Dan - Barnsley FC; Leicester City FC

[Dan+]

Fuck off. Just fuck the fuck off. You fucking useless cunts. Fuck off.

 

[Dan+]

Man City 1-1 Forest

Everton 3-3 Chelsea

 

We need a win at Norwich to guarantee survival. We have to better Forest's result at home to Newcastle.

We're definitely going and we deserve to. We're a disgrace. To blow that game is unforgivable.

[Dan+]

THE GRAND FINALE - MAY 17 2020

It all boils down to the final day of the season. Bournemouth won their game in hand and are safe. Leeds & Stoke have been relegated. They will be joined by either Barnsley, Nottingham Forest, or Everton.

Everton are outsiders, and Sky Bet are offering odds of 7/1 on them to be relegated. They sit on 39 points with a significantly better goal difference than the other two, but they go away to Manchester United - who need a win for the title. They will be beaten, you would imagine.

Barnsley go to Carrow Road, and are touted as favourites at 4/5. Barnsley's win at Stoke in March saw a buoyant away end, they were nearly safe in their eyes. But since then, just about everything that could have possibly gone wrong has. Only one point taken, and even that was from 3 goals up. This would be one of the most unbelievable relegations ever given where they were, to go from 4/5 following the 150/1 offered following the Stoke game is remarkable.

And the reason for that price drop is Forest themselves. Forest have risen from the ashes. They are on fire, and even last time out took a very credible point from the Etihad. Forest are 11/10 to be relegated, with their home game against 8th placed Newcastle deemed to be a slightly more favourable task than a trip to Norwich. Forest have to better Barnsley's result to survive, but should both win and Everton lose, then Everton will be relegated.

So, what happened? Off we go.

9 - GOAL. Old Trafford. Manchester United have taken the lead. Anthony Martial has put the home side ahead.

10 - GOAL. Old Trafford. This could be a rout, just seconds later they have doubled their lead through Diego Costa. Everton look hopeless. They need a favour.

11 - GOAL. City Ground. Nottingham Forest have taken the lead and put Barnsley into 18th. Brazilian midfielder Gustavo Campanharo has netted once again. He's on fire.

28 - GOAL. City Ground. Newcastle are level! Ayoze Perez has equalised. 1-1.

35 - PENALTY. City Ground. Newcastle are awarded a spot kick, Shelvey steps up... MISSES! 1-1.

38 - GOAL. City Ground. Newcastle have hit straight back! Sardar Azmoun has put the visitors in front. Massive relief for Barnsley fans, for now, but they know that they've been here before.

43 - RED CARD. Old Trafford. Everton's on loan Spanish full-back Fabio Miranda has been sent off! Everton down to 10, Man Utd cruising. The title is staying in Manchester barring a shock turn around from the visitors.

45+1 - GOAL. Carrow Road. Barnsley have forced a fantastic save from the Norwich keeper, but within two minutes the ball is up the other end and Troy Deeney has prodded the hosts in front. Dejected faces in the away end. 1-0 to Norwich. Still 17th.

HALF TIME - All three are losing. Everton look finished, but results are going their way. Barnsley have been impressive, but go in behind. Forest look second best and deserve to be losing.

49 - GOAL. City Ground. Newcastle have another!!! This is incredible. They lead 1-3 and Forest's chances of staying up are slipping by the minute. Whoever goes down from here is going to be devastated.

61 - GOAL. City Ground. Didn't think it would be that easy did you? Ben Brereton has bagged for Forest and the game is now 2-3. It isn't the first time he's netted on the final day of the season when Barnsley and Forest are involved. Barnsley fans are nervous.

69 - RED CARD. City Ground. Forest are reduced to 10! German defender Florian Baak is given a straight red and things look very precarious for the trees. Newcastle look more like adding a 4th than Forest equalising.

78 - RED CARD. Old Trafford. If it didn't look certain that Manchester United were winning the league before, then it does now. Kostas Stafylidis is given a second yellow and Everton are down to 9 men. Everton need to pray.

80 - GOAL. Carrow Road. YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES. RYAN HEDGES. BARNSLEY ARE LEVEL. IMPARTIALITY CAN FUCK OFF. BARNSLEY HAVE EQUALISED.

83 - GOAL. Carrow Road. We are a fucking joke. Fuck off. Gil Dias. 2-1 Norwich.

90 - There's a massive hint of dejavu about this. One goal would change everything for us and consign us to the Championship. A Forest goal would relegate us. The final whistle goes. Barnsley have failed to do their bit. But I've been here before. I had nothing come through that Hull had equalised last year and look what happened. I panic. How's it finished?

 

The biggest PHEW in FM that I can remember. The absolute definition of making hard work of it. We failed to keep our end of the bargain, but got lucky.

Newcastle United played an enormous part in this. Don't forget the point we got at home to them from 1-4 down. We don't take that, we're relegated. Now this. Absolutely incredible. They have done us an enormous favour.

