Long-term Games on CM/FM

Hello all,

We've had quite a few long-term game threads in GD in the past but I thought it was time for a definitive one.

The point of this thread is to talk about and list your longest saves on any of the versions you can remember. Go back as far as you can.

I've been looking back at my old saves on FM07 and 08 just lately. I had some pretty good saves on 07 and 08 for sure.

Personally, I can't remember much past FM07 and I think I used to play mainly short-term games in FM05 and 06.

In the CM days, I remember having one almighty save with Cremonese taking them up the Italian leagues but I couldn't say which version it was, or indeed how many seasons I played for. When I finished the game, I was at the top of the footballing world, winning Serie A. Can't remember if I won the Champions League though. :confused: Pretty sure I must have.

So, let us know how long-term your games were on each version.

My list (for those that I can remember) would be the following:

FM2007 - St. Albans City in 2020 (14 seasons)

FM2008 - Career game in 2017 (10 seasons)

FM2009 - St. Albans City in 2012 (4 seasons)

I've always been quite a slow player going into a lot of detail but, as you can see, I normally get into double figures with FM in the most recent incarnations.

Certainly my favourite save was the St. Albans City one in FM07 and I wish I had started that earlier when the game had first come out. I also had to abandon it earlier than usual because I had important exams coming up for my postgrad degree foundation year. By the time I came back to FM, a new version was out. During 14 seasons, I had managed to get St. Albans promoted up to the Premier League after starting in the Conference (4 promotions). On the way up, I spent six years in the Championship, struggling along, nearly getting relegated and managing to stay up on the last day, as well as failing in no less than 4 playoff finals in a row. I also managed England (took them to a WC semi-final but then got knocked out of the group stages of the Euros) and Turkey (failed to get them to the WC :o). What a roller coaster ride that save was!

So this thread is both a chance to reminisce over old saves and over old versions of the game and also a chance to tell us about your longest saves on each version.

C.

Well on Pomps file in 09, done 6 years - only 5 were whole seasons. Expect to do at least 13/14 altogether.

Longest ever?

I guess in Champ Man 4 played about 8 seasons, but the league froze and no new fixture were made. The only competition that I could play was the League Cup :confused: dunno why.

Always get into about 30 years or so.

Before I was married I once did one save for 25 years and then another for 25 years, this was pre 1998.

Sad, yes thats me.

Currently into 2023 on the latest game and on to my 3rd club.

FM2007 - Career game (West Brom, Inter) in 2028

FM2008 - Career game (Monaco, Juventus) in 2020

FM2009 - Career game (Charlton, Marseille, Inter) in 2012

My FM07 career game was by far my favourite save ever.

Who was your 07 with?

Can't remember any specific long term games from before FM07.

FM07: Milan, 10+ seasons.

FM08: NK Belisce, 10+ seasons, IT & E Pumas (in a created Guamean league) 20 seasons.

FM09: Barito Putra Banjarmasin and Indonesia, 14 seasons as club manager, up beyond 2040 in the end.

I started off with West Brom, got promoted and moved to some other Premiership side (can't believe I can't remember) before moving on to Inter. It's been so long since I deleted that save, so I'm a bit sketchy on most of the details.

Furthest I've got is 2020 with Arsenal then Valencia on 08. M'in 2016 with Sunderland atm though.

fm07 - real madrid, 15 seasons

fm08 (never really liked that version) - napoli, alcorcon; 5 seasons each

fm09 - real madrid, 14 seasons and still playing

been trying to win 10 la liga titles in a row but failed twice at 9...

I discovered the series late on, so I missed all of the CM's (though I do have CM 03/04 that I ordered online). The first game I played was FM05, and it still remains one of my favorites to this day. While it doesn't have many of the features and shiny graphics that 09 has, I do appreciate the simplicity of it. No press conferences, teamtalks, or opposition instructions to worry about. Just pick a tactic, select a lineup, and play some footie.

