Another kind of tactical genius: A Football Manager AAR

[johnhughthom]

Another kind of tactical genius

A Football Manager 2012 AAR

This AAR will chart my career in Football Manager 2012. I usually have a number of saves with each version of the game, but I intend to stick with this one for the lifetime of the game, and to record my successes and failures here. I am playing with all leagues in the British Isles loaded and the top division from every European country and the biggest league across the world on view only. I started with Sunday League player rep.

I have just finished my first season, my first club was Ballymoney United, in the Northern Irish Championship 2, the third level. A successful first half of the season, which included an 12 game winning streak and 14 game unbeaten run, saw me top of the table and in the Steel and Sons Cup Final come mid December.

The managers job at a club a level above became available, as I'd played at their stadium a number of times in my (much) younger days and vaguely knew the goalkeeper I applied for the job and got it. They were 2 points off the relegation zone, 4 wins out of the first five game pulled us away from danger. This was followed by a dodgy 4 game streak without a win, but a 5 game unbeaten run at the end of the season pulled us into fifth place. I came exactly halfway through the season, if the first half of the season had seen the same results as the second the team would have won promotion. My former team lost the cup final I guided them to, and dropped off the top position I left them in.

Loughgall FC:

From the village of Loughgall (pop 285 ) in the countryside of County Armagh, hence the nickname the villagers.

Stadium: Lakeview Park, capacity 1,500

Mid Ulster Times

Monday 7th May 2012

Loughgall FC 2011-2012 Season Review

The season started with the villagers quietly confident of success, a new manager at the helm in Colin Malone and expectations of a much higher finish than the previous seasons eighth place. An opening day home win over Dergview was a false dawn, and the team struggled for consistency over the following weeks. The team failed to win consecutive games on any occasion under Malone, and the inconsistent league form was aggravated with poor performances in the cups, going out in the League Cup, Mid Ulster Cup and Irish Cup at the first hurdle. The biggest win under Malone came in the Intermediate Cup, a 3-0 victory over Ballynure OB of the Ballymena Amateur League, though that was followed by a disappointing defeat at Championship 2 Sport and Leisure.

A run of seven games without a victory through November and December saw Malone lose his job. His replacement was John Doggart, manager of Championship 2 leaders, and Steel and Sons Cup finalists Ballymoney United. Doggart surprisingly resigned from his job before the final, stating it was unfair to the fans and players to continue in the job while seeking employment elsewhere, though it may be pressure from the board forced his hand. He was appointed manager of Loughgall on December 16th, a day before the league trip to Dergview, his predecessor's first opponent. A 3-2 win in Castlederg was the start of a run of four wins in the opening five games, a run helped by the team winning no fewer than six penalties, all converted by goalkeeper Marc Robinson. Loughgall fans have been searching the internet to see if their keepers feat of scoring in five consecutive games is a record, unfortunately no definitive answer has been found.

The run pulled the Villagers up the table, within a few points of the top two. A disappointing run of four games without a win saw them fall away in February however, late goals for the opposition losing points in three of them. A fine end to the season saw the team embark on a five game unbeaten streak, winning the final three games of the season. Loughgall chairman John McCann offered Doggart a new contract at the end of the season, reward for turning the team's fortunes around.

Striker Stephen Doyle finished as top scorer for the season with eleven goals in all competions, nine of them coming in the league. Goalkeeper Marc Robinson was second top scorer with six goals from the penalty spot. Winger Mark Teggart was the most creative player of the campaign with a total of eight assists.

Our weekly round up of all things Loughgall FC will return in July when the players return for pre season training.

Final Championship 1 Standings

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: