Most enjoyable game yet...

Had every football manager since the early days in mid 90's when it was Champ Manager and I can honestly say I haven't enjoyed a game as much as the current one.

I got the game when it first come out but never played it. When I finally got some time to sit down and play I started as York City with the intention of sticking it out. Too often I'd get bored played as teams and start again, but I decided early on to stick with York and see what I could build.

Well here's my story so far.

I signed the likes of Chris Dickson and Stuart Fleetwood on free transfers from Charlton Athletic and other numerous players as I built a side I felt good enough to challenge. I didn't expect to go up but I did via the Play-Offs. I didn't have any money to really spend in League Two so I relied on the bosmans and I managed to sign the likes of Lewis Buxton, Sam Sodje, Scott Flinders who took a while to blend in but have progressed and remain with me today. First 10 games in League Two saw me rock bottom 5 points adrift with no wins to my name.

Perversely I enjoyed this as I thought, "Realistic, and love the challenge". It made me think harder and as such it made me determined to actually turn things around. Turn things round I did.

1st season; 5th in Conference and win Play Offs.

2nd season; 14th

3rd season; 9th

4th season; 6th and Play Off heartbreak against Chesterfield

5th season; 1st with 11 games left. Unbeaten in 22 and 4 points clear of 2nd and 8 points clear of 4th.

I was close to leaving after season 4 but decided to turn down Brentford who were relegated to League Two and stay. I tweaked the squad with just three signings. All loans. Andy Carroll arrived from Newcastle. I wanted a target man as my front two were too similar. Matt Richie from Portsmouth and Joss Labadie from West Brom. Ritchie is amazing and I managed to sign him on a free from Portsmouth in January and I also signed Labadie on a free.

Carroll has been a masterstroke. Unfortunately no chance of bringing him in on a perm basis but he's done the buisness this season scoring 18 goals. Unfortunately Dickson and Fleetwood my two stars in the Conference have found life difficult in League Two, Fleetwood especially. Dickson scored 18 goals in both season 2 and season 3, and hit 15 in season 4. He has really struggled this season with just 6 and is now in the reserves as his confidence has dipped. Fleetwood hit 12 in season 2 and has hit just 6 8 and 4 respectively since. Fleetwood will definitely be sold on at the end of the season whilst Dickson I'll keep faith with.

I had a transfer embargo on me for most of January as we're in takeover talks. That broke down which enabled me to sign Labadie and Ritchie on free but more importantly allowed me to make a move for 19 year old striker Tony Chapman of Bury who I'd been looking at. Bury produced a young kid called Roy Willis who moved to Derby for £1.5m and Chapman reminds me of him when he first emerged stats wise. He'd scored 8 goals in 34 games for Bury, not great...but I thought he'd do it. He has scored 6 goals in 8 since arriving. I have the best defensive record for the second year running, conceaded just 20 goals in 35 games. Winning many away games 1-0. Flinders who I bought ages ago is a legend who hasn't missed a game yet!

I reached the area final of the JPT this season aswell and had to play Crewe who are runaway leaders in League One. I drew 0-0 at their place and really thought we would make Wembley. We absolutely battered them in the home leg but lost 1-0 infront of almost 10,000.

I have kept a settled squad and allowed them to build/bond together. I don't do "silly formations" as I call them. I work with a bog standard proper 4-4-2 occasionally switching to 5-3-2, 3-5-2, 4-3-3 during games depending on the situation. I prefer the realism of the games and would get absolutely sod all enjoyment from getting the likes of Gateshead promoted to the Premiership using stupid tactics.

I have never enjoyed a game as much as this one.

Just seen there is a new patch released too, ain't been on this forum for yonks! When I'm ready to start a new game I'll get the patch on and fire away again, hopefully I won't be starting a new one anytime too.

Finally I'd like to say this is the most bug free game I've ever played too. Usually been sily errors which have annoyed me, but TOUCH WOOD encountered nothing really.

Great effort chaps, keeping up the brilliant work as usual!!!!

Nice one MillwallLad;)

Cheers fella.

Up The Lions.

FM '09 is brilliant, but I personally enjoyed CM 03/04 much more. It might have been the success I had on it or it might have been that I had more time to play it on school nights as opposed to now where I'm stuck doing any one of revision/uni assignments/drinking/seeing the missus. I'm finding it harder to get into games now, but that's nothing to do with the quality of the game.

My favourite game ever was with Telford United (now AFC Telford United after they died and then re-formed.) Started in the Conference and ended up in the Premiership within 7 seasons. I spent 3 seasons trying to get out of the Conference and then achieved straight promotions each year until I reached the Premiership. I got halfway through that season and then Liverpool offered me the job. I couldn't turn it down since they're the club I've supported since I can remember.

I had a striker by the name of Paul Moore who didn't have overly outstanding attributes, even for a Conference player, but I kept going with him and he scored at every level right up to the Premiership. He even scored against Liverpool 2 games before I took the job there (it was a 2-0 win at New Bucks Head, with Riccardo Montolivo getting the other goal from a free-kick). That match was my favourite match ever because it was the culmination of a long hard save. I don't rush through things, I like to take my time. It also didn't help that my computer at the time wasn't the quickest. But beating my home-town club, the club I've supported forever gave me an awesome feeling.

I just loved that save, and CM 03/04. Easily my most enjoyable game yet.

well done i think this happens that if you struugle you actully enjoy the game more also to bring a team up that you can call your own!!

I enjoy reading stories like these. Glad to see that I'm not the only one who enjoys the thrill of turning lowly non-league clubs into steady league teams.

Nice one.

Agreed with Saxon and Suge.

I have never once started a game in the Premier League. I always made it my goal to get there so I'd usually start with teams like Ipswich, but then I'd get bored far too easily and I'd quit.

So taken a new angle with this game, started as York and still playing the same game today. I still want to get into the Premier League but want to establish York first. I think I can take them into the Championship and then I'd probably move on. I have no desire to make York a Premier League team and Champions League. It may sound silly to some, but it's just realism. York's capabilities extend to League One. Possibly a season or two in the Championship.

Quick update on how the season finished. Still got one game left but I've already been crowned champions. Dickson's little rest done him the world of good and he scored 4 goals in 10 when he returned.

Been busy for a couple of days but getting back into it tonight. Need to get through pre season and try and get my already identified targets. Won't be going mad as I want this current team to remain the core of the team.