Updates from the Saint Eleanor League

by **Saint Eleanor** » Mon Feb 24, 2025 12:08 am

OOC: The first part of this title is as inaccurate as it was last IFCF.

Mid-season interlude: The Charles Trump Shield of 2010

Introduction to the Charles Trump Shield
This competition was first run in 1979, but has only counted towards the Cup Winners' Cup and in part the IFCF Rising Stars Cup - hereinafter "big cups" - since 1998 (in time for the tenth IFCF cycle). It is named in honour of Colonel Charles Trump. In the autumn of 1974, during the War of Independence, Trump successfully defended the Eleanorian Academy from ground attack by Tinhamptonian forces. Although parts of the academy were destroyed in the air and Trump himself had his leg amputated, he was honourably discharged from the Army by order of President George Mitcham two days after Saint Eleanor won its independence, and successfully lobbied the government in its first years to head off freezes in the schools budget.

The Shield is contested between all 53 schools in Saint Eleanor - including the three private schools (the Girls' Preparatory, the Boys' Preparatory, and Saint Benedict's Catholic) and the six out-of-city schools (the Community Schools in Bishopgate, Crownedhead, Elsmouth, Farbend, Mount Dennis and Springfield) - along with Liberty, a team made up exclusively of the children of Eleanorian Army soldiers from various schools.

SEFA announced, in March 2009, an "informal amnesty" with the Eleanorian Sports and Cheer Coaching Alliance, who represent - among others - the 54 school team managers. The second phase of the amnesty is now in place: all teams except the seven non-champion quarterfinalists of 2009's CTS will enter the first round. The first round winners and the seven non-champion quarterfinalists will enter the second round. Atlas CS, as reigning champions, will enter the third round, also known as the round of sixteen. Furthermore, the draws for the first two rounds will be made in March of each year.

All games except the final (at the Nat Lib) are played over two legs, with extra time and then penalties being played in the event of both games having the same result. Away goals count double, so not all aggregate ties will result in extra time. OOCly, the Græntfjaller method of ET and PSO scorination is used - although I add the goals scored in extra time and make those count towards away goals - and home advantage applies.

In each year, Liberty and schools must only send players in Year 13, i.e. those who will turn seventeen in that year. Every player in the 2010 Charles Trump Shield was therefore born in 1993. If they win that year's Shield, they will be entered into the following year's big cups (in the unlikely event they win the Showcase too) and may enter the victorious team, who will by now be in Year 14, i.e. eighteen years old. If their Year 14s win either big cup in any year, they shall enter the team that represented them in that year's Shield (who will be Year 14s the following year) into the following year's CWC/RSC - while the now-nineteen-year-old cup winners go to a well-deserved rest, probably in the Saint Eleanor League!

Some schools serve as the youth teams for clubs in the Saint Eleanor League
IFCF Regulation 7.02 provides that the youth teams of "clubs reaching the group phase of the Champions['] League are automatically entered" into the RSC (and acknowledges the possibility that a youth champion's senior team may make the CL group stages). However, the youth teams of clubs in Saint Eleanor are often the representative teams of local schools, rather than formal wings of the clubs themselves. To that effect, and should any of these clubs ever make the CL group stages:

The youth team of Occidental Olympic is Parkside CS. Parkside District Council owns both Olympic and the Community School.
The youth team of Sword and Shield is the University College. University College is a school run by the University of Saint Eleanor, whose Board of Trustees own Sword and Shield. Contrary to what many people believe, the University is a campus university. Collegiate Community School does not exist.
The youth team of Athletic Saint Eleanor is Whitehammer CS. The Eleanorian Chamber of Commerce, which counts several hundred privately-owned businesses among its members, owns Athletic. Whitehammer District Council owns the Community School, but many members of its PE Department also work as coaches for Athletic and they have the final say over who plays for Whitehammer.
The youth team of Independence 1975 is the Eleanorian Academy. The Government runs both Independence and the Academy. Central Community School does not exist.
The youth team of Grand Beach is Grand Beach CS. Gregory Willis, the owner of Willis fried chicken restaurants, owns Grand Beach. His eldest daughter, Sophie, is the Community School's head of the English department; she selects who plays for GBCS in consultation with the PE department.
The youth team of Army and Navy is the Army School. Army School is run by the Eleanorian Army, which owns Army and Navy. Oaktree Community School does exist, but has no affiliation with the Army.
The youth team of Good Hope Club is Trident CS. The Good Hope Supporters' Trust owns Good Hope. Trident District Council owns the Community School, but has an agreement with the Supporters Trust by which the School wears GHC's colours of light blue and plays its home matches at GHC's home stadium, the Good Hope Stadium.
The youth team of Golden Unicorn is Brightway CS. Emerald, the premier fund management company in the Novalk Peninsula, owns Golden Unicorn. It also provides generous funding to Brightway's Football Academy without which their ability to send a full-strength team to the Shield would be greatly diminished.
The youth team of Nova Aegis is Bramblewood CS. Bramblewood District Council owns both Nova Aegis and the Community School.
The youth team of the Polytechnic Institute is Buckhead CS. Buckhead Community School is not actually run by the Polytechnic Institute of Saint Eleanor, which owns the club of the same name - it is, like all Community Schools, operated by the district council - but a memorandum of understanding was made with the Polytechnic in 2009, through which the Poly financially supports BCS's PE department.
The youth team of Hiyashi Celestia is Broadlands CS. The Hiyashi Corporation founded (and still owns) Celestia; they have pumped significant sums of money into the Broadlands school team since doing so. Just don't ask where it comes from. It's all perfectly legal revenue from sales and whatnot, we promise.
The youth team of Newbanks United is Newbanks CS. The practice of Newbanks United offering a contract every year to a player from the Community School has long gone, not least since the club is now owned by the Misiriyaa Football Group of Al-Tamazgha, but some of United's coaches now work as PE teachers for the School (much as they do in Whitehammer), and the presumption remains that any sufficiently good NCS player will more likely than not contract with Newbanks United should there be a need in the team.
The youth team of Premier Club is Premier CS. The school, although in possession of a football academy that is ridiculously well-funded by D. Tommy Sanford's PREMIER empire (it was his before he got busted, anyway) and indeed has direct ties to the Premier Club of the same ownership, is actually located in Premier district, which was made to specification by a group of civil engineers working on behalf of the Eleanorian Army.
The youth team of 16th of November is Holland CS. The Zoological Gardens have an arrangement with Holland District Council, which owns the Community School, that predates even the National Liberation Front; an annual school trip to the Zoo is provided for students at Holland CS, for instance.
The youth team of Atlas is Atlas CS. Atlas district, like Premier district, was built to specification (of the Kaito Corporation of Kandorith) by the Army Corps of Engineers. Kaito themselves founded the Atlas club and own it through their Eleanorian subsidiary, Kaito Limited - so, much as Hiyashi do with Broadlands, it stands to reason that they have a solid partnership with the local school.
The youth team of Infrastructure is Tannerton CS. National Electricity, affectionately known as Natelec, owns Infrastructure (in partnership with Eleanorian Water). Natelec in turn provides (relatively) generous funding and support to Tannerton's PE Department and CTS team.
The youth team of Lion is Marketplace CS. Lion was founded by Banijan immigrants to Saint Eleanor, and remains in their control, although people from across the Dockside - both Eleanorians and immigrants - are generally welcomed by the club. There is a "broad partnership" in place between Lion and the Community School through which Marketplace's players are given consideration by Lion's scouts once they come of age.
The youth team of the Republicans is Deepchester CS. The Republicans are owned by their fans via the Deepchester Community Trust, which founded the club and recruited a number of players from the local areas - some of who just happen to be disaffected, previously-unemployed artists. Among the permanent members of the DCT's board is the Community School's headteacher of the day.
The youth team of the Trades Unionists is Wellington CS. The Trades Unions Alliance owns Trades Unionists - as well as Channel 5, in partnership with the Communist Party of Saint Eleanor - and, as part of their obligations to Wellington's community (which contains a good many dockworkers, who remain reluctant to switch their support from the Good Hope Club), offers a broad spectrum of support to the Community School, both in terms of its PE Department and many other areas.
The youth team of Yggdrasil is Blackwood CS. Blackwood District Council owns both Yggdrasil and the Community School.

"CS" always stands for Community School, by far the most common name given to Eleanorian schools; this abbreviation is used throughout to comply with IFCF character limits.

If you were a serious Golden Backpack contestant and you were playing for any of the above schools, then there's a good chance that you will end up playing for the school's linked Saint Eleanor League club (especially since Juventud collapsed in 2009). Some young players do successfully angle for a move to another major club - Àlfôn Qâerês is with Sword and Shield even though he played for the Academy in 2004, for instance.

Round 1 (1/23 final)

Carpentersville CS 1–0 Holland CS
Holland CS 5–1 Carpentersville CS
Holland CS win 5-2 on aggregate

Parkside CS 0–1 Newbanks CS
Newbanks CS 0–0 Parkside CS
Newbanks CS win 1-0 on aggregate

Magna CS 2–3 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS 2–0 Magna CS
Broadlands CS win 5-2 on aggregate

Goldsmiths CS 1–1 Airport CS
Airport CS 3–4 Goldsmiths CS
Goldsmiths CS win 5-4 on aggregate

Deepchester CS 3–1 Grand Beach CS
Grand Beach CS 1–0 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Jacobville CS 8–0 Elsmouth CS
Elsmouth CS 0–2 Jacobville CS
Jacobville CS win 10-0 on aggregate

Mount Dennis CS 0–2 New St Paul CS
New St Paul CS 3–0 Mount Dennis CS
New St Paul CS win 5-0 on aggregate

North Seville CS 0–2 Tannerton CS
Tannerton CS 0–0 North Seville CS
Tannerton CS win 2-0 on aggregate

Eastern Fell CS 0–1 Queenston CS
Queenston CS 5–1 Eastern Fell CS
Queenston CS win 6-1 on aggregate

Bramblewood CS 2–0 Bonpool CS
Bonpool CS 1–1 Bramblewood CS
Bramblewood CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Millerham CS 1–0 Sunset Gates CS
Sunset Gates CS 0–2 Millerham CS
Millerham CS win 3-0 on aggregate

Hartridge CS 1–2 Wellington CS
Wellington CS 1–0 Hartridge CS
Wellington CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Allington CS 2–3 Kelbury CS
Kelbury CS 3–4 Allington CS
Allington CS win 6-6 on aggregate (away goals)

Brightway CS 2–1 Springfield CS
Springfield CS 0–0 Brightway CS
Brightway CS win 2-1 on aggregate

Silverton CS 1–2 New Bayside CS
New Bayside CS 1–1 Silverton CS
New Bayside CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Blackwood CS 3–2 Liberty
Liberty 1–0 Blackwood CS
Liberty win 3-3 on aggregate (away goals)

Farbend CS 1–4 St Paul CS
St Paul CS 0–0 Farbend CS
St Paul CS win 4-1 on aggregate

Buckhead CS 1–0 New Lizard CS
New Lizard CS 0–1 Buckhead CS
Buckhead CS win 2-0 on aggregate

St George CS 0–0 University College
University College 5–2 St George CS
University College win 5-2 on aggregate

Marketplace CS 2–3 Northolt CS
Northolt CS 0–1 Marketplace CS
Northolt CS win 3-3 on aggregate (away goals)

Williamstown CS 1–0 Bishopgate CS
Bishopgate CS 0–4 Williamstown CS
Williamstown CS win 5-0 on aggregate

Whitehammer CS 5–0 Crownedhead CS
Crownedhead CS 0–3 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS win 8-0 on aggregate

Oaktree CS 0–2 Richardgate CS
Richardgate CS 2–0 Oaktree CS
Richardgate CS win 4-0 on aggregate

The lucky 23 winners in Round 1 will be joined by last year's non-champion CTS quarterfinalists - Army School, Boys' Preparatory, Eleanorian Academy, Girls' Preparatory, Premier CS, Saint Benedict's Catholic, and Trident CS - in Round 2.

Round 2 (1/15 final)

Jacobville CS 1–2 Holland CS
Holland CS 4–1 Jacobville CS
Holland CS win 6-1 on aggregate

Richardgate CS 2–2 Northolt CS
Northolt CS 2–4 Richardgate CS
Richardgate CS win 6-4 on aggregate

Newbanks CS 1–1 Brightway CS
Brightway CS 0–1 Newbanks CS
Newbanks CS win 2-1 on aggregate

Premier CS 2–0 Wellington CS
Wellington CS 3–4 Premier CS
Premier CS win 6-3 on aggregate

Saint Benedict's Catholic 4–1 Tannerton CS
Tannerton CS 0–0 Saint Benedict's Catholic
Saint Benedict's Catholic win 4-1 on aggregate

Buckhead CS 0–3 Eleanorian Academy
Eleanorian Academy 1–2 Buckhead CS
Eleanorian Academy win 4-2 on aggregate

Girls' Preparatory 0–0 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS 3–0 Girls' Preparatory
Broadlands CS win 3-0 on aggregate

Queenston CS 1–2 Millerham CS
Millerham CS 2–0 Queenston CS
Millerham CS win 4-1 on aggregate

Liberty 2–0 Goldsmiths CS
Goldsmiths CS 1–2 Liberty
Liberty win 4-1 on aggregate

New Bayside CS 1–2 New St Paul CS
New St Paul CS 1–0 New Bayside CS
New St Paul CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Whitehammer CS 1–1 Trident CS
Trident CS 1–0 Whitehammer CS
Trident CS win 2-1 on aggregate

Boys' Preparatory 6–2 Allington CS
Allington CS 3–5 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory win 11-5 on aggregate

St Paul CS 0–3 University College
University College 2–0 St Paul CS
University College win 6-1 on aggregate

Williamstown CS 0–1 Army School
Army School 1–0 Williamstown CS
Army School win 2-0 on aggregate

Deepchester CS 1–4 Bramblewood CS
Bramblewood CS 2–0 Deepchester CS
Bramblewood CS win 6-1 on aggregate

The lucky 15 winners in Round 1 will be joined by CTS champions Atlas CS in Round 3.

Round 3 (1/8 final)

Boys' Preparatory 0–1 Eleanorian Academy
Eleanorian Academy 0–1 Boys' Preparatory (0–1 AET) (4–2 pen.)
Eleanorian Academy win 1-1 on aggregate (penalties)

University College 0–0 Premier CS
Premier CS 2–0 University College
Premier CS win 2-0 on aggregate

Richardgate CS 2–2 Millerham CS
Millerham CS 1–0 Richardgate CS
Millerham CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Atlas CS 4–2 Army School
Army School 0–1 Atlas CS
Atlas CS win 5-2 on aggregate

Saint Benedict's Catholic 1–2 Holland CS
Holland CS 4–2 Saint Benedict's Catholic
Holland CS win 6-3 on aggregate

Trident CS 2–1 New St Paul CS
New St Paul CS 0–2 Trident CS
Trident CS win 4-1 on aggregate

Liberty 1–0 Bramblewood CS
Bramblewood CS 2–4 Liberty
Liberty win 5-2 on aggregate

Broadlands CS 4–2 Newbanks CS
Newbanks CS 1–2 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS win 6-3 on aggregate

Round 4 (1/4 final)

Premier CS 2–1 Eleanorian Academy
Eleanorian Academy 0–0 Premier CS
Premier CS win 2-1 on aggregate

Trident CS 0–1 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS 3–2 Trident CS
Broadlands CS win 4-2 on aggregate

Liberty 3–2 Atlas CS
Atlas CS 2–3 Liberty
Liberty win 6-4 on aggregate

Holland CS 1–0 Millerham CS
Millerham CS 3–4 Holland CS
Holland CS win 5-3 on aggregate

Semifinals
Broadlands CS 0–0 Premier CS
[no goals]
Premier CS 2–2 Broadlands CS
[Charlotte Worth 3, Daniel Fish 34; Sophie Welch 19, 62]
Broadlands CS win 2-2 on aggregate (away goals)

Liberty 4–1 Holland CS
[Henry McDonald 25, Jacob Brown 37, Lydia Spencer 70, Stephen Willis 88; Bryan Hall 48]
Holland CS 0–1 Liberty
[Henry McDonald 53]
Liberty win 5-1 on aggregate

THE FINAL
Broadlands CS 0–2 Liberty ~~~ at the National Liberation Arena (60,924 in attendance)
[Jacob Brown 35, 64]

Each finalist has been entered into the 2010 Showcase. The Showcase, a twenty-two-team cup which also stars the twenty League clubs, is a desperate - and successful - attempt by the Saint Eleanor Football Association to ensure that it can enter teams into the Cup Winners' Cup without getting smacked because it attempted to enter the winners of the Charles Trump Shield.

Saint Eleanor will enter Liberty, the winners of the 2010 Charles Trump Shield, into Rising Stars Cup 22. (Their crest is depicted to the right.)

Due to time, the roster is not available yet; please contact me if you're playing Liberty at the RSC and you need it for your roleplay. However, the team is managed by William Potts [Colonel; he/him] and plays in your usual 4-4-2 setup.

Liberty will play their home matches in the RSC and - if needs be - CWC at the New Barracks in Oaktree district, capacity 32,200. While the New Barracks - used by Army and Navy in the League and Liberty in the Shield - appears on the face of it to be your average box stadium, what makes the difference here is the tightness of the stadium. The intimidating environment on most matchdays here was probably not intended, but it is more often than not enough to get each team through its respective challenges on a good day - and, with Liberty having just secured their first CTS since the summer of 1991, expect the fans to be unusually fervent.

Following the initial publication of this pamphlet, Athletic Saint Eleanor won the Saint Eleanor League of 2010, with Independence 1975 in second. This means that - should the clubs reach the group stages of Champions League 22 - Whitehammer CS (crest left) and the Eleanorian Academy (crest right) will enter the group stages of Rising Stars Cup 22. Their managers, Sarah Newbury [she/her] and Michael Black [he/him], are happy to inform opposing managers and foreign media about their teamsheets should they ask for it.

Whitehammer CS will play their home matches in the RSC at the Community Grounds in Whitehammer district, seated capacity 2,200. Although owned by the district council, as the school is, the Community Grounds are predominantly used by the school, and have hosted every last one of its home games - even before the War of Independence. The main, seated grandstand snakes around the corner behind the goal (where curious away fans are allotted), a particularly creative way to stop the ball from encroaching on two roads that provide easy access to the school.

The Eleanorian Academy will play their home matches in the RSC at The Quadrangle in Central district, seated capacity 4,625. The de-facto training ground for Independence 1975 and (on occasions) the national team, The Quad is astonishingly well-maintained for obvious reasons, which could very plausibly include "it belongs to the Academy" and "see earlier." It was, until very recently, the only school-owned field in the CTS to have four stands (although Premier CS's Proving Grounds have matched it since), which is ideal for crowd control and enhanced supporter experience on the very rare occasions it happens to be anywhere near capacity.

The winner of this year's Golden Backpack is Liam Johnson. The year is 2010, not 1991 - but with how often Liberty's captain and right midfielder bailed his side out of tight situations, you might just think you were dealing with one of the spearheads of Liberty's legendary 1980s sides instead. From his dribble to score the only - and decisive - goal in the team's second game against Blackwood, to his decisive display in Liberty's 4-2 beatdown of Bramblewood, to his two goals and innumerable excellent passes against reigning champions Atlas, to his inch-perfect cross for Brown's clinching goal in the final, there is seemingly almost nothing that Johnson can do. And, with Liberty not beholden to any club, there is certain to be a signature-chasing spree in his home district of North Seville come December 2011.

Next year's games

Not entered in this round
Atlas CS
Broadlands CS
Eleanorian Academy
Holland CS
Millerham CS
Premier CS
Trident CS

Round 1

(will do this after the deadline, sorry)

Not entered in this round
Liberty

Round 2

(will do this after the deadline, sorry)

by **Saint Eleanor** » Mon Feb 24, 2025 12:58 am

The Saint Eleanor First League of 2010

Incorporating post-season fun and shenanigans for all the family: The 2010 Showcase

In 1998, Charles Trump Shield winners University College were barred from the Cup Winners' Cup due to the nature of the Shield. Coincidentally, 1998 was also the year that the Saint Eleanor League expanded to twelve clubs - although this was admittedly a few months and technically a year later. So what better to do than take each year's Shield semifinalists, force them to play against the League clubs (actually, it's the President doing the forcing), and call it a fair, competitive, character-building tournament which just so happens to be good for one Cup Winners' Cup entry?

With the recent expansion of the League system to twenty teams, the decision was made in 2010 to limit entry to the two finalists - after all, three of the five youth teams ever to execute a Showcase win up to that date (and the only youth team to win two games) had made the final. To be sure, adding two random amateur clubs instead would have made it a closer approximation of the national game's overall quality. But then it wouldn't be The Showcase of the best, brightest, and sometimes most deeply confused that Saint Eleanor has to offer.

Showcase Palmares
Independence 1975: 3 (2002, 2003, 2004)
Athletic Saint Eleanor: 3 (2006, 2007, 2008)
Hiyashi Celestia: 3 (1999, 2000, 2005)
Nova Aegia: 1 (2009)
Occidental Olympic: 1 (2001)

Also incorporating a blink-and-you-miss-it review of 2010's IFCF proceedings, the 21st of their kind

Preview of the League sides (by Jamie Rodgers of SESB)

Legend: 99. {all eligible NT flags, if non-EXT; see below} Player McPlayerface [WINNER AS PLAYER: WORLD CUP 1000000, CUP OF HARMONY 1000000, BAPTISM OF FIRE 1000000; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE/UICA CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, IFCF CHALLENGERS' CUP/UICA GLOBE CUP 1000000, IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 1000000, IFCF LIGA B CHAMPIONS' TROPHY/UICA SERIES B CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, CUP WINNERS' CUP 1000000] [WINNER AS MANAGER: AS BEFORE] [CAPTAIN] [POS; species; Army rank; 9001yo; pro/nouns].

Other notes:

Teams are in descending order of 2009 SEL finish.
Starting lineups go from 1 to 11; substitutes wear 12 to 18. Lineups are good for the 21st IFCF cycle.
Ages given reflect how old the Eleanorians will be at the end of 2010, and how old the foreigners were when we last checked.
Underlined single nationals play for the national team they are eligible for as of the start of 2010. Underlined dual nationals play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name as of that date.
Everyone is a human, and from Saint Eleanor, unless otherwise stated.
See a player without a like-for-like substitute? Subs listed as playing on one side of the pitch usually have no qualms with playing on the other as necessary.
The same "Important OOC notes about the Laws of the Game as they are applied in Saint Eleanor" as here apply.
For my sanity's sake, I'm not going to reproduce 2010's list of dates here. I really need to get around to producing it, though...

Independence 1975 - "Indy;" "The Liberators" - the club of the (civilian) government and the Eleanorian masses

Home stadium: The National Liberation Arena, Central district (capacity 68,184)
Starting lineup (preferred formation 4-2-3-1): 1. Robby Ellis [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 2. Cathy Winchester [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [LB; 32yo; she/her]; 3. Joe Willis [RB; 23yo; he/him]; 4. Layla Grover [CDM; 30yo; she/her]; 5. Katy Wilson [CB; 26yo; she/her]; 6. Matt Morrison [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 7. David Newcastle [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [LM; 36yo; he/him]; 8. + Kichirō Matsuda [CDM; Wunderbar; 26yo; he/him]; 9. Dortmün Çídh [ST; 33yo; he/him]; 10. Kavezalea Felaraneta [CAM; 26yo; he/him]; 11. Gary Morgan [RM; 27yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Lisa Dobson [GK; 21yo; she/her]; 13. Matthew Edwards [CB; 19yo; he/him]; 14. Lucy Hendricks [RB; 20yo; she/her]; 15. Jon Harp [LM; 30yo; he/him]; 16. Adam Tarrant [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 17. Ian Marks [ST; 24yo; he/him]; 18. Angela Spooner [RM; 22yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Lydia Sharp [55yo; she/her]: For reasons that are almost glaringly obvious, Sharp has needed to make very few changes from last year, only introducing Matthew Edwards to replace perma-sub centreback Joshua Tanner. The starting eleven should be familiar to everyone: Ellis is a good commander of the defence, even if he is no Bailey; Willis has acquitted himself out wide and should be expected to grow and improve in the coming years; Newcastle is coming to the end of his career, but is still almost as sharp and precise as he used to be; Matsuda has been increasingly well-behaved in recent years, in what is most likely a sign that he is loving life in Saint Eleanor; Felaraneta is the most inventive and unpredictable player on the team, and as a result is almost certainly on the road to the national team; and, while we still may not have the truth about Çídh's family ties, we can still be assured that he will remain consistently on target.

Athletic Saint Eleanor - "Athletic;" "The Reds" - the club of the business owners

Home stadium: Northwest Road, Whitehammer district (capacity 53,174)
Starting lineup (preferred formation 4-1-3-2): 1. Kirsti Sundgren [GK; 25yo; she/her]; 2. Elissa Curry [LB; 30yo; she/her]; 3. Naresmet taFrexala [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [RB; 34yo; he/him]; 4. Bridget Coombe [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CDM; 35yo; she/her]; 5. + Lydia VIckers [CB; 23yo; she/her]; 6. Esther Launceston [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CB; 29yo; she/her]; 7. Graham Lawson [LM; 30yo; he/him]; 8. Sylvia Hollenberg [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE 20] [CM; 29yo; she/her]; 9. Nightingale [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE 6] [CAPTAIN] [ST; pegasus; 36yo; she/her]; 10. Tim Driver [ST; 29yo; he/him]; 11. Wasemprela Sareleva [RM; 29yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Harry Mitchell [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. Ben McDougall [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 14. Natasha Rhodes [CM; 20yo; she/her]; 15. Charlotte Phillips [RM; 25yo; she/her]; 16. Phil Parris [ST; 25yo; he/him]; 17. James Johnson [LB; 22yo; he/him]; 18. Charles Brewer [CM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Yelto-Aflan Ono [48yo; they/them]: While Yelto-Aflan hasn't quite pulled off every heist they've attempted in their ten transfer windows in charge, their acquisition of Eleanorian national team legend Sylvia Hollenberg straight from Champions' League winners Atletik Thessia - in the midst of increasing tensions in Mytanija - might just be the smartest transfer deal in Eleanorian history. She is almost a perfect fit for the team: Coombe and Launceston are long-time friends with her, each other and many of the White Stars and are obviously central to the defensive effort; Sundgren is one of the world's most underrated goalkeepers, although one with a point to prove and one who may end up being sold in her own right; Nightingale is the leader of the team, undisputed spearhead of the attack, and will undoubtedly have another double-digit season despite pushing 37. The likes of Vickers, Driver, Sareleva, and virtually all the substitutes are "sleeper players," but often come in clutch when they're needed. The somewhat newer order of things at Northwest Road is surely much welcomed by everyone at the club, especially Princess Sylvia herself.

Hiyashi Celestia - "Celestia;" "The Angels" - the club of Northern Saint Eleanor's working class (especially Hiyashi's employees in Broadlands)

Home stadium: Celestial Stadium, Broadlands district (capacity 36,645)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Shojiro Ito [GK; 30yo; he/him]; 2. Nicole Morlock [LB; 36yo; she/her]; 3. Sarah Parton [CB; 30yo; she/her]; 4. Isi Šasawić [CB; 31yo; he/him]; 5. Caradoc Anghoill [RB; 30yo; he/him]; 6. Nobusuke Kuronuma [CAPTAIN] [CM; 33yo; he/him]; 7. Joe Galbraith [LM; 34yo; he/him]; 8. Maria Morgan [CM; 24yo; she/her]; 9. Rick Goldsmith [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 10. Takeshi Honda [ST; 29yo; he/him]; 11. James Heath [RM; 23yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Josh Baines [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. Nigel Vincent [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. Alex Lander [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 15. Edward Ruthan [LB; 22yo; he/him]; 16. Bill Simpson [LM; 25yo; he/him]; 17. Eva Wellesley [RM; 34yo; she/her]; 18. Libby Freeman [ST; 26yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Rachel Schanke [47yo; she/her]: When Schanke said at a recent press conference that "I'm not sure anything's happened here lately," she was not messing about. This is largely a thirty-year-old team, but these are competent, capable, and strong thirty-year-olds. Morlock is approaching retirement, to be sure, but still on excellent terms with her manager for obvious reasons. Ito, Honda and captain Kuronuma have all been Kandorese national team favourites for a reason - they are productive, task-oriented, and undeniable efficient (especially in Honda's case, given Goldsmith's occasional slacking). Maria Morgan is one of the better midfielders, and might be in "greatest never to play for Saint Eleanor" conteiont in a few years, but as said she's more than open to working with or getting substituted by the relatively unbiased Lander. This is a side seemingly doomed to another Challengers' Cup qualifying run, though; Schanke might need to get her skates on and make a few high-quality signings if they are to seriously challenge the Big Two once again.

Sword and Shield - "Arsenal;" "The Collegiates" - the club of the University

Home stadium: University Grounds, Collegiate district (capacity 35,174)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-2-1-3): 1. Michael Hall [GK; 32yo; he/him]; 2. Gordon Pratt [LB; 29yo; he/him]; 3. Christine Terrence [CB; 31yo; she/her]; 4. John Alexander [CB; 25yo; he/him]; 5. Evan Kilkenny [RB; 34yo; he/him]; 6. Joe Watts [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 7. Hugh Roanoke [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [LM; 35yo; he/him]; 8. Lucas Barrow [CM; 29yo; he/him]; 9. Olympia Woodward [ST; 21yo; she/her]; 10. Rosa Strong [CAM; 22yo; she/her]; 11. Naclé Öhân [RM; 22yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Àlfôn Qâerês [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 13. Ed Jackson [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 14. Rebecca Daniels [CB; 21yo; she/her]; 15. Bella Gray [RB; 30yo; she/her]; 16. Pakelana Vezara [CM; 22yo; he/him]; 17. Luke Barring [RM; 27yo; he/him]; 18. Alexandra Marcus [ST; 29yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Emma Steele [49yo; she/her]: It is a miracle of football that Sword and Shield keeps on making the Challengers' Cup despite having traded away many of their best players to other teams and nations. Olympia Woodward is one they're looking to keep in their hands, though, given last year's twelve-goal salvo, repeated suggestions that she could be in national team contention, and not to mention her famously outspoken opinions (normally on the left) about all kinds of matter. Terrence is the most obvious successor to Roanoke as captain, although that is saying precious little, as both are pragmatic, defensively-mindful, and more than half-decent position players. On the right, Öhân is absolutely one to watch, given his involvement in several of Woodward's goals and his contrasting dedication to attack - while his defensive backup Kilkenny might need replacement in the coming years, perhaps even with urgency.

Occidental Olympic - "Olympic;" "The Westerners" - the club of western and north-western Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Parkside Stadium, Parkside district (capacity 26,285)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2 diamond): 1. Arielle Richardson [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [GK; 29yo; she/her]; 2. Rachel Curran [LB; 28yo; she/her]; 3. Lynul-Sevet Pul [RB; 29yo; they/them]; 4. Kieran Hyatt [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 5. Mike Pringle [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 6. Glenn French [CDM; 28yo; he/him]; 7. Lily Emmerson [LM; 24yo; she/her]; 8. Brian Hurd [RM; 24yo; he/him]; 9. David Key [ST; 28yo; he/him]; 10. Steve Pilchard [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CAM; 33yo; he/him]; 11. Dekamela weMexala [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [ST; 35yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. David Johnson [GK; 27yo; he/him]; 13. Jack Owen [LB; 27yo; he/him]; 14. Diana Gray [CB; 20yo; she/her]; 15. Andrew Card [CDM; 25yo; he/him]; 16. Heather Blake [CAM; 28yo; she/her]; 17. Ella Pinkman [RM; 21yo; she/her]; 18. Esther Vaughan [ST; 22yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: George Dunbar [51yo; he/him]: Dunbar has secured not only a well-deserved return to the IFCF, but also the services of Arielle Richardson, another national team favourite arriving from the Mytanar leagues; there is an expectation that she will at least get the team conceding fewer than the 1.77 goals per game they did in 2009. Few other changes have been needed bar the purchase of Esther Vaughan, who should hopefully be less sarcastic in her new role (and siloing off of Wendy Smith to her hometown club, Premier), is in line to replace weMexala and with it finally upend Manuta's order of things. Pilchard is only now declining in quality, which is not a bad achievement, and he should continue to be flexible with the strikers no matter who they are. Just about everyone else in the starting lineup is at their best: the defence is better-organised, the midfield seemingly has more of a task and purpose than it's had at any time since Bridget Coombe left, and the four wide players are close to the best in the league. They aren't quite there, so bet on this side to finish a comfortable third or fourth.

Golden Unicorn - "The Unicorn" - the club of northern Saint Eleanor city's middle-class (and the odd aesthete or two)

Home stadium: Dignity Cross, Brightway district (capacity 27,587)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-1-1): 1. Georgia Wood [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [GK; 38yo; she/her]; 2. Gavin Laker [LB; 28yo; he/him]; 3. Keith Bartlett [RB; 26yo; he/him]; 4. Samuel Lewis [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 5. Aaron Francis [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CB; 34yo; he/him]; 6. Logan Hughes [CB; 38yo; he/him]; 7. Peter Walker [LM; 24yo; he/him]; 8. Natalie Monaco [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAM; 34yo; she/her]; 9. Jaclyn Foley [ST; 29yo; she/her]; 10. Wanar-Xalan Tla [CM; 29yo; they/them]; 11. Gionata Mariani [RM; 29yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Katie Masterson [GK; 24yo; she/her]; 13. Michael Burns [LB; 22yo; he/him]; 14. Ganelarana paValetara [CB; 26yo; she/her]; 15. Alisha Peters [RB; 23yo; she/her]; 16. Natasha Wallis [CM; 26yo; she/her]; 17. James Wallace [RM; 19yo; he/him]; 18. Parecava gaExhecela [ST; 26yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Justin Wood [52yo; he/him]: Having landed two consecutive top-half finishes for the first time since the twin fifth-place finishes in 1999 and 2000, Wood is now looking for another soft landing and, accordingly, another year in charge. There is a concern that the substitutes may be getting a bit too old in the context of things, although the erstwhile Georgia Wood will probably retire in the near future, Francis and Monaco are also surely coming to the end of their careers (although not quite so soon), and there's no telling whether the almost flawless Mariani might have his swansong. What a blow it would be for the Unicorn if so many of their best players were to leave without an adequate replacement after this season, especially given how good they are and how much of this team's backbone they form - and what a tactical reconsideration of the classic 4-4-1-1 might well come with it. Has Wood planned ahead for this? I doubt it, but he should get started and have a clear tactical vision ready for this decade - not last decade - over the course of this season.

Good Hope Club - "The Seasiders" - the club of the dockworkers

Home stadium: The Good Hope Stadium, Trident district (capacity 22,174)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-1-4-1): 1. Hannah Downing [GK; 32yo; she/her]; 2. Tina Falconer [LB; 28yo; she/her]; 3. Keith Barnett [RB; 22yo; he/him]; 4. Yusuf Sofyan [CB; 25yo; he/him]; 5. Carrie Holliday [CM; 28yo; she/her]; 6. Steve Harbrough [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 7. Aaron Burrow [LM; 28yo; he/him]; 8. Charlotte Bryant [CDM; 36yo; she/her]; 9. Alexandra Barrett [RM; 26yo; she/her]; 10. Naferala paVepexala [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 11. Amanda Cleveland [CAPTAIN] [ST; 28yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Darren Barker [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. George Anderson [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. Kathy White [CB; 19yo; she/her]; 15. Rachel McEwan [RM; 21yo; she/her]; 16. Owen Blackwater [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. Terry Smith [CM; 24yo; he/him]; 18. Oliver Samuels [ST; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Mary Kirkport [49yo; she/her]: The biggest development at the Good Hope this year is that Yusuf Sofyan - following the inexplicable collapse of the United Mandaran States - is now an Eleanorian single-citizen, with all of the privileges and faster aging that entails. While he is still very much the hard man of the defence, there is no need for further concern among other attackers as Steve Harbrough, only slightly less mellow than the legendary Laura Brown, becomes his new partner. Bryant is nearing retirement, although Blackwater is likewise in her mould and should cover for her, while Cleveland finally takes over as captain and should find the midfield more of a delight to work with than she could have previously estimated, given their recent synergy.

Newbanks United - "United;" "The Students" - the club of eastern, non-coastal Saint Eleanor city (and Squidroidia)

Home stadium: Eastern Fields, Newbanks district (capacity 24,184)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Carla Hawkins [GK; 33yo; she/her]; 2. Polly Ground [LB; 32yo; she/her]; 3. Michael Dean [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 4. + Daiki Fujiwara [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 5. Harriet Farnham [RB; 27yo; he/him]; 6. Emma Francis [CM; 30yo; she/her]; 7. Hamnet Borysov [LM; Inkling; 31yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Woodhouse [CM; 30yo; she/her]; 9. Rachel McNamara [CAPTAIN] [ST; 31yo; she/her]; 10. + Nobuyuki Ishida [ST; 30yo, he/him]; 11. Tash Banbury [RM; 35yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Damian Rhodes [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 13. Elizabeth Welch [CB; 19yo; she/her]; 14. Catherine Morrison [LB; 24yo; she/her]; 15. Noah Halford [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 16. James Pittam [RM; 25yo; he/him]; 17. Palerenala vaEplanera [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 18. Simon Smith [ST; 22yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Ian Graham [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 73] [63yo; he/him]: Eighth place last year was expected; eighth place this year will result in Graham being sacked, rather than leaving of his own accord as he has often wished. Welch is this year's Community School trialist, with the scheme now being run on an ad-hoc basis, although Dean slides into the starting lineup on a more permanent basis following Katou's retirement. There is once again little to discuss about this side, other than to say that they are as average as you would expect a starting lineup that is largely at or around thirty years of age to be, and they will be neither here nor there once the final matchday wraps up - something Graham will accept, but owners MFG will be fuming about.

Army and Navy - "The Soldiers" - the club of the Eleanorian Army (which all players are members of)

Home stadium: New Barracks, Oaktree district (capacity 32,200)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Rose Carter [GK; Lance-Corporal; 27yo; she/her]; 2. Kevin Bryson [LB; Lance-Corporal; 26yo; he/him]; 3. Victor Bone [RB; Private; 32yo; he/him]; 4. David Green [CM; Private; 28yo; he/him]; 5. Adam Shilling [CB; Lance-Corporal; 31yo; he/him]; 6. Denise Livingston [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CB; Sergeant; 29yo; she/her]; 7. Mark Gould [LM; Private; 29yo; he/him]; 8. James Walter [CM; Lance-Corporal; 27yo; he/him]; 9. Isabella Bright [ST; Private; 21yo; she/her]; 10. George Murson [ST; Lance-Corporal; 24yo; he/him]; 11. Sarah Wallace [RM; Private; 28yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Nathan Smith [GK; Private; 24yo; he/him]; 13. Jack Murphy [CB; Private; 21yo; he/him]; 14. Angela George [LB; Private; 20yo; she/her]; 15. Olivia Silver [CM; Lance-Corporal; 25yo; she/her]; 16. Johanna Spencer [ST; Private; 22yo; she/her]; 17. Natalie Evans [RM; Private; 23yo; she/her]; 18. David Porter [RM; Private; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Luke McCarthy [51yo; Colonel; he/him]: While Army and Navy have always been known as a more defensive side, they are also aging on that front, which makes McCarthy's contractings of Army League-experienced Murphy and George all the more significant, even if they are likely to be resigned to the bench for the coming years. Bryson finally gets his place in the starting lineup out wide, and his good relationship with Livingston should surely help matters. The midfield is currently in its prime and is sufficiently above-average that the team should face no major deficits in any area there, although there is an increasing need to get the ball up to Bright in particular, given her complaints about the side being perhaps a touch too reflexive.

Polytechnic Institute - "The Poly" - the club of the Polytechnic

Home stadium: Polytechnic Sports Centre, Buckhead district (capacity 6,088)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Ian Black [CAPTAIN] [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 2. Ivica Slabinac [RB; 22yo; he/him]; 3. Lily Bruton [CB; 20yo; she/her]; 4. Edward Broad [CB; 22yo; he/him]; 5. Chloe Roland [LB; 21yo; she/her]; 6. James Salt [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 7. Michelle Addison [RM; 21yo; she/her]; 8. Gisken Aldra [CM; 20yo; they/them]; 9. Beatrix Hillman-Tower [ST; 20yo; she/her]; 10. Bill Wood [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 11. Alan Brinkley [LM; 21yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. David Tanner [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. Nate George [RB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. Jennifer Wright [CB; 23yo; she/her]; 15. Leah Conroy [RM; 21yo; she/her]; 16. Charles McDonald [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. Êber Tóxo [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. Emily Anderton [CM; 20yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Mike Adamson [55yo; he/him]: Adamson did break his promise to leave before the season began, but he is very much a man with a plan right now - a plan to keep the Poly afloat in the face of sure relegation with the same squad as they did last time (the Charity Cup was not Eleanorian youth football's finest hour), personally head-hunt his successor, and get back to being a full-time lecturer at the Polytechnic itself. Aldra's marriage made headlines over the winter, but they have also proven themselves as a capable midfielder with the skills to support the club's frontline players - especially Hillman-Tower, a relatively flexible striker may well be the owner of a second ten-goal season in two years of League football. Defence has never been this team's strong quit in either iteration, but look for Salt (the more-defence-oriented midfielder) and Broad (by far the least erratic of the team's back four) to make the difference here.

List of SEL winners

Independence 1975: 13
(1976, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009)

Athletic Saint Eleanor: 12
(1975 trial season, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007)

Army and Navy: 4
(1981, 1982, 1985, 1990)

Sword and Shield: 3
(1977, 1989, 1993)

Golden Unicorn: 1
(1987)

Occidental Olympic: 1
(1998)

Hiyashi Celestia: 1
(2000)

* * * * * * * * * *
JUDGMENT DAY

RESULTS OF THE 2010 FIRST LEAGUE

▼▼ Saint Eleanor First League 2010     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
►►  1 Athletic Saint Eleanor            18   12   3   3    33   18  +15    39    Champions' League 22
►►  2 Independence 1975                 18   12   2   4    27   14  +13    38    Champions' League 22
►►  3 Occidental Olympic                18    9   4   5    35   26   +9    31    Challengers' Cup 22; Cygnus Cup 70
►►  4 Hiyashi Celestia                  18    9   3   6    35   25  +10    30    Challengers' Cup 22
►►  5 Sword and Shield                  18    8   4   6    39   37   +2    28    Challengers' Cup 22
►►  6 Newbanks United                   18    6   4   8    34   31   +3    22
►►  7 Army and Navy                     18    6   3   9    18   19   −1    21
►►  8 Good Hope Club                    18    4   4  10    14   29  −15    16
►►  9 Polytechnic Institute             18    4   3  11    35   57  −22    15    Promotion Playoff
►► 10 Golden Unicorn                    18    2   6  10    24   38  −14    12    Directly relegated

Note: Polytechnic Institute won the Promotion Playoff

⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐

OCCIDENTAL OLYMPIC - WINNERS OF THE 2010 SHOWCASE
ELEANORIAN ENTRANTS INTO CUP WINNERS' CUP 70

1. Arielle Richardson [she/her]
2. Rachel Curran [she/her]
3. Lynul-Sevet Pul [Qusmo; they/them]
4. Kieran Hyatt [he/him]
5. Mike Pringle [he/him]
6. Glenn French [he/him]
7. Lily Emmerson [she/her]
8. Brian Hurd [he/him]
9. David Key [he/him]
10. Steve Pilchard [he/him]
11. Dekamela weMexala [she/her]
12. David Johnson [he/him]
13. Jack Owen [he/him]
14. Diana Gray [she/her]
15. Andrew Card [he/him]
16. Heather Blake [she/her]
17. Ella Pinkman [she/her]
18. Esther Vaughan [she/her]

Manager: George Dunbar [he/him]

RESULTS OF THE 2010 SHOWCASE

First Round
Atlas 3–1 Broadlands CS (Celestia youth team)
Yggdrasil 2–3 Premier Club
Grand Beach 3–0 Infrastructure
Trades Unionists 2–1 Lion
16th of November 2–1 Liberty (independent CTS team)
Nova Aegis 4–4 Republicans (4–4 AET) (2–4 pen.)

Round of Sixteen
Occidental Olympic 2–1 Trades Unionists
Athletic Saint Eleanor 4–2 Polytechnic Institute
Premier Club 4–3 16th of November
Republicans 3–2 Atlas
Hiyashi Celestia 3–1 Newbanks United
Army and Navy 1–1 Grand Beach (1–1 AET) (4–3 pen.)
Good Hope Club 1–1 Golden Unicorn (2–1 AET)
Independence 1975 1–0 Sword and Shield

Quarterfinals
Hiyashi Celestia 0–1 Independence 1975
Athletic Saint Eleanor 1–0 Army and Navy
Good Hope Club 0–0 Republicans (0–0 AET) (2–3 pen.)
Premier Club 1–1 Occidental Olympic (1–3 AET)

Semifinals
Republicans 0–3 Occidental Olympic
Independence 1975 1–0 Athletic Saint Eleanor

THE FINAL
Independence 1975 0–0 Occidental Olympic (0–0 AET) (3–4 pen.)

* * * * * * * * * *

The View from Brian Hurd's Window

Hello, lovelies! Not you, though, Bridget. Not unless you join the mighty Occidental Olympic again. Where did we leave this year again? (Everyone cries out in unison: "IN HUAYRAMARCA!") Yes, I get it; we left the entire year in some not-very-far-flung country. While you wait to have the actual, objective year via express mail - please allow a week, plus another few weeks for Christmas and New Years', please, by which time we'll be in next year - please take a moment to appreciate my biased piece-of-waca-de-caca nonsense year instead. I promise that even Bridget will like it. What? You're telling me that Bridget has "this wonderful thing known as "a dry sense of humour?"" Yes. That's one of the requirements for Eleanorian citizenship. If you don't believe me, check out the Citizenship Education Decree 1967.

Firstly, we are as good at international adventures as you'd expect. We lost immediately, probably because we really wanted that third-place league finish, thus guaranteeing us fame and glory forevermore. Arsenal won once, then got knocked out in the Challengers Cup's third qualifiers. Celestia won once, then got knocked out in the Challengers Cup's fourth qualifiers. Indy fell apart in the Champions' League playoffs, demonstrated incredible skills not to also fall apart in the Challengers' Cup groups, and went all the way to the semis before losing to Herzegovina City, a result that I guarantee you will make everyone in and around the Celestia organisation delighted. Athletic fell apart in the Champions' League groups instead, then barely made the last sixteen of the you-know-what before Wirr Tsi handed their asses to them in the most Wirr Tsi way possible - two 1-0 wins. And, of course, Nova Aegis crashed out in the Cup Winners Cup's last sixteen, as is apparently form for our sides there. On the plus side, we are finally twelvth in the overall IFCF standings, meaning that Athletic and ours truly are now guaranteed not to completely fuck it up in the qualifiers by virtue of automatically appearing in the groups... a pleasure previously only known to our youth sides, who failed in a typically dismal manner.

Speaking of the Celestia organisation... no, I am not accusing them of war crimes. Yet. I am accusing them of falling over in the league, to make up for the fact they actually won an IFCF qualifier. Halfway through the season, they were just about second in a realistic field of five, when everyone knew that Indy were going to win title number umpteen... I mean fourteen. Then they just kept falling and falling and falling until they fell below us, which for some reason is no longer seen as an achievement. I'll have to bring that up with George. I have no idea why this happened, but causes may include "nobody takes part in the transfer window any more" and "we're perfectly comfortable, don't look at me." Maybe Rachel from Cassadaigua should join our club and see how real change works. Sooner or later she'll be headed back home to... I'd say "start a political revolution" but Cassadaigua is not only a monarchy but apparently not really involved with this whole international sports thing any more. It is an unironic shame.

At least Celestia were half-decent. The Golden Unicorn were just shit. That might actually be an insult to shit, which does at least stop you from getting too bloated after your meals. They - the Unicorn, not the shit - started out okay by only losing five of their first-half games, then proceeded to thrash the Polytechnic Institute 5-1... for their first win of the season. This is a team that finished in the top half twice in their first two seasons under this manager, with some of the best players around, tons of money and tons of potential. And the only teams they beat all season were the two that finished immediately above them. No wonder Athletic played for the draw on the last day - they were going to win with one and the Unicorn were already going to finish rock-bottom anyway. What explains this, then? I do fortunately happen to know Aaron Francis well enough for comfort and he tells me "there isn't a Juventud around to be really bad anymore," which makes sense when you think about it. Maybe it's his fault they went down, then. Or maybe it's the fault of everyone who's retiring or on the transfer market this winter. Please don't sign these people, Rachel. They'll get you off your throne, too.

While we're talking about relegation contenders and the Poly, can we take a minute to appreciate how clutch their players came in? First, they beat Athletic, which is the most obvious sign that they're the real successors to Juventud, and managed to bait Elissa Curry into getting sent off in that one. That's the "I got a signed postcard from my favourite Mertagnian actress" of footballing claims to fame. Then, staring relegation in the face with five games to go, they beat Celestia AND the Army in consecutive matches to leave a lot of people in big, big trouble. It didn't matter that the only other game they won after that was on penalties to ensure Aegis didn't make the top flight, although it does because I would happily give up everything I know and love to make sure that Aegis do not stink up the top flight with yet another underwhelming eleventh-place finish. It did matter that they are organised, coherent, and HOPEFULLY getting a new manager because I know Mike's sick of that place. Also please buy some more new youngsters, I really enjoyed Gisken Aldra's tabloid antics. Almost as much as I love their new wife, in fact.

Bea H-T, Ed Broad, and that other twenty-something whose name I forgot weren't the only shiny new things around, either. Sylvia Hollenberg... WOW! I know I've been talking about monarchy a lot, but she certainly deserves the title of Princess and not because she's a spoiled petulant baby, which she is seriously not. She knew everyone; she worked with everyone; she supported everyone; and she definitely didn't pretend to be everyone because, despite only being the fifth-best-person on the team, she still absolutely nailed it. We aren't talking about the Arsenal-era Sylvia here: this is someone who lands tackles perfectly, knows when to pass the ball around, finds the goal when it's appropriate (which she was doing at Arsenal anyway). This is how you lock down a title. This is how you make up for the most bang-average IFCF ever. This is almost a signal to Gentle Breeze to please start her in major tournaments again, but then Bridget and Kichiro are just amazing.

And on the subject of new signings, Arielle was double-handedly amazing. Not single-handedly, of course, because goalkeepers aren't supposed to be that mindbending. I'll admit she was a damned effective member of the crew after we sailed into a zero-for-six situation, though: shots blocked, defenders quietly nudged (she's an easily-bored introvert), boxes easily commanded, and too many books read. Of course, everyone else did their part - I've heard on the grapevine that Brian Hurd was okay at his job but might need to push a bit further up and be more aggressive - but Arielle is the starting goalkeeper for a reason. Much like Steve is a substitute playmaker, or Dekky is a legend past her prime, or LSP isn't really doing much with Qusmo, or I'm completely uncapped, for a reason. Maybe we'd have won the Champions' League by now if we had more Arielles on the squad. We could still win it in 2012 if we're really dedicated...

There are two other teams I'd like to give a shout-out to, since the other two were really boring (the complete opposite of Olympic, by the way!) and don't deserve many words other than "wow, those are some nice Eleanorian citizens you've got there." Indy were a good, cohesive team with good performances, but not quite good enough to win the title. This is to be expected, as anyone with a pair of football boots knows, and we can expect Lydia Sharp to become Saint Eleanor's two-hundred-and-sixth victim of football-related slavery in the coming milliseconds. Newbanks were disappointing by everyone's standards - who beats Occidental Olympic only to not win against Arsenal after scoring four goals and? - and I am absolutely looking forward to every other person at that club losing their job to some Quebecois or Tamazghan immigrant this Christmas. Thank youuuuuu, Santa.

by **Saint Eleanor** » Mon Feb 24, 2025 12:58 am

OOC note: Please excuse the MASSIVELY INCOMPLETE state of this roleplay. Final tables are available, as well as a full list of managers and stadia. If you're playing the Trades Unionists in the LBCT and you need their roster, hit me up.

The Saint Eleanor Second League of 2010

Preview of the League sides (by Jamie Rodgers of SESB)

Legend: 99. {all eligible NT flags, if non-EXT; see below} Player McPlayerface [WINNER AS PLAYER: WORLD CUP 1000000, CUP OF HARMONY 1000000, BAPTISM OF FIRE 1000000; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE/UICA CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, IFCF CHALLENGERS' CUP/UICA GLOBE CUP 1000000, IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 1000000, IFCF LIGA B CHAMPIONS' TROPHY/UICA SERIES B CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, CUP WINNERS' CUP 1000000] [WINNER AS MANAGER: AS BEFORE] [CAPTAIN] [POS; species; Army rank; 9001yo; pro/nouns].

Other notes:

Teams are in alphabetical order, as many of these teams are debutants.
Starting lineups go from 1 to 11; substitutes wear 12 to 18. Lineups are good for the 21st IFCF cycle.
Ages given reflect how old the Eleanorians will be at the end of 2010, and how old the foreigners were when we last checked.
Underlined single nationals play for the national team they are eligible for as of the start of 2010. Underlined dual nationals play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name as of that date.
Everyone is a human, and from Saint Eleanor, unless otherwise stated.
See a player without a like-for-like substitute? Subs listed as playing on one side of the pitch usually have no qualms with playing on the other as necessary.
The same "Important OOC notes about the Laws of the Game as they are applied in Saint Eleanor" as here apply.

16th of November - "16N" - the club of the area in and around Holland, especially the zoo

Home stadium: The Stadium at the Zoological Gardens, Holland district (capacity 4,166)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Pavelarena meGalavane [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 2. Adam Johnson [LB; 19yo; he/him]; 3. Michael Davis [RB; 23yo; he/him]; 4. Anna Simpson [CB; 27yo; she/her]; 5. Quentin Tiller [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 6. Lauren Brown [CM; 24yo; she/her]; 7. James Parsons [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 8. Will Gardner [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 9. Lucy Ryan [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 10. Matt Norton [CAPTAIN] [ST; 28yo; he/him]; 11. Nicola Wilbury [ST; 23yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Sophia Lewis [38yo; she/her]: A lack of comment on the actual players will be commonplace throughout this preview - not because they are unremarkable, but simply because they were plucked from places in Saint Eleanor that go unnoticed by your typical First League scout, and they are therefore complete unknowns. In the case of 16th of November, named for the day on which the Zoological Gardens it borders were established in 1959, they have been taken from such places as the Zoo itself (Ryan), the District Council's staff (Johnson), and - if the signing himself is to be believed - a local pub garden (Parsons).

Atlas - "Atlas" - the club of the New West's working-class and manufacturing industry

Home stadium: Atlas Stadium 1, Atlas district (capacity 46,148)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 2. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 3. ????? [RB; 20yo; he/him]; 4. ????? [CAPTAIN] [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 5. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 6. Michael Jackett [CAPTAIN] [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 7. Susanna Reynolds [LM; 24yo; she/her]; 8. Donald Manning [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 9. [RM; 23yo; he/him]; 10. David Woodbury [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 11. Ted Carpenter [ST; 25yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Edward McDonald [46yo; he/him]: [an introduction...]

Grand Beach - "The Dolphins" - the club of coastal Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Albion Road, Grand Beach district (capacity 24,815)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Volnavera xaParelanara [GK; 30yo; she/her]; 2. Christina Fulton [LB; 32yo; she/her]; 3. James Benson [CB; 26yo; he/him]; 4. Gary Milton [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 5. Sam Newbridge [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CB; 36yo; he/him]; 6. Owen Cartwright [RB; 23yo; he/him]; 7. Jack Brewer [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Coulter [CM; 23yo; she/her]; 9. Sara Halbrook [ST; 32yo; she/her]; 10. Michelle Tallard [ST; 27yo; she/her]; 11. Tim Brandon [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [RM; 34yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Anthony George [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. Richard Booth [RB; 22yo; he/him]; 14. Bill Kendall [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. Olivia Herbert [LB; 24yo; she/her]; 16. Blake Spencer [RM; 19yo; he/him]; 17. Samuel Wright [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. Adam Charles [CM; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Nathaniel Jenkins [55yo; he/him]: While a disgruntled Esther Vaughan has run away to Occidental Olympic, the Seasiders still have more than enough quality that their concern should be planning to avoid relegation in 2011, rather than for promotion in 2010. Newbridge remains the rock of the defence, has mellowed just enough for the fans' tastes, and should be around for a good couple of years after the World Cup. His national teammate Brandon still packs a bunch out wide, but is still the team's most potent attacking force - although there have been good noises about Samuel Wright. He is supported by a relatively new but well-grounded midfield; Coulter and Brewer, the younger members of the quartet, more than acquitted themselves in last year's relegation season and should provide some of the positivity that everyone in and around the club has been crying out for throughout the noughties.

Infrastructure - "Infra;" "The Power" - the club of the utilities

Home stadium: National Electric Stadium, Tannerton district (capacity 13,952)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Laura Scott [GK; 24yo; she/her]; 2. Graham Lawrence [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 3. Henry Mitchell [CAPTAIN] [RB; 27yo; he/him]; 4. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 5. Catherine Henderson [CB; 25yo; she/her]; 6. Parelaneta vaHelaxana [CM; 22yo; he/him]; 7. Joe Houseman [LM; 28yo; he/him]; 8. Paul Jones [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 9. Amelia Bartlett [RM; 23yo; she/her]; 10. Gary Sacks [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 11. Ryan Carter [ST; 26yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Alan Walker [56yo; he/him]: Who better to manage National Electricity's new plaything than an actual boardroom manager at Natelec's actual business operation? Probably nobody else, to be fair, given that expectations for this side are relatively low - the local employees being far too busy laying cables and other groundwork to have much time for football. A defensive swing can be expected, as Walker has indicated, but not much of it - and there is no indication that anyone here is a standout on the levels of someone like Lombardo or Brandon.

Lion - "The Lions" - the club of the Dockside's diasporas

Home stadium: The Grand Oval, Marketplace district (capacity 23,427)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Annaliese Morgan [GK; 23yo; she/her]; 2. Harry Blunt [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 3. ????? [RB; 20yo; he/him]; 4. ????? [CAPTAIN] [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 5. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 6. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 7. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 8. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 9. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 10. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 11. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: John Bennett [43yo; he/him]: Bennett is widely considered to be a stand-in while Lion look for more members of the diaspora - and perhaps even a bona-fide Banijan, although their press office has been quick to refute these rumours for various reasons - to play for their team. [an introduction...]

Nova Aegis - "The Pink Falcons" - the club of the worst-off, especially from Sunset Gates to Buckhead

Home stadium: The Workers' Coliseum, Bramblewood district (capacity 20,874)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. August Wills [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 2. Lauren Smith [LB; 28yo; she/her]; 3. Simon Donald [RB; 23yo; he/him]; 4. Rick Street [CAPTAIN] [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 5. Stephen Shepley [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 6. Keith Albert [CM; 24yo; he/him]; 7. Matthew Wrekin [LM; 28yo; he/him]; 8. Alessio Lombardo [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 9. Paul Ronson [RM; 23yo; he/him]; 10. Deborah Dennis [ST; 24yo; she/her]; 11. Bill Murphy [ST; 22yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Charlotte White [GK; 20yo; she/her]; 13. Richard Trincham [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. Louise Morgan [CB; 22yo; she/her]; 15. Tommy Grant [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. Millie Richards [CM; 19yo; she/her]; 17. Nick Ellison [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. Patrick Trout [RM; 24yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Phil Lambert [50yo; he/him]: Lambert already has one piece of silverware, having secured last year's Showcase against an underwhelming field, and is aiming to add the inaugural Second League title to his repertoire. Lombardo will be far and away be the most important man for the job; he is a fairly comprehensive midfielder, should get the team back into the top flight, and will probably want more than a taste of Cup Winners' Cup football after this season. There's little to fault with the rest of the squad at this level - all of the bad apples have been squashed, Street will remain the fair-handed fulcrum of the defence, Dennis and Murphy have impressed up front, and there are genuine hopes that all of the substitutes (except maybe White) will get substantial minutes over the course of the season - but there are genuine fears that they might not compete, just as they folded last year.

Premier Club - "Premier" - the club of the New West's middle-class and services industry

Home stadium: Premier Stadium, Premier district (capacity 54,105)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 2. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 3. ????? [RB; 20yo; he/him]; 4. ????? [CAPTAIN] [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 5. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 6. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 7. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 8. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 9. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 10. Wendy Smith [ST; 24yo; she/her]; 11. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Harriet Williams [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [41yo; she/her]: Evidently not satisfied with Cassadaigua legend Rachel Schanke's longevity at Hiyashi Celestia, Premier has decided to hook up none other than the erstwhile Williams for her inaugural managerial job. [continue...]

Republicans - "The Republicans" - the club of the bohemians, creative types, and other locals

Home stadium: Barclay Road, Deepchester district (capacity 11,295)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. David McEwan [GK; 24yo; he/him]; 2. Rob Waters [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 3. Lydia Howard [RB; 20yo; she/her]; 4. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 5. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 6. Jôs Grêndê [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 7. Alex Whitby [CAPTAIN] [LM; 28yo; he/him]; 8. Sienna Roberts [CM; 26yo; she/her]; 9. Gûsín Nàár [ST; 24yo; he/him]; 10. ????? [ST; 25yo; he/him]; 11. ????? [RM; 23yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Samuel Walcott [38yo; he/him]: Walcott may be an inexperienced manager taking over an inexperienced team, like almost everyone else in this league, but he does at least have years of defensive experience with Sword and Shield - if it can be called that, given the team's historic lack of focus on defending - to count on. In a team largely made up of local artists, rather less productive layabouts, and some amateurs who have jobs to hold down in the real workd (Roberts is a supermarket cashier; Nàár is a gun licensing trainer with World of Safety), there is little of tactical note, although beware my previous disclaimer.

Trades Unionists - "The Union" - the club of the Dockside's working class writ-large

Home stadium: New Docks Stadium, Wellington district (capacity 27,852)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 2. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 3. ????? [RB; 20yo; he/him]; 4. ????? [CAPTAIN] [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 5. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 6. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 7. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 8. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 9. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 10. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 11. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Tina Heller [45yo; she/her]: There has been a boom in trades unionism, with the new drydock having been built in recent years and the Major in charge of Trident having called for the clearance of some of the last apartment blocks in the city, located in the district. With this development comes a new club run by the Trades Unionists, and a New Docks Stadium for them to play in. [an introduction...]

Yggdrasil - "Yggdrasil" - the club of north-eastern Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: The Temple, Blackwood district (capacity 22,015)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Dustin O'Hara [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 2. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 3. ????? [RB; 20yo; he/him]; 4. ????? [CAPTAIN] [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 5. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 6. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 7. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 8. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 9. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 10. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 11. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Marion Camp [47yo; she/her]: The Temple was the site of a church that got destroyed during the War of Independence; Camp is hoping that her team doesn't suffer the same fate on their league debut [an introduction...]

* * * * * * * * * *
JUDGMENT DAY

RESULTS OF THE 2010 SECOND LEAGUE

▼▼ Saint Eleanor Second League 2010    Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
►►  1 Grand Beach                       18   12   4   2    42   21  +21    40    Promoted; Liga B Champions' Trophy 22
►►  2 Nova Aegis                        18    9   3   6    42   37   +5    30    Promotion Playoff; Liga B Champions' Trophy 22
►►  3 Trades Unionists                  18    7   8   3    32   23   +9    29    Liga B Champions' Trophy 22
►►  4 Premier Club                      18    8   3   7    34   30   +4    27
►►  5 Lion                              18    7   5   6    41   43   −2    26
►►  6 Atlas                             18    6   7   5    31   31    0    25
►►  7 16th of November                  18    7   4   7    34   36   −2    25
►►  8 Yggdrasil                         18    6   5   7    34   36   −2    23
►►  9 Republicans                       18    4   2  12    29   40  −11    14
►► 10 Infrastructure                    18    1   5  12    24   46  −22     8    Wooden Spoon

Promotion Playoff result: Polytechnic Institute 2–2 Nova Aegis (2–2 AET) (4–3 pen.)
(Beatrix Hillman-Tower 42, Chloe Roland 81; Alessio Lombardo 25, Nick Ellison 66)
[shootout details coming soon!]

Polytechnic Institute remain in the First League; Nova Aegis remain in the Second League

* * * * * * * * * *

Saturday, December 11th 2010

Katie O'Donnell: The Second League has passed its first exam with flying colours

Many column miles of ink will be spilled debating the merits, or lack thereof, of the action, the teams, and the international escapades of Saint Eleanor's First League sides. Much less money and attention has been paid to the Second League, though - and it is a damn shame, because it has had some of the most exciting and unexpected developments in all of world football this year. To begin with the end, have a look at that playoff - 120 minutes of pure, unthrottled action; a red card, a missed penalty, and then three in the shootout; four allowed goals, and one chalked off to the Polytechnic's dismay. Mike Adamson "grateful to be out of a job;" Phil Lambert "utterly incensed;" both fifty-something men in their first years of management, in the middle of one of the best new experiences of recent Eleanorian times. Now this is football.

Virtually everyone on all of the eight new teams were unknown at the start of it; by the end, many made names for themselves. [...] These are not going to be the international superstars of the future, or at least it seems unlikely, but maybe future generations of Second League players might be.

(OOC: Get outta my way, I'm still writing this!)

