The Penalty Box Dancer
Player Valuation: £35m
Fulham vs AFC Fylde
6th August 2041
After the thrashing of Bristol City, Fylde traveled to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham who had been relegated from the Premier Division. A tough game was expected for Fylde today. Fylde went with the same side that brushed Bristol City aside this evening. Rod Edwards showed some brilliance on 8 minutes when he received the ball from Hutchinson and almost found the top corner but the keeper done well to keep it out. Westwood took the throw on 37 minutes to Smyth who knocked it on for Bala to cut into the area, the goal opened up but his curling shot was just wide. Westwood took the ball at the back and had time, he played it to Edwards on the right and he used his skill to get into the box, he went to go past Greenwood but he caught his trailing leg and the referee awarded Fylde the penalty! Tommy Smyth wanted it, is this a sign of over confidence from the youngster? No, he took it with ease and buried it into the bottom left corner! Smyth gets Fylde off the mark! It all changed on 54 minutes and it will be a moment to forget for Richardson. He was under pressure at the back so turned on the ball back to the keeper but overhit it and put it past Burke into his own net! 1-1. Hodzic was allowed space down the left and crossed in for Palamariu whose header was denied by the bar but he tucked away the rebound to put Fulham in front with ten minutes to go. Time went up for an additional five minutes, Greene who came on late in the half sent a great ball forward to Edwards, he went for goal inside the area and smacked the bar. It was a good effort tonight by Fylde but Fulham dug deep in the second half and got the home win.
DF: We can't be disheartened, to come and give a side like Fulham a good game and create some really good chances just shows what we can do this season. A point would have been magnificent but we move on to Reading this weekend.
PLAYER RATINGS
SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW DEADINE DAY
Fylde tried to hold off until the January transfer window but the pressure was mounting on the club to make a decision and in the end the money was too good to turn down. Tottenham were in the race for Smyth's signature throughout deadline day but Smyth opted to stay in the North and join the Premier Division Champions. Zinedine Zidane was delighted to sign the 20 year old midfielder but the feelings around Kirkham are in contrast to that. Duncan Ferguson was seen leaving the training ground and had a few words to say. "There's only so much we can do. We tried to keep him for another season and have him in the squad to help us push on in The Championship but in the end the player wanted the opportunity to play in the Premier League and Champions League. We, as a club are not at an elite level but Liverpool are. For the club, it's a huge financial reward, for the money we have made will help us as a club reinvest into the first team squad and invest into building a new youth academy at the club. I manage the players on the pitch and to lose an exceptional midfielder is a blow for us but we have to think about the positives."
AFC Fylde vs Reading
9th August 2041
The transfer window closed at 17:00 yesterday and fans were still reeling after the sale of midfielder Tommy Smyth. With no time for a replacement lined up, Fylde had to go with the current squad and Tapiwa Sibanda who signed from Arsenal went into the team alongside David Boakye. The show must go on and Fylde had aj ob to do against Reading. Emeka Bala got on the ball and tried to find his path to goal, his legs were quick and right back Rob Veale was late with his challenge and the referee surprised everyone with a straight red card! John Hutchinson went for goal from the free-kick, it swerved over the wall and into the back of the net! What a strike! Tommy who? Fylde 1-0! Emeka Bala went off at half-time looking like he was struggling with an injury, Mike Coleman came out in the second as his replacement. Rod Edwards went off 10 minutes later with a knee injury and was replaced by Patrick Craddock. Hutchinson came close for a second when his 20 yard strike was inches over the bar. Hutchinson was hitting them sweetly this afternoon, he had a free-kick in the same position as the first and hit the face of the post. Ben Haley came on at right back for Timothy Dawkins and on 91 minutes he supplied the header for Sibanda who put it into the bottom right corner making it 2-0! A goal on his debut!
DF: it was a great afternoon for us and we showed there's life after losing a top player. We all played for each other and it's a fantastic victory. When you have a top star in the side, you tend to cater for him and it can often have defective results and with the players we have now, I feel a more positive squad relationship forming. We are massive underdogs in this league and we came from nothing. We have two wins out of three and right now I couldn't be any happier.
