The oldest you'll sign a player?

For me it is around 26. That way I get a few years before selling at 30. Players stats drop too fast over 30 to bother keeping (although I haven't been at a team with world class players yet). This system seems to keep the club(s) in a good financial state.

i very rarely sign a player over 30/31 unless he is very cheap and/or i desperately need a player for his position

I am very similar, I will try to sign players around the ages of 14-23. I will however be pushed to around the 25/26 year old mark if there is a need.

Unless I become really fond of a player Eg/ Club Legend, I will sell them around the 29+ age. I like to get the best out of them and sell them during their peak to maximise profits and generate funds for the new breeds.

At the start of a new game I will go to 30, after that, generally no higher than 24 unless it is an emergency (or a keeper, in which case age is less of a concern).

Rarely sign players over 25 unless they are free, transfer listed or if they are a real bargain. Two good examples are van der Vaart in season 3 for 3m quid and Riquelme in the second season for free

I rarley sign a player over 27 unless i want a back up option.

I wont sign a player over 31 no matter how good or cheap he is.

Are you people for real?

You must all be terrible managers.

How can you say the oldest is 25 or 30?

What if you was managing a Championship side and a 33 year old former world class striker was available? You're saying you wouldn't sign him?

He could guarantee promotion, yet you'd overlook him?

Ridiculous.

Are you people for real?

You must all be terrible managers.

How can you say the oldest is 25 or 30?

What if you was managing a Championship side and a 33 year old former world class striker was available? You're saying you wouldn't sign him?

He could guarantee promotion, yet you'd overlook him?

Ridiculous.

In this situation of coarse id take the oopportunity. However i manage in the SPL older players i find teand to struggle.

42 is where I draw the line really, anything before that is fine.

Are you people for real?

You must all be terrible managers.

How can you say the oldest is 25 or 30?

What if you was managing a Championship side and a 33 year old former world class striker was available? You're saying you wouldn't sign him?

He could guarantee promotion, yet you'd overlook him?

Ridiculous.

Tbh I am not saying I am great at this game but I think my record speaks for itself when it comes to my transfer policy.

9 Prem Title of which 5 have beeen consecutive.

5 F.A Cups of which 3 have beeen consecutive.

7 Leage Cups of which 3 have beeen consecutive.

7 Community Shield of which 2 have beeen consecutive on 3 times.

2 Champs League trophies

1 Euro Cup trophy

I play as Spurs and am in my 14th season (2022/23). My average squad age is 24 and I only have 19 players in my 1st team squad.

Nobody said you had to do it this way so for what need was the negative post? The OP was simply asking how other people play the game in order to compare it to his/hers own style.

Tbh I am not saying I am great at this game but I think my record speaks for itself when it comes to my transfer policy.

9 Prem Title of which 5 have beeen consecutive.

5 F.A Cups of which 3 have beeen consecutive.

7 Leage Cups of which 3 have beeen consecutive.

7 Community Shield of which 2 have beeen consecutive on 3 times.

2 Champs League trophies

1 Euro Cup trophy

I play as Spurs and am in my 14th season (2022/23). My average squad age is 24 and I only have 19 players in my 1st team squad.

Nobody said you had to do it this way so for what need was the negative post? The OP was simply asking how other people play the game in order to compare it to his/hers own style.

Fine, try managing a small club with no transfer budget and then see if you have an average age of 24 with similar success.

Not meaning to be negative but it's a stupid question really as it depends solely on the team you're managing.

Fine, try managing a small club with no transfer budget and then see if you have an average age of 24 with similar success.

Not meaning to be negative but it's a stupid question really as it depends solely on the team you're managing.

Yes, I completly understand that and I agree you would have no chance of taking this route at LLM.

P.S I have tried to manage a small club and I just cant bear to manage any other team than Spurs. Mind you on FM09 I did create my own club at lower leagues and I enjoyed it. Just not as much as leading the mighty Spurs to glory.

Yes, I completly understand that and I agree you would have no chance of taking this route at LLM.

P.S I have tried to manage a small club and I just cant bear to manage any other team than Spurs. Mind you on FM09 I did create my own club at lower leagues and I enjoyed it. Just not as much as leading the mighty Spurs to glory.

"Mind you on FM09 I did create my own club at lower leagues and I enjoyed it"

That's a good idea, especially with all the customs databases around. I've never done that in the few years I've played the game.