Katie O'Donnell has had decades of experience with Anaian and Arrosian football - as a legend of the Eleanorian national team in its first years, an understated veteran of the Shango-Fogoa Premier League, and still one of the highest-scoring strikers in the history of the Saint Eleanor League. Now, she helps keep you informed about what's going on in Anaian and Arrosian football with her column on the second Saturday of every month, with exclusive comments from the world's best and most interesting figures, well-informed and insightfully-summarised research, and some of the best analysis in Eleanorian sport.

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Jun 01, 2025 7:47 pm

OOC: The first part of this title is as inaccurate as it was last IFCF.

Mid-season interlude: The Charles Trump Shield of 2011

Introduction to the Charles Trump Shield
This competition was first run in 1979, but has only counted towards the Cup Winners' Cup and in part the IFCF Rising Stars Cup - hereinafter "big cups" - since 1998 (in time for the tenth IFCF cycle). It is named in honour of Colonel Charles Trump. In the autumn of 1974, during the War of Independence, Trump successfully defended the Eleanorian Academy from ground attack by Tinhamptonian forces. Although parts of the academy were destroyed in the air and Trump himself had his leg amputated, he was honourably discharged from the Army by order of President George Mitcham two days after Saint Eleanor won its independence, and successfully lobbied the government in its first years to head off freezes in the schools budget.

The Shield is contested between all 53 schools in Saint Eleanor - including the three private schools (the Girls' Preparatory, the Boys' Preparatory, and Saint Benedict's Catholic) and the six out-of-city schools (the Community Schools in Bishopgate, Crownedhead, Elsmouth, Farbend, Mount Dennis and Springfield) - along with Liberty, a team made up exclusively of the children of Eleanorian Army soldiers from various schools.

SEFA announced, in March 2009, an "informal amnesty" with the Eleanorian Sports and Cheer Coaching Alliance, who represent - among others - the 54 school team managers. The second phase of the amnesty is now in place: all teams except the seven non-champion quarterfinalists of 2010's CTS will enter the first round. The first round winners and the seven non-champion quarterfinalists will enter the second round. Liberty, as reigning champions, will enter the third round, also known as the round of sixteen. Furthermore, the draws for the first two rounds will be made in March of each year.

All games except the final (at the Nat Lib) are played over two legs, with extra time and then penalties being played in the event of both games having the same result. Away goals count double, so not all aggregate ties will result in extra time. OOCly, the Græntfjaller method of ET and PSO scorination is used - although I add the goals scored in extra time and make those count towards away goals - and home advantage applies.

In each year, Liberty and schools must only send players in Year 13, i.e. those who will turn seventeen in that year. Every player in the 2011 Charles Trump Shield was therefore born in 1994. If they win that year's Shield, they will be entered into the following year's big cups (in the unlikely event they win the Showcase too) and may enter the victorious team, who will by now be in Year 14, i.e. eighteen years old. If their Year 14s win either big cup in any year, they shall enter the team that represented them in that year's Shield (who will be Year 14s the following year) into the following year's CWC/RSC - while the now-nineteen-year-old cup winners go to a well-deserved rest, probably in the Saint Eleanor League!

Some schools serve as the youth teams for clubs in the Saint Eleanor League
IFCF Regulation 7.02 provides that the youth teams of "clubs reaching the group phase of the Champions['] League are automatically entered" into the RSC (and acknowledges the possibility that a youth champion's senior team may make the CL group stages). However, the youth teams of clubs in Saint Eleanor are often the representative teams of local schools, rather than formal wings of the clubs themselves. To that effect, and should any of these clubs ever make the CL group stages:

The youth team of Occidental Olympic is Parkside CS. Parkside District Council owns both Olympic and the Community School.
The youth team of Sword and Shield is the University College. University College is a school run by the University of Saint Eleanor, whose Board of Trustees own Sword and Shield. Contrary to what many people believe, the University is a campus university. Collegiate Community School does not exist.
The youth team of Athletic Saint Eleanor is Whitehammer CS. The Eleanorian Chamber of Commerce, which counts several hundred privately-owned businesses among its members, owns Athletic. Whitehammer District Council owns the Community School, but many members of its PE Department also work as coaches for Athletic and they have the final say over who plays for Whitehammer.
The youth team of Independence 1975 is the Eleanorian Academy. The Government runs both Independence and the Academy. Central Community School does not exist.
The youth team of Grand Beach is Grand Beach CS. Gregory Willis, the owner of Willis fried chicken restaurants, owns Grand Beach. His eldest daughter, Sophie, is the Community School's head of the English department; she selects who plays for GBCS in consultation with the PE department.
The youth team of Army and Navy is the Army School. Army School is run by the Eleanorian Army, which owns Army and Navy. Oaktree Community School does exist, but has no affiliation with the Army.
The youth team of Good Hope Club is Trident CS. The Good Hope Supporters' Trust owns Good Hope. Trident District Council owns the Community School, but has an agreement with the Supporters Trust by which the School wears GHC's colours of light blue and plays its home matches at GHC's home stadium, the Good Hope Stadium.
The youth team of Golden Unicorn is Brightway CS. Emerald, the premier fund management company in the Novalk Peninsula, owns Golden Unicorn. It also provides generous funding to Brightway's Football Academy without which their ability to send a full-strength team to the Shield would be greatly diminished.
The youth team of Nova Aegis is Bramblewood CS. Bramblewood District Council owns both Nova Aegis and the Community School.
The youth team of the Polytechnic Institute is Buckhead CS. Buckhead Community School is not actually run by the Polytechnic Institute of Saint Eleanor, which owns the club of the same name - it is, like all Community Schools, operated by the district council - but a memorandum of understanding was made with the Polytechnic in 2009, through which the Poly financially supports BCS's PE department.
The youth team of Hiyashi Celestia is Broadlands CS. The Hiyashi Corporation founded (and still owns) Celestia; they have pumped significant sums of money into the Broadlands school team since doing so. Just don't ask where it comes from. It's all perfectly legal revenue from sales and whatnot, we promise.
The youth team of Newbanks United is Newbanks CS. The practice of Newbanks United offering a contract every year to a player from the Community School has long gone, not least since the club is now owned by the Misiriyaa Football Group of Al-Tamazgha, but some of United's coaches now work as PE teachers for the School (much as they do in Whitehammer), and the presumption remains that any sufficiently good NCS player will more likely than not contract with Newbanks United should there be a need in the team.
The youth team of Premier Club is Premier CS. The school, although in possession of a football academy that is ridiculously well-funded by D. Tommy Sanford's PREMIER empire (it was his before he got busted, anyway) and indeed has direct ties to the Premier Club of the same ownership, is actually located in Premier district, which was made to specification by a group of civil engineers working on behalf of the Eleanorian Army.
The youth team of 16th of November is Holland CS. The Zoological Gardens have an arrangement with Holland District Council, which owns the Community School, that predates even the National Liberation Front; an annual school trip to the Zoo is provided for students at Holland CS, for instance.
The youth team of Atlas is Atlas CS. Atlas district, like Premier district, was built to specification (of the Kaito Corporation of Kandorith) by the Army Corps of Engineers. Kaito themselves founded the Atlas club and own it through their Eleanorian subsidiary, Kaito Limited - so, much as Hiyashi do with Broadlands, it stands to reason that they have a solid partnership with the local school.
The youth team of Infrastructure is Tannerton CS. National Electricity, affectionately known as Natelec, owns Infrastructure (in partnership with Eleanorian Water). Natelec in turn provides (relatively) generous funding and support to Tannerton's PE Department and CTS team.
The youth team of Lion is Marketplace CS. Lion was founded by Banijan immigrants to Saint Eleanor, and remains in their control, although people from across the Dockside - both Eleanorians and immigrants - are generally welcomed by the club. There is a "broad partnership" in place between Lion and the Community School through which Marketplace's players are given consideration by Lion's scouts once they come of age.
The youth team of the Republicans is Deepchester CS. The Republicans are owned by their fans via the Deepchester Community Trust, which founded the club and recruited a number of players from the local areas - some of who just happen to be disaffected, previously-unemployed artists. Among the permanent members of the DCT's board is the Community School's headteacher of the day.
The youth team of the Trades Unionists is Wellington CS. The Trades Unions Alliance owns Trades Unionists - as well as Channel 5, in partnership with the Communist Party of Saint Eleanor - and, as part of their obligations to Wellington's community (which contains a good many dockworkers, who remain reluctant to switch their support from the Good Hope Club), offers a broad spectrum of support to the Community School, both in terms of its PE Department and many other areas.
The youth team of Yggdrasil is Blackwood CS. Blackwood District Council owns both Yggdrasil and the Community School.

"CS" always stands for Community School, by far the most common name given to Eleanorian schools; this abbreviation is used throughout to comply with IFCF character limits.

If you were a serious Golden Backpack contestant and you were playing for any of the above schools, then there's a good chance that you will end up playing for the school's linked Saint Eleanor League club (especially since Juventud collapsed in 2009). Some young players do successfully angle for a move to another major club - Àlfôn Qâerês is with Sword and Shield even though he played for the Academy in 2004, for instance.

Round 1 (1/23 final)

Kelbury CS 3–2 Bishopgate CS
Bishopgate CS 0–2 Kelbury CS
Kelbury CS win 5=2 on aggregate

Grand Beach CS 1–0 Richardgate CS
Richardgate CS 0–2 Grand Beach CS
Grand Beach CS win 3-0 win on aggregate

New St Paul CS 0–1 Queenston CS
Queenston CS 6–2 New St Paul CS
Queenston CS win 7-2 on aggregate

University College 1–0 New Bayside CS
New Bayside CS 0–1 University College
University College win 2-0 on aggregate

Newbanks CS 3–1 Bonpool CS
Bonpool CS 2–3 Newbanks CS
Newbanks CS win 6-3 on aggregate

Whitehammer CS 3–1 Crownedhead CS
Crownedhead CS 1–3 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS win 6-2 on aggregate

Oaktree CS 0–1 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS 3–0 Oaktree CS
Blackwood CS win 4-0 on aggregate

Brightway CS 1–1 New Lizard CS
New Lizard CS 1–1 Brightway CS (1–1 AET) (3-1 pen.)
New Lizard CS win 2-2 on aggregate (penalties)

Parkside CS 2–1 Marketplace CS
Marketplace CS 0–1 Parkside CS
Parkside CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Silverton CS 0–1 Buckhead CS
Buckhead CS 2–2 Silverton CS
Buckhead CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Sunset Gates CS 3–1 Carpentersville CS
Carpentersville CS 1–1 Sunset Gates CS
Sunset Gates CS win 4-2 on aggregate

Goldsmiths CS 1–1 Army School
Army School 2–1 Goldsmiths CS
Army School win 3-2 on aggregate

Girls' Preparatory 1–0 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory 2–0 Girls' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory win 2-1 on aggregate

Wellington CS 2–2 Hartridge CS
Hartridge CS 4–2 Wellington CS
Hartridge CS win 6-4 on aggregate

Elsmouth CS 2–0 Mount Dennis CS
Mount Dennis CS 1–1 Elsmouth CS
Elsmouth CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Saint Benedict's Catholic 2–0 Bramblewood CS
Bramblewood CS 2–3 Saint Benedict's Catholic
Saint Benedict's Catholic win 5-2 on aggregate

St Paul CS 1–0 Springfield CS
Springfield CS 0–1 St Paul CS
St Paul CS win 2-0 on aggregate

Farbend CS 0–1 Tannerton CS
Tannerton CS 5–0 Farbend CS
Tannerton CS win 6-0 on aggregate

Allington CS 3–3 Williamstown CS
Williamstown CS 1–4 Allington CS
Allington CS win 7-4 on aggregate

Airport CS 0–1 St George CS
St George CS 0–0 Airport CS
St George CS win 1-0 on aggregate

Northolt CS 1–0 North Seville CS
North Seville CS 0–1 Northolt CS
Northolt CS win 2-0 on aggregate

Jacobville CS 1–3 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS 2–2 Jacobville CS
Deepchester CS win 5-3 on aggregate

Magna CS 0–2 Eastern Fell CS
Eastern Fell CS 3–1 Magna CS
Eastern Fell CS win on aggregate

The lucky 23 winners in Round 1 will be joined by last year's non-champion CTS quarterfinalists - Atlas CS, Broadlands CS, Eleanorian Academy, Holland CS, Millerham CS, Premier CS, and Trident CS - in Round 2.

Round 2 (1/15 final)

Whitehammer CS 1–0 Grand Beach CS
Grand Beach CS 1–1 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS win 2-1 on aggregate

Broadlands CS 1–0 Kelbury CS
Kelbury CS 1–2 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Queenston CS 1–0 St George CS
St George CS 4–2 Queenston CS
St George CS win 4-3 on aggregate

Allington CS 1–1 Tannerton CS
Tannerton CS 1–1 Allington CS (2–2 AET)
Allington CS win 3-3 on aggregate (away goals)

Atlas CS 6–0 Elsmouth CS
Elsmouth CS 0–3 Atlas CS
Atlas CS win 9-0 on aggregate

Trident CS 2–3 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory 0–0 Trident CS
Boys' Preparatory win 3-2 on aggregate

Buckhead CS 3–2 St Paul CS
St Paul CS 0–1 Buckhead CS
Buckhead CS win 4-2 on aggregate

Blackwood CS 4–3 Saint Benedict's Catholic
Saint Benedict's Catholic 2–3 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS win 7-5 on aggregate

Eastern Fell CS 1–0 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS 2–0 Eastern Fell CS
Deepchester CS win 2-1 on aggregate

Newbanks CS 1–3 Parkside CS
Parkside CS 1–0 Newbanks CS
Parkside CS win 4-1 on aggregate

Premier CS 1–1 Holland CS
Holland CS 0–1 Premier CS
Premier CS win 2-1 on aggregate

University College 1–3 New Lizard CS
New Lizard CS 4–0 University College
New Lizard CS win 7-1 on aggregate

Millerham CS 0–0 Army School
Army School 2–0 Millerham CS
Army School win 2-0 on aggregate

Eleanorian Academy 2–0 Hartridge CS
Hartridge CS 1–1 Eleanorian Academy
Eleanorian Academy win 3-1 on aggregate

Northolt CS 2–0 Sunset Gates CS
Sunset Gates CS 4–2 Northolt CS
Sunset Gates CS win 6-2 on aggregate

The lucky 15 winners in Round 1 will be joined by CTS champions Liberty in Round 3.

Round 3 (1/8 final)
Liberty 0–0 Allington CS
Allington CS 3–2 Liberty
Allington CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Atlas CS 4–0 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS 1–3 Atlas CS
Atlas CS win 7-1 on aggregate

Northolt CS 2–4 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS 2–1 Northolt CS
Broadlands CS win 6-3 on aggregate

St George CS 1–2 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory 0–0 St George CS
Boys' Preparatory win 2-1 on aggregate

Buckhead CS 0–0 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS 1–1 Buckhead CS
Buckhead CS win 1-1 on aggregate (away goals)

Whitehammer CS 1–0 Eleanorian Academy
Eleanorian Academy 1–0 Whitehammer CS (2–2 AET)
Whitehammer CS win 3-2 on aggregate (after extra time

Army School 4–4 Premier CS
Premier CS 1–2 Army School
Army School win 6-5 on aggregate

New Lizard CS 0–1 Parkside CS
Parkside CS 2–0 New Lizard CS
Parkside CS win 3-0 on aggregate

Round 4 (1/4 final)

Parkside CS 2–2 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS 2–2 Parkside CS (2–3 AET)
Parkside CS win 5-4 on aggregate (after extra time)

Whitehammer CS 0–0 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory 2–1 Whitehammer CS
Boys' Preparatory win 2-1 on aggregate

Buckhead CS 2–1 Army School
Army School 2–2 Buckhead CS
Buckhead CS win 4-3 on aggregate

Atlas CS 1–0 Allington CS
Allington CS 2–0 Atlas CS
Allington CS win 2-1 on aggregate

Semifinals
Buckhead CS 0–0 Parkside CS
[no goals]
Parkside CS 3–1 Buckhead CS
[Lydia Hayden 9', James Walker 26', Panevatera naDexala 58'; Elizabeth Miller 83']
Parkside CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Boys' Preparatory 2–0 Allington CS
[Joe Wilson 18', Ügüs Quereâl 50']
Allington CS 0–2 Boys' Preparatory
[no goals]
Liberty win 5-1 on aggregate

THE FINAL
Parkside CS 7–4 Boys' Preparatory ~~~ at the National Liberation Arena (58,125 in attendance)
[James Walker 12' and 77', Lydia Hayden 25', 51', and 68', Richard Talent 45+2', Âlárî Dírò 54'; Joe Wilson 33' and 40', Andrew Parkinson 65', Wayne Ellis 82']

Each finalist has been entered into the 2011 Showcase. The Showcase, a twenty-two-team cup which also stars the twenty League clubs, is a desperate - and successful - attempt by the Saint Eleanor Football Association to ensure that it can enter teams into the Cup Winners' Cup without getting smacked because it attempted to enter the winners of the Charles Trump Shield.

Saint Eleanor will enter Parkside CS, the winners of the 2011 Charles Trump Shield, into Rising Stars Cup 23. (Their crest is depicted to the right.)

Into the battle ride the following unsuspecting teenagers: 1. Sally Reynolds [GK; she/her]; 2. Rob Francis [LB; he/him]; 3. Rachel Brunton [CB; she/her]; 4. Patrick Hilston [CB; he/him]; 5. John Millcroft [RB; captain; he/him]; 6. Darren Partridge [CM; he/him]; 7. Jennifer Grant [LM; she/her]; 8. Âlárî Dírò [CAM; he/him]; 9. Richard Talent [ST; he/him]; 10. Lydia Hayden [ST; she/her]; 11. James Walker [RM; he/him]; 12. Steve Quince [GK; he/him]; 13. Owen Holder [CB; he/him]; 14. Matthew Henderson [LB; he/him]; 15. Susanna Gregory [RM; she/her]; 16. Marcus Phillips [CM; he/him]; 17. Panevatera naDexala [LM; he/him]; 18. Alexia Stevens [ST; he/him]. They are joined by their manager, Harry Salt [he/him].

Parkside CS will play their home matches in the RSC and - if needs be - CWC at Galton Park in Parkside district, seated capacity 800. Occidental Olympic, Parkside's parent club, train at the Park; a 15-minute walk from Parkside metro station, it has a relaxed and relatively quiet atmosphere, with a single uncovered stand at the wide end of the pitch. There are some minor safety concerns - the seats are prone to spontaneously breaking, as Olympic fan and Vice-President Charlotte Morgan found out to her peril in an incident that made The Reporter's front page in August 1991, while a lack of netting in any direction leads to regular lost balls - but Parkside District Council insists that they are trying to "reduce wasteful expenditure" and that "this stadium, which has previously entertained audiences at the 11th Rising Stars Cup, will do so again more than a decade on."

Following the initial publication of this pamphlet, Athletic Saint Eleanor won the Saint Eleanor League of 2011, with Hiyashi Celestia in second. This means that - should the clubs reach the group stages of Champions League 23 - Whitehammer CS (crest left) and Broadlands CS (crest right) will enter the group stages of Rising Stars Cup 23. Their managers, Sarah Newbury [she/her] and Graham Jackson [he/him], are happy to inform opposing managers and foreign media about their teamsheets should they ask for it.

Whitehammer CS will play their home matches in the RSC at the Community Grounds in Whitehammer district, seated capacity 2,200. Although owned by the district council, as the school is, the Community Grounds are predominantly used by the school, and have hosted every last one of its home games - even before the War of Independence. The main, seated grandstand snakes around the corner behind the goal (where curious away fans are allotted), a particularly creative way to stop the ball from encroaching on two roads that provide easy access to the school.

Broadlands CS will play their home matches in the RSC at Northern Plain in Broadlands district, seated capacity 2,500. Northern Plain, when it isn't Hiyashi Celestia's training ground, is sometimes used by members of the local Hiyashi factory to have supposedly-informal kickabouts which invariably draw anybody who's off work and wants to turn up. (There are no turnstiles and admission will be free for all games, including RSC ties should they make them.) The Plain officially has two stands, both covered and both seated; those behind the goals stand at their own risk.

The winner of this year's Golden Backpack is Lydia Hayden. The last defensive player to win this award was Bridget Edwards, the Girls' Preparatory's goalkeeper in 2003 and now a qualified lawyer in 2011 - making it a bit surprising that she warned against charging Hayden weeks before Round 1. In a sense, it is apt that this year's winner has circled around from being snapped snorting up cocaine in the backrooms (something she accepts "with regret and confusion;" she thought that the lads had stolen flour from food technology class and has promised to keep to marijuana in the future) to being paraded as the final's "HAT-TRICK HEROIN"... both by The Reporter. Although her other personal controversies are typically few for an Eleanorian, her delivery of nine of Parkside's twenty-four goals in total - including the extra-time winner against Broadlands, the equaliser in a dramatic second-round first leg against Newbanks, and her ever-so-subtle overhead kick in front of the Marketplace cheerleaders - and support of three others is well worth noting, especially for a Parkside team that has not dominated allcomers so thoroughly since French and Key at the end of the millennium; one hopes she will keep the focus on her football far into the future.

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Jun 01, 2025 11:55 pm

The Saint Eleanor First League of 2011

Incorporating post-season fun and shenanigans for all the family: The 2011 Showcase

In 1998, Charles Trump Shield winners University College were barred from the Cup Winners' Cup due to the nature of the Shield. Coincidentally, 1998 was also the year that the Saint Eleanor League expanded to twelve clubs - although this was admittedly a few months and technically a year later. So what better to do than take each year's Shield semifinalists, force them to play against the League clubs (actually, it's the President doing the forcing), and call it a fair, competitive, character-building tournament which just so happens to be good for one Cup Winners' Cup entry?

With the recent expansion of the League system to twenty teams, the decision was made in 2010 to limit entry to the two finalists - after all, three of the five youth teams ever to execute a Showcase win up to that date (and the only youth team to win two games) had made the final. To be sure, adding two random amateur clubs instead would have made it a closer approximation of the national game's overall quality. But then it wouldn't be The Showcase of the best, brightest, and sometimes most deeply confused that Saint Eleanor has to offer.

Showcase Palmares
Independence 1975: 3 (2002, 2003, 2004)
Athletic Saint Eleanor: 3 (2006, 2007, 2008)
Hiyashi Celestia: 3 (1999, 2000, 2005)
Occidental Olympic: 1 (2001, 2010)
Nova Aegis: 1 (2009)

Also incorporating a blink-and-you-miss-it review of 2011's IFCF proceedings, the 22nd of their kind

Preview of the League sides (by Jamie Rodgers of SESB)

Legend: 99. {all eligible NT flags, if non-EXT; see below} Player McPlayerface [WINNER AS PLAYER: WORLD CUP 1000000, CUP OF HARMONY 1000000, BAPTISM OF FIRE 1000000; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE/UICA CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, IFCF CHALLENGERS' CUP/UICA GLOBE CUP 1000000, IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 1000000, IFCF LIGA B CHAMPIONS' TROPHY/UICA SERIES B CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, CUP WINNERS' CUP 1000000] [WINNER AS MANAGER: AS BEFORE] [CAPTAIN] [POS; species; Army rank; 9001yo; pro/nouns].

Other notes:

Teams are in descending order of 2010 First League finish.
Starting lineups go from 1 to 11; substitutes wear 12 to 18. Lineups are good for the 22nd IFCF cycle.
Ages given reflect how old the Eleanorians will be at the end of 2011, and how old the foreigners were when we last checked.
Underlined single nationals play for the national team they are eligible for as of the start of 2011. Underlined dual nationals play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name as of that date.
Everyone is a human, and from Saint Eleanor, unless otherwise stated.
See a player without a like-for-like substitute? Subs listed as playing on one side of the pitch usually have no qualms with playing on the other as necessary.
The same "Important OOC notes about the Laws of the Game as they are applied in Saint Eleanor" as here apply.
For my sanity's sake, I'm not going to reproduce 2011's list of dates here. I really need to get around to producing it, though...

Athletic Saint Eleanor - "Athletic;" "The Reds" - the club of the business owners

Home stadium: Northwest Road, Whitehammer district (capacity 53,174)
Starting lineup (preferred formation 4-1-3-2): 1. Kirsti Sundgren [GK; 26yo; she/her]; 2. Elissa Curry [LB; 31yo; she/her]; 3. Naresmet taFrexala [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [RB; 35yo; he/him]; 4. Bridget Coombe [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CDM; 36yo; she/her]; 5. + Lydia VIckers [CB; 24yo; she/her]; 6. Esther Launceston [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CB; 30yo; she/her]; 7. Graham Lawson [LM; 31yo; he/him]; 8. Sylvia Hollenberg [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE 20] [CM; 30yo; she/her]; 9. Nightingale [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE 6] [CAPTAIN] [ST; pegasus; 37yo; she/her]; 10. Tim Driver [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 11. Wasemprela Sareleva [RM; 30yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Harry Mitchell [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. Ben McDougall [CB; 25yo; he/him]; 14. Natasha Rhodes [CM; 21yo; she/her]; 15. Charlotte Phillips [RM; 26yo; she/her]; 16. Phil Parris [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 17. James Johnson [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 18. Charles Brewer [CM; 22yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Yelto-Aflan Ono [49yo; they/them]: Not a single international transfer was completed by any Eleanorian club for the first time in a while, but this has not prevented Yelto-Aflan from making the best with what they have got. Hollenberg and Coombe, already united on the national team (albeit increasingly less), worked together almost perfectly in 2010 and you would bet on more of the same this year; much the same goes for Launceston and Vickers, for that matter. All are stylish, perhaps even world-class, and - as Tim Driver would have it - "strategopolitically moderate." It is widely believed that Nightingale will fly into the sunset in the next year or two, but she remains captain and the leader of the attack for the time being. This is also not to neglect the relative influence that exists out wide - Lawson is perhaps the best of the bunch, but the rest will not hesitate to move inwards and upwards if required.

Independence 1975 - "Indy;" "The Liberators" - the club of the (civilian) government and the Eleanorian masses

Home stadium: The National Liberation Arena, Central district (capacity 68,184)
Starting lineup (preferred formation 4-2-3-1): 1. Robby Ellis [GK; 27yo; he/him]; 2. Cathy Winchester [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [LB; 33yo; she/her]; 3. Joe Willis [RB; 24yo; he/him]; 4. Layla Grover [CDM; 31yo; she/her]; 5. Katy Wilson [CB; 27yo; she/her]; 6. Matt Morrison [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 7. David Newcastle [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [LM; 37yo; he/him]; 8. + Kichirō Matsuda [CDM; Wunderbar; 27yo; he/him]; 9. Ian Marks [ST; 25yo; he/him]; 10. Kavezalea Felaraneta [CAM; 27yo; he/him]; 11. Gary Morgan [RM; 28yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Lisa Dobson [GK; 22yo; she/her]; 13. Matthew Edwards [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. Lucy Hendricks [RB; 21yo; she/her]; 15. Jon Harp [LM; 31yo; he/him]; 16. Adam Tarrant [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 17. John Garrett [ST; 19yo; he/him]; 18. Angela Spooner [RM; 23yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Lydia Sharp [56yo; she/her]: To everyone's surprise, perhaps even Sharp's, the notorious Dortmün Çídh has left the building; her hand has quite possibly been forced into introducing Ian Marks to the ecosystem, but he should work well in partnership with the ever-semipredictable Felaraneta to deliver more outcomes than ever. Newcastle has, on the other hand, deliberately held off his retirement by a year to see the squad through this period, and will remain serviceable throug the end. There's not an obvious reason at this point to doubt Matsuda and Grover, who can both be easily irritated but have had increasingly less cause to do so in recent years, while the recent national team callups of Ellis and Wilson - even as substitutes - underscores Indy's continued defensive consistency, not least to mention Winchester's legacy.

Occidental Olympic - "Olympic;" "The Westerners" - the club of western and north-western Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Parkside Stadium, Parkside district (capacity 26,285)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2 diamond): 1. Arielle Richardson [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [GK; 30yo; she/her]; 2. Rachel Curran [LB; 29yo; she/her]; 3. Lynul-Sevet Pul [RB; 30yo; they/them]; 4. Kieran Hyatt [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 5. Mike Pringle [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 6. Glenn French [CDM; 29yo; he/him]; 7. Lily Emmerson [LM; 25yo; she/her]; 8. Brian Hurd [RM; 25yo; he/him]; 9. David Key [ST; 29yo; he/him]; 10. Steve Pilchard [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CAM; 34yo; he/him]; 11. Esther Vaughan [ST; 23yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. David Johnson [GK; 28yo; he/him]; 13. Jack Owen [LB; 28yo; he/him]; 14. Diana Gray [CB; 21yo; she/her]; 15. Andrew Card [CDM; 26yo; he/him]; 16. Heather Blake [CAM; 29yo; she/her]; 17. Ella Pinkman [RM; 22yo; she/her]; 18. Adam Wilson [ST; 19yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: George Dunbar [52yo; he/him]: Occidental Olympic is in a period, and need, of transition, and not for the first time in Dunbar's tenure. With weMexala having finally retired, there are reasonably great expectations on Vaughan, tempered in equal part by the return of Grand Beach and the presence of the legendary (and much less provocative) David Key. Curran and Richardson are their moral equivalents in defence, even if neither are quite as similar temperamentally; both are now officially national team calibre, both know how to hold a defence tight enough and both have been instrumental in recent defensive advances, although not to disregard the enforcement work of the others. Pilchard may well be on the verge of retiring, but "never say never" is the watchword here: French is still a great holding midfielder, even if he has never quite approached Bridget Coombe's level, and Hurd and Emmerson make for possibly the club's most at-ease wide pairing in a generation.

Hiyashi Celestia - "Celestia;" "The Angels" - the club of Northern Saint Eleanor's working class (especially Hiyashi's employees in Broadlands)

Home stadium: Celestial Stadium, Broadlands district (capacity 36,645)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Shojiro Ito [GK; 31yo; he/him]; 2. Edward Ruthan [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 3. Sarah Parton [CB; 31yo; she/her]; 4. Isi Šasawić [CB; 32yo; he/him]; 5. Caradoc Anghoill [RB; 31yo; he/him]; 6. Nobusuke Kuronuma [CAPTAIN] [CM; 34yo; he/him]; 7. Joe Galbraith [LM; 35yo; he/him]; 8. Maria Morgan [CM; 25yo; she/her]; 9. Rick Goldsmith [ST; 31yo; he/him]; 10. Takeshi Honda [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 11. James Heath [RM; 24yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Josh Baines [GK; 22yo; he/him]; 13. Nigel Vincent [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 14. Alex Lander [CM; 22yo; he/him]; 15. Nicole Morlock [LB; 37yo; she/her]; 16. Bill Simpson [LM; 26yo; he/him]; 17. Terry Baker [RM; 19yo; he/him]; 18. Bill Wood [ST; 22yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Rachel Schanke [48yo; she/her]: Celestia are largely as successful as they are - having gone from Challengers' Cup quarterfinals to Challengers' Cup fourth qualifying round exit after extra time via a series of consistent finishes - simply by being the most cohesive side outside the Grand Derby. Hype surrounds Goldsmith, Honda, and increasingly Morgan alike, and all will have to continue to deliver in attack (and, in Morgan's case, literally everywhere). The other foreigners are well-regarded more than they are celebrities, even despite Kandorith's recent struggle and Morlock's increasing role as moral support, and their continued presence may well be necessary if they are not to be supplanted by even better players. The 4-4-2 is predictable, consistent, and possibly the only way Schanke could ever get half of these players to work together; she might need to work a bit harder in the future, however.

Sword and Shield - "Arsenal;" "The Collegiates" - the club of the University

Home stadium: University Grounds, Collegiate district (capacity 35,174)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-2-1-3): 1. Michael Hall [GK; 33yo; he/him]; 2. Gordon Pratt [LB; 30yo; he/him]; 3. Christine Terrence [CB; 32yo; she/her]; 4. John Alexander [CB; 26yo; he/him]; 5. Eloise Vincent [RB; 35yo; he/him]; 6. Joe Watts [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 7. Hugh Roanoke [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [LM; 36yo; he/him]; 8. Lucas Barrow [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 9. Olympia Woodward [ST; 22yo; she/her]; 10. Rosa Strong [CAM; 23yo; she/her]; 11. Naclé Öhân [RM; 23yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Àlfôn Qâerês [LM; 24yo; he/him]; 13. Ed Jackson [GK; 24yo; he/him]; 14. Rebecca Daniels [CB; 22yo; she/her]; 15. Bella Gray [RB; 31yo; she/her]; 16. Pakelana Vezara [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 17. Luke Barring [RM; 28yo; he/him]; 18. Alexandra Marcus [ST; 30yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Emma Steele [50yo; she/her]: Arsenal's circle of life and death appears to have stalled with the ongoing comfort of the almost effortlessly brilliant Woodward, her de-facto assister-in-chief Öhân, and many others at the fore. Roanoke has promised to finally retire "in due course," which would be no less incomparable a hammer-blow to the club, although it is an open secret that Terrence will end up serving as captain for a good couple of years after him and might as well be the leader of the defence already. Although nobody has ever been particularly excited about the likes of Michael Hall and Joe Watts, both have acquitted themselves with some fervor recently and will also be essential parts of the team.

Newbanks United - "United;" "The Students" - the club of eastern, non-coastal Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Eastern Fields, Newbanks district (capacity 24,184)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Carla Hawkins [GK; 34yo; she/her]; 2. Polly Ground [LB; 33yo; she/her]; 3. Michael Dean [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 4. + Daiki Fujiwara [CB; 31yo; he/him]; 5. Harriet Farnham [RB; 28yo; he/him]; 6. Emma Francis [CM; 31yo; she/her]; 7. Palerenala vaEplanera [LM; 24yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Woodhouse [CM; 31yo; she/her]; 9. Rachel McNamara [CAPTAIN] [ST; 32yo; she/her]; 10. + Nobuyuki Ishida [ST; 31yo, he/him]; 11. Tash Banbury [RM; 36yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Damian Rhodes [GK; 27yo; he/him]; 13. Elizabeth Welch [CB; 20yo; she/her]; 14. Catherine Morrison [LB; 25yo; she/her]; 15. Noah Halford [CM; 29yo; he/him]; 16. James Pittam [RM; 26yo; he/him]; 17. Eloise Gardener [LM; 19yo; she/her]; 18. Simon Smith [ST; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Ian Graham [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 73] [64yo; he/him]: There is a widespread consensus that Graham is being set up to fail. No new signings have been made (bar for the trialist, appointed out of necessity), nor did he even attempt them, and it is very likely that he will be made to learn his lesson with this rapidly-decaying squad before the Misiriyaa Football Group finally steps in to teach him - and the rest of the league - how football is supposed to work. The setup of the squad is by now painfully familiar - McNamara leads the attack, Smith should really be starting more often alongside her, Francis and Woodhouse remain best buddies in all regards, vaEplanera will be forced to prove his worth or die trying, and the defence is barely as above-average as it tends to be.

Army and Navy - "The Soldiers" - the club of the Eleanorian Army (which all players are members of)

Home stadium: New Barracks, Oaktree district (capacity 32,200)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Rose Carter [GK; Lance-Corporal; 28yo; she/her]; 2. Kevin Bryson [LB; Lance-Corporal; 27yo; he/him]; 3. Victor Bone [RB; Private; 33yo; he/him]; 4. David Green [CM; Private; 29yo; he/him]; 5. Adam Shilling [CB; Lance-Corporal; 32yo; he/him]; 6. Denise Livingston [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CB; Sergeant; 30yo; she/her]; 7. Mark Gould [LM; Private; 30yo; he/him]; 8. James Walter [CM; Lance-Corporal; 28yo; he/him]; 9. Isabella Bright [ST; Private; 22yo; she/her]; 10. George Murson [ST; Lance-Corporal; 25yo; he/him]; 11. Sarah Wallace [RM; Private; 29yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Nathan Smith [GK; Private; 25yo; he/him]; 13. Jack Murphy [CB; Private; 22yo; he/him]; 14. Angela George [LB; Private; 21yo; she/her]; 15. Olivia Silver [CM; Lance-Corporal; 26yo; she/her]; 16. Johanna Spencer [ST; Private; 23yo; she/her]; 17. Natalie Evans [RM; Private; 24yo; she/her]; 18. David Porter [RM; Private; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Luke McCarthy [52yo; Colonel; he/him]: It is perhaps telling of Army and Navy's expectations that McCarthy has seen fit not to even try and contract anyone from the Army Leagues, although with the caveat that they are not plentiful as they once were - and the club has never won a league title without a War of Independence veteran in the lineup. Bryson and Livingston have worked together as well as I imagined they would have this time last year, and they will continue to co-operate with the rest of the defence - perhaps even the entire team - to package another watertight lineup this season as well. Isabella Bright is the standout player other than that, but the current state of things is not helping matters at all - the likes of Gould and Walter are good, but not outstanding - and she may be right in continuing to demand a bit more va va voom.

Good Hope Club - "The Seasiders" - the club of the dockworkers

Home stadium: The Good Hope Stadium, Trident district (capacity 22,174)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-5-1): 1. Hannah Downing [GK; 33yo; she/her]; 2. Tina Falconer [LB; 29yo; she/her]; 3. Keith Barnett [RB; 23yo; he/him]; 4. Yusuf Sofyan [CB; 26yo; he/him]; 5. Carrie Holliday [CM; 29yo; she/her]; 6. Steve Harbrough [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 7. Aaron Burrow [LM; 29yo; he/him]; 8. Owen Blackwater [CM; 22yo; he/him]; 9. Alexandra Barrett [RM; 27yo; she/her]; 10. Naferala paVepexala [CM; 29yo; he/him]; 11. Amanda Cleveland [CAPTAIN] [ST; 29yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Darren Barker [GK; 24yo; he/him]; 13. George Anderson [LB; 22yo; he/him]; 14. Kathy White [CB; 20yo; she/her]; 15. Rachel McEwan [RM; 22yo; she/her]; 16. Katie Phillips [CM; 22yo; he/him]; 17. Terry Smith [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 18. Oliver Samuels [ST; 24yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Mary Kirkport [50yo; she/her]: In the biggest story this club has seen for a long time, Charlotte Bryant - the one-time girlfriend of Exandra Davies - has existed stage left. In comes Owen Blackwater, a defensively-minded yet relatively pragmatic midfielder who may well keep the club 4-5-1 in name only and is very much on first-name terms with the rest of the five. Cleveland has very much been licking it all up, as I predicted last year, and will remain a influence if not the single greatest influence on the team. Falconer and Sofyan have meanwhile continued to mark themselves out as more attacking, if not cleanly aggressive, defensive influences, and Downing remains one of the better goalkeepers never to be in national team consideration.

Polytechnic Institute - "The Poly" - the club of the Polytechnic

Home stadium: Polytechnic Sports Centre, Buckhead district (capacity 6,088)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Ian Black [GK; 24yo; he/him]; 2. Ivica Slabinac [RB; 23yo; he/him]; 3. Lily Bruton [CB; 21yo; she/her]; 4. Edward Broad [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 5. Chloe Roland [LB; 22yo; she/her]; 6. James Salt [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 7. Michelle Addison [CAPTAIN] [RM; 22yo; she/her]; 8. Gisken Aldra [CM; 21yo; they/them]; 9. Beatrix Hillman-Tower [ST; 21yo; she/her]; 10. Lydia Falconer [ST; 19yo; she/her]; 11. Alan Brinkley [LM; 22yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. David Tanner [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. Nate George [RB; 22yo; he/him]; 14. Michael Gordon [CB; 19yo; he/him]; 15. Leah Conroy [RM; 22yo; she/her]; 16. Charles McDonald [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. Êber Tóxo [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. Emily Anderton [CM; 21yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Mike Adamson [56yo; he/him]: Adamson has announced that "my tenure will continue until morale flatlines," and so far things are only looking up for the Poly after two nearly-crushing survival campaigns. Lydia Falconer, hero of Atlas, flips over to help make 2011 a hopefully more fruitful year, and should help the club continue to deliver the goods alongside the ever-consistent Hillman-Tower and newly-appointed captain Addison. Aldra remains absolutely iconic and you would not rule them out for a future callup to the Squornshelan national team, while Broad will continue as the de-facto leader of the defence and Black will be hoping to let much fewer than 57 goals past him this time.

Grand Beach - "The Dolphins" - the club of coastal Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Albion Road, Grand Beach district (capacity 24,815)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Volnavera xaParelanara [GK; 31yo; she/her]; 2. Christina Fulton [LB; 33yo; she/her]; 3. James Benson [CB; 27yo; he/him]; 4. Gary Milton [CM; 31yo; he/him]; 5. Sam Newbridge [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CB; 37yo; he/him]; 6. Owen Cartwright [RB; 24yo; he/him]; 7. Jack Brewer [LM; 24yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Coulter [CM; 24yo; she/her]; 9. Samuel Wright [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 10. Michelle Tallard [ST; 28yo; she/her]; 11. Tim Brandon [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [RM; 35yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Anthony George [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. Richard Booth [RB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. Bill Kendall [CB; 22yo; he/him]; 15. Olivia Herbert [LB; 25yo; she/her]; 16. Blake Spencer [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ]Sara Halbrook [ST; 33yo; she/her]; 18. Adam Charles [CM; 24yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Nathaniel Jenkins [56yo; he/him]: No change is all change for Grand Beach, who share a relative sense of stagnancy with virtually every other club in the league. Newbridge and Brandon should seriously be preparing for retirement in the coming years, although not quite yet despite Brandon's subtle slowening. One person who is all but out is Sara Halbrook, who makes way for Wright following his astonishingly successful spell in the Second League. There is no reason - at this time - to doubt any of the other defenders or midfielders, who are relatively young, all capable of putting in a good shift, and all able to play to Jenkins' somewhat-constrained, more traditional style of play - and they should be far away from danger by the end of this year.

List of SEL winners

Independence 1975: 13
(1976, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009)

Athletic Saint Eleanor: 13
(1975 trial season, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010)

Army and Navy: 4
(1981, 1982, 1985, 1990)

Sword and Shield: 3
(1977, 1989, 1993)

Golden Unicorn: 1
(1987)

Occidental Olympic: 1
(1998)

Hiyashi Celestia: 1
(2000)

* * * * * * * * * *
JUDGMENT DAY

RESULTS OF THE 2011 FIRST LEAGUE

▼▼ Saint Eleanor First League 2011     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
►►  1 Athletic Saint Eleanor            18   11   5   2    29   13  +16    38    Champions' League 23; Cygnus Cup 71
►►  2 Hiyashi Celestia                  18    9   4   5    25   21   +4    31    Champions' League 23
►►  3 Independence 1975                 18    8   5   5    23   16   +7    29    Challengers' Cup 23
►►  4 Sword and Shield                  18    7   7   4    32   27   +5    28    Challengers' Cup 23
►►  5 Occidental Olympic                18    8   3   7    31   29   +2    27    Challengers' Cup 23
►►  6 Grand Beach                       18    7   5   6    25   22   +3    26
►►  7 Army and Navy                     18    6   3   9    15   21   −6    21
►►  8 Polytechnic Institute             18    4   6   8    29   37   −8    18
►►  9 Good Hope Club                    18    4   3  11    17   32  −15    15    Promotion Playoff
►► 10 Newbanks United                   18    3   5  10    24   32   −8    14    Relegated

Note: Good Hope Club won the Promotion Playoff

⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐

ATHLETIC SAINT ELEANOR - WINNERS OF THE 2011 SHOWCASE
ELEANORIAN ENTRANTS INTO CUP WINNERS' CUP 71

1. Kirsti Sundgren [Norrhem; she/her]
2. Elissa Curry [she/her]
3. Naresmet taFrexala [he/him]
4. Bridget Coombe [she/her]
5. Lydia Vickers [Saint Eleanor/Prahecq; she/her]
6. Esther Launceston [she/her]
7. Graham Lawson [he/him]
8. Sylvia Hollenberg [she/her]
9. Nightingale [Equestria; pegasus; she/her]
10. Tim Driver [he/him]
11. Wasemprela Sareleva [he/him]
12. Harry Mitchell [he/him]
13. Ben McDougall [he/him]
14. Natasha Rhodes [she/her]
15. Charlotte Phillips [she/her]
16. Phil Parris [he/him]
17. James Johnson [he/him]
18. Charles Brewer [he/him]

Manager: Yelto-Aflan Ono [Qusmo; they/them]

RESULTS OF THE 2011 SHOWCASE

First Round
Lion 1–2 Infrastructure
Boys' Preparatory (independent CTS team) 0–1 Atlas
Nova Aegis 3–2 Trades Unionists
Golden Unicorn 0–1 Premier Club
Republicans 1–0 Parkside CS (Celestia youth team)
Yggdrasil 4–1 16th of November

Round of Sixteen
Infrastructure 0–1 Athletic Saint Eleanor
Premier Club 2–1 Occidental Olympic
Yggdrasil 3–3 Atlas (3–3 AET) (4–3 pen.)
Independence 1975 1–0 Hiyashi Celestia
Nova Aegis 0–0 Grand Beach (0–0 AET) (3–4 pen.)
Army and Navy 0–1 Newbanks United
Republicans 2–2 Polytechnic Institute (2–2 AET) (3–4 pen.)
Sword and Shield 2–1 Good Hope Club

Quarterfinals
Independence 1975 0–0 Grand Beach (0–0 AET) (3–4 pen.)
Yggdrasil 2–2 Premier Club (3–2 AET)
Newbanks United 1–1 Athletic Saint Eleanor (1–2 AET)
Good Hope Club 0–0 Polytechnic Institute (1–0 AET)

Semifinals
Grand Beach 1–0 Yggdrasil
Good Hope Club 1–1 Athletic Saint Eleanor (1–3 AET)

THE FINAL
Grand Beach 1–2 Athletic Saint Eleanor

* * * * * * * * * *

Coffee Around The Grounds with Mark Gould: First League

As you know, coffee and football are the two things every Eleanorian loves, or damn well near it since I have it on good authority that Gentle Breeze Herself is NOT A COFFEE PERSON (and also not an Eleanorian). So what better can I do with my free time, at the end of this season, other than approach each of the captains, ask them to take me to their favourite coffee shop near their stadium, and ask them how their season went? Either the fact that someone already did this in 2006 or the fact that I have Army business to be getting on with, but whatever. Shall we?

Athletic Saint Eleanor: Nightingale @ The Little Teahouse - Yes, I'm well aware that this is quite brazenly NOT a coffee shop. It is reputedly nice and lovely. I agree. The lady pegasus did not have a lot to be irritated about: "winning the title with three rounds to go was nice, as was the Showcase." She did not have NOTHING to be irritated about, as the IFCF campaign showed: "Mipojoseon is a stunningly good team, so I'm thankful we defeated them, but I still think we could have done much more than that in the groups." Losing at home to the now-mightier Polytechnic was not an issue for her: "it's an annual tradition at this point" (ignoring the fact that this actually happened twice in 2009, when none other than Nightingale was captain). However, I found it striking that Athletic did not lose the lead all season. Is she concerned by this? "Not quite, but Saint Eleanor only has so many good football players. We need more signings! I'd appreciate a bit more of a challenge now that Dortmun Cidh has finally retired and all of the other teams are just challengers."

Hiyashi Celestia: Nobusuke Kuronuma @ Premium Coffee - Broadlands is largely a factory district, so it might not be surprising that Kuronuma dragged me to the first coffee place he could think of. He called the club's second-place finish "an excellent outcome," which is not surprising when it's their best for a whole decade, perhaps more so when they weren't even tipped for it. He did not say much about the club's failure to first and foremost execute Cicillia Disarmament in the IFCF. I can assure you that you can, in fact, get the man to speak about a variety of issues, such as Maria Morgan (who he called "exactly the kind of player we need"), Isi Sasawic ("good, but maybe not the kind of player we need in this day and age") and the club's prospects of future success ("they are very good if we can keep everyone together")

Independence 1975: Cathy Winchester @ Inaugural Coffee - Central is home to both the nation's first football club and the nation's first coffee shop, hastily rebranded after independence to make it look younger than it actually is. Both are rather good. Strikingly, Indy were even better in the IFCF than in the league: "Were we good, or was everyone else just that bad? I'm going to say we were good, because a lot of the teams we were playing before Jinja weren't quite world-beaters, and Ian Marks did pretty well up front." She's not drawn to comment on John Garrett potentially entering a strike partnership: "Layla, Kichiro, and Kavezalea are all sacred cows, so to speak. You get rid of one of them to make way for a 19-year-old and then you get a lot of trouble ahead. Maybe we should have signed Lavrentiy Xuen-Zhukov." However, the defence shone once again, if not quite as bright: "Conceding more goals than Athletic is an embarrassment. We were efficient, but really, we might need a new defender or two!"

Sword and Shield: Hugh Roanoke @ Moonlight - This is at least not The Canary Unchained, for which I am thankful but Arielle Richardson may not be. Obviously, Hugh thought it was pretty good. I didn't quite agree - there is such a thing as coffee that tastes too fancy, however much he may call himself working-class. He thinks that Sword and Shield had yet another good season: "Really, this was the least important season ever, after all the ones that didn't have the IFCF in them. The teams were the same, thought the same, acted the same, perhaps a bit smarter - and Indy lost Dortmun Cidh, so there." He sees more than fit to praise Olympia Woodward: "That woman is the queen of pretty much anything she interacts with enough, including football. Why there isn't more interest in her, I don't know, but we've historically sold to the smaller top-32 leagues such as Mytanija, may its memory be blessed." The club hovered in and out of the IFCF places all season: "In the end, though, we made it and we deserved it."

Occidental Olympic: Steve Pilchard @ Liberators' - Steve has already "been there, done that" in terms of everything, both football-related and coffee-related. He likes this particular place, and I think it does very well with what little it has. It's therefore not surprising to learn that he actually isn't too distraught with Champions League qualification escaping from their grasp: "We aren't quite there yet. We'll learn, we'll move on, and we'll see what happens." Olympic has always been a team effort, and Steve agrees with my analysis: "There's not a single person in the eighteen who makes the team weaker. The current setup is good, George knows our strengths and he's harnessing them already. I don't have any further wishes for the team beyond its prosperity. And don't ruin a winning recipe, please - that goes for both of us."

Grand Beach: Sam Newbridge @ Albion Coffee - When I asked the players to take me to a coffee shop near their stadium, I did not necessarily mean the one right next door to their stadium. I appreciate this coffee, even if I thought it could be bitty at times, in yet another example of the coffee not living up to the team's performance: "We did pretty well for a promoted team, I have to say." Samuel Wright and Tim Brandon are the obvious choices for his shoutouts: "Tim is still face and Samuel is still very effective, especially on his best days. You put them together in attack and boom. This is not what Julia left." But isn't the manager Julia's former assistant? "He is, but he's his own man. Let him continue, but don't be afraid to throw everything out if the conditions demand it. We can still make the IFCF; we nearly did so again, twice over."

Army and Navy: Denise Livingston @ the cafe at Army HQ - Yes, this is another place I'm technically not supposed to talk about in here. I hope I will at least be allowed to say that the coffee is good, if generic and oftentimes served in a takeaway cup that you didn't ask for or need. Denise was rather less secretive: "We were good, but we were also lucky. I think Isabella has a point, so I'll get her and Luke together and see what's going on with everything. She was one of a few things saving our season from being a mess." Is there any advice she'd give the team? "Maybe we should get relegated first. It would be drastic, but I think it would also force us to look for better players. Luke's getting a bit comfortable with the team, but I don't think we've quite reached our limit yet and I'll keep on reminding him about this."

Polytechnic Institute: Michelle Addison @ The Old Creamery - I can actually talk about this place here as it is ever-so-marginally more famous for its coffee than its ice cream. Both are commendable, although ice cream might not be the best end-of-season treat. Michelle had unsurprisingly warm words for Beatrix Hillman-Tower and Lydia Falconer, without whom the club would not be winning anything most of the time: "I agree that they're hotshots, but I wouldn't be so sure that they're the only ones of note. The transfer window is real." It's also apparently a common theme. Defence was, bizarrely, much-improved on last time. "It's not my fault; you might want to talk to Mike, but I'm not sure even he's done much. You could put it down to a fluke of nature, or the attacks not being as deadly, or whatever." It's well worth noting that the side avoided yet another promotion playoff, which she was delighted about: "Sooner or later, we're going to be winning things. I just won't be here for them! Our current squad is pretty good, though, and I can't think of anywhere I'd change other than the backline."

Good Hope Club: Amanda Cleveland @ Spencer's Coffee - Spencer's is a valuable lesson in Eleanorian coffee - the further away you are from Collegiate, the less "specialty" the independent coffee gets. This is very much the kind of thing I could have made at home. Amanda herself felt very much unenthusiastic about her team's wobbly trajectory towards the bottom of the table: "I'm thankful that we managed to win the playoff, but has our team really gotten to the point where it's not exactly cut out for the top?" However, she felt as though the new blood, or what little there was of it, was helpful: "This was not exactly the best year imaginable to be a new footballer, but Owen definitely helped in many regards. We have a young team that needs experience by the bucketload and we're getting it more than we're buying it." All seven of the substitutes are aged under 25, but only two of the eleven typical starters. "That should change. I've always wanted to be a mother!"

Newbanks United: Rachel McNamara @ Rolls Cafe - Newbanks were, despite expectations, decently good for most of this season, only to lose their last five on the trot. In these regards I can say that both the coffee here and my chitchat with Rachel were more consistent. "This wasn't a good season for anyone involved," she confided in me; "I doubt that I have much of a future, and indeed everyone else can say that. Now is where MFG use the rest of their muscle. Really, there is a lot of uncertainly, probably more than the Unicorn faced last year - definitely more."

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Jun 01, 2025 11:56 pm

OOC note: Some rosters do not have named substitutes. Please be assured that these substitutes do, in fact, exist and that I was just mindful of cutoff.

The Saint Eleanor Second League of 2011

Preview of the League sides (by Jamie Rodgers of SESB)

Legend: 99. {all eligible NT flags, if non-EXT; see below} Player McPlayerface [WINNER AS PLAYER: WORLD CUP 1000000, CUP OF HARMONY 1000000, BAPTISM OF FIRE 1000000; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE/UICA CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, IFCF CHALLENGERS' CUP/UICA GLOBE CUP 1000000, IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 1000000, IFCF LIGA B CHAMPIONS' TROPHY/UICA SERIES B CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, CUP WINNERS' CUP 1000000] [WINNER AS MANAGER: AS BEFORE] [CAPTAIN] [POS; species; Army rank; 9001yo; pro/nouns].

Other notes:

Teams are in descending order of 2010 Second League finish.
Starting lineups go from 1 to 11; substitutes wear 12 to 18. Lineups are good for the 22nd IFCF cycle.
Ages given reflect how old the Eleanorians will be at the end of 2011, and how old the foreigners were when we last checked.
Underlined single nationals play for the national team they are eligible for as of the start of 2011. Underlined dual nationals play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name as of that date.
Everyone is a human, and from Saint Eleanor, unless otherwise stated.
See a player without a like-for-like substitute? Subs listed as playing on one side of the pitch usually have no qualms with playing on the other as necessary.
The same "Important OOC notes about the Laws of the Game as they are applied in Saint Eleanor" as here apply.

Golden Unicorn - "The Unicorn" - the club of northern Saint Eleanor city's middle-class (and the odd aesthete or two)

Home stadium: Dignity Cross, Brightway district (capacity 27,587)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-1-1): 1. Georgia Wood [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [GK; 39yo; she/her]; 2. Gavin Laker [LB; 29yo; he/him]; 3. Keith Bartlett [RB; 27yo; he/him]; 4. Samuel Lewis [CM; 29yo; he/him]; 5. Aaron Francis [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CB; 35yo; he/him]; 6. Ganelarana paValetara [CB; 27yo; she/her] 7. Peter Walker [LM; 25yo; he/him]; 8. Natalie Monaco [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAM; 35yo; she/her]; 9. Jaclyn Foley [ST; 30yo; she/her]; 10. Wanar-Xalan Tla [CM; 30yo; they/them]; 11. Gionata Mariani [RM; 30yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Katie Masterson [GK; 24yo; she/her]; 13. Michael Burns [LB; 22yo; he/him]; 14. Daniel Bennett [CB; 19yo; he/him]; 15. Alisha Peters [RB; 23yo; she/her]; 16. Natasha Wallis [CM; 26yo; she/her]; 17. James Wallace [RM; 19yo; he/him]; 18. Parecava gaExhecela [ST; 26yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Justin Wood [53yo; he/him]: There was a widespread, if not universal, sense of surprise at the Unicorn's relegation and Wood appears confident in his ability to achieve better things with almost exactly the same squad, save a couple of age-related replacements. Wood, Francis and Monaco remain at risk of retirement, although perhaps not quite yet, while Mariani has committed in hope to another two seasons - if not more - at the club and Foley should continue being the pest she has been for quite a while, if not quite on the level of her infamous swap-ee Tim Hart.

Nova Aegis - "The Pink Falcons" - the club of the worst-off, especially from Sunset Gates to Buckhead

Home stadium: The Workers' Coliseum, Bramblewood district (capacity 20,874)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. August Wills [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 2. Lauren Smith [LB; 29yo; she/her]; 3. Simon Donald [RB; 24yo; he/him]; 4. Rick Street [CAPTAIN] [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 5. Stephen Shepley [CB; 31yo; he/him]; 6. Keith Albert [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 7. Matthew Wrekin [LM; 29yo; he/him]; 8. Alessio Lombardo [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 9. Paul Ronson [RM; 24yo; he/him]; 10. Deborah Dennis [ST; 25yo; she/her]; 11. Bill Murphy [ST; 23yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Charlotte White [GK; 21yo; she/her]; 13. Richard Trincham [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. Louise Morgan [CB; 23yo; she/her]; 15. Tommy Grant [LM; 22yo; he/him]; 16. Millie Richards [CM; 20yo; she/her]; 17. Nick Ellison [ST; 22yo; he/him]; 18. Patrick Trout [RM; 25yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Phil Lambert [51yo; he/him]: Last year's playoff defeat against the Polytechnic surely still rankles in the memory for Lambert, who is for once a popular, beloved Nova Aegis manager now that they no longer finish eleventh every season. Lombardo remains not only competent but this team's undeniable superstar, disappointing though recent times may have been. As with last year, this is a good, competent team that should challenge for the title, doesn't have any obvious flaws, and also enjoys a strong bench.

Trades Unionists - "The Union" - the club of the Dockside's working class writ-large

Home stadium: New Docks Stadium, Wellington district (capacity 27,852)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Darren Tolmidge [GK; 31yo; he/him]; 2. Phil Rankin [LB; 24yo; he/him]; 3. Nathan Evans [RB; 25yo; he/him]; 4. Catherine Woodacre [CB; 26yo; she/her]; 5. Joe Oxley [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 6. Ella Purton [CM; 26yo; she/her]; 7. David Walker [CAPTAIN] [LM; 27yo; he/him]; 8. Peter Reynolds [CM; 24yo; he/him]; 9. Victoria Rackitt [RM; 30yo; she/her]; 10. Jérôn Çíçí [ST; 25yo; he/him]; 11. Thomas Gunner [ST; 23yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Harry Spence [GK; 22yo; he/him]; 13. James Hill [LB; 26yo; he/him]; 14. Luke Milligan [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 15. Steve Bacon [RB; 28yo; he/him]; 16. Laura Booker [CM; 25yo; she/her]; 17. Daisy Barratt [ST; 20yo; she/her]; 18. Simon Oakwood [LM; 26yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Tina Heller [45yo; she/her]: There has been a boom in trades unionism, with the new drydock having been built and the Major in charge of Trident having largely succeeded in clearing of some of the last apartment blocks in the city, located in the district. The new club run by the Trades Unionists, and the New Docks Stadium for them to play in, could not be more timely, nor could Heller's subtle adjustment to the playstyle. [an introduction...]

Premier Club - "Premier" - the club of the New West's middle-class and services industry

Home stadium: Premier Stadium, Premier district (capacity 54,105)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Gemma Farley [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 2. James Miller [LB; 28yo; he/him]; 3. Louise Halliwell [RB; 26yo; she/her]; 4. Helen Green [CB; 25yo; she/her]; 5. Roy Downsall [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 6. Joanna Gillam [CM; 26yo; she/her; 7. Adam Ellison [LM; 22yo; he/him]; 8. Charlotte Mills [CAPTAIN] [CM; 25yo; she/her]; 9. Stephen Blunt [RM; 23yo; he/him]; 10. Wendy Smith [ST; 25yo; she/her]; 11. Kevin O'Leary [ST; 19yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Harriet Williams [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [41yo; she/her]: Evidently not satisfied with Cassadaigua legend Rachel Schanke's longevity at Hiyashi Celestia, Premier has decided to hook up none other than the erstwhile Williams for her inaugural managerial job - and, this time, hopefully promotion. Golden Backpack winner Kevin O'Leary is an astute signing [...]

Lion - "The Lions" - the club of the Dockside's diasporas

Home stadium: The Grand Oval, Marketplace district (capacity 23,427)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Annaliese Morgan [GK; 24yo; she/her]; 2. Harry Blunt [LB; 22yo; he/him]; 3. ????? [RB; 20yo; he/him]; 4. Fabrice Dansa [CAPTAIN] [CB; 26yo; he/him]; 5. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 6. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 7. Jatta Jobateh [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 8. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 9. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 10. Benjamin Sienara [ST; 22yo; he/him]; 11. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: John Bennett [43yo; he/him]: Last year's race for the top two or three was extremely close and, for all the questions about his White Tinhamptonian ethnicity and temporality, Bennett should consider himself to have done well for the time being. Complaints about the earlier lack of Banijans should be tempered via the introduction of Jobateh and Sienara, both of whom are understood to be about as competent as you can realistically get at this level.

Atlas - "Atlas" - the club of the New West's working-class and manufacturing industry

Home stadium: Atlas Stadium 1, Atlas district (capacity 46,148)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Iliana Morgan [GK; 23yo; she/her]; 2. Jake Gordon [LB; 26yo; he/him]; 3. Geoffrey Herbert [RB; 29yo; he/him]; 4. Kate Wilson [CB; 23yo; she/her]; 5. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 6. Michael Jackett [CAPTAIN] [CM; 31yo; he/him]; 7. Susanna Reynolds [LM; 25yo; she/her]; 8. Donald Manning [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 9. Adam Green [RM; 24yo; he/him]; 10. David Woodbury [ST; 27yo; he/him]; 11. Ted Carpenter [ST; 26yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [RB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Edward McDonald [46yo; he/him]: [an introduction...]

16th of November - "16N" - the club of the area in and around Holland, especially the zoo

Home stadium: The Stadium at the Zoological Gardens, Holland district (capacity 4,166)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Pavelarena meGalavane [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 2. Adam Johnson [LB; 19yo; he/him]; 3. Michael Davis [RB; 23yo; he/him]; 4. Anna Simpson [CB; 27yo; she/her]; 5. Quentin Tiller [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 6. Lauren Brown [CM; 24yo; she/her]; 7. James Parsons [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 8. Will Gardner [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 9. Lucy Ryan [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 10. Matt Norton [CAPTAIN] [ST; 28yo; he/him]; 11. Nicola Wilbury [ST; 23yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Sophia Lewis [39yo; she/her]: 16th of November prides itself on its association with the Zoological Gardens, established on that day in 1959. It is also notable for the sheer breadth of places from which its players have been taken: not only the usual places, but also the Zoo itself (Ryan), the District Council's staff (Johnson), and - if the signing himself is to be believed - a local pub garden (Parsons).

Republicans - "The Republicans" - the club of the bohemians, creative types, and other locals

Home stadium: Barclay Road, Deepchester district (capacity 11,295)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. David McEwan [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 2. Rob Waters [LB; 24yo; he/him]; 3. Lydia Howard [RB; 21yo; she/her]; 4. Jasmine Hair [CB; 26yo; she/her]; 5. Andrew Baker [CB; 27yo; he/him]; 6. Jôs Grêndê [CM; 24yo; he/him]; 7. Alex Whitby [CAPTAIN] [LM; 29yo; he/him]; 8. Sienna Roberts [CM; 27yo; she/her]; 9. Gûsín Nàár [ST; 25yo; he/him]; 10. Ryan Jones [ST; 25yo; he/him]; 11. Rebecca Tapp [RM; 23yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Samuel Walcott [39yo; he/him]: Walcott may be an inexperienced manager leading an inexperienced team, like almost everyone else in this league, but he does at least have years of defensive experience with Sword and Shield - if it can be called that, given the team's historic lack of focus on defending - to count on. In a team largely made up of local artists, rather less productive layabouts, and some amateurs who have jobs to hold down in the real world (Roberts is a supermarket cashier; Nàár is a gun licensing trainer with World of Safety), there is little of tactical note and will continue to be until such a point as Walcott is given a scout or a non-negligible sum of money.

Infrastructure - "Infra;" "The Power" - the club of the utilities

Home stadium: National Electric Stadium, Tannerton district (capacity 13,952)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Laura Scott [GK; 24yo; she/her]; 2. Graham Lawrence [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 3. Henry Mitchell [CAPTAIN] [RB; 27yo; he/him]; 4. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 5. Catherine Henderson [CB; 25yo; she/her]; 6. Parelaneta vaHelaxana [CM; 22yo; he/him]; 7. Joe Houseman [LM; 28yo; he/him]; 8. Paul Jones [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 9. Amelia Bartlett [RM; 23yo; she/her]; 10. Gary Sacks [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 11. Ryan Carter [ST; 26yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Alan Walker [56yo; he/him]: Who better to manage National Electricity's new plaything than an actual boardroom manager at Natelec's actual business operation? Probably nobody else, to be fair, given that expectations for this side are relatively low - the local employees being far too busy laying cables and other groundwork to have much time for football. Walker has delivered on his defensive tilt, but nobody here is a standout on the levels of someone like Lombardo, never mind half of the Golden Unicorn side, and Infrastructure's few fans should be bracing themselves for yet another mediocre if not sloppy season.