PLAYER RATINGS
AFC Fylde vs Sheffield Wednesday
League Cup First Round
14th August 2041
First round of the cup and it's a home tie against Championship side Sheffield Wednesday. Dale Alexander got his first start and Ben Haley was included next to Elliott Richardson. Sam Gill and Ron Patterson made up the midfield and Mike Coleman started on the left. Youngster Zach Winstanley was given the nod up front. Baba Sarfo was always a handful for Sheffield Wednesday and he was up against Dale Alexander tonight. Craddock was beaten to the ball by Paul Gerrard who came at Fylde, he passed to Carter and his shot was charged down by Haley, Sarfo took it in the box but Alexander got into him making a clean tackle on 32 minutes. Gerrard took it down nicely on 38 minutes, Dawkins was nowhere near him, he got the cross in and Carter headed it against the bar but the ball hit Burke and went in. That will go down as a Ben Burke own goal. Emeka Bala came on for Mike Coleman on 60 minutes to try to get back into the game. Fylde had a free-kick on 64 minutes, Ron Patterson stood over it, he got it over the wall but it took a deflection on the way and went through the keepers arms and in! Fylde get back in the match! David Boakye came on for Sam Gill and John Hutchinson replaced Stuart Greene as the match was ending and it headed to penalties. Fylde won the toss and it will be Sheffield Wednesday taking the first kick. Baba Sarfo was up first for Wednesday and he made no mistake tucking it into the bottom left corner. Youngster Zach Winstanley took the first penalty for Fylde and he took it well slotting it beautifully into the bottom right corner. Gary May has been around for a while and experience was useful in a penalty shootout but Burke denied him with a great stop down the middle. Ron Patterson had the chance to steal the advantage and he did with a rocket of a penalty almost taking the net apart! Striker Michael Carter got Wednesday back in it with a venomous strike that Burke had no chance against but John Hutchinson made it 3 out of 3 for The Coasters! Hayter took the fourth penalty and scored it but Burke was close getting a hand to it. Emeka Bala never failed from the spot making 4-3 putting it into the top left corner! Wakaso needed to score to keep Wednesday in the tie but the pressure was too much and his poor kick was pushed away by Burke! Fylde advance to the second round!
PLAYER RATINGS
LEAGUE TABLE
NO PUNCHES PULLED WITH DANNY ROWE
It was inevitable, Tommy Smyth was always going to leave. Ferguson spotted a diamond when he was in Northern Ireland and he had a good season over there with Dollingstown. They're now also set financially from this deal. As controversial as I can be, Tommy had to leave for the good of this club. What do I mean by that? Well, did you watch us play when he was in the side? He is a selfish footballer and the team had to cater for him. He is an exceptional player with two excellent feet but what did he do for us when things weren't going so well? He never dug deep to get that extra 20%. If you said John Hutchinson was leaving the club then I would have something to say about it because John is one of the most hard working players we have and does the unthinkable. We sold Smyth and then beat Reading 2-0. Tapiwa Sibanda is a much better midfielder and mark my words, he will have a better season. David Boakye will be a fantastic player for us on loan this season and I think we have a lot of goals in this team. Before I sign off, I want to wish my son Jon all the best for his loan spell at Rushall and he scored on his debut too.
6th August 2041
=
After the thrashing of Bristol City, Fylde traveled to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham who had been relegated from the Premier Division. A tough game was expected for Fylde today. Fylde went with the same side that brushed Bristol City aside this evening. Rod Edwards showed some brilliance on 8 minutes when he received the ball from Hutchinson and almost found the top corner but the keeper done well to keep it out. Westwood took the throw on 37 minutes to Smyth who knocked it on for Bala to cut into the area, the goal opened up but his curling shot was just wide. Westwood took the ball at the back and had time, he played it to Edwards on the right and he used his skill to get into the box, he went to go past Greenwood but he caught his trailing leg and the referee awarded Fylde the penalty! Tommy Smyth wanted it, is this a sign of over confidence from the youngster? No, he took it with ease and buried it into the bottom left corner! Smyth gets Fylde off the mark! It all changed on 54 minutes and it will be a moment to forget for Richardson. He was under pressure at the back so turned on the ball back to the keeper but overhit it and put it past Burke into his own net! 1-1. Hodzic was allowed space down the left and crossed in for Palamariu whose header was denied by the bar but he tucked away the rebound to put Fulham in front with ten minutes to go. Time went up for an additional five minutes, Greene who came on late in the half sent a great ball forward to Edwards, he went for goal inside the area and smacked the bar. It was a good effort tonight by Fylde but Fulham dug deep in the second half and got the home win.
DF: We can't be disheartened, to come and give a side like Fulham a good game and create some really good chances just shows what we can do this season. A point would have been magnificent but we move on to Reading this weekend.
PLAYER RATINGS
SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW DEADINE DAY
Fylde tried to hold off until the January transfer window but the pressure was mounting on the club to make a decision and in the end the money was too good to turn down. Tottenham were in the race for Smyth's signature throughout deadline day but Smyth opted to stay in the North and join the Premier Division Champions. Zinedine Zidane was delighted to sign the 20 year old midfielder but the feelings around Kirkham are in contrast to that. Duncan Ferguson was seen leaving the training ground and had a few words to say. "There's only so much we can do. We tried to keep him for another season and have him in the squad to help us push on in The Championship but in the end the player wanted the opportunity to play in the Premier League and Champions League. We, as a club are not at an elite level but Liverpool are. For the club, it's a huge financial reward, for the money we have made will help us as a club reinvest into the first team squad and invest into building a new youth academy at the club. I manage the players on the pitch and to lose an exceptional midfielder is a blow for us but we have to think about the positives."
