Welcome back to the Counties Championship – a new blog series on Fuller FM. I’m using Football Manager 2017 to find out what would happen if the 48 English counties took part in a national competition using only the best footballers they have produced. You can read more about it right here.
Ahead of the first matches, I’ll be previewing every team, assessing their strengths and weaknesses to predict who has the best chance of claiming silverware. In this article, I will look at the 12 teams that make up the West division.
BRISTOL
STADIUM: Ashton Gate, Bristol (27,000).
PREDICTED FINISH: 7th.
Bristol have several strong defensive players who are quick on their feet and in their heads. They also lay claim to some skilful midfielders with sweet first touches, and – notably – the oldest outfield player in the Counties Championship. If they can all pull together, they could pull up a few trees in this competition.
CAPTAIN: Gary Warren
After several years in non-league football, Warren got an unlikely opportunity with Inverness in Scotland’s top flight in 2012. He’s now regarded as a strong, dependable central defender in the prime of his career.
KEY PLAYER: Jack Butland
A product of Birmingham’s academy, Butland was so highly-rated at 19 that he won his first England senior cap before making his Premier League debut. Four years on, the tall goalkeeper is one of the country’s most commanding and agile shotstoppers.
MANAGER: Keith Curle
The second of two BAME first-team bosses in the Counties Championship, ex-England defender Curle has managed four Football League clubs. He’s an adaptable coach with an aesthetically-pleasing, attacking style of play.
CORNWALL
STADIUM: Poltair Park, St Austell (6,000).
PREDICTED FINISH: 11th.
Cornwall’s road to glory may not stretch further than Land’s End, but they’ll be sure to give everything during this competition. Most of the few professional players at their disposal play defensive roles and shouldn’t be underestimated. Unfortunately, a strong backline doesn’t compensate for limited technical skill elsewhere.
CAPTAIN: Ryan Dickson
Cornish captain Dickson is an experienced left-back whose previous clubs include Plymouth, Brentford and Southampton. He shows plenty of aggression and will work hard for his team.
KEY PLAYER: Jack Stephens
Not many Cornishmen have played for England’s senior team, but could Stephens one day follow in Nigel Martyn’s footsteps? With the centre-back showing plenty of determination and aerial ability, don’t rule it out.
MANAGER: Jason Blunt
Blunt is a master motivator who was recently the reserve-team boss at Leeds, where he came through the youth system as a youngster. Prior to that, his only managerial experience was at short-lived Nottinghamshire club Sutton Town.
DEVON
STADIUM: Home Park, Plymouth (16,388).
PREDICTED FINISH: 5th.
Devon’s aerial prowess in attack will no doubt be vital to their prospects of reaching the play-offs. Their team in general has a high work rate and often makes the right decisions. What they do lack is any real aggression to their game, and their limited options in goal could also prove costly.
CAPTAIN: George Friend
In just four years at Middlesbrough, Friend became a hugely popular figure on Teesside with his consistency and work rate. Expect the Barnstaple-born left-back to make even more friends back in his home county.
KEY PLAYER: Dan Gosling
Gosling is an energetic box-to-box midfielder with decent playmaking skills in his locker. After unsuccessful stints at Everton and Newcastle, he had a more enjoyable third stint in the top-flight with newly-promoted Bournemouth in 2015/2016.
MANAGER: Tom Curtis
Former Chesterfield midfielder Curtis’ coaching CV includes spells managing Bristol Rovers’ academy and the Antigua & Barbuda national team. His team will attack hard and not allow the opposition much time on the ball.
DORSET
STADIUM: Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth (11,464).
PREDICTED FINISH: 8th.
Arguably no team in this competition relies more on one player – albeit one truly magnificent player – than Dorset rely on Adam Lallana. Without their midfield talisman, they would be little more than a mediocre outfit who lack physicality and defensive solidity. Don’t expect too much from this lot.
CAPTAIN: Adam Lallana
As his surname suggests, Lallana is the most ‘Spanish’ of England’s attacking midfield options. The man who cost Liverpool £25million from Southampton in 2014 is flamboyant and unpredictable, and his first touch is sweet as anything.
KEY PLAYER: Jayden Stockley
Stockley will also provide plenty of entertainment for Dorset fans, with his tendency to attempt overhead kicks. By and large, though, he’s a decent target man who holds the ball up well and stays cool under pressure.