Hopefully I can create a team that starts small but has the potential to go all the way.

Thanks.

old players are sick!- on fm08 i signed jose luis sierra (chilean amc with about 50 caps) for 20k at the age of 38- 35 apps, 25 assists and 13 goals. nuff said

BTW this was in the championship for sheff wed

Well I didn't really notice how age conscious I was really until recently, especially if I have any sort of money, I always used to buy players younger than 26, without really realising. However I'm starting to mix it up a little especially with some experience and trying to add experience and youth.

For me, I sign anyone that I think would fit in with my tactics regardless of their age. I think it's better off having a number of old players within the team as of-course you can use them as tutors for the upcoming stars/future prospects.

Vieri, about 36 for my charlton save. Gotta when you got no cash

28, Unless he's a legend.

I will buy older only if I am a lower team trying to get up the league and build a solid base.

For example;

Portsmouth - I will buy up to 32 if they are good enough to help me become a mid-table club again.

Arsenal - 23 would be my maximum. They have a good enough squad to last 3-5 years at top division football before you would need to include younsters.

Seeing as I always start in lower leagues, in the first couple of seasons or so I will sign anyone regardless of their age. There's plenty of 35+ year olds who are pretty good for a season or two when you are managing a team in the conference leagues with no cash available. I've even had a 42 year old do a good job although he was a bit slow

28, but the oldest ive kept a player in the first team is 34 with Srna. Still was pushing top right backs out of the team at that age.

Tbh I am not saying I am great at this game but I think my record speaks for itself when it comes to my transfer policy.

9 Prem Title of which 5 have beeen consecutive.

5 F.A Cups of which 3 have beeen consecutive.

7 Leage Cups of which 3 have beeen consecutive.

7 Community Shield of which 2 have beeen consecutive on 3 times.

2 Champs League trophies

1 Euro Cup trophy

I play as Spurs and am in my 14th season (2022/23). My average squad age is 24 and I only have 19 players in my 1st team squad.

Nobody said you had to do it this way so for what need was the negative post? The OP was simply asking how other people play the game in order to compare it to his/hers own style.

ur full and we both know it.. 80% of regens wont even hit their max pa until 24, not to mention mental abilities works in strange way, and even with max ca/pa it still increase over time

2 champ leagues trophies in 14 seasons just proves my point.. ur not even world class club and half of the wins probably been cheated by save and load..

not to mention by that season you should be swimming in money with noone to buy as it wont be used , thus no need to sell players so early

starting with weaker club anything around 30-31 is still fine

in my current game i aim to get ppl around age of 25~ , obviously not counting regens

i still got 33 years old mexes playing for me.. and de rossi 31-32 age cant recall, is still best mid in the game

i personally cant give a crap that hes worth 18 mln, compared to 20 last season oh gee

and he was worth barely 10 mln when he was 5 years younger.. so no selling early isnt always the right thing to do

im currently in 2015-2016 season with rome

Right, that was entirely uncalled for calling a player a 'cheat'. What he has done is POSSIBLE in the game, it doesnt matter if he hasnt got a weaker club or a world class club. He's taken them to heights using average squad age of 24.

Seriously, person above just calm down.

Just started a new campaign and got 3 terrific players in aged 35, 38 and 40. The squad of tier 10 amateurs are nearly all teenagers with okay physical attributes but nothing in the mental or technical department. These guys offer invaluable experience. Two are midfielders who can do a 'Scholesy'; in addition, two are player/coaches which is also invaluable when you are allowed only one coach. Don't write off the old guard too quickly!

Yeah people need to calm down a bit - quite sad seeing people rage over this game and taking it out on others during the Christmas period. A great man once said "A general lack of friendliness toward others on a forum suggests very deep emotional problems and underlining frustrations and inadequacies in their life. It is quite commonly known that online, people act out these so called frustrations through anger and antagonistic behaviour. Quite sadly, openly showing everyone that their life is quite obviously unfulfilled. These people tend to detach themselves from reality and become tyrants in their own mind - attacking people through the internet behind the safety of their computers - when in reality they are quite weak minded, withdrawn and socially frail face to face."