AFC Fylde vs Reading
9th August 2041
=
The transfer window closed at 17:00 yesterday and fans were still reeling after the sale of midfielder Tommy Smyth. With no time for a replacement lined up, Fylde had to go with the current squad and Tapiwa Sibanda who signed from Arsenal went into the team alongside David Boakye. The show must go on and Fylde had aj ob to do against Reading. Emeka Bala got on the ball and tried to find his path to goal, his legs were quick and right back Rob Veale was late with his challenge and the referee surprised everyone with a straight red card! John Hutchinson went for goal from the free-kick, it swerved over the wall and into the back of the net! What a strike! Tommy who? Fylde 1-0! Emeka Bala went off at half-time looking like he was struggling with an injury, Mike Coleman came out in the second as his replacement. Rod Edwards went off 10 minutes later with a knee injury and was replaced by Patrick Craddock. Hutchinson came close for a second when his 20 yard strike was inches over the bar. Hutchinson was hitting them sweetly this afternoon, he had a free-kick in the same position as the first and hit the face of the post. Ben Haley came on at right back for Timothy Dawkins and on 91 minutes he supplied the header for Sibanda who put it into the bottom right corner making it 2-0! A goal on his debut!
DF: it was a great afternoon for us and we showed there's life after losing a top player. We all played for each other and it's a fantastic victory. When you have a top star in the side, you tend to cater for him and it can often have defective results and with the players we have now, I feel a more positive squad relationship forming. We are massive underdogs in this league and we came from nothing. We have two wins out of three and right now I couldn't be any happier.
PLAYER RATINGS
AFC Fylde vs Sheffield Wednesday
League Cup First Round
14th August 2041
=
First round of the cup and it's a home tie against Championship side Sheffield Wednesday. Dale Alexander got his first start and Ben Haley was included next to Elliott Richardson. Sam Gill and Ron Patterson made up the midfield and Mike Coleman started on the left. Youngster Zach Winstanley was given the nod up front. Baba Sarfo was always a handful for Sheffield Wednesday and he was up against Dale Alexander tonight. Craddock was beaten to the ball by Paul Gerrard who came at Fylde, he passed to Carter and his shot was charged down by Haley, Sarfo took it in the box but Alexander got into him making a clean tackle on 32 minutes. Gerrard took it down nicely on 38 minutes, Dawkins was nowhere near him, he got the cross in and Carter headed it against the bar but the ball hit Burke and went in. That will go down as a Ben Burke own goal. Emeka Bala came on for Mike Coleman on 60 minutes to try to get back into the game. Fylde had a free-kick on 64 minutes, Ron Patterson stood over it, he got it over the wall but it took a deflection on the way and went through the keepers arms and in! Fylde get back in the match! David Boakye came on for Sam Gill and John Hutchinson replaced Stuart Greene as the match was ending and it headed to penalties. Fylde won the toss and it will be Sheffield Wednesday taking the first kick. Baba Sarfo was up first for Wednesday and he made no mistake tucking it into the bottom left corner. Youngster Zach Winstanley took the first penalty for Fylde and he took it well slotting it beautifully into the bottom right corner. Gary May has been around for a while and experience was useful in a penalty shootout but Burke denied him with a great stop down the middle. Ron Patterson had the chance to steal the advantage and he did with a rocket of a penalty almost taking the net apart! Striker Michael Carter got Wednesday back in it with a venomous strike that Burke had no chance against but John Hutchinson made it 3 out of 3 for The Coasters! Hayter took the fourth penalty and scored it but Burke was close getting a hand to it. Emeka Bala never failed from the spot making 4-3 putting it into the top left corner! Wakaso needed to score to keep Wednesday in the tie but the pressure was too much and his poor kick was pushed away by Burke! Fylde advance to the second round!
PLAYER RATINGS
LEAGUE TABLE
NO PUNCHES PULLED WITH DANNY ROWE
It was inevitable, Tommy Smyth was always going to leave. Ferguson spotted a diamond when he was in Northern Ireland and he had a good season over there with Dollingstown. They're now also set financially from this deal. As controversial as I can be, Tommy had to leave for the good of this club. What do I mean by that? Well, did you watch us play when he was in the side? He is a selfish footballer and the team had to cater for him. He is an exceptional player with two excellent feet but what did he do for us when things weren't going so well? He never dug deep to get that extra 20%. If you said John Hutchinson was leaving the club then I would have something to say about it because John is one of the most hard working players we have and does the unthinkable. We sold Smyth and then beat Reading 2-0. Tapiwa Sibanda is a much better midfielder and mark my words, he will have a better season. David Boakye will be a fantastic player for us on loan this season and I think we have a lot of goals in this team. Before I sign off, I want to wish my son Jon all the best for his loan spell at Rushall and he scored on his debut too.