FM07 is a close second. For some reason, I've enjoyed the odd-numbered games more than the even-numbered ones. FM05, 07, and 09 I have played much more than I ever did 06 or 08.

I tend not to play more than a few seasons at a time before I get bored with it and go play something else for a while, so I don't really have any stories of epic career games like a lot of you guys have. My longest game was probably in FM05 when I took a struggling AFC Bournemouth, who had been relegated to the Conference, all the way back to the Premiership. It took 10 seasons to get back, and the game was cut short by the arrival of FM06, so I never did get to play in Europe or anything.

I started off with West Brom, got promoted and moved to some other Premiership side (can't believe I can't remember) before moving on to Inter. It's been so long since I deleted that save, so I'm a bit sketchy on most of the details.

You deleted your save.

I never delete my saves. I've still got saves from old CMs on backed up on discs somewhere.

C.

Just looking through some old CDs now. Loads of CM4 tactics and saves.

My Italian game taking Cremonese up the leagues looks like it was probably in CM4.

Anyone remember that version? Was it any good?

I seem to have enjoyed it at the time judging by the amount of saves on my archive CDs.

C.

You deleted your save.

I never delete my saves. I've still got saves from old CMs on backed up on discs somewhere.

C.

I'm never able to get back into old saves once I have a new one started, so not much point keeping them.

I always think they are worth keeping in case you want to walk down memory lane one day and have a look at some of your old CM/FM legends etc.!

I must have liked CM4. As well as my Cremonese save, I've found a Scottish game and a Brazilian one.

C.

I also delete old saves, mostly because I will play the game for a few weeks, get bored with it, and go play something else. Then when I come back to the game, I never can remember where I was and what I was doing, so it's easier to just delete the save and start over.

The furthest i got in FM08 was 2016 with Liverpool. Really enjoyed that save as i had world class regens coing through regularly. Once had three future world class strikers in the same youth side.

In FM09 im in 2015/2016 with Aston Villa after a season with Blackburn.

Currently moved onto another save using King's Lynn which has the potential to be my longest save yet - providing i have enough time to play

Just trying to think back regarding the other games in the CM/FM series.

I started out on Championship Manager 2, where I always used to play as Liverpool and England (using the cheat where you could put in the name of the current manager). I think I used to play for quite a few seasons on that.

There was Championship Manager 96/97 and Championship Manager 97/98 and I think I only had one of them but I don't remember which.

Oh, I nearly forgot. For some reason, I choose to start with Bolton on one save game and ended up taking them to the Premier League and winning it. I had two amazing young English players called Scott Rimmer and Dean Clarke, both were strikers. Dean Clarke was amazing and ended up at Bayern Munich. Scott Rimmer was a bit more enigmatic and ended up breaking his leg, I seem to remember.

Scott Rimmer and Dean Clarke.

Championship Manager 3, I remember. I think this was the one where Ibrahima Bakayoko was the greatest player ever, wasn't it?

I'm pretty sure I had a long save with Liverpool on this and I had this legendary player who I will always remember called Enrico Caceres. A Chilean forward with amazing stats.

Enrico Caceres.

Championship Manager Season 99/00 and Championship Manager: Season 00/01 - I can barely remember these two games at all.

Championship Manager: Season 01/02 - am I right in thinking that this was the last game in commentary only?

I remember this. Wasn't this the famous wibble, wobble tactics interface? I had loads of careers on this game. Can't remember any of them though!

Championship Manager 4 - this was the first 2D game I believe and perhaps the one with 'loony MC'?

I believe this was the one where I had a really long save with Cremonese in Italy (randomly picked as they were in the bottom league).

Championship Manager: Season 03/04 - Can't really remember this one but I'm sure I played it lots. Pretty sure this was just CM4 with extras.

Football Manager 2005 - all I can really remember from this is playing a Liverpool save with my friend and bringing back Robbie Fowler. I think we were trying to replicate real life by winning the CL but we never did.