We have done what we set out to do, but the manner of it causes concern to me. But I stated in pre-season all I wanted was survival, and the real building starts now.

[Dan+]

2 hours ago, Cannabis said:

Nobody will remember this in November if you start well. You have done what you set out to do and now have a summer to prepare for another bite at the cherry.

True they won't. Like I say, I wanted survival and that was it. Worrying the way we ended it and that's something I need to try and get out of our system going into next year. We got lucky this time.

So glad it's Forest who've gone down as well. Those utter bastards screwed me last year by conceding in the same circumstances.

[Dan+]

Fifty million.

Time to establish this club in this league. I want to bring in two new centre halves, two new wingers and a forward as my priorities. I'll spend the bulk of £40mil on that and the remaining £10mil on squad fillers.

Rossiter at £3.2mil is an absolute steal. He'll go on to play for England.

[Dan+]

Couldn't make it up. First game is Norwich away.

I've just turned them down as well as they offered me an interview. I thought about it but left it.

If Leicester come in I think I'll go.

[Dave]

83 - GOAL. Carrow Road. We are a fucking joke. Fuck off. Gil Dias. 2-1 Norwich.

 

The whole thing was reminding me of Soccer Saturday until the real Dan showed up.

Cant imagine you going down with fifty million. Better than anything I've ever had.

[Dan+]

2020/21 - The Summer
 

Transfers:

IN

- Viktor Gligorov (Newcastle UTD Jets, free) - 18 year old Australian number ten. An absolute no-brainer of a signing on a free, he's got very good potential and is even good enough to be worth giving some game time this season. A real steal.

- Jamie Vardy (Leicester, free) - The shock signing of the summer. Leicester surprisingly let their legendary striker go. Although he is 33, he still has the pace and plenty of ability to come with it. He's signed a one year contract and is our highest paid player.

- Craig Dawson (West Brom, £1.1mil) - I was probably hoping for better, but he's an upgrade on my other centre halves and at that price you can't moan at that.

- Simone Lo Faso (Arsenal, £3.5mil) - Tricky Italian winger transfer listed by Arsenal. Versatile in attacking midfield positions, and a sure upgrade on the likes of Lawrence, Williams and Watkins.

- Ben Gibson (Crystal Palace, £9mil) - Crystal Palace failed to bounce back up despite having a very strong squad, and the likes of Gibson spent a year transfer listed with no suitors. He's a significant upgrade on my other centre halves and I expect him and Dawson to be my first choice this year.

- Mario Sykaj (FC Luzern, £3.8mil) - 20 year old Swiss international midfielder. I needed another midfielder and this was a no-brainer at such a small price for a player I expect to make a steady career at this level.

- Diego Laxalt (Crystal Palace, £10.75mil) - Following the Lo Faso and Gibson signings, this was the third time this summer I had broken my transfer record. Laxalt is a left winger, and a Uruguay international. I must admit, he was far from my first choice, and I was knocked back by Ryan Sessegnon, Ludovic Blas and Xherdan Shaqiri as their wage demands were just silly. Laxalt is a steady Premier League level player, although I must admit I was hoping for a little better.
 

OUT

- Released youngsters

- Dan Burn & Marley Watkins on free transfers.

- Robert (Middlesbrough, £725k) - He was brought in as a bit of an emergency signing as Williams broke his leg last pre-season, but to be honest he didn't turn in a single useful performance and I moved him on.

 

The competition:

So the bookies are tipping us to drop, again. We were actually tipped for 20th again before my transfer business, maybe it's selling the dud in Robert to Middlesbrough that's swung it.

Middlesbrough have had an unbelievable run. They have followed up consecutive relegations with consecutive promotions. Wolves came 2nd to them, and Swansea beat Aston Villa in the play-offs. Should be interesting locking horns with Swansea again, they, like Hull and Forest, seem to be a side I end up in battle with quite often, and everything points to similar this year.

I would love to send Hull down.

Man Utd won the title last season as Tottenham choked late on. It's their second straight title, and they are tipped as favourites again this time out.

I kick the season off exactly where I finished the last one - away at Norwich, a club who approached me in the summer. I then take on Wolves at home, before a very tricky run of games against the big clubs.

Sadly, it's going to be another staying up job. I hate it becoming that, but we have failed to build up any reputation what so ever and it's really limited me in who I can attract to the club.

It's absolutely paramount we get ourselves clear of relegation before the last few games, as our run in is an absolute nightmare. Leicester away, Everton away, Man City home and Chelsea away are our last four games. Something tells me it's going to be yet another panic late on.

[Dan+]

Yeah, this is going to be a slog.

