The first game in April was at home with struggling 19th placed Redditch, a perfect opportunity to grab another three points. We took the lead just five minutes into the game but Redditch pegged us back immediately. I thought that it was just a mishap when I saw Stefan Connor putting us ahead again on 13 minutes but we missed three huge chances to kill the game before half time, including another penalty kick! We paid the price for that after the interval, we had a poor second half and the visitors leveled the game with a great goal!
We needed just one more win to wrap up the title and I was hoping to get it in the next game, away at 12th placed Harrogate. Well, we didn’t… It was a painfully boring game but we could have snatched the three points with a bit of luck since we hit the crossbar in the second half… Anyway, the title celebrations were postponed for yet another week.
Now we needed just one more point to secure the title, just one lousy point and we were meeting 20th placed Solihull Moors at home! I was expecting an easy game but I was in for a not very pleasant surprise… Our opponents took the lead five minutes into the game with a stunning free kick from 30 yards, my goalkeeper let it slip right through his hands… We didn’t have enough quality to react, the visitors held on to grab the three points and Nuneaton were just six points behind us!
We had three more games to play and all we needed was a tiny little point but I was beginning to fear the worse… Our next game was a pretty tough one, away at 6th placed AFC Telford, a draw was not guaranteed there. The first half was quite boring apart from a shot from distance that hit the crossbar above my keeper’s head. Telford were looking better after the break and they had a great opportunity to take the lead before the hour mark, a penalty kick. Luckily they wasted that chance and we held on for the goalless draw that finally sealed our title!
Our fans were celebrating and I was too, I brought in another youngster on a free transfer:) His name is Lewis Proudfoot and he’s a promising left back that could help us in the future.
The last two games of the season were just a formality, I sent in the backup players and we got a loss and a draw there.
Here’s the final league table, Nuneaton got promoted after beating Workington in the play-off final.
Shane Williams was our best player this season despite missing quite a few games due to a painful injury. He scored three goals and made 12 assists in 26 appearances, great stats at only 18 years of age. Overall I am pretty satisfied with most of the players but the squad will have to do without a few of them next season. I will be looking to attract better players to compete in Blue Square Premier but the team will probably be built around the Carolan-Williams-Kennedy axis.
I was elected Manager of The Season, I would have been quite surprised to see any of the other managers winning the award :)
That’s how it was my friends, thanks for going through this long but hopefully entertaining update. We had a dismal last month in which we nearly let the title slip through our fingers but I’m happy that we held on and grabbed it in the end. My youngsters made me proud this season and I certainly hope to see even more from them in Blue Square Premier. I don’t know whether I’ll make a lot of new signings again or not, I have a few clear targets on my shortlist but I’ll have to see if my scouts will come up with some fresh gems. Thanks for supporting me and my team through this first season in FM 2011, I hope you have enjoyed it. :)
Plobdork
19 ноября, 2010 at 21:56
nice one johnny can i ask were you got the kit pack i have looked evreywhere
Johnny Karp
19 ноября, 2010 at 21:57
I’ll post the kit pack tomorrow, it’s just for Blue Square North though.
Laxeyman
19 ноября, 2010 at 22:04
Hi Johnny, despite the poor last month that was a great season, your side thoroughly deserve promotion, well done. Looking forward to seeing what you do in pre season, I’m sure you’ll unearth yet more gems. Congratulations again on promotion.
P.S I am into January on my Droylsden game, I’m currently 5 points clear at the top after 21 games. Hopefully I can carry on and celebrate promotion like you :)
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 10:02
Thanks Laxeyman, I guess we did deserve to get promoted. You should get promotion with Droylsden considering the cushion that you have but I’d be curious to see if you’ll have a similar poor run towards the end of the season. I hope you won’t :)
Sears
19 ноября, 2010 at 22:21
Hello Johnny,
congratulations on a wonderful promotion. Pre season will be essential, hopefully you can bring in some more good youngsters. Well done and good luck!
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 10:02
Thanks Sears, I’m already going through the shortlist, scout reports and so on… I just hope I’ll have a larger wage budget.
Vinners
19 ноября, 2010 at 22:48
Good work johnny! I signs Lewis too he was good for north but is poor in premier. You should try to arrange your own friendlies with maximum money making to try and cut your debt as it’ll help you in the long term. I am currently 9 points ahead after 20 games in the premier but after losing the first two games I now play with a defensive tactic which isn’t as exciting but gets me the wins! Good luck with preseason and finding those gems!