Yggdrasil - "Yggdrasil" - the club of north-eastern Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: The Temple, Blackwood district (capacity 22,015)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Dustin O'Hara [GK; 24yo; he/him]; 2. John Mount [LB; 29yo; he/him]; 3. Michelle Francis [RB; 23yo; she/her]; 4. Gianna Summers [CAPTAIN] [CB; 28yo; she/her]; 5. Owen Davids [CB; 25yo; he/him]; 6. Patricia Halton [CM; 27yo; she/her]; 7. Edward Simpson [LM; 31yo; he/him]; 8. Jack Western [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 9. Ruth Milliner [RM; 23yo; she/her]; 10. Sophie Black [ST; 23yo; she/her]; 11. Brian Worth [ST; 26yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Marion Camp [47yo; she/her]: The Temple was the site of a church that got destroyed during the War of Independence; Camp is hoping that her team doesn't suffer the same fate yet again. [...]

* * * * * * * * * *
JUDGMENT DAY

RESULTS OF THE 2011 SECOND LEAGUE

▼▼ Saint Eleanor Second League 2011    Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
►►  1 Golden Unicorn                    18   15   3   0    47   19  +28    48    Promoted; Liga B Champions' Trophy 23
►►  2 Trades Unionists                  18   11   1   6    38   28  +10    34    Promotion Playoff; Liga B Champions' Trophy 23
►►  3 16th of November                  18   10   2   6    38   35   +3    32    Liga B Champions' Trophy 23
►►  4 Nova Aegis                        18    8   6   4    39   28  +11    30
►►  5 Premier Club                      18    8   3   7    50   41   +9    27
►►  6 Atlas                             18    8   2   8    19   21   −2    26
►►  7 Infrastructure                    18    5   5   8    22   34  −12    20
►►  8 Yggdrasil                         18    4   6   8    25   39  −14    18
►►  9 Lion                              18    4   2  12    31   40   −9    14
►► 10 Republicans                       18    1   2  15    24   48  −24     5    Wooden Spoon

Promotion Playoff result: Good Hope Club 2–0 Trades Unionists
(Alexandra Barrett 24, Oliver Samuels 71)

Good Hope Club remain in the First League; Trades Unionists remain in the Second League

* * * * * * * * * *

Coffee Around The Grounds with Mark Gould: Second League

Hey, guys - it's me from last time. You know the drill: I visit an independent coffee shop near the stadium that the captain loves, talk to them about their season's highlights, and then let all of you know here. In position order, I may add. Shall we?

(OOC: No, we shall not, as cutoff looms and I am prioritising my First League roleplay. I promise a full contingent of First and Second League roleplays in 2012, and will complete this particular roleplay in due course.)

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Aug 31, 2025 11:18 pm

OOC: The first part of this title is as inaccurate as it was last IFCF.

Mid-season interlude: The Charles Trump Shield of 2011

Introduction to the Charles Trump Shield
This competition was first run in 1979, but has only counted towards the Cup Winners' Cup and in part the IFCF Rising Stars Cup - hereinafter "big cups" - since 1998 (in time for the tenth IFCF cycle). It is named in honour of Colonel Charles Trump. In the autumn of 1974, during the War of Independence, Trump successfully defended the Eleanorian Academy from ground attack by Tinhamptonian forces. Although parts of the academy were destroyed in the air and Trump himself had his leg amputated, he was honourably discharged from the Army by order of President George Mitcham two days after Saint Eleanor won its independence, and successfully lobbied the government in its first years to head off freezes in the schools budget.

The Shield is contested between all 53 schools in Saint Eleanor - including the three private schools (the Girls' Preparatory, the Boys' Preparatory, and Saint Benedict's Catholic) and the six out-of-city schools (the Community Schools in Bishopgate, Crownedhead, Elsmouth, Farbend, Mount Dennis and Springfield) - along with Liberty, a team made up exclusively of the children of Eleanorian Army soldiers from various schools.

SEFA announced, in March 2009, an "informal amnesty" with the Eleanorian Sports and Cheer Coaching Alliance, who represent - among others - the 54 school team managers. The second phase of the amnesty is now in place: all teams except the quarterfinalists of 2011's CTS will enter the first round. The first round winners and the seven non-champion quarterfinalists will enter the second round. Parkside CS, as reigning champions, will enter the third round, also known as the round of sixteen. Furthermore, the draws for the first two rounds will be made in March of each year.

All games except the final (at the Nat Lib) are played over two legs, with extra time and then penalties being played in the event of both games having the same result. Away goals count double, so not all aggregate ties will result in extra time. OOCly, the Græntfjaller method of ET and PSO scorination is used - although I add the goals scored in extra time and make those count towards away goals - and home advantage applies.

In each year, Liberty and schools must only send players in Year 13, i.e. those who will turn seventeen in that year. Every player in the 2012 Charles Trump Shield was therefore born in 1995. If they win that year's Shield, they will be entered into the following year's big cups (in the unlikely event they win the Showcase too) and may enter the victorious team, who will by now be in Year 14, i.e. eighteen years old. If their Year 14s win either big cup in any year, they shall enter the team that represented them in that year's Shield (who will be Year 14s the following year) into the following year's CWC/RSC - while the now-nineteen-year-old cup winners go to a well-deserved rest, probably in the Saint Eleanor League!

Some schools serve as the youth teams for clubs in the Saint Eleanor League
IFCF Regulation 7.02 provides that the youth teams of "clubs reaching the group phase of the Champions['] League are automatically entered" into the RSC (and acknowledges the possibility that a youth champion's senior team may make the CL group stages). However, the youth teams of clubs in Saint Eleanor are often the representative teams of local schools, rather than formal wings of the clubs themselves. To that effect, and should any of these clubs ever make the CL group stages:

The youth team of Occidental Olympic is Parkside CS. Parkside District Council owns both Olympic and the Community School.
The youth team of Sword and Shield is the University College. University College is a school run by the University of Saint Eleanor, whose Board of Trustees own Sword and Shield. Contrary to what many people believe, the University is a campus university. Collegiate Community School does not exist.
The youth team of Athletic Saint Eleanor is Whitehammer CS. The Eleanorian Chamber of Commerce, which counts several hundred privately-owned businesses among its members, owns Athletic. Whitehammer District Council owns the Community School, but many members of its PE Department also work as coaches for Athletic and they have the final say over who plays for Whitehammer.
The youth team of Independence 1975 is the Eleanorian Academy. The Government runs both Independence and the Academy. Central Community School does not exist.
The youth team of Grand Beach is Grand Beach CS. Gregory Willis, the owner of Willis fried chicken restaurants, owns Grand Beach. His eldest daughter, Sophie, is the Community School's head of the English department; she selects who plays for GBCS in consultation with the PE department.
The youth team of Army and Navy is the Army School. Army School is run by the Eleanorian Army, which owns Army and Navy. Oaktree Community School does exist, but has no affiliation with the Army.
The youth team of Good Hope Club is Trident CS. The Good Hope Supporters' Trust owns Good Hope. Trident District Council owns the Community School, but has an agreement with the Supporters Trust by which the School wears GHC's colours of light blue and plays its home matches at GHC's home stadium, the Good Hope Stadium.
The youth team of Golden Unicorn is Brightway CS. Emerald, the premier fund management company in the Novalk Peninsula, owns Golden Unicorn. It also provides generous funding to Brightway's Football Academy without which their ability to send a full-strength team to the Shield would be greatly diminished.
The youth team of Nova Aegis is Bramblewood CS. Bramblewood District Council owns both Nova Aegis and the Community School.
The youth team of the Polytechnic Institute is Buckhead CS. Buckhead Community School is not actually run by the Polytechnic Institute of Saint Eleanor, which owns the club of the same name - it is, like all Community Schools, operated by the district council - but a memorandum of understanding was made with the Polytechnic in 2009, through which the Poly financially supports BCS's PE department.
The youth team of Hiyashi Celestia is Broadlands CS. The Hiyashi Corporation founded (and still owns) Celestia; they have pumped significant sums of money into the Broadlands school team since doing so. Just don't ask where it comes from. It's all perfectly legal revenue from sales and whatnot, we promise.
The youth team of Newbanks United is Newbanks CS. The practice of Newbanks United offering a contract every year to a player from the Community School has long gone, not least since the club is now owned by the Misiriyaa Football Group of Al-Tamazgha, but some of United's coaches now work as PE teachers for the School (much as they do in Whitehammer), and the presumption remains that any sufficiently good NCS player will more likely than not contract with Newbanks United should there be a need in the team.
The youth team of Premier Club is Premier CS. The school, although in possession of a football academy that is ridiculously well-funded by D. Tommy Sanford's PREMIER empire (it was his before he got busted, anyway) and indeed has direct ties to the Premier Club of the same ownership, is actually located in Premier district, which was made to specification by a group of civil engineers working on behalf of the Eleanorian Army.
The youth team of 16th of November is Holland CS. The Zoological Gardens have an arrangement with Holland District Council, which owns the Community School, that predates even the National Liberation Front; an annual school trip to the Zoo is provided for students at Holland CS, for instance.
The youth team of Atlas is Atlas CS. Atlas district, like Premier district, was built to specification (of the Kaito Corporation of Kandorith) by the Army Corps of Engineers. Kaito themselves founded the Atlas club and own it through their Eleanorian subsidiary, Kaito Limited - so, much as Hiyashi do with Broadlands, it stands to reason that they have a solid partnership with the local school.
The youth team of Infrastructure is Tannerton CS. National Electricity, affectionately known as Natelec, owns Infrastructure (in partnership with Eleanorian Water). Natelec in turn provides (relatively) generous funding and support to Tannerton's PE Department and CTS team.
The youth team of Lion is Marketplace CS. Lion was founded by Banijan immigrants to Saint Eleanor, and remains in their control, although people from across the Dockside - both Eleanorians and immigrants - are generally welcomed by the club. There is a "broad partnership" in place between Lion and the Community School through which Marketplace's players are given consideration by Lion's scouts once they come of age.
The youth team of the Republicans is Deepchester CS. The Republicans are owned by their fans via the Deepchester Community Trust, which founded the club and recruited a number of players from the local areas - some of who just happen to be disaffected, previously-unemployed artists. Among the permanent members of the DCT's board is the Community School's headteacher of the day.
The youth team of the Trades Unionists is Wellington CS. The Trades Unions Alliance owns Trades Unionists - as well as Channel 5, in partnership with the Communist Party of Saint Eleanor - and, as part of their obligations to Wellington's community (which contains a good many dockworkers, who remain reluctant to switch their support from the Good Hope Club), offers a broad spectrum of support to the Community School, both in terms of its PE Department and many other areas.
The youth team of Yggdrasil is Blackwood CS. Blackwood District Council owns both Yggdrasil and the Community School.

"CS" always stands for Community School, by far the most common name given to Eleanorian schools; this abbreviation is used throughout to comply with IFCF character limits.

If you were a serious Golden Backpack contestant and you were playing for any of the above schools, then there's a good chance that you will end up playing for the school's linked Saint Eleanor League club (especially since Juventud collapsed in 2009). Some young players do successfully angle for a move to another major club - Àlfôn Qâerês is with Sword and Shield even though he played for the Academy in 2004, for instance.

Round 1 (1/23 final)

Wellington CS 4–0 New Bayside CS
New Bayside CS 1–1 Wellington CS
Wellington CS win 5-1 on aggregate

Eleanorian Academy 2–1 Grand Beach CS
Grand Beach CS 3–1 Eleanorian Academy
Grand Beach CS win 4-3 on aggregate

Richardgate CS 3–1 Sunset Gates CS
Sunset Gates CS 0–1 Richardgate CS
Richardgate CS win 4-1 on aggregate

Oaktree CS 4–0 St Paul CS
St Paul CS 1–3 Oaktree CS
Oaktree CS win 7-1 on aggregate

Williamstown CS 3–1 Marketplace CS
Marketplace CS 0–1 Williamstown CS
Williamstown CS win 4-1 on aggregate

Goldsmiths CS 2–5 Trident CS
Trident CS 3–2 Goldsmiths CS
Trident CS win 8-4 on aggregate

Northolt CS 0–1 Farbend CS
Farbend CS 1–6 Northolt CS
Northold CS win 6-2 on aggregate

Holland CS 3–0 Airport CS
Airport CS 1–3 Holland CS
Holland CS win 6-1 on aggregate

New St Paul CS 1–0 Bramblewood CS
Bramblewood CS 1–0 New St Paul CS (2–0 AET)
Bramblewood CS win 2-1 on aggregate (after extra time)

Carpentersville CS 2–0 Bishopgate CS
Bishopgate CS 2–4 Carpentersville CS
Carpentersville CS win 6-2 on aggregate

Crownedhead CS 1–4 Silverton CS
Silverton CS 3–0 Crownedhead CS
Silverton CS win 7-1 on aggregate

Bonpool CS 2–4 Brightway CS
Brightway CS 3–0 Bonpool CS
Brightway CS win 7-2 on aggregate

New Lizard CS 1–3 Liberty
Liberty 2–2 New Lizard CS
Liberty win 5-3 on aggregate

Magna CS 1–1 Millerham CS
Millerham CS 0–2 Magna CS
Magna CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Queenston CS 3–0 Springfield CS
Springfield CS 0–1 Queenston CS
Queenston CS win 4-0 on aggregate

Blackwood CS 0–1 Jacobville CS
Jacobville CS 2–5 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS win 5-3 on aggregate

Elsmouth CS 0–1 Kelbury CS
Kelbury CS 2–1 Elsmouth CS
Kelbury CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Mount Dennis CS 0–2 Girls' Preparatory
Girls' Preparatory 3–1 Mount Dennis CS
Girls' Preparatory win 5-1 on aggregate

Saint Benedict's Catholic 1–2 University College
University College 2–1 Saint Benedict's Catholic
University College win 4-2 on aggregate

Tannerton CS 2–2 Hartridge CS
Hartridge CS 1–3 Tannerton CS
Tannerton CS win 5-3 on aggregate

Eastern Fell CS 1–2 North Seville CS
North Seville CS 2–1 Eastern Fell CS
North Seville CS win 4-2 on aggregate

Newbanks CS 5–1 St George CS
St George CS 1–1 Newbanks CS
Newbanks CS win 6-2 on aggregate

Premier CS 1–0 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS 1–0 Premier CS (1–1 AET)
Premier CS win 2-1 on aggregate (after extra time)

The lucky 23 winners in Round 1 will be joined by last year's non-champion CTS quarterfinalists - Allington CS, Army School, Atlas CS, Boys' Preparatory, Broadlands CS, Buckhead CS, and Whitehammer CS - in Round 2.

Round 2 (1/15 final)

Trident CS 0–0 Holland CS
Holland CS 2–2 Trident CS
Trident CS win 2-2 on aggregate (away goals)

Army School 1–1 Wellington CS
Wellington CS 0–3 Army School
Army School win 4-1 on aggregate

Kelbury CS 2–2 Carpentersville CS
Carpentersville CS 0–1 Kelbury CS
Kelbury CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Silverton CS 2–0 North Seville CS
North Seville CS 1–1 Silverton CS
Silverton CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Girls' Preparatory 2–3 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory 4–2 Girls' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory win 7-4 on aggregate

Liberty 0–4 Atlas CS
Atlas CS 2–1 Liberty
Atlas CS win 6-1 on aggregate

Northolt CS 1–4 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS 2–0 Northolt CS
Whitehammer CS win 6-1 on aggregate

Bramblewood CS 4–1 Williamstown CS
Williamstown CS 0–1 Bramblewood CS
Bramblewood CS win 6-1 on aggregate

Grand Beach CS 0–0 Newbanks CS
Newbanks CS 1–0 Grand Beach CS
Newbanks CS win 1-0 on aggregate

University College 1–2 Premier CS
Premier CS 1–3 University College
University College win 4-3 on aggregate

Oaktree CS 0–0 Allington CS
Allington CS 2–0 Oaktree CS
Allington CS win 2-0 on aggregate

Buckhead CS 3–2 Richardgate CS
Richardgate CS 1–3 Buckhead CS
Buckhead CS win 6-3 on aggregate

Queenston CS 0–0 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS 4–3 Queenston CS
Blackwood CS win 4-3 on aggregate

Brightway CS 0–1 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS 2–0 Brightway CS
Broadlands CS win 3-0 on aggregate

Tannerton CS 3–4 Magna CS
Magna CS 3–1 Tannerton CS
Magna CS win 7-4 on aggregate

The lucky 15 winners in Round 1 will be joined by CTS champions Parkside CS in Round 3.

Round 3 (1/8 final)

Boys' Preparatory 1–0 University College
University College 4–2 Boys' Preparatory
University College win 4-3 on aggregate

Trident CS 1–3 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS 2–0 Trident CS
Whitehammer CS win 5-1 on aggregate

Army School 5–3 Newbanks CS
Newbanks CS 4–2 Army School
Newbanks CS win 7-7 on aggregate (away goals)

Silverton CS 1–2 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS 3–0 Silverton CS
Broadlands CS win 5-1 on aggregate

Blackwood CS 2–1 Magna CS
Magna CS 2–3 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS win 5-3 on aggregate

Parkside CS 0–1 Bramblewood CS
Bramblewood CS 1–2 Parkside CS
Parkside CS win 2-2 on aggregate (away goals)

Allington CS 0–1 Atlas CS
Atlas CS 1–0 Allington CS
Atlas CS win 2-0 on aggregate

Kelbury CS 0–1 Buckhead CS
Buckhead CS 4–5 Kelbury CS
Kelbury CS win 5-5 on aggregate (away goals)

Round 4 (1/4 final)

Newbanks CS 1–2 Atlas CS
Atlas CS 6–2 Newbanks CS
Atlas CS win 8-3 on aggregate

Parkside CS 1–2 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS 1–0 Parkside CS
Blackwood CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Broadlands CS 2–1 University College
University College 0–1 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Kelbury CS 1–0 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS 1–0 Kelbury CS (2-0 AET)
Whitehammer CS win 2-1 on aggregate (after extra time)

Semifinals
Blackwood CS 1–3 Broadlands CS
[scorers coming soon!]
Broadlands CS 1–0 Blackwood CS
[Julia Smith 45+2']
Broadlands CS win 4-1 on aggregate

Whitehammer CS 4–1 Atlas CS
[scorers coming soon!]
Allington CS 0–2 Whitehammer CS
[Garry Milton 60', Amelia Wilbury 79']
Whitehammer CS win 6-1 on aggregate

THE FINAL
Broadlands CS 0–0 Whitehammer CS (0–1 AET) ~~~ at the National Liberation Arena (61,052 in attendance)
[Bill Henderson 103']

Each finalist has been entered into the 2011 Showcase. The Showcase, a twenty-two-team cup which also stars the twenty League clubs, is a desperate - and successful - attempt by the Saint Eleanor Football Association to ensure that it can enter teams into the Cup Winners' Cup without getting smacked because it attempted to enter the winners of the Charles Trump Shield.

Saint Eleanor will enter Whitehammer CS, the winners of the 2012 Charles Trump Shield, into Rising Stars Cup 24. (Their crest is depicted to the right.)

Due to time, the roster is not available yet; please contact me if you're playing Whitehammer CS at the RSC and you need it for your roleplay. However, the team is managed by Sarah Newbury [she/her] and plays in your usual 4-4-2 setup.

Whitehammer CS will play their home matches in the RSC at the Community Grounds in Whitehammer district, seated capacity 2,200. Although owned by the district council, as the school is, the Community Grounds are predominantly used by the school, and have hosted every last one of its home games - even before the War of Independence. The main, seated grandstand snakes around the corner behind the goal (where curious away fans are allotted), a particularly creative way to stop the ball from encroaching on two roads that provide easy access to the school.

Following the initial publication of this pamphlet, Athletic Saint Eleanor won the Saint Eleanor League of 2012, with Occidental Olympic in second. This means that - should the clubs reach the group stages of Champions League 20 - Whitehammer CS (crest above) and Parkside CS (crest left) will enter the group stages of Rising Stars Cup 24. Harry Salt [he/him] is happy to inform opposing managers and foreign media about the Whitehammer teamsheet should they ask for it.

Parkside CS will play their home matches in the RSC and - if needs be - CWC at Galton Park in Parkside district, seated capacity 800. Occidental Olympic, Parkside's parent club, train at the Park; a 15-minute walk from Parkside metro station, it has a relaxed and relatively quiet atmosphere, with a single uncovered stand at the wide end of the pitch. There are some minor safety concerns - the seats are prone to spontaneously breaking, as Olympic fan and Vice-President Charlotte Morgan found out to her peril in an incident that made The Reporter's front page in August 1991, while a lack of netting in any direction leads to regular lost balls - but Parkside District Council insists, again, that they are trying to "reduce wasteful expenditure" and that "this stadium, which has previously entertained audiences at the 11th Rising Stars Cup, will do so again more than a decade on."

The winner of this year's Golden Backpack is Panelavera meVatelerana, who was apparently so good that we couldn't find the time to write a description for him before cutoff loomed.

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Aug 31, 2025 11:55 pm

The Saint Eleanor First League of 2012

Incorporating post-season fun and shenanigans for all the family: The 2012 Showcase

In 1998, Charles Trump Shield winners University College were barred from the Cup Winners' Cup due to the nature of the Shield. Coincidentally, 1998 was also the year that the Saint Eleanor League expanded to twelve clubs - although this was admittedly a few months and technically a year later. So what better to do than take each year's Shield semifinalists, force them to play against the League clubs (actually, it's the President doing the forcing), and call it a fair, competitive, character-building tournament which just so happens to be good for one Cup Winners' Cup entry?

With the recent expansion of the League system to twenty teams, the decision was made in 2010 to limit entry to the two finalists - after all, three of the five youth teams ever to execute a Showcase win up to that date (and the only youth team to win two games) had made the final. To be sure, adding two random amateur clubs instead would have made it a closer approximation of the national game's overall quality. But then it wouldn't be The Showcase of the best, brightest, and sometimes most deeply confused that Saint Eleanor has to offer.

Showcase Palmares
Athletic Saint Eleanor: 4 (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011)
Independence 1975: 3 (2002, 2003, 2004)
Hiyashi Celestia: 3 (1999, 2000, 2005)
Occidental Olympic: 1 (2001, 2010)
Nova Aegis: 1 (2009)

Also incorporating a blink-and-you-miss-it review of 2012's IFCF proceedings, the 23rd of their kind

Preview of the League sides (by Jamie Rodgers of SESB)

Legend: 99. {all eligible NT flags, if non-EXT; see below} Player McPlayerface [WINNER AS PLAYER: WORLD CUP 1000000, CUP OF HARMONY 1000000, BAPTISM OF FIRE 1000000; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE/UICA CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, IFCF CHALLENGERS' CUP/UICA GLOBE CUP 1000000, IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 1000000, IFCF LIGA B CHAMPIONS' TROPHY/UICA SERIES B CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, CUP WINNERS' CUP 1000000] [WINNER AS MANAGER: AS BEFORE] [CAPTAIN] [POS; species; Army rank; 9001yo; pro/nouns].

Other notes:

Teams are in descending order of 2011 First League finish.
Starting lineups go from 1 to 11; substitutes wear 12 to 18. Lineups are good for the 23rd IFCF cycle.
Ages given reflect how old the Eleanorians will be at the end of 2012, and how old the foreigners were when we last checked.
Underlined single nationals play for the national team they are eligible for as of the start of 2012. Underlined dual nationals play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name as of that date.
Everyone is a human, and from Saint Eleanor, unless otherwise stated.
See a player without a like-for-like substitute? Subs listed as playing on one side of the pitch usually have no qualms with playing on the other as necessary.
The same "Important OOC notes about the Laws of the Game as they are applied in Saint Eleanor" as here apply.
For my sanity's sake, I'm not going to reproduce 2012's list of dates here. I really need to get around to producing it, though...

Athletic Saint Eleanor - "Athletic;" "The Reds" - the club of the business owners

Home stadium: Northwest Road, Whitehammer district (capacity 53,174)
Starting lineup (preferred formation 4-1-3-2): 1. + Kirsti Sundgren [GK; 27yo; she/her]; 2. Elissa Curry [LB; 32yo; she/her]; 3. Naresmet taFrexala [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [RB; 36yo; he/him]; 4. Bridget Coombe [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CDM; 37yo; she/her]; 5. + Lydia VIckers [CB; 25yo; she/her]; 6. Esther Launceston [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CB; 31yo; she/her]; 7. Graham Lawson [LM; 32yo; he/him]; 8. Sylvia Hollenberg [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE 20] [CM; 31yo; she/her]; 9. Nightingale [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE 6] [CAPTAIN] [ST; pegasus; 37yo; she/her]; 10. Tim Driver [ST; 31yo; he/him]; 11. Wasemprela Sareleva [RM; 31yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Harry Mitchell [GK; 22yo; he/him]; 13. Ben McDougall [CB; 26yo; he/him]; 14. Natasha Rhodes [CM; 22yo; she/her]; 15. Liam Johnson [RM; 19yo; he/him]; 16. Phil Parris [ST; 27yo; he/him]; 17. James Johnson [LB; 24yo; he/him]; 18. Charles Brewer [CM; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Yelto-Aflan Ono [50yo; they/them]: We are once again in the middle of a cycle where no international signings were made - more about the one international sale later - but this has not deterred Athletic's resident tinkerperson from preparing for a bigger shakeup in the club. Captain and cult hero Nightingale has finally confirmed her retirement at the end of the season, and while Parris appears more than willing to take command, new signings cannot exactly be ruled out. Coombe and Hollenberg, although approaching their own final years, are not quite at the point of giving up and should provide consistent defensive performances and high-quality transitions across the field for a while yet. A serious case can now be made that Vickers is the de-facto leader of the defensive line nowadays, although this might only mean a slightly more conservative tone for the time being. On the flip side, there have been complaints that the team's relative weaknesses out wide, not as intentional as Occidental Olympic's were back in the day, have not yet been resolved - taFrexala is on his last legs too; Johnson might need a bit more game time - and this may well hurt their charge for a third consecutive title.

Hiyashi Celestia - "Celestia;" "The Angels" - the club of Northern Saint Eleanor's working class (especially Hiyashi's employees in Broadlands)

Home stadium: Celestial Stadium, Broadlands district (capacity 36,645)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Shojiro Ito [GK; 31yo; he/him]; 2. Edward Ruthan [LB; 24yo; he/him]; 3. Sarah Parton [CB; 32yo; she/her]; 4. Isi Šasawić [CB; 33yo; he/him]; 5. Caradoc Anghoill [RB; 32yo; he/him]; 6. Nobusuke Kuronuma [CAPTAIN] [CM; 34yo; he/him]; 7. Joe Galbraith [LM; 36yo; he/him]; 8. Maria Morgan [CM; 26yo; she/her]; 9. Rick Goldsmith [ST; 32yo; he/him]; 10. Takeshi Honda [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 11. James Heath [RM; 25yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Josh Baines [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. Nigel Vincent [CB; 25yo; he/him]; 14. Alex Lander [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 15. Adam Gordon [LB; 19yo; he/him]; 16. Bill Simpson [LM; 27yo; he/him]; 17. Terry Baker [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 18. Bill Wood [ST; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Rachel Schanke [49yo; she/her]: 2011 was very much "mission accomplished" for Celestia, as they secured their first Champions League finish in a decade despite coming nowhere near the title. This is once again a team with little to fault, other than its continued reluctance to actually engage in any transfer window business; the Kandorese players, despite having long crossed thirty, are all still more than good enough at this level; the other foreigners are serviceable if not iconic, even now that Morlock has retired; Galbraith, Morgan and Goldsmith have most certainly still got it and no serious conclusion can be drawn other than that this is a team that is once again equipped to challenge for the title, even if it might not necessarily win it. Gordon, the only new face, is not an especially remarkable one.

Independence 1975 - "Indy;" "The Liberators" - the club of the (civilian) government and the Eleanorian masses

Home stadium: The National Liberation Arena, Central district (capacity 68,184)
Starting lineup (preferred formation 4-2-3-1): 1. Robby Ellis [GK; 28yo; he/him]; 2. Cathy Winchester [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [LB; 34yo; she/her]; 3. Joe Willis [RB; 25yo; he/him]; 4. + Layla Grover [CDM; 32yo; she/her]; 5. Katy Wilson [CB; 28yo; she/her]; 6. Matt Morrison [CB; 25yo; he/him]; 7. Elizabeth Wootton [LM; 19yo; she/her]; 8. + Kichirō Matsuda [CDM; Wunderbar; 28yo; he/him]; 9. Ian Marks [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 10. Kavezalea Felaraneta [CAM; 28yo; he/him]; 11. Gary Morgan [RM; 29yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Lisa Dobson [GK; 23yo; she/her]; 13. Matthew Edwards [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. Lucy Hendricks [RB; 22yo; she/her]; 15. Jon Harp [LM; 32yo; he/him]; 16. Adam Tarrant [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 17. John Garrett [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. Angela Spooner [RM; 24yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Lydia Sharp [57yo; she/her]: Indy may have underwhelmed slightly, but they will be hoping - perhaps in vain, perhaps not - that Athletic's collapse is impendent as well; the big two sides have shared every title since Celestia won at the turn of the millennium. Wootton is one of few new faces to emerge from the Charles Trump Shield's Class of 2010, and surely an exciting one given how early she has been inserted into the starting lineup in place of the longstanding Newcastle. Marks has done well for himself given the circumstances, and it should take one more good season to put his place beyond much reasonable doubt. The defensive lineup more generally - Ellis in goal, Wilson and Morrison in defence, Matsuda and Grover in midfield - is objectively among the best in the business and should keep the club afloat, even if it does not quite gain what it is hoping for.

Sword and Shield - "Arsenal;" "The Collegiates" - the club of the University

Home stadium: University Grounds, Collegiate district (capacity 35,174)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-2-1-3): 1. Michael Hall [GK; 34yo; he/him]; 2. Gordon Pratt [LB; 31yo; he/him]; 3. Christine Terrence [CB; 33yo; she/her]; 4. John Alexander [CB; 27yo; he/him]; 5. Eloise Vincent [RB; 21yo; she/her]; 6. Joe Watts [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 7. Naclé Öhân [LM; 24yo; he/him]; 8. Lucas Barrow [CM; 31yo; he/him]; 9. Olympia Woodward [CAPTAIN] [ST; 23yo; she/her]; 10. Rosa Strong [CAM; 24yo; she/her]; 11. Luke Barring [RM; 29yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Àlfôn Qâerês [LM; 25yo; he/him]; 13. Ed Jackson [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 14. Rebecca Daniels [CB; 23yo; she/her]; 15. Bella Gray [RB; 32yo; she/her]; 16. Pakelana Vezara [CM; 24yo; he/him]; 17. Sophia McDonald [RM; 19yo; she/her]; 18. Alexandra Marcus [ST; 31yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Emma Steele [51yo; she/her]: Captain Hugh Roanoke's retirement almost-but-not-quite marks all change at Arsenal, where superstriker Olympia Woodward has been appointed the captain - not quite anointed, as the long-time favourite Christine Terrence (still one of the better centrebacks in a league packed with high-quality defenders) took some time to decide on her deferral. Luke Barring, while a good winger in his own right, may as well be an interim solution in this context, especially with Öhân as fabulous as ever - but, on the other hand, the fact that Watts remains the strongest non-household-name in the squad is probably an indication that the side will either have to break the habit of a lifetime in the coming years or risk further peril.

Occidental Olympic - "Olympic;" "The Westerners" - the club of western and north-western Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Parkside Stadium, Parkside district (capacity 26,285)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2 diamond): 1. Arielle Richardson [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [GK; 31yo; she/her]; 2. Rachel Curran [LB; 30yo; she/her]; 3. Lynul-Sevet Pul [RB; 31yo; they/them]; 4. Diana Gray [CB; 22yo; she/her]; 5. Mike Pringle [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 6. Glenn French [CDM; 30yo; he/him]; 7. Lily Emmerson [LM; 26yo; she/her]; 8. Brian Hurd [RM; 26yo; he/him]; 9. David Key [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 10. Steve Pilchard [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CAM; 35yo; he/him]; 11. Esther Vaughan [ST; 24yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. David Johnson [GK; 29yo; he/him]; 13. Jack Owen [LB; 29yo; he/him]; 14. Stephen Walker [CB; 19yo; he/him]; 15. Andrew Card [CDM; 27yo; he/him]; 16. Heather Blake [CAM; 30yo; she/her]; 17. Ella Pinkman [RM; 23yo; she/her]; 18. Adam Wilson [ST; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: George Dunbar [53yo; he/him]: While last year was a relatively underwhelming one, Kieran Hyatt's long-overdue sale (to Bavingtor FC) was a relatively big move last winter, and - given the space that has now been opened up for Diana Gray, said to be fairly conservative if not particularly aggressive, appears to show a similarly-pregnant, if limited, recommitment to youth on Dunbar's part. This is seen by other journalists - even those not exactly partial to the Westerners - as perhaps their best since the departure of Coombe and Denby, thanks both to the fall of Indy and the increasing experience of the squad. Richardson is still one of the best goalkeepers in the league, if not necessarily the best to be eligible for the White Stars now that Kirsti Sundgren has her passport; Key and Pilchard remain inseparable as ever, while Vaughan has more than proven to make the difference in a couple of games and should carry on like this for a while; and French has in no way dipped in quality, unlike so many others in the league, being ably supported by both his wingers (something we rarely say of a holding midfielder) and the four behind him, even if Gray is obviously untested.

Grand Beach - "The Dolphins" - the club of coastal Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Albion Road, Grand Beach district (capacity 24,815)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Volnavera xaParelanara [GK; 32yo; she/her]; 2. Christina Fulton [LB; 34yo; she/her]; 3. James Benson [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 4. Gary Milton [CM; 32yo; he/him]; 5. Sam Newbridge [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CB; 38yo; he/him]; 6. Owen Cartwright [RB; 25yo; he/him]; 7. Jack Brewer [LM; 25yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Coulter [CM; 25yo; she/her]; 9. Samuel Wright [ST; 22yo; he/him]; 10. Michelle Tallard [ST; 29yo; she/her]; 11. Tim Brandon [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [RM; 36yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Anthony George [GK; 22yo; he/him]; 13. Richard Booth [RB; 24yo; he/him]; 14. Bill Kendall [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 15. Olivia Herbert [LB; 26yo; she/her]; 16. Blake Spencer [RM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. Sara Halbrook [ST; 34yo; she/her]; 18. Adam Charles [CM; 25yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Nathaniel Jenkins [57yo; he/him]: As always, while Newbridge remains reluctant to accept reality, Brandon is willing to face it head-on, announcing that this will be his last season before he passes the torch to the promising, if not quite as fast, Blake Spencer. This is a high-quality, effective team of players which have otherwise not quite reached their peak potential yet; Wright is proving himself to be as good a striker as people had hoped a couple of years ago, if one who the spotlight has managed to avoid, while Coulter is an impactful, versatile midfielder in a team that has traditionally been slightly more conservative. The real fulcrum of the defence now will be Fulton, barely less experienced than Newbridge yet able to bridge the gap between the old and new generations, and between the defence and the midfield if she's required.

Army and Navy - "The Soldiers" - the club of the Eleanorian Army (which all players are members of)

Home stadium: New Barracks, Oaktree district (capacity 32,200)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Rose Carter [GK; Lance-Corporal; 29yo; she/her]; 2. Kevin Bryson [LB; Lance-Corporal; 28yo; he/him]; 3. Victor Bone [RB; Private; 34yo; he/him]; 4. David Green [CM; Private; 30yo; he/him]; 5. Katrina Shelby [CB; Private; 20yo; she/her]; 6. Denise Livingston [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CB; Sergeant; 31yo; she/her]; 7. Mark Gould [LM; Private; 31yo; he/him]; 8. James Walter [CM; Lance-Corporal; 29yo; he/him]; 9. Isabella Bright [ST; Private; 23yo; she/her]; 10. George Murson [ST; Lance-Corporal; 26yo; he/him]; 11. Sarah Wallace [RM; Private; 30yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Nathan Smith [GK; Private; 26yo; he/him]; 13. Jack Murphy [CB; Private; 23yo; he/him]; 14. Angela George [LB; Private; 22yo; she/her]; 15. Olivia Silver [CM; Lance-Corporal; 27yo; she/her]; 16. Johanna Spencer [ST; Private; 24yo; she/her]; 17. Natalie Evans [RM; Private; 25yo; she/her]; 18. David Porter [RM; Private; 22yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Luke McCarthy [53yo; Colonel; he/him]: 2012 is a year of incremental improvements for the entire league, and Army are no exceptions to the rule this year as they have finally seen fit to contract moderate defender Katrina Shelby from the Army Leagues, who will surely forge a reasonably good partnership with captain Livingston. Bone's place is not exactly secure either, given his age, but he is a good player and one would trust that Angela George will be a capable steed. Bright remains the star striker, if not the star player other than Livingston, but she is still complaining about the team's lack of attacking drive, and we can only go so far as to say that the attacking and midfield players are good - hardly commendable or exceptional, yet good enough to guarantee another solid year for the team.

Polytechnic Institute - "The Poly" - the club of the Polytechnic

Home stadium: Polytechnic Sports Centre, Buckhead district (capacity 6,088)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Ian Black [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 2. Madeleine Charlton [RB; 19yo; she/her]; 3. Lily Bruton [CB; 22yo; she/her]; 4. Edward Broad [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 5. Chloe Roland [LB; 23yo; she/her]; 6. James Salt [CM; 22yo; he/him]; 7. Michelle Addison [CAPTAIN] [RM; 23yo; she/her]; 8. Gisken Aldra [CM; 22yo; they/them]; 9. Beatrix Hillman-Tower [ST; 22yo; she/her]; 10. Lydia Falconer [ST; 20yo; she/her]; 11. Alan Brinkley [LM; 23yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. David Tanner [GK; 22yo; he/him]; 13. Nate George [RB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. Michael Gordon [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. Leah Conroy [RM; 23yo; she/her]; 16. Charles McDonald [LM; 22yo; he/him]; 17. Êber Tóxo [ST; 22yo; he/him]; 18. Emily Anderton [CM; 22yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Justin Roland [35yo; he/him]: Adamson, surely unwilling to start going on blood pressure medication, has handed over the reins to the more willing - perhaps even capable - Roland, who starts this year with limited change but has committed to finding reinforcements in a post-Slabinac world. Gisken Aldra, now the sole foreigner in the squad (and the sole non-binary player in the league pyramid), has continued to impress and, together with their fellow guardians of attacking competence Addison, Hillman-Tower and Falconer, is not exactly likely to offend anyone other than the social conservatives they are already offending anyway. At the back, Madeleine Charlton is grabbed from the triumphant Liberty squad of 2010 to short up the defence a bit, a task that will surely be more and more essential of her as Edward Broad starts to age out and the substitutes' bench becomes endangered in the next couple of years.

Good Hope Club - "The Seasiders" - the club of the dockworkers

Home stadium: The Good Hope Stadium, Trident district (capacity 22,174)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-5-1): 1. Hannah Downing [GK; 34yo; she/her]; 2. Tina Falconer [LB; 30yo; she/her]; 3. Keith Barnett [RB; 24yo; he/him]; 4. Yusuf Sofyan [CB; 27yo; he/him]; 5. Carrie Holliday [CM; 30yo; she/her]; 6. Steve Harbrough [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 7. Aaron Burrow [LM; 30yo; he/him]; 8. Owen Blackwater [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 9. Alexandra Barrett [RM; 28yo; she/her]; 10. Naferala paVepexala [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 11. Amanda Cleveland [CAPTAIN] [ST; 30yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Darren Barker [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 13. George Anderson [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. Kathy White [CB; 21yo; she/her]; 15. Rachel McEwan [RM; 23yo; she/her]; 16. Katie Phillips [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 17. Terry Smith [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 18. Oliver Samuels [ST; 25yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Mary Kirkport [51yo; she/her]: The Good Hope Club remains remarkably unremarkable as we head into the new season; it has neither the controversies nor, these days, the personalities of their rivals over at Grand Beach. As I predicted last year, Falconer and Sofyan are at the heart of this defence, and surely would be at most other clubs, being relatively attack-minded influences who nevertheless know when and how to clear the ball up. There is still little to shout about in midfield, but this is not to refer to it as ineffective, given that Blackwater has more than made his mark given the circumstances and Barrett has proven to be such a good wide midfielder that she has been noticed neither by many defenders nor by many journalists. Cleveland is the star striker as always, but might be getting a bit bored of everything.

Golden Unicorn - "The Unicorn" - the club of northern Saint Eleanor city's middle-class (and the odd aesthete or two)

Home stadium: Dignity Cross, Brightway district (capacity 27,587)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-1-1): 1. Georgia Wood [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [GK; 40yo; she/her]; 2. Gavin Laker [LB; 30yo; he/him]; 3. Keith Bartlett [RB; 28yo; he/him]; 4. Samuel Lewis [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 5. Aaron Francis [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CB; 36yo; he/him]; 6. Ganelarana paValetara [CB; 28yo; she/her]; 7. Peter Walker [LM; 26yo; he/him]; 8. Natalie Monaco [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAM; 36yo; she/her]; 9. + Jaclyn Foley [ST; 31yo; she/her]; 10. Wanar-Xalan Tla [CM; 31yo; they/them]; 11. Gionata Mariani [RM; 31yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Katie Masterson [GK; 25yo; she/her]; 13. Michael Burns [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. Daniel Bennett [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. Alisha Peters [RB; 24yo; she/her]; 16. Natasha Wallis [CM; 27yo; she/her]; 17. James Wallace [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 18. Parecava gaExhecela [ST; 27yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Justin Wood [54yo; he/him]: This team is, more or less, the same team that won immediate promotion back from the Second League, especially now that Mariani has recommitted to his second season at the club. However, with Wood likely to hang up her cap, the Macbonian's cuture uncertain, and Monaco and Francis racing into the end of their careers, prosperity for this club might be more of a dream in the longer run unless surprising things happen. Foley is surely the one player in the squad who is likely to stay on for good, especially as she - like her compatriots - have emerged from the end of the tunnel with Eleanorian dual citizenship, and she remains by far the most obvious star player in a team that used to have no shortage of them. Bartlett, Lewis and Wanar-Xalan are all good players in their positions, but one must ask if they are really of the quality to be challenging for a miraculous first title in thirty-five years.

List of SEL winners

Athletic Saint Eleanor: 14
(1975 trial season, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011)

Independence 1975: 13
(1976, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009)

Army and Navy: 4
(1981, 1982, 1985, 1990)

Sword and Shield: 3
(1977, 1989, 1993)

Golden Unicorn: 1
(1987)

Occidental Olympic: 1
(1998)

Hiyashi Celestia: 1
(2000)

* * * * * * * * * *
JUDGMENT DAY

RESULTS OF THE 2012 FIRST LEAGUE

▼▼ Saint Eleanor First League 2012     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
►►  1 Athletic Saint Eleanor            18   11   2   5    29   21   +8    35    Champions' League 24
►►  2 Occidental Olympic                18   10   2   6    35   26   +9    32    Champions' League 24
►►  3 Independence 1975                 18    9   3   6    27   21   +6    30    Challengers' Cup 24
►►  4 Hiyashi Celestia                  18    8   4   6    31   24   +7    28    Challengers' Cup 24
►►  5 Golden Unicorn                    18    7   4   7    25   24   +1    25    Challengers' Cup 24
►►  6 Good Hope Club                    18    7   3   8    25   26   −1    24
►►  7 Sword and Shield                  18    7   2   9    35   34   +1    23    Cygnus Cup 72
►►  8 Polytechnic Institute             18    6   3   9    26   39  −13    21
►►  9 Army and Navy                     18    5   4   9    17   22   −5    19    Promotion Playoff
►► 10 Grand Beach                       18    5   3  10    23   36  −13    18    Relegated

Note 1: Army and Navy won the Promotion Playoff
Note 2: Hiyashi Celestia won the 13th IFCF Associations Trophy. Congratulations to everyone at the club on the association's first IFCF title!

⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐

ATHLETIC SAINT ELEANOR - WINNERS OF THE 2012 SHOWCASE
ELEANORIAN ENTRANTS INTO CUP WINNERS' CUP 72

1. Michael Hall [he/him]
2. Gordon Pratt [he/him]
3. Christine Terrence [she/her]
4. John Alexander [he/him]
5. Eloise Vincent [she/her]
6. Joe Watts [he/him]
7. Hugh Roanoke [he/him]
8. Lucas Barrow [he/him]
9. Olympia Woodward [she/her]
10. Rosa Strong [she/her]
11. Naclé Öhân [he/him]
12. Àlfôn Qâerês [he/him]
13. Ed Jackson [he/him]
14. Rebecca Daniels [she/her]
15. Bella Gray [she/her]
16. Pakelana Vezara [he/him]
17. Luke Barring [he/him]
18. Alexandra Marcus [she/her]

Manager: Emma Steele [she/her]

RESULTS OF THE 2012 SHOWCASE

First Round
Yggdrasil 5–2 Whitehammer CS (Athletic youth team)
Newbanks United 3–0 16th of November
Nova Aegis 1–0 Trades Unionists
Infrastructure 2–2 Republicans (2–4 AET)
Lion 3–1 Premier Club
Golden Unicorn 2–1 Broadlands CS (Celestia youth team)

Round of Sixteen
Sword and Shield 5–4 Occidental Olympic
Yggdrasil 0–1 Grand Beach
Army and Navy 1–3 Good Hope Club
Polytechnic Institute 1–1 Nova Aegis (1–2 AET)
Lion 1–3 Atlas
Independence 1975 3–2 Republicans
Golden Unicorn 2–4 Hiyashi Celestia
Newbanks United 1–3 Athletic Saint Eleanor

Quarterfinals
Sword and Shield 5–2 Atlas
Athletic Saint Eleanor 1–3 Hiyashi Celestia
Good Hope Club 0–4 Independence 1975
Grand Beach 1–1 Nova Aegis (2–1 AET)

Semifinals
Hiyashi Celestia 1–2 Sword and Shield
Grand Beach 0–2 Independence 1975

THE FINAL
Sword and Shield 3–2 Independence 1975

* * * * * * * * * *

Brian Wood: The First League Roundtable (published in The Advertiser, 23-Nov-2012)
(with OOC apologies to The Hollywood Reporter)

This was, by any measure, an exceptional season of football - and one that my fellow football journalists, around the world and at all levels, have already done more than enough justice to. What I was really interested in was hearing what the players themselves thought about the season - especially those who might not necessarily be at the centre of attention. I brought together ten volunteering players from across the ten clubs in this season's competition to argue not only about football, but about anything that may be tangential to it. Let's see what they had to say...

We're a few weeks removed from Hiyashi Celestia having won the Associations Trophy, Saint Eleanor's first ever international club title. How are you all feeling about this?

JOE GALBRAITH (CELESTIA): I don't think we were disappointed at all, to be honest. Would we have preferred to stay up a level or two? I'd say so, but there's a certain amount of risk and reward that goes into these things and we were always - always - bold enough when it counted. There were definitely a couple of nailbiters once we dropped down to the Trophy, but then we had more than enough room for a lot of good times towards the end of it all.

SAMUEL LEWIS (UNICORN): I don't think they were as good as our times.

GALBRAITH: You lost your final. We won our final. It's that simple.

LEWIS: We beat SC Rinaldi and, unlike a certain other team in the league setup, Half Boy twice over. You can't ask for better than that.

KIRSTI SUNDGREN (ATHLETIC): You absolutely can. We defeated Teussen Stelburg.

GALBRAITH: And that was the only team you defeated, all season. The other ones being little Silverwood and, very Phyrrically, Myana at home in the first ninety minutes of the second leg of the Cup Winners' Cup. You lost the final of that tournament twice. We won the final of this one. We beat the mighty Chromatik this season. We also beat the mighty Herzegovina City in 2003. Rachel Schanke always - always - delivers.

Was this bigger for Rachel than the hat-trick against Nephara?

GALBRAITH: Not quite. Almost - so very nearly - and I would never presume, so I asked. She's not quite convinced by the case yet, although a couple of my teammates are. No naming names.

JACK BREWER (GRAND BEACH): Yeah, she would have had to win the Champions League for that.

GALBRAITH: Not this time. We are back in the C-H-C and we will be looking to put on yet another good show. We are, I can assure you, the best team in the League.

SUNDGREN: You are objectively not.

KEITH BARNETT (GOOD HOPE): Ooooohhhhhhh!

BEATRIX HILLMAN-TOWER (POLYTECHNIC): Don't be immature. We have a discussion to be getting on with.

BARNETT: You think we're having a discussion?

HILLMAN-TOWER: Well, the discussion is about someone else.

Let's move the conversation back to you lot. Beatrix, this was yet another gravity-defying season for the Polytechnic, as they finished above the relegation playoff spot in ninth. How do you feel about this?

HILLMAN-TOWER: It could have been a lot better, as well. We were in the top half for... I want to say two-thirds of this season. I'd wish to not have such a difficult lead-out, but all of the games are difficult at this level. I would love IFCF football one day, even if I'll have been gone by then; that would demonstrate the complete success of the project. Certainly whatever Slabinac was getting up to in his year with us wasn't exactly worth the price of admission!

DAVID GREEN (ARMY AND NAVY): It would have been for us.

HILLMAN-TOWER: Saint Eleanor once again proving itself to be the most sarcastic nation in the sporting world.

SUNDGREN: Other than Norrhem. Possibly.

IAN MARKS (INDEPENDENCE): Well done, Beatrix; you were worthier enemies than we thought.

HILLMAN-TOWER: You absolutely have fought worthier enemies. We're just a loosely-organised passion project.

JOHN ALEXANDER (ARSENAL): It was an honour and a pleasure to be competitive this season. Maybe not as competitive as we'd have liked.

John, Sword and Shield quite possibly only stayed up thanks to your cross-collegiate rivals. You defeated them on the penultimate day, before which you were level on twenty points each, and - despite your defeat to Independence - they drew with Army and Navy to condemn them to the relegation playoff instead. Do you have any thoughts on this?

ALEXANDER: Not really, but we should have been better on this particular occasion. We have the quality. At least we won the cup, so I'm not complaining about that, although Indy obviously aren't what they used to be.

BREWER: You look at the facts and figures - we play you twice, you beat us twice. That's 23 points to 18. If you reverse the scorelines, we're staying up, you're going down.

ALEXANDER: So far as I can tell, that's not happened in recent times.

LILY EMMERSON (OLYMPIC): We would have won the league had we beaten Athletic in the first instance instead of drawing with them.

MARKS: That should have happened. It would have been better for my sanity.

EMMERSON: I think Olympic getting relegated would be pretty fun. Would we win? Quite possibly, although if we're in that situation, who knows if we're in Newbanks' position or not? But then we'd get to visit some nice little grounds, surprise people, get a bit more time to ourselves... Arielle's played in a second division before so she definitely wouldn't mind the experience. I wouldn't. People don't tend to leave relegated clubs, although the sample size is two.

GREEN: What is it with the water at your club that makes you lot hopeless romantics?

EMMERSON: Ask me later. We're on the other side of the city right now.

Lily, Occidental Olympic did in reality do rather well for itself, as you've said. How do you feel about placing so high up in the league after so long away from these echelons?

EMMERSON: Losing immediately in the IFCF never bodes well, although that's to be expected for us in the post-Coombe era and the youth team ended up making the Rising Stars Cup final. For some reason, the Eleanorians have an awful habit of losing IFCF finals, although Sylvia didn't. On the other hand, we crashed out early, Athletic crashed out a bit early and we were the two best teams in the league this season. Not by far and away, as we're entering a multipolar world, so to speak.

BREWER: We're not normally part of the pie. I'm thinking it's going to be you, Celestia, Indy lurking in the background, and Athletic for a few years until it comes crumbling down. But maybe you've got some good prospects coming up ahead like we do; I don't know your circumstances.

GREEN: If we aren't signing, and this goes for all of us, then we need to look at the youth pipelines and not a lot of that's been happening as of late. I've been telling the boss for ages to carry on looking at the Army Leagues. He's very reluctant to do so, on a good day. We function a bit differently, as you all know. This is the one part of the country that deserves a military coup. We could use the Marines now that they're fully functioning.

LEWIS: My brother's in the Marines. It didn't do him much harm. We could do with a bit more law and order, to be honest. The Eleanorians are more or less getting slowly wiped out from this country and we don't have enough control over our borders.

EMMERSON: No, that's not correct. Not even close. This country is 18% black, so you'd expect there to be roughly three black players per team, four or five on the national team, all else being equal. The count on the elite level is something like 4%. I'll accept that black people, national minorities, people who don't speak Terranean as well, and other such folk are doing more menial jobs while the posher, more middle-class people - like me - have enough time to play football. But seriously, people still think of us of an all-white nation when we're barely 80% white! That's a stereotype, not a statement of fact! Nobody is getting "wiped out from this country!"

SUNDGREN: I became an Eleanorian a few months ago. So are all the people you're talking about, Sir. Don't complain about me unless you want to complain about my football, as well. I admit that my language, perhaps my outfit could do with some work, however.

HILLMAN-TOWER: I mean, the last guy I dated was a black Muslim. Make of that what you will.

BARNETT: He knows ball.

HILLMAN-TOWER: I know, right? He was a little bit firm in his religion while I'm just another atheist who never really believed in much to begin with, but we were definitely bonding more over football than anything else. I'm not sure who he's with right now, but I still have his number. It's pretty rare that you see interracial dating in Saint Eleanor; it's taken for granted that people will keep to themselves.

BARNETT: This is, far and away, the most diverse part of the country. I'm proud of that fact - really, really proud. It comes with the territory, with the workers' solidarity, that kind of thing. Bea probably wouldn't have gotten a hookup if she was at the Uni.

Keith, away from politics, do you agree that Good Hope Club had the most unremarkable season of any of the clubs in the league?

BARNETT: In the first division, yes. Overall, I'm really not sure. But all season, we were neither here nor there. That's apparently good enough, as we don't regularly target IFCF football - it's more the case that we want to avoid relegation, which I'm especially glad we did this year. Everyone keeps talking about the need for new signings, but on our current trajectory, that might objectively not be the case for us.

GALBRAITH: I do think it's important that you get working on the transfers anyway. You never know what could happen in the future, who you might play against, or how cut-throat life might be after the duopoly.

BARNETT: Maybe you should ask your manager that.

GALBRAITH: I don't need to. You can tell that our team's been working well.

SUNDGREN: If we didn't make signings, we'd be losing the league title every year. What horrors.

Kirsti, I'd once again like to ask you to return to reality. This was your third consecutive league title, matched only by last decade's Athletic and the 1990s' Independence. Can you keep this going and potentially secure a record fourth league title?

SUNDGREN: Yes. We should have won in 2008, but there was very famously a lot of cheating going on during the Derby.

MARKS: This matter was reviewed by SEFA. They found no wrongdoing on anyone's part whatsoever, and did so very, very promptly. You should not be repeating these kind of lies about us.

SUNDGREN: The eyes see what the fingers cannot.

MARKS: SEFA is a credible, independent body. They are not an arm of our football club.

BREWER: Good God, do I miss my childhood days, when all of this drama was about what actually happened on the field rather than namecalling and mudslinging. If you carry on like this, there won't be a Grand Derby to speak of.

MARKS: As I've said, we are a good team and we can win the title just as well as Athletic can - or Celestia, or Olympic, or whoever the Army and Navy have cooking up for us now that they're not getting relegated. Unlike you.

Ian, this was yet another third-place finish for Independence. It's clear that you've not quite recovered from the retirement of Dortmün Çídh. What kind of plan does Lydia Sharp have in place to make the team competitive again?

MARKS: We're already competitive. What matters is that we aren't pushing ourselves hard enough. This might have been tolerable in my dad's day when the Army and Navy were our main competition. They're not now that we have IFCF football and all that jazz to think about.

LEWIS: Well done on making the knockout stages of the IFCF. I know that there were a couple of teams that struggled with that.

EMMERSON: Shut up!

LEWIS: That was a point of information. Do you have a point of order or are you going to attack me for being racist again?

EMMERSON: If I'm being honest, you're a nice person who simply has a couple of not-very-nice opinions.

ALEXANDER: What's your opinion about me, Lily?

EMMERSON: It's positive, because you haven't been particularly naughty. I like that you've kept quiet; we're a nation of introverts.

SUNDGREN: Can we please stop complaining and start getting on with each other? At this rate, there won't be a roundtable left to speak of.

MARKS: This is the Saint Eleanor League. There's no getting on at this level.

SUNDGREN: Maybe I should have sent Bridget here instead. She likes everyone.

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Aug 31, 2025 11:56 pm

OOC note: Some rosters do not have named substitutes. Please be assured that these substitutes do, in fact, exist and that I was just mindful of cutoff.

The Saint Eleanor Second League of 2012

Preview of the League sides (by Jamie Rodgers of SESB)

Legend: 99. {all eligible NT flags, if non-EXT; see below} Player McPlayerface [WINNER AS PLAYER: WORLD CUP 1000000, CUP OF HARMONY 1000000, BAPTISM OF FIRE 1000000; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE/UICA CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, IFCF CHALLENGERS' CUP/UICA GLOBE CUP 1000000, IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 1000000, IFCF LIGA B CHAMPIONS' TROPHY/UICA SERIES B CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, CUP WINNERS' CUP 1000000] [WINNER AS MANAGER: AS BEFORE] [CAPTAIN] [POS; species; Army rank; 9001yo; pro/nouns].

Other notes:

Teams are in descending order of 2011 Second League finish.
Starting lineups go from 1 to 11; substitutes wear 12 to 18. Lineups are good for the 22nd IFCF cycle.
Ages given reflect how old the Eleanorians will be at the end of 2012, and how old the foreigners were when we last checked.
Underlined single nationals play for the national team they are eligible for as of the start of 2012. Underlined dual nationals play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name as of that date.
Everyone is a human, and from Saint Eleanor, unless otherwise stated.
See a player without a like-for-like substitute? Subs listed as playing on one side of the pitch usually have no qualms with playing on the other as necessary.
The same "Important OOC notes about the Laws of the Game as they are applied in Saint Eleanor" as here apply.

Newbanks United - "United;" "The Students" - the club of eastern, non-coastal Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Eastern Fields, Newbanks district (capacity 24,184)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Carla Hawkins [GK; 35yo; she/her]; 2. Polly Ground [LB; 34yo; she/her]; 3. Michael Dean [CB; 31yo; he/him]; 4. + Daiki Fujiwara [CB; 32yo; he/him]; 5. Harriet Farnham [RB; 29yo; he/him]; 6. Emma Francis [CM; 32yo; she/her]; 7. Palerenala vaEplanera [LM; 25yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Woodhouse [CM; 32yo; she/her]; 9. Rachel McNamara [CAPTAIN] [ST; 33yo; she/her]; 10. + Nobuyuki Ishida [ST; 32yo, he/him]; 11. Charlotte Phillips [RM; 27yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Damian Rhodes [GK; 28yo; he/him]; 13. Elizabeth Welch [CB; 21yo; she/her]; 14. Catherine Morrison [LB; 26yo; she/her]; 15. Noah Halford [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 16. James Pittam [RM; 27yo; he/him]; 17. Eloise Gardener [LM; 20yo; she/her]; 18. Simon Smith [ST; 24yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Ian Graham [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 73] [65yo; he/him]: There have been open complaints in the press by multiple players about how badly Graham has mismanaged the situation and it is quite possible that he might not even survive through to the second game, never mind the last. Charlotte Phillips climbs aboard the sinking ship from Athletic's substitute bench, but the other players remain so familiar that a good few of them are threatening to sit out games unless urgent change is imposed. This is unlikely to be a good year, even if it might be an acceptable one.

Trades Unionists - "The Union" - the club of the Dockside's working class writ-large

Home stadium: New Docks Stadium, Wellington district (capacity 27,852)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Darren Tolmidge [GK; 32yo; he/him]; 2. Phil Rankin [LB; 25yo; he/him]; 3. Nathan Evans [RB; 26yo; he/him]; 4. Catherine Woodacre [CB; 27yo; she/her]; 5. Joe Oxley [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 6. Ella Purton [CM; 27yo; she/her]; 7. David Walker [CAPTAIN] [LM; 28yo; he/him]; 8. Peter Reynolds [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 9. Victoria Rackitt [RM; 31yo; she/her]; 10. Jérôn Çíçí [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 11. Thomas Gunner [ST; 24yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Harry Spence [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. James Hill [LB; 27yo; he/him]; 14. Luke Milligan [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 15. Steve Bacon [RB; 29yo; he/him]; 16. Laura Booker [CM; 26yo; she/her]; 17. Daisy Barratt [ST; 21yo; she/her]; 18. Simon Oakwood [LM; 27yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Tina Heller [46yo; she/her]: There has been a boom in trades unionism, with the new drydock having been built and the Major in charge of Trident having finally managed to clear the last apartment blocks in the city, located in the district. The new club run by the Trades Unionists, and the New Docks Stadium for them to play in, could not be more timely, nor could Heller's subtle adjustment to the playstyle. [a further tactical introduction is coming soon, if not 2013...]

16th of November - "16N" - the club of the area in and around Holland, especially the zoo

Home stadium: The Stadium at the Zoological Gardens, Holland district (capacity 4,166)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Pavelarena meGalavane [GK; 27yo; he/him]; 2. Adam Johnson [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 3. Michael Davis [RB; 24yo; he/him]; 4. Anna Simpson [CB; 28yo; she/her]; 5. Quentin Tiller [CB; 25yo; he/him]; 6. Lauren Brown [CM; 25yo; she/her]; 7. James Parsons [LM; 24yo; he/him]; 8. Will Gardner [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 9. Lucy Ryan [RM; 21yo; he/him]; 10. Matt Norton [CAPTAIN] [ST; 29yo; he/him]; 11. Nicola Wilbury [ST; 24yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Sophia Lewis [40yo; she/her]: 16th of November prides itself on its association with the Zoological Gardens, established on that day in 1959. It is also notable for the sheer breadth of places from which its players have been taken: not only the usual places, but also the Zoo itself (Ryan), the District Council's staff (Johnson), and - if the signing himself is to be believed - a local pub garden (Parsons).

Nova Aegis - "The Pink Falcons" - the club of the worst-off, especially from Sunset Gates to Buckhead

Home stadium: The Workers' Coliseum, Bramblewood district (capacity 20,874)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. August Wills [GK; 27yo; he/him]; 2. Lauren Smith [LB; 30yo; she/her]; 3. Simon Donald [RB; 25yo; he/him]; 4. Rick Street [CAPTAIN] [CB; 31yo; he/him]; 5. Stephen Shepley [CB; 32yo; he/him]; 6. Keith Albert [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 7. Matthew Wrekin [LM; 30yo; he/him]; 8. Alessio Lombardo [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 9. Paul Ronson [RM; 25yo; he/him]; 10. Deborah Dennis [ST; 26yo; she/her]; 11. Bill Murphy [ST; 24yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Charlotte White [GK; 22yo; she/her]; 13. Richard Trincham [LB; 22yo; he/him]; 14. Louise Morgan [CB; 24yo; she/her]; 15. Tommy Grant [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 16. Millie Richards [CM; 21yo; she/her]; 17. Nick Ellison [ST; 23yo; he/him]; 18. Patrick Trout [RM; 26yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Phil Lambert [52yo; he/him]: While the team last year may have underwhelmed in the league, this year's iteration promises to be promotion contenders by virtue of being a strong, well-rounded team that isn't taking part in the LBCT this time around. Lombardo remains the midfield virtuoso as ever, if that term can be applied to a Second League player, but Bill Murphy is making his name as a quietly competent striker - almost the inverse George Guest - and there are signs that the defence is finally consolidating into something worth shouting about.

Premier Club - "Premier" - the club of the New West's middle-class and services industry

Home stadium: Premier Stadium, Premier district (capacity 54,105)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Gemma Farley [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 2. James Miller [LB; 29yo; he/him]; 3. Louise Halliwell [RB; 27yo; she/her]; 4. Helen Green [CB; 26yo; she/her]; 5. Roy Downsall [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 6. Joanna Gillam [CM; 27yo; she/her; 7. Adam Ellison [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 8. Charlotte Mills [CAPTAIN] [CM; 26yo; she/her]; 9. Stephen Blunt [RM; 24yo; he/him]; 10. Wendy Smith [ST; 26yo; she/her]; 11. Kevin O'Leary [ST; 20yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Harriet Williams [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [42yo; she/her]: Evidently not satisfied with Cassadaigua legend Rachel Schanke's longevity at Hiyashi Celestia, Premier has decided to hook up none other than the erstwhile Williams for her inaugural managerial job - and, this time, hopefully a long-awaited promotion. Golden Backpack winner Kevin O'Leary has confirmed his status as an astute signing [...]

