Welcome to the final season, the ultimate odyssey, as Uniao de Lamas finally take a crack at the top flight! The first thing we’re gunna need to do is improve the squad.

First up a certain Liberian regen! The board Weah up the option of signing him, but then try to tempt him with £500 per week. I don’t think that’s gunna cut it! The Cork industry needs a boost so we see some more £££, otherwise recruitment is gunna be impossible!

Miguel’s old target Deon Burton finally wants to join, but we can’t pay him enough either ☹

We need to sell off some backups to help boost the coffers, and hopefully see that money flow into contract offers! Backup striker Nene and 18 year old regen leave, taking us back into the black!

Hopefully I can have some wages money now….

Our immediate needs:
– A central defender to partner Sasi
– A quality centre mid. Current options are Gabriel (crap) and Hagi (old!)
– We only have Iovanov as FRC, so we’ll need a second body there too
– With Tilico gone a striker is also a must

First up Baltazar comes in to shore up our defence, and partner flashy Sasi.

A backup striker who never showed anything for us exits quietly….

With meagre wages being offered, we find a way around it to grab Liberia’s finest. Regen Weah in on loan!

On a whim we arrange a friendly with Burnley. If nothing else the gate receipts might encourage the board to allow wages of more than £500 per week. It’s seriously hamstringing transfer efforts. Here’s how we look, just the Pie Daddy out injured from the first xi. Debuts in defence and up front.

Over 2,000 see a confidence boosting 4-0 win over the hapless Clarets. Weah regen Roberts is off the mark.

As Diogo and Miguel enter their final year, it seems only apt to get some AI-drafted targets for the season…

A top eight finish with 12 clean sheets, led by a load of kids. No problem Miguel!

So here we go. Game one of our inaugural top flight campaign.

Is awful. Fellow promoted side Chaves take us out in front of 4,000 Lamas fans. We had 17 shots so they got their money’s worth, but few found the target.

We finally get to play Porto, and it’s a bit of déjà vu. This time we have 17 shots without finding the onion bag.

We secure our first point against Estrela, as Hagi takes his first start of the season. Progress Miguel, progress.

We get hammered by Leca next up. That midfield slot needs improving asap.

Roberts can’t handle the penalty pressure, and we go down 1-0 to Setubal. As D:Ream said, things can only get better!

Bizarrely a club record attendance is set at a first-round cup tie against Maritimo. Even extra time can’t split us, and after a 1-1 draw we’ll go to their place for a replay.

We pick up a third loanee in young Mexican Solis. Hopefully he’s the midfield dynamo we’ve been searching for.

The young lad is injured in his first training session, and misses a dismal showing in the cup replay.

Back to the league and it’s woeful with no shots in the first half.

Big Willy V straps on his shooting boots, but the defence has a day off and we’re hammered at Guimaraes.

Maritimo, still chuckling from knocking us out of the cup, stick 5 past us.

Next up we get schooled by Academica. They’re taking the Mickey as they go 3-0 up front before our obligatory consolation.

Miguel and Diogo are pretty much stumped. How do we curate a strong team in the top flight without the ability to offer top flight contracts? Dark times. However, Torreense are also crap. Viva la referee, who provides both a red card and a penalty to give us our first win of the season!

The only downside being Pie Daddy and Cesar are now ruled out for a month. Once again we hit the loan market, bringing in a right winger to replace the distinctly average Iovanov.

The new guy finds the net immediately. Back to back wins, and we’re off the bottom!

Next up is a strong showing at relative giant Sporting Lisbon.  They take the three points, but we take three goals away as a confidence booster.

Back down to earth, we are AWFUL against Beira Mar.

But then we are solid and sweep aside Braga, who for some reason I always think are a Norwegian side.

True disaster strikes. Weah regen Roberts has caught the eye of other clubs, and we’re made to look small fry as our Liberian loanee leaves.

It’s Benfica, and we stink.

But then as we hit the halfway point in the season we’re buoyed by back to back wins!

So half way through we have somehow miraculously climbed out of the relegation zone, despite no real signings and less than a shoestring to work with. Join us next week for the FINAL CHAPTER……