Back to the Top With Carlisle United

[Bagpuss]

May 2005

Liverpool at home was next and we got a 2-2 draw for our efforts. Chala and Gavilan scored our goals and Heskey's crap performance saw him dropped of my summer transfer list for now.

Leeds away was the last match of the season and we won it 2-0 quite easily. Goals from O'Shea and Summerbell rounded off a good season of football for us. Our 12th place finish earned us £2.3 million which will go on new players most likely as we try and do better next season.

[Bagpuss]

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

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

English Premier Division - Wednesday 25th May 2005

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

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

2004/5 Table

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

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

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

1st C Man Utd 38 17 1 1 34 8 10 4 5 25 14 86

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

2nd Liverpool 38 16 2 1 37 6 7 4 8 21 25 75

3rd Arsenal 38 13 5 1 35 16 9 3 7 34 27 74

4th Newcastle 38 14 3 2 45 15 8 4 7 27 27 73

5th Chelsea 38 16 2 1 33 8 3 6 10 16 31 65

6th Leeds 38 12 3 4 36 18 6 4 9 21 27 61

7th Blackburn 38 9 7 3 35 21 6 7 6 25 29 59

8th Charlton 38 11 4 4 38 20 4 7 8 26 33 56

9th Bolton 38 8 7 4 30 22 6 5 8 16 25 54

10th Sunderland 38 8 4 7 25 23 6 6 7 29 34 52

11th Wolves 38 7 4 8 25 26 6 8 5 20 18 51

12th Carlisle 38 6 8 5 30 27 7 2 10 26 35 49

13th Tottenham 38 8 5 6 25 19 3 3 13 15 35 41

14th Everton 38 6 6 7 21 22 4 4 11 17 34 40

15th W.B.A. 38 9 3 7 26 22 2 3 14 20 37 39

16th Middlesbrough 38 4 4 11 24 41 6 5 8 24 27 39

17th Aston Villa 38 7 5 7 31 30 3 2 14 17 39 37

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18th R Bradford 38 7 6 6 28 27 2 3 14 15 41 36

19th R Birmingham 38 7 3 9 31 28 2 5 12 17 37 35

20th R Crystal Palace 38 5 3 11 22 28 5 0 14 16 36 33

</pre>

[Bagpuss]

Summer Transfers plus Season Expectations

Jonathon Ashton from Leicester for £650k

Francis Jeffers from Arsenal on a free transfer

Robert Douglas from Bolton on a free transfer

John Hartson from Celtic on a free transfer

Dianbobo Balde joins from Celtic on a free transfer

Phillipe Christanval from Barcelona on a free transfer

The board once more expect us to get relegated which is fair enough as Carlisle are hardly a team you expect to find in the Premiership. I am looking for a nice season with us finishing roughly were we finished last season.

The players I bought will hopefully propel us up the table and as they were mostly all free transfers I should save a bit of money this season.

[Bagpuss]

August 2005

Man Utd at home was the first match and we lost it 2-0. Mostly this is down to a few changes to the squad, and also Man Utd's better class. Once the defence settles and the strikers learn how to read each other I anticipate a good season.

Arsenal at home was next and we lost a fairly even match 3-0. Lord knows why must be cos the defence are still settling in, not that Balde and Christanval have had a game yet. Still Hartson and Jeffers look like a good strike partnership upfront. We finished the month in 20th spot but we started last season badly too.

[Bagpuss]

September 2005

Sergei Baltacha joins Barnsley for £1.7 million as he is not capable of playing at this level.

Wolves away was first up this month and we managed to get our first point of the season after a 2-2 draw. Stevens and Jeffers scored our goals as we took advantage of a few defensive errors from the Wolves defence.

Chelsea at home was next and we excelled ourselves as we easily held onto a 1-0 win. The goal came from Summerbell as we once more beat Chelsea. Performances like this will get us higher up the table this season.

Bury away in the League Cup 2nd Round was next and we easily beat them 3-1 with a second string team. Goals from Mendez, Leonhardsen, and Middleton saw us progress into the next round.

Aston Villa away was next and we managed to get stuffed 4-1. Hartson scored our goal as despite having a lot of shots we failed to score more. Mark Bosnich, in goal for Villa, played a blinder stopping us from scoring more. We finished the month in 16th spot.

[Bagpuss]

September 2005

Sergei Baltacha joins Barnsley for £1.7 million as he is not capable of playing at this level.

Wolves away was first up this month and we managed to get our first point of the season after a 2-2 draw. Stevens and Jeffers scored our goals as we took advantage of a few defensive errors from the Wolves defence.

Chelsea at home was next and we excelled ourselves as we easily held onto a 1-0 win. The goal came from Summerbell as we once more beat Chelsea. Performances like this will get us higher up the table this season.

Bury away in the League Cup 2nd Round was next and we easily beat them 3-1 with a second string team. Goals from Mendez, Leonhardsen, and Middleton saw us progress into the next round.

Aston Villa away was next and we managed to get stuffed 4-1. Hartson scored our goal as despite having a lot of shots we failed to score more. Mark Bosnich, in goal for Villa, played a blinder stopping us from scoring more. We finished the month in 16th spot.

[cosford]

oy bagpuss, you don't reckon anyone is actually reading this do you?

[Bagpuss]

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

oy bagpuss, you don't reckon anyone is actually reading this do you? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well someone is reading it other than me

[Bagpuss]

October 2005

Bolton at home was the first match this month and we played a dull boring goalless draw. Neither side had many chances, and what chances that fell were half hearted efforts.

Salvatore Fresi is signed on a free transfer.

Everton away was next and we managed to lose 1-0 after being totally shut out of the game mainly down to superb passing play from the Everton players. Hopefully our performances will improve otherwise we'll be going down.

Oyvind Leonhardsen joins Notts County for £160k with a further £1.2 million due after 40 league matches, he was sold as he was getting on a bit and was on a high wage. Gillingham sign Brian McGovern for £475k as i start off loading some of the non achieving youth team players.

Middlesborough away was next as we battled against a club doing worse than we were. A thrilling end to end match saw us share the points after a 1-1 draw. Jeffers scored our goal as Douglas made a late penalty save to keep us level.

Sheffield Wednesday was next in yet another away match, the third in a row now. We won the match thanks to a Gary Middleton goal, and the larger squad size is helping as i can rotate a few players in and out letting them rest a bit between matches.

Sunderland at home was next and we beat our Northern Rivals 3-1. It was a closer match than the scoreline indicates and thanks to two goals from Summerbell and a third from Gavilan we got all 3 points and moved away from the danger zone at long last.

Crystal Palace in the League Cup 3rd Round was next and we beat them on penalties after a 1-1 away draw. Tipton scored the goal during normal play and we won the shootout 4-3, thanks to saves from Alejandro.

Leeds away was the last game this month and we lost it 2-1 in a very bizarre game. Leeds had the greater possession yet only had 2 shots to our 15, and they scored from both of them. Hartson scored our goal as Leeds Keeper Sullivan did well in goal. We finished the month in 15th spot, above Arsenal i might add!!