[Dan+]

August 2020
PL 1 - Norwich (a) - So our reward for surviving on the final day of the season with a defeat at Norwich is... a trip to Norwich, and another defeat. This was an abject showing from us. Norwich created 7 clear cut chances to our 0. They won the game 2-0 and honestly, it ought to have been at least 5. Diabolical.
PL 2 - Wolves (h) - I was worried after that last game. Quashed those worries somewhat, it was an end to end kind of game but we got a 2-0 win, Vardy with a brace.
EFL Cup R2 - Oxford (h) - A nearly entirely changed XI won 2-0. Nicely done.
PL 3 - Arsenal (a) - Norwich all over again with Arsenal being a bit more clinical. You half expect it but it's disappointing nontheless. 4-0.

 

September 2020
PL 4 - Liverpool (h) - We won this fixture last year. Not this time around. We played quite well in the first half and went in goalless but we crumbled in the second and ended up losing it 1-4. We look in serious danger this year.
PL 5 - Tottenham (a) - Another tough game, another battering. 4-0 again. We look doomed already.
EFL Cup R3 - Cardiff (h) - I had to boost morale here by playing a strong side and ensuring we got the win. We made hard work of it, a 2-0 lead very early doors was thrown away, but Hedges completed a hat-trick and we won 3-2.
PL 6 - West Ham (h) - We have, in our defence, had a hard set of fixtures. This is an average home game. Vardy gave us the lead but West Ham equalised, before he restored it just before half time. We looked like we were going to hold on for a victory, but we failed to do so, and disastrously we ended up losing it 2-3 with goals in the 82nd and 84th minutes. I'm absolutely sure we're going down. Absolutely sure.

 

October 2020
PL 7 - Middlesbrough (a) - We needed to stop the rot here, these don't have a better side than us.... apparently. Another 2-0 loss. One win and six defeats so far. We look doomed already. Gutting.
PL 8 - Southampton (h) - We finally got another point, but it probably should've been three. The performance was much improved and without blowing smoke up my own arse I'm taking some of the credit for a change in my tactics but still, we ought to have won.
PL 9 - Man Utd (a) - Got a shock point here last season and after keeping it goalless for the first half I wondered if we would repeat the trick. Didn't happen. Man Utd won 3-1 with our goal a consolation.
EFL Cup R4 - Man Utd (h) - We meet again. The second season in a row we have played these twice in a row, it's actually our 4th meeting with them in 17 games for us. Man Utd played a pretty weakened side and ended up losing Ndidi to a red card. This was our chance. It ended 0-0 and extra time saw us putting them under real pressure. It was a very intriguing game given they still had some quality in their side but a lot of weakness too. It ended 0-0 after extra time and we needed penalties. We won it. I think being realistic, we ought to have won it sooner given the constraints of Man Utd on the night, but in another way we have knocked Man Utd out of the cup, and when we need confidence, that's the perfect tonic. To the quarters we go.
PL 10 - Burnley (h) - It's a shame such a winnable game came after such a physically draining one. We started very well and went ahead through Tom Lawrence. Lo Faso was wasteful beyond belief in the first half and Burnley punished us for it on the stroke of half time, totally against the run of play. Then, disaster. Smithies was caught pissing around with the ball in his own box and Burnley lead the game. I'm just totally powerless here, even when we're dominant I get completely screwed by the game. Thankfully, we equalised not too long after through Gauld and Vardy would make it 3-2 shortly after. We looked more like making it 4-2 than Burnley equalising, but it ended 3-2. A massive win, and a very good performance on the whole to go with it. Maybe there is hope.

 

November 2020 (Part one)
PL 11 - Swansea (a) - I expected us to lose this, but we made an amazing start as Bennacer, Gauld and Vardy combined for the forward to give us a surprise lead. Swansea then got a penalty, but Smithies redeemed his howler against Burnley by saving it. 0-1 at half time. The second half was even better from us, Gauld hit a free kick against the bar and Ben Gibson pounced from a rebound to give us a shock 0-2 lead, and from kick off, we nicked the ball off them, won a free kick, got the ball to Vardy who curled one in from 25 yards. 0-3. Absolutely astonishing. Swansea are newly promoted, but they have started quite well and we've largely been a disaster. It ended 0-3 and we were out of the bottom three, incredibly. But there's a catch.

 

 

We're 17th in the table yet one of the teams below us just isn't possibly going to finish there. What on earth is going on at Man City? They've been dumped out of the cup and are struggling in Europe too. A totally unprecedented implosion from them. Swansea's impressive defensive record makes our result there all the more bizarre. We looked a disaster early doors, but we have really upped our game in the last few weeks and I think we actually stand a steady chance of surviving. I think I've found a way to bring more out of the likes of Gauld, Lawrence and Bennacer, I've got the full backs doing more attacking and Vardy is on fire, with 8 goals so far from 11 games.

I also signed Lyon left back Jerome Roussillon on loan for the season on deadline day, and after a slow start, he's really fitting in.

I thought we were heading for disaster, but I'm actually quite excited about this now. Long way to go though.

[Guest]

On 2017-5-14 at 4:03 PM, Dan said:

THE GRAND FINALE - MAY 17 2020

It all boils down to the final day of the season. Bournemouth won their game in hand and are safe. Leeds & Stoke have been relegated. They will be joined by either Barnsley, Nottingham Forest, or Everton.