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 10:04
Thanks Vinners, I guess I’ll try the friendlies strategy. I won’t play with a defensive tactic though :)
Vinners
20 ноября, 2010 at 12:31
Yer that’s cool. I only had to use the defensive strategy coz they were all over me but I am trying to go back to my normal tactic as my players are getting used to it an in the long run it’ll be more beneficial
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 14:48
Yes, that’s a good strategy.
Darren Smith
19 ноября, 2010 at 23:12
Hey Johnny, what an amazing first season, well done mate. As always you are transforming the worst side in England, and I am looking forward to another overachieving season. Well done buddy,
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 10:04
Thanks Darren, it will all depend on what we’ll be able to do in pre-season.
Arjuna
20 ноября, 2010 at 00:01
Congratulaions Johnny,
You did really well to get promotion, and you should do well next season
Arjuna
managerstoriesfootball.blogspot.com
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 10:07
Thanks Arjuna.
JonnySniper
20 ноября, 2010 at 02:04
Well done Johnny. Top work. My advice would be see what you can do to bring the best players from the BSN with you on the step up to the Premier. Good luck. :)
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 10:09
Thanks Jonny, I have a rather extensive shortlist set up but my scouts might come up with more names during June and July.
cory berman
20 ноября, 2010 at 03:27
great first season, lets hope for the same next year
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 10:09
Thanks Cory, let’s hope… :)
Lye
20 ноября, 2010 at 05:13
Hi Johnny,
Congratulations on the title win. The promotion was never in doubt since you got to the summit. It’s another busy pre-season for you as you need to start searching for quality players. Have a good break. See you in the pre-season report.
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 10:10
Thanks Lye. Actually I don’t think that I’ll have such a long break, my fingers are already itching to get in some transfers :)
warren
20 ноября, 2010 at 08:30
Hi Johnny
A great end to a very successful season and I cannot wait to see how you fair in the blue square premier next season.
Good luck
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 10:10
Thanks Warren, I’m pretty curious to see my team in BSP too :)
Kevin
20 ноября, 2010 at 10:06
Hi Johnny
Congratualtions on securing your first FM 2011 title and it must be reassuring to know that your old Notts Co. tactic is just as effective in this version…unless of course you’ve slipped in a change somewhere :). Thanks for providing a quality story and an «edge of the seat» finish to the season.
Actually my place is such a mess all I have is an edge of a seat to sit on. LOL!
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 11:01
Thanks Kevin. I didn’t make any changes to the tactic! Good luck with the renovation, I hope that next season’s finale will see you sitting on a full seat :)
hils
20 ноября, 2010 at 11:54
Hi Johnny,a amazing ending to the first season!!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully,you will continue your form!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think if you finish this quickly you will hopefully start a journeyman game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!
p.s.I have just started my season with derby and won 1 and lost 1 i think!!!!!!!!!!!!
hils
20 ноября, 2010 at 12:56
At the end of august derby are 17th in the league and derby were knocked out in the second round of the league cup!!!!!!!!!!!!
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 14:49
Not a good start, hang in there! The first month is always difficult but better days will surely come for your side.
hils
20 ноября, 2010 at 19:39
But we thrashed portsmouth 4-1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 14:47
Thanks Hils. It’s too early to think about a future career though.
Ana Garcia
20 ноября, 2010 at 16:46
Great work Johnny, never doubted that you wouldnt win promotion! :)
Even better to go up as champions, interesting to see how your young side copes.
Good luck on next season!
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 18:56
Thanks Ana, I hope to build a good team for Blue Square Premier.
Sayam Khan
20 ноября, 2010 at 19:22
Hi Johnny, well done for this achievement, never doubted you wouldn’t gain promotion.
I bet the fixtures before confirming the title were scary!
Johnny Karp
20 ноября, 2010 at 21:11
Thanks Sayam. I admit that I was fearing that we would lose the promotion after the first three games in March…
Craig Nozz
8 февраля, 2011 at 14:04
AMAZING story mate! Using all my lunch breaks to read it
Think im going to start a new llm game tonight!
Can you tell me where you got your skins and backgrounds??
Johnny Karp
8 февраля, 2011 at 15:35
Thanks mate, I hope you still have some time left to eat during the lunch breaks :) About the skins and backgrounds, everything that I use can be found in the download page: https://www.footballmanagerstory.com/download/