[Bagpuss]

November 2005

Liverpool at home was first this month and we lost it unluckily 2-1. It had been a close match that we looked like winning until 2 very late goals from Liverpool dashed our hopes of 3 points after Hartson's early strike.

Newcastle at home was next and we drew it 2-2 with a pair of defensive errors costing us victory. We had actually had a decent game and goals from Hartson and Chala should have been enough for the 3 points.

Tottenham away was next and this time we were well and truly beaten 3-0 by far the superior team. Tottenham were lucky to score 3 goals but still deserved to win the match.

Man Utd away in the League Cup 4th Round was the last match this month and we lost 5-1 after we were totally outclassed by a far better team. Diego Gavilan scored our consolation goal in a very bad performance.We finished the month in 16th position.

[Bagpuss]

December 2005

First up this month was a match against Wigan at home. We easily defeated a team tipped to go straight back down 3-1 thanks to goals from Middleton, Chala, and Stevens in an entertaining match.

West Brom away was next and we maintained our good form winning 2-1. The goals came from Hartson and Andrews in a rare appearance for him. It was another entertaining match that either team could of won.

Darius Vassell is signed from Aston Villa for £800k, he was going to be a summer bosman signing but other bids forced my hand.

Charlton were next and we managed to win once more, this time 2-0 away. Goals from Hartson and Stevens saw us reach our highest ever position in the league of 10th beating our previous best of 11th.

West Ham were next and we were narrowly won it 3-2 at home. The goals came from Stevens, Hartson, and Middleton as we maintained our good form and also set a new record attendance of 22843.

Marc Nixon joins Bury for £180k with a further £65k to follow after 20 matches.

Everton at home was next and we were beaten 2-1 at home. It was a close tight match and Everton didn't deserve to win, a draw would have been the fair result, Gary Middleton got our goal.

Man Utd away was next and amazingly we won 4-1 away from home. It was a game with few chances yet we still got four past them, the goals came from Vassell, Summerbell and two from Hartson.

Blackburn away was the last match of the month and we drew it 2-2. Summerbell and Hartson got the goals in a game that either of us could of snuck at the last minute. We finished the month in 10th spot with Arsenal down in 17th spot!!

[cosford]

i had my eyes shut

[Bagpuss]

January 2006

Arsenal away was first up this month and we lost 3-0 as Arsenal's superior team actualy had a decent game for a change. We never really got a look in at any point during the match and i have no idea why Arsenal are doing so badly.

Darlington at home was next in the FA Cup 3rd Round and we easily overcame them 3-0 thanks to a Hartson hattrick. Hopefully a few other smaller teams will come our way in the draw and we'll have a real chance of a decent cup run and get further than our 5th round place 2 years ago.

Bolton was next in our 4th consecutive away match in the league. We lost this match 4-1 after a bad day for Robert Douglas in goal. Chala scored our consolation goal in a match we should of done better in.

Wolves at home was next and we won it 3-1 after a very good overall team performance. Two goals from Summerbell and the third from Hartson saw us keep up with the big mass of clubs on roughly the same points in mid table.

Robert Huth joins from Chelsea for £170k as i start looking to improve the defence for the next season. A further 2 players will be joining in the summer straight into the defence. I even made a bid for Christian Chivu but he picked Bayern over us.

Liverpool away in the FA Cup 4th round was next and we beat them 2-1. It was a tight game that Liverpool had most of the possession in yet we won thanks to goals from Stevens and Hartson, who has been an exceptional signing. We finished the month in 13th spot with a good chance of a strong finish putting us into the top 10.

[Bagpuss]

February 2006

Sheffield Wednesday at home was first up this month and we drew it 1-1. Chala scored the goal as we literally ran riot around the Sheffield Wednesday defence yet only scored one goal down to Wednesday keeper Paul Robinson playing exceptionally well.

Aston Villa at home was next and we beat them 2-0 easily to keep us up with the other teams aiming for a European spot next year. The goals were scored by Jeffers and Hartson, who is having a great season so far.

Sunderland away was next and we lost it 3-1 as Sunderland start fighting to avoid relegation. We were out played by our Northern rivals and only had Francis Jeffers goal to show for our efforts today.

West Brom in the FA Cup 5th round was next and we won it 2-1 at home after a fine display and a great defensive performance which is unusual. Middleton and an own goal were how the goals were scored today.

Middlesborough at home was the last match this month and we beat them 2-0 after another good performance from the defence. The goals came from Stevens and Mendez as we finished the month in 10th spot.

[Bagpuss]

March 2006

Chelsea away was the first match this month and we were well and trully stuffed as we lost 5-0. Chelsea were just way to good for us today and having Douglas sent off for bring a player down early on didn't help matters much.

Blackpool away in the FA Cup quarter Final was next and we came up against a side looking for a win so we just about managed to scrap a 0-0 draw and a replay at home in 10 days. Still at least we wil know who we are playing in the Semi by the time of the replay.

Leeds at home was next and we lost it 2-1 after a good fighting performance having lost a player via a red card more or less straightaway from the kick off. Chala scored our goal as we still remained in a good position due to the closeness of the other teams in the league.

Blackpool at home in the FA Cup quarter Final replay was next and this time we knowing we were away to Southampton if we won galvanised the players just enough to get a 1-0 win. Admittedly we had by far the greter possession but never looked like scoring apart from a single Jeffers goal.

We finished the month in 13th spot but were still only 2 points behind 8th placed Arsenal. There are 8 Euro spots available this season and we have a good chance of getting one of them.

[Bagpuss]

April 2006

Southampton in the FA Cup Semi Final was the first match this month and it was played at Hillsborough Stadium. We easily dominated the match and won it 3-0 with goals from Jeffers and two from Vassell as we booked ourselves a place in the Final to play Arsenal.

Liverpool away was next in one of our catch up games and we lost a hard fought match 3-1 as the Semi Final match took its toll on the players. Summerbell scored our only goal confirming his influence and importance to the club.

Newcastle away was next and we got a 0-0 draw, which i thought was well earnt as Newcastle were the hardest oppostion we have left to face this season, apart from Arsenal in the Cup Final.

Charlton at home was next and despite dominating the match we lsot it 2-0 denting our hopes of a decent top half finish this season. It is still very tight in the middle of the table so a good finishing run can still get us up the table.

Wigan away was next and we lost yet another match to a team so **** they had already been relegated. Hartson scored his 19th of the season but we still lost 2-1 and were getting very close to the relegation zone.

West Brom at home was the last match this month and it was a must win game if we wanted a good finsih this year. Win it we did in a tough match with both of us looking for a much needed victory to cement our places in the league. Hartson scored the only goal of the match as we won 1-0 and finished the month in 13th place one behind Arsenal.

[Bagpuss]

May 2006

First up this month were Tottenham at home in another must win match. In a stunning display of ruthlessness we easily thrashed them 4-0 and moved upto 10th spot. The goals came from Chala, Foran and a brace from Mendez.

West Ham away was next and a steady performance without to much overexertion saw us comfortably draw 1-1. Our goal was scored by Jeffers as the team were looking to next weeks Cup Final.

