CM 97/98 Merthyr Part-X Outlet. Part 5: Sorry, not sorry Rob

After a successful first season, it’s Pina Coladas on the beach courtesy of our sponsor. I say courtesy of our sponsor. He didn’t actually pay for the holiday. He took my £99 deposit and I’m paying him back over 5 years.

The holiday is going to cost £5k more than it was worth in the long run. Think I’ve been stung. I’m just glad it wasn’t a car.

Anyway, it was only a short getaway as there’s work to do.

Close season = transfer activity. And there’s a lot to wade through.

As it stands, only Nathan Jones and Bob Taylor are wanted. Jones is worth a whopping £3m.

If I can get some exchange offers before June, there should be some good bargains on offer with contracts running down & players on offer being valued next to nothing.

First out the door is Rob Scott. I bring in Muggleton and Andrade as part of the deal.

Next out is Nathan Jones. Good money, but the players coming in aren’t as good. Bad trade.

Whack!

Sandford is wanted by Oldham. I’m short up front and Sean McCarthy is available. He’s better than what we got and Sandford isn’t going to play.

Eckhardt was wanted by Hartlepool. I’m short on the left after the departure of Jones. It’s a trade worth doing.

One of the things I’m enjoying about this save is taking players I would never otherwise look at or even heard of.

Gary Gillespie and Mark Aizlewood both retire. Leaving me with just one DC. Shit. I can’t afford to lose players like this. So I’m bending the rules and allowing myself to sign their regens. Who’s going to stop me?

Mick Harford also retires but I don’t want his regen on the count of him being shit n’ all.

First game in Div 2 and we’re away at Swindon. This is how we line up.

The game is heading for a draw then I take Whittingham and Kiwomya off. Andy Scott comes on and bags a brace on his debut. He’ll be starting the next match.

Defeat at Selhurst Park in the League cup but after being 3-0 down, it feels like a good result.

Oh, an all-Welsh clash against the future Hollywwod stars.

I’d like to apologise for the disrespect of Rob McEhlennhy in my Wrexham blog. It was before the documentary. Before I knew how much of a good guy he is. Yadda yadda yadda. Rob, if you read this. Firstly, haven’t you got better things to do? Secondly, I’m sorry. There. I said it.

I won’t apologise for dishing out a pasting though. Wales is, er, white.

Fuck you McElhenny! (Couldn’t help myself.)

Out of the League Cup after a goalless draw against Palace.

4 wins, 1 draw & 1 defeat in our next 6 games.

I can see this job getting harder the further up the leagues we go. Problem is that none of my players are wanted by better teams. Meaning the Part-Ex options aren’t there either. The squad has also depleted in value across the board. Nathan Wigg for example was worth £1.1m in Div 3 but with his average rating not so high in Div 2 he’s worth less than half that now. Our stock is low.

It’s not a massive issue right now, as you can see.

But with Newsome on a non-promotion release clause. There’s a big risk here. I might need to trade him in if promotion isn’t looking likely. I won’t lose him for free.

As it stands we’re top, somewow. But it’s close. And we’ve been lucky in some games.

My best chance of securing promotion is to sabotage the opposition. Bristol City’s star goalkeeper is wanted. So I’m chucking in a frivolous bid to spark Peterborough and Stoke into life.