2. Were All t'Leeds round 'ere aren't we?

 

     

Disclaimer: This is a purely ficticious story based around a game of Football Manager 2023 and is not about the real Morley Town FC. This story is not based on real events, just my own imagination through a laptop screen. Enjoy! 

Morley, West Yorkshire July 2022 

 “Oh yea! Oh yea! Oh yea!” shouted the town crier, ringing his bell loudly as he stood outside Morley Town Hall, the ornate late Victorian structure which dominates this West Yorkshire town. As ever on these occasions the man in the red robes had drawn a crowd, who had briefly halted their daily business in Queens Street to come and see what the fuss was about. This included pensioners who loved this kind of thing, to curious children and a small group of teenagers hanging out in Windsor Court, the adjacent shopping precinct, who were taking the mickey a little and giggling as the crier carried out his duties.

“Oh yea! Oh Yea! Morley Town football club have appointed Jonathan Rudd as their new manager.”

I expected cheers and people hugging eachother, jumping for joy as a brand new era dawned for their town’s football team... but no, nothing, just silence as people just stood there.. Then one bloke, wearing a tracksuit and in a thick local accent shouted, “Were all t’Leeds round ‘ere aren’t we!”

The crowd cheered and there were a few chants of “Marching on Together...”  and "Come on t'Leeds.." I stood there, invisible...

This was of course the famous song from the very illustrious club about one mile away. If you stand in the centre circle of Morley Town’s home ground, Glen Road and look North, you could see the floodlights and the top of the stand of the famous Elland Road Stadium. Many of the pubs and bars in Morley had Leeds United murals, signed shirts, decorations and memorabilia from it's illustrious history, Charles, Charlton, Revie, Bremner, Lorimer, Strachan, Kewell, err Danny Pugh.. Beckford, Becchio, Patrick Bamford and of course Bielsa..  and all the famous names who had worn the hallowed white shirt down the years or managed them..

There was no doubt that this is a football mad part of the world, with some rugby league and cricket thrown in as well, but I had a lot of work to do to raise the profile of Morley’s football team which lay in the shadows of the monolith of a club just one mile away.

The town crier finished with the day’s news and the good people of Morley went back to their shopping and whatever they were up to in the centre of their town on a sunny Saturday afternoon. I then walked up to Morley Town FC from Queen’s Street to meet the chairman Bryan Wilkins and the players.

Where are Morley Town in The English Pyramid?

Morley Town play in the Yorkshire Amateur Premier Division, which is Level 12 on the football pyramid. That’s eleven promotions from The Premier League and at the time of writing, ten for a local derby against the Mighty Whites from down t’road. I am here to try and make that happen, but it will be a long slog. They play their home games at Glen Road. At the moment the biggest games of the season are the Asquith Avenue derby against Gildersome Old Boys and the A6110 Ring Road derby against Beeston Juniors...

Our home ground, Glen Road Morley

Board Expectations

The Board expect me to finish in mid-table. The supporters expect a fight against relegation. I think if we can recruit sufficient quality into the club, with some experience at playing higher in the English pyramid, then we can compete at the top of the table. In all honesty, the quality at the club made up players created by Football Manager, not real life ones, left a little to be desired and would require much activity in the transfer market in order to compete well in this league and move up the pyramid.

Meeting the Players

Note: This is the bunch of random newgens that the game automatically adds because wisely, upon loading the game with the whole English pyramid I ticked the "Add players to existing teams" box, which automatically generates them and are added to every single team in the pyramid.. So if your name is Rob Hudson, or Sean Markey, or indeed, Rodger Winfarrah and happen to live in Morley, then this is not you and just a strange coincidence.. Nor are any of these players real Morley Town footballers.. unless there is a very strange coincidence and there really is a left winger called Faris Pamment who plays for the club in real life.

The squad I inherited its fair to say were not the best,  but very realistic for the level of football we are at, which I like. There was however room for improvement in all departments.

There were a few promising youngsters though, who played for us on a weekend and attended local schools, such as attacking midfielder Arron Davies and striker, Valerio de Martin. Scott Fisher who was older but looks like a capable full back who can play both right and left, but other than that not a great deal of talent to work with.

One Man and His Chairman

As it currently stood there was just me, Bryan Wilkins the chairman, an old bald headed man with a moustache and a bunch of players at the club. There was no backroom team in place because I foolishly forgot to tick the "Add Key Staff" option when loading the game. I needed to act fast to get a physio in place at least before our first friendly against Ashby Park Rovers Resreves in just 5 days time... Otherwise I may have to dig out my First Aid Certificate I did as a teenager at school back in 1995.. 

