Luckily our first game in May was at home with bottom of the table Newcastle. They were by far the weakest team in the league and they didn’t have anything left to fight for since they were already relegated. We just had to win this game and we did thanks to a double from Sean Scannell inside the first 15 minutes of the game, he ended a long goal drought in style! Packie Doolin came off the bench to wrap it up after the break, I was relieved to get those three points.
At that point we were sure of finishing 7th but the fight with Birmingham for the 6th position still wasn’t settled.
Our next game was an impossible one, away at Old Trafford with defending champions Manchester United. Our poor form didn’t leave too much room for hopes and when United scored the opening goal four minutes into the game it seemed that we were bound for another good beating. My lads reacted pretty well though and Jonathan Ezquerro hit the net again after a quick exchange with Sean Scannell, we were level at half time! We continued to play pretty well until the hour mark again but then, as it happened against Hull, the opposition ran us ragged. There was not just one cause for that but two: firstly we were having fitness problems and some players were unable to keep up the tempo during the last half hour and secondly it was also about confidence, the team was unrecognizable after United‘s second goal.
Following that terrible beating at Old Trafford Birmingham leapfrogged us into 6th place: both teams had 56 points but they had a better goal difference. So we had to win the final game of the season, at home with our season-long rivals Birmingham. We managed to get three points from the away game in December, we beat them 2-1 back then, so I was hoping to do it again. The circumstances were a lot different though, we were in a much worse shape than last winter. We had a pretty good first half, we dominated the game but there was just one clear chance and unfortunately Laszlo Tamasi failed to convert it. I was afraid of the second half because of the poor fitness of my players but Birmingham were not looking much better either. We were not able to push forward as we should have done though, I wasn’t hoping for too much when the game entered its final 10 minutes. We pulled it off though thanks to a great counter attack run by Liam Parker, his shot was blocked by the keeper but Jonathan Ezquerro was there once again to push the ball in! Despite the fatigue the team received a big lift and we could easily have doubled the lead before the final whistle, we made it!
We qualified for the Europa League, an unexpected achievement that seemed to slip away from us because of the poor form that we displayed during the last four months.
We have to admit that we were lucky to finish 6th with 59 points though, that doesn’t happen very often. Chelsea dominated the league and clinched the title while Newcastle, Burnley and West Ham were relegated.
Liam Parker was our best player of the season, he scored 16 goals and made 14 assists. Goalkeeper Davide La Rocca had the most appearances (43) while Packie Doolin was our best worker, he has an average of 13.4 kilometers per 90 minutes! Iulian Marin was quite solid in midfield though and his tackle rate illustrates that, 4.06 tackles per game. The team will need massive improvements though, especially in defense.
I had no chance to approach players with expiring contracts though, the board was giving me only 4,000 per week for a key player and most of my transfer targets were asking for more than 10K. I have to wait until the new wage budget will be in place but until then I brought in some more staff, including the England Under 19 manager! Some youngsters in the national team might like him enough to join Dorchester if needed, that’s what I thought! :)
The board announced yet another stadium expansion so we’ll be moving to Southampton for a while again.
That’s how the season ends my friends, thanks a lot for your support during this adventure. We’ll be playing European football next season but we’ll have a lot of work to do during the summer to improve the squad for that challenge. Next season might be my last FM 2010 term but I didn’t make a decision yet. It all depends on how much time I will have to play the game in the following weeks and, judging by my current schedule, I doubt I’ll be able to play more than a season. We’ll see..
Until then, please vote for the team that you would want me to manage in FM 2011, you can cast your vote in the «Poll» section located in the right sidebar. (thanks to all of those who already voted! :) Since we’re talking about Football Manager 2011 I have some news for you: I will try to publish an exclusive FM 2011 preview tomorrow since I already had the chance to play a preview version of the game, courtesy of Sports Interactive! I played it for a few hours and for now I can just tell you that it’s a great game, definitely worth buying!(you can pre-order your copy from here)
I will also announce a new feature that you will be able to enjoy on the website starting tomorrow so stay in touch ;)
Jean Paul Borg
7 октября, 2010 at 22:52
I suggest you check out players that are released from the clubs that can help the team improve in the league, and in europe as well for your last season of the 2010 version. Nonetheless well done and by the way, you are one my lips too :) Lol. Well done mate. Post a pre-season post if you can so we can keep in touch with what players you bring in.
Johnny Karp
8 октября, 2010 at 09:41
Thanks Jean Paul. I will publish a pre-season report, hopefully in a few days.
Kevin
8 октября, 2010 at 00:44
Hello Johnny
A very respectable end to the season in terms of league position and you have done brilliantly considering where you have brought this team from in the very beginning. Glad to see another stadium expansion so your well on the way to the 81,000 I previously mentioned LOL!
Good luck to Romania on the weekend..against France that is and not the Young Lions :)
Johnny Karp
8 октября, 2010 at 09:40
Thanks Kevin. We’ll need only around 70,000 more seats, not too many :) Thanks for the good luck wish for Romania. Actually I’m more interested in the Under 21 game against England than the one against France, we seem to have better chances with the youngsters.
Lye
8 октября, 2010 at 01:30
Hi Johnny,
It’s a good season for you finishing 6th place and going into Europe for the first time. I am pretty sure we will have some surprises next season even though it could be your last. Looking forward to your pre-season report and i hope your board will increase the transfer budget for you. Good luck.
