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OOC: This is mid-season 2, I might dig up the posts that precede this from jolt, later, just for completeness sake, but can't be arsed at the moment.

With a convincing 11 point gap seperating them from the runners-up, Sporting Mayo have won the second First Division title. In a second half of the season that saw no real surprises at the top, Mayo managed to extend their lead by a further 4 points and could celebrate the chamionship several matchdays before the end of the season.

The bottom half of the table was slightly more exciting, though since no teams will relegate, that is somewhat relative. Not surprisingly Lepus FC ended dead last, and a fierce struggle between four teams finally saw FC Albertine, the defending champions, end in 9th place.

It seems FC Albertine’s change of coaches is not having a noticable effect so far, but Starblaydi Fabricio de Souza Lima, who took over the team from Arno Ledda at the mid-season point, says he is not concerned and has merely been trying out various tactics in preparation of next season.

The FC Albertine supporters certainly hope so, because Season 3 will see relegation to a lower division. Along with the confirmation that eight teams will be added to the First Division, the SFA announced that a Second Division will be launched, also 18 teams strong. Additionally, the first edition of the Spruit Cup will be organized, a knock out competition between all teams of the First and Second Division, along with a selection of the best clubs from the regional division.


Season 2 awards

Sala cured! Scientists baffled

Young Rejistani striker Taki Sala, who got struck by the feared Karela disease early in the season and has been the star in Fonstown Rovers’ defense ever since – even earning the “Defender of the Season” award – has been mysteriously cured of his ailment.

Coaches, medical staff and team mates were astounded when they arrived at an off-season training session to find Sala kicking balls at the goal, training his shooting technique, something he apparently had been doing since the early hours of the morning.

Medical examinations found no possible explanation for the sudden cure, but the general consensus among Fonstown Rovers staff and players is one of delight. They hope the young striker will play a substantial role in improving the team’s performance in the upcoming season, after a mediocre Season 2. Taki Sala himself was ecstatic as well, claiming he felt as if a terrible burden had been lifted from his soul.

“Finally is good news for me!” he said. “Things have bad been, lately. Team not play good, very. And last week, my house burglared by robber thieves! TV stolen, was depressing, very!”

Two days after his cure, the young Rejistani has also submitted a request for Spruitland citizenship, and a spokesperson from the government announced that his request will be accepted, but the paperwork could take some time. Sala will be granted a dual Rejistania/Spruitland nationality, allowing him to vote at Spruitland elections and be called up to the Spruitland national football squad. Spruitland Under-21 coach Cor Bensen already commented to be delighted by that news.


Starblaydi thug becomes new Lepus coach

Starblaydi ex-international Paul Bachchan has been appointed as the new head coach of Lepus FC. The Board of Directors of the bottom-ranked Lepus team had fired Wes Koosman after the last game of the season, claiming they wanted to start the upcoming season with a fresh approach.

Ironically, the press conference announcing the appointment of the new coach was scheduled at the exact same time of a closed meeting between the Spruitland Football Association and the Spruitland Fair Play Committee, to decide whether or not, on top of his life-long suspension in Spruitland, they would press formal charges against Bachchan for his assault on referee Ingmar Jarbush during the match against RFC Godiva on matchday 16.

Bachchan, having just received his fifth red card of the season, did not agree with Jarbush’s decision and used his fists to relocate the referee’s nose. Jarbush received medical treatment in Lepus General Hospital and underwent plastic surgery the next day. He is currently recovering at his home near Thiel and the healing process is coming along just fine, though a small asymmetry of the nostrils will be a lifelong reminder of the unfortunate event.

36 year old Paul Bachchan, who spent 6 months in a Starblaydi prison five years ago for aggravated assault, refused to comment on the matter during the press conference, not wanting to influence the SFA and SFPC’s decision, but after the news was announced that the SFA would indeed press formal charges, the new Lepus FC coach said in a brief phone interview that “those SFA pussies better be watching their backs.”

He also stated that he “couldn’t have wished for a better way to end [his] playing career” and added that he hopes to “make an equally lasting impression as a coach.”

Lepus FC supporters are said to be delighted at Bachchan’s appoinment as new head coach of their team, and intend to be present en masse at the trial hearing to “support Paul and protest against the SFA’s fascist regime.”

Left back Bachchan, though unable to impress with his football in more than a handful of matches this season, stole the hearts of the Lepus FC supporters by “being a stand up guy who isn’t afraid to tell referees and reporters where he stands.” Bachchan’s traditional “pummeling sessions” after every home match, where he beat volunteers into a pulp, were extremely popular as well, sending many a Lepus supporter to the hospital for an extended stay.

The Lepus FC Board of Directors is providing legal representation for Bachchan, but refused to indicate whether or not the new coach would be replaced if he has to spend time in prison.

“We’ll worry about that when the time comes,” the Chairman of the Board said. “Until further notice, Paul’s our man.”


Foreigners in Spruitland content to stay

Season 2 saw a handful of non-Spruitlanders play in the First Division for the first time, and with the season complete, it’s fair to say that the SFA’s “open border” policy has been a success. Each of the foreigners playing in Spruitland has had a positive influence on the team – though in Starblaydi Paul Bachchan’s case, that’s somewhat debatable.

