[FM10] The Miracle of Castel Di Sangro: Revisited

About 10 years ago I read about this tiny town (pop c.5,500) in the Abruzzo region of Italy, who despite all the odds climbed up to the 2nd tier of Italian Football. The book above describes their first season in Serie B,as despite all the odds they managed to survive against some of the big boys of Italian Football. It was a cracking read and ever since I have always tried to track the clubs fortunes.

Unfortunately the time in Serie was to be the crowning point in the clubs history as the following season they were relegated and drifted back down to Serie C2. About 5 years ago, due to financial difficulties Castel Di Sangro dropped out of the professional football league of Italy. The club was reformed as an amateur club and were entered into the 7th tier of Italian Football. After a few seasons they won promotion to the Eccellenza Abruzzo, the football tier directly below Serie D.

(Credit to Joe McGinniss and his publisher for use of front cover image)

This is where the story begins.....

Manager Profile

Initial Facilities

Initial Club Info

Aim

To recreate the magic of their triumphs in the 1990s and if possible, supersede them by taking Castel Di Sangro to Serie A and into Europe.

Club Legend

Claudio Bonomi - around as a youngster in the glory days of the 1990s, he has returned to the club as a veteran to help them out. He is the star member of the initial squad and is adored by fans young and old. However, I may struggle to hold onto him as many clubs want him and he is on an amateur contract!

Did you know.... Carlo Cudicini spent part of his career at Castel Di Sangro!

Career Game Background

Playable Leagues

Italy - Down to Eccellenza level (thanks to 23enzo86 for creating this level and Serie D).

England - Down to Level 8, as my hometown club play in one of those divisions and I want to track how they get on at the same time.

Spain - Top league

View Only

Top leagues in France, Germany, Portugal and San Marino (so I can see how their national team gets on).

I am using a medium player database, but with all current international players from around the world in the database as well.

Brilliant! I had a great career with them a few FM's ago. I'll be reading with interest!

Did you know.... Carlo Cudicini spent part of his career at Castel Di Sangro!

So did Iaquinta.

The book was excellent, only slightly let down by McGinniss being rather obnoxious and thinking he was more of a footballing expert than Jaconi who had worked in the game all his life and brought Castel up to their peak.

I'll have my eye on any potential Miracles in here...

So did Iaquinta.

The book was excellent, only slightly let down by McGinniss being rather obnoxious and thinking he was more of a footballing expert than Jaconi who had worked in the game all his life and brought Castel up to their peak.

I'll have my eye on any potential Miracles in here...

Yeah, very true about Iaquinta... but I'm not a massive fan of his so I didn't think he was worthy of a mention him!

Agree with you about McGinniss, he did come across a bit as your typical fan down the pub on a Saturday evening, who states how he knows best and how he could manage the team better!

However, I must admit when I read the book the first time I was quite young and naive and didn't pick up on that straight away, only when I re-read it a couple of years ago that that came through!

Will do a Summer Transfer window update this evening... been an interesting summer for Castel... not sure whether this is a common problem with self created leagues, but the clubs ability to attract players is slightly better than I thought it would be! More of that later though...

The book was fun but lots of the factual stuff in there is/was wrong - for example the part about the African from Frankfurt. McGinniss refers to Eintracht Frankfurt, when it was a different (lower league) club from Frankfurt instead.

I play the game quite slowly, so seasons for me take a while. However, I like to do updates as I go along, so will plan to do a summer transfer window, winter transfer window / halfway update and then an end of season update each year.

Summer Transfer Window Update (Sep 2009)

Club status: Amateur

Division: Eccellenza Abruzzo

Media Prediction: 3rd

Bookies Prediction: Joint favourites to win promotion

One of the interesting things I found out about the 6th tier in Italian football is that for league matches, your team needs to meet the following age related rules:

At all times you must have...

1. 1 player under the age of 19 in the 1st XI.
   
2. 3 players under the age of 20 in the 1st XI.
   
3. 4 players under the age of 21 in the 1st XI.
   
4. 5 players under the age of 22 in the 1st XI.
   

Having discovered this - along with the fact that Castel Di Sangro is currently an amateur club, it did affect my approach to signing players in the transfer window. My fears that other clubs would come in and poach anyone in my squad did not come to fruition, as the 3 players to leave the club were ones I let go on a free transfer (1 bonus of amateur clubs, no termination fees for dross players ).

I decided to make the backbone of my team an experienced spine, with the compulsory youngsters I have to play, fitting in around the sides. At this level, I thought that a half decent striker could win me plenty of points in the league by himself, so was amazed when I offered an amateur contract to a 38 year old that he didn't just flat out say no thanks. I was then astounded when he agreed and signed for us.

I present to you... Sossio Aruta

I then followed him up with a left winger cum striker, possibly even better than Aruta. Hopefully he can supply the balls for the lad to finish.

Daniele Degano

Both of these players seem a tad too good for this level of Italian football (perhaps a possible issue with the new competition editor), but as they are on amateur contracts they can leave whenever they want to, so I guess I should take full advantage of them while I can!

My other signings included a couple of 22 year old defenders to help shore up my defence. A new keeper as well has boosted the back line.

Transfer Window Action

I am starting off with a tactic that served me well in FM09, especially in the OOTP CSE forum games, the 4-3-3 with 2 wide wingers:

Starting line up

Games so far

2 league games into the season and a win and a draw is a reasonable start, along with a win in the 1st round of the 6th tier cup competition.

Here's to a successful Autumn.

In other news.... I have acquired Serie B side Mantova as my parent club, paying me c.£10k a year. No loan signings from them as yet, I may try and tempt a couple of youngsters nearer Xmas time if my 1st choice youngsters start getting knocks.

WW - just seen this, great work! I too read the Miracle of Castel di Sangro about 10 years ago and loved the story. McGinness ****ed me off big time at the end of the book like others have said. I felt he used the club for his own gain. Shame as they are a wonderful little club.

I'll be following your story with interest, good luck

Good luck, I really like the book, and I'll be following this closely.

Unfortunately guys the version of the Italian lower league file I am running apparently has an issue with it in regards to the playoff promotions at the end of the 1st year. Therefore, this version of the save will have to end.

However, as I am not very far into the game I will restart the game and edit my summer transfer window above when I start the new game.

Should cause minimal disruption to the thread hopefully.

unlucky WW. Was a good read so far. Look forward to the new save

Unfortunately guys the version of the Italian lower league file I am running apparently has an issue with it in regards to the playoff promotions at the end of the 1st year. Therefore' date=' this version of the save will have to end.

[b']However[/b], as I am not very far into the game I will restart the game and edit my summer transfer window above when I start the new game.

Should cause minimal disruption to the thread hopefully.

While your waiting to start that maybe you could try reading "A Season with Verona" by Tim Parks. It's a brilliant read, a far better book in my opinion!

Yeah I tried to read that a couple of years ago... don't know why, but could never quite get into the book. Might try reading it again in the future.

Just to let everyone know, I haven't abandoned this game - I'm just going to wait a few more days incase to ensure the latest updates of the Italian League Download I am using has no issues with it.