Everton are outsiders, and Sky Bet are offering odds of 7/1 on them to be relegated. They sit on 39 points with a significantly better goal difference than the other two, but they go away to Manchester United - who need a win for the title. They will be beaten, you would imagine.

Barnsley go to Carrow Road, and are touted as favourites at 4/5. Barnsley's win at Stoke in March saw a buoyant away end, they were nearly safe in their eyes. But since then, just about everything that could have possibly gone wrong has. Only one point taken, and even that was from 3 goals up. This would be one of the most unbelievable relegations ever given where they were, to go from 4/5 following the 150/1 offered following the Stoke game is remarkable.

And the reason for that price drop is Forest themselves. Forest have risen from the ashes. They are on fire, and even last time out took a very credible point from the Etihad. Forest are 11/10 to be relegated, with their home game against 8th placed Newcastle deemed to be a slightly more favourable task than a trip to Norwich. Forest have to better Barnsley's result to survive, but should both win and Everton lose, then Everton will be relegated.

So, what happened? Off we go.

9 - GOAL. Old Trafford. Manchester United have taken the lead. Anthony Martial has put the home side ahead.

10 - GOAL. Old Trafford. This could be a rout, just seconds later they have doubled their lead through Diego Costa. Everton look hopeless. They need a favour.

11 - GOAL. City Ground. Nottingham Forest have taken the lead and put Barnsley into 18th. Brazilian midfielder Gustavo Campanharo has netted once again. He's on fire.

28 - GOAL. City Ground. Newcastle are level! Ayoze Perez has equalised. 1-1.

35 - PENALTY. City Ground. Newcastle are awarded a spot kick, Shelvey steps up... MISSES! 1-1.

38 - GOAL. City Ground. Newcastle have hit straight back! Sardar Azmoun has put the visitors in front. Massive relief for Barnsley fans, for now, but they know that they've been here before.

43 - RED CARD. Old Trafford. Everton's on loan Spanish full-back Fabio Miranda has been sent off! Everton down to 10, Man Utd cruising. The title is staying in Manchester barring a shock turn around from the visitors.

45+1 - GOAL. Carrow Road. Barnsley have forced a fantastic save from the Norwich keeper, but within two minutes the ball is up the other end and Troy Deeney has prodded the hosts in front. Dejected faces in the away end. 1-0 to Norwich. Still 17th.

HALF TIME - All three are losing. Everton look finished, but results are going their way. Barnsley have been impressive, but go in behind. Forest look second best and deserve to be losing.

49 - GOAL. City Ground. Newcastle have another!!! This is incredible. They lead 1-3 and Forest's chances of staying up are slipping by the minute. Whoever goes down from here is going to be devastated.

61 - GOAL. City Ground. Didn't think it would be that easy did you? Ben Brereton has bagged for Forest and the game is now 2-3. It isn't the first time he's netted on the final day of the season when Barnsley and Forest are involved. Barnsley fans are nervous.

69 - RED CARD. City Ground. Forest are reduced to 10! German defender Florian Baak is given a straight red and things look very precarious for the trees. Newcastle look more like adding a 4th than Forest equalising.

78 - RED CARD. Old Trafford. If it didn't look certain that Manchester United were winning the league before, then it does now. Kostas Stafylidis is given a second yellow and Everton are down to 9 men. Everton need to pray.

80 - GOAL. Carrow Road. YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES. RYAN HEDGES. BARNSLEY ARE LEVEL. IMPARTIALITY CAN FUCK OFF. BARNSLEY HAVE EQUALISED.

83 - GOAL. Carrow Road. We are a fucking joke. Fuck off. Gil Dias. 2-1 Norwich.

90 - There's a massive hint of dejavu about this. One goal would change everything for us and consign us to the Championship. A Forest goal would relegate us. The final whistle goes. Barnsley have failed to do their bit. But I've been here before. I had nothing come through that Hull had equalised last year and look what happened. I panic. How's it finished?

 

  Hide contents

 

 

The biggest PHEW in FM that I can remember. The absolute definition of making hard work of it. We failed to keep our end of the bargain, but got lucky.

Newcastle United played an enormous part in this. Don't forget the point we got at home to them from 1-4 down. We don't take that, we're relegated. Now this. Absolutely incredible. They have done us an enormous favour.

We have done what we set out to do, but the manner of it causes concern to me. But I stated in pre-season all I wanted was survival, and the real building starts now.

 

 

Did I say you can copy my posting style?

In seriousness, congrats on staying up. I find it tough to handle those situations. Best of luck for the coming season.

[Dan+]

Amazing FA Cup third round draw on my game. Ilkeston FC have gotten to the third round and been drawn away at none other than Leicester! A 7th tier side on the game (who actually have some OK players for that level) goes away to a Premier League side, and Ilkeston is only 25 miles or so from here, it's right near Derby.