Football Manager 2006 - this and 2005 covered the period around the time I met my wife, I think, so I'm not sure I played it very much. Although, I distinctly remember having a career game where I ended up with Yeovil and got stuck for ages, always a midtable team in the lower leagues.

Then FM2007 - the addiction was back, as per my opening post.

Another few FM legends were born in FM07 in my Saints save.

John Dawson - a 4k signing from Hitchin who played in every league for the Saints apart from the Premier (he retired after promotion).

Jim Pirie - a Scottish defender who joined in the lower leagues and was world class in the end.

Enrico Muratore - an Italian with a penchant for scoring a brace, which became his trademark.

FM08 also addicted, as per my first post.

FM09 not so much.

That's been a great stroll down memory lane though.

Scott Rimmer, Dean Clarke, Enrico Caceres, John Dawson, Jim Pirie and Enrico Muratore.

C.

to be honest the first in the series I played was 08. I managed 10 years with 4 different clubs on 08 but this is only cos saves started to bore me after a while

On 09 i'm in 2014/15 season after spells at Man Utd and AC Milan. I'm currently at Athletico Madrid and have won the league in my first full season with two games to go

does anyone remember who the great players where in champ man 01/02

I remember Arjen Robben was a decent Midfielder at Gronigen (sp) at the time i think.

Also, Jonas Lunden and Tomas Rosenqvist from Sweden and Tonton!!!! No one can forget him

thanks mate

i have that fired up but was looking more for the defensive players

cheers

My first long-term game was on CM4, playing as Inter Milan for around 10 seasons. It was the first version with the 2D match engine and i remember players with a high dribbling stat would run rings around everyone . Oba Martins was my legendary striker, banging the goals in for fun, and a few other young South American players like Kaka and Mancini did the business.

There was also a bug where the 'Other Expenses' part of the finances would be huge and i really struggled to stay in the black, even though i was pretty successful in Europe and domestically. Was quite realistic actually! And Diego Tristan was my big name signing, back when he was quite good

Even though CM4 was completely bug-ridden, i still enjoyed it and will always fondly remember it for my Inter game.

CM4, Hakan Yakin, ring a bell anyone?

I seem to remember him being one of the best cheap buys in the game and his stats were such that he scored loads (high dribbling and long shots).

Either that or I am getting mixed up with another player.

C.

thanks mate

i have that fired up but was looking more for the defensive players

cheers

This might be what you are looking for: http://www.neoseeker.com/resourcelink.html?rlid=62546&rid=57873

C.

Currently in the 2032/33 season as manager of Huddersfield (as I have been since the start)

edit-FM2008

I've managed about 7 or 8 seasons with Parma in CM 00-01 before the inevitable 'corrupt data' set in and ruined it all.

I started with CM 99-00, still have the dark-blue box here now, just think its nearly 10 years old!

I remember asking for it for christmas when i got my first Celeron 400mhz PC in 1999. It ran pretty poorly with my elite 64mb ram, until i expanded to 128mb and nearly crapped my pants at the sheer light speed at which it then ran. Can't remember any saves from that, but i do remember that they always ended with corruption and frequently had a fit once January 1st arrived every season and Bosman transfers became active etc.

My Ultimate formation of the Christmas-tree in 00-01 (remember that!)

With (can't remember who played X position)

----------Buffon------------

Jellyman-----X------X------X

Lassisi-----Longo-----Davies

-----Aimar-----Riquelme------

---------Saviola-------------

Those where the days

It did have its problems though. Players with high creativity/passing like my midfield 3 were prone to going off 'injured' when making 100 or more passes. A major flaw

My most long term game was in 08

Started at Celtic staying for 3 seasons perhaps four before moving to Fiorentina. Won Serie A the first and finished 2nd the next season before taking France to the 2014 world cup and the Semis of the Euros in 2016

All my FM games tend to be long term ones. I enjoy watching how the football 'world' evolves over time.

CM01-02: The big one. Think I got up to 2066 with a variety of clubs (Man City, Southampton, Worksop, England and Brazil) winning everything given a certain amount of time.

