[FM10] Roy of the Rovers

Only just realised there was a thread about careers, so my story will start half way through my first season... But i mayswell tell you about my first 2 seasons as Blackburn Rovers.

2009/2010 Season

Media Prediction - 14th

So i take over Blackburn, with a fairly good reputation, as a young up and coming manager. The media expect me to finish 14th, which is a respectable prediction. The chairman gives me exactly £0 to spend at the start of the season, so a bit of wheeling & dealing was introduced. I only signed one player, Marc Wilson, from Celtic for 600k. Sold Steven Reid, Gavin Gunning & David Hoilett, those transfers give me about 4.5 million. Injuries didnt help either, Nelsen out with a broken kneecap and Dunn injured with every part of his body usually

My usual starting XI was

Robinson

Salgado-Samba-Khizanishvilli-Givet

Emerton-Andrews-Van.Heerden-Pedersen

di Santo-Kalinic

Started off the season, lost 2-1 to Spurs, 2-1 to Sunderland, 3-2 to Wolves, not the plan I had in mind. A 3-1 League Cup win against Walsall slightly changed my fortunes. Later, I drawn 2-2 against Hull (still winless in the Prem). I finally got a 1-0 against Bolton, then a 2-0 win against Birmingham. A League Cup defeat against Spurs slightly dented my progress, however 1-1 draw at OT was the highest point of the season so far. I went on a downward spiral of defeats against Stoke, Chelsea & Arsenal. December went quite well, with a 4-1 win over West Ham, and a few good draws against Liverpool and Man City. I drew 0-0 in a crucial derby against Burnley.

2010

I suffered a real setback when my main striker Franco di Santo, went back to Chelsea as his loan expired in January, after scoring 11 goals. I couldnt re-loan him however as your only allowed 1 loan from 1 team per year (I already had 1 loan from Chelsea...Di Santo). I went and bought Morgan Schederlein (spelling ?) and Juliano Belletti with the 4 mill i got from previous transfers. 2010 started off well, with wins against Blackpool, Hull, Bolton, Wolves, Notts Forest, Birmingham & Everton. With a draw against Manchester Utd in the process. I also got a draw at Old Trafford in the FA Cup. Knocked out though in the replay. My 09/10 season was up and down until the end. However, the script was perfect for the second-to-last game of the season, a show down at Ewood Park, against Burnley. Burnley were 3 points behind Wolves, but with a worse G.D, Burnley had to win to have a chance of staying up. On 41 minutes, Benni McCarthy knocked in a header, that sent Burnley down. That was the best moment of my FM career. Chelsea won the League and Champions, with City winning the cup double. Top scorer was Kalinic with 13 goals, Player of the Year was Samba

End Of Season Position - 11th

2010/2011 Season

Media Prediction - 10th

The stingy chairman yet again give me low funds (just over £2 million) So extensive wheeling and dealing was put into place, to get rid of the dead wood

Out Nelsen,Olsson,Chimbonda,Brown,Bunn,Grella,Wilson = £15.1 million

In Skavysh,Cicero,Mangala,Shorey,Burdisso,Alnwick,Altintop,Deco = £10 million

I signed Deco on a free, an absolute gem he was. Fans weren't happy with the sales of Nelsen,Olsson because their fan favourite status.

My standard XI was

Robinson

Jacobsen Samba Burdisso Givet

Emerton Cicero Pedersen

Deco

Kalinic Altintop

My season started off oppositely to the year previous,wins over Everton,Sunderland & Spurs. A 5-1 win over Southampton only boosted confidence. I also produced an amazing draw against Chelsea. I sadly lost to West Brom on penalties in the league cup. Good wins over Hull,Wolves,Fulham,Stoke,Bolton & Ipswich, with me firmly placed 8th at New Year. By now Deco is on course for one of the players of the season, with an average of about 7.20 each game.

2011

January 2011 saw the signings of Ruzvan Rat and Marius Stankevicius to boost my full back position. And the outgoing of Morgan Schederlein. January was a rocky period which saw losses to Sunderland, M. City & Spurs. But with comfortable wins over Hull and Wigan. From the 16th February, to the 13th March, i failed to score a single goal in the league, with 0-0 draws against Liverpool,Bolton and West Ham. Although i did lose 1-0 to Ipswich (not a proud moment). That then followed with a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal, 3-1 to United, and a 1-1 with Fulham. By the end of April, it was a neck and neck race between Me,West Brom and Everton for the last Europa League spot. A 4-0 win over West Brom gave me the edge, and a 2-1 win over Stoke with the last game of the season sealed 7th place. Manchester City won the league, Chelsea won the FA Cup, Liverpool won the League Cup & Barca won the Champions League (United & Arsenal finished 5th & 6th !) Top Goalscorer was Kalinic again with 14, Player of The Year was Samba again, but Deco had 11 assists with an average of 7 per game.

End Of Season Position - 7th

2011/2012 Season

Media Prediction - 8th

After a Europa League Spot, the Chairman finally gave me money to spend, about £13 million, so again, there was many Ins and Outs

Outs McCarthy,Judge,Diouf,Dunn,Andrews(loan),Belletti,Jacobsen,Van Heerden = £ 7 millon (many on free transfers)

Ins Botelho,Tremolada,Beria,Domovchiyski,di Santo = £ 12 million

Now i had money, i thought id bring in my favourite di Santo, to partner Kalinic up front, for a bargain of 5 million. I bought with youth with Botelho,Tremolada & Domovchiyski.

Standard Starting XI

Robinson

Beria Samba Burdisso Rat

Altintop Cicero Mangala Pedersen

di Santo Kalinic

A standard 4-4-2 again. You may be wondering, where is Deco ? Well his performances and diciplinary was abysmal at the end of the 2010/11 season, and with him aging, i thought Mangala and Cicero would be the way forward, with Deco frequently too.

I forgot how much a pain in the arse Europa League was, and most of my Premier League games are now on Sundays. I easily brushed aside Eschen Mauren 5-0, and a close 2 legged affair against Sochaux that i managed to win 2-1, which sent me to the group stages. My Premier League season started off nicely with wins over Leeds and Reading, and a draw against Sunderland. Things though have started to go downhill the Europa League Group Stages didnt start well, 3-0 away to Sevilla, my league form then slipped, draws at home to Wigan didnt help, and losses to Liverpool, Brom, Leeds (league cup), Wolves, Ipswich, Arsenal and Sevilla again. My Europa League form was good, with wins over Dinamo Moscow, and Metalburg. And i advanced to the next round, where i drew PSV.

I decided to drastically change my poor league by setting an attacking mentallity, with help from Mr.Hough. Things picked up, with wins over Villa,Everton & Reading, with the goals flowing. I was devastated when i lost 1-0 to newly promoted Burnley at Turf Moor. I struggled to beat Forest in the cup, thanks to a last minuted penalty miss by Dexter Blackstock.

2012

Started off 2012 with an end-to-end game againtst Sunderland, winning 3-2. My game date at the moment is 11.1.2012, with an away game against Chelsea coming up.

I know this maybe a long, bored read, but now ive started my career thread, i will promise to keep updated regularly...

Since i posted, i lost to Chelsea 2-0, Spurs 4-2, Birmingham 1-0, two draws, one against Wigan (1-1) and one against Brom (2-2) Things arnt looking great at the moment, so things will have to pick up for a Europa League spot

The drought carries on, knocked out of the Europa League, and have no form in the league, things are looking bleak

Thought id give an update, although many dont seem to be bothered. My form got better, drawn against Arsenal, and finished the last 7 games unbeaten, just finished outside the Europa League spots, adding to the squad now