We have come a long, long way together, Heathen fans.  From a cobbled street and a filthy council croft in the shade of Clayton Gasworks to this, our stunning 'New Bank Street' stadium unveiled just days after our greatest triumph, lifting the FA Cup against one of our bitter rivals from down the East Lancs, … Continue reading Heathens resurrected 18: Bye bye Bank Street (for now)

1: The view from Eddie Colman court, by Daz (age 8) ""The Heathens are going places, we might be bigger and only a mile away at Maine Road but you've got a million times our passion." Denis Law, September 1961 As I sit here on this March morning pondering in my office at Bank Street … Continue reading Heathens resurrected 17: City vs (f***ing) Liverpool??

I can remember clearly that hazy August morning at 6am when when we all met at Bank Street, climbing on the Charabanc to go to play Grasshoppers in Switzerland in our first ever Europa qualifying round. Xherdan Shaqiri had bagsied the front seat, ready to speak stuff, Gabby Barbosa was doing pull ups in the […]

Prelude: primadonnas and the prep myth So we did it, for the time since 1956 the Heathens are in a cup final, to be precise, the Carabao against Spurs.  I am so chuffed but here on this warm May morning with the sun streaming into my Bank Street office and glinting off Will Stafford's framed … Continue reading Heathens resurrected 15: Carabao cup pre-match preparation and analysis

GAVIN THE BREW BOY: Ahem ... okay if you just take your seats FM will be along in a minute. Firstly though (.. cough .. ) he's .. ahem .. given me this statement that he said I have to read word for word so .. ahem .. here goes .. "After the last press … Continue reading NH1878 4 Man City 3 post-match press conference, Hovis Wholemeal Baps suite, Bank Street stadium 11/5/23

So fellas our first Premier League season is over and I am pleased to say we have achieved two things, namely we stayed up and finished a creditable 15th, despite the 20th prediction, but best of all we beat Man City not once, but twice :)Firstly, let's deal with that best bit - beating City. … Continue reading Heathens resurrected #13: Premier League season one review and beating City (twice 🙂

Introduction NOTE: if you are looking for the first post in this set, it is here: Heathens resurrected #9: an alternate history part 1 - 1878 to 1970The following post is, for me, an important part of my Football Manager 2018 Newton Heath 1878 save, which I Consider to be essential reading if you want to … Continue reading Heathens resurrected special: an alternate history part 2 – 1971 to 1999

We did it!  After 5 years and 3 promotions Newton Heath 1878 are now a Premier league team.  In one of my most incredible season closes ever in my whole history of playing FM/CM we won the league in consecutive promotions against odds of 1000-1 and a predicted 24th position (fuck you Sky Bet 🙂 ).  … Continue reading Heathens resurrected #12: Newton Heath 1878, a Goddamn Premier League team

Wow, just wow. My boys came good again after that January review in Heathens resurrected #10: megs by winning the playoff final in stunning style after a great and (has to be said) fortunate run-in, meaning we are now a Sky Bet Championship side: As always in my saves, we finished strong in the second half of … Continue reading Heathens resurrected #11: Newton Heath 1878, Championship team

It's Gavin the brew boy's day off so without anyone to massage my feet and rub oil in my .. ahem .. temples, let's get on with my season 4 mid season January review. I'm going to use this opportunity to reevaluate the squad and see how we can continue to improve leading towards season … Continue reading Heathens resurrected #10: megs and a sexy tickbox