CM4-03/04, FM 05 and 06 never really got into in a long term sense

FM07 34 seasons with TNS, though only winning the league once (because of an overpowered Llanelli in game) although did make ECL group stage

FM09- near 15 seasons, now with Witton Albion.

Well, i've had so many great saves over the years it's hard to distinguish between the best. So, i'll start from the beginning -

CM1 - My interest in CM began when a friend of mine at school told me about this new game called Championship Manager he'd read about. From what he'd told me it sounded amazing, the chance to manage my favourite team and take them to the heights of glory.....i had to buy it! So, later on that week i bought it (with the pocket money i'd saved up) and went round my mate's house to play it. I loaded it up and it asked for a password from the manual, of course i'd left the manual at home, so i had a few wild guesses and out of nowhere, i got it! (It was a common word like 'and' or 'the' or something, to this day my friend still reminds of it!) So, we had loaded up the game and away we went. I think my first team was Nottingham Forest (the team i support). I can't really remember how i did, all i remember is the names of the players, or lack of, the centre forward was no.9 and the keeper was no.1 etc. Nevertheless, i loved it and i was hooked!

CM Italia - I vividly remember this game and the saves i had on it. I had two great saves, one as Juventus and one as Milan. I remember my front line for Juventus was Ravanelli, Baggio and a young striker called Del Piero.....they knocked the goals in for fun. I think i went on to win several serie a titles. My Milan save was just as much fun, i had Van Basten and Massaro up front who scored just as many. I always remember though Gianluigi Lentini who was out for 18 months (i think he had a car crash in real life which was reflected on CM, hence his injury). I don't think i had as much success with Milan as i did with Juve.

CM2 - I don't really remember much about this version other than it had commentary from Clive Tyldesley (i think). SWOS was out at the same time so i spent a lot of my time playing that.

CM96/97 - Again, i don't really remember much about this version either as i was mostly playing SWOS. What i do remember is, i think it was this version, was the addition of new leagues and the ability to play 3 leagues, at the same time, introducing long term games. Wasn't this the year of the Bosman rule too?

CM97/98 - Once again, i was playing SWOS so not much time for CM

CM3 - I had a good save on this version with Mansfield Town. This is where i started to 'get into' LLM. I got fed up of managing Forest so i went for the lowest team which was nearest....Mansfield. Had some fair success, a couple of promotions.

CM99/00 - CM00/01 - Didn't have much time playing these versions as i started working as well as studying

CM01/02 - Can't really remember a great save, i do however remember To Madeira who was a legend, nearly as much so as Mark Collis and Ferrah Orosco on the earlier versions of CM.

CM4 - I think this one was when the introduction of the 2d was brought in. This made the game even better for me as i could actually see what was happening leading to the question my mum and girlfriend used to ask me....."how can you watch little dots running around on the screen?" Had a few good saves on this with Forest and Mansfield with fair success.

FM05 - Had a good save with Burton where i managed to take them to the championship in 10 or so years.

FM06 - Now this is where i can really remember the great saves i've had. I had a really good game going with Napoli who were in Serie B. Signed some great players, John Obi Mikel when he was 17 or something and Alex (who's at Fenerbache now). Both of these bossed my midfield for years leading me out of Serie B and to the top of Serie A and the top of Europe. I also had a great striker whose name i can't think of! I think i managed 15 or so years before i left this game as FM07 was out.

FM07 - Another few great saves on this version with Dinamo and Hearts where i managed around 10-15 seasons altogether. This is also when i started playing online with a mate. I was Hearts and he was Hibs, we had a great game going which lasted around 4 or 5 years. In our second season i had the chance to win the league on the last day but blew it as my mate beat me, which left me with a 3rd place finsh

FM08 - My favourite of all releases, proabably because i had most success on this one. Had a great save where i started at Dinamo, then to Celtic then to Barca over the course of 17-18 seasons, managed to win pretty much everything. Had probably my best save ever on another save with Happy Valley. Won everything possible within Asia and also managed to win the CWC once with them. After 15 or so seasons there i went to CSKA Moscow where my success continued. I managed to win everything possible after 6 or so years there. That save to date is the longest i've ever had (21 seasons) Also, played online with a clan which was great fun.

