MVP: WwL

Team DPs: 184

PET are rivals to 3 teams.

to build a strong Div 1 squad!

Updated for Season 56 start (see below)

THE BLUE TOON
Real Life:

Peterhead F.C. are a football club based in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, North Scotland. Very, very far away from everything. Established in 1891, they got elected to Scottish Football League, after years in Highland Football League, with the dawn of new millennium in 2000. It seemed like the best way to celebrate the 2000th year milestone.

In SESL:

There is some misunderstanding regarding the season when Peterhead came into existence in SESL. While most historians believe it to be Season 3, some sources (the same ones who can see the US flag fluttering as Neil Armstrong was talking about "big and small steps") claim it to be Season 8. The issue is far from being resolved as this piece is being written! After twelve seasons in wilderness (read Division 2 & 3), the team finally got into top division of competition in Season 15 and made an immediate impact finishing third, but then flitted between Divisions I and II for a while.

In Season 17, the club won SESL CUP title which remains the club's biggest achievement so far. Also during the same season, the club finished third in CECIL Cup. With these successes in Cup competitions, the club became to be seen as sort of "Cup specialist".

The club faced some diffulties, resulting in relegation from Divison II in Season 27 and the wooden spoon in Season 28, culminating in a change of management to the current regime. However, they have rallied since, and returned to finished 3rd in Division I in season 33. This came at a cost, and the team have slipped back down into Division II, but are looking strong there and eyeing upwards once again. 

Unfortunately, the "Cup specialist" tag has not been relevant for some time, and this is a key objective for management to address. 

Current Season: 

Season 56 Recap:  9 / 10 -  Put the disappointment of missing the playoffs on the final day last season behind us, never leaving the playoff spots and having a chance to win the league on the final day, but suffering a tough loss. Manager of the season was a nice bonus, and we have a strong albeit ageing squad going into Division 2. Onwards and upwards!

Season 57 Aspirations: Decisions to be made. We've tried to get some youth and squad depth in, but this squad has aged together so are very in their prime, which could lead us to challenging for the playoffs, however that may be mortgaging our future. So some youth has come in, with like an apprentice to be trained at some point so possibly just a slight transition year to set us up for long term challenging. Should avoid being in any danger. 

Previous Updates:

Season 55 Recap:  6 / 10 - Spent some of the cash we'd stored up in sacrificing players last year (ultimately finishing with the wooden spoon!), however ultimately in vein as we fell short of the playoffs. In 4th going into the final matches, we finished 7th as we ultimately ran out of energy, but with some bad luck throughout the year as well. Team still looks in decent shape, albeit bacl to having no cash again! Aspirations: Playoffs this time hopefully, we're as strong as last year and have a load of age 1s so hopefully a strong second half of the season can see us get there in good shape to stay in Div 2. 

Season 54 Recap:  2 / 10 - Wooden spoon. Tanked but still thought we'd avoid that. 

Season 53 Recap:  7 / 10 -  Finished worse than last season but with a better score out of 10. How did that happen you may ask? Well once we realised promotion was no longer achievable and we weren't going to finish bottom, our aim was to completely overhaul the squad. Bringing in a lot of youth and some of them with real talent, we end the season with three fully trained age zeros and six fully trained age ones. Of course, with that comes hope.....Aspirations: With this chunk of players entering their prime, we now need to attack the table so they're at their best in higher divisions. This may mean getting them trained quickly, and whilst we invested in a lot of CP at pre-season we also want more youth to bring in as well as more squad depth so this may be a delicate balancing act. Aiming to sneak into promotion places or a lot of these players may be on the way out at age 3 next season. 

Season 52 Recap:  6 / 10 -  The expected overhaul didn't quite ensue, and we settled for a squad with an ounce of depth, a few prime players and just about enough youth to not worry for the future. Armed with this we campaigned towards promotion, always hovering just outside the promotion playoff spots and ultimately falling short of pushing up into them. Just a couple of key injuries was enough to disrupt us and result in the "somewhat of a middling season" that was projected below. Aspirations: I can say with more confidence there will now be an overhaul, as we now have no age 3 players and SIX age 1s! And that is prior to any apprentice acuiqitions (although we're running out of oldies). That means we'll struggle early and maybe will be aiming for a late push for the playoffs, however should have enough to avoid the basement in the second half of the season and next season will have a hopefully very strong squad. Resources back in check now after a pretty barren last couple of seasons, let's see how it goes. Expecting midtable. 