The circumstances around Taki Sala’s move to Spruitland have been somewhat dubious as well, but that tale, at least, seems to be working towards a happy ending. After a highly successful season as Fonstown Rovers’ star defender, earning him the “Defender of the Season” award, Sala will return to his preferred position as striker for Season 3. He is expected to score a lot more goals than his current season’s total of three.

The other Starblaydi player in the Spruitland competition, Thiel United’s right wing back Rigoberto, only just missed out on the “Defender of the Season” award, but his spot in the First Division All-Star Team of the Season should be a clear indication that he, too, made a positive contribution to his team. His experience on the right played an invaluable part in Thiel United’s final position in the league, and Rigoberto intends to play at least one more season for Thiel before his retirement, hoping to bring the team one more step up and clinch the title. The two goals he scored this season were a nice bonus as well.

Vilita’s Malovar Stokks was the engine on midfield in Sporting Mayo’s champions team, both on a defensive as an offensive level, scoring three goals and providing numerous assists. He rightfully received the “Midfielder of the Season” award, and is highly motivated to play an equally important role in defending the title next season.

**Transfer news**

Malovar Stokks and Sporting Mayo will have to defend the title without young starlet striker Chico Provoost, though, as his transfer away from Mayo – and Spruitland – has just been confirmed. Chico, who has not yet turned 17, played himself into the picture at the 16th Under-21 World Cup in TnUI and drew the attention of several foreign clubs.

Sporting Mayo was reluctant to let the young striker go, but found themselves unable to refuse the 430,000 kilo offer from Vilita Stellar Division team Mavaloiao FC, an absolute record transfer amount for a Spruitland player. Chico was reluctant to leave his family behind but stated the opportunity to play in one of the most respected leagues in the world was one he couldn’t say no to. His mom and younger brother will possibly be traveling with him to Vilita.

Sporting Mayo is now on the market for a new, reliable forward and may look to spend their transfer budget across the Spruitland borders.

Two more young talents from the Under-21 selection will be moving to Vilita to play in their “second division”, the Declasse. Tristan Verelst, New Brux FC’s backup goalie and rumored-to-be Simon Briers’ successor as regular starter in the Under-21 squad, moves to Laiotia AFC, newly promoted and strenghtening their squad to make a good Declasse debut.

Thiel United’s regular substitute and occasional starting defender Koenraad Opdebeeck moves to Terrarokka Spirit, a team that had a brief stint in the Stellar Division some years ago but immediately relegated back to the Declasse, where, after a few seasons with mixed success, they will have another go at promotion.

A transfer that was reported earlier already is New Brux FC’s Fritz Wigmeister’s two season loan contract to Bedistan Premier League team Bucks Lake Athletic, while Detlef Weber is still playing in Rejistania and Lee Beck in Nedalia for the remainder of their loan contracts.

No other transfers have been confirmed, but with eight new teams joining the First Division, an active transfer market is expected, both domestically and on an international level. Foreign teams that are interested in transferring their obsolete players to a Spruitland club (or wish to send a young talent on loan) are free to contact the Spruitland Football Association who will be more than happy to provide the necessary contacts. A minimal amount of football skill is preferred, but Spruitland football teams are generally not terribly picky.

With nine games played in the Spruitland First Division, it seems this season will be a vast improvement over the previous one for FC Albertine. The champions of Season 1 did not manage to confirm in the second season, leading to the early dismissal of coach Arno Ledda. Starblaydi legend Fabricio de Souza Lima took over the team around mid-season, and it seems his influence is finally starting to have a positive effect.

FC Albertine is the only team that remains undefeated so far, placing them, logically, at the top of the table. With only 3 goals conceded their defense is impressing, but even more impressive is Under-21 striker Dirk Jools’ form in this early stage of the season. Jools has scored 12 goals so far, putting him firmly at the top of the goalscorers table.

A surprising second is newcomer Noordlo Rovers. Noordlo managed to snatch Under-21 substitute Torsten Prins from Sativa and right winger Carlo Nicols – topscorer in Season 1 but a disastrous Season 2 – from New Brux FC, but the bulk of their players are complete unknowns, so it will have to remain to be seen whether they can keep up this promising start.

Sporting Mayo, the defending champions, are not having the best start of the season, being stuck in a mid-table position, 8 points behind the leaders after 9 games. Mayo saw two of their star players transfer to foreign teams in the off-season, and their absence is apparently having an effect.

Young starlet striker Chico Provoost transferred to the Vilita Stellar Division in the off-season, and shortly before the start of the season Mayo received an offer they couldn’t refuse for Man of the Season Samson Trouwel. Trouwel signed a lucrative contract for Druid Premier League team Cranbury United.

In an attempt to fill the void left by Provoost, Sporting Mayo acquired young Hypocrian striker Danny West, who impressed at the Under-21 World Cup, for an “undisclosed, but substantial amount”. West, 19, had some adjustment problems to overcome and did not impress in his first few matches, but has notably improved since. With 5 goals in 9 games, he is trying to catch up and put his name in the topscorers list.