FM09 - Got a very good save going at the minute. Started off at the bottom with Lurgan Celtic, after 7 seasons there went to Ross County for 3 seasons, now at AFC Wimbledon trying to get them into the Prem. Currently been there for 3 years and in league 2.

Sorry to go on a bit but you wanted to know Crouchaldinho! . Wow, after reading what i've just written, i never realised how much of my life i've actually spent playing CM/FM! I have got a social life.......honest!

WARNING, PLAYER NAMING

My longest ever save was on CM 01/02 (the best football manager game ever IMHO ).

It was only 5 and a half seasons (I'm a slow player!), but was very enjoyable.

I started as Farnborough in the Conference. I managed to get Ray Houghton as my ass man. I also sent my scout to Spain, he reccomended a young Spaniard called Ruben who had been released from a team in the lowest Spanish league, can't remember who, something like Universallis :confused:

Come third in my first season (remember no playoffs in them days!)

I then promoted Ruben up from my reserves and that was that, over thirty goals and top of the league!

I then won Division 3 and 2 in succesive seasons.

I got promoted to the Premiership in my 5th season after winning the play offs with Ruben still scoring all my goals! Also I had Stephen Bywater on loan who was for some reason legendary for me that season!

In the Premiership I did well to stay just above the relegation zone, but half way through the season the PC went crash, and that was that

Ah, the good old days

CM 02/03 (Xbox) - Stevenage Boro (10 Seasons)

FM06 - Kristiansund BK (10 Seasons)

FM07 - ? Not one of my favorites

FM08 - Karlsruhe (3 Seasons)

FM09 - Empoli (4 seasons so far)

FM07 34 seasons with TNS, though only winning the league once (because of an overpowered Llanelli in game) although did make ECL group stage

34 seasons with TNS. Impressive! Especially seeing as you only one the league once.

C.

Well, i've had so many great saves over the years it's hard to distinguish between the best. So, i'll start from the beginning -

[...]

Sorry to go on a bit but you wanted to know Crouchaldinho! . Wow, after reading what i've just written, i never realised how much of my life i've actually spent playing CM/FM!

That was a really good read! I enjoyed that!

I have got a social life.......honest!

I haven't. Why pretend?

It's overrated anyway!

C.

I'm glad you enjoyed reading my experiences of a misspent youth Crouchaldinho!

FM09.......Aston Villa 2021. Journeyman manager.

great timing for this thread, as my near 60-season FM06 game that I've been playing for about three years just gave up the ghost. After seasons of taking 15 minutes to load or save, I finally got that dreaded error message. Ah well, dust in the wind innit. Now I must recount my tale as best as I can remember. (um, player naming involved, if anyone still cares about FM06 player naming.)

I started off with Rangers, sticking with the core squad and making a few signings in key positions - Darijo Srna, Ugur Yildirim and Park Joo-Young providing plenty of goals and class across the field. I took them to two consecutive league titles, with Dado Prso getting an impressive 39 goals in the 2006/07 season, a record that stands today, and in that same season suffered a narrow UEFA Cup final loss. 2007/08 started well, but then in February I had what probably remained my biggest humiliation in my long career, as I lost 8-0 (!!) to Celtic at Ibrox. The league form declined and I fell behind Celtic, but my European form, on the other hand, went from strength to strength, with victories over Inter and Valencia, among others, taking me to the Champions League semis. Unforunately that was to be the end of me, as I fell to a tragic loss at Liverpool in extra time. I never quite recovered from that humiliation either, as I could only finish runner up to Celtic. That summer, upon the retirement of Sir Alex, Man Utd came chasing. Rangers, despite my minor disappointments of that season, wanted to keep me, but couldn't offer me the significant transfer funds I felt I needed to get that much sought after European success. Feeling I had achieved all I could at Rangers, then, I took up Man Utd's offer.

