Get Luton Town into the Premier League! Championship Manager 93/94 play-through #3

Episode 3. Pre season tour of Ireland done. Big John Dreyer sending a message to me and trying to unsettle the team. How do I keep the squad happy as we start the season.

After landing back in Luton I had an eventful journey back from the airport to my gaff. Kerry Dixon was kind enough to give me a lift. As one of the more experienced heads in the squad, I was interested to hear his take on where the squad was at and how he thought we would get on this season. I closed the door to his Toyota Supra, before I could get the words “Kerry, what do you think of the you think of the young lads in the squad?” He was busy telling me about his time at Chelsea, “I scored 147 goals in 335 appearances for Chelsea you know.” The whole drive back he was regaling me with his days at Chelsea. “That’s great Kerry, thanks, you can drop me here”. Kerry bolted out the car as I got out, and shouted after me “THEY CALLED ME KING KERRY”. It was only a short 2 mile walk back, as Kerry had got so engrossed in describing his 84/85 season where he scored 36 goals that he had driven straight past my house. I think he knows young Hartson has the starting role nailed down.

I got to Kenilworth Road especially early the next day, because before the board meeting with Chairman David Kohler, myself and Cherry had to find out who Luton Town had in the 1st round of the League Cup. Cherry explained to me that the League Cup is a highly regarded cup around Kenilworth Road because the Hatters had won it only 5 years earlier. The fax came in:

Mansfield! That’s not too bad, shame we have to travel as it’s early on in the season and a busy schedule, but we certainly have enough depth in the squad to get past them.

Cherry also mentioned to me that a journalist has been in touch asking whether there is any truth that Paul Telfer is moving to Portsmouth for £725,000.

I tell Cherry, “get that journo on the phone now”, she looks hesitant, “this isn’t how we do things here!” with her arms flailing wildly. I point at Cherry, “you tell that journo, Telfer ain’t leaving here.”

In all the excitement, I almost forgot that I had to meet David Kohler, I like this guy, he’s a visionary, he keeps talking about going to the World Cup in the USA and checking out their ‘indoor soccer stadiums’, playing football indoors with moveable pitches, he’s looking to use their ideas for his Luton Town stadium designs. I go up to the board room and see David Kohler.

He’s very confident, and tells me that himself and the board are looking forward to a long and successful era under my management. A bit of a sweaty handshake though, which made me think he’s not being 100% straight with me here, if I mess up, I’m out before the end of the year. He doesn’t even know what’s about to hit the club, I don’t even know what’s going to happen, I’m here to shake things up.

As I’m terrified of what John Dreyer might do to me, I stay away from the training ground for a couple of days and let my staff go about their business. I get down to the training ground and check in with Trevor Hartley and Chris Ramsey, my assistant manager and coach. I hear Paul Dickov is back in full training now, but Kerry Dixon is out for 2 weeks, seems he hurt himself getting out of his Supra and twisted his ankle.

I ask Trev and Chris for a status update on John Dreyer, “is he going to play? We’ve got the first game of the season coming up, it’s Millwall away, we got to be right up for it”. Trev tells me “Dreyer has no respect for you gaffer, listen, give him a game to stick him in the shop window?” Not a bad idea that Trev. I look up and see Dreyer across the training pitch, staring at me.

I turn to Trev, “Right, if we can get rid of Dreyer then, who’s looking good in the squad and could step into the left sided centre back role”. Trev pipes up, “there’s Richard Harvey who could do a job, he’s two footed, brave, determined and a good tackler.”

“There’s also a kid in the academy who’s highly thought of here called Matty Upson, you gave him 45 minutes against Finn Harps. He’s a good all rounder, natural left footer, bags of potential, problem is he’s only 15.”

I’m shocked and turn to Trev and Chris “15?? Am I running a creche here? You can’t win anything with kids!” Trev retorts “gaffer, there are some great kids here, look on the bright side, you know they won’t be out on the piss like that bunch at Arsenal, they’ve got school and all that.” Chris chirps up, “not that the lads have been going to school, Matty Spring has been cutting school all week to train with the first team, look his mum is over there, look.” We all turn in unison to see Matty’s mum standing on the sideline clad in denim, listening to a walkman and dancing, she’s in her own world. We all turn back to each other, staring at each other in silence. I tell Trev and Chris to keep up the good work and walk off to have a think about my squad selection before the Millwall season opener, I take a look back over my shoulder, and see John Dreyer in the same position still staring at me, with a look so penetrating it could pulverise my kidney stones.