Another Hypocrian has found his way into the First Division, albeit on a temporary basis. Attacking midfielder Roberto Braganza, 22, has joined First Division newcomers RSC Joyce on loan for one season.

This was only one of the moves by RSC Joyce to overcome their pre-season status of relegation candidates. The other was to attract Bedistani veteran Kyle Dean – recently retired from the national team – as a striker/coach. Dean, 36, plans to remain active as a player for one last season, after which he’ll concentrate on the coaching position.

Young Braganza is still looking for his first goal in the Spruitland First Division, but his offensive qualities on midfield have already proven invaluable, and his several assists are the main reason Kyle Dean can be found near the top of the goalscorers list.

Three more foreigners have found their way into the First Division this season, two of which are hailing from Liverpool England. Ex-international LivEng goalkeeper Albert Leibowitz, 27, has put on the gloves for newcomer Veger United. Leibowitz has conceded 13 so far, but his experience is proving a valuable asset for the team. Veger struggles both defensively and offensively and will be looking for a mid-table spot this season, at best, while hoping to further strengthen the squad for next season.

Viss Athletic, another First Division newcomer, is in a similar position. Viss acquired experienced Druidan relegation battler Trevor Fic to strengthen their defense in hopes of avoiding the drop this season. So far it seems to be working out well, as Viss Athletique find themselves in a suprising mid-table position after a decent start.

The other Liverpool Englander, defender Mike Petterson, 24, has joined last year’s wooden spoon Lepus FC to fill the gap left by Paul Bachchan. Lepus FC is at a fine 6th place so far, near the top of a close mid-table group, and now-coach Bachchan has been having a fairly calm start of his coaching career, only getting banned from the dug-out for excessive protesting once. So far.

Bachchan was charged with assault and battery for beating up a referee in last year’s match between Lepus FC and RFC Godiva and sentenced to three months, but profuse protesting from Lepus supporters and a suspected intervention from SFA President Martin Backer saw this sentence converted into community service. This left Bachchan able to remain at the helm of Lepus FC while he spends two nights a week at Lepus General Hospital emptying bedpans and changing sheets.

RFC Godiva looks to be another team to watch out for. After a disastrous start of Season 2, the most defensive team of the First Division managed to turn the tide to finish at a strong 4th place, and they are continuing the trend in the early stage of Season 3.

Under-21 substitute Lucius Bergen is doing well to fill the shoes of Under-21 starting right winger Gary Mariano, who moved abroad in the off-season. Mariano, scorer of the only goal in the Bunnies’ Quarter Final defeat against Starblaydia, decided not to extend his contract with Godiva, in favor of a more lucrative deal at Hypocria’s Kester Town.

While the defensive aspect of their game does not seem up to snuff yet – conceding 12 goals so far – RFC Godiva's lethal counter-attacking has propelled them into third place. Last season’s First Division top goalscorer Jan Wolters is well on schedule with 7 goals – though catching up with an on-fire Dirk Jools might prove quite a challenge.

Thumpston FC seems to be the team to beat in the newly started Second Division, with an impressive +15 goal difference in their first nine games.

After a season in the crapper, FC Albertine is back, and how. The first ever Spruitland champions had a disastrous Season 2, but with Starblaydia legend Fabricio de Souza Lima as the new man in charge, they are now back where supporters feel they belong: at the top of the table.

In the first ‘full’ season in Spruitland league history, with 34 matches as opposed to last season’s 18 and a Spruit Cup to boot, it was a question of who would be able to deal best with the increased number of matches, and the answer is clear. Not only did FC Albertine win the First Division with a conclusive 15 point margin, they won the Cup as well, achieving a historic double.

The main challenge was expected to come from Sporting Mayo, but the defending champions struggled to maintain consistency throughout the season, alternating brilliance with mediocrity. This lack of consistency was most apparent on an offensive level. Mayo’s defense has been their strong point this season, with very few teams managing to defeat them.

But their attack often seemed to suffer from a creative drought which many people attribute to the transfer of Samson Trouwel to the Druid Premier League. An inability to press on at decisive moments left Sporting Mayo with a draw in almost half their games this season, and a total goal tally of 50 is too low for a team that wishes to be a title contender.

Bright point in all this is Mayo’s new striker, young Hypocrian Danny West, who scored 20 of those 50 goals, putting him in joint third place in the goalscorers list. After a slowish start West adapted well to his new team and his clinical finishing quickly made him a well known boogey man among Spruitland goalkeepers. His efficiency alone was not enough to overcome Mayo’s problems though, and it’s clear West’s goal tally suffered from an often mediocre midfield. But despite a below-expectations season, the Hypocrian international is not looking to leave his new team.

“I’m not someone who quits whenever things don’t go my way,” West said. “Yeah, we haven’t had the best season, and it’s obvious we need some reinforcements, especially on midfield, but the coach assured me that’s being taken care of. As long as it’s clear that we’ll be having a real shot at the title next season, I’m willing to stay.”

Thiel United in second and RFC Godiva in third place are no real surprises for anyone, but seeing Noordlo Rovers in fourth at the end of the season was not something many people would have expected. The newcomers had an impressive first season in the First Division, trademarked by an extremely potent wing-play.