After a poor 2006/07 season I had a bit of a job rebuilding Man Utd, and didn't quite manage it in the first season - signing Andrea Pirlo and Dimitar Berbatov (ha) gave me a boost, but I ended up finishing just second in the league and suffering another Champions League semi-final extra time loss, this time to a 119th minute Chelsea goal when I regrettably jettisoned my "attack at all times" tactics and tried to shut up shop. The next season however, the team finally gelled, and a spectacular season by C. Ronaldo (averaging 8.50) took me to victories in both the league and the Champions League. I had done it, after just a few short seasons I was at the top of the world. AC Milan then came calling with a massive transfer budget, and with the prospect of having the kind of funding that would allow me to build a team to call my own from scratch laid out before me, I was headed to Italy.

And there I spent over 50 years, so my story will have to be somewhat truncated. Ha. Milan had a terrible season previously, barely qualifying for the UEFA Cup, and were at that point where all of their stars are retiring, so I set to work. The rebuilding process was going to take a while, and I only finished fourth in Serie A in my first season, but a UEFA Cup win gave me a boost, and going into the following season I had quite the formidable team. Adopting a somewhat unconvential 5-3-2 wing back system with DMC, MC, and AMC, my team could threaten from anywhere and moved like a dream. Curci in goal, a back three of Vanden Borre, De Jong and Besagno, Fabio Santos and Rafinha manning the wings, Mascherano, Pedretti and Adu offering skill down the spine of the team, and a front line of Tevez and Gilardino took me to an easy Serie A victory, and that basic team saw me dominate Italy and Europe for years to come.

Going into too much detail now will get very boring (and my memory is very muddled), so I'll go for some highlights:

- nine consecutive Champions League titles with over a 100 games unbeaten

- taking Scotland to European Championships glory, followed by World Cup glory

- taking Brazil to the Copa America

- taking Italy to countless European Championship and World Cup victories with a team built out of my Milan players

- going two whole (non consecutive :'( ) seasons unbeaten

- FINALLY breaking that 100 point barrier with a 104 point season

- only having four first choice goalkeepers over that lengthy span

-- Curci

-- Armando Gatti, up through the youth team and going on to win 91 caps for Italy, before moving to Real Madrid aged 32 to be replaced by THE LEGEND THAT IS...

-- Matteo Iuliano, signed aged 17 from Aberdeen for £125k, at age 20 I took the gamble of making him first choice and booooy did he take it - retiring at age 40 still my and Italy's first choice, 180 caps and countless accolades under his belt. His career could have ended on a bum note with an extra time Champions League final loss to Marseille (amazingly my third consecutive loss in the final - the other two being on penalties!), but then he went on to save three penalties in a European Championships final shootout victory. Whatta star

-- Tim Williams, English internationalist who was signed at a young age as a replacement for Iuliano, before I sold him on with a buy-back clause to Real Madrid aged 23 on account of Iuliano showing no signs of slowing down - returned to the club aged 29 as England's first choice, a position he held for another eight years, before too retiring aged 40 (then I finally gave up on that young lad policy by signing Italy's 23-year-old #1, but it wasn't to be long in the side for him...)

- had, at one point, five of my ex-players managing in Serie A. That went somewhat sadly, though, as a few were revealed to be useless and, in one case, retired after seeing out the last ten years of his managing career with Turkey, and in another, took to hovering around in Serie B. Perhaps saddest of all, though, was the truly talented one - his first job outside of my coaching staff was as Cesena boss, who he promoted to Serie A in his first season and then, after just a couple of seasons, did that rare thing of being someone who wasn't me winning Serie A. He then won the Champions League the next season, then following that was fired for being in eighth place (with a top four finish still a possibility) in March! As if that wasn't bad enough, he did EXACTLY THE SAME THING at Modena, and was again fired for minor underachievement by his standards, and retired in shame. Stupid game.