Back on topic -

Typically the age of players that I purchase is in line with the reputation of my club. If I am a large club with a big reputation playing in a top league, I tend to invest a lot of money in my youth and take a gamble on a players skill and potential. With a lower reputation side, I will purchase players, even close to 40 years of age, as long as they can fulfill a role for me at the team. In my current save with Servette, I have a team full of regens averaging from 15 to 18 years of age - they have all been straight out of my own youth academy. However I also have signed many aging players from 32 to 38 years of age. These players tend to have very good mental stats and experience. So far I am doing very well.

For me it is around 26. That way I get a few years before selling at 30. Players stats drop too fast over 30 to bother keeping (although I haven't been at a team with world class players yet). This system seems to keep the club(s) in a good financial state.

Same, my cut of point for signing an new player is 26. regardless of position even goalkeeper. I am very strict and anal about this age thingy

It depends on the league I am playing and the role the player will fill. For example, in MLS, I will sign a new player at 33-34. I will resign a successful player up to 36-37. I used to take a very different approach, but I have found that squad morale and the team's playing mentality seem to be greatly enhanced.

34

Veterans are really handy for training up the youths.

About 30 ill pay over 30 ill try to sign for free.

34

Veterans are really handy for training up the youths.

Seconded.

Sometimes I buy oldies not to play, but to tutor the young players. If I do buy them to play, it's usually below 25 for a top side, and anything goes for lower league.

Seconded.

Sometimes I buy oldies not to play, but to tutor the young players. If I do buy them to play, it's usually below 25 for a top side, and anything goes for lower league.

Yeah, I like to get "key players" in before they peak too... although I will sometimes buy 26-28 year-olds in special cases.

My main preference is to get my key players when they're still "hot prospects" or "rotation" players and train them up to "key player" myself, as this not only gives them more time to settle in with the other players before they hit their peak, it also means that they are already used to playing your style of play when they do peak, both of which makes them more effective for your team than someone who has already peaked when you buy them.

Also you can usualluy get the younger players cheaper than the "peak players" anyway, and if they decide to leave during their peak years, you usually make a tidy profit on them. Win-win.

I won't sign anyone over 27 for a fee, however the oldest I've signed a player is about 34, that being said my transfer policy revolves around freebies and signing good prospect youth.

Depends what I want to sign them for. For actual playing in my first team I very rarely sign anyone over 31 unless I need to.

But I do sign older players mainly to try and get them to be coaches

with the squad limit of 25 i normally go for first 11 as best i can get, second 11 players 23 and under but promising, and the other 3 are usually old heads for the experience

I am playing as Worthing (first season) and I signed a 41 year old centre back.. He is awesome (obviously fitness is an issue)!!!

I signed riquelme at 31.

Older players can still be useful if you know how to use them.

If there good enough they'll play, obviously sparingly and not frequently like younger players.

If i'm at a big club usually around 27 or so, at a small club if i can sign a good player on a free transfer i don't care about their age as long as they can contribute in the short term i'll be happy. And in fact one of the best signings i think i've ever made on fm was on fm 07 as sydney fc, i signed a 31 yo chilean DM and he was a rock in my midfield and last about 5 years or so and was just superb, rarely injured and so consistent.

im in season 4 at weymouth and i have yet to spend a penny simply because i have never had any transfer funds. just getting players that will do a good job is all i can do so age isnt really a factor. 1 player did really well for me at 38 but i released him and got a fans backlash.

Considering I usually start out at lower levels, I sign any player good enough. Have frequently happened that I've signed 40yo+ centre backs because that's the best you'd find in Guam 2nd Division or so.

There was a time when I used to sign only players below the age of 20. But recently I started with 'smaller' clubs, so my policy changed and I sign every player who is good enough despite of age.

There was a time when I used to sign only players below the age of 20. But recently I started with 'smaller' clubs, so my policy changed and I sign every player who is good enough despite of age.