Both Under-21 left winger Torsten Prins and right winger Carlo Nicols had a spectacular season for Noordlo. Nicols, scoring 17 goals this season, which makes him the highest scoring midfielder, is rumored to be the top name on the list of Sporting Mayo coach Dennis Friskin.

FC Bazaar and Valhove FC have the dubious honor of being the first teams to be relegated from the First Division. Bazaar struggled bravely in an attempt to avoid the drop but came up well short in the end, while Valhove seemed ready to embrace relegation before the season was half way.

Dirk Jools comfortably tops the goalscorers table after an impressive season. His first season half was absolutely sensational, and even though he slowed down a bit towards the end, his 28 goals in 34 games rightfully earns him the Man of the Season award.

Rudderwick Rovers topped the board in the Second Division after a battle that was much closer than the one in the First Division. Thumpston FC had seemed a prime contender for promotion in the first half of the season, but they were unable to hold on to their form and dropped down significantly in the second season half.

In a tight battle, Boontown Athletic got robbed of a place in the promotion play-offs by the matches-won rule by Optgemak FC. The play-offs were won by FC Patatt, who will be moving upto the First Division along with Rudderwick.

At the bottom of the table, FC Eyck and Fleck United relegate to the regional divisions, along with an unfortunate Racing Wibra, losing out to Fonstown City and Koolkass City on that same matches-won rule.

Spruit Cup

The first edition of the Spruit Cup saw, as any good cup should, plenty of surprises, but it settled down in the end as the strongest team of the season won the final. In the Quarter Finals, two non-First Division teams had survived, and pulled off a double shock as they both advanced to the semis.

Second Division team Boontown Athletic made it into the Quarter Finals in no small part thanks to a lucky draw, last placed Valhove FC being their only First Division opponent until then. But they swept aside New Frigobox FC with a 6-2 aggregate to move on to the final four.

Regional amateur club FC Kapoot was already the big surprise team in the Quarters, but they had earned their place, taking out First Division top teams Noordlo Rovers and RFC Godiva in earlier rounds. As if eliminating the numbers four and three of the competition wasn’t enough of a shock, Kapoot did even better in the Quarters by getting past runners-up Thiel United. And like it was meant to be, they faced league leaders FC Albertine in the Semi Finals, but that’s where their luck ended.

Boontown Athletic’s Semi Final opponent was Sporting Mayo, who were hoping to save their season by going all the way in the Cup. Everybody was anticipating a Cup Final between Mayo and Albertine, the previous and current champions, but Boontown didn’t see it that way. They silenced all talk of having gotten an “easy draw” by narrowing out the defending champions 3-2.

And Boontown gave the new champions a run for their money in the Cup Final as well. The Second Division sub-toppers refused to be intimidated and fought for all they were worth, but in the end FC Albertine’s class got the upper hand. Albertine won the Spruit Cup Final 1-0 with a goal from – who else – Dirk Jools.


Foreigners Report

Bedistan:
Bedistani ex-international Kyle Dean had a good season as player/coach for RSC Joyce. With an 11th place finish, Dean’s coaching goal to avoid relegation was more than satisfied. As a striker, Dean had a good start of the season and then slowed down somewhat.

After an injury around the mid-season break he announced his intention to retire as a player and concentrate on coaching, but a lack of talented strikers in the RSC Joyce squad saw him strap on his boots once more. He ended the season with 14 goals under his belt. Dean is hoping to find a good striker on the transfer market for next season. He announced that he considers himself retired from playing football, but also stated that he may return to the field, if the need arises.

Druida:
Druidan defender Trevor Fic played a solid season for Viss Athletic, playing an integral part in achieving the team’s season objective of avoiding relegation. A decent start of the season put Viss well on their way towards that goal, and even though they slid down the table as expected, they stayed a comfortable 10 points clear of the danger zone in the end. Fic hopes it will be a closer call next season.

32 year old Druidan striker Trevor Cwddor joined Spruitland Second Division team FC Patatt a dozen games into the season after being released by the Llllllllllcwllllllll Rovers, where he was a regular reserve. Cwddor scored 9 goals for Patatt in the regular season and also played an important part in the team’s successful promotion play-off campaign, scoring three more times.

Hypocria:
Hypocrian attacking midfielder Roberto Braganza returns to Hypocrium City after what he calls “an enjoyable season” on loan with RSC Joyce. Braganza totalled 5 goals, but his main strength was his creativity, creating scoring opportunities for – mainly – Kyle Dean.

Despite an occasional lousy match, Braganza’s qualities as a midfielder were recognized by Spruitland pundits as he was named in the All-Star Team of the Season. Coach Kyle Dean is reluctant to see Braganza return to Hypocria, stating it will be hard to replace him.

Young Danny West did not take long to play himself into the hearts of resilient Sporting Mayo supporters, who stopped blaming him for Mayo’s mediocre performances well before half season. His lethal efficiency played a major part in that, and the fact that most of his goals scored high on the spectacular-scale did not hurt either.