okay I'll just stop there. But I also must mention who I deem to be my greatest player ever: one Stefano Corrado, a young Italian signed from the lower leagues aged 16 who quickly became a star, being my main man up front for 21 years. His best season, in fact, was aged 37, and if only he hadn't been hampered by injuries throughout his career (more than once I assumed that his career was done - bad knee injuries when you're in your 30s isn't something you expect to come back from) he would have easily topped 1,000 club goals (instead he maxed out at 969). 160 goals in 170 international appearances before retiring from international football aged 35, too. His last season, aged 39, looked to see him fizzling out a bit, with his remarkable fitness finally on the decline and his performances averaging just ("just"!) a little above the 7 mark, but then he got his fairytale ending, with a remarkable hat trick in the Champions League final which cemented what needn't have been cemented. STEFANO CORRADO - LEGEND.

that'll do. I have no regrets that it's gone, as my policy of signing em young, letting them grow, and holding them until they basically can't walk any more is one that holds you on even when you feel like leaving it behind. I'll miss seeing how the career of my very young and already top-class midfield unravels, of course, but I've had enough of that in my time to be satisfied. THANKS FOR LISTENING I'LL BE HERE ALL NIGHT.

Never delete your saves.

Anyone remeber champ man 4 - David Trezezguet the ultimate goalscorer? Ronaldinho has personal problems at PSG too. I swept in and saved him as if he were a damsel in distress

Don't usually play very long games, but had one with CM03/04 as I just loved the game at the time:

MTK Budapest: 2003-2024, eventually resulting in winning the Champions Cup 3 times in a row (beating ManU, AC Milan en Barça), reaching the final 4 times in a row (lost the first one to ManU), winning the national league from season 2005/2006 til 2023/2024 straight, being unbeaten in the league as of somewhere halfway season 2014/2015 til I stopped playing and winning the national cup some 15 times. And guess I even won the UEFA Cup once or twice, European Super Cup and club World Championships. Got boring after this time as I won everything though

And currently in FM09 I'm at TOP Oss in season 2019/2020, but pretty much the only thing I won so far is promotion to the highest Dutch league

markymarky a beautiful story :*)

Despite playing virtually all the CM/FM games, my best save didn't arrive until FM08. I decided to manage somewhere other than England (For me, that was a big step!) so set up a game with France, Germany & Italy. Started unemployed and got offered the job at St. Pauli in Germany after a couple of months. I spent 3 years in the 2nd division before walking the league in 2010/11. Then I spent 15 years in the Bundesliga, without ever finishing higher than 8th:(

But I just couldn't tear myself away from that save! Awesome times...

First post, I was trying to find out if there is a maximum years on FM09 before you are forced to retire, or happen to have a nasty accident that retires you without mention, like it used to for some older players.

FM09 - currently in 2019still with Aston Villa - getting a little frustrated by Man City keep pipping me to the title. But enjoying it with an ounce of realism. Long term relationships with players and staff has helped. Kept Gareth Barry until he was 37 now he is on coaching staff. Curtis Davies still in squad and somne youth teamers kicking around.

Tend to always have long careers fm 08 with Milan for about 18 years, And back in the Champ Man days had Man Utd for 20 plus years. Some chap called Henry Kengeter upfront awesome.

Can anyone answer the retirement age ???? Or I will just keep going tuntil I find out.

I also remember one particuarly time consuming save where I edited the scottish league and put all the best teams in the world in it. Like champions league match every week. I also did the same league and edited my team and chose the best 20 players I could think of and added my self for fun.. Obviously I was captain, took free kicks penalties and throw ins... That sometimes helps keep your main game on track by having another in the background.

For the earlier versions (CM2 - FM05) I never really got into long term games, at the most I probably only did about five or six seasons. Then, with FM06 I discovered the joy of the long term game.

With FM06 I played until 2060 with Braintree in what was the greatest save game I have ever had. 23 consecutive CL titles, Danny Roberts' 1000 goals, a 135000 seater stadium, this game had the lot.

