Matt Porter is our guest blogger this week, managing Stockport in Division 1. Can he maintain their positive start?

Part 4: September (Part A)

First day of September, no transfer window in 1997 which is not necessarily the best for me given my want-away stars, however I indulge myself with another striker, not that I need one, but it is too good to miss.

Norwich at home to start the month, will the curse come true? Charana is injured so Wright keeps his place alongside the returning Armstrong, and despite his man of the match award against Bury Martin McIntosh is replaced by Sean Connelly who has been excellent this season.

Half time and it’s a comfortable game so far, 1-0 up thanks to a Cavaco tap in and it should be more…. The crowd are chanting ‘Porter, sign him up….’ I bloody would if I could!

Full time, and that was really really easy, what manager of the month curse?! 3-0 just after the hour mark and I could even withdraw a few key players towards the end and rest them. I haven’t played this game in well over a decade, but I swear it was harder last time. What’s that? Pride before a what now?

We are top of the league say we are top of the league…

Games still fly around and I have Forest away next, a few knackered players so Jim Gannon and Sean Connolly again (seriously, how unfit is this lad) sit out. I don’t trust DaCosta so Smith comes into midfield and I drop Dinning back to right wing back.

Worst half of football so far this season. 3-1 down and we’re luck its only that. Why hasn’t Pierre thrown his toys out of the pram and gone on strike yet?! And less said about Andrei Silenzi the better, apart from the fact he’s the eternally obscure nswer to the quiz question ‘who was the first Italian to play in the Premier League.’ Still, they’re tearing me a new one, but we pulled a goal back so the next goal will be key…

Better second half but we just couldn’t get a goal, and even when we did in the 89th minute it as disallowed. Its not the defeat but the way we react…. I remind the boys that we have had a great start and to move on from it, we’re still top of the league!

Well this is a bizarre decision, having just beaten top of the league, what more could he do?

A midweek home game with relegation threatened Crewe should be a good opportunity to get back to winning ways, big test of character though. Aside from Charana I can put a full strength side out, and I will. I’m strangely nervous before this one, can’t get rid of the nagging doubt that my bubble has burst, I should be more confident than this. In other news, I am very relieved that despite them being on the transfer list, Jim Gannon and Micky Flynn haven’t attracted any offers.

Turns out my fears are unfounded, an utterly dominant performance in which for some reason my bang average left back Colin Woodthorpe suddenly becomes a strong attacking option, scoring and hitting the woodwork twice. Forest is just a blip, and a total sell out of Edgeley Park, is it too early to start dreaming of the Premier League?

I tempted fate…. Sheffield United are in for Jim Gannon and there are some bids for Flynn too. I can turn them down, but with Gannon the price for a 29 year old is very decent indeed so I reluctantly accept.

Before Sheffield United can sort terms out though, I have Stoke away. I can field a rare unchanged side, although bring Graeme Tomlinson onto the bench. I’m just glad it isn’t a wet Tuesday night in Stoke, rather a bright Saturday afternoon.

It’s a pretty poor first half but we go in undeservedly behind, compounded by the fact I forgot to screenshot the beginning of the match. Nick Wright has a bit of a ‘mare, Carl Muggleton saving well from him twice before he is stretchered 8 minutes from the break, and there is still time for Muggleton to deny his replacement, debutant Graeme Tomlinson. Don’t panic lads, more of the same….

Can we kick on? Can we hell. Carl Muggleton is awesome, and even though we do equalise we have a poor second half and despite taking Cavaco off to try and shore up the midfield we soon concede and it could be more at either end. On the plus side Tomlinson and Armstrong link up well, the competition for the striker berths is ferocious, but we seem to be a bit leaky at the back away from home at the moment. Still, no panic yet…

There’ll be more from Matt in the coming weeks. In the meantime, follow Matt on Twitter @PorterMatt

The CM9798 Cup starts this Sunday!