Atlas - "Atlas" - the club of the New West's working-class and manufacturing industry

Home stadium: Atlas Stadium 1, Atlas district (capacity 46,148)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Iliana Morgan [GK; 24yo; she/her]; 2. Jake Gordon [LB; 27yo; he/him]; 3. Geoffrey Herbert [RB; 30yo; he/him]; 4. Kate Wilson [CB; 24yo; she/her]; 5. Brian Francis [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 6. Michael Jackett [CAPTAIN] [CM; 32yo; he/him]; 7. Susanna Reynolds [LM; 26yo; she/her]; 8. Donald Manning [CM; 22yo; he/him]; 9. Adam Green [RM; 25yo; he/him]; 10. David Woodbury [ST; 28yo; he/him]; 11. Ted Carpenter [ST; 27yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [RB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Edward McDonald [47yo; he/him]: [if you're reading this I've been very busy and haven't had time to write proper intros for all the teams yet, I'll do this for 2013 though. Atlas is the de-facto club of the Kaito Corporation of Kandorith's Eleanorian wing however, akin to how Celestia is Hiyashi's team]

Infrastructure - "Infra;" "The Power" - the club of the utilities

Home stadium: National Electric Stadium, Tannerton district (capacity 13,952)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Laura Scott [GK; 25yo; she/her]; 2. Graham Lawrence [LB; 24yo; he/him]; 3. Henry Mitchell [CAPTAIN] [RB; 28yo; he/him]; 4. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 5. Catherine Henderson [CB; 26yo; she/her]; 6. Parelaneta vaHelaxana [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 7. Joe Houseman [LM; 29yo; he/him]; 8. Paul Jones [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 9. Amelia Bartlett [RM; 24yo; she/her]; 10. Gary Sacks [ST; 31yo; he/him]; 11. Ryan Carter [ST; 27yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Alan Walker [57yo; he/him]: Who better to manage National Electricity's new plaything than an actual boardroom manager at Natelec's actual business operation? Probably nobody else, to be fair, given that expectations for this side are relatively low - the local employees being far too busy laying cables and other groundwork to have much time for football. Walker has delivered on his defensive tilt, but nobody here is a standout on the levels of someone like Lombardo, never mind half of the Golden Unicorn side, and Infrastructure's few fans should be bracing themselves for yet another mediocre if not sloppy season.

Yggdrasil - "Yggdrasil" - the club of north-eastern Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: The Temple, Blackwood district (capacity 22,015)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Dustin O'Hara [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 2. John Mount [LB; 30yo; he/him]; 3. Michelle Francis [RB; 24yo; she/her]; 4. Gianna Summers [CAPTAIN] [CB; 29yo; she/her]; 5. Owen Davids [CB; 26yo; he/him]; 6. Patricia Halton [CM; 28yo; she/her]; 7. Edward Simpson [LM; 32yo; he/him]; 8. Jack Western [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 9. Ruth Milliner [RM; 24yo; she/her]; 10. Sophie Black [ST; 24yo; she/her]; 11. Brian Worth [ST; 27yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Marion Camp [48yo; she/her]: The Temple was the site of a church that got destroyed during the War of Independence; Camp is hoping that her team doesn't suffer the same fate yet again. [...]

Lion - "The Lions" - the club of the Dockside's diasporas

Home stadium: The Grand Oval, Marketplace district (capacity 23,427)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Annaliese Morgan [GK; 25yo; she/her]; 2. Harry Blunt [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 3. Jenna Edwards [RB; 21yo; she/her]; 4. Fabrice Dansa [CAPTAIN] [CB; 27yo; he/him]; 5. Allabatou Kusa [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 6. Theresa Roberts [CM; 25yo; she/her]; 7. Jatta Jobateh [LM; 22yo; he/him]; 8. Mamudu Eya [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 9. Jibou Jabayo [RM; 19yo; he/him]; 10. Benjamin Sienara [ST; 23yo; he/him]; 11. Harry O'Rourke [ST; 21yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: John Bennett [44yo; he/him]: Last year's race for the top two or three was extremely close and, for all the questions about his White Tinhamptonian ethnicity and temporality, Bennett should consider himself to have done well for the time being. The squad is now more diverse, and hopefully more competent, than ever with a few new Banijans introduced to the lineup, although there have been "serious discussions" about further improvements in the years to come.

Republicans - "The Republicans" - the club of the bohemians, creative types, and other locals

Home stadium: Barclay Road, Deepchester district (capacity 11,295)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. David McEwan [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 2. Rob Waters [LB; 25yo; he/him]; 3. Lydia Howard [RB; 22yo; she/her]; 4. Jasmine Hair [CB; 27yo; she/her]; 5. Andrew Baker [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 6. Jôs Grêndê [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 7. Alex Whitby [CAPTAIN] [LM; 30yo; he/him]; 8. Sienna Roberts [CM; 28yo; she/her]; 9. Gûsín Nàár [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 10. Ryan Jones [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 11. Rebecca Tapp [RM; 24yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Samuel Walcott [40yo; he/him]: Walcott may be an inexperienced manager leading an inexperienced team, like almost everyone else in this league, but he does at least have years of defensive experience with Sword and Shield - if it can be called that, given the team's historic lack of focus on defending - to count on. In a team largely made up of local artists, rather less productive layabouts, and some amateurs who have jobs to hold down in the real world (Roberts is a supermarket cashier; Nàár is a gun licensing trainer with World of Safety), there is little of tactical note and will continue to be until such a point as Walcott is given a scout or a non-negligible sum of money.

* * * * * * * * * *
JUDGMENT DAY

RESULTS OF THE 2012 SECOND LEAGUE

▼▼ Saint Eleanor Second League 2012     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
►►  1 Nova Aegis                         18   11   3   4    47   36  +11    36    Promoted; Liga B Champions' Trophy 24
►►  2 Newbanks United                    18    9   5   4    44   31  +13    32    Promotion Playoff; Liga B Champions' Trophy 24
►►  3 Premier Club                       18    9   2   7    36   35   +1    29    Liga B Champions' Trophy 24
►►  4 Atlas                              18    8   4   6    44   33  +11    28
►►  5 16th of November                   18    8   4   6    45   36   +9    28
►►  6 Yggdrasil                          18    5   9   4    38   40   −2    24
►►  7 Trades Unionists                   18    7   3   8    39   45   −6    24
►►  8 Republicans                        18    6   5   7    40   46   −6    23
►►  9 Lion                               18    2   6  10    29   41  −12    12
►► 10 Infrastructure                     18    1   7  10    26   45  −19    10    Wooden Spoon

Promotion Playoff result: Army and Navy 1–0 Newbanks United
(James Walter 21')

Army and Navy remain in the First League; Newbanks United remain in the Second League

* * * * * * * * * *

Brian Wood: The Second League Roundtable (published in The Advertiser, 30-Nov-2012)
(with OOC apologies to The Hollywood Reporter)

While the top flight players had their fun last week, I knew that the good folk of the second division also wanted to have their say about what was going on in their league - so, as I did last time, I brought together one player from each club to discuss the matter at The Advertiser's rather unfancy headquarters in Trident district, right beside the docks. Is trouble stirring or are better times making waves? All shall be revealed...

Newbanks United's players have been in open revolt with the management for weeks, with matters reaching a breaking point this week. How will this affect the league next season?

MICHAEL DEAN (NEWBANKS): It won't. We have completely and utterly burned down this year, we would have won the league had we actually gotten our affairs in order, and now everyone's screaming at someone asking what happened and why. Ian's out, MFG are getting a new guy in for good, we're going to do a fair amount of business in the hopes of returning to what should have been, and I fully expect to be dumped with one of you lot.

SUSANNA REYNOLDS (ATLAS): Please tell me you have a girlfriend.

DEAN: You're in luck. I have a wife already.

REYNOLDS: I didn't realise that. I think you'd do well over here, but maybe you could get sold off internationally - hopefully that doesn't happen, I'd rather not have people leave the country.

GRAHAM LAWRENCE (INFRASTRUCTURE): You might have to ask Bridget Edwards for permission first, she's the hotshot. None of us actually want anyone to leave the country, as you can tell from the transfer windows lately.

BRIAN WORTH (YGGDRASIL): We keep invoking Bridget's name. Not sure why we aren't talking about the famous one with a penchant for looking like a vintage girl rather than the broadsheetic one with a penchant for looking like a... gothic hippie? Am I just inventing words now? But yeah, we can't keep talking about the same people all the time.

LOUISE HALLIWELL (PREMIER): I do think we need a lawyer in at Newbanks just to deal with what's happening and tell the appropriate people off. Then we can talk about the actual football. Miss Edwards is available, isn't she? I could just ask someone over at FSEU counsel if you'd rather, although that wouldn't be very Premier Club of me.

DEAN: We really need common sense around here. It's been awfully lacking and half the squad's either deadwood or in desperate want or need of becoming deadwood.

LAWRENCE: As I recall, the most famous lawyer ever to be around the Eleanorian national team was Alice Christopher's mum. She's retired now, though.

HALLIWELL: Susie Reynolds over there is technically a fully-qualified solicitor. It's not like she gets a lot of work done, though. That comes as part of the whole "being a middle-class Westerner" thing, though.

REYNOLDS: First-rate thinker, second-rate footballer.

JATTA JOBATEH (LION): Is there anything we could disagree more on?

REYNOLDS: I wouldn't be very much of a textualist if I ever got appointed to the bench. I'd like to say I'd rule based on how the law's being applied today and what people think about it? Unfortunately, liberalism isn't particularly common around here; you're more likely to find the Communists around these parts.

JOBATEH: Come on!

Janna, some people have argued that football is becoming, in Maria Billington's words, "a sport leaving the margins of society" - one which is increasingly dominated by the middle-class and, to some extent, minority and overseas players of all kinds. Do you think this is a problem?

JOBATEH: Well, the Second League's pretty good, if you ask me. You get lots of action, lots of drama, everyone cares about what's going to happen next and the players actually come from the local community 95% of the time. If you get higher up, towards the national team level, then I'm a definite yes. As far as the wider ecosystem, the Second League, the grassroots, goes, absolutely not.

WORTH: You can tell a lot about how good a footballer someone is by what they wear. Obviously the foreigners are going to look flasher than anyone in the history of this island; they tend to look a bit more sensible once they settle here, though. I'm on thirty grand a year. Normally I'm wearing something that wouldn't be out of place in the supermarket. I imagine all of you lot normally dress like that, maybe not Susie. Esther's on a hundred and fifty grand these days...

HALLIWELL: Should be a hundred and sixty. I know how inflation works, mate. My family's a bit skint once they get everything paid, too. To be fair, though, with how much Nightingale's on, I'm surprised that Princessther hasn't asked for a pay cut yet. She can survive on half that.

WORTH: Yeah, I get it. I was going to say I don't think Esther would look too out of place wearing tiny little stilettos, leather trousers, leather jacket, I think she's gotten away with wearing one of those "Pray for the End of Abortion" slogan T-shirts too. She definitely thinks abortion is never, ever, ever acceptable. So imagine she's wearing that.

DEAN: I'm not a good enough footballer to make her commit adultery yet. She looks cute, though.

WORTH: Don't get me started on Pia Woodward. Point being, we as a country love fashion, especially when it makes sense. We dress like ordinary blokes. Those guys in the top six or seven of the league, maybe not the Army kiddos, know exactly how to look put together. The only things we can agree on are loafers and slingbacks are the enemy and all black is normally a good idea - as it is on the pitch.

BILL MURPHY (NOVA AEGIS): We don't "like fashion." Our ladies like tall boots, little black dresses and always, always some accessory in hand. Or a coffee cup. Our gentlemen like normal jackets, trainers, and a good pair of jeans or umpteen. If I'm being honest, though, Esther Launceston is definitely the aberration because she's obviously gotten a couple of walk-in cabinets for that money. When she's on her deathbed half a century from now, we'll be thankful we had a style maven on the team.

ANNA SIMPSON (16TH OF NOVEMBER): Did I come overdressed?

DEAN: "Anna Simpson looked stunning as she stepped out on Sunday ahead of her Second League Roundtable interview with The Advertiser. Simpson, 28, looked demure in a black maxi dress and trench coat, and added some height to her frame with a pair of ankle boots. The central defender accessorised with a watch she probably bought for fifty dollars at the local Intershop and opted for a natural look ahead of the big occasion as she largely eschewed makeup." Get me in at the Reporter, lads.

LAWRENCE: "Michael Dean ensured all eyes were on him as he..."

GÛSIN NÀÁR (REPUBLICANS): Don't be ridiculous. Brian Wood loves all of us equally.

REYNOLDS: Shockingly enough for you, Bill, I'm wearing a black shirt dress and black knee-high boots. And a pearl necklace. Do you want me to clutch it?

DEAN: Go on, then. Every single person in this country probably has a 115 IQ and we're all using it for making things make sense and not complaining about everything we see.

JOBATEH: I don't.

SIMPSON: I think Bridget Coombe tested at 140 once. I probably read it on some dodgy website, though.

Anna, while the rest of Saint Eleanor's IFCF contingent performed very well for themselves, the 16th of November threw away.

SIMPSON: Well, that and we actually lost against Infrastructure - a team that didn't actually win a single other game this year. I was like "Shit! Why did we have to blow it two ways?"

JOBATEH: Naughty...

NÀÁR: Better that than the F-word.

LAWRENCE: Not my circus, not my monkeys. I'm also a defender, but not a particularly flexible one. In any sense of the word!

DEAN: Half Boy FC implies that the team isn't all men and women. They've shown enough fortitude to merit a name change.

VICTORIA RACKITT (TRADES UNIONISTS): Speaking as the other IFCF-qualified player in the lineup, I'd have to say everyone did very well indeed. Don't complain, look ahead to next time, and I think personally that 16N are punching above their weight a fair bit. Always a good thing in such a contested environment; if only we could win promotion.

MURPHY: We've gotten you beat on that count, sorry. I'm sure Alessio will be pleased to make a return to the top flight, at least; I'm surprised we've been down here for so long.

RACKITT: You were down there for three years. Same as almost all of the rest of us!

Victoria, your team also had its struggles. The Trades Unionists made the knockout stages of the Liga B Champions Trophy, but could never quite find its rhythm in the Second League and came in seventh. How do you feel?

RACKITT: I'm clinically perfectly fine. The question you should have asked was: "Would you rather make the last sixteen of the LBCT and be in a good place to compete for the following season or be knocked out before the group stages and win promotion?" And I would definitely go for the last sixteen, which is what has happened here. That way, I get more international experience, maybe I could get spotted by a half-decent team and we can improve ourselves ahead of what's to come next. I fear for any teams that get promoted until and unless we get a couple of knockout signings or star academy players.

WORTH: You are 31, though.

RACKITT: Same age as Esther, Arielle and Sylvia. Two of them have gotten moves abroad. The other one's too loyal but she could probably play for almost any team in the world. If I may also? Same age as Kieran Hyatt, who literally just got sold to Bavingtor. Different calibres, I understand. I like to imagine myself somewhere like Xaiv 1919 that never really gets anywhere, but it's probably a bit of a fantasy at this point.

SIMPSON: There are a lot of good teams around this level. We're probably due for some sort of realignment; the big clubs are largely getting propped up by a few star names at this point. Heaven help Athletic once Bridget Coombe gives up in a few years.

MURPHY: I'm looking forward to proving you wrong in due course, Vicky. With all due respect, you're a good person on a good team and I think you're overdue promotion. But I appreciate that the Trades Unionists are a bit insular, the Dockside already has two teams in the premier ten... I do feel like football is largely a south-eastern sport nowadays, notwithstanding that the really good players aren't normally from around here.

Bill, you're moving up a division this year. Kirsti Sundgren, goalkeeper of the mighty Athletic Saint Eleanor, recently claimed on Eleanorian citizenship - which she's perfectly entitled to do, despite being Norrhem's starting goalkeeper - arguably because Saint Eleanor is offering World Cup qualification. Native-born Eleanorians predominate in the Second League; do you think this sort of behaviour is acceptable in the game, at any level?

MURPHY: I'm not leaving the country - this is because I'm not playing for Newbanks - and I'm not sure I could handle international football, on any level. But I think if you're here, you don't think you can make the national team and you'd like to go abroad to change that, more power to you. Tim Hart did that and did so well he's on the team now. I think he's a Tikariotian as well now, but he's not swapping any time soon. You're around my age, you'd like to move abroad so you can claim on their passport after a few years and start for their team as a dual national, I'm not complaining, go and do that, it's not against IFCF rules or WCC rules or whatever. If you want the money, then you want the money. If you want the passport, then you want the passport.

DEAN: I do wonder why you haven't asked Alessio Lombardo if he'd like to become an Eleanorian.

MURPHY: He's good, to be sure. Is he as good as who we already have on the national team? No, no, no, and I think he'll say no as well. And I think that's why he hasn't asked.

REYNOLDS: Heaven help whoever without a driving license signs for the SteuerLig.

MURPHY: That's the difference between getting a zillion-dollar tax-free wage and getting a thirty-thousand-dollar tax-free wage. Leave it up to me and I wouldn't let anyone get more than a hundred thousand a year. Olympia Woodward's getting paid twice that and she's not even starting for the national team. It's absurd. Her family has money, she can live on half that amount. If you think you're good enough to play in the eleventh-best-league in the world, I think it is after these new rankings come out, then you're good enough and it doesn't matter what you're getting paid.

JOBATEH: Exandra Davies was making the equivalent of $200,000 in something like half a week when she was still playing football. You can't expect the best players to not move to Saint Eleanor if they know they're not going to get $100,000 a year, not even two thousand a week.

MURPHY: They're already not moving here, no matter what we're paying. My position is that footballers deserve to make a living wage. Thirty thousand is okay, I could just about rent something with that. You shouldn't be living with your parents aged 24, but the cost of things is getting up a bit. Stop paying everyone else so much and then you wouldn't have a problem paying us enough for a down payment and a couple of nice dinners a week, either.

LAWRENCE: At least you're getting paid something. I mostly just get free lunch and sometimes dinner. I do get a wage, of course, but those folk at the Polytechnic Institute, for example... they also get paid wages nowadays.

Graham, Infrastructure couldn't quite get off the bottom of the table, despite picking off the 16th of November and securing an exciting 6-6 draw with Premier Club. Given the quality of your squad, could you really have hoped for anything better?

LAWRENCE: Finally, a proper line of questioning. I read the interview you did last Friday and everyone was actually talking about the footy. Anyway, yes, we're regularly challenging for midtable, like all of the sides in our predicament, except maybe the Republicans.

NÀÁR: We're trying our best! Granted, we're more ragtag than everyone else right now, but we should be actually professionalised in due course. Sam Walcott is doing a very, very good job at getting us in shape for matches and while we'd probably get immediately relegated from the top flight.

LAWRENCE: That's the spirit, mate. Just keep in mind that Juventud used to be Athletic's bogey team!

WORTH: We're largely ignored in the discussion, as well. It feels like the tenth-place fodder don't really get a fair hearing in the Second League. It's all wall-to-wall with the First League, but the Second, no dice. We kept getting points against who it mattered, where it mattered. We beat the Unionists, we drew the Newbanks, the Atlas, the Aegis - all the big boys, consistently, persistently, bish bash bosh. Yet why is nobody asking how we're doing? Where are all of Marion's interviews?

JOBATEH: We're the Banijan club, almost, so we get a decent amount of column inches. Enough? I'd say so, definitely. We're coming for you!

DEAN: We'll be saying what all of you are saying in a few years if we don't buy lots of people at the transfer window. The youth pipeline's starved and MFG have no other option nowadays, sadly. We used to be a great team - I don't need to talk for hours and hours and hours about the kind of nonsense we were getting into. Not punch-ups, but the Squidroidians wanting to go on the bench if they weren't going to be sold... we were a first-and-a-half string team for much of this season, but that isn't enough to win the title against you lot.

REYNOLDS: I think that's a sign that we should be buying some players! If I get thrown out, at least I have a fall-back. What do you guys have?

NÀÁR: I'm still at World of Safety. As I said, we aren't professional.

MURPHY: Truth be told, I'd probably be working at the shops. I tried working at the Premium Coffee aged seventeen, decided that the hospitality life wasn't for me.

HALLIWELL: My parents are already working at the Premier bank, notwithstanding what D. Tommy Sanford did many years before the district opened for business.

RACKITT: Have any of you considered moving laterally? If you aren't going abroad, there's probably a place for you elsewhere in the division. Or maybe a bit higher.

DEAN: Once again, Vicky, I don't have a girlfriend!

RACKITT: I'm married. You'd be in safe hands with us.

DEAN: I think a lot of the strikes are a bit silly these days. They were better in the nineties.

RACKITT: I don't think Tina would be too happy if you said that in front of her!

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Nov 30, 2025 5:53 pm

OOC: The first part of this title is as inaccurate as it was last IFCF.

Mid-season interlude: The Charles Trump Shield of 2013

Introduction to the Charles Trump Shield
This competition was first run in 1979, but has only counted towards the Cup Winners' Cup and in part the IFCF Rising Stars Cup - hereinafter "big cups" - since 1998 (in time for the tenth IFCF cycle). It is named in honour of Colonel Charles Trump. In the autumn of 1974, during the War of Independence, Trump successfully defended the Eleanorian Academy from ground attack by Tinhamptonian forces. Although parts of the academy were destroyed in the air and Trump himself had his leg amputated, he was honourably discharged from the Army by order of President George Mitcham two days after Saint Eleanor won its independence, and successfully lobbied the government in its first years to head off freezes in the schools budget.

The Shield is contested between all 53 schools in Saint Eleanor - including the three private schools (the Girls' Preparatory, the Boys' Preparatory, and Saint Benedict's Catholic) and the six out-of-city schools (the Community Schools in Bishopgate, Crownedhead, Elsmouth, Farbend, Mount Dennis and Springfield) - along with Liberty, a team made up exclusively of the children of Eleanorian Army soldiers from various schools.

SEFA announced, in March 2009, an "informal amnesty" with the Eleanorian Sports and Cheer Coaching Alliance, who represent - among others - the 54 school team managers. The second phase of the amnesty is now in place: all teams except the quarterfinalists of 2012's CTS will enter the first round. The first round winners and the seven non-champion quarterfinalists will enter the second round. Whitehammer CS, as reigning champions, will enter the third round, also known as the round of sixteen. Furthermore, the draws for the first two rounds will be made in March of each year.

All games except the final (at the Nat Lib) are played over two legs, with extra time and then penalties being played in the event of both games having the same result. Away goals count double, so not all aggregate ties will result in extra time. OOCly, the Græntfjaller method of ET and PSO scorination is used - although I add the goals scored in extra time and make those count towards away goals - and home advantage applies.

In each year, Liberty and schools must only send players in Year 13, i.e. those who will turn seventeen in that year. Every player in the 2013 Charles Trump Shield was therefore born in 1996. If they win that year's Shield, they will be entered into the following year's big cups (in the unlikely event they win the Showcase too) and may enter the victorious team, who will by now be in Year 14, i.e. eighteen years old. If their Year 14s win either big cup in any year, they shall enter the team that represented them in that year's Shield (who will be Year 14s the following year) into the following year's CWC/RSC - while the now-nineteen-year-old cup winners go to a well-deserved rest, probably in the Saint Eleanor League!

Some schools serve as the youth teams for clubs in the Saint Eleanor League
IFCF Regulation 7.02 provides that the youth teams of "clubs reaching the group phase of the Champions['] League are automatically entered" into the RSC (and acknowledges the possibility that a youth champion's senior team may make the CL group stages). However, the youth teams of clubs in Saint Eleanor are often the representative teams of local schools, rather than formal wings of the clubs themselves. To that effect, and should any of these clubs ever make the CL group stages:

The youth team of Occidental Olympic is Parkside CS. Parkside District Council owns both Olympic and the Community School.
The youth team of Sword and Shield is the University College. University College is a school run by the University of Saint Eleanor, whose Board of Trustees own Sword and Shield. Contrary to what many people believe, the University is a campus university. Collegiate Community School does not exist.
The youth team of Athletic Saint Eleanor is Whitehammer CS. The Eleanorian Chamber of Commerce, which counts several hundred privately-owned businesses among its members, owns Athletic. Whitehammer District Council owns the Community School, but many members of its PE Department also work as coaches for Athletic and they have the final say over who plays for Whitehammer.
The youth team of Independence 1975 is the Eleanorian Academy. The Government runs both Independence and the Academy. Central Community School does not exist.
The youth team of Grand Beach is Grand Beach CS. Gregory Willis, the owner of Willis fried chicken restaurants, owns Grand Beach. His eldest daughter, Sophie, is the Community School's head of the English department; she selects who plays for GBCS in consultation with the PE department.
The youth team of Army and Navy is the Army School. Army School is run by the Eleanorian Army, which owns Army and Navy. Oaktree Community School does exist, but has no affiliation with the Army.
The youth team of Good Hope Club is Trident CS. The Good Hope Supporters' Trust owns Good Hope. Trident District Council owns the Community School, but has an agreement with the Supporters Trust by which the School wears GHC's colours of light blue and plays its home matches at GHC's home stadium, the Good Hope Stadium.
The youth team of Golden Unicorn is Brightway CS. Emerald, the premier fund management company in the Novalk Peninsula, owns Golden Unicorn. It also provides generous funding to Brightway's Football Academy without which their ability to send a full-strength team to the Shield would be greatly diminished.
The youth team of Nova Aegis is Bramblewood CS. Bramblewood District Council owns both Nova Aegis and the Community School.
The youth team of the Polytechnic Institute is Buckhead CS. Buckhead Community School is not actually run by the Polytechnic Institute of Saint Eleanor, which owns the club of the same name - it is, like all Community Schools, operated by the district council - but a memorandum of understanding was made with the Polytechnic in 2009, through which the Poly financially supports BCS's PE department.
The youth team of Hiyashi Celestia is Broadlands CS. The Hiyashi Corporation founded (and still owns) Celestia; they have pumped significant sums of money into the Broadlands school team since doing so. Just don't ask where it comes from. It's all perfectly legal revenue from sales and whatnot, we promise.
The youth team of Newbanks United is Newbanks CS. The practice of Newbanks United offering a contract every year to a player from the Community School has long gone, not least since the club is now owned by the Misiriyaa Football Group of Al-Tamazgha, but some of United's coaches now work as PE teachers for the School (much as they do in Whitehammer), and the presumption remains that any sufficiently good NCS player will more likely than not contract with Newbanks United should there be a need in the team.
The youth team of Premier Club is Premier CS. The school, although in possession of a football academy that is ridiculously well-funded by D. Tommy Sanford's PREMIER empire (it was his before he got busted, anyway) and indeed has direct ties to the Premier Club of the same ownership, is actually located in Premier district, which was made to specification by a group of civil engineers working on behalf of the Eleanorian Army.
The youth team of 16th of November is Holland CS. The Zoological Gardens have an arrangement with Holland District Council, which owns the Community School, that predates even the National Liberation Front; an annual school trip to the Zoo is provided for students at Holland CS, for instance.
The youth team of Atlas is Atlas CS. Atlas district, like Premier district, was built to specification (of the Kaito Corporation of Kandorith) by the Army Corps of Engineers. Kaito themselves founded the Atlas club and own it through their Eleanorian subsidiary, Kaito Limited - so, much as Hiyashi do with Broadlands, it stands to reason that they have a solid partnership with the local school.
The youth team of Infrastructure is Tannerton CS. National Electricity, affectionately known as Natelec, owns Infrastructure (in partnership with Eleanorian Water). Natelec in turn provides (relatively) generous funding and support to Tannerton's PE Department and CTS team.
The youth team of Lion is Marketplace CS. Lion was founded by Banijan immigrants to Saint Eleanor, and remains in their control, although people from across the Dockside - both Eleanorians and immigrants - are generally welcomed by the club. There is a "broad partnership" in place between Lion and the Community School through which Marketplace's players are given consideration by Lion's scouts once they come of age.
The youth team of the Republicans is Deepchester CS. The Republicans are owned by their fans via the Deepchester Community Trust, which founded the club and recruited a number of players from the local areas - some of who just happen to be disaffected, previously-unemployed artists. Among the permanent members of the DCT's board is the Community School's headteacher of the day.
The youth team of the Trades Unionists is Wellington CS. The Trades Unions Alliance owns Trades Unionists - as well as Channel 5, in partnership with the Communist Party of Saint Eleanor - and, as part of their obligations to Wellington's community (which contains a good many dockworkers, who remain reluctant to switch their support from the Good Hope Club), offers a broad spectrum of support to the Community School, both in terms of its PE Department and many other areas.
The youth team of Yggdrasil is Blackwood CS. Blackwood District Council owns both Yggdrasil and the Community School.

"CS" always stands for Community School, by far the most common name given to Eleanorian schools; this abbreviation is used throughout to comply with IFCF character limits.

If you were a serious Golden Backpack contestant and you were playing for any of the above schools, then there's a good chance that you will end up playing for the school's linked Saint Eleanor League club (especially since Juventud collapsed in 2009). In today's environment, many young players are angling for moves to unaffiliated major clubs, but by far and away there is a much stronger practical and spiritual connection between each school and their SEL club.

Round 1 (1/23 final)

Buckhead CS 3–0 Jacobville CS
Jacobville CS 1–5 Buckhead CS
Buckhead CS win 8-1 on aggregate

Silverton CS 3–1 Saint Benedict's Catholic
Saint Benedict's Catholic 4–0 Silverton CS
Silverton CS win 7-1 on aggregate

Sunset Gates CS 1–2 Tannerton CS
Tannerton CS 5–1 Sunset Gates CS
Tannerton CS win 7-2 on aggregate

Crownedhead CS 2–6 Richardgate CS
Richardgate CS 1–0 Crownedhead CS
Richardgate CS win 7-1 on aggregate

Magna CS 0–0 Carpentersville CS
Carpentersville CS 1–0 Magna CS
Carpentersville CS win 1-0 on aggregate

Bramblewood CS 0–0 Queenston CS
Queenston CS 4–2 Bramblewood CS
Queenston CS win 4-2 on aggregate

Holland CS 1–0 Northolt CS
Northolt CS 2–3 Holland CS
Holland CS win 4-2 on aggregate

Liberty 0–0 Bonpool CS
Bonpool CS 0–2 Liberty
Liberty win 2-0 on aggregate

Marketplace CS 2–0 Farbend CS
Farbend CS 0–2 Marketplace CS
Marketplace CS win 4-0 on aggregate

Mount Dennis CS 0–3 North Seville CS
North Seville CS 3–1 Mount Dennis CS
North Seville CS win 6-1 on aggregate

Allington CS 1–1 Airport CS
Airport CS 3–3 Allington CS
Allington CS win 4-4 on aggregate (away goals)

New Bayside CS 0–2 Eleanorian Academy
Eleanorian Academy 2–0 New Bayside CS
Eleanorian Academy win 4-0 on aggregate

Army School 4–0 St Paul CS
St Paul CS 1–2 Army School
Army School win 6-1 on aggregate

St George CS 3–3 Hartridge CS
Hartridge CS 2–1 St George CS
Hartridge CS win 5-4 on aggregate

Girls' Preparatory 6–4 New Lizard CS
New Lizard CS 0–1 Girls' Preparatory
Girls' Preparatory win 7-4 on aggregate

Williamstown CS 3–2 Bishopgate CS
Bishopgate CS 1–1 Williamstown CS
Williamstown CS win 4-3 on aggregate

Wellington CS 3–0 Elsmouth CS
Elsmouth CS 0–3 Wellington CS
Wellington CS win 6-0 on aggregate

Brightway CS 1–1 Eastern Fell CS
Eastern Fell CS 0–1 Brightway CS
Brightway CS win 2-1 on aggregate

Deepchester CS 3–0 Springfield CS
Springfield CS 0–2 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS win 5-0 on aggregate

Premier CS 2–1 Grand Beach CS
Grand Beach CS 2–2 Premier CS
Premier CS win 4-3 on aggregate

Millerham CS 2–0 Goldsmiths CS
Goldsmiths CS 2–4 Millerham CS
Millerham CS win 6-2 on aggregate

Boys' Preparatory 4–2 Trident CS
Trident CS 2–1 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory win 5-4 on aggregate

New St Paul CS 3–2 Oaktree CS
Oaktree CS 0–1 New St Paul CS
New St Paul CS win 4-2 on aggregate

The lucky 23 winners in Round 1 will be joined by last year's non-champion CTS quarterfinalists - Atlas CS, Blackwood CS, Broadlands CS, Kelbury CS, Newbanks CS, Parkside CS, and University College - in Round 2.

Round 2 (1/15 final)

Army School 1–0 New St Paul CS
New St Paul CS 1–1 Army School
Army School win 2-1 on aggregate

Atlas CS 3–3 Premier CS
Premier CS 1–0 Atlas CS
Premier CS win 4-3 on aggregate

Buckhead CS 6–2 Queenston CS
Queenston CS 0–1 Buckhead CS
Buckhead CS win 7-2 on aggregate

Blackwood CS 6–3 Liberty
Liberty 2–1 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS win 7-5 on aggregate

Parkside CS 0–3 University College
University College 1–1 Parkside CS
University College win 4-1 on aggregate

North Seville CS 2–1 Millerham CS
Millerham CS 3–0 North Seville CS
Millerham CS win 4-2 on aggregate

Brightway CS 3–0 Saint Benedict's Catholic
Saint Benedict's Catholic 4–1 Brightway CS
Brightway CS win 4-4 on aggregate (away goals)

Eleanorian Academy 1–0 Allington CS
Allington CS 0–3 Eleanorian Academy
Eleanorian Academy win 4-0 on aggregate

Marketplace CS 0–1 Wellington CS
Wellington CS 1–1 Marketplace CS
Wellington CS win 2-1 on aggregate

Broadlands CS 1–2 Newbanks CS
Newbanks CS 0–1 Broadlands CS
Newbanks CS win 2-2 on aggregate (away goals)

Deepchester CS 4–3 Richardgate CS
Richardgate CS 0–3 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS win 7-3 on aggregate

Kelbury CS 0–3 Holland CS
Holland CS 5–3 Kelbury CS
Holland CS win 8-3 on aggregate

Hartridge CS 1–2 Girls' Preparatory
Girls' Preparatory 3–2 Hartridge CS
Girls' Preparatory win 5-3 on aggregate

Carpentersville CS 3–2 Tannerton CS
Tannerton CS 5–0 Carpentersville CS
Tannerton CS win 7-3 on aggregate

Williamstown CS 1–0 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory 3–1 Williamstown CS
Boys' Preparatory win 4-1 on aggregate

The lucky 15 winners in Round 1 will be joined by CTS champions Whitehammer CS in Round 3.

Round 3 (1/8 final)

Eleanorian Academy 3–0 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS 1–0 Eleanorian Academy
Eleanorian Academy win 3-1 on aggregate

Army School 3–0 Millerham CS
Millerham CS 2–1 Army School
Army School win 4-2 on aggregate

Whitehammer CS 3–1 Girls' Preparatory
Girls' Preparatory 0–0 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Deepchester CS 1–0 Buckhead CS
Buckhead CS 3–2 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS win 3-3 on aggregate (away goals)

Brightway CS 1–2 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory 4–1 Brightway CS
Boys' Preparatory win 6-2 on aggregate

Premier CS 1–1 Tannerton CS
Tannerton CS 0–0 Premier CS
Tannerton CS win 1-1 on aggregate (away goals)

University College 3–0 Wellington CS
Wellington CS 1–6 University College
University College win 9-1 on aggregate

Newbanks CS 2–0 Holland CS
Holland CS 2–2 Newbanks CS
Newbanks CS win 4-2 on aggregate

Round 4 (1/4 final)

Whitehammer CS 3–1 University College
University College 1–2 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS win 5-2 on aggregate

Eleanorian Academy 0–0 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory 3–2 Eleanorian Academy
Boys' Preparatory win 3-2 on aggregate

Army School 2–2 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS 0–2 Army School
Army School win 4-2 on aggregate

Newbanks CS 1–1 Tannerton CS
Tannerton CS 2–3 Newbanks CS
Newbanks CS win 4-3 on aggregate

Semifinals
Boys' Preparatory 3–0 Whitehammer CS
[scorers coming soon!]
Whitehammer CS 1–0 Boys' Preparatory
[scorers coming soon!]
Boys' Preparatory win 3-1 on aggregate

Army School 1–0 Newbanks CS
[scorers coming soon!]
Newbanks CS 1–2 Army School
[scorers coming soon!]
Army School win 3-1 on aggregate

THE FINAL
Boys' Preparatory 1–2 Army School ~~~ at the National Liberation Arena (58,673 in attendance)
[Panexarela naTavamelera 81'; David Smith 67', Lucy Hayward 84']

Each finalist has been entered into the 2013 Showcase. The Showcase, a twenty-two-team cup which also stars the twenty League clubs, is a desperate - and successful - attempt by the Saint Eleanor Football Association to ensure that it can enter teams into the Cup Winners' Cup without getting smacked because it attempted to enter the winners of the Charles Trump Shield.

Saint Eleanor will enter Army School, the winners of the 2013 Charles Trump Shield, into Rising Stars Cup 25. (Their crest is depicted to the right.)

Due to time, the roster is not available yet; please contact me if you're playing Army School at the RSC and you need it for your roleplay. However, the team is managed by Ltn. Phil Willis [he/him] and plays in your usual 4-4-2 setup.

The Army School will play their home matches in the RSC at the Boundary Fields in Oaktree district, seated capacity 1,500. Named because the stand running along the touchline marked the boundary between the Army School and the Army's actual headquarters, the Boundary Fields actually have a surprisingly generic atmosphere, perhaps an attempt by the Army to dull their opponents into a sense of submission. Given that this is the Young Soldiers' first Charles Trump Shield since the tournament's first-ever running back in 1980, it certainly worked.

Following the initial publication of this pamphlet, Independence 1975 won the Saint Eleanor League of 2012, with Hiyashi Celestia in second. This means that - should the clubs reach the group stages of Champions League 25 - the Eleanorian Academy (crest left) and Broadlands CS (crest right) will enter the group stages of Rising Stars Cup 25. Their managers, Michael Black [he/him] and Graham Jackson [he/him], are happy to inform opposing managers and foreign media about their teamsheets should they ask for it.

The Eleanorian Academy will play their home matches in the RSC at The Quadrangle in Central district, seated capacity 4,625. The de-facto training ground for Independence 1975 and (on occasions) the national team, The Quad is astonishingly well-maintained for obvious reasons, which could very plausibly include "it belongs to the Academy" and "see earlier." It was, until very recently, the only school-owned field in the CTS to have four stands (although Premier CS's Proving Grounds have matched it since), which is ideal for crowd control and enhanced supporter experience on the very rare occasions it happens to be anywhere near capacity.

Broadlands CS will play their home matches in the RSC at Northern Plain in Broadlands district, seated capacity 2,500. Northern Plain, when it isn't Hiyashi Celestia's training ground, is sometimes used by members of the local Hiyashi factory to have supposedly-informal kickabouts which invariably draw anybody who's off work and wants to turn up. (There are no turnstiles and admission will be free for all games, including RSC ties should they make them.) The Plain officially has two stands, both covered and both seated; those behind the goals stand at their own risk.

The winner of this year's Golden Backpack is Lucy Hayward, the Army School's understated playmaker (and first Backpack winner for the club since Denise Livingston in '98!), who we can't write about just yet because I OOCly need my sleep, for once.

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Nov 30, 2025 6:25 pm

ALL roster information is out of date, except for acclaimation of Associations Trophy winners. I will update this on Monday evening.
Know this: Amalie Selnes has replaced Nightingale at ASE. Frolt-Mazur Xlo has replaced Chloe Roland at the Polytechnic. Gionata Mariani has bolted to the Grand Beach. Many other players have aged out and been replaced.

The Saint Eleanor First League of 2013

Incorporating post-season fun and shenanigans for all the family: The 2013 Showcase

In 1998, Charles Trump Shield winners University College were barred from the Cup Winners' Cup due to the nature of the Shield. Coincidentally, 1998 was also the year that the Saint Eleanor League expanded to twelve clubs - although this was admittedly a few months and technically a year later. So what better to do than take each year's Shield semifinalists, force them to play against the League clubs (actually, it's the President doing the forcing), and call it a fair, competitive, character-building tournament which just so happens to be good for one Cup Winners' Cup entry?

With the recent expansion of the League system to twenty teams, the decision was made in 2010 to limit entry to the two finalists - after all, three of the five youth teams ever to execute a Showcase win up to that date (and the only youth team to win two games) had made the final. To be sure, adding two random amateur clubs instead would have made it a closer approximation of the national game's overall quality. But then it wouldn't be The Showcase of the best, brightest, and sometimes most deeply confused that Saint Eleanor has to offer.

Showcase Palmares
Athletic Saint Eleanor: 5 (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012)
Independence 1975: 3 (2002, 2003, 2004)
Hiyashi Celestia: 3 (1999, 2000, 2005)
Occidental Olympic: 1 (2001, 2010)
Nova Aegis: 1 (2009)

Also to incorporate a blink-and-you-miss-it review of 2013's IFCF proceedings, the 24th of their kind, after I wake up

Preview of the League sides (by Jamie Rodgers of SESB)

Legend: 99. {all eligible NT flags, if non-EXT; see below} Player McPlayerface [WINNER AS PLAYER: WORLD CUP 1000000, CUP OF HARMONY 1000000, BAPTISM OF FIRE 1000000; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE/UICA CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, IFCF CHALLENGERS' CUP/UICA GLOBE CUP 1000000, IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 1000000, IFCF LIGA B CHAMPIONS' TROPHY/UICA SERIES B CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, CUP WINNERS' CUP 1000000] [WINNER AS MANAGER: AS BEFORE] [CAPTAIN] [POS; species; Army rank; 9001yo; pro/nouns].

Other notes:

Teams are in descending order of 2011 First League finish.
Starting lineups go from 1 to 11; substitutes wear 12 to 18. Lineups are good for the 23rd IFCF cycle.
Ages given reflect how old the Eleanorians will be at the end of 2012, and how old the foreigners were when we last checked.
Underlined single nationals play for the national team they are eligible for as of the start of 2012. Underlined dual nationals play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name as of that date.
Everyone is a human, and from Saint Eleanor, unless otherwise stated.
See a player without a like-for-like substitute? Subs listed as playing on one side of the pitch usually have no qualms with playing on the other as necessary.
The same "Important OOC notes about the Laws of the Game as they are applied in Saint Eleanor" as here apply.
For my sanity's sake, I'm not going to reproduce 2013's list of dates here. I really need to get around to producing it, though...

Athletic Saint Eleanor - "Athletic;" "The Reds" - the club of the business owners

Home stadium: Northwest Road, Whitehammer district (capacity 53,174)
Starting lineup (preferred formation 4-1-3-2): 1. + Kirsti Sundgren [GK; 27yo; she/her]; 2. Elissa Curry [LB; 32yo; she/her]; 3. Naresmet taFrexala [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [RB; 36yo; he/him]; 4. Bridget Coombe [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CDM; 37yo; she/her]; 5. + Lydia VIckers [CB; 25yo; she/her]; 6. Esther Launceston [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CB; 31yo; she/her]; 7. Graham Lawson [LM; 32yo; he/him]; 8. Sylvia Hollenberg [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE 20] [CM; 31yo; she/her]; 9. Nightingale [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE 6] [CAPTAIN] [ST; pegasus; 37yo; she/her]; 10. Tim Driver [ST; 31yo; he/him]; 11. Wasemprela Sareleva [RM; 31yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Harry Mitchell [GK; 22yo; he/him]; 13. Ben McDougall [CB; 26yo; he/him]; 14. Natasha Rhodes [CM; 22yo; she/her]; 15. Liam Johnson [RM; 19yo; he/him]; 16. Phil Parris [ST; 27yo; he/him]; 17. James Johnson [LB; 24yo; he/him]; 18. Charles Brewer [CM; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Yelto-Aflan Ono [50yo; they/them]: We are once again in the middle of a cycle where no international signings were made - more about the one international sale later - but this has not deterred Athletic's resident tinkerperson from preparing for a bigger shakeup in the club. Captain and cult hero Nightingale has finally confirmed her retirement at the end of the season, and while Parris appears more than willing to take command, new signings cannot exactly be ruled out. Coombe and Hollenberg, although approaching their own final years, are not quite at the point of giving up and should provide consistent defensive performances and high-quality transitions across the field for a while yet. A serious case can now be made that Vickers is the de-facto leader of the defensive line nowadays, although this might only mean a slightly more conservative tone for the time being. On the flip side, there have been complaints that the team's relative weaknesses out wide, not as intentional as Occidental Olympic's were back in the day, have not yet been resolved - taFrexala is on his last legs too; Johnson might need a bit more game time - and this may well hurt their charge for a third consecutive title.

Hiyashi Celestia - "Celestia;" "The Angels" - the club of Northern Saint Eleanor's working class (especially Hiyashi's employees in Broadlands)

Home stadium: Celestial Stadium, Broadlands district (capacity 36,645)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Shojiro Ito [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [GK; 31yo; he/him]; 2. Edward Ruthan [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LB; 24yo; he/him]; 3. Sarah Parton [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CB; 32yo; she/her]; 4. Isi Šasawić [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CB; 33yo; he/him]; 5. Caradoc Anghoill [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [RB; 32yo; he/him]; 6. Nobusuke Kuronuma [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CAPTAIN] [CM; 34yo; he/him]; 7. Joe Galbraith [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LM; 36yo; he/him]; 8. Maria Morgan [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CM; 26yo; she/her]; 9. Rick Goldsmith [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [ST; 32yo; he/him]; 10. Takeshi Honda [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 11. James Heath [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [RM; 25yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Josh Baines [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. Nigel Vincent [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CB; 25yo; he/him]; 14. Alex Lander [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 15. Adam Gordon [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LB; 19yo; he/him]; 16. Bill Simpson [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LM; 27yo; he/him]; 17. Terry Baker [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 18. Bill Wood [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [ST; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Rachel Schanke [WINNER AS MANAGER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [49yo; she/her]: 2011 was very much "mission accomplished" for Celestia, as they secured their first Champions League finish in a decade despite coming nowhere near the title. This is once again a team with little to fault, other than its continued reluctance to actually engage in any transfer window business; the Kandorese players, despite having long crossed thirty, are all still more than good enough at this level; the other foreigners are serviceable if not iconic, even now that Morlock has retired; Galbraith, Morgan and Goldsmith have most certainly still got it and no serious conclusion can be drawn other than that this is a team that is once again equipped to challenge for the title, even if it might not necessarily win it. Gordon, the only new face, is not an especially remarkable one.

Independence 1975 - "Indy;" "The Liberators" - the club of the (civilian) government and the Eleanorian masses

Home stadium: The National Liberation Arena, Central district (capacity 68,184)
Starting lineup (preferred formation 4-2-3-1): 1. Robby Ellis [GK; 28yo; he/him]; 2. Cathy Winchester [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [LB; 34yo; she/her]; 3. Joe Willis [RB; 25yo; he/him]; 4. + Layla Grover [CDM; 32yo; she/her]; 5. Katy Wilson [CB; 28yo; she/her]; 6. Matt Morrison [CB; 25yo; he/him]; 7. Elizabeth Wootton [LM; 19yo; she/her]; 8. + Kichirō Matsuda [CDM; Wunderbar; 28yo; he/him]; 9. Ian Marks [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 10. Kavezalea Felaraneta [CAM; 28yo; he/him]; 11. Gary Morgan [RM; 29yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Lisa Dobson [GK; 23yo; she/her]; 13. Matthew Edwards [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. Lucy Hendricks [RB; 22yo; she/her]; 15. Jon Harp [LM; 32yo; he/him]; 16. Adam Tarrant [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 17. John Garrett [ST; 20yo; he/him]; 18. Angela Spooner [RM; 24yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Lydia Sharp [57yo; she/her]: Indy may have underwhelmed slightly, but they will be hoping - perhaps in vain, perhaps not - that Athletic's collapse is impendent as well; the big two sides have shared every title since Celestia won at the turn of the millennium. Wootton is one of few new faces to emerge from the Charles Trump Shield's Class of 2010, and surely an exciting one given how early she has been inserted into the starting lineup in place of the longstanding Newcastle. Marks has done well for himself given the circumstances, and it should take one more good season to put his place beyond much reasonable doubt. The defensive lineup more generally - Ellis in goal, Wilson and Morrison in defence, Matsuda and Grover in midfield - is objectively among the best in the business and should keep the club afloat, even if it does not quite gain what it is hoping for.

Sword and Shield - "Arsenal;" "The Collegiates" - the club of the University

Home stadium: University Grounds, Collegiate district (capacity 35,174)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-2-1-3): 1. Michael Hall [GK; 34yo; he/him]; 2. Gordon Pratt [LB; 31yo; he/him]; 3. Christine Terrence [CB; 33yo; she/her]; 4. John Alexander [CB; 27yo; he/him]; 5. Eloise Vincent [RB; 21yo; she/her]; 6. Joe Watts [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 7. Naclé Öhân [LM; 24yo; he/him]; 8. Lucas Barrow [CM; 31yo; he/him]; 9. Olympia Woodward [CAPTAIN] [ST; 23yo; she/her]; 10. Rosa Strong [CAM; 24yo; she/her]; 11. Luke Barring [RM; 29yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Àlfôn Qâerês [LM; 25yo; he/him]; 13. Ed Jackson [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 14. Rebecca Daniels [CB; 23yo; she/her]; 15. Bella Gray [RB; 32yo; she/her]; 16. Pakelana Vezara [CM; 24yo; he/him]; 17. Sophia McDonald [RM; 19yo; she/her]; 18. Alexandra Marcus [ST; 31yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Emma Steele [51yo; she/her]: Captain Hugh Roanoke's retirement almost-but-not-quite marks all change at Arsenal, where superstriker Olympia Woodward has been appointed the captain - not quite anointed, as the long-time favourite Christine Terrence (still one of the better centrebacks in a league packed with high-quality defenders) took some time to decide on her deferral. Luke Barring, while a good winger in his own right, may as well be an interim solution in this context, especially with Öhân as fabulous as ever - but, on the other hand, the fact that Watts remains the strongest non-household-name in the squad is probably an indication that the side will either have to break the habit of a lifetime in the coming years or risk further peril.

Occidental Olympic - "Olympic;" "The Westerners" - the club of western and north-western Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Parkside Stadium, Parkside district (capacity 26,285)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2 diamond): 1. Arielle Richardson [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [GK; 31yo; she/her]; 2. Rachel Curran [LB; 30yo; she/her]; 3. Lynul-Sevet Pul [RB; 31yo; they/them]; 4. Diana Gray [CB; 22yo; she/her]; 5. Mike Pringle [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 6. Glenn French [CDM; 30yo; he/him]; 7. Lily Emmerson [LM; 26yo; she/her]; 8. Brian Hurd [RM; 26yo; he/him]; 9. David Key [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 10. Steve Pilchard [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CAM; 35yo; he/him]; 11. Esther Vaughan [ST; 24yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. David Johnson [GK; 29yo; he/him]; 13. Jack Owen [LB; 29yo; he/him]; 14. Stephen Walker [CB; 19yo; he/him]; 15. Andrew Card [CDM; 27yo; he/him]; 16. Heather Blake [CAM; 30yo; she/her]; 17. Ella Pinkman [RM; 23yo; she/her]; 18. Adam Wilson [ST; 20yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: George Dunbar [53yo; he/him]: While last year was a relatively underwhelming one, Kieran Hyatt's long-overdue sale (to Bavingtor FC) was a relatively big move last winter, and - given the space that has now been opened up for Diana Gray, said to be fairly conservative if not particularly aggressive, appears to show a similarly-pregnant, if limited, recommitment to youth on Dunbar's part. This is seen by other journalists - even those not exactly partial to the Westerners - as perhaps their best since the departure of Coombe and Denby, thanks both to the fall of Indy and the increasing experience of the squad. Richardson is still one of the best goalkeepers in the league, if not necessarily the best to be eligible for the White Stars now that Kirsti Sundgren has her passport; Key and Pilchard remain inseparable as ever, while Vaughan has more than proven to make the difference in a couple of games and should carry on like this for a while; and French has in no way dipped in quality, unlike so many others in the league, being ably supported by both his wingers (something we rarely say of a holding midfielder) and the four behind him, even if Gray is obviously untested.

Grand Beach - "The Dolphins" - the club of coastal Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Albion Road, Grand Beach district (capacity 24,815)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Volnavera xaParelanara [GK; 32yo; she/her]; 2. Christina Fulton [LB; 34yo; she/her]; 3. James Benson [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 4. Gary Milton [CM; 32yo; he/him]; 5. Sam Newbridge [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CB; 38yo; he/him]; 6. Owen Cartwright [RB; 25yo; he/him]; 7. Jack Brewer [LM; 25yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Coulter [CM; 25yo; she/her]; 9. Samuel Wright [ST; 22yo; he/him]; 10. Michelle Tallard [ST; 29yo; she/her]; 11. Tim Brandon [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [RM; 36yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Anthony George [GK; 22yo; he/him]; 13. Richard Booth [RB; 24yo; he/him]; 14. Bill Kendall [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 15. Olivia Herbert [LB; 26yo; she/her]; 16. Blake Spencer [RM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. Sara Halbrook [ST; 34yo; she/her]; 18. Adam Charles [CM; 25yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Nathaniel Jenkins [57yo; he/him]: As always, while Newbridge remains reluctant to accept reality, Brandon is willing to face it head-on, announcing that this will be his last season before he passes the torch to the promising, if not quite as fast, Blake Spencer. This is a high-quality, effective team of players which have otherwise not quite reached their peak potential yet; Wright is proving himself to be as good a striker as people had hoped a couple of years ago, if one who the spotlight has managed to avoid, while Coulter is an impactful, versatile midfielder in a team that has traditionally been slightly more conservative. The real fulcrum of the defence now will be Fulton, barely less experienced than Newbridge yet able to bridge the gap between the old and new generations, and between the defence and the midfield if she's required.

Army and Navy - "The Soldiers" - the club of the Eleanorian Army (which all players are members of)

Home stadium: New Barracks, Oaktree district (capacity 32,200)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Rose Carter [GK; Lance-Corporal; 29yo; she/her]; 2. Kevin Bryson [LB; Lance-Corporal; 28yo; he/him]; 3. Victor Bone [RB; Private; 34yo; he/him]; 4. David Green [CM; Private; 30yo; he/him]; 5. Katrina Shelby [CB; Private; 20yo; she/her]; 6. Denise Livingston [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CB; Sergeant; 31yo; she/her]; 7. Mark Gould [LM; Private; 31yo; he/him]; 8. James Walter [CM; Lance-Corporal; 29yo; he/him]; 9. Isabella Bright [ST; Private; 23yo; she/her]; 10. George Murson [ST; Lance-Corporal; 26yo; he/him]; 11. Sarah Wallace [RM; Private; 30yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Nathan Smith [GK; Private; 26yo; he/him]; 13. Jack Murphy [CB; Private; 23yo; he/him]; 14. Angela George [LB; Private; 22yo; she/her]; 15. Olivia Silver [CM; Lance-Corporal; 27yo; she/her]; 16. Johanna Spencer [ST; Private; 24yo; she/her]; 17. Natalie Evans [RM; Private; 25yo; she/her]; 18. David Porter [RM; Private; 22yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Luke McCarthy [53yo; Colonel; he/him]: 2012 is a year of incremental improvements for the entire league, and Army are no exceptions to the rule this year as they have finally seen fit to contract moderate defender Katrina Shelby from the Army Leagues, who will surely forge a reasonably good partnership with captain Livingston. Bone's place is not exactly secure either, given his age, but he is a good player and one would trust that Angela George will be a capable steed. Bright remains the star striker, if not the star player other than Livingston, but she is still complaining about the team's lack of attacking drive, and we can only go so far as to say that the attacking and midfield players are good - hardly commendable or exceptional, yet good enough to guarantee another solid year for the team.

Polytechnic Institute - "The Poly" - the club of the Polytechnic

Home stadium: Polytechnic Sports Centre, Buckhead district (capacity 6,088)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Ian Black [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 2. Madeleine Charlton [RB; 19yo; she/her]; 3. Lily Bruton [CB; 22yo; she/her]; 4. Edward Broad [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 5. Chloe Roland [LB; 23yo; she/her]; 6. James Salt [CM; 22yo; he/him]; 7. Michelle Addison [CAPTAIN] [RM; 23yo; she/her]; 8. Gisken Aldra [CM; 22yo; they/them]; 9. Beatrix Hillman-Tower [ST; 22yo; she/her]; 10. Lydia Falconer [ST; 20yo; she/her]; 11. Alan Brinkley [LM; 23yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. David Tanner [GK; 22yo; he/him]; 13. Nate George [RB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. Michael Gordon [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. Leah Conroy [RM; 23yo; she/her]; 16. Charles McDonald [LM; 22yo; he/him]; 17. Êber Tóxo [ST; 22yo; he/him]; 18. Emily Anderton [CM; 22yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Justin Roland [35yo; he/him]: Adamson, surely unwilling to start going on blood pressure medication, has handed over the reins to the more willing - perhaps even capable - Roland, who starts this year with limited change but has committed to finding reinforcements in a post-Slabinac world. Gisken Aldra, now the sole foreigner in the squad (and the sole non-binary player in the league pyramid), has continued to impress and, together with their fellow guardians of attacking competence Addison, Hillman-Tower and Falconer, is not exactly likely to offend anyone other than the social conservatives they are already offending anyway. At the back, Madeleine Charlton is grabbed from the triumphant Liberty squad of 2010 to short up the defence a bit, a task that will surely be more and more essential of her as Edward Broad starts to age out and the substitutes' bench becomes endangered in the next couple of years.

Good Hope Club - "The Seasiders" - the club of the dockworkers

Home stadium: The Good Hope Stadium, Trident district (capacity 22,174)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-5-1): 1. Hannah Downing [GK; 34yo; she/her]; 2. Tina Falconer [LB; 30yo; she/her]; 3. Keith Barnett [RB; 24yo; he/him]; 4. Yusuf Sofyan [CB; 27yo; he/him]; 5. Carrie Holliday [CM; 30yo; she/her]; 6. Steve Harbrough [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 7. Aaron Burrow [LM; 30yo; he/him]; 8. Owen Blackwater [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 9. Alexandra Barrett [RM; 28yo; she/her]; 10. Naferala paVepexala [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 11. Amanda Cleveland [CAPTAIN] [ST; 30yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Darren Barker [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 13. George Anderson [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. Kathy White [CB; 21yo; she/her]; 15. Rachel McEwan [RM; 23yo; she/her]; 16. Katie Phillips [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 17. Terry Smith [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 18. Oliver Samuels [ST; 25yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Mary Kirkport [51yo; she/her]: The Good Hope Club remains remarkably unremarkable as we head into the new season; it has neither the controversies nor, these days, the personalities of their rivals over at Grand Beach. As I predicted last year, Falconer and Sofyan are at the heart of this defence, and surely would be at most other clubs, being relatively attack-minded influences who nevertheless know when and how to clear the ball up. There is still little to shout about in midfield, but this is not to refer to it as ineffective, given that Blackwater has more than made his mark given the circumstances and Barrett has proven to be such a good wide midfielder that she has been noticed neither by many defenders nor by many journalists. Cleveland is the star striker as always, but might be getting a bit bored of everything.

Golden Unicorn - "The Unicorn" - the club of northern Saint Eleanor city's middle-class (and the odd aesthete or two)

Home stadium: Dignity Cross, Brightway district (capacity 27,587)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-1-1): 1. Georgia Wood [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [GK; 40yo; she/her]; 2. Gavin Laker [LB; 30yo; he/him]; 3. Keith Bartlett [RB; 28yo; he/him]; 4. Samuel Lewis [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 5. Aaron Francis [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CB; 36yo; he/him]; 6. Ganelarana paValetara [CB; 28yo; she/her]; 7. Peter Walker [LM; 26yo; he/him]; 8. Natalie Monaco [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAM; 36yo; she/her]; 9. + Jaclyn Foley [ST; 31yo; she/her]; 10. Wanar-Xalan Tla [CM; 31yo; they/them]; 11. Gionata Mariani [RM; 31yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Katie Masterson [GK; 25yo; she/her]; 13. Michael Burns [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. Daniel Bennett [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. Alisha Peters [RB; 24yo; she/her]; 16. Natasha Wallis [CM; 27yo; she/her]; 17. James Wallace [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 18. Parecava gaExhecela [ST; 27yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Justin Wood [54yo; he/him]: This team is, more or less, the same team that won immediate promotion back from the Second League, especially now that Mariani has recommitted to his second season at the club. However, with Wood likely to hang up her cap, the Macbonian's cuture uncertain, and Monaco and Francis racing into the end of their careers, prosperity for this club might be more of a dream in the longer run unless surprising things happen. Foley is surely the one player in the squad who is likely to stay on for good, especially as she - like her compatriots - have emerged from the end of the tunnel with Eleanorian dual citizenship, and she remains by far the most obvious star player in a team that used to have no shortage of them. Bartlett, Lewis and Wanar-Xalan are all good players in their positions, but one must ask if they are really of the quality to be challenging for a miraculous first title in thirty-five years.

Nova Aegis - "The Pink Falcons" - the club of the worst-off, especially from Sunset Gates to Buckhead

Home stadium: The Workers' Coliseum, Bramblewood district (capacity 20,874)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. August Wills [GK; 27yo; he/him]; 2. Lauren Smith [LB; 30yo; she/her]; 3. Simon Donald [RB; 25yo; he/him]; 4. Rick Street [CAPTAIN] [CB; 31yo; he/him]; 5. Stephen Shepley [CB; 32yo; he/him]; 6. Keith Albert [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 7. Matthew Wrekin [LM; 30yo; he/him]; 8. Alessio Lombardo [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 9. Paul Ronson [RM; 25yo; he/him]; 10. Deborah Dennis [ST; 26yo; she/her]; 11. Bill Murphy [ST; 24yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Charlotte White [GK; 22yo; she/her]; 13. Richard Trincham [LB; 22yo; he/him]; 14. Louise Morgan [CB; 24yo; she/her]; 15. Tommy Grant [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 16. Millie Richards [CM; 21yo; she/her]; 17. Nick Ellison [ST; 23yo; he/him]; 18. Patrick Trout [RM; 26yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Phil Lambert [52yo; he/him]: While the team last year may have underwhelmed in the league, this year's iteration promises to be promotion contenders by virtue of being a strong, well-rounded team that isn't taking part in the LBCT this time around. Lombardo remains the midfield virtuoso as ever, if that term can be applied to a Second League player, but Bill Murphy is making his name as a quietly competent striker - almost the inverse George Guest - and there are signs that the defence is finally consolidating into something worth shouting about.

List of SEL winners

Athletic Saint Eleanor: 15
(1975 trial season, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012)

Independence 1975: 13
(1976, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009)

Army and Navy: 4
(1981, 1982, 1985, 1990)

Sword and Shield: 3
(1977, 1989, 1993)

Golden Unicorn: 1
(1987)

Occidental Olympic: 1
(1998)

Hiyashi Celestia: 1
(2000)

* * * * * * * * * *
JUDGMENT DAY

RESULTS OF THE 2013 FIRST LEAGUE

▼▼ Saint Eleanor First League 2013     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
►►  1 Independence 1975                 18   12   2   4    30   14  +16    38    Champions' League 25
►►  2 Hiyashi Celestia                  18   10   4   4    30   18  +12    34    Champions' League 25
►►  3 Occidental Olympic                18    9   3   6    39   36   +3    30    Challengers' Cup 25; Cygnus Cup 73
►►  4 Athletic Saint Eleanor            18    9   2   7    31   29   +2    29    Challengers' Cup 25
►►  5 Polytechnic Institute             18    8   3   7    31   33   −2    27    Challengers' Cup 25
►►  6 Good Hope Club                    18    8   2   8    27   23   +4    26
►►  7 Sword and Shield                  18    6   3   9    31   31    0    21
►►  8 Army and Navy                     18    6   3   9    19   26   −7    21
►►  9 Golden Unicorn                    18    4   7   7    21   25   −4    19    Promotion Playoff
►► 10 Nova Aegis                        18    3   1  14    20   44  −24    10    Relegated

Note: Premier Club won the Promotion Playoff

⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐

ATHLETIC SAINT ELEANOR - WINNERS OF THE 2013 SHOWCASE
ELEANORIAN ENTRANTS INTO CUP WINNERS' CUP 73

ROSTER COMING ON MONDAY
ROSTER COMING ON MONDAY
ROSTER COMING ON MONDAY

Manager: George Dunbar [he/him]

RESULTS OF THE 2012 SHOWCASE

First Round
Army School (A&N youth team) 2–4 Yggdrasil
Lion 4–0 Infrastructure
Republicans 0–2 16th of November
Grand Beach 3–3 Trades Unionists (4–3 AET)
Premier Club 2–2 Newbanks United (2–3 AET)
Golden Unicorn 3–1 Boys' Preparatory (independent CTS team)

Round of Sixteen
Athletic Saint Eleanor 4–1 Yggdrasil
Grand Beach 0–1 Good Hope Club
Army and Navy 0–0 Newbanks United (0–0 AET) (4–5 pen.)
Lion 0–2 Golden Unicorn
Hiyashi Celestia 0–1 Atlas
Independence 1975 0–0 16th of November (1–1 AET) (5–4 pen.)
Polytechnic Institute 1–4 Occidental Olympic
Sword and Shield 5–0 Nova Aegis

Quarterfinals
Independence 1975 1–0 Golden Unicorn
Good Hope Club 1–0 Athletic Saint Eleanor
Occidental Olympic 3–2 Atlas
Sword and Shield 2–3 Nova Aegis

Semifinals
Occidental Olympic 1–0 Independence 1975
Good Hope Club 4–1 Nova Aegis

THE FINAL
Nova Aegis 0–2 Occidental Olympic

* * * * * * * * * *

Hello, little spenders! How have the SEL's new kids on the block been doing? (published in The Journal, 01-Dec-2013)

After what feels like, and actually were, years of no transfer window activity from Eleanorian clubs, we finally have three new, young, exciting players on the scene. Amalie Selnes of Valanora arrives to step into Nightingale's horseshoes at Athletic, with a reputation for speed but rather less of one for accuracy - something that many commentators have compared to legendary centre-forward Rick Goldsmith over at Celestia. Frolt-Mazur Xlo joins the Polytechnic Institute, replacing Chloe Roland and living in the hope that they can finally stabilise the club's challenging defence. And Theodora Wyndham is now at Atlas in the Second League, hoping to prove somebody or other wrong in central midfield - one of the most challenging positions in the game - given the serious question marks around her work ethic. But how well have they been faring, really?