Season 51 Recap:  4 / 10 -  some very unlucky results, some injuries, trying to bring in youth and not contributing enough to build up cash was a toxic cocktail that ultimately saw us relegated by a couple of points. We felt comfortable we had the talent to escape, but are now finding ourselves back in the basement division adn replacing good reports from 10 seasons ago with bad ones. Noticeable this downturn has coincided with the trading for apprentices - do we have to reconsider this strategy (i.e. does it conflict with my boom or busy play?). Or is the quality simply getting better? Many questions facing the club at the moment. Aspirations: There has to be a bit of an overhaul. Our prime players will be sold and replaced with youth while it's cheap, and hopefully we'll be able to challenge despite this strategy - although I fear this may be somewhat of a middling season given our lack of resources. Depth is an issue again, although as usual we have the talent, albeit some will be sacrificed to allow us room to grow. . 

Season 50 Recap: 7.5/10 - Were always in a promotion playoff race but ultimately fell short with a small squad, several developing players and some injury and suspension issues creeping. Still, a solid campaign back in Div 2. Aspirations: Squad looks in alright health, but will need some attention in this off-season which we hope to achieve via trades. We have a small amount of cash so hopefully can also use that to bolster. We're hoping to develop a few age 1s this season so expect to be stronger in the second hafl of the year, however we had a lot of aging from last season impact the squad so also looking for more depth (which will trade in again for oldies). Should be looking to push for promotion again this season though - don't want to get too comfortable in this division!

Season 49 Recap:  6/10 - Relegation got us despite looking competitive for most of the season and getting through our SESL cup group. Some unfortunate defeats when the stats were in our favour and no luck the other way, so we will look to go again and bounce straight back up. We cashed in on a few players as the season got away from us to prepare for this next season. Aspirations: We have a squad with a lot of mid-level skilled old boys and youth (age 0-2) that needs a lot of training.; Hopefully the former can put us in position early in the season that the latter can drive us to glory in the second half of the season. Our aim is undoubtedly to return to the top table, however not the best start and we still aren't blessed with the most talent despite having some good cash reserves, if we just miss out that would be understandable. Don't expect to be in a relegation battle this season....

Season 48 Recap: 10/10 - Overachievers again! Think that's 6 out of 7 years or so. Slightly different to last season, in that we were never really ever too far away from safety, occassionally bobbing in and out of the relegation zone. This was aided by a strong start, and as usual our squad got trained up quickly during the season meaning we finished a comfortable 4 points ahead of the relegation play-off spots. We brought some cash in throughout the season, meaning we could bolster the squad in the middle of the season when needed, and managed to train up a young GK who looks very solid. Another very successful season. Aspirations: As with my last update pre season 48, we've traded early. Bringing in a young GK and cashing in on a huge DF to allow us to buy another back up FW, however I don't think we particularly nailed the value on any of those deals and perhaps waiting could have been beneficial. Nonetheless, the squad has a decent balance to it, and with TP and CP in the right area for our squad and already thinking ahead to some retirements for an apprentice to join in mid-season. A good league season would be to avoid any of the relegation scrap, but we're possibly stilll to young a squad for that (in our core players anyway), so I'd still be biting the hand off for a midtable finish at the moment (albeit less agressively than last season). 

Season 47 Recap: 10/10 - What a crazy season. Bottom of the league entering SESL cup time, we rallied in the second half and gradually clawed our way up - grabbing a play-off spot on the final weekend, even ending up in 11th. Our oppponent in the playoffs couldn't match our agression, and we ran out comfortable winners to maintain top flight status. The only disappointment being a 3 match suspension picked up by our main defender who will be sorely missed in the opening games this season. An incredible achievement given the turnaround in personnel and we couldn't be prouder. We didn't savrifice the squad either, fully training up 6 age 0/1s and having enough cash for CP in the coming season. Aspirations: Already with one trade under the belt (slightly poor value, but needed for a fresh young 1/17 fw to play most games at the expense of a solid prime 2/23 def where we have a lot of strength. Compare that to last year, it's quite a change. That gives us 3 age 1s and an age zero likely to join with oldies departing later ni the year, so our TP is spoken for. However, with only 36 CP a decision needs to be made on whether we train up all our age 2s or top up the age 3 WGs and GK who are already game-changers. In all likelihood, we'll continue to try and trade those guys while we freshen up with age 2s. Enough about the squad - it's in a good state, and hopefully that will allow us to push for security earlier this season, and maybe even allow us to prepare for next season earlier. Having said that, we're still bottom of the t-17, so possibly just survival again will be the aim. How we get out of this cycle of having a low SL but overachieving squad is still a mystery to me, but we'll keep training and freshening up the squad and hopefully that will see it strengthen. Another year of Div 1 gate money will certainly help. Fingers crossed I'll be saying that next season too. 