Liverpool England:
LivEng goalkeeper Albert Leibowitz was one of the main reasons First Division newcomer Veger United ended the season in a solid 7th place, despite conceding 42 goals. Veger will be looking to reinforce their defense for next season to make Albert’s job a bit easier.

Defender Mike Petterson played an impressive season for Lepus FC, helping to propel last season’s bottom finisher to an impressive 5th place finish. Petterson’s solid performace earned him a place in the All-Star Team of the Season. Despite all that, Petterson is rumored to be on the lookout for a new team because of some differences with coach Paulo Bachchan.

Rejistania:
Even though young Taki Sala has a Spruitland passport now, he does still retain the Rejistani nationality as well, so he gets a mention in the Foreigners report. Sala had a bit of a rough season for the Fonstown Rovers, his undeniable talent suffering from playing for a mediocre team. He scored 13 goals this season, a tally he’s not at all pleased with, and he will be looking to move to one of the top teams in Spruitland in the off-season.

Starblaydia:
The most successful Starblaydi this season was undoubtedly Fabricio de Souza Lima, winning the First Division title and the Spruit Cup with FC Albertine. This earned him the logical Manager of the Season award as well. Fabricio hopes to do at least as well next season.

Paulo Bachchan can call his first season as manager a relative success as well, bringing Lepus FC to a nice 5th place finish. More importantly, Bachchan managed to avoid further prison sentences, though he did spend about a third of Lepus’ league matches banned from the dugout, coaching the team from the stands with a cell phone. Rumors about unorthodox training methods have been floating around as well, but these are unconfirmed.

Thiel United’s Rigoberto had a decent season for the runners-up, but it’s clear his age is starting to show. Despite a lack of pace and stamina, he retained his first team spot this season, but Thiel is rumored to be on the lookout for a replacement. Rigoberto plans to add one more season to his career before retiring.

16 year old Oswald Perheira joined Veger United halfway into the season, picked up from a Starblaydi regional club by the team’s youth scout. The young DLC spent most of his time on the bench but did make a few promising substitutions. He is expected to see a lot more playing time next season.

Vilita:
Sporting Mayo’s central midfielder Malovar Stokks had a good season, without impressing like he did last season. A two month injury in the second half of the season was part of the reason for that. Stokks notched three goals and a handful of assists, but his main qualities this season were on a defensive level.

Defending champions and current Spruit Cup holders FC Albertine are huge favorites this season, and they have not missed their start, though it looks to be a much closer battle than last season.

The main competition was expected to come from Thiel United and Sporting Mayo, but it’s not turning out that way. Thiel has been unable to find consistency so far, while Mayo got off to an even worse start than last season, dangling near the relegation zone after a handful of games. They have gotten their act together since then, though, and an impressive run has put them back near the top, but the early gap with the leaders will not be easy to overcome.

The slightly surprising leaders are Paulo Bachchan’s Lepus FC. The Starblaydi ex-convict took Lepus to a solid 5th place finish last season, and they are impressing so far, going undefeated in the first season half. FC Albertine is staying close on their tail though, only three points behind so far.

The two other teams in the top four are bigger surprises. Fonstown Rovers, in fourth, is doing surprisingly well, considering they sold two of their most prominent players in the off-season. Spruitland international attacking mid Waldo Gelmer left for Starblaydia to play for relegation battlers Phraen Palace, and young semi-Rejistani Taki Sala joined Lepus FC.

The biggest surprise is the team in third place though, bravely trying to stay within sight of the top two. Newly promoted Rudderwick Rovers, last season’s Second Division champions, have spent some money to avoid immediate relegation, and they are succeeding quite well in their objective so far.

Their two most noteworthy purchases came from Jonesville City: international substitute Fisk Zachariah on midfield, and young Under-21 striker Harry Ooyevaar. Jonesville is feeling the effect of the transfers, and it looks like they’re facing a season of relegation battling, with Veger United and FC Tigue as their main competitors.

Sporting Mayo’s (and Hypocria Hyppos’) Danny West is staking a clear claim for the topscorers trophy this season, leading the pack with 16 goals so far, though Harry Ooyevaar is playing the best season of his young career for Rudderwick and following closely. Dirk Jools is off to a much slower start than last season, but still scoring regularly. He’ll have to find an extra gear if he wants to close the five goal gap with West though.

The Second Division is – as it was last season – a lot tighter at the top. Spruit Cup finalists Boontown Athletic managed to take a three point lead over the rest of the pack, but with 17 matchdays to go, that’s far from conclusive. FC Bazaar and Valhove FC, relegated from the First Division at the end of last season, are staying close to the top in their attempts to re-promote immediately.

For the first time in its – granted, brief – history, the First Division championship was not decided until the final matchday. In a close battle between two teams that stayed in each other’s close proximity for the entire season, Lepus FC won it by a point over defending champions and favorites FC Albertine, but it could have gone either way.

Lepus was not expected to put up this strong a fight. The team ended in last place in Season 2, only avoiding relegation because there was no relegation back then. But with Starblaydi ex-international and ex-convict Paulo Bachchan at the helm, Lepus revived in Season 3. While mainly known for a very physical playing style, taking a record amount of yellow and red cards as a team – undoubtedly under the new coach’s influence – they somehow battled their way upto fifth place.

