Millerman

What an awful month December was as the wheels continue to slowly come off the Doncaster promotion push. Granted the media said a top half finish would be good, early season form pointed to a decent season. I feel the loss of Ironside has been harder to take that I first thought and with our moto of attack is the best form of attack, then this really is true. Starting to get over-run, out-fought and just out-footballed this month has been a shocker and with the transfer window opening, I may try and force a few players out of the club to make way for a couple of players more suited to what I want from my team. Ironside should be back in the middle of January, and he's going straight back into the line up as Miller is lost without him. Not long now Ironside

November was a grim old month with the 2nd day bringing about news of our top scorer slipping a disc in the gym and 3 months on the side-lines (at least). The positive is we are still in 2nd place and 4 points clear of dropping out of the automatic spots. I do however think we are punching well above our weight and the season will soon catch up with us. The style of football we play will always result in goals against, but the number of world class long shots from 30 yard that fly in are amazing, something I may well need to tweak in terms of tactics once I have a years worth of stats under my belt. The injury to Ironside really has rocked the team, Miller seems really out of form and we are losing a lot more of the ball when lumped forward! Get well quickly Ironside, Had some crappy luck as well, hit the woodwork I don't know how many times, had red cards and the inability to hit the back of the net from penalties has cost us hard, especially against top of the table Colchester in our last match. Onwards we march into December and as we know with English football, lots of games to be played. If we are in the play offs come the end of the year I will be a very, very happy bunny. Are we England in disguise

Thank you @Rick87 maybe Southgate needs a copy of the tactic sending to him - that was awful again tonight! October seem a much tougher month than it should have been, we are still in 2nd place but the midweek games seem to be tough on us and the squad as we really are thin on quality. Miller and Ironside continue to lead the way in terms of goals with the odd goal coming from other areas of the pitch, we still see the majority of goals coming from the front two. We seem to struggle against teams that lump the ball over the top, so I'm going to need at look at bringing in quicker centre halves, and also corners are an issue where I think more height is required. Ryan Cassidy who I thought may have been a dud has banged a couple of goals in the last 2 games he has played, meaning I hope I now have 3 strikers I can rota between keeping them hungry and smashing those goals in. Ended up picking up a decent signing in Ben Paton who can play left back, left winger and in the middle of the park. Once fit I do expect him to make a difference to the team and add some quality A busy month in front of us with 2 cup games and 4 league games, closing in on the half way point of the season I am hoping we can keep within the play offs and give us belief of being in the mix come the end of the season. The board wanted a top half finish, so that 'should' be achievable.

September was another decent month, can't keep a clean sheet, but that's expected as its all about scoring one more than the other team. Sat top of the pile, we will enjoy it whilst it lasts. Board wanted a top half finish, so we are on track to smash that, whilst fans of both clubs see an exciting no nonsense style of football that tests their teams with a old style football, whilst the fans of our team get used to the 'new' brand of football on show. One player has come to the club, however I already feel like putting him on the transfer list as yet again my scouts tell me one thing, he arrives and is another. An A+ signing by the scouting team, he rocks up and is way down the list of starting, hopefully he comes good when the injuries start to bite. 6 league and a cup game to come this month to keep us busy, also got the board to sign off an U21 team, so players are starting to shuffle round squads. This will also give my non first team starters regular football meaning nice and sharp when coming off the bench or stepping in to cover injuries. The front two, even with them being 1 star for the role are banging the goals in, I imagine once rounder pegs for the holes are found then more and more goals will come.

August done and dusted, and a pretty good start to the campaign, but lets not talk about hitting the woodwork 4 times before being dumped out of the cup! Sat in 2nd place, I'm more than happy with the start the team have made. However lots of work to do in the transfer department both in and out of the club with many players only 1 or 2 star rating for the position they are being asked to play. Below are the stats I am keeping an eye on when it comes to the matches and how they change as and when I bring players into the club, With our 100 mile an hour and launch it approach I'm hoping the pass completion and possession stats start to even out as the team get used to playing this formation and I bring players in who are natural in what is being asked from them. 3 more players have been signed, Timo is for the future whilst Nathan has come in as first choice keeper, with him being better in the role his overall current ability is better than that of Louis At the other end of the pitch Ryan has been brought in to push the current front 2, the scouts had told me he was double the role ability that it turns out to be so I'm a little annoyed with that, I now have 4 forwards that are just 1 star at the role. That said, they have fired in 8 goals between themselves so far, but yes a little annoyed with the scouting team. 5 league and 1 cup game to come in September, lets see if we can keep robbing teams of victory and showing old school football can be competitive in the lower leagues of English football.

Pre-Season is done and dusted, the players have been getting used to the formation and the fans have got their monies worth in terms of goals in pre-season. Initial thoughts on the formation is that its gonna be fun, most games have been 48/52 ish in terms of possession to the other teams, where the teams are pants we have been smashing 30+ shots off, then the better teams less than 5, but goals have been found. I have sent all loans back and brought those out on loan back and have had a good 350+ players in on trial and am starting to pick a few young uns up. Results Transfers Out = None Transfers In, both the below have gone into the U18s and are for the future, as and when they make the 1st team squad we will take a look at their stats etc. So it's the seasonal opener - Harrogate Town at home.......let's have it!