Cup Final day saw us take on Arsenal at Wembley in front of 90,000 fans. Lots of chances fell to either team in a very intense match. Arsenal were playing Henry and Inzahgi up front whilst i had Hartson and against his former club Jeffers. Amazingly we won the match, and won it in style 5-0. The Goals were scored by Hartson who scored two, Summerbell, Stevens, and astonishingly Gazza who got put on for the last 20 minutes in only his 4th match of the season.

Blackburn at home was the final match of this amazing season and we drew it 2-2 as the players were still celebrating the Cup Final win. The goals came from Jeffers and Vassell as we finsihed the season in 13th spot.

[Bagpuss]

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

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

English Premier Division - Wednesday 24th May 2006

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

2005/6 Table

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

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

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

1st C Newcastle 38 16 2 1 36 8 9 5 5 25 22 82

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

2nd Man Utd 38 14 4 1 37 15 10 4 5 25 18 80

3rd Chelsea 38 15 3 1 36 9 9 3 7 26 21 78

4th Liverpool 38 13 6 0 31 6 9 5 5 30 20 77

5th Leeds 38 15 1 3 32 13 6 4 9 27 30 68

6th West Ham 38 13 3 3 39 24 3 6 10 18 27 57

7th Wolves 38 10 4 5 29 20 7 2 10 21 27 57

8th Everton 38 10 3 6 28 23 6 3 10 24 32 54

9th Arsenal 38 8 6 5 31 19 6 3 10 24 30 51

10th W.B.A. 38 10 5 4 33 16 4 4 11 14 28 51

11th Aston Villa 38 10 4 5 36 23 4 2 13 19 31 48

12th Charlton 38 11 3 5 34 23 3 3 13 19 31 48

13th Carlisle 38 9 4 6 30 23 4 5 10 21 38 48

14th Tottenham 38 10 1 8 33 26 3 5 11 14 36 45

15th Bolton 38 7 4 8 26 22 5 4 10 17 28 44

16th Sunderland 38 10 3 6 28 18 2 4 13 10 37 43

17th Blackburn 38 7 4 8 22 27 3 6 10 23 38 40

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18th R Middlesbrough 38 4 6 9 26 36 4 7 8 19 31 37

19th R Sheff Wed 38 6 6 7 21 29 1 2 16 14 48 29

20th R Wigan 38 4 6 9 24 29 2 1 16 19 39 25

</pre>

[Bagpuss]

Summer Transfers plus Season Expectations

Jonathan Brain is released.

Gazza is released after reaching the grand age of 39 and being bloody useless now.

Kiegan Parker joins on a bosman from Roma.

Danny Webber joins on a bosman from Man Utd.

Kevin McNaughton joins from Portsmouth for £1.1 million.

Kevin Nolan from Tottenham for £3.6 million.

Michael Stewart from Charlton for £1 million.

Daniel Van Buyten joind from Marseille on a bosman

Gareth Southgate joins on a free transfer.

Efthimis Padelidis joins from Aris for £650k.

Salvatore Fresi retires having played a whole 3 games all season worse than Gazza.

Kevin Kyle joins Bury for £1.6 million.

My aims for the season our to do better than last year and also to try and get back into Europe for next Season. My aims in the UEFA Cup are to make it past Xmas if i can. I spent a bit more than i intended over the summer but the £6.5 million spent went on what i think are good players who will help the team immensly.

By only concern is with Gareth Southgate in that i am not sure he'll be at his best any more as he is getting on a bit now. Apart from Parker and Webber all the players brought in our defensive players, which is the key area i was looking to improve n over the summer.

[Bagpuss]

August 2006

First up for us was our first ever appearance in the Charity Shield against Newcastle. We won this match collecting our second Cup win after a simple 1-0 win down to a Webber goal. We easily had far more shots than Newcastle but only scored one, probably due to the large squad changes over the summer.

Leeds at home was the first match this season and the newly improved defence coped very well as we easily won 4-2. Two goals from Jeffers, and goals from Nolan and Hartson helped us to an early win.

Man Utd away was next up and we lost this match 3-1 after a few defensive errors put down to new people not yet having a proper understanding with one another yet. The goal was scored by Dean Stevens who despite being in his 3rd Premiership season at Carlisle is still only 20 years old.

Blackburn at home was next and in a very even match it ended 2-2. Nolan and Jeffers scored the goals today as we looked to have a good start to the season. We finished the month in 8th spot and are loking to stay around that postion all season.

[Bagpuss]

September 2006

Aston Villa at home was next and we lost a match that we had dominated and controlled perfectly 1-0 after a single error in defence. Naturally this error was in the last minute of the match.

Staeua Bucharest were the next opponents in our first ever European match. We had a very good first European outing winning 3-2 away from home. The goals were scored by Summerbell and two from Stevens as we had the better of the match.

Tottenham were next and we drew a very close away match 2-2. The goals came from Tipton and Jeffers as we slowly began to gel togeather after all the summer additions, particulary the defence with its many new members.

Liverpool at home was next and we managed to lose another match we shouldn't of after having a pretty even game. This time the whole team underperformed as we crashed to a 2-0 loss.

Staeua Bucharest at home was next in the UEFA Cup 1st Round second leg. A lazy performance saw us draw 1-1 and go through 4-3 on aggregate thanks to a Dean Stevens goal in the last few minutes.

Wolves were the last game this month and we won the away tie 1-0 after a bit of a struggle during the match. Tipton scored the goal as we finished the month in 11th place after a bad run this month.

[Bagpuss]

October 2006

Chelsea away was first up this month and we drew against them 1-1. The game was a tight one and John Hartson's goal in the last minute was reward for a ahrd slog by the team against a quality team.

Charlton at home was next and we beat them 3-1 with ease as Hartson scored a hattrick against them. We managed to generate more shots than Charlton even tohugh the possession was pretty equal.

BATE in the UEFA Cup 2nd Round were next and we beat the team from Belorussia 3-0 in eastern Europe. It wasn't a totally convincing display by the players but we are more or less guarnteed a spot in the 3rd round after goals from Jeffers, Hartson and Stevens pointed us in the right direction.

Newcastle away was next and our players haven't managed to put in decent performances after European matches yet so we were easily beaten 2-0 by Newcastle. Still there are definate signs of improvement amongst the squad now.

Tranmere in the League Cup 3rd Round was next and we managed to hang on long enough for a 2-1 as Tranmere had played the better football. Our goals came from Summerbell who scored both goals in the first half.

Leicester away was the last match this month and we managed to hold on for a 1-1 draw after Summerbell got sent of early in the first half. Jeffers scored our goal after only 5 minutes but Leicester's numerical advantage paid off for their equaliser. We finished the month in 11th spot after a few decent results for a change.

[Bagpuss]

November 2006

BATE in the UEFA Cup 2nd round return leg was next and we managed a very lacklustre performance to finish up with a 0-0 draw at home. Thankfully we had won the away leg 3-0 to win it 3-0 on aggregate.