MANAGER: Eddie Howe
Even after close to a decade in management, Howe is as fresh-faced now as he was when his playing career was cut short by injuries. The likeable coach, who took Bournemouth from League Two to the top-flight, encourages a strong team ethic.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
STADIUM: World of Smile Stadium, Cheltenham (7,027).
PREDICTED FINISH: 10th.
Gloucestershire actually have a very similar issue to Dorset, except that their main man is focused on defensive duties. The rest of their backline is quite lethargic, while the midfield is efficient but a tad predictable. They’ll scrap for their lives, for sure, but it’s unlikely to be for much reward.
CAPTAIN: Cole Skuse
Defensive midfielder Skuse is naturally very fit and shows great positional awareness. He has become a familiar face to Championship followers through spells at Bristol City and later Ipswich.
KEY PLAYER: Eric Dier
The son of a former tennis player, Dier grew up in Portugal and honed his technical abilities at Sporting CP. Since joining Tottenham two years ago, he’s grown into a resolute, intelligent and flexible defensive player.
MANAGER: Ian Holloway
Holloway is one of English football’s most popular characters, thanks in part to his often entertaining interviews. Behind his eccentricities, though, lies a shrewd tactical operator who took Blackpool and Crystal Palace to the Premier League.
HEREFORDSHIRE
STADIUM: Edgar Street, Hereford (5,710).
PREDICTED FINISH: 12th.
No bull: Herefordshire are the clear outsiders of the West division. Take away two quality forwards, and the vast majority of their squad has been drawn from a small group of non-league clubs in the local area. They’ve got nothing to lose – except, potentially, a lot of matches.
CAPTAIN: Andrew Williams
You can’t take your eyes off Williams when the lower-league hotshot is placing shots calmly and clinically into the net. That has been a regular sight at Yeovil, Swindon and Doncaster over recent years.
KEY PLAYER: Connor Wickham
Wickham adds further firepower to this Herefordshire team, though the county vice-captain is much more dangerous in the air than his skipper. As well as a powerful shot, he can also lay claim to a long flat throwing technique.
MANAGER: Sean Edwards
Edwards is little-known outside Herefordshire but is synonymous with part-time Westfields, where he spent 25 years as a player, coach and manager. Long-ball tactics will likely be the order of the day for one of the championship’s weaker teams.
SHROPSHIRE
STADIUM: Greenhous Meadow, Shrewsbury (9,875).
PREDICTED FINISH: 4th.
Shropshire can lean on plenty of experience (at club and international level) as they bid to make their mark on the Counties Championship. Their strikers aren’t the best of finishers, though, and questions have been posed about their defenders’ aerial capabilities. Mitigate those problems, and they could go far.
CAPTAIN: Joe Hart
An authoritative keeper with superb reflexes, Hart was England’s and Manchester City’s undisputed number 1 until recently. Though liable to the odd mistake, he’s still an outstanding goalie at the peak of his powers.
KEY PLAYER: Steven Fletcher
Fletcher was born in Shrewsbury but had a nomadic upbringing while his late father was serving in the Army. He’s now established in the Scotland frontline as a target man with a fine penalty-taking record.
MANAGER: Bernard McNally
With all respect to McNally, Shropshire’s biggest weakness probably lies in their manager. The former Northern Ireland midfielder, who earns just £65 a week, has coached several non-league clubs without much success.
SOMERSET
STADIUM: Huish Park, Yeovil (9,565).
PREDICTED FINISH: 3rd.
In terms of average weight, Somerset have a light squad, but they’re certainly not scrawny or feeble. For one thing, their attackers pose a potent aerial danger, and their more defensive players are forceful tacklers. With several strong characters to call on, they’ll fancy their chances of competing for the West title.
CAPTAIN: Paul Downing
Centre-half Downing has come off the back of four solid years in League One with Walsall. His uncle Keith was a coach at West Brom and England’s Under-20s but now works at West Midlands.
KEY PLAYER: Ashley Barnes
Barnes is a dauntingly physical frontman who has steadily climbed up the divisions before hitting the big time at Burnley. Though born and bred in Bath, he was once capped at Under-20s level by Austria.
MANAGER: Jason Dodd
Dodd made close to 400 league appearances at full-back for Southampton between 1989 and 2005, and was later part of their backroom staff. Though his managerial experience is limited, he’s a good tactician who works well with younger players.
STAFFORDSHIRE
STADIUM: Bet365 Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent (28,384).
PREDICTED FINISH: 2nd.
