62

15th Rotherham 46 11 5 7 44 35 5 8 10 34 41 61

16th Nottm Forest 46 7 9 7 24 21 8 5 10 34 36 59

17th Derby 46 9 6 8 39 34 7 5 11 33 38 59

18th Reading 46 11 5 7 36 33 6 0 17 12 37 56

19th Brighton 46 10 8 5 44 36 3 5 15 29 56 52

20th Hull 46 11 5 7 30 23 2 7 14 17 38 51

21st Sheff Wed 46 10 2 11 39 36 3 6 14 23 47 47

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

22nd R Southampton 46 9 5 9 33 36 2 6 15 22 40 44

23rd R Q.P.R. 46 7 6 10 24 35 2 6 15 14 36 39

24th R Wimbledon 46 5 8 10 42 50 2 4 17 29 58 33

</pre>

[Bagpuss]

Summer Transfers and Season Expectations

Diego Gavilan was signed from Newcastle for £2.9 million

Eric Djemba-Djemba was signed from Nantes for £950k

James Jowsey was signed on a free transfer from Man Utd

This season the board fuly expect us to be relegated which is no surprise really. My aim is to avoid relegation and finish around 10-15th in the league. With a stadium expansion up to 26,500 seats swallowing up most of the £12 million TV money i was a bit limited in what transfers i could make. I have a few more prospects being watched but i don't really have the funds to buy anyone at the moment.

With those signings I’ll be looking to carry on building for the future as some of the players will be retiring soon, Gazza being the obvious one but Leonhardsen won't be far behind him. I think I’ll be sensible and aim for 17th spot or better , around 40 points should be enough.

[Bagpuss]

August 2004

Middlesborough away was to be our first Premiership match and we lost in unsurprisingly after being outplayed throughout the match. Still the players will need a bit of time to settle to the pace of the game in the Premiership.

Arsenal at home was to be our first Premiership match at the expanded Brunton Park. In a very tight match that was pretty even we managed to win 1-0 thanks to a 16th minute penalty scored by Summerbell, naturally the attendance of 19,322 was a new record but one i expect to improve on by the end of the season.

Wolves away was the last match this month and we lost it 3-1 after Alejandro got sent off in the first half for tripping Kenny Miller in the box. Tipton scored our goal as Wolves took advantage of their numerical superiorty. We finished the month 14th spot after a decent start to the season.

[Bagpuss]

September 2004

Charlton away was first up this month and we were taught a lesson in finishing as we once more finished with 10 men. We lost the match 5-2 and were outplayed with ease. Summerbell and Stevens scored our goals as we slumped nearer the bottom of the table.

Everton away was next and we were still struggling to keep up with these better clubs so our defence was still figuring out hw to play at this level. We only lost this match 2-1 with the strikers showing signs of improvement from the first few games with Stevens scoring the goal today.

Port Vale at home in the League Cup 2nd Round was next and we had a very simple 2-0 win today. With only one shot Port Vale stood no chance as first Foran and then Li Tie scored to wrap up an easy win.

Aston Villa at home was next and a very easy 2-0 win was the result as the Birmingham based club failed to have any shots all. Today's scorers were Leonhardsen and Stevens. The attendance of 20179 was a new record as we slowly worked up the table a bit. It was also the last match of the month as we found our selves 14th so far after 2 months in the top flight.

[Bagpuss]

October 2004

Blackburn at home was next and we drew 1-1 with the defence playing wel at last limiting them to very few shots. Our strikers had loads of shots yet only managed a single goal scored by Gavilan as they ran riot around the Blackburn defence.

Sunderland at home was next and we fought a good game earning another point after a 2-2 draw. Both goals were scored by Dean Stevens as he took his tally to 5 in 6 matches. The defence had a decent game too which hopefully is a sign that they can cope with the different style of football up here in the Premiership.

Bradford at home was next and we earned a 2-2 draw after a very open end to end game. The goals were both scored by Foran as he wa smaking the most of Tipton's absence through injury. It was a new record attendance of 20454 today too.

Chelsea away was next in our first real test up here in the Premiership as we had home advantage when we beat Arsenal earlier in the season. We fought well but a few defensive errors saw us lose 2-1 despite taking the lead through Gavilan's early strike.

Man Utd at home was the last game this month and we played very well losing 1-0. It was a very impressive performance and United's world class players are what won them the game, any other team would probably of drawn or even lost the match. We finished the month 17th down amongst the bottom teams and it is very close still down the bottom.

[Bagpuss]

November 2004

Newcastle away in the League Cup 3rd Round was next and we beat them 3-1 due to Newcastle resting their star players including their Defence of Taribo West, Titus Bramble and Fabricio Coloccini. Whitehead, Mendez and Tipton scored our goals as we struggled to beat this weak Newcastle team.

Bolton away was next and we were outplayed by them yet still managed to earn ourselves a 2-2 draw. Tipton and Chala scored our goals as we made the most of our few chances.

Millwall away in the League Cup 4th Round was next and we lost a long tough match 3-1 after extra time. Foran scored our goal early and Millwall scored a late equaliser sending us into extra time. Then the players got tired and made a few errors losing the match.

West Brom at home was next and we beat them 3-1 edging ourselves away from the bottom end of the table. Gavilan, Tipton and Middleton scored our goals as we palyed very well for a change.

Newcastle away were next and this time Newcastle fielded a stronger team, allthough a few players were rested. We again managed to beat them and this time actually played well, Mendez and Gavilan scored the goals for us.

Crystal Palace at home was the last game this month and we outplayed the bottom team winning 2-1. The goals came from Tipton and Foran as we moved up to 11th in the table.