West Ham were up next and we lost the home match 1-0 after a moment of briliance from Jermain Defoe. It had been a even match with neither side being able to score despite lots of shots from each team.

Bristol City away was next and the last time we plaed them was 4 years ago in the first division when we had a pair of draws. It seems we have improved the most as we beat them 2-0 with the goals coming from Jeffers and Chala.

Bolton at home was next and we were beaten 2-1 in a match we should of won really. Hartson scored our goal as we outshot Bolton 3 to 1 yet only had a single goal to show for it.

Vitesse away in the UEFA Cup 3rd Round was next and we managed to overcome Vitesse's dominance and possession to win 2-0. Goals from Hartson and Chala set us up for a relativly easy return home leg.

Arsenal away in the league was next and we were outplayed and out classed as we lost 4-2. Jeffers scored both of the goals against his former club which was about the only good thing from this match.

Man Utd in the League Cup 4th round was next and we actually beat them 2-1 despite being the worse team in the game. Whitehead and Chala scored our goals as we progressed the furthest ever in the League Cup. We finihsed the month in 13th in the league after a pretty poor month.

[Bagpuss]

December 2006

Everton at home was the first match this month and we earned a 2-2 draw after a challenging game that we edged. Our goals came from Middleton and Hartson, his 12th of the season so far. Hartson is after a new contract but due to his age and wage demands i'll be offering him nothing for now.

Vitesse at home in the UEFA Cup 3rd round was next and we had a very entertaining high scoring match as we did just enough to get a 3-3 hme draw winning 5-3 on aggregate. Our goals came from Hartson and two from Chala.

Sunderland away was next and we beat them 3-2 with ease. The goals came from Whitehead, Jeffers, and Hartson as we prepared to repeat this match on Wednesday in the League Cup.

As mentioned Sunderland away was next in the League Cup 3rd Round and this time Sunderland did enough to win the match 2-1. To be honest i was not that bothered as we were into the UEFA Cup later stages after Xmas and had the Fa Cup to come, too many matches would have been hard on the players.

Leeds away was next and we lost the game 2-1 as Leeds avenged their earlier defeat by us. Middleton scored our goal as we were unlucky to end up the loser in a close match with few chances.

Li Tie joins Orlando Pirates for £1.7 million as i let him go due to his inability to challenge for a first team spot.

West Brom away was next and we drew it 1-1 after a close and entertaining match. Kevin Nolan scored our goal and he is proving to have been a very good signing, Gareth Southgate on the other hand is now behind some of the other players in the pecking order for a defensive spot these days.

Crystal Palace at home was next and we managed to beat them 2-1 thanks to goals from Nolan and Whitehead. We controlled the match perfectly with the defence linking up very well with the midfield.

Ma Utd at home was next and we lost a very close match narrowly 2-1 against a far better team. We finished the month in 13th spot still but had gained ground on the teams above us who were again closely bunched up.

[Bagpuss]

January 2007

Blackburn away was the first match this month and we lost 3-0 after a diabolical display not helped by Douglas being sent off early on. 4 different strikers were used and still we failed to score a goal despite having as many shots as Blackburn.

Huddersfield away in the FA Cup 3rd round was next and we easily beat them 4-1. Goals from Summerbell, Middleton, Webber, and Hartson started us off on the campaign to retain our trophy.

Chelsea at home was the next match and we drwe a dull televised match 1-1. Neither team looked like winning the game and the draw was a fair result with Klever Manuel Chala scoring our goal.

Aston Villa away was next and we lost the match 2-1 after a very disappointing performance as far as i was concerned. Gary Middleton scored our goal as we failed to take hold of the game despite starting off well.

Bradford in the FA Cup 4th round was next and we managed to win a close hard fought game 1-0 at home. Bradford came out looking for the win but a Francis Jeffers goal on 77 minutes was enough to win us the game. We finished the month in 16th spot just above the relegation zone which was disappointing.

[Bagpuss]

February 2007

Tottenham at home was the first match this month and we lost it 2-0 after yet another ****e performance. Nobody in the entire team played well today and the excuse of swapping a few players around is not a good one unless your called Ranieri.

Liverpool were next and we managed to play utter ****e once more this time losing 3-0 away. The defence seems to be falling apart a bit like Man Utd without Rio, and as for the strikers and midfield the less said the better but a pair of 4's and a few 5's sums up there performance.

Newcastle at home was next and i was looking for an improved performance at the very least. Well the performance was better but still not adequate as we lost 3-1 with only a Kevin Nolan goal to show for our efforts today.

Hull away in the FA Cup 5th round was next and we actually won a match for a change with a simple 2-0 win. Middleton and Tipton both scored as we progressed into the Quarter Finals once more.

Charlton away was the last match this month and i was looking for a decent result. Well the performance was better than recent showings but we still lost the match 3-2. Goals from Van Buyten and Middleton almost got us a point. We finished the month in 16th spot one point from the drop zone.

[Bagpuss]

March 2007

Grasshopper away in the UEFA Cup 4th round was the first match this month and we had a very dull unentertaining match and also lost 2-1. Chala scored our goal meaning we'll actually need to win a home European match for the first time to progress.

Wolves at home was next and we lost yet another match, this time 2-1. Paul Boertein scored our only goal as the Wolves defence shut our strikers out of the game completely.

John Slaven was released on a free transfer as i start culling the team starting with unneeded reserve players.

The home tie against Grasshopper was next and we only managed a 1-1 draw losing 3-2 on aggregate. We scored early on through Stephen Crainey but a late equaliser from Grasshopper saw us knocked out.

Tottenham away in the FA Cup Quarter Final was next and we actually managed an impressive performance winning 3-1. Perhaps the players like European football and want to be there again next year, but i do know that Tipton got two goals and Chala the third as we reached the Semi Final again.

Peter Murphy was ditched as i fired another underperforming reserve team player. Craig Robson was also released on the same grounds.

Leicester at home was next as i looked for the cup win to spur the team on for a late season charge. It obviously worked as we won 2-0 with a confident performance. Summerbell and Jeffers got the goals as we eased our relegation worries a little.

Bolton away was the last match of this month and we won this one too, the 4-1 victory was a big improvement on more recent form. The goals came from Hartson, Chala, and two from Jeffers, the form upturn still didn't stop my transfer lsiting several players and also ignoring Hartson's new contract pleas. We finished the month in 14th spot having edged a bit further away from the drop zone.

[Bagpuss]

April 2007

First up was the FA Cup Semi against Everton at Blackburn's Ewood Park. It was a very entertaining game but unfortunatly we lost 4-2 after extra time. We had fought hard and deserved to finsih the game on level terms really. Middleton and Chala scored our goals and now we can concentrate on getting a good league position.

Bristol City at home was the next match and we bounce back from our cup defeat with a 1-0 win against them. Oddly we only had 3 shots and Summerbell stuck one of those in the net, i suppose it is about time we had a few shots and won.

Everton away was next and this time we showed them how to play winning 2-0. Hartson and Southgate scored the goals today as we easily controlled the game, shame we didn't do it last week as we'd have a cup final against Man Utd if we had.