[TL;DR is pretty well. Selnes didn't quite make double-digits, not a bad achievement given where Athletic found themselves.. FMX was a good defender, but didn't quite get the Poly's defence better than second-worst, although this was a more defensive season than most. Wyndham sometimes commended herself, a bit more often than she condemned herself. Honestly, I've been so busy doing the World Cup and writing my 2,500-word supplementary RP about Sunset Gates that I've not had enough time to look after my actual league lol]

Speaking exclusively to The Journal, former Newbanks United goalkeeper Carla Hawkins said that "there's a lot of evidence - some of it anecdotal, some of it statistical - to suggest that new signings tend to improve the quality of a team. They aren't necessarily the best players, but they do normally have the right stuff to raise the moods and motivations of the team." However, Golden Unicorn legend Natalie Monaco told us that "what matters is how the team's performing and where their strengths and weaknesses are; most signings go well, but I've seen a few horror stories in my time and Saint Eleanor has always been good at youth development, so I wouldn't suggest that this is a good band-aid solution or anything like that."

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Nov 30, 2025 6:27 pm

ALL roster information is out of date. I will update this on Monday evening.
Know this: Rachel McNamara is Newbanks United's new manager. Nobuyuki Ishida has bolted to Atlas. Daiki Fujiwara has bolted to Premier Club. Many other players have aged out, been replaced, or just created out of thin air for substitution's sake.

The Saint Eleanor Second League of 2013

Preview of the League sides (by Jamie Rodgers of SESB)

Legend: 99. {all eligible NT flags, if non-EXT; see below} Player McPlayerface [WINNER AS PLAYER: WORLD CUP 1000000, CUP OF HARMONY 1000000, BAPTISM OF FIRE 1000000; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE/UICA CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, IFCF CHALLENGERS' CUP/UICA GLOBE CUP 1000000, IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 1000000, IFCF LIGA B CHAMPIONS' TROPHY/UICA SERIES B CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, CUP WINNERS' CUP 1000000] [WINNER AS MANAGER: AS BEFORE] [CAPTAIN] [POS; species; Army rank; 9001yo; pro/nouns].

Other notes:

Teams are in descending order of 2011 Second League finish.
Starting lineups go from 1 to 11; substitutes wear 12 to 18. Lineups are good for the 22nd IFCF cycle.
Ages given reflect how old the Eleanorians will be at the end of 2012, and how old the foreigners were when we last checked.
Underlined single nationals play for the national team they are eligible for as of the start of 2012. Underlined dual nationals play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name as of that date.
Everyone is a human, and from Saint Eleanor, unless otherwise stated.
See a player without a like-for-like substitute? Subs listed as playing on one side of the pitch usually have no qualms with playing on the other as necessary.
The same "Important OOC notes about the Laws of the Game as they are applied in Saint Eleanor" as here apply.

Grand Beach - "The Dolphins" - the club of coastal Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Albion Road, Grand Beach district (capacity 24,815)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Volnavera xaParelanara [GK; 32yo; she/her]; 2. Christina Fulton [LB; 34yo; she/her]; 3. James Benson [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 4. Gary Milton [CM; 32yo; he/him]; 5. Sam Newbridge [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CB; 38yo; he/him]; 6. Owen Cartwright [RB; 25yo; he/him]; 7. Jack Brewer [LM; 25yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Coulter [CM; 25yo; she/her]; 9. Samuel Wright [ST; 22yo; he/him]; 10. Michelle Tallard [ST; 29yo; she/her]; 11. Tim Brandon [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [RM; 36yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Anthony George [GK; 22yo; he/him]; 13. Richard Booth [RB; 24yo; he/him]; 14. Bill Kendall [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 15. Olivia Herbert [LB; 26yo; she/her]; 16. Blake Spencer [RM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. Sara Halbrook [ST; 34yo; she/her]; 18. Adam Charles [CM; 25yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Nathaniel Jenkins [57yo; he/him]: As always, while Newbridge remains reluctant to accept reality, Brandon is willing to face it head-on, announcing that this will be his last season before he passes the torch to the promising, if not quite as fast, Blake Spencer. This is a high-quality, effective team of players which have otherwise not quite reached their peak potential yet; Wright is proving himself to be as good a striker as people had hoped a couple of years ago, if one who the spotlight has managed to avoid, while Coulter is an impactful, versatile midfielder in a team that has traditionally been slightly more conservative. The real fulcrum of the defence now will be Fulton, barely less experienced than Newbridge yet able to bridge the gap between the old and new generations, and between the defence and the midfield if she's required.

Newbanks United - "United;" "The Students" - the club of eastern, non-coastal Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Eastern Fields, Newbanks district (capacity 24,184)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Carla Hawkins [GK; 35yo; she/her]; 2. Polly Ground [LB; 34yo; she/her]; 3. Michael Dean [CB; 31yo; he/him]; 4. + Daiki Fujiwara [CB; 32yo; he/him]; 5. Harriet Farnham [RB; 29yo; he/him]; 6. Emma Francis [CM; 32yo; she/her]; 7. Palerenala vaEplanera [LM; 25yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Woodhouse [CM; 32yo; she/her]; 9. Rachel McNamara [CAPTAIN] [ST; 33yo; she/her]; 10. + Nobuyuki Ishida [ST; 32yo, he/him]; 11. Charlotte Phillips [RM; 27yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Damian Rhodes [GK; 28yo; he/him]; 13. Elizabeth Welch [CB; 21yo; she/her]; 14. Catherine Morrison [LB; 26yo; she/her]; 15. Noah Halford [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 16. James Pittam [RM; 27yo; he/him]; 17. Eloise Gardener [LM; 20yo; she/her]; 18. Simon Smith [ST; 24yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Ian Graham [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 73] [65yo; he/him]: There have been open complaints in the press by multiple players about how badly Graham has mismanaged the situation and it is quite possible that he might not even survive through to the second game, never mind the last. Charlotte Phillips climbs aboard the sinking ship from Athletic's substitute bench, but the other players remain so familiar that a good few of them are threatening to sit out games unless urgent change is imposed. This is unlikely to be a good year, even if it might be an acceptable one.

Trades Unionists - "The Union" - the club of the Dockside's working class writ-large

Home stadium: New Docks Stadium, Wellington district (capacity 27,852)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Darren Tolmidge [GK; 32yo; he/him]; 2. Phil Rankin [LB; 25yo; he/him]; 3. Nathan Evans [RB; 26yo; he/him]; 4. Catherine Woodacre [CB; 27yo; she/her]; 5. Joe Oxley [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 6. Ella Purton [CM; 27yo; she/her]; 7. David Walker [CAPTAIN] [LM; 28yo; he/him]; 8. Peter Reynolds [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 9. Victoria Rackitt [RM; 31yo; she/her]; 10. Jérôn Çíçí [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 11. Thomas Gunner [ST; 24yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Harry Spence [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. James Hill [LB; 27yo; he/him]; 14. Luke Milligan [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 15. Steve Bacon [RB; 29yo; he/him]; 16. Laura Booker [CM; 26yo; she/her]; 17. Daisy Barratt [ST; 21yo; she/her]; 18. Simon Oakwood [LM; 27yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Tina Heller [46yo; she/her]: There has been a boom in trades unionism, with the new drydock having been built and the Major in charge of Trident having finally managed to clear the last apartment blocks in the city, located in the district. The new club run by the Trades Unionists, and the New Docks Stadium for them to play in, could not be more timely, nor could Heller's subtle adjustment to the playstyle. [a further tactical introduction is coming soon, if not 2013...]

16th of November - "16N" - the club of the area in and around Holland, especially the zoo

Home stadium: The Stadium at the Zoological Gardens, Holland district (capacity 4,166)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Pavelarena meGalavane [GK; 27yo; he/him]; 2. Adam Johnson [LB; 20yo; he/him]; 3. Michael Davis [RB; 24yo; he/him]; 4. Anna Simpson [CB; 28yo; she/her]; 5. Quentin Tiller [CB; 25yo; he/him]; 6. Lauren Brown [CM; 25yo; she/her]; 7. James Parsons [LM; 24yo; he/him]; 8. Will Gardner [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 9. Lucy Ryan [RM; 21yo; he/him]; 10. Matt Norton [CAPTAIN] [ST; 29yo; he/him]; 11. Nicola Wilbury [ST; 24yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Sophia Lewis [40yo; she/her]: 16th of November prides itself on its association with the Zoological Gardens, established on that day in 1959. It is also notable for the sheer breadth of places from which its players have been taken: not only the usual places, but also the Zoo itself (Ryan), the District Council's staff (Johnson), and - if the signing himself is to be believed - a local pub garden (Parsons).

Premier Club - "Premier" - the club of the New West's middle-class and services industry

Home stadium: Premier Stadium, Premier district (capacity 54,105)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Gemma Farley [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 2. James Miller [LB; 29yo; he/him]; 3. Louise Halliwell [RB; 27yo; she/her]; 4. Helen Green [CB; 26yo; she/her]; 5. Roy Downsall [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 6. Joanna Gillam [CM; 27yo; she/her; 7. Adam Ellison [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 8. Charlotte Mills [CAPTAIN] [CM; 26yo; she/her]; 9. Stephen Blunt [RM; 24yo; he/him]; 10. Wendy Smith [ST; 26yo; she/her]; 11. Kevin O'Leary [ST; 20yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Harriet Williams [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [42yo; she/her]: Evidently not satisfied with Cassadaigua legend Rachel Schanke's longevity at Hiyashi Celestia, Premier has decided to hook up none other than the erstwhile Williams for her inaugural managerial job - and, this time, hopefully a long-awaited promotion. Golden Backpack winner Kevin O'Leary has confirmed his status as an astute signing [...]

Atlas - "Atlas" - the club of the New West's working-class and manufacturing industry

Home stadium: Atlas Stadium 1, Atlas district (capacity 46,148)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Iliana Morgan [GK; 24yo; she/her]; 2. Jake Gordon [LB; 27yo; he/him]; 3. Geoffrey Herbert [RB; 30yo; he/him]; 4. Kate Wilson [CB; 24yo; she/her]; 5. Brian Francis [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 6. Michael Jackett [CAPTAIN] [CM; 32yo; he/him]; 7. Susanna Reynolds [LM; 26yo; she/her]; 8. Donald Manning [CM; 22yo; he/him]; 9. Adam Green [RM; 25yo; he/him]; 10. David Woodbury [ST; 28yo; he/him]; 11. Ted Carpenter [ST; 27yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [RB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Edward McDonald [47yo; he/him]: [if you're reading this I've been very busy and haven't had time to write proper intros for all the teams yet, I'll do this for 2013 though. Atlas is the de-facto club of the Kaito Corporation of Kandorith's Eleanorian wing however, akin to how Celestia is Hiyashi's team]

Infrastructure - "Infra;" "The Power" - the club of the utilities

Home stadium: National Electric Stadium, Tannerton district (capacity 13,952)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Laura Scott [GK; 25yo; she/her]; 2. Graham Lawrence [LB; 24yo; he/him]; 3. Henry Mitchell [CAPTAIN] [RB; 28yo; he/him]; 4. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 5. Catherine Henderson [CB; 26yo; she/her]; 6. Parelaneta vaHelaxana [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 7. Joe Houseman [LM; 29yo; he/him]; 8. Paul Jones [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 9. Amelia Bartlett [RM; 24yo; she/her]; 10. Gary Sacks [ST; 31yo; he/him]; 11. Ryan Carter [ST; 27yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Alan Walker [57yo; he/him]: Who better to manage National Electricity's new plaything than an actual boardroom manager at Natelec's actual business operation? Probably nobody else, to be fair, given that expectations for this side are relatively low - the local employees being far too busy laying cables and other groundwork to have much time for football. Walker has delivered on his defensive tilt, but nobody here is a standout on the levels of someone like Lombardo, never mind half of the Golden Unicorn side, and Infrastructure's few fans should be bracing themselves for yet another mediocre if not sloppy season.

Yggdrasil - "Yggdrasil" - the club of north-eastern Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: The Temple, Blackwood district (capacity 22,015)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Dustin O'Hara [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 2. John Mount [LB; 30yo; he/him]; 3. Michelle Francis [RB; 24yo; she/her]; 4. Gianna Summers [CAPTAIN] [CB; 29yo; she/her]; 5. Owen Davids [CB; 26yo; he/him]; 6. Patricia Halton [CM; 28yo; she/her]; 7. Edward Simpson [LM; 32yo; he/him]; 8. Jack Western [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 9. Ruth Milliner [RM; 24yo; she/her]; 10. Sophie Black [ST; 24yo; she/her]; 11. Brian Worth [ST; 27yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Marion Camp [48yo; she/her]: The Temple was the site of a church that got destroyed during the War of Independence; Camp is hoping that her team doesn't suffer the same fate yet again. [...]

Lion - "The Lions" - the club of the Dockside's diasporas

Home stadium: The Grand Oval, Marketplace district (capacity 23,427)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Annaliese Morgan [GK; 25yo; she/her]; 2. Harry Blunt [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 3. Jenna Edwards [RB; 21yo; she/her]; 4. Fabrice Dansa [CAPTAIN] [CB; 27yo; he/him]; 5. Allabatou Kusa [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 6. Theresa Roberts [CM; 25yo; she/her]; 7. Jatta Jobateh [LM; 22yo; he/him]; 8. Mamudu Eya [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 9. Jibou Jabayo [RM; 19yo; he/him]; 10. Benjamin Sienara [ST; 23yo; he/him]; 11. Harry O'Rourke [ST; 21yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: John Bennett [44yo; he/him]: Last year's race for the top two or three was extremely close and, for all the questions about his White Tinhamptonian ethnicity and temporality, Bennett should consider himself to have done well for the time being. The squad is now more diverse, and hopefully more competent, than ever with a few new Banijans introduced to the lineup, although there have been "serious discussions" about further improvements in the years to come.

Republicans - "The Republicans" - the club of the bohemians, creative types, and other locals

Home stadium: Barclay Road, Deepchester district (capacity 11,295)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. David McEwan [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 2. Rob Waters [LB; 25yo; he/him]; 3. Lydia Howard [RB; 22yo; she/her]; 4. Jasmine Hair [CB; 27yo; she/her]; 5. Andrew Baker [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 6. Jôs Grêndê [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 7. Alex Whitby [CAPTAIN] [LM; 30yo; he/him]; 8. Sienna Roberts [CM; 28yo; she/her]; 9. Gûsín Nàár [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 10. Ryan Jones [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 11. Rebecca Tapp [RM; 24yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 21yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Samuel Walcott [40yo; he/him]: Walcott may be an inexperienced manager leading an inexperienced team, like almost everyone else in this league, but he does at least have years of defensive experience with Sword and Shield - if it can be called that, given the team's historic lack of focus on defending - to count on. In a team largely made up of local artists, rather less productive layabouts, and some amateurs who have jobs to hold down in the real world (Roberts is a supermarket cashier; Nàár is a gun licensing trainer with World of Safety), there is little of tactical note and will continue to be until such a point as Walcott is given a scout or a non-negligible sum of money.

* * * * * * * * * *
JUDGMENT DAY

RESULTS OF THE 2012 SECOND LEAGUE

▼▼ Saint Eleanor Second League 2013     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
►►  1 Grand Beach                        18   12   3   3    25   14  +11    39    Promoted; Liga B Champions' Trophy 25
►►  2 Premier Club                       18   11   4   3    43   25  +18    37    Promotion Playoff; Liga B Champions' Trophy 25
►►  3 Atlas                              18   10   3   5    33   16  +17    33    Liga B Champions' Trophy 25
►►  4 Newbanks United                    18    9   4   5    29   24   +5    31
►►  5 Trades Unionists                   18    7   5   6    38   27  +11    26
►►  6 Yggdrasil                          18    6   7   5    28   30   −2    25
►►  7 Lion                               18    5   3  10    24   35  −11    18
►►  8 Republicans                        18    4   5   9    26   42  −16    17
►►  9 16th of November                   18    3   6   9    33   38   −5    15
►► 10 Infrastructure                     18    1   4  13    17   45  −28     7    Wooden Spoon

Promotion Playoff result: Premier Club 1–0 Golden Unicorn
(Charlotte Mills 58')

Premier Club promoted to the First League; Golden Unicorn relegated to the Second League

* * * * * * * * * *

$30,000 houses and "nothing happening other than crime:" is Hilton the worst neighbourhood in Anaia? (published in The Gazette, 04-Dec-2013)

The southeastern quarter of Sunset Gates, backing onto the no-less-infamous district of Queenston, has had a bad reputation around it for over half a century. This is no exaggeration, as Simon Spencer wrote for this newspaper in 1960 that "the stench of disorder and decay wafts over there like it does on few other places on the island." It got bombarded heavily in the War of Independence, wasn't properly rebuilt for years, and continues to suffer from recurring commercial and infrastructure issues. Few would dare to say it has ever seen better days, as Sunset Gates as a whole has always been more of an overspill district for the conventionally less desirable people of Saint Eleanor than anything else.

Today, the people living in southeastern Sunset Gates call it Hilton after the Hilton Tower, a thirty-metre tall office building that towers over the local high street. By any reliable estimate, it has around 3,000 residents, just over a fifth of Sunset Gates' overall total. The average person in work in the area, according to the results of the Ministry of Finance's most recent Earnings and Wages Survey, takes home $28,000 - while 23% of all households with at least one adult aged between 18 and 65 have nobody in work, and are often claiming the much paltrier sums inherent in Unemployment Benefit. 7% of adults in Hilton have a degree from the University of Saint Eleanor; 82% of adults have passed both their Terranean and English School Certificates, two mandatory qualifications earned at the age of eighteen without which gainful employment is virtually impossible. Both of these education metrics are the lowest of any neighbourhood.

Seven people were murdered in the neighbourhood last year - a murder rate of around 230 per 100,000 - and there have been five killed this year to date. Last year's nationwide figure was 214 murders, or around 34.7 per 100,000. "Well, that puts it into a bit of context, doesn't it?" rhetorically asked Gavin Hendricks, who works at the Hilton Pharmacy, after we told him this. "You have a lot of people over here, lots of guns, lots of pent-up anger if you know where you look. Obviously that's a lot of people who shouldn't have to be dead, but you look at the culture everywhere else and you think 'oh, that's a nice place, they treat other people with kindness, they like democracy, Euran consensus, what have you.' And there are places in Saint Eleanor that think like that. We aren't one of them. That's how you end up with Sunset Gates or even Saint Eleanor always being called the 'murder capital of SAREIMA' every winter."

Bafelerata vaXelanapera, whose brother Daperaneta was one of Hilton's murder victims last year, takes a different view. "People like to say it's too easy to get a gun. I don't think any of them are from the area. You get a lot of different people, they all go through the same process at World of Safety, I got my firearms certificate a few years ago. Dappy was a good guy, I want to say, but the people he was around? They were selling cannabis without a license, selling guns to children, money-laundering, stuff like that. I wouldn't trust them. Some people do, because there's nothing else worth doing here other than work a dead-end job. You could commute to somewhere else, but with the salaries they're offering anywhere else, why wouldn't you move?"

The Army is, by far and away, one of the largest employers in Hilton, with over one hundred soldiers liable for duty at Sunset Gates Delta base and at least two Army cars on patrol at any one time. Sergeant David Richards, whose shift today (Monday 3rd December) is between 1pm and 11pm, told us that "we're always up to a lot of work in the local area; sometimes we have to rope in the lads from Oaktree for help because there's just too much on our plate. We've arrested a few dozen people this year and gotten something like fifteen people in jail, but we face quite a bit of physical risk from some of the nastier criminals and we normally lose one soldier every couple of years as a result. Crime always happens and we normally aren't there to pre-emptively stop it - Hilton's a pretty big place, it reminds me of some of the suburbs elsewhere in terms of layouts - so where we're making a difference is in arrest, and as I've said, that's a big difference."

Harry Morgan, who works for a professional services firm based out of the Hilton Tower, complained about the Army's lack of response. "We've got nothing happening other than crime here, basically. There's crime when you wake up and find binbags lying all over because the District Council won't pick then up on time, when you go to the shop and the lad running it is sending the money back home for who knows what, when you go out, see a bunch of idiots fighting with each other or trying to break into the shop. You'll have to remove everyone from the town and make it the second Army headquarters if you want to see any real change. There are a few parts of the country where shops are boarded up. They're not anywhere north of the University or west of Northwest Road, I can assure you that. Over here, they pretty much all are when they're shut."

Milton is around 30% black and 4% Rulandese, both above the national average. War of Independence veteran Adrian Hogan complained about this state of affairs without being prompted. "I don't know if I can say this in a newspaper, but you get a lot of Gladom Newion layabouts who sponge off the state. I fought alongside black people in the war and they all cared about their country. They must be seventy years old now, happily retired, I'm sure they'd be pissed off like all hell if they knew what their fellow Gladom Newion were up to." When told about the existence of other neighbourhoods - including one where White Tinhamptonians are a minority - where the crime rate is lower than in Hilton, he told us that "these people know how the culture works. The ones here? Nobody really trusts them. Nobody trusts anyone."

However, Lieutenant Lydia Charnley - who grew up in the area - insists that the narrative of societal collapse was not entirely accurate. "It is actually the case that crime in Hilton is normally a bit higher than it is elsewhere in the country, especially violent crime; we've gotten a bit of theft and we're working with the District Council to make sure that all of the rubbish is being picked up on time, since we've been getting a lot of complaints about that in the last couple of years. Even here, however, most people will not be victims of any crime in any one year; I lived here until age thirteen, I've been back here quite a few times since, and I've only been violated once, by mistake on Army duty. It isn't fair or correct to generalise about who the criminals are - some of them aren't repeat offenders and more than a few of them are actually travelling here to commit crimes - but I can say with confidence that black and Rulandese people are not committing crime as much as people tend to think. As with everywhere else, they completely understand what it's like to be an Eleanorian and we have a lot of them in the Army, too."

Zalexevera naBelaterena had her car stolen in Hilton in July while visiting her grandparents. She told us that "I just took the hit and moved on! I remembered to lock it and I have no idea what the local crime gangs are using; I think they have replica keys or something like that. I just got another one for a thousand dollars, I like it, and if it keeps happening then I'll go to the Army. If the louts and runabouts don't kill you, then the lack of speed limits or the fast food or the terrible weather will." We caught up with her at the Eagle and Star pub, where she's having a pint of beer and a burger with chips and onion rings. "Yeah, this is better than what they do at the NLF Club. Only $5.80 on top of that. Don't quote me on that, though."

Stephen James, who is currently unemployed but is looking for a full-time job, was more than happy to complain about the neighbourhood. "I'm not even going to start talking about the crime; just look at the high street. We don't have a brand-name convenience store like most other places, we don't have a Premium Coffee - we have one of their machines at the independent convenience store - we have one pub and it's grotty. Lots of small businesses that people don't really trust, a couple of takeaways - one of them failed their safety inspection, I saw Lydia Charnley get something from that place once. On the plus side, we've got a World of Safety and an AGV, at least." (AGV - Andrews, Graham and Vaughan, or "Always Great Value" in their ad copy - is the leading frozen food retailer in Saint Eleanor, with forty-three branches across the island, predominantly in working-class areas such as Hilton.) He said that he sometimes joked about criminal damage in Hilton and other places in Sunset Gates constituting an improvement to the local area, which he said was "one of the national pastimes; it's a real monument to how bad things can get that we have to say this, because a lot of people think that what we have right now isn't fit for purpose compared to other districts."

Alicia Elliott has just finished her first year teaching Year 4 and 5 pupils (eight-year-old and nine-year-old pupils) at Hilton Primary School. "Coming here was a bit of a culture shock because I came from an easy-going middle-class family and you need to be a bit more disciplinarian here than you can afford to be in Carpentersville, where I grew up. At the same time, though, I'd gotten my university degree (in Terranean Literature), I'd taught for a couple of years at a primary back home, and I had enough money to buy my own place here; $28,000, two bedrooms, nice little garden. The people on my street can be a bit shouty and disorganised and I just got a broken window last week, which is really inconvenient at this time of year, but the parents at the school are a bit nicer than that and I don't have to scream at them as much."

The average house in Hilton costs $30,000, just higher than the average salary - making it by far the most affordable place in the country. Elliott tells us that "people don't move here because they don't need to and they think there's too much crime there! I mean, there's a lot, but nothing that most Eleanorians aren't used to. People like to think that Carpentersville is a boring little slice of suburbia, but I've been around the western parts of the district that got put up in the 1990s and you get the same type of constant petty crime over there, too. Saint Eleanor's a bit different to other cities because there isn't one big divide; you have around fifty districts with something like 15,000 people each, lots of amenities, lots of chances to work your way up the ladder - they have their quirks but they're fundamentally all the same. Therefore, there are well-to-do areas and there are rough-and-tumble areas everywhere. I do tend to think that you can have a good life at home just about everywhere, if you buy the right things and make enough money; nobody's tried to steal my coffee machine or my computer tower. With that in mind, I'd recommend Hilton to just about anyone who'd like a new start in life and who doesn't mind living in a less-than-perfect neighbourhood."

John Wood, whose family came to Hilton when it was a new development in the mid-1940s, thinks that there are several reasons behind why Hilton is so cheap. "I mean, first of all, this is where the dregs of the dregs of society live. You have your community heroes, like the primary school teachers, the soldiers, a couple of the business owners, but a few of the people here are quite dodgy and there's almost a double-digit number who you think might be actively plotting against you at any one time. Secondly, you don't want to live here. You really don't. Not even if you're a dreg. Where can you get a job? The primary school, if you've got a degree, which nobody has. The Army, if you have work ethic, which nobody has. The shopfronts, if you're willing to work for a potentially illegal operation at worst, for eight dollars an hour at best. Or you can just be a gangster."

His childhood friend Patricia England was more than happy to join his complaint. "Secretly, nobody wants to live here. It's like what John said, too much crime, too much stress, nothing to do here. There are two bus stops and they're served every hour, I think, which is pathetic compared to literally anywhere else. We have a massive Army base, one GP surgery and one fire station that's barely even manned most of the time. No brand names. Southern Sunset Gates, northern Queenston, that kind of area's as close to the middle of nowhere as you can get in civilisation. Get out if you can! Even the centre of Sunset Gates has more jobs and opportunity."

Major Daisy Tarrant, who is the de-facto leader of Sunset Gates district, told us that the Army was working together with private-sector partners and civilian government to improve the quality of life in Hilton. "We've talked to the Army Corps of Engineers and they say that they're looking at working on the state of the potholes in 2015 or 2016. I've also been asking for a more robust Army presence, which should hopefully reassure the household-name brands that Hilton is a safe place to live and work. We're looking at turning the Hilton Tower into more of an entertainment venue, since it's never really been put to good use as an office block and a lot of people think it's more of a vanity project - really, there's a lot of work we're thinking of doing in Hilton in the next ten or fifteen years, but we have to start with the basics first. Hopefully, within my lifetime - I'm thirty-five years old right now - we can start to talk about Sunset Gates as a good, safe place to live, like we talk about other districts. The hard work will have to start sooner rather than later, however."

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Mar 08, 2026 5:39 pm

OOC: The first part of this title is as inaccurate as it was last IFCF.

Mid-season interlude: The Charles Trump Shield of 2013

Introduction to the Charles Trump Shield
This competition was first run in 1979, but has only counted towards the Cup Winners' Cup and in part the IFCF Rising Stars Cup - hereinafter "big cups" - since 1998 (in time for the tenth IFCF cycle). It is named in honour of Colonel Charles Trump. In the autumn of 1974, during the War of Independence, Trump successfully defended the Eleanorian Academy from ground attack by Tinhamptonian forces. Although parts of the academy were destroyed in the air and Trump himself had his leg amputated, he was honourably discharged from the Army by order of President George Mitcham two days after Saint Eleanor won its independence, and successfully lobbied the government in its first years to head off freezes in the schools budget.

The Shield is contested between all 53 schools in Saint Eleanor - including the three private schools (the Girls' Preparatory, the Boys' Preparatory, and Saint Benedict's Catholic) and the six out-of-city schools (the Community Schools in Bishopgate, Crownedhead, Elsmouth, Farbend, Mount Dennis and Springfield) - along with Liberty, a team made up exclusively of the children of Eleanorian Army soldiers from various schools.

SEFA announced, in March 2009, an "informal amnesty" with the Eleanorian Sports and Cheer Coaching Alliance, who represent - among others - the 54 school team managers. The second phase of the amnesty is now in place: all teams except the quarterfinalists of last year's CTS will enter the first round. The first round winners and the seven non-champion quarterfinalists will enter the second round. The Army School, as reigning champions, will enter the third round, also known as the round of sixteen. Furthermore, the draws for the first two rounds will be made in March of each year.

All games except the final (at the Nat Lib) are played over two legs, with extra time and then penalties being played in the event of both games having the same result. Away goals count double, so not all aggregate ties will result in extra time. OOCly, the Græntfjaller method of ET and PSO scorination is used - although I add the goals scored in extra time and make those count towards away goals - and home advantage applies.

In each year, Liberty and schools must only send players in Year 13, i.e. those who will turn seventeen in that year. Every player in the 2014 Charles Trump Shield was therefore born in 1997. If they win that year's Shield, they will be entered into the following year's big cups (in the unlikely event they win the Showcase too) and may enter the victorious team, who will by now be in Year 14, i.e. eighteen years old. If their Year 14s win either big cup in any year, they shall enter the team that represented them in that year's Shield (who will be Year 14s the following year) into the following year's CWC/RSC - while the now-nineteen-year-old cup winners go to a well-deserved rest, probably in the Saint Eleanor League!

Some schools serve as the youth teams for clubs in the Saint Eleanor League
IFCF Regulation 7.02 provides that the youth teams of "clubs reaching the group phase of the Champions['] League are automatically entered" into the RSC (and acknowledges the possibility that a youth champion's senior team may make the CL group stages). However, the youth teams of clubs in Saint Eleanor are often the representative teams of local schools, rather than formal wings of the clubs themselves. To that effect, and should any of these clubs ever make the CL group stages:

The youth team of Occidental Olympic is Parkside CS. Parkside District Council owns both Olympic and the Community School.
The youth team of Sword and Shield is the University College. University College is a school run by the University of Saint Eleanor, whose Board of Trustees own Sword and Shield. Contrary to what many people believe, the University is a campus university. Collegiate Community School does not exist.
The youth team of Athletic Saint Eleanor is Whitehammer CS. The Eleanorian Chamber of Commerce, which counts several hundred privately-owned businesses among its members, owns Athletic. Whitehammer District Council owns the Community School, but many members of its PE Department also work as coaches for Athletic and they have the final say over who plays for Whitehammer.
The youth team of Independence 1975 is the Eleanorian Academy. The Government runs both Independence and the Academy. Central Community School does not exist.
The youth team of Grand Beach is Grand Beach CS. Gregory Willis, the owner of Willis fried chicken restaurants, owns Grand Beach. His eldest daughter, Sophie, is the Community School's head of the English department; she selects who plays for GBCS in consultation with the PE department.
The youth team of Army and Navy is the Army School. Army School is run by the Eleanorian Army, which owns Army and Navy. Oaktree Community School does exist, but has no affiliation with the Army.
The youth team of Good Hope Club is Trident CS. The Good Hope Supporters' Trust owns Good Hope. Trident District Council owns the Community School, but has an agreement with the Supporters Trust by which the School wears GHC's colours of light blue and plays its home matches at GHC's home stadium, the Good Hope Stadium.
The youth team of Golden Unicorn is Brightway CS. Emerald, the premier fund management company in the Novalk Peninsula, owns Golden Unicorn. It also provides generous funding to Brightway's Football Academy without which their ability to send a full-strength team to the Shield would be greatly diminished.
The youth team of Nova Aegis is Bramblewood CS. Bramblewood District Council owns both Nova Aegis and the Community School.
The youth team of the Polytechnic Institute is Buckhead CS. Buckhead Community School is not actually run by the Polytechnic Institute of Saint Eleanor, which owns the club of the same name - it is, like all Community Schools, operated by the district council - but a memorandum of understanding was made with the Polytechnic in 2009, through which the Poly financially supports BCS's PE department.
The youth team of Hiyashi Celestia is Broadlands CS. The Hiyashi Corporation founded (and still owns) Celestia; they have pumped significant sums of money into the Broadlands school team since doing so. Just don't ask where it comes from. It's all perfectly legal revenue from sales and whatnot, we promise.
The youth team of Newbanks United is Newbanks CS. The practice of Newbanks United offering a contract every year to a player from the Community School has long gone, not least since the club is now owned by the Misiriyaa Football Group of Al-Tamazgha, but some of United's coaches now work as PE teachers for the School (much as they do in Whitehammer), and the presumption remains that any sufficiently good NCS player will more likely than not contract with Newbanks United should there be a need in the team.
The youth team of Premier Club is Premier CS. The school, although in possession of a football academy that is ridiculously well-funded by D. Tommy Sanford's PREMIER empire (it was his before he got busted, anyway) and indeed has direct ties to the Premier Club of the same ownership, is actually located in Premier district, which was made to specification by a group of civil engineers working on behalf of the Eleanorian Army.
The youth team of 16th of November is Holland CS. The Zoological Gardens have an arrangement with Holland District Council, which owns the Community School, that predates even the National Liberation Front; an annual school trip to the Zoo is provided for students at Holland CS, for instance.
The youth team of Atlas is Atlas CS. Atlas district, like Premier district, was built to specification (of the Kaito Corporation of Kandorith) by the Army Corps of Engineers. Kaito themselves founded the Atlas club and own it through their Eleanorian subsidiary, Kaito Limited - so, much as Hiyashi do with Broadlands, it stands to reason that they have a solid partnership with the local school.
The youth team of Infrastructure is Tannerton CS. National Electricity, affectionately known as Natelec, owns Infrastructure (in partnership with Eleanorian Water). Natelec in turn provides (relatively) generous funding and support to Tannerton's PE Department and CTS team.
The youth team of Lion is Marketplace CS. Lion was founded by Banijan immigrants to Saint Eleanor, and remains in their control, although people from across the Dockside - both Eleanorians and immigrants - are generally welcomed by the club. There is a "broad partnership" in place between Lion and the Community School through which Marketplace's players are given consideration by Lion's scouts once they come of age.
The youth team of the Republicans is Deepchester CS. The Republicans are owned by their fans via the Deepchester Community Trust, which founded the club and recruited a number of players from the local areas - some of who just happen to be disaffected, previously-unemployed artists. Among the permanent members of the DCT's board is the Community School's headteacher of the day.
The youth team of the Trades Unionists is Wellington CS. The Trades Unions Alliance owns Trades Unionists - as well as Channel 5, in partnership with the Communist Party of Saint Eleanor - and, as part of their obligations to Wellington's community (which contains a good many dockworkers, who remain reluctant to switch their support from the Good Hope Club), offers a broad spectrum of support to the Community School, both in terms of its PE Department and many other areas.
The youth team of Yggdrasil is Blackwood CS. Blackwood District Council owns both Yggdrasil and the Community School.

"CS" always stands for Community School, by far the most common name given to Eleanorian schools; this abbreviation is used throughout to comply with IFCF character limits.

If you were a serious Golden Backpack contestant and you were playing for any of the above schools, then there's a good chance that you will end up playing for the school's linked Saint Eleanor League club (especially since Juventud collapsed in 2009). In today's environment, many young players are angling for moves to unaffiliated major clubs, but by far and away there is a much stronger practical and spiritual connection between each school and their SEL club.

Round 1 (1/23 final)

Holland CS 2–2 Kelbury CS
Kelbury CS 1–2 Holland CS
Holland CS win 4-3 on aggregate

Queenston CS 1–0 Crownedhead CS
Crownedhead CS 0–3 Queenston CS
Queenston CS win 4-0 on aggregate

Marketplace CS 0–3 Trident CS
Trident CS 2–2 Marketplace CS
Trident CS win 5-2 on aggregate

Elsmouth CS 0–4 Carpentersville CS
Carpentersville CS 1–0 Elsmouth CS
Carpentersville CS win 5-0 on aggregate

Bramblewood CS 0–0 Grand Beach CS
Grand Beach CS 2–2 Bramblewood CS
Bramblewood CS win 2-2 on aggregate (away goals)

Williamstown CS 1–2 Silverton CS
Silverton CS 2–2 Williamstown CS
Silverton CS win 4-3 on aggregate

St Paul CS 3–1 Bishopgate CS
Bishopgate CS 0–0 St Paul CS
St Paul CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Oaktree CS 5–0 New St Paul CS
New St Paul CS 2–1 Oaktree CS
Oaktree CS win 6-2 on aggregate

Saint Benedict's Catholic 2–2 Richardgate CS
Richardgate CS 0–0 Saint Benedict's Catholic
Richardgate CS win 2-2 on aggregate (away goals)

New Lizard CS 1–0 Mount Dennis CS
Mount Dennis CS 1–3 New Lizard CS
New Lizard CS win 4-1 on aggregate

Magna CS 1–1 Springfield CS
Springfield CS 0–1 Magna CS
Magna CS win 2-1 on aggregate

Farbend CS 0–5 Airport CS
Airport CS 4–0 Farbend CS
Airport CS win 9-0 on aggregate

Buckhead CS 4–2 Bonpool CS
Bonpool CS 2–0 Buckhead CS
Bonpool CS win 4-4 on aggregate (away goals)

Brightway CS 1–1 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS 2–2 Brightway CS
Brightway CS win 3-3 on aggregate (away goals)

Premier CS 1–0 Goldsmiths CS
Goldsmiths CS 0–3 Premier CS
Premier CS win 4-0 on aggregate

Jacobville CS 1–0 Eastern Fell CS
Eastern Fell CS 5–3 Jacobville CS
Eastern Fell CS win 5-4 on aggregate

Parkside CS 3–1 Liberty
Liberty 0–1 Parkside CS
Parkside CS win 4-1 on aggregate

Allington CS 3–2 Atlas CS
Atlas CS 2–0 Allington CS
Atlas CS win 4-3 on aggregate

Hartridge CS 2–3 Wellington CS
Wellington CS 3–2 Hartridge CS
Wellington CS win 6-4 on aggregate

Northolt CS 3–3 North Seville CS
North Seville CS 1–0 Northolt CS
North Seville CS win 4-3 on aggregate

Sunset Gates CS 0–0 Girls' Preparatory
Girls' Preparatory 0–1 Sunset Gates CS
Sunset Gates CS win 1-0 on aggregate

Millerham CS 1–1 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS 2–3 Millerham CS
Millerham CS win 4-3 on aggregate

St George CS 2–1 New Bayside CS
New Bayside CS 2–0 St George CS
New Bayside CS win 3-2 on aggregate

The lucky 23 winners in Round 1 will be joined by last year's non-champion CTS quarterfinalists - which I'll fill in later - in Round 2.

Round 2 (1/15 final)

Tannerton CS 3–2 Premier CS
Premier CS 3–1 Tannerton CS
Premier CS win 5-4 on aggregate

Carpentersville CS 1–0 Eastern Fell CS
Eastern Fell CS 1–1 Carpentersville CS
Carpentersville CS win 2-1 on aggregate

North Seville CS 1–1 St Paul CS
St Paul CS 0–1 North Seville CS
North Seville CS win 2-1 on aggregate

University College 2–3 New Lizard CS
New Lizard CS 0–2 University College
University College win 4-3 on aggregate

New Bayside CS 1–2 Brightway CS
Brightway CS 1–1 New Bayside CS
Brightway CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Parkside CS 4–0 Oaktree CS
Oaktree CS 3–3 Parkside CS
Parkside CS win 7-3 on aggregate

Boys' Preparatory 4–2 Magna CS
Magna CS 0–0 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory win 4-2 on aggregate

Bramblewood CS 3–2 Trident CS
Trident CS 1–0 Bramblewood CS
Trident CS win 3-3 on aggregate (away goals)

Whitehammer CS 4–0 Airport CS
Airport CS 0–1 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS win 5-0 on aggregate

Atlas CS 3–3 Newbanks CS
Newbanks CS 2–4 Atlas CS
Atlas CS win 7-5 on aggregate

Silverton CS 1–4 Queenston CS
Queenston CS 5–2 Silverton CS
Queenston CS win 9-3 on aggregate

Millerham CS 1–3 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS 1–0 Millerham CS
Deepchester CS win 4-1 on aggregate

Bonpool CS 4–2 Richardgate CS
Richardgate CS 3–3 Bonpool CS
Bonpool CS win 7-5 on aggregate

Wellington CS 1–1 Sunset Gates CS
Sunset Gates CS 1–2 Wellington CS
Wellington CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Eleanorian Academy 5–3 Holland CS
Holland CS 0–0 Eleanorian Academy
Eleanorian Academy win 5-3 on aggregate

The lucky 15 winners in Round 1 will be joined by CTS champions the Army School in Round 3.

Round 3 (1/8 final)

Bonpool CS 0–1 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS 1–1 Bonpool CS
Deepchester CS win 2-1 on aggregate

Brightway CS 4–0 Premier CS
Premier CS 2–1 Brightway CS
Brightway CS win 5-2 on aggregate

Carpentersville CS 1–2 Parkside CS
Parkside CS 2–0 Carpentersville CS
Parkside CS win 4-1 on aggregate

Wellington CS 4–4 Queenston CS
Queenston CS 3–1 Wellington CS
Queenston CS win 7-5 on aggregate

Atlas CS 2–2 University College
University College 1–3 Atlas CS
Atlas CS win 5-3 on aggregate

Boys' Preparatory 2–1 Army School
Army School 1–2 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory win 4-2 on aggregate

Northolt CS 0–2 Eleanorian Academy
Eleanorian Academy 1–0 Northolt CS
Eleanorian Academy win 3-0 on aggregate

Whitehammer CS 2–1 Trident CS
Trident CS 0–1 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Round 4 (1/4 final)

Atlas CS 4–1 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS 0–1 Atlas CS
Atlas CS win 5-1 on aggregate

Brightway CS 2–1 Parkside CS
Parkside CS 1–3 Brightway CS
Brightway CS win 5-2 on aggregate

Queenston CS 1–4 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS 1–0 Queenston CS
Whitehammer CS win 5-1 on aggregate

Boys' Preparatory 1–2 Eleanorian Academy
Eleanorian Academy 2–4 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory win 5-4 on aggregate

Semifinals
Whitehammer CS 5–2 Brightway CS
[scorers coming soon!]
Brightway CS 2–2 Whitehammer CS
[scorers coming soon!]
Whitehammer CS win 7-4 on aggregate

Atlas CS 0–1 Boys' Preparatory
[scorers coming soon!]
Boys' Preparatory 1–1 Atlas CS
[scorers coming soon!]
Boys' Preparatory win 2-1 on aggregate

THE FINAL
Boys' Preparatory 1–2 Whitehammer CS ~~~ at the National Liberation Arena (57,109 in attendance)
[Steven Horgan 63'; Jessica Black 15', Alan Francis 33']

Each finalist has been entered into the 2014 Showcase. The Showcase, a twenty-two-team cup which also stars the twenty League clubs, is a desperate - and successful - attempt by the Saint Eleanor Football Association to ensure that it can enter teams into the Cup Winners' Cup without getting smacked because it attempted to enter the winners of the Charles Trump Shield.

Saint Eleanor will enter Whitehammer CS, the winners of the 2014 Charles Trump Shield, into Rising Stars Cup 26. (Their crest is depicted to the right.)

Due to time, the roster is not available yet; please contact me if you're playing Whitehammer CS at the RSC and you need it for your roleplay. However, the team is managed by Sarah Newbury [she/her] and plays in your usual 4-4-2 setup.

Whitehammer CS will play their home matches in the RSC at the Community Grounds in Whitehammer district, seated capacity 2,200. Although owned by the district council, as the school is, the Community Grounds are predominantly used by the school, and have hosted every last one of its home games - even before the War of Independence. The main, seated grandstand snakes around the corner behind the goal (where curious away fans are allotted), a particularly creative way to stop the ball from encroaching on two roads that provide easy access to the school.

Following the initial publication of this pamphlet, Hiyashi Celestia won the Saint Eleanor League of 2012, with Athletic Saint Eleanor in second. This means that - should the clubs reach the group stages of Champions League 26 - Broadlands CS (crest left) and Whitehammer CS (crest above) will enter the group stages of Rising Stars Cup 26. Ryan Jones [he/him] is happy to inform opposing managers and foreign media about the Whitehammer teamsheet should they ask for it.

Parkside CS will play their home matches in the RSC and - if needs be - CWC at Northern Plain in Broadlands district, seated capacity 2,500. Northern Plain, when it isn't Hiyashi Celestia's training ground, is sometimes used by members of the local Hiyashi factory to have supposedly-informal kickabouts which invariably draw anybody who's off work and wants to turn up. (There are no turnstiles and admission will be free for all games, including RSC ties should they make them.) The Plain officially has two stands, both covered and both seated; those behind the goals stand at their own risk.

The winner of this year's Golden Backpack is Victor Holden, who - for all his brilliance up front for Atlas in a year packed with brilliance up front - is, like other recent honorees, somehow less important than cutoff.

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Mar 08, 2026 6:53 pm

The Saint Eleanor First League of 2014

Incorporating post-season fun and shenanigans for all the family: The 2014 Showcase

In 1998, Charles Trump Shield winners University College were barred from the Cup Winners' Cup due to the nature of the Shield. Coincidentally, 1998 was also the year that the Saint Eleanor League expanded to twelve clubs - although this was admittedly a few months and technically a year later. So what better to do than take each year's Shield semifinalists, force them to play against the League clubs (actually, it's the President doing the forcing), and call it a fair, competitive, character-building tournament which just so happens to be good for one Cup Winners' Cup entry?

With the recent expansion of the League system to twenty teams, the decision was made in 2010 to limit entry to the two finalists - after all, three of the five youth teams ever to execute a Showcase win up to that date (and the only youth team to win two games) had made the final. To be sure, adding two random amateur clubs instead would have made it a closer approximation of the national game's overall quality. But then it wouldn't be The Showcase of the best, brightest, and sometimes most deeply confused that Saint Eleanor has to offer.

Showcase Palmares
Athletic Saint Eleanor: 5 (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012)
Independence 1975: 3 (2002, 2003, 2004)
Hiyashi Celestia: 3 (1999, 2000, 2005)
Occidental Olympic: 3 (2001, 2010, 2013)
Nova Aegis: 1 (2009)

Also to incorporate a blink-and-you-miss-it review of 2014's IFCF proceedings, the 25th of their kind, after I wake up

Preview of the League sides (by Jamie Rodgers of SESB)

Legend: 99. {all eligible NT flags, if non-EXT; see below} Player McPlayerface [WINNER AS PLAYER: WORLD CUP 1000000, CUP OF HARMONY 1000000, BAPTISM OF FIRE 1000000; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE/UICA CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, IFCF CHALLENGERS' CUP/UICA GLOBE CUP 1000000, IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 1000000, IFCF LIGA B CHAMPIONS' TROPHY/UICA SERIES B CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, CUP WINNERS' CUP 1000000] [WINNER AS MANAGER: AS BEFORE] [CAPTAIN] [POS; species; Army rank; 9001yo; pro/nouns].

Other notes:

Teams are in descending order of 2013 First League finish.
Starting lineups go from 1 to 11; substitutes wear 12 to 18. Lineups are good for the 25th IFCF cycle.
Ages given reflect how old the Eleanorians will be at the end of 2013, and how old the foreigners were when we last checked.
Underlined single nationals play for the national team they are eligible for as of the start of 2014. Underlined dual nationals play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name as of that date.
Everyone is a human, and from Saint Eleanor, unless otherwise stated.
See a player without a like-for-like substitute? Subs listed as playing on one side of the pitch usually have no qualms with playing on the other as necessary.
The same "Important OOC notes about the Laws of the Game as they are applied in Saint Eleanor" as here apply.
For my sanity's sake, I'm not going to reproduce 2014's list of dates here. I really need to get around to producing it, though...

Independence 1975 - "Indy;" "The Liberators" - the club of the (civilian) government and the Eleanorian masses

Home stadium: The National Liberation Arena, Central district (capacity 68,184)
Starting lineup (preferred formation 4-2-3-1): 1. Robby Ellis [GK; 30yo; he/him]; 2. Cathy Winchester [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [LB; 36yo; she/her]; 3. Joe Willis [RB; 27yo; he/him]; 4. + Layla Grover [CDM; 34yo; she/her]; 5. Katy Wilson [CB; 30yo; she/her]; 6. Matt Morrison [CB; 27yo; he/him]; 7. Elizabeth Wootton [LM; 21yo; she/her]; 8. + Kichirō Matsuda [CDM; Wunderbar; 30yo; he/him]; 9. Ian Marks [ST; 28yo; he/him]; 10. Kavezalea Felaraneta [CAM; 30yo; he/him]; 11. Gary Morgan [RM; 31yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Lisa Dobson [GK; 25yo; she/her]; 13. Matthew Edwards [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. Lucy Hendricks [RB; 24yo; she/her]; 15. Daisy Reynolds [LM; 19yo; she/her]; 16. Adam Tarrant [CM; 29yo; he/him]; 17. John Garrett [ST; 22yo; he/him]; 18. Angela Spooner [RM; 26yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Lydia Sharp [59yo; she/her]: The title returned to Indy last year in a rather more incredible and heart-stopping manner than the final table would suggest, but Sharp is perhaps looking for a bit more comfort this year as she retains her longstanding band of bothers. Reynolds is a new backup on the right, but Wootton has continued to commend herself out wide and the rest of the attacking lineup has improved to the state where it is possibly better than in any of the other three seasons since Dortmun Cidh retired. Defensively, Matsuda remains pragmatic, Grover remains persistent, both remain occasionally hotheaded, and the true back four remain more than able and willing to keep them and everyone else out of trouble (even Winchester, who remains fulcrumic and whose retirement does not appear anywhere near as impendent as certain other players).

Hiyashi Celestia - "Celestia;" "The Angels" - the club of Northern Saint Eleanor's working class (especially Hiyashi's employees in Broadlands)

Home stadium: Celestial Stadium, Broadlands district (capacity 36,645)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Shojiro Ito [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [GK; 32yo; he/him]; 2. Edward Ruthan [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LB; 26yo; he/him]; 3. Nigel Vincent [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CB; 27yo; he/him]; 4. Isi Šasawić [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CB; 35yo; he/him]; 5. Caradoc Anghoill [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [RB; 34yo; he/him]; 6. Nobusuke Kuronuma [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CAPTAIN] [CM; 35yo; he/him]; 7. Joe Galbraith [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LM; 38yo; he/him]; 8. Maria Morgan [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CM; 28yo; she/her]; 9. Rick Goldsmith [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [ST; 34yo; he/him]; 10. Takeshi Honda [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [ST; 31yo; he/him]; 11. James Heath [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [RM; 27yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Josh Baines [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 13. Andrew Henderson [CB; 19yo; he/him]; 14. Alex Lander [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 15. Adam Gordon [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LB; 21yo; he/him]; 16. Bill Simpson [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LM; 29yo; he/him]; 17. Terry Baker [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [RM; 22yo; he/him]; 18. Bill Wood [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [ST; 25yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Rachel Schanke [WINNER AS MANAGER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [51yo; she/her]: Celestia have finally hit the stride that people expected them to hit at the turn of the millennium, and are likely to make the Champions League places yet again as the Grand Derby rivals face their most uncertain environment since around the same time. Vincent shares the newly-retired Sarah Parton's penchant for being a damn good defender and precious little else, while the core of this team - the Kandorese spine, Goldsmith with his inimitable unpredictability (or perhaps unreliability), Morgan with her not-quite-singleminded determination to keep the midfield right - are only a touch worse than they were when they won the Associations' Trophy, almost purely through entropy.

Occidental Olympic - "Olympic;" "The Westerners" - the club of western and north-western Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Parkside Stadium, Parkside district (capacity 26,285)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2 diamond): 1. Arielle Richardson [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [GK; 33yo; she/her]; 2. Rachel Curran [LB; 32yo; she/her]; 3. Lynul-Sevet Pul [RB; 33yo; they/them]; 4. Diana Gray [CB; 24yo; she/her]; 5. Mike Pringle [CB; 32yo; he/him]; 6. Glenn French [CDM; 32yo; he/him]; 7. Lily Emmerson [LM; 28yo; she/her]; 8. Brian Hurd [RM; 28yo; he/him]; 9. David Key [ST; 32yo; he/him]; 10. Steve Pilchard [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CAM; 37yo; he/him]; 11. Esther Vaughan [ST; 26yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Sally Reynolds [GK; 20yo; she/her]; 13. Jack Owen [LB; 31yo; he/him]; 14. Stephen Walker [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 15. Andrew Card [CDM; 29yo; he/him]; 16. Âlárî Dírò [CAM; 20yo; he/him]; 17. Ella Pinkman [RM; 25yo; she/her]; 18. Adam Wilson [ST; 22yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: George Dunbar [55yo; he/him]: There is unusually little to see here at Olympic, with Diana Gray still ticking along happily and any large-scale aging crisis a few years away yet - which is probably a sign for him to consider introducing Reynolds or Diro to the ecosystem, provocative as that idea may be to a man who had to offload Bridget Coombe to Kelssek in order to stop playing her in his starting eleven, and who should still be satisfied with Richardson and Pilchard in these positions for a while yet. Vaughan is no weMexala, but has worked well with Key and Pilchard as her predecessor did and is more on the cautious, accuracy-seeking side of things. At this point, the wide areas are now reasonably good places to be at the club, quite the sea change on years past, and the continued presence of French is necessary if not desirable at this moment in time.

Athletic Saint Eleanor - "Athletic;" "The Reds" - the club of the business owners

Home stadium: Northwest Road, Whitehammer district (capacity 53,174)
Starting lineup (preferred formation 4-1-3-2): 1. + Kirsti Sundgren [GK; 29yo; she/her]; 2. Elissa Curry [LB; 34yo; she/her]; 3. John Millcroft [RB; 20yo; he/him]; 4. Bridget Coombe [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CDM; 39yo; she/her]; 5. + Lydia VIckers [CAPTAIN] [CB; 27yo; she/her]; 6. Esther Launceston [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CB; 33yo; she/her]; 7. Graham Lawson [LM; 34yo; he/him]; 8. Sylvia Hollenberg [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE 20] [CM; 33yo; she/her]; 9. Amalie Selnes [ST; 25yo; she/her]; 10. Tim Driver [ST; 33yo; he/him]; 11. Wasemprela Sareleva [RM; 33yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Harry Mitchell [GK; 24yo; he/him]; 13. Ben McDougall [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 14. Natasha Rhodes [CM; 24yo; she/her]; 15. Liam Johnson [RM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. Phil Parris [ST; 29yo; he/him]; 17. James Johnson [LB; 26yo; he/him]; 18. Charles Brewer [CM; 25yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Yelto-Aflan Ono [52yo; they/them]: Introducing the always-dependable Millcroft and the normally-dependable Selnes to the lineup proved to be two of YAO's greater macro masterstrokes of recent times, and the side did phenomenally to reach the first Champions League quarterfinal any Eleanorian team has ever made as a result, even if they must now adjust to life in the Challengers Cup. Vickers has adjusted to life as the captain unusually well, for someone widely reported in the press neither to actively want nor arguably deserve it; the more said about her national team counterparts Coombe, Launceston and Hollenberg the better. James' younger brother Liam is ready and willing to take over from Sareleva should the sands of time demand it - and, while Selnes has been a touch sloppy, her salvoes have been enough to keep her in the squad.

Polytechnic Institute - "The Poly" - the club of the Polytechnic

Home stadium: Polytechnic Sports Centre, Buckhead district (capacity 6,088)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. David Tanner [GK; 24yo; he/him]; 2. Madeleine Charlton [RB; 21yo; she/her]; 3. Lily Bruton [CB; 24yo; she/her]; 4. Michael Gordon [CB; 22yo; he/him]; 5. Frolt-Mazur Xlo [LB; 23yo; they/them]; 6. James Salt [CM; 24yo; he/him]; 7. Michelle Addison [CAPTAIN] [RM; 25yo; she/her]; 8. Gisken Aldra [CM; 24yo; they/them]; 9. Beatrix Hillman-Tower [ST; 24yo; she/her]; 10. Lydia Falconer [ST; 22yo; she/her]; 11. Alan Brinkley [LM; 25yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Laura Green [GK; 20yo; she/her]; 13. Nate George [RB; 25yo; he/him]; 14. Helen Spencer [CB; 19yo; she/her]; 15. Leah Conroy [RM; 25yo; she/her]; 16. Charles McDonald [LM; 24yo; he/him]; 17. Êber Tóxo [ST; 24yo; he/him]; 18. Emily Anderton [CM; 24yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Justin Roland [37yo; he/him]: "I did what I had to" has been Roland's motto as it was Adamson's, with minimal ingoings and only required outgoing happening in recent years. This has been much to the chagrin of Falconer, the legendary striker who is at loggerheads with Hillman-Tower about this and virtually nothing else; Gordon, one of the nominal beneficiaries of this tactic and who seemingly much prefers to remain calm and composed on the pitch instead; and Aldra, who has erupted about this at several press conferences over the months - at one point suggesting that they take over as manager - to add to their four goals and five assists last season. Staying up is one thing; staying in the IFCF spots is a completely different beast.

Good Hope Club - "The Seasiders" - the club of the dockworkers

Home stadium: The Good Hope Stadium, Trident district (capacity 22,174)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-5-1): 1. Hannah Downing [GK; 36yo; she/her]; 2. Tina Falconer [LB; 32yo; she/her]; 3. Keith Barnett [RB; 26yo; he/him]; 4. Yusuf Sofyan [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 5. Carrie Holliday [CM; 32yo; she/her]; 6. Kathy White [CB; 23yo; she/her]; 7. Aaron Burrow [LM; 32yo; he/him]; 8. Owen Blackwater [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 9. Alexandra Barrett [RM; 30yo; she/her]; 10. Naferala paVepexala [CM; 32yo; he/him]; 11. Amanda Cleveland [CAPTAIN] [ST; 32yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Darren Barker [GK; 27yo; he/him]; 13. George Anderson [LB; 25yo; he/him]; 14. Steve Harbrough [CB; 32yo; he/him]; 15. Rachel McEwan [RM; 25yo; she/her]; 16. Katie Phillips [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 17. Terry Smith [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 18. Oliver Samuels [ST; 27yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Mary Kirkport [53yo; she/her]: Army and Navy does, at least, have the Army Leagues to call upon. Good Hope appears surprisingly content to remain out of trouble, not a bad thing to be given their rival's predicaments as of late, and it looks as though Kathy White's increased prominence is the only real change - especially given her conservatism vis-a-vis Falconer and Sofyan. You could make a similar shout for Phillips, who is indeed very much close to paVepexala in terms of sitting back and moving the ball around. Otherwise, the midfield is solid and Cleveland is one of the most undeniable characters never to play for the White Stars (nor is she interested; she's repeatedly said she'll retire if she ever becomes pregnant).

Sword and Shield - "Arsenal;" "The Collegiates" - the club of the University

Home stadium: University Grounds, Collegiate district (capacity 35,174)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-2-1-3): 1. Ed Jackson [GK; 27yo; he/him]; 2. Gordon Pratt [LB; 33yo; he/him]; 3. Christine Terrence [CB; 35yo; she/her]; 4. John Alexander [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 5. Eloise Vincent [RB; 23yo; she/her]; 6. Joe Watts [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 7. Naclé Öhân [LM; 26yo; he/him]; 8. Lucas Barrow [CM; 33yo; he/him]; 9. Olympia Woodward [CAPTAIN] [ST; 25yo; she/her]; 10. Rosa Strong [CAM; 26yo; she/her]; 11. Sophia McDonald [RM; 21yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Àlfôn Qâerês [LM; 27yo; he/him]; 13. Caroline Hedges [GK; 19yo; she/her]; 14. Rebecca Daniels [CB; 25yo; she/her]; 15. Stephen Jones [RB; 20yo; he/him]; 16. Pakelana Vezara [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 17. Luke Barring [RM; 31yo; he/him]; 18. Alexandra Marcus [ST; 33yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Emma Steele [53yo; she/her]: This is Arsenal's first year without international football since 2008, when Pia Woodward was studying for her School Certificates instead of being the team's superstar striker. McDonald is set to continue in the club's great tradition of wide midfielders who can cut inside, shoot, score, and do almost anything else other than be particularly naughty, while Ed Jackson will definitely continue in the club's underrated tradition of goalkeepers who like being introverted and absorbing themselves in culture. Otherwise, Terrence, Ohan, and Strong are all excellent position players - the former two good enough for the national team at various points in time - and this looks like a side that should, at worst, somehow avoid such dreadful fates as last year.

Army and Navy - "The Soldiers" - the club of the Eleanorian Army (which all players are members of)

Home stadium: New Barracks, Oaktree district (capacity 32,200)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Rose Carter [GK; Lance-Corporal; 31yo; she/her]; 2. Kevin Bryson [LB; Lance-Corporal; 30yo; he/him]; 3. Matthew Farmer [RB; Private; 21yo; he/him]; 4. David Green [CM; Private; 32yo; he/him]; 5. Katrina Shelby [CB; Private; 22yo; she/her]; 6. Denise Livingston [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CB; Sergeant; 33yo; she/her]; 7. Mark Gould [LM; Private; 33yo; he/him]; 8. James Walter [CM; Lance-Corporal; 31yo; he/him]; 9. Isabella Bright [ST; Private; 25yo; she/her]; 10. George Murson [ST; Lance-Corporal; 28yo; he/him]; 11. David Porter [RM; Private; 24yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Nathan Smith [GK; Private; 28yo; he/him]; 13. Jack Murphy [CB; Private; 25yo; he/him]; 14. Angela George [LB; Private; 24yo; she/her]; 15. Olivia Silver [CM; Lance-Corporal; 29yo; she/her]; 16. Johanna Spencer [ST; Private; 26yo; she/her]; 17. Natalie Evans [RM; Private; 27yo; she/her]; 18. Sarah Wallace [RM; Private; 32yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Luke McCarthy [55yo; Colonel; he/him]: Army and Navy, as is apparently their usual form, are interested in making the changes they feel they need to make, with Matthew Farmer and David Porter likely to provide as much renewed energy on the right flank as you would expect from a club that keeps finishing between sixth and eighth almost every year. Bright should be relieved at this development, given what we have heard about them from their short stints in the Army Leagues, and may well be in line to take over the captaincy - and the team's attention - after Livingston retires from duty. For the time being, however, this is a team with proven defensive solidity and a decent amount of firepower, much like the Army in its own right, which should be more than enough.

Grand Beach - "The Dolphins" - the club of coastal Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Albion Road, Grand Beach district (capacity 24,815)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Volnavera xaParelanara [GK; 34yo; she/her]; 2. Christina Fulton [LB; 36yo; she/her]; 3. James Benson [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 4. Gary Milton [CM; 34yo; he/him]; 5. Bill Kendall [CB; 25yo; he/him] [CB; 40yo; he/him]; 6. Owen Cartwright [RB; 27yo; he/him]; 7. Jack Brewer [LM; 27yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Coulter [CM; 27yo; she/her]; 9. Samuel Wright [CAPTAIN] [ST; 24yo; he/him]; 10. Michelle Tallard [ST; 31yo; she/her]; 11. Gionata Mariani [RM; 33yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Anthony George [GK; 24yo; he/him]; 13. Richard Booth [RB; 26yo; he/him]; 14. James Salter [CB; 22yo; he/him]; 15. Olivia Herbert [LB; 28yo; she/her]; 16. Blake Spencer [RM; 23yo; he/him]; 17. Sara Halbrook [ST; 36yo; she/her]; 18. Adam Charles [CM; 27yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Nathaniel Jenkins [59yo; he/him]: The Grand Beach have gone down twice in the short history of relegation, and Jenkins is well aware that his position may become untenable if 2014 joins 2012 and 2009 in infamy. Wright, newly-appointed as captain, will continue to seek to make a much quieter, and no less commendable impact, than Coulter, who has been annoying defences and others at most of the opportunities she's given - or indeed Spencer, who's chomping at the bit for a start and may find himself far removed from sand, sea and sun even in the best-case scenario. The defence is solid as ever - but it remains more or less unchanged on the last time this club was in the division, which is unsurprising but may be cause for concern if not handled well, on or off the field (and Kendall has made his thoughts known).