Nobody thought they could do even better this season though, but with young Taki Sala as the newly acquired finisher they had an extra ace in the deck. Lepus had a splendid season start, and was undefeated at the top of the table halfway into the season, with only FC Albertine able to stay close. Yet, there were doubts they’d be able to hang on until the end.

When Lepus started the second season half with a loss and two draws and Albertine jumped right by them to take a four point lead, everyone thought it was all over, but that’s the widest the gap would get. Bachchan’s boys stayed on their feet until the final round, looking for a chance to deal the decisive blow, though it didn’t seem to be going their way.

Lepus had gotten alongside FC Albertine – coached by another Starblaydi, Fabricio de Souza Lima - four matchdays before the end, and it became a thriller from then on, with every point a crucial one, and every point lost likely to be decisive. Neither team budged and with one match to go, Albertine had the clear advantage on goal difference.

When Lepus didn’t get past the Sativa Stoners in their last match, only getting away with a point, the title was clearly in FC Albertine’s reach. All they had to do was take it. For that, they had to survive against a tough Thiel United though, and that turned out to be a problem. A draw would have been enough, but in one of the most exciting games in First Division history, Thiel won it 3 to 1, thereby making Lepus FC the surprising – but deserved – champions.

Ironically, Lepus coach Paulo Bachchan had to celebrate his team’s victory in the Sativa prison. After Lepus’ 2-2 against Sativa on Saturday night, Bachchan had taken out his frustration on the referee, putting the man in the hospital with a broken jaw and earning himself another aggravated assault charge. He was still awaiting the parole hearing when Albertine lost on Sunday afternoon, but that didn’t put a damper on his joy.

“All team go visit coach in jail,” Lepus forward Taki Sala said. “Lots and lots of drunk and fun! We sing Jailhouse Rock all night!”

Sporting Mayo and Thiel United both had a solid second season half, but the early gap with the two leaders turned out to be too great to overcome, as expected, so they had to settle for third and fourth place respectively. Despite selling a few prominent players – Taki Sala for instance – Fonstown Rovers had a good season, earning them a nice fifth place finish.

The two First Division newcomers were pleasant surprises as well. Last season’s Second Division champions Rudderwick Rovers were unable to maintain their early momentum, but still managed to hold on to sixth place, while FC Patatt settled in firmly in the middle of the pack.

RFC Godiva, Sativa Stoners and New Brux FC stayed below expectations, though in the last two’s cases that seems to become a habit. Sativa and New Brux were two of the four original teams in the First Division, but this seniority does not seem to account for much, as neither of them have been near the top of the table in the last two seasons.

Sativa finished dangerously close to the relegation positions, in fact, but sponsors Spruit Inc are rumored to drastically increase the team’s funding to give them a better fighting chance next season.

Veger United did not have the best season either, the only positive feat being that they managed to avoid relegation. FC Tigue and Jonesville City drop down to the Second Division for at least a season.

Hypocria international Danny West kept scoring regularly for Sporting Mayo in the second season half – he had to though, because surprise cllinical finisher Harry Ooyevaar stayed close on his tail in the race for the Top Goalscorer Award. West won it in the end by two goals difference, with a nice total of 27 – just one short of Dirk Jools’ season record.

Jools did not have the best season, slowing down even more in the second season half. His total of 17 goals is far from a terrible result, but clearly below expectations for Spruitland’s surperstar.

Second Division

Last season’s Spruit Cup finalists Boontown Athletic were determined to achieve promotion this season, but they just came up short, finishing three points behind FC Bazaar, who took the top spot to return to the First Division immediately.

Boontown faced promotion play-offs, as did Valhove FC – relegated from the top division last season – but both teams saw that second promotion spot snatched from under their noses by a pesky Somnia City team. Somnia had not been particularly impressive during the regular season, but strong play-off matches saw them overcome the favorites. It’ll have to remain to be seen whether they can cut it in the First Division next season.

At the bottom, Stinx United was certain to drop down to the regional divisions well before the end of the season. Koolkass City managed to keep hope alive a little longer, but didn’t make it in the end, while Kleinbeke Kickers were unlucky on the final matchday, sending them back down after only one season in the Second Division.

The other two Second Division newcomers settled in reasonably well, FC Kapoot finishing mid-table, and Atlétique Corset even came very close to obtaining a play-off spot, denied by goal difference.


Spruit Cup

FC Albertine may have missed a golden opportunity when they failed to take the championship title, but the season was not a total loss as they managed to win the Spruit Cup for the second year in a row. There, too, it had been a close call though.

It could have ended in the Quarter Finals for Albertine, when a surprisingly strong Crill United defeated them 1-3 in their own stadium, but the defending champions set things straight in the second leg, winning 0-4 in Crill.

SC Stoutwick was the only Second Division team still remaining in the Quarters, and they pushed on to the Semi finals by edging out Fonstown Rovers.