West Ham away was next and we won our 3rd match in a row beating them 3-1. Middleton, Jeffers, and Hartson scored the goals today as we easily overcame them. I also decided after the match to sell of Alejandro gambling on having Douglas and James Jowsey as the only keepers until i find a young good keeper to back them up.

Sunderland at home was the last match this month and we managed to hold out for a 2-2 draw despite going 2-0 up after only 8 minutes. Goals from Tipton and Nolan helped us on our way but two late goals from Sunderland earned them a point. We finsihed the month in 13th spot safe from relegation and with a slight hance of climbing a little higher.

[Bagpuss]

May 2007

First of this month was a match against Arsenal at home and once more we beat them, 2-0 this time. Goals from Middleton and Hartson helped us to an easy win and also meant Liverpool won the premiership.

Crystal Palace away was next and we won yet another match keeping up this good run of form. Matthew Tipton's goal on 16 minutes was enough to get us the 3 points and give us a good shot at finsihing in our highest ever position.

West Brom at home was the last game of the season and we lost it 3-2 after a good exciting match. Goals from Middleton and Chala almost got us a point but we ended up finishing in 13th spot again.

[Bagpuss]

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

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

English Premier Division - Wednesday 23rd May 2007

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

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

2006/7 Table

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

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

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

1st C Liverpool 38 17 2 0 40 13 10 5 4 22 12 88

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

2nd Arsenal 38 12 5 2 39 15 11 4 4 35 20 78

3rd Man Utd 38 11 5 3 30 14 10 5 4 31 21 73

4th Everton 38 14 4 1 32 11 6 6 7 20 29 70

5th Newcastle 38 11 6 2 28 14 7 8 4 26 19 68

6th Tottenham 38 12 4 3 39 15 8 3 8 30 25 67

7th Wolves 38 10 4 5 30 13 6 5 8 20 25 57

8th Chelsea 38 11 6 2 25 8 2 11 6 24 28 56

9th Sunderland 38 8 8 3 32 19 5 6 8 31 38 53

10th Blackburn 38 8 5 6 32 27 5 6 8 24 30 50

11th Charlton 38 10 5 4 39 30 3 5 11 23 41 49

12th West Ham 38 9 5 5 38 28 4 3 12 20 33 47

13th Carlisle 38 6 4 9 27 29 7 4 8 28 31 47

14th Leeds 38 8 3 8 22 24 3 4 12 20 35 40

15th Bristol C 38 6 6 7 21 22 4 4 11 16 35 40

16th W.B.A. 38 4 7 8 19 27 5 2 12 15 28 36

17th Bolton 38 3 6 10 22 33 5 5 9 18 29 35

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

18th R Crystal Palace 38 5 6 8 22 30 1 8 10 14 29 32

19th R Aston Villa 38 4 4 11 25 36 3 5 11 12 32 30

20th R Leicester 38 4 5 10 23 34 2 1 16 13 45 24

</pre>

[Bagpuss]

Summer Transfers and Season Expectations

Dianbobo Balde joins Chateauroux for £575k

Edison Vincente Mendez joins Orlando Pirates for £2.8 million

Darren Kelly joins Brighton for £900k

Jordi Hoogstrade joins from Groningen on a bosman

Rhys Evans from Chelsea for £1.4 million

John Hartson to G Birligi for £2.7 million

Alejandro to Toluca for £1.3 million

Des Bryne to Norwich for £1 million

Phillipe Christanval to Sheff Wednesday for £1 million

Neil Clement from West Brom for £4.6 million

Arthur Gomez joins from Man Utd on a bosman

Levan Kobiashvili on a free transfer

The stadium was expanded to 35,000 seats after the board invested several million towards the cost. I decided on a radical approach this season and offloaded quite a few players earning a fair bit of money in the process. I decided i had too many strikers so i let Hartson leave the club to give the others a chance.

I sort of redesigned the defence mostly by ditching a load but i did sign Neil Clement to bolster it especially as Southgate will be gone by the end of the season most likely. Still there are several players transfer listed and also a few more possible purchases on the cards as well.

[Bagpuss]

August 2007

West Ham at home was to be the first game this season and we beat them easily 2-0 controlling the game from the start. Jeffers and McNaughton got the goals as we set a new record attendance of 33593.

Darren Fletcher joins from Man Utd for £3.7 million and should be yet another cheap excellent signing.

Blackburn away was next and we managed to beat them 2-1 as we out sht them 3-1 in an otherwsie close game. Jeffers and Middleton scored the goals as we made a good start to the new season.

Bolton were next and we managed another 2-0 win after edging an otherwise close game. Tipton and Fletcher, his first ever goal for us or Man Utd, scored todays goals as we finished the month top of the table with the only 100% win record. We also set another new record attendance of 34041 today too.

[Bagpuss]

September 2007

West Brom away was first up this month and we to get a 2-2 draw in a very open game with lots of chances for both teams. Middleton and Gomez scored the goals today as we held out for the draw.

Bristol City at home was next and we won the game 3-1. It was a tight hard fought game with both teams being very physical. Summerbell, Tipton, and Middleton scored the goals today as our good start continued.

Huddersfield at home in the League Cup 2nd round was next and we managed to win it 3-0 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. It was a very exciting game with 43 shots between the two of us. McNaughton scored our goal during the match before we easily won the shootout as they failed to score, Rhys Evans saving two of their 3 shots.

Blackpool away was next and we won yet again, this time 1-0. It was a tight game without much action, your typical Sunday TV match really. Tipton scored our goal today as we remained undefeated this season so far.

Liverpool at home was the last match of this month and we completely outplayed a supposedly superiour Liverpool side. We won the match 3-1 thanks to goals from Nolan, Tipton, and Jeffers. We finished the month top of the table still 4 points clear from 2nd placed Liverpool. We also set a new record attendance of 34236.

[Bagpuss]

October 2007

Arsenal away was the first match this month and we beat them too. 3-1 again as we went an amazing 7 points clear after only 8 matches. Summerbell and two from Tipton were the goal scorers today.

Stoke away was next and we continued our winning form with a 1-0 victory. It was a dull game as we were by far the better team on the day and an excellent goal from Darren Fletcher sealed the match of in style.

Charlton at home was next and we managed to have enough dominance in the game to win it 3-2. The goals came from Gomez, Jeffers and Summerbell as we kept on winning.

Wigan away was the last match this month and we won it 1-0. Gary Middleton scored the goal as we rode our luck in a match we should really of lost. We finihsed the month top of the table by 7 points over both Liverpool and Arsenal with 31 out of 33 points to date.

[Bagpuss]

November 2007

Wigan away in the League Cup 3rd Round was next and we beat them for the second time in 3 days with a 3-2 extra time win this time. The goals were scored by Jeffers, Summerbell and a last minute strike by Tipton getting us the victory.

Tottenham at home was next and we beat them 1-0 thanks to a early Jeffers screamer. It was a dull match with few chances for either side but it was yet another 3 points for us and more importantly extended our winning streak to a club record 8 straight matches now.

