At the end of last season, my biggest challenges were to look at how I replace my first choice goalkeeper, top goalscorer and one of my most consistent midfielders as all three of Chris Johns, Chris McKee and Kyle McClean made clear their intentions to consider their options at the end of their contract. As it turns out, all three ended up staying for my second season - Chris Johns (2 years) and Kyle McClean (1 year) both agreeing to new deals while Chris McKee failed to agree a move away and has stayed with the club on a month to month rolling deal.
Having secured a league title in my first season but performing so poorly in the cup competitions, I was keen to ensure we went one further this year. We’d need to retain the league but also get ourselves at least one cup final. Europe is considered an added bonus for any NI clubs… or so we usually believe.
PRE-PRE-SEASON SIGNINGS
Before the players had even broken for their summer break, I had already agreed to the signings of two players for the season ahead - players at very different ends of their careers.
Centre back Luke Kenny (St Mirren) impressed on loan at Cliftonville last season and with his contract at The Buddies due to expire, I made a swift move to bring him in on an initial 18 month contract.
Shane Long (Reading) was also available on a free as his current contract was winding down. At 37 years old, he’s not likely to be outpacing players in the way that he did much of his career but when Shane Long becomes available, you sign Shane Long!
SUMMER 2024
It was a busy summer window for the Blues with no fewer than six senior players leaving he club at the end of their contracts: Kirk Millar, Jordan Stewart, Jamie Mulgrew (retired), Max Haygarth, Robbie McDaid and Euan East. Added to that was the departure of Chris Shields to LOI side St Pat’s Athletic for £9.5k having agitated all summer for a move.
With seven players out the door, seven players came in to take their spots.
Goalkeepers Aaron Maguire (Tottenham Hotspur) and Teddy Sharman-Lowe (Chelsea) were free signings having been released by their previous clubs - Maguire being sent straight out on loan to Welsh side TNS for first team football.
Jamie Doran (Glenavon) became the first player I’ve paid a fee for, £6k was a reasonable sum for a young player who will add depth to the squad. Sean McAllister (Everton) was another free signing, a Northern Ireland U21international with bags of potential who spent last season on loan at Glentoran - probably a player we will only keep for a season before he moves on.
Three loans to finish off our summer dealing with the signings of defender Patrick Gamble (Blackburn Rovers), midfielder Baba Adeeko (Wigan Athletic) and striker Dale Taylor (Nottingham Forest). Dale Taylor becoming the latest Linfield Academy product to come back on loan from his new club.
Europe is supposed to just be a quick fire way to increase the club’s coffers. Irish clubs aren’t supposed to compete. So it seemed when we exited the Champions League in the First Qualifying Round in a 6-2 defeat to FC Honka of Finland - I was particularly delighted at getting that 2-2 draw in the second leg.
The benefit for clubs in the Champions League Qualifying Path is that defeat means a second chance in the Europa Conference League. A chance we grabbed with both hands - overcoming Albania’s KF Tirana 8-2 in the Third Qualifying Round before a classic against Latvian side RFS in the Fourth and final Qualifying Round. A draw in the first leg had us nicely set for a big occasion at home in the second leg, neither side able to find the breakthrough in 90 mins, it was RFS who scored first in extra time. Dan Finlayson came off the bench to be the hero in the 112th minute with an equaliser to send the tie to penalties where Linfield made history becoming the first Northern Irish side to qualify for a European group stage!
It’s at this point that you expect to just enjoy the ride - six group games with a chance to bring in some big gate receipts. We performed so well in the group stage with a narrow defeat to FC Twente, holding out for draws against Dnipro and Cluj before Villarreal took us apart as expected. What was not expected was to claim two wins in the final two games against Adana and Neftci.
It’s worth noting that £429k for a win (and even £142k for a draw) is an incredible prize for clubs at this level. Two wins covered our entire playing wage bill for the season!
Those two wins were enough to drag us up into a play off position for the knock out rounds! Ultimately, AEK Athens would eb a bridge too far and the glorious adventure ended in February with defeat in the AEK Arena.
Onto the ‘domestic’ cup competitions and time to tick off the first objective of the season! I say ‘domestic’ as we would also compete in the SPFL Trust Trophy…
It felt like we were on our way to another year of disappointment with exiting the Co. Antrim Shield first to Larne on penalties in the Quarter Final. Larne were our nemesis again in the Quarter Final of the League Cup.
An unexpected SPFL Trust Trophy run ended with defeat to Livingston in the Semi Final but it was the Irish Cup that we really wanted anyway - the showpiece of football in Northern Ireland.
I went into the game against Coleraine slightly nervous as we’ve made a habit of falling on our arses in cup competitions but I need not have worried as the game was dead and buried by half time with two further second half goals sealing the cup for Linfield.
JANUARY 2025
Just one signing in the Winter window and it was my second fee paid and I honestly can’t think of a signing that typifies my FM playing more. 6’6” Elkan Baggot (Ipswich Town) cost just £13k. A 22 year old Indonesian international who would slot into that Libero spot just perfectly.
The League was an absolute cake walk once again. 3 points shorter than last season but the title was wrapped up with plenty of time remaining. As you can see, from the moment the league started, we move into pole position and couldn’t be dislodged despite the ridiculous number of games we had to play across all competitions.
One loss less than last season although we won two games fewer also. However more goals scored, less conceded. Not much more to say than it was an another absolutely delight of a league campaign.
STATS AND THAT
Dale Taylor led the scoring charts with 29 in all competitions - 3 less than Chris McKee’s total from last season. Joel Cooper finished the season with 27 goals (4 more than last season’s tally) while Chris McKee got himself on the scoresheet 14 times - tied level with midfielder Alfie Lewis (a freekick maestro).
Joel Cooper registered 14 assists with Darragh McBrien, Sean McAllister and Alfie Lewis behind on 13. Rhys Annett, Matthew Clarke and Stephen Fallon each had 12 assists.
Goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe made 55 appearances across all competitions with back-up ‘keeper Chris Johns making 11 appearances himself. Sharman-Lowe conceded 59 goals and kept 19 clean sheets. Johns conceded 18 and kept 1 clean sheet.
Joel Cooper’s 23 goals and 14 assists contributed to him attaining the highest average rating across the squad with 7.40. Sean McAllister was on 7.30 and Alfie Lewis just behind on 7.26
A THIRD SEASON AT WINDSOR?
Go on, then. Why not?
We’re facing the same problems again with Joel Cooper now wanting to explore his options - although I hold out some hope of keeping him based on what happened with other last year. Left back Matthew Clarke has confirmed he is leaving on a free transfer, although he has mostly played back up to Ryan McKay this year. Chris McKee continues to assess his options although remains on that month to month contract.
Last Season we had an income of £9.2m with £4.1m of this alone coming from the Europa Conference League prize money. A further £2.9m in gate receipts. Added to this, I cashed in a transfer clause of 25% potential profit on the deal involved with Trai Hume going to Sunderland in 2022 - the buyout value of that deal being an incredible £4.42m.
Having used a good deal of the above money to invest in Training facilities, Youth facilities, Youth coaching and recruitment - our current balance sits at a very healthy £8.7m.
A successful second season with a good run in Europe has happened to me before with Freiburg. That time, the third season was an absolute disaster - surely the same won’t come for me at Linfield?