Premier Club - "Premier" - the club of the New West's middle-class and services industry

Home stadium: Premier Stadium, Premier district (capacity 54,105)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Gemma Farley [GK; 28yo; she/her]; 2. James Miller [LB; 31yo; he/him]; 3. Louise Halliwell [RB; 29yo; she/her]; 4. Helen Green [CB; 28yo; she/her]; 5. Roy Downsall [CB; 31yo; he/him]; 6. Heather Blake [CM; 32yo; she/her]; 7. Adam Ellison [LM; 25yo; he/him]; 8. Charlotte Mills [CAPTAIN] [CM; 28yo; she/her]; 9. Stephen Blunt [RM; 26yo; he/him]; 10. Wendy Smith [ST; 28yo; she/her]; 11. Kevin O'Leary [ST; 22yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Darren Wilson [GK; 22yo; he/him]; 13. Georgia Perry [LB; 25yo; she/her]; 14. Paul Marks [CB; 27yo; he/him]; 15. Jacob Worth [LM; 22yo; he/him]; 16. Joanna Gillam [CM; 29yo; she/her]; 17. Darren McDonald [ST; 24yo; he/him]; 18. Owen Howard [RM; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Harriet Williams [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [44yo; she/her]: Evidently not satisfied with Cassadaigua legend Rachel Schanke's longevity at Hiyashi Celestia, Premier decided to hook up none other than the erstwhile Williams for her inaugural managerial job - and she has managed to lead them to a promotion at a much earlier time of asking than anticipated. Golden Backpack winner Kevin O'Leary, who would have won the Golden Boot last season if the Second League (or the First) had such a concept, is undeniably ready. Heather Blake, whose flexibility extends to a liking for yoga (despite her consistent presence in Olympic's attacking midfields of yore), is also ready. Gemma Farley is ready, but weary. Even Charlotte Mills, heroic that she was, is openly scared of what could come next - and the rest of this squad is otherwise a touch too generic to surprise, above and beyond the surprise of one of the Second League's old-timers finally becoming a big-timer.

List of SEL winners

Athletic Saint Eleanor: 15
(1975 trial season, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012)

Independence 1975: 13
(1976, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013)

Army and Navy: 4
(1981, 1982, 1985, 1990)

Sword and Shield: 3
(1977, 1989, 1993)

Golden Unicorn: 1
(1987)

Occidental Olympic: 1
(1998)

Hiyashi Celestia: 1
(2000)

* * * * * * * * * *
JUDGMENT DAY

RESULTS OF THE 2014 FIRST LEAGUE

▼▼ Saint Eleanor First League 2014     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
►►  1 Hiyashi Celestia                  18   11   3   4    33   17  +16    36    Champions' League 26
►►  2 Athletic Saint Eleanor            18    9   8   1    32   14  +18    35    Champions' League 26; Cygnus Cup 74
►►  3 Independence 1975                 18    7   7   4    27   20   +7    28    Challengers' Cup 26
►►  4 Good Hope Club                    18    8   3   7    32   32    0    27    Challengers' Cup 26
►►  5 Sword and Shield                  18    6   5   7    30   31   −1    23    Challengers' Cup 26
►►  6 Occidental Olympic                18    5   7   6    27   29   −2    22
►►  7 Army and Navy                     18    4   7   7    16   18   −2    19
►►  8 Polytechnic Institute             18    4   6   8    28   44  −16    18
►►  9 Premier Club                      18    4   5   9    19   32  −13    17    Promotion Playoff
►► 10 Grand Beach                       18    2   9   7    11   18   −7    15    Relegated

Note: Newbanks United won the Promotion Playoff

⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐

ATHLETIC SAINT ELEANOR - WINNERS OF THE 2014 SHOWCASE
ELEANORIAN ENTRANTS INTO CUP WINNERS' CUP 74

ROSTER COMING ON MONDAY
ROSTER COMING ON MONDAY
ROSTER COMING ON MONDAY

Manager: Yelto-Aflan Ono [they/them]

RESULTS OF THE 2014 SHOWCASE

First Round
16th of November 4–5 Trades Unionists
Lion 1–2 Atlas
Whitehammer CS (Athletic youth team) 1–2 Republicans
Nova Aegis 0–3 Golden Unicorn
Yggdrasil 1–1 Newbanks United (1–1 AET) (3–1 pen.)
Infrastructure 0–2 Boys' Preparatory (independent CTS team)

Round of Sixteen
Trades Unionists 1–2 Polytechnic Institute
Independence 1975 4–0 Yggdrasil
Premier Club 1–2 Hiyashi Celestia
Occidental Olympic 4–0 Boys' Preparatory (independent CTS team)
Republicans 2–3 Athletic Saint Eleanor
Golden Unicorn 2–1 Good Hope Club
Atlas 0–0 Grand Beach (0–0 AET) (4–3 pen.)
Army and Navy 3–2 Sword and Shield

Quarterfinals
Atlas 1–1 Independence 1975 (1–1 AET) (5–4 pen.)
Army and Navy 0–0 Occidental Olympic (0–1 AET)
Athletic Saint Eleanor 1–0 Polytechnic Institute
Hiyashi Celestia 3–2 Golden Unicorn

Semifinals
Occidental Olympic 4–1 Hiyashi Celestia
Athletic Saint Eleanor 4–2 Atlas

THE FINAL
Athletic Saint Eleanor 3–3 Occidental Olympic (4–3 AET)

* * * * * * * * * *

Meet Saint Eleanor's greatest social media personality - an award-winning novelist (published in The Gazette, 06-Dec-2014)

Saint Eleanor is not a nation that goes on the internet an awful lot, at least not other than to look at the news when we've collectively forgotten to buy any newspaper that isn't The Reporter. But try telling that to Sarah Lewis, whose recent post complaining about the impact of snow on postal deliveries got over a quarter of a million likes on cica.da. "I am well aware that the Eleanorian Post has its problems, including not actually being owned by the Eleanorians," she tells us, "but I did not realise that the problem of not being able to get to people's driveways was something that was so common elsewhere!"

Naturally, the snowstorm brought with it an opportunity for Lewis to work on her other passion: writing novels. The 43-year-old doesn't routinely comment about her embryonic drafts with the press - not even the local press, as we have found out over the years - but has recently agreed a deal for a new book following the life of a woman who tries to get a divorce of her own during the heat of the War of Independence, which should be out in 2016. "I am writing a lot of things," insists Lewis; "work on the divorce book isn't starting yet. Now, if you're talking about Sunshine Forever - the one about the man who gets lost on the bus network in the middle of June - I was getting that polished off the other day. I also have some jottings of things I think about, some of which go on the internet, some of which appear in my books... you can tell which is which!"

The Dantopian website is far removed from the days when Mytanijan socialite Mevlica Kusturik, with her three million followers, was among its most popular users. However, at a time when precious few Eleanorian sportspeople even use it, Lewis has attracted something of a cult following; she insists that "thousands of people" are, at least, trying to interact with her - many more than care about this corner of the internet in Saint Eleanor, but surely many fewer than invested in No Matter How Far, her 2007 Eleanorian Book Prize-winning novel about a tourist who cycles from Trident to Elsmouth ports. "One of these followers is Bridget Coombe, which is helpful, although less helpful than you may think when you realise that she does her own thing on the internet and likes travelling so much. Not via bicycle, obviously! We do talk occasionally, but it is always in real life."

Lewis will normally talk about the process of book writing and creativity online, and many of the admiring droves of users are genuinely interested in this. However, her hand has sometimes been forced into talking about sports and politics, which is a much larger space on the social internet. "I think people talk about 'all art is political' without thinking about the corollary of 'all artists are political.' My personal politics are pro-life and law-and-order, which I've mentioned from time to time and which have upset very many people. I have previously written about abortion in my books, as well as the Army, but I try to handle it tactfully and people appreciate it. Unfortunately, I am occasionally brigaded by annoying people whenever I try and talk about it on the internet, and I don't find it worth my time to deal with them."

She is also a fan of Independence 1975 - something she is willing to acknowledge, even if the geopolitical context of football leads her to bring it up only infrequently - and "could only watch on with bafflement" as they nudged into third place not so long after winning the title. Does she think that next year will bring them similar glories? "Similar to last year, not this year. We are getting better!"

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Mar 08, 2026 6:55 pm

The Saint Eleanor Second League of 2014

Preview of the League sides (by Jamie Rodgers of SESB)

Legend: 99. {all eligible NT flags, if non-EXT; see below} Player McPlayerface [WINNER AS PLAYER: WORLD CUP 1000000, CUP OF HARMONY 1000000, BAPTISM OF FIRE 1000000; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE/UICA CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, IFCF CHALLENGERS' CUP/UICA GLOBE CUP 1000000, IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 1000000, IFCF LIGA B CHAMPIONS' TROPHY/UICA SERIES B CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, CUP WINNERS' CUP 1000000] [WINNER AS MANAGER: AS BEFORE] [CAPTAIN] [POS; species; Army rank; 9001yo; pro/nouns].

Other notes:

Teams are in descending order of 2011 Second League finish.
Starting lineups go from 1 to 11; substitutes wear 12 to 18. Lineups are good for the 22nd IFCF cycle.
Ages given reflect how old the Eleanorians will be at the end of 2012, and how old the foreigners were when we last checked.
Underlined single nationals play for the national team they are eligible for as of the start of 2012. Underlined dual nationals play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name as of that date.
Everyone is a human, and from Saint Eleanor, unless otherwise stated.
See a player without a like-for-like substitute? Subs listed as playing on one side of the pitch usually have no qualms with playing on the other as necessary.
The same "Important OOC notes about the Laws of the Game as they are applied in Saint Eleanor" as here apply.

Golden Unicorn - "The Unicorn" - the club of northern Saint Eleanor city's middle-class (and the odd aesthete or two)

Home stadium: Dignity Cross, Brightway district (capacity 27,587)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-1-1): 1. Katie Masterson [GK; 27yo; she/her]; 2. Gavin Laker [LB; 32yo; he/him]; 3. Keith Bartlett [RB; 30yo; he/him]; 4. Samuel Lewis [CM; 32yo; he/him]; 5. Aaron Francis [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CB; 38yo; he/him]; 6. Ganelarana paValetara [CB; 30yo; she/her]; 7. Peter Walker [LM; 28yo; he/him]; 8. Natalie Monaco [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAM; 38yo; she/her]; 9. + Jaclyn Foley [ST; 33yo; she/her]; 10. Wanar-Xalan Tla [CAPTAIN] [CM; 33yo; they/them]; 11. Gionata Mariani [RM; 33yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Katie Masterson [GK; 21yo; she/her]; 13. Michael Burns [LB; 25yo; he/him]; 14. Daniel Bennett [CB; 22yo; he/him]; 15. Alisha Peters [RB; 26yo; she/her]; 16. Natasha Wallis [CM; 29yo; she/her]; 17. James Wallace [RM; 22yo; he/him]; 18. Parecava gaExhecela [ST; 29yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Justin Wood [56yo; he/him]: This team is, more or less, the same team that won immediate promotion back from the Second League, especially now that Mariani has recommitted to his second season at the club. However, with Wood likely to hang up her cap, the Macbonian's cuture uncertain, and Monaco and Francis racing into the end of their careers, prosperity for this club might be more of a dream in the longer run unless surprising things happen. Foley is surely the one player in the squad who is likely to stay on for good, especially as she - like her compatriots - have emerged from the end of the tunnel with Eleanorian dual citizenship, and she remains by far the most obvious star player in a team that used to have no shortage of them. Bartlett, Lewis and Wanar-Xalan are all good players in their positions, but one must ask if they are really of the quality to be challenging for a miraculous first title in thirty-five years.

Nova Aegis - "The Pink Falcons" - the club of the worst-off, especially from Sunset Gates to Buckhead

Home stadium: The Workers' Coliseum, Bramblewood district (capacity 20,874)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. August Wills [GK; 29yo; he/him]; 2. Lauren Smith [LB; 32yo; she/her]; 3. Simon Donald [RB; 27yo; he/him]; 4. Rick Street [CAPTAIN] [CB; 33yo; he/him]; 5. Stephen Shepley [CB; 34yo; he/him]; 6. Keith Albert [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 7. Matthew Wrekin [LM; 32yo; he/him]; 8. Alessio Lombardo [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 9. Paul Ronson [RM; 27yo; he/him]; 10. Deborah Dennis [ST; 28yo; she/her]; 11. Bill Murphy [ST; 26yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Charlotte White [GK; 24yo; she/her]; 13. Richard Trincham [LB; 24yo; he/him]; 14. Louise Morgan [CB; 26yo; she/her]; 15. Tommy Grant [LM; 25yo; he/him]; 16. Millie Richards [CM; 23yo; she/her]; 17. Nick Ellison [ST; 25yo; he/him]; 18. Patrick Trout [RM; 28yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Phil Lambert [54yo; he/him]: While the team last year may have underwhelmed in the league, this year's iteration promises to be promotion contenders by virtue of being a strong, well-rounded team that isn't taking part in the LBCT this time around. Lombardo remains the midfield virtuoso as ever, if that term can be applied to a Second League player, but Bill Murphy is making his name as a quietly competent striker - almost the inverse George Guest - and there are signs that the defence is finally consolidating into something worth shouting about.

Newbanks United - "United;" "The Students" - the club of eastern, non-coastal Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Eastern Fields, Newbanks district (capacity 24,184)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Carla Hawkins [GK; 37yo; she/her]; 2. Polly Ground [LB; 36yo; she/her]; 3. Michael Dean [CB; 33yo; he/him]; 4. + Daiki Fujiwara [CB; 34yo; he/him]; 5. Harriet Farnham [RB; 31yo; he/him]; 6. Emma Francis [CM; 34yo; she/her]; 7. Palerenala vaEplanera [LM; 27yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Woodhouse [CM; 34yo; she/her]; 9. Rachel McNamara [CAPTAIN] [ST; 35yo; she/her]; 10. + Nobuyuki Ishida [ST; 34yo, he/him]; 11. Charlotte Phillips [RM; 29yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Damian Rhodes [GK; 30yo; he/him]; 13. Elizabeth Welch [CB; 23yo; she/her]; 14. Catherine Morrison [LB; 28yo; she/her]; 15. Noah Halford [CM; 32yo; he/him]; 16. James Pittam [RM; 29yo; he/him]; 17. Eloise Gardener [LM; 22yo; she/her]; 18. Simon Smith [ST; 26yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Rachel McNamara] [35yo; she/her]: McNamara's clearout last season was much welcomed

There have been open complaints in the press by multiple players about how badly Graham has mismanaged the situation and it is quite possible that he might not even survive through to the second game, never mind the last. Charlotte Phillips climbs aboard the sinking ship from Athletic's substitute bench, but the other players remain so familiar that a good few of them are threatening to sit out games unless urgent change is imposed. This is unlikely to be a good year, even if it might be an acceptable one.

Atlas - "Atlas" - the club of the New West's working-class and manufacturing industry

Home stadium: Atlas Stadium 1, Atlas district (capacity 46,148)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-2-3-1): 1. Iliana Morgan [GK; 26yo; she/her]; 2. Jake Gordon [LB; 29yo; he/him]; 3. Geoffrey Herbert [RB; 32yo; he/him]; 4. Kate Wilson [CB; 26yo; she/her]; 5. Brian Francis [CB; 22yo; he/him]; 6. Michael Jackett [CAPTAIN] [CM; 34yo; he/him]; 7. Susanna Reynolds [LM; 28yo; she/her]; 8. Theodora Wyndham [CDM; 20yo; she/her]; 9. Adam Green [RM; 27yo; he/him]; 10. Donald Manning [CAM; 24yo; he/him]; 11. Ted Carpenter [ST; 29yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [RB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 17. David Woodbury [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Edward McDonald [49yo; he/him]: Hiyashi Celestia's rivals on the field and in the boardroom - as the official club of Kandorese rival megacorporation Kaito - Atlas have kept on swinging for the fences as of late, and narrowly missing. McDonald, who is rapidly developing the all-very-Eleanorian trait of remaining in post seemingly until he's found to serve no purpose whatsoever, has carved out one of the more conservative niches in the Second League.

Trades Unionists - "The Union" - the club of the Dockside's working class writ-large

Home stadium: New Docks Stadium, Wellington district (capacity 27,852)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Darren Tolmidge [GK; 34yo; he/him]; 2. Phil Rankin [LB; 27yo; he/him]; 3. Nathan Evans [RB; 28yo; he/him]; 4. Catherine Woodacre [CB; 29yo; she/her]; 5. Joe Oxley [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 6. Ella Purton [CM; 29yo; she/her]; 7. David Walker [CAPTAIN] [LM; 30yo; he/him]; 8. Peter Reynolds [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 9. Victoria Rackitt [RM; 33yo; she/her]; 10. Jérôn Çíçí [ST; 28yo; he/him]; 11. Thomas Gunner [ST; 26yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Harry Spence [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 13. James Hill [LB; 29yo; he/him]; 14. Luke Milligan [CB; 26yo; he/him]; 15. Steve Bacon [RB; 31yo; he/him]; 16. Laura Booker [CM; 28yo; she/her]; 17. Daisy Barratt [ST; 23yo; she/her]; 18. Simon Oakwood [LM; 29yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Tina Heller [48yo; she/her]: There has been a boom in trades unionism, with the new drydock having been built and the Major in charge of Trident having finally managed to clear the last apartment blocks in the city, located in the district. The new club run by the Trades Unionists, and the New Docks Stadium for them to play in, could not be more timely, nor could Heller's subtle adjustment to the playstyle. [a further tactical introduction is coming soon, if not 2013...]

Yggdrasil - "Yggdrasil" - the club of north-eastern Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: The Temple, Blackwood district (capacity 22,015)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Dustin O'Hara [GK; 27yo; he/him]; 2. John Mount [LB; 32yo; he/him]; 3. Michelle Francis [RB; 26yo; she/her]; 4. Gianna Summers [CAPTAIN] [CB; 31yo; she/her]; 5. Owen Davids [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 6. Patricia Halton [CM; 30yo; she/her]; 7. Edward Simpson [LM; 34yo; he/him]; 8. Jack Western [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 9. Ruth Milliner [RM; 26yo; she/her]; 10. Sophie Black [ST; 26yo; she/her]; 11. Brian Worth [ST; 29yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 23yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Marion Camp [50yo; she/her]: The Temple was the site of a church that got destroyed during the War of Independence; Camp is hoping that her team doesn't suffer the same fate yet again. [...]

Lion - "The Lions" - the club of the Dockside's diasporas

Home stadium: The Grand Oval, Marketplace district (capacity 23,427)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Annaliese Morgan [GK; 27yo; she/her]; 2. Harry Blunt [LB; 25yo; he/him]; 3. Jenna Edwards [RB; 23yo; she/her]; 4. Fabrice Dansa [CAPTAIN] [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 5. Allabatou Kusa [CB; 22yo; he/him]; 6. Theresa Roberts [CM; 27yo; she/her]; 7. Jatta Jobateh [LM; 24yo; he/him]; 8. Mamudu Eya [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 9. Jibou Jabayo [RM; 21yo; he/him]; 10. Benjamin Sienara [ST; 25yo; he/him]; 11. Harry O'Rourke [ST; 23yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 23yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: John Bennett [46yo; he/him]: Last year's race for the top two or three was extremely close and, for all the questions about his White Tinhamptonian ethnicity and temporality, Bennett should consider himself to have done well for the time being. The squad is now more diverse, and hopefully more competent, than ever with a few new Banijans introduced to the lineup, although there have been "serious discussions" about further improvements in the years to come.

Republicans - "The Republicans" - the club of the bohemians, creative types, and other locals

Home stadium: Barclay Road, Deepchester district (capacity 11,295)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. David McEwan [GK; 28yo; he/him]; 2. Rob Waters [LB; 27yo; he/him]; 3. Lydia Howard [RB; 24yo; she/her]; 4. Jasmine Hair [CB; 29yo; she/her]; 5. Andrew Baker [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 6. Jôs Grêndê [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 7. Alex Whitby [CAPTAIN] [LM; 32yo; he/him]; 8. Sienna Roberts [CM; 30yo; she/her]; 9. Gûsín Nàár [ST; 28yo; he/him]; 10. Ryan Jones [ST; 28yo; he/him]; 11. Rebecca Tapp [RM; 26yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 23yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Samuel Walcott [42yo; he/him]: Walcott may be an inexperienced manager leading an inexperienced team, like almost everyone else in this league, but he does at least have years of defensive experience with Sword and Shield - if it can be called that, given the team's historic lack of focus on defending - to count on. In a team largely made up of local artists, rather less productive layabouts, and some amateurs who have jobs to hold down in the real world (Roberts is a supermarket cashier; Nàár is a gun licensing trainer with World of Safety), there is little of tactical note and will continue to be until such a point as Walcott is given a scout or a non-negligible sum of money.

16th of November - "16N" - the club of the area in and around Holland, especially the zoo

Home stadium: The Stadium at the Zoological Gardens, Holland district (capacity 4,166)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Pavelarena meGalavane [GK; 29yo; he/him]; 2. Adam Johnson [LB; 22yo; he/him]; 3. Michael Davis [RB; 26yo; he/him]; 4. Anna Simpson [CB; 30yo; she/her]; 5. Quentin Tiller [CB; 27yo; he/him]; 6. Lauren Brown [CM; 27yo; she/her]; 7. James Parsons [LM; 26yo; he/him]; 8. Will Gardner [CM; 29yo; he/him]; 9. Lucy Ryan [RM; 23yo; he/him]; 10. Matt Norton [CAPTAIN] [ST; 31yo; he/him]; 11. Nicola Wilbury [ST; 26yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 23yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Sophia Lewis [42yo; she/her]: 16th of November prides itself on its association with the Zoological Gardens, established on that day in 1959. It is also notable for the sheer breadth of places from which its players have been taken: not only the usual places, but also the Zoo itself (Ryan), the District Council's staff (Johnson), and - if the signing himself is to be believed - a local pub garden (Parsons).

Infrastructure - "Infra;" "The Power" - the club of the utilities

Home stadium: National Electric Stadium, Tannerton district (capacity 13,952)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Laura Scott [GK; 27yo; she/her]; 2. Graham Lawrence [LB; 26yo; he/him]; 3. Henry Mitchell [CAPTAIN] [RB; 30yo; he/him]; 4. ????? [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 5. Catherine Henderson [CB; 28yo; she/her]; 6. Parelaneta vaHelaxana [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 7. Joe Houseman [LM; 31yo; he/him]; 8. Paul Jones [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 9. Amelia Bartlett [RM; 26yo; she/her]; 10. Gary Sacks [ST; 33yo; he/him]; 11. Ryan Carter [ST; 29yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. ????? [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. ????? [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. ????? [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 15. ????? [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 16. ????? [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 17. ????? [ST; 23yo; he/him]; 18. ????? [RM; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Alan Walker [59yo; he/him]: Who better to manage National Electricity's new plaything than an actual boardroom manager at Natelec's actual business operation? Probably nobody else, to be fair, given that expectations for this side are relatively low - the local employees being far too busy laying cables and other groundwork to have much time for football. Walker has delivered on his defensive tilt, but nobody here is a standout on the levels of someone like Lombardo, never mind half of the Golden Unicorn side, and Infrastructure's few fans should be bracing themselves for yet another mediocre if not sloppy season.

* * * * * * * * * *
JUDGMENT DAY

RESULTS OF THE 2014 SECOND LEAGUE

▼▼ Saint Eleanor Second League 2014     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
►►  1 Nova Aegis                         18   12   3   3    44   25  +19    39    Promoted; Liga B Champions' Trophy 25
►►  2 Newbanks United                    18   10   3   5    30   20  +10    33    Promotion Playoff; Liga B Champions' Trophy 25
►►  3 Golden Unicorn                     18   10   2   6    38   28  +10    32    Liga B Champions' Trophy 25
►►  4 Atlas                              18   10   1   7    32   22  +10    31
►►  5 16th of November                   18    9   2   7    29   30   −1    29
►►  6 Trades Unionists                   18    8   3   7    39   37   +2    27
►►  7 Republicans                        18    6   2  10    26   37  −11    20
►►  8 Yggdrasil                          18    6   1  11    33   43  −10    19
►►  9 Lion                               18    5   3  10    30   38   −8    18
►► 10 Infrastructure                     18    3   2  13    23   44  −21    11    Wooden Spoon

Promotion Playoff result: Newbanks United 2–0 Premier Club
(Lydia Hayden 53', Jack Wilson 68')

Premier Club promoted to the First League; Golden Unicorn relegated to the Second League

* * * * * * * * * *

Lord willing, I will - one day - post a roleplay here explaining how in the ever-loving fuck Rachel McNamara got Newbanks United back from the brink. Super-short explanation:
- Rachel got in decent young players around whom she could build an actual team
- There was a focus in 2013-14 on improvement/"sharpening" the players
- The fans behind Fans United stood by Rachel, despite rumours of MFG concern
- In particular, Lydia Hayden proved to be brilliant, as opposed to her usual "nebulously brilliant"

by **Saint Eleanor** » Thu May 28, 2026 8:09 pm

OOC: The first part of this title is as inaccurate as it was last IFCF.

Mid-season interlude: The Charles Trump Shield of 2015

Introduction to the Charles Trump Shield
This competition was first run in 1979, but has only counted towards the Cup Winners' Cup and in part the IFCF Rising Stars Cup - hereinafter "big cups" - since 1998 (in time for the tenth IFCF cycle). It is named in honour of Colonel Charles Trump. In the autumn of 1974, during the War of Independence, Trump successfully defended the Eleanorian Academy from ground attack by Tinhamptonian forces. Although parts of the academy were destroyed in the air and Trump himself had his leg amputated, he was honourably discharged from the Army by order of President George Mitcham two days after Saint Eleanor won its independence, and successfully lobbied the government in its first years to head off freezes in the schools budget.

The Shield is contested between all 53 schools in Saint Eleanor - including the three private schools (the Girls' Preparatory, the Boys' Preparatory, and Saint Benedict's Catholic) and the six out-of-city schools (the Community Schools in Bishopgate, Crownedhead, Elsmouth, Farbend, Mount Dennis and Springfield) - along with Liberty, a team made up exclusively of the children of Eleanorian Army soldiers from various schools.

SEFA announced, in March 2009, an "informal amnesty" with the Eleanorian Sports and Cheer Coaching Alliance, who represent - among others - the 54 Charles Trump Shield team managers. The second phase of the amnesty is now in place: all teams except the quarterfinalists of last year's CTS will enter the first round. The first round winners and the seven non-champion quarterfinalists will enter the second round. Whitehammer CS, as reigning champions, will enter the third round, also known as the round of sixteen. Furthermore, the draws for the first two rounds will be made in March of each year.

All games except the final (at the Nat Lib) are played over two legs, with extra time and then penalties being played in the event of both games having the same result. Away goals count double, so not all aggregate ties will result in extra time. OOCly, the Græntfjaller method of ET and PSO scorination is used - although I add the goals scored in extra time and make those count towards away goals - and home advantage applies.

In each year, Liberty and schools must only send players in Year 13, i.e. those who will turn seventeen in that year. Every player in the 2015 Charles Trump Shield was therefore born in 1998 (and may therefore not even remember a time when Richardson, Launceston, Northend and Livingston were vying to be among Saint Eleanor's first ever RSC representatives). If they win that year's Shield, they will be entered into the following year's big cups (in the unlikely event they win the Showcase too) and may enter the victorious team, who will by now be in Year 14, i.e. eighteen years old. If their Year 14s win either big cup in any year, they shall enter the team that represented them in that year's Shield (who will be Year 14s the following year) into the following year's CWC/RSC - while the now-nineteen-year-old cup winners go to a well-deserved rest, probably in the Saint Eleanor League!

Some schools serve as the youth teams for clubs in the Saint Eleanor League
IFCF Regulation 7.02 provides that the youth teams of "clubs reaching the group phase of the Champions['] League are automatically entered" into the RSC (and acknowledges the possibility that a youth champion's senior team may make the CL group stages). However, the youth teams of clubs in Saint Eleanor are often the representative teams of local schools, rather than formal wings of the clubs themselves. To that effect, and should any of these clubs ever make the CL group stages:

The youth team of Occidental Olympic is Parkside CS. Parkside District Council owns both Olympic and the Community School.
The youth team of Sword and Shield is the University College. University College is a school run by the University of Saint Eleanor, whose Board of Trustees own Sword and Shield. Contrary to what many people believe, the University is a campus university. Collegiate Community School does not exist.
The youth team of Athletic Saint Eleanor is Whitehammer CS. The Eleanorian Chamber of Commerce, which counts several hundred privately-owned businesses among its members, owns Athletic. Whitehammer District Council owns the Community School, but many members of its PE Department also work as coaches for Athletic and they have the final say over who plays for Whitehammer.
The youth team of Independence 1975 is the Eleanorian Academy. The Government runs both Independence and the Academy. Central Community School does not exist.
The youth team of Grand Beach is Grand Beach CS. Gregory Willis, the owner of Willis fried chicken restaurants, owns Grand Beach. His eldest daughter, Sophie, is the Community School's head of the English department; she selects who plays for GBCS in consultation with the PE department.
The youth team of Army and Navy is the Army School. Army School is run by the Eleanorian Army, which owns Army and Navy. Oaktree Community School does exist, but has no affiliation with the Army.
The youth team of Good Hope Club is Trident CS. The Good Hope Supporters' Trust owns Good Hope. Trident District Council owns the Community School, but has an agreement with the Supporters Trust by which the School wears GHC's colours of light blue and plays its home matches at GHC's home stadium, the Good Hope Stadium.
The youth team of Golden Unicorn is Brightway CS. Emerald, the premier fund management company in the Novalk Peninsula, owns Golden Unicorn. It also provides generous funding to Brightway's Football Academy without which their ability to send a full-strength team to the Shield would be greatly diminished.
The youth team of Nova Aegis is Bramblewood CS. Bramblewood District Council owns both Nova Aegis and the Community School.
The youth team of the Polytechnic Institute is Buckhead CS. Buckhead Community School is not actually run by the Polytechnic Institute of Saint Eleanor, which owns the club of the same name - it is, like all Community Schools, operated by the district council - but a memorandum of understanding was made with the Polytechnic in 2009, through which the Poly financially supports BCS's PE department.
The youth team of Hiyashi Celestia is Broadlands CS. The Hiyashi Corporation founded (and still owns) Celestia; they have pumped significant sums of money into the Broadlands school team since doing so. Just don't ask where it comes from. It's all perfectly legal revenue from sales and whatnot, we promise.
The youth team of Newbanks United is Newbanks CS. The practice of Newbanks United offering a contract every year to a player from the Community School has long gone, not least since the club is now owned by the Misiriyaa Football Group of Al-Tamazgha, but some of United's coaches now work as PE teachers for the School (much as they do in Whitehammer), and the presumption remains that any sufficiently good NCS player will more likely than not contract with Newbanks United should there be a need in the team.
The youth team of Premier Club is Premier CS. The school, although in possession of a football academy that is ridiculously well-funded by D. Tommy Sanford's PREMIER empire (it was his before he got busted, anyway) and indeed has direct ties to the Premier Club of the same ownership, is actually located in Premier district, which was made to specification by a group of civil engineers working on behalf of the Eleanorian Army.
The youth team of 16th of November is Holland CS. The Zoological Gardens have an arrangement with Holland District Council, which owns the Community School, that predates even the National Liberation Front; an annual school trip to the Zoo is provided for students at Holland CS, for instance.
The youth team of Atlas is Atlas CS. Atlas district, like Premier district, was built to specification (of the Kaito Corporation of Kandorith) by the Army Corps of Engineers. Kaito themselves founded the Atlas club and own it through their Eleanorian subsidiary, Kaito Limited - so, much as Hiyashi do with Broadlands, it stands to reason that they have a solid partnership with the local school.
The youth team of Infrastructure is Tannerton CS. National Electricity, affectionately known as Natelec, owns Infrastructure (in partnership with Eleanorian Water). Natelec in turn provides (relatively) generous funding and support to Tannerton's PE Department and CTS team.
The youth team of Lion is Marketplace CS. Lion was founded by Banijan immigrants to Saint Eleanor, and remains in their control, although people from across the Dockside - both Eleanorians and immigrants - are generally welcomed by the club. There is a "broad partnership" in place between Lion and the Community School through which Marketplace's players are given consideration by Lion's scouts once they come of age.
The youth team of the Republicans is Deepchester CS. The Republicans are owned by their fans via the Deepchester Community Trust, which founded the club and recruited a number of players from the local areas - some of who just happen to be disaffected, previously-unemployed artists. Among the permanent members of the DCT's board is the Community School's headteacher of the day.
The youth team of the Trades Unionists is Wellington CS. The Trades Unions Alliance owns Trades Unionists - as well as Channel 5, in partnership with the Communist Party of Saint Eleanor - and, as part of their obligations to Wellington's community (which contains a good many dockworkers, who remain reluctant to switch their support from the Good Hope Club), offers a broad spectrum of support to the Community School, both in terms of its PE Department and many other areas.
The youth team of Yggdrasil is Blackwood CS. Blackwood District Council owns both Yggdrasil and the Community School.

"CS" always stands for Community School, by far the most common name given to Eleanorian schools; this abbreviation is used throughout to comply with IFCF character limits.

If you were a serious Golden Backpack contestant and you were playing for any of the above schools, then there's a good chance that you will end up playing for the school's linked Saint Eleanor League club (especially since Juventud collapsed in 2009). In today's environment, many young players are angling for moves to unaffiliated major clubs, but by far and away there is a much stronger practical and spiritual connection between each school and their SEL club.

Round 1 (1/23 final)

Sunset Gates CS 0–0 Allington CS
Allington CS 1–3 Sunset Gates CS
Sunset Gates CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Northolt CS 5–7 New Lizard CS
New Lizard CS 3–3 Northolt CS
New Lizard CS win 10-8 on aggregate

St Paul CS 0–0 St George CS
St George CS 0–1 St Paul CS
St Paul CS win 1-0 on aggregate

Broadlands CS 1–0 Bonpool CS
Bonpool CS 1–1 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS win 2-1 on aggregate

Magna CS 1–0 North Seville CS
North Seville CS 1–2 Magna CS
Magna CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Bishopgate CS 0–5 Oaktree CS
Oaktree CS 4–0 Bishopgate CS
Oaktree CS win 9-0 on aggregate

Millerham CS 2–1 Marketplace CS
Marketplace CS 2–0 Millerham CS
Marketplace CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Kelbury CS 1–2 Hartridge CS
Hartridge CS 1–0 Kelbury CS
Hartridge CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Saint Benedict's Catholic 1–1 Newbanks CS
Newbanks CS 2–3 Saint Benedict's Catholic
Saint Benedict's Catholic win 4-3 on aggregate

Crownedhead CS 0–2 Liberty
Liberty 2–0 Crownedhead CS
Liberty win 4-0 on aggregate

Richardgate CS 0–0 Jacobville CS
Jacobville CS 4–3 Richardgate CS
Jacobville CS win 4-3 on aggregate

Elsmouth CS 0–3 Goldsmiths CS
Goldsmiths CS 4–0 Elsmouth CS
Goldsmiths CS win 7-0 on aggregate

Carpentersville CS 1–1 Girls' Preparatory
Girls' Preparatory 2–0 Carpentersville CS
Girls' Preparatory win 3-1 on aggregate

Bramblewood CS 1–5 Trident CS
Trident CS 1–0 Bramblewood CS
Trident CS win 6-1 on aggregate

Tannerton CS 3–3 New St Paul CS
New St Paul CS 8–6 Tannerton CS
New St Paul CS win 11-9 on aggregate

Silverton CS 3–0 Farbend CS
Farbend CS 1–2 Silverton CS
Silverton CS win 5-1 on aggregate

Springfield CS 0–1 Army School
Army School 3–0 Springfield CS
Army School win 4-0 on aggregate

Mount Dennis CS 1–3 Premier CS
Premier CS 3–0 Mount Dennis CS
Premier CS win 6-1 on aggregate

New Bayside CS 1–4 Grand Beach CS
Grand Beach CS 4–1 New Bayside CS
Grand Beach CS win 8-2 on aggregate

Eastern Fell CS 1–3 Buckhead CS
Buckhead CS 1–0 Eastern Fell CS
Buckhead CS win 4-1 on aggregate

University College 3–0 Holland CS
Holland CS 5–0 University College
Holland CS win 5-3 on aggregate

Williamstown CS 1–3 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS 0–1 Williamstown CS
Blackwood CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Airport CS 0–3 Wellington CS
Wellington CS 4–1 Airport CS
Wellington CS win 7-1 on aggregate

The lucky 23 winners in Round 1 will be joined by last year's non-champion CTS quarterfinalists - Atlas CS, the Boys' Preparatory, Brightway CS, Deepchester CS, the Eleanorian Academy, Parkside CS, and Queenston CS - in Round 2.

Round 2 (1/15 final)

Holland CS 3–4 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS 1–4 Holland CS
Holland CS win 7-5 on aggregate

Hartridge CS 0–1 Silverton CS
Silverton CS 1–0 Hartridge CS
Silverton CS win 2-0 on aggregate

Marketplace CS 2–1 Jacobville CS
Jacobville CS 1–4 Marketplace CS
Marketplace CS win 6-2 on aggregate

Grand Beach CS 2–3 Eleanorian Academy
Eleanorian Academy 0–1 Grand Beach CS
Eleanorian Academy win 3-3 on aggregate (away goals)

Premier CS 3–5 Liberty
Liberty 2–3 Premier CS
Liberty win 7-6 on aggregate

Buckhead CS 1–1 Magna CS
Magna CS 3–7 Buckhead CS
Buckhead CS win 8-4 on aggregate

Parkside CS 1–0 Queenston CS
Queenston CS 2–2 Parkside CS
Parkside CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Saint Benedict's Catholic 2–1 Sunset Gates CS
Sunset Gates CS 1–2 Saint Benedict's Catholic
Saint Benedict's Catholic win 4-2 on aggregate

New Lizard CS 0–2 New St Paul CS
New St Paul CS 1–0 New Lizard CS
New St Paul CS win 3-0 on aggregate

Atlas CS 1–1 Brightway CS
Brightway CS 2–3 Atlas CS
Atlas CS win 4-3 on aggregate

St Paul CS 1–2 Oaktree CS
Oaktree CS 4–2 St Paul CS
Oaktree CS win 6-3 on aggregate

Blackwood CS 2–4 Girls' Preparatory
Girls' Preparatory 1–1 Blackwood CS
Girls' Preparatory win 5-3 on aggregate

Boys' Preparatory 3–2 Goldsmiths CS
Goldsmiths CS 0–0 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory win 3-2 on aggregate

Army School 1–0 Wellington CS
Wellington CS 1–2 Army School
Army School win 3-1 on aggregate

Broadlands CS 1–0 Trident CS
Trident CS 1–2 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS win 3-1 on aggregate

The lucky 15 winners in Round 2 will be joined by CTS champions Whitehammer CS in Round 3.

Alysia Cornwell is the sixth goalkeeper to score in the history of the Charles Trump Shield. You'll meet Aly later on - as a spoiler, neither Saoirse in '80, Richard in '85, Ralexaleva in '92, Lily in '99, nor Vicky in '05 managed to win the big one (not even close) - but mounting another unlikely comeback must have been the first thing on Holland CS' collective mind when they were down on away goals to Deepchester, already sniffing an unlikely third consecutive quarterfinal with the second of three hurdles almost surmounted. But five minutes of stoppage time had just been forced when Deepchester were reduced to ten, with foulee Morgan Wright spotting the ball from 25 yards out. All six feet's worth of Cornwell, or so it will turn out in a few years, popped up among the hordes for what would surely prove to be the winning goal - although Laura Garter's angsty dribble into space, followed by a powerful drive from similar distance, was to make that question moot in short order.

Heading into the third round, it is important to remember that Cornwell is the daughter of Esther Hazelbrook, still the only goalkeeper in Shield history to have been sent off so late in the competition. With Sunset Gates CS already burning down against 1991's eventual champions Liberty in their third game, compared to Liberty's first - 5-1 down with half an hour to go and the New Barracks half-full, always an achievement for that lot - SG stopper Hazelbrook thought little better than to barge into opposition centre-forward Edward Castle in an attempt to stop him getting to Maria Billington's cross first, forcing both of them off the field for the rest of the game. In the event, Darren Wood proved to be no Georgia, as he shipped the resultant penalty from Billington and then another two from open play.

Round 3 (1/8 final)

Holland CS 0–0 Girls' Preparatory
Girls' Preparatory 0–1 Holland CS
Holland CS win 1-0 on aggregate

Buckhead CS 2–1 New St Paul CS
New St Paul CS 2–4 Buckhead CS
Buckhead CS win 6-3 on aggregate

Broadlands CS 3–0 Oaktree CS
Oaktree CS 0–0 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS win 3-0 on aggregate

Whitehammer CS 0–0 Parkside CS
Parkside CS 3–1 Whitehammer CS
Parkside CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Eleanorian Academy 2–2 Army School
Army School 1–2 Eleanorian Academy
Eleanorian Academy win 4-3 on aggregate

Saint Benedict's Catholic 4–1 Silverton CS
Silverton CS 0–0 Saint Benedict's Catholic
Saint Benedict's Catholic win 4-1 on aggregate

Atlas CS 2–0 Marketplace CS
Marketplace CS 3–1 Atlas CS
Atlas CS win 3-3 on aggregate (away goals)

Boys' Preparatory 3–2 Liberty
Liberty 0–0 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory win 3-2 on aggregate

Round 4 (1/4 final)

Atlas CS 0–0 Parkside CS
Parkside CS 2–0 Atlas CS
Parkside CS win 2-0 on aggregate

Boys' Preparatory 0–0 Eleanorian Academy
Eleanorian Academy 3–3 Boys' Preparatory
Boys' Preparatory win 3-3 on aggregate (away goals)

Saint Benedict's Catholic 0–1 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS 2–2 Saint Benedict's Catholic
Broadlands CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Buckhead CS 2–3 Holland CS
Holland CS 1–0 Buckhead CS
Holland CS win 4-2 on aggregate

Semifinals
Boys' Preparatory 0–2 Holland CS
[Laura Garter 18', Dan Smith 71']
Holland CS 7–3 Boys' Preparatory
[Morgan Wright 11', David Howard 33', Jennifer Mitchell 35', 51', and 90+2', Lydia McEwan 60', Ârón Píkáríô 73'; Jamie Bowles 43', Andrew Helmsley 65', Varelaneta taParatanela 81']
Holland CS win 9-3 on aggregate

Parkside CS 1–0 Broadlands CS
[Simon Grant 14']
Broadlands CS 0–0 Parkside CS
[no goals]
Parkside CS win 1-0 on aggregate

THE FINAL
Parkside CS 3–4 Holland CS ~~~ at the National Liberation Arena (62,764 in attendance)
[Simon Grant 28' and 67', Rebecca Wilson 55'; Ârón Píkáríô 20', Jennifer Mitchell 50', Morgan Wright 81', Charity Bennett 88']

Each finalist has been entered into the 2015 Showcase. The Showcase, a twenty-two-team cup which also stars the twenty League clubs, is a desperate - and successful - attempt by the Saint Eleanor Football Association to ensure that it can enter teams into the Cup Winners' Cup without getting smacked because it attempted to enter the winners of the Charles Trump Shield.

Saint Eleanor will enter Holland CS, the winners of the 2015 Charles Trump Shield, into Rising Stars Cup 27. (Their crest is depicted to the right.)

Into the battle ride the following unsuspecting teenagers: 1. Alysia Cornwell [GK; she/her]; 2. Dan Smith [LB; he/him]; 3. Parelavena xaTelanapeta [CB; he/him]; 4. Emily Richards [CB; she/her]; 5. Philip Parker [RB; captain; he/him]; 6. Lydia McEwan [CDM; she/her]; 7. Morgan Wright [RM; she/they]; 8. David Howard [CDM; he/him]; 9. Jennifer Mitchell [ST; she/her]; 10. Laura Garter [CAM; she/her]; 11. Ârón Píkáríô [LM; he/him]; 12. Joe Martins [GK; he/him]; 13. Jack Young [CB; he/him]; 14. Angela Walter [RB; she/her]; 15. Jess Greene [CDM; she/her]; 16. Harry Burton [LM; he/him]; 17. Charity Bennett [CAM; she/her]; 18. Michael Haldon [ST; he/him].

They are joined by their manager, John McDonald [he/him]. Reputedly, McDonald was not even supposed to take command of the team; the history teacher and former left-back was roped in after the 3-0 defeat to University College, in place of regular boss Gary Barton, as the only member of staff to have been part of the Holland lineup that famously saw off Uni Coll on penalties in 1990's second round and therefore best-placed to give a kind word to the lads. McDonald has consistently refused to confirm or deny rumours that Barton was making day-to-day tactical decisions and insists that he will have "full and total command" of the team during next year's international run.

Holland CS will play their home matches in the RSC and - if needs be - CWC at the James Howard Pitch in Brightway district, seated capacity 500. A relatively small arena with a relatively small stand to match, the Pitch - named after the school's first Head of PE, who died of lung cancer in 1994 - is relatively poorly-maintained with relatively poor floodlighting, offering a relatively bad fan experience in a relatively inconvenient location for a relatively forgettable team. All of this is relative to the big bad Catholic school up the road, by the way.

Following the initial publication of this pamphlet, Occidental Olympic won the Saint Eleanor League of 2015, with Hiyashi Celestia in second. This means that - should the clubs reach the group stages of Champions League 27 - Parkside CS (crest left) and Broadlands CS (crest right) will enter the group stages of Rising Stars Cup 27. Their managers, Harry Salt [he/him] and Ryan Jones [he/him], are happy to inform opposing managers and foreign media about their teamsheets should they ask for it.

Parkside CS will play their home matches in the RSC and - if needs be - CWC at Galton Park in Parkside district, seated capacity 800. Occidental Olympic, Parkside's parent club, train at the Park; a 15-minute walk from Parkside metro station, it has a relaxed and relatively quiet atmosphere, with a single uncovered stand at the wide end of the pitch. There are some minor safety concerns - the seats are prone to spontaneously breaking, as Olympic fan and Vice-President Charlotte Morgan found out to her peril in an incident that made The Reporter's front page in August 1991, while a lack of netting in any direction leads to regular lost balls - but Parkside District Council insists that they are trying to "reduce wasteful expenditure" and that "this stadium, which has previously entertained audiences at three Rising Stars Cups - including a home quarterfinal against Micronia YSC in 2012 - will do so once again."

Broadlands CS will play their home matches in the RSC at Northern Plain in Broadlands district, seated capacity 2,500. Northern Plain, when it isn't Hiyashi Celestia's training ground, is sometimes used by members of the local Hiyashi factory to have supposedly-informal kickabouts which invariably draw anybody who's off work and wants to turn up. (There are no turnstiles and admission will be free for all games, including RSC ties should they make them.) The Plain officially has two stands, both covered and both seated; those behind the goals stand at their own risk.

The winner of this year's Golden Backpack is Jennifer Mitchell. It can be hard to call someone on a youth team "a leader" when they are not even the captain - yet Mitchell, a striker and an Indy supporter though she may be, has had to take one of Esther Launceston's more meaningful lessons to heart in order to make Holland the second-biggest underdog Shield winners in history, after Sunset Gates upset Parkside in 1983 - although naysayers will point to the fact that they are technically one of the Big Twenty-Four, affiliated either to a League club, a private school or the Army. It can be reasonably argued that she, and not either of the managers, was the driving impetus behind the Arrows' emphatic overturn of University College in their opening round, and her counter-attacking, pragmatic DNA is almost woven into the team's nine later performances in possession (to counterprogram Parker's generic defensive strategy out of possession). While she was nowhere near as consistent a striker as David Key or Olympia Woodward before her, with the multi-goal salvoes against Uni Coll and the Boys' Prep the standouts, even that record in itself (not to mention her other goal involvements) is enough to commend her: she was helped by a surprisingly able midfield, too, which always helps when you're an Eleanorians.

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun May 31, 2026 1:06 pm

The Saint Eleanor First League of 2015

Incorporating post-season fun and shenanigans for all the family: The 2015 Showcase

In 1998, Charles Trump Shield winners University College were barred from the Cup Winners' Cup due to the nature of the Shield. Coincidentally, 1998 was also the year that the Saint Eleanor League expanded to twelve clubs - although this was admittedly a few months and technically a year later. So what better to do than take each year's Shield semifinalists, force them to play against the League clubs (actually, it's the President doing the forcing), and call it a fair, competitive, character-building tournament which just so happens to be good for one Cup Winners' Cup entry?

With the recent expansion of the League system to twenty teams, the decision was made in 2010 to limit entry to the two finalists - after all, three of the five youth teams ever to execute a Showcase win up to that date (and the only youth team to win two games) had made the final. To be sure, adding two random amateur clubs instead would have made it a closer approximation of the national game's overall quality. But then it wouldn't be The Showcase of the best, brightest, and sometimes most deeply confused that Saint Eleanor has to offer.

Showcase Palmares
Athletic Saint Eleanor: 6 (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014)
Independence 1975: 3 (2002, 2003, 2004)
Hiyashi Celestia: 3 (1999, 2000, 2005)
Occidental Olympic: 3 (2001, 2010, 2013)
Nova Aegis: 1 (2009)

Also incorporating a blink-and-you-miss-it review of 2015's IFCF proceedings, the 26th of their kind

Preview of the League sides (by Jamie Rodgers of SESB)

Legend: 99. {all eligible NT flags, if non-EXT; see below} Player McPlayerface [WINNER AS PLAYER: WORLD CUP 1000000, CUP OF HARMONY 1000000, BAPTISM OF FIRE 1000000; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE/UICA CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, IFCF CHALLENGERS' CUP/UICA GLOBE CUP 1000000, IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 1000000, IFCF LIGA B CHAMPIONS' TROPHY/UICA SERIES B CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, CUP WINNERS' CUP 1000000] [WINNER AS MANAGER: AS BEFORE] [CAPTAIN] [POS; species; Army rank; 9001yo; pro/nouns].

Other notes:

Teams are in descending order of 2014 First League finish.
Starting lineups go from 1 to 11; substitutes wear 12 to 18. Lineups are good for the 26th IFCF cycle.
Ages given reflect how old the Eleanorians will be at the end of 2015, and how old the foreigners were when we last checked.
Underlined single nationals play for the national team they are eligible for as of the start of 2015. Underlined dual nationals play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name as of that date. Non-underlined dual nationals are assessed by Harry Black, the Reporter's politics-of-football expert, as more likely to play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name.
Everyone is a human, and from Saint Eleanor, unless otherwise stated.
See a player without a like-for-like substitute? Subs listed as playing on one side of the pitch usually have no qualms with playing on the other as necessary.
The same "Important OOC notes about the Laws of the Game as they are applied in Saint Eleanor" as here apply.
For my sanity's sake, I'm not going to reproduce 2015's list of dates here. I really need to get around to producing it, though...

Hiyashi Celestia - "Celestia;" "The Angels" - the club of Northern Saint Eleanor's working class (especially Hiyashi's employees in Broadlands)

Home stadium: Celestial Stadium, Broadlands district (capacity 36,645)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. + Shojiro Ito [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [GK; 33yo; he/him]; 2. Edward Ruthan [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LB; 27yo; he/him]; 3. Nigel Vincent [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 4. Isi Šasawić [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CB; 36yo; he/him]; 5. + Caradoc Anghoill [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [RB; 35yo; he/him]; 6. + Nobusuke Kuronuma [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CAPTAIN] [CM; 36yo; he/him]; 7. Terry Baker [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 8. Maria Morgan [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CM; 29yo; she/her]; 9. Rick Goldsmith [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [ST; 35yo; he/him]; 10. + Takeshi Honda [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [ST; 32yo; he/him]; 11. James Heath [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [RM; 28yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Josh Baines [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 13. Andrew Henderson [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 14. Alex Lander [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 15. Adam Gordon [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LB; 22yo; he/him]; 16. Bill Simpson [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LM; 30yo; he/him]; 17. Peter Macmillan [RM; 19yo; he/him]; 18. Bill Wood [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [ST; 26yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Rachel Schanke [WINNER AS MANAGER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [52yo; she/her]: One of the least impressive Associations' Trophy knockout runs of recent times - a far cry from 2012 - was more than made up for by only a second-ever league title, lower than perhaps would have been expected in the 1990s. Schanke remains intent on righting this historic wrong and has, for what may be the last time, put her trust in the pre-existing crew to deliver. The Kandorese legends, though far removed from Kaya Michiyu's heyday and apparently their national team, have now been granted Eleanorian citizenship and have not dropped off spectacularly; Rick Goldsmith, who Amalie Selnes has drawn comparisons to, will continue to pair well with Honda as a White Stars legend in his own right; Maria Morgan remains the second coming of Lydia Nicholls; but, on the other hand, Šasawić and Anghoill are pulling on their last rope, and Terry Baker's clinicality in some of last year's lower-profile IFCF ties should translate better than Galbraith's slightly-above-average creativity normally did.

Athletic Saint Eleanor - "Athletic;" "The Reds" - the club of the business owners

Home stadium: Northwest Road, Whitehammer district (capacity 53,174)
Starting lineup (preferred formation 4-1-3-2): 1. + Kirsti Sundgren [GK; 30yo; she/her]; 2. Elissa Curry [LB; 35yo; she/her]; 3. John Millcroft [RB; 21yo; he/him]; 4. Bridget Coombe [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CDM; 40yo; she/her]; 5. + Lydia VIckers [CAPTAIN] [CB; 28yo; she/her]; 6. Esther Launceston [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CB; 34yo; she/her]; 7. Graham Lawson [LM; 35yo; he/him]; 8. Natasha Rhodes [CM; 25yo; she/her]; 9. Amalie Selnes [ST; 26yo; she/her]; 10. Tim Driver [ST; 34yo; he/him]; 11. Wasemprela Sareleva [RM; 34yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Harry Mitchell [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 13. Ben McDougall [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 14. Andrew Gray [CM; 19yo; he/him]; 15. Liam Johnson [RM; 22yo; he/him]; 16. Phil Parris [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 17. James Johnson [LB; 27yo; he/him]; 18. Charles Brewer [CM; 26yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Yelto-Aflan Ono [53yo; they/them]: 2014 was another solid year for Athletic, as they returned to the Champions' League in one of the more competitive league seasons in a while, and did well for themselves in the Challengers' Cup too. Except for the crash-landing of smooth all-rounder Natasha Rhodes, there is surprisingly little to differentiate this team from last: Selnes is getting better, if no less unpredictable, and will surely be looking for the way out she wanted in December, while Coombe and Launceston are still undeniable forces, Vickers can at this point be described as one of the great defensive stalwarts of the nation, and Sundgren has once again demonstrated that just about anyone can reach the top with enough dedication, effort, and nurturing commitment.

Independence 1975 - "Indy;" "The Liberators" - the club of the (civilian) government and the Eleanorian masses

Home stadium: The National Liberation Arena, Central district (capacity 68,184)
Starting lineup (preferred formation 4-2-3-1): 1. Robby Ellis [GK; 31yo; he/him]; 2. Cathy Winchester [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [LB; 37yo; she/her]; 3. Joe Willis [RB; 28yo; he/him]; 4. + Layla Grover [CDM; 35yo; she/her]; 5. Katy Wilson [CB; 31yo; she/her]; 6. Matt Morrison [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 7. Elizabeth Wootton [LM; 22yo; she/her]; 8. + Kichirō Matsuda [CDM; Wunderbar; 31yo; he/him]; 9. Ian Marks [ST; 29yo; he/him]; 10. Kavezalea Felaraneta [CAM; 31yo; he/him]; 11. Gary Morgan [RM; 32yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Lisa Dobson [GK; 26yo; she/her]; 13. Matthew Edwards [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 14. Lucy Hendricks [RB; 25yo; she/her]; 15. Daisy Reynolds [LM; 20yo; she/her]; 16. Adam Tarrant [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 17. John Garrett [ST; 23yo; he/him]; 18. Angela Spooner [RM; 27yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Lydia Sharp [60yo; she/her]: The argument can be made that Sharp's Indy are literally the equal of Skeggestad's Crossroads (leaving aside Bakočević's pre-season hiring) - just look at the group stage results - and, of course, she intends to fight and win the league with effectively the same lineup and strategy as years gone by. You can expect the back four to hold firm with Winchester pushing up from behind; Grover has lost none of her edge, despite what you may have thought, and Matsuda remains as remarkable as always. Looking up front, Morgan is possibly the weakest link, but Felaraneta and Marks have proven themselves by now and Wootton is arguably the most creative player this club has ever known, although there are plenty of fans who will have their own counter-examples.

Good Hope Club - "The Seasiders" - the club of the dockworkers

Home stadium: The Good Hope Stadium, Trident district (capacity 22,174)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-5-1): 1. + Abdullah Ibn Salam [GK; 21yo; he/him]; 2. Tina Falconer [LB; 33yo; she/her]; 3. Keith Barnett [RB; 27yo; he/him]; 4. Yusuf Sofyan [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 5. Carrie Holliday [CM; 33yo; she/her]; 6. Kathy White [CB; 24yo; she/her]; 7. Aaron Burrow [LM; 33yo; he/him]; 8. Owen Blackwater [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 9. Alexandra Barrett [RM; 31yo; she/her]; 10. Naferala paVepexala [CM; 33yo; he/him]; 11. Amanda Cleveland [CAPTAIN] [ST; 33yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Darren Barker [GK; 28yo; he/him]; 13. George Anderson [LB; 26yo; he/him]; 14. Eliza Miller [CB; 19yo; she/her]; 15. Rachel McEwan [RM; 26yo; she/her]; 16. Katie Phillips [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 17. Terry Smith [CM; 29yo; he/him]; 18. Oliver Samuels [ST; 28yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Mary Kirkport [54yo; she/her]: Abdullah Ibn Salam has proven to be a sensation in the tabloids as on the field, but this is a largely safe and recognisable outfield. Falconer and Barnett are now sharing the national team with each other, as well, and should continue to bolster the defence alongside the toughened Sofyan and the slightly more restrained white. The flat-five midfield remains thoroughly uncontroversial, although it is clear by now that Barrett is an unflashy wide midfielder, Blackwater is a demonstrably pivotal midfielder, and paVepexala is the sniffer dog of the lot. Cleveland is an institution at this point, possibly the least problematic eccentric type ever to live, and would probably die for the club.

Sword and Shield - "Arsenal;" "The Collegiates" - the club of the University

Home stadium: University Grounds, Collegiate district (capacity 35,174)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-2-1-3): 1. Ed Jackson [GK; 28yo; he/him]; 2. Gordon Pratt [LB; 34yo; he/him]; 3. Christine Terrence [CB; 36yo; she/her]; 4. John Alexander [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 5. Eloise Vincent [RB; 24yo; she/her]; 6. Joe Watts [CM; 31yo; he/him]; 7. Naclé Öhân [LM; 27yo; he/him]; 8. Lucas Barrow [CM; 34yo; he/him]; 9. Olympia Woodward [CAPTAIN] [ST; 26yo; she/her]; 10. Rosa Strong [CAM; 27yo; she/her]; 11. Sophia McDonald [RM; 22yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Àlfôn Qâerês [LM; 28yo; he/him]; 13. Caroline Hedges [GK; 20yo; she/her]; 14. Rebecca Daniels [CB; 26yo; she/her]; 15. Stephen Jones [RB; 21yo; he/him]; 16. Pakelana Vezara [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 17. Luke Barring [RM; 32yo; he/him]; 18. Alexandra Marcus [ST; 34yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Emma Steele [54yo; she/her]: It is perhaps telling of the extent to which reconstruction is required that Alexandra Marcus, who has not seen regular first-team action in some time, will have to continue her return to the team while Olympia Woodward continues to recover from her tortured ACL at last year's World Cup round of sixteen - though she knows many of the players here, will hand off the armband to the much-beloved defensive icon Terrence, and did well for herself at the back-end of last season. The tradiaional shape and strategy will continue, with McDonald looking increasingly potent out wide to match Öhân's similarly inverted style, Strong still as good a playmaker as ever, and the defence otherwise looking serviceable but still typically Arsenal.

Occidental Olympic - "Olympic;" "The Westerners" - the club of western and north-western Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Parkside Stadium, Parkside district (capacity 26,285)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2 diamond): 1. Arielle Richardson [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [GK; 34yo; she/her]; 2. Rachel Curran [LB; 33yo; she/her]; 3. Lynul-Sevet Pul [RB; 34yo; they/them]; 4. Diana Gray [CB; 25yo; she/her]; 5. Mike Pringle [CB; 33yo; he/him]; 6. Glenn French [CDM; 33yo; he/him]; 7. Lily Emmerson [LM; 29yo; she/her]; 8. Brian Hurd [RM; 29yo; he/him]; 9. David Key [ST; 33yo; he/him]; 10. Steve Pilchard [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CAM; 38yo; he/him]; 11. Esther Vaughan [ST; 27yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Sally Reynolds [GK; 21yo; she/her]; 13. Jack Owen [LB; 32yo; he/him]; 14. Stephen Walker [CB; 22yo; he/him]; 15. Andrew Card [CDM; 30yo; he/him]; 16. Âlárî Dírò [CAM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. Ella Pinkman [RM; 26yo; she/her]; 18. Adam Wilson [ST; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: George Dunbar [56yo; he/him]: Despite their less-than-impressive defensive record of recent years, a case can be made for this being Olympic's best defensive lineup ever: Lynul-Sevet has returned to the Qusma national team where their compatriot Wanar-Xalan has not, seasoned stopper Richardson and flexible fullback Curran have long consolidated their places on Saint Eleanor's, Gray is perhaps the future of Eleanorian defence and Pringle is a Class of 1999 veteran. His fellow Shield winner French will continue to keep three eyes out for any trouble on either side, while Pilchard is at the point in his career that the no-less-ruthless Dírò can sometimes take centre stage. Key and Vaughan are two of the best and most underrated strikers, though the latter is always out to make a name for herself; Emmerson and Hurd are great wingers in Olympic's context, though perhaps only good ones in the national context; and there should be nothing stopping them from delivering again.

Army and Navy - "The Soldiers" - the club of the Eleanorian Army (which all players are members of)

Home stadium: New Barracks, Oaktree district (capacity 32,200)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Rose Carter [GK; Lance-Corporal; 32yo; she/her]; 2. Kevin Bryson [LB; Lance-Corporal; 31yo; he/him]; 3. Matthew Farmer [RB; Private; 22yo; he/him]; 4. David Green [CM; Private; 33yo; he/him]; 5. Katrina Shelby [CB; Private; 23yo; she/her]; 6. Denise Livingston [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CB; Sergeant; 34yo; she/her]; 7. Mark Gould [LM; Private; 34yo; he/him]; 8. James Walter [CM; Lance-Corporal; 32yo; he/him]; 9. Isabella Bright [ST; Private; 26yo; she/her]; 10. George Murson [ST; Lance-Corporal; 29yo; he/him]; 11. David Porter [RM; Private; 25yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Nathan Smith [GK; Private; 29yo; he/him]; 13. Jack Murphy [CB; Private; 26yo; he/him]; 14. Angela George [LB; Private; 25yo; she/her]; 15. Olivia Silver [CM; Lance-Corporal; 30yo; she/her]; 16. Johanna Spencer [ST; Private; 27yo; she/her]; 17. Natalie Evans [RM; Private; 28yo; she/her]; 18. Sarah Wallace [RM; Private; 33yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Luke McCarthy [56yo; Colonel; he/him]: As usual, this is a solid lineup that should stay away from trouble at either end, especially given Livingston's stated intention to play out the rest of her natural career at the club instead of retiring after fifteen years. Bright is rapidly developing a positive reputation of her own and will almost certainly be the standout striker, although she would probably prefer if more came through the ranks. Farmer and Porter, last year's new arrivals, will carry on this year after having proven themselves, while the bulk of the thirty-somethings are doing well for now and should see the club through yet again.

Polytechnic Institute - "The Poly" - the club of the Polytechnic

Home stadium: Polytechnic Sports Centre, Buckhead district (capacity 6,088)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Laura Green [GK; 21yo; she/her]; 2. Madeleine Charlton [RB; 22yo; she/her]; 3. Lily Bruton [CB; 25yo; she/her]; 4. Michael Gordon [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 5. Frolt-Mazur Xlo [LB; 24yo; they/them]; 6. James Salt [CM; 25yo; he/him]; 7. Jamie Smithers [RM; 19yo; he/him]; 8. + Gisken Aldra [CM; 25yo; they/them]; 9. Beatrix Hillman-Tower [ST; 25yo; she/her]; 10. Lydia Falconer [CAPTAIN] [ST; 23yo; she/her]; 11. Gordon Gilbert [LM; 19yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Henry Paulton [GK; 19yo; he/him]; 13. Sarah Miller [RB; 19yo; she/her]; 14. Helen Spencer [CB; 20yo; she/her]; 15. Stephen Howley [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 16. Charles McDonald [LM; 25yo; he/him]; 17. Êber Tóxo [ST; 25yo; he/him]; 18. Emily Anderton [CM; 25yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Justin Roland [38yo; he/him]: While the passage of time has compelled Roland to bring in some new players, particularly out wide where their contributions should be welcome, they are hardly the young worldbeaters (or even prospective worldbeaters) of the kind that Aldra is and that the board would have hoped for at the outset of the great experiment. Falconer inherits the armband from Addison, now too old to remain on the team, and should be leading the line as well as ever alongside Hillman-Tower. Frolt-Mazur is a good shout in most games, Bruton more often than you think, and Green should be unremarkable enough to survive, but beyond that, it should very much be all change looking beyond this year.