Staffordshire can bully and terrify opponents with their aggression, athleticism and work ethic. With several star players in their prime (especially in defence), they also have a great opportunity to bring some silverware home. If they avoid suffering too many injuries, that is most certainly possible.
CAPTAIN: John Brayford
Brayford was one of the few bright sparks in a Sheffield United team that disappointingly finished 11 in League One last season. The right-back is determined, tackles well, and has the most impressive beard in the Counties Championship.
KEY PLAYER: Marc Albrighton
Albrighton lacks facial hair, but not a Premier League winner’s medal, which he claimed at Leicester earlier in 2016. A magnificent crosser of the ball, the winger also loves to hug the line on either flank.
MANAGER: Dean Smith
Smith was a huge favourite in East London with Leyton Orient, but the former centre-back’s heart lies in his native Black Country. While managing Walsall, he was nicknamed the Ginger Mourinho, and his tactical approach was compared to ‘Total Football’.
WARWICKSHIRE
STADIUM: Manor Park, Nuneaton (6,500).
PREDICTED FINISH: 6th.
Warwickshire have a smattering of quality operators, most of which you’ll find in midfield or up front. Take their first-choice goalkeeper out of the equation, though, and the rearguard looks painfully fragile. If you’re looking at this team as potential West champions, I’d suggest you just walk on by.
CAPTAIN: Tom Lees
He might no longer be Lees of Leeds since signing from Sheffield Wednesday in 2014, but he’s now firmly established as a Championship-level centre-back. His exceptional natural fitness and strong but calm tackling are to be respected.
KEY PLAYER: Ben Foster
Foster is a resilient, seasoned goalkeeper who thrives in one-on-one situations and high-pressure matches. It seems odd that he’s only earned eight caps for England, even if his absence from national team duties was self-imposed.
MANAGER: Graham Potter
After retiring as a journeyman left-back, Potter took a degree in social sciences and embarked on his next career. An unconventional but modern coach, he’s spent the last six years guiding Östersund from Sweden’s fourth division to the first.
WEST MIDLANDS
STADIUM: Villa Park, Birmingham (42,785).
PREDICTED FINISH: 1st.
England’s second-most populous county, West Midlands have a stunning amount of depth that could overcome even the gravest injury crisis. Where their main starting XI is concerned, they possess loads of experience and technique. With a strong coaching set-up as well, they could go the distance.
CAPTAIN: Troy Deeney
Fearless target forward Deeney’s turbulent upbringing and criminal case have been well-documented. The way he has bounced back to fire Watford into the top flight is a shining example to many people in football.
KEY PLAYER: Daniel Sturridge
Sturridge’s ability to drop between lines and pull defences apart almost helped Liverpool win the Premier League in 2014. Injuries have recently hampered one of England’s most lethal strikers, but never write him off.
MANAGER: Sam Allardyce
Though most won’t see past his ‘ugly’ long-ball tactics, Allardyce is an innovator with a strong emphasis on sports science and man-management. It’s no accident that Big Sam usually leaves a team much stronger than when he arrived.
WORCESTERSHIRE
STADIUM: Aggborough, Kidderminster (6,444).
PREDICTED FINISH: 9th.
Things could go pear-shaped for Worcestershire if they’re not careful. A few players stand out amongst the general mediocrity, but there are glaring weaknesses in several key areas (a severe lack of firepower being the most obvious one). It’s hard to see how they can get out of the bottom half.
CAPTAIN: Sam Mantom
Mantom is an admirable midfield workhorse who was a West Brom youth graduate before getting regular first-team action at Walsall. Opponents should be particularly wary of the Worcestershire captain’s long-range shooting.
KEY PLAYER: Nathan Baker
Baker’s tendency to dive into tackles is very high-risk but can stop an attacker in their tracks if carried out effectively. Nothing will worry the former Aston Villa centre-back, who spent last season on loan at Bristol City.
MANAGER: Gary Rowett
Rowett’s counter-attacking football may not excite many fans, but it’s served the former Derby defender well at Burton and Birmingham. Some pundits have tipped this well-spoken motivator to get a Premier League job in future.
So, who do you fancy to be the best of the West? Feel free to let me know below.
The Counties Championship officially gets going on Monday, when I’ll post up the first month’s results and we’ll find out who the early frontrunners are. I hope you’re looking forward to it as much as I am.
In memory of Peter Whittingham
1984 – 2020
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