Good morning! A big happy new year from all of us at cm9798.co.uk. Luckily, our blogger contracts have rolled over to 2021 so Matt is here to take you back to Wales for a new season.

A Happy New Year to you all. 2020 had it’s ups and (mainly) downs but we’re still here, playing CM9798 and blogging away. Time to embrace a fresh start and throw away the Bounty’s in the tub (no one will eat them anyway), stick Michael Buble back in the freezer and ring in the new year.

Our fresh start is life in the Premier League – we made it out of Division One via the playoffs at the second time of asking and my Welsh lads are keen to make their mark on the big time, plus this season ends with Japan 2002 and I aim to get Wales there.

Last time out, our promotion celebrations were tempered by the vultures circling on some of our brightest and most talented young players.

Just before the end of season update, John Toshack bid for David Parry to join his Welsh revolution at Aston Villa. Tosh had already robbed me of Mark Cross in the summer break and Parry has the dreaded Big Club Release clause, so hitting reject only hopes to increase the transfer fee really…..

Not that that made much of a difference….

So, we face life amongst the big dragons without two of our best midfielders and if Tosh doesn’t play them much, I’m concerned about their form for Wales in the World Cup qualifying run in.

Not much I can do about it though, so I may as well let another one go

The fixture computer gives us the most unsavory start possible, but at least it’s at home and we can get some bums on all the new seats the board felt we needed.

Well, would you look at that, not bad lads, not bad at all. Giggsy, you soon will be mine.

Ok, Robert Page got injured on his debut, but we kept Ronaldo quiet and we might be able to plug the midfield gaps with Chris Llewellyn on loan from Norwich. Stalwart Graham is fittingly our first scorer in the Prem.

Our next match is away to Tosh’s Villa and you really can’t write this sort of stuff can you?

We take on the blue side of Brum next, at home, and they’re in red but Carl Williams settles things early on and it’s 4 points from 9

Crap.

We’re off to London next and Not That Barnes sees our trip to the other capital a barren experience

Then a capital team visit us, and we’re not much better to be honest.

4 points from 15 is not good maths

The fixture computer really seems to have it in for us. We’re not getting hammered but we’re barely scoring either

Welsh legend Nev takes up his next managerial position. Hope he can emulate @cmclassicsquads recent heriocs.

A welcome break from the league is World Cup Qualifiers!

This was a bad day at The National Stadium…

However, we still have a chance in our last two games

We’re looking good at Everton until a Remy double looks to be leaving us pointless again, but old favourite Nathan Wigg pops up with a late equaliser

The League Cup offers no salvation, and really, we should be beating QPR these days….

Better times follow at Elland Road and we squeeze out a welcome 3 points

Wolves and Noddy Holder’s band dump us back on our asses and two defensive injuries just adds to the woe

We’re in with a shot in the League Cup return leg, but CM9798 cult legend Ohandjanian and an unfortunate own goal by Southall regen Roden ends our exploits for this season.

Leicester make light work of us back on the league and for the first time, I’m getting a little fearful for my job

Just in the nick of time, the national team perform wonders for me and John Oster is the hero of the hour, all but securing us a play off place

Watford come next to Ninian Park and Mark Hughes jnr settles things before the guy from Miami Vice gets a late consolation

Newcastle aren’t so accommodating and man of many friends, but little medals, Jason McAteer, puts the icing on their cake. The first half was delightful really….

Forgotten men Davey and Knott prove their worth to edge us past Boro who we’re cruising at 2-0 up, but we somehow found some fight and fire to gain an invaluable 3 points.

Very welcome indeed as it lifts us out of the bottom 3. Did I expect to be doing better than this? Well no. Am I optimistic better things are around the corner? Also no. I think if we can survive this season and bring back some of the players we lost, and bring in some better players from the small pool of talent there seems to be, we’ll be dong well.

At the top, Wimbledon pushing expectations

See you next week, when Wales fate for the World Cup should be known!