Football Manager Story 1

Rock n Roll Gigg – A Bury Tale

As promised, I am reattempting my ambition to take Bury to the heady heights of the English Premier League. My first thrust was foiled by technical issues out of my control but I’m confident that this time, with the right amount of ambition and determination, I can give this a fair old whallop!

I can’t promise that it’ll happen overnight and I can only do so much per day but HERE WE GO!

We begin with the making of me. A 22 year old manager (at the start of the season), I have given myself semi-professional experience as I’m no novice to the world of management (I refer readers to my disastrous attempt at managing Havant and Waterlooville where I was sacked within like 2 months or my far more successful game as manager of Chelsea who are, at time of writing, European champs, premier league champs, fa cup winners, euro super cup winners, league cup winners and Charity shield holders, and I also manage Wales, who are European champions ((fact!)) and have qualified for the world cup 2014.)

I’m introduced to my staff who have numerous suggestions on hiring coaches and loaning players etc. They tell me that Bury are less aggressive and shorter than most of League 2 but are faster, fitter and better dribblers overall.

The board have told me that they expect me to reach the playoffs with the team I have at my disposal, so lets look at what I get to play with.

Goalkeeper: My number one option is Wayne Brown. Our player/coach Neil Cutler is out for 3 to 5 weeks and our strongest replacement is Cameron Belford, though he’s on the transfer list upon my arrival.

Left Back: David Buchanan is first choice by a country mile! Tom Newey is absolutely nowhere in my estimations. Lee Pugh is a promising 17 year old left wing back so he’s likely to get some gametime this season.

Right Back – Paul Scott is the only name that stands out that is able to play in the rb position. Danny Racchi can fill in at wb but I can’t see me using wing backs too much this season. I’ll more than likely favour a 4-4-2. Ryan Barrow is the assistant managers second choice but he’s 17 and frankly, poor for this league. I’ll have to buy in with my meagre means.

Centre Backs – Player coach Efe Sodje, despite his age (36), is still rock solid and will be useful for one more season. Ben Futcher is an aerial dominator while Ryan Cresswell is my first choice sub.

Left Midfield – Michael Jones is the number one contender for the shirt, while Buchanan and Pugh can both play comfortably in midfield. Young Max Harrop will get limited gametime at the tender age of 16.

Right Midfield – With the ambipedal Michael Jones saved for the left, Danny Racchi, Richie Baker and Ryan Lowe will battle it out for the jersey.
Centre Mids – Only one man’s name was nailed to my teamsheet before I started this game but its so long that it nearly fell off the other side. Brian Barry-Murphy, he’s so good they named him thrice, will marshall the centre of the field like a young Patrick Vieira. The creative outlet will come from my playmaker extraordinaire, David Worrall or our loanee from Manchester United, Sam Hewson. Stephen Dawson will provide able support.

Forwards – Tom Elliot is our loanee from Leeds, he’ll likely partner Andy Bishop or Danny Carlton. Andy Morrell may not feature much this season.

So there you have it. I’m still on the scout for players to buy and loan up till the start of the season and we face the likes of Everton, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest in the pre-season friendlies!!


8th July 2009

Bury 3 – Bury Reserves 0
Worrall (1), Hewson (19), Lowe (24)

I’m not Mourinho and certainly not arrogant enough to select my own side for out first friendly against the reserves. Instead I allow my assistant to pick the side and the tactics therein. He went for a 4-4-2, no surprise in goal or in central defence or right but Newey on the left surprised me as I’d have expected Buchanan. He played left mid with Worrall and Hewson in the centre and Baker on the right. Elliot and Lowe played up front.

Worrall was by far the best player on the park, bossing the midfield and supplying goals as well as scoring them. His battle with Hewson this season will be very interesting!

Some big loan deals may be coming our way very soon as well as some very good youngsters!


10th July 2009

Drawn League 1 Oldham in the first round of the League Cup. No worries?!

11th July 2009

Gerardo Bruna has joined from Liverpool on a season long loan while Man City’s Filip Mental will provide keeping support for 6 months.

