Hi! My name is Pierran Shearer. I am not related to Alan but he has inspired me to start a career in football management. This is my Football Manager story. I’m 28 years old and used to teach PE in a school in Cornwall.
USSL Division 2 – Deep South Division
Now you know where I am starting, me and Charlotte have a lot to do. Our division is a small one containing only 9 teams meaning we play each one twice for a total of 16 games. That’s not many over a year which I like. It means I can get through a season nice and quickly.
I also need to be aware that I could be chosen at any point to join another team. Manchester United could see me as an ideal candidate to replace OGS or I could be the man to turn Arsenal around… I don’t fancy working in the Championship just yet though……
The league we’re in is a bit like League Two in the UK. Except there aren’t any promotions and relegations. As there are several leagues running alongside each other, there is a playoff series played out by the top teams from each division in this tier. That’s very American. I’m surprised that draws aren’t decided by a penalty shootout at the gun range. Or is that too stereotypical?
The Team
Given we are the a feeder team to Charlotte Independence, we are constantly having players come and go between us and them. I’m allowed to sign players but the contract extensions are negotiated by the manager of the parents club. So my star striker could be sold or recalled at any time! That’ll keep me on my toes.
In the off season, I’ve managed to get some lads together to play. We are only allowed to sign and play players under the age of 23 years old. That’s a rule of the league. Not mine or the clubs. This is my team. They are all compared to their team mates in the parent club so anybody on 1 star is still considered to be quite decent in this league.
A slightly bigger issue is the number of players I have who want to play for us. I can’t fill a match day squad so I’m stuck with having to ask some supporters to play. It’s normally done on who can shout the loudest…
That man started most games. I should give him one of our shirts so he doesn’t have to keep wearing that West Ham one which he must have found in the charity shop.
March 2021
The season starts in March and it’s a busy month with three games to play. To my surprise, the goalkeeper (who was a supporter who had a very loud voice!) was pretty decent. I might sign him permanently. He’s also a hairdresser! Who’d have thought it!?
Anyway, our star striker, Mexican Marco García gets several goals as well as the best DC in the league: Calvin Doum. 9 points from 9 in the first 2 games is a perfect way to start.
I’ve also been allowed to get my first coaching badge. Given I work with the U23s, that’s what I focused on during my first badge.
April 2021
April was another full month with another 3 games. Only another 10 to go! Marco García on form again getting 7 more goals in the 3 games including 4 against league favourites in an epic 6-6 match!
I’m not sure this league has ever seen a game quite like this one before because the fans were more excited than a magpie in a jewellery store!
With another 7 points meant the league table was looking fairly decent. We are two points clearn and turns out the draw was enough to keep Tormenta FC 2 behind us.
May and June 2021
Another two months pass containing 4 games. I’m not sure the players will take this kind of punishment. They can’t keep playing in such a busy schedule! It’s outrageous!
This is what José Mourinho once said, I think, but for our players, it means they can go to the beach every weekend.
Whatever they are doing, it seems to be working as we’re winning it all. Another 4 wins scoring 11 and conceding only 3 times.
It does mean we are comfortably at the top, four points clear of Tormenta FC 2. We’re both unbeaten which is also cool. I wonder if we can go the season unbeaten?
July 2021
I think spending so much time on the beach is starting to have a detrimental effect on the results. And as it’s July, the sun is only getting hotter and the players are suffering. Both games in July are a draw. No goals from Marco García so I’m wondering if he’s given up…
Thankfully, Tormenta FC 2 also draw a few meaning that we are still 4 points ahead of them with only 4 games remaining.
August and September 2021
Just the one game in each of August and September. Thankfully we are back to winning ways and win 5-0 and 2-1. With only two games remaining, we’re sat comfortably at the top. Our next game would give us the title if we won and we’d be in the playoffs.
The board are so pleased with what I’m doing they offer me another contract. That’s a relief as my current contract was to finish at the end of the season. They like what I’m doing and I’m hoping they’ll allow me to get another coaching badge under my belt. But I’ve never known why you’re supposed to keep them there…
The salary is decent, too, compare to the one I got while I was teaching! But with only two matches remining, I only needed a point to win the title.
October 2021
Unfortunately, Asheville City thought they were the big dogs and decided to spoil our celebrating during out last home match of the season beating us 0-1. I means we had one match left and needed to win it to win the league. Tormenta FC 2 also won their match meaning they were a point behind us. We NEEDED to win the final game but it was in our hands.
Thankfully we won the final game 2-0 with goals from Sabella and Doum. I hope he doesn’t get called up next season because he’s decent. He’s got one more year with us, if he stays, before he becomes too old to play in this league.
It didn’t matter because a few days later, Tormenta FC 2 had to play Southern Soccer Academy who were bottom of the league. Tormenta lost so we all laughed at them…
The final table looked like this. We finished top but losing the 1 match was disappointing. Luckily, Tormenta also lost one. I wouldn’t have been happy watching them have un beaten season.
Next up is the playoffs. That will be next time because I’m off to celebrate winning the league with the team! We’re going to the pub! Bye!
My FM Story 