I always play llm and I normally only sign player under 19. This gives me a chance of picking up a star. I will pick up the odd player in the late 20's early 30's to suppliment the youngsters. I try to keep the first team down to 16 players.

ur full and we both know it.. 80% of regens wont even hit their max pa until 24, not to mention mental abilities works in strange way, and even with max ca/pa it still increase over time

2 champ leagues trophies in 14 seasons just proves my point.. ur not even world class club and half of the wins probably been cheated by save and load..

not to mention by that season you should be swimming in money with noone to buy as it wont be used , thus no need to sell players so early

starting with weaker club anything around 30-31 is still fine

in my current game i aim to get ppl around age of 25~ , obviously not counting regens

i still got 33 years old mexes playing for me.. and de rossi 31-32 age cant recall, is still best mid in the game

i personally cant give a crap that hes worth 18 mln, compared to 20 last season oh gee

and he was worth barely 10 mln when he was 5 years younger.. so no selling early isnt always the right thing to do

im currently in 2015-2016 season with rome

You sir are a fool. Where did the cheating accusation come from? What are you on about. Learn some grammar and the use of capitals. Calm down and don't disrespect the way other people choose to play THEIR game.

In FM09, I signed Eidur Gudjohnsen in 2010 with Heerenveen, he was 31 years I guess. He played two seasons as a regular and was very important from time to time. But he was an exception, since I normally buy youth players from other clubs, before they reach the first team in their old club. It's very cheap and you can sell them for 15M-20M after a couple of years. My main focus lies on Scandinavia and Holland/Belgium.

Prob around 28. That way I can get a few good seasons out of him. Would only go above that in rare cases / emergencies

In fm09 I played a season with barca after they went into admin. I needed a full first team i signed around 16 players on free non under 32 some 35,36. we won the league the following season with an average age of 34

I usually stick to the principal of if they're good enought they're young enough

ur full and we both know it.. 80% of regens wont even hit their max pa until 24, not to mention mental abilities works in strange way, and even with max ca/pa it still increase over time

2 champ leagues trophies in 14 seasons just proves my point.. ur not even world class club and half of the wins probably been cheated by save and load..

not to mention by that season you should be swimming in money with noone to buy as it wont be used , thus no need to sell players so early

starting with weaker club anything around 30-31 is still fine

in my current game i aim to get ppl around age of 25~ , obviously not counting regens

i still got 33 years old mexes playing for me.. and de rossi 31-32 age cant recall, is still best mid in the game

i personally cant give a crap that hes worth 18 mln, compared to 20 last season oh gee

and he was worth barely 10 mln when he was 5 years younger.. so no selling early isnt always the right thing to do

im currently in 2015-2016 season with rome

Right.

1st off Im not full I said my average squad age is 24. That doesnt mean I dont have a player over the age of 24. As I mentioned previously I will keep players over the ages of 29 if they are Club legends or I am fond of them. My oldest players are:

Yoann Gourcuff 36 (Reserve Team)

Marek Hamsik 35 (Reserve Team)

Sergio Aguero 34 (1st Team)

Sergio Asenjo 33 (1st Team)

Mathias Jorgensen 32 (1st Team)

And 2 1st Team Regens

Infact out of my 19 man squad 6 of my 1st team players are over the age of 30.

2nd I never said I was "world class" or at a "world class" club.

3rd I have just had a new stadium built. I have 2 loans 1 is a small loan of £24mil (£206k/per month) and 1 of £213mil (£875k/per month). I get given a wage budget of £1.1 per week not matter if i pick Title winner or continental qualification. I also get in the region of £30mil for transfers.

I never once said selling early was the right or wrong thing to do. The OP asked a question and I duely answered. Nobody is telling you how to play the game.

and finally, As for the cheating part. I dont even need to defend myself. As long as I know I havent cheated and am enjoying the game I have no need to justify myself to other people.

P.S Thanks for everybody that defended my post and saw Smikis post for the uncalled for and negative nonsense it is.

Edit: So Arsene Wenger is a bad manager then?

I try to sign younger players, as is the way you must look at it really because you need to ensure a future for the club. I generally try to avoid signing players above the age of 27 but I frequently sign players over that in lower leagues or when not at the pinnacle of the league I'm in.

Signing experience players shouldn't be looked over though, Ronaldo signed at the start of the game scored 50 goals from 60 games in two seasons before he retired. This was in the premiership, with a heavily struggling Stoke side. Beckham chipped in with countless assists, plus goals from free kicks which was exceptionally helpful. At the same time, these two were helping tutor the future players coming through.

At the moment, the oldest players in my team are Joao Moutinho and Jo. Although up until they lost it at the start of this season 34 year olds Tuncay Sanli and Roque Santa Cruz were regularly turning out for my side.

HunkofJunk the answer to that question is a resounding: Yes. These days, he has forgotten what it was that actually made Arsenal a good team when he started and he refuses to compromise.