Would be an amazing draw if it happened in real life. Been there a couple of times for friendlies.

[Dan+]

On 5/21/2017 at 0:23 AM, Dan said:

August 2020
PL 1 - Norwich (a) - So our reward for surviving on the final day of the season with a defeat at Norwich is... a trip to Norwich, and another defeat. This was an abject showing from us. Norwich created 7 clear cut chances to our 0. They won the game 2-0 and honestly, it ought to have been at least 5. Diabolical.
PL 2 - Wolves (h) - I was worried after that last game. Quashed those worries somewhat, it was an end to end kind of game but we got a 2-0 win, Vardy with a brace.
EFL Cup R2 - Oxford (h) - A nearly entirely changed XI won 2-0. Nicely done.
PL 3 - Arsenal (a) - Norwich all over again with Arsenal being a bit more clinical. You half expect it but it's disappointing nontheless. 4-0.

 

September 2020
PL 4 - Liverpool (h) - We won this fixture last year. Not this time around. We played quite well in the first half and went in goalless but we crumbled in the second and ended up losing it 1-4. We look in serious danger this year.
PL 5 - Tottenham (a) - Another tough game, another battering. 4-0 again. We look doomed already.
EFL Cup R3 - Cardiff (h) - I had to boost morale here by playing a strong side and ensuring we got the win. We made hard work of it, a 2-0 lead very early doors was thrown away, but Hedges completed a hat-trick and we won 3-2.
PL 6 - West Ham (h) - We have, in our defence, had a hard set of fixtures. This is an average home game. Vardy gave us the lead but West Ham equalised, before he restored it just before half time. We looked like we were going to hold on for a victory, but we failed to do so, and disastrously we ended up losing it 2-3 with goals in the 82nd and 84th minutes. I'm absolutely sure we're going down. Absolutely sure.

 

October 2020
PL 7 - Middlesbrough (a) - We needed to stop the rot here, these don't have a better side than us.... apparently. Another 2-0 loss. One win and six defeats so far. We look doomed already. Gutting.
PL 8 - Southampton (h) - We finally got another point, but it probably should've been three. The performance was much improved and without blowing smoke up my own arse I'm taking some of the credit for a change in my tactics but still, we ought to have won.
PL 9 - Man Utd (a) - Got a shock point here last season and after keeping it goalless for the first half I wondered if we would repeat the trick. Didn't happen. Man Utd won 3-1 with our goal a consolation.
EFL Cup R4 - Man Utd (h) - We meet again. The second season in a row we have played these twice in a row, it's actually our 4th meeting with them in 17 games for us. Man Utd played a pretty weakened side and ended up losing Ndidi to a red card. This was our chance. It ended 0-0 and extra time saw us putting them under real pressure. It was a very intriguing game given they still had some quality in their side but a lot of weakness too. It ended 0-0 after extra time and we needed penalties. We won it. I think being realistic, we ought to have won it sooner given the constraints of Man Utd on the night, but in another way we have knocked Man Utd out of the cup, and when we need confidence, that's the perfect tonic. To the quarters we go.
PL 10 - Burnley (h) - It's a shame such a winnable game came after such a physically draining one. We started very well and went ahead through Tom Lawrence. Lo Faso was wasteful beyond belief in the first half and Burnley punished us for it on the stroke of half time, totally against the run of play. Then, disaster. Smithies was caught pissing around with the ball in his own box and Burnley lead the game. I'm just totally powerless here, even when we're dominant I get completely screwed by the game. Thankfully, we equalised not too long after through Gauld and Vardy would make it 3-2 shortly after. We looked more like making it 4-2 than Burnley equalising, but it ended 3-2. A massive win, and a very good performance on the whole to go with it. Maybe there is hope.

 

November 2020 (Part one)
PL 11 - Swansea (a) - I expected us to lose this, but we made an amazing start as Bennacer, Gauld and Vardy combined for the forward to give us a surprise lead. Swansea then got a penalty, but Smithies redeemed his howler against Burnley by saving it. 0-1 at half time. The second half was even better from us, Gauld hit a free kick against the bar and Ben Gibson pounced from a rebound to give us a shock 0-2 lead, and from kick off, we nicked the ball off them, won a free kick, got the ball to Vardy who curled one in from 25 yards. 0-3. Absolutely astonishing. Swansea are newly promoted, but they have started quite well and we've largely been a disaster. It ended 0-3 and we were out of the bottom three, incredibly. But there's a catch.

 

 

We're 17th in the table yet one of the teams below us just isn't possibly going to finish there. What on earth is going on at Man City? They've been dumped out of the cup and are struggling in Europe too. A totally unprecedented implosion from them. Swansea's impressive defensive record makes our result there all the more bizarre. We looked a disaster early doors, but we have really upped our game in the last few weeks and I think we actually stand a steady chance of surviving. I think I've found a way to bring more out of the likes of Gauld, Lawrence and Bennacer, I've got the full backs doing more attacking and Vardy is on fire, with 8 goals so far from 11 games.