Rudderwick Rovers had very little trouble dealing with Jonesville City, and Sporting Mayo had even less trouble with Thiel United. What was supposed to be a tight match-up ended in humiliation for Thiel, as Mayo trounced them with an 8-1 aggregate.

But Mayo did not have the luck of the draw, and in a Semi Final that could well have been the Final, they just came up short against FC Albertine. Rudderwick easily disposed of Stoutwick to give them a shot at winning the Cup.

It was only a long shot though, and in another somewhat anti-climactic Final, the Rovers did not manage to keep it together. Two red cards early in the second half sealed their fate, and FC Albertine was remorseless, winning the Spruit Cup Final 5-0, with a hattrick from Dirk Jools.


Foreigners Report

Bedistan:
Bedistani ex-international Kyle Dean did not end up retiring from playing football. Dean did not find suitable reinforcement for RSC Joyce’s attack line in the off-season, so he regularly put himself in the line-up again. He rarely played the full ninety minutes though, and often didn’t come onto the field until the second half, but still managed to score a respectable 10 goals, most of which were decisive. He led RSC Joyce to a respectable 9th place finish, re-establishing the team as a mid-table contender. Dean announced that he is determined to find an extra striker or two in the off-season, and plans not to return to the field.

Druida:
Druidan defender Trevor Fic played another fine season for Viss Athletic, but is said to be unhappy with his current team. For the second season in a row, Viss managed to do considerably better than their goal of avoiding relegation, finishing in a solid mid-table spot, well clear of the bottom two. Fic is rumored to be in talks with Veger United.

Veteran Druidan striker Trevor Cwddor promoted to the First Division with FC Patatt, and was one of the strongholders in the team, playing a big part in their successful debut. Cwddor scored a nice 14 goals, putting him in joint eigth place in the topscorers list.

Hypocria:
Hypocrian international striker Danny West had a spectacular season. West won pretty much every individual award there was to win, topping the goalscorers list, and winning both the Man of the Season and the Forward of the Season awards. His accomplishments are only slightly marred by Sporting Mayo’s inability to take a prize. West stated he is willing to remain at Mayo for one more season, but if they fail to take the championship title or Spruit Cup yet again, he may start looking for another team, possibly abroad.

Liverpool England:
LivEng goalkeeper Albert Leibowitz had a rather rough season for Veger United. Veger conceded 60 goals and only barely escaped relegation, though this was hardly all Leibowitz’ fault. Veger is desperately looking for reinforcements in the defense to make Albert’s job easier next season.

Defender Mike Petterson played another impressive season for Lepus FC. His solid performance in the center of the defense helped Lepus maintain the consistency that eventually won them the title, and earned him a place in the All-Star Team of the Season for the second time. Despite rumors before the start of the season that he was looking for another team because of differences with coach Paulo Bachchan, Petterson remained at Lepus and is now reported to be happy with the situation.

Rejistania:
Young Spruitlander/Rejistani Taki Sala made the right choice when he moved from Fonstown Rovers to Lepus FC in the off-season. Sala seemed to fit in perfectly in the team, and may well have been the deciding factor that propelled Lepus from last season’s fifth place to this season’s championship title. He scored 21 goals and was named in the All-Star Team of the Season.

Starblaydia:
Fabricio de Souza Lima is undoubtedly slightly peeved about just missing out on getting the double two years in a row, but his season with FC Albertine can hardly be called a failure. Despite the unfortunate last match defeat that cost them the title, de Souza Lima did manage to lead his team to a second Spruit Cup win in two Cups. He was awarded the Manager of the Season award as well, also for the second season in a row.

Paulo Bachchan is released on bail and awaiting his trial after another attack on a referee in Lepus’ final match, but winning the First Division title must significantly ease that pain. Both the championship title as the aggravated assault only increased Bachchan’s hero-status in the Lepus area, though the latter may have cost him the Manager of the Season award – completely unjustified, Lepus supporters say.

Thiel United’s Rigoberto was expected to spend a fair amount of time on the bench, but the veteran right back kept pulling off one strong performance after another, despite a notable lack of pace and stamina. His solid and consistent season earned him the Defender of the Year award, and Thiel have asked him to postpone his retirement for another season. Rigoberto refused, however, preferring to end his playing career in dignity, and he is now on the lookout for a coaching/managing position. Several Spruitland teams are rumored to be interested, but Rigoberto has not yet made a decision, stating he may possibly be interested in a return to Starblaydia if an interesting managing offer comes his way.

17 year old DLC Oswald Perheira was relegation battler Veger United’s starting left back for most of the season, though this is just as much a sign of Veger’s defender shortage as of Perheira’s class. While the talent is clearly there, Perheira could benefit from some maturity and consistency. On a good day, young Oswald had a big impact on the team – unfortunately, he had just as many bad days as good days. Much is expected of him for the future though.

Vilita:
Central midfielder Malovar Stokks had a much better season than he did last year. Sporting Mayo’s captain mainly impressed in his defensive duties on midfield, while he still managed to score 7 goals this season – a personal record since he joined the team. Stokks was named in the All-Star Team of the Season, and stated he is far from considering retirement.