Kieran Tracy joins Swansea for £325k

Man Utd away was next and we were looking to at least draw and maintain our unbeaten run. We played a very tough match against a team looking for a win to get back up the table to a spot they should be in, unfortunatly for them we played more than well enough to get a 0-0 draw out of the game.

Newcastle at home was next and we finally lost a match. It was a open game and either of us could of won it 4-0 really but the finally score was 4-3 to Newcastle. Nolan and two goals from Jeffers were our scorers as we set a new attendance figure of 34976, a virtually full stadium.

Wolves away in the League Cup 4th round was next and we easily defeated them 3-1 progressing further into this competition. Jeffers, Fletcher and Tipton scored the goals today as the team continued to perform very well.

Wolves away in the league was the last match of the month and we won this one two, this time 2-1. This was a tougher match than the last one and Wolves

played far better in this one pushing us all the way. Fletcher and Nolan scored the goals as we finished the month still top of the league by 6 points over Arsenal.

[Bagpuss]

December 2007

Sunderland at home was the first match this month and we won it 2-0 thanks to goals from Middleton and Jeffers. Arsenal made a bid for Summerbell but were politely told to go **** themselves, several players however will be shortly leaving to join new clubs.

Crystal Palace away in the League Cup quarter Final was next and we lost the match 2-0. Not really a bad thing as we can focus on the league more now and see if we can finish high enough for a Champions League position.

Leeds away was next and we were outplayed by Leeds as we slipped to a 3-2 defeat. Jeffers and Middleton got the goals for us as we struggled without Tipton and McNaughton who were both out injured.

Lee Andrews joins Notts County for £1.2 million whilst all the other deals fell through to lack of money.

Everton at home was next and we beat them 1-0 thanks to a goal from Darren Fletcher as we easily controlled this game. Southgate picked up an injury but this isn't to much of a problem as he wa sslowly being phased out and replaced by youngsters. It was a record attendance of 34978 today too.

Chelsea away was next and we were easily beaten 4-0. Hopefully this is just my normal Xmas slump in form and nothing major. Normally i go on a bad run around New Year and also a good run from April onwards don't know why just happens like that.

West Ham away was next and we lost again but this time only just losing 3-2. It was a agame we should of won really but Darren Fletcher's two goals were never going to be enough against a rampant West Ham strike force.

Blackburn at home was the last game this month and we beat them 3-1 with a fine display of football from the entire squad. Neil Clement, Nolan and Stevens scored the goals as we finished the month top by 2 points from Arsenal and with more points than we have ever had over a whole season in the Premiership before.

[Bagpuss]

January2008

Bolton way was the first match this month and we easily thrashed them 4-1. Clement, Summerbell, Nolan and Fletcher all scored today as we ran riot through their defence, not surprising when you consider that Bolton have scored only 13 points this season to date.

Chelsea at home in the FA Cup 3rd round was next and we got revenge for the 4-0 league defeat by beating them 3-1. Goals from Fletcher and two from Jeffers eased us past a fairly lacklustre Chelsea side.

Arsenal at home was next and we dominated them yet only managed a 1-1 draw. Tipton got our goal as Arsenal equalised with a very late on. It was a tough hard fought match with 11 yellow cards in the match with Arsenal getting 7 of them.

Burnley sign Diego Gavilan for £2.4 million which is good as he was unneeded and cost a fair bit on his wages.

West Brom at home was next and we easily beat the bottom placed team 2-0. Goals from Nolan and Middleton helped us on the way but injuries to Jeffers and Gomez dented our strike force somewhat. It was a record attendance of 34997 today 3 short of capacity.

Wigan away in the FA Cup 4th round was next and we had a tough game against our fellow premiership club. A pair of goals from Tipton saw us earn a 2-2 draw and a replay in 10 days time. We finished the month top of the table by 2 points over Arsenal.

[Bagpuss]

February 2008

Johnathon Ashton joins Reading for £450k as he was not as good as i had hoped and was hindering the devolpment of other players.

Blackpool at home was the first game this month and we won 2-0 in a very easy game that we did not have to play well in to win. Goals from Tipton and Jeffers eased us to another 3 points.

Wigan at home in the FA Cup 4th Round replay was next and this time we managed to hang on long enough for a 1-1 draw after Wigan attacked constantly. Tipton scored our goal before we went on to win 4-2 on penalties.

Liverpool away was next and we almost earned a 1-1 draw but a last minute penalty and a sending off for Rhys Evans saw us lose 2-1. Tipton scored our goal early on, shortly after Gerrard had opened the scoring.

Bristol City away was next and we lost a very dull game 1-0 after a single error late on cost us the match. The overall performance had not been great either but to be at this end of the table is still a very good acheivement.

Bradford away in the FA Cup 5th Round was next and we won it 3-1 despite having Evans sent off again. Two goals from Tipton and the third from Middleton saw us 3-0 up inside of 25 minutes before Evans was sent off and Bradford scored from the penalty.

Stoke at home was the last match this month and we beat them 2-1 despite having Nolan sent off and beng totally outplayed. Clement and Gomez scored the goals as we some how managed to finish the month in top spot still 2 points clear of Man Utd.

[Bagpuss]

March 2008

Tottenham away was first up this month and we lost 1-0 despite having the better of the match. We just couldn't get the ball in the net today and worse still Jeffers injured his groin muscle and will most likely miss the rest of the season.

West Brom away in the FA Cup quarter Final was next and we managed to do enough to beat them 2-1. Summerbell and Tipton scored the goals and we lost another key player through injury as club captain Gary Middleton injured his ankle ligaments and will be out for a month.

Man Utd at home was next and we had a very tricky hard fought match on our hands but thanks to Fletcher's excellent shot that Roy Carroll was lucky to parry and Gomez's quick reaction we won 1-0. I always find players play better against their former clubs and both Fletcher and Gomez are some of my Ex United crew along with O'Shea, Webber and Jowsey.

Charlton away was the last match this month and we lost a game we shouldn't of lost 1-0. A draw would have been a fair result, particulary as Charlton only had 2 shots throughout the entire match. We finished the month in 4th spot 3 points behind Liverpool but it is still very tight at the top.

[Bagpuss]

April 2008

Blackburn in the FA Cup Semi Final at Middlesborough's Riverside was next and we beat them with ease 2-1. Tipton and Stevens scored the goals but my gamble of risking Middleton before he was fully fit failed as he aggrevated his ankle injury and will be out for another month now.

Wigan at home was next and we easily beat them 2-0 as we totally dominated the match. Tipton and Stevens scored the goals as the temporily rejigged formation immediately worked with Stevens taking over Middleton's spot behind the strikers.

Newcastle away was next and we managed a very entertaining 4-4 draw despite being outplayed most of the game. Our goals came from Nolan, Tipton and two from Gomez.

Wolves at home was next and we lost this match 3-1 despite playing the better football. Gomez scored our goal as his run of form continued but a few errors from Evans saw us lose in the end.

Everton away was next and we were totally outplayed and out passed as we hardly ever had the ball. We lsot the match unsurprisingly 2-1 with only a Gomez goal to show for our few chances.