I also signed Lyon left back Jerome Roussillon on loan for the season on deadline day, and after a slow start, he's really fitting in.

I thought we were heading for disaster, but I'm actually quite excited about this now. Long way to go though.

November 2020 (Part two)
PL 12 - West Brom (h) - We followed up the Swansea win with a repeat scoreline, the problem is we were on the end of it. It wasn't a bad performance, but West Brom were ruthless and fair play for that. 0-3.
PL 13 - Newcastle (a) - Vardy gave us the lead early on and we looked fairly comfortable, but Newcastle equalised in the 66th minute through Mitrovic and won it in the 81st through Frey. It's disappointing but it's half expected.

December 2020
PL 14 - Hull (h) - I'd love to beat these. We did. Superbly. We absolutely wiped the floor with them. 4-0 it ended. Our best performance since coming up for me.
EFL Cup QF - Tottenham (a) - We really did draw the short straw here, with the other six sides being Swansea, West Brom, Bournemouth, Norwich, Newcastle and Bristol City, I was livid we got this tie. Tottenham gambled though and rested a couple and we took full advantage with an absolutely excellent performance. There were a couple of scares, but we left with a 2-3 victory, one of my best at Barnsley - and one that gives us a genuine chance of silverware. Swansea, West Brom and Bournemouth made up the semi finalists. What a strange scenario, and eerily similar to the 2008 FA Cup where the semi finalists were Barnsley, West Brom, a South Wales side (Cardiff) and a south coast side (Portsmouth). In that scenario, Barnsley drew the south Welsh side and lost. We drew Swansea. To be revisited.
PL 15 - Bournemouth (a) - Two sides fresh off a quarter final win in midweek, but Bournemouth were bottom of the pile and we had to get something here. We did. Although we made it tough for ourselves, we won the game 1-2. We looked disastrous early days, but things really have taken a turn for the better.
PL 16 - Leicester (h) - The odd fixture. I just can't get used to being against Leicester.  The visitors went 2 up early on through some superb football, but we salvaged a draw, and in the most obvious scenario ever, both goals came from Vardy. A respectable point against a good side.
PL 17 - Everton (h) - Tricky game. Passed with flying colours. We win 2-0 and although Everton were down to 10 men, we always looked favourites. We are on fire.
PL 18 - Norwich (h) - Hate playing these. Bit of a non-event game this time, our third home game in a row ends in a goalless draw.
PL 19 - Chelsea (h) - They really have got to sort out the fixture lists on this game, four home games on the bounce. We went two down early on, got one back but couldn't repeat what we did against Leicester, and that's how it ended. 1-2.
FA Cup R3 - Luton (h) - Five home games on the bounce!!! Not a fan of this either, the FA Cup third round being split over two dates with one being midweek in December. Do FM know something we don't? Anyhow, 10 changes made, and the League Two side swept aside with ease. Leicester beat Ilkeston 8-0 in the other game.

January 2021 (IN; Matt Ingram (Perth Glory, £625k)... OUT; Giedrius Arlauskis (Gillingham, £10k)
PL 20 - Wolves (a) - Did a bit of rotation as regards to back-up keeper. I usually do it as no-one is happy being a number two all their life. Arlauskis did well and now it's someone elses turn. On the pitch, this was a big game at the bottom. It was a tight game, but Diego Laxalt gave us the lead in the second half with a lovely finish at a half cleared corner. Annoyingly though, Wolves equalised shortly after and had a disgusting deflected goal from 35 yards fly in with ten minutes left. Thankfully Bennacer equalised very late on to give us a 2-2 draw. I'd probably take that.
PL 21 - Liverpool (a) - Went here last year, expected nothing and lost 3-1. Went here again this year, expected nothing again, lost 3-1 again. Tedious.
EFL Semi Leg 1 - Swansea (a) - Enormous game, and I was happy with the draw as we belted them away in November. We looked much the better side in the first half but we went in goalless at half time. The breakthrough came in the 72nd minute, and it was courtesy of Jamie Vardy. We had the lead and a precious away goal, but we couldn't hold on, again, as Pritchard gave the home side a late equaliser. It ended 1-1, nicely in the balance, although I'd make us favourites. West Brom won 1-3 at Bournemouth, meaning they're surely going to be in the final.
PL 22 - Tottenham (h) - Bit of payback for last month. Spurs went 2 up early on (we have got to stop this) and looked like they could slaughter us. We got one back fairly late on but Calhanoglu caught us out on the sucker punch in the dying seconds and we lost 1-3. League form is starting to concern me a bit.
PL 23 - Arsenal (h) - Could've done without this. We did get the lead early on but Arsenal turned it around and the 2-4 result flattered us if anything. 2 points in 6 league games, with 4 of them being at home. That's poor.
PL 24 - West Ham (a) - Fully expected us to lose this, West Ham are having a very good season and we are well short of form. Antonio gave them the lead early doors, but Dack equalised just before half time through one of the best team goals I have ever seen on FM, we are playing some nice football this year. Sadly West Ham restored the lead just after half time, but to my surprise we got the equaliser through a Targett own goal. We then pinched the lead to my amazement, Vardy yet again, what a signing he's been. 10 minutes to go at 2-3, I expect us to blow it. We do, and it's cruel. William Pottker gives them a last gasp equaliser and the game ends 3-3. It's a good result, but I don't like the way it's come about. It's exactly the deflator we didn't need ahead of the second leg.
EFL Semi Leg 2 - Swansea (h) - So here it is, one of the biggest games in our history. It's also one of the drabbest. I'd usually expand on such a game, but it was so dour that it just isn't worth it. It ends 0-0. Away goals count, but only after extra time, and knowing this, I've saved my subs for then. It's very tense, and it shows. It was a horrible position really, just don't concede. We fail. The 115th minute arrives and we handball from a penalty, and Fer makes no mistake. I could see it coming, yet I had no idea how to stop it - granted there isn't much I can do about that. It ends 0-1, 1-2 on aggregate and Swansea are in the final. Absolutely sick as a pig. Their fans would feel some sweet revenge for what happened three years ago on the final day of the season.
FA Cup R4 - Blackburn (h) - We were deflated, but we at least had the other cup, and we had yet another favourable draw at home to a side we usually beat comfortably. It was more of the same though, Blackburn got an early goal and we had no answer. Lost. What an absolutely awful result. The month from hell, winless in the league and out of both cups in games we should've won. We needed a reaction, and we had a chance here - in the most unlikely relegation battle fixture you're likely to see.

