Season 3 – Penang, Malaysian Super League

Media Prediction – 9th from 14

Title Odds – 16/1

So, the youngest squad in the league have another chance to improve. Cosmetic strengthening should be enough for a consolidatory season.

Players In:

Young Argentine striker (free)

Players Out:

4 released on free transfers

Average MC – £4.5k

Average AMC – £1k

Malaysian Super League

Start as you mean to go on… Two own goals and a red card as we lost 3-1 to Terengganu. Off the pitch we fared no better – our influential AMC tore a hamstring (6 months), my Chinese winger picked up a bad knock (6 weeks) and last season’s top scorer pulled a calf (3 months).

To compound matters, a 5-3 defeat to Negeri Sembilan was followed by a weeping Argie ST asking for a leave of absence.

Half a season gone, and we’d taken a measly two points away from home. We sat in 11th, five points above the drop zone. My Argie superstar had netted once, my keeper had scored three times in his own goal and we couldn’t string a run together.

Devoid of inspiration, I turned to the U20s, cruising at the top of their league. My young side took a while to start ticking, but my first away win of the season set the ball rolling.

We won four on the bounce, before slumping again as further injuries took hold. A 3-1 loss away to our biggest rivals, Kedah, meant we were in real danger of dropping into the relegation zone in the last two games.

One win would keep us safe. If not, we’d need Perlis to drop points. My skipper rallied the troops and we welcomed KL Plus to Bandaraya for our penultimate game. 92 minutes gone. We were being held 1-1. My Argentinian finally came good and doubled his tally for the season with a stunning drive from the edge of the area.

Magic.

P26 W7 D9 L10 F36 A37 GD-1 Pts 30 – 11th (18 points from the top, 8 from the relegation zone)

FA Cup:

1) Johor 2:2 Agg, (Penang win 3:1 on penalties)

2) Johor MPM 3:1 Agg.

QF) Kelantan 1:2 Agg.

FA Cup appears to suck arse.

Malaysia Cup:

With only a few months to run on my contract, we started our cup campaign. I asked the board to secure my future. They disagreed. Oh shit.

Throughout the league season, I’d been convinced that my Argentinian held the key to victory if he could just find his shooting boots. 9 goals in as many games later, I realised I might have been on to something. And the board repaid my genius by extending my contract.

Group B

Penang (1st) P10 W6 D1 L3 F18 A10 GD+8 Pts19

QF) Kelantan 2:3 – Are they the new Terengganu or something?

Summary

And that was that. A disappointing season, but if we can come out of the traps in season 4, we might surprise a few people.

Top Scorer: Argentinian ST (13, 10 in 12 Malaysia Cup games)