tedsteel

5.6 - Dude, Where's Your Car?

[Dudes! If you bought a paperback of PM1, amazing, thanks! But smash a five-star review on Amazon so when the ebook is released TOMORROW (TOMORROW WTF) loads of people are intrigued. I already got one review from a total rando. Unless that was one of you in the best disguise ever.]

...

6.

Chester Check Chorley Charge; Boss Best Boosts Blues

Chester FC got their season up and running with a cool 3-1 win over high-flying Chorley today at the Deva Stadium. After losing ...

5.5 - Chesster

5.

"Football is like chess, only without the dice." Lukas Podolski, 49 goals in 130 games for the German national team and owner of the world's most famous kebab shop.

***

Monday, 14 August

Transfer Window: 18 Days Remaining

The day before a match, training is normally a bit less intense. It's certainly shorter. But normal wasn't a word that I heard much in relation to Chester Football Club, unless it was preceded by 'ab'.

Why were we doing a full-length se...

5.4 - Flat

4.

Thursday, 3 August, 2023

Aaaallll right.

I got murdered and so on and so forth. A lot of people chipped in while I was out, kept the place ticking over. But we had a match on August 5th, so at the start of the month I decided I had to try to get back to the daily grind, even if I was far from ready. Even if my battery was flat.

People would understand if I got a bit tired or moody. People understood that all too well - most treated me like I was made of glass. The w...

T3 Tomorrow

Hi F5 smashers! Spare your keyboards today.

I need to work on the next chapter a bit more. The first draft is okay but I need to add 1) an ethnocentric joke 2) snappy dialogue 3) the emotional heart of the scene.

Which will take more than an hour I reckon.

Look out for it tomorrow at the usual time!

5.3 - Pep Bodyguardiola

3.

Chester Football Club Pre-Season Fitness and Mental Stamina Training

Final Module: Memory and Attention-to-Detail Assessment

Write your candidate number: Six

Write your real name: Six

Write eight thousand words to receive evening rations. Write nine thousand words to receive rations plus a bonus. Write ten thousand words for rations, bonus, and alcohol.

I have been kidnapped.

Send help. SOS. How ...

5.2 - Hell Is Other People

2.

We landed and there was half a round o

5.1 - System Shock

Player Manager 5

Season 2023/24

Recap

Max Best has used his football manager powers to get a job as Director of Football at Chester FC. Three weeks ago, he saved the club from relegation by winning three matches as caretaker manager for the men’s first team. After the third match, Max was attacked outside the stadium.

***

"It's not what you know, it's who you know." Ancient Mancunian proverb.

***

1.

Someone trie...

Tiny Break

TL;DR - Break from the actual writing, but still actively working on PM!

1. No chapter Monday. Let's all agree that the epilogue from b3 counts as Monday's chapter. (Which was the plan, but then I failed my Bravery roll and chickened out of the cliffhanger, lol.) Back Friday, 200%, unless my head falls off.

2. I'll be using the time to plot, plan, and set up a giant spreadsheet for all the matches next season. Admin stuff, basically. (It'll allow Max to say player X scored 4 in 8 ...

4.14 - Safety

35.

Emma left after breakfast - she neede

4.13 - A Good Match

34.

Chester 2, Chorley 0. Full time.

The results from our rivals were a mixed bag. Bradford got a good win, and Blyth picked up a point. But we were now only a point behind 18th-placed Farsley, who we would play soon, and three behind Buxton. All those other teams had games in hand, but we were on a winning streak and they weren't. We were more likely to finish 17th than be relegated.

My players did a tiny tour of the centre circle, applauding the fans in the various stands....

Player Manager Is a Book

Holy cow it's actually happening. IT'S HAPPENING.

My book is a book. It's available for pre-order, which I think used to be called 'order', on Amazon.

BOOK 

2023-07-24 08:05:21 +0000 UTC View Post

4.12 - Chorley You Can't Be Serious

33.

Friday, 24 March

I was pleased with the reaction to my first proper training session, but once the adrenaline wore off I started to have doubts. Had I asked for too much, too soon? Was there a risk that by putting an advanced concept into their heads, they'd fixate on that and forget the basics?

On Friday morning, we did lots of small drills with the various coaches I'd corralled, culminating in a big sesh where we focused on overloads. MD came to watch, and joined us fo...

4.11 - Let It Happen

32.

Wednesday, March 22

After a run of mornings where I wanted to stay in bed, I leapt out. Quick shower, hoodie, the short drive to the Eastbourne Sports Complex. I burst past the night dude at reception, up the stairs, and into the office used by Darlington FC's manager.

David Cutter was inside, packing things into cardboard boxes.

He'd been fired as I drove home from Kettering. Somewhat took the gloss off my first official win.

4.10 - In and Out

31.

The last twenty minutes went by in a

4.9 - This. Isn't. Sparta.

30.

Saturday, 18th March

Match 40 of 46: Chester versus Blyth Spartans

I woke up at 8 - pretty late, for me. Emma squirmed, sensing something had changed in the room. I traced my fingers along her spine, up to her flowing blonde hair. Helen of Troy could have been no more lovely. Helen of Troy, however, may have been more willing to spend the night on a mattress in my windowless office inside a freezing cold football stadium. Emma had dragged me to a hotel. One with, and I q...

4.8 - Let the Devil Wear Black

29.

Friday 17th March

Chester Wo