Here to kick off half term week is Matt. He’s off trophy hunting with AFC United again…
It’s half term across the country, but we’re getting towards the end times for AFC United. I’m about to guide you through Season 14 and with most of our original players heading towards their mid-thirties, can they still summon the AFC spirit for trophy glory?
We’ve got a few regens in to balance the average squad age out
Boxall is Paul Scholes, Brian Sampson is Becks reborn and Darren Parrish is a welsh wing wizard with a passing resemblance to Giggsy. They’ll off out on loan to develop their young talents.
AUGUST
Meanwhile, the old bods set the standard with a narrow Charity Shield win
It’s not a glittering start to the league campaign though as we fall at the Hudd
It’s better against Watford as they go home with Cooke-Hall to show for their efforts.
As the last of the summer wine is drunk we start to find our stride
SEPTEMBER
Regens are a funny thing aren’t they? Benji Zidane is a French AMLC but not Zidane’s regen, while I’m certain Verhegen is Jaap Stam
After our victorious sojourn in the Uefa Cup last year, where’s back at the big boys table with a fairly advantageous group
Arsenal are a sterner test than AaB
Earth, Wind and Fire may have sung about the 21st night of September, but Father Phil and Ukrainian Pod are chasing those clouds away
OCTOBER
We enter Wales and local boy Parrish upsets his family (perhaps not as much as Ryan did) by putting the boot into Cardiff
I’ve started favouring Podplayi over Terry Cooke due to the work permit thing. I don’t like doing it, but I guess the team has to evolve sometime
It feels like the right choice with results like these
Terry gets his chance…..against Runcorn, but it’s David Brown who saves the day
NOVEMBER
Like a seasoned fox, David Brown still knows where the goal is
Likewise, Cooke takes a chance when it’s there
DECEMBER
The B.O. Boys take us through the League Cup nicely and avoid a Pratt fall
Michael Owen loves scoring against his old teams. 36 year old Blomqers is getting more injuries these days and DP is taking on that left wing role
Notman doesn’t get many as a deep lying attacking midfielder, but here he is, settling the match and qualification with a perfect record
Milan in March – lovely. See you soon Gerry Francis.
We celebrate qualification in AFC fashion away to Beckham’s Boys. It F-Kinnaird to say much at half time I’ll tell you.
Finally a win at the Hudd
JANUARY
Of all the teams we could play in the FA Cup, we get Runcorn again and win 1-0, again. Father Phil answers the calling
It’s a busy month for cup action and Stockport witness Brian Beckham Sampsons first goal
FA Cup action next and 2 hours of football can’t separate us for a pre-Money Man City
Forest are near the league trap door and offer no resistance to Brown, Notman and Sparky’s regen.
FEBRUARY
Witnessing the 4 hours of turgid football with no goals, followed by a mare of a penalty shootout might make some people question their sanity. Not me, I love it.
The cup games are coming thick and fast now and Tranmere almost out-Fox us
Nevermind Foxes, now it’s Wolves trying their best to knock us out of the FA Cup, matching us goal for goal with immediate responses until Parrish wraps things up. I have high hopes for this Welsh Wing Wizard.
League Cup Semi-Final return leg time and it’s delight for the home fans
Johnni Jockstrap looks decent
Man Utd aren’t the force they once were (Seasons 1-3)
Arsenal are a tougher prospect though
MARCH
Domestic cups are one thing, but European Giants are another matter and it’s advantage Gerry Francis
Bloody hell this FA Cup is hard work…how we survived this with 9 men is anybodies guess
Maybe they are just cack, no match for 11 men. We’re the Lords of Nob Hall
Gerry Francis come to town and Owen reduces arrears early doors, but no matter how much we hammer their goal, we can’t find the goals to match them and out we go
I make a late March signing in Martin Halsall from Stockport as he’s Andy Cole reborn and he sets us off against Boro in the League Cup Final and it’s another trophy in the cabinet.
Halsall almost becomes a cult hero against Everton but the fixture pile up works against us and Tom Jones and Barry Gibb become heroes on Merseyside.
APRIL
Are the wheels coming off?
Nah
Or maybe they are. Bonar having an eventful 3 minutes there.
MAY
We’ve two league games left and we are in touching distance of the title but the Blackburn defeat has left things on a knife edge.
David Beckham’s Sheffield United do us a favour.
It’s needed as we head into the final game a point behind Stockport, who happen to be our final opponents
Michael Owen wins it for us!
We almost blew it,
At the bottom, Man City survive and Man Utd are flailing
Joe Royle’s Everton wrap up a decent season with the FA Cup. Unlucky Jockstrap.
Dwight Yorke Guttierez shows an expired work permit is his stepping stone to bigger things. Unlucky Gerry.
Blackburn go close against Inter
Whilst Liverpool miss out in the Uefa Cup
As the seasons roll on, we seem to be scoring less and less. Podplayi and Parrish seem to have relegated Cooke and Blomqers to bit part roles now
David Brown had a sub-par season by his own standards. His anonymous effort at the 2010 World Cup and he appears to be out of the England set up.
Danny Hall though is still the consummate performer, passing 700 games
The regens are taking over now and James ‘Paul Ince’ Pitcher has cemented that DM role
Awards time
Then, close season retirements
Father Phil has had enough
Fair enough, he’s not played much
Sadder news with Erik hanging up his boots
Hmm, not really done it in the past 5 seasons, but look at 05/06…..
Well, there we go, another treble of sorts . We’ve got a couple more seasons left, but it’s getting harder to keep the old boys going, join me next week for another seasonal outing for Brown, Hall and co…