[Bagpuss]

December 2004

Tottenham away was first up this month as we looked to bolster our mid table position. Unfortunatly numerous yellow cards and a ****e defensive performance saw us lose 2-0 to Spurs.

Birmingham at home was next and we lost to the bottom club 2-1. It was a disappointing scoreline as we were the better team in the match which makes a mockery of Birmingham's dominance in Division One last season. Diego Gavilan scored our goal proving that he was a very good signing even if it did take a few years to sort out. It was a new attendance record today too of 21771.

Liverpool away was next and we were looking for a decent result. The 1-0 loss was a fair scoreline in a very dull game as neither team looked like scoring. The Liverpool goal was a bit of a fluke too as Simon Davies cross somehow ended up in the net.

Sunderland away was next and we were after another good result to revitalise our challenge to stay up this season. It was a good result as we beat them 1-0 thanks to a Leonhardsen goal early on in the first half followed by a good defensive shutdown afterwards, yes not attractive football but it was 3 points to us.

Middlesborough at home was next and we played a lot better than last time we played them drawing 2-2. Gazza even made an appearance today as he made the first goal scored by Leonhardsen before Summerbell scored the second.

Leeds at home was next and we managed to hang on long enough to scrape a 2-2 draw with them. Goals from Summerbell and Foran helped us too the point which also helped us keep up our decent mid season run. We finished the month in 14th spot but it still remains very tight at the bottom half of the table.

[Bagpuss]

January 2005

Brian Wake was released

Ryan Baldacchino was released

Brendan McGill was released

Wolves at home was next and we lost it 1-0 despite playing better. It was a lucky goal and we never really made enough chances or took them well enough to csore from them either.

Plymouth in the FA Cup 3rd Round was next and we won it very easily 2-0 thanks to a pair of goals from Foran. Naturally we did not play exceptionally well as we were up against crap oppostion but we still had enough class to win.

Blackburn away was next and we were well and truly beaten this time getting drubbed 4-1. Some of my key players were still not fully fit from small injuries but that isn't much of an excuse, still Foran scored another goal making it 9 so far this year.

Charlton were next at home and we were hoping for a better result than last time. This we achieved easily by drawing 1-1, a loss by a goal would have been far better than last time after all. Gazza scored the goal in yet another one off appearance. It was also the last league match of the month and we finsihed 18th but there are only 3 points between us and 12th spot.

Middlesborough at home in the FA Cup 4th Round was next and we lost it 2-1 thanks to Alejandro being sent off for the 6th time in his Carlisle career. Summerbell scored our goal early on in the match before we were reduced to 10 men.

[Bagpuss]

February 2005

Arsenal away was next and they got their revenge for our win earlier in the season by beating us 4-2. Mendez and Middleton scored our goals as we played quite well against them. I have lined up a few signings for the summer starting with Francis Jeffers on a bosman and Jonathon Ashton from Leicester for £650k compensation. Hopefully Heskey will sign for me too which will bost my strikers considerably.

Aston Villa away was next as we were looknig for a win to get out of the drop zone. A good performance from the team and a late Gazza equaliser saw us draw 1-1 and also climb out of the relegation zone for now.

Ian Nolan joins Southend for £160k as i get rid of another unneeded player.

Everton at home was next and the 3-3 draw was just what we needed. Yes we let in 3 goals but we also scored 3 and were missing a few key defenders through injury. Gavilan, Tipton and Leonhardsen scored our goals as we still had a good chance of staying up.

Matthew Glennon joins Plymouth for £575k as he is not needed as back up to Alejandro especially with the summer signing of Robert Douglas from Bolton.

Neil Mellor signs from Liverpool for £300k adding a bit of depth to the strikers.

Bradford away was the last match of the month and we had an easy game winning 3-2. Goals from Middleton, Chala and Tipton saw us cruise to victory. We finished the month in 16th spot 3 points abve the relegation zone.

[Bagpuss]

March 2005

Chelsea at home was the first match this month and we managed to overcome their many attacks and even fluked a 2-1 win helping our chances of staying up a lot. Both goals were scored by Chala as we eased up the table a few more places.

Man Utd away was next and we were not expecting anything at all here. A 1-0 loss was the result but we withheld what few chances United had yet could not penetrate their defence ourselves. That was the last game of the month and we finished in 14th spot 4 points above the relegation zone with 8 games left.

[Bagpuss]

April 2005

Bolton at home was first of this month and we beat them 2-0 thanks to goals from Gavilan and Chala. It was an easy win as Bolton simply fell apart and the win also meant we went 7 points above the drop zone with 7 games left. Amazingly Matthew Tipton was selected for the team of the year.

West Brom away was next and we totally dominated them winning 2-0 thanks to a pair of Foran goals. This win moved us 10 points away from the drop zone making it more or less certain we'd be still here next year.

Newcastle at home was next and a 3-1 loss was not a fair result after us having dominated the game. This time Newcastle fielded a full team including their all star defence which can be theonly reason why we failed to win the game.

Crystal Palace away was next and the bottom club were more or less certain of relegation after losing 3-2 to us. This win also pretty much guarntees us our plce here next year as goals from Summerbell, Gavilan and Foran sawus win.

Tottenham at home was next and this match was disappointing as we out classed them easily yet lost 2-1. A late Tipton strike at least made the result look fairer but we should never of lost.

Birmingham away was the alst match of the month and it saw us beat them 2-1 in a very even tense game as Birmingham tried to win and save themselves from relegation. Thankfully goals from Tipton and Foran secured yet another win for us as we finished the month in 12th spot.