Liverpool (Set-up 35) (joined from start of 1998-99)

A very disappointing end to the 1998-99 season which had started so well. Massive under-achievement. The 1999-2000 was slightly better but the sense of under-achievement still exists. The only consolation is that at least there would be European football again in 2000-2001. The 2000-01 season was a repeat of '98-99 with only an F.A.Cup win partly redeeming a bad league campaign. The following season was the best so far with a UEFA Cup win and our highest league finish coming after a bad first twelve games. The league title continued to be beyond us in 2003 and 2004 but we had the consolation of the League Cup and the UEFA Cup.

Stoke City (Set-up 35) (joined after 31 games of 1999-2000 when 3rd in Div.Three)

Taking over towards the end of the season and became involved in a three-way battle for the title. All this despite a terrible 4-1 defeat in the first game in charge. Season 2000-01 saw a second successive promotion after amassing 119 points and 125 goals. We won the Division One title in 2001-02 after overtaking Charlton on the last day to end with 108 points. We had a good first season in the Premier League, finishing in mid-table and reaching the League Cup Final. 2004 saw another midtable finish after a very good run at the end of the season.

Wigan Athletic (Set-up 9) (joined from the start of 1995-96)

Resigned after 11 games in 1998/99 when 10th in Division Two.

Wigan won the Division Three title in the first season of this set-up after a dreadful start of 3 points from the first 5 games. Later in the season Wigan had an unbeaten spell lasting 23 games. 51 players were used. Eat your heart out squad-rotators, Vialli, Gullit and co.

The League Trophy was won after Wigan thrashed Notts County 4-1. It was a nice revenge for being beaten by them by the same score in the competition in the previous season.

Stoke City (Set-up 9) (joined after 15 games of 1995-96 when 23rd in Div.One, resigned after 3 games of 2004-05)

Stoke City were promoted in 1996-97 with 100 points but this was not enough to win the title as a last day 0-0 draw at champions Bolton left us 2 points adrift. The following season saw Stoke having to avoid defeat against Everton to keep themselves up and send Everton down. An early strike from Ray Parlour, who was sold to Everton for £5,000,000 soon afterwards, was enough for a 1-0 win. The following season saw a slight improvement in Stoke's fortunes with a 13th placed finish. There was further improvement the following season with a 12th placed finish although there was still no cup run. Our luck ran out in 2000-01 as Stoke were relegated on goal difference on the last day of the season. An injury to the goalkeeper late in the season proved crucial.