Johnny Karp
8 октября, 2010 at 09:39
Thanks Lye, I’m hoping for a good wage budget this time as we need to bring in quite a few players again.
Jack
8 октября, 2010 at 01:50
Fantastic first season Johnny! I know the end of season form wasn’t great but to achieve Europa league in your first season is brilliant. I would love you to carry on this game and take Dorchester to a Champions league victory but sadly I don’t think there will be time. On the other hand though starting with Universitatea Craiova could be something quite special… So everyone vote for it!!!… English leagues are boring (so last year).
Johnny Karp
8 октября, 2010 at 09:38
Thanks Jack, I see that your campaign goes on :)
mariano
8 октября, 2010 at 08:24
An amazing achivement!
The teenagers owners of the club must be very happy, ask their father for more money and make it an ultimatum:)!
After all you did you deserve a huge budget!
Now, serious, well done, you achived the same as with Notts in your first premier league season with a much weaker team, and very young too!
Johnny Karp
8 октября, 2010 at 09:36
Thanks Mariano. I guess I had more points with Notts County, this time we were a bit lucky to finish 6th. I guess I’ll have a good budget, they would have no excuse for giving me a small one! :)
Jean Paul Borg
8 октября, 2010 at 13:31
Hey Johnny, mariano is right, give them an ultimatum, it’s your last season so hehe :) Retire from your current FM 2010 game. Not long to wait for the new one :D
Johnny Karp
8 октября, 2010 at 15:32
That could a an option Jean Paul but they might sack me on the spot, I still want to end next season :)
Darren Smith
8 октября, 2010 at 12:04
Hey Johnny, well done on a fantastic season. You struggled a little this month but ended well and to qualify for the Europa League in your first season is amazing. Well done mate.
Johnny Karp
8 октября, 2010 at 15:32
Thanks Darren, I’m happy but also concerned considering the very poor form that we displayed in the last four months. The team will surely need heavy strengthening during the summer.
Ana Garcia
8 октября, 2010 at 14:10
Congratulations!!
Amazing achievement really to finish where you did and get some european football for a team that is so small!!
Good luck for next season if you decided to carry on!!
Johnny Karp
8 октября, 2010 at 15:33
Thanks a lot Ana. I will go on for at least another season, that’s certain.
mariano
8 октября, 2010 at 16:05
A few suggestions:
You could save you gave and just as a trial se what happens if you send an ultimatum, and even if they give you money, you will reload and without doing the ultimatum.
If it´s your last season sell some player´s, get 30 million cash, and buy good players with 48 months so you will have a budget of 120 million, and then when you quit, it´s the next managers or board´s problem by them you will be playing fm 2011:)
If you sell players soon enough, some leagues will pay them before july, so you might be able to use that money to get some free players or players with expiring contracts.
That is what i would do, i haven´t play FM in weeks…….
Cheers and all the best
Johnny Karp
8 октября, 2010 at 16:38
Thanks for the suggestion Mariano but I might consider that save/load thing cheating. The buying with installments seems to be a good option, I’ll think about it but I will not go that far as to jeopardize the club’s future, it wouldn’t be honest in my view. I can’t sell players until July 1st when the transfer window opens but I will surely arrange a few sales until then. The new budget should be in place before the end of June so I might still find a few good players with expiring contracts.
Laxeyman
8 октября, 2010 at 16:28
Well done Johnny, that’s an excellent first season in the Prem, although 59 points isn’t that many to finish 6th with. Still, it’s a good achievement. Looking forward to seeing what you do in pre season and good luck for you final season in FM10.
Johnny Karp
8 октября, 2010 at 16:39
Thanks Laxeyman, I agree that we were lucky to finish 6th with only 59 points.
Sayam Khan
8 октября, 2010 at 23:02
3 Words:
BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT!
Johnny, at the start of the season i was wondering if Liam Parker would rise to the premier league and bang in the goals, and he has certainly took my concerns away!
Anyway congratulations on your Europe place, good luck :-)
Johnny Karp
9 октября, 2010 at 11:57
Thanks a lot Sayam, I hope that Parker will do even better next season.
hils
9 октября, 2010 at 08:46
Well done Johnny!!!!! Great europa league finish!! But you were lucky to finish 6th!! Good luck next season!!!!!
Johnny Karp
9 октября, 2010 at 11:55
Thanks Hils, I guess all your good luck wishes worked! :)
bigbaz
9 октября, 2010 at 15:40
very well done! enough said
Johnny Karp
9 октября, 2010 at 18:39
Thanks Bigbaz :)
rab carr
10 октября, 2010 at 17:11
well done johnny taking dorchester to europe im amazed im able to read such a thing you really are probably the best manager of football manager congragulations :-)
Johnny Karp
10 октября, 2010 at 21:54
Thanks mate but you are too kind, I don’t think I’m the best.
Kevin
11 октября, 2010 at 10:12
I think you are too :)
hils
11 октября, 2010 at 19:24
I think you are too =)
Johnny Karp
11 октября, 2010 at 20:01
OK, that’s more that enough praising for just one day :)
rab carr
11 октября, 2010 at 18:09
your too modest johnny i declare you in my opinion to be the best there is out there at football manager,,, im praying the votes for you to manage the weakest team in scotland , reading you taking on the old firm at some point would have me glued to evey word lol
Johnny Karp
11 октября, 2010 at 18:17
The voting is still very close and there’s plenty of time for things to change until November 5th.