Basque Boys Deux – Part 6: Kai and mighty | @NTR9798

Bonjour! I guess if you’ve come back again then you must be enjoying this series slightly, so I thank you. Anyway, having achieved the first season objective of staying in Ligue 1, let’s see what we can do with the squad over the summer…

I finally make a sale, as my one of my backup keepers generates £180k for the coffers…

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The Ross County Challenge: A Highland Fling, Part Five | @TJMitcham1983

We’re now entering 1998/99, which in real life saw Ross County still stuck in Division Three. We, on the other hand, have somehow yo-yo’d our way a division ahead of history, which means the challenge rule for the season is delightfully simple: don’t get relegated. I’ll take that.

The squad stumbled its way through Division Three last year, but Division Two feels like another world. We need a few reinforcements — ideally without spending money we don’t have. Which is awkward, because we currently have… –£47k. In 1998 money that’s, what, a small bungalow?

On the shopping list:
– a centre-back (or two) to support Ross 1
– a backup wing-back
– backup DMC to give Bannon a breather
– body behind Adams in MC
– right-mid cover for Stevens
– left-mid cover because Broddle is both old and average

So naturally, my opening gamble is Dave Rogers. Strong lad. Tough lad. Aggression levels of a peaceful yoga instructor, but still.

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The Ross County Challenge: A Highland Fling, Part Four | @TJMitcham1983

A shorter piece this week as we lurch towards what passes for a summer in the Scottish Highlands. Six league games to go and one meaningless Scottish Cup quarter-final wedged in the middle. Nerves shredded, squad patched together with hope and half-fit full-backs, and the faint possibility of promotion lurking like a mirage in the Highlands.

Part Four of this odyssey begins with everything still to play for—and plenty still to go wrong.

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Basque Boys Deux – Part 4: In a different Ligue | @NTR9798

Bonjour! and welcome back to Bayonne. Last week we won promotion at the first attempt, but can we strengthen the squad over the summer to make it capable of surviving first season relegation from Ligue 1?

First business is cup draws, and it’s non-league Gueugnon in the Coupe de France…

And because we’re now a top flight team, we can play in the League Cup…

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A Royale Mess – A Blog Squad Tale | Part Nine: Re-Brannded | @KingOfTheRooks

Hallo, and welcome back! We’ve had the transfer window which was great fun and now its time for the managers to see if their choices have helped or hindered them.

As ever in Scotland, first up, it’s the cup! A battle between newly refurbished Ross and manager holiday Zak. It looks like its headed for extra time that nobody sitting screensharing post 9pm on a Tuesday wants, and thankfully (for Ross) new boy Karl-Oscar hammers in a winner.

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I think we’re Cologne now – Part 4: Alles Klar | @Matt_C_Wills

Hello Blogseekers! Settle down, Mickey love, it’s time to delve into season 2 of my German project. As a quick recap we finished 4th in the league after a blistering start aided by Nicolas Anelka, followed by a lumpy middle and then some stability with the arrival of Oliver Bierhoff.

A a top 4 finisher, we enter the weird little League Cup thing at the start of the season and are immediately shot down by the Bayern behemoth.

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The Ross County Challenge: A Highland Fling, Part Three | @TJMitcham1983

Welcome back as we step into 1998 like Gala being Freed from Desire.

Twenty-one games played, and the table has taken shape. Ross County sit 2nd, level on 44 points with Albion Rovers, separated only by goal difference. It’s been a strong first half of the campaign: 14 wins, a couple of draws, and the occasional reminder that defending remains optional in Division 3.

Alloa are right behind on 43 points, making it a tight three-way contest at the top. Queen’s Park and Dumbarton aren’t completely out of the picture either, but for now the focus is on staying ahead of Alloa and keeping pace with Albion.

A reminder of this season’s extra layer of pressure:

  • We must finish in the top three, replicating Ross County’s real-life finish in 97/98. No room for drifting into mid-table; the targets are clear.

And of course, the other self-imposed rule continues:

  • Every matchday squad must include a Ross.

So far, that’s been manageable — though the bench has occasionally looked like a naming-day ceremony.

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