It was gameday, and I looked around the team coach on the way to the Lion’s Den, there were a few unhappy faces looking back at me.

It seems the departure of Kenny Sansom rattled a few cages, which surprised me as he was only here on trial, he must have made an impression in the 4 days he was with the squad. I name the squad on the coach as we pull up at the Lion’s Den. Dreyer knows this is his chance to impress the scouts that are watching him today.

What a frantic final 10 minutes. I’ll take a point at the Den all day long, it’s a tough place to go and I thought we were heading to an opening day defeat, where we had the better chances, young Johnny Hartson spared our blushes there with a 90th minute equaliser. Throughout the game we weren’t clinical enough and we only clicked into gear with young Matty Spring coming on the pitch, he’s quality for a 14 year old.

I get a phone call from David Kohler, he’s pleased with the opening day draw.

I tell him that I think there’s a lot more to come from the squad, and he shouldn’t be so happy with a draw. But he convinces me that he saw a good performance out there and there are signs of good things to come during the season. I want to really give him something to shout about when we play Oldham next.

While I’m in the office looking over my team selection with Oldham visiting Kenilworth Road on the weekend, I get a knock on the door. It’s Cherry. “Hi Cherry, good morning how are you?” She looks anxious though, she doesn’t want to give me the fax she’s holding. “What’s that” I say pointing to the fax in Cherry’s death grip. “West Ham have made an offer for Paul Telfer.” She gets it out her mouth quickly. “What’s the offer?” I say as I’m prying the fax out of her hands. “It’s worth up to £1.2 million but but…” Cherry stops talking.

“ARE THEY TAKING THE PISS?” I stand up, outraged. £400K up front with a further £800K if he makes 20 international appearances. If Paul has a good season, he will be worth 3 or 4 times this offer. “Cherry send this back”, I hand her the fax back, I’ve scrawled a counter offer onto it.

“I think that’s more fair”, I say dusting my hands. “If we are going to lose Telfs, we need to get Mitchell Thomas back here, he understands the club.” Cherry nods, and leaves to return to the fax machine, as she’s out the door, I shout to her, “any offers in for Dreyer yet? He will kill me if I don’t get him sold.” I head out to the training ground, but I’ll watch from a distance, I don’t want Dreyer to see me.

I check in with Cherry two days later “West Ham do not want to follow up their interest in Paul Telfer, and here’s an offer for John Dreyer from Charlton.”

I’m delighted! I tell Cherry to see if we can squeeze an extra £25,000 out of Charlton and to send it right back. Once I get this over the line, I can go back to the training ground without fearing for my life! “Any chance we can get this over the line before Oldham on Saturday?” Cherry shakes her head. “Oh well. Anyway, I better tell Telfs about the offer, I don’t want another Dreyer situation”.

Oldham arrive at Kenilworth Road. Because Dreyer’s on the way out, I’ve kept him out the matchday squad and put Matty Upson in his place. Baptism by fire for the young lad, Oldham were only in the Premier League a couple of seasons ago. Telfs is hoping to impress the visiting scouts, and told me he feels he needs to leave to further his career. He’s entitled to his view, but I’m going to change his mind, after all he’s under contract until 1999!

What a game that was! The young lads are buzzing when they make their way back to the changing room. Even Dickov on the physio table is happy. Great performance from young Tony Thorpe and a hattrick for Johnny Hartson. I’m going to need to tie both these kids down to new contracts, because they are both going to the top of the game.

David Kohler is waiting for me outside the changing room, he tells me that the board were absolutely delighted with that result.

I tell him that I’m taking the squad out tonight to celebrate and ask if he wants to come with. He says he can’t because he’s working late to put together plans for our new stadium. He thinks it will be ready in 3 or 4 years. That will be magnificent when it’s finished, what a visionary.