I have often thought what an old approach to the modern game would result in..... So lets set the scene. Doncaster Rovers - Division 4 Football (sorry league 2). I have given myself the top range in previous football experience and coaching badges, no editors being used but have allowed myself to see all attributes to the players from the off - not played Footy Manager for a while so didn't want to make it super hard with my first venture for a while. Tactics - I have saved the tactic, so if anyone wants it sending, just ask - it may well be a complete mess, but lets see what happens eh. So we are going with an old fashioned back four and goalkeeper - the goalkeeper will keep the ball out the net, none of this fancy sweeping up stuff we see today. Catch the ball, and boot it, simple. The actual back 4 are no nonsense defenders, stop the ball from going anywhere near our keeper, full backs are to defend. Centre halves are also to defend, so pretty much don't need to do anything other than stop the other team, then hoof it up front. Four in the middle, and wingers to wing!!! Hug the touch line and wait for the ball to drop from the sky and then run at the other team and as soon as they can, get it in the mixer. Our middle two are just box to box midfielders, do a lot of running, and tackling and hoofing the ball. Don't need a range of passing other than being able to kick it the right way and run, Two lads up top, I want them to do what they want, when they want, just stay up top and wait for the ball to drop from the sky or it fired into them from one of the wingers. When in possession, So when we have the ball, I want it out to the wings, and into the box - oh and shoot, shoot a lot, whenever we have a chance as I'm not interested in the perfect goal. The less touches the better, get it in the net! Hoof it, run after it, 100 mile an hour footy and pretty much do what you want, just score goals and win matches. I get a little lost when it comes to 'in transition' you either have the ball or don't right? Well, what I expect the team to do is get the ball back as quick as they can by working as a team and doing what we do in training. Oh and when the keeper has the ball in his hands, we wont be slowing the game down, we will be hoofing the ball up top, winning it and then scoring...simples! So when we don't have the ball, I want us to kick people until we do, which will result in lots of yellow cards and red cards, but that means the squad will be used and no players can moan about not getting game time. A high line, with a focus on stopping balls being crossed into our box. So when we don't have the ball, I want us to kick people until we do, which will result in lots of yellow cards and red cards, but that means the squad will be used and no players can moan about not getting game time. A high line, with a focus on stopping balls being crossed into our box. It's time to look at the squad before offering 100's of trials so we can see what is available for nothing as Doncaster are skint, not one penny to spend on players and not a penny for wages at the moment. We do have 6 players on loan, paying out £6.8k a week in wages, so in 28 days time they will all be gone as I would rather than 3 or 4 of my own players and ask the youths to play when the first time are missing from suspension. So what do we think gang? Is the recipe above for disaster? Or will old school football find a home again?

Cracking start to the season, with last season's top scorer hitting the ground running. Had another heated discussion with the board as they keep turning down my request to go on my next coaching course - telling me they fear they will lose me if I become too qualified. Im thinking 'my contract ends this year - you think Im signing?' So at the moment, even though Im building something great here - I may risk turning down a new contract, becoming unemployed and making a coaching course part of me becoming a new manager elsewhere.

Close to the first month of the Premier Division, but first our outstanding youth intake!!!!

The boys are back off holiday and I now have to think about squad selection for the coming season - so much to do and so many new faces but I wanted lots through the door for my U18 and U21 teams so we had a steady stream of players breaking into the first team or selling on for small amounts of profit. In terms of money, promotion to the top flight here came with some decent cash in terms of sponsorship and a decent one year sports drink deal, however its very strange that the over income has dropped - maybe they don't want to be associated with a team fighting relegation? The board expect a tough season ahead. The National newspapers don't give any of the three promoted teams much hope of staying up - but my lads are 100% up for the fight.

Achieving this : With this type of result : Gives you the confidence of making a few more quid in your gold digger mission. The board expected a mid-table finish, but nar, have a champions of the division finish, and lets go for it next season shall we. I have asked the board to send me on a coaching course, but they refused as they felt if I had extra qualifications. then clubs would come head-hunting me. After a conversation in which I advised I was unhappy they still refused - unless I fall in love with the first half of next season I won't renew my contract and I will gamble on a better deal as an unemployed manager!

End of an amazing cup run where just that little bit better quality (first time we had played a team from a higher division) meant it was not to be. A 2 legged semi-final against a team we had not beaten in 3 attempts this season was all that was between us and promotion (both the finalists go up). One final push this season was needed, could we do it?

Draw for the 2nd phase of the league has taken place. Two groups of 4 with each team playing each other once - the top 2 from each group qualify for the next round (The Semi Final) 16 players have joined my team and my 2nd phase squad has been submitted with a large number of these available to me - the question now is, play them without match sharpness but much better players of have them ready to come off the bench with 30 minutes to go until they are up to speed? I could use my 2 game cup quarter final as gaining fitness as Im not going to win it. No matter what, its going to be a busy month and I have already overachieved which will hopefully get a few chairman looking my way as I want a pay rise and new job :-)

A month where my resolve was tested as a manager after coming up against what I was to fear as being my bogey team, Muba Babel Utd pushed us to the limit but 2 goals in 1st half injury time at home meant a 3-0 win and progression in the cup! League wise we sit in 2nd place and have qualified for the next section of the campaign. Another week and I welcome my ever growing list of young players, mostly without clubs. The chairman agreed to setting up an U21 team so I have decided to fill this as much as I can with the hope to moving the players on next season for a profit. So far I will see 1 GK, 9 DEF, 6 MID and 3 ATT join. All these players are under the age of 24 ensuring the clubs vision of building a squad for the future is hit. Bring it on!

A random out of the blue friendly was dropped in mid-week, Inter were not even on a tour of Asia, so all I can put it down to was a glitch in the matrix and one that proved my players don't like 2 games in a week as my first loss came. Sitting in 2nd place and well on track to qualify for the 2nd phase, I continue to hit the free market for players comfortable playing in the formation I have picked. When the registration window opens in October I will currently have 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 1 forward joining the club. Have lost 2 players over the age of 30 to teams higher in the pyramid, the players felt at this point in their careers they could not turn down the last chance to play at a higher level.