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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A Royale Mess – A Blog Squad Tale | Part Eight: The Window of Opportunity | @KingOfTheRooks

Welcome back again! This week’s tale is of the transfer window. Here is a customary reminder of who was allowed to sign how many.

Deano, Nathan and Zak will get 1 transfer, Phil, myself, Ross and Rob will be allowed 3 signings, whilst Dave, Matt and Nick will be afforded 5 new players.

So, who did everyone target. A reminder that everyone was allowed to select any Scandinavian players who began the season at Scandinavian clubs but were not already assigned to one of our teams.

Each manager could provide a list of up to 16 targets in preference order. The draft would see preference go to the lowest ranked team where a tie in selection was made. Any teams tied on points, I’d spin the wheel of misfortune and see who misses out.

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

After a rocky August, the Ross Revolution finally has lift-off. It’s taken a few tactical tweaks, a few injury miracles, and one 18-year-old wonderkid from Liverpool, but Ross County are suddenly looking like a side that knows what it’s doing.

First up, Albion Rovers away. It’s the kind of fixture you dread in this division – a bobbly pitch, a half-empty stand, and a man selling pies who looks like he’s been doing it since the 50s. None of that bothers Trevor Steven, though, who rolls back the years with a vintage hat-trick. The veteran midfield man finishes like it’s 1985 all over again, and we sneak away with a 3–2 win.

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A Royale Mess – A Blog Squad Tale | Part Seven: Zambianavia | @KingOfTheRooks

Welcome back one and all! Here we are again in the Scottish Division Three, also known as the Blog Squad League. We’re approaching the end of September, so the gents have been pondering their transfer targets. Can anyone improve their position before the window?

We have three sets of league fixtures this week to bring us to the end of September. And first up it’s Matt’s AIK vs. Rob’s Gods. I don’t know what frequency Kenneth is tuned into but that is a match winning performance if there ever was one from the 18-year-old.

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