Transfer News

Two transfers have been confirmed so far, but they are significant ones, continuing the trend of Spruitland’s top internationals seeking foreign experiences. Krytenian clubs came shopping in the First Division, and they may just have gotten away with a few bargains.

Thiel United and Spruitland Wabbits left winger Balt Luyckx moves to Avidia City for US$ 2.1mil. Thiel are now desperately looking for a replacement, and on top of their list is ex-under-21 star Lee Beck, set to return to Sativa from his loan to Nedalia’s Brickell United. Sativa may not want to sell, though.

Even more shocking is the transfer of national goalkeeper Simon Briers. Briers moves to the same city as Luyckx, but not the same team, joining AFC Avidia in a US$ 3mil deal with a part exchange clause. Krytenian goalkeeper David Fernandez moves to Spruitland, but Sporting Mayo supporters are skeptic, and Fernandez will have to prove his worth.

Before the start of the season, expectations were pretty much unanimous: FC Albertine and defending champs Lepus FC would battle it out for the title, with Sporting Mayo or Thiel United possibly forcing themselves into the mix, as dangerous outsiders. But, as usual, it’s not exactly turning out that way.

We’re halfway into Season 5, and a new contender for the title has emerged. Or, well, perhaps not exactly a new contender. New Brux FC is one of the four original teams that started the First Division five seasons ago, along with FC Albertine, Thiel United and the Sativa Stoners. But while Albertine and Thiel have been able to turn this seniority into results, Sativa and New Brux have consistently performed below expectations, up to the point where expectations were drastically reduced.

The Sativa Stoners seem to be off on another colorless season, closer to the relegation zone than to the middle of the table, despite the return of left winger and occasional international Lee Beck from a two season loan period at Nedalia’s Brickell United. But New Brux FC, for the first time since Season 1, are performing in a fashion befitting the team representing the nation’s capital and playing in the biggest stadium in the league.

At least part of New Brux’ strong performance can be attributed to two important transfers. Aging goalkeeper Richard Blanck was sold to Somnia City and replaced by 17-year old talent Gerwald de Wind, snatched away from rivals FC Albertine’s bench. And Starblaydi former Under-21 World Cup winner Augusto Diaz, now 25, was lured away from top club Jhanna City to fill New Brux’ gap on the right wing, providing a valuable creative spark in the team’s offense. Diaz did not come cheap, but New Brux had some cash to spare after up-and-coming Spruitland international Fritz Wigmeister moved to BPL team Bucks Lake Athletic, after already spending two seasons there on loan.

New Brux FC is in second place halfway into the season, tied with favorites Lepus FC. Lepus saw head coach Paulo Bachchan, who led the team to the First Division title last season, leave the club to take charge of Spruitland’s Under-21 squad, and the club management decided to put another Starblaydi in charge.

Ex-international Rigoberto ended his playing career in Spruitland as Thiel United’s right wingback for the past three seasons, and his debut as head coach immediately sets him off with a difficult task: defending the championship title. Rigoberto and Lepus FC did not miss their start though, and skepticism among Lepus supporters about the new coach’s much ‘softer’ style compared to Paulo Bachchan is slowly dying out.

RFC Godiva and FC Albertine are third and fourth, not too far behind the two leaders. For Albertine this is slightly below expectations, as they were expected to be the main challengers for the title, but the gap is small enough to keep hope alive and with Dirk Jools returning from injury, the two time champions are still expected to make a challenge run. The teams behind the top four are likely out of contention for the title, as a seven point gap is quite substantial at this level.

Sporting Mayo and Thiel United, two teams who have been at or near the top for the past few seasons, don’t seem quite up to snuff this year. Last season’s third and fourth place finishers now reside at an unspectacular 7th and 9th place, and only an extremely strong second season half can make them end up somewhere in the vicinity of the NSCL and NSFA spots.

Both teams’ slide down the table is no big surprise to some people. One of Sporting Mayo’s most important players – Spruitland international goalkeeper Simon Briers – left for Krytenia in search of greener grass (and a bigger paycheck), and his replacement, Krytenian David Fernandez, is not having the easiest of times in his debut season in the First Division.

Apart from Rigoberto’s retirement, Thiel United saw a key player move to Krytenia as well – Spruitland international Balt Luyckx – leaving a gaping hole on the left winger side. 16-year old Julien Dewaele, up-and-coming Under-21 international and a product of Thiel’s youth program, was looking to fill the void, but barely a handful of matches into the season he was snatched away by Vilitan Declasse team Turoki Tide.

At the bottom end of the table no definite decisions have been made so far, but for a few teams, thunderclouds are amassing at the horizon. Rudderwick Rovers and FC Patatt, both making a successful First Division debut last season, ending 6th and 8th respectively, do not seem able to maintain that momentum in their second season in the top flight.

More surprising, however, is RSC Joyce’s second to last position, after several steady seasons in the middle of the pack. Aging player/coach Kyle Dean is doing everything he can to keep his team out of the danger zone though, and his old legs have found a burst of good form, scoring nine of RSC Joyce’s seventeen goals so far.

Horst, West and Sala seem to be the main contenders for this season’s top goalscorer award, but with seventeen games remaining the battle is far from over.