After our first light pre-season session I prepared some job adverts for an Assistant Manager, Head Physio, Head Scout and Coach and stuck them online.. Will anybody want to do these jobs for free in the world of football? 

Supporters Screen

Oooh this is new (and perhaps overdue) a Supporters expectations screen. We have a 14% Hardcore Morley Ultras who live on the nearby Glen Road Estate ,24% are families who are from the nearby Bird Estate and 17% are casual supporters who make the trip up the hill from Churwell every now and again when Leeds United are playing away down t’south somewhere..

First Press Conference

The press conference garnered little interest from the local press and just a 16 year old Elliot Bartley, who was on work experience at BBC Radio Leeds turned up to ask questions. He remained expressionless throughout as I outlined my excitement on taking the role as Morley manager and my vision for the club. I may as well have been talking to a brick wall.. 

Starting to Build the Squad

The first steps in building up the squad into a decent one was to see which locally based footballers were available on a free and might want to drop down to Yorkshire Amateur League Level to help our cause. Out of the seven available Leeds-based players, four answered the call and turned up to Glen Road on a warm July evening to begin training and be in contention for the starting line up in the first pre-season friendly in just two days time.

Ben Higginson (GK)

Harrison Blakey (DC)

Dominic Claxton (DC)

Redmond Lee (ST)

 

Friendly 1 – Ashby Park Reserves v Morley Town

We make the rather unnecessarily long trip down the M62 East to North Lincolnshire outfit, Ashby Park Rovers of The Scunthorpe and District League who play at the Co-op Playing fields. I line up in a simple 4-4-2, with all the trialists starting to see what they can do.

Team: (4-4-2) Higginson (trial) Hartas, Blakey (trial) Claxton (trial) Fisher, Hudson, Tanner, McAlea, Lee (Trial) De Martin, Tidsell

We don’t start well and Greenlee their striker wriggles clear and beats the keeper with a near post shot he really should have done better with.

Immediately though we equalise through Tidsell with a fierce shot from the angle.

Then we take the lead. Tanner’s perfectly weighted through ball reaches Redmond Lee who makes it 2-1 with a simple finish. Nice way for the trialist to impress.

McAlea gets down the right wing. His cross is overhit but Tidsell retrieves, drops his shoulder to fool the defender before sliding a low cross for Lee to tap home for number 3! The Morley Ultras are chanting “Sign him up” already!

3-1 at half time.

I make a few changes without doing the full Sven.

On 60 minutes, sub Andrew is upended in the box and fellow sub, right back Sean Markey makes it four with a penalty straight down the middle.

Blakey’s long ball was chased down by Higginson, he turns it back to Paige Andrew who cuts inside and fires in a low cross which is diverted home by young Mario Ward! 5-1 Morley! Brilliant stuff for the first game! We travel back to West Yorkshire in great spirits.

Final Score Ashby Park Rovers 1-5 Morley Town

Greenlee 12                                              Tidsell 20

                                                                       Lee 31,40

                                                                    Markey (61 pen)

                                                                     Ward 63

Friendly 2 – Morley Town v Marske United

We host Northern League outfit, Marske United in my second friendly. I go in with a 4-4-2 again as the players seek to catch my eye before the opening league game.

Team: Moreman, Markey , Blakey (trial), Claxton (trial), Fisher, Hudson, Tanner, McAlea, Lee (trial), O’Donnell, Tidsell

After two minutes a long punt upfield from Markey should be comfortable for the keeper,.. but he fumbles it, straight to Redmond Lee who passes the ball into the empty net! 1-0 Morley. On ten minutes Marske swing in a free-kick.. but there’s pushing in the box.. Penalty! Kennedy steps up and sends Moreman the wrong way, one each. As the half reaches a conclusion, the North Eastern side look the more dangerous and hit the bar, before taking the lead moments later. A lovely through ball sends Scott free and he confidently slides the ball past Moreman for 2-1. Into the second half and we attack with vigour. Redmond Lee spurns a great chance to equalise after good work from sub Arron Davies, while sub Mario Ward has a goal chalked off for offside after more good work from the young Welshman, Davies. At the other end though they hit the post twice and their sub, Church blasts the ball over the bar when clean through. A 2-1 defeat, but we gave a good account of ourselves against a side from a higher level in the pyramid.