Nova Aegis - "The Pink Falcons" - the club of the worst-off, especially from Sunset Gates to Buckhead

Home stadium: The Workers' Coliseum, Bramblewood district (capacity 20,874)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. August Wills [GK; 30yo; he/him]; 2. Lauren Smith [LB; 33yo; she/her]; 3. Simon Donald [RB; 28yo; he/him]; 4. Rick Street [CAPTAIN] [CB; 34yo; he/him]; 5. Stephen Shepley [CB; 35yo; he/him]; 6. Keith Albert [CM; 29yo; he/him]; 7. Matthew Wrekin [LM; 33yo; he/him]; 8. Alessio Lombardo [CM; 31yo; he/him]; 9. Paul Ronson [RM; 28yo; he/him]; 10. Deborah Dennis [ST; 29yo; she/her]; 11. Bill Murphy [ST; 27yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Charlotte White [GK; 25yo; she/her]; 13. Richard Trincham [LB; 25yo; he/him]; 14. Louise Morgan [CB; 27yo; she/her]; 15. Tommy Grant [LM; 26yo; he/him]; 16. Millie Richards [CM; 24yo; she/her]; 17. Nick Ellison [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 18. Patrick Trout [RM; 29yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Phil Lambert [55yo; he/him]: Lambert has served for longer than any other manager in Aegis history and was surely more than happy to win another promotion, although he may have to pull the rabbit out of the hat a third time if this squad is anything to go by. Lombardo is the leader of the midfield and should relish the chance to show why he never belonged at the club; however, Street is a good leader stuck in an older and older backline that never quite seems to be efficient enough. Up front, Bill Murphy is probably going to get the lion's share of the goals, with Dennis being tolerable and the wingers sometimes easily exposed.

Newbanks United - "United;" "The Students" - the club of eastern, non-coastal Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Eastern Fields, Newbanks district (capacity 24,184)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-1-1): 1. Carla Hawkins [GK; 38yo; she/her]; 2. Darren Morgan [CAPTAIN] [LB; 25yo; she/her]; 3. Elizabeth Welch [CB; 24yo; she/her]; 4. Daniel Bennett [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 5. Harriet Farnham [RB; 32yo; he/him]; 6. Emma Francis [CM; 35yo; she/her]; 7. Palerenala vaEplanera [LM; 28yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Woodhouse [CM; 35yo; she/her]; 9. Lydia Hayden [ST; 22yo; she/her]; 10. Bill Henderson [CAM; 21yo, he/him]; 11. Michelle Addison [RM; 26yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Damian Rhodes [GK; 31yo; he/him]; 13. David Williams [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. Catherine Morrison [LB; 29yo; she/her]; 15. Noah Halford [CM; 33yo; he/him]; 16. James Pittam [RM; 30yo; he/him]; 17. Eloise Gardener [LM; 23yo; she/her]; 18. Simon Smith [ST; 27yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Rachel McNamara [36yo; she/her]: Rachel McNamara has finally gotten United into the habit of regularly improving its lineup, having roped in aged-out Polytechnic legend and World Cup veteran Addison to add to an already-formidable attacking lineup that includes controversial Golden Backpack winner Hayden and iconic young playmaker Henderson. The back has been thoroughly improved from its old state, with Darren Morgan captaining a more conservative team and Welch and Bennett looking to truly hound opposing strikers, as they will need to do if they are to stand any hope of survival. Of course, Hawkins, Francis and Woodhouse remain in the team, but while they too should be replaced in due course, they should serve the team well enough as they head towards their final hours.

List of SEL winners

Athletic Saint Eleanor: 15
(1975 trial season, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012)

Independence 1975: 13
(1976, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013)

Army and Navy: 4
(1981, 1982, 1985, 1990)

Sword and Shield: 3
(1977, 1989, 1993)

Hiyashi Celestia: 2
(2000, 2014)

Golden Unicorn: 1
(1987)

Occidental Olympic: 1
(1998)

* * * * * * * * * *
JUDGMENT DAY

RESULTS OF THE 2015 FIRST LEAGUE

▼▼ Saint Eleanor First League 2015     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
►►  1 Occidental Olympic                18   12   6   0    39   19  +20    42    Champions' League 27
►►  2 Hiyashi Celestia                  18   10   4   4    27   15  +12    34    Champions' League 27
►►  3 Independence 1975                 18   10   4   4    18   10   +8    34    Challengers' Cup 27
►►  4 Athletic Saint Eleanor            18    9   4   5    28   16  +12    31    Challengers' Cup 27
►►  5 Good Hope Club                    18    8   4   6    26   21   +5    28    Challengers' Cup 27
►►  6 Sword and Shield                  18    7   5   6    26   28   −2    26    Cygnus Cup 75
►►  7 Polytechnic Institute             18    6   4   8    29   33   −4    22
►►  8 Army and Navy                     18    4   4  10    16   22   −6    16
►►  9 Newbanks United                   18    5   0  13    17   34  −17    15    Promotion Playoff
►► 10 Nova Aegis                        18    1   1  16     7   35  −28     4    Relegated

Note: Newbanks United won the Promotion Playoff

⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐

SWORD AND SHIELD - WINNERS OF THE 2015 SHOWCASE
ELEANORIAN ENTRANTS INTO CUP WINNERS' CUP 75

1. Ed Jackson [he/him]
2. Gordon Pratt [he/him]
3. Christine Terrence [she/her]
4. John Alexander [he/him]
5. Eloise Vincent [she/her]
6. Joe Watts [he/him]
7. Naclé Öhân [he/him]
8. Lucas Barrow [he/him]
9. Olympia Woodward [she/her]
10. Rosa Strong [she/her]
11. Sophia McDonald [she/her]
12. Àlfôn Qâerês [he/him]
13. Caroline Hedges [she/her]
14. Rebecca Daniels [she/her]
15. Stephen Jones [he/him]
16. Pakelana Vezara [he/him]
17. Luke Barring [he/him]
18. Alexandra Marcus [she/her]

Manager: Emma Steele [she/her]

RESULTS OF THE 2015 SHOWCASE

First Round
Grand Beach 2–1 Lion
Yggdrasil 4–2 Republicans
Parkside CS (Olympic youth team) 1–1 Infrastructure (2–1 AET)
Premier Club 1–0 Holland CS (16th of November youth team)
Trades Unionists 1–0 16th of November
Atlas 3–1 Golden Unicorn

Round of Sixteen
Sword and Shield 3–2 Independence 1975
Nova Aegis 0–1 Good Hope Club
Trades Unionists 0–4 Athletic Saint Eleanor
Occidental Olympic 0–0 Army and Navy (1–1 AET) (5–3 pen.)
Polytechnic Institute 5–3 Yggdrasil
Atlas 3–0 Newbanks United
Parkside CS (Olympic youth team) 2–3 Premier Club
Hiyashi Celestia 2–1 Grand Beach

Quarterfinals
Athletic Saint Eleanor 3–0 Good Hope Club
Premier Club 4–1 Atlas
Hiyashi Celestia 3–0 Polytechnic Institute
Sword and Shield 2–2 Occidental Olympic (3–2 AET)

Semifinals
Premier Club 1–3 Sword and Shield
Hiyashi Celestia 0–2 Athletic Saint Eleanor

THE FINAL
Sword and Shield 3–1 Athletic Saint Eleanor

* * * * * * * * * *

Is this the final whistle for Yelto-Aflan Ono's 15-year career at Athletic? (published in The Gazette, 13-Dec-2015)

Yelto-Aflan Ono was heralded as the future in the new millennium: one manager to join the many Kandorese, Squidroidians, and internationally-acclaimed others who had rushed the Saint Eleanor League in 1999; someone who would be happy to play about with tactics, but surely could do no worse on the advice and support front than Adam Woolley either; definitely not the kind of person who would ever be undertaken by their players, as Woolley infamously was prior to the 6-2 win over Hiyashi Celestia that helped deliver their seventh title. So it proved, as literally any action replay from the early part of the decade will show; the levels of quality on show there would have boggled the mind of someone who stopped following Eleanorian football around the time of the Baptism of Fire.

Despite losing their title defence to Hiyashi Celestia, Athletic more than doubled their title count in the years to come: Independence 1975, their old rivals, may have had a solid team, but they always had the best players, good squad cohesion, a good understanding of the new philosophy, and were almost invariably the bookmaker's favourites for the title. They have also won six of the last ten Showcases, a time in which no other team has won multiple and Indy have won zero - and made the Cup Winners' Cup final in 2007 and 2009 on top of that, albeit losing to Pasarga's cup winners each time. Yet, in a sense, the team was not all Yelto-Aflan's. Managers still take a decent amount of responsibility for managing signings, and landing Bridget Coombe and Sylvia Hollenberg (two of the best Eleanorian players, never mind midfielders, of all time) was a great success. But Marie Ackroyd was successful in retaining the 4-4-2 and dragging in any number of Whitehammer CS alumni into the team. It was a happy medium, or at worst, happy enough to keep everyone satisfied.

Cracks started to show more or less around the same time they embarked on their first run of three consecutive titles in the mid-2000s, which is almost a contradiction in terms. Kirsti Sundgren, signed almost at the same time as Coombe, was supposed to be an emergency signing after a reported attempt to nab Jill Swanson fell through; today, Swanson has won back-to-back Champions' Leagues with Crossroads while Sundgren, though not a bad goalkeeper and indeed rumoured for our own national team, has not even come close to international glory, save for the two CWC finals and the Challengers' Cup semi-final defeat to a Layvin Son-Saka-powered St John's Arsenal in 2006. Yelto-Aflan did convince Lydia Vickers to pin her hopes on Athletic and Hollenberg to join the team in the first instance, but successes on the personnel front beyond that have been few and far between. Even Wasemprela Sareleva - no critic of the manager, and herself one of their favourites - was wont to note in 2011 that "we don't really play any differently against Nova Aegis to some other guys these days."

Perhaps these changes were for the better: there are a number of columnists in other newspapers who agree with the perspective that a more consistent, attacking approach of the kind 20th-century Athletic was known for has been of benefit. In terms of sheer competitiveness in the IFCF era, the Yelto-Aflan era has been the best of many potential evils, enough even for 2013's Champions' League quarterfinal. But with more and more players leaving the club - Nightingale many moons ago, Hollenberg last season, Launceston next season and Coombe surely alongside, Lawson and Driver any day now - there is a need to find replacements to consolidate the club's position over Celestia, Olympic and all the rest, or else go back to the 1980s when the club was a solid third-best behind Army and Navy. Whitehammer's triumphant Shield class of 1988 did at least produce Stuart Norton and Fred Newton; their class of 2012 has produced nobody, with final-winning playmaker Bill Henderson saving Newbanks United from relegation and armband-clad centreback Rosanna George actively "[doing] the team a fucking solid" for the newly-promoted Golden Unicorn, of all people. 2014 will not look much more promising if nothing changes; this would not be a surprise, as a lack of change has pronounced a lot of Eleanorian football in recent years.

Perhaps matters came to a head in last winter's transfer window, when neither the Polytechnic Institute's Gisken Aldra nor Athletic's Amalie Selnes got moved on from one host country to another. Aldra did not complain much more than normal. Selnes very, very nearly did - and almost took Yelto-Aflan out with her. The Eleanorian Chamber of Commerce, who continue to own Athletic and whose individual business owners remain divided on whether Coombe was worth so much money in the first place, came close to actively calling for Yelto-Aflan's head. One entrepreneur told this newspaper that "we were promised a tinkerperson and instead got someone who will barely even touch the transfer market." Names for striker and manager, a couple of them even more outlandish than Gentle Breeze for Saint Eleanor would have been in autumn 2007, were circulated in other media. Leaks emerged from the camp that Selnes was not happy and the striker would not talk to us, or other media, for weeks. The opening win against Newbanks almost felt like a challenge for all involved, which was better than could be said about the matches that followed it.

Only after Athletic's visit to the Âréné Délékôstä, when Selnes equalised and Coombe interceded on her behalf at the press conference, was it made clearer that she would be, begrudgingly and unfussily, playing 2015 out. She had eight goals out of the team's twenty-eight to her name in the League - fewer by any measure than she did in international competition, where she found the net thirteen times from the team's thirty-eight - and, to misappropriate a term from Dantopia's XG Unit, has exceeded her total of "Expected Fans" by more than just about anyone else. Coombe is the oldest and still one of the best players in the league; John Millcroft would probably be best off if he were cloned and inserted in place of Elissa Curry; the international contingent has broadly commended itself. But that is a lot of congratulating that masks the damning: this team is being outpaced, outmatched, out-innovated, and would probably be out of luck if it didn't keep running into the IFCF's knockout stages (this time a penalty shootout defeat to Eolorent in the Associations' Trophy last sixteen). The squad cohesion was on par with the other contenders; the results, sometimes even the performances, were not. One cannot help but think that the Selnes situation has cast a shadow over everyone and everything.

Today, we can say that two teams have won the title without losing a game. Army and Navy's Invincibles of 1990 are the stuff of legend, as will be Occidental Olympic's twenty-five years later. Both were unshowy, unflashy teams marking the end of their own era - for the Soldiers, their last all-male team, their last team with War of Independence veterans in the lineup, the last team captained by Samuel Brunting before he handed over to Aidan Harris, and still their last title-winners; for the Westerners, Lynul-Sevet, Key, French, and a whole hoard of national team stars approaching their last hurrah, and arguably Dunbar too given how recognisable the squad is and remains. So what is the difference between a team such as 1990's or 2015's title-winners, and the team that has won a majority of titles over the last fifteen full seasons after only winning three of the first fifteen? One of them is expected to have good, solid players; the other is expected to bear at least part of the Eleanorian flag on the world stage. Most fans would make no apology for insisting that change must come fast on both sides, perhaps even every side, as they have experienced all too often for the national team.

The big two of Indy and Athletic, the two great clubs of the Western City, have now been denied the title for the second year in a row, unprecedented but for Army's second consecutive title in 1982. Lydia Sharp has been focused on delivering outcomes with her team, try and too-often fail though they may. Yelto-Aflan Ono has probably never focused on anything substantial, except for the broadest of strokes. The philosophy is now well-established; the easiest, perhaps the only, prescription is to get new players in the lineup and have them playing the club's way, which was a proven recipe for many years and perhaps the only reason why we have a national team. How and where this comes will be less than certain, unless Marie Ackroyd returns from her years away from backstage to get another few new faces in. While doom may well be impendent as far as the Tikariot Premier League is concerned, it is unlikely that there will be a great deal of cannibalisation, given that the Saint Eleanor League has been more of a boutique marketplace, even in 1999; of the Eleanorians there, Sophie Gernez probably will not arrive, Tim Hart almost definitely will go somewhere else (if he chooses not to ride it out at Viathyn Park, which seems likely), and anyone else will surely be contested too well.

To go to all this trouble to explain why Yelto-Aflan kept their job is to avoid actually explaining why they kept their job: because they are a solid, serviceable manager who is helping the team live up to its expectations. This year almost feels like a blip on the radar, between the Showcase final defeat, the fourth-place finish, the IFCF collapse, and the now-resolved Selnes controversy. The real question was never whether they were in danger in 2015; that felt unlikely and dubious at the best of times. Rather, it is whether they will be in danger in 2016, a year in which they could be wildly outpaced in the League and their IFCF campaign could end without making a group stage for the first time since Blue Mountain Range took care of them more than a decade ago. If that follows, however happy the players may be, it will be completely unacceptable. Even if it does not, Yelto-Aflan has arguably lost their sparkle as a manager, even if not as a club legend. Most of the people in and around the club are taking part in an internal struggle that they know they cannot win, even if it is almost certain that things will turn out better in 2021 or 2026.

In summary, Yelto-Aflan did not catch up with the times; rather, the times caught up with them. Top-down management was never quite Saint Eleanor's thing; top-down management that is sometimes not even the manager's idea, and increasingly less successful by the year, even less so. The Group of Six model of collaborative decision-making, overseen by another great pegasus in the form of World Cup winner Gentle Breeze, has more than worked a charm for the national team, who now look set to make a fourth consecutive World Cup when we had never before made two in a row. The rumours are still persistent, but now they are not that Yelto-Aflan will get the sack or be forced out indignantly, but rather that they shuffle along for another season before Bridget Coombe lands right into the hotseat - very much unlike how Woolley went down, perhaps not even the outcome she expected when Athletic spent eight million dollars on her a decade ago, but no less "all change" than any other outcome.

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun May 31, 2026 7:20 pm

OOC preface: The sections on PREMIER Bank were cleared with Qusmo. Details of specific rewards outside the Eleanorian context are intentionally vague as I would probably have to talk to everybody else who's ever submitted anything to the IFCF in order to confirm specific numbers and details, but you can assume that bank rewards are extensive and international.

The Saint Eleanor Second League of 2015

Preview of the League sides (by Jamie Rodgers of SESB)

Legend: 99. {all eligible NT flags, if non-EXT; see below} Player McPlayerface [WINNER AS PLAYER: WORLD CUP 1000000, CUP OF HARMONY 1000000, BAPTISM OF FIRE 1000000; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE/UICA CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, IFCF CHALLENGERS' CUP/UICA GLOBE CUP 1000000, IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 1000000, IFCF LIGA B CHAMPIONS' TROPHY/UICA SERIES B CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, CUP WINNERS' CUP 1000000] [WINNER AS MANAGER: AS BEFORE] [CAPTAIN] [POS; species; Army rank; 9001yo; pro/nouns].

Other notes:

Teams are in descending order of 2014 Second League finish.
Starting lineups go from 1 to 11; substitutes wear 12 to 18. Lineups are good for the 26th IFCF cycle.
Ages given reflect how old the Eleanorians will be at the end of 2015, and how old the foreigners were when we last checked.
Underlined single nationals play for the national team they are eligible for as of the start of 2015. Underlined dual nationals play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name as of that date. Non-underlined dual nationals are assessed by Harry Black, the Reporter's politics-of-football expert, as more likely to play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name.
Everyone is a human, and from Saint Eleanor, unless otherwise stated.
See a player without a like-for-like substitute? Subs listed as playing on one side of the pitch usually have no qualms with playing on the other as necessary.
The same "Important OOC notes about the Laws of the Game as they are applied in Saint Eleanor" as here apply.

Premier Club - "Premier" - the club of the New West's middle-class and services industry

Home stadium: Premier Stadium, Premier district (capacity 54,105)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Gemma Farley [GK; 29yo; she/her]; 2. James Miller [LB; 32yo; he/him]; 3. Louise Halliwell [RB; 30yo; she/her]; 4. Helen Green [CB; 29yo; she/her]; 5. + Daiki Fujiwara [CB; 35yo; he/him]; 6. Heather Blake [CM; 33yo; she/her]; 7. Adam Ellison [LM; 26yo; he/him]; 8. Charlotte Mills [CAPTAIN] [CM; 29yo; she/her]; 9. Liam Johnson [RM; 22yo; he/him]; 10. Wendy Smith [ST; 29yo; she/her]; 11. Kevin O'Leary [ST; 23yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Darren Wilson [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. Georgia Perry [LB; 26yo; she/her]; 14. Diana Martin [CB; 19yo; he/him]; 15. Stephen Blunt [RM; 27yo; he/him]; 16. Joanna Gillam [CM; 30yo; she/her]; 17. Darren McDonald [ST; 25yo; he/him]; 18. Owen Howard [RM; 24yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Harriet Williams [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [45yo; she/her]: Premier did better than expected to secure promotion, but their playoff defeat to Newbanks was almost expected and they should ideally be avoiding a repeat of those events. Fujiwara is a battle-tested centreback who should do well at this level, but might warrant replacement at a higher one, and there is little to distinguish the back four despite Farley being markedly above-average. The situation is more positive as you push further forward, with Mills sometimes carrying more weight than she would normally dream of, Blake being quietly brilliant as she would have been in a world without Steve Pilchard, and O'Leary continuing to be amazing. The usual wads of money may well need to be pumped into the squad, as used to be the forté of Premier's namesakes, but this team should hold out for the time being.

Grand Beach - "The Dolphins" - the club of coastal Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Albion Road, Grand Beach district (capacity 24,815)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. David Tanner [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 2. Olivia Herbert [LB; 29yo; she/her]; 3. James Benson [CB; 31yo; he/him]; 4. Gary Milton [CM; 35yo; he/him]; 5. Bill Kendall [CB; 26yo; he/him]; 6. Owen Cartwright [RB; 28yo; he/him]; 7. Jack Brewer [LM; 28yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Coulter [CM; 28yo; she/her]; 9. Samuel Wright [CAPTAIN] [ST; 25yo; he/him]; 10. Michelle Tallard [ST; 32yo; she/her]; 11. Gionata Mariani [RM; 34yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Anthony George [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 13. Richard Booth [RB; 27yo; he/him]; 14. James Salter [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 15. Olivia Herbert [LB; 29yo; she/her]; 16. Blake Spencer [RM; 24yo; he/him]; 17. Sara Halbrook [ST; 37yo; she/her]; 18. Adam Charles [CM; 28yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: John Goodyear [44yo; he/him]: With Jenkins having repeatedly tried and repeatedly failed to make the club good, it falls to Goodyear to bring them back to something resembling the glory days. The main changes have been in defence, with Tanner starting in goal and Herbert finally getting regular starts; they look like decent enough players, but it remains to be seen if they will fully gel. The midfield is unremarkable as an institution, but an eye should be kept out for the still-annoying Coulter and the ever-surprising Mariani, and if poor performances continue then Spencer could also get the minutes he's wanted. As widely expected, meanwhile, Wright has been a more under-the-radar striker than Tallard, but not by much.

Golden Unicorn - "The Unicorn" - the club of northern Saint Eleanor city's middle-class (and the odd aesthete or two)

Home stadium: Dignity Cross, Brightway district (capacity 27,587)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-1-1): 1. Katie Masterson [GK; 28yo; she/her]; 2. Gavin Laker [LB; 33yo; he/him]; 3. Keith Bartlett [RB; 31yo; he/him]; 4. Samuel Lewis [CM; 33yo; he/him]; 5. Rosanna George [CB; 20yo; she/her]; 6. Ganelarana paValetara [CB; 31yo; she/her]; 7. Peter Walker [LM; 29yo; he/him]; 8. Natalie Monaco [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAM; 39yo; she/her]; 9. + Jaclyn Foley [ST; 34yo; she/her]; 10. Wanar-Xalan Tla [CAPTAIN] [CM; 34yo; they/them]; 11. James Wallace [RM; 23yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Simon Young [GK; 22yo; he/him]; 13. Michael Burns [LB; 26yo; he/him]; 14. Daniel Bennett [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 15. Alisha Peters [RB; 27yo; she/her]; 16. Natasha Wallis [CM; 30yo; she/her]; 17. Aidan Walker [RM; 19yo; he/him]; 18. Parecava gaExhecela [ST; 30yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Justin Wood [57yo; he/him]: This is a team in transition, and yet one which continues to seek consistent First League action. Though Wanar-Xalan and Foley remain impactful and dynamic players, Monaco is the last of the old greats standing and may well be on her way out as time drags on. Rosanna George - who, much like Lydia Vickers, was a cheerleader and a Shield-winning defender - promises to continue being assertive, on and off the field, and is now probably good enough to ensure that the team does not concede 28 goals again. Wallace has also proven himself to be a great replacement for Mariani and, if all goes well and the players really fuse together, he could pip out the Macbonian to the title and automatic promotion.

Atlas - "Atlas" - the club of the New West's working-class and manufacturing industry

Home stadium: Atlas Stadium 1, Atlas district (capacity 46,148)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-2-3-1): 1. Iliana Morgan [GK; 27yo; she/her]; 2. Jake Gordon [LB; 30yo; he/him]; 3. Wayne Elliott [RB; 20yo; he/him]; 4. Kate Wilson [CB; 27yo; she/her]; 5. Brian Francis [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 6. Michael Jackett [CAPTAIN] [CDM; 35yo; he/him]; 7. Susanna Reynolds [LM; 29yo; she/her]; 8. Theodora Wyndham [CDM; 21yo; she/her]; 9. Adam Green [RM; 28yo; he/him]; 10. Donald Manning [CAM; 25yo; he/him]; 11. + Nobuyuki Ishida [ST; 35yo, he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Adam Evans [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. Luca Jones [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 14. Alexandra Morgan [CB; 22yo; she/her]; 15. Jessica Henderson [RM; 26yo; she/her]; 16. Steven Stone [CM; 22yo; he/him]; 17. Daisy Barratt [ST; 24yo; she/her]; 18. Alan Brinkley [RM; 26yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Edward McDonald [50yo; he/him]: The official club of Kandorese rival megacorporation Kaito - now in opposition to Sanford's exploitative PREMIER as well as their even bigger domestic rivals Hiyashi - Atlas has managed to resist First League football for now. McDonald has his work cut out if his more conservative outlet is to deliver results: Ishida is a solid striker, even now, and Jackett continues to provide much-needed experience, but Wyndham is notoriously nebulous (even more so than Matsuda or Selnes would be on a bad day) and could unpick everyone else's work if and when she is not careful. Green and Reynolds are in their prime out wide, too, and there is surprisingly little to fault about them. The defence is one of the best out there, but this is largely because they are a cohesive unit rather than necessarily a group of stars, even if Morgan is normally within touching distance of the national team.

16th of November - "16N" - the club of the area in and around Holland, especially the zoo

Home stadium: The Stadium at the Zoological Gardens, Holland district (capacity 4,166)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Pavelarena meGalavane [GK; 30yo; he/him]; 2. Adam Johnson [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 3. Michael Davis [RB; 27yo; he/him]; 4. Anna Simpson [CB; 31yo; she/her]; 5. Quentin Tiller [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 6. Lauren Brown [CM; 28yo; she/her]; 7. James Parsons [LM; 27yo; he/him]; 8. Will Gardner [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 9. Lucy Ryan [RM; 24yo; she/her]; 10. Matt Norton [CAPTAIN] [ST; 32yo; he/him]; 11. Nicola Wilbury [ST; 27yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Rebecca Newman [GK; 26yo; she/her]; 13. Michelle Brook [RB; 24yo; she/her]; 14. Alex Johnson [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 15. Angela Burton [LM; 19yo; she/her]; 16. Beth Ellison [CM; 25yo; she/her]; 17. Ted Carpenter [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 18. Jake Rowley [RM; 21yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Sophia Lewis [43yo; she/her]: Of all the teams in the league, the bill that fits 16th of November best is that of a de-facto semi-professional team that has managed to give a lot of working-class folk a better life; the fact that they are less than rigorous in defence and has experienced highly variable league results is telling of this. It is a different story as you go further up the field, with Parsons' ability to track back marking him out as possibly the team's best defender as well as its star out wide, midfielder Gardner sometimes adopting unconventional approaches in the pursuit of getting the ball up the field, and captain Norton regularly showing his potential to be a good striker (and sometimes even better than the other team's).

Trades Unionists - "The Union" - the club of the Dockside's working class writ-large

Home stadium: New Docks Stadium, Wellington district (capacity 27,852)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Harry Spence [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 2. Phil Rankin [LB; 28yo; he/him]; 3. Nathan Evans [RB; 29yo; he/him]; 4. Catherine Woodacre [CB; 30yo; she/her]; 5. Joe Oxley [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 6. Ella Purton [CM; 30yo; she/her]; 7. David Walker [CAPTAIN] [LM; 31yo; he/him]; 8. Peter Reynolds [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 9. Victoria Rackitt [RM; 34yo; she/her]; 10. Jérôn Çíçí [ST; 29yo; he/him]; 11. Thomas Gunner [ST; 27yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Peter Reynolds [GK; 19yo; he/him]; 13. James Hill [LB; 30yo; he/him]; 14. Luke Milligan [CB; 27yo; he/him]; 15. Kylie Baxter [RB; 19yo; she/her]; 16. Laura Booker [CM; 29yo; she/her]; 17. David Woodbury [ST; 31yo; he/him]; 18. Simon Oakwood [LM; 30yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Tina Heller [49yo; she/her]: Heller is a good manager in charge of a good team, to be sure, but they will need to step up if they are to join their new rivals Good Hope in the top flight. Çíçí will return to completing with O'Leary for the honour of top scorer, with Gunner playing more of a support role; the midfield is more dynamic than most, but Rackitt is the standout and remains potent even in her mid-thirties. The defence can vary between being solid and merely being tolerable - Heller might want to look at offloading Evans in particular - but Woodacre is the commander of the backline, even if she can sometimes be overeager.

Republicans - "The Republicans" - the club of the bohemians, creative types, and other locals

Home stadium: Barclay Road, Deepchester district (capacity 11,295)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. David McEwan [GK; 29yo; he/him]; 2. Rob Waters [LB; 28yo; he/him]; 3. Lydia Howard [RB; 25yo; she/her]; 4. Jasmine Hair [CB; 30yo; she/her]; 5. Andrew Baker [CB; 31yo; he/him]; 6. Jôs Grêndê [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 7. Alex Whitby [CAPTAIN] [LM; 33yo; he/him]; 8. Sienna Roberts [CM; 31yo; she/her]; 9. Gûsín Nàár [ST; 29yo; he/him]; 10. Ryan Jones [ST; 29yo; he/him]; 11. Rebecca Tapp [RM; 27yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Jack Wooler [GK; 22yo; he/him]; 13. Steve Bacon [RB; 32yo; he/him]; 14. Sophie Morton [CB; 25yo; she/her]; 15. James Wright [RM; 31yo; he/him]; 16. Rowena Brown [CM; 19yo; she/her]; 17. Henrietta Bilson [ST; 20yo; she/her]; 18. Liam Bradley [RM; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Samuel Walcott [43yo; he/him]: Walcott may be an inexperienced manager leading an inexperienced team, like almost everyone else in this league, but he does at least have years of defensive experience with Sword and Shield - if it can be called that, given the team's historic lack of focus on defending - to count on. In a team largely made up of local artists, rather less productive layabouts, a couple of people who really didn't like their old clubs, and some amateurs who have jobs to hold down in the real world (Roberts is a supermarket cashier; Nàár is a gun licensing trainer with World of Safety), there is little of tactical note and will continue to be until such a point as Walcott is given a scout or a non-negligible sum of money.

Yggdrasil - "Yggdrasil" - the club of north-eastern Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: The Temple, Blackwood district (capacity 22,015)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Dustin O'Hara [GK; 28yo; he/him]; 2. John Mount [LB; 33yo; he/him]; 3. Michelle Francis [RB; 27yo; she/her]; 4. Gianna Summers [CAPTAIN] [CB; 32yo; she/her]; 5. Owen Davids [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 6. Patricia Halton [CM; 31yo; she/her]; 7. Jacob Worth [LM; 23yo; he/him]; 8. Jack Western [CM; 31yo; he/him]; 9. Ruth Milliner [RM; 27yo; she/her]; 10. Sophie Black [ST; 27yo; she/her]; 11. Brian Worth [ST; 30yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Gary Wilson [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 13. Ella Benson [RB; 22yo; she/her]; 14. Paul Marks [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 15. Edward Simpson [LM; 35yo; he/him]; 16. Sarah Newton [CM; 20yo; she/her]; 17. Razelaneta taVeratalena [ST; 25yo; he/him]; 18. Oliver Quinton [RM; 22yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Marion Camp [51yo; she/her]: Camp is always quietly confident, which is something that cannot often be said about a consistently mid-table second-division manager. If Yggdrasil does try and build the play out from the back, it is desperate rushing rather than calm passing, which possibly makes it helpful that Summers - the calmest head of the lot - is there to oversee the operation. While the club has never had a positive goal difference, either, Black and Brian Worth are both solid target-people and will try their best to ensure that history does not repeat itself; he's no relation to the fast, unflashy Jacob, while it's easily forgotten that Halton and Western in midfield are able to defend as well as just push the ball up.

Lion - "The Lions" - the club of the Dockside's diasporas

Home stadium: The Grand Oval, Marketplace district (capacity 23,427)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Annaliese Morgan [GK; 28yo; she/her]; 2. Harry Blunt [LB; 26yo; he/him]; 3. Jenna Edwards [RB; 24yo; she/her]; 4. Fabrice Dansa [CAPTAIN] [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 5. Allabatou Kusa [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 6. Theresa Roberts [CM; 28yo; she/her]; 7. Jatta Jobateh [LM; 25yo; he/him]; 8. Mamudu Eya [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 9. Jibou Jabayo [RM; 22yo; he/him]; 10. Benjamin Sienara [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 11. Harry O'Rourke [ST; 24yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Fanding Mecuyasa [GK; 25yo; he/him]; 13. Ella Smith [RB; 23yo; she/her]; 14. Roy Downsall [CB; 32yo; he/him]; 15. Theodore Dumbuya [LM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. Benjamin Sabaye [CM; 21yo; he/him]; 17. Dave Edwards [ST; 27yo; he/him]; 18. Sophie McDonald [RM; 25yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: John Bennett [47yo; he/him]: Despite being a White Tinhamptonian, Bennett has made the lineup increasingly Banijan over the years, and retains their confidence as well as the board's. Morgan is a good goalkeeper, but she is let down by every defender other than Dansa, whose experience and courage is still something to be admired. The midfield is less of an open book, with Eya acting as the pivot player while Roberts is more of a go-getter; Jobateh is the more flexible and arguably capable of the two JJs out wide, but it is Sienara whose efficacy in attack is least in doubt, having had a hand in most of the club's goals for most of the seasons it's taken part in as well as a strong awareness of where, when and how to land the shot.

Infrastructure - "Infra;" "The Power" - the club of the utilities

Home stadium: National Electric Stadium, Tannerton district (capacity 13,952)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Laura Scott [GK; 28yo; she/her]; 2. Graham Lawrence [LB; 27yo; he/him]; 3. Henry Mitchell [CAPTAIN] [RB; 31yo; he/him]; 4. Jimmy Spencer [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 5. Catherine Henderson [CB; 29yo; she/her]; 6. Parelaneta vaHelaxana [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 7. Joe Houseman [LM; 32yo; he/him]; 8. Paul Jones [CM; 29yo; he/him]; 9. Amelia Bartlett [RM; 27yo; she/her]; 10. Gary Sacks [ST; 34yo; he/him]; 11. Ryan Carter [ST; 30yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Donald Baines [GK; 22yo; he/him]; 13. Megan Harrison [RB; 25yo; she/her]; 14. Wesley Milton [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 15. Pavezalena xaVeratalera [LM; 22yo; she/her]; 16. Dave Willis [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 17. Owen Burns [ST; 23yo; he/him]; 18. Matthew Gregory [RM; 26yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Alan Walker [60yo; he/him]: Who better to manage National Electricity's not-quite-so-new plaything than an actual boardroom manager at Natelec's actual business operation? Probably nobody else, to be fair, given that expectations for this side have always been relatively low - the local employees being far too busy laying cables and other groundwork to have much time for football. Walker has delivered on his defensive tilt, but nobody here is a standout on the levels of someone like O'Leary, never mind half of the Golden Unicorn side, and Infrastructure's few fans should be bracing themselves to finish at, if not near, the bottom of the table for yet another season.

* * * * * * * * * *
JUDGMENT DAY

RESULTS OF THE 2015 SECOND LEAGUE

▼▼ Saint Eleanor Second League 2015     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
►►  1 Golden Unicorn                     18   14   2   2    36   15  +21    44    Promoted; Liga B Champions' Trophy 27
►►  2 Premier Club                       18   10   0   8    40   31   +9    30    Promotion Playoff; Liga B Champions' Trophy 27
►►  3 Grand Beach                        18    9   3   6    32   25   +7    30    Liga B Champions' Trophy 27
►►  4 Atlas                              18    8   5   5    27   22   +5    29
►►  5 Republicans                        18    7   6   5    33   33    0    27
►►  6 Lion                               18    6   5   7    18   21   −3    23
►►  7 Yggdrasil                          18    5   7   6    23   30   −7    22
►►  8 Trades Unionists                   18    5   2  11    30   36   −6    17
►►  9 Infrastructure                     18    3   6   9    16   29  −13    15
►► 10 16th of November                   18    3   4  11    22   35  −13    13    Wooden Spoon

Promotion Playoff result: Premier Club 2–2 Newbanks United (3–3 AET) (3–4 pen.)
(Kevin O'Leary 61', Owen Howard 89', Charlotte Mills 107'; Bill Henderson 31' and 110', Michelle Addison 48')
[penalty shootout, Newbanks taking first: Lydia Hayden GOAL, Kevin O'Leary GOAL, Eloise Gardener GOAL, Heather Blake GOAL, Rachel Woodhouse SAVED, Owen Howard SAVED, Emma Francis GOAL, Daiki Fujiwara GOAL, Bill Henderson GOAL, Charlotte Mills WIDE]

Newbanks United remain in the First League; Premier Club remain in the Second League

* * * * * * * * * *

Guide to consumer banking products available in Saint Eleanor

Saint Eleanor has two major banks, although the cynic would argue for just the one. They offer a variety of products each; all colours below reflect the colour of the bank cards issued to account holders. First Eleanorian - formally the First Bank of Saint Eleanor - has the bulk of the market share, and a ton of goodwill and popularity built up from independence, their insistence on offering a free bank account at a time when no Tinhamptonian bank would, and the consistent failure of most challenger banks to actually do anything worthwhile (sometimes even to do banking, as Southern Bank found out when now-General Diana Taylor pulled Operation Cottage Pie on them in 1996).

PREMIER Bank have been on the upswing over the last decade or so, and in almost any other market would more or less be the national loan shark. In the event, though, D. Tommy Sanford lost his reputation and standing (but apparently not his freedom) almost right before the expansion, and most of its 90,000 domestic customers - a bit less than a quarter of First Eleanorian's total - are still in the current and savings account business. (Please note that Eleanorians may, by convention, start their own bank accounts aged 11; and that joint bank accounts are not common. This is why the number of bank accounts is greater than the number of adults.)

It is telling that Premier Club are not only not "PREMIER Club," never mind "Sanford PREMIER Great Western Saint Eleanor FC" - they are based in Premier district, which was a joint venture between PREMIER Bank as a mostly-post-Sanford institution and the Eleanorian government - but they have done far worse in Eleanorian football than Sanford Falls PREMIER ever did in Sanfordian football. This despite their stadium being more than 50% bigger than the original team! Harriet Williams even has job security!!

The First Bank of Saint Eleanor (First Eleanorian)

***** Current Account (free current account; overdraft representative 39.9% APR)
It is a sign of First Eleanorian's confidence in their product that they do not even call their basic current account - one of only a few national institutions that can even match up to the National Liberation Front in terms of sheer numbers - exactly that. There are no catches, no conditions, and nothing to really shout about other than great service, up to $2,000 cash withdrawal (there's no legal limit on how much you can withdraw from an ATM or how much you can pay in a cash transaction, nor will there be any time soon; you are allowed and actively encouraged to write a cheque for larger transactions), and the confidence that you can go more or less anywhere in the country and have minimal problems.
It is worth noting that First Eleanorian also offers a savings account to its current account customers, whether under this or some fancier name. Details are vaguer than you might think, given that economic policy is not exactly a focus of the international sporting press, but you should always assume that the rate of inflation is ~2% - no matter how much more expensive Premium Coffee may get year-on-year - and the interest rate is ~3%, two ticks below the Government's rate.

***** Student Account (free current account; interest-free overdraft up to $1,000)
For many intents and purposes, the Student Account - whose holders carry a red debit card because only University students were eligible at the time it was rolled out, with Polytechnic students not able to join until 1978 - is identical to the Current Account. In common with the platonic ideal of a current account for students, however, it offers an interest-free overdraft and offers of interest to students, in this case 10% cashback on all restaurant, pub and café spending within central Collegiate and Buckhead districts; in contrast to the ideal, it is available for postgraduates as well as undergraduates.
People who are no longer students - even if they become professors or members of staff - are automatically moved to the Current Account with their overdraft in place, although there is an understanding that First Eleanorian will not try and collect interest on overdrafts until a year and a day after the graduation ceremony. Secondary school students are required to open a Current Account, unless they are confirmed for higher education in Saint Eleanor (those going abroad are advised to take out a credit card, as below).

***** Gold Account (current account; applicants must make $8,000 or more; $6 monthly fee [$72pa]; overdraft representative 39.9% APR)
Despite First Eleanorian's distaste for paid banking services, it introduced the Gold Account shortly after the war - reportedly around the same time as the Black Account - in order to provide additional benefits to hard-working Eleanorians. In practice, this means letting them make money while going about their everyday business; cashback is the easiest and most effective way of doing so, as corporate subscriptions are rare, The Reporter gets scores of subscribers to their own newspaper in their own right, other partnerships would be hard to scale if not worth the squeeze, and anything fancier is unlikely to make a lot of sense.
Gold Account holders accrue interest on their balances up to $30,000 at ~2% (or one tick below the savings account rate); 1% cashback on utility bills, retail and hospitality spending up to $25/mo (note that the definition of "retail" includes fuel and the definition of "utilities" includes payments to Ellie Tellie); and can avail of the Eleanorian Driver's Club's breakdown cover. In the good old days, they used to get free public transport, but that was expanded to the general population by Decree in 1983.

***** Black Account (current account; applicants must be invited and usually semi-famous; $20 monthly fee [$240pa]; no overdraft, as it's assumed you're working and have enough money)
First Eleanorian does not have "private banking" as such. (Nor does PREMIER, a side-effect of its focus on the worst-off in society.) However, there are several hundred people in Saint Eleanor - secondary school headteachers, Majors and Generals in the Armed Forces, captains of industry, household-name cultural figures, national-team and other highly-paid footballers - who are of national importance and whose salaries are, if not six digits, then almost there. They are accordingly invited to hold a Black Account; while not required to accept it, First Eleanorian will chase you up every few years if you haven't. First did not even acknowledge the programme's existence until 1981!
The Black Account affords its holders slightly more and higher interest on their balances than they would get with a Gold Account; 2% cashback on utility bills, retail and hospitality spending up to $75/mo; one complementary return business-class flight with Eleanorian Airways per year, as the Rewards Points they would otherwise need to redeem it can only be accrued via Rewards+; free withdrawals from any ATM in Saint Eleanor, and as many ATMs in the sporting world as possible (not all of them, as there are surely thousands of different ATM operators and the staff isn't that big yet); EDC breakdown cover, as earlier; and "wealth and investment planning services," which most account holders do not use due to inherent national distrust in stock markets. Black Account holders were the only First Eleanorian customers who could pay in foreign currency without paying an additional transaction fee until October 1990, when fees were abolished for everyone.

***** Rewards+ (credit card; applicants must make $12,000/yr or more; $8 monthly fee [$96 pa]; representative 44.9% APR)
While loans and mortgages have been offered by First Eleanorian almost since time immemorial, Rewards+ - its only credit card - is the remnant of a time when Tinhamptonian banks were still operating in the city, before they got swept up in the years after Liberation Day, as demonstrated by its markedly un-First name. In general, $1 of spending generates 0.5 Rewards Points; however, $1 spent with Eleanorian Airways generates 1 Rewards Point, and these are accepted by EA as "miles" in lieu of it actually having its own rewards programme.
If you do not like planes for whatever reason, Rewards Points can be converted into gift cards or exchanged into "cash" if you ever have the good fortune to be doing your shopping online (100 Rewards Points convertible to one dollar's worth; note that this is oftentimes worse value than BankCard Plus). First has longstanding arrangements for monthly statement credits with Torch (equivalent to a double cheeseburger with fries and a drink; currently $5.50) and Premium Coffee (equivalent to any regular coffee and a sweet treat; currently $4.50), although Gexavera zaPravela has joked that "this has made no difference to the obesity rate."

PREMIER Bank

***** PREMIER Simple (free current account; no overdraft)
PREMIER Simple is only simple if your idea of simplicity is not knowing what interest rates are. They do not even try and offer an arranged overdraft - anyone who tries to fix one up is moved, sometimes without asking, to PREMIER BankCard - or a partner savings account. On first sight, there is little else to distinguish this from First Eleanorian's Current Account. However, fees are charged on payments to and from non-PREMIER accounts; this included First's accounts for about a year (before the President was forced to introduce a new Banking Decree to stop the iMessage Syndrome becoming reality in a completely different sphere of life). There is still a widespread perception that transactions between the two banks are still chargeable on PREMIER's end, which partially explains why PREMIER Simple customers deal in cash more often than First Current Account customers do.
Unlike their homegrown competitor, PREMIER makes no attempt at trying to offer a premium current account. Instead, you will have to take out a...

***** PREMIER BankCard (free credit card; representative 799.9% APR)
The original and still the worst, PREMIER BankCard remains a vehicle for generating profit from people who genuinely think they know what interest rates are, although PREMIER also tries to claim it does other things (apparently not including credit checks or basic self-regulation). In common with credit cards in general - though not BankCard Plus nor Rewards+ - PREMIER puts as much emphasis on "spreading the cost of transactions" and even "paying off your balance" as you'd expect them to.
Also contrary to popular belief, many people do pay off their balance without accruing interest, as generations of good financial management and First Eleanorian domination have taught the people not to spend more than they can afford. Those who do not are often those on low incomes who really do need the money (and will normally also be taking out loans with PREMIER), and therefore regularly get themselves in the news and/or with zero net worth.

***** PREMIER BankCard Plus (credit card; applicants must make $40,000/yr or more; $749 annual fee; representative 89.9% APR)
PREMIER BankCard Plus is PREMIER's way of saying "Now that Tommy's in jail, our Board of Directors who studied interest rates at secondary school can come up with their own new, exciting ways of satisfying our customers!" (At least in Saint Eleanor, where surveys consistently find tens of thousands of debt-free BankCard holders; our crack squad of investigative reporters is well aware that PREMIER remains in operation elsewhere but was unable to determine whether some smartarse at the top table had decided that this was a better idea than previously thought.)
It is by any regards more prestigious than Rewards+: $1 of spending generates one PREMIER Point, which can be redeemed for gift cards (100 PREMIER Points convertible to one dollar's worth) to any number of places. BankCard PLUS also subsidises more modes of international transportation and hotels than you might think (if PREMIER cannot join Eleanorian Airways' First-backed rewards scheme, it may as well beat it), complementary access to a number of international port lounges, and credits for too-fancy-for-Saint-Eleanor restaurants. You can probably draw an IRL parallel from here.
Perhaps the most telling sign of PREMIER's orbit in Sanfordian culture is that it has managed to rope TS Health - a private healthcare provider that literally renamed itself in Sanford's honour - into becoming the main purveyor of international health insurance to Eleanorian expats, in light of the EHS' monopoly status in domestic healthcare. PREMIER will try and sign you up for a TS Health plan unless you indicate otherwise, and the premiums will typically be half as much as they would if you'd try to get them on the open market because PREMIER wants to pull its weight for their loyal customers.

What about banknotes?

All coins - small circular bronze 1¢, big circular bronze 5¢, small circular silver 10¢, big circular silver 25¢, and big octagonal silver 50¢ - are minted by the Eleanorian Government. (Yes, these coins are made out of actual Gladom Newion silver, not cupronickel. Our economies of scale are small enough to make it worthwhile.) However, Saint Eleanor has never had a central bank, never mind central bank independence. Therefore, First Eleanorian and PREMIER print banknotes for themselves, and are required to hold reserves equal to the value of the banknotes they print, much as is the case in IRL Scotland and Northern Ireland; the only Government banknotes are of very large denominations and exist to fulfil this reserve purpose. The denominations are $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100, but this is because of First Eleanorian's precedent rather than any statutory requirement.

First Eleanorian's banknotes are by far the most prevalent and contain National Liberation Front insignia (if printed 1973-1975, as First Eleanorian was taken over by NLF leadership in November '73; please don't use pre-1973 notes as they're in the wrong currency), War of Independence heroes (if printed 1975-1986), or national landmarks (if printed after 1986). PREMIER's banknotes invariably contain images of D. Tommy Sanford's many amazing achievements, the man himself being off limits. Some local banks produce banknotes in smaller quantities, often using First's banknotes as reserves, and they are all legal tender; however, Southern Bank's notes lost their legal tender status following Operation Cottage Pie, as they were literally a money-laundering operation. Foreign currencies such as Euran pounds, of equivalent value to one Eleanorian Dollar (or one Transfer Window NSD!), may also be found if you are lucky, but no guarantees.

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Aug 09, 2026 6:26 pm

OOC: The first part of this title is as inaccurate as it was last IFCF.

Mid-season interlude: The Charles Trump Shield of 2016

Introduction to the Charles Trump Shield
This competition was first run in 1979, but has only counted towards the Cup Winners' Cup and in part the IFCF Rising Stars Cup - hereinafter "big cups" - since 1998 (in time for the tenth IFCF cycle). It is named in honour of Colonel Charles Trump. In the autumn of 1974, during the War of Independence, Trump successfully defended the Eleanorian Academy from ground attack by Tinhamptonian forces. Although parts of the academy were destroyed in the air and Trump himself had his leg amputated, he was honourably discharged from the Army by order of President George Mitcham two days after Saint Eleanor won its independence, and successfully lobbied the government in its first years to head off freezes in the schools budget.

The Shield is contested between all 53 schools in Saint Eleanor - including the three private schools (the Girls' Preparatory, the Boys' Preparatory, and Saint Benedict's Catholic) and the six out-of-city schools (the Community Schools in Bishopgate, Crownedhead, Elsmouth, Farbend, Mount Dennis and Springfield) - along with Liberty, a team made up exclusively of the children of Eleanorian Army soldiers from various schools.

SEFA announced, in March 2009, an "informal amnesty" with the Eleanorian Sports and Cheer Coaching Alliance, who represent - among others - the 54 Charles Trump Shield team managers. The second phase of the amnesty is now in place: all teams except the quarterfinalists of last year's CTS will enter the first round. The first round winners and the seven non-champion quarterfinalists will enter the second round. Whitehammer CS, as reigning champions, will enter the third round, also known as the round of sixteen. Furthermore, the draws for the first two rounds will be made in March of each year.

All games except the final (at the Nat Lib) are played over two legs, with extra time and then penalties being played in the event of both games having the same result. Away goals count double, so not all aggregate ties will result in extra time. OOCly, the Græntfjaller method of ET and PSO scorination is used - although I add the goals scored in extra time and make those count towards away goals - and home advantage applies.

In each year, Liberty and schools must only send players in Year 13, i.e. those who will turn seventeen in that year. Every player in the 2015 Charles Trump Shield was therefore born in 1998 (and may therefore not even remember a time when Richardson, Launceston, Northend and Livingston were vying to be among Saint Eleanor's first ever RSC representatives). If they win that year's Shield, they will be entered into the following year's big cups (in the unlikely event they win the Showcase too) and may enter the victorious team, who will by now be in Year 14, i.e. eighteen years old. If their Year 14s win either big cup in any year, they shall enter the team that represented them in that year's Shield (who will be Year 14s the following year) into the following year's CWC/RSC - while the now-nineteen-year-old cup winners go to a well-deserved rest, probably in the Saint Eleanor League!

Some schools serve as the youth teams for clubs in the Saint Eleanor League
IFCF Regulation 7.02 provides that the youth teams of "clubs reaching the group phase of the Champions['] League are automatically entered" into the RSC (and acknowledges the possibility that a youth champion's senior team may make the CL group stages). However, the youth teams of clubs in Saint Eleanor are often the representative teams of local schools, rather than formal wings of the clubs themselves. To that effect, and should any of these clubs ever make the CL group stages:

The youth team of Occidental Olympic is Parkside CS. Parkside District Council owns both Olympic and the Community School.
The youth team of Sword and Shield is the University College. University College is a school run by the University of Saint Eleanor, whose Board of Trustees own Sword and Shield. Contrary to what many people believe, the University is a campus university. Collegiate Community School does not exist.
The youth team of Athletic Saint Eleanor is Whitehammer CS. The Eleanorian Chamber of Commerce, which counts several hundred privately-owned businesses among its members, owns Athletic. Whitehammer District Council owns the Community School, but many members of its PE Department also work as coaches for Athletic and they have the final say over who plays for Whitehammer.
The youth team of Independence 1975 is the Eleanorian Academy. The Government runs both Independence and the Academy. Central Community School does not exist.
The youth team of Grand Beach is Grand Beach CS. Gregory Willis, the owner of Willis fried chicken restaurants, owns Grand Beach. His eldest daughter, Sophie, is the Community School's head of the English department; she selects who plays for GBCS in consultation with the PE department.
The youth team of Army and Navy is the Army School. Army School is run by the Eleanorian Army, which owns Army and Navy. Oaktree Community School does exist, but has no affiliation with the Army.
The youth team of Good Hope Club is Trident CS. The Good Hope Supporters' Trust owns Good Hope. Trident District Council owns the Community School, but has an agreement with the Supporters Trust by which the School wears GHC's colours of light blue and plays its home matches at GHC's home stadium, the Good Hope Stadium.
The youth team of Golden Unicorn is Brightway CS. Emerald, the premier fund management company in the Novalk Peninsula, owns Golden Unicorn. It also provides generous funding to Brightway's Football Academy without which their ability to send a full-strength team to the Shield would be greatly diminished.
The youth team of Nova Aegis is Bramblewood CS. Bramblewood District Council owns both Nova Aegis and the Community School.
The youth team of the Polytechnic Institute is Buckhead CS. Buckhead Community School is not actually run by the Polytechnic Institute of Saint Eleanor, which owns the club of the same name - it is, like all Community Schools, operated by the district council - but a memorandum of understanding was made with the Polytechnic in 2009, through which the Poly financially supports BCS's PE department.
The youth team of Hiyashi Celestia is Broadlands CS. The Hiyashi Corporation founded (and still owns) Celestia; they have pumped significant sums of money into the Broadlands school team since doing so. Just don't ask where it comes from. It's all perfectly legal revenue from sales and whatnot, we promise.
The youth team of Newbanks United is Newbanks CS. The practice of Newbanks United offering a contract every year to a player from the Community School has long gone, not least since the club is now owned by the Misiriyaa Football Group of Al-Tamazgha, but some of United's coaches now work as PE teachers for the School (much as they do in Whitehammer), and the presumption remains that any sufficiently good NCS player will more likely than not contract with Newbanks United should there be a need in the team.
The youth team of Premier Club is Premier CS. The school, although in possession of a football academy that is ridiculously well-funded by D. Tommy Sanford's PREMIER empire (it was his before he got busted, anyway) and indeed has direct ties to the Premier Club of the same ownership, is actually located in Premier district, which was made to specification by a group of civil engineers working on behalf of the Eleanorian Army.
The youth team of 16th of November is Holland CS. The Zoological Gardens have an arrangement with Holland District Council, which owns the Community School, that predates even the National Liberation Front; an annual school trip to the Zoo is provided for students at Holland CS, for instance.
The youth team of Atlas is Atlas CS. Atlas district, like Premier district, was built to specification (of the Kaito Corporation of Kandorith) by the Army Corps of Engineers. Kaito themselves founded the Atlas club and own it through their Eleanorian subsidiary, Kaito Limited - so, much as Hiyashi do with Broadlands, it stands to reason that they have a solid partnership with the local school.
The youth team of Infrastructure is Tannerton CS. National Electricity, affectionately known as Natelec, owns Infrastructure (in partnership with Eleanorian Water). Natelec in turn provides (relatively) generous funding and support to Tannerton's PE Department and CTS team.
The youth team of Lion is Marketplace CS. Lion was founded by Banijan immigrants to Saint Eleanor, and remains in their control, although people from across the Dockside - both Eleanorians and immigrants - are generally welcomed by the club. There is a "broad partnership" in place between Lion and the Community School through which Marketplace's players are given consideration by Lion's scouts once they come of age.
The youth team of the Republicans is Deepchester CS. The Republicans are owned by their fans via the Deepchester Community Trust, which founded the club and recruited a number of players from the local areas - some of who just happen to be disaffected, previously-unemployed artists. Among the permanent members of the DCT's board is the Community School's headteacher of the day.
The youth team of the Trades Unionists is Wellington CS. The Trades Unions Alliance owns Trades Unionists - as well as Channel 5, in partnership with the Communist Party of Saint Eleanor - and, as part of their obligations to Wellington's community (which contains a good many dockworkers, who remain reluctant to switch their support from the Good Hope Club), offers a broad spectrum of support to the Community School, both in terms of its PE Department and many other areas.
The youth team of Yggdrasil is Blackwood CS. Blackwood District Council owns both Yggdrasil and the Community School.

"CS" always stands for Community School, by far the most common name given to Eleanorian schools; this abbreviation is used throughout to comply with IFCF character limits.

If you were a serious Golden Backpack contestant and you were playing for any of the above schools, then there's a good chance that you will end up playing for the school's linked Saint Eleanor League club (especially since Juventud collapsed in 2009). In today's environment, many young players are angling for moves to unaffiliated major clubs, but by far and away there is a much stronger practical and spiritual connection between each school and their SEL club.

Round 1 (1/23 final)

Girls' Preparatory 2–0 Marketplace CS
Marketplace CS 1–0 Girls' Preparatory
Girls' Preparatory win 2-1 on aggregate

Goldsmiths CS 1–2 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS 5–1 Goldsmiths CS
Whitehammer CS win 7-2 on aggregate

Richardgate CS 2–4 Queenston CS
Queenston CS 1–1 Richardgate CS
Queenston CS win 5-3 on aggregate

Elsmouth CS 0–3 Oaktree CS
Oaktree CS 3–1 Elsmouth CS
Oaktree CS win 6-1 on aggregate

Grand Beach CS 4–1 Hartridge CS
Hartridge CS 1–4 Grand Beach CS
Grand Beach CS win 8-2 on aggregate

North Seville CS 0–3 New St Paul CS
New St Paul CS 3–0 North Seville CS
New St Paul CS win 6-0 on aggregate

Carpentersville CS 1–4 New Bayside CS
New Bayside CS 1–0 Carpentersville CS
New Bayside CS win 5-1 on aggregate

Liberty 2–3 Brightway CS
Brightway CS 1–3 Liberty
Liberty win 5-4 on aggregate

Magna CS 0–2 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS 5–0 Magna CS
Blackwood CS win 7-0 on aggregate

Silverton CS 3–1 Farbend CS
Farbend CS 1–2 Silverton CS
Silverton CS win 5-2 on aggregate

St Paul CS 1–1 Tannerton CS
Tannerton CS 2–2 St Paul CS
St Paul CS win 3-3 on aggregate (away goals)

Trident CS 4–4 Premier CS
Premier CS 3–2 Trident CS
Premier CS win 7-6 on aggreagte

Mount Dennis CS 0–1 Allington CS
Allington CS 2–0 Mount Dennis CS
Allington CS win 3-0 on aggregate

Kelbury CS 2–0 Bishopgate CS
Bishopgate CS 0–1 Kelbury CS
Kelbury CS win 3-0 on aggreagte

Crownedhead CS 0–1 Northolt CS
Northolt CS 3–0 Crownedhead CS
Northolt CS win 4-0 on aggregate

New Lizard CS 0–0 University College
University College 1–0 New Lizard CS
University College win 1-0 on aggregate

Bramblewood CS 1–0 Airport CS
Airport CS 1–0 Bramblewood CS (1–0 AET) (9–8 pen.)
Airport CS win 1-1 on aggregate (penalties)

Wellington CS 2–0 Bonpool CS
Bonpool CS 0–2 Wellington CS
Wellington CS win 4-0 on aggregate

St George CS 6–5 Millerham CS
Millerham CS 1–1 St George CS
St George CS win 7-6 on aggregate

Williamstown CS 0–0 Jacobville CS
Jacobville CS 4–1 Williamstown CS
Jacobville CS win 4-1 on aggregate

Army School 3–0 Newbanks CS
Newbanks CS 0–0 Army School
Army School win 3-0 on aggregate

Deepchester CS 2–0 Eastern Fell CS
Eastern Fell CS 2–4 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS win 6-2 on aggregate

Springfield CS 0–1 Sunset Gates CS
Sunset Gates CS 4–2 Springfield CS
Sunset Gates CS win 5-2 on aggregate

The lucky 23 winners in Round 1 will be joined by last year's non-champion CTS quarterfinalists - Allington CS, the Army School, Atlas CS, the Boys' Preparatory, Broadlands CS, Buckhead CS, and Whitehammer CS - in Round 2.

Round 2 (1/15 final)

Saint Benedict's Catholic 1–1 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS 1–0 Saint Benedict's Catholic
Whitehammer CS win 2-1 on aggregate

Liberty 3–1 Kelbury CS
Kelbury CS 1–2 Liberty
Liberty win 5-2 on aggregate

Allington CS 0–2 Premier CS
Premier CS 2–2 Allington CS
Premier CS win 4-2 on aggregate

Silverton CS 2–0 St George CS
St George CS 1–2 Silverton CS
Silverton CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Boys' Preparatory 2–3 Army School
Army School 1–1 Boys' Preparatory
Army School win 4-3 on aggregate

Oaktree CS 3–1 Sunset Gates CS
Sunset Gates CS 4–0 Oaktree CS
Sunset Gates CS win 5-3 on aggregate

Broadlands CS 5–2 New Bayside CS
New Bayside CS 0–1 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS win 6-2 on aggregate

Wellington CS 3–0 Northolt CS
Northolt CS 1–0 Wellington CS
Wellington CS win 3-1 on aggregate

Eleanorian Academy 2–1 Atlas CS
Atlas CS 2–0 Eleanorian Academy
Atlas CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Blackwood CS 2–1 University College
University College 2–3 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS win 5-3 on aggregate

Buckhead CS 1–1 Girls' Preparatory
Girls' Preparatory 5–1 Buckhead CS
Girls' Preparatory win 6-2 on aggregate

Holland CS 2–0 Airport CS
Airport CS 3–3 Holland CS
Holland CS win 5-3 on aggregate

St Paul CS 0–3 Deepchester CS
Deepchester CS 4–3 St Paul CS
Deepchester CS win 7-3 on aggregate

New St Paul CS 1–3 Grand Beach CS
Grand Beach CS 1–0 New St Paul CS
Grand Beach CS win 4-1 on aggregate

Queenston CS 2–0 Jacobville CS
Jacobville CS 6–3 Queenston CS
Jacobville CS win 6-5 on aggregate

The lucky 15 winners in Round 2 will be joined by CTS champions Parkside CS in Round 3.

Round 3 (1/8 final)

Grand Beach CS 1–0 Silverton CS
Silverton CS 0–1 Grand Beach CS
Grand Beach CS win 2-0 on aggregate

Deepchester CS 2–4 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS 2–1 Deepchester CS
Whitehammer CS win 6-3 on aggregate

Premier CS 5–3 Holland CS
Holland CS 0–1 Premier CS
Premier CS win 6-3 on aggregate

Parkside CS 3–0 Wellington CS
Wellington CS 2–4 Parkside CS
Parkside CS win 7-2 on aggregate

Liberty 1–0 Atlas CS
Atlas CS 3–1 Liberty
Atlas CS win 3-2 on aggregate

Army School 0–0 Sunset Gates CS
Sunset Gates CS 1–0 Army School
Sunset Gates CS win 1-0 on aggregate

Jacobville CS 0–0 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS 6–2 Jacobville CS
Blackwood CS win 6-2 on aggregate

Broadlands CS 0–0 Girls' Preparatory
Girls' Preparatory 0–1 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS win 1-0 on aggregate

Round 4 (1/4 final)

Atlas CS 3–3 Sunset Gates CS[/b]
Sunset Gates CS 2–3 Atlas CS
Atlas CS win 6-5 on aggregate

Whitehammer CS 5–0 Blackwood CS
Blackwood CS 0–2 Whitehammer CS
Whitehammer CS win 7-0 on aggregate

Premier CS 2–1 Grand Beach CS
Grand Beach CS 6–2 Premier CS
Grand Beach CS win 7-4 on aggregate

Parkside CS 1–0 Broadlands CS
Broadlands CS 4–3 Parkside CS
Parkside CS win 4-4 on aggregate (away goals)

Semifinals
Atlas CS 1–0 Grand Beach CS
[Luke Greene 64']
Grand Beach CS 2–4 Atlas CS
[Joe Spencer 63', Damian Hunter 85'; Michael Nurse 24' and 52', Luke Greene 45', Georgia Stevens 79']
Atlas CS win 5-2 on aggregate

Whitehammer CS 1–0 Parkside CS
[Adam Rush 76']
Parkside CS 2–0 Whitehammer CS
[Paleterala naMelatera 19', Emily Wooler 65']
Parkside CS win 2-1 on aggregate

THE FINAL
Parkside CS 0–0 Atlas CS (0–0 AET) (5–6 pen.) ~~~ at the National Liberation Arena (61,925 in attendance)
[no goals]
[penalty shootout, Atlas taking first: Luke Greene GOAL, Amanda Burton GOAL, Sophie Wright GOAL, Paleterala naMelatera GOAL, Georgia Stevens GOAL, Hektör Ênínìran GOAL, Jessica Carr GOAL, Adam Rourke GOAL, Steve Morgan GOAL, Emily Wooler GOAL, Velatarena meTerexana GOAL, Darren Williams OVER]

Each finalist has been entered into the 2016 Showcase. The Showcase, a twenty-two-team cup which also stars the twenty League clubs, is a desperate - and successful - attempt by the Saint Eleanor Football Association to ensure that it can enter teams into the Cup Winners' Cup without getting smacked because it attempted to enter the winners of the Charles Trump Shield.

Saint Eleanor will enter Atlas CS, the winners of the 2016 Charles Trump Shield, into Rising Stars Cup 28. (Their crest is depicted to the right.)

Into the battle ride the following unsuspecting teenagers: 1. Matthew Porter [GK; he/him]; 2. William Spencer [LB; he/him]; 3. Gary Bennett [CB; he/him]; 4. Christina Grant [CB; she/her]; 5. Amy Marcus [RB; she/her]; 6. Georgia Stevens [CM; she/her]; 7. Steve Morgan [RM; he/him]; 8. Milly Grayson [CM; she/her]; 9. Michael Nurse [ST; he/him]; 10. Luke Greene [ST; he/him]; 11. Velatarena meTerexana [LM; he/him]; 12. Charlotte Johnson [GK; she/her]; 13. Andrew Smart [CB; he/him]; 14. Matilda Johnson [RB; she/her]; 15. Theresa Vaughan [CM; she/her]; 16. Jessica Carr [LM; she/her]; 17. Peter Gordon [CM; he/him]; 18. Sophie Wright [ST; she/her]. They are joined by their manager, Edward Bennett [he/him].