Bury 0 – 4 Cardiff City
Burke (7), Futcher o.g (13) Chopra (31 & 50)

Very disappointing. Team were unconvincing all over the park and very few players put their names forward. Mentel showed that he’ll be an excellent player for us and Wayne Brown better look out!
Tom Elliot is injured and will be out for 5 to 6 weeks. Damn!

13th July 2009

Ok, time to bring you up to speed on some signings I’ve made.

Richard Rose 26 D RLC £10k
Shane Williams 17 MC Free
Gwion Edwards 16 AM RL £4k
Lukas Stiklakis 18 D C Free

I’m particularly pleased with the signing of Lithuanian under 21 international Lukas. He’s estimated at being worth 40k at the age of 18 and could be one of the buys of the season!

All this means we’ve got around 2k left in the kitty so those are probably the last of the buys unless more bunce rolls in. Some loan moves are still pending.

16th July 2009

Bury 3 – 1 Glenn Hoddle Academy
Lowe (45+1, 67), Williams ( 65) , Fisher (20)

Glenn Hoddle once made ill advised comments about disabled people that I, and many others, did not agree with. I, for instance, have watched football played by blind people and rugby played by people in wheelchairs. Disabled sport is borne out of sheer determination to defy that which, by definition, been taken away from you. I find it admirable, gutsy and classy.

Why am I saying this? Because for the first 30 minutes of this game, 11 blind, deaf and dumb men could have taken to the pitch and Bury wouldn’t have been able to handle them. I do not mean to offend these people, I just think that professional footballers could do a hell of a lot better!

It was an experimental side, sure, but some of them were awful! Richard Rose played like he wanted to warm the bench this year, while Jordan Spence showed why West Ham were happy to send him up north for a season.

Were injuries not an issue, I would probably not pick Ryan Lowe. He’s ageing and Bishop and Elliot are better. However, they’re out for a while and he’s definitely showing he has something to prove. Danny Carlton can pack his bags though, utterly dreadful!

17 year old Shane Williams (I’m a patriot) scored a superb goal but with the talent in the midfield at my disposal, I doubt he’ll get a lot of gametime.


Bury 1 – 4 Everton
Lowe (61), Yobo (7, 57), Cahill (45) Saha (71)


21st July

Bury 1 – 4 Man Utd
Bruna (32), Berbatov (8, 63), Macheda (59) Gibson (76)


Two strong Premiership teams and two almost identical wins. Yobo’s supremacy in the air gave Everton the edge and Berbatov scored an unstoppable goal. I’m disappointed that we couldn’t get closer to victory but two goals in two games is better than I expected and you’ve gotta walk before you can run, as the great man said.

23rd July

Bury 1 - 2 Preston NE
Worrall(27), Chaplow (39), Welbeck (65)

Much better at times, though midfield is still an odd area. Very pleased with some of the new triallists on display, the right back may have done enough, while defensive mid, Emexca Orwubiko is showing himself to be a potential dynamo.

Our newest signing, Vladimir Peralta, 21 from the Dominican Republic could be the missing link for Bury. An AM/F with good distribution, I intend to play him as a deep lying forward to supply for my first choice attacker, whomever that may be. I can officially rule out Andy Morrell. Pre-season has highlighted his lack of pace, accuracy and general decentness.

25th July

Bury 1 – 1 Nottingham Forest
Scott (62), McKenna (22)

Disappointing first half performance but the team showed signs of maturity and came out looking to impress in the second half, as evident by Paul Scott’s well headed goal from a Racchi corner.

30th July

Bury 1 - 2 Ipswich
Worrall (60), McAuley (50) Murphy (74)

It annoys me when managers complain needlessly about goals that should or shouldn’t have been allowed when the evidence is clear. When Alex Ferguson complains that a player should or shouldn’t have been shown a card I’m annoyed. Its not his place to say.
It IS my place to say that I watched Paul Murphy’s 74th minute goal and I KNOW he was offside. Linesmen are only human you say? Build better robots!

End of July and after trialling some hopeful youngsters I’ve co-opted them into the squad. I think we’ve now got a team ready for promotion and beyond. Injuries are on the wane and most players should be ready for the start of the league 2 campaign, including Bishop, though Elliot may take a bit longer than expected.

Only 1 more friendly to go!