Board Expectations: Qualify for Europe

Players In: 5 + 4 @ $0

Players Out: 0 + 2 @ $0

Having landed us in Europe, the board’s expectations of me naturally increased – and they wanted the same thing again.

I picked up TJ, a talented young full back who could play either side from Haverfordwest County in the lower divisions, and he would prove to be an integral part of the team along with Sureshot this year.

We did have a short mid-season lull where we won only two from ten games, but otherwise we were very competitive – we even managed to draw with the otherwise dominant The New Saints.

By the end of the season we were now the clear third best team, as opposed to just “best of the rest”, and had our sights set on drawing closer to Barry Town above us.

Europe was sewn up, but cups were nothing to write home about – this year’s Euro Cup II included.

JD Cymru Premier: 3rd (16-10-6)

JD Welsh Cup: 3rd Round (out 0-1 to Llandudno)

Nathaniel MG Cup: 3rd Round (out 0-2 to Connah’s Quay)

Euro Cup II: Best Placed 2nd Qualifying Round (out to MSK Zilna 3-4 agg.)

Player of the season: Sureshot banged in 23 goals in 31 games.

Board Expectations: Qualify for Europe

Players In: 10 + 2 @ $0

Players Out: 2 + 2 @ $3K

The season started poorly with The New Saints tempting away my best young right mid; only 19 years old and we were only able to get $2,000 for him too – and he promptly benchwarmed for them the majority of the season!

Strength in the middle of the park was an issue and we brought in a number of players to try and sort that out, but it remained a bit of a sore spot throughout the season against the better sides.

The season started really well all things considered, but we were too inconsistent in the run in to the end to make any real inroads into TNS – at one point we drew 5 matches in a row and just watched them zoom away above us on the table.

Barry however were having a rotten season, and this allowed us to step into the shoes of the second placed team in the league, where we stayed a game clear until the season ended.

Good results all up – cups sucked mind, as while we made the final of the Nathaniel MG Cup TNS b*llocked us 3-0.

JD Cymru Premier: 2nd (18-7-7)

JD Welsh Cup: 3rd Round (out on pens to Colwyn Bay)

Nathaniel MG Cup: Runner Up(out 0-3 to TNS)

Euro Cup II: Best Placed 2nd Qualifying Round (out to Osijek 1-5 agg.)

Player of the season: Sureshot ‘only’ netted 17 in 31 but was still by far our best player.

Board Expectations: Qualify for Europe

Players In: 7 + 1 @ $575

Players Out: 3 + 4 @ $0

Again we needed to fix the middle of the park, and the left side was also emerging as a problem.

AA was signed on loan from Millwall and did a sterling job scoring goals and creating chances from the left – but it was the centre of the park that was killing us; and kill us it did, or my job anyway.

After just 12 games into the new season we were sitting in 5th, having collected four points from the last six games.

The board demanded an explanation – I couldn’t quite believe we were having this conversation; after all we weren’t far off the mark and still well within reach of Europe with many games to play.

They didn’t think the same however and showed me the door. Devastating, really.

Board Expectations: Escape relegation

I found it odd Institute were fighting relegation – they seemed far too good a side to be doing that, and after picking my way through a few other jobs (including Caernarfon’s hated rivals Bangor City) I elected to sign with the Northern Irish side.

Ho-lee sh*t.

This group of players;

1. Hated the former manager

2. Hated each other

3. Wanted to leave

…and soon enough, they hated me.

I brought a couple of signings over from Caernarfon to try and steady the ship but this team was on a one-way ticket to doomsville.

It looked bright when we beat a couple of mid-table sides, but then we got shellacked by league leaders Larne and then lost three on a trot to teams around us in utterly abysmal performances – in each game, at least one of my players would get a straight red, and then after the match they’d promptly complain when they got fined.

Unbelievable.

I lasted 26 days and then tended my resignation.

Maybe they’ll write a book about me in future?