Final Score Morley Town 1-2 Marske United

Lee 3                                            Kennedy 12 (pen)

                                                       Scott 45

 

Friendly 3 Bagby & Balk v Morley Town

We are going back to school for this one, Thirsk School to be precise, in North Yorkshire, so a quick trip up the A1 and back for our boys today. I include a few new trialists who have answered my recruitment call. Let’s see if they are any good!

Team: Moreman, Croft (trial) Winfarrah, Claxton (trial) Hartas, Hudson, O’Reagan (trial) McAlea, Lee (trial) Payne (trial) Price

Match Action

We look quite solid in a 4-4-2 and look the most likely to break the deadlock at first. McAlea has an effort saved low down by the keeper, while trialist Sanchez Payne flashes a shot just over. Their midfielder Lloyd scythes down O’Reagan and earns a red card. They are down to ten men. Then in a rare outbreak of quality, the three trialists combine, Croft sends Lee down the right channel who squares it for Payne to slot home. But we fall asleep from the kick off and a smart four man move from the home side sends Walker free and he fires it past Moreman for an unexpected equaliser. Just before half time, Lee misses a gilt edged chance to put us ahead after smart work from trialist O’Reagan. Into the second half and sub trialist Jordan Deacey looks lively and feeds McAlea, who puts in a low cross for Payne, but the keeper claws it away. Then from nowhere a free kick and amazingly the hosts take the flipping lead from a looping header which finds its way past Moreman into the top corner from their Finnish “superstar” Vieheranta.. 2-1 down. To make matters worse, young Hudson goes in hard on their midfielder and earns himself an early bath, making it ten each side. A really bad day at the office is compounded when Bagby break away from our corner and Snelgrove taps home a simple third. 20 shots to 10 and they win 3-1. Good job it was only a friendly.. Much work to be done..

Final Score: Bagby & Balk 3-1 Morley Town

Walker                                         Payne

Vieheranta

Snelgrove

New Backroom Team

Finally someone has answered my job adverts...

New Assistant Manager Sam O’Hara

I have snapped up 32-year old Assistant Manager, Sam O’Hara! Finally somebody is willing to join me at Glen Road. Welcome to Morley Sam! He has already made a few positive suggestions as to how we can move forward, so first impressions are good.

New Coach

I welcome Ernie Dyer as our new first team coach. He also wanted the Assistants job, but offered him this role instead.  Welcome to Glen Road. With a name like Ernie, I’m sure you’ll fit right in! 

New Physio

Dan Harmison, Steve's idiot brother has given up his time to cure my injured players. Thanks mate, We no longer have to hire a local quack to heal any injured players on matchdays.

New Chief Scout

We finally have a chief scout, after advertising for one and initially receiving zilch responses. Finally Stu Scanlon (not to be confused with Angela) put his name forward and we snapped him up, cos nobody else really wanted to come. Welcome to Morley Stu!

 New Scout

Stu had a mate called Charlie who likes to watch local football matches and spot talent, so we snapped him up as well to work with Stu. 

Friendly 4 Rothwell Town v Morley Town

We make the short trip of one junction down the M62 eastbound to the town of Rothwell. There are more trialists in the team as I still seek to make my first signing after a lot of comings and goings.

Team: Moreman, Croft (trial) Bowe (trial) Cyrus (trial) Fisher, Kennedy (trial) Forster (trial) McAlea, Payne (Trial) Wetherall, Tisdell

It’s even although Rothwell have a great chance which is beaten away by Moreman. Then out of nowhere they have a free kick on the edge of the box. Banks powers it Beckham-style into the top corner, keeper no chance and its 1-0 to them. In the second hlf we come out and try to equalise. We thought we had when Tidsell fired home from close range, but his big toe was offside. Then, a deep corner from Rothwell as nodded home by Rhys Sharples. The final nail in our coffin was yet another Worldie free kick, this time from Leam Forshaw. We reply with a consolation from the spot when Waide Andrew was felled. Young Valeron de Martin made no mistake. 3-1 the final score. We were undone by two worldie free kicks Beckham would have been proud of and could not take our chances. Disappointing..

Rothwell Town 3-1 Morley Town

Banks 32                        De Martin 90

Sharples 72

Hearn 82

After about 200 trialists have trained and played with Morley Town, only to be snapped up by clubs further up the pyramid, will anybody come to Glen Road and play for us, or will we have to make do with the squad that the game has given us? Find out next time on The Ultimate English Pyramid Game! 

Read Part 3 A Butcher, Baker and Candlestick Maker Here!