Leeds at home was the last match this month and we returned to winning ways in style easily beating them 4-2. Clement, Summerbell, Tipton and Gomez scored the goals as we finished the month in 4th spot with a pretty good chance of finishing here and getting a Champions League spot next year.

[Bagpuss]

May 2008

Sunderland away was first up this month and we quite easily beat them 2-1. Stevens and Gomez scored the goals as we maintained our 4th spot with one match left remaining 1 point above Newcastle and 2 points behind Arsenal.

Arsenal at Wembley in the FA Cup Final was next and we drew the match 3-3 but lost it 5-4 on penalties. It was a close open game and our goals came from Nolan, Fletcher, and Gomez.

Chelsea at home was the last match this season and we lost it 2-0 mostly down to the players having a bad game. Thankfully Newcastle also lost so we finished the season in 4th our best ever position and therefore qualify for the Champions League 3rd Round of Qualifying which is a huge acheivement, two good results and we are into the Champions League proper.

[Bagpuss]

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

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

English Premier Division - Monday 19th May 2008

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

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

2007/8 Table

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

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

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

1st C Man Utd 38 15 3 1 36 10 10 5 4 30 19 83

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

2nd Liverpool 38 15 2 2 37 10 11 2 6 26 20 82

3rd Arsenal 38 14 4 1 38 12 7 9 3 26 23 76

4th Carlisle 38 15 1 3 38 18 8 3 8 28 28 73

5th Newcastle 38 11 7 1 29 10 10 2 7 31 26 72

6th Chelsea 38 14 3 2 33 10 7 5 7 21 18 71

7th Leeds 38 11 6 2 32 15 6 3 10 24 33 60

8th Everton 38 14 3 2 30 12 3 6 10 17 28 60

9th Wolves 38 8 3 8 23 18 7 4 8 25 25 52

10th Stoke 38 9 2 8 27 20 5 3 11 17 27 47

11th Bristol C 38 9 5 5 21 13 3 5 11 13 28 46

12th Blackburn 38 7 3 9 24 29 5 5 9 15 25 44

13th Charlton 38 9 5 5 28 21 2 5 12 16 40 43

14th Tottenham 38 6 4 9 21 21 6 2 11 20 26 42

15th Wigan 38 4 9 6 24 26 6 2 11 23 29 41

16th Blackpool 38 7 6 6 24 24 3 5 11 14 34 41

17th W.B.A. 38 6 5 8 22 30 3 5 11 12 34 37

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

18th R Sunderland 38 7 4 8 30 21 2 3 14 8 33 34

19th R West Ham 38 7 2 10 26 27 1 6 12 7 25 32

20th R Bolton 38 2 5 12 18 37 3 2 14 11 40 22

</pre>

[Bagpuss]

Summer Transfers and Season Expectations

Stuart Whitehead joins Norwich for £700k

Gareth Southgate retired thank god Saves me £15k a week on wages

Stuart Bell joins Cardiff for £1.1 million

Roy Keane joins on a free transfer

Paul Boertein joins Port Vale for £675k

This season i am aiming to finish high enough to be in Europe next season and also to try and save some money so that i can afford a further stadium expansion so that the club can compete on a more even basis.

The signing of Roy Keane is more as a club talisman a bit like the Gazza signing as i dont really expect him to do much this season and he is a coach too allthough not that good a coach.

I am starting the season with £27 million to spend if i want but i'll try and leave it there for the future of the club especially as ihave only lost players over the summer who never really played much anyway.

[Bagpuss]

August 2008

Valencia in the Champions League Qualifying tie away was the first match this season and after a tough tight game we narrowly lost 2-1, but we had that all important away goal even if it was a Valencia Own Goal.

Chelsea at home was the first league match this year and we easily beat them 3-1 mainly because it looked like Chelsea were unprepared for the new season. Goals from Nolan and two from Middleton saw us start the season well.

Valencia at home was next and we had to win this match to get into the Champions League Proper. Win it we did and we won it in style too easily beating them 3-1. The goals came from Summerbell, Nolan and Fletcher and are reward apart from loads of money will be Inter Milan, Litex and Red Star in our group of which i am optimistic we will progress from into the second group stage.

Stephen Blake joins from Blackpool for £5 million plus a further £2.5 million after 10 caps and another £2.5 million after 30 games as i buy a goalkeeper who looks like he will be very good in the near future.

Leeds at home was next and we lost to them 2-1 after a close hard fought match with 28 fouls yet only 3 bookings. Jeffers got our goal shortly after Tipton had been injured with a groin injury putting him ut of action for a month. We finished the month in 10th place.

[Bagpuss]

September 2008

Peterborough sign James Jowsey for £1.1 million after i decided he was not needed any more.

Stoke away was next and we lost a close game 1-0 after a few bits of bad luck. First Clement was sent of when he never even touched anyone!! and then Rob Clare was struck by the ball in the penalty area and the ball went in the goal.

Inter in the Champions League was next and we managed to beat them 3-1 at home. It was a relativly easy match and a pair of goals from Fletcher plus a third from Jeffers saw us shock the Italian giants and the rest of Europe.

Crystal Palace at home was next and we drew 1-1 with them in a very one sided match. Lord knows hwy we only scored one goal but at least we did score through Jeffers late equaliser.

Red Star away was next in the Champions League and we won a thrilling end to end match 4-3. A hattrick from Tipton and an excellent solo effort from Jeffers saw us get all 3 points as we continued are good form in Europe.

Arsenal away was next and we were easily controlled and easily beaten 4-0 by a rampant Arsenal side. There were one or two disappointing performances from a few players but in general the whole team played very badly.

Litex at home in the Champions League was next and we very easily beat them 3-1 to pretty much guarntee our progression into the next group stage. The goals came from Middleton, Jeffers and Stevens.

West Brom at home was the last match this month and we beat them 3-2 reversing our recently poor league form. The goals came from Clement, Middleton and Tipton as we overcame West Brom to finish the month in 13th place.

[Bagpuss]

October 2008

Bristol City away was first up this month and some how we managed to lose a match we had dominated 2-1. Stipe Pletikosa in goal for City played a blinder ad was probably the reason only Roy Keane scored today.

Man Utd away was next and we lost a very good match 2-1 mostly down to Man Utd's superiour quality throughout the team. Francis Jeffers scord our goal and i thought a draw would have been a fairer result.

Litex away in the Champions League was next and we easily beat them once more, this time 3-0. Goals from Clement, Nolan and Jeffers saw us make Stage 2 with 4 wins out of 4 to date.

Bradford at home was next and we lost a game we totally dominated 3-0 down to an exceptionally bad display in goal from Stephen Blake who got a warning for his performance. We hgave now slipped into the relegation zone and the board are getting a litlle anxious to say the least.

Inter away was next in the Champions League and we edged the match just enough to earn a 1-0 win putting us top of our group with a match left to play and maintaining a 100% win record in the Champions League Group Stages to date. Matthew Tipton scored the only goal, a 35 yard screamer just before the end of the first half.

