Starting from the bottom: When should I do things?

I've never managed a lower league club before so a while ago I took up the challenge of taking AFC Telford to the top. In my first season I got them promoted and in 2nd second I came 6th in the BSP.

I've been making profit all seasons and have a balance of around 700k so far. As I've never managed in this sort of league before I was wondering when should I worry about upgrading my training facilities or stadium. I don't want to request wrong and run up large amounts of debt after doing so well financially. So far I have focused on just getting all my players on Full Time contracts. Any advice on anything would be greatly appreciated.

Make the board request - and they will judge whether your finances are good enough. You may get youth/training upgrades, I see a stadium expansion extremely unlikely.

The key for me would be are you filling your stadium? If not, there's little point expanding.

If you are however, then every match you're losing revenue. Get the expansion in ASAP and you'll be getting that money that you'd otherwise be losing.

I wouldn't worry too much about your training facilities if your still in non league. Chances are any coaches that will work for you will be rubbish and won't help you develop your players.

Save your money to get better players and get out of the division, once your in League 1 or 2 might be worth upgrading them.

I'd say wait until you hit league football until you look at spending cash for training facility upgrades.

As for the stadium chances are with only 700K in the bank you will be rejected by the board as you don't have enough money. Best off saving it for the long term

As said, it would be a longshot, but there's no harm in asking the board - I'd say one request per season is okay without riling them.

Well..improving your facilities should be a priority, but you will need more money to afford them. Try to sign young players that you will be able to sell for profit. A good way of doing this is trying to sign foreign players without a contract. At the start of the season check all of the european international teams (u21 and u18 also). You will be able to sign at least a few good players. Then just wait until offers come and try to sell them for as much as you can. From here on its an easy walk towards the championship. I usually managed to improve the training and youth facilities every year. Asking them twice a year doesnt bother the board as far as i have noticed. Just dont forget to ask them before the summer break or else you will miss the window. The game for some reason only improves facilities at the start of the season.

Originally posted by jakobx:

A good way of doing this is trying to sign foreign players without a contract. At the start of the season check all of the european international teams (u21 and u18 also). You will be able to sign at least a few good players. Then just wait until offers come and try to sell them for as much as you can. From here on its an easy walk towards the championship.

Not the way I would recommend to develop my team. I feel that this is unrealistic, so dampens any future success I may acheive.

I use my scouts and, if I wanted youth I would search for youth, though him.

Having said that, it is your game, so play it as you wish. Well done for taking the lower league plunge.

Originally posted by redUTDgoose:

Not the way I would recommend to develop my team. I feel that this is unrealistic, so dampens any future success I may acheive.

I use my scouts and, if I wanted youth I would search for youth, though him.

Having said that, it is your game, so play it as you wish. Well done for taking the lower league plunge.

Heh...in lower league i usually have a team full of Slovenians. I know which young players to sign and it works for me. Using scouts only seems more like work than fun to me and i usually rely on them only when when i get to the championship. I would probably be stuck in conference for a decade if i followed LLM rules .

Heh...in lower league i usually have a team full of Slovenians. I know which young players to sign and it works for me. Using scouts only seems more like work than fun to me and i usually rely on them only when when i get to the championship. I would probably be stuck in conference for a decade if i followed LLM rules .

A team of Slovenians? haha. I can understand a need for success, which breeds enjoyment, but the feeling when a scouted youngster is doing the business for you, from the local area that you scouted is excellent (especialy when a profit is involved). haha.

I would find it boring signing the same few players, or from the same area. I enjoy the fact that my teams are all different, and I need to learn about them, by tweaking my tactics, as much as they need to learn about how I want to play.

It is fun floundering around in the lower leagues!!! Looking for the next big thing, or the next chance to joins the rats and abandon ship!