February 2021
PL 25 - Man City (a) - I'm deadly serious - these are 19th. NINETEENTH. The 25th game of the season, and Manchester City are 19th in the league. This season has been a total disaster from them. A slow start has never been recovered, Rui Vitoria's sacking wasn't met with any inspiration as they opted for a largely unknown Urs Fischer to take the hotseat. This has been quite simply a disaster of a season, and although they have the players, they just aren't getting the results. We haven't played them yet, this game's been delayed a few times. We start brightly, and the home crowd's fears are notched up that bit more as Vardy prods in a Laxalt cross to give us a shock lead. Even despite Man City's form, playing at home to a deflated Barnsley has got to be 3 points. They look a collection of individuals, it's honestly quite funny to watch, De Bruyne and Sterling are shooting from miles out and we are largely untested. This goes on into the second half and I start to think that we might actually do this. We need a result ourselves, we're getting a bit close to that bottom three again for my liking, and I cannot believe that Man City won't get out of this. Man City push and push, but they just don't create anything decent. They force a few saves from distance, but our defence has been superb. We enter injury time and I fully expect us to throw it. There is another goal. Man City attack and we thwart them again, we then launch the ball down the left and Laxalt puts a ball into the box. Otamendi inexpleciably scuffs a clearance under no pressure straight to Vardy, and he smashes in from close range to give Barnsley an incredible 0-2 lead. This is absolutely astonishing. This is the lowest point yet for Man City. They're rooted to 19th and Barnsley put some distance between the two. How is this happening? What a performance from us though. An absolutely massive win. 
PL 26 - Middlesbrough (h) - Bogey team, but even despite midweeks fatigue, I expect us to win this game. We make no mistake. 2-0 up early doors and despite a late 'Boro goal, we seal it in injury time. Another two for Vardy who is undoubtedly signing of the season, he's on course to win the golden boot.
PL 27 - Southampton (a) - Very tricky game away at a side gunning for Europe. What happened stunned me. We totally dominated the game and won 0-3. Seriously, Southampton 0-3 Barnsley. That's a phenomenal result arguably even better than the Man City one. This is not a side that is going to be relegated. 3 wins on the bounce, and in absolute style.
PL 28 - Man Utd (h) - We gave them a very good game, but as usual ended up with nothing. Harry Kane's double gave the visitors a 1-2 lead, and they look very good to net their 4th title on the spin.

So there it is. 12th we are. 10 games to go and although our last 4 games aren't good, we have some winnable games coming up. I'm looking at Swansea and Bournemouth at home being the games that should all but guarantee our survival. It's imperative we don't lose at Hull, and we could do with something at Burnley too. Man City got a couple of wins but they've just suffered another surprising loss at home to Southampton and with a trip to Old Trafford next, it's very much a possibility they end up back in the bottom 3. They come here very late on, and that game could be enormous.

I do have my eye on developments back at home though. Manuel Pellegrini is making noises of wanting to leave Leicester at the end of the season, and I think the time would be right for me to go in for that job if he does. They're linked to higher profile names, but I want to think I'd get it if I went for it. I've just turned Burnley down. I will leave Barnsley, but only for the right club. That isn't Burnley. Only Leicester. Leicester have a squad I'd back myself to take into Europe in a couple of years and they have a cracking young forward coming through too.

