Fifth day - A Mother's Love

The results pour in and there are no big surprises. Only East Stirlingshire wins, against a very bad team. Fulham destroys as expected and Montrose has problems against their own under19, but of course, Montrose's first team is also under 19, so it's not as bad as it looks.

A good side effect of my friendly calendar is the tactics setup. I  know for a fact that at least one coach is spending his time seeing our matches to find holes in our teams and our tactics. My ultradefensive tactic will not reveal anything, as I am never going to be in this situation in the league. Let him watch, he's seeing smoke...

The coaches start to do underhand deals between themselves. Some players are offered, some information is exchanged, but I cannot have trust. The fact that I can get the 4th worst goalkeeper from Montrose sounds awesome until you realize he's actually the 4th worst keeper from Montrose.

East Stirlingshire offers to buy my right defender, but I refuse, it would destroy my whole concept and I do not have replacements.

As the 5th day is finishing, I make balance of my squad holes.

I am finding it hard to find the players I lack, specially good wingers, at the prices I can pay.

Most of the good deals are going to Montrose or East Stirlingshire, Livingstone does not need players, they only need meat to crush. I am lagging behind...

I decide to call for help to my mum.

Queen's Park has a mother team, the appropriately named Motherwell, from the Scottish first division. I get to have access to players on loan that would normally be expensive.

So when I go to my mother to tell her my problems, she answers as mothers do, comforting her child.

Motherwell meets and exceeds my expectations. I get for free a loan of probably the best left attacking midfielder in the whole league.

He runs, shoots, and is generally good looking in numbers that double anyone else in my team. As an added bonus, he can play as a striker if needed. I love him, I love him very much. And I want more like him.

After having seen how this "loan" thing works, I go out for more and come back with a left midfielder that's almost to the level of my top star from Motherwell. I am very strong on the left, and I will profit from that.

But before my two new guys come home where they belong, a small matter need my attention...

Celtic is at the door.

Shit.