Hello everybody, it’s Dave here just borrowing Dean’s post. Today marks 28 years since the release of CM9798, no doubt a day you all have circled on the calendar. We have of course celebrated this game every year for at least the last 10, who knows how many more I’ve lost track of when we started this. What I do know though is that I have a great set of writers here who started out as fellow nerds I know on the internet to being good friends who I’m lucky to have stumbled across one day. Deano has prepared a great one off post which I wanted to use as our birthday post rather than me rehashing some sort of quiz type, which may yet happen next week but we’ll see. There’s also posts lined up from Matt & Andrew, so you’ll have some full weeks ahead w/c November 3rd. Anyway, enough from me, here’s Dean and “Harry Houdini” which I’ll let him explain.

Good Day to you. I haven’t done a blog for a while, it’s just finding the time these days. But today it’s pissing down so thought I’d dip my toe back in with a short challenge.

“Harry Houdini”  Simple premise; Let the game run, take over and try and save the club who’s bottom at Christmas. 

Southampton it is. Coincidently, the same club that Harry ‘Houdini’ Redknapp failed to save in 2005. 

5 points from safety.

Poor squad, need to strengthen. £3.4m in the bank. Not a bad budget but it’s slim pickings out there. 

While some bids go in, there’s a tough game to start at home to Newcastle. Going for the standard formation. Seems to work.

Not today though. Defeat.

New signings. 

Barmby 

Branagan.

And a couple of Slovenians. Zulic, for the right flank. Oblak for the left.

Debut goal and winner from Barmby. But it’s only in the FA Cup, we need league points.

Abou is on the transfer list. See if he can do something.

Lundekvam is a knobcheese.

Abou gets a goal on debut for one positive.

Taking a punt on Pounchewatchy to beef up the midfield.

Remember him? Beast.

He goes straight into the team and we get our first win.

Back to back wins! New signings do the business as Barnsley’s are Abou’d off by their own fans.

Still 6 points from safety though.

Another 3 points v Leicester.

Got time for a singalong?

County Roads..

Take me Home,,,

To the place..

I beloooong..

West Virginia

Carlton Palmer 

Take me home

Country roads.

Bit of side mission but we find ourselves in the FA Cup QF.

Decent point v Everton with a goal from The Stig.

Totteham 2 – 1 Southampton

(Saib, Ferdinand; Stig Johansson)

You’ll have to read one of my other blogs ‘Sword Quest’ to understand why Celtic, Rangers are in the Premier League. Multiverse thing going on. Anyway the Bhoys take a beating.

The FA Cup side quest is short-lived as Man Utd knock us out. It’s all about survival now.

Cruel late equaliser at Hillsborough as Chris Armstrong bags a brace.

3 points from safety with 9 to play.

Ah FFS.

We’re about 600k in debt so we have to sell before we can strengthen further. Hirst is out the door.

Along with Davies.

In comes Dailly

And Furtok.

Tim Flowers doesn’t his goal celebrate against his old club. Top bloke.

Unlike Samassi who takes no prisoners. Once Adored and now Abou’d by the home fans. (Oh already done that pun, didn’t I. Nevermind, you get what you pay this aint Substack.)

That win takes us out of the relegation zone for the first time.

Flu has struck the camp and we pick up 3 draws.

Southampton 2 -2 Chelsea

(Ostenstad, Stig Johansson; Siegl, Zola)

Southampton 1 – 1 Bolton

(Ostenstad; Holdsworth)

Man Utd 1 – 1 Southampton

(Keane; The Stig)

3 to play.

Thought we’d salvaged another draw for a brief moment, Jokanovic lands a hammer blow with 4 mins to play.

Back in the drop zone. We go to Ibrox next. And they are too strong for us.

Sebastian Rozental is class on this game. 

This could be curtains depending on other results. But we live to fight another day. It goes to the last game of the season 

We need to win and hope West Ham don’t.

Fortunately for us it’s a much more favourable fixture than our last few. Kevein Richradson, The Stig and Barmby swat Palace aside.

All radios on happenings at Upton Park

C’mon the Toon! 

And we’ve done it!

CBD Gummies all round!

Big shout out to Samassi Abou. That’s the worst sale in West Ham’s history. 

Never mind Hammers. 

Anyway, Survival achieved! Hope you enjoyed this little blog. Thanks for reading, will be back again soon.