[Dan+]

Fucking hell Tottenham have beaten Arsenal 7-1 to go above them into 4th. Man Utd beat Man City. Hull won at Newcastle. March and Man City sit in the bottom three.

If Bournemouth pick up some form Man City genuinely might go.

I think their run in is a bit too kind though, I just cannot believe they won't pick the points up.

I now go away to Burnley who have just appointed Michael Laudrup. If they're looking at me before they went for Laudrup then maybe I'm in with a chance of getting the Leicester job. I do want it. I think it'll be hard to take these much further and Leicester really do have it in place to become a good side on this. There's absolutely no way on the planet that squad should be below us in the table.

[Dan+]

Leicester have sacked Pellegrini. This could be it.

We won 0-3 at Burnley. If we got relegated from here it would be extraordinary. We have had some absolutely great results this season.

It would be a shame to leave this actually, but I can just tell I would regret it. Leicester's the job I'm after.

I have Swansea at home as my next game. Something tells me it may be a farewell.

[Bluebird Hewitt]

And Man City?

[Dave]

Id jump to be honest. There's no ceiling at Leicester, at Barnsley you're close to punching it.

[Dan+]

PL 30 - Barnsley v Swansea
It was weird going into this game because it could well be my last at Barnsley. If it was, it certainly wasn't the way I wanted it to end. Another garbage 0-0 draw in-keeping with that shower against them at home in the cup.

PL 31 - West Brom v Barnsley
No contact from Leicester yet and another game on the horizon, but we had three weeks off after this. Thank god as well. We lost 2-0 and were largely second best. West Brom have had a very good season and sit on the verge of the Europa League places, although they won the cup so they've already made them, a great effort from them. We remain 12th in the table.

 

And then...

 

 

I get the interview. It's quite odd, there's very little definition in Leicester's objectives. It's a bit of a write-off season for them, they were hoping to challenge for the Europa League places but sit in the bottom half, so it's about staying up, although they should be capable of doing that - for all it is tight down there.

I took one very big risk in the interview, and that was telling them I wanted to start at the end of the season if I was successful rather than immediately. It could easily have cost me given they aren't yet safe, and they might be after someone to keep them up for this season rather than relying on an interim. The list of names linked with the job seriously dropped in stature, the favourite was initially Jorge Jesus, and now it's Kenny Lowe of Perth Glory.

Friday morning arrives...

 

 

It's mine. I've bagged it. The end of the season as well, so I've got 7 more games with Barnsley.

The most intriguing thing about it is that neither club are mathematically safe, yet on May 1st in match day 35, I go away to Leicester. I could end up screwing myself here.

Got to go out on a bang though. I think two more wins will keep us up.

Leicester have nearly an identical run in to us.

The ideal scenario of course is neither of them go down, and I think that's what'll happen.

But for now, it's about getting Barnsley as high as I can.

[Dan+]

Jesus fucking Christ. Leicester snatch a point from Hull in the last seconds. If they'd lost that they'd look a decent bet to drop.

Man City have just beat West Brom 3-0. Think they've finally found some form.

[Dave]

I thought you'd blown it asking to start at the end of the season, Dan.  You've left Barnsley in a much better position than anybody would have expected. Now I hope Leicester drop for my own humour.

[Dan+]

I don't want Leicester v Barnsley to be a significant game. It's shaping up that it might well be.

[Storts]

I'm disappointed you're jumping ship - especially to Leicester, how boring. 

[Dan+]

Barnsley 0-3 Newcastle. Totally battered, and just as I was about to sub him because he was on a yellow card, Vardy picks up another. He's now suspended for Hull away.

I'm not liking this.

[Dan+]

9 minutes ago, Storts said:

I'm disappointed you're jumping ship - especially to Leicester, how boring. 

Leicester's got some potential. Barnsley I couldn't see going a lot further.

The thing that really killed my hope for this one longer term was staying as a 3 star reputation club after staying up. We're completely handicapped in who we can and can't buy.

It's also been far too long since I had a real go with Leicester, and I like the fact their squad is largely different as it means it's not the usual route. I usually struggle with Leicester because I don't find the balance of the squad suits how I generally play.

[Storts]

11 minutes ago, Dan said:

Leicester's got some potential. Barnsley I couldn't see going a lot further.

The thing that really killed my hope for this one longer term was staying as a 3 star reputation club after staying up. We're completely handicapped in who we can and can't buy.

It's also been far too long since I had a real go with Leicester, and I like the fact their squad is largely different as it means it's not the usual route. I usually struggle with Leicester because I don't find the balance of the squad suits how I generally play.

 

Trust me there's never an end to how far you can go - just need time, patience and the right investment. I could see you making Europe in a couple of years and then sky is the limit. Expand the stadium/training group - youth recruitment, it all comes together.