Season 46 Recap: After a swift break from the over-achievers award whilst being relegated from Division 1, we were straight back to business. Finishing 3rd, securing automatic promotion despite being predicted to finish 16th. Great season, and just glad to be back where we belong. We secured our sponsorship, and rode on a squad of 6 age 2s all in their prime. Big trade selling away our best youngster in the final weeks of the season to ensure financial stability for the start of this year, but as you'll read on to, we've covered that alright. Aspirations: Our squad was decimated coming into this season, with little youth, little depth but a host of age 3s (in the second half of their prime), most at high SL levels. So we leveraged that, bringing in 13 new faces to the club, with more squad fillers (SL 18-22 age 4-5s) and more youth (now 5 age 1s). In hindsight, we probably made a couple of unneccesary trades, and possibly one or two weren't the best value, but in general I'm very happy with where we've got to, given how hard SESL trading can be. We were left with some cash, and despite having a 4/17 GK on the books with a 5/12 back up, which was actually better than we had last year, we decided to splash on a stud age 2 GK - with the fact we only had 2 other players who were worth the CP usage also a factor. Hopefully this is the final piece for us, and many of the old guard will go for an apprentice later in the season under new trading rules (which will probably require us bringing in more TP, and making our trade for a 1/10 a bit redundant this year as well). However, enough reflection on the squad which I now think is in a decent place (far better than 2 weeks ago). We're just aiming to survive this season. With few players in their prime we're relying on strength in numbers allowing us to use aggression on some of the age 4s this year whilst the age 1s build up, and hopefully once CP'd the strength on our wings will be enough to win us key games and keep us up. Then next season we may genuinely be close to having a competitive squad! 

Season 45 Recap: Relegation finally caught up with us after some terrible luck with injuries and some bad results caught us during a rebuilding year, and we didn't have the strength in depth to pull through. After several seasons of defying the odds and building up a better, younger squad in the process, we find ourselve in Division 2. A wrong that needs to be righted in my book. Aspriations: With 6 age 2s and 2 age 1s at, the best players in our team are coming into their prime. The aim will be to train them all up, whilst bringing in some more youth and fill the missing positions in our team (GK / WG). WIll this be overstretching ourselves? Probably. But it's the only way to look at promotion, even if there's a risk of it all going wrong and facing another battle at the wrong end of the table. Let's stick to the positivity for now, and say we're aiming to bounce straight back due to our squad strengths, but acknowledging our squad weaknesses at the same time. 

Season 44 Recap [late add]: Was a transitional year between the optimism of the season below and the realism of the season above. 

Season 43 Recap  It getting silly now. FIVE overachievers awards in a row, and this one culminated in the manager of the season award. We gambled a fair bit at the start of the season by buying in a huge attack - 3 big WGs and 3 big FWs. One FW had to be sold off for an older stand-in to allow us to build up the other guys, but overall I'm very happy with how things finished. We were running out of bank, but winning almost every award going thanks to Palzor (he really is becoming a stud, and will likely overtake Rabey as club top scorer!) and a great final weekend from our keeper meant we are comfortable going into next season. Ultimately finishing 6th for a 3rd time in 4th years, are we now established? Once again, our stats say otherwise. Aspriations: We have a bit more resource than last yaer, and have a reasonably solid squad. That being said, our t-17 remains 2nd worst in the league, so there's no denial that it remains a challenge to stay up. We're also low on youth, so the early season performance may dictate if we address that later in the season, or if we push some of our older members. Big age 2 and 3 WGs and FWs coupled with a big GK and DF means that we should win the key games we need to, but have assets in the bank if needed to diversify and bring in youth. I'd take 6 again, but it'd be nice to crack the top 5 for the first time in a while. Of course, the last time we did that we got relegated the following season, so who knows! 

Season 57 update: A few months out from our big honeymoon mentioned below, which will come around matches 41 untilt he end of the season, and is obviously an exciting horizon. Asides from that, everything is pretty much par for the course; job, flat, football all the same just chucking in more grievances of ageing. 

Season 56 update: Couple of weddings later - one just legal and the other a big shindig in Spain - and things are going good. Same job etc, but got the big thing out the way with a small honeymoon, hopefully with a big trip later in teh year to come. 

Season 54 update: 2 weeks to the legal wedding ceremony (which is closer than I made it before!) and the actual wedding will be within this SESL season I believe. Will be a busy summer especialyl with the prep, but looking forward to it and some challenges at work hopefully leading to at least a bit of productivity. My Spanish still sucks - forever on the to do list - but all in all I'm enjoying life before the real stress of the wedding kicks in. No NMRs though. 

Season 53 update: Wedding is planned, which is an improvement on the last time I tried to get engaged. Just back from a trip to New Zealand and Singapore and now lookign forward to a summer of stag dos and other people's weddings before our own. I still have barely learned a lick of Spanish and am still slightly too unfit for the real football I've gotten back to, but still an enjoying time for me personally nonetheless. 