Atlas CS will play their home matches in the RSC and - if needs be - CWC at Atlas Stadium 2 in Atlas district, seated capacity 4,000. There is little to distinguish Atlas Stadium 2 from the much larger Atlas Stadium 1, which hosts the local Saint Eleanor League club, other than its slightly less gargantuan size and its slightly less perfect - although no less fabulous - engineering. This is also a rare example of an all-seater CTS stadium, designed to easily occupy virtually all supporters from the two competing schools (or IFCF-affiliated youth teams as may be the case) and however many stragglers bother to pay up. Assuming the tickets aren't being offered for free, which often happens.

Following the initial publication of this pamphlet, Athletic Saint Eleanor won the Saint Eleanor League of 2016, with Occidental Olympic in second. This means that - should the clubs reach the group stages of Champions League 28 - Whitehammer CS (crest left) and Parkside CS (crest right) will enter the group stages of Rising Stars Cup 28. Their managers, Sarah Newbury [she/her] and Harry Salt [he/him], are happy to inform opposing managers and foreign media about their teamsheets should they ask for it.

Whitehammer CS will play their home matches in the RSC and - if needs be - CWC at the Community Grounds in Whitehammer district, seated capacity 2,200. Although owned by the district council, as the school is, the Community Grounds are predominantly used by the school, and have hosted every last one of its home games - even before the War of Independence. The main, seated grandstand snakes around the corner behind the goal (where curious away fans are allotted), a particularly creative way to stop the ball from encroaching on two roads that provide easy access to the school.

Parkside CS will play their home matches in the RSC and - if needs be - CWC at Galton Park in Parkside district, seated capacity 800. Occidental Olympic, Parkside's parent club, train at the Park; a 15-minute walk from Parkside metro station, it has a relaxed and relatively quiet atmosphere, with a single uncovered stand at the wide end of the pitch. There are some minor safety concerns - the seats are prone to spontaneously breaking, as Olympic fan and Vice-President Charlotte Morgan found out to her peril in an incident that made The Reporter's front page in August 1991, while a lack of netting in any direction leads to regular lost balls - but Parkside District Council insists that they are trying to "reduce wasteful expenditure" and that "this stadium, which has previously entertained audiences at three Rising Stars Cups - including a home quarterfinal against Micronia YSC in 2012 - will do so once again."

The winner of this year's Golden Backpack is Georgia Stevens. While Stevens will joke that she is no stranger to guts - her father is a surgeon with the EHS - it is undeniably true that she made an outsized impact from central midfield in what was largely a striker's year. She set up crucial goals to overturn first-leg deficits against the Eleanorian Academy and Liberty (although cynics will note that she was unavailable for the 1-0 reverse at the New Barracks due to being too eager to take out the Academy's Harry Trent), was more than happy to take the medium-range free-kicks herself, kept the pace of the game ticking along for most of the time she was on the pitch, and as even top-scorer Michael Nurse will admit, may well have been the driving force behind Atlas securing their second Shield in their decade-long history.

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Aug 09, 2026 9:52 pm

The Saint Eleanor First League of 2016

Incorporating post-season fun and shenanigans for all the family: The 2016 Showcase

In 1998, Charles Trump Shield winners University College were barred from the Cup Winners' Cup due to the nature of the Shield. Coincidentally, 1998 was also the year that the Saint Eleanor League expanded to twelve clubs - although this was admittedly a few months and technically a year later. So what better to do than take each year's Shield semifinalists, force them to play against the League clubs (actually, it's the President doing the forcing), and call it a fair, competitive, character-building tournament which just so happens to be good for one Cup Winners' Cup entry?

With the recent expansion of the League system to twenty teams, the decision was made in 2010 to limit entry to the two finalists - after all, three of the five youth teams ever to execute a Showcase win up to that date (and the only youth team to win two games) had made the final. To be sure, adding two random amateur clubs instead would have made it a closer approximation of the national game's overall quality. But then it wouldn't be The Showcase of the best, brightest, and sometimes most deeply confused that Saint Eleanor has to offer.

Showcase Palmares
Athletic Saint Eleanor: 6 (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014)
Independence 1975: 3 (2002, 2003, 2004)
Hiyashi Celestia: 3 (1999, 2000, 2005)
Occidental Olympic: 3 (2001, 2010, 2013)
Nova Aegis: 1 (2009)
Sword and Shield: 1 (2015)

Also incorporating a blink-and-you-miss-it review of 2016's IFCF proceedings, the 27th of their kind

Preview of the League sides (by Jamie Rodgers of SESB)

Legend: 99. {all eligible NT flags, if non-EXT; see below} Player McPlayerface [WINNER AS PLAYER: WORLD CUP 1000000, CUP OF HARMONY 1000000, BAPTISM OF FIRE 1000000; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE/UICA CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, IFCF CHALLENGERS' CUP/UICA GLOBE CUP 1000000, IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 1000000, IFCF LIGA B CHAMPIONS' TROPHY/UICA SERIES B CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, CUP WINNERS' CUP 1000000] [WINNER AS MANAGER: AS BEFORE] [CAPTAIN] [POS; species; Army rank; 9001yo; pro/nouns].

Other notes:

Teams are in descending order of 2015 First League finish.
Starting lineups go from 1 to 11; substitutes wear 12 to 18. Lineups are good for the 26th IFCF cycle.
Ages given reflect how old the Eleanorians will be at the end of 2016, and how old the foreigners were when we last checked.
Underlined single nationals play for the national team they are eligible for as of the start of 2015. Underlined dual nationals play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name as of that date. Non-underlined dual nationals are assessed by Harry Black, the Reporter's politics-of-football expert, as more likely to play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name.
Everyone is a human, and from Saint Eleanor, unless otherwise stated.
See a player without a like-for-like substitute? Subs listed as playing on one side of the pitch usually have no qualms with playing on the other as necessary.
The same "Important OOC notes about the Laws of the Game as they are applied in Saint Eleanor" as here apply.
For my sanity's sake, I'm not going to reproduce 2016's list of dates here. I really need to get around to producing it, though...

Occidental Olympic - "Olympic;" "The Westerners" - the club of western and north-western Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Parkside Stadium, Parkside district (capacity 26,285)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2 diamond): 1. Arielle Richardson [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [GK; 35yo; she/her]; 2. Rachel Curran [LB; 34yo; she/her]; 3. Lynul-Sevet Pul [RB; 35yo; they/them]; 4. Diana Gray [CB; 26yo; she/her]; 5. Mike Pringle [CB; 34yo; he/him]; 6. Glenn French [CDM; 34yo; he/him]; 7. Lily Emmerson [LM; 30yo; she/her]; 8. Brian Hurd [RM; 30yo; he/him]; 9. David Key [ST; 34yo; he/him]; 10. Steve Pilchard [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CAM; 39yo; he/him]; 11. Esther Vaughan [ST; 28yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Sally Reynolds [GK; 22yo; she/her]; 13. Alan Mount [LB; 19yo; he/him]; 14. Stephen Walker [CB; 23yo; he/him]; 15. Andrew Card [CDM; 31yo; he/him]; 16. Âlárî Dírò [CAM; 22yo; he/him]; 17. Ella Pinkman [RM; 27yo; she/her]; 18. Adam Wilson [ST; 24yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: George Dunbar [57yo; he/him]: Olympic won the league for the second time last year, although there are any number of reasons why they might not fancy themselves for a third - largely beyond their control, as this side remains more than capable of competing. The front three of Pilchard, Key, and Vaughan remain ready to keep on firing after all these years, more ably supported by Emmerson and Hurd than ever, while French remains insistent on looking after all areas after all this time. Looking at the back line, it is no wonder that Richardson, Curran, Lynul-Sevet, and Gray are all trusted in their own rights, although this is not to count out Pringle either; together, they make up a bona-fide defensive unit which somehow pulls one of the more consistent lines in the league. All of this is to say that the Westerners have one of the best teams in the league, writ large, with good options in depth such as Dírò and - should the need for him ever arise - Mount.

Hiyashi Celestia - "Celestia;" "The Angels" - the club of Northern Saint Eleanor's working class (especially Hiyashi's employees in Broadlands)

Home stadium: Celestial Stadium, Broadlands district (capacity 36,645)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. + Shojiro Ito [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [GK; 33yo; he/him]; 2. Edward Ruthan [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LB; 28yo; he/him]; 3. Nigel Vincent [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 4. Lily Bruton [CB; 26yo; she/her]; 5. + Caradoc Anghoill [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [RB; 36yo; he/him]; 6. + Nobusuke Kuronuma [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CAPTAIN] [CM; 36yo; he/him]; 7. Terry Baker [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LM; 24yo; he/him]; 8. Maria Morgan [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CM; 30yo; she/her]; 9. Rick Goldsmith [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [ST; 36yo; he/him]; 10. + Takeshi Honda [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [ST; 32yo; he/him]; 11. James Heath [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [RM; 29yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Josh Baines [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [GK; 27yo; he/him]; 13. Andrew Henderson [CB; 21yo; he/him]; 14. Alex Lander [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 15. Adam Gordon [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LB; 23yo; he/him]; 16. Bill Simpson [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [LM; 31yo; he/him]; 17. Peter Macmillan [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 18. Bill Wood [WINNER AS PLAYER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [ST; 27yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Rachel Schanke [WINNER AS MANAGER: IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 13] [53yo; she/her]: Celestia's runners-up finish last season was more of a reversion to the mean than it seems, although some may be taken aback by Schanke's seeming insistence on letting the veterans of 2012 and before age out rather than being forced out. Morgan, Goldsmith, and the Kandorese remain indomitable and typically pragmatic in their respective positions, despite their years, and form the literal and figurative core of the squad, while Lily Bruton has been evacuated from the Polytechnic and should at least do better than she did on the other side of town. Out wide, Edward Ruthan is proving himself to be one of the better left-backs in a country that has often struggled for them, while Baker and Heath should provide the impetus needed to ensure that the team continues to fire on all cylinders, they would hope on full blast this time.

Independence 1975 - "Indy;" "The Liberators" - the club of the (civilian) government and the Eleanorian masses

Home stadium: The National Liberation Arena, Central district (capacity 68,184)
Starting lineup (preferred formation 4-2-3-1): 1. Robby Ellis [GK; 32yo; he/him]; 2. Cathy Winchester [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [LB; 38yo; she/her]; 3. Joe Willis [RB; 29yo; he/him]; 4. + Layla Grover [CDM; 36yo; she/her]; 5. Katy Wilson [CB; 32yo; she/her]; 6. Matt Morrison [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 7. Elizabeth Wootton [LM; 23yo; she/her]; 8. + Kichirō Matsuda [CDM; Wunderbar; 32yo; he/him]; 9. Ian Marks [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 10. Kavezalea Felaraneta [CAM; 32yo; he/him]; 11. Gary Morgan [RM; 33yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Lisa Dobson [GK; 27yo; she/her]; 13. Matthew Edwards [CB; 25yo; he/him]; 14. Lucy Hendricks [RB; 26yo; she/her]; 15. Daisy Reynolds [LM; 21yo; she/her]; 16. Adam Tarrant [CM; 31yo; he/him]; 17. John Garrett [ST; 24yo; he/him]; 18. Angela Spooner [RM; 28yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Lydia Sharp [61yo; she/her]: There are no prizes either for the team nor for guessing how they are going to organise themselves this year. The midfield three of Grover, Matsuda and Felaraneta are well-known to allcomers while Marks should continue to feed in with the goals. Winchester is surely riding off into the sunset in due course, though Hendricks on the other side will be no bad substitute at this point, The argument can be made that Sharp's Indy are literally the equal of Skeggestad's Crossroads (leaving aside Bakočević's pre-season hiring) - just look at the group stage results - and, of course, she intends to fight and win the league with effectively the same lineup and strategy as years gone by. You can expect the back four to hold firm with Winchester pushing up from behind; Grover has lost none of her edge, despite what you may have thought, and Matsuda remains as remarkable as always. Looking up front, Morgan is possibly the weakest link, but Felaraneta and Marks have proven themselves by now and Wootton is arguably the most creative player this club has ever known, although there are plenty of fans who will have their own counter-examples.

Athletic Saint Eleanor - "Athletic;" "The Reds" - the club of the business owners

Home stadium: Northwest Road, Whitehammer district (capacity 53,174)
Starting lineup (preferred formation 4-1-3-2): 1. + Kirsti Sundgren [GK; 31yo; she/her]; 2. Elissa Curry [LB; 36yo; she/her]; 3. John Millcroft [RB; 22yo; he/him]; 4. Bridget Coombe [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CDM; 41yo; she/her]; 5. + Lydia Vickers [CAPTAIN] [CB; 29yo; she/her]; 6. Esther Launceston [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CB; 35yo; she/her]; 7. Graham Lawson [LM; 36yo; he/him]; 8. Natasha Rhodes [CM; 26yo; she/her]; 9. Beatrix Hillman-Tower [ST; 26yo; she/her]; 10. Jessica Black [ST; 19yo; she/her]; 11. Wasemprela Sareleva [RM; 35yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Harry Mitchell [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 13. Ben McDougall [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 14. Andrew Gray [CM; 20yo; he/him]; 15. Liam Johnson [RM; 23yo; he/him]; 16. Phil Parris [ST; 31yo; he/him]; 17. James Johnson [LB; 28yo; he/him]; 18. Charles Brewer [CM; 27yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Yelto-Aflan Ono [54yo; they/them]: With 2015 much more disappointing than expected and more peril surely on the horizon, it is widely rumoured - if not taken as read - that 2015 means game over for YAO. They mean to leave as they carry on, however, by drafting another 19-year-old woman of note - this time striker Jessica Black, not quite as good as Selnes but hopefully more accurate - into the presumptive starting eleven, alongside the insta-iconic Hillman-Tower. A lot more new blood will have to be infused next time around, however, as Coombe and Launceston (and perhaps even Lawson) are set to retire, Curry is one of the weaker links in the team, and - while not to totally condemn them - Millcroft and Rhodes remain works in progress. Sundgren's cult status and real reputation is, perhaps literally, cold comfort in comparison.

Good Hope Club - "The Seasiders" - the club of the dockworkers

Home stadium: The Good Hope Stadium, Trident district (capacity 22,174)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-5-1): 1. Darren Barker [GK; 29yo; he/him]; 2. Tina Falconer [LB; 34yo; she/her]; 3. Keith Barnett [RB; 28yo; he/him]; 4. Yusuf Sofyan [CB; 31yo; he/him]; 5. Carrie Holliday [CM; 34yo; she/her]; 6. Kathy White [CB; 25yo; she/her]; 7. Aaron Burrow [LM; 34yo; he/him]; 8. Owen Blackwater [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 9. Alexandra Barrett [RM; 32yo; she/her]; 10. Naferala paVepexala [CM; 34yo; he/him]; 11. Amanda Cleveland [CAPTAIN] [ST; 34yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Angela Woods [GK; 19yo; she/her]; 13. George Anderson [LB; 27yo; he/him]; 14. Eliza Miller [CB; 20yo; she/her]; 15. Rachel McEwan [RM; 27yo; she/her]; 16. Katie Phillips [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 17. Terry Smith [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 18. Oliver Samuels [ST; 29yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Mary Kirkport [55yo; she/her]: Perhaps the most important thing you need to know about this team is that Abdullah Ibn Salam, who has been an undeniable and controversial force of nature in goal, has been sold for megabucks to his beloved Montreal Koreana. Though the defence will not necessarily suffer - Falconer and Barnett are way beyond competent and continue to sandwich a solid back five - it will not quite be as good, or as magical (if that term can be used for a defence), as it used to be. There is no need to introduce the much-loved Cleveland or the midfielders she sits in front of, although it would once again be advisable to watch out for Blackwater in particular as a quality all-rounder.

Sword and Shield - "Arsenal;" "The Collegiates" - the club of the University

Home stadium: University Grounds, Collegiate district (capacity 35,174)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-2-1-3): 1. Ed Jackson [GK; 29yo; he/him]; 2. Gordon Pratt [LB; 35yo; he/him]; 3. Christine Terrence [CB; 37yo; she/her]; 4. John Alexander [CB; 31yo; he/him]; 5. Eloise Vincent [RB; 25yo; she/her]; 6. Joe Watts [CM; 32yo; he/him]; 7. Naclé Öhân [LM; 28yo; he/him]; 8. Lucas Barrow [CM; 35yo; he/him]; 9. Olympia Woodward [CAPTAIN] [ST; 27yo; she/her]; 10. Rosa Strong [CAM; 28yo; she/her]; 11. Sophia McDonald [RM; 23yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Àlfôn Qâerês [LM; 29yo; he/him]; 13. Caroline Hedges [GK; 21yo; she/her]; 14. Rebecca Daniels [CB; 27yo; she/her]; 15. Stephen Jones [RB; 22yo; he/him]; 16. Pakelana Vezara [CM; 28yo; he/him]; 17. Luke Barring [RM; 33yo; he/him]; 18. Alexandra Marcus [ST; 35yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Emma Steele [55yo; she/her]: Olympia Woodward, out injured for so much of the year, came back in fine form to help deliver a first-ever Showcase and will remain the closest thing this team has to a centrepiece. At this point, Arsenal's shape and strategy is well-known, with the defence remaining just about good enough to cope, McDonald hitting her stride out wide alongside Öhân, Strong being one of the most criminally underrated playmakers in the country, and Vezara continuing to petition for a place in the starting lineup (which would no doubt be helpful at this stage of Barrow's career).

Polytechnic Institute - "The Poly" - the club of the Polytechnic

Home stadium: Polytechnic Sports Centre, Buckhead district (capacity 6,088)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Laura Green [GK; 22yo; she/her]; 2. Madeleine Charlton [RB; 23yo; she/her]; 3. Helen Spencer [CB; 21yo; she/her]; 4. Michael Gordon [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 5. Frolt-Mazur Xlo [LB; 25yo; they/them]; 6. Laura Wilson [CM; 19yo; she/her]; 7. Jamie Smithers [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 8. Andrew McDonald [CM; 19yo; he/him]; 9. Victor Holden [ST; 19yo; he/him]; 10. Lydia Falconer [CAPTAIN] [ST; 24yo; she/her]; 11. Gordon Gilbert [LM; 20yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Henry Paulton [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. Sarah Miller [RB; 20yo; she/her]; 14. David Francis [CB; 19yo; he/him]; 15. Stephen Howley [RM; 21yo; he/him]; 16. Ârón Êmánn [LM; 19yo; he/him]; 17. Rachel Illingworth [ST; 19yo; she/her]; 18. Amelia Coleman [CM; 19yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Justin Roland [39yo; he/him]: With Aldra, Hillman-Tower, Salt and more all heading for the exit, Roland has drafted in a bunch of new standout players from 2014's Charles Trump Shield, Golden Backpack winner Holden the most obvious and possibly the best choice. Spencer should prove to be a bit less aggressive in defence than Bruton was, while if the Shield is anything to go by (as it often is), Wilson's attack-minded approach should counter McDonald's more pragmatic focus. Among the pre-existing cohort, Falconer should continue to make a clear case for being one of the better strikers we have, while Gilbert commended himself in his debut season and should hope for more going forward.

Army and Navy - "The Soldiers" - the club of the Eleanorian Army (which all players are members of)

Home stadium: New Barracks, Oaktree district (capacity 32,200)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Rose Carter [GK; Lance-Corporal; 33yo; she/her]; 2. Kevin Bryson [LB; Lance-Corporal; 32yo; he/him]; 3. Matthew Farmer [RB; Private; 23yo; he/him]; 4. David Green [CM; Private; 34yo; he/him]; 5. Katrina Shelby [CB; Private; 24yo; she/her]; 6. Denise Livingston [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [CAPTAIN] [CB; Sergeant; 35yo; she/her]; 7. Mark Gould [LM; Private; 35yo; he/him]; 8. James Walter [CM; Lance-Corporal; 33yo; he/him]; 9. Isabella Bright [ST; Private; 27yo; she/her]; 10. George Murson [ST; Lance-Corporal; 30yo; he/him]; 11. David Porter [RM; Private; 26yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Nathan Smith [GK; Private; 30yo; he/him]; 13. Jack Murphy [CB; Private; 27yo; he/him]; 14. Angela George [LB; Private; 26yo; she/her]; 15. Olivia Silver [CM; Lance-Corporal; 31yo; she/her]; 16. Johanna Spencer [ST; Private; 28yo; she/her]; 17. Natalie Evans [RM; Private; 29yo; she/her]; 18. Sarah Wallace [RM; Private; 34yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Luke McCarthy [57yo; Colonel; he/him]: As usual, this is a solid lineup that should stay away from trouble at either end, especially given Livingston's stated intention to play out the rest of her natural career at the club instead of retiring after fifteen years. Bright is rapidly developing a positive reputation of her own and will almost certainly be the standout striker, although she would probably prefer if more came through the ranks. While there is no new intake this year, Farmer and Porter remain trusted members of the starting lineup, while the bulk of the thirty-somethings are doing well for now and should see the club through yet again.

Newbanks United - "United;" "The Students" - the club of eastern, non-coastal Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Eastern Fields, Newbanks district (capacity 24,184)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-1-1): 1. John Ridgley [GK; 19yo; he/him]; 2. Darren Morgan [CAPTAIN] [LB; 26yo; she/her]; 3. Elizabeth Welch [CB; 25yo; she/her]; 4. Daniel Bennett [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 5. Harriet Farnham [RB; 33yo; he/him]; 6. Emma Francis [CM; 36yo; she/her]; 7. Palerenala vaEplanera [LM; 29yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Woodhouse [CM; 36yo; she/her]; 9. Lydia Hayden [ST; 23yo; she/her]; 10. Bill Henderson [CAM; 22yo, he/him]; 11. Michelle Addison [RM; 27yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Damian Rhodes [GK; 32yo; he/him]; 13. David Williams [CB; 22yo; he/him]; 14. Catherine Morrison [LB; 30yo; she/her]; 15. Noah Halford [CM; 34yo; he/him]; 16. James Pittam [RM; 31yo; he/him]; 17. Eloise Gardener [LM; 24yo; she/her]; 18. Simon Smith [ST; 28yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Rachel McNamara [37yo; she/her]: The McNamara Axe continues to cut away at the deadwood in the squad, although Carla Hawkins is quite literally on record as taking this criticism in good grace, with John Ridgley stepping between the posts instead. As expected, Hayden, Henderson and Addison - and, for that matter, the more seasoned yet less accomplished vaEplanera - have worked well together, if just about well enough to keep the club in the First League. Darren Morgan has done well to lead the defence and will remain trusted with this responsibility, with Welch and Bennett - and, to be sure, Francis and Woodhouse - still able and willing to help the cause out.

Golden Unicorn - "The Unicorn" - the club of northern Saint Eleanor city's middle-class (and the odd aesthete or two)

Home stadium: Dignity Cross, Brightway district (capacity 27,587)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-5-1): 1. Katie Masterson [GK; 29yo; she/her]; 2. Gavin Laker [LB; 34yo; he/him]; 3. Keith Bartlett [RB; 32yo; he/him]; 4. Samuel Lewis [CM; 34yo; he/him]; 5. Rosanna George [CB; 21yo; she/her]; 6. Ganelarana paValetara [CB; 32yo; she/her]; 7. Peter Walker [LM; 30yo; he/him]; 8. James Salt [CM; 26yo; he/him]; 9. + Jaclyn Foley [ST; 35yo; she/her]; 10. Wanar-Xalan Tla [CAPTAIN] [CM; 35yo; they/them]; 11. James Wallace [RM; 24yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Simon Young [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. Michael Burns [LB; 27yo; he/him]; 14. Sam Miller [CB; 19yo; he/him]; 15. Alisha Peters [RB; 28yo; she/her]; 16. Natasha Wallis [CM; 31yo; she/her]; 17. Aidan Walker [RM; 20yo; he/him]; 18. Parecava gaExhecela [ST; 31yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Justin Wood [58yo; he/him]: James Salt, much less self-aggrandising than Rosanna George and much more defense-minded than Natalie Monaco, has been at pains to insist that this team is - out of respect for Jez Benson - "almost better than ever." He promises a more defensive pivot, and a much-needed one as well with captain Wanar-Xalan being more of a go-getter and Sam Miller threatening to come of age should he be given the opportunity. Beyond this, there is surprisingly little to see here, as Aidan Walker is unlikely to challenge his older brother for a starting position, Masterson remains a serviceable goalkeeper, and Wallace and Foley remain solid in attack as ever.

List of SEL winners

Athletic Saint Eleanor: 15
(1975 trial season, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012)

Independence 1975: 13
(1976, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013)

Army and Navy: 4
(1981, 1982, 1985, 1990)

Sword and Shield: 3
(1977, 1989, 1993)

Hiyashi Celestia: 2
(2000, 2014)

Occidental Olympic: 2
(1998, 2015)

Golden Unicorn: 1
(1987)

* * * * * * * * * *
JUDGMENT DAY

RESULTS OF THE 2016 FIRST LEAGUE

▼▼ Saint Eleanor First League 2016     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
►►  1 Athletic Saint Eleanor            18   10   4   4    34   24  +10    34    Champions' League 28
►►  2 Occidental Olympic                18    8   9   1    27   19   +8    33    Champions' League 28
►►  3 Hiyashi Celestia                  18    8   5   5    29   23   +6    29    Challengers' Cup 28
►►  4 Independence 1975                 18    9   4   5    28   16  +12    31    Challengers' Cup 28; Cygnus Cup 76
►►  5 Sword and Shield                  18    8   4   6    26   21   +5    28    Challengers' Cup 28
►►  6 Army and Navy                     18    5   6   7    17   18   −1    21
►►  7 Newbanks United                   18    5   5   8    26   34   −8    20
►►  8 Golden Unicorn                    18    5   4   9    26   33   −7    19
►►  9 Polytechnic Institute             18    4   5   9    28   34   −6    17    Promotion Playoff
►► 10 Good Hope Club                    18    3   6   9    16   24   −8    15    Relegated

Note: Polytechnic Institute won the Promotion Playoff

⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐ ⪐

INDEPENDENCE 1975 - WINNERS OF THE 2016 SHOWCASE
ELEANORIAN ENTRANTS INTO CUP WINNERS' CUP 76

1. Robby Ellis [he/him]
2. Cathy Winchester [she/her]
3. Joe Willis [he/him]
4. Layla Grover [she/her]
5. Katy Wilson [she/her]
6. Matt Morrison [he/him]
7. Elizabeth Wootton [she/her]
8. Kichirō Matsuda [he/him]
9. Ian Marks [he/him]
10. Kavezalea Felaraneta [he/him]
11. Gary Morgan [he/him]
12. Lisa Dobson [she/her]
13. Matthew Edwards [he/him]
14. Lucy Hendricks [she/her]
15. Daisy Reynolds [she/her]
16. Adam Tarrant [he/him]
17. John Garrett [he/him]
18. Angela Spooner [she/her]

Manager: Lydia Sharp [she/her]

RESULTS OF THE 2016 SHOWCASE

First Round
Trades Unionists 3–2 Yggdrasil
Infrastructure 0–0 Atlas (2–2 AET) (4–2 pen.)
Grand Beach 2–0 Lion
16th of November 2–1 Atlas CS (Atlas youth team)
Parkside CS (Olympic youth team) 2–1 Premier Club
Republicans 0–0 Nova Aegis (1–1 AET) (4–3 pen.)

Round of Sixteen
Newbanks United 3–2 Occidental Olympic
Republicans 2–1 Polytechnic Institute
Hiyashi Celestia 2–1 Sword and Shield
Athletic Saint Eleanor 5–2 16th of November
Grand Beach 2–1 Parkside CS (Olympic youth team)
Trades Unionists 4–5 Golden Unicorn
Independence 1975 0–0 Army and Navy (2–0 AET)
Infrastructure 0–2 Good Hope Club

Quarterfinals
Athletic Saint Eleanor 3–3 Hiyashi Celestia (4–3 AET)
Good Hope Club 2–0 Grand Beach
Independence 1975 1–0 Newbanks United
Republicans 2–2 Golden Unicorn (2–2 AET) (2–3 pen.)

Semifinals
Athletic Saint Eleanor 0–2 Independence 1975
Golden Unicorn 3–2 Good Hope Club

THE FINAL
Independence 1975 2–0 Golden Unicorn

* * * * * * * * * *

Oneshot: Easing Into Your Sunday

8:02am - Sunday 11th December 2016

"Bridget Coombe has been announced as the new manager of reigning champions Athletic. The move was seen as a surprise until negotiations progressed yesterday evening..." Okay. This is interesting news to wake up to, to say the least.

"...I'm Paul Barker. We are easing into your Sunday morning here with the best tunes..." No. Bill Henderson needed to keep a clear head now, of all days. He had rarely actually seen Bridget - though he was well aware that Rachel McNamara was now managing his team, to great effect - and was certain that similar magic would be woven here. So he decided that he had nothing better to do than to call up Rachel and see if she knew where her former national teammate, of all people, was.

"Morning, boss. I have been hearing a lot-"

"So have I."

"I'd like to talk to her."

"Angling for a move?"

"No. I like it here and I reckon Tash is good for another while."

"Let me see..."

Some time later: "Sorry I've kept you on hold for some time, but you might be slightly overestimating how many mobile phones we have in the country. I think she should be at her local Premium Coffee."

"I could have just gone there and asked one of the regulars!"

"If you see a lady with red tights, that's her. If you have any further doubt, she is probably having a glass of water, as is her custom."

"That is one way of making sure I'm not dealing with Diana Gray's alter ego instead."

9:13am - Sunday 11th December 2016

So it was and so it proved.

"Good morning."

"Good morning to you, too. So... I don't suppose red is in this season?"

"That it is; long may it continue."

"I've been told you have a new job title, lady."

"Yes. It is... how should I put it? This rumour has been circulating for months now, but I was actually surprised to learn that this was the case. I like to think I'm qualified, but we need to patch up a lot of areas before we can get back into business."

"What areas?"

"You are well aware that Kirsti and Lydia enjoy it here. Beatrix has stuck the landing, as expected. Otherwise, there are lots of areas where we could be, if not a lot better, then at least good enough to secure our position. I won't comment further except in the media."

"I think Rachel has done a good job of improving us so far."

"I would agree with you on that point; the clear-out was much needed for your continued success. I think Newbanks lost a lot of its focus on youth as the years dragged on and Rachel was probably best placed to get the team in serious working order again, though she was one of Grand Beach's youth intake."

"Looking back at whatever just happened... did you deserve to win the league? Really? You can be honest. I won't complain."

"Yes, we needed it. Yes, we wanted it. It was a nice send-off for Esther, as well. But did we actually deserve it? I'm not sure. I was brought up by Olympic in the first instance and I think they are a resilient bunch, but much like in 1998, the league title was decided by final-day shenanigans well within their control. If you offer me Olympic securing another title and, in exchange, I don't get appointed manager of Athletic ahead of this coming season, then I would quite possibly be in two minds... there's a 51% chance I'd say yes!"

"So why did you take the job now, in the real world we actually have?"

"I had to take it. Not in the sense something catastrophic would happen otherwise, but people at the club trust me to do what is right. I think YAO was getting a bit tired of everything; not so much that they actively wanted to leave, but enough that they probably thought a transfer of power was warranted. You would be surprised how many people can't think of anyone better to replace them."

"Aren't there a shockingly large number of Crpostranians in the top leagues?"

"Crossroads and Chromatik are the most obvious examples. At the same time, there is a difference between the professional managers who dominate most leagues - who have more or less spent their entire careers as managers - and people such as myself who have been playing for a long time and know how to work with everyone on the team, but aren't usually appointed. You see much the same work in cinema. I'm not going to run back my entire theory in the undoubtedly short time I have with you - I promise I'm smarter than this via email - but the consensus is that I have practical experience, I know how tactics and strategy work, and I am already known to the club, so therefore I was seen as the best possible candidate and treated accordingly. Surely you are aware of the Group of Six."

"What if you fail even worse than what happened last year?"

"Heaven forbid we don't make the IFCF, but in that event, I would write it off as motions in a club going through the motions. It could not possibly be worse than me missing my penalty against Persekarta Kartasura, which I did."

"Oops!"

"It was a mistake, I promise. Anyone telling you that I'm actually a robot is maybe 93% correct. The worst case scenario is that we're still the most successful club in Eleanorian history - although the other Rachel would have something to say about that - and the next manager does right by us. Otherwise, you know that I love football and while I appreciate this opportunity, I would secretly not mind having to manage a third division club somewhere else with almost no money if it came to the point that Athletic became unhitched from reality."

"So, that is Athletic sorted. What if the national team calls?"

"Then yes. I would have proven myself by then, I hope, and I consider this to be more of a rescue mission than anything."

"What are you rescuing this lot from? A league title?"

"I know, right? Bring back the 1980s!" Bill found this to be inordinately funny, though he would not be born until after Luke Gregory's heroics. "I see you found that funny, which I appreciate; Eleanorian humour tends to work like that. At the same time, I am thankful you haven't gotten yourself any coffee yet. Please - get one."

"Alright... PFFT" A few dollars later: "I assume that-"

"Please have your coffee. I won't be leaning so much into the brand of 'tinkering' that YAO was known for, though tactical adjustments will be of course required from time to time. As you would expect, I will be having a look at the other teams and choosing the most appropriate lineup based on that, though it will normally be the same as the standard one to eleven. Generally, we will keep the attacking emphasis of sorts that we're known for - not full-tilt - although I am very much not attack-minded myself. Athletic has come into its own in the modern era and I would like to retain our competitive advantage and collective strengths."

"So the summary is you're going to do what everyone thinks you will do?"

"No. Our current position is likely not conducive to the amount of dynamism we're banking on, not now that Amalie has gone; I'll have a closer look at what's happening in the transfer market, our youth pipeline and so on, and work from there.."

"So you're saying you didn't deserve to win the league."

"I have already told you that we probably benefitted from an unexpected outbreak of Margaret more than anything else. Some uncertainty is always inherent in football, but if this is how we expect to win league titles, then we are not going to be any more successful than we have been in the last few years. Not 'recently,' since you might be confused otherwise."

"I'll shut up about it."

"You might say that, but I have had a few people talk to me like that. I do not mind being backchatted at, although I will address the more invidious instances. Also, it is almost half past nine and I am trying to decompress by talking to you about football in the middle of a coffee shop where there are a lot of other people."

"So, that's how you're going to handle criticism."

"How I already handle it, you mean."

"But you tend to listen to the people at the top. And now you are the person at the top. The board is, more or less, a bunch of CEOs who like you and think you're doing a good job. This seems like a pretty fundamental issue."

"I have my own ideas for how the team should be set up - although, at this stage, they should largely resemble YAO's. This doesn't mean I have a problem with the old order of things, or otherwise I wouldn't be playing for the club. However, it does mean that I can now introduce my ideas to the team and explain why I'm doing these, rather than suggesting these or singlehandedly trying to outmanoeuvre the manager. Knowing how this country works, the players should be fully satisfied with me. If they're not, they probably have a very good reason."

"So I understand it now. You're going to keep the same tactics, with only a few changes, but will change them if the team changes..."

"That would be accurate, more or less."

"Away from the football for a bit. Two weeks until Christmas."

"Twelve days until I have to crash on my parents' sofa!"

"They didn't get rid of your bed... did they?"

"I actually don't think they've found the time to do that. I've stayed in worse places. I have my own house now, but they like having me around for Christmas and I like cooking for them in return. They are getting on in years, as I hope to."

"Here's hoping you don't spend the next fifteen years of your life getting tied down in this. Anyway, don't you have a press conference later?"

"At twelve o'clock, yes."

"I don't think the journalists will be much interested in what you have to say, then."

"Thanks! That's normally how I like it. I would very much appreciate it if the players are listening, however."

by **Saint Eleanor** » Sun Aug 09, 2026 10:20 pm

The Saint Eleanor Second League of 2016

Preview of the League sides (by Jamie Rodgers of SESB)

Legend: 99. {all eligible NT flags, if non-EXT; see below} Player McPlayerface [WINNER AS PLAYER: WORLD CUP 1000000, CUP OF HARMONY 1000000, BAPTISM OF FIRE 1000000; IFCF CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE/UICA CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, IFCF CHALLENGERS' CUP/UICA GLOBE CUP 1000000, IFCF ASSOCIATIONS' TROPHY 1000000, IFCF LIGA B CHAMPIONS' TROPHY/UICA SERIES B CHAMPIONS' CUP 1000000, CUP WINNERS' CUP 1000000] [WINNER AS MANAGER: AS BEFORE] [CAPTAIN] [POS; species; Army rank; 9001yo; pro/nouns].

Other notes:

Teams are in descending order of 2015 Second League finish.
Starting lineups go from 1 to 11; substitutes wear 12 to 18. Lineups are good for the 27th IFCF cycle.
Ages given reflect how old the Eleanorians will be at the end of 2016, and how old the foreigners were when we last checked.
Underlined single nationals play for the national team they are eligible for as of the start of 2016. Underlined dual nationals play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name as of that date. Non-underlined dual nationals are assessed by Harry Black, the Reporter's politics-of-football expert, as more likely to play for the national team whose flag appears first before their name.
Everyone is a human, and from Saint Eleanor, unless otherwise stated.
See a player without a like-for-like substitute? Subs listed as playing on one side of the pitch usually have no qualms with playing on the other as necessary.
The same "Important OOC notes about the Laws of the Game as they are applied in Saint Eleanor" as here apply.

Nova Aegis - "The Pink Falcons" - the club of the worst-off, especially from Sunset Gates to Buckhead

Home stadium: The Workers' Coliseum, Bramblewood district (capacity 20,874)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. August Wills [GK; 31yo; he/him]; 2. Lauren Smith [LB; 34yo; she/her]; 3. Simon Donald [RB; 29yo; he/him]; 4. Rick Street [CAPTAIN] [CB; 35yo; he/him]; 5. Louise Morgan [CB; 28yo; she/her]; 6. Keith Albert [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 7. Matthew Wrekin [LM; 34yo; he/him]; 8. Alessio Lombardo [CM; 32yo; he/him]; 9. Paul Ronson [RM; 29yo; he/him]; 10. Deborah Dennis [ST; 30yo; she/her]; 11. Bill Murphy [ST; 28yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Charlotte White [GK; 26yo; she/her]; 13. Richard Trincham [LB; 26yo; he/him]; 14. James Farmer [CB; 19yo; he/him]; 15. Tommy Grant [LM; 27yo; he/him]; 16. Millie Richards [CM; 25yo; she/her]; 17. Nick Ellison [ST; 27yo; he/him]; 18. Patrick Trout [RM; 30yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Harry Parsons [37yo; he/him]: Fourth time will not be the charm for Lambert, who has been ushered out and replaced by his relatively new understudy Parsons. The new manager has his work cut out for him, too, with the effortlessly cool Lombardo in midfield and the undeniably thorough Street still more or less the only players of any quality remaining on the lineup (though Murphy and Wills can make their cases on either end of the pitch), and nobody - not even the 19-year-old Farmer - threatening to come up from the youth ranks and reinvigorate the side any time soon.

Premier Club - "Premier" - the club of the New West's middle-class and services industry

Home stadium: Premier Stadium, Premier district (capacity 54,105)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Gemma Farley [GK; 30yo; she/her]; 2. Georgia Perry [LB; 27yo; she/her]; 3. Louise Halliwell [RB; 31yo; she/her]; 4. Helen Green [CB; 30yo; she/her]; 5. + Daiki Fujiwara [CB; 36yo; he/him]; 6. Heather Blake [CM; 34yo; she/her]; 7. Adam Ellison [LM; 27yo; he/him]; 8. Charlotte Mills [CAPTAIN] [CM; 30yo; she/her]; 9. Liam Johnson [RM; 23yo; he/him]; 10. Wendy Smith [ST; 30yo; she/her]; 11. Kevin O'Leary [ST; 24yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Darren Wilson [GK; 24yo; he/him]; 13. Georgia Perry [LB; 27yo; she/her]; 14. Diana Martin [CB; 20yo; he/him]; 15. Stephen Blunt [RM; 28yo; he/him]; 16. Rebecca Smith [CM; 19yo; she/her]; 17. Darren McDonald [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 18. Owen Howard [RM; 25yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Harriet Williams [WINNER AS PLAYER: CUP OF HARMONY 84] [46yo; she/her]: Someone at Premier - most likely Williams herself - has finally realised that significant improvements are required if this team is to be anywhere near as good as its bought-and-paid-for namesakes once were. Fujiwara is likely to retire any day now, but Perry is a welcome addition alongside him. There is an understanding that Mills and Blake need to remain in the midfield for continuity's sake, and there is a good case to be made for that too, but the introduction of Rebecca Smith to the bench should provide greater upside a few years down the line when she will be inevitably needed. With that said, O'Leary, Johnson and Ellison are all hitting their stride and Premier should be a good shout to go up as a result.

Grand Beach - "The Dolphins" - the club of coastal Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: Albion Road, Grand Beach district (capacity 24,815)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. David Tanner [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 2. Olivia Herbert [LB; 30yo; she/her]; 3. James Benson [CB; 32yo; he/him]; 4. Gary Milton [CM; 36yo; he/him]; 5. Bill Kendall [CB; 27yo; he/him]; 6. Owen Cartwright [RB; 29yo; he/him]; 7. Jack Brewer [LM; 29yo; he/him]; 8. Rachel Coulter [CM; 29yo; she/her]; 9. Samuel Wright [CAPTAIN] [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 10. Michelle Tallard [ST; 33yo; she/her]; 11. Gionata Mariani [RM; 35yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Anthony George [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 13. Richard Booth [RB; 28yo; he/him]; 14. James Salter [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 15. Olivia Herbert [LB; 30yo; she/her]; 16. Blake Spencer [RM; 25yo; he/him]; 17. Sara Halbrook [ST; 38yo; she/her]; 18. Adam Charles [CM; 29yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: John Goodyear [45yo; he/him]: With Jenkins having repeatedly tried and repeatedly failed to make the club good, it falls once more to Goodyear to bring them back to something resembling the glory days. The main changes were imposed last year, with Tanner starting in goal and Herbert finally getting regular starts - both inspired decisions, to be sure, even if they are not quite of the quality that would have been expected many years ago. The midfield is unremarkable as an institution, but an eye should be kept out for the still-annoying Coulter and the ever-surprising Mariani, and if much more trouble arises then Spencer could also get the minutes he's wanted. As widely expected, meanwhile, Wright has been a more under-the-radar striker than Tallard, but not by much.

Atlas - "Atlas" - the club of the New West's working-class and manufacturing industry

Home stadium: Atlas Stadium 1, Atlas district (capacity 46,148)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-2-3-1): 1. Iliana Morgan [GK; 28yo; she/her]; 2. Jake Gordon [LB; 31yo; he/him]; 3. Wayne Elliott [RB; 21yo; he/him]; 4. Kate Wilson [CB; 28yo; she/her]; 5. Brian Francis [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 6. Michael Jackett [CAPTAIN] [CDM; 36yo; he/him]; 7. Susanna Reynolds [LM; 30yo; she/her]; 8. Theodora Wyndham [CDM; 22yo; she/her]; 9. Adam Green [RM; 29yo; he/him]; 10. Donald Manning [CAM; 26yo; he/him]; 11. + Nobuyuki Ishida [ST; 36yo, he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Adam Evans [GK; 24yo; he/him]; 13. Luca Jones [LB; 24yo; he/him]; 14. Alexandra Morgan [CB; 23yo; she/her]; 15. Jessica Henderson [RM; 27yo; she/her]; 16. Steven Stone [CM; 23yo; he/him]; 17. Daisy Barratt [ST; 25yo; she/her]; 18. Daniel Carpenter [LM; 19yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Edward McDonald [51yo; he/him]: The official club of Kandorese rival megacorporation Kaito - now in opposition to Sanford's exploitative PREMIER as well as their even bigger domestic rivals Hiyashi - Atlas has managed to resist First League football for now. McDonald has his work cut out if his more conservative outlet is to deliver results: Ishida is a solid striker, even now, and Jackett continues to provide much-needed experience, but Wyndham is notoriously nebulous (even more so than Matsuda or Selnes would be on a bad day) and could unpick everyone else's work if and when she is not careful. Green and Reynolds are in their prime out wide, too, and there is surprisingly little to fault about them. The defence is one of the best out there, but this is largely because they are a cohesive unit rather than necessarily a group of stars, even if Morgan is normally within touching distance of the national team.

Republicans - "The Republicans" - the club of the bohemians, creative types, and other locals

Home stadium: Barclay Road, Deepchester district (capacity 11,295)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. David McEwan [GK; 30yo; he/him]; 2. Rob Waters [LB; 29yo; he/him]; 3. Lydia Howard [RB; 26yo; she/her]; 4. Jasmine Hair [CB; 31yo; she/her]; 5. Andrew Baker [CB; 32yo; he/him]; 6. Jôs Grêndê [CM; 29yo; he/him]; 7. Alex Whitby [CAPTAIN] [LM; 34yo; he/him]; 8. Sienna Roberts [CM; 32yo; she/her]; 9. Gûsín Nàár [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 10. Ryan Jones [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 11. Rebecca Tapp [RM; 28yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Jack Wooler [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. David Farley [RB; 19yo; he/him]; 14. Sophie Morton [CB; 26yo; she/her]; 15. James Wright [RM; 32yo; he/him]; 16. Rowena Brown [CM; 20yo; she/her]; 17. Henrietta Bilson [ST; 21yo; she/her]; 18. Liam Bradley [RM; 24yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Samuel Walcott [44yo; he/him]: Walcott may be an inexperienced manager leading an inexperienced team, like almost everyone else in this league, but he does at least have years of defensive experience with Sword and Shield - if it can be called that, given the team's historic lack of focus on defending - to count on. In a team largely made up of local artists, rather less productive layabouts, a couple of people who really didn't like their old clubs, and some amateurs who have jobs to hold down in the real world (Roberts is a supermarket cashier; Nàár is a gun licensing trainer with World of Safety), there is little of tactical note and will continue to be until such a point as Walcott is given a scout or a non-negligible sum of money.

Lion - "The Lions" - the club of the Dockside's diasporas

Home stadium: The Grand Oval, Marketplace district (capacity 23,427)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Annaliese Morgan [GK; 29yo; she/her]; 2. Harry Blunt [LB; 27yo; he/him]; 3. Jenna Edwards [RB; 25yo; she/her]; 4. Fabrice Dansa [CAPTAIN] [CB; 31yo; he/him]; 5. Allabatou Kusa [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 6. Theresa Roberts [CM; 29yo; she/her]; 7. Jatta Jobateh [LM; 26yo; he/him]; 8. Mamudu Eya [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 9. Jibou Jabayo [RM; 23yo; he/him]; 10. Benjamin Sienara [ST; 27yo; he/him]; 11. Harry O'Rourke [ST; 25yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Fanding Mecuyasa [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 13. Ella Smith [RB; 24yo; she/her]; 14. Roy Downsall [CB; 33yo; he/him]; 15. Theodore Dumbuya [LM; 22yo; he/him]; 16. Benjamin Sabaye [CM; 22yo; he/him]; 17. Jambaar Sawane
[ST; 19yo; he/him]; 18. Sophie McDonald [RM; 26yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: John Bennett [48yo; he/him]: Despite being a White Tinhamptonian, Bennett has made the lineup increasingly Banijan over the years, and retains their confidence as well as the board's. Morgan is a good goalkeeper, but she is let down by every defender other than Dansa, whose experience and courage is still something to be admired. The midfield is less of an open book, with Eya acting as the pivot player while Roberts is more of a go-getter; Jobateh is the more flexible and arguably capable of the two JJs out wide, but it is Sienara whose efficacy in attack is least in doubt, having had a hand in most of the club's goals for most of the seasons it's taken part in as well as a strong awareness of where, when and how to land the shot.

Yggdrasil - "Yggdrasil" - the club of north-eastern Saint Eleanor city

Home stadium: The Temple, Blackwood district (capacity 22,015)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Dustin O'Hara [GK; 29yo; he/him]; 2. Richard Walter [LB; 34yo; he/him]; 3. Michelle Francis [RB; 28yo; she/her]; 4. Gianna Summers [CAPTAIN] [CB; 33yo; she/her]; 5. Owen Davids [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 6. Patricia Halton [CM; 32yo; she/her]; 7. Jacob Worth [LM; 24yo; he/him]; 8. Jack Western [CM; 32yo; he/him]; 9. Ruth Milliner [RM; 28yo; she/her]; 10. Sophie Black [ST; 28yo; she/her]; 11. Brian Worth [ST; 31yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Gary Wilson [GK; 26yo; he/him]; 13. Ella Benson [RB; 23yo; she/her]; 14. Paul Marks [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 15. Edward Simpson [LM; 36yo; he/him]; 16. Sarah Newton [CM; 21yo; she/her]; 17. Razelaneta taVeratalena [ST; 26yo; he/him]; 18. Oliver Quinton [RM; 23yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Marion Camp [52yo; she/her]: Camp is always quietly confident, which is something that cannot often be said about a consistently mid-table second-division manager. If Yggdrasil does try and build the play out from the back, it is desperate rushing rather than calm passing, which possibly makes it helpful that Summers - the calmest head of the lot - is there to oversee the operation. While the club has never had a positive goal difference, either, Black and Brian Worth are both solid target-people and will try their best to ensure that history does not repeat itself; he's no relation to the fast, unflashy Jacob, while it's easily forgotten that Halton and Western in midfield are able to defend as well as just push the ball up.

Trades Unionists - "The Union" - the club of the Dockside's working class writ-large

Home stadium: New Docks Stadium, Wellington district (capacity 27,852)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Harry Spence [GK; 27yo; he/him]; 2. Phil Rankin [LB; 29yo; he/him]; 3. Nathan Evans [RB; 30yo; he/him]; 4. Catherine Woodacre [CB; 31yo; she/her]; 5. Joe Oxley [CB; 25yo; he/him]; 6. Ella Purton [CM; 31yo; she/her]; 7. David Walker [CAPTAIN] [LM; 32yo; he/him]; 8. Peter Reynolds [CM; 29yo; he/him]; 9. Victoria Rackitt [RM; 35yo; she/her]; 10. Jérôn Çíçí [ST; 30yo; he/him]; 11. Thomas Gunner [ST; 28yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Peter Reynolds [GK; 20yo; he/him]; 13. James Hill [LB; 31yo; he/him]; 14. Luke Milligan [CB; 28yo; he/him]; 15. Kylie Baxter [RB; 20yo; she/her]; 16. Laura Booker [CM; 30yo; she/her]; 17. David Woodbury [ST; 32yo; he/him]; 18. Angela Morgan [LM; 19yo; she/her]
Manager and tactics: Tina Heller [50yo; she/her]: Heller is a good manager in charge of a good team, to be sure, but they will need to seriously step up if they are to do anything more than threaten to win promotion. Çíçí will once again compete with O'Leary for the honour of top scorer, with Gunner playing more of a support role; the midfield is more dynamic than most, but Rackitt is the standout and remains potent even in her mid-thirties. The defence can vary between being solid and merely being tolerable - Heller might want to look at offloading Evans in particular - but Woodacre is the commander of the backline, even if she can sometimes be overeager.

Infrastructure - "Infra;" "The Power" - the club of the utilities

Home stadium: National Electric Stadium, Tannerton district (capacity 13,952)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Laura Scott [GK; 29yo; she/her]; 2. Graham Lawrence [LB; 28yo; he/him]; 3. Henry Mitchell [CAPTAIN] [RB; 32yo; he/him]; 4. Jimmy Spencer [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 5. Catherine Henderson [CB; 30yo; she/her]; 6. Parelaneta vaHelaxana [CM; 27yo; he/him]; 7. Joe Houseman [LM; 33yo; he/him]; 8. Paul Jones [CM; 30yo; he/him]; 9. Amelia Bartlett [RM; 28yo; she/her]; 10. Gary Sacks [ST; 35yo; he/him]; 11. Ryan Carter [ST; 31yo; he/him]
Substitutes: 12. Donald Baines [GK; 23yo; he/him]; 13. Megan Harrison [RB; 26yo; she/her]; 14. Wesley Milton [CB; 30yo; he/him]; 15. Pavezalena xaVeratalera [LM; 23yo; she/her]; 16. Dave Willis [CM; 29yo; he/him]; 17. Owen Burns [ST; 24yo; he/him]; 18. Matthew Gregory [RM; 27yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Alan Walker [61yo; he/him]: Who better to manage National Electricity's not-quite-so-new plaything than an actual boardroom manager at Natelec's actual business operation? Probably nobody else, to be fair, given that expectations for this side have always been relatively low - the local employees being far too busy laying cables and other groundwork to have much time for football. Walker has been widely celebrated for leading the club to a finish above the foot of the table, but there is nobody in this team whose praises can really be sung, and the best you should reasonably expect from Infrastructure is a repeat performance.

16th of November - "16N" - the club of the area in and around Holland, especially the zoo

Home stadium: The Stadium at the Zoological Gardens, Holland district (capacity 4,166)
Teamsheet (preferred formation 4-4-2): 1. Pavelarena meGalavane [GK; 31yo; he/him]; 2. Adam Johnson [LB; 24yo; he/him]; 3. Michael Davis [RB; 28yo; he/him]; 4. Anna Simpson [CB; 32yo; she/her]; 5. Quentin Tiller [CB; 29yo; he/him]; 6. Lauren Brown [CM; 29yo; she/her]; 7. James Parsons [LM; 28yo; he/him]; 8. Will Gardner [CM; 31yo; he/him]; 9. Lucy Ryan [RM; 25yo; she/her]; 10. Matt Norton [CAPTAIN] [ST; 33yo; he/him]; 11. Nicola Wilbury [ST; 28yo; she/her]
Substitutes: 12. Rebecca Newman [GK; 27yo; she/her]; 13. Michelle Brook [RB; 25yo; she/her]; 14. Alex Johnson [CB; 24yo; he/him]; 15. Angela Burton [LM; 20yo; she/her]; 16. Beth Ellison [CM; 26yo; she/her]; 17. Phil Johnson [ST; 19yo; he/him]; 18. Jake Rowley [RM; 22yo; he/him]
Manager and tactics: Sophia Lewis [44yo; she/her]: Of all the teams in the league, the bill that fits 16th of November best is that of a de-facto semi-professional team that has managed to give a lot of working-class folk a better life; the fact that they are less than rigorous in defence and has experienced highly variable league results - up to, and including, last year's wooden spoon - is telling of this. It is a different story as you go further up the field, with Parsons' ability to track back marking him out as possibly the team's best defender as well as its star out wide, midfielder Gardner sometimes adopting unconventional approaches in the pursuit of getting the ball up the field, and captain Norton regularly showing his potential to be a good striker (and sometimes even better than the other team's).

* * * * * * * * * *
JUDGMENT DAY

RESULTS OF THE 2015 SECOND LEAGUE

▼▼ Saint Eleanor Second League 2015     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
►►  1 Premier Club                       18   13   1   4    41   20  +21    40    Promoted; Liga B Champions' Trophy 28
►►  2 Atlas                              18   10   5   3    29   25   +4    35    Promotion Playoff; Liga B Champions' Trophy 28
►►  3 Grand Beach                        18   10   3   5    37   21  +16    33    Liga B Champions' Trophy 28
►►  4 Trades Unionists                   18   10   2   6    34   25   +9    32
►►  5 Nova Aegis                         18    9   3   6    34   32   +2    30
►►  6 16th of November                   18    8   2   8    42   40   +2    26
►►  7 Lion                               18    4   4  10    24   29   −5    16
►►  8 Yggdrasil                          18    5   1  12    31   45  −14    16
►►  9 Infrastructure                     18    4   3  11    17   33  −16    15
►► 10 Republicans                        18    3   4  11    23   42  −19    13    Wooden Spoon

Promotion Playoff result: Polytechnic Institute 3-1 Atlas
(Victor Holden 31', Lydia Falconer 55', Ârón Êmánn 67'; Donald Manning 63')

Polytechnic Institute remain in the First League; Atlas remain in the Second League

* * * * * * * * * *

James McGovern: No drama for Airport's penalty shootout heroine (published in The Express, 10-Sep-2016)

Few people would dare to take the phrase "it's all in a day's work" more seriously than Tina Brooks. Starting the second leg of Airport CS's first-round tie against Bramblewood CS - backed by Nova Aegis and much mightier than Northolt CS, the last city team Airport knocked out back in 2017 - was one thing. Finding the equalising goal midway through the second half was another. Thudding her penalty against the crossbar during the shootout that followed was another still. Scoring what would turn out to be the winning penalty during the thirteenth round of kicks might well have been something completely different. And then she had to go home and prepare to start filming on So Long and Goodnight, the latest film from director Alan Crabb which is set to hit Eleanorian screens next Easter.

To little surprise, Brooks - who turns seventeen on October 3rd - is an evasive figure. We end up meeting with her mother at Bellavita, more or less the fanciest restaurant in the district before you get to the airport's parking lot, although Tina insists on paying for my three-course meal as well as hers. "A pepperoni pizza is always a good idea, especially the one they sell over here. By my reckoning, it's $16.95, which is a bit cheaper and arguably a bit better than Geometrio's. Total damage, including what Mum's having, is a cool $104.40." And how much would that really be? "Community school PE departments aren't in a position to spend money on anything other than the stadium and the equipment. Film studios turn enough of a profit on their movies that they can pay the actors as a result and, if I'm not wrong, I got somewhere in the region of $6,000 for So Long. That isn't 'good money' by international film standards, or even Eleanorian TV standards - I think we've paid three or four actors a six-digit salary, ever, which pales in comparison to an average year for Channel 5 - but it's good enough for a child actor. One thing I would change would be to pay the actors a bit less and offer everyone first-dollar gross after the fact: as it stands, nobody's in a position to even ask for a share of the profit; my hairstylist on New Grosvenor in 2010 told me she didn't even have enough to do her weekly shopping and what she said's stuck with me."

Brooks also has the small matter of school to deal with. "I'm getting up at 0800, having breakfast, going to school, coming back at 1545 if I don't have any obligations, then having to do my homework, revise for the informal end-of-year exams, either hold down the fort while Mum's cleaning up the mess that people make in the airport toilets or do some acting, read my lines, follow the 9pm news on Channel 5, follow the Channel 5 drama or film or whatever they have after that, read a book, go to sleep at somewhere around 0030... I have, more or less, zero free time. I will repeat that," she insists, before making a circle with her index finger and her thumb and threatening to smile. If best practice is to get eight hours every night, though, then is Brooks' situation not a bit worse than that? "I know, right? Mum insists I get eight-and-a-half hours. In my experience, a double scoop of black coffee and a rather decadent slice of chocolate cake will prove her wrong."

On the field, Brooks is a striker and listed as such on the teamsheet, although she has her own way of going about things. "Would I say I admired Kevin O'Leary? No, I wouldn't, but I do tend to drop back, help out with the attack except when I'm absolutely needed, and generally help the midfield out with whatever it is they are doing. It is more fun, more challenging, and better exercise, although I do hit the gym where it's necessary - which is more often than you think!" Has she had to transform herself for any roles yet? "Physically, not really; the strength training came in useful for Exclusion, and although I broke a couple of ribs during production, it was more or less an occupational hazard I had to deal with. Mentally, yes, all the time. I am definitely from a working-class, single-parent, hustle-for-every-dollar family. I am also an evangelical Christian - can I say that? - who tries her best not to get into trouble. In most of the roles I've played, I've either been middle-class or badly-behaved, or both."

In So Long and Goodnight, Brooks is Sophia, the daughter of Jacob Baines (played by Harry Stevenson), a man who sets out to fulfil a promise made by a bankrupt entrepreneur to a long-time friend when he learns of his employer's misfortune. "She is a notable person in the grand scheme of things, let's just say, but I can't tell you much more than that for a few more months! I think I am allowed to say that Alan is a very good director and Harry is a very good actor - both among the best we have - and they really treated me as a person taking part in the film who deserved respect." The range of directors she has collaborated with has spanned the spectrum from critical darling Crabb (So Long) to iconic drama showrunner Sarah Reynolds (New Grosvenor) to the near-kitschy war and action director Noah Marshall (Second Look). "Noah is more disciplined than people think he is; he wants everyone and their brains in one piece for when all the explosions go on - if you've been put in solitary confinement by a wildcat gangster like I was, you'll be starved if not shot dead if you make any missteps! Sarah has a firm vision and wants us to follow the script, but is a bit more allowing of outtakes and creativity."

Brooks mentioned perhaps her two most celebrated films so far earlier: aged ten, she was the effortlessly sensible Katie in New Grosvenor, who kept her head in a community going mad; aged fourteen, she was the ill-behaved Maddie in Exclusion, who lost her head in a building already conducive to rage. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Film at the Eleanorian Screen Awards for the former, and unfortunate not to be in Best Actress contention for the latter. "I wouldn't really call myself a prestige actor as such - the adults tend to move from film to film to film in the hope of paying their bills, so I don't think they can say that, either - but with how the film landscape normally shakes out at the ESA, you get the biggest domestic films that everyone's talking about competing with the stuff that got made for a few thousand dollars out of pure necessity. I tend to find that the better the screenplay and the direction are, the better a performance I tend to deliver; certainly I was better in either of those films than I ever was as Mary in Nativity. New Grosvenor was a tough pill to swallow at my age - I broke down in tears on the spot - but I think the consensus was that I stole people's hearts while Jenny Black in The Hawk's Cry got people's minds and attention, as forensic psychologists with guns tend to do, and she was more than a worthy winner. Exclusion I don't have any bad feelings about, as it was intended to be a blockbuster moral tale for older teens and adults, rather than a play for awards or Channel 5 like Grosvenor was."

Brooks has been acting since she was six years old - though few will remember the one line she delivered in 2006's Hands to the Plough - and has done a range of other acting projects since then, including television and commercials. "Back in 2013, I was the annoying one in the Intershop ad who begs Dad for a pack of doughnuts! However, I don't think people on that set or any others were excited about me because I was Katie, or even because I was nominated for the privilege of being Katie, rather than that I was a very good young actress. People don't care that I have black hair and blue eyes, so long as I can do the job, and so far everyone thinks I can. Obviously someone like Jenny who's also won Best Director of a Film (for 2004's Cold Water), or Laura Howard who won Best Actress in both Film and TV back in the 1980s, or - more recently - Zoe Craft will have a lot of gravitas and they can use their awards to book onto projects, but I think name reputation is a bigger factor for them than their awards. There are hundreds of Eleanorian actors, even more crew, and they are pretty much all doomed to go from project to project trying to make enough money; unless you're one of Channel 5's stars, and even then you will be back on the grind in a few years. I thrive a bit more in film; that may change in a few years if I'm tapped to head up a limited series. However, I think I'm genuinely happy to say I'm open to being in all kinds of projects in all kinds of media, though I'll somehow have to make it work around my timetable."

Has she ever considered branching out into theatre or the world of music? "Theatre is something that schools and foreigners do, so we'll cross that bridge if I become a massive star. I had my own song aged twelve in My Weekend Away, that rare Eleanorian musical, but I'm not sure I could commit to an EP at this, or possibly any other, time." What about writing and directing her own movie, as Black did with Cold Water? "This is definitely something on my bucket list, but I'm looking a few years down the line with this one. I have a couple of ideas going on, but the challenge is to stretch out my idea for almost two hours, or enough to keep both audiences and participants entertained. As I said, we only have so many people involved in the creative industries, so some kind of flexibility is necessary in the long run, even if it isn't to the degree that Jenny's been involved in. Lest we forget that Noah Marsh was the sidekick in Good David Jackson, the first great movie about the War of Independence!"

Although she shared earlier that she is revising for internal end-of-year exams this year, she is studying plenty of other things, as well. "There is no foreign language provision in Eleanorian schools - perhaps because we are in the Terranean-speaking world and dreadfully practical - so I have had to learn Azertienne on my own time. It will be worth the effort I put into it, especially on the off-chance I end up in some nice, fancy foreign film where everything, perhaps even the football, is better. And I do read my Bible every time I need some inspiration, although whether this is once every few days or once every few hours depends on my predicament." And just to double-check, is there any hope, whatsoever, of her playing in the Saint Eleanor League going forward? "Absolutely not! I was only called up to the team because I did well enough in training and not enough other people were interested!"

Updates from the Saint Eleanor League

Charles Trump Shield 2010: Saint Eleanor's best U18 cup!

SEFL (and Showcase) 2010 - full accounting

SESL 2010 - a potted rundown, sorry

Charles Trump Shield 2011: Saint Eleanor's best U18 cup!

SEFL (and Showcase) 2011 - full accounting

SESL 2011 - a potted rundown, sorry

Charles Trump Shield 2012: Saint Eleanor's best U18 cup!

SEFL (and Showcase) 2012 - full accounting

SESL 2012 - full accounting (less a few substitutes!)

Charles Trump Shield 2013: Saint Eleanor's best U18 cup!

SEFL (and Showcase) 2013 - full accounting

SESL 2013 - full accounting (less a few substitutes!)

Charles Trump Shield 2014: Saint Eleanor's best U18 cup!

SEFL (and Showcase) 2014 - full accounting

SESL 2014 - full accounting (less a few substitutes!)

Charles Trump Shield 2015: Saint Eleanor's best U18 cup!

SEFL (and Showcase) 2015 - full accounting

SESL 2015 - full accounting

Charles Trump Shield 2016: Saint Eleanor's best U18 cup!

SEFL (and Showcase) 2016 - full accounting

SESL 2016 - full accounting

Who is online