I go back into the changing room, where the atmosphere pure jubilation. I tap Trev on the shoulder and announce to the room, “Right lads, because of the outstanding performance today, I’m taking you all out for a drink!” Trev leans in and says softly “Gaffer, the average age of your starting lineup today was 17.5 years old, we can’t go to the pub, you’ve got to include the kids here”.

I turn back to the squad, “right lads, we aren’t going to the pub, let’s order in pizza and ice cream! I’ll buy it!” They all cheer, after all who doesn’t love a pizza party.

I get the order in from Domino’s on New Bedford Road. I’ve heard lots of good things about it, and it’s been popular since it opened in 1985. We set it all up in the Eric Morecambe Lounge, and everyone is having a great time. Kerry Dixon is holding court at one of the tables after finishing off his entire Pepperoni. He’s reclining in his chair with his bell bottom jeans and one leg up on the table, and he’s bending Johnny Hartson and Tony Thorpe’s ears. I’m walking to get to Trev and Chris for a debrief on the Oldham win, but I hear him saying, “They called me King Kerry at Chelsea, I scored 147 goals in 335 matches.” I didn’t want to get involved.

I get to Trev, he says, “Dreyer should be gone tomorrow, he’s at home packing his bags. We’ve got Mansfield next, I think we should be looking to complete rotate the team, get the likes of Kerry Dixon, Alan Harper, Ian Benjamin, Geoff Aunger and Scott Houghton some game time.”

Finally, the big day. Dreyer has gone, I see him one last time, and he’s only giving me the one finger salute. Makes sense though, turns out he was on less money per week than pretty much all the academy boys.

Myself and John Dreyer will get reacquainted when Luton play Charlton later in the season, but until then, I’m delighted he’s going to South London, and we got good money for him considering he was out of contract at the end of the season.

Moving Dreyer on certainly helped with the financials. Maybe I can now sign that Steve Davis from Burnley.

League Cup fever grips the squad as we travel up to Field Mill. In addition to the changes Trev suggested to me, I’ve decided to also give a professional debut to another young lad, goalkeeper Kelvin Davis. He’s got a lot of experienced heads in the team in front of him, so I’m not too concerned. There’s also a professional debut for a young lad we picked up on a free from the local Sunday League, Stuart Brightwell.

Overall, a very comprehensive victory, a bit sloppy conceding 2 goals, but young Davis couldn’t do anything about them. Geoff Aunger gave me a bit to think about scoring 2 goals. Good news that Kerry is off the mark for season, although after scoring he doubled back running past the bench, wagging his finger and saying “that’s the way you do it young pups” to Hartson and Thorpe, he wasn’t looking where he was going and ran straight into Big Marv Johnson, meaning they both had to come off. Big shame though, Marv had a great game, and Kerry’s done the same ankle that he did chasing me out of the Supra. Onto the next round we go!

Some welcome news from Cherry as I stroll into my office at Kenilworth Road the next day, Morecambe have made an offer for Trevor Peake. I tell Cherry to accept that offer straight away.

I love Peakey, he’s great with the kids in the reserves, but at 36 that £12,000 is good money for him, and most people love the idea of retiring by the seaside, even if it is Morecambe.

Before our next game, I get the worrying news that Tottenham are sniffing around Johnny Hartson.

Right now he’s happy to stay at the club, but I have to get him to commit long term and remove all the non-promotion clauses so I can cash in on him when the time is right. It will be a travesty if we miss out on promotion and someone poaches him for less than half of one John Dreyer.

As we get to Selhurst Park, I check with Johnny Hartson that his head is in the game. “Yes gaffer, I’m focussed, I’m feeling it today”, “I’m also feeling it too gaffer” interjects Nathan Jones who’s sitting right next to Johnny Hartson. I nod and walk away, getting ready for the toughest match of the season so far.

Once again, both Hartson and Thorpe deliver the goods. It was a sticky game until half time, but bringing on Matty Spring, just gave us that extra class that only a 14 year old who’s been skipping school can deliver. Also, Matty Upson missed a pen, I applaud his confidence at 15 to step up and take it, fortunately he had a very solid game otherwise.

Up next Wolverhampton Wanderers are coming to Kenilworth Road, for a game under the lights on Monday Evening. But for now I’m going to give the players the Sunday off and we will reconvene at the Dreyer free training ground on Monday morning.