Wonderboys finish 7th

 Richardson delighted with club high

Billy Whizz's Wonderboys recorded a top half finish in their second season in Division 5, as a 1-0 victory over wybourn alstars in the season finale sneaked them into 7th place, their highest position all season.

The Whizzers started the season with 4 consecutive losses, but made up for their slow start by gaining maximum points from their last 6 games.

"We're delighted to record our highest ever position in Trophy Manager" said chairman Jack Richardson. "It's a testiment to the hard work Billy and the players have put in - they were written off by many, but they've come back and ended the season in a tremendous position"

Richardson added "Billy and the team can look forward to next season full of confidence, and hopefully we will be able to recruit one or two new players over the next fortnight. Billy and I will discuss our aims for the season in a couple of days, and we can talk about transfers then, but there will definitely be cash to spend"
 

Whizzers secure safety

Billy Whizz's Wonderboys have secured their status in Division 5 for Season 23, after comfortably seeing off young guns at Shitters Palace. A crowd of 12,907 saw the Whizzers complete a 5-2 victory, with goals coming from Jones, Konz (2), Fribo and Groves.

"It's a magnificant achievement" said manager Billy Whizz. "We started off pretty terribly, but our season has been on a constant rise after the first few games I think. Once we got some confidence around the place again, I never truly thought we would get relegated; in the end I think we deserve some credit for securing survival as early as we did - it definitely looked at one stage as though it would go down to the wire"  


With 3 games to play, the Wonderboys are 9 points clear of esaf, who sit in 13th place, but face the inactive Wazcar United B team, thus making it impossible for them to finish in the bottom six. Whizz hopes next season can be a different affair, with his side looking at the opposite side of the table:


"I haven't sat down with the chairman yet to discuss next season formally, but I identified about 8-10 points I feel we should have got but didn't this season, and we are only 12 off 2nd at the minute - it just shows that if it wasn't for that poor start, it could have been a totally different ball game this year."


"A top half finish would be great next year. We think we're about 3 players off a promotion side, and obviously we're not going to be able to afford to get 3 quality players before the start of next season, but we're hoping to get a solid centre half, and maybe a left back too. You just have to look at the league table to realise that it's our defence that has failed us this year - while we're been scoring plenty, we've let in far too many at the other end"


Whizz also revealed that Mohammed Al-Owairan and Al Teymat were to retire at the end of the season, at 34 and 35 respectively.




Next week we will discuss the likely team for Season 23, as the Whizzers prepare for their 3rd season in Division 5. How many new players will be signed? How many youngsters can break through? We'll make our predictions.

Whizz issues rallying call

Manager sets his side 10 point target in remaining games.

Billy Whizz's Wonderboys manager Billy Whizz today challenged his team to ensure their safety, by earning 10 points from the 7 games that remain in Division 5.10. After their defeat to Man Utd SER, the Whizzers are 11th, yet remain above the drop zone only by goal difference.


"It's a make or break situation for us - we either play like we know we can, and stay up, or we fade under the pressure and go down. It's my job, and the player's jobs to ensure that the latter option doesn't happen." said Whizz.


The Wonderboys face 4 teams who are in the relegation zone - the young guns at Shitters Palace, and Wazcar United B, Boca Juniors, and Blackpool FC B all away from home, Blackpool on Wednesday. It is believed that Whizz has also targeted the season finale at home to Wybourn allstars s2 as a game to collect points. 
 
"Yes, you look at the fixture list, and there's games that seem easier than others, but we have to be wary. Setting points per game is a dangerous exercise, setting a general target we believe to be much more beneficial. It is highly unlikely we would go down [with 10 more points]"


10 points would give the Whizzers 47 points, which has been a safe amount for every season 5.10 has been in existence.



It is in the end of season crunch that teams either step up or crumble. In a team where 6 of the starting XI are in their 30s, relegation could signal a mass clearout at Shitters Palace, with the club actively looking to promote youth players to the first team squad. However, Whizz will most certainly hope that it will be his golden oldies' heriocs that will be making the headlines at the end of the season, preferably with his 10 point target achieved.

Defeat leaves survival hopes in the balance

Billy Whizz's Wonderboys creeped closer to the relegation zone last night after losing their match against league leaders Man Utd SER 2-1.


Rooney and Meredith returned to the starting XI at the expense of Inchingolo and Thorpe, and the former made an immediate impact, sending Luke Grove through on goal, though the Whizzer's top goalscorer could only shoot straight at Man Utd goalkeeper Dean. The talisman striker then curled his freekick into the bottom right hand corner of the goal from 25 yards out, only to see his effort once more stopped by Dean, and Meredith fluffed his header, after good work by Konz.


The visitors then seemed to come out their shell a little, with Khalid Shehata called into duty three times in the next 15 minutes to stop Fowler giving Man Utd the lead. The match was proving entertaining enough so far, with both teams seemingly happy to let the opposition at will, and the first goal was scored by Winter for Utd, after a fine long ball from Roberts. Immediately after the goal, Whizzers winger Al Teymat had to be substituted, after a knock on his hamstring. 


The second half began quietly, but the visiting fans were soon jumping once more after Fowler headed home superbly, after some wizardry on the wing by Sloane. This seemed to unearth some urgency about the Whizzers play, and it was clear that Man Utd would have to work hard for the three points for the remainder of the game. Grove and Cort should have done better with their opportunities, before a Fribo header gave the home supporters something to cheer about, as he nodded home at point blank range.

A nervy last 20 minutes for the table toppers, at a ground that had previously been something of a fortress for the Wonderboys in recent weeks? Not at all. If anything, the visitors seemed the more likely to add to the scoreline, and manager Billy Whizz could only regret his team not taking advantage of earlier spells of dominance.