Bonjour and happy Good Friday! Welcome to another Groundhog Day in Bayonne, where we’re dusting ourselves off and preparing to go again after another third place finish. I’m convinced that these Basque Boys have what it takes to win this league, so I won’t give up…

Outgoings first, and although he was versatile, Lacruz’s ratings were never up to much…

Arenaza is getting on, and wasn’t getting much game time, so he’s also gone…

Leighton was immense for half a dozen seasons, but then lost his place to Caballero, so he’s released after his contract expires…

I wasn’t planning to sell Guerrero, but he had his chance last season, and failed to impress, so I accept this good offer…

Nando (Beguiristain) was another who never reached his potential, so he’s also moved on for a tidy fee…

Those sales give us £600k, but many of the top Basque Boys are either at big clubs, retired, or very close to it, so it’s regens all the way, starting with Iñigo Larrainzar…

Next is Agustín Ruiz…

And lastly, Juan Antonio Pérez Bolo…

With Leighton gone, I spend £120k on some experienced cover, so I can loan out my youngest keeper…

A rummage in the velvet ball bag pairs us with Montpellier in the League Cup…

Here’s how we’re looking. There are seven out on loan, and José Ramon and Serer will follow, meaning a few youngsters will get chances to impress this season as and when injuries and suspensions come up…

And this is what I’ve gone with for a lineup. I’ve dabbled with various formations, but don’t think I’ve ever tried this, and it looks to be the best way to fit all my best players into the eleven. Let’s f*cking go…

We start at home to PSG, who’s new signing, Michel Branché cancels out Mateo’s strike, but we’re rampant, and Oscar and Badi ensure our dominance is rewarded. What a start!

Gueugnon are causing us problems again, but a late show from Calle and Oscar help pluck an unlikely victory from the jaws of defeat…

The UEFA Cup draw is reasonably kind…

Oscar gives us a dream start against Marseille, before a Martini and Henry cocktail leaves us shaken, but we’re not stirred, and Calle earns us a good point…

Nantes hasn’t traditionally been an easy place to go, but Badi sets the tone, and Oscar scores for the fourth game running to make it three wins from four…

Guingamp also have a tendency to trip us up, but there are no such problems today, and we give them a long-overdue hiding…

All may be rosy in the league at present, but Badi lives up to his name in Europe, giving our Georgian opponents a man advantage, and leaving us with work to do in the second leg…

We put the European nightmare behind us by thumping Lens, as a Calle hat trick tops off some good early work from Mateo and Emery..

The lone front man is at it again at home to Cannes, but we fail to extend our lead, and our wastefulness comes back to bite us…

Back in Europe, Emery starts the comeback, but it only lasts a minute, and we draw a blank for the remainder, and fall at the first hurdle…

Montpellier away in the Cup is a potential banana skin, but we survive despite a late frightener from Arsenal legend, Kaba Diawara, and our prize is Guingamp next…

Back in the league, we’re 3-1 up and cruising at Le Havre, but then Calle goes from hero to villain, and the hosts nick a point. I’ll confess that my laptop was launched across the room at this point…

We spurn the chance to immediately bounce back at Nice, and rely on an own goal for a third successive draw…

Bordeaux waste no time in piling more misery on us inside ten minutes, but no one could have foreseen what was about to unfold…

Yes, you did read that scoreline correctly…

With a new-found swagger, we demolish rock-bottom Le Mans in front of their own fans…

Babs keeps the cup run going with a last-minute strike to see off stubborn Guingamp, and set up a quarter-final with Le Mans…

Bastia can be a funny old side, but they’re no match for a frontline in such scintillating form, as Oscar and Calle send them packing…

Sh*t. He’s been brilliant as well…

It’s another win away at Rennes, with the deadly midfield triangle of Babs, Badi, and Mateo all getting in on the goal-scoring act…

It’s 10-a-side against Lille, who look to have broken the winning streak, until Badi arrives late to make it five league wins in a row…

We’re not so lucky at Monaco though, and the run is broken by a late equaliser. I guess there are worse teams to drop points against…

Our first league defeat of the season comes after 15 games at home to Caen of all teams. It had to be Basque Boy Laslandes as well…

It’s heading for extra time in our League Cup quarter-final with Le Mans, but Oscar strikes late to give us a semi…

Against second division Martigues, which is the kindest outcome, with Bordeaux and Lille contesting the other tie (come on Lille!)…

Last stop this week is Montpellier, and it’s a carbon copy of our League Cup encounter, with exactly the same result and scorers…

I’m disappointed to be second after almost going half a season unbeaten, but this is the best position we’ve ever been in at this stage, so I’m by no means complaining. On average it takes around 79 points to win this league, so we’re definitely on track…

I’d like to give a mention to Super Calle. In the past, most formations I’ve tried with a single striker have been garbage, but this man has 21 goals and 14 assists in 17 games so far, so this new formation definitely has potential…

That’s your lot for another week. I’m not getting carried away just yet, but we’re right in the mix, and if we can sustain this good form to the end of the season, then we should be there or thereabouts. Will this finally be our year? Find our next week. Au Revoir!