Wigan away was next and we actually put in a decent performance in the league earning us a 1-1 draw. Dean Stevens got our goal early on and we almost hung on for all 3 points but a late minute Heskey equaliser spoiled it.

Kolo Abib Toure joins from Arsenal for £2.3 million.

Wigan at home in the League Cup 3rd round was the last match this month and we atoned for our ****e league form easily beating them 5-2. The goals came from Clement, Stevens, Gomez, and two from Webber. We finished the month in 18th spot but hopefully will go on a good run of form lifting us back up the league table.

[Bagpuss]

November 2008

Paul Scholes joins from Man Utd for £525k as i look to improve the squad depth and experience.

Sheffield Wednesday at home was first up this month and we completely dominated them winning the match 2-1. Nolan and Scholes scored the goals as both Scholes and Toure started off the Carlisle careers with excellent performances.

Red Star at hme in the last match of the first Group Stage of the Champions League was next and we beat them 2-1 making it 6 wins out of 6 in the group. Summerbell and Webber got the goals as we learned we'd be up against Rangers, Real Madrid and Bayern in the next stage and i am not to optimistic of getting through from that group.

Everton away was next and we really needed a win, and not just to keep the board of my back. We drew the match 2-2 after a pretty even affair with Kevin Nolan scoring both of our goals.

Newcastle at home was next in another must win match to ease the pressure on me and the team. We lost the match 3-2 despite easily outplaying Newcastle, Gomez and Middleton scored our goals as Newcastle scored late on to win the game.

Peter Bernard Lucin joins from Cordoba for £2.2 million as i add further players to the squad in an effort to turn things around.

Real Madrid at home in the Champions League was next and we humilated them having by far the greater possession. It was a shame we only won 3-2 but we still beat them thanks to goals from Tipton and two from Fletcher.

Torkel Wahl-Olsen joins from Olympiakos for £1.3 million as i add a bit more depth to the defence.

Wolves away was next and we lost a even match 3-0 for no reason whatsoever. It was just another crap performance in the league and at this rate we'll end up winning the Champions League but still get relegated.

Hull at home in the League Cup 4th round was next and my second string team showed the first teamers how to play winning the match easily 3-0 thnaks to a Gomez 12 minute hat trick.

Tottenham at home was the last game this month and we really needed to get a good result from it. Thankfully a good performance saw us win 3-1 thanks to two goals from Jeffers and a Scott Parker own goal. We finished the month in 16th spot.

[Bagpuss]

December 2008

Rangers away in the Champions League was next and we had a hard fought match that we drew 0-0 in. This was enough to put us top of the group for now as Bayern lost to Real Madrid whom we had beaten.

Charlton away was next and we lost it 3-1 thanks to Blake having another bad day in goal. Fletcher scored our goal as more bids came in for him but i am not seling him and certainly not back to Man Utd of Liverpool.

Man Utd away in the League Cup quarter final was next and we unsurprisingly lost 2-1 as i once more played a second string team as i am hoping to concentrate are efforts on correcting our shoddy league performance, Tipton scored the goal for us.

Blackpool at home was next and we beat them after a good display and a lot of possession. Tipton scored the only goal of the match, his second in the league this year, as we won 1-0.

Glen Johnson joins from Liverpool for £6 million

Bristol City at home was next and we easily won 4-1 after we had dominated the game from start to finish. Scholes, Fletcher, Middleton and Tipton all scored as we slowly began to move up the table a bit.

Chelsea away was next and we drew 1-1 in a tight game were we had limited Chelsea to only 2 shots, but we only managed 4 our selves. Jeffers scored our goal late on as we avoided defeat.

Blackburn away was the last game this month and we beat them 1-0 thanks to a Jeffers goal eary on in the second half. We had limited Blackburn to only a few shots despite being outplayed by them which was a good sign. We finished the month in 12th spot which is a god improvement.

[Bagpuss]

January 2009

Chelsea away in the FA Cup 3rd round was next and we earnt a 0-0 draw despite a very poor performance. Chelsea played better than us but just could not shoot on target so it will go to a home replay.

Damien Duff joins from Arsenal for £8.25 million

Liverpool away was next and we drew a close match 3-3. The goals came from Scholes, Tipton and Fletcher as we looked to build on our recent upturn in form.

Liverpool at home was next and this time we drew 2-2 which is still a good result as Liverpool have a better team, not that there league position shows it. Scholes and Jeffers scored the goals today.

Levan Kobiashvili joins Sunderland for £1.4 million after fulfilling his role at the club as a temporary experienced midfielder but i have Damien Duff and Paul Scholes now.

Chelsea at home in the FA Cup replay was next and this time we were the winners but only after we had drawn 1-1. Gomez scored our goal before Chelsea got a alst minute equaliser at the end of full time. We won the match 4-2 on penalties thanks to Blake saving two penalties.

Ronaldinho joins from PSG for £3.8 million

Arsenal at home was next and we managed to win it quite easily 3-1. Goals from Middleton and two from Tipton helped us find a bit of decent form at last, and Damien Duff excelled in only his second match picking up the man of the match award for assisting in all 3 goals. It was also a new record attendance that wont be beaten until the ground is expanded as it was a sell out 35,000 crowd.

Leeds away was next and we won our catch up match 2-0. A pair of goals from Jeffers helped us on the way and Ronaldinho was in on the act too setting up one goal and helping out in the other too.

Nottingham Forest at home in the FA Cup 4th round was next and we controlled the match perfectly effortlessly winning it 3-1. Two goals from Jeffers and a third from Scholes saw us coast on into the next round.

Stoke at home was the last match this month and we dominated the game from the start winning it 2-0. Tipton and Jeffers scored the goals as we finished the month in 10th which is a big improvement on last month.

[Bagpuss]

February 2009

West Brom away was the first match this month and we beat them 3-0 fairly easily even if they did have a bit more of the possession. Two goals from Jeffers and a third from Fletcher saw us maintain our recent good form.

Crystal Palace away was next and we only got a 1-1 draw after the Palace goalkeeper had an excellent day deny us time and time again. Middleton got our goal early on and Palace equalised about 10 minutes later.

Bayern Munich at home was next in the Champions League and we beat them 2-0 after a very good defensive performance saw us limit Bayern to only a few shots. O'Shea and Tipton got the goals for us as we took a big step towards reaching the quarter finals.

Hull away in the FA Cup 5th round was next and we easily overcame them 2-0. The goals came from Stevens and Tipton as we reached the quarter finals for the 4th year running.

Bayern Munich away in the Champions League was next and we lost it 3-0. It was a dreadful performance from the team as a whole and no one in particular was to blame, one or two players had actually played ok during the match which was thankfull.

Wigan at home was next and we won it 1-0 after a pretty laid back approach to the game. Scholes scored the goal as he showed that he can still run through the defence and score goals even at the age of 34.

Sheffield Wednesday away was the last game this month and we earnt a point in a 0-0 draw. Both sides had quite a few chances but both defences played well today not allowing anyone to score. We finished the month in 9th spot and with a decent finish should get a European spot next season via the league if i need it.