Since then, with FM07,8 and 9 I usually play two or three games a year usually reaching around 2030 each time. I can't remember all the details but I think I've spent around about twenty seasons with the following clubs: Cultural Durango, AFC Wimbledon, Staines, Prescot Cables, Kilmore Rec, Sirocco Works, FC United, Brazlandia and a couple more I've forgotten.

CM4 i could last a few seasons with Millwall, its just i was young and couldnt concentrate on a screen, i would just go out and play

This year though ive had numerous careers, but my longest is 12 seasons, really fun

For the earlier versions (CM2 - FM05) I never really got into long term games, at the most I probably only did about five or six seasons. Then, with FM06 I discovered the joy of the long term game.

With FM06 I played until 2060 with Braintree in what was the greatest save game I have ever had. 23 consecutive CL titles, Danny Roberts' 1000 goals, a 135000 seater stadium, this game had the lot.

Since then, with FM07,8 and 9 I usually play two or three games a year usually reaching around 2030 each time. I can't remember all the details but I think I've spent around about twenty seasons with the following clubs: Cultural Durango, AFC Wimbledon, Staines, Prescot Cables, Kilmore Rec, Sirocco Works, FC United, Brazlandia and a couple more I've forgotten.

dafuge, I'm very curious about your method of playing seeing as it allows you such impressively long-term games (and several for each version as well!) How do you manage it?

Don't you ever get bogged down with tactical tweaking etc.? Or do you just set yourself up with a tactics set at the start of the game and stick with it?

And do you tend to be successful with every team you manage?

C.

Dafuge stands for everything good in Football Manager

dafuge, I'm very curious about your method of playing seeing as it allows you such impressively long-term games (and several for each version as well!) How do you manage it?

Don't you ever get bogged down with tactical tweaking etc.? Or do you just set yourself up with a tactics set at the start of the game and stick with it?

And do you tend to be successful with every team you manage?

C.

I spend a while working on a tactic when I get the demo, then stick with it for the rest of the year, never tweaking it before matches. I suppose this is how I get through so many seasons so quickly, I really do zoom through.

As for success, usually if I stick with one club for long enough I can achieve success although I've had my share of failures as well with shorter term games.

Interesting dafuge! I think I get too bogged down with making tactical tweaks etc., which means I tend to play fairly slowly. 14 years is a record for me. There is no way I would manage to play one or more games that last into 2030, although I wish I could in a way!

I doubt I will ever manage to get as far as you do in FM!

C.

Interesting dafuge! I think I get too bogged down with making tactical tweaks etc., which means I tend to play fairly slowly. 14 years is a record for me. There is no way I would manage to play one or more games that last into 2030, although I wish I could in a way!

I doubt I will ever manage to get as far as you do in FM!

C.

Too much campaigning eh

Too much campaigning eh

Maybe that as well.

My my, i must admit guys, i really shouldn;t have opened this thread up in the uni library! There been a couple of absolute guffaw moments from me, fondly reminiscing with your memories!

i was a late-ish bloomer in that i only discovered CM in its CM4 attire, but that changed my life! I went from incessentantly hanging about street corners and being in a gang to a complete anorak within the first day of playing it....

The Major - i rememebr Ronaldinho's personal problems too, i also rescued said damsel (although i insisted he had work done on his teeth!)

my ultimate attack that i built up in CM4 included the likes of a young, bull of player Tevez, the extraordinary Cavenaghi, Fabio Paim ((hero-worshipped him i did!), Helder Barbosa, Damian Luna, Samir Ben Saaid Nasri, Hatem Ben Arfa, Andres Aimar (pablo's younger brother) and my crowning glory, Anatoly Todrov!!

Man oh man did i love him! every game without fail he'd score!

I eventually played CM4 to death, after amassing a save game file of a whopping 48 seasons, all the whilst going through a cycle of unworthy girlfriends who couldn't understand why i was glued to "little dots moving about on the screen!"

it broke my heart though when that computer packed in and i lost my massive save file. It took me a while to recover!!!