Season 52 update: Big personal news is I got engaged! After the travelling mentioend below, we've had a beautiful hot summer in London, including the proposal, finished off with a villa holiday in Italy. Perhaps the jetting is what took the toll on my results, but PET performance aside things in life are pretty great at the moment. Just the small item of a multi-language wedding to sort now, and back to real football in the coming weeks. 

Season 51 update: Looks like we're over the worst of Covid and allowed out in the world again. I'll be watching SESL results from Sheffield, Munich, Dublin, Stockholm, Lisbon and Brussells in the coming couple of months, I'm sure with plenty of fizzy brown stuff in me. Some with the missus, some for stags / weddings but all should be good fun. SESL won't escape my attention and the squad will also get my full atention - asides from that, not much more to report! 

Season 49 update: This season starts on the verge of restrictions easing in the UK, however I fear next season may see us back under the lockdown shadow. However, as anticipated below my injury wasn't as simple as first thought, turnign out to be a blood clot. This means no competitive sport, and exercising is still a touch difficult (can't consistently exercise as the oxygenation int he body isn't that great). However, that doesn't mean I'm not enjoying life with the sun out and weddings / beer gardens / bbqs all out in full force again. In a time of flux and uncertainty, best to just sit back and enjoy I guess. 

Season 48 update:  So much for the pubs and football! Both are off again due to Covid but should return during this SESL season, meaning me and the missus have been enjoying just staying at home and saving up holidays for when we can finally get away. Personally I picked up an injury, meaning I couldn't get out and keep myself so now recovered I'm hoping to get in decent shape ready for when everything gets going again. Been working really hard, and seeing some fruits of that labour which is also nice. All in all, can't complain during such a hard time for so many others. 

Season 47 update:  Still doing this whole WFH thing and it's all going alright. The upside is we now have pubs open and football back, so the best parts of normal life but without the communte. Just trying to knuckle down although Sept was a big month for socialising and the odd trip away. Hoping for a quieter few months in this SESL season. 

Season 46 update: Quarantine baby. Same boat for most, and it's not affecting us too badly. Our flat is big enough, and glad it's just the two of us living together. Missing my football; watching and playing, but aware how lucky I am that I can work from home and we aren't impacted to badly at this point. Set all my quarantine goals, same as everyone, and haven't gotten near to starting most of them. Still, it's a weird and interesting time, so having a staple like SESL around is even more imporatnt. 

Season 44 update: Enjoying my life in South East London still, and my girlfriend is now also moved in. Same job, now just a case of settling down a bit and enjoying everything that's going on. Consolidation achieved. London life is a fast one, so I want to just enjoy the ride and make the most of it. 

Season 43 update: Now all moved in to South East London, and still with the girlfriend and enjoying the job. Much like the team having a very successful season last year, my personal life also felt very fulfilling. Not much to update this year, but much like in Division 1, I'm looking to consolidate the position in my relationship, job and new location! 

Season 42 update: As predicted in my last update, I'm currently in the process of buying a house in Elephant and Castle in London. The job in Oxford Circus continues, and I'm quite enjoying life at the moment. Especially the summer described in my season 41 update - that did not disappoint! Also got a new girlfriend, for the record, which is progressing perfectly. Onwards and Upwards - much like the team! (watch us get relegated now.....)

Season 41 update: Redundancy in the bag and a new job that I've been in a few weeks in the middle of Oxford Circus which has started off very well - a challenging step up, but well worth it. Life is very exciting all of a sudden. A summer ahead of beer gardens, music and football awaits and the only thing I'm not looking forward to is the hangovers. I'm still temporarily residing in Ealing, and feel reasonably settled now, but I imagine there will be more changes to come in the coming year or so. I welcome them all! 

Season 40 update: Wow, after a few seasons with everything ticking along in an orderly fashion, an awful lot has changed in the last few months. After splitting wiith my fiance, I have moved to a different part of London where I will soon also be looking for a new job, as I take redundancy before the end of this SESL season. All very exciting times, so watch this space for further developments! 

Season 27: July 2011: PET recruit Stephen from ODFL.
Originally from Scotland and a Rangers fan. Prefer open attacking and entertaining style of Football. Played at university level, although it is clear that management is my best way to break into the business! Currently work in a casino in Birmingham.

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Previous PET management:
Sumit Dahal : Sumit is from Nepal and amidst all the third-world-chaos, I love anything that's got to do with OLMEC.

I have this "extended" experience with OLMEC based leagues dating back to 2003 but with nothing to show for in the form of success. I even run my own league- rather cheesy named Rusty League-again with very little success (as the league seems to be always short of managers and action).

In SESL, took over Stranraer towards the middle of Season 20 before making the switch to Peterhead from Season 21. I took an extended break for a couple of seasons starting around 2009 as I did my final year of medical school. And now I am back once again at PET starting mid-way of Season 24.